Man City

GallasVoice · Post by **GallasVoice** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:55 pm

I know its not the end of the transfer window ant itsnot about arsenal.....today I was having a 'disagreement' with two of my work colleagues. It was about Man City. whether they would hit big next season or not? will the gel or will they crumble? My colleagues say theres no way with the amount of money their spending they will finish lower than 6th, i dis-agreed. HAHA
so guys i set up a FANTASTIC POLE to 'try' and prove Ali and Russ (Not city fans, Man U & Watford) wrong.
So top bananas...

dbrien · Post by **dbrien** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:00 pm

6th-10th i hope. I can see Hughes getting sacked and Mourinho taking over next season, the chance to do a similar project to Chelsea and to go head to head with fergie in the same city would be a huge temptation - theni think they will be a real threat

Ted B · Post by **Ted B** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:14 pm

6-10th, watch this space. I'm going to put my money where my mouth is too, and go to the bookies. Betfair do decent odds on this sort of bet.

I'm hoping Hughes ain't cut out to handle all of these 'stars' and keep them all content.

Their defence is actually shit.

Their midfield is no better than that of Villa, Everton or Spurs.

The team won't gel overnight and suddenly become great.

Barry, average. Tezez, not an actual goalscorer. Santa Cruz, we saw what he did last season. Ade, same. (Hopefully)

I just don't buy the hype at all, at best they'll grab a Uefa Cup spot, fuck them, I hope that club dies. :finger:

Post by **I Hate Hleb** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:44 pm

dbrien wrote:6th-10th i hope. I can see Hughes getting sacked and Mourinho taking over next season, the chance to do a similar project to Chelsea and to go head to head with fergie in the same city would be a huge temptation - theni think they will be a real threat

I was thinking exactly the same thing the other night!!

The thing is Mourinho is hated by a lot of people in Italy for his out-spoken views on other managers/players. Coupled with the distain he shows for the media there and it results in a lot of people wanting him to fail.

Should Inter struggle in the Champions League - which is the trophy they really want - then it wouldn't surprise me if he then got the sack, even if Inter win the league again. That would then leave the door open for a move back to the Premiership, and what better than to be at a club that's financially competative enough to go up against Ferguson and his old club Chelsea.

Having said all that, I still think they will finish in the top 5 with Hughes as manager.

GunnerDude · Post by **GunnerDude** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:51 pm

Unlike Man City, Chelsea already had a decent team and manager that made it into the CL which made attracting good players easier. Plus lets not forget that they spent more than half a billion in 2yrs bringing in 24+players in that time.

City have no CL footie, no defence, besides Ireland and maybe Barry their midfield is normal at best and I would love to see how they will fit Robinho Tevez Ade Santa Phillips and Bellamy in the same team. oh

plus Benjani Calcedo Bojinov Petrov

this will be fun to watch.

Post by **DB10GOONER** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:42 am

I hope 6th to 10th but I've a feeling it may be 4th or 5th. They won't finish ahead of the Filth, the mousers or the chavs. But if we perform similarly to last season I could see them finishing ahead of us.

This is a critical season for Wenger. He must realise this. I can't believe he hasn't strengthened the side considerably going into this season. If we repeat last season he will lose the majority of the fans. And not because we didn't win anything, but because he didn't address the known issues of a weak midfield and defence yet again...

Massive, massive season for us.

joematty7 · Post by **joematty7** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:47 am

not to undermine the original poster in anyway, but how can we judge before we know what their team is likely to be? they could just as easily sign a whole new defence after their tour of africa.

augie · Post by **augie** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:21 am

As the situation stands I can see them finishing in the top 4 no doubt

My get out of jail on this prediction is that it depends on what we do during the remainder of this transfer window.......if we buy the quality players that we need in key positions then I would feel confident that we will stay top 4 regardless of who else they buy or who manages them even but if we dont buy or leave it until jan then it will be too late for us I fear

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:33 am

4th.

Regardless of how they achieved it (and it's not much different to how United or Chelsea do it), they are building a first class team only weakened by Ade.

If they get familiar with eachother in pre season then they could come out flying and with no Europe to focus on then their squad will not be over played.

The current top 4 need to step up.

I'll be completely honest though, I'd like to see them do it just to see the league shaken up a bit, it's fuckin dull at the moment.

Percy Dalton · Post by **Percy Dalton** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:40 am

All the time they have such a shit defence they won't challenge the top four.

Obviously signing the Shoplifters Son from the Chavs will help but it still needs more work than that and that is stilll far from certain.

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:43 am

Their defence is not that bad, that's such a cliched put down.

Wayne Bride, Onhua, Given, all good players, they only need to find another 2 to make it solid.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:46 am

They are the same as Chelsea.were. If they don't make top 4 this year, rest assured they will spend to achieve it next year.

One of the current top four has to go.

Who will it be ?

Most would point the finger at us. I have a sneaky feeling things at Liverpool could unravel and they might just make way.

But maybe I'm dreaming ?

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:49 am

You can't rule anyone out for me, even United, without Ronaldo they look a lot weaker and if Ferdinand struggles with injury then their defence could become fragile (and that is their saving grace)

Van Der Saar got saved by the clean sheet record but he looks suspect and the right back area is a big problem.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United are all in the same boat for me, Chelsea look the strongest but they have a new manager so who knows how that will go.

It's not just City to fear though, Everton are looking very strong at the moment and Naughton would solve their problem area.

Percy Dalton · Post by **Percy Dalton** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:51 am

Gunnersaurus wrote:Their defence is not that bad, that's such a cliched put down.

Wayne Bride, Onhua, Given, all good players, they only need to find another 2 to make it solid.

It is not a cliched put down at all. Yes, Given is a good signing and Ohhua is a good prospect but that is all he is. You could possibly draw a comparrison with him and our Djourou. Micah Richards form has dropped considerably and Dunne is slower than me.

Bridge is a very good left back agreed but the replacements they have behind them are mediocre at best.

If they were so good at the back then why did they ship so many goals last season?

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:54 am

So defending is all about the back 4? You should know it's not from watching us every week.

I'm not saying that their defence is amazing but just because one player was poor one year (like Richards) doesn't mean he is gonna be poor the next, remember Frank LeBouef???

They have the players there without adding, they just need to gel and get better protection, much like here.

Man City

Where will Man City and Adebaygork finshed next season?

Man City