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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:12 am 
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Manchester City's strike-force could be facing a £100m overhaul this summer if their away-goal drought carries on. The Blues’ title chase has stumbled as their expensive attacking trio, who were scoring for fun at the start of the season, have hit a barren patch. Edin Dzeko has bagged one goal in his last nine away league matches, Mario Balotelli’s game has faltered just as the stakes have been raised, and Carlos Tevez remains a blot City would rather remove from their copybook, and their wage bill.

Only Sergio Aguero, who has been a big hit with 24 goals in his debut season, can be sure of his place – unless Dzeko or Balotelli, or preferably both, can emerge as heroes in the remaining nine games. The statistics don’t lie, and City’s title lead has been whittled away due to their persistent failure to score away from home. Those stats also show chances haven’t dried up – it’s the conversion rate which has fallen dramatically. Dzeko has been a curious case this season.

The man who scored four at Tottenham in August looked like a player who had finally thrown off the shackles of his £25m price tag and was about to destroy Premier League defences, as he used to do in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg. He has not been happy with the number of games he has had since then, and perhaps his confidence has suffered as a result.

There is also an argument that City’s lack of effective width has not helped his game. Three of his four goals in that memorable 5-1 win at White Hart came from players hitting the byline and then landing crosses on his foot or head. But the Blues rely heavily on their full-backs to provide width these days, which usually means slow build-up and sometimes poor quality of cross. Adam Johnson has hit a plateau in his development, and is not the type of winger who darts to the byline and plonks crosses on the head of a 6ft 3in striker in any case.

Maybe Dzeko’s season would have been different had the Blues nailed down their No 1 target last summer, Alexis Sanchez, who instead went to Barcelona from Udinese. That lack of pace and penetration in wide areas was woefully obvious at Stoke on Saturday, as City tried to play through a tight, determined and well-organised defence, rather than getting around them. Maybe the solution for Dzeko is to bring complementary players in rather than flog him, although Bayern Munich and Juventus are already eyeing the situation with some interest.

Gareth Barry and David Platt admit Manchester City can’t afford to drop any more points Manchester City's Gareth Barry says there is no room for error Roberto Mancini will expect Dzeko to step up in these final nine games.

The goalscoring charts show that the big Bosnian has 18 goals so far, a decent return, but 13 of them came before Christmas. The same goes for Balotelli, who has netted 11 of his 15 goals in this campaign before the mid-season point. It is plain for everyone to see that the 21-year-old Italian has the ability to land the title for City in these last few weeks.

He has shown a capacity for eking a goal out of the tightest of situations with a flash of intuition. And last season we were sticking him in the pigeon-hole marked “big game player” when he turned it on for the FA Cup semi-final against United and in the final against Stoke, but looked ordinary in more humdrum games. But now is the time for big game players to come to the fore, and Balotelli seems more intent on trying to earn free-kicks, and feeling sorry for himself.

Mancini has shown immense patience with the erratic youngster, and admits he spends plenty of time coaxing and cajoling the kid in an attempt to bring the world-class talent out of him, and bury the flaky elements of his personality deep within. Attitude There have been times this season when Mancini’s message seemed to be getting through, as his work-rate improved, his attitude was excellent and his threat was doubled. That has changed. Even on a stage like last week’s crunch against Chelsea, he was anonymous, and when presented with a great chance his inordinate self-belief failed him and he dragged his shot wide.

There is time for Balotelli to redeem himself. He is the type who should relish the drama of this run-in, and imagine himself as the hero who brings the title to City after a 44-year absence. Talking of redemption, Tevez also has it on his mind. While his motives in coming back to City may have been purely selfish, now he is here he would love to be the hero. City’s stance on Tevez remains exactly as it was 12 months ago. They would rather be rid of him once and for all, but that does not mean they will be accepting the first eight-figure offer that happens along this summer. And if suitors Juventus, Corinthians and Inter Milan don’t get close to the Blues’ £25m valuation, he will again be going nowhere.

Tevez will never be forgiven by many Blues, even by some of those ready to utilise his talents in the last nine games. But no-one should doubt that City will have a player committed to trying to win them the title, even if it is just to enhance his own profile rather than for the benefit of the club or the fans. Those three strikers will come under intense scrutiny when City’s three owners meet with the management team in June to review the season and plan for those ahead.

Mancini has made no secret of his admiration for Napoli strike pair Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi, and there have even been whispers of an audacious bid for Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo in the corridors of the Etihad Stadium. There has to be at least one striker coming in, and at least one will leave. Unless the current state of affairs changes in the fateful final two months of the campaign, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that, come next August, Tevez and Aguero remain and Balotelli and Dzeko will have departed.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:40 am 
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It will be sell to buy I expect. If we axe Bridge, RSC, Ade, Savic, Dzeko, Tevez we could easily spend 100 million on a young CB, right winger, a striker or two.

I'd rather keep Dzeko. Unless we can trade for Cavani or Higuain.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:47 am 
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Tresidentevil wrote:
It will be sell to buy I expect. If we axe Bridge, RSC, Ade, Savic, Dzeko, Tevez we could easily spend 100 million on a young CB, right winger, a striker or two.

I'd rather keep Dzeko. Unless we can trade for Cavani or Higuain.

sell these if we're lucky, he's only going for market value. Dzeko i'd rather keep unless it's a swap, and savic i doubt we'd get anything for.

he may come good after a period as scapegoat.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:50 am 
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You're probably correct unfortunately :(

How long till the end of their contracts, what a waste of wages?


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:47 pm 
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Aguero, Kun - 30.06.2016, taxed to 50 Mil euros.
Dzeko, Edin - 30.06.2015, taxed to 32 Mil euros.
Balotelli, Mario - 30.06.2015, taxed to 28 Mil euros.
Tevez, Carlos - 30.06.2014, taxed to 27 Mil euros.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:02 am 
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I see no reason to spend big in the summer. Our players not being good enough isn't why we lost to Swansea, Everton and Sunderland.

It's a common myth that the best team wins the league. The most consistent team wins the league (which I guess is "best" in the context of a league, but we'll just conveniently ignore that). Of course, having good players in every position helps, but you only need to be better than most teams in the league, and the rest comes down to your ability to play to your full potential more often than your rivals. If you were to ask who would win if we played Man Utd and both teams were playing to their absolute potential, I think most people would agree that we would win. But for 36 of the 38 games, this is completely irrelevant, as long as both teams are better than everyone else. So I don't think strengthening further will necessarily help us win the league.

In Europe, I think it's a bit different, where you will really notice the difference between a world class player and decent Premier League player. Personally, I think the defence looked very vulnerable in Europe, and a world class CB would be on my shopping list.

As for strikers, it's worth mentioning that John Guidietti has scored 19 goals in 20 games in the Dutch league this year, so if we lost one of the four strikers, I'd be tempted to make him our fourth choice.

I'm not a fan of losing Dzeko though, because he offers something different to the others, and I think it's important to have that option (although I agree with the article that we should be playing to his strengths more). He might not be on form atm, but he's scored 18 goals in 31 games so far (how many of those were starts?) which isn't too shabby.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:01 am 
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gibbonicus_andronicus wrote:
Tresidentevil wrote:
It will be sell to buy I expect. If we axe Bridge, RSC, Ade, Savic, Dzeko, Tevez we could easily spend 100 million on a young CB, right winger, a striker or two.

I'd rather keep Dzeko. Unless we can trade for Cavani or Higuain.

sell these if we're lucky, he's only going for market value. Dzeko i'd rather keep unless it's a swap, and savic i doubt we'd get anything for.

he may come good after a period as scapegoat
.

Worked for Richard Edg.... Oh, wait :o


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:03 am 
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I'm With Stupid wrote:
I see no reason to spend big in the summer. Our players not being good enough isn't why we lost to Swansea, Everton and Sunderland.

It's a common myth that the best team wins the league. The most consistent team wins the league (which I guess is "best" in the context of a league, but we'll just conveniently ignore that). Of course, having good players in every position helps, but you only need to be better than most teams in the league, and the rest comes down to your ability to play to your full potential more often than your rivals. If you were to ask who would win if we played Man Utd and both teams were playing to their absolute potential, I think most people would agree that we would win. But for 36 of the 38 games, this is completely irrelevant, as long as both teams are better than everyone else. So I don't think strengthening further will necessarily help us win the league.

In Europe, I think it's a bit different, where you will really notice the difference between a world class player and decent Premier League player. Personally, I think the defence looked very vulnerable in Europe, and a world class CB would be on my shopping list.

As for strikers, it's worth mentioning that John Guidietti has scored 19 goals in 20 games in the Dutch league this year, so if we lost one of the four strikers, I'd be tempted to make him our fourth choice.

I'm not a fan of losing Dzeko though, because he offers something different to the others, and I think it's important to have that option (although I agree with the article that we should be playing to his strengths more). He might not be on form atm, but he's scored 18 goals in 31 games so far (how many of those were starts?) which isn't too shabby.

Just playing Devil's advocate but wouldn't Guidetti also offer that self same 'something different'?


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:23 am 
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I dunno. Haven't seen much of him. But we know Dzeko can do it in the PL, whereas Guidetti is still an unproven teenager atm.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:25 am 
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I still want to give Guidetti a shot. Why wouldn't we?

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:30 am 
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Danny's Studs wrote:
I still want to give Guidetti a shot. Why wouldn't we?


´coz he needs time to play, means we would just stop hes career.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:36 am 
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And he's shit...

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:38 am 
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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has publicly praised Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric.

Having irritated Arsenal by expressing an interest in captain Robin van Persie in March, Mancini has now risked doing the same to North London's other Premier League club by praising their star midfielder.

Modric, who last summer demanded a transfer to Chelsea before ultimately staying at White Hart Lane, has caught Mancini's eye with his fine performances this season.

However, the City boss admits convincing Tottenham to sell the Croatia international could prove a difficult task.

"Luka Modric is an outstanding footballer, a great player," Mancini is quoted in The Sun. "He is definitely one of the best in the Premier League.

"But it is by no means easy to get him because he plays for a big club, Tottenham. It is unlikely that they would let him leave."



Wouldn't need the bugger anyway with Silva and Nasri in the side.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:02 pm 
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This quote:

Quote:
"My name is often being linked to Real Madrid and Manchester City. If you are a player, there are market rumours every six months. But I have never received a concrete offer."


Translates to this headline:

"Chiellini rules out City move"

Great journalism as usual.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:14 pm 
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Gallagheresque wrote:
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has publicly praised Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric.

Having irritated Arsenal by expressing an interest in captain Robin van Persie in March, Mancini has now risked doing the same to North London's other Premier League club by praising their star midfielder.

Modric, who last summer demanded a transfer to Chelsea before ultimately staying at White Hart Lane, has caught Mancini's eye with his fine performances this season.

However, the City boss admits convincing Tottenham to sell the Croatia international could prove a difficult task.

"Luka Modric is an outstanding footballer, a great player," Mancini is quoted in The Sun. "He is definitely one of the best in the Premier League.

"But it is by no means easy to get him because he plays for a big club, Tottenham. It is unlikely that they would let him leave."



Wouldn't need the bugger anyway with Silva and Nasri in the side.



Unless we are trying to field a team in the poison apple cup.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:04 am 
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Mancini!
I found player who had skill like Rob van per Sie. I think u should buy this guy. He is Oliver Groud from MOntpellier...mybe u should buy also Belhanda...he young, fast and smart...mybe u can buy this two person in $23m..sell adebayor,Santa Cruz, Adam Johnson, savic, and unused goal keeper.don't waste money to keep them.sell them to buy future potential for this club...
WHo AGree with me???
i also agree if we call back john guidetti..now he is in line to be one of man city attacker..


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:17 am 
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ash0322 wrote:
Mancini!
I found player who had skill like Rob van per Sie. I think u should buy this guy. He is Oliver Groud from MOntpellier...mybe u should buy also Belhanda...he young, fast and smart...mybe u can buy this two person in $23m..sell adebayor,Santa Cruz, Adam Johnson, savic, and unused goal keeper.don't waste money to keep them.sell them to buy future potential for this club...
WHo AGree with me???
i also agree if we call back john guidetti..now he is in line to be one of man city attacker..


Nice suggestion but really you should get his name right .

Giroud.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:49 pm 
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Should've bought this fella.


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PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2012 8:55 am 
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Feyenoord supporter from the Netherlands here.

Guidetti > Balotelli, Tevez, Dzeko

He was a sensation in the Dutch league. Should really give him a chance I'm confident he'll have the same impact in the PL


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PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2012 11:08 am 
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DazL wrote:
Feyenoord supporter from the Netherlands here.

Guidetti > Balotelli, Tevez, Dzeko

He was a sensation in the Dutch league. Should really give him a chance I'm confident he'll have the same impact in the PL


Sure...

You must be right coz of all those dutch league sensations before...


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