The French midfielder has been ruled out of tomorrow's Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers because of injury.
Roberto Mancini's first signing is struggling with a calf problem, despite passing a medical examination from City's fitness staff on Thursday. His first game back in English football after a four-and-a-half-year absence is now likely to be at Everton on Saturday.
Vieira has been struggling with the injury since taking a kick in his last appearance for Internazionale, in a 1-0 victory over Chievo at the Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi last Wednesday. The former Arsenal midfielder was unable to train fully with the rest of his new team-mates today and was restricted to light work in the gymnasium. He has undergone a scan and City's doctors have told Mancini that it would be too risky to play him against Blackburn.Vieira had been due to go straight into the team – probably at the expense of either Nigel de Jong or Gareth Barry – and possibly to take over as captain, given that Kolo Touré is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast and City's vice-captain, Stephen Ireland, is out of action with a hamstring strain.Instead he has joined an already extensive injury list that includes Roque Santa Cruz, Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge and missed an opportunity to show that he can be as influential as he was when he was the fulcrum of Arsène Wenger's title-winning Arsenal sides.Vieira was particularly keen to stress at his introductory press conference last Friday that he was not a player on the wane after two of his former Arsenal team-mates, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon, expressed misgivings about the longevity of a man who won three Premier League titles while at Highbury. Dixon was particularly sceptical about whether a player who will turn 34 in June would be able to play every week."Patrick gets a few little niggles and hasn't got a classically fit footballer's body, where you know he's an athlete who can go on and on," he said. "He might look like he has that body, but he hasn't. He always needed a long time to recover after games, longer than some of the older lads."
Portsmouth play hardball with Sunderland and Manchester City over Younes Kaboul
Portsmouth have told Manchester City and Sunderland they want £14 million for defender Younes Kaboul. The Premier League's basement boys are ravaged by financial difficulties but are demanding the huge fee to show they will not be bullied into selling their best players on the cheap. But Kaboul's departure is expected to be the first of many during January with David James and Nadir Belhadj also attracting interest. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce and City chief Roberto Mancini have both approached Pompey to enquire about prising Frenchman Kaboul away from Fratton Park. Despite City's massive spend on Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott in the summer, a series of error-strewn defensive displays have forced Mancini into strengthening at the back once again.
Sunderland meanwhile have hit something of a wall. After a flying start the Black Cats have just one win in 12 league games.
Kaboul was linked to a move to the Stadium of Light two years ago before opting to join Portsmouth from Tottenham.
PATRICK VIEIRA has provided an insight into why Roberto Mancini has won over Manchester City’s players so rapidly – he still thinks he is one of them.
But Carlos Tevez warned that despite the new manager’s nice-guy image, he has made it clear there is no room for shirkers.
Mancini is 45 and has been retired as a player for nearly a decade. But he still likes to take an active part in City’s intensive training sessions, apparently holding his own with the stars under his command.
Vieira contrasts Mancini, who was an Italy international, and Jose Mourinho, who never made the grade as a player.
After working under both at Inter Milan, Vieira said: “Roberto is the same kind of manager as Mourinho, very thorough, but he likes to participate on the pitch. “In training, Roberto likes to train with the players. He likes to be close to the players.” City players were dismayed when Mark Hughes was sacked last month, but Mancini appears to have won their respect and banished dressing-room resentment over his appointment. But while Mancini likes to bond with his players, Tevez says he also demands hard work and total concentration in every training session. That could spell bad news for Robinho, who is likely to be on the bench again when City face Blackburn tonight. “He is very strong on us working hard when we do not have the ball,” said Tevez, whose own work ethic has impressed Mancini. “We have not conceded any goals in the last three games so his methods are obviously working. I am enjoying the way he has us playing.” With Mancini being out on the training pitch, Tevez says it enables him to keep a close eye on who is putting in 100 per cent and who isn’t, with no allowances made because of freezing temperatures. “Training in the cold is hard but you have to be at your best in training to get into the manager’s thoughts, so you cannot let that get to you,” he said. “I’m used to the cold – I’ve lived in England for a few years now and it does not affect me too much.”
Tevez may have won the Premier League player-of-the-month award for December after eight goals in his last nine games and made a big impression on Mancini, but he knows he cannot afford to ease up. “I am very happy with my form but what is more important is that the team has been playing well,” he said. “I was delighted to win the award but I want to give credit to my team-mates for all their help. “It is not just down to me, without them I would not get the chances to score. “The squad has the ability for the manager to pick a team to suit a certain game or if there are a few injuries about. He is willing to change things, even during a match, so you have to be alert. “There’s a great spirit in the squad. Everybody has wanted to impress the new manager since he arrived. And it is not easy to stay in the team because there are others ready to take your place.” Meanwhile, Mancini has told Tottenham to forget their hopes of luring Micah Richards away from City. With Joleon Lescott, Nedum Onouha and Wayne Bridge all injured and Kolo Toure away at the African Nations Cup, Mancini says he cannot afford to lose another defender this month. And he still views Richards as part of City’s future. “How could I afford to lose Micah?” he said. “We have only four fit defenders at the moment. Anyway, I rate him very highly. He has played for England and has great potential for the future.” Richards, who limped off at Middlesbrough, is expected to be fit for tonight’s game, which City expect to go ahead despite the weather Vieira will make his debut providing he shakes off a calf strain picked up on his final appearance for Inter, while Mancini’s options have been improved by the return to fitness of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Roque Santa Cruz.
WAG OF THE DAY - Louise White
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... uise-white
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Stoke City have made an approach to sign striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has played just 13 minutes in the league for Real Madrid this season. Times
Nottingham Forest have made a £3m bid for Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses. Daily Mail
West Ham are in talks about signing Portugal striker Nuno Gomes, who has scored four goals for Benfica this season.
(The Times)
Spanish holding midfielder Michel, 24, will join Birmingham City from Sporting Gijon for £2.5m, subject to a medical. The Independent
Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi has turned down a £3.5m move to Sunderland after holding talks with club officials and his agents in Bavaria. The Independent
The Black Cats are apparently ready to swoop for Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas. The deal would see the 29-year-old Club America player join Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season before making a permanent switch if he settles in England. Daily Mirror
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy wants to sign Jamie O'Hara from Tottenham but the midfielder, whose loan spell at Portsmouth ended recently, will have to have special permission as the Premier League do not allow players to have three clubs in one season.Daily Mirror
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed striker Dimitar Berbatov has been suffering with a knee injury that could need surgery. The Guardian
Look out, Robinho B*ll*x!
Manchester City's Brazil star ambushed by team-mate Micah Richards in training ground snow ball fight
It's usually Robinho who employs the element of surprise to bamboozle opponents, but Manchester City team-mate Micah Richards struck a blow for all defenders on Sunday with this sneaky snowball attack in training.
City sneaker: Richards ghosts up on a heavily armed, smiling Robinho (above) before launching himself within shot of his totally unaware team-mate
The Brazil star, not the most enthusiastic performer once the winter weather arrives, looked surprisingly cheerful until Richards stalked up and, with a leap, hurled a snowball in his friend’s face.
Richards slams the snowball into Robinho's face
Robinho’s thoughts presumably turned to where he might have been — a Rio beach, say, sipping a cocktail.
How former City boss Mark Hughes must wish he had still been around to pin one on the errant forward.
Edit: just noticed this has it's own thread: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=29375
more bollox later
