Tuesday's Fallout B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Incensed Wayne Bridge may call it quits after being driven back to the brink
For the second time in 18 months, the Manchester City defender is pondering whether to call it a day with his country
Wayne Bridge may be on the verge of announcing his retirement from international football, but he has been on that particular brink before.
In the summer of 2008, just a few months into Fabio Capello’s reign as England manager, Bridge was considering his future, disillusioned at being asked to fly around the world acting as understudy to Ashley Cole.
The Manchester City defender was talked out of retirement 18 months ago by his friends and representatives, who are again urging him to take his time before making a decision he could live to regret, with the World Cup finals in five months’ time.
John Terry was among those who told him to stick with it on that occasion, but Bridge is unlikely to listen to the England captain’s advice this time around. Four days on from the onset of a very public humiliation, Bridge will still not take Terry’s calls.
Bridge, 29, was initially tempted to walk away from international football because he could not see a way of breaking into the England team and was reluctant to spend more time away from his family than he needed to in such circumstances. A call-up for the friendly international against Trinidad & Tobago on June 1 2008, when many of the senior players had been given time off, almost tipped him over the edge, but during the summer his resolution faltered and he accepted his lot as a squad player.
On this occasion, however, it is not issues of futility and fatigue that are going through his mind, but blind fury.
Bridge has told friends that he cannot bear the thought of sharing a dressing room, hotel, coach or plane journey with Terry, once his close friend, never mind the prospect of being forced to listen to one of his team-talks if the Chelsea centre back remains captain of his country.
Bridge has been left badly bruised by the salacious revelations of the past few days, particularly the allegation that his former girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel, had an abortion as a result of her affair with Terry.
Although Bridge has been aware of the situation for several weeks, seeing such intimate details paraded in public has heightened his anger.
The calculation facing him now is what he has to gain by announcing his retirement. If Bridge believes that making such a dramatic gesture would bring down Terry, then he is likely to be disappointed, because the FA has made it clear that Capello will make his decision on football grounds alone and will not be dictated to by any players.
Capello is planning to speak to Bridge, but only to ascertain a few key facts, rather than to gauge his opinion on the most suitable candidates for the England captaincy.
The real fear for Bridge is that retiring would simply make Capello’s decision easier and thereby strengthen Terry’s position. Despite being named in all the England manager’s squads over the past two years when fit for selection, Bridge is not guaranteed to go to the World Cup because his form for City has been patchy and he has missed the past eight weeks with a knee injury.
The fact that Kieran Gibbs, the Arsenal defender, will be out for the rest of the season with a broken foot has strengthened Bridge’s position as England’s second-choice left back, but given Cole’s manifest superiority and good fitness record, Capello is giving serious consideration to not taking specialist cover for the Chelsea defender to South Africa.
The Italian is increasingly coming around to the view that picking four specialist full backs is a waste of his resources, particularly when he has other players in his squad who could fill in, such as James Milner and Joleon Lescott.
Given the injury histories of Glen Johnson and Wes Brown, England are more likely to need cover on the right, which could work against Bridge, as could the fact that Capello is keen to look at Stephen Warnock after his impressive performances for Aston Villa.
A failure to name Bridge in his 23-man squad in May might be widely interpreted as a politically expedient move by Capello, but it would not be as simple as that and could even be the best outcome for all concerned.

Defensive cover
Fabio Capello has a number of options should Wayne Bridge not make his World Cup squad:
Stephen Warnock Has played only six minutes under Fabio Capello, but has emerged as a contender for the second left-back spot during a superb season for Aston Villa.
Joleon Lescott Pencilled in as the fourth centre back despite a disappointing start at Manchester City, but can also operate at left back, as he did with some success for Everton.
James Milner The Aston Villa player has impressed Capello with his attitude and versatility, and could fill in as full back on either flank as well as operating across the midfield

Typical City?
Reports in Spain this morning have confirmed that Manchester City came within a whisker of signing Argentinean defensive midfielder Fernando Gago in the final minutes of the transfer window yesterday.
Manchester City had agreed an 18 million euro deal with Real Madrid for the 23-year-old but the bank guarantees and contract could not be pushed through in time.
The Premier League side had been in negotiations with McDonald Mariga for much of yesterday but once they realized they could not secure a work permit for the Kenyan midfielder they returned to Real Madrid with an offer for Gago.
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini was eager to secure a midfield signing and the 18 million euro fee was agreed but they failed to get the paperwork through in time.
Gago was keen on a move to Eastlands as he needs playing time to secure a place in Argentina’s World Cup squad. Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini has since reassured the former Boca Juniors midfielder that he will be used in the second half of the campaign.
As well as missing out on Gago, McDonald Mariga joined Inter Milan from Parma and signed a contract until 2014 with the Nerazzurri.

Manchester City face defensive crisis at Vincent Kompany ruled out for a fortnight
Manchester City face a defensive crisis in the coming weeks after Vincent Kompany was ruled out for at least two weeks with a groin strain.
The towering centre-back, who scored his first goal since 2008 against Portsmouth on Sunday, joins Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards on the treatment table.
Kompany was deployed in the midfield anchor role under City's former boss Mark Hughes and often struggled for form. However since being nudged into the heart of defence by Roberto Mancini the Belgium international has excelled.
He thumped in a marvellous match-sealing header on the stroke of half-time on Sunday but hobbled off just before the hour mark. Kompany is likely to miss the trip to Hull next weekend, as well as a midweek visit of Bolton and back-to-back games, one in the FA Cup, against Stoke.

Micah Richards will also be short for the match at the KC Stadium after picking up a calf injury against Manchester United in the Carling Cup. Lescott will only return to training next week. Left-back Wayne Bridge, though, should be fit to face the Tigers.

City have been boosted by the return of skipper Kolo Toure with a man of the match-winning performance at Eastlands.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
It wasn't the most dramatic of transfer deadline days, with less than £20m being splashed out in the final 24 hours of the window.

Arsenal midfielder and captain Cesc Fabregas is set to rejoin Barcelona in the summer. The 22-year-old Spaniard is contracted to the Gunners until the end of the 2013/2014 campaign but is unhappy with the team's lack of ambition. (Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo)

Paris St Germain's bid to sign Manchester United midfielder Anderson fell through because the French club were reluctant to pay the Brazilian's wages.Daily Mail

Sunderland missed out on landing Egypt winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi after his club ENPPI rejected the Black Cats' bid of £2m.Daily Mail

One of the most unusual deals on deadline day was Mido's move to West Ham - where he will be on the lowest wages for a player in the Premier League. The Egypt striker signed on a six-month loan from Middlesbrough for £1,000 a week and Hammers owner David Sullivan called the deal "one of the most amazing of all time".The Sun

OTHER BOLLOX
Beleaguered Chelsea defender John Terry will tell England manager Fabio Capello that he will not relinquish the captain's armband for the national team. Daily Mirror

However, others report the Chelsea centre-half is considering resigning as skipper of England ahead of talks with Capello on Friday. It follows newspaper allegations of an affair with the former girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge. The Independent

Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge could be on the verge of quitting international football following the fall-out of Terry's alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend. The Times

David Beckham has revealed his thoughts on returning to Old Trafford in an AC Milan shirt ahead of this month's Champions League clash. The England midfielder, on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, said: "The thought of playing United always gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much." Daily Express

Midfielder Park Ji-Sung has warned Chelsea that Manchester United will not capitulate as the Premier League title race heats up. The Sun

WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... -paressant

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor thanked his Manchester City "family" for providing support following the deadly gun attacks on Togo's football team in Angola in January. Daily Mirror

Fiorentina and ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu, who tested positive for the banned substance sibutramine last week, has been labelled a "child" by the Italian club's sporting director Pantaleo Corvino. The Sun

Striker Wayne Rooney is confident that Manchester United can set a new Premier League record and win four successive titles. Daily Mirror

Chelsea missed Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, on Africa Cup of Nations duty, throughout January but still won all five games. The strikers are set to feature for the Blues in Tuesday's game at Hull and Frank Lampard said: 'When they were away people spoke about us struggling. We've done well and now we will be even stronger." Daily Mail

Portuguese winger Nani says he is back to his best after a "stunning" performance in Manchester United's 3-1 win at Arsenal. The £17.3m signing in 2007 said: "The manager has shown confidence in me, I have been given more time on the pitch and that has given me belief in myself." Daily Mirror

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been busy reflecting on the defeat at the hands of Manchester United. The Spaniard said: "I felt very well but when you find yourself 2-0 or 3-0 down, it's difficult. Even Lionel Messi would struggle to do anything."
Daily Mirror


MORE LATER . . .

[Wooders]

How is Warnock getting in the England squad over Baines?

[ashton287]

its strange how the spice boy still talks about the scum like he wasnt kicked out on his arse with a boot shaped bruise on his face. If someone tried treating me like a cunt like that and i had his profile id be slating the fuck out of the scum and taggart. Hes like that sad little guy who's bird cheats on him and he starts ringing her telling her he still loves her. Little prick pisses me off so much, grow some balls you faggot.

[Rag_hater]

I think there is a bit of bollox in the Gago story.To me it seems more a case of RM not wanting to sell more than a delay in the paperwork.
If the deal had been agreed as has been reported I'm sure the Sheikh has enough of a good credit rating for any delay in the payment to be accommodated.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

"The thought of playing U***d always gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much."

Shut up Beckham be a man a grow a fucking pair!!!!!

[DoomMerchant]

"The thought of playing U***d always gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much."

Shut up Beckham be a man a grow a fucking pair!!!!!

nothing wrong with the little midget fucler speaking his mind. at least he's being honest about what we all know is true.

cheers

[craigmcfc]

Manchester City face defensive crisis at Vincent Kompany ruled out for a fortnight

Manchester City face a defensive crisis in the coming weeks after Vincent Kompany was ruled out for at least two weeks with a groin strain.
The towering centre-back, who scored his first goal since 2008 against Portsmouth on Sunday, joins Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards on the treatment table.
Kompany was deployed in the midfield anchor role under City's former boss Mark Hughes and often struggled for form. However since being nudged into the heart of defence by Roberto Mancini the Belgium international has excelled.
He thumped in a marvellous match-sealing header on the stroke of half-time on Sunday but hobbled off just before the hour mark. Kompany is likely to miss the trip to Hull next weekend, as well as a midweek visit of Bolton and back-to-back games, one in the FA Cup, against Stoke

I take it that the fuckwit that wrote that hasn't heard of Boyata ?

[ronk]

Mido, eh?

hahahaha

[Chinners]

Evening Bollox round up
Robinho has admitted he would love to make his loan move to Santos permanent.
The Manchester City forward completed a loan move to the Brazilian giants last week, which will keep him in his homeland for six months. Robinho is set to come back to England on August 4 but, after being unveiled in front of over 12,000 fans in the company of Pele, the 26-year-old claims he wants to stay for longer.
"When you come to a club and you are welcomed in this way it makes you want to stay for a long time," he said. "If the president wants to extend my contract I would stay here for four years. That would be great."
Robinho and Pele landed at the packed Vila Belmiro stadium by helicopter and the Brazil forward was handed the number seven shirt in a spectacular party.
The former Real Madrid player spent the first three seasons of his career at Santos and his first game back in the shirt is likely to be on Sunday against Sao Paolo.
Robinho is delighted to be back and insists his motive is not only securing a place in Brazil's World Cup squad.
"My arrival was emotional." he added.
"When I saw the Vila crowded to greet me, it was like a film in my mind: the goals, the games, the happy times I spent here. At Santos I feel at home.
"My aim is not only to get into the national team. Because the impression is that I just came to use Santos to train.
"But I want to be win the Paulistao and the Copa do Brasil, trophies that I have not yet won."

Robinho and Pele wow Santos crowd Video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 493760.stm

MCF.NET THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=30089

meanwhile Benjani goes through another January deadline day delay at Sunderland . . .

Sunderland were belatedly able to confirm the loan signing of Benjani Mwaruwari from Manchester City today after the Premier League was given proof of the technical problems which prevented the necessary paperwork arriving before yesterday's deadline.
In what may be a first, completion of the deal rested on an engineer confirming Sunderland's claim that the collapse of the entire communication network at the club's training ground on yesterday afternoon had prevented them getting the required information to the league and Football Association, even though they had everything signed off before the 5pm cut-off point.
Sunderland's manager, Steve Bruce, had called for "common sense" to prevail after the club were unable to send faxes or emails, and the league obliged, saying after its investigation that "everything was in order and the deal done before the transfer window closed".
Bruce said: "The paperwork was lodged but we had some huge, huge difficulties and we informed both the Premier League and the FA at the time of those. It was well in front of the deadline when we got the green light to get Benjani in on loan.
"He's a big, strong, powerful centre-forward and one we've been tracking for a long time. I'm delighted we've been able to bring him to the club. He'll bring another dimension to our striking options and will be a great addition to the squad."
This is the second time that Benjani, who has joined Sunderland on loan until the end of the season, has completed a transfer after the deadline. He also needed special dispensation from the Premier League when he moved to Manchester City from Portsmouth two years ago after he missed two flights to the north-west.
The 31-year-old is Sunderland's third signing of the winter following the right-back Alan Hutton, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, and the centre-back Matthew Kilgallon, from Sheffield United.
Sunderland had completed the signing of Hutton in plenty of time yesterday but the transfer of Benjani was more problematic after talks broke down over personal terms at the weekend, only to be revived late on deadline day.
His signing will be a big relief for Bruce. Although Darren Bent has been in excellent form since a £10m move from Tottenham in the summer, with 15 goals this season, the manager is worried about the lack of cover for his top scorer and also wants competition for Kenwyne Jones. The Trinidad & Tobago international's form has dipped following a month of intense speculation linking him with moves to Liverpool, Stoke City and Birmingham City, and Bruce admits the player has been badly affected.

BONUS WAG OF THE DAY (well it seemed apt here at bollox towers)

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... -perroncel

Will Johnson live to regret Man City move?
If like me, you care to dabble in a spot of Championship football from time to time, you’d have seen the sparkling form that former Middlesbrough wide man Adam Johnson has been in this season. This form has prompted Roberto Mancini’s Man City to sign him before the end of the January transfer window for an undisclosed fee though to be around the £7m mark – a move that the tricky winger will most likely come to regret this time next season.

Much like Victor Moses, Adam Johnson has so far this season looked a cut above the rest in what is a fiercely competitive league and his performances have attracted many an admiring glance from the premier league and abroad…but unlike Moses whose move to Wigan seems a sensible career move and one which will see him garner a fair amount of playing time before the honours and awards are dished out in May, the Johnson move smacks of short termism.

Just where Johnson fits into City’s plans remains to be seen but with Petrov and Bellamy almost certainly already ahead of him in the queue for the left wing berth his move does seem an odd one. Throw in the fact that they already have the talented if inexperienced Vladimir Weiss on loan at Bolton who can also play on the left and it looks quite a crowded position.

I do not doubt his quality, for many a season he played as Stewart Downing’s understudy at Boro before a very productive loan spell at Watford saw him return to figure more in the first team. For quite some time as Downing – a player reborn after going stagnant at Boro – struggled to hit the heights of earlier seasons, many fans were calling for the exciting Johnson to replace Downing in the starting eleven. Bellamy and Petrov have been two of City’s best players over the last couple of months and as seasoned internationals they will not give up their place willingly and Johnson may seriously struggle to see any playing time.

It would be sad to see a player of such potential consigned to meaningless reserve team fixtures and the odd Carling Cup outing. Moses however seems to have chosen the correct path to develop his talents. His move to Wigan may not be the eye catching club the youngster would have hankered for but at least in a small squad such as Wigan’s he is likely to be played upfront or out wide in a team that will look to utilise his pace on the counter-attack.

You can’t help but feel Johnson has missed a step on the career ladder, a smaller club like Wigan would have made much more sense and served him a hell of a lot more. At least at a mid table club like a Wigan or a Blackburn he’d be able to display his talents on a regular basis and showcase his ability against higher opposition week in week out before eventually going onto a big club (which City undoubtedly are)…but with City its likely he’s going to struggle to break into the first team at all.

All of the progress and development that he’s made over the last couple of years playing regularly for Boro could go to waste and he could regress – this would be a shame not only for the player himself but also for the national side, as a player of Johnson’s potential is more than capable of making the step up from the under 21s to the first team in the coming years. It’s a well trodden path, the one of the up and coming youngster being snapped up by a big side only to struggle to settle or get any first team action and more often than not it’s the same old story – one of unfulfilled potential and failure, let’s just hope that Johnson proves me wrong, as for the time being at least, his move to City does not seem a wise one.

[Wonderwall]

OH MY GOOD LORD

the evening bollox is certainly stupid bollox. How are these morons employed.... Weiss on the left instead of Johnson WTF?