Staking a claim..

[brite blu sky]

This article in the muen made me think of what the players may be considering as to their futures at the moment with 11 games to go..

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1194861_city_face_up_to_crunch_runin

So i thought an assessment of the squad would be in order, as the last 11 games is a good run for players to step up their game and make a claim for next season. Considering also that if Mancini stays he will want to solidify the squad in terms of players that are good enough for him to go forward ( pos in the CL too ).


• Shay Given (IRL) no problem
• Joe Hart * (ENG) might come back

• Joleon Lescott (ENG) all to play for WC, CL, will want to be City's 1st choice CB
• Sylvinho  (BRA) may retire - but 1 more season as CL experienced back up
• Wayne Bridge (ENG) will show what england are missing out on and try to secure his pos at City
• Javier Garrido (ESP) 25 yr old, can improve .. could be out though if we buy a better LB
• Nedum Onuoha (ENG) good back up - is still part of the future
• Micah Richards (ENG) really has to show something to go to WC and will get pushed aside at City if not
• Kolo Toure (CIV) really really has to show something or he is gone
• Pablo Zabaleta (ARG) solid utility at minimum, will stay whatever the weather

• Adam Johnson (ENG) future star? not under pressure imo
• Gareth Barry (ENG) very secure no problem
• Patrick  Vieira (FRA) should retire
• Nigel de Jong (NED) still needs to improve all round game, but should not be under threat
• Stephen Ireland (IRL) just needs stability, dont think he is under any threat
• Michael Johnson (ENG) n/a will still be here, next season is his chance
• Vincent Kompany (BEL) solid, versatile no threat whatsoever
• Martin Petrov (BUL) will be replaced for sure
• Vladimir Weiss* (SVK) future star? no pressure
• Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG) WC and CL to fire him on to get regular starts

• Emmanuel Adebayor (TGO) this season is a write off, but also defining, needs some good performances to show he can be the man next season and not be under question over the summer.
• Craig Bellamy (WAL) no need to say anything here
• Robinho *  (BRA) wont play in PL, sold after WC
• Roque Santa Cruz (PRY) will be replaced for someone to compete with Ade
• Carlos Tevez (ARG) no need to say anything

[Mark (Blue Army)]

• Shay Given (IRL) no problem
• Joe Hart * (ENG) might come back

• Joleon Lescott (ENG) all to play for WC, CL, will want to be City's 1st choice CB
• Sylvinho  (BRA) may retire - but 1 more season as CL experienced back up
• Wayne Bridge (ENG) will show what england are missing out on and try to secure his pos at City
• Javier Garrido (ESP) 25 yr old, can improve .. could be out though if we buy a better LB
• Nedum Onuoha (ENG) good back up - is still part of the future
• Micah Richards (ENG) really has to show something to go to WC and will get pushed aside at City if not
• Kolo Toure (CIV) really really has to show something or he is gone
• Pablo Zabaleta (ARG) solid utility at minimum, will stay whatever the weather

• Adam Johnson (ENG) future star? not under pressure imo
• Gareth Barry (ENG) very secure no problem
• Patrick  Vieira (FRA) should retire
• Nigel de Jong (NED) still needs to improve all round game, but should not be under threat
• Stephen Ireland (IRL) just needs stability, dont think he is under any threat
• Michael Johnson (ENG) n/a will still be here, next season is his chance
• Vincent Kompany (BEL) solid, versatile no threat whatsoever
• Martin Petrov (BUL) will be replaced for sure
• Vladimir Weiss* (SVK) future star? no pressure
• Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG) WC and CL to fire him on to get regular starts

• Emmanuel Adebayor (TGO) this season is a write off, but also defining, needs some good performances to show he can be the man next season and not be under question over the summer.
• Craig Bellamy (WAL) no need to say anything here
• Robinho *  (BRA) wont play in PL, sold after WC
• Roque Santa Cruz (PRY) will be replaced for someone to compete with Ade
• Carlos Tevez (ARG) no need to say anything

Are you mad no way will the club sell Roque after just one season. He's only played a handfull of games due to injury still needs time to show what he can do.

[brite blu sky]

you might be right.. but lets put it this way, if we manage CL, and only have Ade and Tevez ( and RSC ) then we are asking for trouble, so if they dont sell RSC they will have to get another top Q striker to be sure of having someone fit and available for a long and hard season. If they get someone else who is top Q then RSc is going to have a struggle to get a game.. so..

[john68]

That squad is a pretty decent base to work from and build into a world class side. Even if some of them are gradually shoved down the pecking order as newer and better quality players come in, we will have a very strong squad indeed.
If we make the CL, I think we'll be seen to go for a few faces that we would have never considered we could land not that long ago.

Our old Academy was very successful for our needs in the past and I think that the new Academy and policy of buy the top quality while it's young will show its worth too.

We have a very bright future.

[john@staustell]

I think Ireland is under threat BBS. He can do it, but he isn't. Up to him. However once that window opens...................

[brite blu sky]

I think Ireland is under threat BBS. He can do it, but he isn't. Up to him. However once that window opens...................

i disagree tbh. i think the club will take a long term view over Ireland and will see this season as a difficult one for him but will balance it with how they know he can play and look to help him get what he needs to get into form again. In fact i am convinced of that.
Also as i have suggested a couple o times, seems to me that Ireland, being the complex soul that he is, suffers from instability around him.. or put it the other way round he flourishes when there is stability. With the changes in squad, and most of all manager, asked to play a different role and a couple of spells ill or with niggly injuries, he has had no chance to gain any consistency.. his season has been a mash up tbh.

its wierd but i just have an intuitive feeling that this is the problem and nothing else, he will bounce back and the club will support him to do that. He is one of the city players that oppo fans respect the most as being almost unplayable when he is on song. One patchy season is not valid enough an argument to abandon such a player, especially one that wants to be at City.