The January Window, City and You.

[Blue Blood]

With signing of Dzeko looking nearly certain if the media is to be belived, i lifted this squad list from the official webby and starting having a think of how January probably will play out for us and if the signing of Dzeko really makes sense.


Goalkeepers :

David Gonzalez (COL) (STAY) (Backup, the reserve team keeper)
Shay Given (IRL) (STAY) (City's No2, probably would like more playing time but as a player in the twilight of his career with and empty trophy cabinet would you really leave city now given the position we are in atm??)
Joe Hart (ENG) (STAY) (Our number one, now and for many years to come)
Gunnar Nielsen * (FAR) (STAY) (On loan, likely on his way in the summer)
Stuart Taylor (ENG) (STAY) (The most content benchwarmer in the history of benchwarmers)

Defenders:

Aleksandar Kolarov (SERB) (STAY) (Starting LB, solid player)
Dedryck Boyata (BEL) (STAY) (Young star in the making)
Greg Cunningham (IRE) (STAY) (Young, probably will go on loan)
Javan Vidal (ENG) (STAY) (Young, again primed for a loan)
Jerome Boateng (GER) (STAY) (Part of the bobby manc rotation policy, has a part to play)
Joleon Lescott (ENG) (STAY) (Back up to Vinny and Kolo, solid CB)
Wayne Bridge (ENG) (GO) (Absolute waste of 10mil. First out of the door)
Shaleum Logan (ENG) (STAY) (Young, a loan awaits)
Nedum Onuoha * (ENG) (STAY) (Out on a loan, likely gone come the summer)
Micah Richards (ENG) (STAY) (Again very much part of bobby's masterplan)
Kolo Toure (CIV) (STAY) (CB Starter, playing his best stuff this season)
Pablo Zabaleta (ARG) (STAY) (The ultimate squad player, put him anywhere and he'll put a shift in, great player!)
Vincent Kompany (BEL) (STAY) (The best defender at city and one of the best in the league, vital to us)

Midfielders:

Abdisalam Ibrahim (NOR) (STAY) (Young, a loan is likely)
Adam Johnson (ENG) (STAY) (Jinky will have a big part to play now and for many years at city)
David Silva (ESP) (STAY) (The magician, the maestro, the creative king of man city)
Gareth Barry (ENG) (STAY) (No frills, no fuss, solid, bobby's kind of guy in the heart of the midfield)
James Milner (ENG) (STAY) (Likely to be rotated alot during the season half of the season but the best is yet to come from superjaw)
Patrick Vieira (FRA) (STAY) (Again more bench than on the pitch but old pat still has a part to play)
Yaya Toure (CIV) (STAY) (The beast, vital to the second half of our campaign)
Nigel de Jong (NED) (STAY) (One of the finest DM's in world football, vital to us)
Kelvin Etuhu (NGR) (GO) (Apparently being free transferred)
Michael Johnson (ENG) (STAY) (Likely to go out on a loan but i'm still of the mind he has a long term future here.)
Vladimir Weiss * (SVK) (STAY) (Out on loan atm, but come the summer i'm pretty sure he'll be off)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG) (GO) (Sadly Shauny barely gets on the bench these days let alone on the field, Fulham awaits him)

Strikers:

Emmanuel Adebayor (TGO) (GO) (He wants out and we aren't going to stop him)
Craig Bellamy * (WAL) (STAY) (Out on loan atm, come summer he will be gone though)
Mario Balotelli (It) (STAY) (Might be a bit homesick but the lad has a bright future here if he can get past his issues)
Felipe Caicedo* (ECU) (GO) (Likely off in Jan as the club he is on loan at are going to take the option and buy him)
Jo (BRA) (STAY) (One of bobby's boys and the perfect backup forward)
Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely (ENG) (STAY) (Young, perhaps a loan out in Jan)
Roque Santa Cruz (PRY) (GO) (Not getting game time, will 100% go!)
Carlos Tevez (ARG) (STAY) (Definitely staying until the end of the season, beyond that.. who knows)


So in conclusion it is my belief that in January the following people will leave the club for good;

Wayne Bridge
Kelvin Etuhu
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Emmanuel Adebayor
Felipe Caicedo
Roque Santa Cruz

Others will likely exit on loan, but i'm thinking it will only be the youngsters.

So with these chaps gone we would be left with the following players currently at the club (loanees while club contracted are not counted as they strictly speaking aren't currently city squad players)

Goalkeepers :

David Gonzalez
Shay Given
Joe Hart
Stuart Taylor

Defenders:

Aleksandar Kolarov
Dedryck Boyata
Greg Cunningham
Javan Vidal
Jerome Boateng
Joleon Lescott
Shaleum Logan
Micah Richards
Kolo Toure
Pablo Zabaleta
Vincent Kompany

Midfielders:

Abdisalam Ibrahim
Adam Johnson
David Silva
Gareth Barry
James Milner
Patrick Vieira
Yaya Toure
Nigel de Jong
Michael Johnson

Strikers:

Mario Balotelli
Jo
Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely
Carlos Tevez

So thats leaves us with a combined total of..

4 Goalkeepers
10 Defenders
9 Midfielders
4 Strikers

Available to play! 27 Players in total and a few under the premier league squad age limits too!

So with this in mind what could we add/what do we need to push on into the second half of the season, simply looking at that list we need another Striker. Sounds daft given the amount of strikers we have bought in the past few years but genuinely it is necessary, an injury to carlos and balotelli and we are in deep deep trouble.

Dzeko signing now makes perfect sense.

Other than this I feel the squad is perfectly balanced, maybe a new backup LB would help but other than this I think with these players, the strength in depth is there and i reckon that a champions league place is all but assured and the title... well... it has got to be close hasn't it.

Sorry about the wall of text but I thought with the January window rapidly approaching now was a good time to take stock and open up the discussion on who stays and who should go!

Lots of discussion matter in there to get folks thinking!

[Dronny]

[strike]With signing of Dzeko looking nearly certain if the media is to be belived, i lifted this squad list from the official webby and starting having a think of how January probably will play out for us and if the signing of Dzeko really makes sense.


Goalkeepers :

David Gonzalez (COL) (STAY) (Backup, the reserve team keeper)
Shay Given (IRL) (STAY) (City's No2, probably would like more playing time but as a player in the twilight of his career with and empty trophy cabinet would you really leave city now given the position we are in atm??)
Joe Hart (ENG) (STAY) (Our number one, now and for many years to come)
Gunnar Nielsen * (FAR) (STAY) (On loan, likely on his way in the summer)
Stuart Taylor (ENG) (STAY) (The most content benchwarmer in the history of benchwarmers)

Defenders:

Aleksandar Kolarov (SERB) (STAY) (Starting LB, solid player)
Dedryck Boyata (BEL) (STAY) (Young star in the making)
Greg Cunningham (IRE) (STAY) (Young, probably will go on loan)
Javan Vidal (ENG) (STAY) (Young, again primed for a loan)
Jerome Boateng (GER) (STAY) (Part of the bobby manc rotation policy, has a part to play)
Joleon Lescott (ENG) (STAY) (Back up to Vinny and Kolo, solid CB)
Wayne Bridge (ENG) (GO) (Absolute waste of 10mil. First out of the door)
Shaleum Logan (ENG) (STAY) (Young, a loan awaits)
Nedum Onuoha * (ENG) (STAY) (Out on a loan, likely gone come the summer)
Micah Richards (ENG) (STAY) (Again very much part of bobby's masterplan)
Kolo Toure (CIV) (STAY) (CB Starter, playing his best stuff this season)
Pablo Zabaleta (ARG) (STAY) (The ultimate squad player, put him anywhere and he'll put a shift in, great player!)
Vincent Kompany (BEL) (STAY) (The best defender at city and one of the best in the league, vital to us)

Midfielders:

Abdisalam Ibrahim (NOR) (STAY) (Young, a loan is likely)
Adam Johnson (ENG) (STAY) (Jinky will have a big part to play now and for many years at city)
David Silva (ESP) (STAY) (The magician, the maestro, the creative king of man city)
Gareth Barry (ENG) (STAY) (No frills, no fuss, solid, bobby's kind of guy in the heart of the midfield)
James Milner (ENG) (STAY) (Likely to be rotated alot during the season half of the season but the best is yet to come from superjaw)
Patrick Vieira (FRA) (STAY) (Again more bench than on the pitch but old pat still has a part to play)
Yaya Toure (CIV) (STAY) (The beast, vital to the second half of our campaign)
Nigel de Jong (NED) (STAY) (One of the finest DM's in world football, vital to us)
Kelvin Etuhu (NGR) (GO) (Apparently being free transferred)
Michael Johnson (ENG) (STAY) (Likely to go out on a loan but i'm still of the mind he has a long term future here.)
Vladimir Weiss * (SVK) (STAY) (Out on loan atm, but come the summer i'm pretty sure he'll be off)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG) (GO) (Sadly Shauny barely gets on the bench these days let alone on the field, Fulham awaits him)

Strikers:

Emmanuel Adebayor (TGO) (GO) (He wants out and we aren't going to stop him)
Craig Bellamy * (WAL) (STAY) (Out on loan atm, come summer he will be gone though)
Mario Balotelli (It) (STAY) (Might be a bit homesick but the lad has a bright future here if he can get past his issues)
Felipe Caicedo* (ECU) (GO) (Likely off in Jan as the club he is on loan at are going to take the option and buy him)
Jo (BRA) (STAY) (One of bobby's boys and the perfect backup forward)
Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely (ENG) (STAY) (Young, perhaps a loan out in Jan)
Roque Santa Cruz (PRY) (GO) (Not getting game time, will 100% go!)
Carlos Tevez (ARG) (STAY) (Definitely staying until the end of the season, beyond that.. who knows)


So in conclusion it is my belief that in January the following people will leave the club for good;

Wayne Bridge
Kelvin Etuhu
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Emmanuel Adebayor
Felipe Caicedo
Roque Santa Cruz

Others will likely exit on loan, but i'm thinking it will only be the youngsters.

So with these chaps gone we would be left with the following players currently at the club (loanees while club contracted are not counted as they strictly speaking aren't currently city squad players)

Goalkeepers :

David Gonzalez
Shay Given
Joe Hart
Stuart Taylor

Defenders:

Aleksandar Kolarov
Dedryck Boyata
Greg Cunningham
Javan Vidal
Jerome Boateng
Joleon Lescott
Shaleum Logan
Micah Richards
Kolo Toure
Pablo Zabaleta
Vincent Kompany

Midfielders:

Abdisalam Ibrahim
Adam Johnson
David Silva
Gareth Barry
James Milner
Patrick Vieira
Yaya Toure
Nigel de Jong
Michael Johnson

Strikers:

Mario Balotelli
Jo
Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely
Carlos Tevez

So thats leaves us with a combined total of..

4 Goalkeepers
10 Defenders
9 Midfielders
4 Strikers

Available to play! 27 Players in total and a few under the premier league squad age limits too!

So with this in mind what could we add/what do we need to push on into the second half of the season, simply looking at that list we need another Striker. Sounds daft given the amount of strikers we have bought in the past few years but genuinely it is necessary, an injury to carlos and balotelli and we are in deep deep trouble.[/strike]


[highlight]Dzeko signing now makes perfect sense.[/highlight]


[strike]Other than this I feel the squad is perfectly balanced, maybe a new backup LB would help but other than this I think with these players, the strength in depth is there and i reckon that a champions league place is all but assured and the title... well... it has got to be close hasn't it.

Sorry about the wall of text but I thought with the January window rapidly approaching now was a good time to take stock and open up the discussion on who stays and who should go!

Lots of discussion matter in there to get folks thinking!

[/strike]

That looks about right ;-)

[Ted Hughes]

Logan, Vidal & Cunningham can also go imo. Logan's nowhere near it & wheras Cunningham & Vidal could eventually make PL defenders, I'd be surprised if it was above mid table.

[Blue Blood]

Logan, Vidal & Cunningham can also go imo. Logan's nowhere near it & wheras Cunningham & Vidal could eventually make PL defenders, I'd be surprised if it was above mid table.

Agreed, but i doubt they'll be going now, probably summer outs.

Also gotta say whenever i've seen Cunningham play for some reason i've always thought of him as the next Stevie Jordan.

A good lad, puts himself about.. but lower prem, upper championship is probably about his level. Wolves would be a good fit for him imo.

[john@staustell]

Logan, Vidal & Cunningham can also go imo. Logan's nowhere near it & wheras Cunningham & Vidal could eventually make PL defenders, I'd be surprised if it was above mid table.

Agreed, but i doubt they'll be going now, probably summer outs.

Also gotta say whenever i've seen Cunningham play for some reason i've always thought of him as the next Stevie Jordan.

A good lad, puts himself about.. but lower prem, upper championship is probably about his level. Wolves would be a good fit for him imo.

Same pace as Jordan mate. Mind you there were those that swore Jordan was 'the future of the club' etc etc..................

[Blue Blood]

Logan, Vidal & Cunningham can also go imo. Logan's nowhere near it & wheras Cunningham & Vidal could eventually make PL defenders, I'd be surprised if it was above mid table.

Agreed, but i doubt they'll be going now, probably summer outs.

Also gotta say whenever i've seen Cunningham play for some reason i've always thought of him as the next Stevie Jordan.

A good lad, puts himself about.. but lower prem, upper championship is probably about his level. Wolves would be a good fit for him imo.

Same pace as Jordan mate. Mind you there were those that swore Jordan was 'the future of the club' etc etc..................

Yeah but for a time he was only peered by Michael Ball in that position so i think you can forgive folks for hoping for a new saviour at left back!

Played a cracking derby once though didn't he, unplayable that day.

[CITYSTEVEDON]

i would like to see two strikers come in, i dont want to see 1-2 of our strikers get injured/banned and be out, then we will be ready for the prem and cups,

[john@staustell]

Logan, Vidal & Cunningham can also go imo. Logan's nowhere near it & wheras Cunningham & Vidal could eventually make PL defenders, I'd be surprised if it was above mid table.

Agreed, but i doubt they'll be going now, probably summer outs.

Also gotta say whenever i've seen Cunningham play for some reason i've always thought of him as the next Stevie Jordan.

A good lad, puts himself about.. but lower prem, upper championship is probably about his level. Wolves would be a good fit for him imo.

Same pace as Jordan mate. Mind you there were those that swore Jordan was 'the future of the club' etc etc..................

Yeah but for a time he was only peered by Michael Ball in that position so i think you can forgive folks for hoping for a new saviour at left back!

Played a cracking derby once though didn't he, unplayable that day.

He did have a good game once I admit. But this 'academy hope' badly clouds people's judgement. Because SWP is a 'City lad' some people even on here now are saying he should be playing. Yet if they'd watched those performances from AN Other playing for Bolton they'd see them for what they are - shocking.

[Blue Blood]

i would like to see two strikers come in, i dont want to see 1-2 of our strikers get injured/banned and be out, then we will be ready for the prem and cups,

I think one more striker (Dzeko) is probably is enough (and at 30million likely all we'll get), with silva and jinky able to play second striker we have enough flexiblity to cope with the strain of the cups and injury's.