Sporting Lisbon move for Man City striker Jo
Sporting Lisbon are closing in on Manchester City striker Jo.
Jo has already confirmed contact with Sporting about a summer move.
City are finally ready to cut their losses on Jo this summer, according to reports in Portugal, with Sporting Lisbon currently preparing a bid.
But Sporting are unwilling to pay over £7m for the 24-year-old, leaving City facing an £11m loss on the striker.
Don't usually put match reports in the bollox but this one seemed rather apt today ...
'Fantastic' Dzeko gives City room to breathe
Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester City 1
When Edin Dzeko won the Bundesliga title with Wolfsburg, he celebrated by lighting up a vast cigar on the pitch. This was another Havana moment.
Fernando Torres's agonies in front of goal have meant the fact that the Bosnian had not found the net in the Premier League since his arrival in January had rather got lost in the wash.
Steve McClaren, who had sanctioned his move from the home of Volkswagen, was high in the stands at Ewood Park commentating for radio when Dzeko, who had been brought on as a substitute, collected David Silva's deflected shot, composed himself and rammed the ball home in front of the City supporters jammed into the Darwen End.
McClaren had been adamant that Dzeko would find his feet in England, though he might not have anticipated such a spluttering start. It may in passing remove some pressure from the shoulders of Mario Balotelli. His manager, Roberto Mancini, thought the Italian striker had one of his better games for Manchester City, although his Blackburn counterpart, Steve Kean, noted that by standing directly in front of Paul Robinson when Dzeko shot, he was in an offside position.
Balotelli needs support on as well as off the pitch and Dzeko might be the man to provide it. The Bosnian's goal was a big moment against a Blackburn side that, after a dreadful start, fought to the very end. Mancini had two tasks in April; to steer City to the FA Cup final and ensure next month's encounter with Tottenham does not become a repeat of last year's bare-knuckle fight for a place in the Champions League.
The first hurdle was triumphantly crossed at Wembley, but a stalemate here would have tightened nerve-endings in Manchester and Abu Dhabi. The lead over Tottenham would have been a flimsy two points and given Tottenham's astonishing record at Eastlands – they have won six of their last seven encounters there – that would have been too thin. Manchester City, who had not won away from Eastlands since Boxing Day, now have room to breathe.
"He is a fantastic striker," said Mancini of the man he had paid Wolfsburg £27m for. "He had problems because he didn't play many games and when he did he didn't score. We played fantastically in the first half and might have scored three times but when Blackburn started to play the long ball it caused us many difficulties. It was important that we fought for every ball because a top squad has to win a game like tonight."
It is three months since Blackburn last won here and they began as if swamped by nerves and overawed by the occasion. They ended it with Robinson charging upfield and Martin Olsson forcing Joe Hart into a fine low save; it was too little and just too late.
"We were excellent in the first 20 minutes of the second half and that was the period in which we had to score," Kean reflected. "We feel very hard done by. We've given everything and we are gutted. Every single point recently has been hard to get but we gave Manchester City's back-four a hard time."
Not for the first 20 minutes they didn't. This was City's first match since they overcame Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final. Mancini kept the same team that had won at Wembley and they played with a freedom these kinds of victories inspire. Sometimes, it resembled a training exercise with Blackburn playing the part of the cones.
Eventually, the home side did claw their way into the evening and might have had a penalty when Vincent Kompany caught Jason Roberts's ankle in the area. However, it was past the half-hour mark when Blackburn fashioned their first concrete chance when Chris Samba met Salgado's cross. The ball slid wide of Hart's post and the Blackburn captain swore fiercely. It was not to be the last expletive of the evening.
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Robinson; Salgado, Samba, P Jones, Givet (Diouf, 85); Emerton, Dunn (Rochina, 63), J Jones, Olsson, Benjani (Kalinic, 71), Roberts. Substitutes not used Bunn (gk), Formica, Pedersen, Hanley. Booked J Jones, Emerton.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov; De Jong, Barry; Johnson (Dzeko, 72), Y Toure, Silva; Balotelli (Vieira, 83). Substitutes not used Taylor (gk), Milner, Wright-Phillips, Jo, Boyata. Booked Barry, De Jong, Balotelli.
Possession Blackburn 46% Man City 54%.
Shots on target Blackburn 6 Man City 5.
Man of the match De Jong. Match rating 7/10.
Referee A Marriner (West Midlands). Att 23,529.
Dzeko justifies Mancini's faith
Post categories: Football, Manchester City, Premier League
BBC Sport blog editor | 09:17 UK time, Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Ewood Park
Edin Dzeko was a grateful beneficiary of the turmoil that swirled around Fernando Torres as the Chelsea striker struggled to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge.
As a harsh spotlight was trained on the Spaniard and his quest for a goal following his £50m move from Liverpool, Dzeko was able to lurk beneath the radar as he toiled away fruitlessly following his £27m move to Manchester City from Wolfsburg in January.
Torres, who had gone 732 minutes without a goal in Chelsea colours, emerged from the darkness and into the light with a strike against West Ham United on Saturday, turning attention towards Dzeko and his own efforts to hit the target in the Premier League.
And the Bosnian finally delivered when City needed him most against Blackburn Rovers.
If he was billed on arrival as the man whose goals would push City towards the Champions League, then he may just have lived up his label at Ewood Park.
Dzeko calmly slots home his first Premier League goal - photo: Reuters
It took Dzeko, who walked into Eastlands accompanied by a reputation as one of Europe's most feared marksmen, four months and 10 games to break his duck.
Like good comedy, however, the secret is in the timing - and City's fans filed out of Ewood Park smiling after his crucial intervention.
As for Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, who has repeatedly stated his support for Dzeko, he will have taken extra satisfaction from the manner in which his faith was rewarded.
After Rovers were forced to dance to the tune of David Silva in the opening 20 minutes, the Spaniard rattling the woodwork and controlling everything like a master puppeteer, City began to struggle to impose themselves against Steve Kean's gallant Blackburn .
Sensing the growing prospect of an opportunity lost, Mancini called on Dzeko to replace Adam Johnson after 72 minutes.
And as with Torres on Saturday, Dzeko made a spectacular entrance, showing a sure touch and composure to take control of an attempted Phil Jones clearance and beat Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson within three minutes of coming on.
The Premier League table reflected the significance of the moment. City now have a four-point advantage over closest rivals Tottenham, who have yet to visit Eastlands.
This was not a sparkling City show but a demonstration of, as Mancini put it, "how to win the other way".
The Italian explained: "In the first half, we played a fantastic game. We should have scored two goals minimum. In the second half, the game changed, Blackburn played very strong and hard."
As for Dzeko, Mancini added: "I'm very happy for Edin because he deserves to score. He is a good player and a good man."
City won ugly, with Nigel de Jong outstanding, after their early flamboyance fizzled out but they have responded positively to that woeful 3-0 defeat by Liverpool a fortnight ago and are now favourites to reach the Champions League as reward for the vast Abu Dhabi investment in the club.
The promised land of the Champions League is in sight for Mancini: photo Getty
The smiling Dzeko looked like a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he strolled around the corridors of Ewood Park - and spoke like a man who believes his City career can now take flight.
"Today was very good," said the forward, who was watched by former England coach Steve McClaren, the man who rubber-stamped his move to City during his brief spell in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg.
"I think it is a new beginning for me. I have confidence in myself but sometimes it is difficult. I am not the first one that didn't make the best of a move but I am happy now because I scored and helped my team.
"It's funny. I think Torres scored a lot of goals for Liverpool and changed his club and found it hard. I am happy for him because I know what the pressure is. But today I scored as well and I know that, in the future, there will be much better games for me."
Blackburn manager Kean is another man who knows what pressure is - and it grows with every game. He could take only small consolation from a display that showed plenty of character but lacked quality.
He was right to insist Blackburn were unlucky to be denied a penalty when City captain Vincent Kompany tangled with Jason Roberts in the first half and also complained that Mario Balotelli was standing in an offside position in front of goalkeeper Robinson when Dzeko scored the winner.
The worry, which also applied to fellow strugglers West Ham at Chelsea, is that, after playing badly and losing, Rovers have acquired the habit of playing well and losing - not a good one to form at this late stage and with survival at stake.
Kean was defiant but there is no escaping the growing sense around Ewood Park that Blackburn's Indian owners Venky's may have made a major misjudgement by thrusting the Scot into his first high-profile role after removing Sam Allardyce in December.
Allardyce's methods make him a divisive figure but he was working effectively and had restored stability at Ewood Park. Venky's may yet find they pay a heavy price for attempting to fix something that was not actually faulty.
A fight against relegation is tough enough for a manager with experience, doubly so for someone learning on the job - and these are tough times for Kean, with Blackburn currently in their worst run without a victory in 25 years, a sequence that stretched to 11 games following the defeat by City.
As for Mancini, he promised that City would reach the FA Cup final and the Champions League after the dismal showing at Anfield. Phase one is complete and Dzeko's release from his own personal torment took City closer to completing the second part of his manager's bold pledge.
One blot on a satisfying night for City were the chants from some of their followers about Manchester United and the Munich air disaster. They did great discredit to a fan base that is in large part exemplary, as they proved when honouring a minute's silence at Liverpool a fortnight ago.
OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea are poised to make a £40m bid for Spurs winger Gareth Bale in the summer. Daily Mirror
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has finally conceded that his team lack a 'commanding' presence at the back, a flaw which will force him into the transfer market this summer. Daily Mail
And former Gunners star Ray Parlour says Bolton defender Gary Cahill would be the perfect signing for Wenger. Daily Mirror
Zenit St Petersburg have opened the door for Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin to return to Russia. talksport
Jose Mourinho wants to be reunited with his former Chelsea captain John Terry at Real Madrid, according to reports in Italy. Daily Mirror
Manchester United look to have beaten Arsenal to £3m-rated Lens youngster Raphael Varane, who can play centre-back or central midfield. Daily Mirror
United are planning an ambitious summer move to lure Bayern Munich playmaker Franck Ribery to Old Trafford. caughtoffside
Ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg against Schalke in Germany, Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he still gets envious when he compares Manchester United's European record to that of the continent's other heavyweights. Daily Mail
Brazil striker Neymar admits he has yet to decide where he will be playing his football next season. the Sun
Roy Hodgson admits he needs to sign "several players" this summer if West Brom secure their Premier League status for another season. Daily Mirror
Bury keeper Cameron Belford was punched by a Chesterfield fan after their 2-1 victory on Monday. the Sun
Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock has brushed off speculation that he is set to be replaced as manager of the Championship club. talksport
Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson was forced to close his new Twitter account after just 97 minutes - after a torrent of abuse from his own fans on the social networking site. Daily Mirror
Meanwhile, former tabloid newspaper editor Piers Morgan has used his own Twitter account to call for United striker Wayne Rooney to be chucked off the social networking site because of his poor spelling and grammar. Daily Star
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