Man City 08/09

Sgoater1 wrote:TBH i think our new owner is just sending out a statement of intent in talking about Ronaldo. TBH i dont think we will go for him. Well its all up to Hughes but i dont think we will get Cesc, Ronaldo or Gerrard i dont think they would come. We will bring in big names but not those.

zizoued wrote:This is beyond reprieve.

But, They got true fans, who deserve this benefactor, and probably kick chelsea and man utd dominance. With elano, BINho, jo, and fat Ronaldo, they're an attraction to brazil football fans.

Sgoater1 wrote:http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1051948/EXCLUSIVE-Man-Citys-No-10-Robinho-says-hell-best-world.html?ITO=1490

Good article with Robinho !

Ade wrote:

Sgoater1 wrote:TBH i think our new owner is just sending out a statement of intent in talking about Ronaldo. TBH i dont think we will go for him. Well its all up to Hughes but i dont think we will get Cesc, Ronaldo or Gerrard i dont think they would come. We will bring in big names but not those.

The Easter Bunny wrote:

Ade wrote:

Sgoater1 wrote:TBH i think our new owner is just sending out a statement of intent in talking about Ronaldo. TBH i dont think we will go for him. Well its all up to Hughes but i dont think we will get Cesc, Ronaldo or Gerrard i dont think they would come. We will bring in big names but not those.

Sexy

Luis wrote:Is there no rules in football anymore? show some respect Arab c**ts.

Jaime wrote:@Sgoater - How has Garrido done for you? He looked an interesting player when he was with Sociedad.

Sgoater1 wrote:Man City: Zabaleta will be a leader


As some of you have already noticed, we've merged the Ask Guillem section of the site with the blog. The idea is that you can keep your questions and opinions coming in, and I can deal with whatever it is that's got everybody talking in future blogs.

So please, keep your views, suggestions and questions coming in.

Naturally, the majority of questions we've had this week have involved the latest transfers from La Liga to the Premiership, with many of you wanting to hear my views on various players. We had a look at Albert Riera and Xisco yesterday, and today it's the turn of Pablo Zabaleta who has just joined Manchester City from Espanyol in a five-year deal.

I can tell you that Mark Hughes has been monitoring the Argentine full back for some time: I was sat alongside the Man City coach, and Mark Bowen, a while back - when Hughes was at Blackburn - and the pair were scouting the player in an Espanyol match against Atletico Madrid at Montjuic.

Hughes was taking lots of notes throughout the game and asked me all sorts of questions about the player, wanting to know absolutely everything I knew about him. I know Hughes was particularly impressed with the quality of the 23 year old's forward runs, his strength and character out on the pitch.

City had faced competition from Juventus for the player's signature, but as it turned out that the Premiership side's superior wage offer was decisive.

Zabaleta was Argentina's under-20's captain in their successful 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and joined RCD Espanyol for €3 million later that year. He also earned his first call up to the Argentine senior side in 2005 and, most recently, was a member of Argentina's Gold medal winning squad at the Beijing Olympics.

The fact that he is Argentine is worth noting - as you know what you are getting when you sign an Argentine footballer: they are normally consistent, always determined, competitive and often pretty tough characters. I joked on Revista last night that every decent side should have one, and it's true. In that sense, Zabaleta is a typically Argentine footballer.

He's got a good footballing brain: he may not be the quickest going forward, but he knows when to go forward, is effective with his use of the ball and he crosses well.

His intelligence and character combine to make him a natural leader, and the kind of player that other players like to have alongside them out on the pitch: in other words, he is always reliable, always there for his team mates and, even when things aren't going well, he never goes missing and will always make himself available for the pass.

He'll provide balance and stability, particularly important when you start adding players like Robinho to the side.

In fact, now I stop to think about it, the only time I have ever really seen Zabaleta really struggle in a game - was against Lionel Messi. And there's no shame in that.

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Good article and i think for £6.5m he will be a great buy.

Cookie Monster wrote:

The Easter Bunny wrote:

Ade wrote:

Sgoater1 wrote:TBH i think our new owner is just sending out a statement of intent in talking about Ronaldo. TBH i dont think we will go for him. Well its all up to Hughes but i dont think we will get Cesc, Ronaldo or Gerrard i dont think they would come. We will bring in big names but not those.

Sexy

Wanker.

Super Madrid wrote:

Sgoater1 wrote:Man City: Zabaleta will be a leader


As some of you have already noticed, we've merged the Ask Guillem section of the site with the blog. The idea is that you can keep your questions and opinions coming in, and I can deal with whatever it is that's got everybody talking in future blogs.

So please, keep your views, suggestions and questions coming in.

Naturally, the majority of questions we've had this week have involved the latest transfers from La Liga to the Premiership, with many of you wanting to hear my views on various players. We had a look at Albert Riera and Xisco yesterday, and today it's the turn of Pablo Zabaleta who has just joined Manchester City from Espanyol in a five-year deal.

I can tell you that Mark Hughes has been monitoring the Argentine full back for some time: I was sat alongside the Man City coach, and Mark Bowen, a while back - when Hughes was at Blackburn - and the pair were scouting the player in an Espanyol match against Atletico Madrid at Montjuic.

Hughes was taking lots of notes throughout the game and asked me all sorts of questions about the player, wanting to know absolutely everything I knew about him. I know Hughes was particularly impressed with the quality of the 23 year old's forward runs, his strength and character out on the pitch.

City had faced competition from Juventus for the player's signature, but as it turned out that the Premiership side's superior wage offer was decisive.

Zabaleta was Argentina's under-20's captain in their successful 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and joined RCD Espanyol for €3 million later that year. He also earned his first call up to the Argentine senior side in 2005 and, most recently, was a member of Argentina's Gold medal winning squad at the Beijing Olympics.

The fact that he is Argentine is worth noting - as you know what you are getting when you sign an Argentine footballer: they are normally consistent, always determined, competitive and often pretty tough characters. I joked on Revista last night that every decent side should have one, and it's true. In that sense, Zabaleta is a typically Argentine footballer.

He's got a good footballing brain: he may not be the quickest going forward, but he knows when to go forward, is effective with his use of the ball and he crosses well.

His intelligence and character combine to make him a natural leader, and the kind of player that other players like to have alongside them out on the pitch: in other words, he is always reliable, always there for his team mates and, even when things aren't going well, he never goes missing and will always make himself available for the pass.

He'll provide balance and stability, particularly important when you start adding players like Robinho to the side.

In fact, now I stop to think about it, the only time I have ever really seen Zabaleta really struggle in a game - was against Lionel Messi. And there's no shame in that.

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Good article and i think for £6.5m he will be a great buy.

He is very good player and imo quite underrated. i remember him from the U-20WC where he captained the team that won with Messi. i remember his performance against Ronaldinho when he was still on top and he took care of him. since then i always rated him but he think he really is a midfielder but ended up playing Rb out of nessessity.

Regarding the line up it is looking quite good with a depth i didnt think you would have. also there is the option of changing systems.very flexible squad so far and if the these Arabs are smart they wont add anything speciel in winter as they inted. unless of course something turns out to be really needed.real shame about Bojinov because i really thought he would be fire this season. but i think he has the mentalitty to come back.

Sgoater1 wrote:Who will be Man Citys First 20Mill +player signed in JAN SALES -

D Villa 9/2 C Fabregas 16/1 C Ronaldo 25/1
M Gomez 5/1 F Cannavaro 20/1 F Lampard 25/1
Ronaldinho 8/1 F Torres 20/1 R Ferdinand 25/1
L Messi 8/1 C Puyol 25/1 I Casillas 25/1
Kaka 8/1 F Riberry 25/1 S Aguero 33/1
S Eto 8/1 A Robben 25/1 E Adebayor 33/1
A Nesta 16/1 C Tevez 25/1 J Terry 33/1

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Just a bit of fun really, i cant see many of the above coming in tbh. I think Adebayor and Eto'o could be possibilities given whats gone on this summer and i could see us going for Villa or Gomez. But dont think we will get any of the rest named.

Jaime wrote:@Sgoater - How has Garrido done for you? He looked an interesting player when he was with Sociedad.

@De Guzman - Robinho will start to cry if you make him play on the wing.