capriccioso

We could bring in Adebayor on loan... he'd be a great, physical alternative to Torres.

Watching him score goals for another club is just so.. wrong.

A. Johnson: Contracted to 2016, should be on about 70k. Adebayor: Contracted to 2014, should be on 150k, at least. Dzeko: Contracted to 2015, should be on 140k. Santa Cruz: Contracted to 2013, should be on 90k. Kolarov: Contracted to 2015, should be on 90k. M. Johnson: Contracted to 2013, should be on 60k. Barry: Contracted to 2014, should be on 130k. Milner: Contracted to 2015, should be on 100k. Bridge: Contracted to 2013. Out on loan, should be getting about 60k out of 80k from City, subsidised by the loanee. That's 890,000 pounds a week they're bleeding for players who aren't first teamers, aren't really needed. 890! 46.280 million a year! We thought we had it bad, we probably never crossed more than ~650k in unnecessary wages. 890k is worth 5-6 world class players. They've really missed a trick.

Who can challenge them? No-Midfield United? No-Midfield or Defence Chelsea? Nothing Liverpool? Villas-Boas Spurs? Unreliable/unproven Arsenal? They wouldn't be the best if this team was up against our Double winning team or United's CL/PL double team; but at this point everyone has some key weaknesses that City don't. The only problem they have is a lot of deadwood.

Lets look at their squad and the high paid dead wood: Milner Adebayor Dzeko A. Johnson Santa Cruz Barry Bridge De Jong/Rodwell Kolarov Boyata That's going to be about ~700k a week that they're paying for players who're either shit in general or too shit to crack the starting XI. I assume their line up will be: Hart Richards-Kompany-K.Toure-Zabaleta Silva-Y.Toure-Rodwell-Nasri Tevez-Aguero Bench (likely to get a lot of game time) Pantili-lol Lescott Clichy Nasri Milner Balotelli Dzeko Depth/deadwood: A. Johnson Savic Nielsen Barry Kolarov De Jong 100% deadwood: Adebayor Santa Cruz Boyata Bridge Compared with us in 2007: Starters: Cech Paulo Ferreira-Carvalho-Terry-A.Cole Essien-Ballack-Lampard J.Cole-Drogba-Malouda Bench: Hilario Alex Belletti Makelele Mikel Kalou Anelka Depth/deadwood: Cudicini Ivanovic Bridge Shevchenko Utter wank: Wright-Phillips Sidwell Ben-Haim Sahar Pizarro Roughly the same as City.

Milner can be their Malouda!

Wigan line up should look something like this: Cech (Captain) Paulo Ferreira ( )-Cahill-David Luiz-Cole Ramires-Meireles "Azar"-Oscar-Mata Torres Bench: Bertrand Hutchinson Essien Lampard Mikel Marin Sturridge Terry should not play, he was absolutely terrible. Worst player on the pitch by some margin. First goal- why not leave it for Ramires to clear? Why try and make an off balance clearance? Second goal- Awful positioning, basically stumbled over himself trying to close down Tevez.

It's not a tragedy. We were 10 men down and lost by only 1 goal to by far the best team in the land. Certain key areas underperformed, specifically centre midfield and defence, but the attacking players all looked in pretty good shape. All in all it wasn't too concerning. This is the first I've seen of our pre-season, I don't get what all the fuss is about, I thought we were decent. Yet to hit 6th gear but still holding our own.

12 million sounds great for Everton, they could always use a bit of cash I think City are at the stage we were at the start of Mourinho's 4th season in charge. The owners feel they've invested enough and its up to the manager now to make do with what he has. If that keeps going for the next 2-3 seasons, they will find themselves in the same place we found ourselves after Bad Moment version Ancelotti. Hopefully they then keep messing up in the transfer window and enter Bad Moment version Villas-Boas.

It's finally sunk in that he's gone. And it's devastating

11. Oscar mate, not 11. Drogba.

He had his worst game in years. He lost the ball 6 times already, last season he only lost it 20 times in total. Huge drop. But he'll get it together, I'm sure of that. You don't just go to shit overnight, especially if you're don't get injured.

Hardly. I back Mikel to the hilt. One bad game won't change that. I want him starting against Wigan.

His point there was to pull post count and years on the site as a reason to blindly accept what he says. I've never made a personal attack on a member on this board and I'd like to keep it that way; so that's all I have to say on the issue. You make of that what you will.

What are you on about? Which deluded soul thought we were going to dominate after adding a band of AMs and ignoring the real problem? Why are you worried now? I'll be honest, I was worried by about July 1, when the transfer window opened.

Well, all the negatives we learned from today, we already knew: Terry is past it, and needs to be eased out, sharpish. We're inconsistent We need a right back Mikel can be awful at times Hazard is not Messi Mata is an exhausted man Lampard isn't suited to playing in a 2 man midfield for long stretches TX has a chip on his shoulder regarding City. City are the best team in the land. I don't get the shock. We did learn a couple of new, good things today: Torres' acceleration is magically returning. Bertrand is fucking quick. We can look pretty good when we move the ball quickly. Sturridge is still up for it. All in all, it was far from a waste.

I miss this team already Cech Ramires-Bosingwa-Ivanovic-Cole Kalou----------------------------Drogba What a grand back 7 that was.

Wouldn't have mattered even if Barca did shoot from range, they don't have any good long shooters, except perhaps Dani Alves.

1. Welcome back. 2-4. Not arsed right now. 5. Salomon Kalou, Jose fucking Bosingwa and Didier Drogba are gone. They were vital to the bus. You can't replace them with 4 foot tall playmakers.

If Ivanovic is punished, then Terry's contract should be ripped up. I'll have no favouritism or double standards 'round here.

Brilliantly said.

Back up a bit TX. You're going overboard with the Ivanovic criticism.

Well done City.

Mikel has been a titan today, it must be said. Outstanding performance.

Nice play- more of that in the league, please.