Newsletter #815

Tonight sees plenty of opinion on our new (confirmed and rumoured) signings, news on Blues far and wide, a radio performance from MK Blues on Wednesday night and a few requests.

This goes out to 3,289. Some family out there! If you’ve not yet submitted a Why Blue, then why not have a go during the quiet summer weeks – and I know 90% of you haven’t as we have just about 300 archived 🙂

OPINION: FIRST TEAM SELECTION

After some keen work in the transfer market, I have to say that overall I am pleased with the commitment City have shown for the new season. I’ve done another quick rundown of the players and I guess the impression is that this time there shouldn’t be any threat of relegation.

‘Keepers:
Schmeichel, Nash, Weaver – Not the strongest department but should prove solid enough.

Full Backs:
Charvet, SWP, Jensen – We look a bit light considering that 3-5-2 seems to be Keegan’s thinking.

Centre Halves:
Dunne, Howey, Mettomo, Distin, Ritchie, Sun, Loran, Bischoff – This definitely suggests we’ll have 3 at the back. I hope Mettomo stays but if we need to fund any more transfers then 100% profit ain’t too bad.

Midfielders:
Benarbia, Berkovic, Tiatto, Horlock, Negouai, Haaland, Wiekens – In definite need of a new midfielder or maybe two. I just don’t think that Negouai, Haaland and Wiekens can cut it at the new level. Not forgetting that tackling and heading won’t be a great virtue.

Forwards:
Huckerby, Goater, Wanchope, Macken, Vuoso, Anelka – B***dy Hell! This is great. We will score loads. I have no idea about Vuoso but I can already see Ali doing slide rule passes for Anelka to run on to.

The story I have read from Tueart is that there won’t be any more signings before the new season except a couple of small ones. I hope these small ones are for the midfield and in our new language small means £5 million! Aaah, dreams.

OPINION: ANELKA, FRENCH VIEW

Thought you might be interested in the views of some Paris St Germain supporters I overheard discussing Anelka’s move to City in a bar in Paris this (Sunday) morning. I introduced myself as a City fan and asked about him.

First off, the bad news is they have a low opinion of his worth. They were amazed that someone would pay so much for him after he had disappointed at PSG. Interestingly our profile has obviously risen recently as all of them were aware of there being two Manchester teams. Not the case a couple of years ago. Anyway, he’s a local lad from Trappes, a high rise new town just outside Paris and when I asked why he struggles they said he had been given too much too young and was difficult to motivate. They said Louis Fernadez the coach of PSG loves to shout at players and that Anelka couldn’t cope with this and spent most of his time sulking. Obviously no problem for our super motivator KK. They said that Benarbia had also suffered at the hands of Fernadez and this would give the two players something in common.

So there you have it, a difficult case but maybe between Kevin and Ali we can get the best out of him. My PSG friends were still of the opinion that Anelka is a fantastic talent, but that he has a lot of the Huck about him… head down and run.

We shall see.

OPINION: THE NEW CITY

I can’t help wonder at the similarities between the promoted side under Joe, versus the version under Kev. Hmm, ok there are none.

Let’s see: Joe signed… half a dozen centre-backs and fat blobby Bob from a Gillingham chippy, masquerading as a striker – to be fair to JR though, the club was only just getting back to the black from Division 2 days and didn’t have the ‘parachute’ money of last season. He did sign Howey and Dunne though.

Now we have Schmie, Distin, Anelka (almost), the two nippers from Holland and Denmark and we’re not even out of May. Others touted include Vuoso and Maccarone (he of England U21’s destruction – though surely now unlikely if the Argie signs too) and Mark-Vivien Foe.

Despite the fact that Anelka “carries more baggage than a 747” I think if anyone can bring out the best in him, KK can. I can’t help but also think that KK has one more jewel lined up for us, this summer – and it can only be someone massive.

On a sobering note, it looks like curtains for the Goat with 6 first team strikers at the club. I for one will be very sad to see him go; but hand on heart, he’s only really a top quality Division 1 striker, would probably struggle in the Premiership. A bit like JR. Unlike JR will be the methodical purging of the squad of any players KK feels can’t cut it – no time for sentimentality.

Anyone care to re-visit the “are they Premiership quality?” question again, as per the Uncle Joe promotion side?

Anelka’s agent said it all: “we agreed there was probably never a better time to sign for Manchester City”. Brothers, this could be just be the start.

OPINION: VUOSO

I found this on the official Independiente website on Thursady night, and used Altavista’s Babelfish to translate it. Although it has gone from Spanish to sort of English, you can get the gist of what they are saying. It appears as though we are paying for Vuoso in 3 instalments.

The forward will travel Saturday to England to close his happens to the Manchester City in 5.000.000 of dollars. With the silver that between, will arm a competitive equipment.

“The only Salvador that I know is Bilardo”, was the phrase that Diego Maradona patented sometimes. But the leaders of Independent can to refute the famous declaration of the Ten. Or perhaps Forl