Sven sweet on Hart

Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed that Joe Hart will be the Manchester City number one for the foreseeable future.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's trip to Aston Villa, the Blues boss said: "“On Saturday Joe Hart will play and will be my number one for the foreseeable future.

“I have had talks with Andreas today and obviously he’s not very happy. I had to make a choice and for this moment I’ve made the choice in Joe Hart."

Rumours will surely start about Andreas Isaksson’s future at the Club and Eriksson admitted: "I don’t know if Andreas wants to leave or stay and fight for the place but I told him it’s very much up to him.

“I will not be surprised and I will understand it if he wants to leave.

"It was important and for the players to come up with this decision before the window opens in January."

-mcfc.co.uk

Not really a surprise given the fact that Joe Hart was recalled to the to the starting line-up for the Carling Cup defeat against Tottenham and it does now seem - for the foreseeable future at least, that Hart is the no. 1 guy, having started the season as third choice.

Sven speculated that Isaksson may well indicate a desire to leave, and I have no doubt that he will do as he is amitious and wants first team football, something he has never managed on a consistent and long term basis since joining he club - both as a result of untimely injuries and an at times strange reluctance from both Sven and Stuart Pearce to back him.

Isaksson is a renowned international keeper with a good pedigree and reputation so I doubt that there will be a shortage of takers if Sven allows him to depart. Whether this means that Kaspar Schmeichel will be elevated to the back up spot or if a more veteran keeper will be added on a short term basis.

Both this season and last, I have long trumpeted the Isaksson cause, finding it baffling that he was constantly overlooked on a number of occasions. But in all honesty - from the games I have seen, the defence appears to be more at ease and relaxed with Hart in goal, than either with Schmeichel and Isaksson between the sticks. Statistically, there is not a great deal of difference between Hart and Isaksson but it is fair to obsever that Isaksson has not imposed himselfon the team as much as he perhaps may have done.

To cut him a little slack though, he has never had a settled run in the side and it may have played on his mind that neither Sven nor Pearce were 100% behind him.

Sven has always said that he would make his decision on who his guy will be at Christmas, and true to his word he has rotated all three keepers to give them opportunities. Despite how highly I do rate Isaksson, I can't disagree with the decision, and whilst Isaksson will now get a chance to resurrect his (still young) career elsewhere, Joe Hart has a golden opportunity to establish himself as the first choice keeper for many years to come, not to mention force himself into the international reckoning.

Schmeichel set for exit

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel will leave Manchester City at
the end of the season according to his father, City and Manchester United legend
Peter.

The 21-year-old is unhappy at being only third choice behind
Andreas Isaksson and Joe Hart at City.

>>bbc sport.

This coming just a couple of days after reports that Andreas Isaksson would leave in the summer, and equally unsurprising. I also doubt Isaksson's departure would have any bearing on his decision given Hart is clearly the number 1 choice for years to come.

A strange season for Schmeichel, as he started out as the number 3 choice, but was catapulted into the starting line up due to injury and saw us post a fantastic start to the season with a number of clean sheets.

However, once the initial lustre wore off, it was widely perceived this was more down ot the strong defensive axis of Dunne and Richards, and Sven soon jettisoned him and nominated Joe Hart as 'the man', relegating Schmeichel back down the pecking order behind Hart and Isaksson.

He has a couple of succesful loan spells throughout the season and I don't doubt that a number of Championship sides would be interested in signing him on a permanent basis, but potential exits for both Isaksson and Schmeichel would quickly deplete what was probably our strongest depth position.

The end for Isaksson?

The decision to restore Nicky Weaver to the starting line up following an impressive showing from Andreas Isaksson in the defeat of Portsmouth was described as the 'hardest of my career' by Stuart Pearce, but in doing so may well have pushed Isaksson towards the exit door in what would be a City career very much cut short.

I expected (and hoped) that Isaksson would get an extended run in the side to prove his worth, but Pearce can feel somewhat vindicated in his decision to select Weaver following his impressive showing against Preston on Sunday - particularly his crucial save to deny Michael Ricketts when the score was 1-0.

For me - and I know I have harped on about this before, whilst Weaver has played above expectations this season, he is not a genuine game winner and whilst he has been more than solid this season he has not 'won' us any points single handedly in the manner that Schmeichel or James have done in recent seasons.

It seems inconceivable that unless he suffers a long-term injury, he will lose his place in the side at this stage of the season and I would be surprised if Isaksson would be willing to stay on the sidelines next season unless there was some guarantee that he would feature regularly.

As well as Weaver has played - and at this stage he must be in the running for player of the season, I do feel that long term Isaksson is the better choice as the number one 'keeper, but unless there is a shift in fortunes between now and the end of the season it is looking more and more likely that Isaksson will be on the move.

Deadline day news

Manchester City goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson has turned down a move to Galatasaray, having previously expressed a wish to join the Turkish club.

Isaksson had been hoping to leave City before the close of the transfer window to safeguard his position in Sweden's Euro 2008 squad.

He has lost out to Joe Hart to be City's No.1 and admitted a desire to finalise a switch to Galatasaray in order to play regularly.

But City's first-team coach Tord Grip has confirmed that Isaksson does not want to join Galatasaray on loan.

"Andreas is probably staying here, it now looks that way," City's Tord Grip told Sportbladet.

"I am at the training complex and he is here today.

"He is able to go on loan to Galatasaray and get a game.

"But that is what he doesn't want to do and we cannot do much more."

>>Sky Sports.

Ched Evans will stay on loan at Norwich until the end of the season, after the club reached an agreement with Manchester City.

His 'emergency loan' spell was due to end on February 26, with Man City able to recall him from Wednesday, but now

Evans, 19, has scored four goals in 12 apperances for Norwich, his first being within just two minutes of his City debut; his most recent the winner against Southampton on Tuesday night.

>>Norwich Evening News.

OUSMANE Dabo has left City to rejoin Lazio - where he will link up with Rolando Bianchi.

The French midfielder failed to make a Premier League appearance under Sven-Goran Eriksson, getting his only game for the Swede in the Carling Cup win at Bristol City in August.

Dabo struggled to make an impact after Stuart Pearce brought him to Eastlands from Lazio in June 2006.

And the 30-year-old had become increasingly frustrated by his lack of opportunities under Eriksson's management.

"I'm the only player in the first-team squad who hasn't been given a chance this season," he said earlier this month.

"After a while, it gets so ridiculous that it becomes laughable."

>>MEN.

Of the three moves above, the only one that surprised me was the Isaksson one given that it was widely believed both the player and club were happy for him to move during the window after Joe Hart was established as the number 1, but it may well have been that the Swede was after a permanent move rather than just a short term deal.

The Evans move is a sensible one given the return to fitness of Danny Sturridge along with the the strides that Valeri Bojinov has made to get back on the pitch and will allow him to gain some decent experience at a place where he seemingly enjoys playing.

With just over four hours to go before the window shuts, all eyes will now be on the two moves (Benjani and Caciedo) which have been heavily rumoured for the past couple of days but have (as yet) still to be announced - although I would be surprised if they weren't completed before the deadline passes.

I'll update this post through the evening as soon as any deals are confirmed, and if anyone hears of any deals (rumoured or confirmed), feel free to post up.

UPDATE:

West Brom have completed the permanent signing of Ishmael Miller from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

The Championship leaders have exercised the option to buy the striker before January 31 - a clause Albion inserted in the deal which brought Miller to The Hawthorns on a season-long loan in August.

Miller, 20, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract, which includes an extra year's option in the club's favour.

>> Sporting Life.

No news of the fee involved, but I confess I wasn't aware of the clause inserted into the loan contract. A good move for Miller this, moving to a side who look a good bet for promotion to the Premier League. Kudos to Sven as well for getting him under a new contract at the beginning of the season which would have increased his value.

Although he has performed well for West Brom this season, I don't (as I've written before) believe he quite has what it takes to make it at the club and lacks the technical ability to quite make it at the highest level.

Whilst no official confirmation from the club has yet, FC Basel's website is reporting the transfer of Caceido has been completed. Worth checking out for the translation.

UPDATE:

Inter have confirmed that Roberto Mancini’s son Filippo will be spending the rest of the season on loan at Manchester City.

The player has been on trial with the Eastlands based club since last week and he has impressed Sven Goran Eriksson.

The 17 year old made his debut for the Nerazzurri in the Coppa Italia just days before arriving in Manchester.

A statement on the club’s official website reads:

“Filippo Mancini will be playing in England for Manchester City.”

>>Setanta Sports.

UPDATE:

The MEN is reporting that Paul Dickov has joined Blackpool on loan until the end of the season, and still suggests the Benjani move could be completed - with Jermain Defoe set for a move to Portsmouth as his replacement.

UPDATE:

The transfer window is now closed, and no confirmation of the Benjani (or Defoe) moves. That's not to say it won't happen though as an announcement could still come through that the deals were completed by midnight.

If the Benjani move has not gone through, it will be interesting to see the reason why, but we'll know one way or the other tomorrow morning.

UPDATE:

Manchester City have confirmed that the proposed transfer of Portsmouth striker Benjani to the Blues was unsuccessful.

City spokesman Paul Tyrrell said, "Due to the late arrival of the player in Manchester we were unable to complete the transfer."

>>mcfc.co.uk

A very short statement from the club, and one that strikes as a bit of an administrative mess more than anything. Perhaps more will come out later today as to exactly why the deal didn't get done but given I wasn't entirely convinced of the merits of signing him it may well be a blessing, but I'll post something more in depth regarding the transfer deadline hopefully later today.

Isaksson - 'I'm done'

The Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson wants to leave Manchester City after claiming he is unhappy with being relegated to the bench. Isaksson has been unable to displace Joe Hart this season, raising doubts about his starting spot for Sweden at Euro 2008 next month.

"It feels like I'm done here now," said Isaksson. "I can't risk staying one more season with the same situation I've had this year. So a move is necessary for me."

>>guardian.co.uk

No great surprise here, with perhaps the biggest shock that he didn't depart in the January window given Euro 2008 was on the horizon.

Eriksson never appeared to warm to him, but I can't see that a change of manager would prompt a change of heart for the Swede, given the way Joe Hart has stepped up and developed so well this season.

A shame in some respects as his City career has never got going and I feel he was left out in favour of Nicky Weaver for far too long last season, and has never had a real opportunity to prove his worth.

Isaksson joins PSV

Andreas Isaksson has today completed a move to Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

The 26-year-old keeper was rarely a regular starter during his time with the Blues and made only 20 appearances for the Club after signing from Rennes in August 2006.

Injuries and the form of Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart forced the Swede on to the bench for most of the campaign and after passing a medical this afternoon Isaksson signed a four-deal with PSV.

>>mcfc.co.uk

A good move for Isaksson who despite the arrival of a new manager, had clearly had enough of sitting on the bench as he never seemed to find favour with either Sven or Stuart Pearce during his time at the club, and wasn't helped with a succession of ill-timed injuries.

Perennial Champions League qualifiers, he will be playing at the top level and certainly helped his cause with a solid display during Euro 2008.

Following his departure, will Hughes look to bring another back up to Hart given Kasper Schmeichel's uncertain future with the club?

Pearce brings in Isaksson to replace James

I didn't get a chance to post up yesterday due to difficulty in accessing the site so apologies that this is a little late.

After some protracted negotiations following the sale of David James, the club confirmed that Swedish international Andreas Isaksson has been signed from Rennes as the new number 1 'keeper, beating off interest from Charlton (another one that slipped through their grasp after Robert Green went to West Ham instead leaving them to sign Scott Carson on loan from Liverpool).



Stuart Pearce commented:

"I've been at the club for five years and I know that Peter Bonetti had looked at him. We looked at him before we signed Peter Schmeichel and David Seaman, and we had scouting reports on him from three or four years ago.
"I think if we had left it for another week we may not have got him, and getting good goalkeepers with experience is very, very difficult to do.....things looked a bit rocky when David asked to go, but all of a sudden we have another young lad in and we might be better off than when David was here. Andreas has years in front of him, as do our other keepers."

Another interesting point Pearce made was that despite only being twenty-four, with over forty international caps behind him plus club experience Isaksson has the experience of a goalkeeper more advanced in years and we are definitely well stocked with 'keepers at the club.

All of this must dash hopes that Nicky Weaver had of re-establishing himself as first choice following James' departure and with Joe Hart and Kaspar Schmeichel behind him it appears as though Weaver is merely providing back-up until one of those two is considered ready enough to step up and challenge.

United 3 City 1

An expected result perhaps, but not really a performance that many of us predicted. I anticipated a cautious set up from Stuart Pearce designed to stifle United, and relying on our defence to help shut out United in order to take something from the game.

However, when it goes wrong for our defence it goes very wrong indeed. Christmas came early at Old Trafford this year as messrs. Dunne and Distin combined in a big way to help gift wrap three goals and leave them under the tree for United's forwards to ensure they took all the points.

It was a shame as Dunne and Distin have been outstanding this season and it was an attacking performance that more than matched what United had to offer. Pearce surprised me by keeping faith with the side that drew at home to Watford the previous Monday rather than opting for a 4-5-1 formation, but no formation could do anything about the first goal after just five minutes.

A cross from Ronaldo resulted in an air shot from Distin, but unfortunately he got a decisive enough touch on it to take it out of Dunne's path straight to the grateful Rooney to slot home. Still, this seemed to galvanise a City side who decided to take the mantle to United rather than lie down like the majority of sides who visit Old Trafford.

We were grateful though for a poor first touch from Rooney when he was well set to put United 2-0 ahead, but we had some good chances through Richards (should we have had a penalty for Ferdinand's high foot?) and a good effort from Samaras. Time and again we had plenty of space going forward, but lacked the final bit of quality to pierce the United defence.

Heading in 1-0 down would have set us up for a good tilt at them after the break, but Trabelsi made a mess when he should have cleared then sold Dunne short with a backpass, leaving Heinze to cross for Saha to make it 2-0 at the break and leaving Nicky Weaver unable to return for the second half, being replaced by Isaksson for his City debut.

Again, we had chances in the second half with substitute Stephen Ireland (who replaced the 'ineffectual' Reyna) forcing a smart save from van der Saar, before Trabelsi atoned for his first half mistake by smashing home from just inside the box.

The scene was set for a final go at a United side - who in a bold move replaced Saha with O'Shea, but a mistake by Dunne in attempting to control a cross only served to tee up Ronaldo to seal the win.

As time was running out, Bernardo Corradi - in my opinion more in desperation than an outright attempt at cheating, fell to the ground and was yellow-carded for the second time and was sent off, a move which saw him criticised by Pearce in his post-match interview.

Concensus from both City and United fans I know tends to be that we gave them a good game, and did genuinely trouble them for large parts of the game, but you cannot expect to get anything when you gift goals that even FC United would have gleefully snapped up.

Plus points for me was the performances of Micah Richards and Andreas Isaksson, and I would hope that Isaksson gets a run at the number 1 spot as Weaver is still to fully convince me he is the long-term answer, whilst Richards needs to be moved into midfield to fully utilise his undoubted talent. A surprise also was the performance of Darius Vassell on the left. Although he has struggled at times out there, he gave Gary Neville trouble throughout the first-half before being switched to a more central role as the game wore on.

DeMarcus Beasley looks like he could be an asset coming off the bench late in a game, whilst Stephen Ireland showed enough to warrant a spell in the starting line-up, but Samaras and Reyna again struggled to impose themselves on the game.

It is ultimately disappointing though as we took nothing from a game where we had enough possession, territory and chances to get something from it. We now face a tricky spell of games against sides that typically we haven't fared well against and we can do without a poor run in terms of a return in points.

Although, I can't see that we will be in any relegation trouble it is vital we avoid getting sucked in at the bottom as once you did get dragged down there it is notoriously difficult to get out.

Match reports:
The Times
The Guardian
MEN

Stick or twist between the sticks?

Has the impressive start to the season by Kaspar Schmeichel (and of course the defence in front of him) forced a rethink by Sven-Goran Eriksson as to whether to enter the transfer market for a goalkeeper?

Leading upto the start of the season in the wake of Andreas Isaksson's injury, it was widely speculated that Eriksson was keen to add another keeper to the squad - with Italy number 2 Marco Amelia tipped as the most likely candidate.

For whatever reason though a deal did not get done and we went into the opening day with Kaspar Schmeichel backed up by Joe Hart - something Eriksson admitted he was reluctant to do (despite praising their talents).

Three clean sheets later though and on the back of a trio of solid performances, Eriksson has admitted that the priority of signing a new keeper is now 'on ice', and on the back of the long-term injury to Valeri Bojinov his attentions have turned to attacking reinforcements (along with the possibility of a second attempt to sign Mark Bresciano). Perhaps the endless buckets of cash are not evident and there could well be limited funds to add to the players he has already brought in for a cost of around £40 million, with substantial wages on top.

I see it as likely now that Eriksson sees the need to add firepower up front as a far more pressing matter before the end of the transfer window than bringing in another keeper bearing in mind the job Schmeichel has done this season added to the fact that Isaksson is nearer to full fitness.

Schmeichel - despite lacking a little in height, has looked assured, confident and shown good anticipation. And of course he has been helped in no small part by the impressive performances the new look defence have displayed.

Whereas it may well have been a journey into the unknown at the start of the campaign, I feel that Eriksson is now more confident in the ability of Schmeichel (and Hart) to maybe not be the full-time number 1 but at least be capable of stepping up when required, and it would only make sense to add another keeper if it is with a view to replacing Isaksson as the first choice - something which Eriksson has given no indication he is looking to do.

Goal-keeping log jam

With the news that Kaspar Schmeichel is poised to join Falkirk on a season long loan, and in joining fellow youngster Joe Hart in the 'on-loan' ranks it spells positive news for our goalkeeping future.

The fact that Stuart Pearce is able to farm out two young keepers shows the strength we have with our two senior keepers Nicky Weaver and Andreas Isaksson, in a position which looked a little precarious going into the season on the back of David James' departure.

Having four quality keepers on the books obviously allows Pearce to be flexible in helping Hart and Schmeichel gain valuable experience and it could signal an interesting battle between the pair to be our next goalkeeper.

For all that Weaver has done in coming back from terrible injuries and performing at the level he has done, I still cannot see him being the long term number 1. I have come across stories that suggest Isaksson will not be too keen on hanging around if he does not have the number 1 position by the end of the season.

Of course, Weaver is yet to sign a new deal but it is surely a done deal that he will sign beyond this season which may not be good news for Isaksson but would open up a chance behind Weaver for either Hart or Schmeichel.

Roughly of a similar age, both have impressive physical tools but Hart perhaps has the edge in terms of pecking order at the moment and has already made one appearance this season (away at Wigan), but Schmeichel has his plaudits too and it will be interesting to watch them develop over the next few seasons to see if either of the pair can steal a march on the other to get a shot at being the keeper.

Keeping them both happy in the long term will be a tough job for Pearce and is likely that one will end up moving on, but as it stands it looks like it will shape up to be an interesting battle between the two to be the ultimate top dog.

In safe hands?

Out of all the City players who have received national media attention this season, Nicky Weaver is perhaps the one who has had the most columns inches dedicated to him so far. Quite understandable given his 'back from the dead' story from the football scrapheap to turning in some notable performances between the sticks.

It must be strange for Weaver to look at the position he is in currently to see himself as the current number 1 at the club, given the fact that a week or so before the season started he potentially faced a battle with the emerging Schmeichel and Hart for the number 2 spot behind David James - whose impeccable form and injury-free record would guarantee him the starting position.

James' sudden exit though thrust Weaver back into the spotlight, only for the club to move to sign Andreas Isaksson from Rennes and despite Stuart Pearce declaring the position was up for grabs it was hard to imagine Isaksson not taking over from James immediately.

However, an injury to the Swede in training saw Weaver start on opening day at Stamford Bridge in front of a worldwide TV audience and apart from one game (through injury) he has been an ever present, and earned several plaudits for his performances.

In fact, in some circles he has been mentioned as a possibility for the England set-up where behind Paul Robinson there is no outstanding number 2 candidate, and in truth very little experience despite the position looking as (potentially) strong as it has done for some time.

As solidly as Weaver has done though, I believe talk ofEngland is some way premature considering he has yet to put a dozen games under his belt back in the first team. I also still have doubts over certain aspects of his game - namely crosses and his command of the area, and once Isaksson is fully match fit you wonder if Pearce will be minded to take a look at him in action as he certainly talked him up following his signing.

Still, Isakkson doesn't appear to be ready any time soon so Weaver is very much the man in possession at the moment and the more decent performances he puts in over the short-term the better his long-term prospects will look.

Weaver signs for Charlton

Charlton signed striker Svetoslav Todorov from Portsmouth
and goalkeeper Nicky Weaver from Manchester City on free transfers on Wednesday.
Weaver, 28, signed a three-year deal after 10 years at City - during which
he made more than 200 appearances....."Nicky hasn't had the breaks in his career
that he has deserved, but this is a great opportunity for him while Svetoslav's
quality and precision, which is proven in this division, will be very important
to us, especially in home games."

-BBC Sport.
Weaver has effectively been in limbo since the Stuart Pearce sacking which reportedly took a reported two-year contract offer off the table, and it is probably not coincidental that the move was made a day or so after Eriksson arrived at the club.

I think it is a good move for him going to a club looking to bounce back into the Premiership, and he should slot in well to replace Scott Carson who has returned to Liverpool.

The way he has battled back from injury was impressive as his career looked to be all over at one point and he must have sensed a real opportunity when the club sold David James and he subsequently beat out Andreas Isaksson at the beginning of last season.

But, (whilst the timing was strange) I agreed with the decision and I don't think anyone can doubt that Isaksson is the better long term option for the club (and perhaps being Swedish may also have come in handy). I am also certain that the development of both Joe Hart and Kaspar Schmeichel over the past year must have been a factor in the decision.

Is this then the first sign of Sven assessing the squad and making a personnel decision? If so, there will need to many more made in avery short space of time.

Weavers career stats (as taken from mcfcstats.co.uk).

A look ahead to the new season

What a turnaround a couple of months makes. From early talk of season tickets not being renewed and the possibility of another dour season with a couple of Bosman reinforcements the only additions to a depleted squad comes a new season of hope and promise, with a brand new owner awash with bucketloads of cash (along with a questionable background) and a manager with a proven international and domestic pedigree who has already added some undoubted quality and potential to a squad that whilst depleted, was not without some quality.

For a long time over the summer months, it was still unsure whether the takeover would be completed, which left everyone in a state of limbo, but now Eriksson has quietly begun to assemble a squad which should be easily capable of challenging the top half of the table.

The losses of Barton and Distin were an undoubted blow, and whilst it was inevitable that Barton was allowed to leave I still have the sense of disappointment that Distin walked - and perhaps wished he had given another year to see the undoubted difference that will be made (on and off the pitch) this season but departures of largely squad players Weaver, Reyna, Beasley and Jordan will perhaps not be missed as much given the ability to recruit far more easily than under the Pearce regime.

Eriksson - without managing to land a true 'knock-out' signing, has added well with quality in Martin Petrov, Elano and Geovanni, and the captures of Rolando Bianchi, Valeri Bojinov and Gelson Fernandes augment well for the future. Undoubtedly Eriksson will continue to add further to the squad, and boding well for us is that he doesn't appear to be rushed into any panic buying as managers are sometimes wont given a narrowing transfer window and pots of cash at their disposal.

There have been plenty of backroom changes as well with Eriksson bringing trusted sidekick Tord Grip to the club in an 'overseer' role and the experienced Hans Backe as assistant manager. Gone are Steve Wigley and Greg Rioch (following on from late season departures Frank Bunn and Tim Flowers) but Kenny Jackett and Derek Fazackerley are holdovers from previous regimers.

Eriksson was much maligned in his time as England manager as being negative and too one-dimensional wit a reluctance to deviate from the 4-4-2 formation. But, perhaps he was largely hamstrung by trying to fit certain over-hyped players into a line-up but at City he will be able to add players he covets and appears to have a young an energetic squad at his disposal with the average age plummeting from last season.

Andreas Isaksson begins the season as number 1, albeit being sidelined for a short time with a hand injury. He has beaten off the challenge of Nicky Weaver who has moved onto Charlton but rumours persist that Eriksson is looking to add another 'keeper to challenge Isaksson. Kaspar Schmeichel's desire for first team football may see him leave to pastures new, leaving Joe Hart in possession of the number 2 spot.

Despite adding defensively recently, the loss of Sylvain Distin will undoubtedly be felt. Along with Richard Dunne he was undoubtedly the most consistent performer the past few seasons and their partnership was one of the leagues best. Nedum Onouha appears to have shaken off his injury troubles but Eriksson felt the need to go out and add Croatian defender Verdan Corluka.

Micah Richards is set to break out even more this season following off-season surgery, whilst Michael Ball will likely be beaten out by Spaniard Javier Garrido with Sun Jihai's versatility providing useful cover across the defence and midfield.

Danny Mills has been allowed to move on whilst it may not be long before Matt Mills could be headed to the exit.

Potentially, the midfield could see a whole new look this season with Eriksson bringing in a host of new faces. The relatively experienced trio of Petrov, Elano and Geovanni will be counted upon to make an immediate impact - with Petrov in particular impressing during pre-season. Fears that both Michael Johnson and Stephen Ireland may be frozen out appear to be unfounded as both have seen plenty of action under Eriksson so far along with fellow youngster Gelson Fernandes.

Despite his off-pitch misdemeanours, Barton was the key cog in midfield last season and was a much improved creative spark (and finished the season as top scorer) and his presence and energy in the middle will be sorely missed but if Mark Bresciano arrives from Palermo this will go some way to replacing him, however, veteran Didi Hamman may see much reduced time this time around, even given the possibility of Ousmane Dabo's departure.

A particular problem area last season, and another which has been overhauled this campaign. Both Giorgios Samaras and Bernard Corradi will be hoping for turnaround seasons after enduring poor seasons during 2006/07 and have had fairly bright pre-seasons - Corradi moreso.

Emile Mpenza weighed in with some important goals after he signed in January, but it remains to be seen what role he will have following the new arrivals Rolando Bianchi and Valeri Bojinov who have both arrived from Serie A and whilst still both young, they arrive with strong reputations and will expected to contribute immediately.

Youngsters Kelvin Etuhu and Daniel Sturridge may have both been pushed a little down the pecking order but are highly touted and will likely see some loan action elsewhere this season but I expect Paul Dickov time at the club to be all but over, assuming there are any takers for him.

Pundits have not tipped us to do well this season - either they are wary of all the changes and upheaval we have undergone or their is an underlying anti-City/Eriksson/Shinawatra agenda. There has been a sense of realism at the club though with people involved talking about this being a transition season and it is really the 2008/09 campaign where expectations on the pitch will have to begin to match the progress made off it.

Clearly we are not about to gatecrash the top four this season and there look to be (more settled) sides more capable of occupying the UEFA positions but I am yet to be convinced that the Premiership overall is getting better and better as the seasons go by.

Much of the new Premiership TV money is being spent by sides keen to improve yet none seem to have made significant strides over anyone else, with several players being recycled amongst mid-table sides.

I don't for one minute envisage we will come anywhere close to the threat of relegation seen last season and despite a toughish looking start on paper we will be more than good enough to always feature in the top-half of the Premiership.

With every preview that I have done on here I have stressed there is an opportunity to make an impact if we can get a strong start, or put consistent ten game spells together - yet this is something that we have always failed to do in recent times. It will take Eriksson time to shape the side into how we wants and there will be bumps along the way, but as much as anything else, fans will want to see performances this season which will generate excitement and hope - both of which have been sorely lacking in recent times.

Predicted league position - 9th

League Cup - 4th round

FA Cup - 6th round

Top scorer - Rolando Bianchi

Player of the season - Martin Petrov

Bitter and Blue end of season awards

Well, thankfully in some respects the season has now drawn to a close, but far from being a quiet off season, expect plenty of rumours, speculation and outright lies regarding our managerial position and player departures and arrivals.

I've posted up the end of season review I did for The Observer, in addition to the preview and also the preview I did here on Bitter and Blue.

As in the previous two seasons I've been doing this blog the end of season brings with it the Bitter and Blue end of season awards so without further ado here were go, with the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons linked up also.

Bitter and Blue player of the season

Plenty of players have had excellent spells throughout the season without managing to maintain a high level of consistency throughout the season - namely Elano, Martin Petrov, Micah Richards and Richard Dunne.

None though have managed to put in the performances week in week out that have seen beat out both Andreas Isaksson and Kasper Schmeichel, and force his way into the England squad, so the winner is Joe Hart.

2006/07 - Richard Dunne
2005/06 - David James

Bitter and Blue readers player of the season

I expected this to be a tight contest, with several players grouped together quite closely at the top, but in reality only two players ultimately contested this and whilst he led for most of the vote, Joe Hart was beaten to the trophy by Darius Vassell.

2006/07 - Richard Dunne
2005/06 - Richard Dunne/David James (tie)

Breakthrough player of the season

Once again, the Academy continued to develop players to, and on the fringe of the first team, and had the success of the FA Youth Cup to boot. The likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Sam Williamson, Shaleum Logan and Kelvin Etuhu have all crashed into the first team this season, but with a second victory Joe Hart also takes this award.

2006/07 - Michael Johnson
2005/06 - Micah Richards

Overachiever of the season

His career looked washed up at one point following a terrible debut season punctuated by injury and poor form. He has resurrected his career however to have been one of the key components of Sven's midfield this season, providing a vital link between defence and attack.

This year's winner therefore is Didi Hamman.

2006/07 - Nicky Weaver
2005/06 - Andrew Cole

Underachiever of the season

Unlike previous seasons, there hasn't been a raft of under achievers throughout the squad as most have turned in by and large good performances at some point or other.

One player though, although only playing little over a dozen games has been poor and has failed to justify and reason to suggest any future at the club - a surprise given he is in the last year of his current contract, and his return to the line-up has coincided with the poorest form of the season for the club.

Winner - Sun Jihai.

2006/07 - Bernardo Corradi
2005/06 - Danny Mills

Performance of the season

There have been some good wins, especially early on in the season when we put together a fantastic run of results, but for a day when the tactics were spot on, well executed on the pitch with a performance that wasn't expected to provide a result that no-one expected.

Winner - United 2-1 (a)

2006/07 - Middlesbrough (a)
2005/06 - United (h)

Goal of the season

We have scored a few decent goals this season, both individual efforts and some good all round team moves, but give a Brazilian a free-kick 25 yards from goal and good things happen - so Elano's free-kick at home to Newcastle would take some beating.

2006/07 - Giorgios Samaras v West Ham (h)
2005/06 - Danny Mills v Everton (h)

Incident of the season

A relatively incident free season in the life of Manchester City, charging out of the gate at a furious rate to reside in the Champions League positions. A team being built steadily under the tutelage of an experienced manager with access to the millions of a new owner.

All appeared well, until.....Sven-gate, which turned a season that was stuttering into one that imploded spectacularly to set up a summer of turmoil which could well set the club well back considering the progress made over the past year.

Winner - The Sven 'sacking'.

2006/07 - Stuart Pearce's sacking
2005/06 - Joey Barton's transfer request

So there you have it. Another season draws to a close and unfortunately it appears that this summer is as likely to be as incident and rumour packed as any we have experienced.

Interestingly, the ratings for this blog have tended to be at their highest during June and July, when people tend to be scrambling around for whatever news they can find before the media really kicks back into gear.

Given how the month of May has shaped up so far, I'm not expecting this summer to be any different.

2006/07 season - Player reviews

I originally intended to post up some of the season review stuff last week but with the Pearce sacking and the takeover news things got sidetracked a little.


Looking back over the season, not too many players can come out with a great deal of credit but here is a rundown of how Bitter and Blue thought the players fared over the course of the 2006/07 season:


Nicky Weaver
Finally recovered from his injury nightmare and got the nod at the start of the season and was solid enough. Surprisingly lost his place towards the end of the season though and is now out of contract.

Andreas Isaksson
Began to make noises when he could not dislodge Weaver from the side but has proved his worth since becoming the first choice and looks to have a good grip on the number 1 shirt now and is a better option than Weaver.

Joe Hart
Made a solitary appearance this season and looks to have a slight edge ahead of rival Kaspar Schmeichel in the pecking order. Spent time on loan at Tranmere and Blackpool and will be looking to push Weaver hard for the back-up spot.

Micah Richards
Still only eighteen years of age and probably could have done with a rest at some stage before his injury towards the end of the season. Only his first full-season yet is also established in the England set-up. A dominant player at the back and provided vital support in attack.

Danny Mills
Only seems to surface now when delivering an opinion on outgoing managers. Popped up on loan at Hull and the BBC commentary box and has no real future at the club. How long until his contract is up?

Nedum Onouha
Suffered again with injuries this season but when he had a long run in the team he reminded everyone of his quality. Clearly more comfortable in the centre than at right-back and he may help soften the blow should Distin leave.

Sylvain Distin
Another excellent season and his partnership with Dunne is up there with the best in the league. Strong, quick and a good distributor - will be sorely missed if he leaves but the new ownership/management have a lot of work to do to convince him to stay.

Richard Dunne
On the pitch for every minute of every game and is vital to the side. Again (and deservedly) won the supporters player of the year. Captain who leads by example and an under-rated player who does not get the league-wide credit he deserves.

Matt Mills
Just made a couple of appearances this season and spent time out on loan at Colchester. Didn't overly impress and faces a battle next season to establish himself in the reckoning for a first-team spot.

Ben Thatcher
A season now remembered for his infamous challenge on Pedro Mendes. Was solid enough during the season but was in, out, then back in favour with Pearce and then out of the blue sold to Charlton during the January transfer window.

Michael Ball
Was brought in on a short-term contract during the season following the sale of Thatcher and immediately looked a better option. Offers an option going forward and his performances earned him a new contract shortly before Pearce's sacking.

Stephen Jordan
Looked to have stolen a march on Thatcher at the start of the season but his performances and form slipped so badly that he lost his place when Thatcher returned from suspension. Never really kicked on or progressed as hoped and was released at the end of the season.

Joey Barton
His off the pitch antics have clouded what was an impressive season ON the pitch for a player who had his best season and saw him make his England debut. Unless there is a change of tact it does seem he is on his way out this summer in a move that will see everyone lose out.

Didi Hamman
Showed in patches that he does still have quality but another who spent too long in the treatment room and struggled to put a consistent run together all season. Difficult to see him being a viable long-term option in the midfield.

Claudio Reyna
His largely unfulfilled City career came to an end in January as he moved back to the USA. Again struggled through injury for part of the season and he was in and out of the side when fit but never really impressed when he got his chance.

Ousmane Dabo
Whatever happens in his City career, he will now forever be remember for being on the receiving end of a beating from Joey Barton. Never really got into his stride this season but fit in well in the holding midfield position when Pearce opted for the 3-5-2.

Trevor Sinclair
Another injury wrecked season and we never saw the best of him during his time at the club thanks to ongoing injuries. Released at the end of the season and unlikely that he will pick up another Premiership deal.

Michael Johnson
Looks a real talent. Was thought of highly by the Academy and made his debut in the 4-0 defeat at Wigan. Recovered to force his way into the side in the latter part of the season and appears to be set to stay in the set-up.



Sun Jihai
Again, another who missed a large part of the season through injury but was back in the side at the end of the season. His versatility is an asset to the squad, but is probably detrimental to him as he struggles to get a consistent run in any one position. Filled in well enough on the right side of midfield at the end of the season.

Hatem Trabelsi
Promised a lot at the start of the season and looked to be a promising signing. Injuries and falling out of favour saw his chances limited as the season wore on and he was not offered a new contract at the end of the campaign.

Stephen Ireland
Broke through this season and turned in his best and most consistent season at the club (also being a regular at international level). Offered options in a number of positions and formations. Signed a long-term deal and should cement his place in the line-up over the next few seasons.

DeMarcus Beasley
Flashed in patches and offered a different attacking option from midfield, but failed to show the overall consistency needed, and perhaps mindful of clearing the decks for a new manager he was not retained at the end of the season - going the same way as Rieira and Musampa before him.

Ishmael Miller
Appears to be more of an athlete than a footballer. Still very much in the early stages of his career and mainly limited to substitute appearances but I don't see him as being a long term success but perhaps he needs more time (or to play as an out and out striker).

Darius Vassell
The archetypical confidence player. Either is very good or very bad. Admittedly out of position a lot of the season, he worked hard for the team but looks well short of confidence in front of a goal - as evidenced by his penalty miss in the derby. Not looked the same without Andrew Cole.

Bernardo Corradi
I described him as a 'poor mans Luca Toni' when he arrived. Perhaps just poor would have been more apt. Should have shown more than he did and seemingly on his way out in the summer, but could Ranieiri offer him a lifeline?

Giorgios Samaras
Probably regressed in all honesty over the season. Frustrating as he does have undoubted talent but has not shown it often enough. He is still young though, but you sense that next season is a critical one for him. Could be Pearce's legacy.

Paul Dickov
Why oh why he was brought back to the club is a mystery. Yes, I remember 'the goal' but that's no excuse. Went goalless through the yeay and succeeded only in annoying goalkeepers/referees/fans during corner kicks.

Daniel Sturridge
Has been more hype than anything else so far but all who have seen him below first team level seem united in the view he has something special. Limited to a couple of (brief) substitute appearances so far but arguably should have been pitched in at some stage.

Emile Mpenza
A good pick up by Pearce in January and nearly stormed to the top of the scoring charts. Gained in fitness and confidence as the season went on and offers goals and a presence up front. Thankfully signed through next season at least.

The days best City links 04/03/2008

ESS: Bojinov issues return warning

tags: City, Manchester

Valeri Bojinov not expected to feature until next season.

The Blog: Revealed: how City fans have been messed around the most

tags: City, Manchester

purely man city article on the number of games moved for TV this season.

Sky Sports | Football | Premier League | Manchester City | Sven expects keeper exit

tags: City, Manchester

Sven-Goran Eriksson expects one of either Andreas Isaksson or Kasper Schmeichel to depart this summer.

Bolton prediction

A tricky one to try and accurately predict as there hasn't been much confirmation as regards the line ups for both sides.

Definites are that Nicolas Anelka misses out through injury, although Gary Megson's suggestion he would have been rested anyway indicates a less than full strength side being fielded given their priorities in the league and UEFA Cup.

Andreas Isaksson will play, and get his chance to stake a claim for the number 1 jersey, but as for the rest of the side it is a little unknown as previous ties have seen Eriksson field a far weaker side than predicted, but reports indicate he is tempted to give those who played at Chelsea a shot at redeeming themselves but I hope that Bianchi is given a chance to come in from his exile.

Saturday's defeat has tempered expectations a little, and perhaps shown that realistically a UEFA Cup position is more achievable, and a win here would take us into the last eight and that step nearer to a Wembley final.

A tight game, but I take City to win 2-1.

Bitter and Blue end of season awards

Ladies and gentleman, the results are in. Here is the second annual Bitter and Blue end of season awards....As a reminder, last seasons results can be found here.


Bitter and Blue player of the season:


Not too many candidates for this award in what was in truth a mediocre season for most players. Players such as Weaver, Distin and Mpenza played well in spells but the winner really came from one of two players.

It was close, but whilst Joey Barton may have played at a higher level at certain times of the season, overall Richard Dunne has been far and away the most consistent performer this campaign.


Winner : Richard Dunne (last year David James)


Bitter and Blue readers player of the season:


A couple of votes came in for Nicky Weaver and Emile Mpenza, but this was a fairly straightforward choice as by far and away the concensus pick from you guys was for Richard Dunne.

Winner : Richard Dunne (last year Richard Dunne/David James tie)


Breakthrough player of the season:

Without the Academy players coming through into the first team squad over the past couple seasons the club would be in even more of a depressing state than we see at the end of this season. There is genuine hope that a nucleus of a decent side could be built around the Academy graduates and this year saw another one come through in the form of Michael Johnson.

Winner : Michael Johnson (last year Micah Richards)

Overachiever of the season:


Emile Mpenza was a strong candidate here as his impact on a team desperately short of goals cannot be underestimated as he played a large part in helping us to safety, but having spent the best part of three seasons out injured perhaps just to get back playing was achievement enought but Nicky Weaver must have thought he was back when David James left - only to see Andreas Isaksson signed. He started the season between the sticks though and performed well enough to retain his place until the last part of the season - a feat not many expected him to do.


Winner : Nicky Weaver (last year Andrew Cole)


Underachiever of the season:

A rather large shortlist for this category (unfortunately) and indicative of the season we have had. Goalkeepers and defenders are probably expempt in this though as they generally been the reason we have avoided relegation.

The strongest contenders though must all come from the striking ranks and you could really stick a pin in and not argue with the outcome. However, due to the fact that for large parts of the season they were played out wide on the left and expected to do a job they are not comfortable with I'm going to pass on Vassell and Samaras and choose Bernardo Corradi, who could and should have provided so much more than he has done.

Winner : Bernardo Corradi (last year Danny Mills)

Performance of the season:


It's definitely not the most enjoyable thing looking back over this season that's for sure, and really strong performances were few and far between.

Rarely did we put a run together throughout the season where we built both confidence and momentum, and when we did what was surprising was that we managed to do this away from home - which was long a problem area for us.

Late in the season, when the threat of relegation was still very real, we put back to back wins away in the North-East to hoist ourselves away from the bottom three. Whilst the Newcastle win was an important one, the Middlesbrough win built on that (and laid the foundations for the win at Fulham) and I think the strongest one given our record against them.


Goal of the season:

Due to our lack of potency in front of goal, obvious candidates do not particularly jump out you here - in fact, the way we went at home we could barely muster a top ten. One player who did struggle for goals as much as anyone was Giorgios Samaras - but as frustrating as he can be he is perhaps the one player who is capable of scoring a goal worthy of a 'best of category'.

Winner : Giorgios Samaras West Ham home (last year Danny Mills Everton at home)

Incident of the season:

How do you pick one out of this? On the shortlist we have Thatchers challenge on Mendes, multiple entries from Joey Barton (Arse-gate, his post-match outburst and his assault on Ousmane Dabo), Richard Dunne's pre-Blackburn attack, takeover stories and the sacking of our manager.

As strong as Barton's entries have been - and really all could have been winners, the sacking of Stuart Pearce is certainly the biggest story of the season, containing plenty of stories, rumours and theories for all.

Winner : The Stuart Pearce sacking (last year Joey Barton transfer request)

Eriksson interested in Lehmann?

One or two rumours doing the rounds today suggesting their may be some interest from the club in Arsenal 'keeper Jens Lehmann, recently marginalised at The Emirates following some patch early season form and injury.

Despite his ousting at Arsenal, he has managed to keep his place in the German team - something which has clearly irked long time rival Oliver Kahn, but more importantly has concerned team management who have stressed he needs to be playing regularly in order to keep his place in the national team.

All of this may well have led to journalists putting two and two together, but it may well be that Lehmann does indeed seek to move during the transfer window to keep his Euro 2008 hopes alive, and perhaps more pertinent is the fact that Sven may want to add another 'keeper to the squad to either facilitate a loan move for Schmeichel or Hart, or even a permanent move for Andreas Isaksson - who although returning to full fitness does not appear to have the total confidence of hsi compatriot.

Eriksson has previously stated that his intended targets have so far gone under the radar of the press - something his summer signings also did, so it would be a surprise if he did bring Lehmann in - even if one of the current trio leaves either on a temporary or permanent basis.

Schmeichel returns from loan spell

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has returned to
Manchester City following his loan spell at Cardiff.
The 21-year-old Dane
made 14 appearances in the Coca-Cola Championship for the Bluebirds but turned
down the chance to stay on for two further league matches.
Schmeichel would
have been unavailable for Saturday's FA Cup third round clash away to Chasetown
under the terms of his loan agreement.
The shot-stopper began the season as
first choice at City, but lost his place in manager Sven Goran Eriksson's first
XI.
Joe Hart has since enjoyed an impressive run in the City first-team and
Schmeichel will face a tough task to force a place in the starting
line-up.

-Sky Sports.

Not being one to normally speculate or comment on any old transfer rumour (would Birmingham really pay nigh on £3million for Samaras?) but could this decision possibly be as a result of an impending move for Andreas Isaksson?