Have Manchester City put Tottenham out of the top 4 picture?
There was an interesting comment posted on this blog earlier;
‘top 4 and cl football is now near impossible by the way….now that the top 4 has become the top 5’.
The thought crossed my mind yesterday when I heard City were being bought out but it stopped crossing and just sat bang in my head once Berbatov and Robinho came into the picture.
It’s amazing how quickly things change in football. A couple of weeks ago when the Corluka drama was going on, we all thought Mark Hughes was in an awful position and would likely resign. Yesterday, he was on the golf course thinking about where to take Robinho and Berbatov for their welcome to Manchester party. Ok, Berbatov’s invite is now cancelled but never in a million years would he have expected to be naming Robson de Souza in his next game. Maybe our season can turn round in the same dramatic fashion?
I’m not sure I would want Spurs to have unlimited spending power. It must be nice to buy any player you want like Chelsea and now City can but there is something not quite right about it. The players we have brought in recently are probably still a bit above our level but not ridiculously so. For Man City to have signed someone of Robinho’s calibre, they must have broken some serious new ground where wages are concerned.
The top 4 is not very realistic for us this season with the start we have had anyway, even considering the signings over the last few days. The problem is, if City are going to be throwing their weight around in the transfer market come January as well as next summer, this year could be our best chance for a long time.
This post has 19 comments
September 2nd, 2008
can’t see it mabbs, city won’t hit the top 4 don’t matter how much dough they got.
September 2nd, 2008
City have bought ONE player of WC status (of a player who can be!). They are not going to steal CL qualification as it stands. Spurs are STILL in a better position to take 4th/5th….but what happens after Christmas, ie. the next window, will redefine how the EPL ‘pans out’! Let’s see where that takes us and who ends up in 5th/6th EPL spot!Bingy
September 2nd, 2008
Spuds don’t have ANY WC players and have no chance of reaching the top 6 never mind top 4. Man City have an excellent team now and will buy big again in January to secure a top 3 spot.
Dream on Anonymous
September 2nd, 2008
“I’m not sure I would want Spurs to have unlimited spending power. It must be nice to buy any player you want like Chelsea and now City can but there is something not quite right about it.”
I agree, there is something not quite right about it. However, Spurs have been spending huge amounts of money on players every season for 8 years. Moreover despite a constant failure to qualify for the champs league, you still have 40m+ the next season.
Man City on the other hand, after an initial spending spree on entering the Premiership, had to spend nothing for 3-4 seasons. So they had to nurtur the youth system. Whilst Spurs were using their ample resources to poach the likes of Robinson, Lennon, Carrick, Defoe and Huddlestone from fallen giants, Man City were developing the likes of Onuoha, Barton, Richards, SWP, Johnson, Ireland etc. Those players and the youth system kept City in the Premiership during tough times and bankrolled the club.
If Man City turn themselves into a top-4 team, it will be built just as much upon honest foundations as money spent. The backbone of the team is home-grown – can you say the same about Spurs?
Just like every other team, Spurs have known for a long time that the only way to break into the top-4 is by spending loads of money. So if I were you, I’d be praying for my own multi-billionaire to bankroll the club because that’s the only way you’re going to break the top-4.
If you think it’s “not quite right” then I’d give up on Spurs and Premiership football altogether. Go watch your local non-league side.
September 2nd, 2008
People are forgetting that City already have an incredibly strong squad – Richards, Kompany, SWP, Elano, are all ‘World Class’ and would walk into a team like Tottenham tomorrow… Hart, Dunne, Petrov, Johnson, Jo would challenge and are not far behind in terms of quality. Robinho, Zabaleta and Gláuber need to establish themselves as world class players in the premier league and their is no reason why they wont achieve that at City. I predict City will be top 6 by xmas, pushing into 3rd ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool before the end of the season after signing a couple of players in the Jan transfer window.
September 2nd, 2008
And you know Kompany is world class because you have seen him play once……against west ham?! Lost all credibility with that last comment
September 2nd, 2008
I’m a Liverpool fan and I’ve been saying since the beginning of June that I thought Arsenals place at in the top 4 was at risk if they didn’t strengthen their midfield and Spurs and City went out and bought big.
Well, Arsenal look alot weaker than last season and I think Spurs and City have both made some great buys so I still think one of them could break into the top 4 this season, but I think we need 10-15 games to see which is the stronger of the two teams and to see how Arsenal get on.
September 2nd, 2008
I know Kompany is world class because I lived in Hanburg for 6 months and watched him play there. I know Kompany is world class because he has been touted, watched, followed by every scout in the world for the last 5 years with Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal all making approaches to sign him. I know he is world class because he has actually played twice for city and has been motm on both occasions, having only trained with City on a few occasions. Kompany could walk into any team in the world. You are delirious, and no fan of football if you do not recognise that.
September 2nd, 2008
Well said Lee, I do sense a little jealousy creeping in from some of our rivals.
I myself will be pleasantly surprised-no overjoyed if City do break into the top four this season but it might be one season too early.
If anyone of you would like to read ‘really bitter’ comments from the ‘Rags’ supporters why don’t you click onto the Manchester Evening News and listen to grown men crying like their dolls have been taken away from them.
September 2nd, 2008
I’m not delirious, just adept to the fact that you can label him “World Class”. Kaka is world class, Fabregas is world class as is Ronaldo, Kompany looks like a good player from what I have seen of him but not world class.
And what were the reasons behind Man utd, Chelsea and Arsenal didnt sign him?
To be honest i’m a big fan of Mark Hughes and I have always had a soft spot for City, however I think that although the millions will help you build a good team, Hughesy has always been very good in the transfer market (Bentley, Pedersen, Santa Cruz all for the combined total of £10m) and its important that he gets to sign the players he wants rather than players the sheikh’s believe will put “bums on seats”.
As in all honesty you struggle to do this at the best of times. I just hope that there is someone to pick up the pieces when your chairman gets bored of his latest toy!!!
September 2nd, 2008
And as your thoughts of City finishing above Arsenal and Liverpool?? Well that proves how completely bias your football knowledge is.
Man City don’t have a striker capable of scoring more than 20 goals in a premiership season- Arsenal have 2, as do Liverpool.
And Elano isn’t world class seeing as he went missing for about 5 months of last season- doesn’t show enough consistency to be put in the world class bracket otherwise i’d be throwing Jenas, Lennon and Zakora in that “World Class” bracket.
Who believes that on paper now as it stands, City have a better team than Spurs? Because I dont!!! STOP!!!
September 2nd, 2008
I maybe didn’t word it quite right adam but what I was trying to get at was there is a difference between buying decent players at the right price, and just being able to buy the biggest stars in the world without having to worry about transfer fees or wages.
September 2nd, 2008
And final comment……every scout in the world, whilst taking time off from scouting Vincent Kompany (which I doubt heavily), have also shown interest in Freddy Adu.
September 2nd, 2008
City r rubbish, always have been rubbish, always will be rubbish no matter how much money you throw away in the next few years until the new owners get bored and you go into administration, as for top 4 this season – r u serious?!!! u havn’t a hope in hell, look forward to seing u scrape 8th.
September 2nd, 2008
Arsenal:
Wenger: “I have been interested in Vincent Kompany ever since he was 16, but I am not interested in him this year,”
“There is nobody I need for my team’s defensive department.”
Apart from Michael Silvestro for just a couple of million less!!! lmao
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_3701107,00.html
Chelsea:
Kompany: “Chelsea came in for me a year-and-a-half ago, but I refused, although I could have doubled what I had at Anderlecht,” said Kompany.
“But I am not crazy, I saw enough examples of others.
“Chelsea are a factory. I do not doubt my qualities to make it at Chelsea, it is possible to still go there later.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11668_2382885,00.html
United
I just remember Fergiscum coming out and saying he was interested in him
http://community.manutd.com/forums/p/1068/9362.aspx
I dont think they made an official approach though unlike Arsenal, Chelsea.
September 2nd, 2008
God there are some bitter REDS and YIDS on here aren’t there.
September 2nd, 2008
What about his shocking injury record?
ie 100 games in 6 seasons…….ouch!!!!
September 2nd, 2008
Is he Ledley King in disguise??
No because Ledley is better!!!
September 2nd, 2008
Or 25 games for Hamburg in 2 seasons!!!!!
double ouch