Mancini has a new haircut for the new season
Manchester City kicked off their pre-season preparations and boss Roberto Mancini presented his players with the blueprint for change this season: his new haircut!
With the addition of new players such as David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure all signed up but still involved in the world cup so not yet in training. City are looking forward to a really successful season and hopefully some decent silverware for the trophy cabinet.
With Yaya Toure reportedly on a staggering £221,000 a week hopes are high for the fans again this season, and most cannot wait for the first home game of the season against Liverpool on 21st August.
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Ansaldi Deal Close
Manchester City are set to land Rubin Kazan fullback Cristian Ansaldi this week.
The Sunday Mirror says Ansaldi will fly in this week to complete a £6million move to Man City.
His Russian club Rubin Kazan finally agreed a deal last night to allow the left-back to join Roberto Mancini‘s Eastlands revolution.
And he will be the Italian’s second signing after Patrick Vieira joined from Inter Milan on Friday.
Argentine left-back Ansaldi, 23, is being brought in to provide Wayne Bridge with a long-term challenge for his spot in the team.
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Next Up Manchester United
Next match at the City of Manchester Stadium on Wednesday 6th January 2010 is Manchester United in the Carling Cup Semi-Final. Manchester City v Manchester United kick off 7.45 pm.
It looks as though the tie is all but sold out and the atmosphere will be electric. Personally I think we need to go all out on the night to get a 2 goal advantage. That will mean a very strong squad and a high tempo right from the start and every team member doing their best to stop Man Utd playing.
Check back tomorrow for more reports on this very special game.
Middlesbrough 0 Manchester City 1
Roberto Mancini saluted his squad players after the Blues cruised into the FA Cup fourth round without nine regular starters.
Javier Garrido, Dedryck Boyata, Vladimir Weiss, and Benjani all stepped from the shadows to play vital roles in a comfortable 1-0 win at a freezing cold Riverside Stadium.
Boyata made his debut and Weiss only a second senior start and Mancini was pleased with what he saw.
“I have never been afraid of giving young players there chance in the side. It is important for us as a big club to know that we can rely on the younger players if we need them,” declared the City chief.
“Vladimir has shown what he can do in a couple of substitute appearances and Dedryck has been doing really well in training.
“This was Dedryck’s first chance to shine at this level and I thought he did very well. The game will have given him confidence and helped him mentally to know that he is part of the squad”
Final Score: Middlesbrough 0 Manchester City 1
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Middlesbrough v Manchester City
I am up early this morning and very excited about going to the Riverside Stadium to watch the FA Cup 3rd round match between Middlesbrough and Manchester City.
We have a fair few injuries but I think the team will be as follows:
Man City Line-Up:
(4-4-2)
1) Given
5) Zabaleta – 2) Richards - 33) Kompany - 15) Garrido
40) Weiss – 34) de Jong – 18) Barry - 17) Petrov
32) Tevez - 10) Robinho
With Bellamy rested, who may come on for Robinho later in the game if things are not going as planned. Shaun Wright-Phillips will rested and not chanced given that we have a semi-final with Man Utd looming.
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Wolves 0 Man City 3
Two goals from Carlos Tevez and a brilliant Javier Garrido free-kick earned Manchester City their first away win in four months – and their second victory in three days under new manager Roberto Mancini – as they beat Wolves 3-0 at Molineux.
Carlos Tevez continued his hot scoring streak with his seventh and eighth goals in his last seven appearances and his 11th of the campaign.
Substitute Garrido, frozen out of the first team picture by previous City manager Mark Hughes, netted the decisive second goal.
player ratings from the Manchester Evening News
GIVEN - Well protected by defence and dealt with everything that came his way 7
RICHARDS - Shored up his side of defence adequately, but still makes odd bad decision 7
TOURE - Could have been sunning himself in Africa, but battled it out for the Blues instead 7
KOMPANY - Doesn’t like playing at centre half, but might have to get used to it with displays like this 8
ZABALETA - Occasionally made to look uncomfortable at left back, so switch to midfield not a shock 6
IRELAND - Tried in vain to inject some measure and culture into the mix, not his kind of game 6
DE JONG - This was always going to be a midfield scrap, right up the Dutchman’s street 7
BARRY - Two games in three days, but he is running on Duracell batteries 7
PETROV - Started on right, switched with Bellamy, but not hugely effective 6
TEVEZ - Scored his seventh and eighth goals in seven, excellently set up Bellamy and headed one off his own line 8
BELLAMY - Wasted a glorious opportunity but then did brilliantly to set up Tevez’s first goal 7
Substitutes
GARRIDO (for Ireland 56) What a way to mark your comeback! 7
ROBINHO (for Petrov 85) no time to mark
SYLVINHO (for Tevez 90) no time to mark
Not used: Taylor, Boyata, Vidal, Weiss
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Wolves v Man City
Possible Manchester City team line up.
City Line Up:
-
1) Given
-
5) Zabaleta – 28) Toure (c) – 33) Kompany – 16) Sylvinho
-
34) de Jong – 18) Barry
-
7) Ireland
-
39) Bellamy – 32) Tevez – 17) Petrov
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Change of Manager at City
From the official Manchester City website
Manchester City FC can confirm that it has today terminated the contract of Mark Hughes.
In giving reason for the termination Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said:
“Prior to the current season beginning, with significant investment in players and infrastructure in place, the consensus between the Board and coaching staff was that appropriate agreed targets should be set for the 2009/2010 season.
“The targets were agreed as a result of the player acquisition strategy of the club being radically accelerated in the summer as a result of very favourable conditions for any buying club. It was also based on the fact that the infrastructure of the club had been overhauled completely at great cost in order to create the best possible environment for the team.
“A return of two wins in 11 Premier League games is clearly not in line with the targets that were agreed and set. Sheikh Mansour and the Board felt that there was no evidence that the situation would fundamentally change. This is a particularly difficult announcement given the personal investment over the past 15 months on all sides and we would like to put on record our respect for and thanks to Mark Hughes and we wish him the best in his future career.”
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Carling Cup Win over Arsenal
What a fantastic win last night for the blues.
Everybody put in 100% last night to ensure victory over Arsenal. SWP had a storming game, running rings round the Arsenal defence.
Bring on Man Utd in the semi-final
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