Man City

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...united?cc=4716

Tevez concedes title to United

Carlos Tevez feels ManC hv blown their chances of taking the Premier League title.

Roberto Mancini's side hv produced a fine effort tis season, albeit on the back of some huge investment, but they hv lost ground in recent weeks with a defeat against Aston Villa & draw with Birmingham.

City trail United by 8 points & the leaders hv a game in hand, a gap tat the Argentina striker feels is insurmountable.

"I'm not happy with the last results," Tevez said. "If we 1 2 fight 4 the title it is impossible 2 fail in matches against Aston Villa & Birmingham. 2 obtain only 1 point out of 6 is 2 concede 2 much advantage 2 rivals in the championship race. I hv the experience in tis aspect with ManU & these really r the type of matches where success is the key 4 the league.

For us not 2 hv won gives others a big advantage. Consistency is the key 2 becoming champions & now tis is our problem.

There r still many points left but 2 give an 8, 9 or 10-point advantage 2 United is 2 say goodbye 2 our chances."

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...r-city?cc=4716

Tevez 'completely at ease' at City

Carlos Tevez has underlined his commitment 2 ManC & says no 1 "loves the shirt more".

Tevez, who has regularly spoken of his dissatisfaction with life in England, handed in a transfer request in December as he said his relationship with certain individuals @ the club had broken beyond repair.

However, he has since committed his future 2 the club &, while there is still speculation over his long-term future, Tevez says he is now "completely @ ease" at Eastlands.

"I never walked out of the club or wanted 2 do any harm 2 the club, not 4 anything in the world," he told the club's official website. "I do not think there is any1 who loves the shirt more than me.

"I show tat in every game I play. I give everything I hv got. I do not speak very often 2 the press. I just have it in my head, I do my talking out there on the field, which is the most important thing.

"People might 1 2 hv a pop @ me but I am completely @ ease here. I 1 2 do my best 4 the City shirt."

He added: "It is a period in my career where I hv begun 2 enjoy things more. I m happy & very relaxed as a result of the football I am producing.

"We r right in there battling it out 4 a Champions League place. Tat is wat the team is aiming & where the team ought 2 be."

Tevez scored all 3 goals as City beat West Brom 3-0 on Saturday.

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...oblems?cc=4716

Pallister: City scraps expose problems

Gary Pallister has rejected claims tat ManC's training ground bust-ups r replicated across the country.

Twice tis season pictures of players clashing @ City's Carrington training complex hv emerged. Jerome Boateng & Mario Balotelli had 2 be separated, as did former Arsenal team-mates Emmanuel Adebayor & Kolo Toure.

The argument was immediately put 4ward tat such rows only ended up in the public domain because sessions k be watched fr vantage points outside Carrington, something not possible @ ManU just down the road, & tempers flare everywhere else.

It is not an argument Pallister buys in2. As a member of United's 1994 Double-winning squad, the former central defender was part of 1 of the most fiercely competitive dressing rooms modern-day football has known.

Pallister himself, Steve Bruce, Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona & Peter Schmeichel could all handle themselves, none of them particularly noted 4 their laid-back nature. But never did Pallister, now 45, see anything resembling the pictures tat hv emerged fr City.

"I don't buy into all tat abt tis kind of thing happening everywhere else,'' he said. "In my time @ ManU, I never saw a punch thrown let alone an actual fight on the training ground.

"Yes, you would hv arguments & if someone caught you with a tackle you would say something. But if you hv respect 4 each other it doesn't boil over.

"Tat is the worrying thing abt City. You keep hearing about all these egos & people not getting on. Tat can be detrimental 2 a squad. I keep hearing tat they r showing this winning mentality in training. It goes a lot deeper than tat. There r problems there.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...r-loss?cc=4716

Toure: Life harder for United after loss

ManC defender Kolo Toure has become the 1st player 2 stoke the flames ahead of tis Saturday's derby by suggesting tat ManU's 1st defeat of the season against Wolves could be the sign of a slump 2 come.

United were beaten 2-1 at Molineux on Saturday, a result tat ended their hopes of going thru the entire Premier League season unbeaten, while City's 3-0 victory over West Brom saw Toure & co move 2 within 5 points of their Manchester rivals.

City go 2 Old Trafford tis weekend looking 2 further close the gap @ the top & also avenge last season's agonising 4-3 defeat, courtesy of Michael Owen's injury-time winner.

And Toure, who was part of the Arsenal side tat went thru the 2003-04 campaign without tasting defeat, believes tat United now face a stern examination of their credentials aft recalling hw the Gunners struggled when their run eventually ended with a defeat 2 Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

"When you're on a good run like tat & u lose, everything becomes harder," Toure said. "It shakes your confidence. Maybe tat k happen 2 them. It was difficult 2 lose tat game.

"The circumstances were hard because they got a penalty, which we didn't think was a penalty. 4 us, it was really difficult 2 lose 2 United. I think it's a great chance 4 me 2 get my revenge.

"I hv spent most of my career in England battling United, 1st @ Arsenal, now @ City. They r always @ the top. Now we hv new players, we r capable of fighting against them & tat has been shown with our results against them over the last 18 months.''

And Carlos Tevez, who on Monday reiterated his love 4 City, has insisted tat he is unworried by the prospect of being heavily booed on his 3rd return 2 Old Trafford since leaving United 4 their cross-city rivals in 2009.

"I don't care abt people booing me @ Old Trafford," Tevez told ZOO magazine. "It doesn't worry me & I'm not worried abt going there. The booing happened a lot last year, but I understand. As a supporter, u defend your club & I m on the opposing team now.

"ManU fans can never say I didn't give my all during the time I was there. Maybe many supporters still don't understand the reason I left. I m a professional footballer and being booed when I am on the field is a price I hv 2 pay sometimes. But it won't affect me @ all.

"Derby games r always beautiful. I enjoyed them in Argentina and Brazil but, in England, they are extra-special. Playing against ManU is a big incentive but it's not just because of personal issues for me. It's about the importance of 3 points. We 1 2 go 2 Old Trafford and win.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...h-list?cc=4716

Real and Barca still top rich list

Spanish giants Real & Barca remain in the top 2 places in the latest Deloitte Money League, published on Thursday.

The top 6 places in the table remain unchanged with Real & Barca followed by ManU, Bayern, Arsenal & Chelsea. Real hv revenues of £373 million (€438.6m) compared with £338.6 million (€398.1m) @ Barca & £297.5 million (€349.8m) @ Old Trafford.

Real's revenues r up 9.3%, Barca by 8.8% & United 7%.

The financial study ranks clubs purely based upon the revenue they bring in rather than the wealth of their owners or profit & loss fr 2009-10 accounts. The earning-power of the Premier League means 7 of the 20 clubs r from England.

The big movers r ManC, who entered in 20th place a year ago but hv now shot up to 11th with revenues of £152.8 million - up 49.5% on 12 months ago. They look certain 2 climb even further if they begin 2 enjoy the riches of the Champions League in future seasons.

AS Roma suffer the biggest drop, with the Serie A side falling 6 places to 18th with a 16% reduction in revenue. Liverpool fall 1 place 2 8th with Spurs up 3 to 12th.

Vfb Stuttgart & Aston Villa r new clubs in this year's list.

Juventus (10th) get 65% of their revenue fr broadcasting deals, compared 2 Bundesliga side Hamburg with 23% (10th).

Arsenal enjoy the largest matchday revenue of 42% as they reap the rewards of moving fr Highbury 2 Emirates Stadium, with Juve bringing in just 8% fr their Stadio Olimpico games.

Schalke r most reliant on commercial business as tat brings in 57% of their revenue, with 20th place Aston Villa just 15%.

Deloitte Money League
1 (1) Real Madrid - €438.6m
2 (2) FC Barcelona - €398.1m
3 (3) Manchester United - €349.8m
4 (4) Bayern Munich - €323m
5 (5) Arsenal - €274.1m
6 (6) Chelsea - €255.9m
7 (10) AC Milan - €235.8m
8 (7) Liverpool - €225.3m
9 (9) Internazionale - €224.8m
10 (8) Juventus - €205m
11 (20) Manchester City - €152.8m
12 (15) Tottenham Hotspur - €146.3m
13 (11) Hamburg - €146.2m
14 (13) Lyon - €146.1m
15 (14) Marseille - €141.1m
16 (16) Schalke 04 - €139.8m
17 (18) Atlético Madrid - €124.5m
18 (12) AS Roma - €122.7m
19 (n/a) VfB Stuttgart - €114.8m
20 (n/a) Aston Villa - €109.4m

(Last year in brackets)

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...rguson?cc=4716

Kidd: I hv no animosity 2wards Fergie

ManC assistant manager Brian Kidd has refuted reports tat he has a strained relationship with ManU boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who he worked alongside 4 9 yrs.

Kidd & Ferguson enjoyed unprecedented success 2gether @ Old Trafford, guiding United 2 their 1st league title in 26 years in 1993 b4 winning 2 Doubles in 3 seasons in 1993-94 & 1995-96, & a further Premier League crown in 1997.

But aft Kidd left 2 pursue an ultimately unsuccessful managerial career with Blackburn - his Rovers side were condemned 2 relegation by United in 1999, 4 yrs aft they had won the league - Ferguson gave a stinging assessment of his former colleague in his autobiography.

The Scot described his former assistant as a "complex person, often quite insecure", & claimed tat the board viewed him as a person "with a natural inclination 2 complain". Ferguson also accused Kidd of going behind his back 2 moan abt training & questioned whether he could cut it as a manager.

But despite being a victim of an apparent character assassination, Kidd insists there is no animosity betw the 2 & he fully expects an invite 2 Ferguson's office aft tis Saturday's Manchester derby.

"I've nvr even talked abt it with him becos I don't think there's ever been a cause 2," Kidd told The Guardian. "And I will always appreciate wat he's done 4 me. You can't buy those wonderful memories.

"I'm relaxed abt it all. As I say, I know how I feel; that's all I can say. Other people might feel differently.

"[I have] no regrets. There's life b4 Old Trafford, there's life after it. You get on with it, don't you? It was my decision, no problem. I've been very, very lucky & blessed in my football career. No regrets @ all.

"With the gaffer [Ferguson], you always do [expect an invite to his office]. It happens less & less in football these days, but tat's one club where you can always go & hv a drink."


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...season?cc=4716

Mancini: United 'very lucky' last season

Mancini says ManU were "very lucky" 2 enjoy the best of their meetings with ManC last season, & insists the balance of power is changing in the city.

Though the teams drew 0-0 @ Eastlands earlier tis season, City were twice thwarted in the league by United courtesy of 2 late goals in 2009-10 & were also defeated in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

Ahead of Saturday's Manchester derby, Mancini has warned United tat 1s City get a taste of winning silverware, they will be strong challengers 2 their local rivals.

"They were very lucky last year," Mancini said. "Our team is a good team. We hv improved in 6 months. Maybe United hv a better winning mentality than us becos they hv won a long time. Tis is the only difference.

"When we start 2 win trophies maybe things will change. When you r winning 4 20 years your mentality is very strong. Also when you do not play well you know if you hv a strong team @ the end of the game if you do not concede a goal you can win. We hv improved in tis way."

City currently sit 3rd in the Premier League, 5 points behind United & having played a game more, which gives the fixture an edge of competitiveness it has lacked in recent seasons.

Mancini is unwilling 2 speculate abt his side's title chances, but he does 1 Carlos Tevez 2 focus entirely on events on the pitch, having become embroiled in a very public row with the recently retired Gary Neville last season when he labelled the United defender "a sock sucker".

Hailing the understanding tat has blossomed betw Tevez & David Silva, Mancini has urged the former United man 2 do his talking on the pitch.

"They hv a good relationship," he said. "While it is important we play as a team David is 1 of those players who can change a game in a moment. I hope Carlos continues as he was in the last game. He should think abt the game & nothing else.

"I m staying @ home & not talking 2 any1. I know how important a game it is 2 the supporters."

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=292922&cc=4716

Man Utd 2 - 1 Man City

Rooney fires United to victory

Wayne Rooney proved the old adage tat form is temporary & class is permanent as he scored a sensational overhead kick 2 give ManU the derby-day spoils @ Old Trafford.

For over 10 months now, there hv been major question marks over United's talisman.

Even following England's victory over Denmark in midweek, Fabio Capello was quizzed abt whether he would consider dropping the 25-year-old, who had scored 5 goals all season 4 United prior to the derby.

How can tat be contemplated? How can wat Rooney achieved here be ignored? How many players could watch Nani's floated 77th-minute cross, then leap 2 send the ball flying past Joe Hart, the City goalkeeper rooted 2 the spot, lost in admiration 4 a goal tat sent United 8 pts clear of their local rivals.

It was tough luck on City, who were the better side, & responded 2 Nani's opener by levelling thru an Edin Dzeko shot which deflected in off David Silva.

But Rooney's moment of genius was worthy of winning any game, & with City surely out of the running nw, maybe it will win United the Premier League title 2.

Attempts fr both sides 2 avoid inflaming wat was always going 2 be a volatile atmosphere, even b4 City's startling rise up the Premier League, were breached only by a member of the Blues groundstaff, who used a social networking site 2 post some pretty ugly comments & also the stadium announcer, who repeatedly welcomed supporters 2 the "greatest football club in the world".

A goalless meeting betw the sides in November had prompted complaints of negativity 2wards Blues boss Roberto Mancini, a feeling a similarly tepid encounter with Arsenal last month only reinforced.

Faced with a table tat showed his team 5 pts in arrears of their neighbours, hving played a game more, tis was the point of no return 4 City though - & Mancini went 4 it.

City should hv been ahead aft only 3 mins.

Silva started an intricate move tat also involved Micah Richards b4 Carlos Tevez threaded a brilliant pass thru 2 the Spain international, leaving him completely clear deep inside the penalty area.

Edwin van der Sar advanced quickly, forcing Silva 2 make an instant decision, the former Valencia star turning in anguish as his delicate prod rolled just wide of the far post.

Even @ tat early stage, Mancini must hv wondered whether another such opportunity would come.

Yaya Toure & Aleksandar Kolarov both went close as the visitors continued 2 press, but City could not get a clear sight of the United goal.

Not tat their hosts were doing much in return. It took them almost 35 minutes 2 force Hart into a meaningful save, Darren Fletcher climbing 2 reach Ryan Giggs' curling cross & though the Scot's header was firm enough, it lacked power.

Nani had been a peripheral figure up to tat point. He did serve notice of his intentions shortly afterwards though as he fired over fr the edge of the area.

Having done so well, City would hv been cursing at the manner in which they were opened up.

One long ball fr Van der Sar, which Rooney flicked on 2 Giggs. A neat pass fr the Welshman & Nani was in, his 1st touch taking him away fr Pablo Zabaleta b4 he steadied himself, then beat Hart with clinical ease.

City must hv spent the interval cursing @ the injustice of it all.

They were the 1s who continued 2 press aft the restart, although it was not until Mancini had called Shaun Wright-Phillips & Dzeko off the bench tat they got their equaliser.

Even Mancini would admit it took his side a huge slice of luck 2 drag themselves back into it, with the substitutes combining at the start.

Dzeko's shot fr Wright-Phillips' cross was going well wide of the goal when it struck Silva on the back, the deflection leaving Van der Sar totally helpless. It looked like City would grab a winner, with Dzeko causing huge problems inside the United area.

However, the inspirational figure was wearing red. For so long now, there hv been questions, but there can be none now - not aft he met Nani's cross with a jaw-dropping overhead kick tat sent the ball in2 the far corner, Hart rooted 2 the spot.


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...strike?cc=4716

Rooney delighted with strike

ManU striker Wayne Rooney is convinced the best goal of his career has ended any lingering hopes ManC had of winning the title tis season.

Even City boss Roberto Mancini admitted all you k do, faced with such genius, is applaud aft Rooney's jaw-dropping overhead kick 13 minutes fr time settled a pulsating Manchester derby.

City were marginally the better side, but tat counts 4 nothing now they r 8 pts adrift of their neighbours, hving played a game more.

Rooney will get all the plaudits & the England forward said: "Tat is my best goal. It was such an important game & 2 score the winning goal in tat way was a great feeling - indescribable.

"I hv seen it again. I was just trying 2 keep my eye on the ball & 2 get a good connection. Luckily it went in2 the top corner.

"It is a significant result & almost certainly rules City out of the title race unless a disaster happens."

As United boss Sir Alex Ferguson reflected, Rooney's heroics mean it is virtually certain there will be no discussion of a clinical opener fr Nani, nor the performance of Chris Smalling, who subdued Carlos Tevez to such an extent he did not hv a shot.

Instead, it was David Silva who levelled, thanks 2 a fortunate deflection of an Edin Dzeko strike.

Not tat it mattered in the end.

"When a fantastic player like Rooney scores a goal like this, you can only clap," City boss Mancini said. "I m very sorry 4 my players. They really didn't deserve 2 lose tis game."

There is almost a sense of deja vu abt City's fortunes against United under Mancini. When the Italian took over as Inter Milan boss he struggled 2 guide his team 2 victory over AC Milan.

Now he is experiencing the same emotions, hving lost 3 times in 5 meetings since his arrival @ Eastlands, the only success turning into a defeat in last season's Carling Cup semi-final.

"It is like my 1st 2 yrs in Milan," Mancini said. "Every time we didn't deserve 2 lose, every time we did. For the same thing 2 happen again is incredible, but ManU hv such a strong mentality. Even when they don't deserve 2 win the game, sometimes they do."

Mancini must now try & inject the same feeling in2 his own team, & in the short term raise their spirits ahead of a tricky Europa League trip 2 take on Greek outfit Aris on Tuesday, then an FA Cup 4th-round replay against Notts County @ Eastlands next Sunday.

Opposite number Ferguson now has a week 2 prepare 4 an FA Cup 5th-round meeting with non-league Crawley next Saturday ahead of United's re-entrance in2 the Champions League against Marseille.

"Nani scored a fantastic goal but nobody in their right mind will talk abt it becos the winner was unbelievable," Ferguson said. "Wayne hit a volley against Newcastle some years ago & it was the same ferocity. We hv had some fantastic goals here but in terms of execution, you will never see tat."

The result was a vindication of Ferguson's decision 2 leave leading scorer Dimitar Berbatov on the bench.

It was also the perfect way 2 bounce back fr tat shock defeat @ Wolves last weekend.

United hv still only recorded 3 victories away fr home tis season, contrasting sharply with their form @ Old Trafford, where they hv only dropped 2 points.

As 7 of the Red Devils' final 12 games r away, including trips 2 Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal, Ferguson understands there is an urgent need 2 rectify United's results on the road.

"I had 2 sit Dimitar down & tell him he was not starting," Ferguson said. "I did not enjoy tat. It was a difficult decision but we had 2 pay attention 2 the number of players they put in midfield, plus Silva floating.

"Wat I need 2 get out of Wayne & Berbatov is performances away fr home. They hv not been as good as they hv been @ home. With the ability those two hv, they really should be dictating games 4 us.

"When they do, it will make a hell of a difference 2 ManU."

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...gnings?cc=4716

Lee calls for more City signings

Former ManC chairman & player Francis Lee feels the owners need 2 spend even more $$ on some "knockout drops" if they are 2 win the Premier League.

Lee feels defeat by ManU on Saturday means tat City hv no chance now of winning the title tis season, & he believes the £400 million spent so far by owner Sheikh Mansour was not enough.

Lee told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I don't think you k win the Premier League with tis team - you need a couple of more knockout drops.

"Tevez is a wonderful striker but he just hasn't got tat support up front. We just don't hv tat real cutting edge tat k dominate games. We k pass it intricately but we just don't hv tat knockout drop & if Tevez doesn't do it we r struggling a bit.

"Dzeko needs time 2 settle in becos it's patently obvious he had not adjusted 2 the speed of the Premier League. He should be a very good player [eventually] but if Tevez gets injured you need some1 who k really stick it away & they r very difficult 2 find.

"I think there's a dearth of very, very high-class players - you r buying a lot of top-class average."

Asked if City boss Roberto Mancini will bring in new players in the summer, Lee added: "I would think so - he may hv 2 get rid of 1 or 2 ppl but he needs a wide option 2."

Wayne Rooney's stunning overhead kick won the game 4 United & Lee believes tat has guaranteed the title going 2 Old Trafford.

He said: "Certainly, yes. I think it rules everybody else out of winning the league. I thought City had 2 win 2 give the rest of the teams a chance - Chelsea & Arsenal 2 - it was a real big win 4 them.

"It was a wonderful goal by Rooney. It just shows tat old adage tat form is temporary & class is permanent. He was hving a wretched aftern & everything was going wrong 4 him & up he pops with a stunner."

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...-barca?cc=4716

Yaya: City can be better than Barca

Yaya Toure believes ManC hv the potential 2 become even better than his former club Barca in future seasons.

Toure left Camp Nou in order 2 become yet another expensive acquisition 4 City last summer & has helped the club occupy a top-3 place in the Premier League, leaving them well placed 2 qualify 4 the Champions League 4 the 1st time.

Although Barcelona r currently regarded as the best club side in football, Toure does not see why City cannot become even more impressive than the Catalans in years 2 come.

"You cannot compare Barca with City rite nw becos Barca r @ the top & hv top-quality players," Toure said. "They hv Leo Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta & Dani Alves, who r fantastic. But we r still signing new players.

"In a couple of yrs we could be better than Barca. What we need 2 do is continue 2 work hard & improve with every game. I keep saying 2 my brother Kolo & my family tat City hv great players but we need 2 continue 2 work hard 2 become great."

Toure has also reiterated tat City's priority tis season remains finishing in the top 4, despite their ongoing participation in the FA Cup & Europa League.

"Our target is still 2 be in the Champions League next year - tat is very important 4 tis club," he said. "But it will be tough to stay in there becos Liverpool r coming & I'm sure Chelsea will be back."


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...r-city?cc=4716

Dzeko vows to come good for City

ManC striker Edin Dzeko is confident he k add physical resilience 2 his unstinting mental strength & make a success of his switch 2 English football.

Since the Bosnia-Herzegovina international's £27 million move fr Wolfsburg last month he has scored 2 goals - both against League 1 side Notts County - in 8 appearances.

Dzeko admits he is still trying 2 adapt 2 the more physical nature of football in tis country but has no doubts he will get 2 grips with the challenge.

''It's harder here but I will get used 2 it. It is something new 4 me,'' he said. ''The referees don't whistle 4 everything here - in the Bundesliga every small contact is a foul.

''The coach (Roberto Mancini) says 2 me it is different in Italy & Germany as the referees whistle everything. I hope I can get used 2 it, & hv 2 get stronger. I hv 2 play stronger.

''In some situations in Germany where I m not so strong it is no problem but in England it is different. You hv 2 fight 4 every ball. I am okay mentally. When I don't score 4 2 or 3 games & then lose the ball I always keep my head up.''

Dzeko played alongside temperamental young Italian Mario Balotelli against Notts County but rarely did the pair threaten either individually or as a pair. Tevez, the club's top scorer who registered his 50th City goal in 68 appearances, was on the bench but remains the club's premier striker.

However, Dzeko is confident he k forge profitable partnerships with both the Argentina international & Balotelli.

''We showed in the 2nd half how we (he & Tevez) can play together & also in the 1st half I played well with Mario & we understood each other,'' said the 24-year-old. ''Everyone could see it. Communication is important & when you hv an understanding with some1 on the pitch it is the most important thing.

''Carlos has been here a long time & I m the 1 getting used 2 everything, so when I settle we will all play much better. I know I can play much better & I will work hard & show people.

''Strikers r expected 2 score & I hv 2 goals in 8 games. When you see tis, you can think it's not good, but I try 2 work also 4 the team, not just 2 try 2 score. I try 2 assist team-mates. I m not a player who stays on the edge of the box & waits 4 a chance.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...hedule?cc=4716

Mancini demands schedule rethink

Roberto Mancini slammed England's congested fixture schedule, claiming players r not "machines" & should not be treated as such.

As a relative newcomer 2 these shores, Mancini has reacted with increasing amazement 2 the demands placed upon England's senior teams. But the ManC boss has been left stunned by the scenario which has now unfolded.

Should City draw their FA Cup 5th round tie with Aston Villa on Wednesday, the replay has been scheduled 4 Monday, March 7, 2 days aft the Blues tackle Wigan in the Premier League @ Eastlands & only 3 b4 a punishing round trip 2 Kiev of around 2,800 miles 4 the Europa League 1st leg tie with Dynamo.

Either side of tis, City must face Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday & then either Everton or Reading in the FA Cup quarter-finals if Villa r successfully disposed of. It is fixture congestion the likes of which Mancini has never encountered b4. And the Italian does not believe it is fair.

"In my life I hv never seen tat a team arrives in February~March & has 2 play every 2 days,'' he said. "Tis is a big problem, not only 4 us but 4 all the teams. Something should change becos tis is impossible 4 all English players. At every World Cup & European Championships, there is a problem 4 England becos all their players r tired. We should hv more respect 4 them. They r not machines.''

Mancini's words will get a nod of agreement fr Sir Alex Ferguson & Arsene Wenger, who hv both attacked the schedule in the past. Fabio Capello has recognised it 2, although he appears 2 think it is futile attempting any change due 2 the competing interests of different governing bodies. Mancini's problems r more acute becos of the injuries tat hv swept thru his squad. Already, 6 senior players r sidelined & they could be joined by Vincent Kompany, who limped out of last night's Europa League win over Aris Salonika with a hip injury.

"At the moment, it is difficult 2 get performances fr my team every 3 days becos I only hv 15 players,'' he said. "Usually when I hv 18 or 19, I k change 6 or 7 players & keep them all fresh. At tis moment, it is impossible becos I can only change 3 or 4. I don't know if these matches will eventually catch up with us. We can only use the gaps in betw 2 recover, which we will hv 2 do 4 every game until we play against Chelsea on March 20.''

For City at least, tat Stamford Bridge trip will bring blessed relief, although most of their players will be required 4 international duty. By then, Mancini will know whether his side r getting ready 2 push 4 honours or scrambling 2 avoid the campaign turning in2 a massive let-down. Certainly he can expect no favours tis weekend fr a Fulham side coached by former City boss Mark Hughes, who will be making his 1st return 2 Eastlands since his dismissal 14 months ago.

Unlike City's tired players, the Cottagers hv only been in action twice over the past 3 weeks, 1 of which was a battling draw with Chelsea when Fulham were denied maximum points by Clint Dempsey's injury-time penalty miss. Bobby Zamora is doubtful aft going over on his ankle in training, although Mancini is wary of taking anything 4 granted tis weekend even though City hv already hammered the Londoners @ Craven Cottage.

"Our performance @ Fulham was 1 of the best of the season,'' he said. "I hope we k play like we did tat day but I feel Sunday will be a different game becos they hv got better as the season has gone on.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...advice?cc=4716

Mancini: Balotelli deaf to my advice

Roberto Mancini has admitted tat he is struggling 2 get thru 2 hot-headed striker Mario Balotelli.

Italian international Balotelli has scored 6 goals in 10 Premier League games tis season but has struggled 2 maintain his discipline on the pitch & was substituted during City's FA Cup clash against Aston Villa tis week 2 prevent him picking up a 2nd red card 4 the season.

As his former boss @ Inter Milan, Mancini should hv known wat 2 expect when he spent £24 million on the 20-year-old. However, any thoughts the pair hv a special relationship k quickly be dismissed.

"He is not listening 2 me,'' Mancini said. "I speak but I don't think he listens.''

However, as long as Balotelli continues 2 score & work hard 4 the team Mancini will be happy & the striker should be handed another chance 2 shine against Wigan tis weekend.

"It is not important tat he doesn't listen 2 me,'' he said. "Wat is important is tat he does well, tat he scores.

"But I know he can do better becos I know his quality. He k change every game if he 1s. He could score in every game. I hope, 4 him & us, he can understand tis very quickly.''

Defender Kolo Toure will not face Wigan aft being suspended 4 failing a drugs test & Mancini is likely 2 offer an instant recall 2 Vincent Kompany, providing the Belgium international reports 4 duty without pain aft a recent hip complaint.

Mancini is also ready 2 welcome back midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong aft a 6-match absence with an ankle injury, although the combative Dutchman will hv 2 be content with a place on the bench.

"Nigel has been out 4 a month so it is difficult 4 him 2 be 100%,'' Mancini said. "Maybe he could be on the bench 2 play for 20 minutes or half an hour. Then he can be ready 4 Dynamo Kiev next Thursday.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...-toure?cc=4716

Redknapp: City will miss Toure

Harry Redknapp believes Tottenham & ManC r set 4 another duel 4 a Champions League berth - & tat Kolo Toure's absence could turn the race 4 4th in his favour.

Spurs boss Redknapp is convinced Chelsea will push their way back in2 the Premier League top 4, leaving Tottenham & City 2 compete 4 the 4th & final place in next season's Champions League, just as they did last year.

Redknapp's men narrowly won tat race last season & he is more confident of repeating the feat now tat key City defender Toure has been suspended following a failed drugs test, with Redknapp saying: "They'll certainly miss him."

"I don't know wat he's supposed 2 hv done,'' he said. "I wouldn't know 1 drug fr another, 2 be honest with you, or wat drugs he's supposed 2 hv taken. If tis sort of thing happens @ the club & it's an important player, it can hv an effect on the team, 4 sure. You don't know how it'll affect them but they'll certainly miss him.''

Toure was suspended fr playing on Thursday aft testing positive 4 a "specified substance'' - thought 2 be his wife's slimming pills - in the A sample of a recent drugs test. Both Toure & City hv maintained their silence on the matter but the Daily Mail quoted Toure's minder Valer Gourizro as saying "'he takes responsibility but believes he's done nothing wrong".

1 option open 2 the centre-back is 2 request his B-sample, taken @ the same time as the 1st 1, 2 be tested 2. Should tat come back positive, Toure, 29, would then get the opportunity 2 go b4 a personal hearing. If past doping cases in English football r anything 2 go by, Toure may hv 2 wait until @ least the end of the season b4 the hearing takes place.

Roberto Mancini's side 1s looked destined 2 fight 4 the title, but their recent poor form has left them 2 points ahead of Chelsea & 3 ahead of Redknapp's team hving played 1 more match than both. Redknapp is convinced tat Carlo Ancelotti's side r certain of a top-4 position & thinks Tottenham & City r set 2 fight it out 4 4th in a repeat of last year's contest betw the 2, which Spurs won.

"I've got a feeling it'll be betw us & Man City,'' Redknapp said. "I don't see Chelsea not being in the top 4. I felt b4 the Liverpool game, which they lost, tat they could still win the league. If they had beaten Liverpool tat day they would hv been in a very strong position. They r a very strong outfit.''

Spurs were level on points with City @ tis time last year b4 they won 8 of their remaining 11 matches - 1 of which came @ Eastlands - 2 pip the north-west club 2 4th. City hv since spent around £150million on acquiring new players 2 beef up their squad 4 their domestic & Europa League campaigns.

Spurs hv parted with a fraction of City's expenditure but hv still managed 2 make it in2 the last 16 of the Champions League & remain serious contenders for a top-4 place. Tat, Redknapp believes, is proof his squad is good enough 2 cope with wat could be a hectic run-in if they beat Milan next week 2 reach the quarter-finals.

He said: "4 us 2 be where we r in the league & 2 hv had such a great season in the Champions League is a fantastic achievement so it hasn't affected us at all - we hv managed 2 fight on both fronts & hv done great.''

The Spurs boss also believes tat aft tis year's lavish expenditure, there is a lot more pressure on Mancini 2 claim 4th.

"If they don't make top 4 it wouldn't go down well I'm sure,'' he said.

Spurs will leapfrog Chelsea back into 4th if they beat Wolves @ Molineux on Sunday as the champions do not play their match against Blackpool until the following day. Rafael van der Vaart & Gareth Bale r both likely 2 miss Sunday's match with their respective calf & back injuries, but Redknapp hopes 2 hv the stars fit 4 Wednesday's showdown.

"I'm hoping Gareth will be fit 4 Milan,'' Redknapp said. "He feels okay. He has just got 2 push himself thru it now. We'd love him back. We'll wait & see. Rafa is the same. He will not be fit 4 Sunday, but there is a chance he will be fit 4 Milan.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...ension?cc=4716

Yaya struggling to deal with Kolo blow

Yaya Toure has revealed he will find it "very hard" 2 play 4 ManC during his brother's suspension.

Kolo Toure will not be able 2 take part in any 1st team or non-1st team games until an investigation in2 his failed drug test is complete & Yaya, who moved 2 Eastlands fr Barcelona in the summer, is struggling 2 deal with the news.

"My brother is damaged, & the squad is affected becos Kolo is an important man 4 us & 1 of our captains, so we 1 a quick solution 2 tis problem," he said. "We all hv confidence in Kolo.

"I am @ ManC due 2 the insistence of my brother. 4 me, it will be very hard 2 play without him in the team."

Kolo, a devout Muslim, has claimed the positive test came abt becos he took his wife's diet pills. Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny & Hamilton's Simon Mensing were handed 9-month & 4-week bans respectively aft they claimed they had inadvertently taken specified substances.

Toure's advisor, Valer Gourizro, said the player accepts full responsibility 4 the mistake but remains confident he will avoid the maximum 2-year suspension such offences can carry.

"He blames himself," Gourizro told the Daily Mail. "You can't blame any1 but yourself in tis situation. He can't blame his wife, k he?

"He didn't know there was anything in the pills. Sometimes you do things but he didn't realise the consequences. He does now.

"He takes responsibility but believes he's done nothing wrong. We've got a good case & don't think it will be a 2-year ban. Tat would be a great shame becos he's 1 of the cleanest players in the Premier League.

"He's had phone calls fr the Arsenal players, Arsene Wenger - everybody. Nobody can believe it. His brother Yaya lives very close & is a big support 4 him @ the moment; so is Patrick Vieira, who he played with @ Arsenal. He's got Awo & the kids, and Yaya's family as well. Mentally he's fine.

"The City coach, Mancini, likes him & I spoke 2 [City football administrator] Brian Marwood last night. He said the club will stand by Kolo & they know tat he gives 100% 4 City."

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...tition?cc=4716

Mancini: Europa League is great

ManC manager Roberto Mancini believes the Europa League is now ''a great competition'' as his side prepare 2 face Dynamo Kiev in the 1st leg of the L16.

Mancini feels his team will hv 2 be @ their best if they r 2 win the trophy & end a 35-year trophy drought, esp in Kiev where Dynamo hv not lost in 6 UEFA home matches since a 2-1 Champions League group stage defeat by Barca in December 2009.

''The Europa League is a great competition,'' he said. ''There r big teams in it. You can get 2 the quarter-finals & meet an important team.

''There r a lot of well-known sides in the competition. All the teams we can play usually play in the Champions League. It is a little Champions League. All the teams r big ones.''

Mancini would love 2 trophies as well as a place in the Champions League next season - as his side face Reading in their next game in the FA Cup on Sunday - but knows it will be tough.

He said: ''We will try 2 reach the final if it is possible, both in the Europa League & the FA Cup. It depends on our players recovering their strength.''

Spanish forward David Silva is only 2 aware of the difficulty @ the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium. He played & scored there in the 2008-09 UEFA Cup but Valencia went out on the away goals rule.

Silva recalled: ''It's a difficult place 2 go 2. We got a 1-1 draw so we didn't do 2 badly. They're a difficult team & @ their stadium it's very tough but we're excited abt our chances of going thru.''

[joew2005]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...s-ends?cc=4716

City's era of success ends

On Sunday, ManC will expect 2 overcome Reading & secure a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, 1s again raising expectations tat they will finally be able 2 end their lengthy wait 4 a trophy. Their last taste of silverware came with a League Cup win in 1976, with Dennis Tueart scoring an iconic goal, but even then the club was entering a period of decline.

It hangs on the Stretford End, a grim & constant reminder. Its numbers tick over, seemingly inexorably, chronicling 12 more mths of bitter disappointment 4 those across the city. It exercises a morbid grip over rival supporters, players & indeed managers, who r determined 2 render it obsolete. But as yet, the banner detailing ManC's trophy drought remains in place. 35 yrs & counting. 4get Carlos Tevez & 'Welcome 2 Manchester' - tis is the livery tat defines a rivalry.

City's long wait 4 silverware, in painful contrast 2 the extreme success enjoyed by United, extends all the way back 2 a League Cup victory over Newcastle United in 1976 tat was secured by a sublime overhead kick fr Dennis Tueart. However, the defining performance of the campaign was a 4-0 hammering of Manchester United in a previous round tat had seemed 2 be the mark of a potentially formidable side asserting itself, bursting with the promise of future success.

But, cruelly, contained even within the genesis of tat bright promise was the seed of decline. A serious injury suffered by Colin Bell in the win against United deprived City of their outstanding individual, his career truncated by a tackle fr Martin Buchan. City's own aspirations had been similarly curtailed, though they could not know it straight away, & certainly not in the wake of their Wembley success. It felt like a beginning, not an end. But it was, & United fans hv not let them 4get it.

City's most recent trophy win was not achieved in the kind of isolation they currently experience, a rare flicker of success in a dark expanse of disappointment. Rather it came in the wake of the club's golden era, a period in which manager Joe Mercer & renowned assistant Malcolm Allison took City fr the 2nd Division 2 European glory. Winning promotion in 1966, they were champions inside 2 years, went on 2 win the FA Cup in 1969 & both the League Cup & the Cup Winners' Cup in 1970.

Though stalwarts of tat side such as Mike Summerbee & Francis Lee had departed by the start of the 1975-76 campaign, gifted England international Bell, known as the 'King of the Kippax', was still influencing proceedings in midfield, while captain Tony Book had turned manager, providing a very visible & influential link betw the 2 City sides. Tis element of continuity would foster success, but only very briefly.

Having won the League Cup in 1970 when defeating WBA & losing in the final in 1974 to Wolverhampton Wanderers, City had pedigree in the competition approaching the 1975-76 season &, though they required 2 replays 2 defeat Norwich in the 2nd round, Nottingham Forest were dispatched 2-1 in the 3rd round 2 set up a meeting with local rivals Manchester United, who @ the time had not won a trophy since their 1968 European Cup final win & were still 18 years away fr their next title success.

Indeed, under manager Tommy Docherty, the glory & splendour of the Matt Busby era had been replaced by disappointment & relegation in 1974, even if United had returned 2 the top-flight & would reach the FA Cup final in 1976, only 2 lose 2 2nd Division Southampton. Tis was far fr a vintage United side, & they were exposed @ Maine Road as Book's team underlined their superiority in the city of Manchester with a resounding 4-0 victory on a famous November night.

The tone was set when Dennis Tueart scored aft just 35 seconds & Asa Hartford, Tueart again & Joe Royle added 2 the scoreline. Tis was a defining performance. Young winger Peter Barnes was hailed as "probably the most exciting young player 2 emerge since George Best", while Book described Hartford's immense performance in midfield as "world class", adding: "I don't think there's a team in the country tat could hv lived with us in tat form 2nite".

The national press agreed, The Guardian reporting how United "were torn apart by a ManC side playing football of classical dimensions - fluent, imaginative, decisive, @ times breathtaking ... almost everyone agreed tat it was by far their best performance of the season. Others considered it City's finest display 4 years."

It was a performance tat hinted a new golden era could be on City's horizon, but it came @ a terrible cost. Early on in the game, the gifted Bell had been brought down by Buchan & had suffered serious knee ligament damage. "I remember his knee swelling up like a balloon," City defender Tommy Booth later said, "but we didn't know how bad it was until much later". Initial reports put his likely period of recuperation @ 1 month, but the real prognosis was far more severe.

Bell, a winner of 48 England caps, had his career effectively ended by the tackle. Though he would make a return aft 2 years, his knee problems had severely diminished him & he was eventually forced 2 retire in 1979 aft continual battles with his fitness. Nicknamed Nijinsky in honour of the great racehorse by Allison when arriving @ City fr Bury in 1966, Bell's premature retirement was a sad event, & saw the midfielder described by 1 paper as "the Bobby Charlton of ManC ... Bell represented their last link with the glorious era of the late 60s & early 70s".

Though Bell himself was not prone 2 over-dramatisation - saying simply "there r no recriminations. It's a man's game" - team-mate Tueart was only 2 aware of wat the serious injury meant 4 ManC as a club. "Tat injury spelt the end of tat team," Tueart later said. "He was never replaced as he should hv been, & it meant tat the team never really realised their potential. Aft we won the League Cup, we didn't really push on & losing Colin was 1 of the reasons 4 tat."

Bell's absence was initially glossed over as Mansfield were beaten in the quarter-finals & Middlesbrough beaten 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, & indeed he worked hard in training in order 2 be available 4 the final, only 2 be defeated. As Book admitted: "There is no way I can take a chance with a player of this calibre."

ManC's opponents on February 28, Newcastle, had also been weakened by injury with captain Geoff Nulty sidelined with a broken jaw & David Craig receiving treatment 4 a knee problem. Moreover, manager Gordon Lee had seen his squad afflicted by the 'flu bug, meaning a team including prolific striker Malcolm 'Supermac' Macdonald were distinctly under par approaching the tie @ Wembley.

What happened next? Swales replaced Book with Allison in 1979 but as Bell retired, the returning hero made some costly errors, most notably when attempting to replace the midfielder by spending £1.43 million on Steve Daley, who proved an unmitigated disaster, and selling Barnes to West Brom. Tueart left City for New York Cosmos in 1978 but then returned, becoming a director of the club in his later years and helping to recruit managers Joe Royle and Kevin Keegan. His goal was voted the greatest moment in League Cup history, and remains the defining moment of City's last trophy success.