Village Idiot

I think it's more due to the fact that we have been playing like that since 2003, and it's very well known that we play with the ball on the floor. Guardiola's just been more extreme than Rijkaard.

Until Zlatan joined (and he isn't a good technical header of the ball, just very tall) our forward line was useless in the air. But it's been like that since long. Most of our attacking players (Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o...) have always been short. One of the good things Zlatan does is working as a target man since his ability to catch a long ball and bring it down to his feet is really uncanny.

We don't cross. Like never. Ibrahimovic gives us something in the air this season, but we mainly use aerial balls only in set pieces (Keita and Piqué shine in those) or quick breaks. Otherwise the ball is always on the floor. Our wingers don't really play wide, but more as forwards that drift to the side of the box, while our fullbacks are charged with providing the width.

Honestly, I find your posts kind of depressing. You have a problem on the wing, you go and splah a bit of cash on Robinho. Newcastle have a problem on the wing, we sell a winger and dont buy another. For what you're likely to pay for him, I don't think Robinho would be worth the cash. He has a bad attitude, but tbh, if there is one thing that can probaly shut him up, it's playing with the best players in the world. Yes, his attitude bothers me, but he's quality. He won't come cheap though, it's not like City needs the money or anything. And yes, being a fan of a big club is sort of privileged. Though if I was born to another family I could have been an Espanyol fan! I'm slightly worried about our spending though. Our economy a few years ago was on the brink of collapse, and I'm not sure where all these dozens of millions we seem to spend every year are coming from all of a sudden. We have some reputed economists on our staff, so I assume they are doing it right and not overburdening the club.

He's been very poor to be honest. He just doesn't seem to have that intensity anymore, and his legs are obviously (and understandably) deserting him. It might be just a bad patch of form, but he's not getting any younger nonetheless.

Robinho's class, but a very selfish player and a twat. Not sure he would fit in. But Guardiola's apparently very keen on him. He'd certainly be an upgrade over Henry though.

Spanish media are reporting that Robinho has asked City to sell him to Barça during the transfer market. It is well known that he is one of Guardiola's top targets for our left wing.

Any chance that the Ireland (player, not country) situation is sorted out? I guess it's probably too late for him to make the WC squad though.

I'll ask my brother actually, he knows his family. I have never been *that* convinced he's Barça through and through.

Can still miss out if we lose the last two, apparently. Hope you make it to the WC, always had a soft spot for Eire since that spell in the late 80s under Charlton when you were unplayable.

Isn't the England squad pretty much going to be the same as the last time around under Sven? I just read somewhere that Sven claimed that Capello "had a better squad now".

That pretty much gives RoI the playoff place, doesn't it?

Don't worry we'll take care of that soon. Thanks for developing our youth player, btw

Puyol with an og against Armenia, Mata from the spot to make it 1-2 again. Apparently Cesc and Xavi had a blinder together despite the modest scoreline.

Love Iniesta so much... he came out last week saying that playing in the CL final carrying a groin injury nearly destroyed his career (he's been 4 months out of it), but that he "would do it again".

Xavi's not very good on a 442. He didn't really start to shine until Rijkaard brought back the 433 and he had another midfielder to lie deep and enabled him to roam forward more often. 433 with Essien-Xavi-Drogba and a DM would be mental, though.

Bolt's height gives him very long legs, which is one of his advantages I thought.

If blacks were the social majority in the USA, Barack Obama would have been their first white president (he's half-and-half). It's all relative.

That's probably a fair assessment. He's also a bit unconsistant, but generally a great showstopper.

I don't know, I have seen some outstanding African keepers playing in Spain. Songo'o, Wilfred, Kameni...

Nigerian age jokes, they never get old (see what I did there)

Asprilla

That's *very* typical of a keeper overeager to impress, though. Not necessarily a reflection of his ability.

Bramble *former* player.

Alexandre Pato: "Brought up by a pack of buffalos after his parents offered him to the ancient bovine god Moloch. Awful table manners but can run all day"