Saturday 8 September 2012

LATEST NEWS

TRANSFER NEWS: Cristiano Ronaldo Sad, Move to Manchester City?

Manchester City keeps the record breaking Portuguese Striker in their Summer Transfer wishlist this summer which might create a new transfer record if executed.

 

The Abu Dhabi power-giants, make a sensational plan to sign Cr7 from Real Madrid this summer according to the goal.com and this could match a record breaking C.Ronaldo’s £80 Million transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid on 2009. He could be provided with any salary between £400,000 to £500,000 per week if he lands Manchester.

According to current link up of CR7′s current agent Jorge Mendes and some of the senior city staffs over past years gives us hint that this transfer could be more than a rumor. Additionally, Owner Sheikh Mansour being a great admirer of Ronaldo could be a plus point for smooth execution of this deal.

It was previously revealed that city got an idea of landing the Portuguese on last summer transfer but it was not just the right time.

City had already targeted Kaka(at record breaking transfer fee-£90 estimated) which failed but their current growth could assist them to succeed this time).

 

Sunday 13 May 2012

LATEST NEWS

Man City deserved Premier League title - Roberto Mancini


Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says his side deserved their Premier League crown after snatching the title with a dramatic 3-2 win over QPR.
City scored two stoppage-time goals to get the win they needed to pip Manchester United on goal difference.
"We have beaten United two times, we have scored more than them and conceded less so we deserve it," Mancini said.
"I never gave up. It was a crazy finish to the game and the season but the best team won the title."
Mancini publicly wrote off his side's chances when City trailed United by eight points on 8 April but says that privately he never lost hope.
"When I said the title was over a few weeks ago it was because I wanted to take the pressure off," Mancini explained.
"I was sure we would have another chance. We now need to improve and I am very happy because for an Italian to win the title here in England is fantastic for all Italian people."
While United faltered, Mancini's side won their last six games - including vital wins over their neighbours and Newcastle in the past fortnight - to draw level on points at the top of the table.
That left City knowing a a victory over QPR on Sunday would deliver a first league title since 1968.
City led 1-0 at half-time but QPR hit back with two second-half goals and, even after the visitors had Joey Barton sent off, the home side could find no way through against the 10 men.
With time running out, and United beating Sunderland, Edin Dzeko levelled from a corner before Mario Balotelli set up Sergio Aguero for a 94th-minute winner that decided the outcome of the title race.
"It was just incredible but the result was right and we deserved to win this game," added Mancini, who wrapped himself in an Italian flag at the final whistle.
"I never gave up. I always hoped that Sunderland could score a goal but it was a crazy finish to the game and the season. I have never seen one like this.
"I have never known a moment like this when we scored those two goals and I am so proud of my players because they wanted to win this title so much. They wanted to win this title until the last minute of the season and they proved it here.
"To beat a strong team like United is fantastic. We have changed the history of this club and for that we should be proud. We deserved this and so do all our supporters.
"It was good that Mario Balotelli was involved in the assist for Sergio's goal and it was right that Sergio should score the goal.
"This is an incredible moment. We wanted this title and we deserve to win this title. This is for all our supporters, the club, the chairman and the owner. This is the perfect finale for a crazy season."
City's assistant manager David Platt admitted his side made it as difficult as possible for themselves against Rangers but says they want to build on their title success.
Platt told BBC Radio 5 live: "In the space of 20 minutes in the second half we were staring down the abyss.
"But football has astonished me today. It's been absolutely bizarre. I can't put my emotions into words. We now have the experience of winning something, and we'll enjoy it now.
"For Roberto Mancini, he'll enjoy it tonight but tomorrow this will be gone. We go again."

Manchester City seal title at the last as Sergio Agüero sinks QPR

Pablo Zabaleta, Man City v QPR



The only word to describe it is bedlam. Manchester City are the champions of England but where do you start? How, seriously, can it be possible to sum up the raw, shredded emotion of those final, exhilarating moments, the scale of what it means and the sheer drama that unravelled before the party could begin and the Premier League trophy was in Roberto Mancini's hands?
There can be only one other moment to compete with this and it was Michael Thomas's title-winning goal for Arsenal at Anfield in 1989. Mancini's team played with their supporters' nerves to the point of brutality. They were 2-1 down going into stoppage time, on the verge of a defeat so harrowing they would never have been allowed to forget it. There were supporters leaving the ground in tears, scarcely believing the team could have been so reckless.
What happened next was so extraordinary it is difficult to know if there are enough superlatives in existence to do it justice. Edin Dzeko's header to make it 2-2 came in the 92nd minute, at a point when the crowd were watching in almost numb disbelief. On the sidelines, Mancini and his coaching staff could be seen imploring everyone to go forward, desperately relaying the news that Manchester United were winning at Sunderland. Except City had played dismally all afternoon, consumed by nerves against the team with the worst away record in the league. Queens Park Rangers had fought back from a goal down, despite the latest red card for the Joey Barton portfolio of shame.
The London club have avoided relegation courtesy of Stoke City's draw with Bolton Wanderers but their manager, Mark Hughes, described himself as "flat" later on, still trying to work out how his team had been beaten. City, he said, had "lost all direction". He, like everyone else, was bamboozled by what had happened.
It goes like this: four of the five minutes of extra time had elapsed when Sergio Agüero found himself with the ball. He was inside the penalty area, on his right foot, and it was then that everything suddenly seemed to go into slow motion. This was the moment football blurred with pandemonium.
His shirt was off, the victory run had started and the stadium was a mosh pit of flailing bodies. City had wrenched the title out of Manchester United's grasp, with 60 seconds to spare and the Etihad Stadium crowd roared and sobbed and bounced and screamed. Mancini talked later on of worrying about his father Aldo, remembering he had suffered a heart attack two summers ago.
When they have time to take a deep breath City will reflect that they really ought to have made this a far easier assignment once Pablo Zabaleta had moved forward from right-back, six minutes before half-time, and fired in a shot that looped off Paddy Kenny's glove and dropped in off the far post.
At that stage QPR had played as though in a straightjacket, barely venturing out of their own half. Kenny should have kept out Zabaleta's shot and it was reasonable at that point to believe a team that has dropped only two points at home all season would go on to emphasise their superiority with more goals. Except this was a day when the most financially powerful club on the planet threatened to revert to those years when they somehow always contrived to mess it up and leave the joke on themselves.
The entire complexion of the game changed three minutes into the second half when Shaun Wright-Phillips flicked a hopeful pass forward and Joleon Lescott's mistimed header allowed Djibril Cissé to run clear. The striker advanced towards Joe Hart and thumped his drive beyond the goalkeeper.
What followed was extraordinary even before we reached those final, stupefying moments. After 55 minutes Barton tangled with Carlos Tevez on the edge of the penalty area and the Argentinian went down, clutching his face. The referee, Mike Dean, brought out a red card and it was then it became apparent Barton was not going to go quietly. This was a street-fighter masquerading as a footballer, exposing the myth of being a changed man.
Agüero was then felled from behind, with a snide kick to the back of his legs. Suddenly Barton seemed intent on trying to prolong the argument with anyone in his proximity, shoving his head towards Vincent Kompany's face and moving aggressively in the direction of anyone in blue. Even as he was manhandled to the side of the pitch, he was trying to get at the City substitute Mario Balotelli. Mancini was on the pitch, ordering Kompany away from the flashpoint as City's players sought retribution.
Barton has no mitigating circumstances and his recklessness could have had ghastly consequences for his team. He deserves the club fine that will come his way and the FA will almost certainly have to act. If Hughes has any sense, he will also remove the captaincy because if ever there was an example of a player not understanding the true qualities of leadership, this was it. Hypothetical or not, it is no exaggeration to say QPR could have been relegated because of his stupidity. The strange thing was that QPR actually improved when they were down a man.
City were tense, nervous, rushing passes, unable to find their usual rhythm despite having a huge amount of possession. Then, on 66 minutes, a sudden, damp silence fell over the stadium as QPR broke, the substitute Armand Traoré crossed from the left and Jamie Mackie's header gave the away side the lead.
After that, there were periods when City seemed totally devoid of ideas but, to their credit, they always kept going. Everyone in the stadium knew United were winning and that, if this was the return of "Cityitis", it was going straight in at No1 in the list of games that would always haunt them. But then the board went up for extra time and football, bloody hell.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

LATET NEWS


Manchester City v QPR



Manchester City can clinch their first league title since 1968 with a win over Queens Park Rangers on the final day of a memorable season.



City, equal on 86 points with local rivals United but on top of the table with a superior goal difference, know three points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday will secure the trophy.




QPR on the other hand remain locked in a survival battle and need a result against the rampaging City to secure their top flight status for another season.


With Carlos Tevez and Sergio Augero firing up front for City, Yaya Toure, whose brace against Newcastle United last weekend guided City to their fifth win in as many outings, wants to finish the job.


"The job is not done yet," Toure told the official Manchester City website.


"We have to keep going because QPR need the points, but it would be amazing if we win.


"It is for occasions like this I came to City - to make history - and I hope I will make history at the weekend.


"Forty-four years is unbelievably long time to wait for another title - it is too many years. Now we have one game left and we have to deliver."


QPR are two points clear of Bolton Wanderers, who will be relegated with Wolverhampton and Blackburn Rovers should they fail to defeat Stoke City away.


Should Bolton win however, they would leapfrog QPR into Premier League safety if the London-based side left Manchester without a point.


"I can't wait for the game - I can't wait to go to Man City," QPR captain Joey Barton said.


"They expect us to turn up and them to probably stuff us and go on and win the league.


"If that is their attitude, they will get a reality check. It's 11 men against 11 men, there is a lot of pressure out there.


"We have one game to go and we are masters of our own destiny."


City edged out QPR 3-2 last time the sides met in November with Toure striking the winner at Loftus Road.



Sheikh Mansour to watch decisive Manchester City v QPR game on TV


• On Sunday, City hope to win first championship in 44 years
• Abu Dhabi-based owner has seen only one match at Etihad




Sheikh Mansour is not expected to be at the Etihad stadium on Sunday to watch Manchester City take on Queens Park Rangers as they attempt to win a first championship in 44 years.


The decision may suggest he is relaxed about the future of Roberto Mancini, with the Abu Dhabi-based owner of the club pleased at how the manager has rallied the Premier League challengers during the closing phase of the campaign.



Having been eight points behind Manchester United when losing 1-0 at Arsenal early last month, City have only to match their city rivals' result to be sure of the title, unless the champions can overturn their superior goal difference of eight at Sunderland.
Mansour will watch the game with QPR – as he does all matches – on television with his diary thought to currently prevent him attending the decisive fixture, though there may still be a late change.
Since buying the club in the summer of 2008, Mansour's schedule has allowed him to attend a match at the Etihad once – last season's 3-0 victory over Liverpool

Manchester City still only have two fingers on League trophy: Mancini



London: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has warned his players against any kind of complacency, reminding them that they only have two fingers on the Premier League trophy.

City are on the verge of winning the Premier League title for the first time in 44 years, following wins over Manchester United and Newcastle United.

The Etihad club now has to beat relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers at their home ground on Sunday to be sure of stealing the crown off local rivals United.

But Mancini has told his delighted players and staff they should not start dreaming of glory just yet.

“We have two fingers on the trophy. But it is not enough, because we still have one more game and it is a difficult one,” a daily quoted Mancini, as saying.


“My feeling is good after the Newcastle result and so is the feeling of the players. But we need to play the QPR game in the right mood,” he added.


The Italian fears if his players lose their focus over the week then the clash with the struggling QPR will become much tougher.


“We have managed to keep the players’ feet on the ground. We did it before we played United. Then we did it last week before we played Newcastle. We won’t change anything,” Mancini said.


“If we don’t keep our concentration and prepare well for the game it will end up being very difficult,” he added. 


Dzeko told to quit City

Bosnia boss worried for striker's long-term career



Reported Bayern Munich and Juventus target Edin Dzeko has been encouraged to quit Manchester City but is considered too expensive for a move to Italy.

The Bosnia striker's international manager, Safet Susic, is worried a fringe role at club level is going to lead to a wasted career.

Dzeko has not scored since February and has slipped to fourth in Roberto Mancini's striking options, with further attacking reinforcements expected to arrive this summer.
The £27million January 2011 signing from Wolfsburg has consequently been linked with a return to Germany with Bayern or Borussia Dortmund.
And Susic thinks Dzeko would benefit from moving, as the Bosnia boss is quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror: "Dzeko's situation at Manchester City cannot last forever. He knows what is best for him.
"It seems that Manchester City will win the title, which means Roberto Mancini and his staff will remain, and I saw that City are planning to bring in even more attacking players."
Juventus have also been linked with Dzeko, however, the striker's agent, Silvano Martina, does not think any Serie A club would be able to afford City's possible asking price.
"Dzeko is a champion, although this season he has not done so well," said Martina. "The City striker costs too much, so no Italian club will deal with the English club to buy him now."

With the end of the season fast approaching, we take look at how those Blues out on loan fared for their respective clubs this weekend.

In the race for Champions League qualification, Emmanuel Adebayor’s Tottenham failed to take advantage of Arsenal’s slip up against Norwich by only managing a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.
Chelsea’s involvement in this year’s Champions League Final means that only finishing in the Premier League’s top three could guarantee Spurs qualification to Europe’s elite competition and though the Togolese striker pulled ten-man Tottenham level from the spot, the Lilywhites failed to do enough to reclaim third place and now sit a point behind local rivals Arsenal with just one game remaining.
At the other end of the table, Dedryck Boyata’s Bolton surrendered a two-goal lead to seriously threaten their own hopes of survival. Boyata – who played 90 minutes for the Trotters – could do nothing to prevent West Brom’s 90th minute equaliser and ahead of their trip to Stoke, Owen Coyle’s men now sit two points adrift of safety.
Wayne Bridge’s Sunderland continued to struggle by slipping to defeat at the hands of Fulham. Martin O’Neill’s side haven’t won a game since the end of March but Blues will be hoping that Bridge – who went unused on the bench this weekend – and his team-mates will still have a say in the title race ahead of United’s trip to Wearside on Sunday.
Harry Bunn’s Oldham brought an end to their League One campaign with a fine 2-1 win over play-off-chasing Carlisle. The City Academy graduate played 79 minutes as Paul Dickov’s Latics claimed their first win in nine and finished the season in 16th.
Following up their incredible 9-0 drubbing of Solberg with a 3-0 victory over Sogndal, Mohammed Abu played 90 minutes for Norwegian league leaders Stromsgodset who climbed back to the summit after Rosenborg had temporarily overtaken them.
What Vladimir Weiss’ Espanyol would give for a slice of Stromsgodset’s luck! Despite chasing European qualification for the best part of the season, a run of one win in ten has seen the Spanish outfit drop to 13th and only five points above the relegation zone.
Weiss played the full game for Espanyol but watched four-goal hero Lionel Messi put on a footballing master class that the Slovakian winger will dream of one day matching.


Friday 4 May 2012

LATEST NEWS


Manchester City win to edge closer to title





Manchester City move within touching distance of their 


first title for 44 years, as Yaya Toure scores twice to beat 


Newcastle.





The Ivory Coast midfielder beat Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul with a low curling shot with 20 minutes left.
He then added a second from close range with time running out.
City now know that victory over QPR in their final match of the season will secure the Premier League title.
This was a dominant display by City, inspired by Vincent Kompany's defensive generalship, David Silva's prodigious work in midfield, stellar finishing by Toure and a workrate and ambition that glowed throughout the team.
The omens must have given Roberto Mancini's men cause for hope and optimism before kick-off.
It was at this ground on 11 May 1968 that City won to clinch their last league title. Some 44 years on, history repeated itself as City moved to within three points of the prize that has eluded them for so long.
While it was understandable that much of the attention focused on City, Newcastle were chasing a prize of their own.
Arsenal's 3-3 draw with Norwich City had opened the door to Champions League qualification.
It was fitting, then, that Sir Bobby Robson - the last manager to lead Newcastle into Europe's top club competition - had been immortalised before kick-off as the club unveiled a statue to honour his memory.
But it was City who dominated the opening 30 minutes. Sharper to the ball, swifter to use it, City forced Krul, the Newcastle goalkeeper, into action on a number of occasions.
The Dutchman was forced to turn away low shots from both David Silva and Sergio Aguero, while Carlos Tevez went close with a curling free-kick.
It took Newcastle half an hour to produce their first effort on goal, but more soon followed.
Demba Ba fizzed a 25-yard shot over Joe Hart's crossbar. Moments later the Newcastle striker saw his goalbound shot blocked by Kompany after a clever run by Jonas Gutierrez. The ball ran to Ben Arfa but his low shot was well saved by Hart, low to his left.
It was City, however, who had the best chance of the half shortly before the interval. The mercurial Silva broke clear down the left and cut the ball back to Gareth Barry near the penalty spot.
The England midfielder's first shot was blocked by Fabricio Coloccini, while his second found a path to goal only for Davide Santon to clear off the line.
City maintained their momentum after the restart with Tevez fired high and wide, before testing Krul from distance.
As the half wore on Mancini's side were struggling to convert their lion's share of possession into clear-cut chances.
Then came what proved to be an inspired substitution. Nigel De Jong replaced Nasri on the hour mark to allow Toure to push into a more advanced position behind Aguero and Tevez.
The Ivorian made an instant impact in his new role. Collecting a neat lay-off from Aguero, he curled a wonderful low shot beyond Krul's outstretched left hand to spark scenes of jubilation in the away end and on the City bench. It was the first goal Newcastle had conceded in 497 minutes of football at the Sports Direct Arena.
City should have made sure of the result four minutes later when Silva lofted a delightful through-ball into the path of Aguero only for the Argentine to nudge his shot inches wide of the right-hand post when clean through on goal.
Newcastle almost made City pay for their profligacy, when Ba and Papiss Cisse connected only for the latter to head high and wide from close range.
City were in charge, however. Aguero put Toure through on goal only for the City midfielder to slip at the crucial moment. Edin Dzeko turned a shot narrowly over the bar from the resulting corner.
It mattered not, though, when Toure made sure of the result and perhaps the title a minute from time, as he finished a typically swift City counter-attack with a close-range finish.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini: "It is not finished. It is important that we get three points next week, we need a big effort - there is one game more. I think for us it should be a normal week. We don't change nothing, QPR will be tough, they are fighting for relegation. Nothing changes. It is ours to lose. It doesn't depend on other teams anymore.
"Toure's first goal was special, like the one he scored in the FA Cup final for us last year. This one may be more important if we can finish the season off.
"Newcastle are a good team, they have had a fantastic season. But we deserved to win today, we scored two goals and created three of four other chances to score more. Everyone played really well, the whole team played really well."
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew: "We knew the first goal was going to change everything. We didn't get it but we had a few chances to. Once that goal went in, we had to push on and that opened us up a bit.
"It was a great performance by my team. You have to say Manchester City were brilliant today. When you can bring on one world star for another... that freshness just made the difference today. But it is never over in the race for the Premier League title, no matter who your opponents are.
"We have great potential at this football club. We are back where we should be, we have tradition and history that few clubs can match. If we can win at Everton next week it will put massive pressure on Arsenal and Spurs. They have go to win now."

Newcastle United v Manchester City







Roberto Mancini is expecting to select from the same squad of players when he names his Manchester City team to face Newcastle on Sunday.


 Mancini may be tempted to stick with the starting line-up from Monday's crucial win over Manchester United, although Micah Richards and James Milner might both hope to be involved.


 City do have a good recent record on their visits to Tyneside, winning three times in an unbeaten four-match streak, and will be aiming for another success to take them a massive stride close to their first league title since 1968.


 Ahead of the game Mancini has expressed his pride at City's performances this season whether they end the campaign as Premier League champions or not.


 City's crucial victory over United at the Etihad Stadium on Monday leaves them just two wins away from their first championship since 1968. No matter how the next 180 minutes pan out, Mancini believes his players have good cause to be satisfied with their efforts, especially considering they were eight points adrift of the Reds just four games ago.


 "I am happy that we are here and we have this chance after being eight points behind United," he said.


 "This is very important because now we have a big chance. "In the end, nothing has changed. "We still have two games to go and in football anything can happen. You can lose or win. 


But the guys have worked really well and I am proud of this." Presumably Mancini, with the ultimate prize so close, will not be expecting his players' focus to be drifting to what happens when the season is over.


 He did though seem a bit confused in his answer when quizzed about the subject. 


"Now, yes (the title is more important than the beach). In two weeks, no," he said. "We have an important game. 


The players know that they have everything in their hands." Their quest this weekend is winning on Tyneside. 


It is a task they have completed successfully on three of their last four visits, drawing the other one. None of those results was achieved against a Newcastle side competing to qualify for the Champions League though. 


And certainly, none of them were achieved against a team containing a striker as lethal as Papiss Cisse presently is.


 The Senegal forward took his tally to 13 goals in 12 games for the Magpies with his sensational double at Chelsea on Wednesday, which kept Alan Pardew's men level on points with Tottenham in the battle for fourth spot. "Any player can improve a lot in every year," said Mancini.


 "Maybe Cisse has found a good squad, that plays football very well. It is another situation for him and another type of football. Maybe that is better. "It is always difficult for someone who arrived in January.


 "But he has scored 13 goals. However, even at Freiburg he played very well, even if he didn't score quite so many." 


Although Mancini's team have clawed back the gap to United, he accepts the hard work is not over. Indeed, he is convinced Sunday's game will be harder than this week's encounter with United, when they prevented their opponents from having a single shot on target. 


"Against United we played at home and we played very well," said Mancini. "Against Newcastle it will be harder." Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote will be fit despite suffering a nasty head injury in midweek.


 The Ivory Coast international needed seven stitches to repair a gash above his eye after an aerial collision with John Obi Mikel in Wednesday night's 2-0 win at Chelsea, but manager Alan Pardew has no doubts he will be available for the City game. Full-back Danny Simpson (ankle) remains a doubt, but only central defender Steven Taylor (Achilles) is still on the long-term injury list. 


Man City to Offer Two Players Plus £40m Cash for Tottenham Winger Gareth Bale




Etihad Stadium side ready to make mammoth offer for White Hart Lane wide-man. Too good to turn down?
Bale out: City set to offer Spurs £40m players-plus-cash deal
Massive transfer would see the Welsh winger triple his salary and potentially see Adebayor and another star swap Eastlands for Tottenham
Super-rich City will try to make the move happen by offering the Welsh wonder THREE times his wages, which would put him on over £100,000-a-week.
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor – on loan from City to Spurs for the season – would make his switch permanent if the clubs can agree the more complicated part of the talks.
City may also offer another player in the deal if Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and his chairman Daniel Levy do want to play ball, with Nigel De Jong and Adam Johnson both potentially on the list of candidates.
SOURCE: Daily Mirror
Tottenham may struggle to keep their big stars if they fail to secure Champions League football for next term, something that looked on the cards prior to the turn of the year, and an offer of his magnitude for Gareth Bale may therefore be considered by the North London club.
Gareth Bale has been in excellent form over the past two seasons and this has led to genuine interest from a number of Europe’s elite, most notably from Barcelona. Last summer Tottenham chairman prevented Luka Modric from pursuing a move to Chelsea, a move the Croatian clearly wished to make, could the White Hart Lane side prevent such a deal occurring this time around?
The inclusion of Emmanuel Adebayor in any deal to buy Gareth Bale may tempt Redknapp as the Togo international has been the club’s most effective striking weapon, notching up 16 goals and 11 assists this term. Adam Johnson would of course be handy addition too.
Gareth Bale may well like the idea of tripling his current salary and also the chance to push for major honours so this deal, if it is to be believed, may well be one that could lead to the sale of the former Southampton man.