City in Abu Dhabi (Updates)

[hihosilva]

Fuck I love buying player's don't even care if their Shit. I need my fix

That Messi is good fucking stuff

 

[pweyhe]

From the official site:

It's fair to say that Samir Nasri is a big hit in Abu Dhabi.

Well I'm glad some part of the world loves him cuz his home country sure doesn't seem to appreciate him much!

 

[Chris in London]

Mate, Joleon said this on beIN Sports a week or two ago. He just wanted another medal and then move on. No hint of bitterness at all. A top lad. Good luck to him. Another club servant who has dutifully contributed to our success and been rewarded accordingly. Enough said.

I was clinging to the faint lingering hope he was going to agree a new deal. He has been one of my favourite players on and off the pitch for the last few years.

As I said, if there was any doubt this has removed it.

He's been great for us indeed and has stepped in this year well. He is certainly though without a doubt getting past it now and it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up at somewhere like Villa who he supports and finished his career there. If you look at Messi's goal against us at the Nou Camp you can see that Joleon was only going to be second fiddle at the highest level and especially as it seems we are bringing in a new CB. No doubt though he's been great for us but I agree with him that he has done well here and it is time to move on. Richards is the same, both fantastic servants but I feel they aren't quite good enough for the level we are trying to push to. It isn't fair they are sat on the bench for 75% of the season when they would be the first name on the team sheet at many clubs.

There's an interesting paradox there though, in that there are not many right backs out there who would dislodge Zaba. So by definition we are looking for someone who is better than Micah but is happy to play second fiddle to Zaba. Take for instance two England right backs, both of whom are apparently ahead of Micah in the national team pecking order, namely Kyle Walker and Glen Johnson. Is either as good as Zaba? Nowhere near. Is either an improvement on Micah? Marginally, perhaps. Would either be willing to come away from being a first team regular at a top 6 club to be Zaba's deputy? Almost certainly not. Would we replace Micah with Walker or Johnson anyway? No, because if Micah isn't good enough for where we want to be, they probably aren't either.

So we are looking for a player who is better than England's best right backs but who is nonetheless happy to be understudy to Zaba.

They aren't going to be 10 a penny.

Replacing Joleon is slightly different because I think MDM's natural role is as third/fourth choice CB, and we are looking for a first choice partner for VK. But a right back better than Micah who is willing to accept that he will not play a lot of first team football will not be easy to find.

 

[inbetween]

I was clinging to the faint lingering hope he was going to agree a new deal. He has been one of my favourite players on and off the pitch for the last few years.

As I said, if there was any doubt this has removed it.

He's been great for us indeed and has stepped in this year well. He is certainly though without a doubt getting past it now and it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up at somewhere like Villa who he supports and finished his career there. If you look at Messi's goal against us at the Nou Camp you can see that Joleon was only going to be second fiddle at the highest level and especially as it seems we are bringing in a new CB. No doubt though he's been great for us but I agree with him that he has done well here and it is time to move on. Richards is the same, both fantastic servants but I feel they aren't quite good enough for the level we are trying to push to. It isn't fair they are sat on the bench for 75% of the season when they would be the first name on the team sheet at many clubs.

There's an interesting paradox there though, in that there are not many right backs out there who would dislodge Zaba. So by definition we are looking for someone who is better than Micah but is happy to play second fiddle to Zaba. Take for instance two England right backs, both of whom are apparently ahead of Micah in the national team pecking order, namely Kyle Walker and Glen Johnson. Is either as good as Zaba? Nowhere near. Is either an improvement on Micah? Marginally, perhaps. Would either be willing to come away from being a first team regular at a top 6 club to be Zaba's deputy? Almost certainly not. Would we replace Micah with Walker or Johnson anyway? No, because if Micah isn't good enough for where we want to be, they probably aren't either.

So we are looking for a player who is better than England's best right backs but who is nonetheless happy to be understudy to Zaba.

They aren't going to be 10 a penny.

Replacing Joleon is slightly different because I think MDM's natural role is as third/fourth choice CB, and we are looking for a first choice partner for VK. But a right back better than Micah who is willing to accept that he will not play a lot of first team football will not be easy to find.

Indeed but that is not exactly what is happening here. The club has given him the chance to stay, he isn't being forced out. Micah could stay and was offered that chance but he turned down a new contract. I don't know why he turned it down but I'm assuming it was because the terms were either A) Not enough money or B) He wouldn't play every week. It might even be both.

A replacement will be tricky to find I agree but I'm sure there are options out there either in older players or those out of contract etc.

 

[Rammyblues]

Zab and Sagna would rotate the same as clichy and Kolorov, both would play 30 games and neither will be worn out come next May. Centre backs are different you need a solid partnership but with Komps getting injured need someone as good as him to lead the line in tandem with MDM or Nasty.

 

[SuperSilva]

Just got back to the St regis hotel after watching the open training session... apart from some young lads dodging security (imagine fat mall cop) and running on the pitch getting selfies with Silva, Clicy and Zaba ... was a pretty good evening...

Hart didn't practice ... probably being saved for World Cup.
Komps a true leader and showing it today...
Jimmy Milner did play...
Zaba always the man and did a selfie with a runner during a practice game!
Aguero and Yaya made an appearance, jogged but no practice session.
list goes on...

Lescott didn't practice either but Micah always up for a laugh and skying all shots on goals so the spectators and kids can snag the footballs...

Got to have a chat with Chappers and Ali about their roles next season... top lads all of them.

PLUS they did a mini pitch invasion at the end of the session... we are making a trend of it now!!

 

[Bruun]

Just got back to the St regis hotel after watching the open training session... apart from some young lads dodging security (imagine fat mall cop) and running on the pitch getting selfies with Silva, Clicy and Zaba ... was a pretty good evening...

Hart didn't practice ... probably being saved for World Cup.
Komps a true leader and showing it today...
Jimmy Milner did play...
Zaba always the man and did a selfie with a runner during a practice game!
Aguero and Yaya made an appearance, jogged but no practice session.
list goes on...

Lescott didn't practice either but Micah always up for a laugh and skying all shots on goals so the spectators and kids can snag the footballs...

Got to have a chat with Chappers and Ali about their roles next season... top lads all of them.

PLUS they did a mini pitch invasion at the end of the session... we are making a trend of it now!!

I thought Agüero was off to Singapore?

 

[SuperSilva]

Just got back to the St regis hotel after watching the open training session... apart from some young lads dodging security (imagine fat mall cop) and running on the pitch getting selfies with Silva, Clicy and Zaba ... was a pretty good evening...

Hart didn't practice ... probably being saved for World Cup.
Komps a true leader and showing it today...
Jimmy Milner did play...
Zaba always the man and did a selfie with a runner during a practice game!
Aguero and Yaya made an appearance, jogged but no practice session.
list goes on...

Lescott didn't practice either but Micah always up for a laugh and skying all shots on goals so the spectators and kids can snag the footballs...

Got to have a chat with Chappers and Ali about their roles next season... top lads all of them.

PLUS they did a mini pitch invasion at the end of the session... we are making a trend of it now!!

I thought Agüero was off to Singapore?

WTF!? Which short Agrie did I see then?! Let me see if I can post some pics up on here...

Jeez you're right... I did see Kun last night at the Regis before their party with the Skiekh... so can only imagine he flew out straight after... No sign of Yaya either then... where the f*ck is he?

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Just got back to the St regis hotel after watching the open training session... apart from some young lads dodging security (imagine fat mall cop) and running on the pitch getting selfies with Silva, Clicy and Zaba ... was a pretty good evening...

Hart didn't practice ... probably being saved for World Cup.
Komps a true leader and showing it today...
Jimmy Milner did play...
Zaba always the man and did a selfie with a runner during a practice game!
Aguero and Yaya made an appearance, jogged but no practice session.
list goes on...

Lescott didn't practice either but Micah always up for a laugh and skying all shots on goals so the spectators and kids can snag the footballs...

Got to have a chat with Chappers and Ali about their roles next season... top lads all of them.

PLUS they did a mini pitch invasion at the end of the session... we are making a trend of it now!!

I thought Agüero was off to Singapore?

WTF!? Which short Agrie did I see then?! Let me see if I can post some pics up on here...

Jeez you're right... I did see Kun last night at the Regis before their party with the Skiekh... so can only imagine he flew out straight after... No sign of Yaya either then... where the f*ck is he?

Yaya has that hamstring injury, was the "Kun" you saw Marcos Lopes?

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

p.s. I haven't seen it, but was that press conference basically a replacement for Khaldoon's sit down video, only now with Soriano?