Lescott [Merged]

[bizzbo]

I'm giving DSOB the benefit of the doubt on the 'step-down' comment. Whilst obviously a little bit daft to suggest that the lure of the Europa League is as appetising as taking a real shot at the top four, it is the kind of thing that I might expect a City fan to say if the tables were turned. On the other hand, perhaps it's a little foolish to expect city fans to take it as anything else than an uneccesary dig over last year.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

I'd rather we walked away from both and brought in a player from abroad. The new man may be unproven at premier league, but Lescott is worth nowhere near 20 million, and I'm disappointed a few goals from set pieces have made Hughes think differently. Upson is even worse. Wenger didn't hang on to him for a reason and neither him or Lescott would get anywhere near the first team of any top 4 club. We've shown our ambition up front by bringing in Adebayor, Tevez etc. At the back we've just signed Toure, who I'm happy with, played for and captained a top 4 side, and has plenty of Champions League experience. A defensive partner of the same ilk is required and that is not Lescott or Upson.

the list of foreign defenders who have adapted instantly to the premiership is extremely small. vidic and hangeland took a little while. I doubt MH is willing to take that risk. If we end up with a quality player who plays poorly for the first 4 months, MH could be out of a job.

Yeah, I see your point mate. It's just really frustrating to see us being quoted silly money for Lescott, who just wouldn't get in a top 4 side and the alternative seems to be Upson. At least Lescott's good at set pieces. The signings we've made so far have been brilliant. If we can get a partner at the centre of defence for Toure I'm really optimistic but I don't think Lescott brings anywhere near the amount of quality to his position as our other signings do to theirs. I think you might be right though, that Hughes wants players who are used to the league as he may not have time to allow them to settle if results cost us in the meantime. City have done brilliantly in the transfer market so far, hopefully they'll continue to do so and won't go any higher than a more than generous 18mill for Lescott. If he wants to force the issue then fair play to him but he's not worth getting ripped off over, and Upson shouldn't even merit a mention.

 

[Darker shade of Blue]

There is still a huge part of this transfer window left , and many things can happen .

With respect to City , it isn't proven to be a big move .
Madrid , United , Liverpool , even Arsenal ( have you considered their interest ? ) etc etc yes , but untill you prove yourself , it has to be considered a step down , even if you won't like to hear that .

Wolves will take a 15% slice of anything above initial Wolves / Everton fee , and Lescott will get a loyalty bonus if he doesn't request a move .
I'm sure you can do the maths , then figure what's left for a replacement of similar quality .

No way you believe what you're saying.

If you win the league next season , then anyone who joins you can consider it a possible step up , as there is no higher than first place .
If you don't , then you might just qualify for Europe , but you might not . You may even get in the top 6 , and play in Europa in the 2010 - 2011 season , but you might not .

All your money , and hopes will be found out once you have played at least 38 matches .

Untill then , please realise that leaving a top flight team , with current European challenges , who are proven to be one of the best sides in the league , and cups , by results , who also have 3 England International defenders in their locker ( and you're one of them because of Everton ) , not to mention the clubs history , is considered a step down when joining an unproven side , unless of course you consider bigger wages as a step up .

 

[In The Know]

No way you believe what you're saying.

If you win the league next season , then anyone who joins you can consider it a possible step up , as there is no higher than first place .
If you don't , then you might just qualify for Europe , but you might not . You may even get in the top 6 , and play in Europa in the 2010 - 2011 season , but you might not .

All your money , and hopes will be found out once you have played at least 38 matches .

Untill then , please realise that leaving a top flight team , with current European challenges , who are proven to be one of the best sides in the league , and cups , by results , who also have 3 England International defenders in their locker ( and you're one of them because of Everton ) , not to mention the clubs history , is considered a step down when joining an unproven side , unless of course you consider bigger wages as a step up .

Jesus christ even if I take my sky blue hat off I can see that City is a far more attractive club to join than Everton, you just have to look at the players that have joined us to know that.

Apart from the cash Liverpool is a total dump and that will put players off.

The europa league in a World Cup year is a bad thing, why play all those extra games when you want to be fit for the world cup. Then again you'll probably go out first round again and you don't have too many taking part in the world cup do you.


Its also a bit of a nause having to learn two languages when you join everton, thilthy scouse when your within the dump limits and english for everywhere else.

 

[Blue Coop]

No way you believe what you're saying.

If you win the league next season , then anyone who joins you can consider it a possible step up , as there is no higher than first place .
If you don't , then you might just qualify for Europe , but you might not . You may even get in the top 6 , and play in Europa in the 2010 - 2011 season , but you might not .

All your money , and hopes will be found out once you have played at least 38 matches .

Untill then , please realise that leaving a top flight team , with current European challenges , who are proven to be one of the best sides in the league , and cups , by results , who also have 3 England International defenders in their locker ( and you're one of them because of Everton ) , not to mention the clubs history , is considered a step down when joining an unproven side , unless of course you consider bigger wages as a step up .

So you saying a player moving from City to Fulham is a step up?

No, players can use abit more then last years standings to realise that this squad has alot more talent than the Everton squad. Okay its a risk we might not win the league, its a risk we might now finish in the top 4, but players can see we are best equiped to finish there out of the other teams currently outside the top 4. They also have assurences that the team will always be strengthened when needed in the transfer market. Everton to City, is not a step down.

 

[bizzbo]

No way you believe what you're saying.

If you win the league next season , then anyone who joins you can consider it a possible step up , as there is no higher than first place .
If you don't , then you might just qualify for Europe , but you might not . You may even get in the top 6 , and play in Europa in the 2010 - 2011 season , but you might not .

All your money , and hopes will be found out once you have played at least 38 matches .

Untill then , please realise that leaving a top flight team , with current European challenges , who are proven to be one of the best sides in the league , and cups , by results , who also have 3 England International defenders in their locker ( and you're one of them because of Everton ) , not to mention the clubs history , is considered a step down when joining an unproven side , unless of course you consider bigger wages as a step up .

stop it! this will only end in a barrage of abuse.

here's martin o'neill's take:

You think you got quite close last season and suddenly another club has just stepped over you immediately before you can go on. It kind of punctures you. Still, I'm sure if you asked David Moyes [the Everton manager], he would think the same. The frustration comes from the type of player Manchester City have been able to attract. I wonder why they're going to City. But I wouldn't be the only one unhappy with that.

They might not be favourites to win the league but they should be. If Touré comes to the club and they still haven't stopped spending, they have as good a chance as anyone of winning it. All they have got is 38 league games and the League Cup and FA Cup, which doesn't start until January.

I would say for the first time since Chelsea became a major force five years ago the top four has become a genuine top five.

City's side is going to be so strong that they can withstand anything during the course of the year. They have got some players at the football club that three months ago I didn't think was possible. The fact is you have a situation where a couple of seasons ago no one could have contemplated the thought of a player leaving Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United for Manchester City. That's kind of putting things in perspective.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jul/29/martin-oneill-manchester-city-premier-league" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... ier-league</a>

 

[GStar]

If you win the league next season , then anyone who joins you can consider it a possible step up , as there is no higher than first place .
If you don't , then you might just qualify for Europe , but you might not . You may even get in the top 6 , and play in Europa in the 2010 - 2011 season , but you might not .

All your money , and hopes will be found out once you have played at least 38 matches .

Untill then , please realise that leaving a top flight team , with current European challenges , who are proven to be one of the best sides in the league , and cups , by results , who also have 3 England International defenders in their locker ( and you're one of them because of Everton ) , not to mention the clubs history , is considered a step down when joining an unproven side , unless of course you consider bigger wages as a step up .

I was on here earlier debating with our own fans about the fac we've not actually proved anything yet, that we can't claim to be a "bigger" club than teams like yours based on a few transfer acquisitions and deep pockets.

However, i don't see Lescott moving from Everton to City as a step down; that, imo, is ridiculous.

If you just look at past results, sure you're miles ahead. If you look at both short and long term potential, theres only one team i'd want to play for right now. Infact, in European football, theres only one club in a position as unique and potentially rewarding as ours. It seems our ambition is top 4 next season; how many other clubs, who've done absolutely nothing for decades can offer the same kind of ambition as we have.

Players like Kompany have said; "i'd rather play for a club and take them to the top, as opposed to arrive at a club already at the top".

 

[Darker shade of Blue]

Bizzbo , you're a good poster m8 . Always liked you .

The step up / step down is irrelevant as we both know .

The only thing we all know is that so far Everton have been the only team to consistently knock on the door , and see the door open , and City are the only other team to have the potential to knock on the same door , with possibly more weight than Spurs or Villa .

Noone knows how things will turn out next season .
Noone can guarantee either side will see success .
Noone can start singing yet for either side .

All we can do is respect the teams that are retrospectively above us regarding their positions , and strive to emulate their success .

We're chasing the top 4 , and you're chasing the top 5 .
Our hopes for next year aren't so different .

 

[Blue Coop]

Bizzbo , you're a good poster m8 . Always liked you .

The step up / step down is irrelevant as we both know .

The only thing we all know is that so far Everton have been the only team to consistently knock on the door , and see the door open , and City are the only other team to have the potential to knock on the same door , with possibly more weight than Spurs or Villa .

Noone knows how things will turn out next season .
Noone can guarantee either side will see success .
Noone can start singing yet for either side .

All we can do is respect the teams that are retrospectively above us regarding their positions , and strive to emulate their success .

We're chasing the top 4 , and you're chasing the top 5 .
Our hopes for next year aren't so different .

Wouldnt you be more inclined to agree that will our fantastic lookng squad right now, maintaining 5th spot is as much in your minds as trying to achieve top 4 is?

 

[stony]

The step up / step down is irrelevant as we both know .

You make a statement and when questioned about it you say it's irrelevant ? Why mention it in the first place ? if your going to spout off ludicrous opinions, at least have the decency to back them up.