Txiki Begiristain...

[Pubteam Lomas]

. Can he win it again against a stronger United (RVP) and stronger Chelsea?

Chelsea are obviously stronger but there must be a question mark as to whether the combination of Mata, Oscar & Hazard will cope with the long hard slog of a PL season.

Van Persie clearly makes United stronger, just as Tevez does for City. United over achieved last season in picking up 89 points. They have weaknesses in both defense and midfield. I wouldnt put money on them achieving last season's points total even with RVP.

I really do think that if we can get bet back to our best, avoid too many injuries to our better players, we can see off Chelsea and United. Kompany will find the consistency of last season, Aguero is still getting back to his best, Silva was starting to show his old form before his injury. Last season's team still had plenty of improvement in it. And we've done it before.

The problem utd pose is they now have moved rooney into midfield they've got a player who will battle, but who also can score. With the granny shagger in there last season they offered little in attack, but with van pussie they still have someone who can score 30 goals.
Chelsea, I agree with with. Over a season they don't have a talisman, but they do have several players who will get 10-15 goals.
This is why we have to stay with them and pounce when they drop points. They are like arry's Spurs, media darlings, but Luiz, Mikel and the likes have huge potential to fcuk up.
If we are within 5 points of the leaders after Christmas, Mancini will demand high quality reinforcements.

 

[Ragnarok]

City have denied Mancini's job is under threat from Pep Guardiola after the club lured Barcelona's former technical director Txiki Begiristain to the Etihad as director of football.

:Roberto has won three trophies in two-and-a-half years and was given a new five-year contract in the summer, and that would not have happened if the powers that be thought they had the wrong manager," a source told ESPN.

"No, this is not about the manager, as some mischief-makers might assume. The possible recruitment of another former Barcelona man, that is just not what is going on here.

"We have a monster of a project with our new academy and Brian is going to oversee that while Txiki comes in as we need a division of roles.

"Brian [Marwood] met up with Txiki on Thursday and Friday and Brian has the respect of the chairman and has been a constant in all that has been going on with some big changes and the creation of a philosophy and everyone is working together toward that end."

 

[Wrighty Wrexham]

. Can he win it again against a stronger United (RVP) and stronger Chelsea?

Chelsea are obviously stronger but there must be a question mark as to whether the combination of Mata, Oscar & Hazard will cope with the long hard slog of a PL season.

Van Persie clearly makes United stronger, just as Tevez does for City. United over achieved last season in picking up 89 points. They have weaknesses in both defense and midfield. I wouldnt put money on them achieving last season's points total even with RVP.

I really do think that if we can get bet back to our best, avoid too many injuries to our better players, we can see off Chelsea and United. Kompany will find the consistency of last season, Aguero is still getting back to his best, Silva was starting to show his old form before his injury. Last season's team still had plenty of improvement in it. And we've done it before.

The problem utd pose is they now have moved rooney into midfield they've got a player who will battle, but who also can score. With the granny shagger in there last season they offered little in attack, but with van pussie they still have someone who can score 30 goals.
Chelsea, I agree with with. Over a season they don't have a talisman, but they do have several players who will get 10-15 goals.
This is why we have to stay with them and pounce when they drop points. They are like arry's Spurs, media darlings, but Luiz, Mikel and the likes have huge potential to fcuk up.
If we are within 5 points of the leaders after Christmas, Mancini will demand high quality reinforcements.

Chelsea could solve that by buying Falco in January!

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

Chelsea are obviously stronger but there must be a question mark as to whether the combination of Mata, Oscar & Hazard will cope with the long hard slog of a PL season.

Van Persie clearly makes United stronger, just as Tevez does for City. United over achieved last season in picking up 89 points. They have weaknesses in both defense and midfield. I wouldnt put money on them achieving last season's points total even with RVP.

I really do think that if we can get bet back to our best, avoid too many injuries to our better players, we can see off Chelsea and United. Kompany will find the consistency of last season, Aguero is still getting back to his best, Silva was starting to show his old form before his injury. Last season's team still had plenty of improvement in it. And we've done it before.

The problem utd pose is they now have moved rooney into midfield they've got a player who will battle, but who also can score. With the granny shagger in there last season they offered little in attack, but with van pussie they still have someone who can score 30 goals.
Chelsea, I agree with with. Over a season they don't have a talisman, but they do have several players who will get 10-15 goals.
This is why we have to stay with them and pounce when they drop points. They are like arry's Spurs, media darlings, but Luiz, Mikel and the likes have huge potential to fcuk up.
If we are within 5 points of the leaders after Christmas, Mancini will demand high quality reinforcements.

Chelsea could solve that by buying Falco in January!

Talisman is such a strange word to give a footballer

 

[sergiokun]

Didn't they have 89 points and we beat them twice giving a 12-point Goal Difference swing? Not sure how we could have done more against them. And isn't 89 points a record for not winning it? I may be mistaken about that though.

Yes

 

[bapi]

Chelsea still didn't use Marin + De Bruyne and Lukaku could return from their loans. And I'm sure they'll buy another striker in January. It won't be Falcao but somebody like Remy or similar.

 

[grunge]

If, as it seems with this appoinment, we are determined to replicate the Barcelona model over the coming years, rather than parachuting Guardiola in to the job I'd be more inclined to believe that we may try to promote from within should the time comes when Mancini is to move on. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Vieira is pinpointed to be our 'Pep' and given the opportunities over the coming months/years to expand his coaching experience in readiness for the first team role. With the managers he's played under (Capello, Wenger, Mourinho, Mancini,) if anyone has had suitable rolemodels for where we wish to go then it's him, and his current role should have given him the ideal grasp of the ethos of the club both in terms of it's past and it's future. At Barcelona these guys traded on 'identity' and I can see a similar approach being what we are looking for here.

Great post. Vieira will become a great manager if he wants it badly enough.

All the players rave about him and what he sees out on the pitch.

-- Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:50 am --

I am willing to bet the first significant thing this pair do is set up a deal for balotelli somewhere, as long as they can find a buyer.

That would save enough to pay off Mancini if he doesn't win the league in itself ;-)

I'll take that bet ;)

Certain decisions were taken well before the recent arrivals.

Any link to the new location? the Eiffel tower, its a nice place:)

 

[Oohvonkyvonky]

Guillem Ballache to discuss Txikis move to Manchester City tonight on Sky Sports 1 @ 10pm for those intrested

 

[m7mcfc]

Guillem Ballache to discuss Txikis move to Manchester City tonight on Sky Sports 1 @ 10pm for those intrested

Supposed to be but SS1 is now having a wankfest over Arsenals comeback.

 

[Oohvonkyvonky]

Guillem Ballache to discuss Txikis move to Manchester City tonight on Sky Sports 1 @ 10pm for those intrested

Supposed to be but SS1 is now having a wankfest over Arsenals comeback.

Fucking stupid really when its already showing on SSN and the match is on SS2?!?!?!??!