Manchester City F.C.

[HBK]

Danke für den Tipp Ianrush!

Habe mich in letzter Zeit einfach zu wenig mit City beschäftigt..

Wird sich jetzt aber wieder ändern!

bearbeitet 19. August 2005 von Schlumpfjäger

[HBK]

Bald gehts los!!

Birmingham and Manchester City will be hoping to open their Premiership scoring accounts following goalless draws last weekend, live on PremPlus.

Blues claimed a creditable point against Fulham while City were held at home by West Brom, mainly due to Chris Kirkland's display between the sticks.

Emile Heskey netted the only goal of the game last season at St Andrews, although he is a doubt to feature this weekend due to a hip injury.

The former Liverpool man was forced off at Craven Cottage and he has complained of soreness during training this week and is rated 50/50 to play.

Former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Damien Johnson is definitely out for Steve Bruce as he is serving the third match of a four-game ban.

Striker Clinton Morrison will take no part against City as he is in talks with Norwich over a move to the Championship club after the clubs agreed a £2 million fee.

Stuart Pearce and co will have a hard task on their hands to secure the three points at Birmingham as the Midlands outfit are unbeaten in seven Premiership games at home.

Pearce does have vice-captain Richard Dunne in contention to play after he played for 45 minutes for Republic of Ireland against Italy in midweek.

Fellow defender Sylvain Distin is struggling to be fit with a groin injury and the French stopper will have a late fitness test before being named in the squad.

Definitely out for City is striker Robbie Fowler, although he will resume training next week, while the game comes too soon for keeper Nicky Weaver.

Darius Vassell and Andy Cole are set to retain their places up front for Pearce and the summer signings will be keen to open their goalscoring accounts.

All eyes will be on David James following his second half disaster against Denmark when he conceded four times as England suffered their worst result in 25 years.

Und hier noch was von Trevor Sinclair:

Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce insists his plans to sign Stelios Giannakopoulos are not down to a lack of faith in Trevor Sinclair.

Pearce is trying to tempt Bolton Wanderers into selling Stelios, with City failing in an initial £1 million bid for the Greece international.

Bolton are determined to keep the winger at the club and will not sanction his sale unless City dramatically increase their offer.

City have money to spend following the sale of Shaun Wright-Phillips to Chelsea and Pearce is looking to replace the England international on the right flank.

Sinclair was handed that job in last week's Premiership opener against West Brom but the signing of Stelios would threaten his place.

City boss Pearce has moved to placate Sinclair by affirming he is not trying to sign Stelios to take the former West Ham man's spot in the side.

"The fact that I'm looking for a player in a similar position is no slight on Trevor," commented Pearce.

"I need to have competition in all positions in our squad. If the Stelios deal happens, hopefully it will spark Trevor even more."

Pearce feels that the departure of Wright-Phillips will finally help Sinclair to establish himself at the club, following an injury-hit past season.

He added: "When he came here he was asked to play on the left because Wright-Phillips was on the right.

"But he is much more natural on the right and Shaun leaving has opened up a gap."

bearbeitet 20. August 2005 von Schlumpfjäger

[HBK]

Auswärtssieg

Birmingham 1:2 Manchester City

Tore: Butt (7), Barton (20), Cole (46)

City hat gespielt mit:

James, Mills, Dunne ©, Jordan, Thatcher, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna (Sun 72), Musampa, (Cole 86) ,Sibierski, Vassell

Subs: De Vlieger, Onuoha, Wright-Phillips

Matchbericht (in Englisch) von www.mcfc.co.uk

Match Report

City have come from behind to notch their first win of the season at St Andrews.

Birmingham took an early lead through Nicky Butt, but goals from Joey Barton and Andrew Cole saw City take the three points. It will be a particularly satsifying win for Stuart Pearce's men, from a goal down away from home and with several players receiving a good deal of stick from the home fans.

The match

The strains of ELO's "Mr Blue Sky" welcomed the teams onto the pitch with blue skies above, and City were resplendent in their new yellow third kit.

The home crowd were on local boy Vassell's back from the off, having played for rivals Villa until a few weeks ago.

There was early danger when Pandiani was in the clear, but his volleyed effort went straight at James who parried with ease to concede a corner. Pandiani put his header well over the bar.

But almost straight away City nearly took the lead, Andrew Cole's bullet header ramming the cross bar and going safe.

However the lively opening to the game continued, and it was the home side who took the lead. Pandiani headed downwards, and it was Nicky Butt who met the knock-down, his well timed volley bouncing over James and high into the corner of the net.

City went straight back into the task of getting into the game, and good work by Vassell down the left saw the ball cross Taylor's area, but Cunningham was able to clear the danger.

The hosts could have made it two on 13 minutes, when a curling Forssell cross found Pennant on the right of the box, but his left-footed shot bent just round James' right post.

Musampa was on target a minute later, hitting a smartly-taken left-footed volley straight at Taylor. Andrew Cole was also looking lively, staying on his feet and finding Vassell, who's attempt at a one-two was thwarted by Cunningham.

But on 20 minutes, City were level and it was Joey Barton who was on target. Andrew Cole put Vassell in inside the area, and although the striker's shot was charged down by Taylor, Barton was on hand to squeeze the rebound home from three yards. The midfielder went on a celebratory run over the advertising hoardings and was mobbed by his team-mates, who understand what the goal will mean to him after a difficult few weeks.

Birmingham had the most of the next period, throwing balls into the box but either the defence or James were equal to any questions asked. On a rare sortie upfield, the Cole-Vassell combination again worked well, with the senior player's strength on the ball and the younger's pace posing the centre of Birmingham's defence a few problems. Shortly after, Joey Barton fired a volley in from the edge of the area but it was two yards to the left of Taylor's left-hand post.

On the stroke of half time, Mills went on a barnstorming run out of defence to the edge of the home area, but his powerful shot was deflected wide. Barton prevaricated at the corner flag, and the referee blew for half time before the corner kick could be taken.

Half time - 1:1

No substitutions at half time.

And straight away City took the lead! A swinging Sinclair cross flew across the home defence finding Andrew Cole in space. The striker controlled with one touch and drilled the ball home with his left foot, right in front of the ecstatic travelling fans. Cole is already repaying Pearce's faith in him, and looks to have the City fans on his side as well.

Cole nearly doubled his tally on 57, firing straight at Taylor from only four yards out. Birmingham went straight down to the other end, and Pandiani's shot went just wide of James' right hand post when possibly the striker should have found the target at least.

Once the home side had a period of some pressure without really threatening, Richard Dunne in particular reading the attacks well to snuff out any threats. Stephen Jordan's versatility has also shone through, giving an assured performance alongside Dunne in the centre of defence.

The home fans were outraged with 20 minutes to go when they felt they should have had a fould and then a handball inside the area in quick succession. City shook the furore off, and Vassell should have done better when bearing down on goal a minute later, but after firing into the defence, the rebound found Cole who was easily thwarted.

With 12 minutes to go, Musampa earned City's first booking for a trip on Pennant, who looked to exact revenge before the referee intervened.

Referee Clattenburg waved away more penalty claims with seven minutes remaining, when the ball looked to have touched Jordan's hand in a tangle with Forssell. Two minutes later, he did give the hosts a free kick on the area after Jihai blocked Melchiot illegally, but Sinclair headed the dead ball kick away.

Barton could have tied the game up with four minutes left, but his volley from Sinclair's knock-down flew wide much to the midfielder's anguish.

Cole wird heuer sicher 15-20 Tore machen! Hoffe das Vassel auch bald zuschnappt!!

mfg

SJ!

bearbeitet 20. August 2005 von Schlumpfjäger

[niederösterreicher]

Sunderland - Manchester City 1:2 (23.08.05)

0:1 Vassell, 10min

0:2 Sinclair, 35min

1:2 Talec, 41min

33.357 Zuschauer

City damit zumindest bis morgen Tabellenführer, 7 Punkte aus 3 Spielen, das ganze läuft bis jetzt besser als nach dem Abgang von S.Wright Philipps zu befürchten war. Am kommenden Samstag gehts gegen Portsmouth, in der folgenden Runde kommts dann zum Derby gegen den Vorstadtverein aus Trafford. Erst dann wird man (da der erste wirklich starke Gegner) sehn, wo City heuer wirklich steht.

[HBK]

Passt! vor allem das Vassel getroffen hat freut mich sehr!

Sunderland ist in dieser Saison für mich, gemeinsam mit Wigan , abstiegskandidat nr. 1 .

Wie du schon gesagt hast: Es wird sich in den nächsten 2-3 runden herausstellen ob City heuer das zeug zu mehr als einem gesicherten Mittelfeldplatz hat, oder nicht.

mfg

SJ

[HBK]

Etwas verspätet, aber doch

WIR SIND 2ter (hinter Chelsea) , wer häte das vor der Saison gedacht?!

Manchester City v Portsmouth 2:1

Saturday 27th August 2005. 3.00pm

City of Manchester Stadium - Att: 41,022

Teams:

City: James, Mills (Sun 45), Thatcher, Onuoha, Dunne ©, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna, Musampa, Cole, Vassell

Subs: De Vlieger, Jordan, Sibierski, Wright-Phillips

Portsmouth: Westerveld, Griffin (Skopelitis 85), O'Brien, Stefanovic, Vignal, Priske, O'Neil (Karadas 76), Hughes, Robert, Viafara (Taylor 76), Lua Lua,

Subs: Ashdown, Todorov

Goals: 0-1 (Viafara 52 mins), 1-1 (Reyna 66 mins), 2-1 (Cole 69 mins)

Bookings: Sinclair (15 mins), Hughes (78 mins)

Referee: A Wiley

City have come from behind for the second Saturday in a row, with goals from Reyna and Cole within three minutes of eachother giving the home side the win.

Stuart Pearce can now look forward to the Manchester derby in two weeks time with a 12 game unbeaten streak behind his team.

Match Report

And there was nearly a dream start for the Blues in the first minute. Musampa swung in a free kick from the right, and Andrew Cole flicked out his right boot instinctively with his back to goal. The ball looped goalwards, and Westerveld had to parry then collect to prevent what would have been an amazing goal.

A Mills throw-in had Pompey's defence worried in the sixth minute, with Priske electing to dive and head the ball just round the post. After the ensuing corner, a Reyna shot from 25 yards whistled just wide of Westerveld's left hand post.

City were having most of the play without really threatening again, but Pompey's only forays forward resulted in wild shots from distance that did not pose any problems to David James.

Trevor Sinclair collected a yellow card for a challenge on Vignal after 15 minutes.

Barton and Reyna were linking well in midfield, and the US captain threaded a good pass through to Musampa, who's testing low cross was stabbed away by Stefanovic.

On 21 minutes, Lua Lua danced through two challenges to hit a cross of his own in from the right of the City area, but Richard Dunne was in the right place at the right time to concede a corner, from which the visitors could not threaten anything.

A minute later, Robert tore down the left wing and into the area to drill a testing ball across James, but Lua Lua was just too late into the danger zone.

And only a minute after that Reyna got a shot in on target at the other end, after a fierce Mills free kick had been deflected to Musampa. Westerveld held on to the drive, but shortly after Musampa put in a cross that touched the cross bar before being knocked out for a corner, which the 'keeper safely held.

There was a moment of worry with 10 minutes to go, when Lua Lua began to bear down on City's box. But James, running outside of his area, made a certain challenge with his feet, with the Pompey striker deflecting the ball out of play.

Portsmouth's captain, Stefanovich, went down with a worrying looking injury with five minutes to go to the break, his right leg going underneath him as he cleared an innocuous ball. After a long session of treatment on his ankle he was able to carry on, but with a distinct hobble.

And in time added on, Vassell should have put City into the lead. After robbing Priske, the pacey striker sped into the area and shot with his left foot, but despite one side of the ground getting to their feet to salute a goal, he had only found the side netting.

Half time: City 0-0 Portsmouth

Sun replaced Mills at half time.

Almost straight away there was danger for City, as Onuoha was robbed by O'Neil, who fed Lua Lua. Despite the shot looking to be going wide, James made sure with a dive and collect to his right.

Westerveld was forced into a save when a Dunne header from a free kick found Vassell. The striker nodded the ball towards the goal, and with Cole bearing down on him Pompey's keepr dived among the feet to collect the ball.

But with seven minutes of the half gone, there was disaster for City as John Viafara put the visitors into the lead. A disputed free kick was knocked in by Robert, and Viafara rose unchallenged at the near post to head home.

City forced a fine save from Westerveld after 58 minutes, when Vassell threw himself at the ball after Cole had withstood a challenge. The Dutch 'keeper fell to his right to push the chance just round the corner.

And on 66 minutes Claudio Reyna levelled the scores. Joey Barton's cross from the right just eluded Vassell, but the striker's dive may have put Westerveld off, the 'keeper clumsily spilling the ball. Reyna was on hand from six yards to sweep the ball home to the delight and relief of the home fans.

Three minutes later, City took the lead through a typical Andrew Cole strike. Sinclair's cross found Cole near the penalty spot with his back to goal, but he used his skill and strngth to turn and get his shot through a crowd and past Westerveld. In its own way, a magnificent goal.

On 73 minutes it could have been three, with a teasing Vassell cross just out of Cole's reach at the far corner.

With the upper hand now, City were playing with greater confidence and the defence, as with the previous three games, looked solid and was able to keep the opposition at bay.

Cole nearly sealed the game in the last minute of the 90, when after collecting from Musampa on the edge of the box his shot on the turn just bent the wrong side of Westerveld's left hand post.

Robert had a free kick in stoppage time, but rather than finding a team mate he elected to blast the ball, finding row Z in the process.

Injury time dragged on, but eventually referee Wiley blew to send City fans home with even more confidence ahead of the derby match in two weeks.

[Condor]

5-2 Sieg, na bumm im Sturm sind sie ordentlich stark.

[HBK]

Um den Thread mal wieder etwas zu aktualisieren:

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City

Saturday December 10, 2005, 3pm

The Hawthorns - Att: 25, 472

Teams:

West Brom:

Kuszczak, Watson (Albrechtsen 60), Clement, C. Davies, Robinson, Wallwork, Inamoto, Greening, Kamara (Carter 90), Kanu, Ellington (Campbell 37).

Unused subs:

Kirkland, Earnshaw.

City:

James; Sommeil (Ireland 60), Dunne, Distin, Thatcher (Wright-Phillips 87); Sun, Reyna (Croft 69), Barton, Sinclair; Cole, Vassell.

Unused subs:

de Vlieger, Sibierski.

Goals:

1-0 Kamara 5, 2-0 Campbell 61

Bookings:

West Brom: Wallwork 77

City: Barton 77, Dunne 82, Cole 85

Red Cards:

West Brom:

City: Cole 87

Match Summary

Andy Cole saw red late on as City slumped to a 2-0 defeat at the Hawthorns with a goal in each half. Kamara gave the hosts the lead on 5 minutes and sub Kevin Campbell doubled the lead just after the hour mark. Disappointment all round for City today.

Match Report

City and the "stars in stripes!" emerge to the strains of the Blues' support in fine vocal form. The 3,000 followers will be today cheering Pearce's men on in their blaze yellow away kit.

The first meaningful action came on 3 minutes as Diomansy Kamara's right foot drive from the edge of the box had David James diving away to catch the ball and prevent an early strike for the home side.

And it wasn't long before Kamara was back at it again. In the fifth minute a fine touch over Thatcher's head left Kamara one-on-one with James, who seemed to slip, put the Baggies striker took no pity as he placed the ball past James. 1-0.

The Blues weathered the early storm but after 20 minutes they were nearly undone again as Kanu, Kamara and Ellington all combined, before the latter blazed his shot high over the bar.

On 24 minutes, Ellington again had a chance, which he again fired over. But the likelihood of a second goal is getting nearer as the Baggies pile the pressure on after another quick move a minute later - this time involving Wallwork and Inamoto - but James got down well to save.

City's best moment came on the half hour as Sinclair's volley flew over the bar after a good ball from David Sommeil (minus mask).

Again West Brom came back and this time Kamara was the one to hit his shot over the bar when well placed. At this stage City are looking shaken by the home side and are struggling to cope with Kamara wide as well as Kanu and Ellington upfront.

A crunching challenge by Thatcher on Kamara brought the home fans to life in the 39th minute, a fair but exceedingly firm Thatch tackle.

With little more action before the break City go in a goal down.

HALF TIME: WBA 1-0 City

No changes for either side after an uneventful half for City.

Blues came out looking for the equaliser straight away, and after Sinclair's shot was blocked, the ball fell to Cole who fired over on 49 minutes. Pearce's men were showing more purpose as they attacked the end which their fans occupied.

City pushed on and Joey Barton's free kick from the left gave Sylvain Distin a chance eight minutes into the second half, but City's captain couldn't direct his header anywhere but wide of the goal.

On the hour Stephen Ireland replaced David Sommeil for City and a minute later the Blues were 2-0 down. Sub Kevin Campbell headed home from Robinson's cross after good work from Kanu.

Lee Croft replaced Reyna on 69 minutes as City needed something to give them the hope of looking like scoring. 

Joey Barton and Ronnie Wallwork were both booked on 77 minutes and continued to argue moments later after Wallwork's elbow on Stephen Ireland went unpunished.

City were starting to let their frustrations show and in quick succession Dunne and Cole picked up yellow cards. Then Cole saw red moments for a foul that certainly didn't even deserve a booking - if it was even a foul at all.

All in all an unlucky for some part but an out of sorts City were disappointingly beaten despite last week's healthy result.

FULL TIME: WBA 2-0 City

Das wir ausgerechnet gegen die Baggies verlieren wundert mich doch etwas

Der Saisonstart war wirklich sehr vielversprechend. Schade das wir nun im Dezember "nur" auf Platz acht stehen. Trozdem muss man mit dieser Platzierung zufrieden sein... ich hätte mir zumindest vor Saisonbeginn eine schwächere Saison von man city erwartet.

Im nächsten Match gehts übrigens zuhause gegen Birmingham (Samstag 17 Dezember)

Ich hoffe die Citizen machen mir ein ordentliches Weihnachtsgeschenk

[HBK]

*push*

Coach Stuart Pearce über den 2:1 sieg gegen Sunderland:

Blues boss Stuart Pearce has spoken exclusively to mcfc.co.uk following this afternoon's 2-1 win over Sunderland.

He said: "I’m pleased with the result. As for the performance, not only am I a little disappointed with it, but the players are too.

"For me that’s a fantastic sign, they’re in there [the dressing room], they’re talking about points tally’s and when your players are talking the way the Manager and the coaches are talking that’s really pleasing.

"They’re looking at the next game and saying ‘if we get this’ and ‘if we get that’ and I like that in the squad. They’re all keen as mustard – we’ve won a game and we’re disappointed.

"I’ve told them don’t be disappointed, let the coaching staff and the Manager be disappointed in the manner in which we’ve won, but the bottom line is we’ve won in the Premiership which is never easy."

The margin of victory could have been greater also if a seemingly clear penalty had been given.

Pearce added: "I’ve only seen it the once and I thought it was a penalty straight away. I’ve been assured that it was a stonewall penalty - but that happens. I thought the referee did very well today."

Leon Collins

Habe die Wiederholung des Spieler leider noch nichts gesehen, aber ist ned so das große problem da auf Premiere öfters wiederholungen aus der PL gezeigt werden.

Hoffe das unsere Leistungen jetzt etwas konstanter bleiben. Ein internationaler Startplatz sollte auf jeden fall drinnen sein!

HBK

[Gampern]

Habe die Wiederholung des Spieler leider noch nichts gesehen, aber ist ned so das große problem da auf Premiere öfters wiederholungen aus der PL gezeigt werden.

Aso? Premiere zeigt Aufzeichnungen von Spielen, die sie gar nicht live brachten?

Hoffe das unsere Leistungen jetzt etwas konstanter bleiben.

Die Wörter "City" und "konstant" passen auf keinem Fall zusammen.

Ein internationaler Startplatz sollte auf jeden fall drinnen sein!

Das kann ich mir beim besten Willen nicht vorstellen!

[HBK]

Warum der unfreundliche Ton?

Oder kommts nur mir so vor...

Aso? Premiere zeigt Aufzeichnungen von Spielen, die sie gar nicht live brachten?

Bin mir nicht sicher. Habe mich jedenfalls schon öfter gewundert warum keine City-zusammenfassung zu sehen war.

Die Wörter "City" und "konstant" passen auf keinem Fall zusammen.

Leider wahr

Das kann ich mir beim besten Willen nicht vorstellen!

Ja, ist klarerweise ein optimistischer Tipp

Aber auf grund des guten Saisonstarts hoffe ich doch, das wir wieder zu dieser Form zurück finden.

Man wird ja noch träumen dürfen....

[niederösterreicher]

wird wohl wieder knapp nix werden mit dem internationalen platz fürchte ich. wie bereits erwähnt - die konstanz fehlt

[HBK]

STUART Pearce will celebrate his first anniversary as Blues boss by signing his contract.

Chairman John Wardle has been in talks with the manager over formalising a £900,000 per year deal that previously had been little more than a gentleman's pact.

And the 43-year-old former City and England skipper will put pen to paper on a two-year rolling agreement at the end of the week that will thrill the club's supporters.

Pearce has had written confirmation of the contract in his desk at the Carrington training ground for months, but has never found the time to sign it.

The manager, whose word has been his bond throughout his legendary playing career, has never been one for official documents since he hung up his boots and turned to coaching under Kevin Keegan.

He took over as caretaker a year and a day ago and did so well that Wardle and the City board in June offered him a pay rise that almost doubled his money.

As England continue their search for a new head coach to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson and Pearce's name has remained firmly in the frame with influential figures at FA headquarters, it is a prudent time to formalise their agreement with the manager.

Desire

Wardle has continually made it clear that he would not stand in Pearce's way if the country's top job is offered to him and the manager has, for his part, made it clear that money is not the driving factor in his desire to take Manchester City forward.

"I am not in football for the adulation or for the money which is a nice by-product but is irrelevant to me really," he told the official City Magazine in an interview this month.

"I have been fortunate and I have earned a few bob and as long as I have enough to support my kids in whatever they want then that's fine. Cars and holidays are not my thing.

"There is no way I am in this for the money.

"I do not sit at City and think I have got a great job here at the moment but if some other club offers me three times as much I will go there because that issue is an irrelevance.

"Our chairman John Wardle knows that talking to me.

"In some ways I am in a fortunate position. I am never going to worry about that."

@manchesteronline.co.uk

[HBK]

Sehr schade...

Pearce zum port-spiel:

Stuart Pearce says that a lack of guile contributed to the 2-1 defeat at Fratton Park.

City looked as though they would get a point from their trip to the south coast after Richard Dunne's header had levelled the game with less than 10 minutes left, but Pedro Mendes' stunning goal with 20 seconds of stoppage time left gave Portsmouth the win.

When speaking afterwards, the Manager pointed to City's not closing the game down in the last few minutes, when Pompey were desperately trying for the goal to give them three vital points, as they key to their downfall.

"I thought we worked hard enough to get something, I thought we deserved a point. But once it went to 1-1 we should have kept our shape better than we did, and when we broke on them we had to be better than we were.

"Both teams wanted three points, neither wanted just a point. We thought to ourselves that we could get something here and we wanted a win. At 1-1 we had three or four players stood up front while my two centre-halves, who I thought were magnificent, were working their socks off. They needed a touch more help and a bit more shape around the team."

City have only won away three times all season, and not since Charlton in early December, with Pearce at a loss to understand the poor form on the road although pinpointing a slight relaxation once Dunne’s equalizer had gone in.

"In some ways it's difficult to know what to change, we have a squad of players but I thought we should have been a touch more clever on the ball and put some more pressure on the opposition when we levelled. We were not good enough to do that, and I'm disappointed."

What Pearce could not fault was the effort his team did put in that he thought deserved something out of the game.

"I thought the players applied themselves extremely well, now we have just got to be a bit cuter when we do get a team on the ropes. We had Portsmouth on the ropes at 1-1, they had to come out and chase the game and that was our big opportunity to give them the sucker-punch, but we were not good enough to do that."

Tim Oscroft

[HBK]

Heute ist das Spiel gegen Aston Villa um 19:45 (FA CUP) im Stadium of Manchester!!

Um 19:45 (Müsste bei uns eine Stunde später sein, sprich 20:45) geht die Party los

Tippe auf ein trockenes 1:0 für City durch Vassel..immerhin haben wir seit 6 Partien Zuhause nicht mehr verloren...