The Rambling view from the City perspective

Today Hughes tried something. A 4-4-2 formation with Vassell playing up front and Ireland out on the left. That it ultimately didn't work is unfortunate but here was something I had been looking for. A search for something different, to shake up what obviously hadn't been working so far. Much will probably be made of Elano not making the trip but given the formation choice that made perfect sense to me. Hang on you are saying, Hughes played Vassell and Elano didn't make the squad? Why aren't you going completely nuts based on your previous posts? Because City can't win every week but, today at least, logical decisions were made.

The board, the owner and the Chairman have a choice to make. If the decision is to keep Hughes then it isn't for days or months or until the end of the year. If Hughes stays then it's with a commitment to back him to the hilt through the end of the 2009-2010 season allowing January purchases in the transfer window, a full summer transfer activity and then to see the results of that work. I'm on record as believing that would be a mistake but to a certain extent it's a bit like refereeing. Right or wrong you have to be emphatic and be in control. The worst you can do is be wishy washy. The Ownership need, in my estimation, to make a forceful statement. Either Hughes is gone; and my choice would be Michael Laudrup, or Hughes will be backed even if the unthinkable were to happen.

It appears that the Portsmouth defensive midfielder Lassana Diarra will be joining Real Madrid rather than City. Diarra is an interesting case. Many is the time I watched a game with Hamann or Claude Makelele playing and was immediately drawn to their play; appreciating the subtleties of breaking up an attack or the short pass to start the flow going the other way. I can honestly say that I've not watched one Portsmouth game and been struck by Diarra enough to go back and watch the entire game just focused on the one player - which is something I do if a player looks useful to me. It is quite possible that I've missed something with him, and Real Madrid certainly think so, but not a loss that troubles me at the moment other than his knowledge of the Premier League.

Kudos to Jack Pitt-Brooke at the wonderfully named City blog "The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll" for being the first that I saw to use the phrase "constant Diarra" to describe the daily coverage of the saga. Never too old to appreciate potty humour! Jack writes some of the best and thought provoking City commentary on the web. Well worth checking out.

In an interview after today's loss at West Brom Hughes gave the clearest indication that City will be looking to buy domestically in January and by implication look to the continent in the summer.

So realistically who should be such domestic targets given such a criteria. City will have to overbid for players and in fact I consider this a positive. Take Blackburn for example. They need money so that Sam Allardyce can go after players that he wants. So rather than just go after Santa Cruz I would prefer a joint bid, say £25million for both the Paraguayan striker and Christopher Samba. This would be incredible business for Blackburn from a financial standpoint and allow Allardyce to assemble the sort of motley crew that was so successful at Bolton.

Much speculation has centred around the goalkeeper position and the potential to bringing in a superstar keeper. Again I'm on record as opposing such a move for I feel Joe Hart has the skill and potential to be the England #1 for many years. Only Chelsea's third string Hilario makes sense to me from within the Premier League as a backup to Hart. Sure the Robert Green's of this world are good but you don't buy him to play behind Hart.

At left back there are at least three immediate possibilities. William Gallas and Wayne Bridge have received speculation in the past but I'd like to add young Gareth Bale to the mix. The young man has been dogged by injuries and bad luck at Spurs but is a singular talent. Shifting up front I was disappointed to see Robbie Keane played in his correct position today, ie up front, and not surprisingly get on the score sheet. With numerous rumours of Keane leaving Liverpool in January I was hoping City could take advantage of someone else's curious tactical decisions. Would make a refreshing turn of events.

Obviously we've been linked with Santa Cruz. The issue there remains one of injuries. The reason Hughes was able to get him so cheaply was the injury bug and conversely the reason City may have to pay through the roof is because he has been injury free since. And speaking of injured centre forwards I've been a fan of Dean Ashton for a number of years. Whether he will ever be fit enough to play a full season is debatable but when he's fit and playing then man is quite lethal. Ashton's strike partner Bellamy has been linked and is another I like. Lastly up front is Peter Crouch who I strongly believe will leave Portsmouth in January but not to City. I've always liked Crouch, somehow his ungainly manner is perceived as unskillful but the man scores goals.

The difficult positions to fill from within the Premier League are defensive midfielder and left winger. Indeed I don't think Hughes will strengthen from within the Premier League for these positions instead looking to the German Bundesliga.

This leaves the centre of defence where I'm afraid Richard Dunne and Micah Richards have been somewhat calamitous so far this season. As discussed previously I feel this had initially to do with a lack of the Hamann/Johnson combination in front of them but the mental lapses are becoming epidemic. Matthew Upson is the name most linked with the club and honestly not a name that fills me with glee. Rolando Bianchi, a player I still feel we gave up on far to quickly, ran rings around Upson in the opening game of last season and the subsequent promotion of the West Ham player to the England set up has seen his reputation sore. I can't see Newcastle giving up Steven Taylor for any price but he is one young Englishman that I'd like to see us invest in. Samba and Upson are I expect the most likely but really here as well I can see City looking at the Bundesliga.

My Premier League shopping list for January? Hilario, Bale, Gallas, Samba, Keane, Crouch and Santa Cruz. Gallas can also play in the centre of defence of course. Crucially each of these players can I believe be had if an appropriate bid is made, even if I personally think that would be a mistake, on the part of Liverpool, in the case of Keane. Supplement this with a couple of signings out of the Bundesliga in the trouble spots of left wing and defensive midfield and that to me is a reasonable shopping list given that we have the money to push clubs into making deals. Nowhere a megastar to be found but those can wait until the Summer. Meanwhile a Wenger like continental supplement to our academy would also help to set the future in place.

My predictions for the Transfer Window

City will sign more than 6 players and at least one will be an English international.
At least 2 players will join City from the Bundesliga
None of the megastars that City have been linked with in the press will join.
(I'll hedge and say there is one megastar that City have not been linked with recently that I think will join)
Liverpool will sign a former Manchester United player
Aston Villa will sign an English International striker as Martin O'Neil continues to build a shadow England team.
Despite their denials in advance Chelsea will sign at least one player in the transfer window.
Newcastle will not offload Michael Owen in the transfer window.
Sammy Lee will use the phrase "very very" in any interview he gives; although to be fair that stands for any part of the season.
Stewart Downing will not join Spurs.
Manchester United will look to bring in a replacement for Owen Hargreaves who is not cup tied in Europe.