Just about every website and newspaper is talking about Samuel Eto'o joining City all on the basis, it would appear, of an article in the News of the World. You can create your own joke about the validity of such a source, but for now we'll play along.
Fundamentally I don't understand such a move. If, as has been hinted, City are going to play a 4-3-3 (or 4-1-2-3) then the front line is Robinho, RSC and Tevez.
Yes this presumes that Tevez joins the team. Eto'o joining the team would create exactly the negative situation that happened at United where three good players, Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov didn't work for two places. Would RSC be happy to sit? I doubt it. And such a set up would imply a Barry, de Jong, Ireland midfield three which leaves Petrov, Elano and SWP on the bench. Each of those players is a starter in the Premier League not a bench player.
You can't have a squad of 20 superstars; this is especially true in a World Cup year where Elano and SWP in particular are looking to make their national squads. They will want regular football. Yes, this may be the confirmation that Elano is on his way out and I will remain convinced that this is a mistake. Case in point the Confederations Cup final where, and I quote the City official website "Elano, dropped earlier in the tournament, came on to help fuel a second-half comeback." When Elano plays, teams win. Funny that.
And still no movement on the defensive reinforcements that the club needs.
I mean, don't get me wrong especially given RSC's injury past, having world class players at City is much better than where the club was ten years ago. It's just, I'm not seeing the logic. At some point it would be nice if Mark Hughes gave a "state of the club" type address as to his vision moving forward. I loved the Stuart Taylor acquisition because that made sense. I'd like to see similar moves made for other positions at the club.
Elsewhere... As predicted Germany has made it through to the U21 final to face an England squad that could have knocked them out earlier in the competition. I'll be surprised if Germany doesn't win the tournament at this point. Meanwhile a certain Sven has backed Stuart Pearce to be the successor to Capello. So that's the kiss of death to that ever happening.
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Posted by AKINWUMI AWE on 06/29/2009
I beleive three can play together. Eto is very good in wing also a support strikers. Tevez can also move round the field. I support the coming of ETO in Man. City
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Posted by lex on 06/29/2009
This might be a strange thing to say, but if Eto'o joins the team, then City won't seem like City anymore.
He's a fantastic player, but up until now the squad had only one star signing (robinho), with the rest being talented, but relatively un-heralded players.
If the squad keeps signing superstars, then somehow the team seems less genuine, and more Madrid-like. Tevez would be OK (he's a really hard worker), but Tevez AND Eto'o AND Robinho effectively kills the chances of any squad development.
Players like Bojinov, Onuaha, and Johnson (who could all develop into terrific players), might never get a chance to shine. It's kind of like the difference between Chelsea (always buying quality) and Man U (trying unpolished players who get better).
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Posted by AlexC83 on 06/29/2009
You've got this way wrong. Eto'o would be an unbelievably good signing and if you're questioning one of the apparent arrivals you should be questioning the tevez deal. We needed santa cruz and we needed a poacher like eto'o, we don't really need tevez. But it'd be nice to have him nonetheless.
To me it's obvious how we're gonna fit in all four: robinho won't play EVERY game. Santa Cruz will replace him in away games at stoke over christmas or whatever.
The signings of eto'o, santa cruz and tevez will do one thing - make every competition we're in a target. We'll have a strikeforce (and midfield as you've pointed out) that can be kept fresh all season (seeing as we've got no european football this year) so both cups AND the league are our targets.
I'm not afraid to believe - not only are we gonna challenge the big four- but we're gonna do it at a time when I've paid less for my season ticket than I did last year.
If that's not something worth getting giddy over then what is
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Posted by Roman on 06/30/2009
I'd like to see Deco come play for citeh. Apparently he's lost his position at Chelsea, and apparently Hughes doesn't want Elano, so why not bring in Deco? I still agree that Elano is one of the best players and it's a shame the manager can't see that.
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Posted by joniey escobar on 06/30/2009
eto'o?? or who ever...do u really think u can compete with the big four with Mark Hughes as a coach?? bring on Mourinho and the big names will follow...
Posted by Goalspotter on 07/02/2009
I strongly agree and hope to see Eto'o join city before Tevez, as Tevez do not have tat kind of scoring charm. Eto'o can pair with SCruz (Bellamy) at 4-4-2 attacking formation with 2 attacking winger Robinho + Elano(SWP), CM have Barry + DeJg (Petrov/Ireland).
The ideal is to get Casilias out from Real Madrid, and get Morinho or Ramos to be coach. Til now, still have not seen any strengthening on Defensive improvement. hope to see Sergio Ramos, Chivu, Lahm, Mexes, Luisao, any one/some of them to fortified city.
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Wallace Poulter is an award winning video game producer, designer, industry consultant and writer. He has been a football fanatic since the day he moved in next door to Brian Clough. "Cloughie" being the acknowledged genius that he was promptly moved out and went to manage Derby. A serviceable senior school left-back in his youth, Poulter played one season of Sunday league football as a striker proving conclusively that he was a serviceable senior school left-back! Today Poulter remains involved with football as a licensed referee and most recently as a consultant on a Football MMO.
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