Thursdays B****x

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Thursdays B****x

Postby Chinners » Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:24 am

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THE BOLLOX

City’s second friendly of pre-season against Hearts is a day away but it’s a quiet morning for stories concerning the Barclays Premier League champions.
It takes a little digging inside the back pages and a good few clicks to uncover any nuggets of MCFC information but there are a couple of new stories to share.
First up, the DSSC are reporting that Serbian defender Matija Nastasic may be sold this summer to make room for a potential new defensive signing.
“Manchester City will listen to offers for defender Matija Nastasic as they pursue a £32million deal for Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala,” writes Chris Wheeler.
“Nastasic, signed from Fiorentina for £12m in 2012, had an injury-hit second season at City and the 21-year-old could find himself as the club’s fourth-choice centre-back.
“With Dedryck Boyata signing a new deal and teenager Karim Rekik returning after an impressive season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, City accept that Nastasic could be surplus to requirements.
“City captain Vincent Kompany remains first-choice at the club, while Martin Demichelis was part of the Argentina side that reached the 2014 World Cup final.
“Joleon Lescott was released following the expiry of his contract and signed for West Brom.”
One defender apparently now not joining City is AS Roma’s Mehdi Benatia.
Chelsea are now the front-runners in the race to land the highly-rated defender, that’s according to Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express.
“The Blues are in the market for a new centre-back after selling David Luiz for a staggering £50million to French champions Paris St-Germain, and with new signing Kurt Zouma set for a loan move this summer, Jose Mourinho is desperate to land an experienced defender,” Chapman states.
“Manuel Pellegrini had also been lining up a move for Benatia, but the Chilean looks set to drop out of the race after agreeing a fee with Porto for France international Eliaquim Mangala.
Remember you’ll see all confirmed transfer stories first here on mcfc.co.uk when, and only when, the deals are done.
Finally in more general news, it looks as though disappointment may be in store for fans of the vanishing spray used for free-kicks in this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
The spray, which was arguably the best innovation for this year’s tournament, is very unlikely to be used in the Premier League in the forthcoming season.
Jamie Jackson of the Guardian has more.
“The Premier League is considering introducing the spray used at the World Cup to mark out the placement of the ball at free-kicks and the position of the defensive wall,” the story reads.
“The league is to ask Mike Riley, the head of officiating who was at Brazil 2014, for a report on the spray’s suitability.
“While the Premier League is maintaining an open mind, it is unlikely the spray will be used next season even if it receives the green light.
“The Premier League will need to examine how much time it may add to a game, how often it would be used, if there is actually a need for it due to an encroachment issue at free-kicks, and what referees think of it.”


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Manchester City Starlet Finds Himself Surplus To Requirements
Manchester City could consider selling their injury prone centre-back Matija Nastasic this summer, reports the Daily Mail.
The English champions are poised for the signing of a new centre-back in Eliaquim Mangala from FC Porto, which could potentially end Nastasic’s chances of playing regularly at the Etihad Stadium.
The Serbian moved to the Etihad from Fiorentina as a bright prospect, but his struggles with injury meant that he could only manage 20 appearances in all competitions last term.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini could field the centre-back pairing of Vincent Kompany and Mangala as his first choice next season, and with the likes of Dedryck Boyata and Karim Rekik coming through the ranks quickly, Nastasic could be pushed way down the pecking order.
The 21-year old would not be easy to prise away from the Etihad though as he was bought for a fee of around £12 million pounds and City also handed Fiorentina Stefan Savic in exchange.
Any potential suitor might have to pay upwards of £15 million to take the highly rated defender away from the Citzens, who would want to minimise the loss on his signing.

Sagna at City to play as time runs out for Richards
The French international will share right-back duties with Pablo Zabaleta, but has the Blues door closed yet on Micah Richards?
The pictures of Pablo Zabaleta, his face swollen and torn, have become one of the iconic images of the World Cup.
The fact that the City right-back is wearing a blue comedy wig detracts from the heroic aspect of the injury, but the affable Argentine comes out of the tournament with his reputation enhanced.
He took a sickening smash in the face from Dirk Kuyt’s shoulder in extra time of the semi-final in Sao Paulo, his head thumping into the pitch as he fell, for good measure.
It was a blow that might have decked Vladimir Klitschko, but every City fan watching knew that he would be patched up, clear his head and be straight back into the fray.
Now, when Zabaleta returns from a well-earned break in his native land, another ambitious, top-class international right-back will be pushing for his position.
The free signing of Bacary Sagna was a shrewd and necessary move by the Blues hierarchy.
The painful by-product is that Micah Richards, who has become part of the fabric of the club, is now surplus to requirements.
Richards continues to display the sunny demeanour that, along with his powerful surges down the right flank and committed defending, has always endeared him to City fans.
You can be sure that behind the smiles, his heart is aching as he contemplates a move away from a club he has called home since he was 14.
But there is no room for sentimentality in football, especially in the brutal world of scrapping for trophies that City now inhabit.
Richards has had struggle after struggle with injury, then looked rusty and out-of-touch when he comes back.
The Blues could no longer wait for him to re-capture his frightening athleticism or the bold promise that made him the youngest defender capped by England when he was 17.
No doubt just about every City fan will still be hoping he can get a good pre-season under his belt and still force the hierarchy to reconsider, especially as he counts towards the home-grown quota.
As things stand, the right-back position will be shared between Sagna and Zabaleta. In days gone by, it would have been described as a ‘fight’ for the position, but in these days of squad rotation, it is more of a job share.
That was made plain last season by the situation on the other side of defence. Anyone trying to pin down the name of City’s first-choice left-back would find their mind being changed on a daily basis.
Just when it seemed Aleks Kolarov had improved so much under Manuel Pellegrini that he was the man, Gael Clichy was called up for the Bayern Munich clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Clichy’s longest run in the starting XI was three consecutive matches, and in the last of those he was in the same team as Kolarov, moved into a midfield role in the Champions League tie against Barcelona.
Kolarov’s longest stint was four games, when Clichy was out injured.
The balance between the two was almost scientific – Kolarov started 21 league games and Clichy 18, and in the Champions League the ratio was six to four.
The contrast with the right-back position is incredible.
Zabaleta started 33 of the 38 league games, and five out of eight in Europe – the latter figure skewed by Pellegrini’s attempt to rotate him with Richards, an attempt that was abandoned as the Yorkshireman’s season was hit by injury. Only Yaya Toure made more starts than Zabaleta last season, and his contribution becomes more remarkable when you study his role in the team.
In Pellegrini’s system, the full-backs are crucial figures. Forget the old-fashioned English ideal of a chunky, solid stopper who dealt with any attacker bold enough to venture down his flank.
Pellegrini’s full-backs have to defend, but they are arguably even more vital as attackers, linking with roaming midfielders David Silva, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho and Samir Nasri to open teams up down their sides.
That means the Blues’ full-backs expend enormous energy getting up and down the pitch.
To do the job virtually alone, as Zabaleta did, and with the kind of body-on-the-line guts and commitment shown by the man dubbed “Corazon de Leon” or “Lionheart” by the fans, is quite something.
He gives City’s right-flank a consistency and a constancy that have been a feature of their success over the last four seasons.
Sagna is similar to Zabaleta but has a wicked cross, and that will have come into Pellegrini’s thinking as he looked for another option down the right.

LIVE stream: Heart of Midlothian vs Man City - July 18, 2014
Manchester City will go against Heart of Midlothian in their second pre-season friendly game on Thursday, the 17th of July.
The Citizens suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dundee United in their first pre-season friendly while fielding a team which comprised of many regular starters at the club. It was a game which featured new signings Willy Caballero and Fernando whereas the likes of Kolarov, Jesus Navas and Stevan Jovetic were also given starting berths.
Other regular players including Samir Nasri, Alvaro Negredo, Javi Garcia and Matija Nastasic also made second half appearances but were unable to prevent the defeat. Dedryck Boyata had a horrible night as he conceded a penalty in the first half after an unfair tackle on Gary Harkins inside the box.
Harkins missed the penalty but was able to score on the rebound giving The Terrors the lead. Boyata’s night turned from bad to worse after he scored an own goal in the 38th minute handing the hosts a two goal advantage.
Dundee could have further improved their lead but substitute Bruno Zuculini failed to guide his header into the box and City were denied further embarrassment but will be looking for a much improved performance on Thursday.
The fixture on Thursday is being staged to celebrate 100 years of the Tynecastle Main Stand and will be the first match played at Tynecastle Stadium under the ownership of Ann Budge. The match will also see head coach Robbie Neilson take charge of his first home match.
New signings including Soufian El Hassnaoui, James Keatings and Morgaro Gomis are expected to feature whereas City will also be travelling with a strong squad which will however not feature their World Cup stars.
A Hearts spokesperson said:
"The Main Stand, which is an iconic landmark in British football, celebrates its centenary this year and what better way to mark the milestone than with a glamour friendly against one of the world's top club sides?
"City will be bringing a strong squad to Edinburgh, with the likes of French internationalists Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy, Serbian star Aleksandar Kolarov and Spain's Alvaro Negredo all scheduled to make the trip.”
LIVE STREAM: http://www.livesoccertv.com/channels/premier-sports/

Harry Redknapp has made Aston Villa centre-half Ron Vlaar, 29, a £4m target for QPR. It is believed he is a player that Redknapp tried to sign whilst he was manager of Spurs.Birmingham Mail

Liverpool are ready to compete with Tottenham over 21-year-old Swansea left-back Ben Davies. Daily Star

Leeds United are keen on Cardiff City defender Mark Hudson, 32, as a potential summer addition, as they look to bolster their backline. Insidefutbol

Chelsea are prepared to sell Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi, 27, as they plan a move for Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, who is also a target for Arsenal. Daily Express

Arsenal are expected to confirm the signing of France defender Mathieu Debuchy, 28, from Newcastle on Thursday in a £10m deal. London Evening Standard

Stoke City are one of several teams interested in Spanish winger Keko, 22, who is a free agent after leaving Italian club Catania. Insidefutbol

Olympiakos want to sign Fulham's Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz, 28, on a free transfer, even though he has a year remaining on his contract at Craven Cottage. DSSC

Stoke boss Mark Hughes is close to signing Liverpool's Morocco winger Oussama Assaidi, 25, in a deal worth a potential £7m. Daily Telegraph

Swansea are set to sign Monarcas Morelia and Ecuador winger Jefferson Montero, 24, for £4m. Daily Mirror

Tottenham will offer Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, 27, a new five-year contract, including a pay rise from his current £45,000-per-week deal. DSSC

New Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal wants to get rid of Anderson, Javier Hernandez, Wilfried Zaha, Nani, Tom Cleverley, Chris Smalling and Bebe. Daily Star

Liverpool will not let Luis Suarez's move to Barcelona derail their title ambitions, insists boss Brendan Rodgers. Daily Mirror

Manchester United's £28.4m summer signing Ander Herrera, 24, is not at same level as Toni Kroos or Paul Pogba, says former Red Devils midfielder Nicky Butt. DSSC

Swansea captain Ashley Williams missed the club's opening pre-season match on their tour of the USA after flying home to attend a 'family matter'. Daily Mail

Striker Emmanuel Riviere, 24, thinks he is the perfect fit to lead the line at St James' Park after becoming Newcastle United's latest summer signing, a £6m buy from Monaco. The Northern Echo

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes his squad will progress in 2014-15 after claiming second place in the Premier League last season. Liverpool FC website

The president of the German Football Association (DFB) Wolfgang Niersbach has voiced his regret at the upset caused by the 'gaucho' dance performed by six German players during their World Cup celebrations at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Marca

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge discovers one of his ancestors was a top sportsman too, taking to social media to say: "Turns out my grandad's brother was the Jamaican table tennis champ way back. Guess sports really runs in the family."

Steven Gerrard stopped to play football with three kids on his way home

England captain Steven Gerrard, 34, was stopped on holiday by a group of boys who made him go in goal as they played football.

Michael Owen gives his tips for The Open, tweeting: "One of the best weeks of the sporting calendar. The Open. My two fancies: Adam Scott and Justin Rose."

After paying for the operations of 11 children in Brazil before the World Cup, Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, wrote on Facebook that he has increased that figure to 23 - one for each member of his county's 23-man squad that won the World Cup.

Croatian icon Zvonimir Boban says Portugal's World Cup chances were hampered because Ronaldo "loves himself". Soccerway

Argentina's players have given a portion of their prize money for finishing runners-up in the World Cup to a cancer hospital. El Dia

Manchester United's new away shirt appears to have accidentally gone on sale - before it has even been officially unveiled by the club. Manchester Evening News


MORE BOLLOX SOON
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Chinners
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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby mr_nool » Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:32 am

Aaahh! My daily dose of Chinner's quotidian cojones!
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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby Duckman » Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:14 am

I saw today that Nasty has a MCFC tattoo on his forearm.

Any other players in the past tattooing mcfc on their selves?
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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby kennyboy » Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:00 pm

Duckman wrote:I saw today that Nasty has a MCFC tattoo on his forearm.

Any other players in the past tattooing mcfc on their selves?


Omg.. yeah that looks so real mate..

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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby Duckman » Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:21 am

What the hell is wrong with me?!?
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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby Wonderwall » Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:41 am

Duckman wrote:What the hell is wrong with me?!?


LOL
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Re: Thursdays B****x

Postby DoomMerchant » Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:46 pm

It's Monday you non-bollox-y funny hat wearing shit show.

Get a goddam grip and restore normal service.

Cheers
viVa el ciTy!

"All things considered, there's absolutely no escape from this hellish situation. I'm prepared to take the coward's way out if you are. It's reincarnation or nothing." -- Gideon Stargrave

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