Hi all, hope you’re having a good summer / have enjoyed your break between the English football seasons.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Women’s World Cup Finals – I watched around half of the games and all of the final few matches leading to the final itself and was blown away by the high-quality skill, fitness and organisation of so many of the teams.
T’was unfortunate that the shameful Cameroon team chose to try ‘n’ drag those high standards down a notch or seven…
What else?
Well, frustatingly, I’ve been ill, then very ill; have-had
family illness problems to deal with also but I’ve somehow managed to do lots and lots of
work in the garden whenever I’ve not been dealing with those issues. I even
managed a 5-day break away, which seems a long, long time ago now.
I’ve been very busy at work in the last few
weeks but I’m now off and looking forward to a nice, relaxing few weeks.
I’m also, of course, very much looking
forward to the new, domestic football season and I have managed to watch two-an’-a-bit of our four, pre-season games in the far East regions. I can't wait to get my thinking back on track with all things Manchester City & football in general...and my Fantasy Football team is all set for the start of the season.
So, thoughts on what I’ve seen and heard so
far?
I thought we played excellent in our first
game! I was shocked / impressed at our high-intensity performance, especially given the
heat / humidity and our late arrival by around 2 days due to some kind of
paperwork / administrative issue, which kept our lads grounded in Manchester
for around 48 hours.
I thought our kids, in particular, looked
exceptionally good and I particularly liked the look off Adrian Bernabe against The Hammers. Although I’d
logged his name in my records to keep an eye on, as I do with a lot of our
youth players to see how they are progressing from time to time; and although I
had him down also as one of our young players who may well progress into first
team action at some stage, I hadn’t actually seen the ex-Barcelona Youth player
in action.
He seems to be at home in an attacking role
left, right or centre; looks very comfortable and confident with the ball and
seems full of creativity. Indeed, he got at least one assist pre-season,
possible more than one, I think.
We ran our London
opponents ragged and were clinical in front of goal after excellent build-up
play. What a good performance in our 4-1 win!
Any negatives? Well, I’m sorry to have to
say that our returning Angelino’s defending
needs to be described as both “naïve” and “suspect”.
A somewhat frustrating game where, yet
again, we dominated for the most part but due to some poor finishing and a far
more organised / stubborn Midlands opponent,
we just couldn’t find the net. Pep looked
frustrated at that at times.
Still, it was another good performance and
over the 2 games in the Asia Trophy, a very
satisfying one indeed.
I will add again, though, that when he came
on in the 63rd minute, Angelino looked a little flaky in the
left-back role; looking more comfortable driving forward than defending.
I didn’t watch the game against Kitchee FC but
finding the net 6 times was a good way to
respond following our blank [in normal time] against Wolves.
After struggling to find a link to watch
this, along with a few issues with the equipment I was using, I only managed to
see about the last ¼ of this game. However, once again we looked lively and, by
all accounts, we had to be against a strong, attack-minded Yokohama side.
Special praise?
I might not mention all who deserve praise during
our pre-season games but I’m gonna start at the back.
I thought Claudio Bravo looked excellent in net and following a full season out with
injury, where he had to have surgery to rectify the issue. I honestly never would have
believed I’d be writing those words a year on from his bad injury…and after a
so many occasions in the past where I’ve been holding my head in my hands, as
the Chilean failed time and time again to look like a goalkeeper. Well done to him!
I liked the look – and composure – of Taylor Harwood-Bellis. This is a player, I have to
admit, who escaped my radar but after such assured minutes on the pitch for our
first team, I’ll be adding the central defender to my ‘watch list’.
Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante, or Rodri…OR, Rodders,
as I am likely to call him more often than not,
‘looks the real deal’. That was a key signing that, between him & Fernandinho, should see us far-safer-looking in
that department.
 |
| Rodri |
David, Leroy, Raheem
& Kevin all looked their
devastatingly-brilliant best at times, particularly Kevin I’d say.
And I’m going to mention young Bernabe once
again, as well as Lukas Nmecha who took his
chances.
Signings / rumours?
 |
| Angelino |
Well, we’ve added to our goalkeeping ranks
with the signing of USA stopper Zack Steffen,
although the 6’ 3” keeper has been sent to Germany on loan for the whole of the
up & coming season.
 |
| Zack Steffen |
Previously-mentioned left-back / left-wing
back, Angelino, re-joins us after a year away from the club; when we activated a
buy-back clause having clearly been impressed by his development throughout
the season he spent away from the club.
Rodri I’ve also just talked about – a lot of
money has been spent on the defensive midfielder who has been tipped by many
as-having the potential to be the best defensive midfielder in the world. With impressive performances
under his belt for his previous club and with Guardiola now his coach, who
could argue with that assessment!
 |
| Liam Delap |
 |
| Samuel Edozie |
Likewise, we also signed 16-year old winger
Samuel Edozie from Millwall
on or around the same date as Delap.
As for the rumours, we have been linked for
a long time now with another goalkeeper, this time one who almost matches
Claudio Bravo’s age. With Aro Muric going
out on loan and Daniel Grimshaw seeing no
pre-season action in net (I don’t recall anyway), our manager clearly sees age
/ experience being required as back-up to Ederson
this season.
Despite being linked with Asier Riesgo for most of the close season with nothing apparently happening; rumours
still haven’t gone away about us getting the 36-year old (in October).
Then we have a “has he” / “hasn’t he”
signed player called Felix Correia. The Sporting
right winger has apparently stated that he HAS signed a contract with MCFC and
has sighted speaking to Pep as his main reason for wanting to move to
Manchester. However, other sources still have him down as a Sporting player. “?”
The rumours continue and, this time, we’re
taken to Argentina, where we’re being linked with an 18-year old midfielder
called Thiago Almada.
With Kyle Walker having had a ‘bit of a mare’
against Yokohama the other day, it appears to have prompted the press to stir
up the never-ending links we've had with right-back Joao Cancelo.
All I keep reading, with regards to the attempted signing, is that talks have “stalled”;
often with references also to-us-being-unable to find a solution to our apparent
attempts to sell Danilo.
Other
names are now popping up as potential right-back signings but I’m starting to
feel a little dizzy now with the amount of names being linked with us, in general, as the end of the transfer window looms large…
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