Provisional Line Up

You know, I don't hate this team... yet.

I'm looking to move my premium pick from Nani to Robin van Persie but I'm afraid that's too many eggs in the Arsenal basket.  They have most players away for internationals today, then at Newcastle a the weekend with a tough but oh so vital Champions League qualification match against Udinese on Tuesday.  I worry about their focus.  Also, I think there's more value at the 6-something range at forward than in midfield.  That being said I could swap Holt for Formica.  However, while Formica has been good in pre-season, I'm hesitant to gamble on him and Rovers, even at home, against Wolves.

Oh, and specifically about the Ramsey pick...

FCB will pay 40m euros (30 fixed+5 variables+5m that Cesc will take off wages). Only little details to confirm but been told done by weekendless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyGuillem Balague
GuillemBalague

What do you think, and how is your starting XI shaping up?

Roberto Mancini admits defensive crisis

Roberto Mancini admits defensive crisis at Manchester City | Mail Online

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini claims he is desperately short of defensive options for Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Chelsea with Micah Richards a major doubt.

After last night's 2-1 Carling Cup defeat at West Bromwich Albion, City could have just three fit defenders for the clash at Eastlands.

Mancini will have only Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure available to face the only Premier League side left with a 100 per cent record unless Micah Richards recovers from a hamstring injury that kept him out at The Hawthorns.

Aleksandar Kolarov, Jerome Boateng and and Wayne Bridge are all currently sidelined.

'We have big problems,' he said. 'I hope that Micah Richards can recover. If not I don't know who can play left-back.'

If Richards misses out, it appears likely that Zabaleta will play on the right side and City would look for an alternative on the left flank. That could either involve Adam Johnson being pressed into emergency service, or more likely a midfielder such as James Milner or Gareth Barry.

Keep an eye out for your Citeh midfielders then. And perhaps it's a week to shy away from Joe Hart - as if with Chelsea visiting he wasn't already a stay-away. There will be better match-ups to come as Citeh next face Newcastle, @Blackpool, Arsenal and Wolves.

Season Preview: Manchester City

Overall Outlook - So here we go, the big wild card.  We'll assume for the sake of this analysis that Milner and Balotelli are in and that Ireland, Robinho, RSC, Jo, Bellamy, and SWP are either out or marginalized to the point of pretty much being out.  The first big myth of last season at Eastlands is that the attack was potent while the back line let them down in their quest to rise up to Champions League contender status in their first year of oil money.  The reality? Citeh just weren't clutch.  Their goals for and goals against numbers were about the same as the rest of the contenders for the final 2 Champions League spots the difference was the 13 draws.  If they can find a way to convert even a few of those to wins, then Arsenal and Spurs should be rightfully frightened as they look to challenge their 3 and 4 spots.  The question one has to ask is where Citeh actually improved in the off-season and if bringing in a bunch of Premier League newbies who, regardless of their eventual quality, may drop some points as they adapt.  I wouldn't bet against them but it's hard to forget Mancini's inability to break through in a meaningful way at Inter until Milan and Juve were eliminated from competition due to the match-fixing scandal.  Is he the guy to bring together a fairly random set of talent and reign in all the huge egos?  I honestly have no idea but the answer to that question will determine where Citeh end up the season.  The good news? There are a lot of new players in Silva, Kolarov, Boateng, Toure, and (maybe) Balotelli who will provide fantasy managers with early season value.

Given set for City return

Sky Sports | Given set for City return

Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given could make his return from injury in Thursday's friendly against Club America.

The 34-year-old has been absent from Roberto Mancini's side since dislocating his shoulder towards the end of last season.

But the shot-stopper is now hoping to resume his role as No.1 for the Blues - either in Atlanta or in Saturday's clash with Inter Milan.

This would be big news before the start of the Premier League season. For fantasy managers it would raise all the "wither Joe Hart" questions again. Surely he wouldn't sit on the bench all season. That would be a disaster for his career and potential England hopes. But it is just as certain that Citeh can't afford to let him go. #loggerheads

Premier League Transfer Round-up for Tuesday

Hart won't be hanging around Citeh much longer.

Hart set to depart after Taylor arrival
Not that you'll rate Taylor, or see him on the pitch for Citeh (God willing if you're a Citeh fan), but this means that Hart is free to go on loan with Birmingham the likely destination. Certainly a good move for the Blues but probably not an answer for fantasy managers. We saw how fragile Hart could be behind a porous defence, and well, Birmingham will likely be the very definition.

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Sturridge set for Chelsea switch
There is haggling about the size of the fee, but it seems that Chelsea are moving to freshen up their squad. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sturridge get a few starts next season as injuries and other priorities (Champions League, for instance) crop up. At best he'll be this year's Bentdner in the "part time striker on a big club" role. At worst he'll be loaned out and we just won't worry about him again.

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Jimenez to join Hammers
Every article is calling Jimenez a striker or a forward, but seemingly (yeah, I just Googled him) though he's a versatile attacker he is predominantly a right-sided middie. He's been injured and out of favor at Inter this season, but he has a 1-in-3 goals per game history in Serie A and could be a nice piece for Zola. He could also be a nice piece for fantasy managers. He'll be cheap enough, coming in at the 'new player/transfer from outside the Premier League' price but it remains to be seen if he's listed properly as a middie and not as a striker. Until that's decided, he's not getting +10 designation.

Eriksson: Hart is my number one

Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he would not be surprised if Andreas Isaksson asks to leave Manchester City after being told Joe Hart is number one.

After switching the two men around over the past month, Eriksson vowed to make a final decision on his first-choice in the aftermath of Tuesday's Carling Cup defeat by Tottenham.

Although Hart was beaten twice by Spurs at Eastlands, Eriksson saw enough ability in the England Under-21 star both this week and in his eight previous first-team appearances for the Blues this term to place his trust in the former Shrewsbury man.

...

It was planned for Castillo to make his debut in the January 2 meeting with Newcastle at St James' Park.

Instead, red tape could delay his official signing by 24 hours, meaning he would not be able to play until the following weekend's FA Cup tie at West Ham.

Meanwhile, Eriksson has confirmed young midfielder Michael Johnson is unlikely to figure against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The England Under-21 international has reported some discomfort from the abdominal surgery he had last month and while Eriksson is confident Johnson will not require another operation, the player has been advised to rest for a couple of days.