In the Spotlight: Stoke City

No. 4: Mark Hughes, Stoke's home "fortress" and new signing Erik Pieters

By Alex Mason

Ahead of this weekend’s clash against Stoke City, we caught up with Potters fan Niall Cope (@copiee), as he talks about Manchester City’s chances of winning the title and how Stoke will fair on Saturday against the Blues. 

Photo: Flickr

PRE-SEASON: Audi Cup 2013

Part three of in-depth look at City pre-season schedule

By Aaron Leggott

After their victory in the Barclays Asia Trophy last weekend, the Blues will be looking to go out and win their second piece of pre-season silverware in Munich over Wednesday and Thursday.

The Audi Cup, which takes place over the two days at the Allianz Arena, home of European Champions Bayern Munich, will see City come up against AC Milan,  São Paulo and of course Bayern Munich. 

It is City's and São Paulo's  first appearances in one of the biggest pre-season competition's in Europe, whilst Bayern and Milan have contested every Audi Cup to date.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

The competition takes the format of a knockout competition. The winners of the two semi-finals on Wednesday compete for the Audi Cup, whilst the losers face off for third place. 

City have been drawn to play AC Milan in the first semi-final, with the main story being the reunion of Nigel de Jong and Mario Balotelli to their former club. 

And with Bayern Munich taking on São Paulo in the other semi-final, it is expected that City fans will be hoping to see the team tested against the pinnacle of European football on Thursday. 

A lesson learnt from last season's misfortunes?

By Alex Mason

Manchester City have certainly learnt their lesson from last years transfer catastrophe, that evidently cost them the Premier League title.

Last summer City signed five players on transfer deadline day, with former City manager Roberto Mancini admitting he only signed one of his transfer targets, Matija Nastasić. It was a transfer window that saw City lose out on Eden Hazard, Daniele De Rossi, Javi Martínez and of course Robin van Persie.

So it's safe to say that after winning the Premier League title in 2012, City's transfer strategy was ineffective in the close season.

Pellegrini's transfer strategy has been a stark difference compared to last season's.
Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

However, this summer has been a lot different. City have definitely pushed up a few gears by signing Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, speedy Spanish winger Jesús Navas, Spanish forward Álvaro Negredo, who I might add finished Europe's seventh top goalscorer last season and Montenegrin striker Stevan Jovetić, a player who shipped in 13 goals in 25 appearances for his former club Fiorentina.

Match Preview: Stoke vs Manchester City

Can City end a run of draws at the Britannia?

By Aaron Leggott

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe

Speculation regarding the future of Mario Balotelli has been the most newsworthy information coming out of the Etihad Stadium this week, with reports heavily linking him to his boyhood club, AC Milan.

However, with his agent quick to deny any move for the Italian, it seems that Balotelli is set to stay put at City at least until the end of the season.

Along with the rumours that Txiki Begiristain wants Roberto Mancini to move towards the infamous 4-3-3 formation used consistently by Txiki's former club Barcelona, there has been less of a focus on this weekends FA Cup tie at the Britannia Stadium.

The two sides meet in the competition for the first time since Yaya Toure won Manchester City the trophy at Wembley in May 2011, and the Potters will be looking for some revenge to that disappointing day in the capital.

Mancini insists Balotelli clash was 'nothing special'

By Aaron Leggott

Following yesterday's training ground bust up between manager Roberto Mancini & Mario Balotelli, there was many claims throughout the media suggesting that Balotelli's career at Manchester City was coming to a halt.

A reflective view: City 1 - 0 Swansea

Balotelli helps gain a valuable three points

By Tom Kennerley

Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe

There were many questions following the humiliation in Amsterdam, with fans and pundits alike dissecting recent poor performances. The performance was no rembrandt picture for the purists. There was exaggeration amongst the press once again regarding Roberto Mancini resigning, which all Manchester City fans glanced upon momentarily and laughed off.  But in ESPN’s coverage of the game, Robbie Savage was sensible with his view afterwards as he said:

"Manchester City's first target this season is defending the title."

On we went to Swansea, our third game in seven days, was it too much for the players? In the first half, the effects of the Champions League and the game at the Hawthorns clearly showed as fatigue played a part in seeing the first effort of the game come just seven minutes before half time. Swansea were creating the better chances, despite our domination in the possession department.

Aleksander Kolarov, who was risked in a midfield role ahead of Scott Sinclair, was forced off injured at half time. Now it was Mancini's chance to prove himself again after being heavily criticised by the British press, who would he bring on to improve things to win the game? The answer was to be Mario Balotelli. 

City vs QPR: Match Preview

City need to clock up champion performance 

By Dave Walker

When Manchester City step out against QPR at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow  2,665 hours will have elapsed since the final whistle and the glorious conclusion of their last encounter.

How time flys when you’re enjoying yourself. City are now the Kings of English football and QPR will be virtually unrecognizable from the team which narrowly avoided relegation on that stupendous crazy and exhilarating May 13 afternoon.

City vs West Brom: Match Preview

I have a feeling City will bounce back... 3-0 to the Blues

By Andy Leggott

With the press now having declared the title race over City entertain the side whose Boxing day, rear-guard performance prompted a run of mystifying away form from which City are yet to recover. In scenes now ever familiar to travelling blues, the Baggies celebrated their 0-0 draw with all the gusto of a World Cup winning side. Indeed such was the magnitude of the achievement that serious thought was given to ending the Premier League season there and then!

City Talk: No. 3

April Blues?

Both Tevez and Balotelli have not helped matters
Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe

By Mike Bray

April is a very strange month. Many questions floating about; will they make it to Europe? Will he get the sack? Is he signing in the summer? Will that famous team actually be relegated? Of course, with City, we have had all of these at some point. This season, however, it’s all about that elusive Premier League title. Is that fair though? Now I know we have spent a lot of money, and I realise the absolute quality in that side; but are we expecting too much of our once media-shy club

Arsenal vs Manchester City: Match Report

Arteta's late strike sink's City's title bid

By Archie Barnett

If Manchester City's title hopes weren't already dead, it seems they are now. City started the day five points behind rivals Manchester United, however the Reds had extended that lead to eight points before the Blues kicked off after a 2-0 victory against QPR thanks to a dubious penalty decision.

City vs Sunderland: Match Report

City slip up again as points are shared at the Etihad

By Aaron Leggott

Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe

It was Sunderland's turn to plant a blow in City's now faint title hopes, despite the Blues staging another late comeback at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Mario Balotelli and Aleksandar Kolarov.

Sunderland started the game brightly, and the Black Cats threatened the home side in the first five minutes with James McClean and Craig Gardner testing Joe Hart in the City goal.

And whilst City had chances of their own through Edin Dzeko and Balotelli, it was the visitors who took advantage of their bright start through a Sebastian Larsson goal on the half hour mark.

City started the match in a lackluster fashion, and you had a feeling that Sunderland were in the mood after Everton's demolition of the Black Cats on Tuesday night.

Like in the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light, it was Stephane Sessegnon who was the stand-out performer for the North east outfit. His movement was exquisite throughout the match, and this was highlighted with his involvement in all three of Sunderland's goals.

City vs Blackburn Rovers: Match Report

By Aaron Leggott

City secured their 18th consecutive Premier League victory at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a 3-0 win at the hands of Blackburn Rovers. It has now been a full calendar since Fulham secured a 2-2 draw and Blackburn didn't threaten to repeat the same feat as Kean's men whimpered to another away defeat.

Racism Within Football

By Archie Barnett

As you will all agree, racism within football is a huge problem at the moment and it can jeopardise the beautiful game. We have seen numerous examples recently, but lets start with the one closest to our hearts and the most recent.

Is there enough consistency at the FA?

By Andy Leggott (@andyleg66)

Balotelli's alleged stamp in the direction
of Parker's head.

Consistency is the word on everybody’s lips following the FA’s decision to charge Mario Balotelli with violent conduct for his alleged stamp in the direction of Scott Parker’s head. The very fact that the challenge has caused so much debate and disagreement suggests that no-one can be certain whether there was intent in the challenge and it would appear that once again the FA have acted on reputation rather than fact.

Don’t believe me? How can they possibly explain then the decision to charge Mario whilst dismissing the alleged elbow from Lescott and similarly the alleged eye gouge by Peter Crouch in the Stoke v WBA game played the day before? Ask yourself if the Balotelli and Lescott incidents were reversed who would have suffered then from retrospective punishment? I’ll tell you who; Balotelli would without question. It has been written elsewhere that there is a pattern emerging in just which players most often face retrospective punishments. I don’t have any facts to hand but how many times have you seen clear cut examples of violent conduct brushed away using the FA’s convenient get out clause of ‘the referee saw it and chose to take no action at the time’. Rooney at Wigan and Huddlestone at Bolton immediately spring to mind and like Lescott and Crouch both are England internationals. Even if we delve back to the days when Leicester City were a fixture in the Premier League there is undeniable evidence of one rule for the English lads and one for Jonny Foreigner. What evidence you may ask? The then England captain’s (Alan Shearer) clear stamp on Neil Lennon is all the evidence you need. For those that haven’t seen it, or may simply have forgotten about it, I suggest you look it up on YouTube; now that is a stamp to the head and no retrospective action taken at all.

Why always him? Mario always seems to have his name in the
papers - this time for the wrong reason.

I cannot begin to understand the lack of consistency that quite clearly does exist in the corridors of power, without believing that an agenda exists, but I do have major concerns about the standards of refereeing this season. Let’s take Sunday’s referee, England’s alleged best official, Howard Webb. You can take one of two views of the Balotelli incident; firstly that he deliberately attempted to stamp on Scott Parker or secondly that it was accidental. Howard Webb quite clearly took the latter during the game as he was looking directly at the incident at full speed. If, as various media outlets claim, the stamp was deliberate then how poor a decision was that from Webb? He shouldn’t need super slow motion as a basis on which to make his decision and quite clearly, in this instance, he has. If, as he now claims, he should have issued a red card how exactly did he miss the challenge when looking directly at it from 5 yards? If I was a Spurs supporter that would be my primary concern rather than jumping on the media driven bandwagon for Balotelli to be hung, drawn and quartered. Howard Webb’s ineptitude may have cost Spurs a tilt at the title but sadly all the focus is on Balotelli.

Webb did have an opportunity to put his hand up and admit he may have made a mistake by simply admitting to the FA that he ‘saw it and chose to take no action at the time’. However this didn’t fit with the day long media driven agenda, or that of Howard Webb, so a simple ‘no I didn’t see it but if I had I would have given a red card’ sufficed and kept Webb’s reputation intact and allowed the FA to bow to media hysteria and charge Balotelli with violent conduct.

Before people jump on this as a defence of Balotelli please think twice. I don’t know whether Mario meant to stamp on Parker because I’m not privy to his thought process at the time. The super slow motion made it look bad but there was, in my opinion, sufficient doubt as to the level of intent. Given that Howard Webb came to the same conclusion when watching the incident at full speed there should have been no charge to answer. That there was speaks more about the workings of the FA and the standard of refereeing in this country.

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Match Preview: Manchester City vs Wigan Athletic

Competition: Premier League
Time: 3pm GMT
Venue: The Etihad Stadium

After an absolutely emphatic performance at White Hart Lane two weeks ago, City come into this game as very strong favourites. 12 goals in 3

News: Mancini speaks ahead of another Wembley Derby

In his interview with the media, Mancini spoke out about the game itself, Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli's recent comments and whether exciting new prospect Sergio Aguero will start against our fierce rivals.

Even though the Community Shield has usually been treated as a friendly in the past, there is certainly a different vibe to it this year from both camps, and Mancini himself admitted the opposition certainly helps matters:

TSBV Exclusive: Mario Balotelli; Trouble causer or simply misunderstood?

One of Mario's controversial moments last season

Ever since his £22.5 million move from Inter Milan last summer, Mario Balotelli has kept himself in the spotlight almost consistently, and usually for his wrongdoings. Red cards for violent behaviour against the likes of West Brom and Dynamo Kiev and bust ups with his manager and colleagues has led to many City fans contemplating whether he was worth splashing the cash. His off the field behaviour has also grabbed many headlines in the past year, with reportedly throwing darts at youth players and his car already being impounded a staggering 27 times since he arrived from the fashion capital of the world.

However, this contemplation is usually squashed by many optimists, as they realise the 20 year old Italian clearly has the talent and the heart (remember his donation to a homeless man outside a casino?) to become the best in the world if he put his head down. It's just a case of hoping he does this sooner, rather than later. So, is he a trouble causer or just simply misunderstood?

His recent comments about life in Manchester are sure not to help matters to prove he is simply misunderstood, with Balotelli saying that he is basically homesick and wants to go back home, even though he is happy at the club at the moment. Many people clearly misunderstood his comments, with many papers stating that "Mario wants to leave Manchester City" and that he is no longer interested in staying in Manchester. However, I believe that this helps to fuel the arguments that he is a misunderstood player. It is obviously not going to be easy for him to settle into a new country at only 20 years of age, and it doesn't help when everyone in the country slags you off constantly.

Of course he has created a lot of trouble for Manchester City last season, and some of his performances were questionable to say the least, but he has to be given a chance to bed himself in. If you delve deeper into the situation, he is just like any young person his age. He wants to have a good time, the only problem being is that he is always in the media spotlight. As much he likes this type of lifestyle, he might have to sacrifice it if he truly wants to become the world's greatest.

He is also misunderstood as a footballer, and perhaps even a bit controversial. He is a metaphor for why we love football, and always will be able to keep journalists in a job single handedly! Nowadays we seem to expect footballers to be very well behaved both on and off the pitch and be a role model to young children who love football. In an ideal world, we'd love this to be the case, but the fact is, it can't. Players like Mario Balotelli are freshening up the game, and his character just personifies what Manchester City are all about at the moment; we are different, and we are exciting.

I have no doubting Mario's abilities and as a footballer, I can see him being one of the greatest strikers in the world in a few years time, and it can only help that he has a father figure in Roberto Mancini keeping him in check.