[FT] Tottenham 0 - 0 Manchester City
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Shay Given is axed! Arsenal on alert for goalkeeper as Joe Hart is made Manchester City's No 1
Move over: Joe Hart will start in goal for Manchester City prompting questions over Shay Given's future
Saturday, August 14 2010
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City
Kick off : 7.45pm - (Live) Mio Channel 102 / 110
Joe Hart has been told he will start in goal for Manchester City today, throwing into doubt Shay Given's future at Eastlands.
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Given, 34, admitted this week he would consider his future should City manager Roberto Mancini leave him on the bench for the Barclays Premier League opener at Tottenham this lunchtime.
A source close to Given said last night: ‘Shay respects the manager’s decision even if he thinks it’s wrong. He is very, very disappointed, particularly bearing in mind his performances for City since he joined. He’ll meet his advisers over the weekend and consider his options. Until now Shay has been really happy at City.’
Given's demotion is sure to be welcomed by England manager Fabio Capello, who has decided 23-year-old Hart will be his first-choice goalkeeper for the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Hart made his first England start in Wednesday's 2-1 triumph over Hungary and Capello will be at White Hart Lane to watch his No 1.
City remain confident they will be able to keep both goalkeepers satisfied and are determined to prevent Given leaving. The development will, however, alert Arsenal and Fulham.
Mancini yesterday backed £22.5million signing Mario Balotelli to become one of the best strikers in the world after the Italy star agreed a five-year deal.
His arrival will come too late to be registered for the season curtain-raiser against Tottenham but he is expected to make his debut in the clash with Liverpool on August 23.
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city for its riches, should go buy buffon lar.
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Originally posted by Poignant:
New season, new players, same rivalry
Spurs’ success last season, and perhaps more importantly their 4-0 aggregate victory over City, will have embarrassed the hierarchy at Eastlands, and after yet another summer of heavy squad pampering, the boys of the blue half on Manchester would love nothing more than to a fire to a warning shot to the rest of the Premier League, at Tottenham’s expense.
As yet, Redknapp has yet to flood the Premier League fax machine with transfer documents, with only Internacional’s Sandro, who won’t join until August 18 (following the end of the Brazilian season). All in all, it will be the same players that finished the campaign last season, with the addition of Robbie Keane, who has returned to the club after his loan spell with Celtic.
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham Hotspur
Having featured in a Spurs XI outing at Ipswich, club captain Ledley King looks certain to start alongside Michael Dawson in the heart of the Spurs defense on Saturday, in what will be a massive boost for Harry Redknapp.
Meanwhile, flying full-back Gareth Bale sat out Wales’ 5-1 victory over Luxembourg, but the former Southampton man should be fine to face City at the weekend.
Possible Starting XI: Gomes; Corluka, King, Dawson, Bale; Lennon, Huddlestone; Palacios, Modric; Keane, Crouch
Manchester City
Mancini is set to hand Premier League debuts to David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Aleksandar Kolarov in north London, and the Italian looks to fast-track the club’s latest star signings into England’s top-flight.
The most interesting tussle will be between Shay Given and Joe Hart, with both goalkeepers admitting that they’ll consider their long-term future’s with the club, should they find themselves on the bench at White Hart Lane.
Possible Starting XI: Given; Kolarov, Kolo Toure, Lescott, Bridge; Johnson, Yaya Toure; Barry, Silva; Tevez; Adebayor.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham Hotspur
Gareth Bale enjoyed an impressive pre-season, as his careering runs down the left flank continued to trouble defenses, and goalkeepers, in the manner which he finished last season.
Likely to face Kolarov on City’s right-hand side, the flying Welshman will look to give the Serbian a torrid introduction into the pace of English football, following his move from Serie A.
Manchester City
Adam Johnson has been a sensation since his move to City from Middlesbrough in January, proving that it is not just international talent welcome at Eastlands nowadays.
Like to face former City full-back Vedran Corluka on Saturday, the up-and-coming England winger will look to get off a rampaging start against a defender not renowned for his blistering pace.
PREDICTION
A truly fantastic spectacle to kick-off the new Premier League season. Should Mancini’s new look side click on Saturday, then they could well leave the Lane with maximum points.
However, with so many new signings, from a variety of leagues, it is likely to take time for City to gel, and I can see Redknapp’s well-oiled unit sneaking the victory.
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester City -
Honestly, I feel City should let Hart go on loan at Arsenal, let him try out the European football and the pressure of the fans.
So what he has done well at Brimingham? It was supposed to be a relegation club, thats why pressure not high enough.
Letting him join Arsenal will surely test him to his limits!
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city eat 1/4 ball, over 2.5 good choice?
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aiya, dumb both go bid for buffon la
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tottenham to win 4-0
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The only problem City might face is, can the many different talents brought together at short notice gel together and play like a team... Cos Spurs is a side that has been playing together for some time now... But if City can pull this off, they will be a side to watch for the rest of the season...
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Originally posted by Y_Shun:
Honestly, I feel City should let Hart go on loan at Arsenal, let him try out the European football and the pressure of the fans.
So what he has done well at Brimingham? It was supposed to be a relegation club, thats why pressure not high enough.
Letting him join Arsenal will surely test him to his limits!
ben foster did well when loaned to watford, but when he returned to united, it just goes to show that he cant handle the stress and pressure of playing for a big club.
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like carson, did well for aston villa but came back, dont know what went wrong, then gone liao
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look at joe hart! he's really damn hard in front of the goal!
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hart is in top form. spurs attacking all the way.
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spurs hit the woodwork twice already.
how did they not score?
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unlucky lo
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Hart on god mode.. lol but helped me posts alot of times as well.
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Joe Hart is on form.... virtually saving City from embaressment.
Lets see what he can do in the 2nd half. If the game end 0-0 or city win, Hart will surely be the man of the match.
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No regrets sia make him number 1 haha.. deserving display.. on the other side.. I think Gomes can go coffee break lah.. Clueless and toothless attack by City.. Silva is non-existent. The city left back aso crap. 3 DM in the centre. LOL wtfbbqfish is Mancini thinking.
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joe hart is someone with plenty of potential. ages since england had a good gk, maybe after david seaman all others not up to standard liao
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is it raining at white hart lane?
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woah adebayor took the number 9 shirt
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silva had a bad debut today
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Originally posted by Poignant:
is it raining at white hart lane?
i think yes
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Originally posted by dinky1409:
LOL wtfbbqfish is Mancini thinking.
mancini think he cut his hair look more handsome
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silva got some gd run in the first half i tink tat kola and yaya more jialat. Btw that boateng is the 1 play for germany? or different boateng?
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Yes Jeremy Boateng, the one playing for Germany. He was not inside the XI nor bench.