Pro Eleven Headline News
Mark Hughes tells struggling Manchester City players to learn fast
Manchester City have become accustomed to being on the end of cheap shots from opponents since Sheikh Mansour pitched up last September and transformed the Barclays Premier League club overnight into football’s new financial superpower.
Uli Hoeness, the Bayern Munich general manager, took an unprovoked pot shot a fortnight ago and this week it was the turn of Stale Solbakken, the former Wimbledon midfield player whose Copenhagen team host City in the first leg of their Uefa Cup round-of-32 tie this evening, to do likewise.
But as much as Mark Hughes bristled yesterday at Solbakken’s suggestion that City were “destroying football”, it is the attitude of his players away from home that appears to be sitting most uncomfortably with the manager at the moment, after a 2-0 defeat against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday again exposed City’s fragility on the road.
Hughes believes that City’s record of one win in 12 away games in the league is partly explained by his foreign players’ lack of experience of English football, but the manager is refusing to use that alone as an excuse.
Indifference or a lack of stomach for a fight might be just as plausible, but either way, Hughes wants an improvement and fast, starting in the Danish capital. “I think at home the onus is on the home team — there is a little bit more space and maybe referees are more inclined to go with the home side,” he said. “Away from home, you don’t get that. We have to deal with it. You have to learn quickly.”
City’s travel sickness would probably be cured somewhat if Robinho performed with anything like the same intensity as he has at the City of Manchester Stadium. Only two of the Brazil forward’s 12 goals this season have come on the road and his abject display against Portsmouth has become all too typical.
Hughes is loath to overburden Robinho, 25, but it is not unreasonable for the manager to ask for more from a British-record £34.2 million buy. “We will speak in depth to everyone,” Hughes, who is also expected to pick Richard Dunne, the captain who is available again after suspension, said. “Portsmouth wasn’t just about Robinho, it was about our collective performance, but I don’t sense that will happen again against Copenhagen.”
Copenhagen (possible; 4-4-2): J Christiansen — Z Pospech, U Laursen, M Antonsson, O Wendt — W Kvist, H Norregaard, T Kristensen, A Hutchinson — M Nordstrand, C Santin.
Manchester City (probable; 4-2-3-1): S Given — M Richards, R Dunne, N Onuoha, W Bridge — V Kompany, P Zabaleta — S Wright-Phillips, S Ireland, Robinho — C Bellamy. Times Online
Manchester City target Samuel Eto'o
According to the Mail, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are also interested in the Cameroon international, but City are the front runners because money would prove no object.
Eto'o has suggested he would be open to the idea of playing in the Premier League, amid reports that he does not see eye to eye with Barca coach Pep Guardiola.
The 28-year-old, who will have a year to run on his current contract come the summer, has so far snubbed Barcelona's efforts to open talks about extending his deal.
Eto'o is top of the scoring charts this season with 23 goals, having worked hard to get back into the starting XI, but rumours that he will leave in six months time were fuelled when he refused to be photographed in a Barcelona shirt for a magazine interview, saying he did not want to be "one of those players who kisses the badge then leaves".
Meanwhile, manager Mark Hughes has both Richard Dunne and Shaun-Wright Phillips available again after suspension for City's Uefa Cup clash against FC Copenhagen in Denmark tomorrow.
Robinho (thigh) and Micah Richards (ankle) are both expected to recover from off injuries in time for this round of 32 first leg match.
However, Gelson Fernandes will remain at home to have further treatment on a tight hamstring. Telegraph
Liverpool Defender Daniel Agger Edging Closer To Milan
According to Turin-based daily Tuttosport, Milan are very close to getting their hands on Liverpool central defender Daniel Agger.
It is suggested that the 24-year-old has already undergone a medical with the Diavoli, who are now confident of adding him to their ranks next term.
Agger, whose deal with the Reds is set to expire in 2010, has been on the fringes of the Premier League giants’ squad this season and had voiced his disappointment at the situation over the last few weeks.
Inter and Juventus were also said to be keen on his services but Tuttosport alleges that the clandestine medical with Milan took place either on Sunday or Monday.
The Rossoneri could now have an all-new defensive line-up next season with Agger partnering Brazilian stopper Thiago Silva, who signed from Fluminense last month. Goal
Eduardo still waiting for leg-break apology
Arsenal striker Eduardo has revealed that he is still waiting for an apology from Martin Taylor, the Birmingham City player whose mistimed tackle last February left the Croatian with an injury he has only just recovered from.
Eduardo broke his left fibula and suffered an open dislocation of the left ankle on February 23, 2008 in Arsenal's 2-2 draw against Birmingham at St Andrews.
There was concern that the injury could end Eduardo's career, but he battled back with what Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger described as a ''mountain'' of mental strength, and completed his return on Monday when he scored twice in the Gunners' 4-0 FA Cup fourth round replay win over Cardiff City.
However, in an interview in The Sun the 25-year-old said he is still surprised that almost a year on Taylor has yet to apologise.
''Some friends told me he was saying he'd spoken to me - but he never did. I've never met him,'' said Eduardo. "And someone at Arsenal received an email from him when I played for the reserves at Barnet a short while back and it said he was pleased I was playing again.
''I have received lots of mail from other people. I've had around 25,000 emails - from Croatia, Brazil and England - wishing me a speedy recovery and I've had letters by the sack-full. But he's never sent anything directly to me.''
Taylor was sent off for the tackle and has only ever been contrite following the accident and even tried to visit Eduardo in hospital in the immediate aftermath of the injury only to find that the Arsenal man was undergoing surgery.
He told the Daily Mail: ''I went to the hospital on Saturday night. I saw Arsenal's liaison officer there. I'm glad I saw someone from the club but Eduardo was in no fit state to see me then.
''I went back again on Sunday morning when he was recovering from the operation. I saw him face-to-face but he was obviously under the influence of a lot of drugs. I don't know whether he was aware I was there or not. But the same employee from the club was still there. With the language barrier, it was difficult to communicate.''
Unfortunately for both players it seems that Taylor's efforts to apologise were lost on Eduardo, resulting in the story once again being played out in the tabloids, largely to the detriment of the Birmingham defender who was subjected to death threats over the incident. ESPN
