I don't what they put in the ice cubes at Funky Buddah, but Defoe was good stuff in the first half and clearly as fit as the butcher's canine companion

First half HERE

Second half HERE

Both the manager's got it right in their post match comments. Arry said we ought to have wrapped it up in the first half and Marky Sparky Hughes was visiably sour over the penalty decision.

I wonder if it were neither Micah Richards' British Bulldohg impression nor Campbell's certificate from Manchester United's School Of Advanced Diving that was bugging him, rather the repercussions he may face personally. This result meant no European footy for the bedsheet backers at Eastlands next season.

Back to our lot, Pointy Shouty Bloke is become a chore. 

He failed to even vaguely threaten to convert two cracking chances provided by Tommy Huddlestone. Fair comment is whilst they weren't absolute sitters, you could imagine that the Keane of old would have buried at least one of them.

I'm not completely cold to the guy but it's heading that way. Thanks for the penalty, but the rest of his contributions were far too laboured.

Super Romancrazypaving did a strop straight down the tunnel job when substituted so brace yourselves for all the column inches that will generate.  

My real concern are our tactics. It all seams a bit adhoc. I look at what Keane ought to be doing and frown, I see Campbell on the pitch and I get positively grumpy. It's like we have these stella talents in Luca and Roman yet somehow we don't know how to fully expolit them.

Oh yes, some bloke who used to be in a Beatles tribute band was on the premises - which drew the excellent chant of Liam, Liam, What's The Score? 

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King will play despite advice to rest after nursing a Club fine of £160,000. An immeadiate and visible knock on effect of this will be that one of his bathrooms at Maison Ledders will now just have to have bulk standard fittings and not Versace ones to match the rest.

So to business.

Citeh have had a decent enough season and their current form, quite frankly doesn't bode well for us. Their win over Brom was, unlike ours, convincing, they beat Everton 2-1 at Goodison and thumped Blackburn 3-1.

The odds of this game being another low scoring affair rest pretty much on the shoulders of our apparently undroppable Captain, PSB. Modric will have his part to play, granted. But it is Keane that has the link up play and dare I suggest it, the goalscoring to do.

I really do hope this afternoon sees him more 'fleet of foot' and with a better touch when he does make contact with the damn thing than last time out. If not Arry, has a decision to make - beyond marking the sherry bottles in the boardroom.

The rather sad departure of Sgt Wilson will, I guess, mark the return of The Zokmeister. Let's hope he's fired up and ready to deliver an eyecatching preformance. Who knows? He's certainly capable.

Bent, Dawson and Lennon are all out which puts more distance between this game and our 1-2 win at Eastlands earlier on in the season.As for Citeh, Madonna's attempted adoption of Shaun Wright Phillps fell through, so he'll be on their bench at least.

My predictions are an uneasy 1-1 or if we can supply one of our very gifted strikers with a half decent ball then a Spurs win.

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The Sky Sports News story eminates from this lot at La Sexta TV and the suggestion is that a bid of some €45 million has been lodged for Berbatov.

It has just been outrightly refuted by the Director of Real according to Guillem Balague. Balague is notoriously well connected and just got the Family Fortunes 'Nurrgh Nuurrgh' about 10 minutes ago.

http://www.lasextanoticias.com/noticia/margarita/robinho/218901 translated HERE .

Which leaves the future of Dimitar Berbatov firmly between the Caledonian Cab Co Ltd and Sparky Marky's Sons Of The Desert PLC.

Just behind a packet of Cheese Straws in the cupboard that originally began life as one dedicated to 'morning goods' there's a bottle of 1998 Dom Perignon. I have moved it to the fridge in the hopeful expectation this tale comes off.... 

Breaking news on Sky Sports News is that the freshly purchased Eastlands Mob have tabled what can only be regarded as a megabid said to be in excess of £30 million for our truculant Bulgarian.

City as a business was sold today to a gang of British actors in Arab dress from the movie Love Honour & Obey by a Thai fraudster on the lamb. 

What a coup this would be. Not for City but for Tottenham. A simultaneous snub to the Hibernian Hoochman and Squirrelboy.

Can all Spurs fans please stop what they are doing, make there way to their respective places of worship and say a large prayer please.

Now with no name to them, the words below could well be derided, but given that the content lacks any hate agenda, I'm inclined to buy them. There have been many ambulances chasing Thaksin since his arrival at Eastlands but it seems now the sound of the sirens must be deafening. Not a good read for Manchester City fans, but interesting fare for rubbernecking Yids.

 "I'm sorry to say this, as a life long fan and - for the last few (for me at least) unforgettable months - employee, MCFC as we know it is finished. Here are the FACTS, for those who really want to know. Thaksin is, as of midlnight 10th August, 2008, an international fugitive.

The Corluka affair is the last straw - I personally worked on the deal and can assure anyone interested that he has already been transferred to Spurs. Spurs have this evening started legal action, and he will be barred from playing for City following an injunction in the courts tomorrow

He now has to be found guilty of corruption in Thailand in his absense, offering no defence. Extradition requests will surely follow. The PL will then have to find him short of the fit and proper ownership rules (and believe me, the pressure for that from fellow 'members' has been growing since June).

Thaksin is trying to palm off City onto whoever will now take it, an insolvent mess of a business, completely incapable of sustaining itself. The truth is that the only interested party (until recently) - Wardle - is not now able to bail City out now , he cant come close on his own and no partners have been found. The wage bill and committments due on the last 2 years' transfers have spiralled out of control.

Personally I expect Hughes to then resign on principal (he has no choice now, he is on record as saying that he will have final say on all transfers). Many wont believe any of this, but a few will. I am very close to this situation (readers will never know who I am or how close - a few would know my name but it isnt appropriate to for me to come 'out') - trust me, I am close enough to know what has happeneded in the last fortnight, I am pissed off with it (as a fan, and as someone who has worked hard for the club durinig the ast 18 months or so) and it must be said, a little drunk.

I am posting this message on a few sites - apologies for those that keep reading it, but I want City fans to know what is happening. The sad truth is we are finished, and that as a result, the PL will be facing its biggest challenge since inception within 2 weeks of now."

This is from a tipster called Snout on a Manchester City forum called Blue Moon. I say Man City, despite I'd say 90% of viewers and 25% of posters over the past few days have been Tottenham fans....Now whilst this isn't written in stone, it does read too well to be dismissed. Proof again that even the best tipsters luck out as circumstances change.

"Let me start by saying that I am neither City or Spurs, but I do know a little about what is happening with Corluka due to a 'business' interest.

When Spurs first made contact, it was Shinawatra's people that agreed a fee with Spurs and told Corluka he was free to leave. They did that without Mark Hughes' knowledge or consent.

Corluka was suprised to say the least. When Hughes took over he told Corluka he was one of the mainstays in his future plan for MCFC. Nevertheless, Corluka travelled to London to meet with Spurs' people.

Hughes then found out about the deal, and basically vetoed it - which was something the Thai's people had agreed he could do with any transfer activity when he took over. That's when Corluka was summoned back to Manchester to go up to Glasgow for the Celtic friendly.

Behind the scenes a real row started between Hughes and certain elements of the board; Hughes furious that they had gone behind his back to sell Corluka to Spurs, and the board enraged that Hughes had effectively recalled him from London for the Celtic game.

Shinawatra's people told Hughes that evening that the deal was 'too good to turn down', largely due to Shinawatra's financial problems. So, immediately after the Celtic game, Corluka flew back to London to resume talks with Spurs.

When Spurs' initial offer was accepted, Corluka had no real desire to leave City. That wasn't anything against Spurs, more the vision for the future of MCFC he had been sold by Hughes and Cook. However, after meeting with Spurs and talking with Modric, Corluka was sold on Tottenham and agreed terms. He went through a two-day medical, which he passed without problem. He's been holed up in a London since early Friday morning - hence why he missed the club photo.

Spurs agreed the final details for the transfer with City yesterday morning, and Corluka put pen to paper on his player registration.

Then City's people accepted the offer from Sunderland for Stephen Ireland, and Hughes went properly mental. Twice in 48 hours he felt he was having players he wanted sold from under him. In a rage, it was Hughes who called Ireland and told him he was expected to report to the CoMS to report for the Milan game. Hughes putting him on for a couple of minutes was a big statement on his part.

Here comes the really interesting part.

Hughes last night told Cook he was through with City and wants out, the sale of Corluka and Ireland being the straw that broke the camel's back. He said if the Corluka deal went through particularly, he would be on his way out of City too.

At that point City have tried to derail the Corluka and Ireland deals.

BUT, Spurs claim to have completed the paper work for the transfer which has already been lodged with the FA and signed by someone from City with authorisation to do so. City say they agreed a sale in principle with Spurs, but that no final transfer documents had been signed.

As such Corluka, who was expecting to be paraded at White Hart Lane this afternoon, is in limbo. However, he has now set his heart on Spurs and linking up with Modric and has told City he will not return to the CoMS under any circumstances. He has been sold on Tottenham, and become frustrated with the background stuff taking place at City.

Spurs and City are maintaining their respective positions, but Spurs have basically told City that they are willing to see the issue go to court. They believe they have signed Corluka, and Corluka wants to play for them.

What a mess." 

Add to this it is now being rumoured that Shinawatra is in fact, currently on the lamb.... http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/id...-34929020080810 the word 'implode' seems pretty accurate.

Let's hope Tottenham can enjoy some class of windfall at their expense. Women, children and Hotspur first.

Do you need a pen, love?

I'm going to be really really brave, go out on a limb and announce we've signed Vedran Corluka.

Truth is of course that it's today's worst kept secret with everyone this side of the Great Wall Of China proclaiming his capture from Citeh.

Some have even been as specific as stating that the newbie penned his name at precisely 1315hrs this afternoon. Holy swiss timepieces Batman.

The hunt for the man responsible for this leak is narrowed down to 'a watch owner.' I sense a satisfactory arrest of the culprit is now but a mere formality.

Sadists might enjoy this http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1  an amusing Cyber Cafe where Sky Blue fans go to eat each other. Click on any of the Coluka related threads.

The real trigger is that Corluka didn't feature in today's friendly against AC Milan. Hardly conclusive in isolation but against all the other info flying around it is highly unlikely to believe that the Croatian is a City player any more.

Money? Don't know, not much that's for sure. Unlikely even with the ubiquitous add ons that Manchester City have actually made any money out of this. Contract? Worth less in reality than the staple that binds it, so who really cares?

Celebrated tipster Ben from the FTL forum says he has spoken to the man himself and... wished him well. Welcome to Tottenham, son. Where the personal touch is key.

Apparently there are work permit issues of which I have no understanding or even vaguest interest in. So don't expect an official announcement before breakfast Thursday week.

All in all a tremendous signing. Another ready to go player. Another signal of intent and another example of Ramos & Co. identifying what you and I could see was wrong - and addressing it.

Well done, chaps. 

 

Nice cars, Vedrans. 

The heady cocktail of disinformation and incompetence that washes away all the cares of the charlatans that feed us - continues a pace.

Corluka, or Charlie as the Citeh fans call him, hasn't been to 'The Lodge' or had a medical and nor will he this week, the whole thing's stalled.

Word from a Manc who knows but quite frankly doesnt want his good name brought into disrepute being seen consorting with a 'spud' (even one as debonair as me) is that all speculation over their boy was ever 'in the bag' was at best, what the street kids are calling 'jive'.

At best then, this is Bentley Part II The Search For Spock. As per the Robinson debacle with t'Rovers it's not so much the lump sum. It's squabbling over the add ons.

The player has said he's happy to stay if he's in the manager's plans. This appears not to be the case. But with the chairman's missus on a seven day wonder with the Thai cops and the rest of the board at Eastlands being slightly less scrupulous than Claude Jeremiah Greengrass - nice sentiments like that go out the, soon perhaps, to be put in window.

But there's the difference, Bentley wanted out. Specifcally to us.

This guy has the carrot of a better, Citeh free life. But he is happy enough to stay. Hughes would take the money and reinvest, they have other defenders. His sale could be stomached. Who cares about them anyway? We just want more boys for Woody to boss.

So that's what I have. Another week, another nearly.

On the Fantasy Football malarky the response was tremendous and thank you as per last season but we have a technical problem.

I am assured that once the most intelligent chimpanzee  monkey has been elected by the rest of the group, that primate will be dispatched, wrench betwixt teeth to solve it.  I'll get back to you just as soon as we see him/her returning with a victorious swagger to the Ole Ole treehouse.

Joe Hart's name is well and truly in the frame. Not like a piece of art like you might secretly covet for your back bedroom room say like an original Cézanne. No, his name's framed largely to hide what 10cc called 'a nasty stain that's lyin' there.'

The usual rubbish has been touted and spouted of course. Robinson plus 'some Waterstones vouchers, a BMX, an Action Man Helicopter and £4 million nicker in a Noel Edmond's Multicoloured Swap Shop type deal. Just on this. When did one of these swapsies ever happen? Less Noel Edmonds and more of Cheggers when he was on 18 bottles of Night Nurse a day.

Hart. Undoubtedly a talent, but then they all are until there's a foul up or two and then the universal cheers become deafening jeers and suddenly it's 'Orf With His Head!' Or rather the Away Lot singing 'England's Number Three, England's Number Three.' Who in their right mind would volunteer?

And maybe it would Hart's making if he were able by some means to swerve the poisoned England chalice? Maybe if he just did what he does at a club level he could come on nicely. And perhaps Robbo could do the same. Tottenham fans have groaned and rightly so at some of his infamous flaps, but nothing crucifies quicker than a duff game in the media glare of an International game.

Is Robinson really done for? A bit too similar to asking is Berba leaving? The answer appears too dependent upon the fax machine confirming an agreeable figure for both parties. The case against Robinson is relatively watertight. And for me all his indiscretions were minor compared to the revelation live on late night TV that he couldn't do penalties. Falling over to your left five times in a row is Gross Misconduct in my book and an immeadiate, sackable offence.

The last point I'll make on this is that there is a growing (largely in the dark, fed on silage) contingent that believe that the addition of a new goalkeeper and literally any goalkeeper will be a Pot Noodle Panacea for the defensive malaise at The Lane. They're wrong. And the decision over what to either do with Robinson or whether to do without him could well springboard or in part scupper our forthcoming season.

Either way, the barrel rolls have to stop and the reputation we desire has to be established.

Ooh, you'll wait a long time for me
Ooh, you'll wait a long time

Ooh, you'll wait a long time for me
Ooh, you'll wait a long time

He's laughed us off.

He dropped the bombshell speaking yesterday candidly on Cameroonian telly "Tottenham, and the British club will have to forgive me for saying this, are mid-table and I need more"

I would ordinarily greet such and similar pronouncements with a swift and snarly 'Well sod you too, son!" But this fair enough comment from King Of The Kickaballs.  We as fans are in the same boat. We want more too.

Eto'o went on to say that there had been a lack of running at Barca over the past two seasons, and effectively the showboating over effort had cost them as a result (sound familiar, anyone?). Clearly he means it or WHL would have been an obvious move.

God knows what Ronaldinho will say of City... Or will Taksin's lolly prove more powerful than league placings?