What to make of Jo appearing ahead of Adebayor
Amidst all the glory of Monday’s victory over Liverpool, one thing overlooked was the appearance of Jo ahead of Adebayor to lead the attack for the final few minutes. Could this have any significance in the City careers of these two players?
Rumours of Mancini not being a huge fan of Adebayor have been circulating all Summer, yet in public the club continue to back the Togolese. Mancini was supposed to have reassured Ade of his future last week, and went on to pick him against FC Timisoara. This ensures Ade won’t be playing for anyone else in Europe this side of Christmas. Robinho on the other hand was not cup-tied while he looks for a new club.
The feeling one gets is that Mancini would prefer Ibrahimovic or Dzeko as our target man. However in keeping with our transfer policy, a player will not be allowed to leave until the new man is signed.
With Ibrahimovic, the player and his wife would prefer a return to Milan and the Champions League. However Barca would presumably prefer to take the money from us rather than the huge financial hit of a loan to relative paupers AC.
Any deal for Ibra would involve his agent, Mino Raiola. Hardly an enticing prospect for City’s negotiating team after the drawn out Balotelli transfer. Raiola has recently stated that Ibra isn’t a player to be loaned, though anything he says must be treated with extreme caution.
Everything has gone quiet regarding a move for Dzeko. Juventus, his other main suitors, have signed Krasic instead. Jose Mourinho has also indicated an interest in the Bosnian striker. The problem remains Wolfsburg are about as keen to do a deal as Arsenal were for Fabregas.
Consequently, Adebayor is likely to stay unless a shock deal goes through for either Ibra or Dzeko in the last week of the transfer window. If it does, then Ade could find himself in a loan move to Italy or Spain. Those mysterious quotes from the other week might make a bit more sense then.
Adebayor as reported by Tuttosport:
“Juventus are a great club in which I would like to play.
“I am sorry to leave the Premier League, but in Europe there are other top leagues”
At the moment Adebayor has not shirked in terms of work-rate when on the pitch. He just looks in need of a goal to really get back on song.
As for Jo, it increasingly looks like he may find himself a place in the 25 man squad. This would crown the most remarkable of comebacks. Mancini and his coaches seem to have seen something in the Brazilian that has put him ahead of Santa Cruz.
When he signed two summers ago, there was a great expection which the then 21-year-old was unable to live up to. This time would see the complete opposite where most fans expect nothing from the perceived flop!
He does look stronger than first time round, and he’s more likely to be content on the fringes of the squad than our other strikers. Maybe there’s a role for him in the Carling Cup, Europa League and cameo substitute appearances as we look to save the legs of Tevez and co.
A couple of goals and a new cult hero could be born!
- Do you think Adebayor or Jo have a future at the club? And is there a realistic chance of signing Ibra or Dzeko this window?
Glyn
25 August 2010 - 11:39 am
very simple – shop window – think about it..!!
Johnno
25 August 2010 - 12:10 pm
Would rather have Ade than Ibra.
Ed’s ore Tales
25 August 2010 - 12:15 pm
Nicolas Anelka
Always good at City, but never loved in depth. He always had that bad character image hanging like a ball and chain from his ankle after his time at Liverpool.
But look at him amongst better players at Chelsea.
So obviously next I’m going to make the comparison between him and Jo.
Yes Jo didn’t make the grade with City at his first attempt. Maybe that was down to the fact that we also had Robinho another capable Brazilian but not to hot when in the Prem., and which no doubt took all the focus away from Jo good or bad.
Whatever, in truth did he get time to really settle in? It’s possibly he could just take an age settling in and we can state a fact if we say he wasn’t Mark Hughes cup of tea as a player.
Again whatever the issue, he has not looked all that bad in pre-season so I’d say he’s worth a punt on until January. I’d deffo put him above RSC but I can’t really put him ahead of Ade.
3-0 up against Liverpool, I totally see the logic in playing Jo ahead of Ade. Save Ade until Thursday and the game against the Rumanians.
But Jo could be a surprise package coming off the bench if there is room for him in the current squad.
I’m positive Roberto Mancini will do the right think. If he thinks he can motivate Jo and bring the best out of him them maybe we will see a different Jo. If however Roberto is only using Jo as window dressing then that o.k. by me too.
So long as the best is done for the club and the team I’m happy.
somervillain
25 August 2010 - 4:18 pm
It’s hard to believe that Jô, after all we’ve seen of him, is really going to be a part of Mancini’s squad this season. I’ll admit he did look better on the US tour, but I’ve never been impressed with him. He might be the only player City have signed where even his highlight video was unimpressive.
I think City need to carry four strikers this season, and we know Tévez and Balotelli are going to be two of them. With Santa Cruz seemingly on his way, that means the other two spots are going to go to two of Adebayor, Jô, and a possible new signing.
Throughout all the denials from Ibrahimovic’s agent and Mancini’s claims that the club are done in the transfer market after the Milner signing, I’ve kept an eye on Ibrahimovic. I never believed for a second that he would be staying at Barça. They’re already struggling to pay their wage bill, and I don’t see any way they can work him into their starting XI. His agent coming out and saying he would move to City now really caught me attention this morning.
Blue Days
25 August 2010 - 4:34 pm
Somervillain, I agree that we shouldn’t take to much notice of Mancini’s public statement that we could be done in the transfer market. Galliani at Milan is a canny operator and probably makes them favourites for Ibra. Dealing with his agent is another issue. We’ll just have to wait and see. Even if Ibra isn’t as good as he thinks he is, it would still be a stunning signing – the kind that Sheikh Mansour might like. As a player I still think Dzeko might be a safer bet long term.
l0ngwayfr0mh0me
25 August 2010 - 6:46 pm
I trust that both will stay unless a replacement is forthcoming. Ade, for me, still has a lot to offer both technically and in Premiership experience. As for Jo it will take some performances to make people forgive he’s still here whilst Bojinov and Sturridge have moved to pastures new. But who knows, phoenix’s have risen from cold ashes before … Forlan, Klose, Heskey ? … OK maybe not 😛