'We will stay quiet for now'

Pablo Zabaleta urges dignified silence, warns against some of the bolder claims to tend to come out of MCFC whenever we string two wins together:

"So many people are talking about the Champions League and the title, but it's not good to be talking about that before the season has begun.

"We know we are a fantastic team with great players in the squad. You look at our squad and you know we can do something important.

"But I also think we have to keep quiet about it. We know how important the first game against Spurs is going to be and Arsenal have had their team together for a long time.

"As a team they are all very solid, which is why they are the ones competing for the title every season. But we are very close to them now.

"This club is growing a lot. You can buy big names, but you need time to find the best team. So we will stay quiet for now."

I agree. I'm sure some will twist this into an anti-Garry Cook story. But for me there is nothing more frustrating than Nigel de Jong coming out the week of a Manchester derby, telling us how much it means to him, (he was in the Kippax for the 5-1 you know) and then not really performing in the game itself. Vincent Kompany is nearly as bad.

If we do start well this season - and we might well - the last thing I want is City players telling the press we're going to win the quadruple. Just keep on playing, and you can say what you want when you've actually won us something.