Hart stars and AJ scores in England win

A big night for Manchester City players at Wembley. Joe Hart, James Milner and Gareth Barry all started, while Adam Johnson came on and scored a late goal.

Hart was the most impressive of the four. While England were much the better save, Hart had to make key reaction saves from Stanislav Angelov, Dimitar Rangelov and Glen Johnson to preserve his clean sheet. He also dominated his area and made no terrible mistakes, which might sound unremarkable but is in fact a novel approach for an England goalkeeper.

Milner and Barry were both strong and solid in midfield (Barry's perfectly judged cynical foul on the edge of our box, unpunished, was a beautiful example of his ability with the dark arts), but it was Johnson who scored. He came on for Theo Walcott, with twenty or so minutes left, playing from the right wing. And it was from one of those favoured positions of his that he scored, receiving the ball from Wayne Rooney, swerving inside and beating Nikolay Mihaylov - a little bit too easily - at his near post.

Valeri Bozhinov and Martin Petrov both started for Bulgaria, and I would certainly have applauded any achievements of theirs and written about how much they meant to me. But there was almost nothing to note there.

Spirit and loyalty

Two players who left City over the summer have criticised the spirit within the club this week. First Martin Petrov:

"I went to see Mancini in January to ask about my future because my contract was up in June. He said it wasn't the right time and 'let's talk in two weeks' but after that there was nothing. Nobody spoke to me about my future again. Nobody looked me in the eyes and said: 'Martin, thank you for your time, you are a very professional player.'

"It surprised me. I am not an 18-year-old, I am a 31-year-old who has played in different countries and for my national team, so I think that I have a reasonably good name and deserved to hear something."

And then Benjani:

"It sounds great, but in football money is not everything. What is needed is people who can hang around and love you to be there.

"Sometimes you are loved to be there because of money, which is not good. I would prefer to be here without having all those facilities, be happy and trust everyone around you."

Asked if he thought some players at City were interested in money more than anything else, Benjani said: "Yes, it seemed like that and behind the scenes, there is no trust. I would prefer to play for a club where you are being trusted and you trust everyone around you."

This can't be too much of a surprise.

Benji, Sylvinho, Petrov depart

The regeneration of a football club in a summer transfer window has two elements: the introduction of new players and the shedding of old, spent ones. It is almost like a tree shedding its leaves and then, the far side of winter, growing new green ones, except that in football the two processes occur simultaneously.

We've had the creation: Jérôme Boateng is to become a blue on 1 July. Today we had the first news of the other, destructive side, as three spent leaves fell off the Manchester City tree. Benjani, Martin Petrov and Sylvinho are all to leave on free transfers. This is a natural event. All three are 31 or above. The first two were signed by Sven-Göran Eriksson, and Sylvinho by Mark Hughes. None is sufficiently close to the first team even before our summer spending. They will have to look elsewhere to play.

Benjani's departure was inevitable from the moment he was allowed to go on loan to Sunderland in January. I said my good-byes to him then, and rather than find different words for the same thoughts I simply offer that post as my farewell.

Martin Petrov leaving is equally unsurprising, if rather sadder. Once we signed Adam Johnson to replace Robinho it was clear that Petrov would not be playing as much football as someone his age would want. He had a brief spell in the side in Roberto Mancini's early days, but he was never first choice. If we are honest, he never replicated the form he showed in Eriksson's season, when he was just thrilling up and down that left wing. He played with a confidence and selfishness we hadn't seen since Shaun Wright-Phillips went to Chelsea two years before.

He was so good for that season that he managed to barge his way onto the bench of my MCFC Team of the Decade. From then on, under Hughes and Mancini, it was one long knee injury punctuated by occasional spells in the team, when, to his credit, he tore into right-backs with as much ferocity as he did in his prime. He certainly brought us some good moments, and I'll run through a top five later in the week. He is a very plausible target for Premier League clubs, at least on a pay-as-you-play deal, and so I am sure he will not drift off our football horizons.

Perhaps Sylvinho is the most surprising departure. Signed by Mark Hughes on a free last summer, he came in as experienced cover at left back. Chances were limited, and after he was brutalised by Aaron Lennon at White Hart Lane in December it was clear he was never going to be a Premier League left back. But he had a few good games in midfield, where his touch and brain were as sharp as ever, and he scored our goal of the season at Scunthorpe in the FA Cup. I had hoped for his retention as a squad player and coaching hand. But he goes with farewells as warm as anyone else.

Each of this three, in their own way, endeared themselves to me and to the fans. I do not think our squad will be any weaker for their departure, particularly given the spending we are about to do, but yet I will miss them all. Good luck blues.

Benjani MCFC 2008-2010 24 starts, 7 goals

Martin Petrov MCFC 2007-2010 57 starts, 12 goals

Sylvinho MCFC 2009-2010 9 starts, 1 goal

MEN: Bolton want Petrov

With Jérôme Boateng being given the 17 shirt, we can be fairly sure Martin Petrov will not be extending his contract this summer.

There was a new rumour regarding his next club in today's Manchester Evening News: apparently Owen Coyle might try to take him to Bolton Wanderers. I had initially feared he would go to one of our rivals on a free, but the worse his knee problems get the less likely it is that Everton or Spurs would sign him. That being the case, I am very keen for him to go to the next set of teams - and Bolton, or West Ham, with whom he was also linked - would be perfect.

Petrov turns down 1 year deal

That's the story in the papers over the weekend:

Petrov has been offered a one-year extension to a deal that expires in the summer.

But the 31-year-old has indicated he will not sign unless he is offered a contract until 2012.

Petrov’s fitness problems have not helped his cause. He was sidelined for much of last season by injury and has not played for City since February.

He won't play again this season, so it looks like we won't see him again in blue. Given the state of his knees it's no surprise the club won't offer him a two year deal. So I imagine he will go on a free transfer in the summer. Which is a shame but looks fairly inevitable.

'Outside-in'

There's a good article by Jacob Steinberg on WSC.co.uk about the growth of the 'inside-out' winger, exemplified by Mancini's deployment of Adam Johnson from the right hand side:

Wingers operating on the opposite side of the pitch to their favoured foot may not be a new phenomenon, but it is one that managers in England are increasingly embracing. Last Sunday, Adam Johnson provided a stunning vignette of what the inside-out winger offers. With Manchester City trailing Sunderland by a goal in the last minute, a corner was cleared to the right side of the penalty area where Johnson was waiting. Attacking on the outside would have been futile as he would have led himself on to his right foot. Instead he rolled inside before curling the ball into the top corner with his left.

The thinking behind the tactic is not complicated. By attacking on the inside, a winger is able to target a full-back’s weaker foot, leaving them in a position in which they are less likely to risk a tackle, for fear of committing a clumsy foul. On his first start for City, Johnson won a penalty after a teasing run induced enough panic in Bolton’s Paul Robinson that he eventually tripped the winger.

It's certainly been a notable feature of our play this season. Shaun Wright-Phillips is the only one of our wide players who has consistently featured on his natural side. Craig Bellamy and Robinho have both played from the right, understandably given that they are converted centre and inside forwards respectively, both more comfortable and more damaging with a shot than a cross. This has been the case under both managers this season.

But there has been a development under Mancini: the use of conventional wingers Martin Petrov and Adam Johnson from their weaker sides. Petrov is a very traditional outside left; before the rise of Luis Antonio Valencia he was arguably the division's best old-fashioned winger. And so to play him inside-out (although I think 'outside-in' is a better term) doesn't always work so well. Johnson is different, though, as Steinberg points out. As Robben and Messi show, the key to effective outside-in play is audacity - the willingness to drive inside the full-back, to take the shot on, to worry the defence and push them back. And while I'm not claiming AJ is anywhere near those two, he does noticeably have a touch of magic about him, in a way that, say, Stewart Downing or even Ashley Young does not. Which is why he might just be an effective left footed right-winger himself.

Tévez, Petrov, Vieira out of Sunday

Three confirmed absences for the immediate future.

First our top scorer, and probable 2009/10 Player of the Season Carlos Tévez, who will stay in Argentina for the time being due to the recent premature birth of his daughter. Daniel Taylor reported this in today's Guardian, and Roberto Mancini confirmed it in today's press conference.

Next up there's Martin Petrov, who is out for a month with a knee injury.

And then there's Patrick Vieira who has 'reluctantly accepted' his charge of violent conduct and so is banned for the Liverpool, Stoke City and Chelsea games this week. As I said when he was charged, good news from a football justice standpoint, but not a disaster from a Manchester City fan position either.

Petrov contract talks

According to today's Guardian:

City have offered Martin Petrov a new contract and are encouraged by the way the negotiations have gone with the Bulgaria international. The deadline-day signing of Adam Johnson and Craig Bellamy's impressive form have increased the competition on the left side of attack but Robinho has made it clear he does not want to return to Manchester after his six-month loan spell with Santos and the manager, Roberto Mancini, is keen to keep the 31-year-old Petrov, who is out of contract at the end of the season and eligible to speak to potential buyers.

This is quite a big deal for me.

The future of Martin Petrov

People say about Adam Johnson that he is a good old fashioned outside left. It's good that we've signed a promising young player in this position.

But the thing is that we already have the Premier League's best old fashioned outside left. Martin Petrov has been used on the right recently but I'm quite sure that wide left is his best position.

He only has six months left on his contract, and so could leave in a Bosman in the summer. I am very anxious that his contract is extended - just imagine seeing him in another side's colours next season, knowing that they've got him for free. Ouch.

I appreciate that Petrov is 31 and has a history of knee problems. But he's still a top player on his day and I'm keen that he isn't frozen out.

Birthday present

Today is Martin Petrov's 31st birthday. Happy Birthday, Martin, if you're reading.

What better present could the club give him than a new contract? He's probably earnt one.

And if he goes to one of our rivals on a free in the summer I'll cry.

Petrov's frustration and future

The Sunday papers are full of interviews with Martin Petrov, one of the main winners of the Mancini era thus far. He has started all three matches to date, which seems to have soothed his discontent, having been so firmly on the fringes under Mark Hughes. While it is always nice to have happy players, this is particularly important right now: Petrov has only six months left on his contract and so is free to negotiate a Bosman departure in the summer. I'd be sad to leave him City, but I would be distraught to see him join one of our rivals on a free. There are not many Premier League clubs that would turn down the chance to take him in those circumstances.

Petrov talks about his frustration at failing to hold down a regular place in the side despite doing well when called upon:

“But it’s difficult when you play well, score goals, do good and are the best player in the month of October and then spend another three games on the bench. For that, I’m a little bit unhappy — because I think I deserved to play...

“It was difficult because I’ve been away from Bulgaria for 12 years and this is the first time I had the problem that I didn’t play. It was a new situation and maybe I made mistakes because I was too frustrated.”

I can see why he would be frustrated. It's unfortunate for him that he plays in the same position as Craig Bellamy - our best outfield player this season. But it can't have been fun doing as well as he did when selected and still not starting regularly. Petrov admits that he considered leaving in January:

‘I was frustrated with Mark Hughes as the manager and maybe I didn’t handle it very well. For the first time in my life I’d play well then get left out of the team.

‘I would sometimes go home and tell my wife we would have to leave. We were happy as a family in Manchester but my situation was not good at work...

'I was not getting a chance to play when I deserved to. Mark Hughes never explained why.

‘If the manager had not changed, I might have left in January. But in football things can change in one day.'

That change has also involved increased tactical and organisational work on the training ground, which Petrov explains:

“Before [Mancini’s] first game against Stoke, we did a lot of work tactically. I think everyone now knows they must work on the pitch and knows exactly what the manager wants from them, and because of that the team is getting better and better,” Petrov says. “It’s very clear what each individual must do under this manager and I think that’s normal, because he comes from Italy — and you know how it is in Italy with the tactical stuff. We know we have a very good squad with big players but that if you don’t play like a team you can’t win.”

So what of his long term future?

"We have spoken once or twice, my agent and the club," he said. "Nothing significant has happened yet.

"I want to stay if everything runs well. Now is a different situation for me."

I'm very keen that a new deal for Petrov is tied up as soon as possible. A bosman transfer to Spurs or even United would literally ruin my summer.

The Eriksson revival, ii

Mancini - protégé of Eriksson - has brought back two of SGE's buys into the City side - Martin Petrov and Javi Garrido.

This is good, but it's also important. Because on Saturday we return to the Riverside, which hosted our shameful 8-1 defeat in May 2008. Garrido and Petrov both started that game, and if they play this weekend then they have a good opportunity to atone for it.

Petrov pleased to play

And surprisingly candid in his criticisms of Mark Hughes:

"Every time I score, I go to the bench!

"Now is not the time to speak about my situation. In the past six months too many things have happened with me. Maybe in the future I will speak 100 per cent. But what he was doing with me I think was unfair...

He said: "I have been away from Bulgaria for ten years, and it's the first time for a long time I've not been playing. But I'm a professional and I grow stronger. If you're not playing, you grow stronger for the next time that you do."

He's out of contract in the summer. If the events of Saturday make him more likely to stay, it's certainly a good thing.

Bentley story back

Like a monster in a horror film, the 'David Bentley-Martin Petrov swap deal' story has come back to life to ruin your Christmas. It's in the Mirror today. This was last suggested in the summer, and it's an understatement to say that I was unenthusiastic.

Both wingers have spent the season so far on the fringes of their respective sides, and while Martin Petrov has fought for his place and chipped in with three goals and three assists, David Bentley has picked up a drink-driving conviction and little else. He started at the Emirates and ought to have been sent off within the first eight minutes.

I'm not sure for how much longer we'll have Martin Petrov, and I would be sad to see him leave. But I would be distraught to see him go to Spurs in exchange for David Bentley.

Petrov out

Just like last autumn, he's picked up a knee injury while on duty with the Bulgarian national side. Last year it kept him out for almost the entire season. This time it looks less bad - he's only meant to be out for a fortnight. But his recovery time has not been great in the past, so we just can't know how long before he plays again.

Good news for Robinho, though.

Kolo, Petrov doubts for Scunthorpe

Mark Hughes has reported that both picked up knocks in yesterday's hilarious annual collapse against Fulham:

"Martin took a bang on a knee which has been sore for a while now, but hopefully it won't be too serious.

"Kolo landed on his heel near the end of the game - it's something he has been playing with for quite some time.

"It has been painful and he got a bang right on the spot again. Hopefully, both injuries will calm down over the next two days."

This is real shame for Petrov, who would have made his third consecutive start for ages. And with goals in consecutive games he was looking very good for the TLDORC Player of October. If he doesn't play on Wednesday it's still up for grabs.

Petrov's discontent

As ever, international breaks see players return home and speak freely to the media in their domestic countries. So it is little surprise to hear Martin Petrov complaining about his lack of playing time now that he is back with the Bulgarian national side:

"I wanted to save my energy to win some jitball matches during Bulgaria training sessions," Petrov said sarcastically to explain why he did not play against Villa...

"When they give me a chance I give my best," he added. "I think I've shown that I deserve a place in the starting line-up but it's up to him (Hughes).

"It's not a pleasant (situation). I'm a professional and I'm observing my obligations but it doesn't rest well with me."

Petrov has been the major loser in Craig Bellamy's resurgence of form this season. He was keen on a move to Tottenham on deadline day but Hughes knew that this would be damaging in our push for the top four places. But it can't be easy for him: he was excellent against West Ham but could not get a start against Aston Villa. And with Robinho coming back from injury he is only going to play less. I don't see how this ends other than in his leaving MCFC at some point in 2010.

Hughes praises Petrov

After putting in a very impressive performance on his first start of the season:

"The great thing about Monday night was that Martin came in and made a real impression on the game," said Hughes.

"That shows what a tremendous professional he is, because he has had to be patient and bide his time, and when he got his opportunity he made a positive impact.

"That's because he trains correctly, and works hard every day. He knows that he has to, because when you get the opportunity you have to be in the right physical state to make an impact."

Petrov certainly played well on Monday night, and proved why Hughes was right to forbid his going to Spurs. We are very lucky to have Petrov - arguably the best old-fashioned outside left in the Premier League (certainly ahead of Albert Riera) as our third choice left sided player. If he can stay fit and focussed it can only further marginalise Robinho.

Petrov out, Bentley in?

The big story today is that we are in talks with Spurs over a Martin Petrov plus cash deal for David Bentley.

Like most City fans, I am not up for this at all. Not only is the prospect of David Bentley in blue quite unappealing - he was unambiguously a bad apple before his recent drink-driving conviction, but it seems like astonishingly bad business for the club. The deal rumoured (it may turn out differently) was to take Bentley for Martin Petrov and £10million!

The problem here is not our end of the deal; we don't need the money and, having played Craig Bellamy on the left last Sunday, it looks like we don't need Petrov. Rather, the problem is what we're giving our closest rivals. Martin Petrov, as an old fashioned outside left, is a rare commodity in the Premier League. He's also rather good - better, I think, than almost all of his fellow left wingers in the EPL: Albert Riera, Stewart Downing, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Matthew Etherington and so forth. Giving him to Tottenham, given how good a job he could do there, doesn't seem smart. Also giving Tottenham £10m to spend on David James, Niko Kranjčar, Sandro or whoever else they're going for makes even less sense. And all of this for one of their reserves?

Petrov to Spurs?

In The Times today:

Tottenham have had a longstanding interest in the Bulgaria winger, but have pulled out of previous moves because of concerns about his knee injury and age.

Petrov has been an unused substitute for City’s three league matches this season and his chances of starting have been adversely affected by the high-profile arrivals. At 30, his signing would highlight Tottenham’s change in transfer strategy under Redknapp, who is less concerned about buying players with a sell-on value than Daniel Levy, his chairman.

This one seems quite likely. Redknapp has been interested in Petrov for a while, and even before Luka Modrić's injury they looked like they could do with a conventional outside-left option - hence their interest in Ashley Young. But with Modrić injued this must be a key priority for Redknapp.

And, as Henry Winter twittered earlier, Petrov is 'too good to languish in City reserves.' The fact that Mark Hughes wanted a quicker and more direct alternative to Robinho on the left yesterday - and that that player was not Petrov but Craig Bellamy - suggests that his future may not be at City. I wouldn't be too thrilled at seeing him at Spurs though: they look like they're going to be our closest rivals this season. Can't we sell him abroad?