mancityblues.com

Well the transfer window has come and gone and I, for one, can't help feeling completely underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, the signings we've made have been more or less what we needed. A tightening up at the back with Given and Bridge, an extra presence in midfield with De Jong and more fire power up front with...er...well, three out of four isn't bad I suppose.

I'm sure many City fans had looked on this transfer window with high expectations, a chance for the club to spend an oilwell of cash and to propel the name of Manchester City across Europe and the world as the next "big thing". Maybe we were naive in thinking that was ever going to happen but the noises coming out of City over the last few months had done little to quell such enthusiasm.

The Kaka saga only added fuel to the fire. Could it be possible that the world's best player was joining us? Sadly, no, although £100m must have been burning a hole in someone's pocket? Surely it was only a matter of time before we'd be making bids for David Villa or Sergio, Gianluigi Buffon or Karim Benzema, a marquee signing to rubber stamp our intentions? But it wasn't to be. Even a much anticipated, last minute deal for Roque Santa Cruz never materialised and we'll just have to make do with the more down to earth Sparquee signings to steer us away from the bottom half of the Premier League table.

But never fear folks. The speculation will continue apace over City's transfer policies for a good while yet and we only have to wait another four months for the window to open again.

PILGRIM

"January, February, I don't understand"

What do you think of the whole issue of the January window? Should clubs be able to conduct their business all year round, or should the January circus be scrapped, transfer business being confined to the summer months?
The excitement that Sky Sports News vainly tried to keep going on deadline day was a damp squib that nobody could set light to. The poor news crews camped outside grounds were the most entertaining part of the whole show. The coffee and biscuits sent out to them by laughing club chairmen was a highlight as they were becoming more desperate and cold as the hours passed. LOL as they say.
Happy Harry got Robbie back, and, like the Pinkertons, Harry always gets his man so no surprise there. Arshavin finally signed at the Emirates but not until the day after the deadline, (on receipt of a special dispensation from the Pope, probably) and Sam Allardyce was left waiting in vain for a £25m bid for Roque, immediately putting out a statement that it was "never about the money" Yeah, right, Sam!
It's obvious to me that the FA must look closely at the whole thing before it starts up again, it's entertaining but does nothing for the image of the game.

CLEVBLUE