"The human relationships are lost and the trust is lost too. In this situation the players are going to play like millionaires in games and are not a team on the pitch. The team are looking for identity.”

Similarly, quoted in The Irish Examiner, former striker Benjani, now at Blackburn Rovers said:

“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.”

Now it's easy to get annoyed and dismiss these comments as sour grapes from two players for whom things didn’t quite work out in the revolution at City in the last two years. And it is perfectly natural to want to snap back and say Petrov was injury prone and didn’t tackle and Benjani, well, shall we just say he just wasn’t very good?
But I think those factors are irrelevant here.
Whilst there is undoubtedly a large slice of bitterness there from each player, I think the fact that both of them are saying the same thing is worthy of consideration and maybe, looking at it another way, we can read between the lines and see that it could offer us a little insight into what has gone on behind the scenes at Manchester City in the last two years.

I mentioned the word ‘revolution’ above, but in fact, in many ways, what we have seen in that relatively short space of time are two revolutions. Mark Hughes came in and soon started to do things his own way. As part of that process he felt the need to make some unpopular decisions and move a few players on who he thought were resistant to his way of doing things. Elano, a crowd favourite at City was one case in point. As part of that process he brought in a fair few players of his own to replace the ones who were shown the door.
Similarly after Hughes’s dismissal, Roberto Mancini came in and started the whole process again in this transfer window, with Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland being two of the notable crowd favourites who seemingly weren’t towing the Mancini line.
Of course both managers were entitled to do this and saw it as essential to bringing success to the club their own individual way.

However, taking all this into account, the comments of Petrov and Benjani, which point to the lack of trust between the players, although probably said with a pinch of jealousy, actually start to make a lot of sense, in that it makes you realise that such a vast turnover of players, twice over, in such a short space of time, must make it very, very difficult for any manager to build some kind of team spirit, cohesion and trust between the players.

It puts it all into perspective. It isn’t anybody’s fault it’s just the nature of things when you are trying to fast track a sleeping giant of football to major success again in a short space of time.
And furthermore, it highlights that what City need just as much as money right now is some stability and patience so the players can develop relationships and trust with one another.

I'm sure we will get there eventually.

(But that probably means people like me might have to get off the current manager’s back and let him get on with the job!)

I'd start with the same team as played Liverpool, and see how it goes, adding more attacking players if required. Balotelli may still be out, as not only is he injured, but he was just involved in a car crash (he's okay). I'm not sure if Ade is in the right frame of mind to feature, so I'd leave him on the bus/bench.

Sunderland are having a few issues at the moment, and there are rumours that Bruce is in line for the Villa job. Still, as Wigan showed today, nothing should be taken for granted, and I expect as tough a game as we had last season.
~BLOOVIC~

Should we play Adebayor at Sunderland and take out a DM? I think this game will be a big indicator. Sunderland are poor and we should be winning these games if we really have big ambitions. Only a win is acceptable.
~SPIKE~

-----------------Hart-----------------
Micah------Kolo------Kompany---Lescott
A. Johnson---DeJong---Milner-----Barry
---------Tevez-------Adebayor---------

Hell yes, 0-4 with that team!
~WILHELM~

In the first game of the season against Spurs, and with the exception of Kolarov (who at least managed to catch Lennon once or twice), we were no better than we were in the last match of last season. We gave Bale far too much room (down to the defensive midfield, that one!). The difference between the two games in fact was Joe Hart. He was given a chance and, quite literally, grabbed it with both hands.

I think the Liverpool game was a step in the right direction. Our defensive midfield redeemed themselves against Liverpool. We are more balanced with Milner on the left and an effective Adam Johnson on the right in place of SWP who was poor at Spurs, it must be said.
Our possession in the first two thirds of the pitch was a highlight of the performance in my opinion. I dont believe Mancini has got it right yet in the final third.

Initially I thought it was the system Mancini employed that was the problem. It is very similar to the one Roma used under Spalletti; very attacking and producing game after game a lot more than than the three efforts on goal that we produced on Monday. The Roma formation was 4231 - the "three" behind the striker in Italy are known as "trequasta" and play behind the sole striker. To make the system work in an attacking sense you need to commit the trequastas to get beyond the lone striker. Perhaps we'll see that improve as the season progresses.

One more thing, if that was our second string against Timisoara, I'd say we have a lot to look forward to this season. I hope Shay hangs in there - we'll need him when the domestic cups kick in. Plus, we'll need everyone we've got to carry the silverware!
~Mankyblue~

Not too much to write about on this one, apart from the usual "we must avoid the banana skin" comment. If FC Timi score first it could be squeaky bum time, but this is the new City, isn't it? Anyway, Balotelli is still out, but could feature against Sunderland according to Mancini, and expect a few players to be rested for the weekend fixture after a high intensity Liverpool game. Will Shay feature in goal, I wonder? We could see a line-up something like this -

-------------------Hart (Given) ----------------
Zaba--------Kolo----------Boyata--------Lescott
---------Vieira-------------------De Jong-------
-----------------Barry--------------------------
SWP---------------------------------------Silva
----------------Adebayor-----------------------

Bench; Micah Kompany Cunningham Ibrahim Tevez Jo

If all is going to plan, I'd give Barry, Kolo and Lescott only 45-55 minutes or so in anticipation of the weekend, with Ibrahim, Kompany and Cunningham taking their places. I'm a bit concerned about FC Timi's penchant for snide thuggery, but hopefully we'll have a decent referee for this one, hence Tevez stays on the bench and Yaya and AJ have a rest. Milner is not available due to registration issues.
BLOOVIC

We've watched the wonderfully named Jaoao Alves de Assis Silva since his arrival here and most fans will agree - he's pants. He was loaned out to two clubs in the same season. Moyes at Everton sent him back; too hot to handle. Stories of his late-night parties surfaced during his loan spell at Galataseray and they got absolutely nowhere with him.

"Everton manager David Moyes has confirmed the club have suspended striker Jo for a breach of club discipline.

The 22-year-old, who is on loan from Manchester City, is suffering with a knee injury and has flew to his homeland Brazil over Christmas without permission from his manager.

Moyes told BBC Sport: "We like Jo but there has to be discipline at football clubs."

Now Roberto Mancini has given him a fresh start after he impressed in pre-season, linking up well with Adebayor and showing slightly more promise than Roque Santa Cruz, who is to be moved on, by all accounts.

"I believe Jo is a good striker, I remember him when he played for CSKA Moscow and I was in charge of Inter Milan. He is a good player."
Roberto Mancini

One thing about Mancini that impresses me is that he has made no rash decisions about any player since he came here, each has been given a clean slate and an opportunity to prove his worth. This says a lot about our club in my opinion.

He cost us £19 bloody million. If Bobby can talk Jo into being a good striker then don't knock it. Even better if he can talk Roque Santa Cruz out of being a waste of space!
Wigan Blue

With the new lethality the squad presents - if he plays regularly, as a sub and starting against minor teams - if he doesn't score 10 this season then he's definitely pants. He did well at Moscow - we could have a few gems shining in the Euro and cup matches that aren't our league squad regulars!
Wilhelm Hand

~CLEVBLUE~