City to Unveil Tevez, 2-3-5 Formation

By: Thad | July 13th, 2009

Lucky readers should know they’ve just barely avoided reading the cliche “worst kept secret in football” in this post about Carlos Tevez’s official arrival as a Manchester City player. (It was the first thing that came to mind, but I thought better of it.) Instead, with news that City also may be close to signing Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal, I think the time is ripe to share what inside sources tell me Mark Hughes’s tactics will be this season.

City plan to roll back the football clock some eighty or so years by bringing back the once-vaunted 2-3-5 formation. Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha will be the defenders. The midfield will feature Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong, and Stephen Ireland.

Finally, across the front City will play Robinho (outside left), Emmanuel Adebayor (inside left), Roque Santa Cruz (centre forward), Carlos Tevez (inside right), and Shaun Wright-Phillips (outside right). Craig Bellamy and Valeri Bojinov will also be heavily involved off the bench.

This tactical plan certainly makes a dramatic change of direction for Mark Hughes, but he apparently has been persuaded by club CEO Garry Cook’s belief that City’s worldwide brand will be bolstered by being known as the Official Club of the Nine Goal Thriller (no matter which end the goals happen to go into). City also announced that keeper Shay Given’s contract has been re-written to give him generous “Not-That-Dirty Sheet” bonuses, which he will earn when allowing three goals or less in a given contest.

To be sure, these tactical plans could yet change, as soon as the likes of Caicedo, Benjani, and perhaps one or two others finish packing their bags. One thing is for sure, however: City this summer have already completed a rare quadruple this summer, managing to either nick or annoy all of the Big Four clubs: grabbing Barry ahead of Liverpool, Tevez directly from United, seriously unsettling John Terry and consequently Chelsea, and now apparently bringing in the unique talents of Adebayor from Arsenal.

Mind you, however, Arsenal fans seem not at all displeased at this deal; time will tell whether Adebayor (if he signs) shows himself to be a half-hearted mercenary, as Gunner fans now claim. If he does, however, he won’t find room on the pitch at City–that is, unless Hughes and Cook persist in their plans to go 2-3-5.

Category: Team News

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dan

is this seriously the formation? i couldn't be bothered to read it all so im not sure if this is a joke.. whats the point in putting all them players upfront when you could easily slot 2 into the midfield the defence needs SOME sort of help no matter whether its phillips or robinho. talents such as arshavin, torres, van persie, rooney or anelka will be scoreing easy goals all they'll need to do is defend heavily with the midfield and defence, lob the ball up there and they've scored. Arsenal are known for their great attacking football not so much for their defense, even with the likes of clichy gallas toure and sagna from last season and the season before we struggled defensivly and city expect to win the league with 2 defenders? football is much different than it was 80 years ago.. just because they have all this talent doesnt mean they'll win things just by chucking them all on the pitch it doesnt work like that every player in that offensive postion are all goal scorers ( apart from phillips but i can see him wanting goals from that position) i really doubt they'll just want to be playing lovely football between the 5 of them its 11 v 11 not 5 v 11. If this formation turns up next season i will laugh. and if it gets anywhere i will cook my left nut and eat it.
MANNY

Adebayor given hero welcome in manchester..Wenger blames fans!!!

http://footballfraternity.word...
Evan

reading this made me so happy. I can't wait to watch man city games. CITY TILL I DIE!!!
Aaron

i think man city need a good coach like felipe scolari.
they should also sell craig bellamy, shaun wright phillips, david dunne. they should also get a good centre half probably lucio
steven.

now all you need is Cruyff behind the bench and a carton of unfiltered Malboro's.....
Finnegan

Terry to Manchester City! Look, here's a link to my blog where I say Terry is going to City!

John Terry bleeds Chelsea's blue. He missed a penalty that would have won us the Champions League which eludes us continuously. He isn't going anywhere. Period. Especially not to City, the inferior of the Manchester teams who can't offer Champions League football.
Ben

Terry signs for Man city!!!!

http://footballfraternity.word...
CSD

I'm drunk enough to say, I think it'll work.
Rory

Seriously, this is a fantastically wrtitten satirical piece of fottball blogging, and then the fanboy-ish comments spring forth in waves of ignorance and poor grammar.
ArsenalBoy

Is this article a serious thing or is it a joke ? Playing 2 in the back would be the dumbest thing ever. They can buy as many strikers as they want but if they can't keep the ball out of the net you wont win a single trophy !
Man City Shirts

Also in talks with Adebayor! It is getting ridiculous now, you still need to sign a good defender!
SP

if you guys don't start tevez, he will throw a bona fide tantrum so watch out
football betting

every1 saiz robinho is a striker he is not and if your a man city fan you'l all know he played left midfield last season and for real madrid he played there so thats 1 down
benjani will probably go caicedo will hopefully stay
a good team needs at least 4 strikers in a team + bellamy is injury prone santa cruz is injury prone so it would make sense
having 5 strikers available
football betting

i dont get this one bit dont any1 read the news? sky sports
news? well mark hughes has allready said he wants tobring players in first before he gets rid of any1 which makes complete sense if you dont get your signings you have players
allready here make sense?
he has allready got ri of vassel,hamman,sturridge left,
ball, he will sell he will be getting rid of evans
shefield united want him and made an 1.5m bid it got rejected because hughesy wants 2mil so they are lookn to make another
offer
martin

Seriously though, you do have too many stikers.
kabir

wright phillips should be moved back to midfield, a 2-4-4 is more balanced and less cluttered up front
ar126

Fantastically written.