CITY manager Mark Hughes is short of options in attack for the Barclays Premier League match against West Ham on Sunday.
Valeri Bojinov has joined Benjani and Darius Vassell in the treatment room after suffering an Achilles injury in the warm-up before the 4-2 defeat by Aston Villa.
Former CSKA Moscow striker Jo could be back for the UEFA Cup match against FC Midtjylland next Thursday after being on Olympic duty with Brazil. Captain Richard Dunne is again ruled out through suspension. New signing Vincent Kompany will join up with the squad if he gets clearance.
"This week is all about having the right reaction to what happened last weekend," said Hughes.
"I saw things that I was pleased with. Some of our passing was crisp and incisive but we needed more of an end product and to have put the opposition under more pressure for longer periods and that is what we will be looking to do.
"It is key to get points on the board as quickly as possible because when that happens the focus on other issues fades away and people focus on the football.
"West Ham got off to a good start last weekend and we are expecting an open enough game. From my point of view, I am looking for us to be nice and solid defensively with that platform and understanding that allows us to go on the front-foot and dictate to the opposition."
West Ham hope to have striker Dean Ashton (calf) and midfielder Scott Parker (thigh) fit for the game.
Defender Anton Ferdinand - a reported target for Sunderland - remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, as does Wales forward Craig Bellamy.
Kieron Dyer (broken leg), Jonathan Spector (hip), George McCartney (virus), Danny Gabbidon (stomach), James Tompkins (leg) and James Collins (knee) are still out.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Corluka, Onuoha, Richards, Ben Haim, Ball, Garrido, Fernandes, Hamann, Ireland, Johnson, Etuhu, Elano, Bianchi, Evans, Sturridge, Castillo, Schmeichel, Caicedo.
West Ham United (from): Green, Behrami, Davenport, Upson, Neill, Faubert, Parker, Noble, Etherington, Ashton, Cole, Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence, Boa Morte, Mullins, Sears.
Key opponent: Dean Ashton - if he is fit he will be the danger man
Prediction: City 2 West Ham 1 - The Blues can bounce back from their opening day defeat
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 8/1 on City winning 2-1 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
here.
Preview: City v West Ham
August 22, 2008
Comments
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Kompany is officially a City player :O)
Well as I am the first to comment may I say that a defeat is imminent. O please let me be wrong??
Jo's just scored for Brazil & shown some neat touches! Only half time so knowing our luck he's bound to go over an ankle & out for the season.
A WIN PLEASE WOULD BE NICE
We have confirmed Kompany is a BLUE and are looking to cross the i's and dot the t's in order to allow him to play in this match. City to win 2-0.
Were on our way, were on our way to happiness today aha aha aha.
Watching City's team develop into greatness and beyond by bluesy and his team is going to be a joy.
A win would be very nice, not least of all to send some of the doom and gloomers scurrying back to the MUFC site.
Look forward to seeing how Kompany is utilised. Early days for him of course, but he should be a big (and hopefully positive) influence on the team once he's settled.
BTW, great work by Bluesy talking up Petrov. Steel up his confidence and make him even more potent. Don't know about you, but I think we might see him play a blinder on Sunday.
Hope it's a good game Sunday.
If the West Ham team that played the first half against Wigan last week turn up, then put us down for a win.
If the team that came out in the second half turn up then reckon City could nick it without any strikers available!
Consistently inconsistent as ever !!
Cmon U Irons!
BTW, great work by Bluesy talking up Petrov. Steel up his confidence and make him even more potent. Don't know about you, but I think we might see him play a blinder on Sunday.
Phil Neal's Laxative
22/08/2008 at 13:21
Good point PNL, the signing of Kompany will boost the moral of the squad also. We are being linked with some great players at the momement and Jo has just scored a brace of goals at the Olympics. West Ham should be shaking in their boots LOL.
I can't see us getting many goals, not got the power up front. We might do a bit of damage with our midfield ,Elano and company.
Our defence should be solid in this match.
1-1 and hopefully we will improve over the next few weeks!!!!
CTID
Steady...
OK, we've already had Arsenal and AC Milan eating our dust over the signings we've had this transfer window, but it's still going to take a little time for the new youngsters to gel.
Hopefully Johnson, Ireland, Etuhu and Sturridge will get their heads together, stop messing about on the right hand side, and come up with the performance we've expected from all of them (but been disappointed with so far). Passing to each other's feet would be a good start, instead of five yards behind them. I don't know if it's friendly rivalry making them do it, but it's time to put it behind them - for the team.
I know they're youngsters, but we've reached that point when they could all fade into mediocrity, or their pride could take them forward to become true City heroes. Their choice.
After all my belly aching about not renewing my Season Ticket I've gone and done it on the last bloody minute ! well what else would I do on a Sat/Sun/Mon etc .... We are City and we are blue not red - DON'T LET ME DOWN AGAIN !!!!!
Just watched video or Jo's 2 (yes 2!) goals for Brazil. First a tap-in header. Made it his. Second a run from half way. Outpaced defender and held him off with ease before blasting a low left foot shot on the run.
Cant get him back too soon.
I am going down Southend tomorrow for a week visiting the sister and will be watching the game on Sky in a pub in Essex i will have my City top on and will no doubt be surrounded by a couple of Hammers chavs and yes, you guessed it ManUre plastic rags.
Home win!
AND ABOUT TIME TOO SPONGE BOB, NICE ONE MATE
just watched one of Jo's goals for Brazil today -- quality strike - picked the ball up just over the half way line completely outstripped their defenders,shrugged off the last defender by sheer upper body strength and stuck it away with the style of a great striker ---IAM VERY IMPRESSED....
sky are reporting that city are in talks with the brazilian Tiago Neves anyone seen or rate this player CTID.
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - are you the same guy that got me, you and your mate kicked off the bus in Stockport on the way back from Sheffield United last season?
We need a win just to keep morale up, because we're still a very young team even with the inclusion of Kompany. Heads can drop if wins start to become hard to come by. While Ched and Danny show plenty of promise up front I don't think the Hammers will be quaking in their boots if they are playing. I can see our goals coming from Elano or Petrov because they are the only players who seem capable of making space for themselves near goal.
Unfortunately I can't get to the game Sunday as I'll be at my in-laws in the north east for the BH, but I'm hoping to catch the game on Sky. When booking my ticket for the Chelsea game I noticed all the seats in the west stand (where I usually sit) were not available or had gone when I checked the club web site. This is very odd as I've never had a problem in the past 5 years of picking up a ticket in that stand. It couldn't be anything to do with the club's recent involvement with SeatExchange.Com, could it? I checked the Portsmouth ticket availability as well for 21/9 with the same result - no west stand tickets. I'll await with interest when the next batch of west stand tickets for future games is released....
I actually like the orange kit. I think the home kit has been lacking for several years now. We need a sharp look at home, symmetry is best with sky blue and white. Prediction: City 1 West Ham 0.
I only got back from Manchester on Tues and i'm mad to get back for tomorrow.
Just checked out flights and they want 400 euro which alas i can't afford.
I'll have to make do with the local Rag Arms....Not good.
CTID.
PS can anyone let me know how to get the euro sign up on my keyboard.
CTID.....Again
Its got nil nil written all over it!
Richard - no it wasn't me and even if it was you probably wouldn't BELIEVE it ! (oh never mind !)
BlueMo (Manc in Mayo)
To get the euro sign up on your keyboard keep the ALT button pressed while typing in 0128
On another note did anyone see Jo's second goal against Belgium the other day? Looks like he could be a revelation at COMS.
In GC&MH We Trust. CTID