Hughes can't wait for Robinho return

November 07, 2009

MARK Hughes has admitted that City have missed the "quality" of Robinho.

The Blues are hoping to have the Brazil ace back for the November 28 home clash against Hull, which would mean he has missed over three months of the season.

Robinho suffered a stress fracture of the ankle after limping out of Brazil's victory over Argentina in early September and has not played since.

He has an impingement on the area, a condition known as "footballer's ankle", delaying his return to action.

Hughes has already asked the national team to excuse the British record-signing from duty for the prestigious November 14 friendly with England in Qatar on November 14.

And he has tired of insisting that Robinho, despite intense speculation, will not be joining Barcelona in the January transfer window.

The chatter about that possible move flared up again last week, when Hughes was pictured watching Barca's La Liga clash at Osasuna at the weekend.

But M.E.N. Sport understands that Hughes was on a general scouting mission to look at several possible targets, either for January or next summer - including Kolo Toure's brother Yaya, and Osasuna full backs Nacho Monreal and Cesar Azpilicueta.

There has been no contact between the clubs, and City would be unlikely to even consider any bids for Robinho until next summer - this season is seen as vital to their bid to break into the Premier League top four.

Hughes emphasised his continuing belief that Robinho is a key asset.

"You miss the quality and the options that Robi gives you," said Hughes, who this week welcomed the player back into outside training in short spells.

"We're pleased that he's doing field-based work. It's important to get him back into the group and get him available for games.

"He's not quite at that stage yet, but he's nearing that point. The more options I have, the better."

Hughes is hoping to take Robinho with an inexperienced squad for a week of warm-weather training in Abu Dhabi, but he will not take part in next Thursday's friendly against the United Arab Emirates national team.

The player has been called into Brazil's squad for the England match on November 14, but City have asked that he be released.

And Hughes has offered to fly the player to the Brazil camp in Doha next week to prove that he is unfit to play.

"The hope is that he can come out to us to Abu Dhabi because he needs training," said Hughes.

"That way, we could fly him over to Qatar, or wherever Brazil are based. We could fly him over there to get him checked out. Then they will understand that he's nowhere near playing an international yet, even a friendly one.

"They have to protect their players as well, but it's a World Cup year and you'd like to think they will not compromise their player."

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Bobby Johnstone's left kneecap, Hong Kong (07/11/2009 at 11:22)

Yes, a very talented footballer, but I remain to be convinced by him. I cannot remember an away game least season where he made any impression. Still he did get sixteen goals and another return like that would be very welcome this time round. However, compare him, as a signing , to Torres and it is no contest.

The Original Blue John, London (07/11/2009 at 11:27)

Got to say, whatever his deficiencies in terms of going missing now and then, we haven't half missed his ability in recent games. It takes two players to mark Robi and when he's got the ball, opponents are frightened. Hughes needs to find his best XI and his best formation fairly soon, cos even though we've only lost once, we've been far from impressive. Stoke, Sunderland, Spurs, Chelsea and the Scousers will give us a stern examination in the near future. Team for me (subject to tweaking depending on who we're playing) would be - Given, Zab, Kompers, Toure, Lescott, Barry, Ireland, Bellamy, Robi, Tevez and Adebayor, with Petrov, Johnson, SWP, Nedum, Bridge and Santa Crock on the bench

Portsmouth Blue (07/11/2009 at 11:56)

i cant wait for him to come back either,he owes us and has to be a major plaer in our push towards the top as he is going to be of soon which i am gutted about he has to show us some short term loyalty.

Bert Trautmann's FG42 , The Eastern Front of Manchester (07/11/2009 at 12:43)

This is your last season with us, Rob, so come on, let's part ways in some style and with Champions League football next season. If the £160,000 p/w reports are true, then you've already got about £10m out of us in wages and bonuses already, so if you've any self-respect (I'm not asking you to respect us), only a 100% Robinho will do from now until May 9th. And that means class and goals.

Bristol Blue, Bristol (07/11/2009 at 12:43)

Of course we've missed him. he gives the opposition a lot ot think about. If he had a better player than Bridge behind him (e.g., a player who could kick the ball with both feet - not to mention anticipate play) we'd score even more goals. Be interesting to see Robbie lay with Sylvinho behind him. As a bonus for Robbie he'd see what it's like to play in a team with someone from Barca in it!

I'm an 'impeccable' one ! 10 Feb '08, Florida (07/11/2009 at 13:12)

I'm confused !

So many keep saying about Bridge ....."e.g., a player who could kick the ball with both feet".

Yet, how many right footed players do we have that can make a pass with their left foot ?

PJS, Oz (07/11/2009 at 13:24)

Bobby Johnstone's left kneecap, Hong Kong
7/11/2009 at 11:22

Did the other 10 on the pitch with Robi in all those crap away games cover themselves in glory? Perhaps only Given on more than one occasion and maybe 3 or 4 for the Everton and Liverpool games but all this myth about Robi going missing in Away games is just that.

The manager has to have a gameplan to utilize him because teams will play us differently when they are the home side. And giving Robi the ball in the middle third of the pitch (as has happened umteen times on many of those games) with two defenders marking him and the rest of the side stationary and waiting for something to happen with looks of "c'mon Robi, do something" is just not good enough.

You know what would have happened if we had Torres or Messi instead of Robi in those games vs WBA, Stoke, Wigan, Bolton etc? Nothing different I suspect.

Does Guardiola drop Messi for Barca's away games because he doesnt put in a "shift" defensively? No, because they have the skill, passing ability and movement to complement him, we lack all of those to varying degrees, coming as a direct result of our tactics/gameplan playing away from home. That is what the manager has to sort out, the game against Birmingham was the 24th EPL game we have played away from home under Hughes. That game was one of 18 (75%) of games we have been varying grades of dire.

IN fact if you asked if we were better (or should i say worse) in the games vs Wigan or Birmingham this season or against WBA or Stoke last season I'm not sure if I could distinguish them. Nugent puts away that sitter in the Pompey game and ou away record looks almost the same as this time last season.

I expect to smash Burnley at home today, its not our home form that will determine whether we crack the top 4 or not. Unless we start winning those pesky away games the pattern of win at home followed by tripe away will see us lose pace very quickly.

Manure won 12 away games last season, Liverpool won 13 away games, Chelsea won 14 away games. We have 13 away games left and have won 2 out of 6. On current away form, unless something drastic changes, it would be a massive turnaround to see us win 10 of those 13. The top 3 this season may not win as many away from home with more competition up at the top, but we'd have to win at least 10 (i.e. 8 of 13) and same home form to see us anywhere near the top 4 end of the season.

An expected 3pts vs Burnley today means nothing, the sign of "progress" comes at Anfield after the international break.

Ex-Red turned Blue 1969, Warrington (07/11/2009 at 13:37)

Saw Sylvinho make his debut against Scunthorpe, he looked like a startled rabbit at times, not someone at the end of his fine career. Bridge and Barry looked good at the start of the season, so it must be the change to 4-4-2!

Mike carter (07/11/2009 at 13:45)

Just read an article his father claiming he has two very important games for Brazil coming up. Its an utter joke if he goes of for these games and comes back injured again, not only are we paying his wages but also his re-habilation just for him to play for Brazil. If this happens which knowing city it will i'm afriad it should be bon voy age............

Tommyducks Blue (07/11/2009 at 14:33)

PjS,OZ 7/11/09 at 13.24:
"all this myth about Robi going missing in Away games is just that."

Totally agree. It was all too easy for the media to jump on that idea - they did what they're very good at, which was ignored anything exciting or industrious he did and went on about his poor form as if it was indisputably accepted by the whole universe. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't think he was responsible for those poor performances any more than the rest of the team.

Please, Brazil - don't play him!

OFF TOPIC: in case the heated debates between some parties on this site continues, I just want to ask that no-one confuses me for "Ducky Blue" who is presumably Duckingfield Blue.

black and blue, manchester, where else? (07/11/2009 at 15:39)

how long before the sheikh accepts his mistake in allowing hughes to stay as manager for this season?

jdgreenbean, Levenshulme Boy Living in Cornwall (07/11/2009 at 16:56)

TAXI FOR HUGHES!!!!!

CTID

jdgreenbean, Levenshulme Boy Living in Cornwall (07/11/2009 at 16:57)

TAXI FOR HUGHES XXXXX

neil youngs left boot, geraldton, western australia (07/11/2009 at 17:05)

sack hughes!

lee murphy (07/11/2009 at 17:22)

why would anyone want to play for mark hughes the guy knows nothing what has he won as a manager nothing get rid NOW

Malc, oldham (07/11/2009 at 17:35)

I Dont know about the manager saying he cant wait for the return of Robinho,after our performance against Burnley I wish it was Richard Dunne who was returning.

Blue Balls, Napier, NZ (07/11/2009 at 17:41)

3 all!!! gonna have to watch a replay of that game awesome!!!

Auntie Mary's Canary, My Blue Heaven (07/11/2009 at 18:01)

Robinho's return? There's only one thing that I can't wait more for.... Mark Hughes' departure. Today against Burnley has proved what we have suspected for a long time.... that Mark Hughes is tactically inept and completely out of his depth in terms of the size and expectations that now come with the Manchester City job.

Let's face it people.... nothing will change under Hughes. Get Hiddinck in now and let's move forward. MH simply isn't up to the task. Everyone on the the Football Special from CoMS knew it too. Enough said.

Bristol Blue, Bristol (07/11/2009 at 18:16)

'I'm an Impeccable one' name one of our right footed outfield players who is as poor on his left foot as Bridge - besides Richards perhaps; mind you he finds it difficult to pass accurately with his right foot too!

fowler, wythenshawe (07/11/2009 at 19:39)

why does everyone go on about robbie in away games????????? this is now hughes's own team an if he cant let our one world class player only worry about scoring and creating then mr hughes should pack up and leave as i bet 90% of managers would love to have this as a problem, with barca looking at robinho it tells me euro champs spanish champs think they could prob carry his world class talent grego the peel hall blue

Stuart Booth (07/11/2009 at 19:52)

Robinho was "poor" away from home because of the tactics that Hughes employes away. Robinho knows there is no hope going forward with Hughes and wants to get off this ship asap.

Peter Doherty. As good as it gets. (Was it really 37 years?) , Levenshulme (07/11/2009 at 22:15)

Can he play in defence?

Howlin Wolf, Withington (07/11/2009 at 22:41)

Can everyone see now Robinho was not the problem?

Andrew Shaw (08/11/2009 at 00:30)

"City have missed the quality of Robhino." Not really. Not in the sense that we can use that as an excuse. For starters, most of our games until today have away from home, so if anything, the lack of Robhino for those games would have been a positive asset to the side as he was absolutely clueless away from home last season. Considering he is supposed to be one of the top five players in the world you would not have thought so if you had watched him away at, say, Bolton. And as good as he would be at home and may well ahev proved a match winner today, we cannot hide behind his absence as the reason for our slump. Quite frankly, if we can't stuff Burnley with the side we put out today we have got problems. I thought we would put four or five past them with little or no reply and if I look at the disparity between the two sides that is exactly what should have happened. However, our defence on the left was a shambles, our midfield was a digrace, Tevez and Adebayor looked totally disinterested for the most part and Ireland took half the game before he realised he was actually playing in a game. Hughes putting on Petrov was fine. But leaving Barry on who was having his second nightmare in a week instead of bringing on de Jong was ridiculous. In fact, not playing de Jong from the start was ridiculous after his performances recently. And I don't know whether it was a Hughes tactic or an agreement between the players but to put Petrov on and then almost immediately swap him and SWP was equally ridiculous as SWP can't play left wing and Petrov can't do the right wing, as they both proved! We should not forget that two of Burnley's players were players who we sold because they were not good enough for our team. And they aren't which makes it all the worse because not one of that Burnley side would even get in our squad. It wasn't what Burnley did to gain a draw. It was very much what we didn't do, the lack of wherewithal, the total lack of any kind of urgency until we were 2-0 down, the lackadaisical approach when we went 3-2 up, the inability to defend, to mark, to tackle, to pass, to move, to shoot. All in all, a most unsatisfactory afternoon that had promised so much and delivered so little. I can see very few positives to take out of this game and the one thing we were told the new regime would change was the old typical City tag. Well that performance was TYPICAL CITY.

ROGERMELLIE, DENTON (08/11/2009 at 09:54)

I think that everyone has short memories.

Robson was a great player for us before Christmas and regardless of what anyone tells you, something happened with him and Mark Hughes around Christams time. He got a fly on his ear from the boss and Bellamy, even if this was denied by all.

When we play away from home, the teams mentality changes and Robhino is marked so well by the opposition that he is crowded out. He loses his confidence and the team lose an attacking force. This year, we have a lot more different options and Robhino would be a fantastic playmaker behind a 2 man strike force(We haven't had any playmaker up to now). Opposition defenses will find it a lot more difficult to mark Robhino now.

When he is fit he will play in home and away games, he will get a lot more of the ball.

Our problem at the moment is defence - they need to click and click a lot quicker. Barry and Dejong are struggling to compliment the team due to our defensive lapses and they have to cover. As we saqw it yesterday, without Dejong, we will get caught out. I genuinly feel as though once we have the defence sorted, we will only need to play 1 defensive midfielder. Right now, as long as the team is fit I would choose the following players-
Given - Zab (RB)- Toure (CB)- Ned or Kompany (CB) - Lescott (LB)
Midfield - Dejong or Kompany(DM) - Barry (LM) SWP (RM)
Attack - Robson (Behind Front 2) - Adebayor (CF) - Bellamy (CF)

Robhino could switch from side to side, complimenting Barry and SWP.
Lescott/Barry can get forward and support Robhino with either getting into a defensive position ensuring that we are not exposed.

On the bench
Petrov - He can come on to replace Robhino if needed.
Ireland - He can come on and replace Robhino or Dejong (as long as Barry play a more central role)
Santa Cruz - Can replace Ade or Bellamy
Kompany - Cover for Dejong, or any of the back 4 (or he could start in defence) - He is quite versatile.
Tevez - He could start or cover for Robhino, Bellamy or Ade.
Weis - Cover for SWP
Johnson - Cover for Barry or any other central midfield role and could replace any of the strike force to protect a lead.

This is the team we should be playing.

This is my team, and this team is Manchester City.

CTID

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