Manchester City News 24/7Writer: Wswilly3 
Date:Tuesday June 16 2009
Time: 7:54PM
UK time is: 17:29:05
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Would We Be Better Off Without Robinho?
Regular Vital Manchester City contributor,Wswilly3 sent us the following...
There is a rumour that suggests Barcelona might be interested in signing Robinho - presumably to grab a few headlines from their rivals Real Madrid who are in the midst of galacticos fervour again.
There is even a rumour that Robinho has an escape clause in his contract allowing this option to happen. Now we all know that just as football is the opium of the people, that football rumours are generated by hacks having swallowed far too many magic mushrooms in order to help them fill their tabloids.
So is their any truth in these rumours ? Probably not but it did make me think some heretical thoughts like, could losing Robinho be a good thing?
It even reminds me of the time of Georgi Kinkladze, remember a sublime player, who gave so much pleasure but he ended up playing in league matches for us at such places as Oxford United and York City. Gosh the thought nearly made me succumb to one of those magic mushrooms, so favoured by the aforementioned hacks but thankfully memories of the Gillingham match pulled me through the cold sweat.
So my thesis is this.
Carlos Tevez comes in and Robinho goes out and we are a much better team. Why, well firstly the two of them would have difficulty playing together in the same team and secondly we would have far more flexibility of options with Tevez, as we could more easily play our current system with one striker or in 4-4-2 with him as the support striker.
The fact remains that the Premiership is played with more intensity than any other league and ideally requires all eleven players to be active for the whole match. Brazilians in general bring great flair, moments of incredible entertainment but do Robinho, Elano, Ronaldinhio and Kaka do their share of defending for the team as a whole.
Baring this in mind, players like Tevez, Wright Phillips and Rooney do track back and do defend from the front whereas the Brazilians, Berbatov and even Martin Petrov are less keen to do the slog, which in my opinion is an important part of the team ethic, as required by the Premiership. Some teams in the Premiership have this in abundance and even with little flair are able to survive at this rarefied level - for example Stoke City last season.
The prospect gets even more tantalising if City are able to sign 'Roy of the Rovers' at centre forward and have him supported by Tevez. Roy would be nodding them in from the half way line and...ok I did succumb to one of those magic mushrooms, but I'm smiling!
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Your Comments
WHAT A BLOODY STUPID ARTICLE...WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT A WORLD CLASS PLAYER?
BLOODY STUPID
Mike Hunt
while you're right about the tracking back necessity of all 11 players, I'm hoping more that Robi is actually bulking up a bit as reported by the Sun and will take a (little) bit more defensive responsibility and that we add Tevez to the mix rather than lose Robinho.
severedgein
I dont think that MH would be disappointed , all part of his masterplan to recreate Blackburn Rovers at 10 times the cost , but we will be stronger in the second half of the season !!!!!!
WHEN MH HAS GONE !!!!!!!!!!!
seac
some fair comments and understandable in some ways, but am with mike on this one, how the hell would we be better off without robinho? he is world class and would make any team better, hence barcelona reportedly in for him
dopeeze
i thought i misread this article so i came back just to make sure and it really is *********.
Mike Hunt
Bobbins. Robinho is our best player. He got 15 goals from left midfield in his debut season in a new league and apparently that's no good. I can't wait to see what happens when he's firing then. Don't forget he's been playing with the likes of Evans, Fernandes half the season too. Once we get some more strength in depth Robbie will shine like the star he is. To say we would be better of without him is just plain stupid.
MCFC_Goatboy
Opinion, debate, wonderful thing we have.
Tudor
well we don't feckin want him :-) never did :-)
merlin
There is opinion. But this purports to be a "thesis" -- claiming to be based on research. Soz, this isn't opinion, it is in fact twaddle.
Sindbad
*****!
RobsonGreensleeves
Perhaps the author might want to respond?
Tudor
Whoa, touched a nerve there Ws! A bit worried to comment now but I tend to agree that he wouldn't be the greatest loss, especially if we make a profit! Yes he scored a lot of goals, and yes some were good 'uns, but we regularly play with 10 men when he's not in the mood. For me he's a luxury player who'll cause as many problems as he'll score goals. If he stays then great, but there was a reason why he spent so much time on the Madrid bench! It is possible to find this level of talent with a much higher work-rate, just look at Messi... or Tevez!
BitterBlue
He was great at home and poor away. But so was Dunne, Ned, Ireland, Sweep, Kompany, Bridge etc etc. Everyone went missing away from home and he was awesome at home. He can't carry the team all by himself.
MCFC_Goatboy
You'd still be one of the other 16 teams with or without him ;)
gunnerkid107
hey gunnerkid...we will see when we take your devine right to 4th spot mate..you aint gonna win the league for a long time and we have more chance than you...your on a downward hill mate going nowhere fast and we will be above you....mcfc_goater...spot on with your comments
Mike Hunt
Would we be better off without Robinho?
I'll let you know at the end of next season.
fifthcolumnblue
oh and bitter blue....did the doctor prescibe them drugs your on?? WTF
Mike Hunt
Well guys, thank you for the response to my article ... as BitterBlue pointed out I seem to have touched a nerve but the strong consensus from these responses seems to be that Robinho is our strongest asset and yes I have been taking too many magic mushrooms! Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the article, I suppose ultimately it is all a matter of opinion (and mine might well be crap) but surely that is one of the great things about football and about having a great blog site. We can all air our views .... have a swipe at each other but at the end of the days we are Blues, desperately hoping the best for our team. I know that when I was at Newcastle the last time we won the top League, I didn't think I would be waiting another 40 years for a repeat ... but I am still optimistic that my son will get the same feeling I got that day and hopefully as soon as possible! So I hope you can contemplate my next crap thoughts ... whenever and whatever they might be and equally I hope to hear your thoughts, whether they be brilliant or as crap as mine. The worst possible thing would be that we didn't care enough to have any views or just wanted to eat our prawn sandwiches in silence as many of them do at Ragsville. Cheers Wswilly
Wswilly3
Wswilly3
said like a blue, wearing your heart on the sleeve.
MCFC forever
dopeeze
I dont usually look on other teams vitalforums but i just saw this article on the side of my screen and thought the bloke hu rote it must be having a laugh... apparently not. not only need him for his quality on the pitch but his name to attract other big names
Zola_lalalala
He's the most talented player I've ever seen pull on the sky blue shirt, but if it was up to him I think he'd use his air-miles to go to Barca or even Chelsea. My prediction (or prescription) is it'll end in tears. Seriously hope I'm wrong but everything points to him having itchy feet already. I'd never dispute his natural talent but my opinion is his heart isn't blue. Only time will tell!
BitterBlue
I agree with mike hunt. Robinho is truely class, worth a home ticket admission fee alone and has found it hard to settle in his first season in different league, contry and climate and playing poorer players than he is used to (brazil, real madrid) With saying this he is by far citys best attacker and finishing the season as premier leagues 3rd top goal scorer isnt bad....for a left winger! I watch constantly swp run non stop for 90mins, win the ball in midfield, run at the left back, gets tackled, runs whole heartedly after the fullback, tackles the fullback, get deflected for an opposition throw in - then the eastlands ives him a standin ovation?!?!?! This happens time and time again. I wasnt impressed with swp this season. Why dont city sell swp, hes far less effective in goals and assists to robinho and citys good end of season form came when he got injured and elano took his place. I dont understand why some fans dislike robinho?!?!? His away day blues are annoying, but he will improve. Every newspaper article he always talks of his love and commitment to city. Remember how dreadful essien, drogba, kuyt, hleb, vidic, evra and kalou were on their first season. Didnt they all improve rapidly the second season into top players? If robinho performed as badly as berbatov this season, then i would consider letting him go. Secondly ADUG wont sell citys ONLY marquee name, when they are trying to attract other marquee players - eto, robben, tevez etc. If robinho went it would send out all the wrong messages to the world of football. Robinho can play with tevez easily, robinho played left wing at madrid with beckham on the right wing in a 4-4-2. Why couldnt this be the case at city? Goatboy makes a great point "But so was Dunne, Ned, Ireland, Sweep, Kompany, Bridge etc etc. Everyone went missing away from home and he was awesome at home. He can't carry the team all by himself." Id say hughes has under performed more than the players this year. Robinho must stay - with ronaldo gone, he will look to take the spot light next season. He has the skill to do it.
enzo city
I think some of the points here are quite pertinent, but I think Robinho offers us something different to what anyone else can. I think it's fair to say that he does need to bulk up a little but, Torres aside, what player comes in from Spain and plays at the very top of their game in their first season in the Premier league. I think every top team requires a 'magical' player who can pull the near impossible out of the bag. Robinho can be that player for us. He will go missing, but MH needs to have the courage of conviction to sub him in those games.
I watched Kaka being marginalised by Pompey in this season's UEFA Cup, and Messi rendered ineffective by Liverpool a couple seasons ago int he champions league. In spite of this, there isn't a team in the world that wouldn't want these players.
Robinho is an 'icing on the cake' player. This year, unlike last, the cake under the icing is looking more like it can support him the way he needs to be supported, in my view.
MrKev
On the button MrKev.... enough said.
belfastblue
LOL! You would NOT be better without him. He is what kept you lot mid table and not fighting with Shearer in the relegation battle. City will NEVER sell Robinho in at least 3-4 years.. He is the little hope you got of attracing "stars" and he is your best and most vital player! I'm sure he is crying himself to bed every night because he regret he joined you but he knows he won't be allowed to leave no matter what so he can't say *****. He cried his way to City and he does not dare to do so again.. The whole world would laugh at him then.. We at Chelsea already is.. Good luck with your Arab revolution :)
Rune3k
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