what the papers say

Boss eyes improved second half to season

The
boss delivers an honest assessment of what's ahead now the transfer
window is closed, while Lawro casts a baleful eye ey over our recent
business.

Daily Express

"Hughes: City have no excuses"

Mark Hughes admits there can be no excuses if Manchester City fail to finish in the club’s highest ever Premier League position.

Hughes
knows his job will be on the line if his £124 million spending spree
fails to take City to eighth place or above in the table by May.

That
is the position achieved by Stuart Pearce after replacing Kevin Keegan
with nine games left in 2004-05  and expectations are running high
after a full revamp of the squad.

Hughes will field eight of his
own signings in today’s home clash with Middlesbrough, as Shay Given
makes his debut in a team including Robinho, Vincent Kompany, Shaun

Wright-Phillips, Pablo Zabaleta, Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy and Nigel De Jong.

Only
three graduates of City’s youth academy remain in the side Hughes
inherited from Sven-Goran Eriksson: Stephen Ireland, Micah Richards and
Nedum Onouha.

City had taken 10 points from a possible 12 before
an embarrassing defeat against 10-man Stoke last week. And Hughes
accepts there can be no more slip-ups. He said: “We are looking at a
strong second half to the season. I’ve always felt it would take time.
I don’t think people understand how vast the changes have been since we
took over.

“Certainly now I’m more confident that the impact of
the changes, not only in playing personnel, but also the way we do our
work on a daily basis, will have a positive impact not only on the
second half of the season but also going into next season.

“The
aim has always been to get positive results but we’re in better shape
to get those now because of the players we’ve brought to the club.

“You
can’t guarantee winning trophies and, remember, this club hasn’t been
winning trophies for a long, long time. But the intention is, sooner
rather than later, we’ll hopefully be able to win trophies.”

The Mirror

"Hughes relief as sales close"

Mark Hughes must be grateful the January window is over as he can now concentrate on doing his job with Manchester City.

But
the window did leave me puzzled. City overpaid for Wayne Bridge, Craig
Bellamy and Nigel De Jong. They offered £100million plus for Kaka. Then
they say they won't be held to ransom over Roque Santa Cruz. A class
striker for £22m? You are a sitting duck splashing so much cash on a
left-back and a midfielder. £22m is peanuts for City and their attitude
makes no sense.