Filed under: English Premier League, UEFA Cup | Tags: Manchester City, Robinho
Bernardo Pires Domingues
For a neutral observer, it would be interesting to see the team Mark Hughes would pick for next Thursday’s second leg of the UEFA Cup tie against Hamburg had Manchester City beaten Fulham at home this Sunday.
But with the 3-1 defeat, it is highly unlikely the manager will leave Robinho out again and he can always say that the Brazilian did not start against the London team because he was being rested for the important game midweek, when City will have to score twice without conceding in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
Nonetheless, the possibility of dropping Robinho to the bench has been a rumour in Manchester for quite some time now, due to his current poor form, especially away, and the absence of goals so far in 2009. The previous game, against Arsenal at the Emirates, looked like a good opportunity to do so as a possible lack of fitness caused by the international week would be the perfect excuse.
It did not happen then but it did this Sunday and it should not be seen as a coincidence that this was the same day when Martin Petrov came back after six months out of action with a knee injury. The Bulgaria international will become a shadow for Robinho on the left side of the attack from now on.
The setback at the City of Manchester Stadium cannot be considered as evidence that the side has been bad with Robinho but worse without him, since injuries prevented other important players from facing Fulham either, like Shaun Wright-Phillips and Craig Bellamy.
So I risk saying that even if City is knocked out of the UEFA Cup this week Hughes still will play his strongest side without Robinho in some of the final games of the Premier League, just to test the water and decide whether he can do without the Brazilian for the next season.
Yet, despite reports that the manager has full support from the Abu Dhabi owners, I sincerely believe he should be worried about being tested too.
