Is this the best squad since the 1970s?

I've just been updating the squad list (below) and have been trying to figure out the last time we had a squad as strong as this. I reckon you have to go back to the 1978-79 season when the team included the likes of Watson, Donachie, Hartford, Barnes and Channon. You can judge for yourself by looking at historic line-ups at MCFC Stats (click on the Matches section, select a year then click line-ups) or you can see a simplified list of City starting XIs since 1959/60 here.

(click on graphic for bigger image)




When the contracts come up

With Michael Johnson finally signing a four-and-half-year deal yesterday, our only real concern now is getting Sturridge and Hart to sign new contracts (as Petrov will be 31-years-old when his contract ends I imagine we'll be in no rush to tie him into a longer deal).

Below is the full list of when the contracts come up. The dates in brackets refer to the year players are able to leave by buying up their contracts. This recent development is the result of the Webster Ruling, which allows players under 28-years-old to buy out the remainder of a contract three years after it was signed, while a player over 28 can buy out his contract after two years. In the case of Micah Richards, for instance, it means the club will have to negotiate a new deal with him some time in 2010, despite the fact he signed a five-and-a-half year deal in February.

2009
Jan) N Castillo
Michael Ball
Danny Mills
Gláuber Berti
Dietmar Hamann
Darius Vassell
Daniel Sturridge

2010
Joe Hart (2009)
Shaleum Logan (2010)
Martin Petrov (2009)
Benjani (2010)
Kelvin Etuhu (2010)

2011
Kasper Schmeichel (2010)
Nedum Onuoha (2010)
Javier Garrido (2010)
Gelson Fernandes (2010)
Elano (2009)
Valeri Bojinov (2010)
Ched Evans (2011)

2012
Tal Ben Haim (2011)
Richard Dunne (2010)
Stephen Ireland (2011)
Vincent Kompany (2011)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (2010)
Felipe Caicedo (2011)
Jô (2011)
Robinho (2011)

2013
Micah Richards (2011)
Pablo Zabaleta (2011)
Michael Johnson (2011)


Player ratings v Chelsea

A lot more ratings than usual to add up this week (40 in all), and some very contrasting scores. However, when I averaged them up the only one I think was unfair was Ireland's, who I felt deserved at least a 7.

Ratings come from (in order): Blue2, Vhero, Kladze, law74, Niall Quinns Discopants, SirElano, Kuwait, Colin the king, goat_thelegend, cola, OhDannyBoy, Grob, Piccsnumberoneblue, bluemoon (Mancityfans); svennis pennis, robspankthemonkey, bert38, Enty, ello_jo, NQT, BillyShears, ElanJo, Marvin, cfn1963, DontLookBackInAnger, Daniel Sturridge, SUPA SKUNK, Halfpenny, mcigo, scorer, ell, leemcfc30, Neil McNab's Tash, the god Gerry Gow (Bluemoon); MEN, Richard Tucker (Rtfract), The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll, The Observer, BBC, Sky Your Ratings.


Hart: 5.9

Zabaleta: 5.0

Richards: 5.9

Dunne: 5.3

Ball (Sturridge 84): 5.3

Hamann (Gelson 61): 5.2

Kompany: 6.2

Wright-Phillips: 7.4

Robinho: 7.0

Ireland: 6.4

Jo: 7.4


Subs:

Gelson (Hamann 61): 5.4

Sturridge (Ball 84)

Subs not used:
Schmeichel, Elano, Garrido, Evans, Ben-Haim


Chelsea match details

~ Highlights (9mins 48)
~ Post-match interviews
~ Pictures from Rtfract, Guardian photos, Getty Images
~ Latest Premiership table