Twilight Zone, Delph, Tosin, Yaya, Power, Messi, and Txiki shopping in Valencia?

After City's surreal performance against Everton, I fully intended on avoiding the media fall out, but instead I decided to weather it.

First off Fabian Delph? he's been available to play but Pep has chosen to go with Zabaleta in midfield, Delph was supposed to be on his way out with West Brom apparently in contact with City over singing him this month. Pep however has pulled the plug on any possible transfer out and fingers are being pointed at our apparent midfield crisis, OK we've lost our two best midfielders in Fernandinho and Gundogan but it's hardly a crisis. We had Delph available, there's nothing wrong with Fernando and his absence is also as confusing as Delph's. Neither were or are injured and both have played the invisible man, then there's Yaya, OK he had a poor game against Everton but he's surprised me since his comeback. Fernandinho being red carded 3 times this season has hurt us more than anything, followed by John Stones and his constant errors.

Next up and to add insult to injury, we are encouraged to believe our 19 year old Mancunian Defender Tosin Adarabioyo is on his way to Everton. All because the lad's turned down a new contract offer, with 6 months left to run on his current contract. As far as I'm aware there has been no interest from Everton in Tosin, so I'm led to believe it's just some moron trying to add insult to injury. Bottom line is yeah, we'd all like to see him stay at City and fight for his future, but if he doesn't want to stay then there's nothing we can do about it other than move on. I mean after all we only want players at our club who want to be here, I hope he sticks with us but it's not the end of the world if he doesn't.

The Independents Simon Hart caught up with ex City Leftback Paul Power, believes Manchester City have lost our identity? But with all due respect I think he's dead wrong. He points to the lack of Mancunian lads in our first team, and compares City of today with the City on his day. Which is in my opinion pretty lame and narrow minded. Back in the 1980's we were up and down in the first and second divisions, so far away from where we are today. Our unwanted neighbours over in Trafford were poaching all the best youth around Greater Manchester, they even poached Ryan Giggs right from under our noses. We weren't fighting for the League Title or the Champions League and we certainly didn't have the youth capable to compete with the bigger clubs.

It's only now that we can compete with the big clubs because now we are a bigger club ourselves, OK we've only got one Mancunian on our first team in Tosin Adarabioyo, but he's not the only young Mancunian on our books.

Manchester born Cameron Humphreys-Grant in our EDS squad.

Manchester born Brandon Barker on loan at Nac Breda

Manchester born Issac Buckley-Ricketts in our EDS squad

Manchester born Kean Bryan out on loan at Bury

There are a lot more Manchester born youth in City's academy but, those lads above are the four I believe have a good chance of making it into our first team. What Paul Power needs to realise is, we have been playing catch up and with that in mind, we've done pretty well in my opinion. I think age is catching up with Paul, it's unrealistic to think Manchester City can field a team full of Mancunian lads and sustain our Premier League and Champions League status. You can't just build a multi-million pound academy and then expect it to instantly roll out a production line of world class Mancunians, but I'd also like to point out a few other points.

Manchester City's players are not the only people that form the identity of our Football Club, the fact Power only spoke about the lack of Mancunians in the side, was just a slap in the face for us City fans. It's us City fans who make up most of the identity, after all if it wasn't for the fans of a club then the club wouldn't exist in the first place. I haven't even mentioned Manchester City's work in the Community, City are at the forefront of Community work and have achieved many awards to show for their hard work in Manchester.

Onto the Lionel Messi speculation that City have enquired about a potential world record transfer away from FC Barcelona, right now I would bet that it's nothing more than just talk. City may well have enquired but, that doesn't mean to say Lionel Messi is about to up sticks and move. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a front three of Messi, Aguero, Jesus but something just tells me Messi hasn't got it in him to make the move to England of all places. He's had a few chances to leave Barca but every time, he was just happy to take a pay rise.

And finally our Txiki Begiristain was spotted in Valencia, allegedly meeting with Valencia's Jose Ramon Alexanko, they currently have Eliaquim Mangala on loan but the talk was reported to be about the possibility of City signing 21 year old Spanish Leftback Jose Gaya. Any deal would more than likely include the permanent transfer of Mangala if both clubs were interested in doing a deal. With Clichy showing his age in his performances lately and Pep's intentions of using Kolarov as a Centerback, we are in need of fresh legs in that position so a move would make sense. To be honest, being constantly linked with Messi is getting boring, my money's on Messi signing a new deal with Barcelona.

I haven't even touched on Alexis Sanchez being on Peps radar with all the speculation over the players contract situation, all I care about right now is seeing Gabriel Jesus make his debut and see City get back to winning ways.

Check out the odds on live football matches at William Hill Lets hope Gabriel Jesus will help us back to winning ways and improve our odds, got to be in it to win it.

Back Off, Pep Guardiola and our Lads need time, to stand up and be counted.

After taking time to assess and watch the fall out of the embarrassing Everton loss, lets be honest we made their average side look better than they are. I could have been rash and attacked Pep and certain City players, but hold on a minute? there's already way to many already attacking Pep and his squad, from idiotic pundits like Jamie Carragher to morons like someone that goes by the name of Mickey T? Some rag who thinks Pep's not all that, someone forgot to remind him United fans were once calling for Alex Furguson to be sacked.

So now every one's had their say I feel it's my turn, I'll hold my hands up and admit I expected a bit more progress from Pep and our team than they've achieved to date. I thought well look at Chelsea and Conte, look how well they're doing and it's Conte's debut season on charge at Stamford Bridge. it's easy to compare but then, Conte has pretty much kept most of Jose Mourinho's squad together and just tinkered with a few players. He's inherited last seasons Champions, so it's hardly surprising that they are doing so well.

Pep on the other hand has shipped out and replaced many players

Joe Hart out for Claudio Bravo

Stuck with an ageing and injury plagued defence, aka Vincent Kompany has been in and out for almost an entire season, Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna have been out injured. Aleksandar Kolarov to my amazement has been our stand out defender at Centerback, and with Gael Clichy our only Leftback it's blatantly obvious we were going to suffer. Ages 33, 32, 31, 31 and 30, which leaves John Stones at 22 and Tosin Adarabioyo 19.

Eliaquim Mangala out for John Stones
Martin Demichelis out for Ilkay Gundogan

We've suffered with the loss of Ilkay Gundogan who's out for the rest of the season after surgery, Fernandinho has been unfairly targeted by referee's this season aside the later red card which can't be justified. Referee's have been part of our problem this season, they've been guilty of showing our opponents favour rather than stay impartial and fair. This has led to our players becoming frustrated and left to feel unfairly treated. Manchester City have the highest possession statistic in the league yet, our players have picked up more bookings than any other club?

Samir Nasri out for Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane

Wilfried Bony out for Nolito

Noting that Gabriel Jesus has only just joined us and is yet to make his first team debut, that's 5 for 6 first team players,all of which are pretty much first 11.

Injuries and poor refereeing have played a huge part in our season so far and we are still in the top 6, Gabriel Jesus is about to make his debut and I say better late than never.

SO if you claim to be a City fan and have found yourself attacking Pep Guardiola or our players, then back off, take a breather and evaluate what I've just covered.

This is Guardiola's first season in charge and as far as I'm concerned he's done pretty damn well so far, he deserves more respect than he's currently receiving and it's pathetic.

There are a few City fans attacking Claudio Bravo at present too, I call for them to back off also. Again you're only going to cause our club more harm than good. Bravo is obviously low on confidence so it doesn't help that you're cheering him every time he's saving a shot, it doesn't help that our defenders are committing silly errors all the time. Every one of us should be rallying around our lads and singing louder than ever before, while the British Media and opposing clubs fans hang Pep and our lads out to dry.

If you have any sense then you will come to your senses and see the bigger picture, we've been through more disappointment than most clubs on the planet so what's one freaking season of transition for us? not the end of the world.

I'll be happy so long as we stay in the top four above the rags, that my son is progress.

Keep the faith and remember, it's time for those fans sitting on their backsides to stand up and support our players. You should be privileged to be able to be there week in week out, yet you leave it too away fans to turn up and sing.

Our lads messed up and lost against Everton, so what? we're still only half way through the season and we're still in the Champions League, you have Gabriel Jesus to look forward too and the transfer window is still well and truly open.

Get behind the lads, City needs you.