It's Quiet - a new dawn

[super_city_si]

True, he does slide and miss some time. But he is still by a good margin the best CB at the club currently.

Hahahahaha fucking nonsense. I rate him higher than most on here but he is nowhere near kompany.

 

[nellyonthewing]

I am fairly confident that if Kun left and was played in a system that was actually set around his strengths he'd be scoring for fun.

 

[Akiva]

Would be nice to see a press briefing in the next few days about how pissed off Guardiola is with how completely shit this season has been, and how the transfer window is going to make waves.

We've not improved since January, in fact I don't think we've had a great performance against competent opposition since the first Arsenal game, and as a fan it would be nice to hear that everyone at the club is as angry as the fans are.

If he's only spending 3 years here, then he needs to start winning pretty much everything pretty damn quickly to have been worth the 3 year wait plus complete reorganisation of the club that happened in order to get him here, and I'm saying that as probably one of the biggest Pep fans on here.

He isn't only staying three years.

Never mind we have a thread from @tolmie's hairdoo stating he's extending at the end of the year, it's obvious Pep isn't leaving til the job is done.

I agree with your overall sentiment though: he should have carte blanche with this team to move on, replace and bring in who he wants and needs.

I am fairly confident that if Kun left and was played in a system that was actually set around his strengths he'd be scoring for fun.

The implication being that the current system doesn't. Except that has nothing to do with Aguero's career low conversion rate this season.

Nobody is really scoring goals for fun at City right now, despite the fact we create more goal scoring opportunities per game than almost every team in the league. That's not all Kun's fault, but he's a part of it. I love Silva, Sterling and KDB to bits, but they aren't ruthless in front of goal and ultimately we need we need a squad, including bench options, of technically gifted players who also have a tremendous capacity to bury any chances that arise.

 

[ADegenerate]

We're an absolute mess. It's far, far worse than I thought. Fullbacks, keeper, DM are priority number #1 and then what's next? We need to replace Kun and I'm not happy with our midfield AT ALL. This 'false 8' doesn't play to Kev's strengths and exposes some weaknesses. He's had a down year by all accounts and he's still our most important player. I think we could survive a Silva injury but not one from Kevin. That injury in the everton game last year almost cost us our CL spot. His final ball is much superior and we know our fullbacks, and forwards aren't creating anything (outside of raz). Dave's adapted to the role to be fair but I feel like somthings missing. I might be in the minority with that, which I accept. Gundogan is a wildcard and a solid third choice but we're an injury away from being up shits creek if we don't bring in an Isco or Bernardo Silva type and Bernardo is never going to happen :(

We need FB, FB, GK, and yaya/fern's replacement 100%. I've done a complete 180 on isco or somebody of his caliber. Going into the season with Kev, Gundogan, Silva, and (fern + delph) as the fourth option has disaster written all over it. I haven't even added in sancez/mbappe which is desperately needed. CB isn't a priority for me at all if money is a factor, which I doubt it would be.

 

[Dax777]

Hahahahaha fucking nonsense. I rate him higher than most on here but he is nowhere near kompany.

Historically? Yes, he is no where near Komps. But judging on their performances this season he is our best CB.

 

[domalino]

I am fairly confident that if Kun left and was played in a system that was actually set around his strengths he'd be scoring for fun.

What, like scoring 13 in his last 13 games?

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

What, like scoring 13 in his last 13 games?

Yeah but how many should he have got on top of that?

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Some right balloons on this thread! We need new full backs - we have known this for some time but the lack of standout options has left us where we are. Bravo has not worked out but I don't think we should criticise pep for trying to put his stamp on the team and the way we play. Some decent players in those 3 positions and with everyone fit we have a great squad.

 

[ADegenerate]

Would be nice to see a press briefing in the next few days about how pissed off Guardiola is with how completely shit this season has been, and how the transfer window is going to make waves.

We've not improved since January, in fact I don't think we've had a great performance against competent opposition since the first Arsenal game, and as a fan it would be nice to hear that everyone at the club is as angry as the fans are.

If he's only spending 3 years here, then he needs to start winning pretty much everything pretty damn quickly to have been worth the 3 year wait plus complete reorganisation of the club that happened in order to get him here, and I'm saying that as probably one of the biggest Pep fans on here.

Pep isn't going anywhere. I'll say with almost 100% confidence that he'll be here a minimum of 5 years. There's the rumored two year extension that's in the papers. There's the 30 minute interview with chappy where he said that ownership has indicated that they'd like to have him for as long as he wishes to stay and he seemed pleased with that. There was the recent inside city that showed him talking/playing with that golfer and he was raving about how awesome the academy and facilities were. There's his ego/legacy. I've also got a feeling that GJ was given reassurances from Pep that he intends to be here for the long haul and I'm sure the same conversation has happened with MBappes father. Who knows though, all that adds up to a believable story to me.

If he's only spending 3 years here, then he needs to start winning pretty much everything pretty damn quickly to have been worth the 3 year wait plus complete reorganisation of the club that happened in order to get him here, and I'm saying that as probably one of the biggest Pep fans on here.

We'll be fine. It's a long process and it just so happens that we're not as far along as we thought we'd be. If we we're ever going to reorganize then we did it at the perfect time I think. We we're able to build the squad that won us so many titles because we agreed to pay the wages that made them unsellable. We're paying the piper for that now. Personally, I couldn't be happier with the direction of the club. We're doing it the right way...playing for the long term. 4-4-2 was antiquated. Almost every team that wins is winning with some variation of CR/Karim/Bale and M/S/N. There's different class levels. Ribbery/ Lewa / Robben is tier 2 and probably the reason why they're the third best team. You can have amazing success with only two of them as well. Leicster ripped it off the PL with Mahrez/Vardy. Chelsea did it with Costa and Hazard. I don't follow france or italy but I recon Juve and PSG are running their shittier version of it. Arsenal tried with Girgoud/Alexis/walcott! The problem with that is you need scoring/assisting balance with all three. Sterling/Sane/Kun haven't done enough this year. Is that on Kun? I'm not sure. I suspect it's a big part. The midfield? You'd have thought that our midfield of KDB/Silva/Yaya would be perfectly fine but our midfield has be nervous going into next year.

I couldn't be happier with where we are at and the direction of the club. We scooped up Sane, Sterling, Gabriel, and I'm wishing for mbappe so we're stocking up on the golden boys of the next era. They'll need a few years to develop and we'll need a few years rebuilding our squad anyway. Our academy will start producing by that time as well. I think our ascension will start next year but it still might be too soon to expect multiple trophies or deep CL runs.

 

[domalino]

Yeah but how many should he have got on top of that?

He should have scored a lot more, but @nellyonthewing 's jibe about how he would be doing well if he just played in a system which suited him looks pretty silly when you look at how many goals he's getting and the fact this is probably going to be his highest scoring season ever.

 

[domalino]

Pep isn't going anywhere. I'll say with almost 100% confidence that he'll be here a minimum of 5 years. There's the rumored two year extension that's in the papers. There's the 30 minute interview with chappy where he said that ownership has indicated that they'd like to have him for as long as he wishes to stay and he seemed pleased with that. There was the recent inside city that showed him talking/playing with that golfer and he was raving about how awesome the academy and facilities were. There's his ego/legacy. I've also got a feeling that GJ was given reassurances from Pep that he intends to be here for the long haul and I'm sure the same conversation has happened with MBappes father. Who knows though, all that adds up to a believable story to me.



We'll be fine. It's a long process and it just so happens that we're not as far along as we thought we'd be. If we we're ever going to reorganize then we did it at the perfect time I think. We we're able to build the squad that won us so many titles because we agreed to pay the wages that made them unsellable. We're paying the piper for that now. Personally, I couldn't be happier with the direction of the club. We're doing it the right way...playing for the long term. 4-4-2 was antiquated. Almost every team that wins is winning with some variation of CR/Karim/Bale and M/S/N. There's different class levels. Ribbery/ Lewa / Robben is tier 2 and probably the reason why they're the third best team. You can have amazing success with only two of them as well. Leicster ripped it off the PL with Mahrez/Vardy. Chelsea did it with Costa and Hazard. I don't follow france or italy but I recon Juve and PSG are running their shittier version of it. Arsenal tried with Girgoud/Alexis/walcott! The problem with that is you need scoring/assisting balance with all three. Sterling/Sane/Kun haven't done enough this year. Is that on Kun? I'm not sure. I suspect it's a big part. The midfield? You'd have thought that our midfield of KDB/Silva/Yaya would be perfectly fine but our midfield has be nervous going into next year.

I couldn't be happier with where we are at and the direction of the club. We scooped up Sane, Sterling, Gabriel, and I'm wishing for mbappe so we're stocking up on the golden boys of the next era. They'll need a few years to develop and we'll need a few years rebuilding our squad anyway. Our academy will start producing by that time as well. I think our ascension will start next year but it still might be too soon to expect multiple trophies or deep CL runs.

Judging by our last few months we're at least 2 seasons away from being good enough to compete with the best so lets hope you are correct about him staying longer.

Also our academy isn't going to start producing if we're buying up the next generation of superstars. If we get Mbappé and Sanchez there is no room for Sancho or Brahim, it's an either or. No manager in the world is going to bring through those kids when he's trying desperately to keep 5 world class forwards happy.

You only need to look at how Barcelona's academy stream has turned off since they got world class players in every position to see that. Thiago, Grimaldo etc. are falling through the cracks because no one can justify playing kids over professionals who are already unhappy to be sharing game time. Look at Maffeo - Pep said he couldn't drop Sagna or Zabaleta for him, and those are 2 fullbacks who are definitely leaving this summer.

If we're going to go all out for the next generation of Europe's wonderkids that will be fantastic but it will mean the academy isn't important to the owner/pep.

 

[domalino]

Some right balloons on this thread! We need new full backs - we have known this for some time but the lack of standout options has left us where we are. Bravo has not worked out but I don't think we should criticise pep for trying to put his stamp on the team and the way we play. Some decent players in those 3 positions and with everyone fit we have a great squad.

We're a lot further away than 2 fullbacks.

We need a world class Keeper, 2 fullbacks, a centre half who can do what Kompany does, a holding midfielder who can both defend and dictate play, and at least one more big goal threat up front.

We also need to bring in some out and out winners who are going to change the environment of the dressing room because our mentality in big games is no where near good enough. We blamed Pellegrini for shambolic displays like the CL semi-final last year, but our last 4 big games have felt exactly the same. It's clearly the group of players and not the manager.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Some right balloons on this thread! We need new full backs - we have known this for some time but the lack of standout options has left us where we are. Bravo has not worked out but I don't think we should criticise pep for trying to put his stamp on the team and the way we play. Some decent players in those 3 positions and with everyone fit we have a great squad.

Yes but nobody ever has a fully fit squad. Think you are wearing blue tinted specs in regard to our squad strength. I would put Chelsea arsenal and united in front of us for squad depth and believe Chelsea and Spurs have better first team than us just now. The list of players that are nailed on starters for our best 11 are worryingly small:

Kompany if fit
Silva
Sane
Gabriel Jesus
Gundo if fit
Kev

Not sure all of them would get in Chelsea or Spurs first team.
Don't for a minute think I am blaming Pep. The rebuilding work that should have been going on over the last five seasons has been poor and this is the result. Big summer coming up and we will be better next season and even better the season after that.

 

[ADegenerate]

We're a lot further away than 2 fullbacks.

We need a world class Keeper, 2 fullbacks, a centre half who can do what Kompany does, a holding midfielder who can both defend and dictate play, and at least one more big goal threat up front.

I can't shake the feeling that our midfield is missing something important. Just me? I'm not impressed at all with what Pep's done with KDB, yaya, and silva. Pep working with a front 5 of Sane, Sterling, Kun, KDB, and silva is mouth watering but our play has been far from it.

I don't know man. You got any read into my thinking here?

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Time to start to sign some proper quality now in the correct positions. We might then get somewhere. The mentality needs to get much better too.

 

[domalino]

I can't shake the feeling that our midfield is missing something important. Just me? I'm not impressed at all with what Pep's done with KDB, yaya, and silva. Pep working with a front 5 of Sane, Sterling, Kun, KDB, and silva is mouth watering but our play has been far from it.

I don't know man. You got any read into my thinking here?

Every good team in the world has goals from midfield, and we don't. Silva + KDB as a pair of attacking midfielders should be getting 3x as many goals as they are, and until they do, we're always going to be missing something in that pair.

 

[Akiva]

Judging by our last few months we're at least 2 seasons away from being good enough to compete with the best so lets hope you are correct about him staying longer.

I think there's good reason to suggest he's staying. Even if you are skeptical about @tolmie's hairdoo mentioning that he's being extended at the end of the season, it's just not Pep's style to walk away with the job unfinished. He's said as much. The difficult results and bent referees, all these things serve only to make him more determined to succeed.

Also our academy isn't going to start producing if we're buying up the next generation of superstars.

I see this argument a lot, but we just aren't patient enough, it's a fact. Monaco have waited for their new crop to come of age and now reap the dividends. One season of "only" making the top four and we are moaning and asking for Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe.

If our academy was up to it this summer, I'm sure Pep would give them a look in. As it stands, it doesn't seem to me to be at the level we require. We need a title and will want a Champions League before Pep's gone, that's not going to happen without a certain level. Basically, the club is firmly entrenched in win now mode until a better option becomes available.

If we get Mbappé and Sanchez there is no room for Sancho or Brahim, it's an either or

I don't see this at all. Sancho and Brahim are a few years away from breaking through to the first team. Meanwhile, Sanchez is a few years away from MLS.

You only need to look at how Barcelona's academy stream has turned off since they got world class players in every position to see that. Thiago, Grimaldo etc. are falling through the cracks because no one can justify playing kids over professionals who are already unhappy to be sharing game time. Look at Maffeo - Pep said he couldn't drop Sagna or Zabaleta for him, and those are 2 fullbacks who are definitely leaving this summer.

La Masia hit it off big then took a dive thereafter because Barcelona set their standard so high that anything other than competing was unacceptable. Real Madrid continue to buy success with reckless abandon and Barcelona simply got tired of waiting for another class of 2008.

If we're going to go all out for the next generation of Europe's wonderkids that will be fantastic but it will mean the academy isn't important to the owner/pep.

Or, it will mean the academy simply doesn't have the talent ready at this time.

Pep is a huge fan of the academy, he goes to their games and watches even the ones he doesn't go to. But of those we have, who would be considered PL ready and could adapt to our system? Roberts? Maffeo? That's it for now by my reckoning (not including A Garcia)

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Yes but nobody ever has a fully fit squad. Think you are wearing blue tinted specs in regard to our squad strength. I would put Chelsea arsenal and united in front of us for squad depth and believe Chelsea and Spurs have better first team than us just now. The list of players that are nailed on starters for our best 11 are worryingly small:

Kompany if fit
Silva
Sane
Gabriel Jesus
Gundo if fit
Kev

Not sure all of them would get in Chelsea or Spurs first team.
Don't for a minute think I am blaming Pep. The rebuilding work that should have been going on over the last five seasons has been poor and this is the result. Big summer coming up and we will be better next season and even better the season after that.

I would argue our first choice 11 would be a 433. Aguero would be on anyone’s team sheet so then you are picking 2 more out of Sane, Sterling and GJ. Midfield would be 3 from Silva, Fdinho, Gundogan, KDB, Yaya. Now Yaya is getting on so we have an opportunity there to bring in new blood. Center backs – I think we are ok if Komps can stay fit? Either of the other two with Komps works for me. Full backs 3 or 4 players needed (and 3 or 4 players to leave) and if some of the new additions can play other positions, especially CB that would be great. Keepers – we need to get someone in to challenge for the spot long term.

So our best 11 is pretty good now and after some reworking in the summer I still think we will be up there with the best squads in the league. Far better than the rags and dippers man for man, far more quality than Arse, only Spuds and Chavs and they are very reliant on a handful of individuals.

 

[HelloCity]

 

[sky_blue]

Walker has started twice in their last 4 league games. Not entirely convinced if joining City is the reason he was dropped.