Alexis Sanchez

[blue b4 the moon]

I can't get my head around it.

Me neither, irrelevant of how good Sanchez is and he is very good a Centre Back with the attackers we already have is a much much bigger priority in my eyes.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I can't get my head around it.

The weird thing is, I have been on here in the past when Wenger has gone out and got another attacker when he clearly needed some decent defensive players and people on here have been pissing themselves laughing. Now the majority seem perfectly happy for us to essentially do the same thing.

 

[domalino]

The weird thing is, I have been on here in the past when Wenger has gone out and got another attacker when he clearly needed some decent defensive players and people on here have been pissing themselves laughing. Now the majority seem perfectly happy for us to essentially do the same thing.

All things going to plan we're signing 5 defensive players and 1 forward.

Please tell me more about how we're doing a Wenger and not reinforcing the defence when needed.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

When Barca were at their peak under Pep, everyone used to wheel out "they are poor at the back, if you can get at them". Issue was the opposition didn't have the ball long enough to be able to get at them. He is trying to do the same with us, which will be fantastic to watch if we can smash 4 or 5 past teams most weeks. I do fear its not as easy to do that in the Prem though, history tells us that in this league you must be able to grind out some dour 1-0s to be champions. Having a good defence is paramount to achieving this. I would love to see us bring in a top centre back, even if that was at the expense of buying Sanchez.

 

[blueparrot]

I have 'hope' due to the potential new fullbacks & likelihood of better all round team play. My hope is that the cbs will have less to do, with more athletic help to do it.

But I think it's a glaring mistake & I would sacrifice Sanchez for a cb (if we can find a top one) any day of the week. But it would have to be a relatively proven one.

Hopefully we are on it & will get both.

If we are not, it's also odd because Pep himself is one of the many people who said we need one.

I agree we need a top reliable centre back, but it would need to be instead of Kolarov or Otamendi. There is no way we will go into the season with only Sane, Sterling Jesus and Aguero as our front three options. We need 5 up front so the only way the squad can have a new centre back is if one goes we haven't got room in the squad to carry 5 centre backs for 2 positions and only 4 for the front three just because we aren't confident in the players we have, 4 should be plenty.

 

[without a dream]

Haha, that's absolutely spot on.

Just about everybody else, everywhere, thinks we do, pretty urgently.

I think the lack of goals is more of an issue than the goals we concede if we can add guaranteed goals from someone like Sanchez then that would make more a difference than a CB, which can wait till next year if the budget doesn't allow for one this year.

_____For Against
16/17 80 39
15/16 71 41
14/15 83 38
13/14 102 37
12/13 66 34

We concede the same amount as when we last won the title we just don't score anywhere near enough. We've seemingly addressed the glaring issue for the past few years in fullbacks, we finally have someone who can hopefully cover for Silva and if we get another 20 goals from Sanchez we should be more than capable of competing without an extra CB this window and can take a year making sure we get CB and the deeper central midfielder right next summer.

 

[avoidconfusion]

So many seem perfectly happy to be one injury to Kompany away from being back to Stones and Otamendi despite the two of them being borderline shambolic together last season. I genuinely think lots of City fans over the last 2 or 3 years have forgotten what we should be expecting from centre backs at the top level.

Completely agree. Quite surprised we are not linked to a CB at all. Like you said, Kompany is so injury prone now, he is likely to get another one, probably when on duty with Belgium and what then?

 

[Neville Kneville]

I agree we need a top reliable centre back, but it would need to be instead of Kolarov or Otamendi. There is no way we will go into the season with only Sane, Sterling Jesus and Aguero as our front three options. We need 5 up front so the only way the squad can have a new centre back is if one goes we haven't got room in the squad to carry 5 centre backs for 2 positions and only 4 for the front three just because we aren't confident in the players we have, 4 should be plenty.

We also have Bernardo Silva & DeBruyne, Iheanacho, Pat Roberts & in fact D Silva who can play in a front 3.

 

[domalino]

Me neither, irrelevant of how good Sanchez is and he is very good a Centre Back with the attackers we already have is a much much bigger priority in my eyes.

It's not a bigger priority in Guardiola's eyes, he made that clear at every possible moment. He could not have been more clear all through the season as to what our problem was, scoring goals. In fact, as others have pointed out, we only conceded 2 more last season than we did in 13/14, but we scored 22 fewer goals.

He also detailed plenty of times how he thought we were conceding a lot of those 39 goals because our forwards weren't killing off games when we had the chance.

And then on top of that he's buying 4 defenders and a keeper.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It's not a bigger priority in Guardiola's eyes, he made that clear at every possible moment. He could not have been more clear all through the season as to what our problem was, scoring goals. In fact, as others have pointed out, we only conceded 2 more last season than we did in 13/14, but we scored 22 fewer goals.

He also detailed plenty of times how he thought we were conceding a lot of those 39 goals because our forwards weren't killing off games when we had the chance.

And then on top of that he's buying 4 defenders and a keeper.

He also has Jesus, who he didn't have for most of last season.

Pep actually made it clear it is a priority. It's the only position I can actually think of, that he definitely said we need cover for.

 

[FCBarca]

It's not a bigger priority in Guardiola's eyes, he made that clear at every possible moment. He could not have been more clear all through the season as to what our problem was, scoring goals. In fact, as others have pointed out, we only conceded 2 more last season than we did in 13/14, but we scored 22 fewer goals.

He also detailed plenty of times how he thought we were conceding a lot of those 39 goals because our forwards weren't killing off games when we had the chance.

And then on top of that he's buying 4 defenders and a keeper.

Precisely. And this will absolutely change this upcoming season, I am certain

 

[blue b4 the moon]

It's not a bigger priority in Guardiola's eyes, he made that clear at every possible moment. He could not have been more clear all through the season as to what our problem was, scoring goals. In fact, as others have pointed out, we only conceded 2 more last season than we did in 13/14, but we scored 22 fewer goals.

He also detailed plenty of times how he thought we were conceding a lot of those 39 goals because our forwards weren't killing off games when we had the chance.

And then on top of that he's buying 4 defenders and a keeper.

While I fully agree that 4 full backs and a keeper will improve the back line surely it's his job to coach (what he's paid for) our almost world class front line to improve finishing but the point still stands that apart from Vinny our central defenders that we currently have are not good enough as a group.

 

[Marvin]

It's not a bigger priority in Guardiola's eyes, he made that clear at every possible moment. He could not have been more clear all through the season as to what our problem was, scoring goals. In fact, as others have pointed out, we only conceded 2 more last season than we did in 13/14, but we scored 22 fewer goals.

He also detailed plenty of times how he thought we were conceding a lot of those 39 goals because our forwards weren't killing off games when we had the chance.

And then on top of that he's buying 4 defenders and a keeper.

He did indeed concentrate his criticism on the forward line. But we now have Jesus and B. Silva and will probably sign full backs who can cross the half-way line.

Three central defenders in Kompany, Ota and Stones would be asking for trouble. It's such a key position

 

[domalino]

He also has Jesus, who he didn't have for most of last season.

Pep actually made it clear it is a priority. It's the only position I can actually think of, that he definitely said we need cover for.

No, he said we needed to have cover for Vinny. That's not "making CB a priority", and if it were, we'd not be in a situation where the ITK's and journalists close to the club are all insistent hat a CB isn't a priority.

However when asked what the one thing we needed to do better on next season, he said..."Score more goals".

 

[domalino]

He did indeed concentrate his criticism on the forward line. But we now have Jesus and B. Silva and will probably sign full backs who can cross the half-way line.

Three central defenders in Kompany, Ota and Stones would be asking for trouble. It's such a key position

But we don't have 3 central defenders. We have 4, because Guardiola obviously rates Kolarov, and we could even see someone like Fernandinho dropping in there.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Right.

It was vintage Kompany against Palace - even getting on the score sheet for the second time in four appearances.

But Guardiola admits there remain serious doubts about his ability to last an entire campaign.

“I think when he is in that form there is no doubt,” said the City manager. “But we have to cover our backs.

“We cannot give all our confidence he will be fit because of what we have experienced the last few years. We have to have back ups if something happens.”

I guess someone will now tell me he didn't mean it & it's actually in code, like when Aguero says he isn't leaving.

 

[Marvin]

While I fully agree that 4 full backs and a keeper will improve the back line surely it's his job to coach (what he's paid for) our almost world class front line to improve finishing but the point still stands that apart from Vinny our central defenders that we currently have are not good enough as a group.

Aguero has started to struggle. That's not something coaching will solve. Jesus pace added goals to City, and B. Silva plus overlapping full backs will help too.

 

[domalino]

While I fully agree that 4 full backs and a keeper will improve the back line surely it's his job to coach (what he's paid for) our almost world class front line to improve finishing but the point still stands that apart from Vinny our central defenders that we currently have are not good enough as a group.

That's an awful argument. You could just as easily reverse it and say "surely it's his job to coach our £40m+ centre backs to improve their defending"?

 

[blue b4 the moon]

But we don't have 3 central defenders. We have 4, because Guardiola obviously rates Kolarov, and we could even see someone like Fernandinho dropping in there.

Our target is the CL.

Could you honestly see Fernandinho or Kolarov playing in the middle in the final?

 

[Neville Kneville]

Just in case:

“I’m pretty sure Manuel Pellegrini missed him a lot the last two seasons - and of course we missed him.

“He is a real central defender.

“I said many times - central defenders, ‘How many duels do you win with the striker?’

“‘More than the other one? You are a central defender.’

“And he wins.

“You to feel it. When the opponent crosses the ball ‘Wow, it’s Vinny there.’

“Maybe you know they are going to score a goal. With Vinny against Arsenal they scored a goal in the six-yard box. Okay that can happen.

“But you have the feeling when they cross or you cross with a corner or a free kick you are there.

“That feeling - especially in this league when there are a lot of long balls - it is a really important thing.

“In other leagues it does not happen. It’s important to have people to win duels in the air.”