Squad compared to last season

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117 M34

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What are people's thoughts on the strength of the squad compared to last season?
Players in V players out
Players are a year older - good for the younger players but maybe not so for the older ones
 
Losing Sane (either to the injury or transfer) is a big blow. On the plus side, City at least had an inkling he'd be unavailable so while the injury hurts, it's not a totally out of the blue absence like KDB last season. Losing Kompany could be huge to be honest. But we held on to Gundogan and added the very brilliant Rodri -- Mendy is hopefully back at full strength soon and KDB is back in general. I think Angelino is fantastic addition and even if it takes him some time to find his feet he'll be very useful. Cancelo is a clear upgrade over Danilo. A lot off our recent transfers have flourished in their second season so I think we'll see an improvement out of Mahrez as well. We're definitely stronger but the CB situation is slightly concerning.

The biggest thing is that Liverpool really did nothing to improve themselves and I expect some regression from them so as a whole, we're in really great shape.
 
Cancello is definitely stronger than who he has directly replaced (Cancello > Danilo and possibly = to Walker)

Rodri just adds more depth but in scuh an important position which enables more flexibility in the squad - He is probably as good as Dihno (but different in style) so hard to compare.

The loss of Kompany is the only concern - whereas it would have been nigh on improssible to repae with like for like ability it is absolutely impossible to replae what he brought to us in terms of leadership....We need to be a bit lucky with injuries to our centre halves....Laporte is world class and Stones has it in him but needs to now add consistency ...however Otto is a oncern...while there is no doubting his application and effort he just looks vulnerable and has mistakes in him

We al know Ferna is a world class player and we know Pep has done this before with Mascerano at Barca and its easy to see it workign if he does move ferna there but its not guranteed (though Im one who thinks it will work)

We have KDB back but we have lost Sane - KDB is clearly more influential but loosing Sane does unbalance the squad a little - though through formation variations this could be easily negated....but we have again lost an option with sane missing probably at least a few months (if he even stays)
 
Losing Kompany and Sané for the majority of the season is a big blow but with the additions we've made and if KDB and Mendy stay fit then I'd say it's slightly stronger.
 
I am more than happy with the squad, i think we will benefit in some weird way from losing Sane to injury and Kompany leaving.

I think we will have a much more settled starting line up with Mahrez on the right and Sterling on the left, Bernardo playing more centrally as well.
I can see us going 3 at the back and playing Cancelo and Mendy as wingers when trying to break teams down.
I have seen enough already to think that Rrodri and Foden will flourish this year.
 
We went into the summer with two clear needs, find a Fernandinho successor and a Kompany replacement. Anything else is a bonus.

We got our primary target for the first one which is great, once he’s upto speed fully he offers us some much needed depth in that position. I see Rodri more as future proofing the squad which right now is more important than improving it when we’ve still got Fernandinho here. Great signing

Angelino was a very clever piece of business, it basically gives us the insurance against Mendys fitness meaning we don’t have to make a decision on him yet and buys us another year to give him a chance to get fit. Remains to be seen if he can step up to the required standard, certainly for now he will play backup for zinchenko. Can’t say he’s an improvement on Delph until we see him put in a few performances like Delph did two seasons ago. Overall, probably a small drop in quality for now with a bigger future potential but again, most important side of that deal is buying mendy more time. Great business more than great signing

Cancelo appears to be a clear upgrade on Danilo but it’s an upgrade in one of our strongest areas already so the impact he can make is less than if it were in a different position. Not necessary but too good of an opportunity to pass on. Great signing

The failure to bring in a cb is a major risk and one that could bite us in the arse hard during the season. Peps admitted we tried to being somebody in and so not doing that is a disappointment

Not going to factor in losing Sane in my thoughts as that’s entirely out of our hands

As a window I can’t give it more than a 6/10 purely because of us not bringing in a cb. Wanted to give a 7 but I value the need for a 4th cb to highly. If we had brought somebody in, even somebody you’d describe as little more than an adequate stop gap I’d be giving us a 9/10 straight away as a minimum. The business we’ve done is great, it’s the business we didn’t do thats lets us down.
 
I feel it’s not easy to answer. Losing Leroy for a long time is a huge blow not only for the poor lad but places pressure on other wide players. Another injury up front for a couple of months would be a real challenge. Plus we lose the pace and virtuosity of him.

Vincent as a whole package just can’t be replaced. He was a colossus. We have not signed another CB and playing Fernandinho there may not work as well as what Pep did with Masherano- simply because there is more long ball and physicality here and Fern can be rash. Look at the Schalke and Newcastle games - the quick game breaking foul is not much of an option as CB. The whole team needs to step up with leadership and that’s not easy if you’re fighting for your place.
We’ve also God forgive lost a bit of David. We saw last season he can’t play a whole top notch season as he could 2-3 years ago.
Incoming, Rodri looks okay but too early to judge. Cancelo looks good on you tube but too early to judge. Angelino is a back up.

Which leads into the biggest risk for me if we go for everything - that KDB, Bernado, Sergio and possibly Raheem end up being overplayed simply because needs must. The other longer term risk is the effect of a transfer ban.
I think there is an element of classic City mistakes in not strengthening enough after winning the league. Others have strengthened and as we saw on Sunday Liverpool are a very good team.
I would have been looking at David’s replacement right now as well as Sergio’s and also a Delph type whose good enough to do a job but does not mind not playing that much. Foden is too young to have the pressure of replacing David like for like at least for a couple of seasons in my view- amazing talent that he is.
So overall I would say slightly weaker and I think it will be a great challenge for Pep to rotate properly and bring a couple of youngsters in- if anyone can do it he can but I think to retain the league again will be his greatest achievement.
I’m backing him and the squad to do it
 
We’re better.

Kev is back and that in effect is a ‘new’ WC midfield signing.

Cancelo is better offensively than Walker and provides an excellent ‘different option’.

Rodrigo gives much needed added depth in the ‘Fernandinho role’ and added height for attacking and defending set pieces.

Angelino gives ‘proper’ LB cover (as in Zinchenko and Delph weren’t LBs) and allows Mendy time to get fit and get right. If we can get Mendy right, that’s a new WC signing at LB.

Mahrez - I expect him to be over ‘first season syndrome’ and fucking smash it this season. A better version of himself if you like.

Foden - will be a much bigger part of it this season imo. Again, like a really good ‘new signing’.

So it’s not just the signings that improve us it’s Kev and Mendy getting back and the other lads ‘stepping up’ this season.

I think we’ll win the CL and prem this season. We’re that good.
 
Stiff Little Wingers said:
I feel it’s not easy to answer. Losing Leroy for a long time is a huge blow not only for the poor lad but places pressure on other wide players. Another injury up front for a couple of months would be a real challenge. Plus we lose the pace and virtuosity of him.

Vincent as a whole package just can’t be replaced. He was a colossus. We have not signed another CB and playing Fernandinho there may not work as well as what Pep did with Masherano- simply because there is more long ball and physicality here and Fern can be rash. Look at the Schalke and Newcastle games - the quick game breaking foul is not much of an option as CB. The whole team needs to step up with leadership and that’s not easy if you’re fighting for your place.
We’ve also God forgive lost a bit of David. We saw last season he can’t play a whole top notch season as he could 2-3 years ago.
Incoming, Rodri looks okay but too early to judge. Cancelo looks good on you tube but too early to judge. Angelino is a back up.

Which leads into the biggest risk for me if we go for everything - that KDB, Bernado, Sergio and possibly Raheem end up being overplayed simply because needs must. The other longer term risk is the effect of a transfer ban.
I think there is an element of classic City mistakes in not strengthening enough after winning the league. Others have strengthened and as we saw on Sunday Liverpool are a very good team.
I would have been looking at David’s replacement right now as well as Sergio’s and also a Delph type whose good enough to do a job but does not mind not playing that much. Foden is too young to have the pressure of replacing David like for like at least for a couple of seasons in my view- amazing talent that he is.
So overall I would say slightly weaker and I think it will be a great challenge for Pep to rotate properly and bring a couple of youngsters in- if anyone can do it he can but I think to retain the league again will be his greatest achievement.
I’m backing him and the squad to do it
Click to expand...

Bernardo is David’s replacement mate.
 
I also have no doubt in my mind that Bernabe is ready to be a regular rotational option in the team. He can't come anywhere near replacing Sane's pace but the kid is absolute class and should be given 5-10 games this season IMO.
 
We've added depth to our squad and I think Rodri will go on to be an important player for us.
I don't think we've necessarily improved our strongest 11 by bringing in better players but it's a squad game nowadays and we've strengthened that.
I think we'll miss Kompany and his presence around the club, just how much, I guess we'll see.
 
Weaker without vinny and sane,particulary vinny when we need someone to steady things during stressful game,stronger at RB,ok at LB IF benny stays fit and hasn't lost something with the injuries,stronger with rodders to help dinho,on balance a bit stronger,the loss of vinny is key for me though
 
We’ve strengthened in the necessary areas, but with two key players already out for lengthy periods, you just cannot predict how injuries will affect us over the season.

I was a little surprised that we didn’t add a midfielder, but I’m confident that we might have already earmarked two players for next summer.
 
We’re obviously weaker at centre back and in leadership on and off the pitch, losing Vinny.

Left back is an issue. Sometimes you can carry an issue (we have done brilliantly two seasons running with midfielders playing left back), can we do it again?

Now with Sané going down we have little cover for Raheem on the left, unless Jesus plays there but then we have no cover for Kun.

Cancelo strengthens us on the right (can he maybe play left back?) and Rodri is a good long term replacement for Fernandinho but I think Fern will be first choice still for now (he’s the most underrated player in our team, in fact I can’t think of another player worldwide who's so underrated!)

The tipping point is bringing in Scott Carson. What a signing!

The biggest one is keeping de Bruyne fit though he’ll be like a new signing (and a £200m one at that!)
 
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