Kalidou Koulibaly

[ctid1894]

So you’re one of those let’s hold out and see what we have types rather than being ambitious.

I love comments like comments this, if you don't want to spend £80-90m on a 29 year old CB, you have no ambition. Well actually no, it maybe that some of us feel that our defensive problems are caused by other factors (e.g. a combination of slow/aging players making our pressing game none existent and a lack of width meaning we get caught in possession too frequently), so don't believe signing a £80-90m CB will make much difference overall unless we eradicate those issues too, which will be less likely if half of our transfer budget is blown on such a player.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Well by all means feel free to show us all your staggeringly impressive portfolio. CFG have been really struggling on the business end of things recently so now's your chance to get your foot in the door.

One thing I will ask, if you can squeeze me in between your Gates and Bezos appointments, is where have I said we should get rid of Garcia?

He's a "prospect" for a reason.

He is a good footballer. I don't think he's got a cat in hell's chance of making it here as s cb, long term, personally, but I'm happy to see him get the chance to improve, so long as it's as 4th or 5th choice.

In the meantime, to operate at our best, we need the best cbs, fullbacks & def mids we can reasonably get.

Other teams are trying to improve in all areas.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I love comments like comments this, if you don't want to spend £80-90m on a 29 year old CB, you have no ambition. Well actually no, it maybe that some of us feel that our defensive problems are caused by other factors (e.g. a combination of slow/aging players making our pressing game none existent and a lack of width meaning we get caught in possession too frequently), so don't believe signing a £80-90m CB will make much difference overall unless we eradicate those issues too, which will be less likely if half of our transfer budget is blown on such a player.

I don't know why Garcia's even been brought into this and I feel like everyone's warping everyone else's argument to the point where people are losing sight of what the main debate on this subject is.

There's a decent chance we'll be losing two senior centrebacks this summer. It stands to reason that we'd be replacing them with two senior centrebacks.

If Garcia goes it will be because he wants to, not anyone else. And if that does happen we've got another young defender on the fringes of the first team.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I love comments like comments this, if you don't want to spend £80-90m on a 29 year old CB, you have no ambition. Well actually no, it maybe that some of us feel that our defensive problems are caused by other factors (e.g. a combination of slow/aging players making our pressing game none existent and a lack of width meaning we get caught in possession too frequently), so don't believe signing a £80-90m CB will make much difference overall unless we eradicate those issues too, which will be less likely if half of our transfer budget is blown on such a player.

All true but the new cb doesn't need to solve those problems on his own, just improve his area, & his unit, which then makes the job of improving the other areas a bit easier, & extra pace for example, at the back will help the midfield press in front of it.

 

[OliMCFC]

Simple.

One would be stuck here for 4-5 years.
How you supposed to get rid of a 29 year old signed for a big fee & on massive wages?

and those saying ship off Garcia If it helps us win trophies, lol same one's crying about Foden & Sancho.

Foden and Sancho aren't/weren't getting paths blocked by the necessary purchase of a centre back. What a stupid comparison. At least its better than you suggestions of buying more 18-21 year olds... imagine how Garcia would feel then, instead of buying a prime defender for him to rotate with, he'd have 2/3 others his age to contend with! That'd be worse for Eric.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

He is a good footballer. I don't think he's got a cat in hell's chance of making it here as s cb, long term, personally, but I'm happy to see him get the chance to improve, so long as it's as 4th or 5th choice.

In the meantime, to operate at our best, we need the best cbs, fullbacks & def mids we can reasonably get.

Other teams are trying to improve in all areas.

And that last part is worth keeping in mind. We need to be actively raising our level and addressing our shortcomings rather than passively sitting on what we have and hoping they get better.

It's the difference between those who stay at the top and those who hope to claw their way back up there.

 

[ADegenerate]

I love comments like comments this, if you don't want to spend £80-90m on a 29 year old CB, you have no ambition. Well actually no, it maybe that some of us feel that our defensive problems are caused by other factors (e.g. a combination of slow/aging players making our pressing game none existent and a lack of width meaning we get caught in possession too frequently), so don't believe signing a £80-90m CB will make much difference overall unless we eradicate those issues too, which will be less likely if half of our transfer budget is blown on such a player.

That’s a fair take. How do you plan on eradicating our pressing issues without selling a single attacking / midfield senior player? Gundogan, mendy, Jesus, Rodri, and Mahrez aren’t moving so what exactly are you arguing for? We’re up for a massive upgrade in one position.

 

[waspish]

It be hard for a player to come in and be our leader on the pitch it takes time to earn respect from other team mates.

 

[OliMCFC]

To those not in favour of Koulibaly who do you suggest? Bearing in mind it's pretty obvious the club wants a second choice at LCB (who ideally can play LB as well) and a starting quality RCB to be alongside Laporte for the majority of games. Who do you recommend?

I personally can't see better than Koulibaly and that's because of his age. He's a world class proven defender in his prime, 2-3 seasons at the top almost bridging the gap between him and Garcia, so when he leaves Garcia slots straight in as the absolute number one (having been rotating more and more) and we're looking for a backup again once Koulibaly ages out.

 

[Great Kompany]

That’s a fair take. How do you plan on eradicating our pressing issues without selling a single attacking / midfield senior player? Gundogan, mendy, Jesus, Rodri, and Mahrez aren’t moving so what exactly are you arguing for? We’re up for a massive upgrade in one position.

Exactly.This is not a question of either/or. We can change the system get some midfield enforcement necessary but that shouldn't stop us from buying a defender. Ota and Stones are not cutting it anymore. Any change in a system may help them a little but they won't suddenly turn into world beaters.
The argument for left back makes sense though.
A system where we have a reliable left back, right back and Laporte plus someone like Partey in mid along with Rodri is a scenario where i won't be shitting bricks if the partner to Laporte is Ota/Stones.
We ain't looking for a left back. in Midfield Zakaria is the one we may go for. Hence Koulibaly makes sense for us imho

 

[Neville Kneville]

And that last part is worth keeping in mind. We need to be actively raising our level and addressing our shortcomings rather than passively sitting on what we have and hoping they get better.

It's the difference between those who stay at the top and those who hope to claw their way back up there.

And nobody 'wants' to spend shit loads on a 29 year old cb, the problem is, what genuine alternatives are there, of top quality, if we don't ? How many truly top class 'proper' centre backs have become available to us, in the last 5 years ?

We were even in for Maguire.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

It be hard for a player to come in and be our leader on the pitch it takes time to earn respect from other team mates.

I completely agree but the flip side of it is that there are plenty of recent examples in recent memory of quality players joining clubs and raising the confidence of all those around them through their presence and the fact that they're better on every conceivable level than those they're replacing.

If we're getting rid of two Bravos then it would be nice to get a couple of Edersons.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Exactly.This is not a question of either/or. We can change the system get some midfield enforcement necessary but that shouldn't stop us from buying a defender. Ota and Stones are not cutting it anymore. Any change in a system may help them a little but they won't suddenly turn into world beaters.
The argument for left back makes sense though.
A system where we have a reliable left back, right back and Laporte plus someone like Partey in mid along with Rodri is a scenario where i won't be shitting bricks if the partner to Laporte is Ota/Stones.
We ain't looking for a left back. in Midfield Zakaria is the one we may go for. Hence Koulibaly makes sense for us imho

KK, Zakaria, Ake & Torres would be an immense transfer window imo.

 

[Great Kompany]

KK, Zakaria, Ake & Torres would be an immense transfer window imo.

Yes. That will be our defence and fullbacks lock and loaded for at least five years.
2021 season we can either give Aguero a contract extension (which i really wish for ) else look for strikers in the market with other positions being all covered.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Yes. That will be our defence and fullbacks lock and loaded for at least five years.
2021 season we can either give Aguero a contract extension (which i really wish for ) else look for strikers in the market with other positions being all covered.

A young striker would be perfect addittion imo, as opposed to young cbs.

 

[ctid1894]

That’s a fair take. How do you plan on eradicating our pressing issues without selling a single attacking / midfield senior player? Gundogan, mendy, Jesus, Rodri, and Mahrez aren’t moving so what exactly are you arguing for? We’re up for a massive upgrade in one position.

Jesus for starters is the best pressing player in the entire squad, so I don't understand his inclusion in that list and Aguero and Silva's absence? It makes the post seem disingenuous, although it may just be a genuine mistake.

I've said multiple times our problems are caused by a combination of those players, I don't think we'll have to use the same combinations as frequently next season. Silva leaving will play a huge role, he's been the single biggest weakness in the press and that's coming from someone who believes he's the best player we've ever had at the club (he tops the Kompany, Aguero, Zabaleta, Fernandinho list for me). Aguero will naturally start less and less as he gets older, although we still need his goals, so that sways the balance of that debate.

I don't think Gundogan will feature as prominently in the #8 role, I don't think he or Rodri are problems in isolation in the #6 role, although I don't like them together as a double pivot. Mahrez on his own is fine as well, especially with De Bruyne, Jesus and Walker or Cancelo around him.

 

[decmancity]

There is going to be nothing to report on this till the CL is finished for either club. The press are just making bollocks up at this stage.

 

[razman]

There is going to be nothing to report on this till the CL is finished for either club. The press are just making bollocks up at this stage.

Read city Twitter now, that anything that will be done on this, will be after champions league

Also prefers Paris due to his investments there

 

[jimharri]

Read city Twitter now, that anything that will be done on this, will be after champions league

Also prefers Paris due to his investments there

I saw that about his preference for Paris. If his heart isn't really in a move to us, forget about him.

 

[richards30]

Really don’t think this will happen unfortunately. No doubt we want him but he genuinely seems happy to stay there and I think we need people who want to be here to drive us forward? He’s the perfect one for us though but personally think we will get skriniar.