It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

[domalino]

With respect to the Mendy conversation, I think that it's very easy to sit on the outside and say "well I don't rate him and I think he's shit so we need a replacement surely". But to the people who work with Mendy everyday they still want to give him a chance. So it's not as black and white as you're making out. The 'issue' if you can call it that, is that currently there's no one to rotate Mendy with and when he's not fit we don't have a natural left back who can step in. We could do with that as an option, but I'm fairly convinced that we'll see Ake there whenever Mendy isn't fit.

I see people keep listing positions we should be buying in, but nobody is taking into account how squad numbers, and that the players who people want to discard are proven internationals on massive wages. It doesn't work like that. Clubs rarely just keep adding players without any regard for what they already have. City made it crystal clear at the start of the window there would be no midfielders brought in. They have KDB, Rodri, Ferna, Foden, Bernardo, Gundo. Six players for three positions and they're happy with those options regardless of how sexy that lad at Lyon looks right now.

I haven't written this up yet because for some reason he seems to have been made chiefly responsible for a 5-2 loss where 4 goals were nothing to do with him, but I thought for the first time since he came back from his last injury, Mendy was starting to hit early passes and cross first time again vs. Leicester, culminating in the great cross for Delap.

I also dug out this old video from 2018 when Mendy was recovered from injury and looking at his best, and we were all optimistic, and I don't think he looks physically any different. People always complain about him being awkward and leggy and clumsy, but he always was, and was still bloody effective despite that -




I think he's lacking fitness right now at the beginning of the season, but genuinely I still think that in a month he could be playing pretty well again. I want to see him play more with Delap, and he needs Jesus and Aguero back, because his main strength was deliveries into the box, and he's got no one to put them into right now.

I've got a lot more hope for Mendy fulfilling his potential than Stones.

 

[domalino]

Perfectly worded. Saw someone post that Aouar has the passing ability of Silva with the pressing of a madman. If that was the case he would have been worth 100 million plus.

That was me, and in another year he would be. Lyon need money, and the owner promised him he could leave for a sensible price because stuck around for last season when he was expected to leave.

 

[blueparrot]

must be watching Melbourne then.

No they obviously can't see what you see despite building teams that have won 4 in 8 years and broke records. Or they got bored with winning and have decided to build a squad to lose, you decide.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Anything happened so far today?

 

[M12Blue]

Out of curiosity, if Ake plays there for example and against Leeds and plays well, will you then change your opinion?

On a more general note, anyone who watched the Leicester game should be painfully aware that our problems can't be solved in the transfer market. We have plenty of quality players. They have to be play better, be better organised, and be better coached.

Never thought would hear that last sentence whilst Pep at the helm, but you’re dead right, we looked completely unprepared on sunday

 

[BillyShears]

I haven't written this up yet because for some reason he seems to have been made chiefly responsible for a 5-2 loss where 4 goals were nothing to do with him, but I thought for the first time since he came back from his last injury, Mendy was starting to hit early passes and cross first time again vs. Leicester.

Especially after Delap came on. He got close with a couple too haha.

I've got loads of goodwill for Mendy, and I know the club do generally and Pep does personally. Apparently Pep's lad and Mendy are very friendly and he can often be found at their place for dinner. He's a handful but he's also a very good guy and when he came to City he came despite offers from all over.

 

[meeesh]

Anything happened so far today?

Nah,just me and Domalino having our weekly spat mate that's all.

 

[wolviedinho]

Foden anyone? If a new cm is bought what happens to foden taking his chance? He has been waiting for Dave to move on and now that has happened we want to put another player in his way.

The team is going to have to evolve from Silva. We have lost a player who keeps the ball very well in tight space and replacing him with a more direct player. The team is evolving?

Last season we were crying out for foden as Dave’s leg were gone and his ability to dictate games dwindling.

Evolution not revolution is needed.

 

[BillyShears]

Never thought would hear that last sentence whilst Pep at the helm, but you’re dead right, we looked completely unprepared on sunday

Pep has the most work to do of anyone associated with City right now. Far too much of what is wrong is about him rather than about the players.

 

[willipp]

Our problem at left back IMO has been that we don't have a natural defender there. Zin, Delph, and Mendy to different degrees were attacking full backs positionally unaware and defensively suspect. Ake will just fucking defend well, which is all I want right now. The attackers should be creating more, not Mendy/Walker.

And to add to that Mendy offers very little going forward recently and its not like we will be missing his attacking prowess. We need to make ourselves solid and harder to score against. I doubt anyone felt once we went one up on Sunday or even two up against Wolves that the games were comfortable. We are weak at the back and we need to pick players who can defend. A back 4 of Walker, Dias, Laporte and Ake will hopefully give us that.