Jack Grealish

[domalino]

How can anyone question his class? He has gone up a few levels this season. His touch, class and decision making isn’t far off KDB. Wonderful player. Hope we get him

He's a very good player I'm just not sure where he fits in. He's not going to replace KDB or Gundogan, he's not going to do Bernardo's job better than Bernardo, and he's not going to score 30 goals a season like Sterling.

So he's basically just going to be taking games from Mahrez and Foden and Ferran.

We're already going to be a lot more cramped for gametime in the front 5 when Aguero is replaced - there's not going to be any false 9 with Haaland or Kane up front. They'll play 45-50 games a season if they're fit enough and that'll mean Jesus plays more on the wing anyway because you have to keep the 2nd striker in reasonable form in case the no.1 gets injured.

If we're being honest, there's no position we need to strengthen less than attacking midfield/wing. We already have 8 players for 4 positions and it's also the position where we have 2 of the most promising youth players in the country in Palmer and McAtee.

When it was Messi being brought in, you think it's worth it because it's Messi, it's short term, the commercial side is beyond massive. For anyone else? Doesn't make sense.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I'm confused. Are you implying Ruben Dias isn't Pep's first choice centreback?

Sorry — edited original post

 

[Deleted member 87819]

He's a very good player I'm just not sure where he fits in. He's not going to replace KDB or Gundogan, he's not going to do Bernardo's job better than Bernardo, and he's not going to score 30 goals a season like Sterling.

So he's basically just going to be taking games from Mahrez and Foden.

Mahrez, Kevin and Gundogan will all be 30 or older next season. If you don’t think Pep Guardiola of all people can’t fit Grealish in our team, you have no faith in him. And even if he isn’t featured a lot this next season (and I think he will), in the one after that he would surely be one of our protagonists

 

[KennyG]

I think grealish would surprise a few on here if he did come. He’s one of the best creative midfielders in the league at the min. Only one assist fewer than KDB in what is a very limited side.

Wins cheap free kicks and has an excellent delivery. Imagine a Kane or Haaland to be on the end of them?

I want Haaland, but Kane could enable City to cash in on Sterling and preserve the English quota.

 

[domalino]

Mahrez, Kevin and Gundogan will all be 30 or older next season. If you don’t think Pep Guardiola of all people can’t fit Grealish in our team, you have no faith in him. And even if he isn’t featured a lot this next season (and I think he will), in the one after that he would surely be one of our protagonists

October/November taught me I have more faith in Pep than most of this forum, but he's not going to fit 9 players into 4 positions happily.

There's also the squad limits to consider. We are already at the limit. It's 1 in 1 out.

So if you buy Grealish you have to sell someone.

 

[better dead than red]

That the lad Guardiola froze out of the squad and then released?

Do you bother to read the subsequent posts or do you just hit the post reply button as quickly as possible to qct like a troll?

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Mahrez, Kevin and Gundogan will all be 30 or older next season. If you don’t think Pep Guardiola of all people can’t fit Grealish in our team, you have no faith in him. And even if he isn’t featured a lot this next season (and I think he will), in the one after that he would surely be one of our protagonists

I'd be interested to see how we'd use him but he has got a point.

De Bruyne is going to be better than Grealish until the day he retires and Grealish will never do what Gundogan does. Foden has infinitely more talent and is only lacking further experience.

The only way I see Grealish fitting is if Mahrez leaves and Sterling gets used on the right again. Either that or Pep transforms him into a striker.

I'm all for signing him, as long as it doesn't mean bloating the squad where there's no need.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I'd be interested to see how we'd use him but he has got a point.

De Bruyne is going to be better than Grealish until the day he retires and Grealish will never do what Gundogan does. Foden has infinitely more talent and is only lacking further experience.

The only way I see Grealish fitting is if Mahrez leaves and Sterling gets used on the right again. Either that or Pep transforms him into a striker.

I'm all for signing him, as long as it doesn't mean bloating the squad where there's no need.

How is this different from being close to signing Messi last summer? Obviously not comparing players

 

[domalino]

How is this different from being close to signing Messi last summer? Obviously not comparing players

Like I said in my original post, it's different because Messi is Messi.

You know it's short term, probably 2 seasons, and the commercial side of things and the fact he's the best player on the planet bar none justifies doing something stupid like having a top for a year or two or selling someone for a stupidly low price in a covid deflated market.

Players put up with playing less than they should because they know it's only short term and they get to tell their grandkids they played with the greatest of all time. Youth prospects don't want to leave because they get to train with him.

 

[Andrew___K]

October/November taught me I have more faith in Pep than most of this forum, but he's not going to fit 9 players into 4 positions happily.

There's also the squad limits to consider. We are already at the limit. It's 1 in 1 out.

So if you buy Grealish you have to sell someone.

It was already discussed here. Ferna is going this summer, Gundo can split his minutes between 8 and 6 positions

 

[domalino]

It was already discussed here. Ferna is going this summer, Gundo can split his minutes between 8 and 6 positions

That's a fucking awful idea in my opinion.

I love Gundo and he's a capable 6, but this season has shown us that in certain games there is no substitute for a quick, physical number 6 who knows all the dark arts of the position. Fern at 35 has shown why Pep always needed someone hard to cut through the nonsense. Keita at Barcelona was a key player in some massive games despite Busquets/Initesta/Xavi being one of the best midfields ever. Pep needed Vidal at Bayern for the same reasons.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Like I said in my original post, it's different because Messi is Messi.

You know it's short term, probably 2 seasons, and the commercial side of things and the fact he's the best player on the planet bar none justifies doing something stupid like having a top for a year or two or selling someone for a stupidly low price in a covid deflated market.

Players put up with playing less than they should because they know it's only short term and they get to tell their grandkids they played with the greatest of all time. Youth prospects don't want to leave because they get to train with him.

I’m curious how long do you see Gundogan, Kevin and Mahrez playing at top level twice a week?

 

[Tugay One Cup]

How is this different from being close to signing Messi last summer? Obviously not comparing players

Confession time: I didn't want Messi last summer. Eventually, I got dragged into wanting the bragging rights but I wasn't sold on the footballing side of things.

Same thing with that Lyon midfielder who consists mostly of vowels.

I don't like us bloating the squad because I'd prefer we supplemented our first team with academy players more often.

 

[domalino]

I’m curious how long do you see Gundogan, Kevin and Mahrez playing at top level twice a week?

You're creating a strawman where the only players we have are KDB, Gundogan and Mahrez.

Why would they play 2 games a week every week? We already have Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Sterling, Jesus and Ferran Torres in the squad. Christ, Mahrez has only played about 40% of our minutes since he arrived and you think he's going to be over worked?!

Also you're doing the weird FIFA-generation thing where people pretend you turn into a old man at 30. David Silva was playing every single game without any problem until he was 33, when age did effect him although he still managed 50 games. Fernandinho the same.

Age is not a valid reason to buy someone this summer.

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

I may have said it before but I would be open to loaning out Ferran next season if we signed Haaland and Grealish. He needs regular game time and it's difficult to see him getting it with all that competition. He would probably be behind Foden, Sterling, Mahrez, Grealish and maybe even Bernardo and Jesus in the pecking order for wide positions.

The right loan move to aid his development and he could replace Mahrez in the squad the season after.

The difficult part would be selling it to the player.

Edit: Only if we signed players in his positions though.

 

[jrb]

If we signed Grealish and Haaland I'd be very happy?
But have we got £200mill-£250mill to spend on two players, even though they are great players?

Linking KDB, Foden, and Grealish would be fantastic. There wouldn't be a better or more creative midfield in the PL, perhaps in Europe, for years to come.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

You're creating a strawman where the only players we have are KDB, Gundogan and Mahrez.

No I’m singling them out because of age. As I said, this player seems tailor made for us even if he’s only more frequently featured in the season after, but it would be a matter of losing him to United now and not seeing a similar homegrown option with a relatively doable clause anywhere. And I’m not factoring in losing any of the players you mentioned either this or next summer

 

[domalino]

No I’m singling them out because of age. As I said, this player seems tailor made for us even if he’s only more frequently featured in the season after, but it would be a matter of losing him to United now and not seeing a similar homegrown option with a relatively doable clause anywhere. And I’m not factoring in losing any of the players you mentioned either this or next summer

Apparently you didn't read this so I'm just going to post it again.


You're creating a strawman where the only players we have are KDB, Gundogan and Mahrez.

Why would they play 2 games a week every week? We already have Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Sterling, Jesus and Ferran Torres in the squad. Christ, Mahrez has only played about 40% of our minutes since he arrived and you think he's going to be over worked?!

Also you're doing the weird FIFA-generation thing where people pretend you turn into a old man at 30. David Silva was playing every single game without any problem until he was 33, when age did effect him although he still managed 50 games. Fernandinho the same.

Age is not a valid reason to buy someone this summer.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I may have said it before but I would be open to loaning out Ferran next season, especially if we signed Haaland and Grealish. He needs regular game time and it's difficult to see him getting it with all that competition. He would probably be behind Foden, Sterling, Mahrez, Grealish and maybe even Bernardo and Jesus in the pecking order for wide positions.

The right loan move to aid his development and he could replace Mahrez in the squad the season after.

The difficult part would be selling it to the player.

I’m struggling to see a place for Ferran next season given what he’s shown this season and I’m someone that welcomed him already thinking he would be a player for 21/22 more than this season, but he’s struggling more than I expected. Obviously if Covid was indeed a big part of this it’s not just his fault

 

[domalino]

I’m struggling to see a place for Ferran next season given what he’s shown this season and I’m someone that welcomed him already thinking he would be a player for 21/22 more than this season, but he’s struggling more than I expected. Obviously if Covid was indeed a big part of this it’s not just his fault

Oh I see. You're one of those people.

The kind that's watched Guardiola buy half a dozen young players who all did nothing special in their first 6-12 months only to kick into gear in the second season, but hasn't learned anything from it.

The kind who's already forgotten how he stood up and delivered for us in September/October when we had a quarter of the squad injured.