It's Quiet 16 - Txiki grinders

[balotelli's back pocket]

I'd recall Doyle from Hamburg if we can't sign someone in January. He's not playing there anyway, may as well come back and cover Rodri.

 

[Keeper!]

We're absolutely, quite obviously not going to sign a DM (or anyone for that matter) in January so there's no point even pondering it in my opinion. We'll make do and hope for the best. If the worst happens, Pep will come up with something. Likely Gundo with Bernardo a little deeper. Walker will tuck in more too. Not ideal, but we're pretty damn lucky if that's our solution. Most teams would kill for that as their first choice option.

Why is it obvious?

We are short in that area, probably our biggest weakness, we have money and we have a squad place available.

Barca are signing Torres and need to sell a player to meet FFP, deJong would be a wonderful signing for us and a player Barca would reluctantly sell.

 

[Coatigan]

January signings don’t usually announce themselves early

Apart from Torres.

Which, as an aside, I have to say I do find somewhat distasteful. No issue with him leaving, or even the fee. But him having a medical in Barcelona on the day we play a game at home, and the cules ready to announce him before the window opens is a bit naff.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Apart from Torres.

I didn’t mean that they aren’t announced early, I meant more as declaration of intentions

And I agree with the rest of your post

 

[Coatigan]

I didn’t mean that they aren’t announced early, I meant more as declaration of intentions

And I agree with the rest of your post

I see.

I don't expect January signings. But not because we 'don't' or 'wouldn't' make January signings, more because of the availability and contract situations of the few realistic targets.

If anything, my expectation has shifted slightly with Torres being sold. Which despite what people say about not missing him, obviously does weaken our squad for the business end of the season. Which was supposedly briefed earlier on would not be allowed to happen.

Vlahovic's agent recently declaring his client will wait for the summer, sounds a bit of a push to Fiorentina to get what they can now. And noise from dortmund and haaland, however much of a denial, is still noise that there is just no need for.

Not expecting one, but wouldn't be entirely surprised if a signing came.

 

[richards30]

Frustrating that we aren’t looking to really strengthen the squad going into the second half of the season with a top class forward player. We should be going full pelt to assert ourselves further rather than having to rely on pep making things work as the board haven’t provided him with the one area we desperately needed a world class player in?!

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Apart from Torres.

Which, as an aside, I have to say I do find somewhat distasteful. No issue with him leaving, or even the fee. But him having a medical in Barcelona on the day we play a game at home, and the cules ready to announce him before the window opens is a bit naff.

Yes but that's Barca for you .

Massive club, massive ego, massive debts , and cules as we already know from experience are just pathetic cunts anyway.

 

[twosips]

Why is it obvious?

We are short in that area, probably our biggest weakness, we have money and we have a squad place available.

Barca are signing Torres and need to sell a player to meet FFP, deJong would be a wonderful signing for us and a player Barca would reluctantly sell.

We would already know if City were gonna attempt to sign anyone. The silence surrounding us and Pep's insistence of no activity is telling. City don't do impulse transfers. They're long, drawn out and planned.

 

[Bluemoon has risen]

Frustrating that we aren’t looking to really strengthen the squad going into the second half of the season with a top class forward player. We should be going full pelt to assert ourselves further rather than having to rely on pep making things work as the board haven’t provided him with the one area we desperately needed a world class player in?!

Why rush in?

I'm willing to give City the benefit of the doubt providing we get the right man in the summer. We're hardly struggling without a striker at the moment and the Torres cash may not be on the table in the summer.

We waited a year for a Kompany replacement and signed Dias, we waited a year for a Toure replacement and signed Rodri etc so generally we get it right eventually, even if it requires a bit of patience.

Replacing Aguero is a really difficult job, given his legendary status and his unique ability. There's only a few players that fit into the top class bracket that would fit the way we play and these players are being courted by the other big clubs like Barca, Real, Utd, PSG, Juve, Bayern etc.

 

[Damanino]

It might take as much time to sign a DM instead of Dinho as its taking with a proper striker.

To me the Grealish transfer makes less and less sense especially on that price and especially if Sterling is finding his old form which would result in a new contract maybe for him, but a top striker, LB, DM cover surely is the priority and was the priority in the summer too.
Dont think we would be much worse if we dont activate Grealish's release clause.

I am hoping we can pull off Haaland but we can be easily beaten in the transfer dealings.

 

[talkativesprout]

Frustrating that we aren’t looking to really strengthen the squad going into the second half of the season with a top class forward player. We should be going full pelt to assert ourselves further rather than having to rely on pep making things work as the board haven’t provided him with the one area we desperately needed a world class player in?!

You not think Gabriel Jesus is a top class forward player then? If you think he is then
one has to come to the conclussion that Pep's system works better without a focal point forward.

 

[kupest]

One of the reasons to not bring in a forward right now would be the change in system it requires. We would have to change a working playing system into something totally different to adapt to the forward. If it was about buying a player in a position in the system it would make much more sense in January. We need players to hit the ground running midseason, not uproot a system that is giving dividends. Bringing in a striker will take more than a few training sessions before we see rewards.

 

[richards30]

You not think Gabriel Jesus is a top class forward player then? If you think he is then
one has to come to the conclussion that Pep's system works better without a focal point forward.

Pep mentioned literally the other day that we need to sign a striker sooner rather than later and we tried in the summer? Khaldoon also said in his summer interview we needed to replace Sergio and we would? That was said as a statement of fact yet we didn’t push the button? The lads have adapted brilliantly but we still need a world class striker imo and of course we all hope for Haaland but (and maybe they have) we should be throwing extra cash at Dortmund is January to try and do the deal ASAP.

 

[simon23]

I'm saying he's an 80mill player in today's market.

Declan Rice isnt even worth 30m....he is shit and another overrated english player

 

[simon23]

If we're looking at DM I'd like to see kalvin Phillips at Leeds, very well could be in a relegation fight and if Leeds are going down would certainly be a lot cheaper than trying to pry Declan rice away from a west ham chasing European places. I think he is at least as good as rice too, both England internationals and if he can play for biesla he can play for pep hell it may even make him settle in a lot quicker than rice would.

good god no.....

 

[samuelyeboah]

love the creativity and originality that results in out of the box recommendations such as declan rice and kalvin phillips

 

[Keeper!]

We would already know if City were gonna attempt to sign anyone. The silence surrounding us and Pep's insistence of no activity is telling. City don't do impulse transfers. They're long, drawn out and planned.

Like when we all knew we were signing Bernardo?

Top clubs rarely let players go in the middle of the season when chasing titles, letting Torres go at this stage is a weird one, I think we may have one incoming.

 

[samuelyeboah]

Like when we all knew we were signing Bernardo?

Top clubs rarely let players go in the middle of the season when chasing titles, letting Torres go at this stage is a weird one, I think we may have one incoming.

what does it tell you that you have to go back nearly 5 years to find a counterexample

 

[Dadsupportedthem]

Declan Rice isnt even worth 30m....he is shit and another overrated english player

Congratulations! idiotic post of year. Just in time too!

 

[salfordbluetrue]

Like when we all knew we were signing Bernardo?

Top clubs rarely let players go in the middle of the season when chasing titles, letting Torres go at this stage is a weird one, I think we may have one incoming.

My feelings as well was hoping for a striker but Pep said no, but when Torres leaves i do not think we will buy a right winger we were already overloaded.