Foden is an exception as he was always treated as a world class player. Lewis wasn’t even brought up in conversations here during last summer. People talked about Mbete, Joshua etc. Lewis was used due to very specific needs halfway through the season. That is different from planning the squad with the unproven kids or loaneesThere is of course that. But then, there is also Rico Lewis. And Phil Foden who has come through and is now a first team player.
Last year everyone was expecting Palmer to have a significant role in the team, and I was among those arguing that was far fetched. While he did not, he wasn't exactly unused either. Nobody saw Rico coming, and he played a big part. What's to say another won't this year.
I am not arguing the club won't sign top players based on expectations of the academy kids btw. Just that some do have a role, and impact a season.
Don’t belittle our achievements, they are a very good side (certainly no worse than last 5 years), we beat the German champions and the strongest English league opponents for many years. Remember we are elite, we are the benchmark, we are the top of the mountain, we are the best team in the land and all the world!!!Last year worked because players not in the starting eleven stepped up when they got their chance. Always thought that about Utd back in the day. It's what my dad spoke of about AC Milan in the 90s. How difficult it would be to keep the players in the stands happy.
Doing so, whilst maintaining that feat of having people step up, is incredibly difficult.
Players that have stepped up want assurances. They aren't forthcoming, because it would undermine the thing that makes it work. That is what is biting, right now.
There is no formula for making this whole thing work that I'm aware of. It's a player by player thing in the squad, so
I'm pretty open minded as to what we do in the market from here.
Having said that, we should certainly make sure we are strong enough to take the title, knowing it is still a very hard league.
And I do think we must take another shot at the CL, it is looking so inviting right now, the club will likely never have another period where a fairly average Real Madrid side are the biggest rivals.
Foden is an exception as he was always treated as a world class player. Lewis wasn’t even brought up in conversations here during last summer. People talked about Mbete, Joshua etc. Lewis was used due to very specific needs halfway through the season. That is different from planning the squad with the unproven kids or loanees
Remember we beat them twice for a 6 point swingNo domestic cup run or Champions League at the end of the season to worry about. Just 2-3 months of pure Premier League and they collapsed like an old flan in the back of a kitchen cupboard. Some of the games they won they had to come from behind in. Zinchenko displayed his emotional immaturity for all to see when their backs were against the wall. Just the same Arsenal as towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s tenure. Flatter to deceive until Easter.
Gomez playing on the wing is a serious possibility. It’s his natural position and we could see a few more departures than originally planned. Even if we give him another year to try and see how he fits in.
With Kev going into the season injured I think we see more of Foden centrally, it’s a good reason to start him there and natural progression. Grealish and Alvarez wide, Bernado and Mahrez to leave. Sounds like Bobb may be involved and can see Palmer being loaned out. I think we go into next season with
Grealish/Alvarez/Bobb/Gomez/New signing (And Foden if needed as well)
But expect us to sign someone high level if that’s the case.
No team ever wins the league through another team losing it.They made it hard for themselves. If we're being honest, it was more a case of Arsenal losing the league than us winning it.
They got near the finishing post and started to panic when Saliba got injured. Liverpool did the same after Gerrard slipped. The rags did it after 93:20... Ferguson went into panic mode to win the league the next season and caused the hopefully irreparable damage to the squad that we've seen since then.
Thanks to Pep, City are the only current team with the ability and mentality to eat up a large points gap. Other teams genuinely fear City. That will be the case as long as Pep is at the club. What happens after Pep is anyone's guess, but as matters stand, only a fool would bet against City repeating the treble next season.
Agreed. But don’t you think McAtee will essentially take Perrone’s spot?Surely if any youth player is getting a proper chance, it’s Mcatee. Who I think has a realistic chance of getting a good amount of first team minutes
Gomez playing on the wing is a serious possibility. It’s his natural position and we could see a few more departures than originally planned. Even if we give him another year to try and see how he fits in.
With Kev going into the season injured I think we see more of Foden centrally, it’s a good reason to start him there and natural progression. Grealish and Alvarez wide, Bernado and Mahrez to leave. Sounds like Bobb may be involved and can see Palmer being loaned out. I think we go into next season with
Grealish/Alvarez/Bobb/Gomez/New signing (And Foden if needed as well)
But expect us to sign someone high level if that’s the case.
Will he not most likely take Palmers spot, if/when he goes out on loan?Agreed. But don’t you think McAtee will essentially take Perrone’s spot?
Thought that was reported we were looking at Bobb there. I’ve always been under the impression we’d play James centrally but who knows. Will be happy to see him feature which ever positionWill he not most likely take Palmers spot, if/when he goes out on loan?
perrones didn’t play at all. Mcatee will be getting proper first team minutes in my opinion.Agreed. But don’t you think McAtee will essentially take Perrone’s spot?
What does it mean that he isn’t a “shiny new toy”? It’s funny to me because the real fetish in the forum isn’t really for new signings but for Academy kids. Is it to rub in the rags’ face or something? Who knows. McAtee, if he does stay beyond preseason, will get those domestic cup minutes we all know. “He is quality”, maybe but he is completely unproven in any level that matters to usWould love to see McAtee come through and get many minutes with the team this year. The guy is quality but not a shiny new toy.
But the key is signing the correct players in. It's no good bringing in shiny expensive players who aren't any better than the EDS lads. The same could be said about the EDS players to some extent too.2-3 academy lads in the squad is plenty
We’ve won 5 in 6 league titles by being able to rely on top level experience, not time to start experimenting and moving away from that
Pep has specifically talked about the issue in the past of how the Academy kids come out unproven as opposed to the “Barcelona B” model he suggested for England, to much criticism.It's not a fetish but seeing we have a successful (and expensive) Academy and rather than keep cashing in on talent it would be good to start utilising them more in the first team and waste money on signings that won't significantly improve us.
To counter that Lavia is wanted by our direct rivals. Not some middle tier Premier League clubs or Championship teams. Brahim Diaz is now back with Real Madrid first team after a successful loan spell at AC Milan. Rico Lewis is looking settled and ready to kick on. James Trafford is a tad unfortunate that we have two better keepers (although he looks capable providing good back up more game time is better).Pep has specifically talked about the issue in the past of how the Academy kids come out unproven as opposed to the “Barcelona B” model he suggested for England, to much criticism.
To look at the Academy as a feeder of the first team is a mistake, absolute false “common sense”. The truth is the majority just aren’t good enough for our standard as proven by what happens when they leave. People here want kids in the first team that leave and are underwhelming in the Championship. The reality is they are in fact there to provide money to the club, as is the case with every club. When exactly do we waste money on signings that don’t improve us instead of using the Academy products? I will grant you one example. We’d have been better off having kept Lavia instead of buying Phillips. But even that takes requires knowing how his last season away went to know. To compete at the place we aim, it is through carefully scouted signings that we improve and win, simple as that. There is a level to be maintained that doesn’t allow for concessions to advertise the Academy in detriment of trophies. If it were up to this forum, last year we would have sold Ake to Chelsea and replaced him with Mbete (and of course never signed Akanji). And won fuck all
The use of “shiny” is ridiculous, it implies we sign as an extravagance. We sign the players we need. The point you’re making that we sign players who aren’t better than the EDS kids or that don’t improve us has no foot in reality. Furthermore, you can’t argue an Academy kid is “better than” if they haven’t been extensively tested in a competitive level in which we operate. You can’t claim that by looking at how they look against PL2 or Championship sidesBut the key is signing the correct players in. It's no good bringing in shiny expensive players who aren't any better than the EDS lads. The same could be said about the EDS players to some extent too.