It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

[Stoned Rose]

Like it. Stonesy/ Rodders or Dias pls

Kev.

 

[City Raider]

Do you want the club to pay 50 to 60 million for a player to sit on the bench hoping for an injury, that sounds like Phillips situation. Other than long term injuries we can more than cope. That's forgeting that Haaland rarely played 90 minutes after being injury prone at Dortmund

How do you even sell a likely place on the bench to a 50-60m player? You can’t, they expect to play. If too many leave our quality will drop because we won’t be able to replace like for like. Unless the kids really deliver.

Not panicking yet but 3 or 4 more leaving will be difficult to manage.

 

[city warrior]

We had Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Tevez at one point and guess how many were happy and managed to stay on longer than 2 years?

But more recently we had Bernardo, Sane, Sterling, Foden, Jesus and Mahrez all at one time playing wingers.. guess how long they stayed happy at the club with their low playtime?

Maybe you need to go watch the.. "You're sad! There are many sads! No more sad faces guys!" again before you think you know better than Pep.

You may hate it but that's the reality.


Edit: You might think McAtee, Perrone, Palmer are useless but last year.. Pep benched Walker and Cancelo for Rico Lewis.. someone you haven't even mentioned in your 13. LOL!

Again, we don't need 2 players per position. But we definitely need more than 13 players who can be starters (you go to the extreme as usual).

This is the smallest squad in Pep's career, and you really think that after 15 years as a manager, this is what he always wanted?

Palmer, McAtee and Perrone are, right now, low table PL starters. If you feel comfortable with a Bournemouth/Leicester/Everton/Leeds average starter being in our first 11, perfect, but I don't. Can they surprise everyone and grow very quickly? Of course, but depending on that is a gamble.

 

[city warrior]

Do you want the club to pay 50 to 60 million for a player to sit on the bench hoping for an injury, that sounds like Phillips situation. Other than long term injuries we can more than cope. That's forgeting that Haaland rarely played 90 minutes after being injury prone at Dortmund

Kovacic, Alvarez, Akanji, Gabriel Jesus were 15-30m players who give great depth and can fight for a spot in the starting 11. Other teams have players in that price who can fight for a starting position in our team.

Other than long-term injuries? Let's gamble on that not happening then. Even better let's have a world-class first 11, and all the subs being from academy. After all, we could cope if none of the 11 get injured. We are literally 2 players away from this being the case.

 

[teddykgb]

Kovacic, Alvarez, Akanji, Gabriel Jesus were 15-30m players who give great depth and can fight for a spot in the starting 11. Other teams have players in that price who can fight for a starting position in our team.

Other than long-term injuries? Let's gamble on that not happening then. Even better let's have a world-class first 11, and all the subs being from academy. After all, we could cope if none of the 11 get injured. We are literally 2 players away from this being the case.

You’re insisting on this 13 number for some reason. It’s not that low and it’s probably best for all involved if younger players are making up the numbers. There are a few positions where we are dangerously thin but on the whole we have a very talented squad that can cover multiple positions. It would be nice to have another player or maybe two of high quality but nothing worth being this worked up about. Our next seemingly close deal being a left footed CB with speed would close one of those holes

 

[city warrior]

13 competing to start?

Ederson
Walker
Ake
Akanji
Laporte
Dias
Stones
Kovacic
Rodri
KDB
Silva
Grealish
Foden
Haaland
Alvarez

That’s 15 without Phillips or Cancelo

I don't count Laporte, especially in this new system he is not fighting for a spot in the first 11. But my bad 14, and not 13 like I said.

 

[city warrior]

You’re insisting on this 13 number for some reason. It’s not that low and it’s probably best for all involved if younger players are making up the numbers. There are a few positions where we are dangerously thin but on the whole we have a very talented squad that can cover multiple positions. It would be nice to have another player or maybe two of high quality but nothing worth being this worked up about. Our next seemingly close deal being a left footed CB with speed would close one of those holes

My bad, it was 14. Still the thinnest squad Pep has had in his career. If we are dangerously thin in few positions, then we are having a bad transfer market, and that is my frustration right now (something that could change in next weeks of course).

Last season was the best season for us with respect to injuries. Hoping for the same is playing with fire.

 

[RayCTID]

Don't completely dismiss Laporte he could easily get back in to contention. The Japanese tour is an ideal for him to get use to Pep's new system, he was still injured at the start of the treble winning season so didn't have time to fully get to grips. Assuming Gvardiol does arrive we still need cover.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Again, we don't need 2 players per position. But we definitely need more than 13 players who can be starters (you go to the extreme as usual).

This is the smallest squad in Pep's career, and you really think that after 15 years as a manager, this is what he always wanted?

Palmer, McAtee and Perrone are, right now, low table PL starters. If you feel comfortable with a Bournemouth/Leicester/Everton/Leeds average starter being in our first 11, perfect, but I don't. Can they surprise everyone and grow very quickly? Of course, but depending on that is a gamble.

Have you so easily forgotten.. 17-18.

An unproven Sane (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Sterling (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Bernardo (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Jesus (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Foden
An unproven Danilo
An unproven Zinchenko

The entire season was based on incorporating kids into our squad which is what Pep is trying to do again now.

Seems I'm discussing with someone with a closed mind here.. who has no willingness to adhere to facts.

 

[city warrior]

Have you so easily forgotten.. 17-18.

An unproven Sane (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Sterling (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Bernardo (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Jesus (having not even scored 10 goals a season)
An unproven Foden
An unproven Danilo
An unproven Zinchenko

The entire season was based on incorporating kids into our squad which is what Pep is trying to do again now.

Sheesh arguing with someone with a closed mind here..

You are comparing those players to Phillips, Gomez, Palmer, Perrone, Lewis and McAtee? Really? Zinchenko would be the only one on that list comparable to the ones I mentioned now. Sane and Sterling were both some of the best young prospects in the world, and were starters for elite teams (including us in 16/17), Bernardo who was amazing with a Monaco that was in UCL SF, Gabriel Jesus who was scoring like crazy when he arrived with us (he would be comparable to Alvarez), Foden who is a generational talent (Foden at 17-18 was already a better player than McAtee or Palmer now) and Danilo who was a squad member in Real Madrid!!

Are you being serious?

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

You are comparing those players to Phillips, Gomez, Palmer, Perrone, Lewis and McAtee? Really? Zinchenko would be the only one on that list comparable to the ones I mentioned now. Sane and Sterling were both some of the best young prospects in the world, and were starters for elite teams (including us in 16/17), Bernardo who was amazing with a Monaco that was in UCL SF, Gabriel Jesus who was scoring like crazy when he arrived with us (he would be comparable to Alvarez), Foden who is a generational talent (Foden at 17-18 was already a better player than McAtee or Palmer now) and Danilo who was a squad member in Real Madrid!!

Are you being serious?

Bobb, Palmer, Lewis, McAtee, Perrone & Alvarez are easily Sane, Sterling, Bernardo, Jesus & Zinny 16-17 level.

If they weren't.. Pep wouldn't be holding on them.. they'd be sold like Carlos Borges or Patrick Roberts from back then.

 

[city warrior]

Palmer, Lewis, McAtee, Perrone & Alvarez are easily Sane, Sterling, Bernardo, Jesus & Zinny 16-17 level.

If they weren't.. Pep wouldn't be holding on them.. they'd be sold like Carlos Borges or Patrick Roberts from back then.

Again, if you think Palmer, Lewis, McAtee, Perrone, Gomez and Phillips are comparable to Sane, Sterling, Bernardo, Jesus and Danilo (16-17 versions of them)...there is just no point. But I would be genuinely curious if there is another person who thinks that is a good comparisson.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Again, if you think Phillips ...there is just no point. But I would be genuinely curious if there is another person who thinks that is a good comparisson.

Up to you but I'm not the one losing my mind screaming at Txiki.

I'm relaxed and happy to trust the process with Pep getting the chance to incorporate Bobb, McAtee, Lewis, and others into the squad.

That said I have never said Kalvin is up to the task.

Infact I've said this previously.. DM is the hardest position for City to recruit for and Pep has only trusted 4 people there - Yaya, Ferna, Gundo & Rodri.. all who're City legends.

So we do need a DM unless either Kovacic covers there, or Perrone who's a DM by trade is going to get a chance there, but for the most part Pep plays him as an 8 and not a 6.

P.S. If the kids you're dismissing are that bad.. Brighton, Benfica wouldn't want them. If they go there, in a year they'll be worth 70 mil +.. there's a big difference inbetween Kayky and McAtee

 

[RayCTID]

I still don't think Kalvin Phillips is a weak link at all. Although not in Rodri's class he can still fill in and can add a different dimension to our play (especially with Haaland). He happened to be signed during a unique season where the World Cup fell in December and he was injured when we signed him. His conditioning post World Cup didn't help matters with Pep but he managed to get back in shape enough for Pep to consider him in the cup games. Similar to Laporte the Japanese tour is an opportunity to get back into contention. Both haven't really pissed off Pep to the extent Cancelo had.

 

[Keeper!]

Don't completely dismiss Laporte he could easily get back in to contention. The Japanese tour is an ideal for him to get use to Pep's new system, he was still injured at the start of the treble winning season so didn't have time to fully get to grips. Assuming Gvardiol does arrive we still need cover.

He's slow and flat footed, that's why he can't play in this system, we witnessed a case of that in the game on Sunday.

He in every game has a mistake in him, that's what stops him becoming a great.

His passing is outstanding, very much world class for a CB.

 

[RayCTID]

He's slow and flat footed, that's why he can't play in this system, we witnessed a case of that in the game on Sunday.

He in every game has a mistake in him, that's what stops him becoming a great.

His passing is outstanding, very much world class for a CB.

See how he does vs Bayern. It was his first pre-season game back and the rest of our defending in that game left a lot to be desired (especially Akanji, Lewis and Ortega)

 

[Keeper!]

See how he does vs Bayern. It was his first pre-season game back and the rest of our defending in that game left a lot to be desired (especially Akanji, Lewis and Ortega)

He's been at the club long enough to know the player and his vulnerabilities.

As said he is a class act but his weakness is lack of pace and at times so flat footed, he get caught out easily when turned.

 

[RayCTID]

He's been at the club long enough to know the player and his vulnerabilities.

As said he is a class act but his weakness is lack of pace and at times so flat footed, he get caught out easily when turned.

He can still work on his positioning during the pre season to make up for the lack of speed. He can improve his mental sharpness as well. If he has a totally shit game vs Bayern and then Atleti Madrid then his chances of really getting back in have gone.

 

[Keeper!]

He can still work on his positioning during the pre season to make up for the lack of speed. He can improve his mental sharpness as well. If he has a totally shit game vs Bayern and then Atleti Madrid then his chances of really getting back in have gone.

He's 29, at his peak, he won't get better in fact as he ages his lack of pace could become more of an issue, added to some serious injuries he's had.

Maybe that's the reason we are happy to move him on and also why there is not a que of clubs chasing his signature, top class CB's are like rocking horse poo, yet Laporte seemingly has noone chasing his signature.

 

[D'Silva]

He's 29, at his peak, he won't get better in fact as he ages his lack of pace could become more of an issue, added to some serious injuries he's had.

Maybe that's the reason we are happy to move him on and also why there is not a que of clubs chasing his signature, top class CB's are like rocking horse poo, yet Laporte seemingly has noone chasing his signature.

Obviously your confusing being disfavored by Pep with ability and talent. I'm pretty sure Cancelo and Laporte have the skills that could prove valuable to other clubs. Of course Pep has the discretion to pick his squad but I'm not so simplistic as to consider manager's preferences that are partly based on off field events to be somehow indicative of players' abilities. That flies in the face of common sense.