It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

[BamberBridgeBlue]

Small club mentality this summer. McAtee and O’Rielly?…what a drop off.
Uncertainty with the manager, the charges? Whatever the factors, it will be the determining factor this season.
Europe is a write off and It is Arsenal’s title to lose.
Anyone with an other opinion is simply thinking with the heart.

Not that small. We didn’t have Jonny Evans playing for us yesterday so…

 

[Semper aggressus]

Disagree personally, I think we look very light in central MF, if we were to lose Rodri for any period of time we are in trouble in terms of titles and at the end of the day that what we are about.

I agree. And there’s not enough goals from midfield apart from Phil.

Bernie scores important ones or great ones but nowhere near enough for a guy of his ability. Grealish doesn’t score many. Kovacic almost never.

We need the kind of midfielder that will power through and smash in a few when the ball’s pinging around near the opposition penalty area.

Given our income from winning the title four times in a row, tv, sponsorship, CL every year plus all the player sales, why the fuck do we spend like fucking Norwich?

One world class attacking midfield signing and we’d absolutely piss the league this year added to the quality of the squad we have.

 

[Semper aggressus]

All this talk about buying a midfielder that gets into our midfield but can also cover for Rodri.
Question, which available midfielder gets into our midfield 3 ahead of Rodri, KDB, Foden, Bernardo, Kovacic, and can cover for Rodri adquately ?

It’s a squad game so everyone would get plenty of games - what we can’t afford is too large a drop off in quality when Rodri and/or Foden are missing.

KDB is 33 now, I’m not sure he’ll play that many games in a row, particularly with his injury history unfortunately. Bernardo and Kovacic don’t score many so could make way in some games.

Any of Guimaraes, Zubimendi, Eze, Kimmich or Olmo would have definitely improved the first team, especially ahead of Nunes or Kovacic. We play so many games everyone would get plenty of games, no-one is really ‘back-up’.

 

[Matt Diablo]

@richards30 when you protesting mate?

Be another level to Swales out "Franny In" one. What a day . . .

 

[Mayor West]

I’ve a sneaky suspicion you’re about as blue as Lou Macari.

He's a dipper mate

 

[Matt Diablo]

This is obviously the time to back our academy filling the spaces and being part of 1st team. So no more transfers for me. With Etcheveri coming in January we don't need any shiny new toys. It also put a finger up to the red mafia / press /epl/ uefa/ fifa/ eamon holmes anyone else to fuk that and don't be slagging us off for over spending

 

[blueparrot]

It’s a squad game so everyone would get plenty of games - what we can’t afford is too large a drop off in quality when Rodri and/or Foden are missing.

KDB is 33 now, I’m not sure he’ll play that many games in a row, particularly with his injury history unfortunately. Bernardo and Kovacic don’t score many so could make way in some games.

Any of Guimaraes, Zubimendi, Eze, Kimmich or Olmo would have definitely improved the first team, especially ahead of Nunes or Kovacic. We play so many games everyone would get plenty of games, no-one is really ‘back-up’.

only one of those that might get in the team regularly and for the big games is Kimmich and maybe Guimaraes, Kimmich because he can play inverted right back.The rest would be rotation players and maybe not even first choice rotation. As we saw from Alvarez the big games matter. When you have players like Zubimendi, Olmo, Eze on the bench it means players like Bobb Lewis McAtee aren’t. None of them get in ahead of KDB /Foden, Rodri, Bernardo in my opinion.
I’d rather go with the 5 for 3 positions I named supplemented by McAtee, 6 for 3 positions is plenty, Nunes I don’t know yet but you are underestimating Kovacic ‘s ability and contribution massively.

 

[Gumzy97]

only one of those that might get in the team regularly and for the big games is Kimmich and maybe Guimaraes, Kimmich because he can play inverted right back.The rest would be rotation players and maybe not even first choice rotation. As we saw from Alvarez the big games matter. When you have players like Zubimendi, Olmo, Eze on the bench it means players like Bobb Lewis McAtee aren’t. None of them get in ahead of KDB /Foden, Rodri, Bernardo in my opinion.
I’d rather go with the 5 for 3 positions I named supplemented by McAtee, 6 for 3 positions is plenty, Nunes I don’t know yet but you are underestimating Kovacic ‘s ability and contribution massively.

Kovacic is quality a very good player but he can’t intercept passing lanes like Rodri can. We didn’t get opened up constantly yesterday due to lack of work rate we got sliced through due to no one in that midfield could think ahead of the pass and just followed the ball. The rags sliced through us with through ball after through ball. Rodri is there they are intercepted.

No one in the team apart from Rodri knows how to think ahead in the 6 position , hopefully kova can be taught it but right now a Rodri injury and things like what happens yesterday will happen again.

Look at the goals we conceded last season. When Rodri wasn’t there it wasn’t pressing us it was one through ball.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Would anyone take Evan Ferguson for the backup striker.

rags sniffing around at £50m.

 

[wolviedinho]

We need a new midfielder but if this is the year we don’t get one then fine. We might need to reevaluate expectations.

Happy to do so with the academy lads. Would still love a proper baller in the centre to complete what we have but if the club have other plans then so be it.

Midfield control is so important in football and you can see we are a little bit light.

 

[blueparrot]

Kovacic is quality a very good player but he can’t intercept passing lanes like Rodri can. We didn’t get opened up constantly yesterday due to lack of work rate we got sliced through due to no one in that midfield could think ahead of the pass and just followed the ball. The rags sliced through us with through ball after through ball. Rodri is there they are intercepted.

No one in the team apart from Rodri knows how to think ahead in the 6 position , hopefully kova can be taught it but right now a Rodri injury and things like what happens yesterday will happen again.

Look at the goals we conceded last season. When Rodri wasn’t there it wasn’t pressing us it was one through ball.

That wasn't my point though. We all know we have nobody to do what Rodri does. We all know having that back up that can would be ideal.
My point was most of the players talked about would expect that when they aren’t taking Rodri's place they are still playing in the team. What I’m saying is most of them mentioned wouldn’t get into our midfield on a regular basis.Kimmich is the exception because he would get in ahead of Walker most weeks.
Put it simply who is the player keeping Kovacic and Bernardo and maybe KDB or Foden on the bench when Rodri is playing?

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

That wasn't my point though. We all know we have nobody to do what Rodri does. We all know having that back up that can would be ideal.
My point was most of the players talked about would expect that when they aren’t taking Rodri's place they are still playing in the team. What I’m saying is most of them mentioned wouldn’t get into our midfield on a regular basis.Kimmich is the exception because he would get in ahead of Walker most weeks.
Put it simply who is the player keeping Kovacic and Bernardo and maybe KDB or Foden on the bench when Rodri is playing?

Veteran or Wonderkid imo. if any. cant see a prime dm/cm taking it unless they dying to play for pep under any circumstance.

 

[Gumzy97]

That wasn't my point though. We all know we have nobody to do what Rodri does. We all know having that back up that can would be ideal.
My point was most of the players talked about would expect that when they aren’t taking Rodri's place they are still playing in the team. What I’m saying is most of them mentioned wouldn’t get into our midfield on a regular basis.Kimmich is the exception because he would get in ahead of Walker most weeks.
Put it simply who is the player keeping Kovacic and Bernardo and maybe KDB or Foden on the bench when Rodri is playing?

You’d need to do what Chelsea did under Tuchel. I’ll get pelters for that. Rodri can do everything in midfield. Tuchel put Kovacic and Kante together, a ball winner and intercepter and a transition/ control player. That = Rodri.

We just need a ball winner / dual winner. Doesn’t have to be a kimmich or the players mentioned. A veteran or youngster. Funny enough Lavia would’ve been perfect right now

 

[TonyM]

I hope that Pep's plan is to replace Grealish and Foden out wide with Doku, Savio, Bobb and maybe Nunes.

And to replace KDB and Kovocic with Grealish and Foden.

And eventually replace Walker with someone young, fast, built, tough, skillful, smart and with a more moderately sized willy.

Eg.
...............Ederson................
Akanji ..Dias Ake ..Gvardiol
...................Rodri.................
Savio Grealish Foden Doku
................Haaland...............

 

[Dialog]

We just need a ball winner / dual winner. Doesn’t have to be a kimmich or the players mentioned. A veteran or youngster. Funny enough Lavia would’ve been perfect right now

That is true. We can get by using that combination when Rodri is rested. Hence we wanted Bruno. He had different skill sets to Rodri, that is why Neves would have been perfect playing a Double Pivot with Kovacic. I am not sure about Lavia pairedwith Kova, but I get what you are saying. YOU WILL STILL PROBABLY GET PELTERS FROM SOME IN HERE!

 

[christened at st marks]

Man City's director of football Txiki Begiristain was an interested spectator in the Milburn Stand on Friday night.


Chronicle live

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

I hope that Pep's plan is to replace Grealish and Foden out wide with Doku, Savio, Bobb and maybe Nunes.

And to replace KDB and Kovocic with Grealish and Foden.

And eventually replace Walker with someone young, fast, built, tough, skillful, smart and with a more moderately sized willy.

Eg.
...............Ederson................
Akanji ..Dias Ake ..Gvardiol
...................Rodri.................
Savio Grealish Foden Doku
................Haaland...............

cant see him giving up that much control. Doku, Savio, Haaland turn the ball over much to often, maybe in 'smaller' games

 

[blueparrot]

Veteran or Wonderkid imo. if any. cant see a prime dm/cm taking it unless they dying to play for pep under any circumstance.

We may come up with something like that no idea who. I am though coming around to thinking we’ll go Kovacic, Bernardo when Rodri doesn’t play.
The thing is if Rodri is rested for all or most the domestic cup games how many C/L and P/L games will he miss barring a bad injury, a handful maybe so any player bought as just cover won’t play much. To be honest it’s a conundrum Barcelona had with Busquets that I don’t remember them ever solving.
Think if we bring anyone in it will be more Alvarez replacement.

 

[TonyM]

I think we need a good backup striker (I'd love Watkins - at the right age i think to want a few trophies).

And we need a longterm Walker replacement (someone completely unknown to anyone of us but smashing would be the dream).

I know we need to replace KDB too longterm but I'd love for that to be Grealish.

And obviously we need Rodri's cover but I think Kovacic is enough for now because there's simply no one in the world capable without having to play them every game so we'd end up quite defensive.

 

[oldius]

Some really great points here over the last 24 hours, and respectful differences of opinion.
I remember when nobody could replace Fernandinho, and Gundogan got a few pelters because he couldn't do what Fern could. We are really in the same boat now, with a player with a truly unique skillset and no direct replacement. I think it will take a blend of what we have to cope with the absence of Rodri, but I understand those who believe you have to dip into the market. I hope that the emergence of Bobb with Doku and Savinho allow Foden and Bernardo and Grealish to play centrally. If so, I think we have all we need.