It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

[MadchesterCity]

If Rodri doesn’t feature until Brentford, he will have had two whole months off, which is probably the longest break he’s had in years.

surely he'll get slogged on international duty?

 

[simon23]

surely he'll get slogged on international duty?

you just know what will happen with him, Stones and Ake when the international break happens...like bloody clockwork...especially with Stones

 

[blueparrot]

A false 9 being better than Alvarez in Haaland's place?
Mate, you're taking this pro bono gig a bit too far...

Don't know, if Pep thinks so maybe.Yet you know it definitely won:t be. Yes right.

 

[JewelZee]

I wasn’t being condescending, that’s your inference. I’m just intrigued as to what players other posters would have liked. I would have liked us to have signed Neves and Gimenez as cover, for example, but recognise that they would have been too expensive and unlikely to have been utilised ahead of others when Rodri and Haaland were available.

What do you define as too expensive? I'm just genuinely asking? Is 30 to 40 mil too much to ensure genuine cover for Haaland? Because I guarantee that at that number we would find at least a dozen candidates willing and able to fill that role on this squad at this point in time.

 

[decmancity]

agree with this.

The clubs summer recruitment has been rather baffling tbh. We've added another wide player when we were already well stocked in that area, and completely lucked into Gundo coming back - good though that is he's 34 in November and joins 3 other 30 plus central midfielders in KDB, Kovacic and Bernie.

We've lost Alvarez and failed to replace him. We still havent addressed the Rodri issue and have now decided Kovacic is that man though we had zero trust in him last season doing it, thus the squads 2 main issues simply haven't been addressed.

We are 1 injury from a huge hole and a major problem. Meanwhile we've trousered £170m in fees. For me this implies 2 inferences - the first being that a large transfer pot is being saved for a new manager next summer and Pep is off, or we are expecting a huge fine in the 115 hearings.

or we are not stupid and see no reason to blow millions on players we don't actually want?
There is not a chance in hell that City are going to sandbag Pep and not back him, what better way to try and get someone to stay then to ruin the squad and sell all the players.

We have replaced Alvarez with Savinho, he can play across the front line, he hasn't got as much experience centrally as Alvarez has but hes much better on either wing and we have several options if Haaland doesn't play. A Foden, Savinho and Doku front 3 for example is full of pace, skill and plenty of ability.

Kovacic despite his age can get better you know, its entirely possible that Pep is willing to tweak the system and Kovacic can now deliver what is required to deputise for Rodri, its worked so far?

 

[citizen_maine]

surely he'll get slogged on international duty?

He's banned for one of them isn't he?

 

[MCFC1993]

I really haven't been keeping up on transfers, for those that have, have we got any more ins or outs lined up?

I'm assuming no?

 

[JewelZee]

Don't know, if Pep thinks so maybe.Yet you know it definitely won:t be. Yes right.

Does Pep think so? He told you that?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

surely he'll get slogged on international duty?

He’s suspended for his Gibraltar chants.

 

[schfc6]

agree with this.

The clubs summer recruitment has been rather baffling tbh. We've added another wide player when we were already well stocked in that area, and completely lucked into Gundo coming back - good though that is he's 34 in November and joins 3 other 30 plus central midfielders in KDB, Kovacic and Bernie.

We've lost Alvarez and failed to replace him. We still havent addressed the Rodri issue and have now decided Kovacic is that man though we had zero trust in him last season doing it, thus the squads 2 main issues simply haven't been addressed.

We are 1 injury from a huge hole and a major problem. Meanwhile we've trousered £170m in fees. For me this implies 2 inferences - the first being that a large transfer pot is being saved for a new manager next summer and Pep is off, or we are expecting a huge fine in the 115 hearings.

Those linking a quiet summer to the 115 are frankly nuts. As if we are in anyway guilty, there would more than likely be a transfer ban, so if we were expecting any future punishment, we’d be spending like drunken sailors/Chelsea.

Who would you buy to replace Alvarez? I ask this, because there seems to be zero easily identifiable options. Perhaps we have a plan, which will likely require Walker, KDB and Gundogan next summer. Which may require £200m plus.

 

[blueparrot]

Does Pep think so? He told you that?

I said IF I don't know,just like you don't know. It's quite unlikely though if there had been a striker available at a reasonable price that Pep wanted he'd have been told no.What I do know is we're more than capable of playing with a false 9.

 

[Cozmo Bozo]

Yes and no. Which is why I tend to treat it in terms of the 21 limit. We have always had Fodens, Palmers, Garcias, Celinas, Bobbs, Delaps, Lewises etc. on top of the 20/21. Granted, Lewis is better than most we have had in terms of the contribution he will likely have.

If we sign nobody, this will be the first time we go into a season with 19 of the 21. That's not a complaint or a concern, just an observation. It is indeed blurred by the youth, but I think it always has been, so the difference still applies imo.

I doubt Pep is unhappy with what he has regardless, otherwise things would be happening or have happened already, and that is more than good enough for me.

Don't think it's right to put the likes of Delap or Celina on the same level as Foden, Palmer or Garcia. Whenever Pep has pulled a kid into the first squad properly (Foden, Garcia, Palmer, Lewis, Bobb and now potentially O'Reilly), they have contributed significantly, not just 5 minutes here and there. I'd argue Pep has always started the season with a squad of 22 or 23 first team players, not counting Carson and kids getting a runout in the Carabao while mainly playing for the EDS.

19/20: 23 players, but Angelino out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Angelino (900), Garcia (1,400), Bravo (1,450), Laporte (1,500), Foden (1,750), Zinchenko (1,750)
20/21: 22 players. Fewest minutes: Agüero (700), Garcia (850), Aké (1,000), Steffen (1,100), Mendy (1,500)
21/22: 22 players, but Mendy infamously out and Ferran out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Mendy (150), Palmer (400), Torres (500), Steffen (800), Fernandinho (1,750), Zinchenko (1,850)
22/23: 22 players, but Cancelo out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Phillips (600), Palmer (850), Gomez (950), Ortega (1,200), Lewis (1,450), Cancelo (1,850), Laporte (1,850)
23/24: 22 players, but Phillips out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Phillips (300), Gomez (450), Bobb (800), Nunes (1,350), Ortega (1,600), Lewis (1,600), De Bruyne (1,750), Stones (1,850)
24/25: 23 players currently. I expect O'Reilly to get 300-500 minutes max due to the number of midfielders around, McAtee hopefully 1,000+ and Bobb should have gotten at least 1,400-ish if he didn't get injured. Even if O'Reilly does not make it (yet), that's 22 senior players – McAtee has played amost 2,000 minutes of PL football last season.

I do feel we are overstocked in midfield and light in the striker department. Could have done with Nunes out and a #9 in. Purely numbers-wise we are more than fine though.

 

[pauls]

or we are not stupid and see no reason to blow millions on players we don't actually want?
There is not a chance in hell that City are going to sandbag Pep and not back him, what better way to try and get someone to stay then to ruin the squad and sell all the players.

We have replaced Alvarez with Savinho, he can play across the front line, he hasn't got as much experience centrally as Alvarez has but hes much better on either wing and we have several options if Haaland doesn't play. A Foden, Savinho and Doku front 3 for example is full of pace, skill and plenty of ability.

Kovacic despite his age can get better you know, its entirely possible that Pep is willing to tweak the system and Kovacic can now deliver what is required to deputise for Rodri, its worked so far?

Absolutely, Kovacic is still young,Modric still playing at 38,its also possible and an incentive for Nunes,Mcatee to step up,we also have Bobb and maybe Echeveri come January. You're not gonna get a class striker to come and sit on the bench.
We won the league two years running with a false nine so im more than happy.
After 17 trophies and counting don't see why some don't trust the great man.
QUOTE="decmancity, post: 17454966, member: 34556"]
or we are not stupid and see no reason to blow millions on players we don't actually want?
There is not a chance in hell that City are going to sandbag Pep and not back him, what better way to try and get someone to stay then to ruin the squad and sell all the players.

We have replaced Alvarez with Savinho, he can play across the front line, he hasn't got as much experience centrally as Alvarez has but hes much better on either wing and we have several options if Haaland doesn't play. A Foden, Savinho and Doku front 3 for example is full of pace, skill and plenty of ability.

Kovacic despite his age can get better you know, its entirely possible that Pep is willing to tweak the system and Kovacic can now deliver what is required to deputise for Rodri, its worked so far?
[/QUOTE]

 

[Nevizade]

In blow out games we can play a false one and put Eddie in at the 9.

That said- is there a rule where you can't pull your 9, pop the goalie in there after a kit change and then put in your back up keeper?

Sorry I think Eddie's getting the tasket for goals and will need to be fed.

Hi Stuart

 

[Coatigan]

Of course we have options. Are those options good enough to see us through were we to lose Haaland for any period of time? By see us through I'm talking about winning the Prem/CL. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Individually, no. As a sum of their parts, imo, yes.


Edit. Funnily enough that would also have applied to Alvarez, and any striker we might have brought in to replace him. At least any that we have been linked with.

 

[Blue tiger]

I devoutly hope Savinho can be a back up striker for us if needed - nobody else in the squad has a good track record in that position. Gundo is a big bonus I agree but he is not a 6 and just renders Nunes completely pointless.

The fact Nunes is rubbish renders him completely pointless.

 

[Sibierskii]

Those linking a quiet summer to the 115 are frankly nuts. As if we are in anyway guilty, there would more than likely be a transfer ban, so if we were expecting any future punishment, we’d be spending like drunken sailors/Chelsea.

Or perhaps, how do you convince Florian Wirtz to come and play in the national league...

 

[Coatigan]

Don't think it's right to put the likes of Delap or Celina on the same level as Foden, Palmer or Garcia. Whenever Pep has pulled a kid into the first squad properly (Foden, Garcia, Palmer, Lewis, Bobb and now potentially O'Reilly), they have contributed significantly, not just 5 minutes here and there. I'd argue Pep has always started the season with a squad of 22 or 23 first team players, not counting Carson and kids getting a runout in the Carabao while mainly playing for the EDS.

19/20: 23 players, but Angelino out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Angelino (900), Garcia (1,400), Bravo (1,450), Laporte (1,500), Foden (1,750), Zinchenko (1,750)
20/21: 22 players. Fewest minutes: Agüero (700), Garcia (850), Aké (1,000), Steffen (1,100), Mendy (1,500)
21/22: 22 players, but Mendy infamously out and Ferran out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Mendy (150), Palmer (400), Torres (500), Steffen (800), Fernandinho (1,750), Zinchenko (1,850)
22/23: 22 players, but Cancelo out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Phillips (600), Palmer (850), Gomez (950), Ortega (1,200), Lewis (1,450), Cancelo (1,850), Laporte (1,850)
23/24: 22 players, but Phillips out in Jan. Fewest minutes: Phillips (300), Gomez (450), Bobb (800), Nunes (1,350), Ortega (1,600), Lewis (1,600), De Bruyne (1,750), Stones (1,850)
24/25: 23 players currently. I expect O'Reilly to get 300-500 minutes max due to the number of midfielders around, McAtee hopefully 1,000+ and Bobb should have gotten at least 1,400-ish if he didn't get injured. Even if O'Reilly does not make it (yet), that's 22 senior players – McAtee has played amost 2,000 minutes of PL football last season.

I do feel we are overstocked in midfield and light in the striker department. Could have done with Nunes out and a #9 in. Purely numbers-wise we are more than fine though.

I think a 9 without Nunes moving out would have been better. Nunes is not stopping a second striker coming in, not in terms of squad spaces or finances. That's down to the market and the lack of options. People readily say would rather wait than sign another Phillips/Nunes, I think the same has to apply to a striker too.

 

[Gabriel]

What do you define as too expensive? I'm just genuinely asking? Is 30 to 40 mil too much to ensure genuine cover for Haaland? Because I guarantee that at that number we would find at least a dozen candidates willing and able to fill that role on this squad at this point in time.

I believe it probably is. I’m sure many would be willing and able but whether they would be capable is quite another thing. The problem with signing designated strikers as cover for Haaland is that they need game time to find form and that is going to be hard to come by. Haaland missed 12 matches through injury last season and was rested for 2. Having had the entire summer off, however, one would now expect him to be closer to his opening season figures, when he missed 3 matches through injury and was rested for 5. Either way, that’s not much playing time left for another designated striker to find form, and the club appears to think that the money and playing time could be better utilised. It’s a risk either way, to be sure, but I can understand their decision.

 

[Gabriel]

He’s suspended for his Gibraltar chants.

Only for one game, though one would hope he won’t be called up purely for the Switzerland game.