It’s Quiet 20 - What is the Wirtz that could happen?

[Sibierskii]

Everyone may as well pack up and not bother next season, coming from the reaction to people regarding Wirtz.

and i bet 80% of them have never seen him play.

 

[rice10]

Football moves in cycles and maybe we are at the end of this particular cycle where we dominated England for a decade and Liverpool will take over.

Unfortunately all signs point to us being off the pace next season. If you compare the last two seasons under Pep that we didn’t win the league there were shoots, signs that things were going in the right direction. The season before the centurions we won the last 8 league games (I think) and we were starting to see what ideas pep had. The year Liverpool ran away with it if you looked at the underlying numbers, XG, etc. we actually had the better numbers we just kept making mistake each game and conceding to the first shot etc.

This season, there are no positive signs, no consistent “we’re playing well just been unlucky”. We are signing players Pep doesn’t rate over the guys on their last legs because he doesn’t play them and half of them don’t even make the bench.

We are going into a new season where we need to challenge Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and to be honest I can’t think of many of our players that would get into their starting XIs.

The charges, whatever happens has not helped as definitely players at the very top don’t need to take the risk when more stable clubs are interested. The big one for me now is if Rodri will extend his contract. They’ve had all season to sort that out as he’s been injured but nothing has been announced and we are now entering Real Madrid come knocking season.

We want to win every season but it isn’t possible. The club have unfortunately made too many mistakes in the transfer market over the last 3 years and now we are left with a squad that do not suit the manager. Do you think Pep actually wanted us to sign Khusanov, Reiss, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, keep McAtee etc. my guess is no otherwise he would actually play them. I’d go one step further and say even Doku, Halland, despite playing are players that if Pep had a choice he would not have signed cos neither can be relied upon to keep the ball.

We might need to get used to the type of season we have just had for a few years before we get back to what we were.

 

[thomas1307]

Football moves in cycles and maybe we are at the end of this particular cycle where we dominated England for a decade and Liverpool will take over.

Unfortunately all signs point to us being off the pace next season. If you compare the last two seasons under Pep that we didn’t win the league there were shoots, signs that things were going in the right direction. The season before the centurions we won the last 8 league games (I think) and we were starting to see what ideas pep had. The year Liverpool ran away with it if you looked at the underlying numbers, XG, etc. we actually had the better numbers we just kept making mistake each game and conceding to the first shot etc.

This season, there are no positive signs, no consistent “we’re playing well just been unlucky”. We are signing players Pep doesn’t rate over the guys on their last legs because he doesn’t play them and half of them don’t even make the bench.

We are going into a new season where we need to challenge Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and to be honest I can’t think of many of our players that would get into their starting XIs.

The charges, whatever happens has not helped as definitely players at the very top don’t need to take the risk when more stable clubs are interested. The big one for me now is if Rodri will extend his contract. They’ve had all season to sort that out as he’s been injured but nothing has been announced and we are now entering Real Madrid come knocking season.

We want to win every season but it isn’t possible. The club have unfortunately made too many mistakes in the transfer market over the last 3 years and now we are left with a squad that do not suit the manager. Do you think Pep actually wanted us to sign Khusanov, Reiss, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, keep McAtee etc. my guess is no otherwise he would actually play them. I’d go one step further and say even Doku, Halland, despite playing are players that if Pep had a choice he would not have signed cos neither can be relied upon to keep the ball.

We might need to get used to the type of season we have just had for a few years before we get back to what we were.

the board wanted to buy players last summer but pep said no so do you think the board will of bought players that he doesn't approve of mcatee he begged the club not to see even turning down a 40 mill off and approaches in january and there obviously clear signs of improvement because in the last 8 games we are second in the form table 1 point worse off than villa and that is because pep found a solid back line the only time he changed it was against southampton which was the worst game we played in a while and then guess what against palace that's the reason khusanov isn't playing is simply because we found a partnership in dias and gvardiol that's working so why change it because when we do it when we have messed up and with nico g he himself has said he has made mistakes and needs to learn about the role and while we have been on this run kova gundo and bernardo have all raised there levels to get us to 3rd

 

[rice10]

the board wanted to buy players last summer but pep said no so do you think the board will of bought players that he doesn't approve of mcatee he begged the club not to see even turning down a 40 mill off and approaches in january and there obviously clear signs of improvement because in the last 8 games we are second in the form table 1 point worse off than villa and that is because pep found a solid back line the only time he changed it was against southampton which was the worst game we played in a while and then guess what against palace that's the reason khusanov isn't playing is simply because we found a partnership in dias and gvardiol that's working so why change it because when we do it when we have messed up and with nico g he himself has said he has made mistakes and needs to learn about the role and while we have been on this run kova gundo and bernardo have all raised there levels to get us to 3rd

I respect your opinion and We’ve ground out victories sure but the performances just aren’t there for me.

You mentioned Khusanov not playing cos of the back 4 playing well. Completely agree and my concern with Khusanov for example isn’t that he isn’t in the starting line up but the fact that he, like Reiss, and Lewis recently can’t make the bench even when Ake and Stones are still injured.

These new signings are supposed to be the players we will be relying on next season for a title challenge and they can’t force themselves into the team and sometimes even on to the bench ahead of players most likely leaving.

I would say the majority of city fans think we cannot go into next season with KDB (I know he is leaving but I am making a point), Gundo, Bernardo, and Kovacic as our midfield. Well currently we have a £50m midfield signing from January who Pep is currently picking all these players ahead of. It’s not me saying I don’t rate the players im basing all of this off the actions of Pep.

I’d be surprised if Khusanov and Reiss are still at the club next season and not sent out on loan especially if we don’t sell at least one of Akanji, Stones, or Ake but if they do stay again we are relying on two young players who Pep has shown would be 6th and 7th choice with the current squad.

 

[thomas1307]

I respect your opinion and We’ve ground out victories sure but the performances just aren’t there for me.

You mentioned Khusanov not playing cos of the back 4 playing well. Completely agree and my concern with Khusanov for example isn’t that he isn’t in the starting line up but the fact that he, like Reiss, and Lewis recently can’t make the bench even when Ake and Stones are still injured.

These new signings are supposed to be the players we will be relying on next season for a title challenge and they can’t force themselves into the team and sometimes even on to the bench ahead of players most likely leaving.

I would say the majority of city fans think we cannot go into next season with KDB (I know he is leaving but I am making a point), Gundo, Bernardo, and Kovacic as our midfield. Well currently we have a £50m midfield signing from January who Pep is currently picking all these players ahead of. It’s not me saying I don’t rate the players im basing all of this off the actions of Pep.

I’d be surprised if Khusanov and Reiss are still at the club next season and not sent out on loan especially if we don’t sell at least one of Akanji, Stones, or Ake but if they do stay again we are relying on two young players who Pep has shown would be 6th and 7th choice with the current squad.

yeah i understand you point and i probably haven't thought about it that deeply i see it more as he got players at the minute in gundo kova bernardo who he's trust the most to know the system he wants to play and he also has players on the bench that are on high wages that he doesn't want to leave out of the team i presume there will be a lot of outgoings in the summer probably more than the incomings which will help with players like khusanov get into the squad and they will be much better off been around the squad training so there up to speed for next season the key point will be who plays in cwc because thay will show who pep trust and what style he's going for next season

 

[Serg10Aguero]

I think the most annoying bit in all of this, needing a rebuild with young players, with homegrown players, a number 10 with creativity, was that we had him at this club. It would never happen but I would bring Palmer back if we could.

 

[Gorbachev]

I think the most annoying bit in all of this, needing a rebuild with young players, with homegrown players, a number 10 with creativity, was that we had him at this club. I would never happen but I would bring Palmer back if we could.

Homegrown recruitments is going to cost us and arm and a leg financially this summer and next.

Losing Walker and Grealish this summer and Stones, Ake next year.

Poor planning by the club but we have to face the consequences.

Could be looking at a £250m-£300m homegrown spend in two summers alone.

 

[dhruvblue]

Not arrogance.
If we give pep the right players we will win it.
last time they won it we won four in a row straight after

He has been given enough players already.
He cant think beyond uncle squad, buying cannot be way out of everything

 

[thomas1307]

I respect your opinion and We’ve ground out victories sure but the performances just aren’t there for me.

You mentioned Khusanov not playing cos of the back 4 playing well. Completely agree and my concern with Khusanov for example isn’t that he isn’t in the starting line up but the fact that he, like Reiss, and Lewis recently can’t make the bench even when Ake and Stones are still injured.

These new signings are supposed to be the players we will be relying on next season for a title challenge and they can’t force themselves into the team and sometimes even on to the bench ahead of players most likely leaving.

I would say the majority of city fans think we cannot go into next season with KDB (I know he is leaving but I am making a point), Gundo, Bernardo, and Kovacic as our midfield. Well currently we have a £50m midfield signing from January who Pep is currently picking all these players ahead of. It’s not me saying I don’t rate the players im basing all of this off the actions of Pep.

I’d be surprised if Khusanov and Reiss are still at the club next season and not sent out on loan especially if we don’t sell at least one of Akanji, Stones, or Ake but if they do stay again we are relying on two young players who Pep has shown would be 6th and 7th choice with the current squad.

just also want to point out on the january signings while they may not be picked in the last month or so they have made a major difference to our season (not counting reiss) there was 22 games before the first january signing came man city was 4th in the table scored 44 conceded 29 from game week 23 man city form is the second best in the league only bettered by Liverpool we have scored 32 goals (second most) and conceded 15 goals (second least) so that's clearly showing the players that have come in have made a real difference in the upturn in our form since january

 

[Goater=Legend]

and i bet 80% of them have never seen him play.

Yeah, I didn't realise we have a fan base so invested in Leverkusen and the German NT.

 

[doobyedoobye]

People behaving like its the first time in the Pep era a player has turned us down...

 

[urban genie]

may as well edit the title as the lad ain't coming

 

[ScottSinclair]

may as well edit the title as the lad ain't coming

The Wirtz has happened though. Like almost literally

 

[oldius]

If I was entering a new season with a front line of Haaland, Marmoush, Doku, Savinho, Phil Foden, Claudio Echeverri and Oscar Bobb, I would not really be too bothered about anyone else in world football and what they are going to do. That forward line has pace, power, dribbling, vision, control and creativity.

I just read another poster saying that none of our XI would get into Liverpool or Arsenal's XI. It is simply utter rubbish, and it seems that many posters are incapable of dealing with competition. We seem to have an inferiority complex as soon as we are challenged: everyone is better than us; every signing that others make is better than ours; and every XI has no gaps while ours is sieve-like.

We have had one poor season in 10 (and still have a chance to qualify for the CL), a season decimated by injury and illness. We are losing one of our greats and others are aging and will need to be replaced or augmented. We have been here before. We have lost Yaya, Sergio, Fern, David Silva, Mahrez, Sané, Kompany, and many others, and all were 'irreplaceable'. NOBODY IS IRREPLACEABLE.

Football is cyclical: one team bows out, another emerges. This is the nature of sport. Looking at our squad, there is no need to assume that we will be anything other than one of the best teams in world football for several years.

The exciting part, for me, is seeing who comes, not who doesn't, and watching the emergence of stellar young talent like Khusanov, Reis, Lewis, McFarlane, O'Reilly, Mfuni, Mukasa, Gorman, and McAidoo. I want to bear witness to the difference that having Rodri alongside Gonzalez makes, and seeing a second season for players like Marmoush and Savinho. I want to see if Oscar Bobb can kill it as a number 10, just as he did in the academy. There's so much to embrace and look forward to.

 

[urban genie]

If I was entering a new season with a front line of Haaland, Marmoush, Doku, Savinho, Phil Foden, Claudio Echeverri and Oscar Bobb, I would not really be too bothered about anyone else in world football and what they are going to do. That forward line has pace, power, dribbling, vision, control and creativity.

I just read another poster saying that none of our XI would get into Liverpool or Arsenals XI. It is simply utter rubbish, and it seems that many posters are incapable of dealing with competition. We seem to have an inferiority complex as soon as we are challenged: everyone is better than us; every signing that others make is better than ours; and every XI has no gaps while ours is sieve-like.

We have had one poor season in 10, a season decimated by injury and illness. We are losing one of our greats and others are aging and will need to be replaced or augmented. We have been here before. We have lost Yaya, Sergio, Fern, David Silva, Mahrez, Sané, Kompany, and many others, and all were 'irreplaceable'. NOBODY IS IRREPLACEABLE.

Football is cyclical: one team bows out, another emerges. This is the nature of sport. Looking at our squad, there is no need to assume that we will be anything other than one of the best teams in world football for several years.

The exciting part, for me, is seeing who comes, not who doesn't, and watching the emergence of stellar young talent like Khusanov, Reis, Lewis, McFarlane, O'Reilly, Mfuni, Mukasa, Gorman, and McAidoo. I want to bear witness to that having Rodri alongside Gonzalez makes, and seeing a second season for players like Marmoush and Savinho. I want to see if Oscar Bobb can kill it as a number 10, just as he did in the academy. There's so much to embrace and look forward to.

For me the forward line is not our major issue (bar foden needing to get betrer mentally and physically)

The main issues are new goalie, both fullbacks and a creative midfielder.

I am happy with the CBs of Kush, Reis, Ake, Dias , Gvardiol, Bah (would sell stones and akanki while.we still can make some money)

Simpson-pussey to be loaned but not sold as he will become a great centre back and we would be fools to lose him

Rodri, Nico as our DMs and also able to play box to box if required and both starting

Orielly moved to his proper position as a central attacking midfielder, the lad has goals in him too which we lack from the area

I don't see berny or gundo going as both have a year left and Pep will be loyal to them.

That just asks what we will do with kova and grealish (I think sold)

Seriously Rejinders and possivly gibbs white will be our only midfield aquisitions, though neither fit the playmaker role we need.

Priority is the GK LB RB imho

 

[oldius]

For me the forward line is not our major issue (bar foden needing to get betrer mentally and physically)

The main issues are new goalie, both fullbacks and a creative midfielder.

I am happy with the CBs of Kush, Reis, Ake, Dias , Gvardiol, Bah (would sell stones and akanki while.we still can make some money)

Simpson-pussey to be loaned but not sold as he will become a great centre back and we would be fools to lose him

Rodri, Nico as our DMs and also able to play box to box if required and both starting

Orielly moved to his proper position as a central attacking midfielder

I don't see berny or gundo going as both have a year left and Pep will be loyal to them.

That just asks what we will do with kova and grealish (I think sold)

Seriously Rejinders and possivly gibbs white will be our only midfield aquisitions, though neither fit the playmaker role we need.

Priority is the GK LB RB imho

We are not far apart.
I do wonder if KDB has been released to allow others to emerge.
Sometimes, the presence of such a legend can be inhibiting to others.

 

[dhruvblue]

The exciting part, for me, is seeing who comes, not who doesn't, and watching the emergence of stellar young talent like Khusanov, Reis, Lewis, McFarlane, O'Reilly, Mfuni, Mukasa, Gorman, and McAidoo. I want to bear witness to the difference that having Rodri alongside Gonzalez makes, and seeing a second season for players like Marmoush and Savinho. I want to see if Oscar Bobb can kill it as a number 10, just as he did in the academy. There's so much to embrace and look forward t

Those stellar young guys are just numbers for pure profit and bottom line, will be sold like Palmer and we will be spending another 100m just to make up HG numbers
Manager just doesn’t fancy playing them
The manager even refused to play January signings
The manager has blind loyalty towards the old guard while other teams are moving ahead with new young signings playing exciting football

 

[King Jay]

People behaving like its the first time in the Pep era a player has turned us down...

„ Pep wants pep gets „ unbelievable shit take

 

[ojeme]

If I was entering a new season with a front line of Haaland, Marmoush, Doku, Savinho, Phil Foden, Claudio Echeverri and Oscar Bobb, I would not really be too bothered about anyone else in world football and what they are going to do. That forward line has pace, power, dribbling, vision, control and creativity.

I just read another poster saying that none of our XI would get into Liverpool or Arsenal's XI. It is simply utter rubbish, and it seems that many posters are incapable of dealing with competition. We seem to have an inferiority complex as soon as we are challenged: everyone is better than us; every signing that others make is better than ours; and every XI has no gaps while ours is sieve-like.

We have had one poor season in 10 (and still have a chance to qualify for the CL), a season decimated by injury and illness. We are losing one of our greats and others are aging and will need to be replaced or augmented. We have been here before. We have lost Yaya, Sergio, Fern, David Silva, Mahrez, Sané, Kompany, and many others, and all were 'irreplaceable'. NOBODY IS IRREPLACEABLE.

Football is cyclical: one team bows out, another emerges. This is the nature of sport. Looking at our squad, there is no need to assume that we will be anything other than one of the best teams in world football for several years.

The exciting part, for me, is seeing who comes, not who doesn't, and watching the emergence of stellar young talent like Khusanov, Reis, Lewis, McFarlane, O'Reilly, Mfuni, Mukasa, Gorman, and McAidoo. I want to bear witness to the difference that having Rodri alongside Gonzalez makes, and seeing a second season for players like Marmoush and Savinho. I want to see if Oscar Bobb can kill it as a number 10, just as he did in the academy. There's so much to embrace and look forward to.

I like the positivity but let’s be honest here. When Yaya left we already had KDB, when Fern left we soon got Rodri, when David left we had Bernardo, when Mahrez and Sane were to leave they were mostly coming from the bench and when Kompany left we soon went for Dias.

The reason why we’ve had a poor season is because we have spent loads of money buying players that are not quite up to that level of quality that people would normally associate with City.

 

[bugsyblue]

People behaving like its the first time in the Pep era a player has turned us down...

Think it's more a consequence of the first time in the Pep era our squad is thin on world class talent. Even in his first season we were stacked with world class players. With KDB going, Bernardo likely too, Walker at the end of his career etc it's the first time we probably only have 2 or 3 world class players in our squad. We need a couple more to get back to the top and Wirtz is one of the few available this summer. And he seems, on paper, the perfect KDB replacement.