I'll readily agree City are in transition. I can't say that City's replacement players will be successful but I would expect the core group Ederson, Dias, Haaland etc to be very effective, and if Rodri and Stones recover, as they might be expected to, then we will be in contention.
IMO Liverpool's forward line and central defence appears weaker than last season. I have seen City's star players collapse with age: Kompany, Aguero, KDB, Toure, Walker. It will happen soon to VVD and Salah. Slot must know this, yet VVD and Salah were given extended contracts. I would say that is a mistake but we will see.
Eventually father time will catch up with everyone. No debating that.
We have got a lot of pace around the team and especially now in defence and in the forward line. Salah has actually developed as a player and for the last 2 or 3 seasons been a lot less reliant on his pace as he is not as quick as he was.
The leadership and organizational skills of VVD are what stand out even more since the injury in 2020-21. Konate , Frimpong and Kerkez give us much needed pace at the back that we didn't have with TAA (ever) and Robertson as of late. I could be wrong but i still think Robertson will start the season as first choice.
Personally think the spine of city is a worry. Fantastic world class players if they are all fit. All bar Ederson (imo) have question marks over them in regards to previous injuries.
Haaland has had a tendency, throughout his career so far, to miss periods of the season. It was a big loss to sell Alvarez but one would have to be a lunatic to turn down that money considering what was paid for him. Haaland scores a bucket load of goals still mind you!
Rodri I am expecting with time to come back to his best.
Now i keep getting told by certain people here that you don't need another CB. The injury record in the last 2 years of City CBs is atrocious. There is no doubting the quality of them but they don't get out onto the pitch enough. I am informed about younger players that you have signed but it is massively unfair to put all the pressure on those lads in the case that they don't stay fit.
It is like last season for us
Quansah - VVD = okay
Konate - Quansah = risky
Quansah - Gomez = ARGH!
VVD is a talker and the other two more experienced CBs are do'er's.
We need another CB and IF we get Guehi then numbers wise it looks much rosier.
City have the numbers on paper but the last 2 years leave question marks over a lot of them. Who is out there to buy though? The two at Arsenal are very good but they pick up niggles here and there and miss important games.
I have full confidence in Joe Gomez quality but will he stay fit? His record says NO! so that is a bloody worry.
Sorry for the long post. Trying to show that it is not some anti-city viewpoint but rather just from a general footballing perspective. If i have repeated myself I apologise for that also.