Recent content by #5-

Badly worded - I meant in the Pep era.

Seeing as it was apparently his idea to implement the system that ultimately won us the treble - and our only European success - I think Maresca will leave Pep in peace.

That’s why I suggested Colwill as a replacement - his distribution is also elite, plus he’s home grown and has a great relationship with Maresca. I like Gvardiol, but he’s struggled to establish himself as a starter at centreback here, has recurrent sloppy errors in his game and his goal scoring...

Sell him if he wants to go, then sign Maresca favourite Colwill. A few players will have signed purely to play for Pep, so there’s no point in keeping them against their will when he’s gone. Him, Rodri, whoever - the new era is going to require everyone pulling in the right direction if it’s...

I’ve honestly gained more respect for him for what he’s achieved with this squad this season than any of his previous successes, here or elsewhere.

De Bruyne was the best final ball player the league has and likely will ever see - and arguably the best pound for pound player - but Anderson is more complete for the deeper role he plays and what we require from him - tenacity, close control in tighter spaces, capacity to dictate the tempo. I...

I’d probably take Grealish back to see him under a new coach if Pep goes, as an extra option in the midfield; completely independent of Anderson’s arrival though - I think it’s obvious EA wants to be here, and I suspect the McAtee fee might have been inflated last summer with a view to us...

Same, but Anderson plays his best football slightly to the left, so I don’t see him as a viable option alongside him, only as a necessary alternative if we opted to sign someone like Valverde instead of EA.

Which was ultimately a consequence of signing Mangala, Fernando and geriatric Lampard in 2014. Ideally we win the league, but also acknowledge and address the squad’s shortcomings - they don’t have to be mutually exclusive, but I fear Viana’s methods will be wrongly vindicated and therefore...

Remember Ferguson won the league title before he left - aging core of players carrying substandard additions, having the absolute last efforts squeezed out of them to get over the line. But their board just saw the win, didn’t push hard to facilitate the necessary upgrades that summer and have...

Ticks every box.

It’s probably better not to win it this season, to give the ownership a kick up the arse and acknowledge that the signings simply haven’t been good enough over the past few years, that the collective quality of the squad is declining alarmingly and those in charge of it should be reevaluated...

He’s also 6 years older with prior Premier League experience. He looks like he belongs in the Stuart Pearce team circa 2006

Kompany also looked like a clown in various games against Liverpool, for example. It happens to all defenders. Guehi’s 4 months into his career at a top club, and will continue to develop - he’ll never be elite, but he’s currently very good with scope to improve, and will play a part for us...

Any substantial sanctions for the 115 that allow us to preserve Premier League status but banish Ferran Soriano will be welcome.