45 | Abdukodir Khusanov - 2024/25

[It'sBlue93:20]

No reason why he shouldn't make the bench at least.

Lewis, McAtee, Reis, Echeverri. Even Savinho couldn’t make the bench.

 

[WallyA]

Lewis, McAtee, Reis, Echeverri. Even Savinho couldn’t make the bench.

I'm not sure people are realizing that basically everyone is fit now, and we added 4 from the winter.

The squad is legitimately quite big, I would argue a little too big.

It's not a big deal during a season where inevitably we always have 1 or 2 or 3 injuries, but we had a freak result of like 7+ injuries, we really shouldn't plan for that.

I think the squad, even with incoming, will become a little smaller than it is now.

Pep simply, as he has just said recently, needs to trust the best youth we have like O Reilly should played way sooner than he did, or Nunes trialled at RB way sooner.

 

[MCFC1993]

I think something is definitely wrong here, it makes no sense to start game after game and then completely disappear and not even make the bench most of the time, the fact an injured Ake was on the bench tonight and not Khus proves that, also Grealish is making the bench game after game when it's obvious he's not part of Pep's plans anymore but Khus can't, I don't know if he fell out with Pep but something must've happened.

He was bought as a young centre back who could become really good but most importantly was needed during an injury crisis. Yes we paid a lot for him but we probably also saw future resale value if it didn't work out.

Fact is the only thing he has over Stones, Ake and Akanji is fitness. If we keep 2 of those and I think we will and sign 2 new full backs, which I also think we will, I wouldn't be shocked to see him loaned out this summer.

 

[WallyA]

Loaning out Khusanov next season would be a big mistake.

We can't go backwards here, I don't want the backups to Gvardiol and Dias to be a bunch of older, generally unfit players we can hardly rely on.

Khusanov, and Reis by extension, need to be somewhat trusted in this rebuild, with the 3 older players needing to be put aside "part time" players or selling 2 of them imo.

At best, I think it's okay to loan out Reis, as Khusanov is further along and higher on priority to integrate.

 

[Silvatoure21]

Loaning out Khusanov next season would be a big mistake.

We can't go backwards here, I don't want the backups to Gvardiol and Dias to be a bunch of older, generally unfit players we can hardly rely on.

Khusanov, and Reis by extension, need to be somewhat trusted in this rebuild, with the 3 older players needing to be put aside "part time" players or selling 2 of them imo.

At best, I think it's okay to loan out Reis, as Khusanov is further along and higher on priority to integrate

He has to stay. I’ve seen nothing from him that says he should be loaned. The only defender with pace

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

He was bought as a young centre back who could become really good but most importantly was needed during an injury crisis. Yes we paid a lot for him but we probably also saw future resale value if it didn't work out.

Fact is the only thing he has over Stones, Ake and Akanji is fitness. If we keep 2 of those and I think we will and sign 2 new full backs, which I also think we will, I wouldn't be shocked to see him loaned out this summer.

I said this in the Pep thread:

Players that need to be moved on:

Gundo
Akanji
Stones
Kovacic
Bernardo

Because if they stay they'll get 3000+ minutes next season. Pep just can't help himself so the decision must be made for him.

Last thing we want is the new guys coming in to not gel with the team. The only way to do that is get minutes on the pitch!

 

[Dax777]

I said this in the Pep thread:

Players that need to be moved on:

Gundo
Akanji
Stones
Kovacic
Bernardo

Because if they stay they'll get 3000+ minutes next season. Pep just can't help himself so the decision must be made for him.

Last thing we want is the new guys coming in to not gel with the team. The only way to do that is get minutes on the pitch!

I hope Kovacic goes nowhere.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Fact is the only thing he has over Stones, Ake and Akanji is fitness

And pace.

 

[Chak19]

Lewis, McAtee, Reis, Echeverri. Even Savinho couldn’t make the bench.

With him it's every week.

 

[Chak19]

He was bought as a young centre back who could become really good but most importantly was needed during an injury crisis. Yes we paid a lot for him but we probably also saw future resale value if it didn't work out.

Fact is the only thing he has over Stones, Ake and Akanji is fitness. If we keep 2 of those and I think we will and sign 2 new full backs, which I also think we will, I wouldn't be shocked to see him loaned out this summer.

If we're still relying on Stones and Ake and loan out Khusanov, we're a bunch of complete idiots.

 

[Georgian Maestro]

I just think Pep was shocked at how poor he was on the ball in the first half against Bournemouth. He repeatedly gave the ball away. I wouldn't be surprised if we never see him again. Loan to Girona.

 

[117 M34]

Lewis, McAtee, Reis, Echeverri. Even Savinho couldn’t make the bench.

That's why pep typically likes a small squad

 

[decmancity]

I just think Pep was shocked at how poor he was on the ball in the first half against Bournemouth. He repeatedly gave the ball away. I wouldn't be surprised if we never see him again. Loan to Girona.

But he will stand and watch Dias and Akanji on the ball. I'm not having it.

I think the lad is going to be fine, Pep fastened down the hatches and locked in for this run in.

Khusanov can be back in for CWC and have a pre season and I expect him to start next year.

 

[Georgian Maestro]

But he will stand and watch Dias and Akanji on the ball. I'm not having it.

I think the lad is going to be fine, Pep fastened down the hatches and locked in for this run in.

Khusanov can be back in for CWC and have a pre season and I expect him to start next year.

Akanji has his critics but he is levels above Khusanov in terms of technical ability. Dias I grant you has probably been our worst player on the ball since he arrived but I think Khusanov is another level of poor.

 

[decmancity]

Akanji has his critics but he is levels above Khusanov in terms of technical ability.

Complete nonsense.

 

[Paladin]

Akanji has his critics but he is levels above Khusanov in terms of technical ability. Dias I grant you has probably been our worst player on the ball since he arrived but I think Khusanov is another level of poor.

Akanji isn't really associated with great technical ability - he's average at best, and one of the least technical City players.

His run yesterday was uncharacteristic. It reminded me of that diagonal Fellaini run, where he just ran out of grass. There was no City player near him, and he didn't know what to do.

He's intelligent though. He realises his lack of ability and concentrates on what he does best, which is defending, and laying the ball off to someone nearby with more ability.

 

[CΛL]

I don’t see how we go on next year with 6 centre halves in the squad, 7 if you count Bah.

We’re going to have to sell or loan 2-3.

Stones is going to be difficult to sell, likewise Ake with their injury problems.

Reis and Bah could go on loan but that still leaves us with too many, even if Gvardiol can get games at LB.

It’s okay at the moment because 2 of them are injured and another recently returned, but what happens next year, if we buy a left back and Gvardiol becomes our LCB.

Then we have 5 centre halves fighting for one position.

 

[hammersmithlad]

I do like Khusanov, but I like many others have got carried away - mainly because I think we've been impressed with the lad's recovery pace, which we really havn't seen since Walker & his youthful football enthusiasm.

If you do breakdown the games he has played, he does look uncomfortable on the ball. It could be nerves, but regardless I can now actually see why Pep has omitted him towards towards the end of the season where we've needed to control games & passing & ball retention becomes a priority rather than recovery pace.

We all know for better or worse Pep tends to lean on experienced players in the big games & there's no argument that Akanji is currently better on the ball than Khusanov & certainly more experienced in high pressure situations.

For the fee we've paid, City will eventually bed him into defence & I think we'll need to bide our time, as well as the lad needing to improve his technical quality on the ball before he becomes a regular defender in a Pep team.

 

[oldius]

He was thrown in because of injury and performed really well. He looks to be a really talented defender. He showed some vulnerability when pressed in possession, so a bit of coaching is in order. Lots to look forward to.

 

[Gabriel]

His strength and pace are great but his passing is currently not up to our required standard. The uncomfortable truth is that no matter how much coaching he receives at the club, unless that is accompanied with serious playing time, he won’t develop quickly enough. Everyone wants him to succeed, but staying on our periphery might not be best for him nor us.

I look at Bournemouth and marvel at the phenomenal job they have done in bringing on both Huijsen and Kerkez in the space of a season or two. Good coaching and serious game time and their players are now joining Real Madrid and, probably, Liverpool, where they will start. Could we get Khusanov or even Reiss to go there with a buy back?