7 | Joao Cancelo - 2022/23 Performances

[Gordyola]

We have the squad to cope without Cancelo and win something big (or even the treble :)). We have incredible forwards and midfielders, and we have excellent CBs plus Walker.

The question is whether the defenders will stay fit.

Walker and Stones (who plays at RB at times) have missed 50% (!) of our PL games since the start of 20/21, and Ake has had injuries too, including this season. One thing that even the most biased fans against Cancelo can't deny is that he is fit as fuck and always available. If both Walker and Ake are unavailable for some (big) games, we'll struggle.

I've defended Pep a lot on here: when we were in midtable in 20/21 (I even predicted back then that we were going to win the title) and after the CL final where his starting XI and subs were suspect. But I think Pep has made a mistake. The mistake wasn't to loan Cancelo (given his recent behaviour), but to allow the situation to escalate like this over the last weeks with no time to react. There's no denying we were caught up by surprise.

Ultimately, the important thing is how the players react. If we go to Spurs and Arsenal and win 4-6 pts, we'll be fine and ready for the run in.

Agree although we don't know the timeline as to when Cancelo became untenable or how long it took his agent to find him another club

 

[kun]

When we get an injury and have no left back or Cancelo sticks a fantastic cross in against us in the champions league will Pep still tell us this is the right decision

What alternative do you suggest?

Selling him to a team that ISN'T in the Champions League?
Cancelo ain't taking that, and outside of the CL and PL no team could afford him.

Keep him around? Let him rot in the reserves?
Not sure that would be brilliant for the dressing room atmosphere during a title charge.

 

[Don Karleone]

 

[Tricky_Trev]

 

[Don Karleone]

And he's gone

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

 

[ejdmcfc]

We'll still win the fucking lot. Enjoy your Tuesday.

 

[oakiecokie]

When we get an injury and have no left back or Cancelo sticks a fantastic cross in against us in the champions league will Pep still tell us this is the right decision

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm 6 posts in 13 years.
Now call me an old sceptic but ...

 

[Don Karleone]

Very matter-of-fact.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Mmmmm that would be the fans who invaded the pitch and got us into trouble a couple of times?

Mmmmm that would be the fans who lost their voices so many times at games and booed the stupid anthem thingymabob?

MMMM that would be the fans who have stayed with the club through visits down the divisions, through mismanagement and umpteen managers sometimes more than one (maybe two) a season?

I love Pep to bits but sometimes I wonder if he even likes our fans, or any fans, maybe he just wants the players and no crowds? :-) ;-)

Tbf to Pep I think he has been trying to motivate us / fire us up. I probably did him a disservice in my earlier post. I agree that he has misfired sometimes giving the media and rival fans an open goal to mock us. I take most of that with a pinch of salt though.

I agree that our loyalty is unparalleled. It’s a shame Pep didn’t speak out when a thousand seats / fans were being replaced with bigger advertising screens. It’s the sort of thing Mancini might well have criticised.