Were we ever close to signing him?
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A breakdown of what has gone wrong (and why we’ll be back)
- Thread starter HelloCity
- Start date
Were we ever close to signing him?
We need a world class CB and LB in the summer though. Big IFs. There just isn’t an abundance of top talent available.
It’s something city have failed at time and time again in the transfer window. I understand we have a budget but when a rare top talent becomes available we should be going all out to sign them. Hazard we missed out on because of a couple of million for example.
News reports this morning are all about Ronald Koeman having spoken to pep many times about De Ligt and De Jong. Two incredible talents. With Kompany going it was crazy for us not to go all out for De Ligt!
Oh and one other thing to throw into the OP’s observation about Laporte’s injury. From memory he made the foul which injured him because our left back was caught out of position. Maybe if we had a decent left back Laporte wouldn’t have had to cover and make that foul in the first place.
It’s something city have failed at time and time again in the transfer window. I understand we have a budget but when a rare top talent becomes available we should be going all out to sign them. Hazard we missed out on because of a couple of million for example.
News reports this morning are all about Ronald Koeman having spoken to pep many times about De Ligt and De Jong. Two incredible talents. With Kompany going it was crazy for us not to go all out for De Ligt!
Oh and one other thing to throw into the OP’s observation about Laporte’s injury. From memory he made the foul which injured him because our left back was caught out of position. Maybe if we had a decent left back Laporte wouldn’t have had to cover and make that foul in the first place.
The scousers have been very clever in the transfer market, some fantastic additions at small cost.Sums it up in one for me.
All the op's point are very good, but if we'd signed vD we would be above the scousers despite all that even now. They'd be far worse too.
Just hope it's a lesson the club has learned. Spend what it takes, or someone else will.
Then they went big when required, ie Van dyke and the keeper, cherry on the top players.
We have spent crazy money on FB's yet we still have major weaknesses there.
Yet as a club we seemed reluctant to go out and buy a true top class CB to partner Laporte.
To go and spend 60m on Cancelo and then hardly to play him with hindsight was a crazy decision, when at CB we are desperately weak.
Kinkladze 1
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Don’t be fucking stupid. They sold to Liverpool because they were offering £15m more than us. You think they have a shit where he went? Definitely not.The second liverpool showed interest, it was obvious. That's why Southampton lodged a report against liverpool and not anyone else. If you were following the news, it was all over, that's why no other club was even interested to bid even when Southampton made it obvious they would rather sell him to anyone else but not to liverpool.
Tim of the Oak
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Here’s 3 problems that I haven’t seen mentioned.
1. Many of our fans have forgotten how to support the team / “be the 12th man”. Yes the corporate expansion within the Etihad hasn’t helped but the atmosphere is shite at most home games. Everyone knows it.
2. We lack power in the air. Some snowflakes will say that’s not the Pep way but Liverpool have VVD throughout most games and Origi and Wynaldum when they need them - and they pose the opposition different threats.
3. Friday night re-emphasised that we can’t hold the ball up. Again some people will say that’s not the Pep way but I reckon we would have got at least a point if we were able to hold the ball up better, albeit Wolves would have still made it tough. It’s not just about Wolves, In a nutshell we need a wider range of abilities to get at then opposition, who analyse our play and set up teams to stop us.
1. Many of our fans have forgotten how to support the team / “be the 12th man”. Yes the corporate expansion within the Etihad hasn’t helped but the atmosphere is shite at most home games. Everyone knows it.
2. We lack power in the air. Some snowflakes will say that’s not the Pep way but Liverpool have VVD throughout most games and Origi and Wynaldum when they need them - and they pose the opposition different threats.
3. Friday night re-emphasised that we can’t hold the ball up. Again some people will say that’s not the Pep way but I reckon we would have got at least a point if we were able to hold the ball up better, albeit Wolves would have still made it tough. It’s not just about Wolves, In a nutshell we need a wider range of abilities to get at then opposition, who analyse our play and set up teams to stop us.
SilverFox2
Well-Known Member
Exactly, I know we have scored a lot this season but could / should have scored more which is necessary now that our defence leaks like the City I recall of old.Good read that was . Also our finishing is terrible and needs addressing. Can’t wait for next season
Pool currently mix their wins with quite a few single goal ones, we don't have that luxury, the synergistic effect of var, ref, defensive frailty and bad finishing is taking its toll.
I don't there is a need for an overhaul anywhere. There's a need for a proper DM is Fernandinho is leaving, to compete with Rhodri. And there's a need for a CB.
Other than that, unless Sané is leaving, I'm not sure much needs to be changed. Laporte will come back. the defense will look much better.
It's not easy to maintain the same level for 3 consecutive seasons. Sometimes theres a drop in performance as has been the case here. It's nothing to worry about in my opinion. I don't expect that the team will look as lethargic or fragile next season.
Other than that, unless Sané is leaving, I'm not sure much needs to be changed. Laporte will come back. the defense will look much better.
It's not easy to maintain the same level for 3 consecutive seasons. Sometimes theres a drop in performance as has been the case here. It's nothing to worry about in my opinion. I don't expect that the team will look as lethargic or fragile next season.
blueparrot
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Liverpool were spending more on him than we were prepared to go, so we got the younger cheaper and for a Pep team better Laporte instead. We could never have both I wish people would forget about VVD and Laporte it was never an option.Van Doik had his heart set for for liverpool though.
The scousers have been very clever in the transfer market, some fantastic additions at small cost.
Then they went big when required, ie Van dyke and the keeper, cherry on the top players.
We have spent crazy money on FB's yet we still have major weaknesses there.
Yet as a club we seemed reluctant to go out and buy a true top class CB to partner Laporte.
To go and spend 60m on Cancelo and then hardly to play him with hindsight was a crazy decision, when at CB we are desperately weak.
Kompany was around last season so there wasn't a pressing need to get a CB, in the eyes of Pep. Maybe he was hoping for Stones to come back from his injury woes and be that partner for Laporte but it hasn't quite worked out for him. I'm almost certain they'll get a proper world class CB to partner Laporte this summer.
I'm with you about Cancelo but they obviously had no way of knowing Laporte would go down with a long term injury. This same defense with Laporte in it would be much more robust. Sometimes you take a risk by not having an adequate cover and that might be the case here. But it will be rectified in the summer.