Ageing team

[BlueMoonz1977]

We could all see this coming to be honest.. football works in cycles and a lot of this bunch are sadly coming to the end of that.

For sentiment sake its going to be difficult moving on from the likes of Zaba, Yaya (and possibly even Silva) because they've done so much for us - as the core of a City team who brought us so much joy, after so many years of shit.

I myself still make the mistake of thinking 'Zaba still has it, he'll be back to his best soon' and that Yaya will still pop up with his huge title run-in matchwinners, but sadly time catches up with any team and we simply haven't re-invested well enough into the first team over the past few years. We still seemingly find ourselves relying on the same players who took us over the line under Mancini.

Its going to be a sad day when some of our heroes from that day (and our other recent trophies) move on, but its looking more and more likely that it needs to be done.

Agree with this. It is probably the end of the journey for some players now. Pep will be bringing a faster more intense game with him, and anyone thinking that the squad will mostly remain the same is wrong. They haven't been able to compete with a younger, fitter and faster Leicester City, Arsenal, Spurs West Ham, so thinking that they will somehow next season be able to play that way themselves is a little naïve.
I too have always backed this current squad to come through and turn our form around, injuries haven't helped, the managers tactics haven't helped, but some of the players coming to end of their shelf life hasn't helped either.

We had 4 young lads from the EDS on the bench yesterday, that is the way forward under Pep with a few additions in key areas.

 

[Benarbia]

It's not their age that's the issue. It's the fact very few run and chase the ball down.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

We need to bring in a couple of younger players like we did last summer but bringing down the age of the squad is not something that you address entirely in one window, it is something that should be done every summer to some extent with just the odd change or two. Making sweeping changes isn't necessary (IMO) and doesn't tend to work for clubs anyway. Most times I see a club make 8 or 9 changes like the OP seems to be suggesting, it ends up with mayhem and can take a few years to sort out. I think bar the odd player who is obviously at the end of their usefulness to us, we really need to see how players respond to Pep before writing them off.

 

[come-on-barney]

They will be fitter next season there will be a game plan for each player which will make a big difference. Anyone not wanting to follow that game plan will be shown the door.

 

[BlueS]

At least let the lads win the Champions League this season before you go shipping them out.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

We've relied on the same core players too long and not done enough in the transfer market to surround them with equal quality. 2012/13 onwards has been poor in terms of bringing in the right quality (Fernandinho, Demichelis, De Bruyne, Sterling aside) Key men in Kompany, Silva and Aguero have been injured too frequently and Toure has naturally regressed but we've not adapted correctly to it.

I have faith in Pep making us a more organized unit that will work hard and press the opposition while playing with pace in attack.

This post is spot on.

We don't need a team of superstars but the core of Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva & Kun has never been complimented.

Zaba has played himself into that core and KDB may well do so as well.

Age/injuries are catching up with them and we can't afford to stand still.

Big season for Pep, he needs to buy well. I don't accept all the rubbish that Pep has taken the easy option joining us, he has difficult job to do, transition to build a new squad/team isn't easy just look at the rags.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Succession planning has been very poor. There is little doubt about that.

The squad is aging and yesterday it showed as Spurs were quicker to the ball.

I am not fussed who we get rid off. There is no time or room for sentiment in football. I would think only Aguero and Hart are totally safe.

 

[jaiguruKun]

How many times are teams allowed to run at us with absolutely no pressure on the ball? I'm not just talking about the midfield, which just makes no attempt whatsoever to get the ball. The defence just retreats until they get to our penalty area. Their second goal yesterday could easily have been avoided if one of the centre backs had just closed down the player who played the ball,through to Eriksen. It seems that a conscious decision has been made to give teams a free pass to the edge of the area and then try and cut out the ball that is played into the box. This contrasts with 13/14 where we played a high line and if anything were trying to win the ball back too early. I wonder if it is a move by Pelle to bring teams out so we can play a more counter attacking style. If so it has failed spectacularly.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

This Manager, Toure and Demichelis`s age, sorted with Pep, Proper defencive mid and maybe Denayer, get new left back in place of Kolarov and use Clichy as a second option.

sell Bony and get a striker who hasnt suffered with Malaria and is prepared to work his bollocks off for the team.

Dont ever let Clattenberg ref another match for us again.

We dont need a major overhaul we need a manager who knows how to set a team up, ( yesterday being the exception, even though we lost) his selections and team tactic`s have been horrendous

 

[Gabriel]

For all the age related jibes, I actually thought, as the game wore on, that we looked the fitter and stronger side yesterday, and if any side showed signs of flagging and creaking it was Spurs, with their supposedly super-human levels of fitness.