These forums come with a health warning.
I've read some absolute whoppers on here this past week. To use a football analogy, this forum thread has in large parts parked the bus, shut up shop and retreated into a defensive shell underpinned by a siege mentality discourse. The irony. I'm absolutely convinced that some people post on here with one eye on Rag Cafe and sit looking over their shoulder. Football fandom is tribal. Forums are tribal too. These issues are absolutely tribal. So instead, its retreat into the world of self deception and portray this as something it clearly isn't or frame it in a way which constructs a particular narrative on Bluemoon with the hope if enough people collectively believe it, it will become real and true.
Firstly, we're 12 points clear. Because we have the best manager in football who has improved virtually every player at the club bar one or two including Aguero. That improvement is mutually influenced - players taking on board and trusting his methods/philosophy and his coaching genius providing the platform to improve technically and (bar last Sunday, mentally too). Everyone recognises this. But to use this, Rodney Marsh as some ridiculous nostalgic reference, or any other anecdote as the basis for presenting this Sanchez deal as not being critical is frankly ludicrous, short sighted, naive and riddled in bad faith. And then to throw into the mix - oh he's 29 and Jamie Vardy as alternative framing strategies are even worse.
This signing is more than just one footballer. Sometimes, events in football write their own logic and rules. On Sunday evening, City could have been 18 points clear. By the time we play on Saturday at 5.30pm we may be 9 points clear. A significant difference still nonetheless, but in a week where the Sanchez deal and everything which comes with that change the whole season and galvanise our biggest rival. This signing both refreshes the player and Utd as a football club - and puts pressure on us mentally.
- Why would we be better as a squad without Sanchez? Lets look at the arguments
1. Because we're already 12 points clear without him. Yes, in the present not future tense. Id rather be in our position and this is the best season of football I'll probably ever see in my life, but its far from over. We are yet to see how we respond to our first defeat during a week which also see's a cup semi final 2nd leg and then away FA cup tie. Of course we could win all three games. However, simply to say we've shown we're fine without Sanchez is not a reason for not signing him to have an impact in the future tense. It also ensures Utd are stronger which I believe means less of a margin of error - because the evidence in football is that very few teams go on a run for the whole season like the one we've been on.
- We should walk away from the deal because of the money involved
2. I ask this hypothetically - say KDB and his agent want 370k for his next contract but City offer 350k. KDB's agent informs us that Madrid will offer 400k. So he turns it down. Do we really believe the majority of people on here would simply say - its too much money? Well done to the club for taking a stand, being principled and thinking about squad harmony. I doubt it. I suspect we'd question the ambition of the club because we'd fear losing him. And of course he is younger, and is a key part of our team and one takes into account the value of the player, but the point nonetheless, is its fickle to apply this to one player and not others as the basis for an argument.
- We need to think of KDB's contract and the impact this might have on the team spirit/collective
3. Its as logical to argue that the club could tell KDB - were signing Sanchez and we're paying him the top wage to become top earner because in the short term it ensures we strengthen when in 4 competitions, makes the team stronger, and ensures he doesn't improve our direct rival. Put an arm round him and tell him his next contract will make him top earner if that matters to him and thats what he's worth. Unless the truth here is we genuinely can't afford it - and that we can't compete financially. Maybe that is the truth, I don't know but Id question that because the whole strategy since 2008 has been to grow, aggressively, and become one of the leading European clubs which means being prepared to financially compete with the very top clubs when going toe to toe with them over a player. That isn't the same as signing Walker or Mendy, It is evidenced by offering a stronger or as strong a financial package as a top European club which Utd are.
- He shook his hand on a deal or agreed to join us and so we should walk away because he and his agent have had their heads turned
4. Again, we don't know this for fact but if true, Id simply accept this is part of modern football. If we don't like it, then we shouldn't be complicit in it as fans. Sanchez I suspect probably does have an affinity to Pep, but something has happened here and we should have responded here in a way which makes him want to play for City not because he'd have some affinity for us - he wouldn't, but because we are the best place for him, we value him more than Utd do, and we're prepared to pay him the top money to evidence it.
- He isn't worth the money at 29, and is on the decline
5. I think football is going to sadly itself prove this to be inaccurate.
Regardless of all this, so far this season has been the most astonishing thing I've ever seen supporting City. I've never felt prouder, and I'll be there cheering us on at the weekend. I hope I'm wrong and that this isn't a critical and potential season defining moment even if I think it is. But I think some of this self deception, nostalgic romanticism and hypocritical stuff should stop. And once this thread has closed, we can all move on and evaluate the impact.
But Jamie Vardy? Seriously. Please. Just seriously. Have a serious look at yourself.
