André

[Dribble]

That may well be true, but it won't happen in January, that sort of squad changing will only happen in summer. Will just tinker at best in January.

Agreed 100%. For January I can only see Philips out & his replacement in. However, if as some hope it's Pahlinha, I honestly can't see Fulham selling until the summer unless they've got someone lined up too.

I think this summer will have to be a big one, with the eventual successor to KDB in mind & proper replacements for Gundog & Mahrez.

Doku was already on our radar before Mahrez left, & we're missing their goals & the control they afforded us.

 

[richards30]

Agreed 100%. For January I can only see Philips out & his replacement in. However, if as some hope it's Pahlinha, I honestly can't see Fulham selling unless they've got someone lined up too.

I think this summer will have to be a big one, with the eventual successor to KDB in mind & proper replacements for Gundog & Mahrez.

Doku was already on our radar before Mahrez left, & we're missing their goals & the control they afforded us.

it would seem Fulham wanted Andre to replace Pahlinha? That would suggest we have a part to possibly play in both these transfers!

 

[bluenova]

We haven't a fully fit squad and we have several players that have issues and sadly always will.

Stones, KDB, Doku and Kovacic all have poor injury records, that's a very big part of our squad.

Another long summer coming up for a lot of our players , so yet again little or no pre-season.

The days of Pep wanting a small squad of players for me has to be seriously looked at and changed.

I'm not sure it's quite so simple.

There are definitely cases, like Rodri, where cover is needed, but the point of the small squad isn't that you flog players to death. The idea has been that you have 16 players of similar quality, so that they can share the load, without a drop in quality.

Liverpool have been our closest rivals in the last few years, and for a long time they had a much biggest squad, but a very definite first team. So, not only did they have players hanging around not playing, they also had first team players who were packing in a lot more minutes than City's "smaller" squad.

Rodri is a definite exception, and that's likely down to the Kalvin issue. Haaland also played a lot last year, but I don't think he's doing the same kind of high impact work that most City players have to do. Most players tend to be given breaks within the season, where they spend 2-3 games on the bench - often the press pick up on it as someone being 'out of favour' but to me it looks like good load management. Given that we've tended to have fewer injuries than most teams, it does seem to be working.

We have tended to peak towards the end of seasons, suggesting there isn't a major issue with players burning out either.

 

[Dribble]

This is why I'd take Paulinha now when I wasn't sure in the Summer, Rodri was very effective further forward early in the season when he had Kovacic helping him out. Paulinha can be the Nigel de Jong that lets Rodri become the White Yaya.

I just can't see Fulham selling Pahlinha in January, unless they've got a major replacement lined up.

There's too many rumours about Philips being off, but to be fair, he's played so little it's not like we'll miss him.

I just hope Pep doesn't try to get through the rest of the season without a replacement as he did when Kompany & Aguero left.

The sensible money's on a replacement coming in if Philips leaves, so in that respect Andre's season is over after Friday & rumours have it he's sent a come & get me plea to City.

That alone might decide our CDM destiny for us.

 

[Dribble]

it would seem Fulham wanted Andre to replace Pahlinha? That would suggest we have a part to possibly play in both these transfers!

I can see us using one as a stalking horse for the other. Perhaps Pep's hoping to see Andre close up before making a final decision?

 

[blueparrot]

Agreed 100%. For January I can only see Philips out & his replacement in. However, if as some hope it's Pahlinha, I honestly can't see Fulham selling until the summer unless they've got someone lined up too.

I think this summer will have to be a big one, with the eventual successor to KDB in mind & proper replacements for Gundog & Mahrez.

Doku was already on our radar before Mahrez left, & we're missing their goals & the control they afforded us.

Even bigger if Bernardo goes, which is why I think as much as we can we wait until summer and see where we are. If that means short term we are a bit short and long term gain,so be it.

 

[richards30]

I can see us using one as a stalking horse for the other. Perhaps Pep's hoping to see Andre close up before making a final decision?

yeah possibly mate? Andre would be the easier deal to do but depends what Pep wants for his DM.

 

[Dribble]

yeah possibly mate? Andre would be the easier deal to do but depends what Pep wants for his DM.

I suppose all will be revealed in the next 6 weeks. A lot will depend if/when Philips leaves in January, & if KDB's over his injury.

Realistically I can see Kalvin going & a replacement coming in, but we'll go with what we've got with an eye on the summer to make major changes.

Again a lot will depend on Bernardo. I just don't want another summer of will he/won't he over his future.

 

[franksinatra]

Yeah, I can see where you are coming from. I think we can both agree that we need someone who can help Rodri out immediately, whether it is Palhinha, Andre, or someone else. We need someone, and we need someone in January.

Completely agree with that. If the club are interested then they clearly think he can do a job, I am just doubtful whether it could be this season and I think our need is immediate. Thanks for not taking my post the wrong way.

 

[franksinatra]

The difference being is that most City fans were meh regarding Kovacic, & positively underwhelmed by Nunes who seemed to be a panic buy after we withdrew from the Paqueta deal & had a last minute bid for Ezé rejected. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠⊙⁠_⁠ʖ⁠⊙⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

André is completely different. I don't recall him being on our radar previously, & many City fans have seen things in the 22 year old which make complete sense in respect of our advancement, than they did with Kova & Nunes in particular.

We need a replacement for Philips. This kid & Pahlinha are being touted as possible replacements. At £30m, I've seen enough to say this André warrants our interest irrespective of his reported modest transfer fee.

Agree we need a replacement for Phillips but I also think we need a player who can fulfil the void left by Rodri, in the event of injury or suspension. Its a massive hole to fill anyway.

In an ideal world it would be this kid, at the reported fee, to learn the demands expected of him and another player who can fill that role almost immediately. But I accept that is wishful thinking.