If we’re judging it by your standards probably the next shiny new toy who has had one good season.So just to be sure, when David Silva moves on next year, Phil Foden will replace him? If not, who does?
Lol :-)If we’re judging it by your standards probably the next shiny new toy who has had one good season.
If we’re being sensible and balanced probably a mixture of Foden, Bernardo, Gundogan (if he stays) and possibly even Zinchenko if he shows the same sort of character and determination which earned him a first team place this season. If Gundogan leaves then possibly a replacement will be needed but it’ll likely be someone who we’ve had our eyes on over a sustained period (e.g. Houssem Aouar).
If not then I’m sure we will invest in the right player. However, I’d love to actually wait and find out if Foden is going to be good enough before we start writing him off.So just to be sure, when David Silva moves on next year, Phil Foden will replace him? If not, who does?
Foden has proven himself at youth level, but expecting him to start & be effective at man kevel, over 40+ games per season, & to replace what we've lost in David Silva? Can't see it mate.
As an example; against Spurs, at times he made so little impact, that I felt like we were a man short. However he did score the all important goal which made many clamour for him to become an instant starter.
Foden's time will come, but we can't possibly expect to thrust our expectations on him at his current level. BTW, I wasn't one of those calling Pep 'Fraudiola' & trying to advise the great man how to approach playing in the PL. :-)
We are not interested in the guy,we said it weeks ago
Was it not that we were interested in him, might even have agreed a deal, but Lisbon were not enamored with the players we were offering as part of said deal? We’ve been doing business with them for other players since, so perhaps that has an effect on him now. All conjecture.
We have formed a link with sporting this summer,i don't think it was ever about him,it was a brief to a journo that we had not made a bid and are not going to make a bid,it's in the thread somewhereWas it not that we were interested in him, might even have agreed a deal, but Lisbon were not enamored with the players we were offering as part of said deal? We’ve been doing business with them for other players since, so perhaps that has an effect on him now. All conjecture.
KDB, Bernardo, Foden and Zinchenko is 4 players for the 2 floating 8 positions. This is enough players, we can even go 4+1 by having an academy player get similar minutes that Foden got last season as well so we are all good. Rodri is strictly to play as a 6, Gundogan and Fernandinho leaving next summer (possibly) means we need a player who can play as a 6, Zinchenko can play there and Douglas Luiz if brought back, but Fernandes wouldn't be for the 6 position anyways.Lol :-)
OR for £30m, we can possibly insure ourselves against all your probables as listed above by planning ahead now?
Doesn't preparing this summer for next not make sense?
What if we get a transfer ban? What then?
Given that we could have planned for these distinct possibilities this summer, how would you feel about your plan if there was a ban, Silva & Fernandinho left at the end of their contracts, & Gundog walked away on a free? What then?
Would you be confident of fighting on 4 fronts with just KDB, B Silva, Rodri & Foden as our midfield options?
I suppose we have Stones & Zinchenko we could throw in the mix?
That’s 3 very big extremities (Fernandinho and Gundogan both leaving and a transfer ban), the possibility of us allowing all three to happen at once is absolutely fuck all unless you’re a drama queen. There’s more chance of Aguero and Jesus getting long term injuries at the same time and then we would have £30m less to buy a “homegrown” replacement striker because Fernandes would be taking up another foreign place.Lol :-)
OR for £30m, we can possibly insure ourselves against all your probables as listed above by planning ahead now?
Doesn't preparing this summer for next not make sense?
What if we get a transfer ban? What then?
Given that we could have planned for these distinct possibilities this summer, how would you feel about your plan if there was a ban, Silva & Fernandinho left at the end of their contracts, & Gundog walked away on a free? What then?
Would you be confident of fighting on 4 fronts with just KDB, B Silva, Rodri & Foden as our midfield options?
I suppose we have Stones & Zinchenko we could throw in the mix?
So if we get a transfer ban & Silva, Fernandinho, & Gundog move on leaving us with KDB, B Silva, Rodri & Foden, what's your plan then?If not then I’m sure we will invest in the right player. However, I’d love to actually wait and find out if Foden is going to be good enough before we start writing him off.
This is my point exactly. Giving Foden more game time gradually until he's at that regular, big-game starter level is one thing, but having him as Silva's direct replacement?? Really?Foden is at least a year ahead of Iniesta in terms of first team appearences at the same age. In the season following turning 19, Iniesta made 11 La Liga appearences for Barca. The following season he made 37 La Liga appearences although 25 were from the bench. So the Stockport Iniesta certainly has time on his side. I expect most of Foden's first team appearences this season will be from the bench, the difference being that instead of Pep waiting for us to be 2 or 3 up before bringing him on after 75 mins, it will be part of the game plan to bring him on around the hour mark. He will probably make something like 5-10 starts in the PL and CL.
If the lad is that good why hasn't anyone triggered the realease clause? Either the 30m clause is bullshit or he's not that good?
Mate, can you really see City taking these unecessary chances? If Zin can be a midfield option for us, why isn't he a midfield option for us now?KDB, Bernardo, Foden and Zinchenko is 4 players for the 2 floating 8 positions. This is enough players, we can even go 4+1 by having an academy player get similar minutes that Foden got last season as well so we are all good. Rodri is strictly to play as a 6, Gundogan and Fernandinho leaving next summer (possibly) means we need a player who can play as a 6, Zinchenko can play there and Douglas Luiz if brought back, but Fernandes wouldn't be for the 6 position anyways.
We took a risk with a 33 year old Fernandinho last year, it didn’t work out too badly. We took a risk with Mendy’s fitness too, that didn’t work out too badly either.Mate, can you really see City taking these unecessary chances? If Zin can be a midfield option for us, why isn't he a midfield option for us now?
So when we're playing PL, CL, FA Cup & League Cup games every three days, when do Bernardo, KDB & Foden get to rest (notwithstanding injuries, fatigue & loss of form too)?
If we get a transfer ban then I cannot see all three of those leaving. Fern would almost certainly stay. I get your point, I just think we need to fully invest in Foden now and bringing in another big money attacking midfielder is not going to help that.So if we get a transfer ban & Silva, Fernandinho, & Gundog move on leaving us with KDB, B Silva, Rodri & Foden, what's your plan then?
I'm going to relate everything to last season to explain why everything is okay.Mate, can you really see City taking these unecessary chances? If Zin can be a midfield option for us, why isn't he a midfield option for us now?
So when we're playing PL, CL, FA Cup & League Cup games every three days, when do Bernardo, KDB & Foden get to rest (notwithstanding injuries, fatigue & loss of form too)?