Centre back options

[Neville Kneville]

If the bolded above is true, them we must conclude that it was a more stupid thing for Pep to say in light of the fact we have 2 instances of him saying the exact opposite.

So if you are right that he said "I know," then we have clear proof Pep speaks in riddles and thus constantly takes the piss. So Pep "not stating an opinion clearly" shouldn't be at all surprising, seeing as you believe he does even worse. I.e blatantly contradicts himself.

Bit more likely than not you are just on some bollocks bend :)

No, he may have spoken to one of the Pelle's assistants, like ooh I don't know...Brian Kidd maybe.

 

[Dax777]

No, he may have spoken to one of the Pelle's assistants, like ooh I don't know...Brian Kidd maybe.

Ok.

Like I said, when you find that fathom video you claim to have seen, we can continue. Until then the only factual videos we found supports my claim he didn't say he spoke to Pellars.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Ok.

Like I said, when you find that fathom video you claim to have seen, we can continue. Until then the only factual videos we found supports my claim he didn't say he spoke to Pellars.

I never mentioned a video & won't be looking for one. I don't care enough.

It's absoluely clear what the actual message was & this won't succeed in deflecting from it.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

Have I just read right on @City_Watch that Juve have set a £45m price on Bonucci !!!!

Get it done Txiki

 

[KingOdin]

Have I just read right on @City_Watch that Juve have set a £45m price on Bonucci !!!!

Get it done Txiki

30/35 + De Sciglio but Bonucci wants stay in Italy and probably this sale was done by juve to take next year Donnarumma so Thixi can't do nothing

 

[Blue1880]

Alaba (if we could get him) would sort out CB, LB and CM for years.

I would not quite say that (not that he can't do all those roles but rather we should not have to rely on him to cover all those positions), but he would make a good backup choice for both the CB and CM roles. Still if we bought him, Alderweireld, Walker, Mendy, Bellerin*, Fabinho and Lloris** then I think we would have pretty strong (and one with a reasonable amount depth) backline, something like this:

Ederson/Lloris/Bravo

Walker/Bellerin - Kompany/Alderweireld - Stones/Alaba/Otamendi*** - Alaba/Mendy

Fabinho/Fernandinho/Alaba/Gündoğan/Touré
​

Thoughts?

*With Alves (sadly) doing to PSG, the importance of such a signing has dramatically increased.

**Even if the rumours have cooled any link between him and the club. City still need to sign the player

***Only if we cannot get another experenced CB like Bonucci or Boateng

Apparently a lot of Bayern players are unhappy with Ancelotti and a lot of players are being bought, so surely they expect some departures. If it's remotely possible, I hope we're looking.

When you add the fact Alaba played very well under Pep and how the latter admired the player. It makes perfect sense for City to obtain him, better in fact then getting Sandero. Especially if Bayern are going to go though a lean period (relatively speaking) over the coming years.

 

[Blue1880]

We currently have 4 on the books (Vinny, Otta, Stones and Adarabioyo). 2 for each position, which is what any good First Team squad should have. Are they all going to stay injury free for the whole season? Highly unlikely, but how many teams went the whole of last season injury fee?

I don't think we need to worry about CB as much as Full-backs where we currently have Kolarov on the books (for now anyway).

The problem is though that while we have 4 (5 if you count Kolarov) Centre Backs only one (Kompany) of them can be described as proven enough to play for a major club likes ours and that one is not going to be able to play 50-60 games a season. Stones and Tosin might get to that level one day but that day has yet to arrived and that is what the club need to deal with until that day comes.

In other words City (transfers wise) needs to worry about finding Centre Backs as much as it needs to find Full Backs.

 

[Blue1880]

Be crazy not to at least make an enquiry, they're willing to sell, we've got the money and we need somebody like him. Chelsea are out of the picture now they have Rudiger, if we can convince him to come, there shouldn't be any stumbling blocks.

Considering the prices quoted for VVD for example (at longer has he fits into Pep's system), £40 million does seem to a more reasonable price tag, well in this day and age anyway.

I'd be comfortable with Kolarov staying as the alternative left back and cover for cb even with him coming in. Or if not, ditch the liability Otamendi. Kompany,Bonucci,Stones with Kolarov as cover seems pretty good to me, you'd be comfortable with any combination playing with the exception of Kolarov and Stones but even that would probably work against certain sides.

If Otamendi is not proven/good enough to play in a City Defence then I don't see why we should also keep Kolarov if we can avoid it. Especially considering the number of games that City will have to play to reach the trophies targets the owners have yet and Kompany's injury record.

 

[Busmo Funbag]

Thixi can't do nothing

Can't do nothing you say? Sounds promising.

 

[Serg10Aguero]

I would not quite say that (not that he can't do all those roles but rather we should not have to rely on him to cover all those positions), but he would make a good backup choice for both the CB and CM roles. Still if we bought him, Alderweireld, Walker, Mendy, Bellerin*, Fabinho and Lloris** then I think we would have pretty strong (and one with a reasonable amount depth) backline, something like this:

Ederson/Lloris/Bravo

Walker/Bellerin - Kompany/Alderweireld - Stones/Alaba/Otamendi*** - Alaba/Mendy

Fabinho/Fernandinho/Alaba/Gündoğan/Touré
​

Thoughts?

*With Alves (sadly) doing to PSG, the importance of such a signing has dramatically increased.

**Even if the rumours have cooled any link between him and the club. City still need to sign the player

***Only if we cannot get another experenced CB like Bonucci or Boateng



When you add the fact Alaba played very well under Pep and how the latter admired the player. It makes perfect sense for City to obtain him, better in fact then getting Sandero. Especially if Bayern are going to go though a lean period (relatively speaking) over the coming years.

Bellerin, Alaba, Alderweireld would cost £150m mate, maybe more. Just an impossible situation