Centre back options

[StretfordBlueReece]

Statement that otamendi is good defender with physical skills is a myth. Otamendi could not handle Diego Costa at Etihad when we lost to Chelsea 1-3. I can bring more examples when he has terrible individual performance. It is obvious that Pep wants creative center backs which are comfortable with ball and can help to create attacks. Both Inigo Martinez and Lucas Hernandez will be much more useful in Pep's team than Otamendi. If in next 2 years our manager will be Guardiola he must attract players which are suitable to his tactics not defenders which are epl proven or strong and tall it is not West Bromwich or United. We did not get even reach UCL final with physical players with earlier managers. But Pep could win 2 UCL with tiki-taka players. So summing up if Pep needs technical defenders hope he will get them, trust manager support our possible new signings and not criticize them because of EPL criterias. Because EPL clubs could not achieve anything in Europe last 7-8 years.

Otamendi is a liability at times and far too slow for me he needs replacing.

 

[Blue1880]

Bellerin, Alaba, Alderweireld would cost £150m mate, maybe more.

I would not disagree and it is a reflection of how massively overinflated the transfer market has become. I mean Chelsea spent £250 million over 3 seasons (2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006) on 28 players which helped win Chelsea 2 Premier League titles and a League Cup (as well as 2 Champions League SF appearances). These days though, Manchester City (assuming it spends £100 million on getting Walker and Mendy) would need to spend the same amount just to get a decent defense. Shame really...

Regardless this is the end result of City not addressing its defense problems sooner rather than later (in other words when prices where less overinflated they are now) and one might say we are already paying (literally) for the price for it already with the Walker and (if it actually happens) Mendy Transfers.

Despite this though, even if Mendy does end up alongside Walker on the starting lineup, we still need those 3 players simply because one needs strength in depth alongside quality. I mean what if Kompany gets injured (not an impossible prospect as we know to well)? What if Walker gets injured? What if Mendy get's sent off? What if we have to play 3 tough fixtures over 1 week (in 3 competitions)? And that is before one even gets to the merits of playing with a back 4 with Otamendi, Stones and Kolarov.

Last season shows how much our weak defense cost us when it comes to winning trophies and quite frankly we cannot afford to make the same mistakes next season, especially when the competition is only going to get tougher.

Just an impossible situation

In response to that point I want to raise the following points:

1: Despite FFP, there seems to be a common consensus that we can afford to spend £300 million a year on transfers.

2: There is the possibility that the club might end up with a transfer ban for the next 2 seasons. So there is a real risk that if Pep wants to get the players he needs, he is going to have to get them all during this transfer window if he wants his plans to succeed.

3: Regardless even if they don't get a transfer ban, if they don't address the issues within City's squad during this transfer then our club is going to end up falling short yet again on their targets during the course of next season and thus have to go back to the transfer window in a years time fully address this (and have to deal with even more inflated prices). While in turn spend more time in "work in progress" mode.

4: Thus what I am saying is that instead of spending £200-300 million each (summer) transfer window over the course of 3 seasons, we should be spending £600+ million (and spread the costs accounts wise over an much longer period than usual) over this transfer window to establish a squad which would not need major upgrades (and thus little if any cash over the next 3-4 transfer windows) and which will take us forward for the next 5 years (maybe more that that due to the age range of the players City are looking for). In other words spend it all now (as part of a long term strategy) rather than over the course of a few years.

So if City where do adopt this sort of plan for this transfer window, then it would be within their means (with some creative financial planning) to spend £150 million Bellerin, Alaba and Alderweireld alongside £100 million for Walker and Mendy. Unless I am mistaken of course...

 

[MasterOfKnees]

I'm not really sure how Otamendi has gotten a bit of a cult following among some of our fans, I'd be over the moon if we sold him for ~£20m and got in a centerback who is composed and can actually pass the ball. For me his shortcomings ended up being season defining for us, his two errors that led to two goals conceded against Chelsea and his nightmare game against Monaco both turned our season upside down, I don't want to take a chance with a player who has those kind of games in him. Sure, he had a good stint with Kompany towards the end, but so did Stones and in more difficult games aswell, we need to look at how our centerbacks play without Kompany to know whether we can rely on them or not, and if a player needs a partner who can keep a leash on him then it's pretty clear what the answer is.

 

[Kamran Shirinzade]

Otamendi is a liability at times and far too slow for me he needs replacing.

glad to see that there are still people who share my opinion.

 

[Andouble]

Inigo Martinez seems like the quintessential Pep defender. Wouldn't be surprised if he was the CB.

 

[Dax777]

Honestly believe it to be true what he brings to the team is more than just his football ability, yeah you need your Silva and Augero but for me he is still our most important player and has been for god knows how many years

He hasn't been our most important player in 3 to 4 years. Our most missed player? Sure! Our most important? How? He hasn't been around long enough in any of the last 3 years to place.

And for what its worth, I'll note Otamendi looked excellent for a month before Kompany joined.

 

[rapidCT]

Otamendi was one of the best defenders in Spain before he joined us and, except some of the games he played alongside Stones, he looked very good for us. Him and Kompany form one of the best, if not the best, couple of CBs. I think the problem here is Stones. He is just a kid, he needs at least 2 more seasons to be a very good player. He is still so young for a CB.

 

[hgblue]

I'm not really sure how Otamendi has gotten a bit of a cult following among some of our fans, I'd be over the moon if we sold him for ~£20m and got in a centerback who is composed and can actually pass the ball. For me his shortcomings ended up being season defining for us, his two errors that led to two goals conceded against Chelsea and his nightmare game against Monaco both turned our season upside down, I don't want to take a chance with a player who has those kind of games in him. Sure, he had a good stint with Kompany towards the end, but so did Stones and in more difficult games aswell, we need to look at how our centerbacks play without Kompany to know whether we can rely on them or not, and if a player needs a partner who can keep a leash on him then it's pretty clear what the answer is.

A little oasis in a sea of dross

 

[silvasdreamyfringe]

Would seem silly to me to shift a CB of Otamendi's quality for the kind of price, particularly when I can't name a City CB who has consistently outperformed over the past 2 seasons (whether due to injury or lack of form). There's quite a few players in the squad that should be priority to sell over Otamendi.

 

[Lomas has a lob on]

I think Peps need for a CB mellowed slightly towards the end of the season.
Kompany finally got a run of games and both his performances and his presence improved our defensive displays hugely! If Kompany had maintained his fitness throughout the summer whilst playing a couple of games for Belgium as well then this will only add to Peps confidence in him!
There was also that poignant moment I think it was against Watford when Kompany seemed to pull up and I think everyone thought that was it, but he seemed to recover! I think with Kompany mental issues were just as bad as the physical ones and I think he turned that pivotal corner with staying on in that game!
We might well sign another CB but I think because of how Kompany finished the season it has renewed Peps trust in him, meaning another CB isn't at the top of his priorities.