Centre Midfield

Luke The Blue said:
Yeah we definitely need another CM. If Fernandinho or Gundogan get injured were gonna struggle IMO.
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Er Gundogan is injured. I know it is now fashionable to deny that this is of any concern, but brutal medical reality is that it is clearly of more concern than an injury free state.
I'm with the idea that another central midfielder would be desirable, thought that most seasons though. If Nasri is fit and firing it would certainly help but the mood music doesn't sound great.
 
Tugay One Cup said:
I'd rather see Aleix given a chance over Zuculini.
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Well there's no reason not to keep both if Zuculini is at all useful. Garcia doesn't take up a squad space and if he's good enough (which he certainly seems to be) then Zuculini is not going to be an obstacle to him.

Zuculini's big problem is the same as it always was - no room in the squad for him as a foreign player, so we'll never get to see him in a run of proper games to evaluate him.
 
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Garcia this season. I still wonder if by the end of the window that we'll get someone like Kroos but we are biding our time. I'd personally be surprised if we did nothing more.
 
The 3 marquee signings- stones, sane and a cm possibly? Can't see it being any other position tbh. Attacking wise we're sorted especially with all the youth signings. Same with CB if we get stones. And at FB pep seems content with the current situation, so I guess it could only be cm.
 
Pep is obsessed with midfielders. There's no way he's going to wake up on September 1st saying "still a nagging doubt I forgot to buy something. Where did I put that list. Domenec, where's my shopping list? Oh, shit!"

With Sané arriving, hopefully, plus Nolito, we have more options on the wings than last season. So where does that leave Silva and de Bruyne who got shoved out there at times?

Nasri could also have got his chance to play in the central position he's always wanted in a team where a great first touch and maintaining possession were key, but then he decided he preferred doughnuts.
 
1. There's still a month to go in the transfer window, remember when it took us about 4 minutes to sign Robinho.

2. Can see Silva operating a little deeper in the Xavi role.
 
bluesince76 said:
Pep is obsessed with midfielders. There's no way he's going to wake up on September 1st saying "still a nagging doubt I forgot to buy something. Where did I put that list. Domenec, where's my shopping list? Oh, shit!"

With Sané arriving, hopefully, plus Nolito, we have more options on the wings than last season. So where does that leave Silva and de Bruyne who got shoved out there at times?

Nasri could also have got his chance to play in the central position he's always wanted in a team where a great first touch and maintaining possession were key, but then he decided he preferred doughnuts.
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Lol! "I knew I had something to do."
"How could I forget .... a midfielder."
 
With the kids as backup to keep players fresh, & the ability to move players from other positions, or change formations to hurt the oppo, we had the best midfield squad in the country last season, by far, but a complete & utter clown in charge who insisted on playing two in there all season, one old & overweight, didn't give a fuck about the oppo & knackered Fernandinho out often chasing 5 players around on his own.

I imagine if Pep could have swapped Yaya or Fernando for younger, world class players, he would have. But we have the best available imo, Gundogan. I also imagine he sees our squad as very adaptable, especially when you add in the extra workrate potential of young players to give the squad more enery, then the class of kids like Garcia. Also in a Barca style team, players like Silva, Nasri, DeBruyne become options as a 3rd centre mid. In a rigid, outdated, pathetic, unfit, 442, no fucking chance. But in a more creative system, definitely.

If the right man becomes available he'll no doubt do it, but I imagine he's happy to make more signings this time next year, & work with what we have, which is an excellent bunch of top quality players imo.
 
The frustrating thing about only having 3 public preseason games is that we can only see so many players on the field.

In the 2 so far Garcia shone so I'm hoping Pep sees him as a genuine 1st team contender.

Zuculini didn't play a part so we have no clue on him. Maybe Pep really likes him too.

If there had been more games so far we'd have had more clues as to what's on Pep's head.

I'd prefer to utilize our young players if they are capable but I'd guess like most it'd feel a lot less risky if we signed one more marquee central midfielder. Someone with a mix of what Yaya and Nasri offer so either or both can leave. (Then again if we'd seen both playing together we might want to keep them)

It's a doozie!
 
This discussion completely ignores the squad list issue. As it stands we have 19 players, 20 for the CL were Nacho takes a place! I have also omitted Zinchenko on the assumption he will not make the cut and will go on loan! So if you think we need an additional midfielder you would need to cut between 3 and 6 players from the list below!

1 Caballero.
2 Kompany, 3 Mangala, 4 Sagna, 5 Kolarov, 6 Zabaleta 7 Otamendi
8 Gundogan 9 Fernando, 10 Fernandinho, 11 Yaya Toure, 12 Silva, 13 Navas, 14 Nasri, 15 De Bruyne,. 16 Nolito
17 Bony, 18 Aguero. 19 Sane, 20 Kelechi Iheanacho
(21 Zinchenko, 22 Bruno Zuculini).
 
Gaudion M said:
This discussion completely ignores the squad list issue. As it stands we have 19 players, 20 for the CL were Nacho takes a place! I have also omitted Zinchenko on the assumption he will not make the cut and will go on loan! So if you think we need an additional midfielder you would need to cut between 3 and 6 players from the list below!

1 Caballero.
2 Kompany, 3 Mangala, 4 Sagna, 5 Kolarov, 6 Zabaleta 7 Otamendi
8 Gundogan 9 Fernando, 10 Fernandinho, 11 Yaya Toure, 12 Silva, 13 Navas, 14 Nasri, 15 De Bruyne,. 16 Nolito
17 Bony, 18 Aguero. 19 Sane, 20 Kelechi Iheanacho
(21 Zinchenko, 22 Bruno Zuculini).
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For the Champions League we have a problem, but not for the Prem so much, as the young players all get a free pass as U21. When Stones arrives we then have another to consider.

But irrespective, it looks like two or 3 have to go.

But I suppose if they want to be on the bench in the Prem & not included in he Champs Lg squad, raher tham move on, it's their decision.
 
We also have Hart Delph Clichy and Sterling so if Stones arrives we cut the Non homegrown by one.
 
Neville Kneville said:
For the Champions League we have a problem, but not for the Prem so much, as the young players all get a free pass as U21. When Stones arrives we then have another to consider.

But irrespective, it looks like two or 3 have to go.

But I suppose if they want to be on the bench in the Prem & not included in he Champs Lg squad, raher tham move on, it's their decision.
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The prem rule is that under 21’s are unlimited so Nacho, Zinchenko and Sane would not be counted. Stones is 22 although PL does not differentiate between Club and Association Trained so in simple terms Stones fits within the 8 ‘English players’ list for the PL. However in the CL he would take one of 4 slots that are already filled so we would be creating a problem with the CL spaces! Denayer counts as club trained and is in all lists without a problem.

I think we need 4 out at least (Kolarov, Yaya, Nasri, Bony).
 
Neville Kneville said:
This would not surprise me.
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It's one of the reason why I think Pep's not going for any other CM other than Kroos. He knows it's close to impossible to getting him, but maybe he thinks it's either Kroos or nobody at all. Maybe he has the fallback plan which having Silva as CM. Silva and Xavi is pretty similar athletically, both relies on their smarts more than anything else. But then again, this is just speculation in my part, trying to guess what's inside Pep's head. I would also not be surprised if he promotes Aleix Garcia to play there. I mean he did pick Busquets who was a particularly unknown figure back then to replace Yaya (of all people).
 
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