Centre Midfield

tolmie's hairdoo said:
It's understandable why many feel we are light in the central areas, lacking another stellar name...

I think too many have not factored in the manager we now have.

We will defend completely as a team, the wingers we have brought in are essentially central midfielders, tucked in and as near as damn it, full-backs to boot, when the needs calls for it, too!

It's a footballing personnel, multi-faceted, and if they don't adhere to the gameplan, Pep just changes the player to fit the team as a whole (and probably immediately in a game)

It's why I think he has looked at Delph, Fernando, Garcia and even Nasri and thought, 'they can do a job for me', so long as they can take on board his instructions and have the right attitude.

I've seen enough already in the two game v Bayern and Dortmund to see our desire and ability to press is already out of sight, in comparison to anything we have seen at City.

Once the bigger names get their fitness up, the whole cohesion of the team will look amazing.
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Yep, we're presently favourites with Sky bet at 9/4 and after the first game I suspect that's only going to go down. Last seasons blip will not happen again for a long time.
 
Dr Jacoby said:
I consider the full-back position to be our weakest area.
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We have 6 fullbacks. Angelino and Maffeo have shown they are up to it. Zabaleta is still Zabaleta if he can get back to full fitness and Sagna and Clichy are more than solid.

As soon as Kolarov gets sold I'm very happy with the fullback situation.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Glad others have seen this. The kid has the eye of the tiger about him, as well as a pass.

There were glimpses of it against Chelsea last season.

I would put Manu Garcia, Angelino and Maffeo in the same category.

These kids are hungry and desperate to please a man they are in awe of.
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The team against Arsenal will be fascinating. 7 days before the season kicks off you'd expect some hint of what we are going to see against Sunderland. I'll be buzzing if Alex plays and gutted if it's Fernando in there.
 
Gündoğan as the holding player with Fernandinho and either Silva or Kevin in CM.
I think Fernandinho's pressing and eye for goal will have him play in CM, with Ikay as the passer in the Busquests role, although they may switch as it will be fluid.
 
BillyShears said:
The team against Arsenal will be fascinating. 7 days before the season kicks off you'd expect some hint of what we are going to see against Sunderland. I'll be buzzing if Alex plays and gutted if it's Fernando in there.
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This! Aleix deserves it. He's gonna be some player!
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Glad others have seen this. The kid has the eye of the tiger about him, as well as a pass.

There were glimpses of it against Chelsea last season.

I would put Manu Garcia, Angelino and Maffeo in the same category.

These kids are hungry and desperate to please a man they are in awe of.
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There are more imo & most could have helped the squad a great deal last season. Better late than never I suppose but it is annoying to sit through it & even moreso to hear some people making excuses for it.

Jack Byrne is unlucky imo as he was arguably ahead of most, if not all of them on performances last season.
 
revisisland said:
Gündoğan as the holding player with Fernandinho and either Silva or Kevin in CM.
I think Fernandinho's pressing and eye for goal will have him play in CM, with Ikay as the passer in the Busquests role, although they may switch as it will be fluid.
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Neither KDB or Silva have the work ethic or bollocks for a CM role.

It's No.10 for one of them IMO.

Unless Pep truly is a miracle worker and is able to show them when and where to press, and get the fuck back in, rather than flailing their arms in the air out of some sense of frustration they have been slighted.

We all know deep down, just like lazy Micah and his amazing swallow dives, they simply don't have the core levels of fitness they really should have.
 
Neville Kneville said:
There are more imo & most could have helped the squad a great deal last season. Better late than never I suppose but it is annoying to sit through it & even moreso to hear some people making excuses for it.

Jack Byrne is unlucky imo as he was arguably ahead of most, if not all of them on performances last season.
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I agree - and your words just conjure up more images of Pellegrini in my head and make me fecking angry.

In saying that, Pep inspires people to be better than they actually are.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
I agree - and your words just conjure up more images of Pellegrini in my head and make me fecking angry.

In saying that, Pep inspires people to be better than they actually are.
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True & I'd hope he address the fitness issues you refer to re DeBruyne & Silva, because I think they 'should' be able to play centrally if required, & their fitness should be improved so it doesn't impair that possibility.
 
revisisland said:
Gündoğan as the holding player with Fernandinho and either Silva or Kevin in CM.
I think Fernandinho's pressing and eye for goal will have him play in CM, with Ikay as the passer in the Busquests role, although they may switch as it will be fluid.
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The busquets role id imagine will be ppayed by yaya to start till gundogan is fit then a diamond could be played

Hart

Stones
Vinny



Yaya
Gundogan
Diniho
Kdb
Silva
Delph

Aguero
Sane
 
Akiva said:
Is Pep worried? No.

Should we be worried? No.

Never mind the fact we signed a world class CM this summer in Gundogan.
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He might be, we don't know (he also might not be!)
 
BillyShears said:
Against Dortmund I watched him intently and the thing that makes me think he may well be the reason we aren't going to buy another CM is that honestly, squint and I was watching Xavi. Every pass the right one, every pass made to look so simple, nine times out of ten the pass is a first time one. Just oozed class and composure. Now obviously it was just a preseason friendly etc. However for the moment I think this could be the guy who saves us having to go buy someone like Kroos.
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He had a cracking game. Nothing "fancy" - killer pass for goal aside - but, as you point out, excellent pass selection and execution. I believe those that have seen a lot of him, rate him.

Can he step up now and handle the hurly burly of the Premier League is the big question? Would like to see him start to get some time in competitive fixtures.

I'd still love to see us buy Kroos but not really expecting that to happen.
 
Neville Kneville said:
True & I'd hope he address the fitness issues you refer to re DeBruyne & Silva, because I think they 'should' be able to play centrally if required, & their fitness should be improved so it doesn't impair that possibility.
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Individuals have genetic limits to their aerobic capacity just as they do to speed etc. Just because someone does not run as much does not mean they are 'unfit 'in terms of as a proportion to what they are capable of. It may well mean they just haven't got the ability to run as far for as long however much they are trained.
 
Cityfan said:
Individuals have genetic limits to their aerobic capacity just as they do to speed etc. Just because someone does not run as much does not mean they are 'unfit 'in terms of as a proportion to what they are capable of. It may well mean they just haven't got the ability to run as far for as long however much they are trained.
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Maybe, but I don't believe those two can't do more when they lose the ball, especially in short bursts as in a Barca style setup. Running 60 yards over and over in Pellegrini's turkey shoot would wear out Colin Bell, but a bit of extra fitness & extra effort in a proper formation should be possible.
 
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