Coates - 7M, Mertesacker - £8M, Savic - £7M

[Aguero is my king]

So what the OP is saying is because he doesn't know much about each of the players we should have gone for the one who is big but doesn't lack pace? I'd hope that the club had slightly more information before they decided who to buy.

 

[GStar]

So what the OP is saying is because he doesn't know much about each of the players we should have gone for the one who is big but doesn't lack pace? I'd hope that the club had slightly more information before they decided who to buy.

No.

edit: I wish you'd take the hint and stop re registering, another banning, its becoming tiresome.

 

[IBlue]

So what the OP is saying is because he doesn't know much about each of the players we should have gone for the one who is big but doesn't lack pace? I'd hope that the club had slightly more information before they decided who to buy.

No, the OP posted a perfectly good question that was open for discussion and does not deserve any sarcastic replies !!

 

[Peteri]

So what the OP is saying is because he doesn't know much about each of the players we should have gone for the one who is big but doesn't lack pace? I'd hope that the club had slightly more information before they decided who to buy.

No, the OP posted a perfectly good question that was open for discussion and does not deserve any sarcastic replies !!

Yes, that.

It seems some people become very defensive when a City-player is criticized. There is no ill will against Lescott. At least not from me. He did a great job last season. But since a football club with ambitions should always look to improve, a reasonable question is posed:

What are our weak areas? And how do we improve them?

Personally I think our attack is fine. All players have the future ahead of them. Dzeko will continue improving (he does have weaknesses, but their is rapid improvement in those areas), Aguero is still young and already world class, Silva is Silva and Nasri could be the missing piece in the puzzle to challenge at the highest level of club football.

Tevez and Balotelli have their issues. I am hoping both of them will be inspired and challenged by the fantastic interplay of the other 4 attacking players.

Our midfield is good with perhaps some depth missing. After seeing Hargreaves' story and realizing what a journey he has been through, never given up in the face of outlandish adversity, let's hope he stays fit and becomes a vital part of our midfield. If his determination is a factor for his success for us, he will most definitely not fail.

Barry and Milner seem to have risen to the occasion and relish the challenge of the new signings. Yaya is Yaya and de Jong is our own Gattuso.

The fullbacks are fine. Richards is top notch and Clichy seems a good addition. Kolarov and Zab are good backups who sometimes are more suited to start, depending on the opposition.

Hart is one of the best goalies in the Prem, if not the best. An added bonus is his young age. Long and prosperous future ahead.

Which leaves us the central defence. We all know our defence did a fantastic job last season. However, as we can tell by the change of demeanor in Bobby, it seems we are going to be a far more attacking side this season. Which does change the requirements of the central defence. If I were to identify a weak spot in our team, it would be the left side central defender. Kompany is world class and would most likely have a starting spot in any team imaginable.

Which leaves Lescott. Would he get a spot in Barcelona? Or Real? Or Inter Milan? Or United?

Lescott has done a great job, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he is the weakest link in what otherwise is a very strong chain.

All in my humble opinion.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Fees there or thereabouts. Now first off, let me say that I've seen very very little any of these three players, so I'm not in a place to judge but other people on here might be. Just looking at the players pedigree - Savic is only 20 but is a full international with 7 caps and 2 goals, so looks like he might have a lot of potential. He's 6 foot 1 and fairly comfortable on the ball and looks assured but his build is maybe a little slight at the moment. Obviously he'll get bigger but he lookes like an ectomorph to me so I doubt he'll ever be a beast.

Coates is also 20 and a full international with 5 caps for Uruguay. At 6"6 he's a beast and with him being the Copa América Best Young Player: 2011 he's obviously got a bit of talent about him.

Then there's Mertesacker - about to turn 27, 6"6 and already a whopping 75 caps for Germany. From what I've read in various places people are saying he might not be suited to the prem because of a severe lack of pace.

Now my point is this - with the other 2 centre halves going to arsenal and liverpool and with us currently being the far more desirable option than those two (despite what deluded scousers will spout and yes I know Coates is mates with Suarez but in the real world that wouldn't have meant dick), did we pick the right centre half? With Coates and Savic being the same age that's going to be a fairly straight forward comparison but maybe only time will tell, but with Mertesacker there looks to me as though there is a ready made, experienced centre half who could possibly have slotted in very well next to Vinny? Lescott appears to be the weakest link in the team at the moment and maybe signing a ready made centre half like Mertesacker would have benefitted us the most? If you're looking more long term (and Bob obviously is), then maybe Coates would have been the better option as by all accounts he has huge potential and his much bigger build may make him an instant force in the prem ala Phil Jones (who I haven't included in this comparison due to the much higher fee), unlike Savic who might need a bit of beefing up.

Obviously I have faith in Mancini and the scouting system but I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on this and these players?

only watched 1 full game and 2 part games and of course you tube vids but i`m gutted we didnt get coates

 

[Joga Bonito]

David Luiz isn't all that tall, 6'2", but he sure is comfortable on the ball. And the boy can jump, pass, dribble and shoot. A midfielder in defense. If his mental abilities improve, he will have a bright future in the EPL.

Thiago Silva is only 6', yet he is in my opinion one of the most promising defenders in the world. Can pass the ball and fast as hell. Some consider him player of the year in Milan, last season.

We already have a tall boy in defense, VK. To make the defense more versatile, a technically gifted, pacey defender would complement VK much better than a typical EPL snail paced Colossus with two left feet.

Personally I think Mertesacker could spell disaster for Arsenal, given his lack of pace. If Arsenal play the offside trap, Mertesacker will be a liability.

Yeah well put, not all about height and clearly the team have looked into Savic and determined he is what we need in the future. I followed the Copa America obviously and don't buy into this Coates hype anyways.

 

[ramsdale4]

Lescott is playing very well and a fully proven premier league player and we have Kolo in reserve (plus Micah can move over if we have a crisis) so a player more for the future sounds right to me.

Fed up of hearing about Lescott being the weak link. I just don't think he is.

I agree completely.

 

[Peteri]

Lescott is playing very well and a fully proven premier league player and we have Kolo in reserve (plus Micah can move over if we have a crisis) so a player more for the future sounds right to me.

Fed up of hearing about Lescott being the weak link. I just don't think he is.

I agree completely.

Do we have any weak links at all then? Or is this the end all be all team for City?

 

[Bulldoglikeapproach]

Mertesacker will provide arsenal stability in their biggest defensive weakness: set pieces. He is, i think, kind of poor on the ground, though. He was part of a Bremen defense who was, iirc, second worst in the Bundesliga last year. Although I could see him complimenting Vermaelen well.

Coates is class, and so is Savic. I think they are a class above Mertesacker (potential-wise). Both could be great, both could be just good. No one really knows for sure (if they did, they would be employed by the club!). I dont think either of them will ever be considered "poor though". To summarise i would say:

1/2: Savic, Coates
3: Mertesacker

 

[Blue Theatre]

Wenger doesn't buy centre-backs to be reliable ... he buys them to fall apart at vital times of the season.

But I think with Mertesacker, Wenger's thinking that surely someone who's 6'6 with 75 caps for Germany isn't going to fall apart under pressure ... but time will tell !