I agree manimanc, Kippax...the only thing I would say is that we've done enough to "improve" BUT have we done enough to challenge for the CL and win back the prem? I love the Sterling/Delph signings but not sure those 2 signings alone are enough to get us where owners want us to be....As Yaya mentioned in his interview, we still need a couple of players to reach the next level....
Stuart Brennan@StuBrennanMEN5h5 hours ago
Yaya says #mcfc are "a couple of good players" away from being at the level of Barcelona or Real Madrid
He said nothing of the sort...he said...The target of the club is to reach that kind of level of Real Madrid and Barcelona. The manager and the chairman are working really hard but the market is not so easy, looking from afar at how many clubs are selling players.
Sterling/Nasri Silva/Lopes KDB/Navas
What's the issue here? 5/6 can play all 3 positions. The Barker's/Roberts duo aren't as good as KDB with all that he brings right now. If we are trying to regain the league and push on in CL we need a KDB in this team so our levels don't drop if we happen to rotate during a multiple game week.
Dzeko and Jovetic are almost out of the door. So we are going to be fine in attack with major improvements across the pitch.
Thanks Stephenhakin....did Stuart Brennan make these comments up? cheers...
i think we already have enough in attack sterling, silva, lopes, navas, nasri and even yaya i think thats more than enough. Barker and roberts will be good enough in the future. especially with only 3 players up front dont think he's needed.
Sorry mate. Wasn't a pop at you. I've seen the interview and not heard them words come out of his mouth.
Can't play the future right now. 3 years time it could be Barker KDB Roberts. You never know. Real Madrid field Ronaldo/Bale/James/Modric/Kroos/Isco Barcelona field Neymar/Messi/Suarez/Rakatic/Iniesta/Busquets.
Plus we want to have a squad of 2 at every position and we only use Yaya sparingly up top so I'm not gonna place him in an AM category.
A lot of City fans are not used to buying starters to replace Backups. This exactly how you strengthen a team.Sterling, de Bruyne & Delph to replace Lampard, Milner, Dzeko & Jovetic hardly seems like overstacking ?
Dzeko and Jovetic are strikers and no top team has that many strikers in their side, most teams are playing with 1 ST up top and play with goal scoring AM's. We are now hoping on the bandwagon and have been playing 4-3-3/4-5-1 this pre season there is now no room for that many strikers and we will still have Kun/Bony/and a youth player in Iheanacho. That's still top quality at ST. We would also have 6 AMs to choose from which keeps the 2 at every position consistent as I previously mention with all 6 getting plenty of games in a 4-3-3.the players you quoted all play in different positions, i was more on about our attacking side which i think is already good enough, having 2 players in every position has lead to situations like now where he have a load of unhappy players - dzeko, jovetic and doesn't work imo, it stops young players getting a chance. why can't we give potential and youth a chance now ? giving lopes a chance isn't gonna harm us imo
@TRUE BLUE NO1
@Stephenhakin
He got them from here!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/yaya-toure-urges-manchester-city-6123607
Here are Yaya's words sepcifically:
“The target of the club is to reach the level of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and I know the manager and the chairman are working very hard” says Toure.
“It’s wonderful because I think we have signed some great players in Sterling and Delph. We hope they will give us a massive boost.
“The market is not so easy, looking from afar at how many clubs are selling players. But the most important thing is for the club to try to improve. If you want important players you have to be winning and doing well.
“And if we are doing well, then it's a sure thing a couple of good players will come.
“We are a young squad and we have a couple of young players coming through. What we have to do is keep working hard and believe the chairman can do something to bring quality players to the squad.
“If he does that will make it possible (to reach the level of Madrid and Barcelona) because this year is a massive challenge for us.
“Mancini is one of the great coaches but my contract is with City. There was too much speculation about me leaving.
“I have my contract and I want to see the end of that contract, that's all. I have been at City for five years now I have always been criticised about what I am doing.
“But the manager has a lot of trust and confidence in me and football for me is everything.
“I am emotional, I always try to flourish and always try to be at my best even when sometimes it is not easy.
“People say stupid things around me but I always try to focus even though sometimes you can be disturbed.
“I have always known for 32 years that I can play until I’m 40 because I know my quality and that’s all.”
Except Yaya probably needs moving forwards, while Lopes has returned and we'd be replacing two backup players in Lampard and Milner with two every week starters in De Bruyne and Sterling. Kelechi and Bony are replacing Jovetic and Dzeko. I see it as Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Yaya, Nasri, Navas and Lopes for only 3 positions. That's a lot of top quality talent, compared to Fernandinho, Fernando and Delph for the two holding roles.Sterling, de Bruyne & Delph to replace Lampard, Milner, Dzeko & Jovetic hardly seems like overstacking ?
Best English player outside the top 4: check
So where is the quote Brennan quoted?
@TRUE BLUE NO1
@Stephenhakin
He got them from here!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/yaya-toure-urges-manchester-city-6123607
Here are Yaya's words sepcifically:
“The target of the club is to reach the level of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and I know the manager and the chairman are working very hard” says Toure.
“It’s wonderful because I think we have signed some great players in Sterling and Delph. We hope they will give us a massive boost.
“The market is not so easy, looking from afar at how many clubs are selling players. But the most important thing is for the club to try to improve. If you want important players you have to be winning and doing well.
“And if we are doing well, then it's a sure thing a couple of good players will come.
“We are a young squad and we have a couple of young players coming through. What we have to do is keep working hard and believe the chairman can do something to bring quality players to the squad.
“If he does that will make it possible (to reach the level of Madrid and Barcelona) because this year is a massive challenge for us.
“Mancini is one of the great coaches but my contract is with City. There was too much speculation about me leaving.
“I have my contract and I want to see the end of that contract, that's all. I have been at City for five years now I have always been criticised about what I am doing.
“But the manager has a lot of trust and confidence in me and football for me is everything.
“I am emotional, I always try to flourish and always try to be at my best even when sometimes it is not easy.
“People say stupid things around me but I always try to focus even though sometimes you can be disturbed.
“I have always known for 32 years that I can play until I’m 40 because I know my quality and that’s all.”
Except Yaya probably needs moving forwards, while Lopes has returned and we'd be replacing two backup players in Lampard and Milner with two every week starters in De Bruyne and Sterling. Kelechi and Bony are replacing Jovetic and Dzeko. I see it as Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Yaya, Nasri, Navas and Lopes for only 3 positions. That's a lot of top quality talent, compared to Fernandinho, Fernando and Delph for the two holding roles.
If our plan is to play Yaya every game in a midfield two all year, then our planning is fucked.You may think he needs to be moved forwards, but it's clear Pellegrini doesn't. So Yaya isn't going to play as one of the 3 behind the striker any time soon.
So it's 6 players for 3 places over 60 games. Sterling Silva KDB, Nasri, Lopes, Navas.