Do we really need anyone else ???

[TTS]

Silva getting injured is the only major concern in the team right now imo.

We have quality cover in every other position. I would be happy with 1 more signing at most, unless Tevez is sold which doesn't look likely this time around.

Disagree. Central midfield is still a MASSIVE issue. Villas-Boas said the other day that you need 6 central midfielders to compete on 4 fronts. I agree with him. With Silva continuing to play as a trequartista instead of a central midfielder (the correct decision from Mancini), we have only 4:

De Jong, Barry, Milner, Yaya Toure.

This is simply insufficient. De Jong was injured yesterday, and, as a result, we had not a single true central midfielder on the bench. It's an absurd situation.

I take United to be the blueprint of how to compete effectively in the PL and all the cups. They usually play with only 2 in the middle and yet they still have:

Anderson, Cleverley, Fletcher, Gibson, Carrick, and Park & Giggs both regularly play there too. And by most accounts, they've been looking to add another.

The point is not that Gibson is shit. Of course he is. But when placed alongside one of the more competent performers, they're good enough to beat bottom half opposition. You just need REINFORCEMENTS in central midfield - a mediocre player like Anderson will probably be more effective 3 days after a CL tie than an excellent player who is very tired.

Do people not remember February-April last season? Yaya Toure and Barry playing every 3 days? Looking absolutely knackered? Losing us games? No?

 

[Zonalmarking]

Silva getting injured is the only major concern in the team right now imo.

We have quality cover in every other position. I would be happy with 1 more signing at most, unless Tevez is sold which doesn't look likely this time around.

Disagree. Central midfield is still a MASSIVE issue. Villas-Boas said the other day that you need 6 central midfielders to compete on 4 fronts. I agree with him. With Silva continuing to play as a trequartista instead of a central midfielder (the correct decision from Mancini), we have only 4:

De Jong, Barry, Milner, Yaya Toure.

Yaya always looks knackered. He was chasing shadows yesterday. (Milners)

This is simply insufficient. De Jong was injured yesterday, and, as a result, we had not a single true central midfielder on the bench. It's an absurd situation.

I take United to be the blueprint of how to compete effectively in the PL and all the cups. They usually play with only 2 in the middle and yet they still have:

Anderson, Cleverley, Fletcher, Gibson, Carrick, and Park & Giggs both regularly play there too. And by most accounts, they've been looking to add another.

The point is not that Gibson is shit. Of course he is. But when placed alongside one of the more competent performers, they're good enough to beat bottom half opposition. You just need REINFORCEMENTS in central midfield - a mediocre player like Anderson will probably be more effective 3 days after a CL tie than an excellent player who is very tired.

Do people not remember February-April last season? Yaya Toure and Barry playing every 3 days? Looking absolutely knackered? Losing us games? No?

 

[Blue_Ash]

Silva getting injured is the only major concern in the team right now imo.

We have quality cover in every other position. I would be happy with 1 more signing at most, unless Tevez is sold which doesn't look likely this time around.

Disagree. Central midfield is still a MASSIVE issue. Villas-Boas said the other day that you need 6 central midfielders to compete on 4 fronts. I agree with him. With Silva continuing to play as a trequartista instead of a central midfielder (the correct decision from Mancini), we have only 4:

De Jong, Barry, Milner, Yaya Toure.

This is simply insufficient. De Jong was injured yesterday, and, as a result, we had not a single true central midfielder on the bench. It's an absurd situation.

I take United to be the blueprint of how to compete effectively in the PL and all the cups. They usually play with only 2 in the middle and yet they still have:

Anderson, Cleverley, Fletcher, Gibson, Carrick, and Park & Giggs both regularly play there too. And by most accounts, they've been looking to add another.

The point is not that Gibson is shit. Of course he is. But when placed alongside one of the more competent performers, they're good enough to beat bottom half opposition. You just need REINFORCEMENTS in central midfield - a mediocre player like Anderson will probably be more effective 3 days after a CL tie than an excellent player who is very tired.

Do people not remember February-April last season? Yaya Toure and Barry playing every 3 days? Looking absolutely knackered? Losing us games? No?

Spot on mate!! Iv been saying this all summer that we need cover for CM's. Once one or two get injured/ suspended then we are very short of cover unless Bobby is thinking of promoting players from the EDS like Razak (which may be a gamble)

think we should be looking at players like Martinez but we've not really been linked with anyone like that except De Rossi

 

[johnny crossan]

Silva getting injured is the only major concern in the team right now imo.

We have quality cover in every other position. I would be happy with 1 more signing at most, unless Tevez is sold which doesn't look likely this time around.

Disagree. Central midfield is still a MASSIVE issue. Villas-Boas said the other day that you need 6 central midfielders to compete on 4 fronts. I agree with him. With Silva continuing to play as a trequartista instead of a central midfielder (the correct decision from Mancini), we have only 4:

De Jong, Barry, Milner, Yaya Toure.

This is simply insufficient. De Jong was injured yesterday, and, as a result, we had not a single true central midfielder on the bench. It's an absurd situation.

I take United to be the blueprint of how to compete effectively in the PL and all the cups. They usually play with only 2 in the middle and yet they still have:

Anderson, Cleverley, Fletcher, Gibson, Carrick, and Park & Giggs both regularly play there too. And by most accounts, they've been looking to add another.

The point is not that Gibson is shit. Of course he is. But when placed alongside one of the more competent performers, they're good enough to beat bottom half opposition. You just need REINFORCEMENTS in central midfield - a mediocre player like Anderson will probably be more effective 3 days after a CL tie than an excellent player who is very tired.

Do people not remember February-April last season? Yaya Toure and Barry playing every 3 days? Looking absolutely knackered? Losing us games? No?

Spot on mate!! Iv been saying this all summer that we need cover for CM's. Once one or two get injured/ suspended then we are very short of cover unless Bobby is thinking of promoting players from the EDS like Razak (which may be a gamble)

think we should be looking at players like Martinez but we've not really been linked with anyone like that except De Rossi

ditto

 

[southwalesjesus]

Why people so harsh on lescott? everytime ive seen him play, hes never played bad? i believe the team we have doesnt need improving i agree that big money signings would only disrupt the team, but then on the toher hand i think that qorld class players could be needed for champs leauge to have quality in depth fror them sunday fixtures after champs league matches.

Lescott is out of his depth at the higher level. I've said this since we signed him for the ridiculous sum.
He's a weak link. Almost every goal we concede is down to him. This is harsh,but fair I feel. (as shown yet again at the w/e).

I've said from the January transfer last Season, that our priority should have been a World Class Centre Half. Mancini doesn't trust him either which is why he has to persist with two holding midfield players.
Savic is too young and lacks Prem experience and Toure was never good enough.

Mark my words, Lescott will cost us this Season............................

unfair - Lescott has been getting better and better - i do agree that his passing ability is limited but his contribution has been significant

Almost every goal is down to him?

Yaya let Davis go yesterday for the headed goak - that was his man
Kompany in the charity shield

support the players if Bobby is going to bring in another centre half then so be it but until that point Lescott has done well

ARGH!!!! Stop seeing the silver lining with Lescott and trying to convince yourself he is a top class player. He was marginally at fault for both goals but that's not what worries me. Someone is always at fault for a goal, if there were no mistakes every game would finish 0-0.

But it's not the little things like consistently getting battered in the air by the Davies' and Crouch's of the world that bother me about Lescott. Twice yesterday he made absolute howlers that led to nothing more than a City clearance, and as thus didn't make it onto the highlights or MOTD. But quite easily one of those could fall to a Bolton player and we are talking about an Arsenal like collapse. I'm trying to remember exactly what happend, it went something like this: poor ball comes into box, lescott miss controls it against a Bolton striker then missed the ball completely when it came back to him, someone else cleared, Lescott apologises, nothing more is said about. This has happened consistently during his time here, and he hasn't always been so lucky. Last year West Ham at home for example, 2-0 cruising, even De Jong has scored 5-0 is on the cards. Ball hoofed into the box, Lescott miss controls it, hand balls it straight to Demba Ba, 2-1 nervy last hour. He also gives away a lot of unnecessary corners etc just by being shit on the ball.

He is a decent defender, just as Richard Dunne was but Dunnie was out of his depth in a team trying to push for CL qualification and his mistakes started to cost us. Lescott is out of his depth pushing for the title and CL glory, and his mistakes will cost us.

How many people actually analyse the goals other teams score against us? Lescott isn't at fault for 100% but he has some fault in about 30-40% which is FAR FAR too much for a first choice CB.

It doesn't matter how he defends for the majority of the game, football is a game decided by small margins, 1 mistake can decide a whole season. Take the West Ham game above for example, many people said after the game that it was his best game in a City shirt. I will be the first to admit he was very good in the last hour of the game as they looked for an equaliser, but the fact remains, we were only in that situation because of his mistake. If they had managed to sneak an equaliser we could be playing Udinese in a champions league qualifier on Wednesday due to one silly mistake! As I've said above, mistakes happen, but the number that Lescott make is inexcusable.

I genuinely pull my hair out and can't understand how some people can't see this! Lescott is not a first choice CB, I hope he doesn't cost us any success this year. And don't give me that shit about getting behind the players, just because I don't rate him doesn't mean I don't like him and won't support him.

 

[leewill31]

Lescott is out of his depth at the higher level. I've said this since we signed him for the ridiculous sum.
He's a weak link. Almost every goal we concede is down to him. This is harsh,but fair I feel. (as shown yet again at the w/e).

I've said from the January transfer last Season, that our priority should have been a World Class Centre Half. Mancini doesn't trust him either which is why he has to persist with two holding midfield players.
Savic is too young and lacks Prem experience and Toure was never good enough.

Mark my words, Lescott will cost us this Season............................

unfair - Lescott has been getting better and better - i do agree that his passing ability is limited but his contribution has been significant

Almost every goal is down to him?

Yaya let Davis go yesterday for the headed goak - that was his man
Kompany in the charity shield

support the players if Bobby is going to bring in another centre half then so be it but until that point Lescott has done well

ARGH!!!! Stop seeing the silver lining with Lescott and trying to convince yourself he is a top class player. He was marginally at fault for both goals but that's not what worries me. Someone is always at fault for a goal, if there were no mistakes every game would finish 0-0.

But it's not the little things like consistently getting battered in the air by the Davies' and Crouch's of the world that bother me about Lescott. Twice yesterday he made absolute howlers that led to nothing more than a City clearance, and as thus didn't make it onto the highlights or MOTD. But quite easily one of those could fall to a Bolton player and we are talking about an Arsenal like collapse. I'm trying to remember exactly what happend, it went something like this: poor ball comes into box, lescott miss controls it against a Bolton striker then missed the ball completely when it came back to him, someone else cleared, Lescott apologises, nothing more is said about. This has happened consistently during his time here, and he hasn't always been so lucky. Last year West Ham at home for example, 2-0 cruising, even De Jong has scored 5-0 is on the cards. Ball hoofed into the box, Lescott miss controls it, hand balls it straight to Demba Ba, 2-1 nervy last hour. He also gives away a lot of unnecessary corners etc just by being shit on the ball.

He is a decent defender, just as Richard Dunne was but Dunnie was out of his depth in a team trying to push for CL qualification and his mistakes started to cost us. Lescott is out of his depth pushing for the title and CL glory, and his mistakes will cost us.

How many people actually analyse the goals other teams score against us? Lescott isn't at fault for 100% but he has some fault in about 30-40% which is FAR FAR too much for a first choice CB.

It doesn't matter how he defends for the majority of the game, football is a game decided by small margins, 1 mistake can decide a whole season. Take the West Ham game above for example, many people said after the game that it was his best game in a City shirt. I will be the first to admit he was very good in the last hour of the game as they looked for an equaliser, but the fact remains, we were only in that situation because of his mistake. If they had managed to sneak an equaliser we could be playing Udinese in a champions league qualifier on Wednesday due to one silly mistake! As I've said above, mistakes happen, but the number that Lescott make is inexcusable.

I genuinely pull my hair out and can't understand how some people can't see this! Lescott is not a first choice CB, I hope he doesn't cost us any success this year. And don't give me that shit about getting behind the players, just because I don't rate him doesn't mean I don't like him and won't support him.

so your saying mancini knows nothing of his defence then?

why have we not thrown big money at a world class defender?

 

[Robert Jordan]

Well, yes, Mr. Cook, we kind of need someone else in the middle.

 

[southwalesjesus]

unfair - Lescott has been getting better and better - i do agree that his passing ability is limited but his contribution has been significant

Almost every goal is down to him?

Yaya let Davis go yesterday for the headed goak - that was his man
Kompany in the charity shield

support the players if Bobby is going to bring in another centre half then so be it but until that point Lescott has done well

ARGH!!!! Stop seeing the silver lining with Lescott and trying to convince yourself he is a top class player. He was marginally at fault for both goals but that's not what worries me. Someone is always at fault for a goal, if there were no mistakes every game would finish 0-0.

But it's not the little things like consistently getting battered in the air by the Davies' and Crouch's of the world that bother me about Lescott. Twice yesterday he made absolute howlers that led to nothing more than a City clearance, and as thus didn't make it onto the highlights or MOTD. But quite easily one of those could fall to a Bolton player and we are talking about an Arsenal like collapse. I'm trying to remember exactly what happend, it went something like this: poor ball comes into box, lescott miss controls it against a Bolton striker then missed the ball completely when it came back to him, someone else cleared, Lescott apologises, nothing more is said about. This has happened consistently during his time here, and he hasn't always been so lucky. Last year West Ham at home for example, 2-0 cruising, even De Jong has scored 5-0 is on the cards. Ball hoofed into the box, Lescott miss controls it, hand balls it straight to Demba Ba, 2-1 nervy last hour. He also gives away a lot of unnecessary corners etc just by being shit on the ball.

He is a decent defender, just as Richard Dunne was but Dunnie was out of his depth in a team trying to push for CL qualification and his mistakes started to cost us. Lescott is out of his depth pushing for the title and CL glory, and his mistakes will cost us.

How many people actually analyse the goals other teams score against us? Lescott isn't at fault for 100% but he has some fault in about 30-40% which is FAR FAR too much for a first choice CB.

It doesn't matter how he defends for the majority of the game, football is a game decided by small margins, 1 mistake can decide a whole season. Take the West Ham game above for example, many people said after the game that it was his best game in a City shirt. I will be the first to admit he was very good in the last hour of the game as they looked for an equaliser, but the fact remains, we were only in that situation because of his mistake. If they had managed to sneak an equaliser we could be playing Udinese in a champions league qualifier on Wednesday due to one silly mistake! As I've said above, mistakes happen, but the number that Lescott make is inexcusable.

I genuinely pull my hair out and can't understand how some people can't see this! Lescott is not a first choice CB, I hope he doesn't cost us any success this year. And don't give me that shit about getting behind the players, just because I don't rate him doesn't mean I don't like him and won't support him.

so your saying mancini knows nothing of his defence then?

why have we not thrown big money at a world class defender?

No that is not what I'm saying. Mancini has been on the look out for a CB, that is clear from our reported interest in Vertonghen, Cahill, Coates etc. And the signing of Savic. But in a very Wenger way, he isn't going to shell out say 17m for Gary Cahill if he doesn't think he is world class. Also you can't overstate Lescott's importance in the dressing room. Right now our team is spirit is top notch, and along with Hart and Richards, he is a big part of this. I have full confidence in Bobby to eventually find the right replacement, that might not be this year. But if he doesn't feel like the right man is available, I have accepted that Mancini is willing to continue with Lescott

 

[kevinfoco]

first time poster,

i see that need for two more players now, so they can get settled in, because the toure brothers head to African cup of nations, on top of all the other games we have, thus the need for Nasri. Not only would nasri be cover for Silva, but when we lose two main veterans up the middle for an entire month(if not injured on top of that) needing experienced CL quality replacements/rotation players is dire, and that is why Mancini is desperate for Nasri to be finalized, and that we are even linked with another center back.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Why people so harsh on lescott? everytime ive seen him play, hes never played bad? i believe the team we have doesnt need improving i agree that big money signings would only disrupt the team, but then on the toher hand i think that qorld class players could be needed for champs leauge to have quality in depth fror them sunday fixtures after champs league matches.

Lescott is out of his depth at the higher level. I've said this since we signed him for the ridiculous sum.
He's a weak link. Almost every goal we concede is down to him. This is harsh,but fair I feel. (as shown yet again at the w/e).

I've said from the January transfer last Season, that our priority should have been a World Class Centre Half. Mancini doesn't trust him either which is why he has to persist with two holding midfield players.
Savic is too young and lacks Prem experience and Toure was never good enough.

Mark my words, Lescott will cost us this Season............................

what do you mean when you say "cost US"? Given that you are NOT a City fan I am not sure why you say "us"? Explain