We can only play 64 next season, so not much more than the 58 we played this season, and our attackers got plenty of rest.68 games that's the goal, using 16 players in a game is gong to be a god send. This isn't FIFA 22, players get injured and need to be rested, in a game and from game to game.
We just signed two forwards. Not prem proven of course but that's how we will be looking at it.
City are thinking we have a lad here who has done well by us, has seemingly asked to move on so he can be a starter in a world cup year and doesn't want to sign a new contract.It doesn't matter if he wont sign a contract either. People need to stop looking so much at what Arsenal might be thinking and start thinking of what City are likely thinking. City will be fine if we don't sell him for a start. So Arsenal aren't in the driving seat after all. Also, as much as I'm sure the club want Jesus to be happy and get what he wants, they aren't stupid and they aren't a charity.
City aren't going to have their pants pulled down by a PL rival on the asking price. Certainly not one who were one of the most prominent of the hateful 8 to boot(didn't that letter to UEFA have an Arsenal letter head if I remember right?). Why would City do that whilst Arsenal get to strengthen themselves off the back of it? Also I'm almost certain he would strengthen them. Especially after factoring Arteta's relationship with him. The benefits would like go both ways. Jesus gets to go to a coach that understands him as a player and person, whilst getting more game time. Arteta gets a player who probably knows the way Arteta wants his team to play better than anyone in his current squad.
I had a concern that they might try and buy both Jesus and Sterling because that would really give Arteta a leg up IMO. At least that's looking off the cards.
We can only play 64 next season, so not much more than the 58 we played this season, and our attackers got plenty of rest.
The main attacking players had between 2570 (Jesus) and 3180 minutes (Foden) and already Phil was only the 8th most used player. Jesus and Sterling were not happy with game time, and Mahrez and Grealish were described as bench players regularly.
We've added in 2 new attackers, including one who will be expected to go straight into the starting 11, and they're replacing Torres, who played 500 minutes last season.
Even if we play more games, we have enough attackers for three rotating front lines. No-one needs rotating that much, and using the 5 sub rule to give them 10-20 minutes here and there isn't going to placate anyone.
In the last two seasons Aguero and Silva have left.Yes, for 2 that moved on.
I understood where you had got the extra games from, but Pep has been very clear that he doesn't want a big squad.Next season, but the aim is to win 7 trophies in a season
My bad its 67
Charity Shield 1
European super cup 1
epl 38
Champs league 13
Carabo 6
FA Cup 6
WCC 2
And we were running out of fit players last season, being able to start with any three of Erling, Gabby, Jesus, Phil, Alvarez, Jack and Riyad and still being able two bring of them on for the last 30 mins, while still having three subs left, will be awesome.
He'll go fairly cheaply, it's what we do.We'll miss him if he goes. The non stop movement, pressing and he does score some important goals. If him, Sterling and Bernardo go (I really hope not), the energy levels will be a lot less. We'll have to replace with similar players and it will cost us a lot. We can't afford to let him go cheaply.
You can say "we aren't" this or that all you like, you're guessing based on what you personally want to happen but I think your scope is rather narrow in my view. At a guess, I'd say you were anxious about City getting a LB and a DM deal done in this window(to that I would say relax, plenty of time, the big targets we've landed already, these are backup) and you're in a rush yourself to see City just accept the first offer. Why else would you be so desperate for City to take a shite deal? Your tone comes across as if you're trying to urge the board itself to take it because you know what's best but I disagree. A shite deal will likely still be there if City wait. If not with Arsenal, then with someone else because £30m is peanuts really for a player of that quality, in this market.City are thinking we have a lad here who has done well by us, has seemingly asked to move on so he can be a starter in a world cup year and doesn't want to sign a new contract.
City are in the driving seat because they own the rights to the player yeah but we have proven on several occasions that we will do well by the player if its all amicable which this looks like it is from both sides. We aren't going to force him to stay and get nothing in 12mths, not happening.
If you really think this shite about the hateful 8 is going to get in the way of business you are mistaken.
I really wouldn't be arsed about strengthening Arsenal, we aren't exactly fighting them for top 4 are we. Spuds and Chelsea should be the ones concerned if Arsenal add a new forward.
‘Up to’ - cheeky bastards
I am not anxious about a LB or DM at all, what an odd thing to say.You can say "we aren't" this or that all you like, you're guessing based on what you personally want to happen but I think your scope is rather narrow in my view. At a guess, I'd say you were anxious about City getting a LB and a DM deal done in this window(to that I would say relax, plenty of time, the big targets we've landed already, these are backup) and you're in a rush yourself to see City just accept the first offer. Why else would you be so desperate for City to take a shite deal? You're tone comes across as if you're trying to urge the board yourself to take it because you know what's best but I disagree. A shite deal will likely still be there if City wait. If not with Arsenal, then with someone else because £30m is peanuts really for a player of that quality, in this market.
As I've already said, if we do swallow a shite deal(yes it is) to a big 6 rival in the same league, hopefully City wont be stupid(yes it would be) enough to fold in the first week of the transfer window. The window opened on the 10th. It's not even been a full week, without accounting for the internationals disruption. Jesus said he wouldn't talk about it until the internationals were done with. This was their first real offer. We wont take it IMO, at least not right now anyway. We have no reason to rush to take that because it isn't a good offer whichever way you slice it.
We should be concerned with doing favours for any big 6 club, was my point. Why do it? Give me a valid reason that doesn't involve the players wishes. We want the best for him but we aren't a charity, we aren't pricing him out, they are low balling us. It doesn't matter how close they are to us currently. We don't help them progress unless it suits us as a club(sorry but it's not just about what Jesus wants) and £30m so early in the window does not. Things could change, if we do get more desperate to sell someone later in the window and it just makes more sense to get it done from our point of view. But right now?... No.
If you think our owner/board care don't care about the hateful 8(particularly Arsenal, Liverpool and United) and the collaboration against City behind the scenes then you haven't been paying close enough attention. They wouldn't let Pep say what he said, that was no co-incidence. He wasn't just giving his own opinions there, he echoed the sentiments by Kahldoon(only less polite) in many ways. He spoke as if he'd had a word with the higher ups about how that was. I'm not saying we don't do business with them, just do them no favours and never forget who they are. All we want is a fair price, for a good player that improves them. That's not unreasonable.
I agree with all points there, it will be interesting to see how it pans out. Maybe something outside of City's control will trigger our moves in the market.Yes I had considered all that and they are all good points you make. Historically that is the way things have panned out. Cancelo was originally average at best at LB but is exceptional there now making many teams of the season playing there.
To me, it still feels that we already have more options on the left than the right and that’s before we buy another full back.
I‘d like to see Cancelo and Zin on the left and Walker and a new full back on the right. Walker I think is also the eldest of all the full backs and probably needs more breaks than the others while Cancelo is a Duracell Bunny.
Now if Pep sees a RB from the academy is ready like Egan-Riley then that’s different.
Two to replace Sergio & Torres.We just signed two forwards. Not prem proven of course but that's how we will be looking at it.
I'll take your word on that even though it seems you've changed your tune a little with regards to letting it go to the last day. Maybe I'm putting words in your mouth though(which you're doing to me I've noticed) because I've seen so many people(twitter, youtube etc) that are weirdly desperate for City to just accept it "because that's what we'll end up doing anyway". My point is, we can't do much worse, so lets wait and see how things pan out, there's plenty of time left. I accept we might end up swallowing it in the end but we shouldn't be in a rush to. I also said we'd be absolutely fine as a club if we didn't manage to sell him, if anyone was worried about that.I am not anxious about a LB or DM at all, what an odd thing to say.
I also don't think City should accept 30m, I have never said that at all.
What I am saying is that City will get a deal done, some believe that we won't and instead will keep him for 12mths. Which isn't going to happen and if we get to deadline day and Arsenal still have 30m on the table then he will go, as we all suspect though it will be done way before that for probably 15-20m more.
Where did I say any of that? I literally said that they obviously do care if you've listened but it's not about not doing business with them. It just has to make sense to us as a club if we do. So that renders most of what you said there irrelevant to the point I was making.I have been paying attention but whatever Pep, Txiki, Ferran or Khaldoon say, at the end of the day this is is business. Like how the ESL was business, we didn't have any issues with the "hateful 8" when we were all getting a huge slice of the pie did we. We certainly aren't going to refuse money from them just to spite ourselves, we are running a business here. Look no further then the rags as to how you don't run a club, you don't allow hundreds of millions worth of players to walk for nothing just to spite yourself selling them 12mths previous to bring in some income.
£40m is more like it, £45m and I think we'd probably take that right now. To remind you, £50m is what City have valued him at/asked for. That takes into account his age, quality, experience and time left on his contract... Otherwise City would be asking for more.However you want to say it, if we end up getting 30/40/50m for Jesus, it is definitely not giving anyone favors, don't understand where this comes from. It will be one of the most expensive transfers (for a player with less than 12mths) ever.
Not really. In 19/20 Silva left, and that was the last season that Sergio played regularly as he played the equivalent of about 6-7 full games in his last season.Two to replace Sergio & Torres.
Ok if you are broadening the terms of reference. But Haaland is the closest like for like replacement for Sergio and Alvarez the nearest striking replacement for Torres, Phil & Grealish imo will play mostly as Am's and Palmer may fill the space left by possible leavers, Jesus, Raheem or Riyadh this season or next.Not really. In 19/20 Silva left, and that was the last season that Sergio played regularly as he played the equivalent of about 6-7 full games in his last season.
So we've lost two attackers/attacking mids since 2019/20.
In their place Phil went from occasional player to main man. Torres came and went. Grealish, Alvarez and Haaland have come in. Add in Cole Palmer as an occasional player and we're actually 2 up on 19/20.