Gianluigi Donnarumma | Done deal according to Romano

[Tugay One Cup]

Are we now saying that we shouldn't sign Donnarumma because the lad we have got to be our main keeper in 26/27 isn't good enough to compete for the number 1 spot?

Nope. Just that we've not handled the situation well.

 

[robbieh]

Did Jack Grealish fight for his place?

We'll he was a guaranteed starter for quite a while despite being distinctly average

I'm guessing Haaland will get a lot more leeway than Marmoush if he goes on a long goal less run.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Aguero never got such assurances, so James Trafford certainly wont have either!!

Aguero would have definitely been given assurances that he'd be our starting striker before he joined. Otherwise he would have gone elsewhere or stayed with Atletico.

 

[Sibierskii]

Here we go

 

[Gumzy97]

 

[CΛL]

Did Jack Grealish fight for his place?

He put him straight in and it was his to lose, started 11 of the first 12 games.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Aguero would have definitely been given assurances that he'd be our starting striker before he joined. Otherwise he would have gone elsewhere or stayed with Atletico.

Let’s be honest, in 2011 Aguero was told about where our project was going, same with David, and the bonus of a lovely wage was the thing that snared them.

We aren’t there anymore and haven’t been for some time.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Nope. Just that we've not handled the situation well.

By trying to improve the squad? If Trafford is good enough he will start, if he isn't then he won't. Either way it's beneficial to have the highest competition possible.

There is no way the club has guaranteed the starting keeper spot to someone who has just been promoted from the Championship

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

He put him straight in and it was his to lose, started 11 of the first 12 games.

So we are essentially talking about a season or 2 of guaranteed starts. So pretty much the exact timescale if Ederson stays

 

[mcfcphil]

I think we can read between the lines though. Trafford would have probably been a starter if he had signed for Newcastle. I suspect City said to him Ederson is staying 1 more season and we view him as successor next season. And that he will get cup games and probably some CL. Signing a new number 1 on a longer contract surely confuses things.

I could be wrong, but I’d be very surprised if Ederson leaving (if he does) will have come as a surprise to City.

You would therefore assume City would have factored in the possibility of Ederson leaving and who his likely replacement would be (Donnarumma) when we signed Trafford.

I don’t see the problem because this is a scenario City will have considered and prepared for.

If we sign Donnarumma, then I’ll be on board.

 

[manimanc]

I imagine he'll claim every corner that comes in.

Isn't he about 8 foot?

 

[argyle]

So u want a keeper whos good with his feet but a poor shot stopper or a striker who has great hold up play but scores 3 goals a season?

I know that football has come along way with Pep and players don't have rigid set roles.

We haven't done too badly with a keeper who was good was his feet but not the best at being a shot stopper have we?

We've dominated the PL over the last near 10 years playing like that.

 

[argyle]

I imagine he'll claim every corner that comes in.

Isn't he about 8 foot?

He's actually notorious for being a terrible at collecting crosses. He's a flapper.

 

[SWPISHOME]

I imagine he'll claim every corner that comes in.

Isn't he about 8 foot?

According to Bluemoon:

Shit from corners.
Shit at coming off his line.
Shit distribution.

Good at shot stopping.

Starting to wonder if this is the Jordan Pickford thread.

 

[Rhapsody in Blue]

This is strange considering Enrique is a likely candidate to take over after Pep according to TH

 

[Tugay One Cup]

If Trafford is good enough he will start, if he isn't then he won't.

He's not going to displace someone earning £250k a week. It's not going to be that meritocracy. It won't be in our interests financially.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

I imagine he'll claim every corner that comes in.

Isn't he about 8 foot?

He’s deceptively ‘small’. 6, 4.

 

[argyle]

According to Bluemoon:

Shit from corners.
Shit at coming off his line.
Shit distribution.

Good at shot stopping.

Starting to wonder if this is the Jordan Pickford thread.

His undoubted strength is shot stopping. He's the best in the world right now at it.

But he is a flapper with crosses and not great with his kicking.

 

[Snoogy]

This is strange considering Enrique is a likely candidate to take over after Pep according to TH

Something doesn’t add up somewhere… no way he boots him out of PSG then comes here in a year or two to kiss and make up (or kick him out again).

And given the choice, I’d prioritise Enrique over a keeper we don’t really need.

 

[SkyBlueFlux]

Yeah we offered Erling 500k a week, made him only striker at the club then told him he has to earn his place. Lad doesn't even get subbed off, regardless of how he's playing, unless its to give him 10min rest at the the end of comfortable wins

I'll reply to you but the same goes to the others who have replied with similar points.

There is a world of difference between us internally thinking of players as a guaranteed starter and saying out loud to them "you will always be a starter" either in a contractual negotiation, or on the training pitch.

Saying "you will have plenty of chances" or being "given assurances about play time" is also absolutely not the same thing.

Why would you set up a culture where people know they can just clock out and not care? That's the kind of thing the Rags do.

Trafford might have thought he would slot in naturally behind Eddie when he moves on, but nothing in life is certain and we won't have promised him anything other than that he gets a fair chance to prove himself, which he will still get.