Haaland or Mbappé

[Chi-town blues]

The best youth striker city have had in my lifetime was Sturridge! He’s was immense at youth level and probably a league above delap if I’m honest. Yes injuries blighted his professional career but even Sturridge didn’t make it to the top! Now I sincerely hope delap carves out a solid career with us BUT I would put my house on him never reaching the heights of Mbappe or Haaland. And that’s not doing the lad a disservice!

Agreed with sturridge a bit above at this youth level but some are late bloomers .Delap needs atleast a season or two in first team before you write him off .

 

[Chi-town blues]

We played no strikers against Dortmund and I maintain that was a mistake and I suspect it won’t be the case in Germany. Pep doesn’t believe Aguero is fit enough for a major European game yet or he would have played. See Bayern vs PSG and how much Bayern missed Lewa

Maybe that was not a mistake but well thought out plan? what if pep wanted to put out two different team each leg or atleast half of the team like at home false no9 and away with a striker or two?

 

[blueparrot]

We played no strikers against Dortmund and I maintain that was a mistake and I suspect it won’t be the case in Germany. Pep doesn’t believe Aguero is fit enough for a major European game yet or he would have played. See Bayern vs PSG and how much Bayern missed Lewa

But he could have played Jesus and he didn’t. Whether you thought it was a mistake or not is irrelevant Fact is there are games when Pep is more than comfortable playing with no striker. Will it happen less often if we were to get Haaland, or had a prime Aguero yes it would, but we would still see games with him using it, especially if Foden or Torres become more adept at the false 9 position.
We played it against Madrid last season to very good effect.

 

[RayCTID]

I would still go for Mbappe but no chance of that happening. Haaland is a good alternative though.

 

[Chi-town blues]

I would still go for Mbappe but no chance of that happening

delap and cash ?

 

[RayCTID]

delap and cash ?

PSG would be the stumbling block for starters

 

[Chi-town blues]

PSG would be the stumbling block for starters

i meant for haaland .

 

[bhayes]

for the way we play I would take halaand, but I personally think mbappe is the better overall player

 

[RayCTID]

i meant for haaland .

I would rather keep Delap

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

My gut feeling tells me that Haaland is more of a sponge than MBappe and more willing to learn, feeling that he is less than the finished article. With Pep as a coach, this quality is vital or players feel overwhelmed and struggle with the coach's intensity.

Personally, I would rather draft Delap into the team and continue with a false 9, playing Delap when conditions allow or as an alternative option. I hope that this is one of the key years when the Academy delivers quality to the first-team squad in the shape of Delap, Lavia, McAtee and Palmer, who are all supremely capable at U23 level.

Good post, and there's a lot I agree with there. However, I think the way things have worked out I feel City probably have to try their damnedest to get Haaland now. It does represent a slight question mark over Delap's long-term future at the club although it would still only leave one pure (although similar) number 9 ahead of him.
I totally agree with the sentiment re: academy players. I don't necessarily expect two or even one academy player to become a first team regular every season, that would be a fantastic return. But for those few that are deemed the very best of City's youth prospects the club can surely try to ensure they at least have a realistic pathway into the first team if things go their way. For instance, people advocating buying someone like Zakaria for something 30 million or so as a replacement for Dinho. Might as well tell Lavia to look for another club if that happens. They shouldn't get a free pass into the squad but they need the proper incentive to push on.