Houssem Aouar

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Asked if it the papers are immoral for linking a Lyon player to City before the upcoming CL game -


Replying to someone saying "I thought PB said this was done?"

Ta bud.

 

[Gabriel]

99% of the objection to this transfer seems to be Foden fear.

He's not going anywhere, he's going to play. He's getting picked ahead of Mahrez and Bernardo. Pep's been in love with him since his first preseason, he's been our second best player since the restart.

Worry about Gundogan and Mahrez, worry about Bernardo if he doesn't get his form back. Phil's game time is only going in one direction.

Agree with that. Huge amount of football to be played in the coming years, and injuries and dips in form are inevitable. In terms of close control when surrounded by players, Aouar is more similar to Silva/Nasri than Foden, and while we would all love to see more expansive football where Foden and de Bruyne run riot in the space with their energy and movement (most recently against Liverpool), if the opponent retreats en masse, then we need players like Bernardo and Aouar. If Guardiola leaves in a couple of years and we have Foden and Aouar (the best from England and France) running the midfield, that will be quite a legacy to have left.

 

[Del_Bosque]

We clearly need another midfielder

Anyone who's watched Rodri and Gundogan play together can see that

Pep and KDB name checking him, and Aouar mentioning it being a job interview makes me think there's definite interest

But all the briefs say we are not signing a CM

Ferna will probably be playing CB again if Garcia leaves, back up to Koulibaly

Bernardo and Foden are mainly used out wide for whatever reason

 

[Maly]

Because unless Gundogan is off, he’s not what we need. There will come a time when Gundo and Fernandinho leaves, then sure we’d need a new defensive mid and maybe Aouar but right now, no.

Our energy in midfield can be restored as easy as playing Foden or Bernardo along KDB in midfield. They are all better footballers than Aouar.

Really tired of this ”new and shiny is always better”. No it’s not. Bernardo is an outstanding footballer and Foden too. I can’t imagine this kid coming in without us risk losing any of Bernardo or Foden.
Foden waited all these years to prove himself as Silvas successor so let’s give him a full season.

Whilst I don’t disagree with all of your post, I’ll ask you what I’ve asked another poster.

Seeing as Phil was in the squad last season & as you say, will take Dave’s spot.....who is taking Phil’s spot in the squad for next season? If we don’t sign another CM, we’re a man down on last season’s squad dynamic in CM.

 

[Neville Kneville]

There are definitely elements of us being a pressing team when certain players are in the team and more of a possession team when others are. Our Achilles heel, as Pep's Barcelona had, is a slight (though increasing) vulnerability against more athletic counter attackers.

We could see the difference with Foden, Sterling & Jesus harrassing Real Madrid & it's easy to imagine similar difference in midfield & defence & how difficult that team would be, to play against, than the one which played Lyon.

 

[argyle]

Not spoken for a bit. Was certainly the case last summer we spoke to Lyon but we speak to loads of clubs.

City have said recently no new midfielders but my radar did prickle when De Bruyne singled him out last week.

Will try and ask about.

How can Pep/the Club see the performances of Gundo and Rodri, plus see a sadly fading Fernandinho, and think we don't need a midfielder?

 

[JWT_98]

Not that it means anything but current odds according to sky bet

 

[markbmcfc]

If it's as done as PB says it is then there's a chance to fill your boots. Or pockets.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Seeing as Phil was in the squad last season & as you say, will take Dave’s spot.....who is taking Phil’s spot in the squad for next season? If we don’t sign another CM, we’re a man down on last season’s squad dynamic in CM.

Phil's minutes are the ones you'd expect to see given to an emerging academy player, not a big signing.

The majority of his appearances were as a substitute and the majority of the ones he started were as a wide player. We've already signed a wide player and now we're looking likely to sign a midfielder.

He's already found it difficult to break into a stacked squad and now we're looking to cram it further with established first team players. We're essentially losing one player who provided him with competition and replacing him with two.

 

[skyblues]

Whilst I don’t disagree with all of your post, I’ll ask you what I’ve asked another poster.

Seeing as Phil was in the squad last season & as you say, will take Dave’s spot.....who is taking Phil’s spot in the squad for next season? If we don’t sign another CM, we’re a man down on last season’s squad dynamic in CM.

I think we were too stacked last season, and Aouar is too good to be a squad/bench player.

Still, other than maybe one person on this forum, not a single journo said this is on. Pep and KDB praised him but it doesn’t mean anything.

That being said I do think we would need more energy than what Gundogan brings to the team, but I just can’t see him leave.