As if the dippers are going to go lol
We can't buy players just because Arsenal poached Arteta. We also don't need to make any statements against Arsenal, the results speak form themselves. We arn't even on the same playing field currently.
None of the other players you mentions are our targets ! We will buy players the club think fit into the system. We can't buy all the players that these other clubs want. Regarding Arteta, he was linked to another club before that as well. He got a chance to coach at a good team, anyone would jump at that. If we wanted Ake and Arsenal wanted him, your argument is valid.So we should just let arsenal hijack all our transfer targets, him Thiago, Soumare and who knows how many. Who thought arsenal would poach Arteta middle of the season, we never know, they may be competing for top 4 very soon. Things change in football real fast and I'm not convinced if our board saw this happening.
None of the other players you mentions are our targets ! We will buy players the club think fit into the system. We can't buy all the players that these other clubs want. Regarding Arteta, he was linked to another club before that as well. He got a chance to coach at a good team, anyone would jump at that. If we wanted Ake and Arsenal wanted him, your argument is valid.
Here’s an interesting one...I’ve just listened to the latest “Why Always Us” podcast with Sam Lee and, without naming @Prestwich_Blue, Sam is obviously referring to Bluemoon and the claim that Aouar is/has signed for City.
He was using it as an example of how one source is never enough even if it was a good one and that people don’t realise how complicated the whole process of checking with multiple sources is.
He then went onto say he wants people to specifically remember the Aouar claim as a prime example of someone thinking they have a very good source in good faith but it turning out to be wrong and that ITKs rarely have information that he doesn’t.
The whole podcast is interesting in terms of how things work in reality vs the public perception. At one point Sam hints that he knows who PB has probably talked to though I could be wrong there.
Believe him or not it’s a look at the complexities of his job and a very public challenge to ITKs and in particular any claiming Aouar is going to City.
I hope he’s wrong and PB is correct as I’d love to sign Aouar but it’s also made this potential signing a battle of an ITK source v a Journalist sources.
Hmmm, I said exactly the same. But in a less nice way. And got shit for it :)I think if we look back a couple of seasons, Torres takes Sané's minutes, Foden (provided he performs) replaces Silva at his peak, Aouar, Bernardo, take some of Gundogan, Mahrez & allow KDB more rest plus alternate with Foden, Rodri (if he performs) takes some time off Gundogan & Fernandinho, then both leave.
We still have a job for a DM imo, unless Foden is going to be tried there or maybe Aké.
I recon we'll find that several pick up the usual injuries & we still find we wished we had one more (unless the tales of 6 players in are true).
We should let Gundogan and Dihno go. Bring in Aouor and I suppose Carnavinga.Sané didn't play enough, but Torres is only 20. Imo this is a transitional phase where Foden (in theory) takes Silva's slot, 'someone' replaces Gundogan, 'someone' replaces, Fernandinho, then 'someone' likely replaces Aguero & Mahrez.
We only have the replacements for Silva & Sané so far
Edit: no objections to Camavinga btw.
We should let Gundogan and Dihno go. Bring in Aouor and I suppose Carnavinga.
AM: Kevin, Aouor, Bernado, Foden
DM: Rodri, Carnavinga.
St: Gabby, Aguero
WLF: Sterling, Torres
WRF: Foden, Mahrez
It makes all the sense in the world.
Starters in bold.
Okay... Readying for the insult barrage :)
Are you ready???We should let Gundogan and Dihno go. Bring in Aouor and I suppose Carnavinga.
AM: Kevin, Aouor, Bernado, Foden
DM: Rodri, Carnavinga.
St: Gabby, Aguero
WLF: Sterling, Torres
WRF: Foden, Mahrez
It makes all the sense in the world.
Starters in bold.
Okay... Readying for the insult barrage :)
He answered your question in the podcast. He doesn't talk to them because he doesn't trust them. He could have a 1 hr chat with Aouar's people and would still be no closer to the truth. That doesn't mean that everyone in Aouar's camp is a lying git, but it does emphasise the fact that with experience he's become aware that agents, players and clubs use journalists for their own means and don't exactly tell what's really going on. Unless you're a journalist and also happen to have a close relationship with Aouar's people, you're being fed a narrative, not the truth. So if he can't be sure that Aouar's people are telling god honest's truth, whatever that maybe, then that information is useless for him.Just listened to it now.
Sam Lee mentioned that he could speak to some sources in France that are close to Aouar's people or Lyon for that matter, but won't do that.
Well why doesn't he do that? Surely you would want to find out whether this story is true or not. The best sources will come close to Aouar's people and Lyon. Even if he got this information, doesn't mean he has to write an article about it until he has got confirmation from other sources close to City.
I just find Sam Lee all fart and no shit tbh. He seems to just pick up on things a bit too late when they have already been published. Look at The Guardian one for example which reported that City wanted Nathan Ake. They called it about 3 weeks before he signed. With it being The Guardian they will clearly have more contacts, more reputable/trusted sources.
Personally think the way we play is blinding your image of needing a DM with more athleticism and power than footballing IQ. We don't need an athletic DM if we played a certain way that doesn't expose us and move up and down the pitch as a team like we did in 17/18. The high line we play without our full backs tucking in centrally defensively leaves our DM exposed with one ball over our front defensive line. The inability from the likes Stones and Otamendi reading danger makes the DM look exposed. We don't have a sweeper sweeping like Liverpool do with Van Dijk. We play in a line and if we are changing our back 4 every week it cannot work without a stable back 4 who know each other inside and out.I have no problem with Rodri as a player, but I'm not a fan of the Busquets style role, full stop & I think it's kind of outdated.
I actually think Rodri has much more potential defensive power than that tbf, which often helps in this league.
But for me, a side full of quality ball players doesn't need a slow, ball manipulator, in there all the time & we have several who can do that, so we have no need to avoid signing something different, to see if we can evolve further.
Since the takeover, we have been lacking that player imo, always one short for every system played.
If I had an identikit player, it would be Colin Bell & if one existed & we had him, we would probably have won the CL even before Pep came imo.
As it stands, I don't think we would bid for that player if he was available & that attitude needs to change, round about now, imo.
I didn't want to do defenders coz that would have gotten me in real trouble. :)You deserve a barrage for Aguero not being in bold lol
My question is what does your bench look like, no defenders? That's the problem I always run into when coming up with who we should sign. I end up with like Bernardo and Mendy not even on the bench and I just don't think it's realistic so I close the tab without posting and say 'sod it I'll just watch what the club does' ...until I'm back doing it in a day or 2.
YoungAre you ready???
Here goes.
You cant just make up players, too easy for other posters to insult you lol.
Who the hell is Carnavinga?
I must have spelled it that way incorrectly forever. Anyhow, he really is just a place holder for an athletic DM. A counter to what Rodri offers.Are you ready???
Here goes.
You cant just make up players, too easy for other posters to insult you lol.
Who the hell is Carnavinga?
Are you ready???
Here goes.
You cant just make up players, too easy for other posters to insult you lol.
Who the hell is CaMavinga?
I didn't want to do defenders coz that would have gotten me in real trouble. :)
But
Walker, Csncello, Mendy Reguilon
And 4 Centerbacks. 2 new and 2 from this season. Let's leave names alone here :)
As for starters, for me it's about sticking to our core character. We are a high pressing team with enefgy and superior technical ability.
The High Pressing and High Energy are a given. Those who don't have both can't be starters next season. Hence Aguero and Mahrez on the bench.
Typically bench
Aguero
Mahrez
Bernado
Cancelo
Camavinga
GK
Ake
Ake could be Stones, and Cancelo could be Mendy or Reguilon depending on game.
That's the squad
They always do ;)My joke went over your head.
Did not know we had 2 Fodens ;)We should let Gundogan and Dihno go. Bring in Aouor and I suppose Carnavinga.
AM: Kevin, Aouor, Bernado, Foden
DM: Rodri, Carnavinga.
St: Gabby, Aguero
WLF: Sterling, Torres
WRF: Foden, Mahrez
It makes all the sense in the world.
Starters in bold.
Okay... Readying for the insult barrage :)
Personally think the way we play is blinding your image of needing a DM with more athleticism and power than footballing IQ. We don't need an athletic DM if we played a certain way that doesn't expose us and move up and down the pitch as a team like we did in 17/18. The high line we play without our full backs tucking in centrally defensively leaves our DM exposed with one ball over our front defensive line. The inability from the likes Stones and Otamendi reading danger makes the DM look exposed. We don't have a sweeper sweeping like Liverpool do with Van Dijk. We play in a line and if we are changing our back 4 every week it cannot work without a stable back 4 who know each other inside and out.
That's just my opinion. Football isn't a game for athletes. We just need a good footballer sitting there who can read the game. Rodri has that and will improve, and personally I don't think he's the slowest. He's deceptively fast over a short distance for someone his size. Put 2 runners alongside him and 2 quick central Defenders who read the game and we have one of the best DMs in the world.
Take Bayern for example. Thiago isn't the quickest, but he has Goretzka alongside him doing the running. Alphonso Davies and Kimmich tuck in when needed and they have pace at the back with Boateng and Alaba - even when they play such a high line like us.