Houssem Aouar

[domalino]

Slightly off-topic question, but do you think we could hypothetically accomodate Aouar and Messi/another forward without getting rid of one of our creative players? If Aouar is going to slot into the midfield 3 with KDB and Rodri/Gundo, the likes of Bernardo and Foden would probably need minutes in the front 3. Adding another forward to the mix would surely be unsustainable?

I have thought all summer we could accommodate a striker like Dybala who can play across the front 3 without any other outgoings for 1 season, because this season is going to be so insane. I assume Bernardo and Phil will split time between the midfield and front 3, as KDB & Aouar would be our only 8s. There will probably be injuries as well, or someone like Ferran taking time to adjust and not demanding much game time.

So I suppose the same would be true of Messi, but he does bring problems on account of him being Messi and presumably he'll play 90% of the minutes.

I think we might look to sell Mahrez if Messi arrived because he's old, highly paid, Pep doesn't seem to want to start him in big games, and he can only play in Messi's position.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

This place makes me lol so much !!!

people moaned all Saturday that rodri and Ilkay aren’t good enough , dinho is passed it and our Merlin has left but are also saying this is not needed lol!!!

 

[domalino]

Gundogan usually looks neat and tidy but very rarely dictates games. If you disagree, show me when he’s been MOTM on here. Then show me the same for Foden.

Foden has a much higher ceiling than Gundogan but needs serious playing time and experience. Which he cannot currently get, because Gundo is preferred. The reason he’s on the wing is that he’s low down in the food chain and compliant.

IMO What Gundogan does, that Silva used to do, is not exactly dictate games in the sense of running them, but he establishes our possession game.

We need to hold onto the ball for extended periods of like 30-40 passes, and find our attacking shape and rhythm, and when neither Gundo nor Silva are playing, we struggle to do that. Bernardo, KDB, Foden, they just want to attack the goal quickly, and then when the ball goes loose in midfield, the game go a bit end to end, which we don't want.

Silva or Gundo come in and settle into that position around the opposition box, where the defenders are set up to stop breakaways, where him and Rodri collect clearances, and we can really apply pressure, and start working the ball to create 1v1 opportunites for the wingers, or have KDB whipping balls into the box etc.

 

[sir baconface]

This place makes me lol so much !!!

people moaned all Saturday that rodri and Ilkay aren’t good enough , dinho is passed it and our Merlin has left but are also saying this is not needed lol!!!

Then you should look at their reasons rather than trot out your usual trite shit. And WTF says lol?

!!!

 

[IcriedwhenTueartleft]

I hardly noticed him on Saturday. Need to stop this syndrome of looking to buy players from teams that beat us, after last season we'd need a squad of about 50. Still, people on here seem to think he is great so he must be good.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

I hardly noticed him on Saturday. Need to stop this syndrome of looking to buy players from teams that beat us, after last season we'd need a squad of about 50. Still, people on here seem to think he is great so he must be good.

we aren’t not buying him on basis of Saturday this has been 18 months in the making

 

[Tevez City]

This place makes me lol so much !!!

people moaned all Saturday that rodri and Ilkay aren’t good enough , dinho is passed it and our Merlin has left but are also saying this is not needed lol!!!

Bernardo & Foden are good enough to fill the CM position.

 

[01cravend]

Gundogan usually looks neat and tidy but very rarely dictates games. If you disagree, show me when he’s been MOTM on telly or on here. Then show me the same for Foden.

Foden has a much higher ceiling than Gundogan but needs serious playing time and experience. Which he cannot currently get, because Gundo is preferred. The reason he’s on the wing is that he’s low down the food chain, cost nothing and is compliant.

Our last game vs Madrid and both the 3-0s vs Arsenal are good examples of him at his best in each position he plays in.

 

[blueparrot]

Bernardo & Foden are good enough to fill the CM position.

We need 4, Foden, Bernardo, KDB and another. If we went with 3 for 2 positions an injury leaves 2 playing every game in a congested season.

 

[cleavers]

Foden has a higher ceiling than Gundogan but needs serious playing time and experience. Which he cannot currently get, because Gundo is preferred.

Foden has played plenty since football returned, he was probably left out v Lyon because he didn't really perform against real madrid, he was the easiest to leave out after the madrid game for me, I wouldn't have replaced him with Garcia, but that is a different argument all together.

 

[kaz7]

This place makes me lol so much !!!

people moaned all Saturday that rodri and Ilkay aren’t good enough , dinho is passed it and our Merlin has left but are also saying this is not needed lol!!!

You are weird,you seem you think bad stuff is funny

 

[sir baconface]

Our last game vs Madrid and both the 3-0s vs Arsenal are good examples of him at his best in each position he plays in.

Not saying it’s an accurate barometer but he polled 3.5% of Bluemoon votes for that Madrid game. That’s 3.5 votes per hundred. 35 per 1,000. That’s without going as far back as the two Arsenal games, which are distant memories now.

 

[sir baconface]

Foden has played plenty since football returned, he was probably left out v Lyon because he didn't really perform against real madrid, he was the easiest to leave out after the madrid game for me, I wouldn't have replaced him with Garcia, but that is a different argument all together.

And was glued to the bench until the league was long since lost. He’s easiest to leave out because he doesn’t squeal however many tImes he’s slapped.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

Then you should look at their reasons rather than trot out your usual trite shit. And WTF says lol?

!!!

ooooooooo

Bernardo & Foden are good enough to fill the CM position.

What if one gets injured ? Then Ilkay is playing again and you all shit ya pants

 

[Neville Kneville]

Gundogan mostly plays at DM. If Aouar came, he'd be playing mostly at DM. Sometimes at CM. Kinda like Gundo currently does.

Personally, don't think he is necessary. But he is talented. So if there is interest, bring him in. I'm sure Foden will outplay him.

Foden imo, provided things don't go Pogba with him, will likely be able to play anywhere he fancies, or is asked to. Including deep midfield if required. He will be better than almost all of the other players, anywhere or maybe better than all of them.

And I won't lose any sleep if Aouar doesn't sign, as I will assume something else is incoming.

But, he's got more 'gumption' about him than Gundogan imo, is more instantly creative, quicker & has just directly proved himself to be as competitive & as sharp or sharper, than anyone in our midfield. so we are instantly better.

I really wanted Gundogan at City but for me he had something extra about him at Dortmund, some of which he left there when he got injured. He has, imo, been the midfield version of when we signed Robbie Fowler. You can see the memories & moments, & sometimes it looks like he's back, but the full package isn't there, he just hasn't got that 'something' which made him special, anymore, & he just slips back to being a cog in the machine, reliant on all the other bits, to function, in order for him to function. He doesn't change anything, he just does his bit, amongst it. And like with Fowler, he still gets picked, using his smartness to get a game, even though we are crying out for something better, stronger, faster, more ccreative, to raise our level. So we don't get better at all in his area. Instead, he plays & we try to cover it up with different lineups .

This guy is immediately more athletic but also much more of a threat imo. If we have a proper defence, I'm sure he could play in front of it & if we don't get our shit together, I'm sure he'll get caught out, like Rodri, Gundogan & even Fern do because he's only human. But I don't doubt he could play there.

But if we actually had a back 4 worthy of our status & found a genuine Fern MKII, younger & faster & fitter, to play DM then I'd also be much happier seeing Aouar playing at 8, than Gundogan & he would give us so many options & improve the general sharpness of our midfield, along with Foden.

We need to be sharper, all round imo. That's the evolution of football & has been coming for a while. Each non plodder, adds to the team whole.

 

[Josh_D]

Foden imo, provided things don't go Pogba with him, will likely be able to play anywhere he fancies, or is asked to. Including deep midfield if required. He will be better than almost all of the other players, anywhere or maybe better than all of them.

And I won't lose any sleep if Aouar doesn't sign, as I will assume something else is incoming.

But, he's got more 'gumption' about him than Gundogan imo, is more instantly creative, quicker & has just directly proved himself to be as competitive & as sharp or sharper, than anyone in our midfield. so we are instantly better.

I really wanted Gundogan at City but for me he had something extra about him at Dortmund, some of which he left there when he got injured. He has, imo, been the midfield version of when we signed Robbie Fowler. You can see the memories & moments, & sometimes it looks like he's back, but the full package isn't there, he just hasn't got that 'something' which made him special, anymore, & he just slips back to being a cog in the machine, reliant on all the other bits, to function, in order for him to function. He doesn't change anything, he just does his bit, amongst it. And like with Fowler, he still gets picked, using his smartness to get a game, even though we are crying out for something better, stronger, faster, more ccreative, to raise our level. So we don't get better at all in his area. Instead, he plays & we try to cover it up with different lineups .

This guy is immediately more athletic but also much more of a threat imo. If we have a proper defence, I'm sure he could play in front of it & if we don't get our shit together, I'm sure he'll get caught out, like Rodri, Gundogan & even Fern do because he's only human. But I don't doubt he could play there.

But if we actually had a back 4 worthy of our status & found a genuine Fern MKII, younger & faster & fitter, to play DM then I'd also be much happier seeing Aouar playing at 8, than Gundogan & he would give us so many options & improve the general sharpness of our midfield, along with Foden.

We need to be sharper, all round imo. That's the evolution of football & has been coming for a while. Each non plodder, adds to the team whole.

The last part has been telling for a while. Direct/sharp. Pace/power/athleticism. It’s been coming, and that’s why Barcelona are having issues. Pep needs to adapt his ideals.

Rodri is a good player but I was hoping and wishing, also begging we got a tough athletic fucker for a DM.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

We need 4, Foden, Bernardo, KDB and another. If we went with 3 for 2 positions an injury leaves 2 playing every game in a congested season.

Spot on, I've mentioned this as well, l'm not sure why some just can't understand it.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Foden imo, provided things don't go Pogba with him, will likely be able to play anywhere he fancies, or is asked to. Including deep midfield if required. He will be better than almost all of the other players, anywhere or maybe better than all of them.

And I won't lose any sleep if Aouar doesn't sign, as I will assume something else is incoming.

But, he's got more 'gumption' about him than Gundogan imo, is more instantly creative, quicker & has just directly proved himself to be as competitive & as sharp or sharper, than anyone in our midfield. so we are instantly better.

I really wanted Gundogan at City but for me he had something extra about him at Dortmund, some of which he left there when he got injured. He has, imo, been the midfield version of when we signed Robbie Fowler. You can see the memories & moments, & sometimes it looks like he's back, but the full package isn't there, he just hasn't got that 'something' which made him special, anymore, & he just slips back to being a cog in the machine, reliant on all the other bits, to function, in order for him to function. He doesn't change anything, he just does his bit, amongst it. And like with Fowler, he still gets picked, using his smartness to get a game, even though we are crying out for something better, stronger, faster, more ccreative, to raise our level. So we don't get better at all in his area. Instead, he plays & we try to cover it up with different lineups .

This guy is immediately more athletic but also much more of a threat imo. If we have a proper defence, I'm sure he could play in front of it & if we don't get our shit together, I'm sure he'll get caught out, like Rodri, Gundogan & even Fern do because he's only human. But I don't doubt he could play there.

But if we actually had a back 4 worthy of our status & found a genuine Fern MKII, younger & faster & fitter, to play DM then I'd also be much happier seeing Aouar playing at 8, than Gundogan & he would give us so many options & improve the general sharpness of our midfield, along with Foden.

We need to be sharper, all round imo. That's the evolution of football & has been coming for a while. Each non plodder, adds to the team whole.

Great post.

 

[Akpowell]

It's a good job its a done deal for Aouar then

 

[Neville Kneville]

The last part has been telling for a while. Direct/sharp. Pace/power/athleticism. It’s been coming, and that’s why Barcelona are having issues. Pep needs to adapt his ideals.

Rodri is a good player but I was hoping and wishing, also begging we got a tough athletic fucker for a DM.

We take the piss out of the scousers & their 3 midfield defenders, but surely it's obvious, that if we can reboot our defence but then still play our Pepball, but also add a yard or two of pace & fitness, to each position whilst doing it, then we totally crush Liverpool ? And Bayern Munich, for that matter ?