Houssem Aouar

domalino said:
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.
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Phil has been playing regularly, with David in the squad. Now David has gone, Phil becomes even more important and it is pretty clear he has cemented his position. His finishing is very good indeed, possibly the best in the squad, and I suspect he will be pushed further forward, leaving space for a new midfielder behind. It may be wishful thinking but we also need to plan for a time when Sergio, Fern and Gundogan are no longer at the club.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
What info, didn't see that from PB?

Certainly asked for an option on him last summer.
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forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

I'm told it was done but won't be announced until after the CL has ended. So we should know if that's true next week. I don't mean to be too direct here, but why is it that you have information that the Aouar deal is done, but Sam Lee, the journalist who writes for The Athletic doesn't? Just...
forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
What info, didn't see that from PB?

Certainly asked for an option on him last summer.
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If you search his posts it will come up. He just outright said its done and would be announced next week.

When questioned as to why there wasn’t more news on this like from Sam Lee he said because Sam doesn’t know who I know.

I know you two talk so I was wondering. I thought he was FFP and you were transfers!

Edit see above
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
What info, didn't see that from PB?

Certainly asked for an option on him last summer.
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Asked if it the papers are immoral for linking a Lyon player to City before the upcoming CL game -
Not just immoral but utterly pointless as I believe this deal is done.
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Replying to someone saying "I thought PB said this was done?"
I'm told it was done but won't be announced until after the CL has ended. So we should know if that's true next week.
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OB1 said:
We have to address the lack of pace and power in the squad. And, TBF, Ake and Torres will increase the average speed of the squad.
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Yes & it doesn't mean every player has to be Leroy Sané, just an improvement on our recent weaker half.

5 players come in who are just half a yard quicker, it's a lot of difference if all added together on the pitch.

We've had DS, plus Fern, the G, Rodri, Zinchenko, Ottamendi, Angelino, half fit Stones & Mendy & brought in Garcia!

I even think KDB also blows hot & cold without the ball, sonetimes he's lightning sometimes he isn't there, so we had, imo, more than half a team who could go missing vs an athletic opponent.

Ageuro in his last years.

For a pressing side, there is obviously enormous room for improvement there.
 
Neville Kneville said:
Yes & it doesn't mean every player has to be Leroy Sané, just an improvement on our recent weaker half.

5 players come in who are just half a yard quicker, it's a lot of difference if all added together on the pitch.

We've had DS, plus Fern, the G, Rodri, Zinchenko, Ottamendi, Angelino, half fit Stones & Mendy & brought in Garcia!

I even think KDB also blows hot & cold without the ball, sonetimes he's lightning sometimes he isn't there, so we had, imo, more than half a team who could go missing vs an athletic opponent.

Ageuro in his last years.

For a pressing side, there is obviously enormous room for improvement there.
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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.
 
Cobwebcat said:
If you search his posts it will come up. He just outright said its done and would be announced next week.

When questioned as to why there wasn’t more news on this like from Sam Lee he said because Sam doesn’t know who I know.

I know you two talk so I was wondering. I thought he was FFP and you were transfers!

Edit see above
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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.
 
domalino said:
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.
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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.

 
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
 
skyblues said:
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.
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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.
 
oldius said:
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.
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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.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
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.
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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?
 
Maly Wilson said:
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.
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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.
 
Maly Wilson said:
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.
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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.
 
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