Is left back really a problem?

[onceabluealways]

I’d try for Tierney, looks to have quality and work ethic

 

[doobyedoobye]

Ake, Laporte, Zichenko, Mendy
Not
A
Problem

 

[supersonicblue]

I’d try for Tierney, looks to have quality and work ethic

If we had signed him instead of mendy at the time I would’ve taken him. However I do wonder if he’s good enough on the ball.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Keep Zin, try to offload Mendy.

Walker isn't getting any younger but he has a big contract and necessitates games on a regular basis, certainly when Pep wants to rest or rotate Cancelo.

I don't see the need to buy a left back when Cancelo also looks great there and can be kept further sweet for games, covering Zin for rotation or injury, especially as Ake and Laporte can also shift across in emergencies.

Added to that, City could bring Yan Couto back this summer and have big hopes for him at right back.

That will allow all of the above and ensure Couto is ready to get games as the potential Walker successor, back up to Cancelo on the right.

 

[haugemcfc]

Keep Zin, try to offload Mendy.

Walker isn't getting any younger but he has a big contract and necessitates games on a regular basis, certainly when Pep wants to rest or rotate Cancelo.

I don't see the need to buy a left back when Cancelo also looks great there and can be kept further sweet for games, covering Zin for rotation or injury, especially as Ake and Laporte can also shift across in emergencies.

Added to that, City could bring Yan Couto back this summer and have big hopes for him at right back.

That will allow all of the above and ensure Couto is ready to get games as the potential Walker successor, back up to Cancelo on the right.

Have we given up on Alaba ? Or don’t we need him;-)

 

[aguero93:20]

Have we given up on Alaba ? Or don’t we need him;-)

Fantastic player Alaba but he's 29 in June and by all accounts looking for insane money for his position (wanted parity with Lewandowski) Every chance he'll want a 4 or 5 year deal as well (and very reliant on his pace and physicality) as it's his last major contract in Europe so while paying him that money might not be a problem next season do we want to be paying it when he's 33 or 34? I reckon the club don't and that's why there's no links.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

With Aguero nearing retirement and Jesus looking as if he's a bit below top class striker, I think that striker is our biggest need by a fair distance in the upcoming window.

But for me, left back - preferably a wing back is our 2nd priority. There's a bunch of make-do options we could plug in - but a top left back would help us a lot.

Which is not to say that we absolutely must sign a world class left wing back; a class left wing back does however - to me - seem to be the position that would most benefit our side, save for striker. Whether or not there's a class upgrade available at LWB for a reasonable sum in the summer window does, however, remain to be seen.

 

[CWMCFC]

Keep Zin, try to offload Mendy.

Walker isn't getting any younger but he has a big contract and necessitates games on a regular basis, certainly when Pep wants to rest or rotate Cancelo.

I don't see the need to buy a left back when Cancelo also looks great there and can be kept further sweet for games, covering Zin for rotation or injury, especially as Ake and Laporte can also shift across in emergencies.

Added to that, City could bring Yan Couto back this summer and have big hopes for him at right back.

That will allow all of the above and ensure Couto is ready to get games as the potential Walker successor, back up to Cancelo on the right.

Agree with all of this.

I also think that Ake will become one of the main LB options (behind Zin) - we saw Pep beginning to give him some gametime there before he got injured.

I struggle to see how Pep would plan on keeping him happy purely as a 4th choice CB when even Laporte can't buy a game at the moment, but as both a backup LB and CB, I think he would get enough gametime to stay content.

LB is certainly an area we can improve on, but given just how strong our defence has been this season with Zinchenko starting it's hardly a glaring issue anymore. Zinchenko's had his issues, but I think that's always partly been down to our system/defensive line struggling as a whole.

I think this season he's stepped up again and has credits in the bank to be our starting LB going forward into next season.

 

[LongsightM13]

If we had signed him instead of mendy at the time I would’ve taken him. However I do wonder if he’s good enough on the ball.

His injury record is almost as bad as Mendy’s. Good player but can’t see us signing another player who’ll spend half a season in the treatment room

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I think tonight’s team selection should answer the question