It’s Quiet 20 - What is the Wirtz that could happen?

[Gabriel]

Or just have a shot. Hopefully by leathering it and not one of those poncey little curlers.

Heresy. That might mean losing the ball in the transitions!

 

[Stoned Rose]

Lots of machete and cleaver but no scalpel. We still need to find someone who can create chances through the middle.

Fred West likes this.

 

[Semper aggressus]

After such a difficult season, with hardly any creativity and our best ever midfielder leaving in two games’ time, why do those running the club thinks it’s ok to step back and risk letting our biggest rival take the best available player in Europe?

What is the ambition from City these days? Are we done with winning multiple trophies and happy to fight for top 5 or 6 while Liverpool win title after title with Wirtz, Salah, etc?

What’s going on?

 

[Bluewonder]

After such a difficult season, with hardly any creativity and our best ever midfielder leaving in two games’ time, why do those running the club thinks it’s ok to step back and risk letting our biggest rival take the best available player in Europe?

What is the ambition from City these days? Are we done with winning multiple trophies and happy to fight for top 5 or 6 while Liverpool win title after title with Wirtz, Salah, etc?

What’s going on?

He's obviously told us he's going to Bayern.

 

[Damanino]

stop accommodating for weaknesses in the team. loss of pace, loss of pressing abilities and all of a sudden we turn into grandpa mode of football, boring possession, not enough movements, not quick enough movements or accurate passes or changings it side to side with speed, without purpose. its not just because teams park the bus. they parked the lot of times i the Pellegrini era too. and earlier years of Pep too. we just had skills to unlock it and had intensity and urgency about it.
we dont prss much at all anymore.

football going into that direction, brutal stamina and pressing. we obviously looked fucking dead fitness wise since October for some reason. that needs to be investigated...
most teams in CL we faced looked fitter, quicker. Feyenoord had the legs and power to come back from 3-0 down. Sporting ran through us with pace and these are the also runs of CL...
when PSG hit the switch in Paris they just kept running and we were bypassed every time.

 

[Beaker]

After such a difficult season, with hardly any creativity and our best ever midfielder leaving in two games’ time, why do those running the club thinks it’s ok to step back and risk letting our biggest rival take the best available player in Europe?

What is the ambition from City these days? Are we done with winning multiple trophies and happy to fight for top 5 or 6 while Liverpool win title after title with Wirtz, Salah, etc?

What’s going on?

I could be wrong, but I think it's safe to assume he's not going to Liverpool. The media outlets that claim he might are catering to their Liverpool-supporting readership; he's going to Bayern.

 

[Blue Maverick]

stop accommodating for weaknesses in the team. loss of pace, loss of pressing abilities and all of a sudden we turn into grandpa mode of football, boring possession, not enough movements, not quick enough movements or accurate passes or changings it side to side with speed, without purpose. its not just because teams park the bus. they parked the lot of times i the Pellegrini era too. and earlier years of Pep too. we just had skills to unlock it and had intensity and urgency about it.
we dont prss much at all anymore.

football going into that direction, brutal stamina and pressing. we obviously looked fucking dead fitness wise since October for some reason. that needs to be investigated...
most teams in CL we faced looked fitter, quicker. Feyenoord had the legs and power to come back from 3-0 down. Sporting ran through us with pace and these are the also runs of CL...
when PSG hit the switch in Paris they just kept running and we were bypassed every time.

Do you not think after the last 4 years of intense long seasons everyone is just fucked, some carrying injuries some not recovering properly and been rushed back, this club World Cup is the last thing we need, every player shoukd be given a month off to just relax and de stress. I know how I felt after that run in last season, it was mentality exhausting as a fan, imagine playing in it!
I do agree football has changed over the last two seasons and we have dropped the ball, however Pep is not going to change his style, he’s played the same way just variations of it forever, can he change to a more counter attacking g style willing to turn the ball over, I dont think so. This will lead to more of what we’ve seen this season, I do wonder if certain players have lost patience with the style of football, knowing it’s not working and been stifled especially Haaland, whats the answer, more dynamic, fast paced players playing a more counter attacking style possibly similar to the centurions season.

 

[oldius]

Just to clarify.
This season we have signed Khusanov, Reis, Marmoush, Echeverri, Gonzalez, Bah, and McFarlane. That is fact.
We are not operating like a club that has no ambition, nor sight of the future.
Some will say 'yeah, but we don't even play them'. We will. They were bought for the future, not the immediate.
Social media posters get paid for engagement. If you engage, and then the rumours turn out to be false, there is no need to condemn your club: has anyone from the club ever spoken of Wirtz?
We may be in for him, we may not. We may have cooled our interest; it may be part of the negotiations.

Personally, I would rather Oscar Bobb play as a number 10. I absolutely believe that he is perfect for that role. I would play Rodri, Gonzalez and Foden as my main central midfield. I'll support any future signings but I wouldn't be bothered if we don't buy anyone (very unlikely) - I would rather bring in players from the academy anyway. I think Mfuni, for example, could very easily be backup to Gvardiol, Ake and O'Reilly in the LB position.

 

[Skrastins]

Just to clarify.
This season we have signed Khusanov, Reis, Marmoush, Echeverri, Gonzalez and McFarlane. That is fact.
We are not operating like a club that has no ambition, nor sight of the future.
Some will say 'yeah, but we don't even play them'. We will. They were bought for the future, not the immediate.
Social media posters get paid for engagement. If you engage, and then the rumours turn out to be false, there is no need to condemn your club: has anyone from the club ever spoken of Wirtz?
We may be in for him, we may not. We may have cooled our interest; it may be part of the negotiations.

Personally, I would rather Oscar Bobb play as a number 10. I absolutely believe that he is perfect for that role. I would play Rodri, Gonzalez and Foden as my main central midfield. I'll support any future signings but I wouldn't be bothered if we don't buy anyone (very unlikely) - I would rather bring in players from the academy anyway. I think Mfuni, for example, could very easily be backup to Gvardiol, Ake and O'Reilly in the LB position.

i personally think Bobb and Foden are in the same mold, both ar technical dribblers, but they don't have the vision and playmaking of KdB

I know that replacing KdB is practically impossible, but the closest ones from what i've seen are El Khannous, Sverre Nypan, Wirtz, Cherki

 

[Semper aggressus]

Just to clarify.
This season we have signed Khusanov, Reis, Marmoush, Echeverri, Gonzalez and McFarlane. That is fact.
We are not operating like a club that has no ambition, nor sight of the future.
Some will say 'yeah, but we don't even play them'. We will. They were bought for the future, not the immediate.
Social media posters get paid for engagement. If you engage, and then the rumours turn out to be false, there is no need to condemn your club: has anyone from the club ever spoken of Wirtz?
We may be in for him, we may not. We may have cooled our interest; it may be part of the negotiations.

Personally, I would rather Oscar Bobb play as a number 10. I absolutely believe that he is perfect for that role. I would play Rodri, Gonzalez and Foden as my main central midfield. I'll support any future signings but I wouldn't be bothered if we don't buy anyone (very unlikely) - I would rather bring in players from the academy anyway. I think Mfuni, for example, could very easily be backup to Gvardiol, Ake and O'Reilly in the LB position.

And how many of those signings are as good as players like Wirtz, or for the defenders, players like Marc Guehi? Will they ever be? How many seasons will that take?

It’s so much harder to improve and develop young players in a struggling team than if we’re winning and confident. By all means introduce one or two if we’re doing well, but if it’s in a team of past it plodders passing backwards and offering no attacking threat they’d be better off loaned out.

We need instant quality, unless the club has decided it’s had enough of winning trophies and is scared of the red cartel, 115 and the media reaction to us hoovering up titles.

About time we go balls out and buy players that will get us as close to the standard we’ve become used to over the last decade. Otherwise we slip into mid table for a while as Liverpool and Arsenal dominate. Nobody wants that.

Surely the board can see if you buy players like Wirtz, Reijnders, Livramento, Rodrygo, etc then we get better and don’t suffer the boring, weak performances that have blighted this season.

There’s no point spending £40-£50m here and there on kids or average players. That won’t get us the title back or even improve the current side.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Lots of machete and cleaver but no scalpel. We still need to find someone who can create chances through the middle.

Shame you didn't end this with "through the eye of a needle."

 

[Gabriel]

Shame you didn't end this with "through the eye of a needle."

Laparoscopy even.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Laparoscopy even.

I'll take him if he can play attacking mid.

 

[oldius]

And how many of those signings are as good as players like Wirtz, or for the defenders, players like Marc Guehi? Will they ever be? How many seasons will that take?

It’s so much harder to improve and develop young players in a struggling team than if we’re winning and confident. By all means introduce one or two if we’re doing well, but if it’s in a team of past it plodders passing backwards and offering no attacking threat they’d be better off loaned out.

We need instant quality, unless the club has decided it’s had enough of winning trophies and is scared of the red cartel, 115 and the media reaction to us hoovering up titles.

About time we go balls out and buy players that will get us as close to the standard we’ve become used to over the last decade. Otherwise we slip into mid table for a while as Liverpool and Arsenal dominate. Nobody wants that.

Surely the board can see if you buy players like Wirtz, Reijnders, Livramento, Rodrygo, etc then we get better and don’t suffer the boring, weak performances that have blighted this season.

There’s no point spending £40-£50m here and there on kids or average players. That won’t get us the title back or even improve the current side.

Understandably, everyone is judging the board, manager, and players on this season. I accept that. I also understand that it is a season blighted by injury and illness. We went into it believing that we could get one more good year out of the senior players that had served us so well, and then we were caught out by our worst injury list in a decade, and probably a natural come-down after achieving all of our goals. Some of that could not have been predicted. Still, Pep has admitted that he made a mistake, and we move on. We accelerated the purchase of some of the continent's finest young talent, in Bah, and Khusanov, brought in the captain of Brazil U18 in Reis, and quality with Marmoush and Gonzalez. Now, we are in the market for others. We do not know who, and neither do the social media channels.

The players you mention are quality players with their clubs and in their league, but there are never any guarantees: are they available, is the price right, do they want to come, what about their character, can they do it in the Premier League? It is all a gamble, and none of it is a gimme.

I don't believe we need more than one or two, and I don't think we will buy the numbers that many here are demanding. I think the return of Rodri is pivotal, and a close-season of actually playing and training together rather than what we had last year.

We all want the same thing, we just might perceive how we get there differently.

 

[Nevizade]

Understandably, everyone is judging the board, manager, and players on this season. I accept that. I also understand that it is a season blighted by injury and illness. We went into it believing that we could get one more good year out of the senior players that had served us so well, and then we were caught out by our worst injury list in a decade, and probably a natural come-down after achieving all of our goals. Some of that could not have been predicted. Still, Pep has admitted that he made a mistake, and we move on. We accelerated the purchase of some of the continent's finest young talent, in Bah, and Khusanov, brought in the captain of Brazil U18 in Reis, and quality with Marmoush and Gonzalez. Now, we are in the market for others. We do not know who, and neither do the social media channels.

The players you mention are quality players with their clubs and in their league, but there are never any guarantees: are they available, is the price right, do they want to come, what about their character, can they do it in the Premier League? It is all a gamble, and none of it is a gimme.

I don't believe we need more than one or two, and I don't think we will buy the numbers that many here are demanding. I think the return of Rodri is pivotal, and a close-season of actually playing and training together rather than what we had last year.

We all want the same thing, we just might perceive how we get there differently.

Agree with all of this except the incomings. I do think we’ll see a window closer to 2017’s due to the amount of outgoings. If I were a betting man I’d say we’ll see a new GK (Costa), two FBs (Wesley, Cambiaso), Reijnders and MGW. Possibly another forward as well in the event that McAtee and Grealish go. Going to be the longest season in our history with the CWC and new CL format so while Pep has previously preferred to work with smaller squads I think we’ll see the full complement of 25 used this coming season.

 

[Mad 4 It]

After such a difficult season, with hardly any creativity and our best ever midfielder leaving in two games’ time, why do those running the club thinks it’s ok to step back and risk letting our biggest rival take the best available player in Europe?

What is the ambition from City these days? Are we done with winning multiple trophies and happy to fight for top 5 or 6 while Liverpool win title after title with Wirtz, Salah, etc?

What’s going on?

Crazy, he would have been the perfect statement signing and part of a new spine for the team. Instead we’ll end up with cloggers to add to a growing contingent of not good enoughs or just to raw. I fear this transfer window was massively important but the powers that be just can’t see it and will persist with £50mill duds

 

[Mad 4 It]

Understandably, everyone is judging the board, manager, and players on this season. I accept that. I also understand that it is a season blighted by injury and illness. We went into it believing that we could get one more good year out of the senior players that had served us so well, and then we were caught out by our worst injury list in a decade, and probably a natural come-down after achieving all of our goals. Some of that could not have been predicted. Still, Pep has admitted that he made a mistake, and we move on. We accelerated the purchase of some of the continent's finest young talent, in Bah, and Khusanov, brought in the captain of Brazil U18 in Reis, and quality with Marmoush and Gonzalez. Now, we are in the market for others. We do not know who, and neither do the social media channels.

The players you mention are quality players with their clubs and in their league, but there are never any guarantees: are they available, is the price right, do they want to come, what about their character, can they do it in the Premier League? It is all a gamble, and none of it is a gimme.

I don't believe we need more than one or two, and I don't think we will buy the numbers that many here are demanding. I think the return of Rodri is pivotal, and a close-season of actually playing and training together rather than what we had last year.

We all want the same thing, we just might perceive how we get there differently.

If Gonzalez is good enough why didn’t Pep play him in the final. We needed a 6 on the pitch but he chose not to use him. Why even buy him, just weird

 

[oldius]

If Gonzalez is good enough why didn’t Pep play him in the final. We needed a 6 on the pitch but he chose not to use him. Why even buy him, just weird

He sees players in training and, I suspect, he has wanted to give Kev a send-off, rightly or wrongly. We don't know, yet, whether he will be good enough - I suspect he is a very good player - but the new season will teach us a lot. Those leaving will change the culture of the team and new leaders will emerge.

 

[Gordyola]

Surely the board can see if you buy players like Wirtz, Reijnders, Livramento, Rodrygo, etc then we get better and don’t suffer the boring, weak performances that have blighted this season.

The season hasn't finished yet never mind the transfer window open so lets give them a chance
City don't do the deals in public so all we have to go on is the rumors generated by the click-bait merchants on social media

 

[Vester]

Agree with all of this except the incomings. I do think we’ll see a window closer to 2017’s due to the amount of outgoings. If I were a betting man I’d say we’ll see a new GK (Costa), two FBs (Wesley, Cambiaso), Reijnders and MGW. Possibly another forward as well in the event that McAtee and Grealish go. Going to be the longest season in our history with the CWC and new CL format so while Pep has previously preferred to work with smaller squads I think we’ll see the full complement of 25 used this coming season.

That would be a disaster window.