It's Quiet 17 - Glory Thread

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Or we could have shot ourselves in the foot titles-wise long before then. It's no coincidence that fans are shitting themselves because of our small squad.

We've Aké, Laporté Jack & Kalvin out & already we're looking stretched. Once we get to three games per week, then what?

I honestly believe that another senior LB & a top class winger is all we need to complete this season's squad & to give us adequate competition/cover for the season ahead.

We were a Kyle Walker injury away from a second successive CL final appearance imo. It's at crucial times like those, when bypassing moments like now, when we can change things, that makes our small squad policy seems crazy to many of us.

We'd be complaining the guys on the bench aren't getting enough minutes instead.. :)

 

[Keeper!]

But in reality we were better AFTER going to the bench. Gundo and Alvarez were excellent and Gomez and Palmer did not look a bit out of place. Add Grealish, Laporte, Phillips and Ake plus Ortega and that becomes an excellent bench on any given day. Would I have a problem with adding 2 players? Not at all, but a roster with 17 full internationals can't be considered light.
Our major vulnerability lies in potential injuries, but many of our guys are irreplaceable so a bad run of injuries would be difficult to overcome as it would for any team, us in 2019-20, Liverpool in 2020-21. Let's hope this doesn't happen and we can reassess after the WC in the January window. It would be quite a stretch to believe this squad won't keep or set the pace in the Prem until then or get out of the group in the CL.

January is never a good time to buy and as we have seen players signing for us often need time to get up to speed with the managers way of playing.

 

[halfcenturyup]

A spending pot reserved for the new manager (Luis Enrique) coming in next season.

Boo to Boo or Boo-urns.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

January is never a good time to buy and as we have seen players signing for us often need time to get up to speed with the managers way of playing.

No, but we aren’t phobic of using it should we need.

It'd likely to have to be a release clause purchase though.

 

[hammersmithlad]

The break for the World Cup will inevitably have influenced our thinking, in my view, given the two month pause and the chance to work on deals or get players fit if we do get hit by injuries.

I also think that top players will be much more open than usual to moving in January. This will either be wanting to capitalise on the back of a good World Cup, or wanting a new challenge where currently they may have opted to stay put, not wanting to jeopardise potentially sitting on the bench at City ahead of a World Cup.

Obviously a bit of a risky strategy and the bench looked very thin on Saturday. But keeping our powder dry and having the pick of players in January could provide a huge boost to us at the business-end of the season.

Whilst I understand the benefits of a small squad going into a season without many variables (I personally think Pep has simply stated he prefers working with a small squad for PR purposes, as what manager doesn't like working with as many resources available to him or her) I do think its unwise not to air on the side of caution going into a unprecedented season where a winter World Cup takes place & inevitably further injuries will be picked up. Whats worked to our benefit in previous seasons is our squad depth, whilst others may have a competitive first 11 the injuries & fatigue take their toll during the 'business end of the season' & do not have the depth to compete at the same level.

I disagree with top players being more open to move in January. Usually its the top players who are more settled during this time & are less likely to move due to relocating family etc within a short time frame compared to the summer window. Its more likely to be the 'desperate' players who want a Jan move or the WC starlets who play a blinder during this particular month & artificially inflate their profile & transfer fee. I would have hoped City's scouting board is more adept at recruitment than waiting for someone to perform for one month during a World Cup & only then striking to acquire where it then naturally becomes a seller's market. James Rodriguez & Andrey Arshavin spring to mind after having successful high profile tournaments.

 

[Dribble]

We'd be complaining the guys on the bench aren't getting enough minutes instead.. :)

I'm glad you raised this point. Last season Pep became notorious for not making substitutions & rinsing out our meagre best 14 in most games when fit & available.

Could this be because Pep had a lack of faith in Sterling, Jesus, Zinchenko, Aké, Gundog, Fernandinho & the EDS on the bench for not being good enough to make a significant uplift to our best 11, & we'd stand more chance of turning a defeat into a draw, or a draw into victory sticking with the main players Pep trusted most, even if they were in need of a rest?

It's not to say the players listed aren't capable, but toward the end of last season, none of them would have made our strongest 11, & all would've left in the summer if the Chavs had met our Aké valuation & reported interest in Gundog was more concrete.

However I believe both Gundog & Aké have played themselves firmly into Pep's main plan for this season & I'm happy both are still here.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I'm glad you raised this point. Last season Pep became notorious for not making substitutions & rinsing out our meagre best 14 in most games when fit & available.

Could this be because Pep had a lack of faith in Sterling, Jesus, Zinchenko, Aké, Gundog, Fernandinho & the EDS on the bench for not being good enough to make a significant uplift to our best 11, & we'd stand more chance of turning a defeat into a draw, or a draw into victory sticking with the main players Pep trusted most, even if they were in need of a rest?

It's not to say the players listed aren't capable, but toward the end of last season, none of them would have made our strongest 11, & all would've left in the summer if the Chavs had met our Aké valuation & reported interest in Gundog was more concrete.

However I believe both Gundog & Aké have played themselves firmly into Pep's main plan for this season & I'm happy both are still here.

Pep hates making subs when the game is still “open”.

He believes he has given the players enough information for them to work out the way to break through in any situation.

If we’re winning by 3+, subs will be made aplenty.

 

[blueparrot]

This would be your "pet theory " then, yeah? :)

My pet theory is we won't buy again this window and it will be a well thought out plan by the club, what that plan is I wouldn't know.So no not really a theory.

 

[Dribble]

Pep hates making subs when the game is still “open”.

He believes he has given the players enough information for them to work out the way to break through in any situation.

If we’re winning by 3+, subs will be made aplenty.

So not a lack of game-changing trust in our senior squad members last season?

On Saturday Pep went to make early second half changes at 0-2 down. I'm pretty sure Bernardo was for the hook. He'd been pretty quiet up until then & I noticed him looking over at the bench as Gundog & Alvarez were warming up.

He immediately picked up his performance pace & 3-4 minutes later scored our first. Pep held back with the substitutions & Bernardo just got better & better & was dictating our comeback.

I reckon the certainty of him staying at City & sensing he was about to be substituted was the boot up the arse he needed to properly kick-start his season.

 

[JewelZee]

January is never a good time to buy and as we have seen players signing for us often need time to get up to speed with the managers way of playing.

Agree, its not optimal but I'm sure if there's a need we'll make the necessary moves to get someone in who could fit in and help rather quickly.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Whilst I understand Pep not having to please as many players by having a smaller squad, that might work in a less physical league, but our league is brutal, it’s 62/3 games to win everything not including replays, couple that with a World Cup and unfortunately the quad is off, I’ll take the league and the cup again please (preferably the Chumps league)

 

[SPIDERBOY]

i understand that to a degree but surely there is an A then B option at least?

You would like to think so.

 

[better dead than red]

My pet theory is we won't buy again this window and it will be a well thought out plan by the club, what that plan is I wouldn't know.So no not really a theory.

So, yes really a theory unless you are an insider undercover here. Whilst you may be correct, you don't KNOW. You may well be correct and more correct than anyone else whom you were apparently belittling by using the term "pet theories."

I'm sorry you didn't care for having your idea called a "pet theory." It did sound kind of disrespectful didn't it? Lighten up. Others here are just trying to enjoy themselves also.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

So not a lack of game-changing trust in our senior squad members last season?

On Saturday Pep went to make early second half changes at 0-2 down. I'm pretty sure Bernardo was for the hook. He'd been pretty quiet up until then & I noticed him looking over at the bench as Gundog & Alvarez were warming up.

He immediately picked up his performance pace & 3-4 minutes later scored our first. Pep held back with the substitutions & Bernardo just got better & better & was dictating our comeback.

I reckon the certainty of him staying at City & sensing he was about to be substituted was the boot up the arse he needed to properly kick-start his season.

Saturday was a rare instance of certain players playing much worse than normal. He did it with Sterling and Mahrez when they had off games too, so there are exceptions, but Pep doesn’t like to do it.

It’d be a good question to ask Pep who he would have taken off. My guess at the ground was Mahrez and Foden. I’d have changed Cancelo for Gomez at half time though as I thought we lacked a left footed wide threat in the first half as Foden played inside.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Whilst I understand the benefits of a small squad going into a season without many variables (I personally think Pep has simply stated he prefers working with a small squad for PR purposes, as what manager doesn't like working with as many resources available to him or her) I do think its unwise not to air on the side of caution going into a unprecedented season where a winter World Cup takes place & inevitably further injuries will be picked up. Whats worked to our benefit in previous seasons is our squad depth, whilst others may have a competitive first 11 the injuries & fatigue take their toll during the 'business end of the season' & do not have the depth to compete at the same level.

I disagree with top players being more open to move in January. Usually its the top players who are more settled during this time & are less likely to move due to relocating family etc within a short time frame compared to the summer window. Its more likely to be the 'desperate' players who want a Jan move or the WC starlets who play a blinder during this particular month & artificially inflate their profile & transfer fee. I would have hoped City's scouting board is more adept at recruitment than waiting for someone to perform for one month during a World Cup & only then striking to acquire where it then naturally becomes a seller's market. James Rodriguez & Andrey Arshavin spring to mind after having successful high profile tournaments.

In absolute terms, yes, top players are less likely to move in January.

But my argument is that top players could be more open than unusual to a January move this season than is normally the case, and that some may have been reluctant or hesitant to come to City during this transfer window if it meant a chance of sitting on the bench ahead of the World Cup.

It’s an unprecedented season given the World Cup break, and we don’t know how this will play out. But I think it’s likely that the World Cup will have influenced the current transfer window, whether that’s players preferring to delay a move over concerns about playing time, or the same concerns leading them to seek a more prominent position in a team (e.g. Jesus wanting to leave this summer).

We’ll see how it plays out, but I think it could be a busier January than normal and a higher quality of player will be available.

 

[schfc6]

January is never a good time to buy and as we have seen players signing for us often need time to get up to speed with the managers way of playing.

Not sure I agree.
A good winter signing can really help. Diaz reignited Liverpool’s season to an extent.

The right signing could really help come Jan.

 

[Gumzy97]

 

[Kamaro011]

We are done just like we don't sell Bernardo this very late on transfer windows, we also don't buy someone this late either.

We prefer our business done earlier as possible, unless for drastic circumstances (ie one of our own have long term season injury) but i expect our club rather wait than forcing to buy someone just for the sake of it even if that means sacrificing season to do so.

 

[alexmcity]

My (non-ITK) record:

Wrote it made sense for us to sell Zinch when the consensus was that he was staying. Check.

Wrote a modicum of brain power was enough to realise Neymar was unlikely. Check.

Wrote Cucu was unlikely (30 % chance to sign him) when the forum was convinced we were signing him. Check.

Wrote we'll 100% sign a LB. Check.

Wrote we'll sign only one FB after Zinch's departure. Check.

Wrote Bernie will stay, for we will want more money for him than Barca/PSG can afford to pay. Check.

100%.

Speculated about us wanting Gvardiol, think we were interested, but Leipzig didn't want to sell (at a reasonable price). Might have been wrong about that. Wouldn't be surprised though if we went for Gvardiol next summer.

 

[Keeper!]

Not sure I agree.
A good winter signing can really help. Diaz reignited Liverpool’s season to an extent.

The right signing could really help come Jan.

Agreed but not sure Pep and the execs feel the same.


Got a feeling there is more to this , maybe Pep and that contract?