It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

Bit of a left-field suggestion for Rodri back-up; Renato Tapia at Celta Vigo.

Just from the eye-test he is strikingly similiar to Rodri, obviously not the same quality, but at a decent enough techical level to where I think he would slot in nicely againat lesser opposition and hopefully improve with better players around him. Also a bit in the older side, and never played on the highest level of clubs which can be a negative but can also mean that he would have no problem playing a bit-part role.

I have at least thought he has stood out every time I have watched him, but then again if he is never linked away from Celta he can't stand out too much I guess
 
We have not even replaced the quality players that left last year and now I'm hearing KDB and Ederson are leaving? I really hope we have some great and talented replacements on the table.
 
lasereyes said:
Cancelo leaving = upgrade (addition by subtraction)
Laporte => Gvardiol = upgrade
Mahrez => Foden (who was not starting regularly in 2022/23) = same at worst
Gundogan => Kovacic = downgrade, but not substantially
Palmer => Bobb = short term downgrade, but Palmer wouldnt have been a regular starter

You also have Lewis developing which can further offset loss of Gundo

Net/net, not worse off
Click to expand...
I'd still take peak and healthy Laporte to Gvardiol. Mahrez is way better than Foden as a winger. Palmer is better and more suited to City than Doku. Nunes is forgettable. Kovacic is never in Gundogan's level. Our level of play last year was the worst since the 2019-20 season. I was waiting and waiting for our play to improve and reach heights again and it never did. Forget about winning CL or PL this year if we continue with this ponderous and lethargic play of the past year.
 
D'Silva said:
I'd still take peak and healthy Laporte to Gvardiol. Mahrez is way better than Foden as a winger. Palmer is better and more suited to City than Doku. Nunes is forgettable. Kovacic is never in Gundogan's level. Our level of play last year was the worst since the 2019-20 season. I was waiting and waiting for our play to improve and reach heights again and it never did. Forget about winning CL or PL this year if we continue with this ponderous and lethargic play of the past year.
Click to expand...
Yeah with a bit less ponderous play we might have had a chance of catching the Scousers or Gooners. And Madrid might have had to defend a bit when they came to the Etihad
 
D'Silva said:
I'd still take peak and healthy Laporte to Gvardiol. Mahrez is way better than Foden as a winger. Palmer is better and more suited to City than Doku. Nunes is forgettable. Kovacic is never in Gundogan's level. Our level of play last year was the worst since the 2019-20 season. I was waiting and waiting for our play to improve and reach heights again and it never did. Forget about winning CL or PL this year if we continue with this ponderous and lethargic play of the past year.
Click to expand...
Lol

Gvardiol, got better and better as the season progressed, he was superb in the last third of the season, he's miles better than Laporte, now.

Foden played as a winger last season? Wow do you actually watch us play?

Palmer wanted to leave, he's One that got away but Doku will be excellent for us.

I'll give you Nunes, but Kovacic for the money was a solid and dependable if not game changing buy.
 
D'Silva said:
I'd still take peak and healthy Laporte to Gvardiol. Mahrez is way better than Foden as a winger. Palmer is better and more suited to City than Doku. Nunes is forgettable. Kovacic is never in Gundogan's level. Our level of play last year was the worst since the 2019-20 season. I was waiting and waiting for our play to improve and reach heights again and it never did. Forget about winning CL or PL this year if we continue with this ponderous and lethargic play of the past year.
Click to expand...
"Palmer is better and more suited to City than Doku"

Not the Palmer that was in our shirt, his last season was a huge disappointment.

Hindsight is a lovely thing.
 
We sit here as champions, the first team to do it four times in a row. We have won the CL, the domestic treble, a quadruple, and still we have fans seemingly desperate to criticise much of the team. I find it bizarre, but recognise it from the match where for some it is a weekly opportunity to vent.

Outside of our club, I imagine (beyond the cries of 115 and cheats) rival fans look at our squad and succession planning with absolute envy. They will look at our crazy facilities and be irritated that the irreplaceable players of the past, whose departure would signal 'the end of our success', simply signalled new success and the arrival of equal and superior talents. Those who said that Rodri would never replace Fernandinho, just as one example.

I urge fans to let it go. Success never lasts forever, but we have a fantastic squad and a club set up for decades to come, despite the best efforts of the league, UEFA, and rival clubs. Enjoy what we have, what we have had, and the talent blooming before our eyes. It will never be better than this - it cannot be - we have won EVERYTHING!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
✖
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.