It's Quiet 32 - enter at own risk

There's a lot of talk here about how much trouble we will be in without signings. I see it as a great opportunity for Garcia and Harwood Bellis, personally.

It was the same last summer with zero direct cover for Fernandinho. Last season worked out ok.
Kompany was outstanding no doubt about that, but one thing he wasn’t was reliably available. We coped with 3 senior centre backs plenty.
 
I’m totally happy with our squad but I’m really surprised one or two quality players have not come in after Rodri if the club want champs league as we are very close to it.

Maybe the quality pep wants just isn’t there.

We certainly need Jesus firing this season because opportunities will be there for him.
 
There's a lot of talk here about how much trouble we will be in without signings. I see it as a great opportunity for Garcia and Harwood Bellis, personally.

17 year olds can’t play potentially 3 games a week at premier league and champions league level? I know it’s a worse case point but a pre season friendly is completely different to the real thing. Two hugely talented defenders who seemingly have impressed pep and the coaching staff.
 
17 year olds can’t play potentially 3 games a week at premier league and champions league level? I know it’s a worse case point but a pre season friendly is completely different to the real thing. Two hugely talented defenders who seemingly have impressed pep and the coaching staff.

Garcia turns 19 in January. Dinho (just like Mascherano before him) would be fine at CB in a Pep team. Walker has played CB at the highest level internationally--I expect he can do a job for us against lower level teams who put 10 men behind the ball. We have Laporte, Stones, Garcia in the first team and Harwood Bellis looks nailed on to be in the first team next year. I very much hope we don't buy a senior CB.
 
It was the same last summer with zero direct cover for Fernandinho. Last season worked out ok.
Kompany was outstanding no doubt about that, but one thing he wasn’t was reliably available. We coped with 3 senior centre backs plenty.

He made 26 appearances last season that’s not far away from half the games. Yes he was injured a lot but that’s still a good amount of games. And we were very lucky in that Laporte didn’t get injured all season bar a small knock, it’s unrealistic to assume that will happen again.

Kompany came into the side at a time when Stones was badly out of form and off the back of an injury, otamendi wasn’t much better and had got himself in Peps bad books getting himself needlessly sent off and Laporte was being flogged, aside from what he brought to the side through his leadership qualities we needed a fresh pair of legs and he provided it.
 
This is a general transfer question; if it’s deadline day and for whatever reason we want to sign a lad from japan, could we do it?
Or can you only complete signings of players within commuting distance?
 
Garcia turns 19 in January. Dinho (just like Mascherano before him) would be fine at CB in a Pep team. Walker has played CB at the highest level internationally--I expect he can do a job for us against lower level teams who put 10 men behind the ball. We have Laporte, Stones, Garcia in the first team and Harwood Bellis looks nailed on to be in the first team next year. I very much hope we don't buy a senior CB.
"Would be fine"?

"Can do a job"?

"Looks nailed on to be in the first team next year"?

Sounds like a hope list, & not the type of forward planning a team who wants to conquer Europe & retain a treble would be looking to implement.
 
"Would be fine"?

"Can do a job"?

"Looks nailed on to be in the first team next year"?

Sounds like a hope list, & not the type of forward planning a team who wants to conquer Europe & retain a treble would be looking to implement.

Exactly right. We definitely need a third top class centre back.
 
This is a general transfer question; if it’s deadline day and for whatever reason we want to sign a lad from japan, could we do it?
Or can you only complete signings of players within commuting distance?
As far as im aware distance isn't an issue as the papers are sent electronically (the good old fax machine).
 
"Would be fine"?

"Can do a job"?

"Looks nailed on to be in the first team next year"?

Sounds like a hope list, & not the type of forward planning a team who wants to conquer Europe & retain a treble would be looking to implement.
I'd argue that this is exactly the forward planning we have been doing: Garcia introduced to the first team in cup games and first team training in season 1 then provides back up in season 2. Harwood Bellis does the same one season later.
 
I'd argue that this is exactly the forward planning we have been doing: Garcia introduced to the first team in cup games and first team training in season 1 then provides back up in season 2. Harwood Bellis does the same one season later.
Tosin did the same two seasons ago. We've lost Kompany. We have an out of form Stones & a 32 year old Otamendi. Garcia & Harewood Bellis will get their opportunities in the future. Right now we need top class reinforcements for this & next season, & I doubt having a couple of backup teenagers is a policy we should be pursuing.

As this week has shown, all it takes is one CB injury & our whole season could be derailed.
 
I can see Pep thinking he can use Walker as a CB if Cancelo signs, thus no need to panic buy a CB especially now Otamendi has apparently stated he wants to stay.
 
As well as Otamendi we also have Rodri, who has publicly stated that he can play there, in addition to Garcia, Harwood-Bellis, Fernandinho, Walker, Stones and Laporte absolutely no need for further investment IMO.
 
I see were back to declaring Walker as a cb option now. We took 2 cbs on tour and harwood-bellis, Perfect opportunity for Walker to get minutes there if Pep has intentions to play him there, yet he didn’t put him there once and even choose Danilo to fill in ahead of him, I thought that would have put to bed the Walker at CB theory if the utterly disastrous England experiment didn’t already do that.
 
As well as Otamendi we also have Rodri, who has publicly stated that he can play there, in addition to Garcia, Harwood-Bellis, Fernandinho, Walker, Stones and Laporte absolutely no need for further investment IMO.

Exactly this those funds can be used in Jan or summer to strengthen Futher if and when we need to.
 
I see were back to declaring Walker as a cb option now. We took 2 cbs on tour and harwood-bellis, Perfect opportunity for Walker to get minutes there if Pep has intentions to play him there, yet he didn’t put him there once and even choose Danilo to fill in ahead of him, I thought that would have put to bed the Walker at CB theory if the utterly disastrous England experiment didn’t already do that.
Keep seeing it was disastrous for England, can't say that was my memory of it, we did get to the semis and I can't remember any particularly disastrous performances from Walker.
 
He made 26 appearances last season that’s not far away from half the games. Yes he was injured a lot but that’s still a good amount of games. And we were very lucky in that Laporte didn’t get injured all season bar a small knock, it’s unrealistic to assume that will happen again.

Kompany came into the side at a time when Stones was badly out of form and off the back of an injury, otamendi wasn’t much better and had got himself in Peps bad books getting himself needlessly sent off and Laporte was being flogged, aside from what he brought to the side through his leadership qualities we needed a fresh pair of legs and he provided it.


Yes, and much like the Fernandinho situation last season we will adapt and not just cope but thrive. Let’s not forget Pep actually opted for Fernandinho over Stones, Otamendi & Kompany in a few games.

Kompany was a fantastic servant, and that’s an understatement but he’s gone now, much like YaYa that problem will be solved rather than replaced and it won’t be like for like because that’s frankly impossible.
 

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