It's Quiet the £250m return

richards30 said:
Khus was great when he played there for a few games last season? Pace to burn, aggressive and an actual defender? The inverting thing is finished now imo, let the flair players do their thing further up and stay more solid at the back.
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I love how ruthless Khusanov is when doing tackles. He's not afraid of anyone or anything, proper soldier. I think Pep should give him more chances considering Dias is not being consistently good anymore.
 
Mancini’s Pastilles said:
if that's the case then its a disgrace a global organization basing its success on one player getting back to fitness
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Eh? we're waiting for the best central midfielder in the world to get back, every team on the planet would miss him!
Players like that ain't easily replaced, as we have found out!
 
Legal Alien said:
Eh? we're waiting for the best central midfielder in the world to get back, every team on the planet would miss him!
Players like that ain't easily replaced, as we have found out!
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I think people are too quick to forget that we not only lost Rodri but also Stones who was every bit as good as him before going down.

We just need to keep improving the rest while those two and Phil get up to speed.

Problem was we had too many passengers. Lads happy to play second fiddle to these guys. Vanished once the real talent stepped out of the team.
 
Marvin. said:
6 goals and 5 assists in 30 La Liga games (2024-25). Not appalling but this is a player at the peak of his powers at a club that is very dominant it its league. Unimpressive.
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Dribble said:
It's not my imagination mate. Pep made a huge error of judgement regarding the commencement of our squad rebuild & it cost us dearly.

Pep's preference of a small elite squad rinsed out our players, & we had little to fall back on. Even Rodri, Foden & Bernardo have publicly said they were being rinsed & were physically, emotionally & mentally fucked. I doubt they've said this in public without being aware our manager has also publicly stated the opposite.

The only times I've seen the wholesale sacking of a backroom team with the manager remaining, is when a manager is being given a final chance to change things & improve the teams fortunes.

Reports that several of our former backroom staff had mentally checked out last season is a concerning sign if true. It shows a coaching team at odds with their manager.

Several reports have stated the blocking of Savinho to Spuds is coming from those above Guardiola. Even if similar has happened before, it's strange that it's now it's been leaked.

It's obvious that Pep's revolutionary inverted FB has been sussed by every team we face, but it seems Pep is determined to stick with his system. Do you think the elite management team at Manchester City have failed to notice what so many are openly discussing?

We brought in a new coaching team, & the first three games of the CWC showed huge promise with a new formation & a return to our famed swagger.

Since Al Hilal, we've returned to Pep's inverted FB system, with similar performances & results to last season. Do you really think those above Pep have failed to notice? Based on our performances against Wolves & Spuds, can you honestly say there are solid signs of a marked improvement for the season ahead?

I'm no ITK, but at what point do several coincidences become a pattern that needs to be stopped before it sets like concrete?

A school of thought is emerging on BM that our period of dominance is over. I mostly disagree, as player for player, I think we can compete with anyone. With a few ruthless sales & a couple more elite incomings, I think we can again have a squad advantage.

However, if we continue to persevere with Pep's intervted FB tactic, I'm sorry but I'm forced to agree with those who say our period of dominance is over. It's all down to how Pep plays it this season, & I honestly doubt a global organisation like Manchester City Football Group have failed to notice all the above, & will wait until we implode before they act, regardless of Pep's historic, record-breaking successes.

It's not my imagination mate. It's just my honest observations & my humble opinion. I honestly hope I'm wrong & respect your right to disagree, but something hasn't been right with Guardiola for the last 12 months.
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Can’t disagree with any of that. The bigger CFG picture, stadium expansion is based on the biggest team in Prem playing attractive winning football, not a top 6 side.
Pep is under pressure, hopefully the stubborn bastard reflects on set up to make it work.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
We really need to respond to the market.

If it's me, in fantasy football mode this week...

Sell -
Akanji
Ederson
Savinho
Gundo
Ake
Phillips
Kovacic
Gonzales

Bring

Baleba
Donnarumma
Rodrygo
Livramento
Gheui

It's gonna take something like radical surgery to have us clearly out in front again.
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That would be our best transfer window since we bought David Silva! Hope we can make at least some of the above happen.
 
Dribble said:
I've never studied every aspect of Donnarumma's game. Have you before he was linked?

Like most opponents we face, I judge them on their general performance & if given the choice of an Ederson replacement, Gianluigi would've been my first pick. He's a brilliant keeper.

I haven't paid particular attention to his footwork. However, if was as shit as many fans on Bluemoon are making out, I'm sure it would've stood out. It hasn't/didn't.

Can you highlight specific instances where Donnarumma's footwork was shit & would be a particular concern if he rocked up at the Etihad?
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i havent studied every aspect of his game but i watched alot of PSG and my main take away was always they would be better with Ederson(or similar) as their keeper and Donnaruma kills there build up play.

Other aspects of his goalkeeping is abs fine and more, thats not in question.

The big question is pep going to deviate away from one of his key principles which he has held since he started his coaching career and the reason Joe Hart was thrown out on day 1? If you read the Perarnau book on Pep which is as close to an autobiography as you will get from Pep and it goes into great detail on it.

If we sign Donnaruma(and I agree hes a better option than Trafford) it will mean a complete change away from our style of play. For the better who knows but it the bedding in process likely wont be pretty just like it wasnt when we went the opposite way and just like it wasnt on saturday.
 
Damien10 said:
Savinho pushing for the move.

Donnarumma agreement between clubs is very close. Expect news very soon.

Ederson to be given the green light.

Gundo and Akanji seeking new clubs, talks still on going. But both will move by the end of the window due to the club making it clear.

City are still looking at RB, and if a move is made Nunes will be allowed to leave. Nunes has options and it won’t be hard to move him on.

Baleba is still on the clubs radar. A city representative was at Everton watching him.
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Baleba would be class. I love his energy.

Have we got the money to pay the alleged 100m fee?

Love your updates, keeps the fires burning.
 
Personally don't think think we have 2
NQCitizen said:
Unfortunately it looks like Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and the Ballon D'Or voters do care about his season at Girona.

9 G/A in your first premier league season at the age of 20 isn't to be underestimated. Obviously not "shit".

We might not have 5 years but we probably have 2 or 3, after all everyone is talking about "rebuild" and "transition".

This idea you can only have 24 27 year old+ elite players in the squad is suicidal squad building.
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Mate I hope you are right. I'd gladly eat humble pie if I'm wrong, but personally I've seen nothing from the lad that makes me think I will be. I honestly can't think of a single game last season where he blew me away. He did the old flash here and there, but nothing that shouted out to me he's going to be a top top football player. Him and Doku are nowhere near good enough to be starting for teams fighting for the big prizes IMO. That coupled with the fact the lad is clearly happy to flirt with the move I'd bin him off. We'll just have to agree to disagree about the lad.
 
blue moony said:
Thanks I dont do social media x

Bluemoon is my life - sad as it may seem

Tried to take my own life in 2010 and can honestly say this place helps me everyday

With out this place I'd be gone
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Hi Blue, no attraction is sad, what ever it may be, sometimes in our lives we all need something to hold on to, onwards and upwards mate, keep posting and stay positive, best of luck to you.
 
blue moony said:
Thanks I dont do social media x

Bluemoon is my life - sad as it may seem

Tried to take my own life in 2010 and can honestly say this place helps me everyday

With out this place I'd be gone
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Keep strong blue things are mostly good in life always try to remember that.
 
Dubciteh said:
i havent studied every aspect of his game but i watched alot of PSG and my main take away was always they would be better with Ederson(or similar) as their keeper and Donnaruma kills there build up play.

Other aspects of his goalkeeping is abs fine and more, thats not in question.

The big question is pep going to deviate away from one of his key principles which he has held since he started his coaching career and the reason Joe Hart was thrown out on day 1? If you read the Perarnau book on Pep which is as close to an autobiography as you will get from Pep and it goes into great detail on it.

If we sign Donnaruma(and I agree hes a better option than Trafford) it will mean a complete change away from our style of play. For the better who knows but it the bedding in process likely wont be pretty just like it wasnt when we went the opposite way and just like it wasnt on saturday.
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You have an advantage over me then, as I've never studied Donnarumma in great detail if I'm being honest. I've just noted his over all performances & drawn the conclusion that imo, he's vying for the best keeper in the world title alongside Ederson.

Both have their key advantages. Ederson is clearly the best keeper in the world with his feet. My point was that I'd never noticed Donnarumma being shit with his feet to the level that many on BM are saying.

That video showing the stats of 5 elite keepers was very revealing. Ederson isn't the shit shot stopper many were making him out to be, & Donnarumma isn't as shit with his feet as many were making out either.

Ederson is an enigma. There may never be another like him, but if he wants out, I can't think of a better replacement than Donnarumma. If we have to slightly adjust the way we play, then so be it.

We've lost legends before & never replaced them like for like. We got excellent replacement players who evolved our squad & became legends in their own right (Fernandinho & Rodri).

We'll have to do it again if Ederson does indeed leave this summer or next.
 
Semper aggressus said:
That would be our best transfer window since we bought David Silva! Hope we can make at least some of the above happen.
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It would but it's 5 high wage players who'll expect to start most games and don't really mirror the tactical profiles of players they're replacing.

Feels a bit like even if we get those 5 very good players we'd spend 18 months waiting for them to gel by which time we're waiting for the next manager to go out and get all "his players".
 
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