It's Quiet the £250m return

Time will tell I guess, a pre-season to come which will change things a bit
That's the worrying part.

This CWC was obviously part of our pre-season on top of trying to win the competition, Khusanov, Reis and Gonzalez barely got a kick whilst Gundogan played possibly more minutes than anybody.

Personally I find that quite alarming that was haven't given Gonzalez alot more minutes along with Khusanov yet we give Ake more time on the pitch even though he's only back from injury, Dias and Akanji have been shocking for a long time now and still play regularly.

Seems like Doku and Savinho will be first choice? Bobb has played fuck all too.

Maybe I'm looking into it too much but seems like Pep is happy to stick with the players he used to rely on.

I hope I'm wrong.
 
Would be admittance of some defeat if we loan out a £33m defender we only signed 6 months ago though mate.
Rather depends on your perspective. I can see what you mean, of course, as we've created a culture whereby loaning our own academy players is now viewed as them being not good enough. However, if it's the case that we do value Khusanov but recognise that he needs game time- people really do underappreciate how little top-flight football he had played before coming- then that need might be better served helping Bournemouth than sitting on our bench. The development of Kerkez and Huijsen at Bournemouth last season was excellent, so with similar opportunities, Khusanov could then return next summer and really push for a place.

The new Champions League format means he's unlikely to emulate Lewis' feat of playing more in the group stages than anyone else, so we need to be realistic about how much Khusanov could develop with potentially minimal game time.
 
That's the worrying part.

This CWC was obviously part of our pre-season on top of trying to win the competition, Khusanov, Reis and Gonzalez barely got a kick whilst Gundogan played possibly more minutes than anybody.

Personally I find that quite alarming that was haven't given Gonzalez alot more minutes along with Khusanov yet we give Ake more time on the pitch even though he's only back from injury, Dias and Akanji have been shocking for a long time now and still play regularly.

Seems like Doku and Savinho will be first choice? Bobb has played fuck all too.

Maybe I'm looking into it too much but seems like Pep is happy to stick with the players he used to rely on.

I hope I'm wrong.
The Gonzalez one really confuses me.

My hope is that it was an awkward tack on to the end of the season and it was as much as managing minutes for some as others. Wingers are exciting and it was partly a PR exercise.

I think they'll have 3 weeks off or so now and then come back to some proper drills to fix the press first of all. That will mean different personnel playing.

Hopefully.
 
The Gonzalez one really confuses me.

My hope is that it was an awkward tack on to the end of the season and it was as much as managing minutes for some as others. Wingers are exciting and it was partly a PR exercise.

I think they'll have 3 weeks off or so now and then come back to some proper drills to fix the press first of all. That will mean different personnel playing.

Hopefully.
I hope you're right.

Either way something has to give because what we are witnessing over the last year or so can't continue.

Pep needs to sort this out.
 
Skill set and left foot yes, injury record and unavailability no
If we’re offered the right money we might well bite. Certainly nobody is paying a decent fee for Stones
Ake is really good player but I'm with you on this one. Himself and Stones can't stay fit, they aren't reliable.

The time has come for them both to move on, If we get a good offer for either of them the club should be looking to accept it.
 
Rather depends on your perspective. I can see what you mean, of course, as we've created a culture whereby loaning our own academy players is now viewed as them being not good enough. However, if it's the case that we do value Khusanov but recognise that he needs game time- people really do underappreciate how little top-flight football he had played before coming- then that need might be better served helping Bournemouth than sitting on our bench. The development of Kerkez and Huijsen at Bournemouth last season was excellent, so with similar opportunities, Khusanov could then return next summer and really push for a place.

The new Champions League format means he's unlikely to emulate Lewis' feat of playing more in the group stages than anyone else, so we need to be realistic about how much Khusanov could develop with potentially minimal game time.
Khusanov should be playing regularly for us. He, Nunes and Ait-Nouri are the defenders with pace in our squad. This critical requirement would be less of an imperative if we weren't fielding quite so much of a high line. Sometimes, a manager needs to adjust a formation to realistically reflect the reality of the players in the squad.
 
That is inaccurate..

Jack Gaughan states at least 4 foreign players need to leave..

source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...la-keen-trim-squad-Premier-League-season.html

View attachment 161738

So we're back to the original scenario..

Need to pick 4 to scratch off from that list since we're 4 over on the foreign front:

View attachment 161737
Akanji, Gundo, Kovacic (doubtful with the recent surgery), Savinho (loan) and maybe Reis (loan) would be my picks.
 
Khusanov should be playing regularly for us. He, Nunes and Ait-Nouri are the defenders with pace in our squad. This critical requirement would be less of an imperative if we weren't fielding quite so much of a high line. Sometimes, a manager needs to adjust a formation to realistically reflect the reality of the players in the squad.
Perhaps, but there needs to be more to his game than pace and physicality. Guardiola evidently has reservations about playing him, so any misgivings are more likely to be technique.

I don't disagree, re the formation, but we might be better served buying players that mean we don't have to adjust the formation.
 
Suggest we start buying players Pep does trust, as we're spending a lot of money on players he then rarely plays (Nico and Khusanov) and can throw Nunes as a midfielder into that (and Phillips).

Not sure what the issue is, but there seems to have been a few players recently where he seems to give them a couple of games before deciding they're not for him. That's not a sustainable approach and no point buying MGW, Livramento or anyone else if he's going to do the same.

If Pep is part of the transfer decision making process, then there clearly is something seriously wrong if he refuses to play them.
 
That's the worrying part.

This CWC was obviously part of our pre-season on top of trying to win the competition, Khusanov, Reis and Gonzalez barely got a kick whilst Gundogan played possibly more minutes than anybody.

Personally I find that quite alarming that was haven't given Gonzalez alot more minutes along with Khusanov yet we give Ake more time on the pitch even though he's only back from injury, Dias and Akanji have been shocking for a long time now and still play regularly.

Seems like Doku and Savinho will be first choice? Bobb has played fuck all too.

Maybe I'm looking into it too much but seems like Pep is happy to stick with the players he used to rely on.

I hope I'm wrong.
Until certain players are moved on pep will continue to pick them and rely on them,the 2 young CB’s should have been given far more minutes..
 
I wish I was as hopeful as you on that matter.

I'm fully expecting Gundogan to be playing on the first day along with Nunes, Dias, Akanji, Savinho, Doku...

Wolves 1-0 Man City

Wolves shots on target - 1

City shots on target - 286
I guess Ederson is starting too then ;-)
 

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