It's Quiet the £250m return

69FACUPfinal said:
Completely off topic, and more related to players we have loved and lost.

I'm just watching the Sly edited highlights of the Carabao final v Spuds in April 21 when the world was just coming out of Covid.

Wow, Mahrez, Sterling, Cancelo, Dinho, Eric.

And that probably wasn't the first team on the pitch but the play was fast, exciting and scintillating, beating opposition, quick throw ins, shoot on sight, Sterling and Mahrez - how I miss Riyad.

Anyway I'm missing footy and watching this has reminded me of what superb teams we've had in the last decade. And sort of slightly depresses me because of what happened last season...

I'm not an entitled JCL BTW, been around since 69, but the last 15 years, and particularly this last decade has spoiled me!!

I hope we can regain some of that fast, edge of the seat excitement and entertaining footy this coming season.
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Riyad most underrated player we have had. Funny how some of the others always gets mentioned as underrated Barry, Fernandinho etc. They are rated. Eric was also so important to our play, the way he could spread the play to the wings. Watching Akanjii and Ruben on the ball now makes me shudder.
 
Utter bobbins said:
So someone who has made over 70 appearances in the CL hasn’t contributed anything
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Swear you can’t read, in the seasons he’s got medals, he barely played and didn’t start a single of the 3 finals, played 10 minutes at the end of the one he won.
 
City Raider said:
If Pep is serious about a small squad then players like Stones and Ake are likely to be moved on. There’s no margin for injuries with so few players.
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Think Ake will stay for various reasons.

Firstly homegrown which we need. He covers both LB and LCB but with much more competition/rotation shouldn’t be relied on as much and hopefully helps with his health.

He also played whilst injured last year when Pep was openly calling players out for not caring, I think it was a dig at Walker.

With Ait-Nouri, Gvardiol and even Nico O’Reilly LB is covered if he does get injured. We have plenty of depth at CB with Gvardiol, Dias, Khusanov and Reis who I think stays.

Also today reports that Max Alleyne will sign a new deal, get loaned and integrated next season and we also have Bah that could play a role soon. We still need players to do a year and then move on and I think that’s the case with Ake.

Stones and Akanji I feel like are gone as they don’t have the same value. Stones is incredible but on top money and always injured. Akanji staying means a signing like Khusanov was pointless and we will choose the young talent that can flourish here for years.
 
City Raider said:
If Pep is serious about a small squad then players like Stones and Ake are likely to be moved on. There’s no margin for injuries with so few players.
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We would need another HG player to cope with it then
 
bell_mcfc said:
Think Ake will stay for various reasons.

Firstly homegrown which we need. He covers both LB and LCB but with much more competition/rotation shouldn’t be relied on as much and hopefully helps with his health.

He also played whilst injured last year when Pep was openly calling players out for not caring, I think it was a dig at Walker.

With Ait-Nouri, Gvardiol and even Nico O’Reilly LB is covered if he does get injured. We have plenty of depth at CB with Gvardiol, Dias, Khusanov and Reis who I think stays.

Also today reports that Max Alleyne will sign a new deal, get loaned and integrated next season and we also have Bah that could play a role soon. We still need players to do a year and then move on and I think that’s the case with Ake.

Stones and Akanji I feel like are gone as they don’t have the same value. Stones is incredible but on top money and always injured. Akanji staying means a signing like Khusanov was pointless and we will choose the young talent that can flourish here for years.
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It's weird to say Akanji doesn't have the same value, given he is more versatile and available than Ake. Also, he played through injury, too.

Ake started 10+ PL games in just 2 from the previous 5 seasons. Great lad but unreliable fitness wise.
 
CΛL said:
Swear you can’t read, in the seasons he’s got medals, he barely played and didn’t start a single of the 3 finals, played 10 minutes at the end of the one he won.
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When he played us he'd started 7 of the previous 9 CL games but missed the 2nd leg QF and both semis against Real Madrid due to injury, he'd have likely started against us if not for coming back from muscle injury. You can use selective stats all you want but the man has had an excellent career and been trusted in top teams all his career.
 
As far as loaning out youngsters I'd be inclined to go by age. Thus Reis, Echeverri and Nypan. All 19.

Bobb is 22 and if he has a future at City then surely there's no point in loaning him out.
 
robbieh said:
As far as loaning out youngsters I'd be inclined to go by age. Thus Reis, Echeverri and Nypan. All 19.

Bobb is 22 and if he has a future at City then surely there's no point in loaning him out.
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I have no great preference, but Bobb being 22 may mean he's the one that needs a full season of games to reach his potential, the other 3 not quite so much.
 
robbieh said:
As far as loaning out youngsters I'd be inclined to go by age. Thus Reis, Echeverri and Nypan. All 19.

Bobb is 22 and if he has a future at City then surely there's no point in loaning him out.
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Bobb is 22 by that time , players similar age have experienced a full season under their belt or more minutes than Bobb has. Going out on loan is for experience and Bobb doesn't really have many minutes apart from couple games of pre season, cup games and coming off the bench. The injury ruined what would've been his breakthrough season.

So let him go out get experience for a season show his ability and then bring him back more experience ready to be a part of the squad. If he does go on loan, hopefully he goes to another prem team to get experience playing 90mins in the league.
 
alexmcity said:
It's weird to say Akanji doesn't have the same value, given he is more versatile and available than Ake. Also, he played through injury, too.

Ake started 10+ PL games in just 2 from the previous 5 seasons. Great lad but unreliable fitness wise.
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True I think the homegrown element really is a big factor which is what I meant with value. They are both great players, I’m not on the Akanji out bandwagon but we are in a re build
 
Gumzy97 said:
Bobb is 22 by that time , players similar age have experienced a full season under their belt or more minutes than Bobb has. Going out on loan is for experience and Bobb doesn't really have many minutes apart from couple games of pre season, cup games and coming off the bench. The injury ruined what would've been his breakthrough season.

So let him go out get experience for a season show his ability and then bring him back more experience ready to be a part of the squad. If he does go on loan, hopefully he goes to another prem team to get experience playing 90mins in the league.
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Bobb would have had a great year if he didn’t get injured as was expected he’d feature a lot. Depending on recovery that could still be the case.
 
Gumzy97 said:
Bobb is 22 by that time , players similar age have experienced a full season under their belt or more minutes than Bobb has. Going out on loan is for experience and Bobb doesn't really have many minutes apart from couple games of pre season, cup games and coming off the bench. The injury ruined what would've been his breakthrough season.

So let him go out get experience for a season show his ability and then bring him back more experience ready to be a part of the squad. If he does go on loan, hopefully he goes to another prem team to get experience playing 90mins in the league.
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Yep, it would smart letting him go for the season but it's what's best for him long term. As long as he comes back in 12 months and the transition is complete, otherwise that would be beyond disappointing.
 
I wish we could do something with Palace regarding Wharton to us and Mcatee sold to them and maybe Bobb on loan.
 
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