It's Quiet the £250m return

[City_Sean]

I think you're forgetting what our squad looked like in 2016.

The rest I agree with though.

The squad in 2016 had Kompany, Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero, Fernandinho and David Silva.

Literally every single one of those players would start for us now mate in my opinion.

 

[richards30]

Think focus today is on outgoins.

We have extra time if required with the Saudi market though and Nunes and Mendes have offers from there that they will take if we get a player in.

 

[waspish]

And who is going to play at center back?
In high line set up only Gvardiol and Khusanov can be good because of their pace.

Stones Gvardiol with Nouri Ake possibly left back

 

[Semper aggressus]

Harsh on Marmoush imo Sean, think he has done quite well personally. The right back situation is a shit show though and the board have seemingly taken their eye off the footballing side to do the commercial side just expecting things to continue which has seen everything collapse to this level in only 18 months!

And they’ll see the commercial levels drop accordingly. Sponsors and merch-buyers want to be associated with the best. Be the best on the pitch, you don’t have to work so hard off it.

We need some proper top class stars, ready made. That’s what gets corporate, TV and fans excited and wanting to part with their cash.

 

[City_Sean]

Harsh on Marmoush imo Sean, think he has done quite well personally. The right back situation is a shit show though and the board have seemingly taken their eye off the footballing side to do the commercial side just expecting things to continue which has seen everything collapse to this level in only 18 months!

The problem with Marmoush is that he cost £65m and came in as one of highest earners. When you do that there's no margin for error. I can think of Newcastle and Bournemouth where he was good and the rest has been up and down. Yesterday he makes the pass for Haaland but then constantly miscontrols the ball for half of the game before being yarded for Doku.

 

[bluemc]

We should be focusing on the big picture, not one position.

The spine of our side could be Donnarumma, Stones, Rodri, Reijnders, Cherki or Foden and Haaland.

I am not sure about Cherki/Foden but the re-build is well underway.

I think you can include Gvardiol in that as well. This season as well as Stones, next season instead of Stones.

 

[Chappie]

issue is selling players to register that RB

we need to sell one more player - Akanji probs

Will people stop posting this crap about selling players to comply with the rules.
We register the 25 we want and the others get paid but dont play.

 

[Alexia_Ko]

We should be focusing on the big picture, not one position.

The spine of our side could be Donnarumma, Stones, Rodri, Reijnders, Cherki or Foden and Haaland.

I am not sure about Cherki/Foden but the re-build is well underway.

That’s an issue. Stones shouldn’t be part of our spine when he’s leaving at the end of the season.

 

[richards30]

And they’ll see the commercial levels drop accordingly. Sponsors and merch-buyers want to be associated with the best. Be the best on the pitch, you don’t have to work so hard off it.

We need some proper top class stars, ready made. That’s what gets corporate, TV and fans excited and wanting to part with their cash.

I wonder what they promised Erling besides money to sign that 10 year contract?

 

[waspish]

The squad in 2016 had Kompany, Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero, Fernandinho and David Silva.

Literally every single one of those players would start for us now mate in my opinion.

All those players had the mentality with that aggressiveness in the game! I know it’s early days on Nouri but he looks lightweight early bullied

 

[Smithy77]

Looks like Eddie out & donnarumma in then, any chance of another coming in - city pulling something out the bag or is that wishful thinking

 

[Semper aggressus]

We should be focusing on the big picture, not one position.

The spine of our side could be Donnarumma, Stones, Rodri, Reijnders, Cherki or Foden and Haaland.

I am not sure about Cherki/Foden but the re-build is well underway.

Looks good in theory, but the drop off elsewhere is too big. We have too many shit and average players.

 

[Goaters]

You’d have to believe with the lack of names being linked elsewhere it’s going to be Donnoruma as the only incoming.

Now I think he’s a great signing, but fundamentally either we do what psg did and have a dm like Rodri pretty much stand next to him on goal kicks, or we go a bit more direct and go long to Haaland.

But with that you need second ball monsters in midfield, a Baleba type who is dynamic. Silva and Reijndeers are not those players sadly.

You’d obviously hope there is something we aren’t seeing, Pep has said he won’t compromise his ethos of pass pass pass, but we can be quicker with transitions.

Nico has to play this season, he has energy and probably would suit that style more.

Fingers crossed something out the blue pops up today though.

Whatever happens let’s just enjoy the ride. We have some quality young players and pep is clearly trying to change things for the better!

 

[richards30]

You’d have to believe with the lack of names being linked elsewhere it’s going to be Donnoruma as the only incoming.

Now I think he’s a great signing, but fundamentally either we do what psg did and have a dm like Rodri pretty much stand next to him on goal kicks, or we go a bit more direct and go long to Haaland.

But with that you need second ball monsters in midfield, a Baleba type who is dynamic. Silva and Reijndeers are not those players sadly.

You’d obviously hope there is something we aren’t seeing, Pep has said he won’t compromise his ethos of pass pass pass, but we can be quicker with transitions.

Nico has to play this season, he has energy and probably would suit that style more.

Fingers crossed something out the blue pops up today though.

Whatever happens let’s just enjoy the ride. We have some quality young players and pep is clearly trying to change things for the better!

Sorry mate but Pep needs to change his tactics asap.

 

[waspish]

If our pressing work rate energy levels don’t increase we will struggle for top five but with 1/2 only preseason games we ain’t up to full fitness yet my worry is 3 games in and the injuries..

 

[Blue tiger]

The spine used to be Ederson, prime Stones, prime Dias, Rodri, David Silva, de Bruyne and Aguero.

Or Hart, Kompany, Fernandinho, Yaya, David Silva, Sergio Aguero.

And that's forgetting a whole load of players.

Pretty fucking huge drop off if you ask me.

Simply depressing looking at that.

 

[LongsightM13]

You just know at least 1 or 2 of our ageing CBs will get injured on international duty

 

[richards30]

Looks like Eddie out & donnarumma in then, any chance of another coming in - city pulling something out the bag or is that wishful thinking

I think we get a young right back from the Portugal league mate.

 

[Marvin.]

Or £80mill for Liveramento

I never thought we could get him, and have ignored all the right back speculation as none of it seemed realistic.

If the window ends with the following major additions, I will be happy.

no. 1: Donnarumma. One of best keepers in the world.
no. 3: Ait-Nouri. Competent enough when fit.
no 8: Reijnders. His talent is already obvious.
no.10: Cherki. To be seen. Out for 2 months.

The addition of Reijnders and Donnarumma should give City fans cause for optimism. In the spine of our side, I still doubts over no. 10, and the left-sided forward (Doku, Savinho). In the Brighton game we saw evidence that Marmoush and Haaland can combine. We have to integrate Marmoush into the side. He isn't a left-winger. The emergence of Bobb upgrades the right hand side.

Are we ready to fight Arsenal and Liverpool for the title? I don't think so, but it looks like we will be significantly stronger if Donnarumma comes in. Ederson was already a top class keeper, but he wanted out, and we needed a solution.

We know the old team is history but we are in the process of building a new one. If we can bring in Donnarumma, I think we will have done as much as could be reasonably expected in this window. We need a left sided forward, a no. 10, a right back, and possibly another centre back. Doku, Savinho, Cherki, Foden, O'Reilly might grow into some of those roles. Rodri is also recovering.

Arsenal and Liverpool are the finished product. We could win the title but it would be unlikely.I think City have the potential to finish in the top 5, and we are re-building a squad that will challenge for the title again. This window is a stepping stone. It might take 2 or 3.

 

[PragueBlue]

You’d have to believe with the lack of names being linked elsewhere it’s going to be Donnoruma as the only incoming.

Now I think he’s a great signing, but fundamentally either we do what psg did and have a dm like Rodri pretty much stand next to him on goal kicks, or we go a bit more direct and go long to Haaland.

But with that you need second ball monsters in midfield, a Baleba type who is dynamic. Silva and Reijndeers are not those players sadly.

You’d obviously hope there is something we aren’t seeing, Pep has said he won’t compromise his ethos of pass pass pass, but we can be quicker with transitions.

Nico has to play this season, he has energy and probably would suit that style more.

Fingers crossed something out the blue pops up today though.

Whatever happens let’s just enjoy the ride. We have some quality young players and pep is clearly trying to change things for the better!

Was surprised Bernardo started over him yesterday and then that O'Reilly was brought on instead of him. I think our best central 3 at present is Rodri, Gonzalez and Reijnders. Cherki (when fit), Bobb, Foden, Savinho, Marmoush and Doku to fight it out for the wide positions.