January window

Protein Junkie said:
Last season we had KDB, Rodri, Bernie and Gundogan.
This year it’s been just Rodri and Bernie. Hopefully KDB will be back soon but we still are one short in my mind.
Ideally a top class hybrid of DM/Gundogan.
Not wishing for much !!!
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So what about Rolls Royce signings in Kovacic and Nunes then? They were brought for cover for those sold
 
Definitely need a few fresh faces in V.Barco, Andre and Paqueta look like ideal targets who would instil some hunger and provide a much-needed energy boost into this squad. We have clearly become a bit complacent after the huge highs of last season, and it's not surprising we've had a drop-off. Really hope Txiki, Pep & co don't sit still this January otherwise feel we will regret it.
 
We need a new long-term Kyle Walker replacement. I don't know if it's going to be in January, but at the very least, we need to identify a replacement and start the scouting process.
 
Dribble said:
Sell Philips & Nunes, problem solved.

We've needed a specialist LB for 5 years. We've not replaced Gundog or Mahrez & we can't keep rinsing Rodri every game.
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We are not selling Nunes in January and probably not in the summer he needs to have not worked out for more than a season before he is sold

Mahrez was replaced by Doku and Gundogan by Nunes and Kovatic. I don’t see how Parquet covers Rodri and we still don’t know what will happen with his betting issues. So we won’t get him before summer and I suspect we moved on to Nunes or will move on. I don’t get the stick that Nunes or Kovatic get

We probably need a LB and RB but Pep likes a small team. We haven’t had a left back in ages as you say and there are reasons for that we now have a lot of CB and a lot who can play LB or RB so we might then need to create space to get them which seems unlikely ( I don’t think we should but pep might)

I think most likely transfers are Barco or someone for LB a RB possibly from Girona and replacement for Philips and we will always be looking for the next top talent. We need a De Bruyne replacement eventually. I suspect we will only replace Philips on January tho
 
WRicko said:
We are not selling Nunes in January and probably not in the summer he needs to have not worked out for more than a season before he is sold

Mahrez was replaced by Doku and Gundogan by Nunes and Kovatic. I don’t see how Parquet covers Rodri and we still don’t know what will happen with his betting issues. So we won’t get him before summer and I suspect we moved on to Nunes or will move on. I don’t get the stick that Nunes or Kovatic get

We probably need a LB and RB but Pep likes a small team. We haven’t had a left back in ages as you say and there are reasons for that we now have a lot of CB and a lot who can play LB or RB so we might then need to create space to get them which seems unlikely ( I don’t think we should but pep might)

I think most likely transfers are Barco or someone for LB a RB possibly from Girona and replacement for Philips and we will always be looking for the next top talent. We need a De Bruyne replacement eventually. I suspect we will only replace Philips on January tho
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Agreed there will be minimum movement in January with rumours persisting about our interest in Andre Trindade & Barco.

There's little we can do about Kev's injury, & I suspect Kova was intended as Gundog's replacement. The one player we didn't plan on losing was Mahrez. Apparently Doku was already on our radar whether Mahrez remained or left.

There are other rumours that City retain a strong interest in Paqueta, & may revive our bid notwithstanding his betting charges.

I feared Jack's excessive drinking would lead to injuries & a loss of form, & that's exactly what's happened. Essentially we've lost Gundog, Jack, KDB & Mahrez from last season's team. Added to Philips not being trusted to cover Rodders, that's a helluva lot of problems for us to overcome.

Jack is slowly returning to form, & Kev says he'll be back by mid-January which eases squad pressures, but I can still see some urgent tinkering in January, & I can also see some major upgrades & big departures in the summer.

As for Nunes, I've never been overly impressed & I've seen nothing to change my mind since his arrival. He was our third choice behind Paqueta & Ezé, & seemed more like a panic buy.

He lacks that something special all top players have, & is a level below our usual targets imo. If I were Pep, I'd use his pace & other assets to cover Rodri at CDM. From what I've seen this is probably the best for him if he stays, because he's no replacement for Gundog, KDB or Mahrez, & I doubt he ever will be.
 
Maybe we will have to buy in January if for no other reason that no one will want to sign for us in the summer if we do not make the top four/win the Champions League.
 
Dribble said:
As for Nunes, I've never been overly impressed & I've seen nothing to change my mind since his arrival. He was our third choice behind Paqueta & Ezé, & seemed more like a panic buy.

He lacks that something special all top players have, & is a level below our usual targets imo. If I were Pep, I'd use his pace & other assets to cover Rodri at CDM. From what I've seen this is probably the best for him if he stays, because he's no replacement for Gundog, KDB or Mahrez, & I doubt he ever will be.
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I see the opposite with Nunes. I think he'd be better as a box to box midfielder or playing further forward (in that position where KDB usually plays - towards the right). He lacks the defensive discipline to play further back currently. Watch him against Luton when he came on, he was ball watching so badly, the winger / full back got behind towards the end and they got a corner from it I think. Pep won't have liked that at all.

He's the only player that can carry the ball and break lines besides KDB in our squad. The big difference between them is end product. KDB is absolutely deadly when he gets into those positions approaching the box, whereas Nunes is very hit and miss. You saw the good and the bad in mid week in the CL with his end product I thought. There's a good player in there but he's raw and its clear Pep doesn't trust him yet. He will probably fall into the category of player we sign that needs a season to adapt.
 
Dribble said:
Agreed there will be minimum movement in January with rumours persisting about our interest in Andre Trindade & Barco.

There's little we can do about Kev's injury, & I suspect Kova was intended as Gundog's replacement. The one player we didn't plan on losing was Mahrez. Apparently Doku was already on our radar whether Mahrez remained or left.

There are other rumours that City retain a strong interest in Paqueta, & may revive our bid notwithstanding his betting charges.

I feared Jack's excessive drinking would lead to injuries & a loss of form, & that's exactly what's happened. Essentially we've lost Gundog, Jack, KDB & Mahrez from last season's team. Added to Philips not being trusted to cover Rodders, that's a helluva lot of problems for us to overcome.

Jack is slowly returning to form, & Kev says he'll be back by mid-January which eases squad pressures, but I can still see some urgent tinkering in January, & I can also see some major upgrades & big departures in the summer.

As for Nunes, I've never been overly impressed & I've seen nothing to change my mind since his arrival. He was our third choice behind Paqueta & Ezé, & seemed more like a panic buy.

He lacks that something special all top players have, & is a level below our usual targets imo. If I were Pep, I'd use his pace & other assets to cover Rodri at CDM. From what I've seen this is probably the best for him if he stays, because he's no replacement for Gundog, KDB or Mahrez, & I doubt he ever will be.
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Nunes has barely played since he has arrived and has been injured I like his pace and ball control. But he needs time and sometimes need to slow things down and be in a midfield that’s working not like the one against Villa

I think people have got some what rose tinted specs about Gundo and overly negative view of Nunes

Gundo came to us injured having never scored many goals he was great every season but he only had a few seasons where he scored a lot of goals he got better with time Nunes may do the same
 
Won’t happen in January but Michael Olise and Onana from Everton to replace Phillips would be great signings.

Bernardo leaving in the summer is almost guaranteed, but would be great if we could get Wirtz or Musiala.
 
Bluemoon has risen said:
I see the opposite with Nunes. I think he'd be better as a box to box midfielder or playing further forward (in that position where KDB usually plays - towards the right). He lacks the defensive discipline to play further back currently. Watch him against Luton when he came on, he was ball watching so badly, the winger / full back got behind towards the end and they got a corner from it I think. Pep won't have liked that at all.

He's the only player that can carry the ball and break lines besides KDB in our squad. The big difference between them is end product. KDB is absolutely deadly when he gets into those positions approaching the box, whereas Nunes is very hit and miss. You saw the good and the bad in mid week in the CL with his end product I thought. There's a good player in there but he's raw and its clear Pep doesn't trust him yet. He will probably fall into the category of player we sign that needs a season to adapt.
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I see Nunes differently. We've been aware of him for 3-4 seasons now, & I still can't see what the bug deal is about him.

As I said earlier, he's missing that special something all the top players have, which is the final killer pass & an eye for goal.

All his other attribute are admirable, but without the killer pass or the end product, I don't see the point & I personally can't see him improving to the levels we need.

Yes we need a KDB replacement, but for that I feel we should concentrate our effort on Florian Wirtz in the summer.

I'd be easier easier to coach Nunes as a CDM, & take the pressure off him to have an end product & score important goals. We can source those respinsibilities from other areas of the squad imo, & utilise his box to box pace & power where we'd just need to concentrate on his defensive side & concentration.
 
Dribble said:
I see Nunes differently. We've been aware of him for 3-4 seasons now, & I still can't see what the bug deal is about him.

As I said earlier, he's missing that special something all the top players have, which is the final killer pass & an eye for goal.

All his other attribute are admirable, but without the killer pass or the end product, I don't see the point & I personally can't see him improving to the levels we need.

Yes we need a KDB replacement, but for that I feel we should concentrate our effort on Florian Wirtz in the summer.

I'd be easier easier to coach Nunes as a CDM, & take the pressure off him to have an end product & score important goals. We can source those respinsibilities from other areas of the squad imo, & utilise his box to box pace & power where we'd just need to concentrate on his defensive side & concentration.
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Seems a perfect bench player tbh, jack of all etc. get him graduated from pep education bet he could be used anywhere on the pitch at somepoint.
 
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