John Stones

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Which is the best thread to flap on? This one or Pogba? It's hard to keep up, what with the transfer window remaining open for another six weeks and the season not started.

Definitely the Pogba one, because of the added frisson of the rags being involved!

 

[oakiecokie]

It's the bedding of players to peps ideas that worries me. I'm certain we will get our targets but worry they will be playing catch up adapting to peps ideas

So how do we overcome that problem ? Do you think its only a problem for MCFC ? How many other Clubs are in the same boat and can`t complete business for various reasons,probably similar to ours.

 

[BooksReject]

I just feel as if we're being too respectful again, this is arguably our most important season ever and we've not yet addressed key areas. I understand deals take time but England left the Euros three weeks ago and we're seemingly no closer now than we were then.

Literally no-one on this forum has any idea about what is going on behind the scenes at the relevant levels at City. You, nor anyone else knows how close we are to anyone, so we should all just chill out and not stress.

One thing you can assume is that Just having Pep will lift us up a level.

The whole transfer market is relatively quiet at the moment, but one big transfer can have a domino effect. Everyone seems to be keeping their powder dry.

Everton presumably don't want the Stones deal announcing yet until they have a replacement in the bag. If a selling team knows they have City money, they will be fleeced.

Still a long time to go in this window.

 

[SWP's back]

No he isn't. He's bang on.

He is. He's wrong.

 

[Akiva]

It's the bedding of players to peps ideas that worries me. I'm certain we will get our targets but worry they will be playing catch up adapting to peps ideas

Understandable but Everton dragging their feet and Schalke trying to gouge more money is out of City's hands.

Further, as per Pep Confidential, it takes a season or so for players to get used to his game anyway.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I'm just looking at it from the perspective that we're just over three weeks off our most important ever season. We've signed Gundogan and Nolito which is great but the former will miss all pre season due to injury.

I firmly believe that having as much time with the squad in pre season as possible is vital, as was proven by KDB last year. He joined us very late, and as a result he ultimately effected our shape and balance when he came in.

The Sane deal we've seemingly been working on sine January, yet his mind was still undecided after the SF of the euros. Stones was part of an England side that was beaten by Iceland nearly three weeks ago yet we've not put a bid in as of yet.

I'll obviously be coming across as a flapper, but my issue is more that I want us to be as prepared as we possibly can be when that first ball is kicked v Sunderland.

Not being confrontational here, because I'm not interested in that stuff on an internet forum, but you and I must have seen different seasons last year. KDB came in and had a galvanizing effect right off the bat. The most spectacular thing about him was how he fitted in seamlessly and instantly. His form dropped off slightly later on in the season, but overall it was a phenomenal first season in English football. An intelligent footballer will understand Pep very quickly, because this is a man who is exceptionally articulate and good at getting his ideas across. Even Ribéry, who , every time I've heard him speak, strikes me as being as thick as two short planks, got him very quickly. Gundogan, by the way, is progressing quicker than was expected, that, at least, was what he announced on the OS.
What strikes me about United's policies now is that they're playing a purely reactive game. They're chasing after us. They're reacting to us. We're taking all the major initiatives. They're paying a world record fee that smashes it by 25 million euros (that, at any rate, was what was announced as an accomplished fact on French national radio this morning, for what's it's worth) for a player that's good, but just isn't that good or anywhere near it. They've taken a risk hiring Mourinho, the kind of manager who brings you everything or smashes up your dressing room in fairly short order. Not their usual style at all. No, somehow I can't get worried. We've got the best manager in the world. We've got Gundogan and Nolito (oh, and by the way, aren't we forgetting Zinchenko, who was a bit useful last night, by all accounts?) Sané isn't a done deal until it's a done deal – as we saw with Laporte – but I'd be more than astonished if this one falls through. Steady as she goes…

 

[Erling Haaland's Eyebrows]

Gundogan won't be fit until after the first international break. Nolito will be a squad player and as good as Pep is, the squad isn't up to standard.

Do you have inside information that Nolito will be a squad player!!? Do you have Gundogans medical report, saying he won't be available until after the international break? All our club players will be a squad player.

 

[dancity19]

Do you have inside information that Nolito will be a squad player!!? Do you have Gundogans medical report, saying he won't be available until after the international break? All our club players will be a squad player.

Oh what a stupid comment. He doesn't need that information to work it out. You just need half a brain - nolito is highly unlikely to be a regular starter, and gundogan has said he may be back in time for the derby.
All our players are squad players - what an odd thing to say - so aguero and KDB are "squad players" - are they fuck.
We need to hit the ground running, and I understand his points that we need the players bedded in early.

 

[MarsLlama]

All our players are squad players - what an odd thing to say - so aguero and KDB are "squad players" - are they fuck.

I see what he means though. They'll start if and only if they deserve to, so in that respect they are no longer any better in the hierarchy than any other player at the club. This is opposed to the Pellegrini era where Iheanacho was being kept out of the team by Bony even when he was on far better form.

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

I loving all these links to offensive players with pace and skill but cant forget it was our back 4 that let us down many times last season...time to get Stones/Bonucci done!;)