kolarov

[Matt the Giant]

So it's Mehdi Benatia and not Mangala then for us I reckon.
Cole in, or maybe maybe we'll get involved in young Shaw's future.

why would it be benatia instead

Part ex/sweetner?

That's what I'm thinking.

We originally aimed for Mangala but he turned out to be too expensive. We then go for Benatia, and as Roma is after Kolarov we can make a good deal.

But Kolarov will need to be replaced with a quality full back. Ash Cole is still a very good player, thought he was brilliant in their CL games but would only be a short term solution.
I hope Alex stays though.

 

[neel]

Sky Sports report he's being offered new contract ar City

Are you sure? I saw the "Sky sources" bulletin at the bottom regarding contracts for Milner/Dzeko/Nasri but no mention of Kolarov?

<a class="postlink" href="http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11679/9314696/premier-league-joe-hart-set-to-sign-new-manchester-city-deal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... -city-deal</a>


Striker Edin Dzeko is another whose future with the club could be sorted - he hit five goals in his last four appearances of the season to take his overall tally to 28 - and there is also expected to be a new contract for the versatile Aleksandar Kolarov.

 

[TrueBlue1705]

why would it be benatia instead

Part ex/sweetner?

That's what I'm thinking.

We originally aimed for Mangala but he turned out to be too expensive. We then go for Benatia, and as Roma is after Kolarov we can make a good deal.

But Kolarov will need to be replaced with a quality full back. Ash Cole is still a very good player, thought he was brilliant in their CL games but would only be a short term solution.
I hope Alex stays though.

That would make a lot of sense:

Sagna and Cole in on free transfers
Fernando in
Benatia in with Kolarov going the other way

I'd be sad to see Kol go - he has had his best season for us - however I will add balance to the argument we can't do without him - he's great going forward but when we played Kolarov and Silva on the left we were wide open to counter attacks with Kolarov more interested in attacking and Silva drifting inside. The good sides could exploit this weakness, to make matter worse our left sided CB has been Demichelis who is not the quickest either! - Chelsea exploited the weakness down our left-side. Clichy and Cole deffo better defensively and add pace.

 

[LoveCity]

He's been offered a new contract for a good reason. He's been one of the most productive attacking left-backs in European football this year.

Replace him with Ashley Cole and we'd have a stagnant left side with Cole and Clichy offering very little in the way of attacking and assists, and no real left winger.

Mike Keegan at the MEN also said City have told him the Cole rumours are nonsense. We'll be heading into geriatric territory if we add many more aging players.

 

[Proelia]

He's been offered a new contract for a good reason. He's been one of the most productive attacking left-backs in European football this year.

Replace him with Ashley Cole and we'd have a stagnant left side with Cole and Clichy offering very little in the way of attacking and assists, and no real left winger.

Mike Keegan at the MEN also said City have told him the Cole rumours are nonsense. We'll be heading into geriatric territory if we add many more aging players.

Kolorov is still average defensively, so we really need to let clichy or him go and bring in someone that does both well

 

[LoveCity]

He's been offered a new contract for a good reason. He's been one of the most productive attacking left-backs in European football this year.

Replace him with Ashley Cole and we'd have a stagnant left side with Cole and Clichy offering very little in the way of attacking and assists, and no real left winger.

Mike Keegan at the MEN also said City have told him the Cole rumours are nonsense. We'll be heading into geriatric territory if we add many more aging players.

Kolorov is still average defensively, so we really need to let clichy or him go and bring in someone that does both well

Well, that isn't Ashley Cole anymore. Right now we have two distinct left-backs... one who excels defensively, one who excels offensively. Finding one who can do both at a top class level is very tough, so our current arrangement works for now. I don't see any real need to change our left-back setup unless someone really exceptional, who we can afford, appears.

 

[Proelia]

He's been offered a new contract for a good reason. He's been one of the most productive attacking left-backs in European football this year.

Replace him with Ashley Cole and we'd have a stagnant left side with Cole and Clichy offering very little in the way of attacking and assists, and no real left winger.

Mike Keegan at the MEN also said City have told him the Cole rumours are nonsense. We'll be heading into geriatric territory if we add many more aging players.

Kolorov is still average defensively, so we really need to let clichy or him go and bring in someone that does both well

Well, that isn't Ashley Cole anymore. Right now we have two distinct left-backs... one who excels defensively, one who excels offensively. Finding one who can do both at a top class level is very tough, so our current arrangement works for now. I don't see any real need to change our left-back setup unless someone really exceptional, who we can afford, appears.

How does our current arrangements work now?

 

[Tron Coltrane]

Kolorov is still average defensively, so we really need to let clichy or him go and bring in someone that does both well

Well, that isn't Ashley Cole anymore. Right now we have two distinct left-backs... one who excels defensively, one who excels offensively. Finding one who can do both at a top class level is very tough, so our current arrangement works for now. I don't see any real need to change our left-back setup unless someone really exceptional, who we can afford, appears.

How does our current arrangements work now?

Because we won the league and the left side of defense wasn't a problem? That's my guess at what he meant.

 

[LoveCity]

Kolorov is still average defensively, so we really need to let clichy or him go and bring in someone that does both well

Well, that isn't Ashley Cole anymore. Right now we have two distinct left-backs... one who excels defensively, one who excels offensively. Finding one who can do both at a top class level is very tough, so our current arrangement works for now. I don't see any real need to change our left-back setup unless someone really exceptional, who we can afford, appears.

How does our current arrangements work now?

We just won the double with both (more so Kolarov) playing a key part of it, that's why. And Kolarov isn't as bad defensively as you make out anymore.

The option of at least one flying left-back is crucial to our style where we don't use a traditional winger, and neither Cole or Clichy can fulfill that role well.

Ashley Cole would be a completely pointless signing. Clichy does the same job just as well nowadays. If he was 25 still, I'd be all for replacing Clichy with him.

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

I'd rather lose Clichy than Kolarov and potentially, Cole could replace Gael and we still have that all important home-grown player.