Kyle Walker

[p.taker]

Bernardo didn't even play right back in the season before last. Seems like a perfect target for a spot there in our first XI.

 

[blueparrot]

None of them are good enough right now (though can't be sure about Perreira as I watched Nice just 2-3 times this season). Seems like FM scouting.

Besides, most of them have skillsets that differ much from Walker's. IMO the idea behind Mendy's and Walker's transfers is clear - to form a physically monstrous and tall defence able to cope with PL's refereeing while stopping counters.

I think Aurier and Sidibe are viable options, but both are not better that Walker.

And non of them solve the non homegrown conundrum. The only options anyone has suggested so far are selling Bravo, Kolarov or Fernandiho all options that leave us short in other positions. The simple fact is the easiest solution is to buy homegrown in the one position there is somebody good enough and available, Walker. Which is why thats the solution the club is going with. All this squad juggling and tring to be clever is just pointless.

 

[Kompany Car]

Well google says Bernardo is taller than Walker, :) if he has a the pace and the skills to match he might be a good shout, as I said being Brazilian he would probably learn from Alves the fastest.

Might mess things up on the name front as we wont know what to call B. Silva having two Bernardos and three Silvas but we'll think about that later.

Four Silvas mate "Daniel Alves da Silva" could make it fun for the commentators if they all wanted to use their surname :-)

 

[Salfordian Blue]

Who would you suggest?

That is (potentially) cheaper, would work in our system, and is realistically obtainable?
Aurier, assuming he's deputising for - and learning from - Dani Alves.
Don't get me wrong, I do like Walker. I just think 45+ million is too much for him.

... but it's not my money, so fuck it.

 

[Dax777]

Henrichs is for sale at that price is he? Despite having signed a new contract a few weeks ago? It's nothing to do with how much you or I value them at, it's how much the club would want and we have no idea how much they would want for him under the circumstances.

And you have pretty much given away Fernandinho who is worth probably in the region of 20-30M to us.

Make it Kolarov or Otamendi or Bravo. Take your pick. The particulars don't specifically matter.

But as it concerns Dihno, I don't think he'll play much next season (unless major injury strikes) and I reckon he'll walk on a free next summer.

Its just thinking ahead and weighing consequences. Dihno was worth 20-30 mil last season, this season about 15 -18 after his drop in performance. With Yaya, Gundy,, Silva, Silva and Debryune all jostling for 3 spots, I see Dihno as a spot player and closer at best. And that assumes he makes th bench.

So getting 8 - 10 mil for such a player an sorting out RB for 10 years at a net price of 10 million pounds. Is a way better plan than 50 mil for 4 years of Walker and losing Dihno in a year after playing just 7 games.

At least I'd think it was.

 

[supercity88]

Walker is the best right back in England and has been for at least 18 months.

I'm stunned people can't see it.

Spurs regularly fell apart when he and Rose were not on the team sheet.

He has the perfect physicality to create an extra flank for us on the overlap, and will only learn from someone like Alves.

At least Walker will be able to race back to defend, unlike Micah , who every time he passed the halfway line used to pretend he was injured but was actually just knackered when he lost the ball.

I completely agree. Football is too much about the extreme these days. English players are shit or amazing (generally the former). Foreign players are world class and must buys.

By signing Walker Pep has a proven full back used to English football. By signing Alves he has a proven performer for him and others on Europe's biggest stage. It couldn't be a better combination. It is why Sanchez makes so much sense because he does it at all levels AND in England AND knows Pep.

City fans are quick to judge defenders. Full backs have rarely been both good at defending and good going forwards. I cannot think of many. Lahm and Cole were great defenders but not truly attacking full backs hence why Pep moved Lahm central.

Carlos, Maicon etc were great attacking full backs but often missing defensively. Alves is a great all rounder. He uses his pace but is better positionally than Walker (so can teach him).

I think Rose is better than Walker but Walker is incredibly fit and will get up and down the pitch which is what we need. It is just a decoy a lot of the time for our attacking players to cut inside but it is so crucial to Peps style.

The addition of energetic players at full back also allows the 5 at the back formation where full backs provide width one cb steps into the DM role when we have the ball and you can pack in so much creativity up front.

 

[Dax777]

But henrichs wanted to stay where he was Dax? I just think it's the fact that pep wants walker and the club are giving him what he wants

That's possible. And we'll pay the fee. But I wouldn't go so far as calling it a good deal. An overpriced necessity, maybe.

 

[Dax777]

Three reasons I can't agree with that.

1 - if we want to buy the best you have to pay the inflated prices. John stones is a young, highly promising English player and he was highly in demand when we bought him. It doesn't matter that Everton had a replacement, we were in competition with united and chelsea for him. we were never going to get him much cheaper than we did.

2 - you can look at almost any team in the top flight and you will be able to find a handful of players that look like they may have been overpriced when bought. It's just the way these things go. For every mangala is a Gabi Jesus.

We can either spend a lot less in future or we can buy the best, we can't do both, it's not realistic

3 - if we sold stones today we may not make back what we paid but in 2-3 years time he could be worth much more. This is the very nature of speculative investment.

Yes I agree. And I have often pointed that out.
While I thought we overpaid, I believe he has the potential to be worth it. Walker on the other hand doesn't. We know what we are getting. That's my point. And when compared to his contemporaries, even those better than him, none of them cost that much.

 

[blueparrot]

Make it Kolarov or Otamendi or Bravo. Take your pick. The particulars don't specifically matter.

But as it concerns Dihno, I don't think he'll play much next season (unless major injury strikes) and I reckon he'll walk on a free next summer.

Its just thinking ahead and weighing consequences. Dihno was worth 20-30 mil last season, this season about 15 -18 after his drop in performance. With Yaya, Gundy,, Silva, Silva and Debryune all jostling for 3 spots, I see Dihno as a spot player and closer at best. And that assumes he makes th bench.

So getting 8 - 10 mil for such a player an sorting out RB for 10 years at a net price of 10 million pounds. Is a way better plan than 50 mil for 4 years of Walker and losing Dihno in a year after playing just 7 games.

At least I'd think it was.

And if Gundogan is injured and we have sold Fernandinho. We're left with Yaya as our only option for sitting midfielder. I think the reason we gave Yaya one more year was insurance just in case Gundogan has any recovery / injury problems.

 

[Dax777]

And non of them solve the non homegrown conundrum. The only options anyone has suggested so far are selling Bravo, Kolarov or Fernandiho all options that leave us short in other positions. The simple fact is the easiest solution is to buy homegrown in the one position there is somebody good enough and available, Walker. Which is why thats the solution the club is going with. All this squad juggling and tring to be clever is just pointless.

How are we short when we sell either Kolarov or Dihno?