Pep has got to do something different and the big question is will he? Ideally the club will pull one or two more transfers out of the fire after Dias but that may be a forlorn hope. I realise that it is easier said than done making several changes to a squad like our in the close season but from the outside you wonder if the club have been too passive.
The fact that he has tried the double pivot is something but he erred by chasing the game and moving away from that.
Good question. One that is difficult for a City supporter to answer I think. The biggest thing we can win is the Champions League, it is THE one trophy that we have failed to win so far and THE trophy our owners desperate crave to win. Pep has been under under enormous pressure to deliver the CL last 2 seasons, even more so this season.
Kompany announcing his departure left us shell shocked, not just when he's on the pitch but off it as club captain. Stones should have took over Vinny's rains and established himself by now to not all it be a first choice RCB but a club and possible England captain. But Stones has regressed so far he cannot be trusted and is fragile both physically and mentally.
Fernandinho having to deputise as a makeshift CB lost us the imputus of turning defence into a barnstorming attack. Sorry Rodri fans, he's not been the answer as a DM and I cannot see him being in this league as he is often left as static as an Easter Island statue instead of mopping up the danger Ferno did so well. Silva has left and we miss his wizardry and unique telepathy he had with aguero, and kun is now an ageing striker who is in his final year unless he extends, plus he is injury prone which hinders us greatly. I'm hoping young Delap can be given minutes in the league and not just come off the bench for a cameo 5 -10 minutes when the game is won. An ex player and legendary manager once said "if you're good enough you're old enough" and I agree. Look at all the youngsters Fergie had faith in and "you'll never win anything with kids", Hansen spouted, well he will never live that one down! Rags were in a similar position to us bereft of a recognised striker and they bloodied Rashford and he hit the ground running.
We are in the same situation now without a senior recognised striker and Delap is champing at the bit. He, Doyle, Harwood-Bellis and a few others are knocking on the first team door but if we keep buying ready made replacements for established player then our youngsters will never fulfill their potential for us, Sancho being the prime example of the one that got away to flourish elsewhere.
Throwing money at the cause is no guarantee it will work and we've squandered a fortune on several duffers since ADUG came to town.
Pep has to appease our owners and us blues by integrating youth into the first team without it impacting on trophies won. We cannot Keep spending to buy established players or we may as well raise our academy to the ground and sell it's for housing development. And I'm not having the argument with anyone that our academy is paying for itself by making a profit on players sold. It wasn't built for that. Foden is THE only player to have got near to establishing himself as a first team regular, and I think it's a pretty poor return from our academy so far. We have youngsters coming through. It's high time Pep integrates them without reaching for the chequebook. But like a said he's under enormous pressure from Khaldoon and co to keep the trophies coming, and huge pressure to deliver 'old big ears'.
