Marc Cucurella

[BlueRain]

From the outside looking in (thanks for having us BHA fans here by the way) there's still one thing I don't understand about this whole saga.

Having read much of this thread, a few things seem clear. You need a new LB/LWB, ideally a left footer, Cancelo very good in that position but can struggle defensively in the big games, you're a very well run club, great scouting, you don't need nor want to take risks in signings, Cucu has been your priority, Pep wants him, you've made profits on player sales this summer, and you don't value him much more than £30-40m. None of which I have reason to dispute.

The question then is WHY was Cucu your first choice? You're Man City, the best team in the country, one of the best in the world, with major ambition to win the Champions League. You have a squad full of players worth in excess of £50m. So why was your top target for the critical LB position, where you have a clear need, and selected by your scouting dept and manager, just a player worth no more than 30-40m? You'd be picking sides with global superstars 1 to 11, except for the average floppy haired guy on the left.

I find that hard to reconcile. It's not a dig, just doesn't quite add up.

I guess from a City perspective it's about managing risk, any team signing any player takes on an element of risk but signing Cucurella was just too big a risk at £50m+

He certainly ticked all the boxes as you've already mentioned in terms being a left footed LB etc but he's unproven and without international or CL experience it was probably just too much of a gamble...

 

[MarsLlama]

In all my years seeing embarrassing opposition fans this is the worst. Worse than Goldbridge. Worse than Howson. This is a grown man. Shit 'poetry' too.

Who are these entitled City fans the Brighton fans keep going on about? I haven't seen any. They're imaginary.

Mind you, the idea of a guy with one goal last season scoring a hat-trick against the best defence in the league made me laugh. They're completely deluded about how good Cucurella is.

 

[Zenmanc]

Really? It’s not the first time it came up

My bad.

 

[Legal Alien]

Cancelo's been criminally underrated on here. Same as Gundogan before 2021 and Rodri before 21/22.

Compare Cancelo's and Cucu's defensive stats and tell me how Cucu is supposed to be the better defender (for a high-pressing Pep system anyway). Plus Robertson's stats:

João Cancelo Statistics | Premier League

View stats of FC Bayern München Defender João Cancelo, including goals scored, assists and appearances, on the official website of the Premier League.

www.premierleague.com

Marc Cucurella Statistics | Premier League

View stats of Chelsea Defender Marc Cucurella, including goals scored, assists and appearances, on the official website of the Premier League.

www.premierleague.com

Andrew Robertson Statistics | Premier League

View stats of Liverpool Defender Andrew Robertson, including goals scored, assists and appearances, on the official website of the Premier League.

www.premierleague.com

Take a key defensive stat such as interceptions: Cancelo 59, Cucurella 30, Robertson 23 (!).

Or successful 50/50s: Cancelo 56, Cucurella 28, Robertson 13(!)

Or aerial battles won: Cancelo 57, Cucurella 40, Robertson 26 (!)

And the comparison of defensive stats may not be fair to Cancelo because Brighton do a lot more defensive work than City due to having a lot less possession than City.

I like Cancelo but feel he can lose his concentration in games and for me he looks more comfortable on the right side.

I just think that because we've lost some width in Jesus and Sterling and bought Haaland, the emphasis will be on the fullbacks now to provide the width and pace and for balls to be put toward Haaland quicker.
If they can cross and pass the ball with their natural foot then the attack won't lose it's impetus, unlike when a player has to stop and cut inside onto his stronger foot to play a pass.
So finding a left footed player to play left back makes sense for this style of play.

Cucarella would seem to be great in this role, but it's looking like the club don't want to take the risk at that price.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

From the outside looking in (thanks for having us BHA fans here by the way) there's still one thing I don't understand about this whole saga.

Having read much of this thread, a few things seem clear. You need a new LB/LWB, ideally a left footer, Cancelo very good in that position but can struggle defensively in the big games, you're a very well run club, great scouting, you don't need nor want to take risks in signings, Cucu has been your priority, Pep wants him, you've made profits on player sales this summer, and you don't value him much more than £30-40m. None of which I have reason to dispute.

The question then is WHY was Cucu your first choice? You're Man City, the best team in the country, one of the best in the world, with major ambition to win the Champions League. You have a squad full of players worth in excess of £50m. So why was your top target for the critical LB position, where you have a clear need, and selected by your scouting dept and manager, just a player worth no more than 30-40m? You'd be picking sides with global superstars 1 to 11, except for the average floppy haired guy on the left.

I find that hard to reconcile. It's not a dig, just doesn't quite add up.

Interesting question mate - and welcome, by the way!

My take is it’s down to prioritisation. We allocate budget for each window based on priority areas for the squad - and that plays a part in the valuation we arrive at for a player. How great is our need, essentially.

Whilst most of our fans would feel Left Back is a clear gap in the squad, and would have prioritised bringing a specialist LB in this summer - myself included - our CEO Ferran Soriano gave an interview earlier this summer during a trip to Iceland where he set out our transfer priorities very clearly.

His position was there were two priority spaces to fill in the squad this summer - a specialist centre forward, after pretty much two back to back seasons playing false 9, and a defensive midfielder to replace Fernandinho.

Those were the priorities - nothing more.

We brought in Haaland for the first, and Phillips for the second.

We clearly decided we wanted to try for a left back (and I’d imagine this was brought forward after Zinchenko left), but it wasn’t as important to us - so we didn’t allocate the same level of budget to it.

This also explains why we came to Cucurella so late.

Like I say - to most fans, not prioritising a LB doesn’t make any sense. But the Club couldn’t really have been much clearer in their thinking.

They clearly saw him as a nice to have, not an essential.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

I'm not defending him but guessing if we signed him- this would have never been unearthed here. Ironic how players who we lose out on due to zero fault of their own go from being potential heroes and saviours to being panned and vilified as soon as it looks like they are not join our side.

Brought up ages ago but posters claimed it was a "language" situation and that cucu meant no harm. I guess with the recent developments maybe we can now go back to calling things out for what they are.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

I think Cucurella is decent lets hope we get a full back. Preferably one thats better than him hopefully.

 

[stonerblue]

In all my years seeing embarrassing opposition fans this is the worst. Worse than Goldbridge. Worse than Howson. This is a grown man. Shit 'poetry' too.

Who are these entitled City fans the Brighton fans keep going on about? I haven't seen any. They're imaginary.

Mind you, the idea of a guy with one goal last season scoring a hat-trick against the best defence in the league made me laugh. They're completely deluded about how good Cucurella is.

That is just 1 gimp on the internet. Nothing more. Dunno why you even bother posting the shit.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Safe to say this one flew over the cuckoo‘s nest .

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

Safe to say this one flew over the cuckoo‘s nest .

Superb!