Marco Verratti

[doobyedoobye]

Probably right, new contract??

I think Mino was unhappy that Kante was being linked with his clients position and wanted to make a point to PSG. I understand the approach was real but not entirely genuine imo..

 

[kaz7]

No, but Yaya is gone and that creates a hole. Dinho did so well for City last season. I think it is hard to see him performing to the same high standard and managing suspensions and injuries.

We seem to be going into the season with an obvious weakness and one we have already identified. We seem to be happy going for a sticking plaster appoarch of playing a player there we must of deemed below Jorginho’s quality or not promoting a youth player.

I think people are just worried it will bite.

For me the first time in history City are truly are an elite team and the most attractive we have ever been for potential players. It seems the time to push on!

I appreciate the worry but i think it's overblown,he was out 5-6 games last season and we didn't skip a beat from what i recall and yaya was barely used all season,it is unfortunate that we didn't get Jorginho as we would have been stronger for it but with dinho managed well he can easily do another season imo

 

[kaz7]

I know Karen!;) ...but clearly the club dont think he can do it all on his own, as targeted the position since Jan. Just like with David Silva, it would make sense to "manage" his game time this season to keep him fresh.....being "so confident that they would get their man that they had not lined up any back-up options, and they are still scouring the market for potential alternatives" was very risky move, especially now when you consider we discussing using a young lad with very little game time at top level, who currently doesnt even have a work permit, to fill that need. The positive thing is, if anyone can turn this lad into a world class DM, its Pep, right?;) Just dont like going into the season with a known weakness in the squad as feel we ready to take it up another level if we could fill this need.

It's not a glaring weakness,it's a soft spot,dinho can do it managed well,i don't get the full on panic that's all,we got played by Jorginho,i'm sure we were sure enough not to have 2 lined up just to let one down,pep was a DM and he also knows his players very well so he'll fix it if we don't get someone in,a panic buy would be a really stupid move,the right player to improve the team only,as Khaldoon said

 

[TheThirdDeano]

Call me crazy, but at some point we're gonna have to replace Fernandinho. Not that's his not an absolute monster, it's just a fact.
It'd be good for us to get a replacement now, give him a chance to bed into the team properly whilst simultaniously giving ferny a break every now and again prolonging his career.

I don't get why that's controversial to some people

 

[blueparrot]

Call me crazy, but at some point we're gonna have to replace Fernandinho. Not that's his not an absolute monster, it's just a fact.
It'd be good for us to get a replacement now, give him a chance to bed into the team properly whilst simultaniously giving ferny a break every now and again prolonging his career.

I don't get why that's controversial to some people

I don't think anyone disagrees with that, the only debate is if the right player isn't available this week we try and push for someone or wait until January or next summer. We don't want a stop gap we have to try and shift in a year or so.

 

[richards30]

Call me crazy, but at some point we're gonna have to replace Fernandinho. Not that's his not an absolute monster, it's just a fact.
It'd be good for us to get a replacement now, give him a chance to bed into the team properly whilst simultaniously giving ferny a break every now and again prolonging his career.

I don't get why that's controversial to some people

Because the over 50’s and people still remembering when we were shite say that some only want shiny new toys etc! If dinho gets injured or suspended then we have square pegs for round holes and in the champions league we will get done again! The best in the world in every walk of life improve every year and that’s how you stay ahead of the game. If we do need someone in January it will be even more expensive than doing it now!

 

[TheThirdDeano]

I don't think anyone disagrees with that, the only debate is if the right player isn't available this week we try and push for someone or wait until January or next summer. We don't want a stop gap we have to try and shift in a year or so.

Absolutely you're right, but I don't think Verratti would be a stop gap at 25

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

I appreciate the worry but i think it's overblown,he was out 5-6 games last season and we didn't skip a beat from what i recall and yaya was barely used all season,it is unfortunate that we didn't get Jorginho as we would have been stronger for it but with dinho managed well he can easily do another season imo

I hope your right Kaz, in fact I'm banking on it!;) ......but we cant keep looking back to last season, as if everything is going to fall into place again, 2017-18 season was special but its gone.....This is a new season, its going to be alot harder and filling club identified areas of weakness in the squad would go a long way to help. Hopefully thats what we still trying to do with one week left in the window.

In Pep's words...

"If after winning the title they are thinking ‘ok...we’re really good’ that’s the moment we start to go down"

 

[blueparrot]

Absolutely you're right, but I don't think Verratti would be a stop gap at 25

No, definitely not. I'm all for Verratti if he' really is available now. I'm just not convinced that he is , there doesn't seem to be a lot of noise and I'd have thought there would be a scramble for him if he was up for sale.

 

[kaz7]

Call me crazy, but at some point we're gonna have to replace Fernandinho. Not that's his not an absolute monster, it's just a fact.
It'd be good for us to get a replacement now, give him a chance to bed into the team properly whilst simultaniously giving ferny a break every now and again prolonging his career.

I don't get why that's controversial to some people

We tried to get Jorginho but he let us down last minute,if there is no other player that will improve us then we don't buy anyone,that is the approach that has been agreed at the club,quality not quantity,pep was a DM so he knows what/who he wants,endless knashing of teeth and panicing is not going to change it,dinho is still able to do the job for now