When Kompany was injured for nearly all of our record breaking 18 game winning streak when we got 100 points, we rotated three centre backs in Otamendi Stones and Laporte. That’s a normal way to operate. We have far too many players at centre back and central midfield.
Risky as fuck that mate with Stones injury record. You only need one of the others to do a hamstring and we'd be in the shit playing twice a week. Two out, we need one in definitely.We could probably sell Aké and Akanji and have enough rotating Gvardiol Dias Stones and Khusanov like a normal team.
Risky as fuck that mate with Stones injury record. You only need one of the others to do a hamstring and we'd be in the shit playing twice a week. Two out, we need one in definitely.
I’d keep Aké and sell Akanji, just saying
I think in this case it's more that we have too many non-HG players and with Ake being HG, Akanji seemed to be the more likely to leave.It doesn't make much sense to keep injury prone defenders and sell the fittest one (based on played minutes since the start of 22/23), especially in view of what happened last season and Pep's preference to work with a small squad.
But then again, why should fans worry about what makes sense? The important thing is that their favourite players stay, and the non-favourite ones leave: Akanji, Gundo, Kova, and so on.
O'Reilly can cover LB.If Ake goes then surely he gets replaced? Only him and Josko for LCB and Ake can cover LB as well? Maybe Guehi in?
I think in this case it's more that we have too many non-HG players and with Ake being HG, Akanji seemed to be the more likely to leave.
I personally think Ake is the better player if he can stay fit (which admittedly is a fairly big if).
It's clear that Guardiola rates him very highly (as do I). Personally I believe both Ake and Stones are better players and with them being HG, I expected Akanji to be the one leaving. Seems not though if the Ake rumours are to be believed.Fantastic lad, all love him, but his injury record makes him unreliable.
Also, people's biases distort their memories a lot. Pep played Akanji over both Stones and Ake when we had to win the 4th in a row. The latter were fit, yet Pep went with Akanji. He has played a lot more minutes than them both not just because he is fitter than them (which in itself is a crucial quality some are willing to ignore).
There's no reason for Ake to go, based on:Akanji can play at LB as well. What's more, Akanji *did* play at LB vs Arsenal at home and both legs vs Real in the Treble season, as Ake was injured, and was brilliant there.
Pep wants a small squad. For that purpose you need fit players. Akanji might get a bad injury, nothing is certain, but his fitness record is the best among the experienced defenders.
It's clear that Guardiola rates him very highly (as do I). Personally I believe both Ake and Stones are better players and with them being HG, I expected Akanji to be the one leaving. Seems not though if the Ake rumours are to be believed.
Still leaves us needing to shift a couple of non-HG players.
There's no reason for Ake to go, based on:
He doesn't require a squad space as he's HG.
He's versatile and can play LB well (better than Akanji anyway).
He isn't paid a fortune.
He doesn't sulk if he isn't picked all the time.
Kind of, but we'd still have to replace him with another HG.But he isn't sufficiently available, which negates all those things to some extent.
Kind of, but we'd still have to replace him with another HG.