Oleksandr Zinchenko | Joins Arsenal for £30m

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IF we were to lose Zinchenko, we would be down to 2 natural FB's - we would surely need to be after another two full backs?

I know Cancelo can cover both RB and LB, but if last year is anything to go by Walker isn't going to be able to play 80- 90% of the games especially with it being a world cup year. So even if we do sign Cucurella it's putting a lot of pressure on Cancelo (who again will be playing every game for Portugal in the WC) to stay fit and perform.

Unless Pep has plans to promote a youngster, I think we need to be targeting another plus Cucurella - we don't ideally want Ake and Stones playing FBs if we can help it?

Thoughts?
Agree 100%...I've been saying the same thing since Zinny's move to Arsenal has gained serious steam...for the millionth time Cucurella has NEVER been viewed by City as a replacement for Zinchenko...either we bring in another back or promote someone like Wilson-Esbrand...
 
The pursuit of Cucurella began as soon as the season ended...it was never connected to Ake or Zinchenko staying or leaving in any way...someone please show me when that was ever presented by the club...therefore Ake staying changes nothing as neither does Zinny leaving in regards to our pursuing Cucurella...City have been pursuing Cucurella regardless of Zin staying or going...if City chooses not to replace Zinchenko people can draw their own conclusions...
 
We're not short anywhere if we can bring Cucurella (or another LB) in.

20 man squad for heavy rotation as follows:

Ederson (GK)
Ortega (GK)
Carson (GK)

Walker (RB)
Cancelo (LB or RB)
Cucurella (LB)
Stones (CB or RB)
Ake (CB or LB)
Dias (CB)
Laporte (CB)

Rodri (DM)
Phillips (DM)

KDB (RCM)
Bernardo (LCM, RAM or LAM)
Gundogan (LCM)

Foden (LAM, RAM, RCM, CF)
Grealish (LAM)
Mahrez (RAM)

Haaland (CF)
Alvarez (CF, RAM, LAM)


Additional youth team players for occasional introduction / injury cover:

Palmer (RAM, RCM)
McAtee (CAM, RAM)
Kaboré (RB)
Mbete (CB)


Not only zero holes, IMO, and I'd back that squad against any other in the PL.

20 men for a typical 25 man squad seems pretty small.

I know we don't always fill the full squad but we usually go with at least 22 including CT players and excluding kids. As we did last season too, at least started that way.

Open to the idea of us going with a smaller squad. Argue quality over quantity too, but lets please stop pretending it is anything other than a small squad. Particularly when including multiple players that are down for 2 positions.

Pep and the club used to openly say '2 players for every position', not sure when it became 1 player for 2 positions myself, but in a couple areas that is currently the case.

All that said, FB is the only one that I see as a bit of biggie, personally. If we had kids with the promise (and it IS just promise) of Palmer or McAtee, might feel different.
 
It really isn't. We've managed for years with only 3 full backs available, no reason we can't do it again.

Managed, good word. And that wasn't through choice either, we didn't go into every season expecting to deal with only 3, would have sold or sent one out on loan if we did.
 
Managed, good word. And that wasn't through choice either, we didn't go into every season expecting to deal with only 3, would have sold or sent one out on loan if we did.
We'll see what happens but if Zinchenko goes I only expect one left back to join. That will be through choice. If Zinchenko stays I think he'll struggle foe game time and a lot of the game time he does manage will be further forward.
 
The pursuit of Cucurella began as soon as the season ended...it was never connected to Ake or Zinchenko staying or leaving in any way...someone please show me when that was ever presented by the club...therefore Ake staying changes nothing as neither does Zinny leaving in regards to our pursuing Cucurella...City have been pursuing Cucurella regardless of Zin staying or going...if City chooses not to replace Zinchenko people can draw their own conclusions...

While I agree myself, in fairness, we can't possibly know that. There is just as much chance the club knew Zinchenko would leave and looked at Cucurella in case that happened, as there is they identified Cucurella as an additional targeted player. We can read into it how we want to, but there is nothing clear cut.
 
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