Our owners - next move?

Depending on how the league is going, January might be time to start a rebuild. We could easily have very little to play for in the second half of the season. The squad needs an overhaul at some point and it's looking like we are rapidly approaching that point. We need to replace Yaya and start the process of finding a system that we can be effective without him in it. For me, that means the switch to the 433 that our entire academy plays, so we need to start looking at who we need in order to get that to work. Also, as we've been saying for years, we need a fucking leftback!

There are 4 or 5 big name first teamers who are not pulling their weight, which looks like it's dragging the whole team down, we need fresh blood. I'd be curious as to whether we can bring Lopes back from Lille, as at the moment I'd far rather have him in the side than Navas, Jovetic or Nasri, he will at least try and make things happen. Same goes for signing up Kelechi, who coudn't offer any less than Dzeko and Jovetic at the moment. We need to start looking to the future and start figuring out who will be the important players in that future.
 
Mister Appointment said:
tolmie's hairdoo said:
With regards the make-up of the mentality in the squad?

I would argue this squad has NEVER stepped up to the plate in a must-win game, where our quality was actually so pronounced, the result was beyond question, long before the final whistle?

Bob is correct in his argument that this group of players are scarred in Europe.

My belief is that too many of them are either not good enough or too old to break that cycle.

Some have read my comments that I want to take a blow-torch to the first-team? In today's market, it will cost us £150m/£200m to pay the premium for four players both with the right age and quality to guarantee a starter spot.
Click to expand...

I'd like to literally take a blow torch to one or two of them! :)

I agree with the notion that too many of this group are now scarred for them to ever be really effective for us, together. The need for fresh blood and fresh impetus has never been as great as it is now.
Click to expand...


We have made it more difficult for ourselves by handing contracts to players who should not have been given them.

Kolarov's agent, only 12 months ago, was stating a move to Italy was difficult because of his amazing wages at City. We have only exacerbated the issue by extending the terms, and that goes for Nasri and Dzeko.

All would have brought a decent fee, but not now.

Aguero signed a new contract and he is seemingly the only one really progressing? We need to keep him motivated.

Such is Aguero's quality, he is one of the few players we have where it does not matter how long his contract is, or what he earns.

Players like him are actually worth every penny, and if Madrid come along offering £80m plus then even Aguero's loyalty might be tested.

It's all about presenting the image we are a sexy club to be at. Our Champions League performances are presenting us like Norah Batty.
 
Mister Appointment said:
tolmie's hairdoo said:
With regards the make-up of the mentality in the squad?

I would argue this squad has NEVER stepped up to the plate in a must-win game, where our quality was actually so pronounced, the result was beyond question, long before the final whistle?

Bob is correct in his argument that this group of players are scarred in Europe.

My belief is that too many of them are either not good enough or too old to break that cycle.

Some have read my comments that I want to take a blow-torch to the first-team? In today's market, it will cost us £150m/£200m to pay the premium for four players both with the right age and quality to guarantee a starter spot.
Click to expand...

I'd like to literally take a blow torch to one or two of them! :)

I agree with the notion that too many of this group are now scarred for them to ever be really effective for us, together. The need for fresh blood and fresh impetus has never been as great as it is now.
Click to expand...

I agree completely that is the case.

Most of them are shot with Europe & it is affecting the newer players as they drop to the same level.

The first home game we played v Napoli, we were a shadow of the side which played in the Premier League. People thought they were some kind of superteam, then they just got brushed aside, in a manner deserving of the average outfit they actually were. Roma looked decent vs us, they are nothing. CSKA are less than nothing.

This squad has been the same ever since the first game. Most games are similar to that Napoli game, sometimes a bit worse, sometimes a bit better but the same faults, even though the manager is different.

I think the answer is not to put so much pressure on the Champions League. Just play in it & learn to improve slowly it rather than expecting to win it.

Then one day we will suddenly find we are comfortable in it. It is affecting the team & in danger of ruining our season.
 
Neville Kneville said:
Mister Appointment said:
tolmie's hairdoo said:
With regards the make-up of the mentality in the squad?

I would argue this squad has NEVER stepped up to the plate in a must-win game, where our quality was actually so pronounced, the result was beyond question, long before the final whistle?

Bob is correct in his argument that this group of players are scarred in Europe.

My belief is that too many of them are either not good enough or too old to break that cycle.

Some have read my comments that I want to take a blow-torch to the first-team? In today's market, it will cost us £150m/£200m to pay the premium for four players both with the right age and quality to guarantee a starter spot.
Click to expand...

I'd like to literally take a blow torch to one or two of them! :)

I agree with the notion that too many of this group are now scarred for them to ever be really effective for us, together. The need for fresh blood and fresh impetus has never been as great as it is now.
Click to expand...

I agree completely that is the case.

Most of them are shot with Europe & it is affecting the newer players as they drop to the same level.

The first home game we played v Napoli, we were a shadow of the side which played in the Premier League. People thought they were some kind of superteam, then they just got brushed aside, in a manner deserving of the average outfit they actually were. Roma looked decent vs us, they are nothing. CSKA are less than nothing.

This squad has been the same ever since the first game. Most games are similar to that Napoli game, sometimes a bit worse, sometimes a bit better but the same faults, even though the manager is different.

I think the answer is not to put so much pressure on the Champions League. Just play in it & learn to improve slowly it rather than expecting to win it.

Then one day we will suddenly find we are comfortable in it. It is affecting the team & in danger of ruining our season.
Click to expand...

I agree with you that we should relax a little more and play with less tension but I don't think we can afford to be that passive now - horse has bolted from that stable i think.

Your suggested approach should have been our initial approach.
 
Beans and caviar analogies are all well and good but,

With a tweak here and there that is still one hell of squad that should not be making the fundamental fuck ups it is doing. Despite the route the media are taking, the book stops on the bench.

Pellegrini is a nice man, a good man manager but not the best tactically.

Mancini was it seems maybe better tactically but not great as a man manager.

They both won league and cups so are clearly no mugs.

Mourinho by contrast and comparison is excellent at both. With our squad he would have this team a few more points to the good and already qualified in my opinion. He would also have won the league in 2012 and 2014 probably before the end of April as he will this year in his second year back.

Pellegrini is good enough for me and I'll be more than happy if we stick with him. However I also believe that if we had someone of Mourinho's overall talent, our results and statistics would be better.
 
We have won the league twice in 3 seasons...hardly underperforming

There are some right fannies on here

So we have not got it right in the CL yet...it will come

The way some of you wet wipes are deconstructing our players you would think we had 11 Gerry Creaney's in our squad

Three words

Get A Grip
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
With regards the make-up of the mentality in the squad?

I would argue this squad has NEVER stepped up to the plate in a must-win game, where our quality was actually so pronounced, the result was beyond question, long before the final whistle?

Bob is correct in his argument that this group of players are scarred in Europe.

My belief is that too many of them are either not good enough or too old to break that cycle.

Some have read my comments that I want to take a blow-torch to the first-team? In today's market, it will cost us £150m/£200m to pay the premium for four players both with the right age and quality to guarantee a starter spot.
Click to expand...

On this point, I believe Pellers is too soft, and the team currently definitely is - we rarely go into any game with the required aggression and determination to dominate. We've done it once this season - against Chelsea, and we did great. From that perspective, last night was pathetic. The tone was set by Yaya - sleeping apparently, and pathetically rooted to the ground as his 'man' strolled forward for a free header from 4 yards out. He should have got a rocket from Zabba, Hart, and especially Kompany, but, he's too big a name and personality with in the dressing I guess, but it was quite obviously his fault. The team should be commanding such situations from the very start. Clichy on the second goal was woeful - the first of many miscues, but Zaba was no better - marking no one. To suggest that such incidents or such an attitude are 'Europe/Champs league' related is misguided. The malaise has been widespread since the season started. The team has shown this season that they have lost the steel which had us singing - correctly - "We'll fight till the end." The team is showing very little fight at all. It needs to be there every game, and from the first whistle. So my point is that this is not just a cycle 'in Europe.'

The need now is for the manager to go back to basics. He doesn't have the players in form to wing it with his beloved 4 4 2 - or more like with his 1 man in midfied and Yaya doing WTF he likes when he likes. He needs to say to the likes of Clichy/Fern/Fern/Navas/Jovetic/Dzeko/Yaya and even Zaba, that if they can't produce for him, they're out. Kompany must raise his game and lead like we know he can. Hart MDM Milner and Aguero (and Silva when fit) are the only players worthy of a regular place at the moment. It's a sorry indictment of the transfer policy that the best signing in the last 2 years has been Frank Lampard, and that on current form, Negrado, Garcia, De Jong, Lescott and even the long departed Richard Dunne, would all be an improvement on the present incumbents - and we thought that the squad was improving!

So, coming back to the original post, and the question as regards the owners'next move - as recent ones don't look like they've got the look of long term success - we need to find someone within the club who can remember where they put 'PlanB.'

Can we tread-water and get a few wins in the coming league games? Anything less than 6 points against QPR away and Swansea at home will be disatrous. Then, the Bayern game follows, and afterwards maybe our toughest away game for a while - Southampton - going very strong and where we have a poor recent record - and talking of which, it's Sunderland away after that!! This next run of games will seal the future. Good luck Pellers.
 
Too much panic on here...

I think we will start to improve one the chumps league is decided, one way or the other..

I am more bothered about the QPR game, they will be up for it after us having a tough Euro game.

Vinny and Dave both missing, can we cope ?
 
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