Our Scouting & Player identification for 1st team

[ojeme]

Our scouting has been dog sh,t for years, no where nearly as good as when Mancini and Cook were in charge. Since Cook lost his job for not knowing how to reply to an email, I am assuming that it was Mancini who identified the targets we have gone backwards.
Our best team is still full of Hughes Mancini players, only Ferd looks better than what we had then.
KDB may prove to be a good signing long
term but we have wasted three and a half years thats 7 transfer windows plus a
hell of a lot of money without improving in fact I think we are weaker now than in 2013, we now have a better squad but a weaker first team.

very well said and I must add that Mancini is quite a master at identifying very very good players. I'm not surprised a bit at what
he's managed to do so far in the series a. Nobody gets its 100 percent right always in the market but one mark of a good manager is the ability to identify great talents that would take their team to the next level

It's almost as if we can't
afford to gamble on cheap players who most of the time won't make the grade, because we are constantly fighting for titles instead of hanging around pointlessly in midtable. Developed
players cost money, but developing players yourself costs points. One of
those things we can afford, the other we
can't.

Agreed. One reason why we'd always be looking to spend great sums, among other reasons, is our ambitions. We surely want the best defender, striker, attacker, etc and not just any good player. Although I believe there's room for improvement in the process of identifying players for the first team.

 

[Dax777]

Our scouting has been dog sh,t for years, no where nearly as good as when Mancini and Cook were in charge. Since Cook lost his job for not knowing how to reply to an email, I am assuming that it was Mancini who identified the targets we have gone backwards.
Our best team is still full of Hughes Mancini players, only Ferd looks better than what we had then.
KDB may prove to be a good signing long term but we have wasted three and a half years thats 7 transfer windows plus a hell of a lot of money without improving in fact I think we are weaker now than in 2013, we now have a better squad but a weaker first team.

It was just as crap under Mancini. Hughes funny enough was the best recruiter of talent. And the notion that we have to pay a premium is actually false.

I pointed out at the time that it was silly for us to go pay was it athletico 5 million to release Demichelis who had just signed there, when we could pay 6 million for Alderwerield who was being touted as Athleticos replacement for Dimechelis.


If I remember correctly, they signed MDM on a free, so we in essence paid them to buy a younger soon to be better CB. It made no sense to me then, nor now. Truth be told, we pay premiums because we often act like spoilt rich children. We see what we want and we don't care how much it cost, we dig in and go get it. Sometimes way beyond when the value is worth the price.

There was no reason to go pay 5 million for an aging vet who just signed on a bosman. On principle alone we should have walked. Teams make us pay more because we don't walk away enough.

There is value everywhere, you just have to find it and take advantage of it. Discontented superstars not getting PT, technical leagues with young players (Belgium/Netherland) Athletic leagues with value (France/Championship). These places are choke full with good role players. We just got Delph for 8 million for example. But our plan often is to find the guy who just had a breakout year for his club and is the club's superstar riser then we put in a buyer request. Off course you are gonna pay a premium when you do that.

 

[Steve68]

It was just as crap under Mancini. Hughes funny enough was the best recruiter of talent. And the notion that we have to pay a premium is actually false.

I pointed out at the time that it was silly for us to go pay was it athletico 5 million to release Demichelis who had just signed there, when we could pay 6 million for Alderwerield who was being touted as Athleticos replacement for Dimechelis.


If I remember correctly, they signed MDM on a free, so we in essence paid them to buy a younger soon to be better CB. It made no sense to me then, nor now. Truth be told, we pay premiums because we often act like spoilt rich children. We see what we want and we don't care how much it cost, we dig in and go get it. Sometimes way beyond when the value is worth the price.

There was no reason to go pay 5 million for an aging vet who just signed on a bosman. On principle alone we should have walked. Teams make us pay more because we don't walk away enough.

There is value everywhere, you just have to find it and take advantage of it. Discontented superstars not getting PT, technical leagues with young players (Belgium/Netherland) Athletic leagues with value (France/Championship). These places are choke full with good role players. We just got Delph for 8 million for example. But our plan often is to find the guy who just had a breakout year for his club and is the club's superstar riser then we put in a buyer request. Off course you are gonna pay a premium when you do that.

I know what you mean. Our long chase for Mangala for one. We seemed fixated on getting him, no matter the cost and ended up paying a ridiculous sum that could have been better spent elsewhere. Everton picked up Stones for £7.5 mill and if we were better at spotting lower league talent we would have a top defender now after loaning him out for a couple of seasons.

 

[crmcfc]

Our scouting has been dog sh,t for years, no where nearly as good as when Mancini and Cook were in charge. Since Cook lost his job for not knowing how to reply to an email, I am assuming that it was Mancini who identified the targets we have gone backwards.
Our best team is still full of Hughes Mancini players, only Ferd looks better than what we had then.
KDB may prove to be a good signing long term but we have wasted three and a half years thats 7 transfer windows plus a hell of a lot of money without improving in fact I think we are weaker now than in 2013, we now have a better squad but a weaker first team.

Absolutely spot on and I might add Fernandinho would not have got into that 2013 starting eleven. Its scandalous the money we have wasted.

 

[crmcfc]

It was just as crap under Mancini. Hughes funny enough was the best recruiter of talent. And the notion that we have to pay a premium is actually false.

I pointed out at the time that it was silly for us to go pay was it athletico 5 million to release Demichelis who had just signed there, when we could pay 6 million for Alderwerield who was being touted as Athleticos replacement for Dimechelis.


If I remember correctly, they signed MDM on a free, so we in essence paid them to buy a younger soon to be better CB. It made no sense to me then, nor now. Truth be told, we pay premiums because we often act like spoilt rich children. We see what we want and we don't care how much it cost, we dig in and go get it. Sometimes way beyond when the value is worth the price.

There was no reason to go pay 5 million for an aging vet who just signed on a bosman. On principle alone we should have walked. Teams make us pay more because we don't walk away enough.

There is value everywhere, you just have to find it and take advantage of it. Discontented superstars not getting PT, technical leagues with young players (Belgium/Netherland) Athletic leagues with value (France/Championship). These places are choke full with good role players. We just got Delph for 8 million for example. But our plan often is to find the guy who just had a breakout year for his club and is the club's superstar riser then we put in a buyer request. Off course you are gonna pay a premium when you do that.

I don't think £5 million for an aging vet is the issue really its the £60 - 70 million spent on Mangala and Otamendi just let that figure sink in for a minute.....

 

[citysince88]

@Dax777 The reason we paid five million for MDM is the same reason we bought Cabellero, to bring in Pellegrini men. I agree with you, I also thought Panti was a fine number 2 also but it seems quite often new managers seek to bring in players with whom they have worked with before.

 

[Dax777]

@Dax777 The reason we paid five million for MDM is the same reason we bought Cabellero, to bring in Pellegrini men. I agree with you, I also thought Panti was a fine number 2 also but it seems quite often new managers seek to bring in players with whom they have worked with before.

I know. I'm just saying we have a tendency to want what we want, and that cost more.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

We once had Kun Tevez Džeko and Balotelli, we now have a more injury prone Kun Bony and Iheanacho with Jovetic and Negredo coming/leaving between.
We once had Yaya Barry and de Jong, we now have an ageing Yaya Fernandinho Delph and Fernando with Rodwell and García coming/going in between.
We have four full backs over the age of 30 when they probably have to do more sprinting and have to be the fittest and most spritely players in any team, especially an attacking one.
We've spent ~£70m on two centre halves and are we any better than when we had a fit Kompany and Lescott?

I always said we lacked depth in attacking mid and we now have Silva de Bruyne Nasri Sterling and Navas. That's the only area in the team we are better of in than we were 3-4 years ago.

Everything about our club (and its wider reaching CFG which I couldn't give a shit about, I only care about MANCHESTER City) is getting better all the time. The CFA, the stadium, the sponsorship deals...but the football side of things is just going sideways if not slightly downwards.

 

[Cityfan]

@Dax777 The reason we paid five million for MDM is the same reason we bought Cabellero, to bring in Pellegrini men. I agree with you, I also thought Panti was a fine number 2 also but it seems quite often new managers seek to bring in players with whom they have worked with before.

MDM knew how Pellegrini worked and did an excellent job for two seasons, well worth the money in my opinion even if he is now looking a little slow.
My memory of Pants was that he was agitating for 1st team football and wanted out rather than anyone wanting him replaced.

 

[razman]

City plan an expensive summer overhaul to build a squad capable of playing the Guardiola way. Bony and Mangala poised to leave. [Telegraph]

If only we had got it right in the first place

 

[dachoosen1]

Martin was a bargain for 5 odd million Otamendi looks a very solid CB and when he becomes part of a settled partnership he will only improve for 24 million i honestly dont think he was a bad signing considering the premium we have to pay for players. Mangala was an overspend but he could be as good as boateng (which i doubt but i feel has a similar build and boateng was prone to simlar rash actions as mangala) if he sorts out certain aspects of his game. We are changing 4 years ago we had a cracking side but we have to move on none of the players that have moved would get into our start 11 if we have everyone fit.

 

[come-on-barney]

City plan an expensive summer overhaul to build a squad capable of playing the Guardiola way. Bony and Mangala poised to leave. [Telegraph]

If only we had got it right in the first place

Ah wondered when this would come out. Pep would have to be the messiah to work with the current squad so no surprise there will be an overhaul. How this all fits in with FFP I don't know.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It's funny reading this thread & people praising Mancini's signings compared to now.

Because of course anyone who played well was down to Mancini, but anyone who struggled was down to Brian Marwood forcing him to sign them, out of pure meanness. Even if he came out in the media & admitted he'd been watching a player for 18 months, people still blamed Marwood.

And who did he sign for Inter ? Fucking Jovetic.

Recently apart from Jovetic, & the huge spend on Mangala, which is starting to look like a possible mistake, we have done really well on signings compared to most clubs. People like to use Bony as a whipping boy, but he's kept us in the Champs lg, Fernando is now srtarting to look like a useful player, Otamendi is settling, Demi was instrumental in a title win, as was Negredo, Navas & Sagna are real bargains, Fernandinho is fantastic, Sterling & DeBruyne are superb, young players who will be assets for many years.

Signing players is a hit & miss business. Ask Utd. We're doing fine.

 

[LadislavMplmx]

It's funny reading this thread & people praising Mancini's signings compared to now.

Because of course anyone who played well was down to Mancini, but anyone who struggled was down to Brian Marwood forcing him to sign them, out of pure meanness. Even if he came out in the media & admitted he'd been watching a player for 18 months, people still blamed Marwood.

And who did he sign for Inter ? Fucking Jovetic.

Recently apart from Jovetic, & the huge spend on Mangala, which is starting to look like a possible mistake, we have done really well on signings compared to most clubs. People like to use Bony as a whipping boy, but he's kept us in the Champs lg, Fernando is now srtarting to look like a useful player, Otamendi is settling, Demi was instrumental in a title win, as was Negredo, Navas & Sagna are real bargains, Fernandinho is fantastic, Sterling & DeBruyne are superb, young players who will be assets for many years.

Signing players is a hit & miss business. Ask Utd. We're doing fine.

good post