Paul Merson: "City are not a top team"

flook said:
I gave you the metric I used in the second half of my post :)

Up to last year we, with Real Madrid and at a push Munich and PSG were streets ahead of anyone else. That's when we were a top team.

To expand, when comparing the present squad with (say) the 2022/23 squad, which was a top team, cos we won the champions league, then are we as strong? I don't believe we are.

From that squad we've lost Eddie, Gundog, Kev, Mahrez, Alvarez, Palmer, Laporte and Walker. Dias, Ake and Bernado are also not at the level they were.

Their replacements, who have (albeit in my opinion) improved us would include Donearunner, Gvardiol and possibly Khush. On current evidence, that's it.

Maybe the likes of Cherki, Reindeer, Marmoush, Ait Nouri, the two Nico's will reach that level, hopefully but they're not there yet.

I do agree entirely with your final paragraph though
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Cherki is a good un.
 
eastmanc said:
We need patience as a fan base.
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We do, I'm not one of those who site in the matchday thread spewing bile because someone has made a mistake. Most of the present squad have potential, that's why they're here. It's what we do, we buy potential and, previously under Pep and Mancini in particular, develop it into top talent.

I do think we have players who won't reach that level though, although thankfully not too many of them
 
Trafford, Reijnders, Marmoush, Cherki, Ait-Nouri, O’Reilly and Khusanov… have never won a major trophy in their careers.

Ortega, Bettinelli, Savinho, Nunes, Phillips, Doku, Bobb and Lewis… weren’t key players in a team where they have won a major trophy.

That’s a lot of the squad (15) who have no experience or no key experience of winning anything.

However, Dias, Stones, Aké, Kovačić, Haaland, Nico, Rodri, BSilva, Gvardiol, Donnarumma and Foden… are all serial winners of major trophies, some across numerous clubs and national teams.

And when you look at their positions in the team (CB CB CB CM CF CM CM CM CB GK and CM, respectively), that’s a lot of experience of winning numerous major trophies right through the spine of the team.

That’s a fair chunk with the know-how of what to do come crunch time. Many more than, say, Arsenal, probably more major trophies than Liverpool’s squad despite most of them winning the league there last season and more than Chelsea.
 
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.db. said:
Trafford, Reijnders, Marmoush, Cherki, Ait-Nouri, O’Reilly and Khusanov… have never won a major trophy in their careers.

Ortega, Bettinelli, Savinho, Nunes, Phillips, Doku, Bobb and Lewis… weren’t key players in a team where they have won a major trophy.

That’s a lot of the squad (15) who have no experience or no key experience of winning anything.

However, Dias, Stones, Aké, Kovačić, Haaland, Nico, Rodri, BSilva, Gvardiol, Donnarumma and Foden… are all serial winners of major trophies, some across numerous clubs and national teams.

And when you look at their positions in the team (CB CB CB CM CF CM CM CM CB GK and CM, respectively), that’s a lot of experience of winning numerous major trophies right through the spine of the team.

That’s a fair chunk with the know-how of what to do come crunch time. Many more than, say, Arsenal, probably more major trophies than Liverpool’s squad despite most of them winning the league there last season and more than Chelsea.
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The only two Premier League winners in the cheating Arsenal squad are either out of favour or out on loan.
 
The thick pundits change their trophy winners every week, the really thick ones stay with their original opinions even when the truth is flashing in front of them.
I do not however understand how such a pea brain was such a top footballer.
 
asahartford1 said:
The thick pundits change their trophy winners every week, the really thick ones stay with their original opinions even when the truth is flashing in front of them.
I do not however understand how such a pea brain was such a top footballer.
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Gazza says hold my beer
 
Not currently but it's all temporary. And his predictions are always wrong and end up being the complete opposite so wouldn't take anything too seriously. Just look at the comments, people always disagree with him and even mock him.
 
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