Players who might improve us

[Gabriel]

All I see across social media is fans of the other top clubs fighting over wanting to sign him because hes better than their current options.
Lavia starts for Newcastle, rags, Chelsea and probably Arsenal if they sell Xhaka.

A year of chaos at Southampton but also a year of playing every week, he isn't coming back to sit on the bench like Phillips. He backed himself first time round to go there and get a starting spot, he isn't going to give it up to sit behind Rodri.

Chelsea and Arsenal both want Rice, and as good as Lavia is, no top club will rely on a 19-year-old in that position. He’ll have to rotate like everyone else.

As I pointed out on another thread, Lavia would arguably thrive with us more now because he could actually also play the role that Stones has adopted, so rather than be seen as a direct replacement for Rodri, they could work in tandem. We also have more minutes to offer across more competitions than anyone else, so if really he wants to back himself, then we might be a better option.

 

[decmancity]

Chelsea and Arsenal both want Rice, and as good as Lavia is, no top club will rely on a 19-year-old in that position. He’ll have to rotate like everyone else.

As I pointed out on another thread, Lavia would arguably thrive with us more now because he could actually also play the role that Stones has adopted, so rather than be seen as a direct replacement for Rodri, they could work in tandem. We also have more minutes to offer across more competitions than anyone else, so if really he wants to back himself, then we might be a better option.

Well they both can't have Rice. So one or the other is going to miss out.

Lavia has a lot bigger chance of getting significant minutes at either of them if he is rotating with an ageing Kante or at Arsenal where he could take Xhakas spot should he leave and who else is his real competition at those clubs? Loftus cheek, Fabio viera, Lokonga and so on.

The same sales pitch probably went to Phillips as well. Look how that worked out. Rodri would probably have to break his leg before Pep seriously rotated him and even then he would probably back him to do a job with crutches. I think some still under estimate just how critical Rodri is.

 

[Dribble]

Well they both can't have Rice. So one or the other is going to miss out.

Lavia has a lot bigger chance of getting significant minutes at either of them if he is rotating with an ageing Kante or at Arsenal where he could take Xhakas spot should he leave and who else is his real competition at those clubs? Loftus cheek, Fabio viera, Lokonga and so on.

The same sales pitch probably went to Phillips as well. Look how that worked out. Rodri would probably have to break his leg before Pep seriously rotated him and even then he would probably back him to do a job with crutches. I think some still under estimate just how critical Rodri is.

Rice would be our Rodri competition/cover.

As for Gundog, how do we replace him? I can't think of a like for like player. I've a funny feeling that Mac (decent player) is being mentioned as a Gundog replacement because physically, he has a look of Ilkay & plays CM, but for me that's where the similarities end. Gundog is a totally underrated baller whose skill set deserves respect.

However, we never replaced Yaya, Silva, Kompany, Fernandinho or Aguero with like for like. We replaced them with different, but equally as effective & that's what I see us having to do with Gundog.

What this means for Philips who was supposed to be our new Fernandinho or as for who can replace Ilkay, I suppose we'll find out soon enough. \0/

 

[Haaland94]

Rice would be our Rodri competition/cover.

As for Gundog, how do we replace him? I can't think of a like for like player. I've a funny feeling that Mac (decent player) is being mentioned as a Gundog replacement because physically, he has a look of Ilkay & plays CM, but for me that's where the similarities end. Gundog is a totally underrated baller whose skill set deserves respect.

However, we never replaced Yaya, Silva, Kompany, Fernandinho or Aguero with like for like. We replaced them with different, but equally as effective & that's what I see us having to do with Gundog.

What this means for Philips who was supposed to be our new Fernandinho or as for who can replace Ilkay, I suppose we'll find out soon enough. \0/

No way, he would surely be a starter for us 100%. We will not pay +/- 100m for a bench warmer. Pep will readjust our tactics and make it work. Declan is flexible, and Rodri can make more runs forward. We are Man City, so it's all interchangeable.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

I'm guessing that a lot of teams are going to follow Peps example (again) and start full squad rotations.
It is noticeable how strong we are at the end of each season with a smaller squad but giving regular rest to players.
The likes of Saka and Odegard looked out on their feet during the run in.
Very few players are going to get guaranteed football.

 

[Dribble]

No way, he would surely be a starter for us 100%. We will not pay +/- 100m for a bench warmer. Pep will readjust our tactics and make it work. Declan is flexible, and Rodri can make more runs forward. We are Man City, so it's all interchangeable.

Hence Rice being competition/cover for Rodri. We're staring at 60 matches per season & we can't keep rinsing Rodders season after season.

We all fear Rodri being out, as we've no one who can step in & do what he does. IMO, Rice has that potential, as well as being able to play as a CB, but also it'd allow Rodri to play as an 8, with Rice as a 6.

A move for Rice makes perfect sense. Imagine if we could land Bellingham, Rice & Davies this summer? What a team that would be?

 

[Gabriel]

Well they both can't have Rice. So one or the other is going to miss out.

Lavia has a lot bigger chance of getting significant minutes at either of them if he is rotating with an ageing Kante or at Arsenal where he could take Xhakas spot should he leave and who else is his real competition at those clubs? Loftus cheek, Fabio viera, Lokonga and so on.

The same sales pitch probably went to Phillips as well. Look how that worked out. Rodri would probably have to break his leg before Pep seriously rotated him and even then he would probably back him to do a job with crutches. I think some still under estimate just how critical Rodri is.

True. Neither the Chelsea support nor the Arsenal support would be enamoured if they went for Rice but ended up instead with Lavia. He is still too raw and inexperienced to command a starting berth in a top 6-7 side. For example, he hasn’t played a minute of Champions League football yet he has only just broken into the Belgian side, playing 10 minutes in the friendly against Germany.

Our change to the double pivot, with Stones/Lewis in midfield, was born as much out of circumstances (injury and form) as any summer planning, so maybe he could now see that as an option and be convinced to return. We also saw against Leeds United that when Rodri’s height is removed from our midfield, then we become vulnerable, and that‘s another reason why I would prefer Lavia over Phillips.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Rice would be our Rodri competition/cover.

As for Gundog, how do we replace him? I can't think of a like for like player. I've a funny feeling that Mac (decent player) is being mentioned as a Gundog replacement because physically, he has a look of Ilkay & plays CM, but for me that's where the similarities end. Gundog is a totally underrated baller whose skill set deserves respect.

Physically similar yes,but the skillset is very similar too....uncannily so IMO.

What does Gundo do that MacAllister definitely cant?

 

[Haaland94]

Hence Rice being competition/cover for Rodri. We're staring at 60 matches per season & we can't keep rinsing Rodders season after season.

We all fear Rodri being out, as we've no one who can step in & do what he does. IMO, Rice has that potential, as well as being able to play as a CB, but also it'd allow Rodri to play as an 8, with Rice as a 6.

A move for Rice makes perfect sense. Imagine if we could land Bellingham, Rice & Davies this summer? What a team that would be?

Yeah, I agree with all this. Having said that, I think we will buy Gvardiol, not Davies, for various reasons, and I am not sure we can land Bellingham. I do hope we can get Rice + another world-class midfielder, though. Losing Gundo and Bernardo is massive, so we need real quality to soften the blow.

 

[Dribble]

What does Gundo do that MacAllister definitely cant?

PASS PASS PASS like a motherfucker! Lol :-)

I was all up for Gundog leaving earlier in the season, but for me he's been an absolute revelation playing as an out & out No8 with less defensive responsibilities, because we've adopted a flexible double pivot tactic.

A lot of what Gundog does is so understated, it goes under the radar, but his control & small turning circles in tight spaces is something else.

It never quite worked for him previously because we had the supreme David Silva ahead of him, but now he reigns supreme as our baller in chief & I reckon he's got another 2 years in him as a No8 at City, whilst he rotates with his eventual successor.

Another interesting development is a couple of games this season, Foden & Grealish have played part of our matches centrally? Could Gundog's eventual replacement already be with us?