So is this it?

Is Hart going to be the number 1 though? Plenty are assuming he will be, and that's what it is, an assumption. What Hart offers in terms of shot stopping and one on ones (where he is as good as anyone) he takes away in poor distribution and being unable to command the area.

I watched Fabianski in the Euro's and he was brilliant (he was named in the team of the tournament). Apart from his saves he commanded the area - made catches not punches and set up a counter which resulted in a goal. I thought then he would be good competition for Hart, if we got him, and maybe take the number 1 spot.

Fabianski (nicknamed Flappyhandski by Arsenal fans) is not playing for Arsenal for a reason so on the basis of a couple of games I'm not saying he's better than Hart. I am saying he gave an all round performance that showed up Hart's weaknesses.

If Hart is not going to be able to play the ball with his feet he is not going to keep his place so it's a big challenge for him as well.
 
Did anybody else pick up on PG saying to little Braydon in the back of the Taxi when the little fella said he was loving the signings he had made, PG wagged his finger and said "Wait". I don't think were anywhere near done as far as transfers go.
The press reckon its Stones, Sane, Gabrielle Jesus and maybe another - how we fixed then?
I know some are desperate for new full backs but PG may switch the squad around and surprise a few e.g. Denayer and Ferna in the back four?
 
robbieh said:
The team that Pep takes to the title.

................Hart
Sagna....Stones....Otamendi...Clichy
.............Fernandinho
....Silva.....................Gundongan
.................Kdb
........Kun................Leroy

With only 3 new players taht looks like a team that could cause serious problems for the opposition.

Never mind the subs, Sterling, Nacho, VK, Yaya, Nasri, Nolito et al

overconfidence at this stage is a bad thing but it does look mouthwatering.
Click to expand...
Silva on right wing and your mouth looks full of blisters.
 
For the moment, I'm not looking past the CL Play Off game, which is less than three weeks away.

As for the Premier League, we had a great start last season until the CL kicked-in. No point in getting too giddy either way, but hopefully we'll have learnt from some of our repeated mistakes last season.
 
robbieh said:
The team that Pep takes to the title.

................Hart
Sagna....Stones....Otamendi...Clichy
.............Fernandinho
....Silva.....................Gundongan
.................Kdb
........Kun................Leroy

With only 3 new players taht looks like a team that could cause serious problems for the opposition.

Never mind the subs, Sterling, Nacho, VK, Yaya, Nasri, Nolito et al

overconfidence at this stage is a bad thing but it does look mouthwatering.
Click to expand...

Play Navas or Nasri instead of sidewards and we will be fine
 
Helmet Cole said:
I realise your lot will be chuffed with de gae staying and pogba looking like being on his way, but to tell us city are miles away from winning the league is nonsense.
Click to expand...

Ha ha....you're one funny man Helmet.
We are undergoing a huge transition on and off the pitch & it'll take time before we are in a title winning rythmn.
Most of our elite players haven't kicked a ball in anger yet & others won't be fit until Sept / Oct.
In the the last 2 seasons we've finished a collective 23 ? points behind the winners.
Too much of an ask this season I feel.
 
robbieh said:
The team that Pep takes to the title.

................Hart
Sagna....Stones....Otamendi...Clichy
.............Fernandinho
....Silva.....................Gundongan
.................Kdb
........Kun................Leroy

With only 3 new players taht looks like a team that could cause serious problems for the opposition.

Never mind the subs, Sterling, Nacho, VK, Yaya, Nasri, Nolito et al

overconfidence at this stage is a bad thing but it does look mouthwatering.
Click to expand...


doubt that will be the team, in fact I could be wrong but think he will play 3 at the back with ferdy in a modern day sweeper role with 2 of either vinny, stones or the otter and wing backs from a choice of fullbacks or wingers depending on the opposition also can see nolito getting games.

But then with Pep anything could be the formation that's why he's exciting
 
CrownPointBlue said:
Ha ha....you're one funny man Helmet.
We are undergoing a huge transition on and off the pitch & it'll take time before we are in a title winning rythmn.
Most of our elite players haven't kicked a ball in anger yet & others won't be fit until Sept / Oct.
In the the last 2 seasons we've finished a collective 23 ? points behind the winners.
Too much of an ask this season I feel.
Click to expand...
Your points about transition are reasonable. But you know that last season City had the worst injury record in the league and a manager who was in limbo. Announcing you are leaving is often very difficult and damaging for the team. As soon as City went off the boil last Autumn it was very obvious that the team were not foccussed and were lacking in belief. We were operating at 75% and it was dispiriting watching them. This season will be different. The manager is intense and soon that will be reflected in the team.

You could raise question marks against every club. You'll find less question marks against City than any other club which is why we are rightly favourites.
 
CrownPointBlue said:
Reality check people.....we are miles away from being champions !!
Click to expand...
We were miles away when we had a manager who wasn't anywhere near good enough who gave us no game plan, no defensive tactics and didn't train the players to a sufficient enough fitness level.

Even if we didn't make a single signing this Summer, Guardiola would still have got us much closer to the title than we have been in the last two years.

My worry is for the next few years rather than this season and the amount of senior players we have who are 30+ or injury prone. Guardiola's first few years are about dealing with the transition of players like Yaya Kompany Zabaleta Fernanadinho etc. out of the club and who he replaces them with to keep us challenging ongoing.

It's a shame it's like this because Begiriatain and Pellegrini should have worked towards making that happen from the day they stepped though the door respectively. I think we've had a very haphazard approach to building the squad and hopefully Giardiola can service that even though it shouldn't be such a big issue.
 
gregblag said:
Is Hart going to be the number 1 though? Plenty are assuming he will be, and that's what it is, an assumption. What Hart offers in terms of shot stopping and one on ones (where he is as good as anyone) he takes away in poor distribution and being unable to command the area.

I watched Fabianski in the Euro's and he was brilliant (he was named in the team of the tournament). Apart from his saves he commanded the area - made catches not punches and set up a counter which resulted in a goal. I thought then he would be good competition for Hart, if we got him, and maybe take the number 1 spot.

Fabianski (nicknamed Flappyhandski by Arsenal fans) is not playing for Arsenal for a reason so on the basis of a couple of games I'm not saying he's better than Hart. I am saying he gave an all round performance that showed up Hart's weaknesses.

If Hart is not going to be able to play the ball with his feet he is not going to keep his place so it's a big challenge for him as well.
Click to expand...
Three of four games versus season after season of accumulated evidence that hart is the best and most consistent keeper in the Premiership. Each season, you may find one or two keepers who have had better seasons - but over a longer timescale he is the No. 1 in the Premiership.

He'll have to learn and improve but he's taken for granted
 
Marvin said:
Your points about transition are reasonable. But you know that last season City had the worst injury record in the league and a manager who was in limbo. Announcing you are leaving is often very difficult and damaging for the team. As soon as City went off the boil last Autumn it was very obvious that the team were not foccussed and were lacking in belief. We were operating at 75% and it was dispiriting watching them. This season will be different. The manager is intense and soon that will be reflected in the team.

You could raise question marks against every club. You'll find less question marks against City than any other club which is why we are rightly favourites.
Click to expand...

Do you think we'll be matchfit & match prepared after the China fiasco Marvin ?
 
CrownPointBlue said:
Ha ha....you're one funny man Helmet.
We are undergoing a huge transition on and off the pitch & it'll take time before we are in a title winning rythmn.
Most of our elite players haven't kicked a ball in anger yet & others won't be fit until Sept / Oct.
In the the last 2 seasons we've finished a collective 23 ? points behind the winners.
Too much of an ask this season I feel.
Click to expand...
Transition yes but we will still be very much in the hunt. For the last 2 seasons we were very much in contention until the new year and then faded away. This season I expect us to be strong in the spring and depending on injuries and potential fixture congestion we will be in the mix unless someone runs away with the title which I think is unlikely.
 
You can see exactly what Pep is doing and that he is reinforcing positions rather than replacing everyone. Sane will give Kun some competition with Nacho and Nolito too then you have KDB with Silva too AND Nasri. I still think a world class attacking midfielder like Griezman might be needed as Silva can't play every game and he is better than Nasri. Lads like Manu Garcia definitely deserve a chance too and will be important for rotation. Yaya is obviously going to be sitting alongside in competition with Fern, Gundogan, Delph and also Fern 2 so there is just competition for every position.

The most worrying positions are going to be our full backs but I think Pep has been impressed with the young lads who will press for a chance especially if we don't get Bellerin. Either way it is not proper world class quality in the defensive third but the competition and performances will be there because of the squad depth which really is truly frightening.
 
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