Summer Transfers

[Edwin Edwin]

Not better oversee. But clearly all better this season.

No Adarabioyo and Humphreys haven't done much of note. The guys listed actually have.

I know we often resort to popularity contests here, we all do, myself included. Bit sometimes the truth is the truth. Notice very few people listed Boateng. 2 years ago Boateng was comfortably considered a top 5 CB. He probably still is, but hasn't played much this season. Hence why he isn't being listed. You can't be one of the best CBs o
In Europe if you are not constantly playing like one.

Just saying. Now this doesn't prove Bonucci won't be perfect for us. Bit lets stop pretending he is what he isn't. I've never watched Bonnuci and thought "boy, that's an amazing CB right there,"

He is more like the building point for Juve. Moves around spraying short passes left and right and every so often sends a Kolarov ball down field. On defense, he is okay. Nothing special

Get what you're saying..His age is a
worry yes,but only CBs in Europe who've been more consistent than LB all season are S.Ramos & Umtiti probably. More question marks around the other 'top' CBs,have their moments but not consistent enough.Easy to not stand out when your team is defensively well drilled in Bonucci's case as Juve is rarely troubled defensively..Only the likes of Keane,Gibson,C.Davies & Reid would stand-out with your logic as they'll probably have more blocks,tackles,aerial duels & interceptions won.
Probably wouldn't even be talking about Ramos if not for the huge goals he's scored for RM..Lacks the 'pace' yes but the best CBs don't rely on pace to bail them out cause positioning does..LB is good at it.Understand Pep's obsession with a 'libero' profile in his defence to asisst in beating the now-common press..He is not perfect but he is arguably the best libero in Europe.Has played in a back 4 most of this season btw,so the '3 at the back only' thing is comical.Would enable us to peg back teams the more as teams will look to curb his long-passing..We'll often be on the front foot thus less pressure on our defence.Would be the leader in the defence too,no not in being the most vocal but in being the most experienced in there.Not trying to force him down your throat and convince you otherwise as he is clearly not your preferred CB but making him look like he isn't easily a top 5 CB in football is laughable...

 

[IWasHere]

'Koscielny,Marqhuinhos,Sokratis,Fazio,J.Martinez,
Thiago Silva,Hubner,Chiriches,Perrin'
better than Bonucci.Who else? Adarabioyo?
Humphreys?
Better get off career mode and switch off the PlayStation.

I think he's taking piss

 

[Dax777]

I think he's taking piss

With who specifically?

 

[City_Sean]

With who specifically?

It's a relatively decent list, but Fabio is nowhere near good enough.

 

[Dax777]

Get what you're saying..His age

Trust me I'm pro ball playing CBs. Been whinning about it for years. And you couldn't find a bigger John Stones proponent. So Bonnuci epitomizes the type of player I like.
But here are my biases:

I don't like aging players. Years I know its less relevant for CBs and GKs. Still.

However more worrisome is the league he is in, the Italian league. He doesn't stand out as a defender playing in that league. And i think its significantly easier to succeed there. The game is played at a slower pace, andthere are very few teams who press.

Federico Fazio is dominant there right now and Bonnuci is so so. Those who know Gazio from his time in this league will find that funny.

I'm also wary about his physicality. I've seen multiple strikers push him around easily. And every time it happens I wince. Zapata just ragdolled him a few weeks ago. Most of the strikers in the Prem fall into 2 categories, they are either very physical or very fast. Technical strikers like Kane are the abberation.

Bonnuci sometimes struggles with speed and physicality. I'm sure he'll see more of that here than he does there. How would he respond? I don't know.

So yeah, outside of reputation he has been no where close to a top 5 CB this season. He probably not top 5 in the Italian league this season. That probably would be Chiellini, Fazio, Caldara, Miranda and Koulibaly.

Nice technical player, LB is. But he hasn't been a special or a standout CB this season.

Again the most apt comparison would be for someone to conclude John Stones was a top 5 CB last year for Everton. He wasn't.

This doesn't mean he won't be great for us though. But I just don't think he is special. And he'll be 30 already, so you can see why I'm not so excited.

 

[Dax777]

It's a relatively decent list, but Fabio is nowhere near good enough.

I agree he isn't. Or wasn't. But he has been one of the best CB in Italy this year. Been great for Roma. And to be fair, I was simply talking about this season. He has been better than Bonnuci.

 

[City_Sean]

I agree he isn't. Or wasn't. But he has been one of the best CB in Italy this year. Been great for Roma. And to be fair, I was simply talking about this season. He has been better than Bonnuci.

To be fair, I'd argue that the reason Bonucci hasn't been at his usual standard is purely because he and Allegri have fallen out. I see Bonucci as very attainable this summer, particularly if Allegri stays.

 

[IWasHere]

With who specifically?

We'll you've mentioned 2 spurs rejects, a defender who struggles to start for Brazil, Koscielny who'll be lucky to make it into the France squad for the world cup, sokratis who's part of a shit Dortmund defence, Hubner and Perrin who most on here has probably never heard off and hummels who struggles whenever he faces a fast winger/striker


Take your pick

 

[kun]

Trust me I'm pro ball playing CBs. Been whinning about it for years. And you couldn't find a bigger John Stones proponent. So Bonnuci epitomizes the type of player I like.
But here are my biases:

I don't like aging players. Years I know its less relevant for CBs and GKs. Still.

However more worrisome is the league he is in, the Italian league. He doesn't stand out as a defender playing in that league. And i think its significantly easier to succeed there. The game is played at a slower pace, andthere are very few teams who press.

Federico Fazio is dominant there right now and Bonnuci is so so. Those who know Gazio from his time in this league will find that funny.

I'm also wary about his physicality. I've seen multiple strikers push him around easily. And every time it happens I wince. Zapata just ragdolled him a few weeks ago. Most of the strikers in the Prem fall into 2 categories, they are either very physical or very fast. Technical strikers like Kane are the abberation.

Bonnuci sometimes struggles with speed and physicality. I'm sure he'll see more of that here than he does there. How would he respond? I don't know.

So yeah, outside of reputation he has been no where close to a top 5 CB this season. He probably not top 5 in the Italian league this season. That probably would be Chiellini, Fazio, Caldara, Miranda and Koulibaly.

Nice technical player, LB is. But he hasn't been a special or a standout CB this season.

Again the most apt comparison would be for someone to conclude John Stones was a top 5 CB last year for Everton. He wasn't.

This doesn't mean he won't be great for us though. But I just don't think he is special. And he'll be 30 already, so you can see why I'm not so excited.

Say all this yet you suggest 31 year old (32 at the start of next season) Loïc Perrin who plays in the French league.

 

[Dax777]

We'll you've mentioned 2 spurs rejects, a defender who struggles to start for Brazil, Koscielny who'll be lucky to make it into the France squad for the world cup, sokratis who's part of a shit Dortmund defence, Hubner and Perrin who most on here has probably never heard off and hummels who struggles whenever he faces a fast winger/striker


Take your pick

So you are arguing reputation and not performance then.

I was discussing performances this season. So I don't think its particularly relevant whether people had heard of them.

I bet most on this site didn't know Mbappe or Bernado Silva before the season started. This however doesn't mean these guys haven't had better seasons than a slew of well known players.

 

[kun]

So you are arguing reputation and not performance then.

I was discussing performances this season. So I don't think its particularly relevant whether people had heard of them.

I bet most on this site didn't know Mbappe or Bernado Silva before the season started. This however doesn't mean these guys haven't had better seasons than a slew of well known players.

Considering City had a highly publicised bid for him in the summer makes me think most of us would have heard of Mbappé.

 

[Dax777]

Say all this yet you suggest 31 year old (32 at the start of next season) Loïc Perrin who plays in the French league.

I did? When? Where?

Oh wait, fake news. :)

 

[Dax777]

Considering City had a highly publicised bid for him in the summer makes me think most of us would have heard of Mbappé.

You knew how good he was? And how does that apply to Bernado? But keep trying.

 

[kun]

I did? When? Where?

Oh wait, fake news. :)

Again it depends on what you want in a CB. Granted he seems like he'd be a good for for our philosophy.

This season there are multiple defenders I'll take over Bonucci.

Including
Van Dijk
Kolcieny
Alderwereld
Ramos
Pique
Marqhuinos
Sockratis
Godin
Fazio
Hummels
Javi Martinez
Hubner
Chiriches
Perrin

Right there

 

[kun]

You knew how good he was? And how does that apply to Bernado? But keep trying.

I rated him certainly. I mean there's no way I or anyone could have said for sure how good he was going to be until he had played a few more professional games but he was certainly a player I was aware of and knew he had ability.

I wasn't trying to discount your point entirely, just pointing out that most City fans would have heard of Mbappé due to our interest.

But considering you are asking for it, Silva and Mbappé have had breakthrough seasons at young ages (22 and 18 respectively), whereas the likes of Fazio and Chiriches (30 and 27) have had good seasons following a string of poor seasons. There's nothing to suggest they are anything other than one season wonders, remember Mahrez? Zaki? Michu?

Bonucci has been at the top of the game for at least half a decade now and he's just reaching his peak.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I truly don't think we are in need of a starting CB. I think we have 3 that are above average and frankly closing in on top end. Rather we just need a 4 guy. Most have chuckled and someone joked that I was his mom, but for my money Vlad Chiriches would be a great value pickup.

This is borderline insane. None of our centre backs are currently good enough. One has a lot of potential, the other has the footballing brain of a fucking lemming and the last one is just a general liability despite being our most consistent this season and will be 32 before the end of the year.

We need someone of genuine quality and not to be in a position where we're heading into next season still relying on the same unreliable defenders when there's no guarantee that they'll progress to a level that is fitting of an elite club.

Sometimes players find a great situation and they blossom. Fazio seems to have found that spot

So let's leave him there and not bring him back to the league he was shite in.

For what it's worth, I more or less agree with you about Bonucci but our defence has to be improved upon this summer or we'll see the same end product next season.

 

[Dax777]

Right there

As you can tell from the context of simply saying these were the players that have been better thsn Bonucci. Not that is want them at City.

That was in response to a claim Bonnuci was a top 5 player. I never suggested we should get Perin. Just that he is having a better season.

 

[_OVO_]

F this argument, we should go hard at Southampton for VVD. He's a leader, unflinching on the ball, decent passer and hard as nuts and bolts.

 

[IWasHere]

So you are arguing reputation and not performance then.

I was discussing performances this season. So I don't think its particularly relevant whether people had heard of them.

I bet most on this site didn't know Mbappe or Bernado Silva before the season started. This however doesn't mean these guys haven't had better seasons than a slew of well known players.

That tells you everything you need to know about how well they've been playing this season then doesn't it? They're making a name of themselves.

For instance I never heard of Modeste until this season because he's daggering.

 

[kun]

As you can tell from the context of simply saying these were the players that have been better thsn Bonucci. Not that is want them at City.

That was in response to a claim Bonnuci was a top 5 player. I never suggested we should get Perin. Just that he is having a better season.

Except you said that they are (and I quote) "Defenders I'll take over Bonucci"