We don't have the players? Of the 11 that started against Arssenal, we have Kompany, Otamendi, Sagna, De Bruyne, Sane, Kelechi, Jesus x 2 to come in and more.I don't think Pep will have wanted to stay with what we have...he may have to but I don't think that will have been his ideal as clearly some of the players cannot play the way he wants and he wants to show the world that his brand of football will work in the prem. Thats his challenge that he wants to achieve yet it is clear he needs certain types of players to do that (hence the pursuit of stones as an example).......will he be able to do it with what he has....i don't think so...do i blame pep for that - not at all but if he wants success he may have to change...will he - I have know idea.
Delph is a trier...but lacks the skill, touch and passing...great engine on him but thats about it......maybe thats what pep wants from him but he will need other players around him.....
Maybe a midfield 3 of Delph, Yaya and Dihno to start the season with Delphi and Dihno doing the leg work for Yaya.....now how you fit Gudongan into that once fit i don't know and what you do with the rest of the team i don't know.
I don't want to rely on Yaya as I think he is passed his best but as it stands he is still the best midfielder at the club as far as controllingthe midfield and controlling the flow of the game and his passing is second to none (well maybe with he exception of silva) - this is why i have said another midfielder is absolutely crucial as well as a lot still revolves around Yaya
Kolarov and Fernando at CB with Zaba chugging down the right and Delph in midfield. Erm...yeah, I don't think the lack of time with Pep is the issue there nor do I think the squad is fantastic. I think the squad in 3 years will be fantastic, but today, it's got more holes in it than the Titanic.
Unless Pep has coached in training so well in secret that Denayer & Otamendi can turn up on Saturday and play together seamlessly then yes I do think we're at a much greater risk of losing than we should be. Or we think Stones will just need 2 training sessions to be spot on. Either way it's not ideal and unnecessary.
Yeah because Kolarov & Fernando are our only optiions.
Ridiculous.
If Pep wants to he can play Sagna Clichy Otamendi & Mangala on Saturday. A perfectly acceptable back 4. He has Zaba Denayer Tosin Kolarov Angelino Maffeo as spares.
In centre midfield he can choose between Fernando Fernandinho Delph Yaya Toure Silva DeBruyne Garcia or he could put Denayer there at def mid or use Angelino, he has Sterling Sane Aguero Nolito Silva DeBruyne & Bony as options for the front 3.
He is playing v fucking Sunderland.
It's not the squad which will be the problem, it's the new style he wants to teach them, which will take time whoever we sign.
I just cannot fathom how people are struggling with this, or are they simply being unrealistic with their expectations?
I fear we might be swimming in Rag infested waters at timesIt's beyond belief that this huge squad of expensive stars is being made out as a plie of shit.
I fear we might be swimming in Rag infested waters at times
See that's the sad thing. If i thought it were rags on the wum I wouldn't care, but it's actual City fans coming up with this bollocks.
Yeah because Kolarov & Fernando are our only optiions.
Ridiculous.
If Pep wants to he can play Sagna Clichy Otamendi & Mangala on Saturday. A perfectly acceptable back 4. He has Zaba Denayer Tosin Kolarov Angelino Maffeo as spares.
In centre midfield he can choose between Fernando Fernandinho Delph Yaya Toure Silva DeBruyne Garcia or he could put Denayer there at def mid or use Angelino, he has Sterling Sane Aguero Nolito Silva DeBruyne & Bony as options for the front 3.
He is playing v fucking Sunderland.
It's not the squad which will be the problem, it's the new style he wants to teach them, which will take time whoever we sign.
Yeah because Kolarov & Fernando are our only optiions.
Ridiculous.
If Pep wants to he can play Sagna Clichy Otamendi & Mangala on Saturday. A perfectly acceptable back 4. He has Zaba Denayer Tosin Kolarov Angelino Maffeo as spares.
In centre midfield he can choose between Fernando Fernandinho Delph Yaya Toure Silva DeBruyne Garcia or he could put Denayer there at def mid or use Angelino, he has Sterling Sane Aguero Nolito Silva DeBruyne & Bony as options for the front 3.
He is playing v fucking Sunderland.
It's not the squad which will be the problem, it's the new style he wants to teach them, which will take time whoever we sign.
Top post.
If Pep can't experiment in pre-season, when can he? I can't believe some people have such little faith in Pep. Very sad.
Kompany absolutely makes a difference - so i agree with you on that one - but we all know that injuries are a worry and no one can deny that
Otto - potentially better so again i agree
the rest of the centre half options are not good enough.....managala as a defender is fine..his distribution is awful however and we will ,one goals from his misplaced passes. Denayer again looks like he may not fit into Peps plans
the forwards are the problem for me as i have already said (though i still think Navas should be gone but hopefully with Peps insistence on going to the byline (his comments this morning) it will get navas doing what he should be doing.
My worry are the fullbacks (esp left back) - kolorov, and to a lesser extent clichy are going to struggle as will zabba( i love the guy)
plus the midfield of delph and fernando just haven't got the ball playing ability
so thats 4-5 players in the first team squad that aint going to cut it on a regular basis and thats before you get to the argument about Hart and whether Kelechi is good enough (at present) to cover for the inevitable injury to Kun (esp if its long term injury).
Kompany absolutely makes a difference - so i agree with you on that one - but we all know that injuries are a worry and no one can deny that
Otto - potentially better so again i agree
the rest of the centre half options are not good enough.....managala as a defender is fine..his distribution is awful however and we will ,one goals from his misplaced passes. Denayer again looks like he may not fit into Peps plans
the forwards are the problem for me as i have already said (though i still think Navas should be gone but hopefully with Peps insistence on going to the byline (his comments this morning) it will get navas doing what he should be doing.
My worry are the fullbacks (esp left back) - kolorov, and to a lesser extent clichy are going to struggle as will zabba( i love the guy)
plus the midfield of delph and fernando just haven't got the ball playing ability
so thats 4-5 players in the first team squad that aint going to cut it on a regular basis and thats before you get to the argument about Hart and whether Kelechi is good enough (at present) to cover for the inevitable injury to Kun (esp if its long term injury).
Delph and Fernando, aren't first choice but still better than Fellaini and Carrick, so more than good enough for me. No question we have enough cover for Aguero , especially if he only misses the 8 or so games he normally misses in a season.Kompany absolutely makes a difference - so i agree with you on that one - but we all know that injuries are a worry and no one can deny that
Otto - potentially better so again i agree
the rest of the centre half options are not good enough.....managala as a defender is fine..his distribution is awful however and we will ,one goals from his misplaced passes. Denayer again looks like he may not fit into Peps plans
the forwards are the problem for me as i have already said (though i still think Navas should be gone but hopefully with Peps insistence on going to the byline (his comments this morning) it will get navas doing what he should be doing.
My worry are the fullbacks (esp left back) - kolorov, and to a lesser extent clichy are going to struggle as will zabba( i love the guy)
plus the midfield of delph and fernando just haven't got the ball playing ability
so thats 4-5 players in the first team squad that aint going to cut it on a regular basis and thats before you get to the argument about Hart and whether Kelechi is good enough (at present) to cover for the inevitable injury to Kun (esp if its long term injury).
We don't have to have a midfield of Delph & Fernando. We can have any of about 8 players in there. It's up to the manager & what balance he wants. We can do almost anything in football we have the players.
Pep can also now turn to the likes of Aleks and say "I gave you every chance in pre-season".
It's beyond belief that this huge squad of expensive stars is being made out as a plie of shit.
actually that was supposed so to say the forwards are not a problemSo, everything really :-)