The are we allowed the "it's quiet" thread yet? thread.

[simon23]

The best midfielder in the Bundesliga last season

A winger who knows pep inside out and will deliver 15 goals a season and take the goalscoring burden off the strikers - something we really needed.

A great prospect who can play on the wings, central midfield or even LB.

Germany's best prospect in his generation and a definite improvement on Navas.

A great CB prospect capable of playing. Out through the back the way pep wants, already familiar with the premier league.

And then the 2 best young players in South America.




Who on earth wouldn't be satisfied with that?

Pep's got a nearly unlimited budget. If he wanted more midfielders he'd have gotten them. If he wanted another big name striker, he'd have got one.

Instead he's got what he thinks we need. Some of the best you g players in the world and a couple of brilliant experienced players.

While Im not disagreeing with the rest of what you have put, the bolded bit isn't correct. He clearly wanted Laporte - we didn't get him. He hasn't got an unlimited budget as we still have spending constraints whether they be our own or ones imposed by FFP. I also think we are forgetting that we need to shift players first and the change around in Yaya Toures position says a lot to me. Whether that is because the player has decided to stay or because no one will have him on his wages and he won't drop his demands the fact that he is still here (when many thought he would leave and his twat of an agent was saying the same thing) means our plans could well have been made to change regarding central midfield. To get another central midfielder means we would have to shift Yaya (or others) out of the squad.....

Also prospects (as good as they are) could backfire. NOONE including Pep himself will know for 100% whether Sane. Stones, Zinchenko and the two young Colombian players will make it at the very highest level. I completely agree with what the club and Pep are trying to do (find these young prospects and get them early) but there are no guarantees. The only one of them that immediately improves our regular match day squad is Stones (over MDM)......

Gudongan so far is the real jewel that we have signed (and of course in time the others could prove to be so)

In my opinion the ones that improve our match day squad so far are:

Gudongan
Stones
Nolito (but for me he isn't all that but anything is an improvement on Navas as an attacking threat and he seems to have the work rate of Navas which is positive)

The rest are prospects (potentially awesome but completely unproven at present). Sane is probably the only one that will have real impact on the match day squad....the others may even go out on loan

Now we can use some of the young lads to cover the fullback positions (but if we are still relying on Kolorov then we still have a left back problem)

Again besides the fullback positions (which I trust Pep on) my concern is the central midfield area. Can he get Yaya to play better than last season (the signs are already good in that the reports are saying that Yaya already looks a lot fitter) and I know tactically Pep over MP will help solve that problem. Also the cover for Kun is basically Kelechi and a converted winger (nolito)......sterling as mucha s i like him a player will need to make huge improvememtsn to fill in thre and Silva isnt isn'twn for his goal scoring.

I think once pep has assessed his squad in full with the friendlies and we may see some later purchases

this summer could well prove to be our most successful...but we may not even know that for another year or two

 

[MillionDollarDream]

The best midfielder in the Bundesliga last season

A winger who knows pep inside out and will deliver 15 goals a season and take the goalscoring burden off the strikers - something we really needed.

A great prospect who can play on the wings, central midfield or even LB.

Germany's best prospect in his generation and a definite improvement on Navas.

A great CB prospect capable of playing. Out through the back the way pep wants, already familiar with the premier league.

And then the 2 best young players in South America.




Who on earth wouldn't be satisfied with that?

Pep's got a nearly unlimited budget. If he wanted more midfielders he'd have gotten them. If he wanted another big name striker, he'd have got one.

Instead he's got what he thinks we need. Some of the best you g players in the world and a couple of brilliant experienced players.

Great post. When people talk about "we haven't addressed _____ issues" it's projection. Pep just might see differently, he's going to want to work with some of what he already has.Plus Pep is going to evolve his style further and adapt it to the PL and that might give some fans wantaways some life in this club.

 

[Akiva]

While Im not disagreeing with the rest of what you have put, the bolded bit isn't correct. He clearly wanted Laporte - we didn't get him.

Bad example. Laporte wanted to stay with Atletico Bilbao and used City to do just that but also get more money and become a local hero.

In short, it was a one off.

Also prospects (as good as they are) could backfire. NOONE including Pep himself will know for 100% whether Sane. Stones, Zinchenko and the two young Colombian players will make it at the very highest level. I completely agree with what the club and Pep are trying to do (find these young prospects and get them early) but there are no guarantees. The only one of them that immediately improves our regular match day squad is Stones (over MDM)......

This simply isn't true. Leroy Sane is an immediate upgrade over everyone we have. His 8 goals and 6 assists in 23 appearances in the Bundesliga last season made him statistically Schalke's best midfielder by some measure and he figures only to get better under Pep.

But then, you instantly contradict yourself anyway with...

The rest are prospects (potentially awesome but completely unproven at present). Sane is probably the only one that will have real impact on the match day squad....the others may even go out on loan

I doubt that, it's not Pep's style. Indeed, he's already keeping Zinchenko around and I'd be surprised if we didn't hold on to Gabriel Jesus too.

again besides the fullback positions (which I trust Pep on) my concern is the central midfield area. Can he get Yaya to play better than last season (the signs are already good in that the reports are saying that Yaya already looks a lot fitter) and I know tactically Pep over MP will help solve that problem. Also the cover for Kun is basically Kelechi and a converted winger (nolito)......sterling as mucha s i like him a player will need to make huge improvememtsn to fill in thre and Silva isnt isn'twn for his goal scoring.

I think once pep has assessed his squad in full with the friendlies and we may see some later purchases

1. What's wrong with Central Midfield? Gundogan, Fernandinho, KDB and Silva not good enough for you? What about if, as rumoured, Pep moves Sane inside too?

2. You make it sound like Kelechi isn't suitable "cover" for the best striker in the league, which is bizarre given he's more than proven his ability to perform.

3. Pep has from the very beginning targeted the players he wants. If you think he doesn't know what he's dealing with at City, and hasn't known for some time, you're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

Last 2 seasons we've had the best squad but bad management and attitude

Now we have pep and added some quality and still 6 weeks to go in window and people still moan at pep and txiki for fuck sake.

I remember buzzing when we signed lee Bradbury lol some people don't even know they were born.

We have the best manager in the world and best set of players in the league.

Enjoy the ride

 

[MillionDollarDream]

Last 2 seasons we've had the best squad but bad management and attitude

Now we have pep and added some quality and still 6 weeks to go in window and people still moan at pep and txiki for fuck sake.

I remember buzzing when we signed lee Bradbury lol some people don't even know they were born.

We have the best manager in the world and best set of players in the league.

Enjoy the ride

Think people want a legit overhaul which isn't possible, especially if we want nothing but quality.

Also with a change of tactics and defensive shape, we will probably look a lot better than we have the last 2 seasons.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Last 2 seasons we've had the best squad but bad management and attitude

Now we have pep and added some quality and still 6 weeks to go in window and people still moan at pep and txiki for fuck sake.

I remember buzzing when we signed lee Bradbury lol some people don't even know they were born.

We have the best manager in the world and best set of players in the league.

Enjoy the ride

I'm looking forward to a special season. I think even if we don't win owt, the football's gonna be good.

 

[hartshairgel]

While Im not disagreeing with the rest of what you have put, the bolded bit isn't correct. He clearly wanted Laporte - we didn't get him. He hasn't got an unlimited budget as we still have spending constraints whether they be our own or ones imposed by FFP. I also think we are forgetting that we need to shift players first and the change around in Yaya Toures position says a lot to me. Whether that is because the player has decided to stay or because no one will have him on his wages and he won't drop his demands the fact that he is still here (when many thought he would leave and his twat of an agent was saying the same thing) means our plans could well have been made to change regarding central midfield. To get another central midfielder means we would have to shift Yaya (or others) out of the squad.....

Also prospects (as good as they are) could backfire. NOONE including Pep himself will know for 100% whether Sane. Stones, Zinchenko and the two young Colombian players will make it at the very highest level. I completely agree with what the club and Pep are trying to do (find these young prospects and get them early) but there are no guarantees. The only one of them that immediately improves our regular match day squad is Stones (over MDM)......

Gudongan so far is the real jewel that we have signed (and of course in time the others could prove to be so)

In my opinion the ones that improve our match day squad so far are:

Gudongan
Stones
Nolito (but for me he isn't all that but anything is an improvement on Navas as an attacking threat and he seems to have the work rate of Navas which is positive)

The rest are prospects (potentially awesome but completely unproven at present). Sane is probably the only one that will have real impact on the match day squad....the others may even go out on loan

Now we can use some of the young lads to cover the fullback positions (but if we are still relying on Kolorov then we still have a left back problem)

Again besides the fullback positions (which I trust Pep on) my concern is the central midfield area. Can he get Yaya to play better than last season (the signs are already good in that the reports are saying that Yaya already looks a lot fitter) and I know tactically Pep over MP will help solve that problem. Also the cover for Kun is basically Kelechi and a converted winger (nolito)......sterling as mucha s i like him a player will need to make huge improvememtsn to fill in thre and Silva isnt isn'twn for his goal scoring.

I think once pep has assessed his squad in full with the friendlies and we may see some later purchases

this summer could well prove to be our most successful...but we may not even know that for another year or two

I must admit central midfield is a concern for me as nothing from the Bayern game, and I know it was only a friendly, made me think Toure or Fernando were good enough. I am sure the link with Kroos is correct but perhaps it's time as well to pay some players up and move them on. It makes the squad smaller and easier to deal with, gives younger players more of a chance and frees up space for better players. I thought we'd be much further along in our dealings than we are now.

 

[simon23]

Bad example. Laporte wanted to stay with Atletico Bilbao and used City to do just that but also get more money and become a local hero.

In short, it was a one off.

Regardless whether it was a one off I was replying to the idea of what Pep wants he gets...that just simply isn't true and this proves it regardless whether it is a one off or not> Pep is a god to me and I hope he stays forever BUT lets not let arrogance get in the way here...he will not get everything he wants



This simply isn't true. Leroy Sane is an immediate upgrade over everyone we have. His 8 goals and 6 assists in 23 appearances in the Bundesliga last season made him statistically Schalke's best midfielder by some measure and he figures only to get better under Pep.

How do you know he will be better in much tougher league (overall....he may well take time to adapt and he is a young player so that wouldn't surprise me.)

But then, you instantly contradict yourself anyway with...


Ive not contradicted anything....i said he may have an impact on the match day squad.......i didn't say he would improve it automatically.


I doubt that, it's not Pep's style. Indeed, he's already keeping Zinchenko around and I'd be surprised if we didn't hold on to Gabriel Jesus too.

You don't know that...complete assumption and isn't it Jesus who will at least be at his club till December...therefore he won't have an impact until at least then......half way through he season...like i said future potential




1. What's wrong with Central Midfield? Gundogan, Fernandinho, KDB and Silva not good enough for you? What about if, as rumoured, Pep moves Sane inside too?

Maybe this is where si should have been clearer...those that you have mentioned are all world class to me..nothing wrong with them at all,,,,,but Im more talking about players who will dominate the central areasand more importantly add defensive solidity.......only two of those will.....I think we need a midfielder who will sit in there (unless like said Yaya is going to turn about his performances or fernando is going to improve hugely (both possible under pep)

2. You make it sound like Kelechi isn't suitable "cover" for the best striker in the league, which is bizarre given he's more than proven his ability to perform.

Thats your interpretation of it...kelechi is a great player but my only concern with him is that its a huge responsibility on a player so young and inexperienced...nothign to do with his ability....you are looking for negatives where there isn't any

3. Pep has from the very beginning targeted the players he wants. If you think he doesn't know what he's dealing with at City, and hasn't known for some time, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Pep will assess what he has and will have started prior coming here,......however don't you think he will use the friendlies to assess what he has as well...hense playing the younger players to see how they do, and also his comments about players doing their talking (their only talking) on the pitch.

Im NOT criticising Pep....Im saying i think we may need one or two more players who are ready from the off to fill in couple of positions.........central midfield, and a potentially a forward (yes sane could move their but he is again a young lad with bags of potential but is yet unproven at premiership level and may not move to that position for a year or two)

Of course he knows more as he is in a position to know more busy main argument is that just cause Pep wants it he will get it.......that isn't true. He may have to wait for some of the purchases to reach their potential (and believe you me Im very excited by the two south american lads)

 

[simon23]

Think people want a legit overhaul which isn't possible, especially if we want nothing but quality.

Also with a change of tactics and defensive shape, we will probably look a lot better than we have the last 2 seasons.

this i absolutely agree with

 

[brian the blue]

Flap flap flap flap flappity flap.

Speak for yourself buddy, that's an impressive window by any calculation. Both for the present and the future.

Pep himself said we'd have the team he wants by the time the window is closed. I think he knows what he's doing.

How is that flapping?

Realistically we're going into the new season having added Nolito. Not one person in May would have been praying we signed Nolito.

Gundogan won't be fit for the start and then he'll be eased in. So we're starting with the same sluggish midfield as last year.

I'm sorry but even if the other two additions for this season in stones and sane sign then we haven't addressed any of the glaring weaknesses from last year.

I don't think anyone would have expected Zabaleta, Kolarov, Mangala, Toure, Fernando and Bony ALL to still be here.

It's an underwhelming window. Hope Pep is as good as we all expect him to be.