The spending is not over!

[NipHolmes]

If we are serious about the Champions League we need Pepe for his experience

As Tevez said, City froze in Europe last season. The players thought it was something else and froze. I don't even know if Pepe is enough. What we need more than anything else is an opening win to take the pressure off, and for that we need a decent draw

But I'd still buy Pepe. Kompany has the winners attitude on the pitch. He was way below par last season, but you can't have enough players who will put themselves on the line every game, and will not be beaten

Mancini was the biggest single factor in our demise in Europe.

We set up too slow and deep as a consequence of the season before when we were beaten by Napoli and became Inter mk2 again.

Mancini changing formations numerous times throughout the game bred nervousness. The last place you wanna try out new formations and systems is the biggest stage in club football. You save that stuff for lower level opposition.

The key to being successful in Euope is working as a unit and everybody knowing their jobs. Simple passes that get to the man and then breaking together in organised fashion. Press together, move together and work together. Passengers who lack confidence and quality get shown up. Lescott, Barry, Kolarov and Dzeko should not be starters in any CL games. Never again.

Nasty, Fernandinho, Clichy and Jovetic/Negredo. It has to be.

 

[hertsblue]

Would not go for Pepe myself.
Very good defender but considering how we often get soft yellow cards for 1st offences and Mario could pick up a yellow for being fouled, Sky would show all the bad side of Pepe and this would play into Refs minds and he would be a marked man from day 1.

 

[adrianr]

If we are serious about the Champions League we need Pepe for his experience

As Tevez said, City froze in Europe last season. The players thought it was something else and froze. I don't even know if Pepe is enough. What we need more than anything else is an opening win to take the pressure off, and for that we need a decent draw

But I'd still buy Pepe. Kompany has the winners attitude on the pitch. He was way below par last season, but you can't have enough players who will put themselves on the line every game, and will not be beaten

Mancini was the biggest single factor in our demise in Europe.

We set up too slow and deep as a consequence of the season before when we were beaten by Napoli and became Inter mk2 again.

Mancini changing formations numerous times throughout the game bred nervousness. The last place you wanna try out new formations and systems is the biggest stage in club football. You save that stuff for lower level opposition.

The key to being successful in Euope is working as a unit and everybody knowing their jobs. Simple passes that get to the man and then breaking together in organised fashion. Press together, move together and work together. Passengers who lack confidence and quality get shown up. Lescott, Barry, Kolarov and Dzeko should not be starters in any CL games. Never again.

Nasty, Fernandinho, Clichy and Jovetic/Negredo. It has to be.

What do you think about the possibility of Pepe coming in Nip?

 

[Jumanji]

Would not go for Pepe myself.
Very good defender but considering how we often get soft yellow cards for 1st offences and Mario could pick up a yellow for being fouled, Sky would show all the bad side of Pepe and this would play into Refs minds and he would be a marked man from day 1.

I disagree. He doesn't get many yellows in one of the strictest leagues in the world—one that Madrid are always complaining a the refs are against them.

You saw how he's 'nullified' Messi on several occasions? Wouldn't mind some of that grit Pepe brings on our team.

 

[Maldeika]

If we are serious about the Champions League we need Pepe for his experience

As Tevez said, City froze in Europe last season. The players thought it was something else and froze. I don't even know if Pepe is enough. What we need more than anything else is an opening win to take the pressure off, and for that we need a decent draw

But I'd still buy Pepe. Kompany has the winners attitude on the pitch. He was way below par last season, but you can't have enough players who will put themselves on the line every game, and will not be beaten

Wasn't all about freezing imo...we needed a bit of luck as well, which we didn't get...

I know this sounds like old stuff, but the season before last, we could and should have had 2 penalties in the first 20 mins against Bayern - Boateng on Silva and then Richards - when the score was 0-0...then being 2-1 up in Madrid last season...a bit more luck and we would have certainly made the knock out stages the season before last and if we had got a result in Madrid, it would have changed the complexion of the group as well...

My wish?? A bit more luck!!! We had/have the players...

Actually you then had matches in which you had luck in the last minutes like winning against Villarreal in the last minute in 2011/12 or the penalty against Dortmund last year.

I do not really think that anything of the performances in the CL in the last 2 years had to do too much with luck or no luck. Bayern and Napoli two years ago and Dortmund and Real last year have been the clearly better teams.

 

[Marvin]

If we are serious about the Champions League we need Pepe for his experience

As Tevez said, City froze in Europe last season. The players thought it was something else and froze. I don't even know if Pepe is enough. What we need more than anything else is an opening win to take the pressure off, and for that we need a decent draw

But I'd still buy Pepe. Kompany has the winners attitude on the pitch. He was way below par last season, but you can't have enough players who will put themselves on the line every game, and will not be beaten

Wasn't all about freezing imo...we needed a bit of luck as well, which we didn't get...

I know this sounds like old stuff, but the season before last, we could and should have had 2 penalties in the first 20 mins against Bayern - Boateng on Silva and then Richards - when the score was 0-0...then being 2-1 up in Madrid last season...a bit more luck and we would have certainly made the knock out stages the season before last and if we had got a result in Madrid, it would have changed the complexion of the group as well...

My wish?? A bit more luck!!! We had/have the players...

Actually you then had matches in which you had luck in the last minutes like winning against Villarreal in the last minute in 2011/12 or the penalty against Dortmund last year.

I do not really think that anything of the performances in the CL in the last 2 years had to do too much with luck or no luck. Bayern and Napoli two years ago and Dortmund and Real last year have been the clearly better teams.

Balotelli should have had a pen in the last minute against Ajax I think it was and we didn't get it.

No, it wasn't good or bad luck, or mancini tactics, but a series of catastrophic defensive errors. Points to nerves / lack of experience in my view. Too much fuss made of tactics. Professional footballers are very familiar with 3 at the back or 4. These are just easy excuses to grab at. The explanation for the soft goals conceded in almost every Euro fixture is self doubt and uncertainty.

 

[Rammyblues]

You will be pleased to know I am NOT in charge of our transfers but if I were I would get Coentrao and Pepe and call it a do.

 

[Super David Silva 21]

everyones favourite person has this to say........

Tancredi Palmeri ‏@tancredipalmeri 13h

Manchester City have seen rejected a bid for Lazio and Brazil mid Hernanes around a month ago. The bid was approx 18m €

 

[NipHolmes]

If we are serious about the Champions League we need Pepe for his experience

As Tevez said, City froze in Europe last season. The players thought it was something else and froze. I don't even know if Pepe is enough. What we need more than anything else is an opening win to take the pressure off, and for that we need a decent draw

But I'd still buy Pepe. Kompany has the winners attitude on the pitch. He was way below par last season, but you can't have enough players who will put themselves on the line every game, and will not be beaten

Mancini was the biggest single factor in our demise in Europe.

We set up too slow and deep as a consequence of the season before when we were beaten by Napoli and became Inter mk2 again.

Mancini changing formations numerous times throughout the game bred nervousness. The last place you wanna try out new formations and systems is the biggest stage in club football. You save that stuff for lower level opposition.

The key to being successful in Euope is working as a unit and everybody knowing their jobs. Simple passes that get to the man and then breaking together in organised fashion. Press together, move together and work together. Passengers who lack confidence and quality get shown up. Lescott, Barry, Kolarov and Dzeko should not be starters in any CL games. Never again.

Nasty, Fernandinho, Clichy and Jovetic/Negredo. It has to be.

What do you think about the possibility of Pepe coming in Nip?

I'd be over the moon. I was one of the very first to say it and got some shite for it.

Imo he's one of the best out there and IS better than Varane but his relationship with Jose cost him. Varane is the future so will get the nod but for what we need Pepe is literally the best option out there. His temperament is his weakness when he implodes but it's few and far between. It should blot his stature which is a world class CB. Strong in the air, reads a game well, marks well, tracks well and can pass under pressure in a composed and assured manner. Top drawer basically.

Him and Vinny as first choice CB pairing. Nasty obviously the future but Pepe Ians vital cog in our machine. Richards and Nasty as a back up pairing is tidy anyway.

What nobody has mentioned yet is that Pepe can playing as a holding mid too. His flexibility and ability is what makes him n essential purchase.

15m is fair money. I guarantee you now that had Jose not fell out with him then Pepe at Chelsea would be a move they go for and a move that'd be genius.

 

[NipHolmes]

Wasn't all about freezing imo...we needed a bit of luck as well, which we didn't get...

I know this sounds like old stuff, but the season before last, we could and should have had 2 penalties in the first 20 mins against Bayern - Boateng on Silva and then Richards - when the score was 0-0...then being 2-1 up in Madrid last season...a bit more luck and we would have certainly made the knock out stages the season before last and if we had got a result in Madrid, it would have changed the complexion of the group as well...

My wish?? A bit more luck!!! We had/have the players...

Actually you then had matches in which you had luck in the last minutes like winning against Villarreal in the last minute in 2011/12 or the penalty against Dortmund last year.

I do not really think that anything of the performances in the CL in the last 2 years had to do too much with luck or no luck. Bayern and Napoli two years ago and Dortmund and Real last year have been the clearly better teams.

Balotelli should have had a pen in the last minute against Ajax I think it was and we didn't get it.

No, it wasn't good or bad luck, or mancini tactics, but a series of catastrophic defensive errors. Points to nerves / lack of experience in my view. Too much fuss made of tactics. Professional footballers are very familiar with 3 at the back or 4. These are just easy excuses to grab at. The explanation for the soft goals conceded in almost every Euro fixture is self doubt and uncertainty.

How would a set of players feel comfortable with 3 at the back if they never play that way?

Change a formation 3 times in a game and it's prone for a mistake. That's just what happened.

The reason we conceded cannot be put down to self doubt, the uncertainty you speak of is lack of understanding of the inept tactics and instability of it all.


We should have had a penalty v Ajax but we shouldn't v BVB so that's a moot point. We weren't good enough because the manager wasn't good enough. You'll see that first hand this coming season. I even hope we get a tough draw and progress just so the Manciniester lot have no excuses. Of course the squad will be the reason but if Mancini was here we would not utilise Navas and we would play deep and slow football.

Watch Inter v Liverpool under Mancini when they get knocked out. Exactly the same tactics. Mancini is one dimensional and he's a fretter. His lack of composure makes the teams he manages nervous. Cursing them mid game for mistakes instead of trying to calm and help them to regain composure. When we need to be strong he'd instead tinker and swap a formation. When that didn't work he said it was 'just five minutes', well why fucking bother!