The Squad planning thread

[Tranquilizer]

1 title for 1bn, not bad spending that, if it happens.

I don’t like this arrogance personally. Their recruitment is better than City and I would love a lot of their players at City.

 

[decmancity]

You are aware that this club spent £42m on Kalvin Phillips and £53m on Matheus Nunes. The first is the worst transfer after takeover, the second one is not good enough to play midfield and right now a makeshift right-back. Amazing, isn’t it? This isn’t a video game.

Yeah I am, bad transfers happen, your darlings Arsenal are up there with the worst at flattening money on shite. My point being that just because X went elsewhere, doesn't mean City could have got them.

I don’t like this arrogance personally. Their recruitment is better than City and I would love a lot of their players at City.

Arrogance, you're handing out premier league titles to the biggest bottle merchants in the last decade in November.

Where has this brilliant recruitment got them, no where.

 

[Berti No Show]

How fucking naive can you be ffs. Embarrassing fella.



Looks like a load of nonsense I guess. She stayed with him because she had no choice, a lot of domestic violence victims rarely do. As for her dad, he was too busy flying about Manchester telling the world his son in law played for the rags and sponging off him for tickets for matches. Imagine seeing that as a father and listening to that video and supporting him, how cruel and twisted do you have to be.

This is my thinking. I haven't seen or heard the footage before until now, so apologies for even suggesting his name or defending his position.

Nearly all people, especially a parent, would instinctively prioritise the safety and wellbeing of their own child, regardless of whether he played for Man United or not. I just can't seem to grasp it, it's sick as you say.

 

[Tranquilizer]

Yeah I am, bad transfers happen, your darlings Arsenal are up there with the worst at flattening money on shite. My point being that just because X went elsewhere, doesn't mean City could have got them.


Arrogance, you're handing out premier league titles to the biggest bottle merchants in the last decade in November.

Where has this brilliant recruitment got them, no where.

City had spent £100m on Nunes and Phillips. End of the story. Begiristain did nothing to bring top level midfielders when it was a time to do that. He shopped in Tesco, not Harrods. So he left City.

Arsenal right now are buying top players that fit Arteta’s system. Something that City forgot to do it. They are better OOP, more physical, more defensive-minded, but let’s be arrogant and let’s talk about the past that you love. The successes must be fresh, so you are fresh from complexes with „O UCL” and we can talk in a United way.

 

[decmancity]

City had spent £100m on Nunes and Phillips. End of the story. Begiristain did nothing to bring top level midfielders when it was a time to do that. He shopped in Tesco, not Harrods. So he left City.

Arsenal right now are buying top players that fit Arteta’s system. Something that City forgot to do it. They are better OOP, more physical, more defensive-minded, but let’s be arrogant and let’s talk about the past that you love. The successes must be fresh, so you are fresh from complexes with „O UCL” and we can talk in a United way.

Txiki bought out Harrods and burnt the place to the floor which is why we dominated basically every year the past decade, how clueless are you? Signed Kalvin Phillips and won the treble btw. Then another Premier league title with Nunes.

Always one final thing for Arsenal isn't it, always one more player they need and one more missing piece of the jigsaw. Pulis would be proud of what Arteta has put together. The success is fresh, a hell of a lot fresher than the perennial bridesmaids in north London, that is a fact.

 

[Berti No Show]

City had spent £100m on Nunes and Phillips. End of the story. Begiristain did nothing to bring top level midfielders when it was a time to do that. He shopped in Tesco, not Harrods. So he left City.

Arsenal right now are buying top players that fit Arteta’s system. Something that City forgot to do it. They are better OOP, more physical, more defensive-minded, but let’s be arrogant and let’s talk about the past that you love. The successes must be fresh, so you are fresh from complexes with „O UCL” and we can talk in a United way.

I agree. I’m generally a positive fan, but there comes a point where you have to be realistic. The players we’re bringing in such as Khusanov, Nunes, Marmoush, they all have their outstanding qualities, but they don’t feel like typical Pep players. When you look at PSG, Arsenal every signing they make fits perfectly with the style they’re building under their coaches. There’s a clear identity, a clear plan, and every addition strengthens that.

We used to be exactly like that. Bernardo, Mahrez, Sane, Gundogan, Walker, Stones, every one of them aligned with the way Pep wanted us to play and slotted in. Now things feel a bit mismatched, almost like we’re unsure of the direction we’re taking when we are going into the market. Meanwhile, players like Trossard who many would call fairly average are thriving because they’re being used in a system tailored to their strengths. Eze, Zubimendi are the same. We had Sterling, Jesus who were like that for us.

Right now, it just feels like we’ve drifted away from what we used to be off the field, and it's as if nobody seems to know what the club wants to do. We've seen United fall away due to this, we don't want to be exactly like them.

 

[Berti No Show]

Signed Kalvin Phillips and won the treble btw. Then another Premier league title with Nunes.

Come on mate. You can't come out with that.

Those players didn’t really contribute to the trophies we’d won those particular seasons. We achieved those successes thanks to meticulous planning, world class execution, and the brilliance of players like Kevin, Bernardo, Stones etc. The current struggles we’re facing, however, are largely the result of poor transfer decisions that brought in players who haven’t lived up to that standard. I know there'd a requirement to give these players time, but some of those players haven't improved in 12-15 months of being here.

 

[decmancity]

I know there'd a requirement to give these players time, but some of those players haven't improved in 12-15 months of being here.

Where does that blame lie then?

I think there is an uncomfortable conversation for many to have about Pep.

 

[pbueno16]

Precarious situation considering how many players we need to transition from and the current holes in the team. Need to move and replace Ortega, Ake, Lewis, Kovacic, Bernardo, Phillips and Savinho. Some of those would be handled with like for like replacements by signing a couple 8s, a RB and a RW then bringing back Reis and Bah from their loans. If we manage to get that done, we may still have issues with depth and carrying a couple players who don't quite fit (Bobb, Marmoush, Reijnders).

 

[Berti No Show]

Where does that blame lie then?

I think there is an uncomfortable conversation for many to have about Pep.

I don’t think this is on Pep, not for a second. We’ve all seen what happens when a team is aligned for him, when everyone is pulling in the same direction - records shattered, trophies won, and some of the most breathtaking football this country has ever witnessed. That was down to one man: Pep. His vision, his standards, his ability to extract the very best from every player that truly suit the way he wants to play. It's unmatched. Not even Jurgen Klopp who broke all kinds of records could stop him.

The struggles we’re seeing now? They aren’t Pep’s fault. You can’t cook a Michelin star meal without the right ingredients and spices, and right now, the squad simply isn’t built to perform at that level. This is an off-field issue in my opinion, plain and simple. Poor recruitment, questionable signings, and a lack of long-term squad planning have left him fighting an uphill battle that no manager in world football could overcome.

Give Pep what he needs and wants, the top-tier players, the proper balance, the freedom to build his system and he will construct a title winning team that dominates once again. Remember, the man who is currently at the top of the league, probably heading for the title this May, was Pep’s number two not too long ago. That should tell you everything about the standard Pep sets.

We need to stop blaming the manager for issues that are clearly structural. Pep has proven time and time again that with the right tools, he doesn't just win football matches and trophies, he redefines football all together.

 

[pbueno16]

I don’t think this is on Pep, not for a second. We’ve all seen what happens when a team is aligned for him, when everyone is pulling in the same direction - records shattered, trophies won, and some of the most breathtaking football this country has ever witnessed. That was down to one man: Pep. His vision, his standards, his ability to extract the very best from every player that truly suit the way he wants to play. It's unmatched. Not even Jurgen Klopp who broke all kinds of records could stop him.

The struggles we’re seeing now? They aren’t Pep’s fault. You can’t cook a Michelin star meal without the right ingredients and spices, and right now, the squad simply isn’t built to perform at that level. This is an off-field issue in my opinion, plain and simple. Poor recruitment, questionable signings, and a lack of long-term squad planning have left him fighting an uphill battle that no manager in world football could overcome.

Give Pep what he needs and wants, the top-tier players, the proper balance, the freedom to build his system and he will construct a title winning team that dominates once again. Remember, the man who is currently at the top of the league, probably heading for the title this May, was Pep’s number two not too long ago. That should tell you everything about the standard Pep sets.

We need to stop blaming the manager for issues that are clearly structural. Pep has proven time and time again that with the right tools, he doesn't just win football matches and trophies, he redefines football all together.

The squad isn't great, but it's better than some of the performances we've seen the last 16 months. Having a clear first XI and then making 10 changes for Leverkusen with Leeds after that is all on the manager. Besides the odd lineup and subs on occasion, his individual player management has put himself in positions where he can't rotate (Rodri, Kovacic, CB crisis last season).

 

[Tranquilizer]

I agree. I’m generally a positive fan, but there comes a point where you have to be realistic. The players we’re bringing in such as Khusanov, Nunes, Marmoush, they all have their outstanding qualities, but they don’t feel like typical Pep players. When you look at PSG, Arsenal every signing they make fits perfectly with the style they’re building under their coaches. There’s a clear identity, a clear plan, and every addition strengthens that.

We used to be exactly like that. Bernardo, Mahrez, Sane, Gundogan, Walker, Stones, every one of them aligned with the way Pep wanted us to play and slotted in. Now things feel a bit mismatched, almost like we’re unsure of the direction we’re taking when we are going into the market. Meanwhile, players like Trossard who many would call fairly average are thriving because they’re being used in a system tailored to their strengths. Eze, Zubimendi are the same. We had Sterling, Jesus who were like that for us.

Right now, it just feels like we’ve drifted away from what we used to be off the field, and it's as if nobody seems to know what the club wants to do. We've seen United fall away due to this, we don't want to be exactly like them.

I was in shock when City signed Phillips, Nunes, Khusanov etc. I don’t understand thiese moves to this day to be honest.

I agree 10000% with this.

 

[Tranquilizer]

The squad isn't great, but it's better than some of the performances we've seen the last 16 months. Having a clear first XI and then making 10 changes for Leverkusen with Leeds after that is all on the manager. Besides the odd lineup and subs on occasion, his individual player management has put himself in positions where he can't rotate (Rodri, Kovacic, CB crisis last season).

And still the board will message Gaughan, Bajkowski or Lee the squad is top, they are relaxed and City doesn’t need transfers when the reality is different.

 

[Tranquilizer]

I don’t think this is on Pep, not for a second. We’ve all seen what happens when a team is aligned for him, when everyone is pulling in the same direction - records shattered, trophies won, and some of the most breathtaking football this country has ever witnessed. That was down to one man: Pep. His vision, his standards, his ability to extract the very best from every player that truly suit the way he wants to play. It's unmatched. Not even Jurgen Klopp who broke all kinds of records could stop him.

The struggles we’re seeing now? They aren’t Pep’s fault. You can’t cook a Michelin star meal without the right ingredients and spices, and right now, the squad simply isn’t built to perform at that level. This is an off-field issue in my opinion, plain and simple. Poor recruitment, questionable signings, and a lack of long-term squad planning have left him fighting an uphill battle that no manager in world football could overcome.

Give Pep what he needs and wants, the top-tier players, the proper balance, the freedom to build his system and he will construct a title winning team that dominates once again. Remember, the man who is currently at the top of the league, probably heading for the title this May, was Pep’s number two not too long ago. That should tell you everything about the standard Pep sets.

We need to stop blaming the manager for issues that are clearly structural. Pep has proven time and time again that with the right tools, he doesn't just win football matches and trophies, he redefines football all together.

The problem is recruitment and the direction of the recruitment. We were fantastic on the market till 2021. Then City has become penny pinchers and apart from Haaland they did nothing serious. Instead of targeting Olise in 2023 to replace Mahrez, Rice or Bellingham, even MacAllister to replace Gundogan, reacting quicker with replacing Alvarez, they did nothing or they bought wrong player. It’s up to the board and latest period of Txiki.


Serious question: is Matheus Nunes good enough? Is Savinho, Bobb, Lewis, maybe Khusanov good enough? The answer is easy: is all about quality or lack of quality or too many project players for whom Man City is simply too big - Bobb, Lewis, Savinho etc.

 

[decmancity]

I don’t think this is on Pep, not for a second. We’ve all seen what happens when a team is aligned for him, when everyone is pulling in the same direction - records shattered, trophies won, and some of the most breathtaking football this country has ever witnessed. That was down to one man: Pep. His vision, his standards, his ability to extract the very best from every player that truly suit the way he wants to play. It's unmatched. Not even Jurgen Klopp who broke all kinds of records could stop him.

The struggles we’re seeing now? They aren’t Pep’s fault. You can’t cook a Michelin star meal without the right ingredients and spices, and right now, the squad simply isn’t built to perform at that level. This is an off-field issue in my opinion, plain and simple. Poor recruitment, questionable signings, and a lack of long-term squad planning have left him fighting an uphill battle that no manager in world football could overcome.

Give Pep what he needs and wants, the top-tier players, the proper balance, the freedom to build his system and he will construct a title winning team that dominates once again. Remember, the man who is currently at the top of the league, probably heading for the title this May, was Pep’s number two not too long ago. That should tell you everything about the standard Pep sets.

We need to stop blaming the manager for issues that are clearly structural. Pep has proven time and time again that with the right tools, he doesn't just win football matches and trophies, he redefines football all together.

Fucking hell that is some sob story you're writing for one of the highest paid managers of all time who gets to spend hundreds of millions a year and carte blanche to do what he wants.

Laughable to think Pep isn't the loudest voice in the room when it comes to identifying talent and which players they are buying.

Maybe Pep is losing his touch with identifying players, doesn't want to go after the top stars because they challenge him too much, wants to nurture youth players and youngsters and players we can bring in from clubs below us because they think Pep is a god.

The club have pandered to everything Pep wants, when we were on our arse in Jan the club smashed open the bank and gave him hundreds of millions to drag ourselves into the CL. Get to the summer and spend more money and now its going tits up again we wheel out the excuses that A, B, C and D were never good enough and can't believe we didn't buy X, Y and Z.

You're living in an alternate reality if you think Viana signed Reijnders and Cherki and just dropped them off at the CFA and is forcing Pep to play them.

Last night we had posts like 'Pep is picking him to show the board how shit he is'
What sort of fucking nonsense is this.
Pep might want to think about picking a team to win a game, or inspire a squad of highly paid individuals to get off their arse and actually perform when Haaland isn't around to bail them out.

It's getting really boring to just keep spending money because Pep has lost his touch to fix the underlying problems in the team.

 

[Alexia_Ko]

Txiki bought out Harrods and burnt the place to the floor which is why we dominated basically every year the past decade, how clueless are you? Signed Kalvin Phillips and won the treble btw. Then another Premier league title with Nunes.

Always one final thing for Arsenal isn't it, always one more player they need and one more missing piece of the jigsaw. Pulis would be proud of what Arteta has put together. The success is fresh, a hell of a lot fresher than the perennial bridesmaids in north London, that is a fact.

Signed KP and won the treble no thanks to him, signed Nunes and we won the PL no thanks to him too so that isn’t a point. We were carried by the quality we used to have in abundance in 23/24.
There’s a reason we’ve declined and it’s due to the quality of players. Even without hindsight it was obvious Nunes and KP would never work out

 

[Ken92]

How Chelsea and Real find those great young brazilians and ours fail miserably!? Something needs to change in our recruitment.

 

[Gorbachev]

How Chelsea and Real find those great young brazilians and ours fail miserably!? Something needs to change in our recruitment.

Estavao cost Chelsea €67m with all the add-ons. He was 18.

Rodrygo and Vini JR both cost Madrid €45m, both were 18 at the time

All 3 of them were huge starlets back in South America in the youth ranks and when they first broke through. A lot was expected of all of them. Estavao has been tipped as the best talent since Neymar for years.

Savio was seen a talent but nowhere near as lauded like those 3 and as a result he only cost CFG €6.5m.

 

[Ken92]

Estavao cost Chelsea €67m with all the add-ons. He was 18.

Rodrygo and Vini JR both cost Madrid €45m, both were 18 at the time

All 3 of them were huge starlets back in South America in the youth ranks and when they first broke through. A lot was expected of all of them. Estavao has been tipped as the best talent since Neymar for years.

Savio was seen a talent but nowhere near as lauded like those 3 and as a result he only cost CFG €6.5m.

City has the money ,thats not the problem.

 

[Skrastins]

Let’s just say that i’m not against