The Squad planning thread

[Gesario]

So just 7 out of 11 positions… ;-)

Exactly !

 

[Petetheblu]

I've no idea what all this farce about another midfielder comes from, as far as I can see we're doing fine with our current midfielders.

Written and sent from St Marys eye ward.

 

[handsofstone]

100% cant be here next season:
Walker
Gundogan

Encourage to leave:
1. Stones (or Ake if nobody takes a chance on John due to his injuries)
2. Grealish (it's time)
3. Ederson (think he's looking for something new)
4. Bernardo (like Jack, it's time)

Listen to offers
Nunes - think he has something to offer but probably better to cut our losses
Ake - Too injury prone, even if it's less often than John he's class when he's on the pitch but looks like we're planning on his exit
McAtee - If he's not rated by Pep and isn't gonna be trusted he's a asset to get some money, and hopefully we'd put a buy back clause so we don't get a Palmer situation, not that I think he's that talented

GK: Ortega

FB: Lewis, Gvardiol
CB: Dias, Akanji, Ake*, Khusanov, Reis

CM: Rodri, Kovacic, Nunes*
AM: Foden, Bobb, KDB, McAtee*

WG: Savinho, Doku
ST: Haaland, Marmoush

That'll be the core, yea KDB is there but honestly I'd give him a year extension and let him be an impact player, he's still got the ability to change games especially if he's protected.

That's 19 players, 16 if my "Listen to offers" players leave

Deffo need a new a Rodri backup, a new #1, a starting RB and a starting LB

Think we're OK for attacking players with Marmoush joining and hopefully Bobb can get back to form

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

100% cant be here next season:
Walker
Gundogan

Encourage to leave:
1. Stones (or Ake if nobody takes a chance on John due to his injuries)
2. Grealish (it's time)
3. Ederson (think he's looking for something new)
4. Bernardo (like Jack, it's time)

Listen to offers
Nunes - think he has something to offer but probably better to cut our losses
Ake - Too injury prone, even if it's less often than John he's class when he's on the pitch but looks like we're planning on his exit
McAtee - If he's not rated by Pep and isn't gonna be trusted he's a asset to get some money, and hopefully we'd put a buy back clause so we don't get a Palmer situation, not that I think he's that talented

GK: Ortega

FB: Lewis, Gvardiol
CB: Dias, Akanji, Ake*, Khusanov, Reis

CM: Rodri, Kovacic, Nunes*
AM: Foden, Bobb, KDB, McAtee*

WG: Savinho, Doku
ST: Haaland, Marmoush

That'll be the core, yea KDB is there but honestly I'd give him a year extension and let him be an impact player, he's still got the ability to change games especially if he's protected.

That's 19 players, 16 if my "Listen to offers" players leave

Deffo need a new a Rodri backup, a new #1, a starting RB and a starting LB

Think we're OK for attacking players with Marmoush joining and hopefully Bobb can get back to form

I think that’s such a big risk getting rid of potentially seven proven winners. How do we replace that experience?

Looking at your squad list I think that’s a lot weaker than previous years.

On Bobb he looks decent, but he’s barely played. We’re pining a lot of hopes on unproven youngsters

 

[Roachy]

I think that’s such a big risk getting rid of potentially seven proven winners. How do we replace that experience?

Looking at your squad list I think that’s a lot weaker than previous years.

On Bobb he looks decent, but he’s barely played. We’re pining a lot of hopes on unproven youngsters

It's clearly a risk, no doubt. But if the current situation carries on with players regularly injured and others not performing we could have a bit of a rerun of this seasons woes.

 

[robbieh]

100% cant be here next season:
Walker
Gundogan

Encourage to leave:
1. Stones (or Ake if nobody takes a chance on John due to his injuries)
2. Grealish (it's time)
3. Ederson (think he's looking for something new)
4. Bernardo (like Jack, it's time)

Listen to offers
Nunes - think he has something to offer but probably better to cut our losses
Ake - Too injury prone, even if it's less often than John he's class when he's on the pitch but looks like we're planning on his exit
McAtee - If he's not rated by Pep and isn't gonna be trusted he's a asset to get some money, and hopefully we'd put a buy back clause so we don't get a Palmer situation, not that I think he's that talented

GK: Ortega

FB: Lewis, Gvardiol
CB: Dias, Akanji, Ake*, Khusanov, Reis

CM: Rodri, Kovacic, Nunes*
AM: Foden, Bobb, KDB, McAtee*

WG: Savinho, Doku
ST: Haaland, Marmoush

That'll be the core, yea KDB is there but honestly I'd give him a year extension and let him be an impact player, he's still got the ability to change games especially if he's protected.

That's 19 players, 16 if my "Listen to offers" players leave

Deffo need a new a Rodri backup, a new #1, a starting RB and a starting LB

Think we're OK for attacking players with Marmoush joining and hopefully Bobb can get back to form

Excellent breakdown of where we are at. Quite a young squad. You left out O'Reilly.
Desperately need some legs with skill in midfield.Generally we have played with one defensive midfielder(Rodri, Fernandinho) and a couple of more attack minded players(Silva, Kev, Bernardo, Yaya)

The balance of the midfield is crucial. One of the conundrums is where Foden plays. On paper Rodri, Phil and Kovacic looks OK, but with the way the game is going I can see Rodri being overrun as Phil is lightweight and Kovacic a squad player.
We need someone who keeps possession well.

 

[handsofstone]

I think that’s such a big risk getting rid of potentially seven proven winners. How do we replace that experience?

Looking at your squad list I think that’s a lot weaker than previous years.

On Bobb he looks decent, but he’s barely played. We’re pining a lot of hopes on unproven youngsters

I think that's a risk we have to take

When Pep came in he brought in Walker, Laporte, Ederson, Bernardo, Stones, Sane, Gabby Jesus etc. None of whom were really "proven winners" and we let go of Zabaleta, Sagna, Kolarov, Clichy, Dzeko, Hart, Navas, Nasri who compared to the new players were winners

With Rodri, Haaland, Dias, Phil, KDB & Kovacic we have enough experience for the others to catch up

Also the above hasn't considered potential arrivals in the summer

 

[King Jay]

The proven winners don’t matter when they are always injured or not mentally there anymore. We have enough proven winners and yet this season isn’t working. City has to rebuild. We won’t win 4 in a row anymore and the expectations should drop now.

Losing Stones and Ake would give room for 2 new fullbacks and give the chance to gvardiol to actually play as a CB as he should. Also we didn’t pay like 80M for 2 young CB not to give them a chance starting 2025. even if it’s as number 3 and 4 they need to start playing games by next season. With 2 new fullbacks backs instead of Stones and Ake they would actually gain experience and playing time at their position and not at some „ he can play that too „ position where there‘s a major drop off in their game.

Grealish is a must go in my opinion. Just clogs up the pitch and offers nothing on offense and would give us a chance to get another offensive player who actually gives us something ( maybe baena who knows who’s on vianas mind) . KDB is a Case that depends on how good Marmoush actually plays this season and if we are creative enough without him.

Ederson is mentally gone. Someone like Suzuki from Palma would be a good one but doubt he on our mind.

Bernardo can easily do another year just needs less games since we run him into the ground. He still runs more than others and he was never the fastest. 2 new CM in place of Kovacic and Nunes would be nice tho but I don’t think we can sell that MANY players in 1 off season.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I think that's a risk we have to take

When Pep came in he brought in Walker, Laporte, Ederson, Bernardo, Stones, Sane, Gabby Jesus etc. None of whom were really "proven winners" and we let go of Zabaleta, Sagna, Kolarov, Clichy, Dzeko, Hart, Navas, Nasri who compared to the new players were winners

With Rodri, Haaland, Dias, Phil, KDB & Kovacic we have enough experience for the others to catch up

Also the above hasn't considered potential arrivals in the summer

Fair point mate.

I do think the quality of players we’ve brought in in say the last two years is no where near the level of the first list you’ve put. Lots of those players were proven in the premier league at least or other leagues and were very highly rated.

Lots of change and it’s hard to predict how it’ll go.

 

[Bluearmy]

I think that’s such a big risk getting rid of potentially seven proven winners. How do we replace that experience?

Looking at your squad list I think that’s a lot weaker than previous years.

On Bobb he looks decent, but he’s barely played. We’re pining a lot of hopes on unproven youngsters

Its a bigger risk not doing it imo. Time was right to start this process 18 months ago, in a staged manner. Unfortunately we didnt start this then and are paying the price big time. Not doing this now/next summer would be suicidal…

 

[NQCitizen]

Really can't see more than 5 players going.

Convincing Ederson to stay could be surprisingly impactful - still a top keeper, arguably better than the replacements mentioned, speaks Brazilian/Portuguese which will be useful to some of the younger guys and has a wealth of experience and respect.

I'd look to keep Ake and Bernie too in reduced roles.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Gundo will go so we need a CM
We need a DM because we always have

If we get Cambiaso I think that’s it

 

[clarion]

Right back,
We need right back.

 

[richards30]

Right back,
We need right back.

Cambiaso hopefully

 

[falcon117]

city need to start rebuilding the team this summer starting with midfield and the first signing need to be Florian Wirtz to solve a major problem and make statement.that will send proper signal to premier league and European giants

 

[Paul1970]

city need to start rebuilding the team this summer starting with midfield and the first signing need to be Florian Wirtz to solve a major problem and make statement.that will send proper signal to premier league and European giants

We need champions league football for that transfer which is no given with our midfield atm . We won yesterday but Chelsea at times came through at will so we need to shore it up . Can’t see wirtz tbh as I don’t think he moves from Germany

 

[himalayan_blues]

It seems after the chesea game our serach for DM OR CMF has gone cold. Or is it still on??

 

[MillsyTheMosher]

Really can't see more than 5 players going.

Convincing Ederson to stay could be surprisingly impactful - still a top keeper, arguably better than the replacements mentioned, speaks Brazilian/Portuguese which will be useful to some of the younger guys and has a wealth of experience and respect.

I'd look to keep Ake and Bernie too in reduced roles.

We shouldn’t have to ‘convince’ anyone to be here. They have to want to be here, if you don’t goodbye.

 

[King Jay]

It seems after the chesea game our serach for DM OR CMF has gone cold. Or is it still on??

I think Cambiasso will be the last transfer. Don’t see us getting a CM. Guess all that will happen in summer and we somehow have to make it through. Gonna be a wild one.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Spend all of our money in the summer on a DM/CM and either of Musiala/Wirtz/Palmer.