We're not sure of our 'direction' because Pep & Co. are still figuring it out on the fly. I would imagine it can be difficult to purchase players who exactly fit what you need when you don't yet know what that will look like.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 think you're dead wrong about Nunes and Khusanov. The jury is still out on Savinho and Bobb, and Lewis is not a right-back, but he's playing there.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.
Not to mention he was Serie A midfielder of the season last time out.How about we play him roles more suitable to his skillsets? The fucking guy starts for the Netherlands and you're calling him shit.
The disappearance of our press has had a devastating effect on us.To quote Fabian Delph. We are not doing the basics right.
Our press is all over the place , our passing is inconsistent, we have too many players that can’t win their duels. Also we are losing second balls consistently.
We have talent in the squad but we are failing at the most basic principles. Basic defensive errors , losing the midfield battle etc
Not aggressive enough in midfield the only one who is , is Nico G, Foden , Reijnders , Cherki and Bernardo are getting bullied off the ball.
We need some aggressive duel winning players in the middle
The daft thing, IMO, is judging players after a couple of months at the club, or at the age of 20/21.Players signed nowadays is just a lottery.
Vitinha is the best midfielder itw scoring hattricks but he was at Wolves a few seasons ago
Estavio is a Brazilian teenager with more g/a than our forwards bar Haaland. How many of these Brazilians wonder kids have been bought
You can break records with Caicedo and Rice and be happy with yourself
But the club just refuses to do that after Grealish.
You just have to be lucky. We were with our golden generation.
Hopefully we get a super signing that just shocks everyone and performs
Tottenham still want Savinho apparently
That is truly astonishing given where the squad is at. Who have we got doing the scouting Ray Charles?Relatively little?
Just the third highest spenders in Europe in the past three seasons.
Would drag my nuts through a mile of broken glass for this signing.If Vini doesn't sign a new contract with Madrid I know people don't like to hear it but he will be a City player same as Rodrygo right now would be City player if Savinho left. Following Spanish football Barca and Madrid players mention us more than any other English club.
Valverde another one who always answers us when asked what other club he would play for if he had to leave Madrid. That twitch Madrid woman has said in the past that Madrid players always look forward to coming to the Ethiad. Vini jr documentary he can't stop talking about our atmosphere.
Zero chance of either and with good reasonIf Vini doesn't sign a new contract with Madrid I know people don't like to hear it but he will be a City player same as Rodrygo right now would be City player if Savinho left. Following Spanish football Barca and Madrid players mention us more than any other English club.
Valverde another one who always answers us when asked what other club he would play for if he had to leave Madrid. That twitch Madrid woman has said in the past that Madrid players always look forward to coming to the Ethiad. Vini jr documentary he can't stop talking about our atmosphere.
That is truly astonishing given where the squad is at. Who have we got doing the scouting Ray Charles?
This was evident in our last game, the press from the front, particularly on Sav's side was piss poor, for their second goal it was a disgrace, our former teams would have hemmed them in in their right back position and 9/10 won the ball back, but with our Brazilian light weight - no chance. I find it hard to believe Pep's not seeing thisThe disappearance of our press has had a devastating effect on us.
Definitely some sort of guarantees, you can tell the club are trying to get him more involved and Pep has spoken about making sure he grows into a leader.I wonder if or what Erling was promised besides money to sign that 10 year contract?
If they're still willing to pay the 60m+ take it and sign SemenyoTottenham still want Savinho apparently
I think the wages would be an issue.If Vini doesn't sign a new contract with Madrid I know people don't like to hear it but he will be a City player same as Rodrygo right now would be City player if Savinho left. Following Spanish football Barca and Madrid players mention us more than any other English club.
Valverde another one who always answers us when asked what other club he would play for if he had to leave Madrid. That twitch Madrid woman has said in the past that Madrid players always look forward to coming to the Ethiad. Vini jr documentary he can't stop talking about our atmosphere.
I have agreed with practically all your posts over the last few weeks. The problem is that too many Mooners are spoiled and impatient. It is the easiest thing in the world to buy and sell players on Football Manager (so I believe, never having played it) and therefore many cannot accept what is required in the real world.The daft thing, IMO, is judging players after a couple of months at the club, or at the age of 20/21.
People will say we should be buying 'proven' quality, not 'projects'.
There are no guarantees, or Liverpool would be killing it right now.
Proven quality like Rice and Caicedo have won their clubs zero league titles.
Project players at Arsenal (they are littered with them) have been given time, and five barren years to develop.
Proven quality like Grealish got hammered here, often, as did Raheem Sterling, and others, despite multiple honours.
We have a habit of yearning for players elsewhere, talking them up while talking ourselves and our players down. I imagine other club fans will look enviously at the talent we have.
We have a host of talent, but it is young, generally, and unfamiliar with the league. Our worst place in 10 years is third place in arguably the world's best football competition. We know we delayed replacing some legends and that was a mistake that we are now trying to recover from. We just need to be patient - 2 losses don't ruin a season, nor more than ten years of being one of the best club sides the game has ever seen.
I’ve got the engine running:)Tottenham still want Savinho apparently
The whole Sav Lewis thing is weird as neither will be at the level required to hold down the positions they play in. Why give them new contacts? And all that happens is they end up blocking youth coming through and affecting are ability to buy othersStrange isn’t it. Nearly everyone can see that Guehi, Semenyo and Livramento (before his injury) would have improved us a lot, yet here we are, £300m down and stuck with Savinho, Lewis, only two regularly fit centre backs and no actual right back.