The two striker trouble...

[FanchesterCity]

Nasri and Silva will never play on the wings for Pep. They lack the pace and goal threat he needs.

I don't disagree, but I can't see him changing everything overnight, and if he goes with Navas and Sterling we gain a lot of pace, and lose a lot of creativity.
Silva and Nasri could never be a longer term option anyway, but to tide us over...?

I think if Pep goes for high pressing possession football, then Silva and Nasri are better options than Navas and Sterling.
If he goes for counterattacking then the reverse is true (although both will need to start scoring frequently)

Sterling might come good for us, but Navas is already on borrowed time imo.

 

[blueparrot]

I don't disagree, but I can't see him changing everything overnight, and if he goes with Navas and Sterling we gain a lot of pace, and lose a lot of creativity.
Silva and Nasri could never be a longer term option anyway, but to tide us over...?

I think if Pep goes for high pressing possession football, then Silva and Nasri are better options than Navas and Sterling.
If he goes for counterattacking then the reverse is true (although both will need to start scoring frequently)

Sterling might come good for us, but Navas is already on borrowed time imo.

As far as Sterling is concerned I'm sure Pep would have given the nod on his signing, which would mean he saw something he could work with. When he got Costa for Bayern not many if anybody thought he would be the player he has been, Peps's first words to him being " are you ready to learn how to play football " suggests he'd seen something in Costa that Costa hadn't shown and probably something himself didn't know he had.
I'm expecting us to sign somebody to play the other side of Aguero and Sterling with DeBruyne behind in more of a Muller role. Somebody capable of playing centrally if Aguero or Iheanacho are unavailable, so we shouldn't need another out and out striker.

 

[GeekinGav]

there are numerous problems that we have, even if we play one up front.

Aguero is undoubtedly world class. We play so much better with KDB on the right, not as a winger, but as a right sided number 10 if you will. Trouble is then, you need a left sided number 10 on the other side to balance the attacking front 3.

Sterling was meant to this. But obviously he isnt there yet. He has pace but nothing else. Silva and Nasri have the tactical nouse, passing skills and awareness that KDB has, but in fairness do not have the pace and energy.

Maybe someone like Gotze or Krooz is that type of player to balance things there. (i'm not ignored the likes of Messi, Ronaldo or Neymar ... just the ones that are more realistic that would join.)

But then you have a problem with Aguero. Not the player, but how good he is. You would need someone as good as him to come off the bench or when he is injured. There lies the problem. What world class player wants to warm the bench or rotate the sole strikers position? Muller and Biter Suarez are obvious comparisons, but there are more chances of me being the new love interest of Chewbacca in the next star wars film, than those 2 leaving their respective clubs anytime soon.)

But then, the front 3 only works if the midfield 3 is right. We need a solid midfield, where 2/3's are good at defending and passing. strong it tackles and energy to get up and down the park. Can read danger and keep the mistakes to a minimum. the 1/3rd player has the have the attacking side, to help the front 3, to also to keep the midfield solid when we dont have the ball. This rules out Yaya and Fernando, for different reasons. Fernandinho has shown he is very capable on the defensive and attacking parts of the midfield game and I think will get better with better midfield partners around him.

Who would i have in there, I dont know. There are obvious names like Pogba, Draxler, Vidal, Thiago, and Gungadin (know that sounds iffy, but dont know the guys proper name at Dortmund and wouldnt know how to spell it if i did.)

Then there is the defence. This could take forever. So not going to. Just to say the right back position needs youth and energy. Centre backs, i'd keep Kompany, Otamendi and Mangala and bring in Stones for a knock down price now. Barring Kompany's injuries which seem to be when, not if now, Stones, Otamendi and Mangala will develop and learn when an actual coach arrives in the summer to train them, develop them and improve them. (i know that sentence wasnt constructed well.)

Left back, time to send lazy arse back to Italy. Keep Clichy, sometimes hit and miss, but can be effective. I would prefer Danny Rose (hoping Spurs lose the title at the death and thinks thats the closest he would ever get with that Spurs squad and the team will do a Liverpool), or take a punt on Aaron Cresswell, like this guy, develops steadily and always seems to have a solid game.

Goalkeeper. pretty much sorted. Only alternate is Neuer but he'll stay at Bayern 'til they bury him.

Kit ... Blue shirts, White Shorts, Blue Socks. away can be a mix of the red and black or a maroon, but need the get rid of the 'Road safety' 3rd kits. Adidas please.

A new bar please. Call it 'Keeper Joe's' .... a proper English pub style sports bar with beer, footy screens, pool and poker tables, ash trays and big boobed, tight arsed women in very tight tops carrying pitchers of beers ..... i'm going to that bar Keeper Joe's .... (named after Corrigan and Hart)

.... anything i've missed.......?

 

[Jonathan1979]

Actually, if the rumours are true that Man City are negotiating a deal with Gundogan, that would hint more toward a 4-3-3 squad as it gives more options in central midfield ( 2 holding midfielders, with Gundogan in the centre, Silva and KDB as 'wingers' who cut into the field and allow the backs to overlap, Sterling and Navas as decent alternatives if you want to add more pace on the wing).

It would also seem more logical that Pep tries to finetune a system he's already deployed successfully at Barça and Bayern.
As striker options go, I'd say you have one world class striker in Aguëro, one young striker with loads of potential. Bony could have been the joker you bring in to open up matches, but somehow he's forgotten how to score, so unless he changes in a very spectacular fashion, I can see Pep getting rid of him asap.

 

[Akira]

I don't disagree, but I can't see him changing everything overnight, and if he goes with Navas and Sterling we gain a lot of pace, and lose a lot of creativity.
Silva and Nasri could never be a longer term option anyway, but to tide us over...?

I think if Pep goes for high pressing possession football, then Silva and Nasri are better options than Navas and Sterling.
If he goes for counterattacking then the reverse is true (although both will need to start scoring frequently)

Sterling might come good for us, but Navas is already on borrowed time imo.

I believe what Pep does is access the strengths of the team and build the team towards it, albeit implementing his usual philosophies.

At Barca, he had a Ballon d'Or midfield + Messi, and he built the team around them.
At Bayern, he had Robben/Ribery and positionally flexible defence, and he built his tactics around that.

IMO, we have 3 clearly talented playmakers, Silva, KdB, Nasri, and I think he will start from there. I'm nowhere close to a footballing tactician, just calling it as I observe.

And IMO, we will start with 4-3-3, but I think his "ideal" formation to work towards is his 3-4-3. The one tried at Barca and used at Bayern.

 

[Maldeika]

I believe what Pep does is access the strengths of the team and build the team towards it, albeit implementing his usual philosophies.

At Barca, he had a Ballon d'Or midfield + Messi, and he built the team around them.
At Bayern, he had Robben/Ribery and positionally flexible defence, and he built his tactics around that.

IMO, we have 3 clearly talented playmakers, Silva, KdB, Nasri, and I think he will start from there. I'm nowhere close to a footballing tactician, just calling it as I observe.

And IMO, we will start with 4-3-3, but I think his "ideal" formation to work towards is his 3-4-3. The one tried at Barca and used at Bayern.

Nah, at Bayern in the first year it was all about the midfield. About Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Thiago...
About playing a 4-1-4-1 without a more defensive midfielder like Gustavo (who left) and Martinez (who he saw as a defender). About fullbacks adding to the midfield.

You remember the match in Manchester in September in his first year? That scenes probably are typical for what Pep wants (not the Benny Hill version)



And - exactly because that changed in the three years at Bayern is why I say that you have to be careful with taking every word from "Pep Confidential" as a religion. With Xabi in midfield - without Kroos and Schweinsteiger - we work a lot more vertical again. It is more about the wingers again, too. Müller is acting more like a second striker again. And you see the fullbacks running in between the wingers again sometimes. Not in every match as there is so much flexibility in that team.

Pep's main aim is the positional game and to have the ball - and to open spaces through own movement of ball and players. And that is nothing which he will do differently at City.

 

[Akira]

Nah, at Bayern in the first year it was all about the midfield. About Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Thiago...
About playing a 4-1-4-1 without a more defensive midfielder like Gustavo (who left) and Martinez (who he saw as a defender). About fullbacks adding to the midfield.

You remember the match in Manchester in September in his first year? That scenes probably are typical for what Pep wants (not the Benny Hill version)



And - exactly because that changed in the three years at Bayern is why I say that you have to be careful with taking every word from "Pep Confidential" as a religion. With Xabi in midfield - without Kroos and Schweinsteiger - we work a lot more vertical again. It is more about the wingers again, too. Müller is acting more like a second striker again. And you see the fullbacks running in between the wingers again sometimes. Not in every match as there is so much flexibility in that team.

Pep's main aim is the positional game and to have the ball - and to open spaces through own movement of ball and players. And that is nothing which he will do differently at City.

Ahh, I see, this is pretty enlightening what you said. I'll admit I don't follow Bayern's matches (nor Barca, for that matter), so alot of it is based on my limited exposure to them, so do forgive my steadfast assumptions.

One of the bigger surprises, I believe, when Pep took over was him choosing to keep Robben, Ribery and even use Lewandowski - a target man-type, which is unalike what he uses at Barca. The thing I'm really curious about is, just based on personnel alone, is his Bayern a mirror of Barca, in any way, shape or form?