Virgil van Dijk

[Dax777]

There's a European club price.

Then there's a price for PL clubs.

Then there's a price for City.

This surely can't be news to you?

This is going off topic. But the above is bit of a fallacy. The question one has to ask is, why does there seem to be a City price?

The answer to that question is why I worry about prices.

 

[SWP's back]

This is going off topic. But the above is bit of a fallacy. The question one has to ask is, why does there seem to be a City price?

The answer to that question is why I worry about prices.

It's not a fallacy in the slightest.

In fact every single journalist on the Totally Football Show, The Game Podcast, Football Writers podcast have all said the same, as have premier league managers including Pep:

"When you go to Germany, Spain, Italy to buy -- it happens with United, Chelsea, all the big teams -- it's £10-£15m more expensive. But if you go to England it's £20-£25m more expensive," the Spaniard told a news conference ahead of City's Premier League opener with Brighton & Hove on Saturday."

The reason is that the supply/demand curve is almost vertical when applied to players that can succeed at a club like City.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

There's a European club price.

Then there's a price for PL clubs.

Then there's a price for City.

This surely can't be news to you?

There used to be, now there's a price for when you get the deal done in the window, such is the rate of inflation. I don't really think there's a City price anymore considering what United/Arsenal/Chelsea have had to pay for lesser players.

 

[Dax777]

It's not a fallacy in the slightest.

In fact every single journalist on the Totally Football Show, The Game Podcast, Football Writers podcast have all said the same, as have premier league managers.

The reason is that the supply/demand curve is almost vertical when applied to players that can succeed at a club like City.

Players that can be the greatest in the world are few, Agreed! But those that can succeed at City are not. Almost every Napoli player can succeed at City. Yet it didn't cost an arm or leg to sign all of them.

Yes, scouting can be better. But also we can avoid most overpriced buys by not being tunnel visioned.

If Southampton prices Virgil at 75 million and we buckle. Many will make the argument "Oh we needed him." No we don't. He is a good passing defender, buy there are 15 other good passing defenders who also will fit with varying degrees of skill. Some faster but not as tall, others stronger but slightly less skilled. Etc.

The notion that there are some players that are perfect fits for City, and they only, is part of the fallacy that creates the mentality for overpaying.

Stones, Otamendi and Kompany are all very dissimilar, yet all 3 succeed well in a Pep system. Delph and Mendy are also dissimilar, both too are succeeding.

Those who can succeed here are plentiful. The fallacy is the belief that they are few and thus we have to overpay for those few.

Clearly, you buy that fallacy. I don't.

 

[SWP's back]

There used to be, now there's a price for when you get the deal done in the window, such is the rate of inflation. I don't really think there's a City price anymore considering what United/Arsenal/Chelsea have had to pay for lesser players.

I should have said:

There's a price for PL clubs then there's a price for City/United/Chelsea etc

 

[SWP's back]

Almost every Napoli player can succeed at City. Yet it didn't cost an arm or leg to sign all of them.

Yes but if Napoli played in the PL then they would have cost them a lot more. See above.

He is a good passing defender, buy there are 15 other good passing defenders who also will fit with varying degrees of skill. Some faster but not as tall, others stronger but slightly less skilled. Etc.

But if he's the best in the view of the management and affordable to the club then why settle for second best? We went for Sane when Zaha would have been cheaper and still done a job.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I should have said:

There's a price for PL clubs then there's a price for City/United/Chelsea etc

that's true. as you said though we shop in different markets so to speak so anyone worrying about what we spend compared to others isn't really justified imo, unless we start making heavy losses as a result.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Almost every Napoli player can succeed at City. Yet it didn't cost an arm or leg to sign all of them.

Not really, we played them off the park, they also couldn't get through the groups and still can't top the league even though Juve have declined, and the bottom half of Serie A is pants which we would drool over playing every week.

They buy in cheaper markets most of the time, and are given more freedom to give a chance to players to develop because they're not main players in Europe and don't win their league. They've produced an exciting team this season but that's as much coaching to bring them together in that style and even then, it's not been hugely successful so far. Entertaining yes.

You could take Ghoulam, and maybe Koulibaly, and that really is it. We're not going to replicate that unless you want us to drop into the Europa and out of the top 4 until we find what works, instead we'll buy a level above Napoli and be a level above them on the pitch. The likes of Girona are where we'll hopefully start to see us sign players in the Napoli/Monaco market and blood them there, and either sell them on for profit or call them up to City.

 

[Dax777]

Not really, we played them off the park, they also couldn't get through the groups and still can't top the league even though Juve have declined, and the bottom half of Serie A is pants which we would drool over playing every week.

They buy in cheaper markets most of the time, and are given more freedom to give a chance to players to develop because they're not main players in Europe and don't win their league. They've produced an exciting team this season but that's as much coaching to bring them together in that style and even then, it's not been hugely successful so far. Entertaining yes.

You could take Ghoulam, and maybe Koulibaly, and that really is it. We're not going to replicate that unless you want us to drop into the Europa and out of the top 4 until we find what works, instead we'll buy a level above Napoli and be a level above them on the pitch. The likes of Girona are where we'll hopefully start to see us sign players in the Napoli/Monaco market and blood them there, and either sell them on for profit or call them up to City.

Star players are the difference makers: take out Debryune, and Silva and we are about equals.

Ghoulam, Koulibally, Mertens, insigne, and Hamsik can all comfortably play in our squad with no noticeable drop.

What they lack is a Debryune, Silva, Hazard, Messi etc type player. The difference maker. The very good squad players they have. Nusr like we do.

If you watch our games without Silva and Debryune, you'd quickly see how much more like them we are.

I've never complained about paying for difference makers. Its the good squad player price that's ridiculous.

 

[Andrew___K]

You could take Ghoulam, and maybe Koulibaly, and that really is it.

100% agree. Napoli's success is due to coaching. Mertens, Hamsik, Callejon etc. are a level below required to play for City. Sarri has created a brilliant system where players' weak spots are well hidden behind 'robotic' passing/pressing moves learned in advance. That's why I can't wait to see Sarri coaching worldclass players with top decision-making.