We've got enough....

[BlueDeadHead]

we had enough attacking talent to cover


we don't have enough talent to cover ferna...none of the rest of the midfield squad can do the defensive side he does anywhere near as well

There is nothing different about playing Bernardo out wide and Playing Gundogan at DM. The both are "cover." And to the argument that Gundogan can't play DM in big games...

Is Chelsea away no longer a big game:

 

[citytill1die84]

There is nothing different about playing Bernardo out wide and Playing Gundogan at DM. The both are "cover." And to the argument that Gundogan can't play DM in big games...

Is Chelsea away no longer a big game:

Chelsea home game that mate. But Gundo can do a job I think some of us City fans underestimate how good he is I like him.

 

[simon23]

There is nothing different about playing Bernardo out wide and Playing Gundogan at DM. The both are "cover." And to the argument that Gundogan can't play DM in big games...

Is Chelsea away no longer a big game:

I keep seeing this quoted like it proves something.....ive just watched the first 6-7 minutes of it.....rarely if ever in that time is he under any pressure when passing......he also loses tackles.....

defensively he aint good enough to play fern's role and he is certainly not a better option that Silva or KDB

 

[ROCKET80]

Horses for courses.

For me Gundogan should play DM instead of Fern v Liverpool and other industrious team that lack the creativity and movement in the middle. Huge mistake playing him out wide in the first leg.

Fern should play against the creative types of teams as he's better at the defensive side of the game (Delph would be an able back-up to this).

I'd personally go for cover at LB.....Mendy will be like a new signing but we should be easing him back and have an able back-up should he suffer a set back. Delph has done this admirably but I think we need an actual LB who can suit playing in both the full back and wing back position.

 

[Dax777]

Just hope the club aren't making the same mistake as the season after Mancini won it and then after Pellers won it as well. The chairman said we weren't going to sit on our laurels this time (though he said couple of quality additions rather than 4-5 players)

However good Mahrez is (and he is) it wasn't an area of priority. We haven't addressed this and we have one truly defensive minded midfielder and the rest are square pegs in round holes......Id be very worried to see Ilky lining up instead of Ferna in any big game. As good as he is going forward the guy is poor defensively; his tackling is. no existent I wonder if this Gomez kid is someone who Pep is thinking he can play?

Either that or we pray that Erna doesn't get any long lasting injuries.

I think its a mistake not to bring anyone in when clearly we were after someone .

Makes sense. That's why we lost all the big games he started at the 6 position last season.





Wait a minute! Arsenal, Spurs, Napoli.... All thetman does is win, win win no matter what... At the 6 position


But hey, he can't tackle... There is always that :)

 

[Dax777]

There is nothing different about playing Bernardo out wide and Playing Gundogan at DM. The both are "cover." And to the argument that Gundogan can't play DM in big games...

Is Chelsea away no longer a big game:

He has never lost a big game olauinp DM for us. It's a mindfuck how people continuously argue he should not play in the very games he has excel.

It's like contrary evidence dont matter

 

[kun]

Horses for courses.

For me Gundogan should play DM instead of Fern v Liverpool and other industrious team that lack the creativity and movement in the middle. Huge mistake playing him out wide in the first leg.

Fern should play against the creative types of teams as he's better at the defensive side of the game (Delph would be an able back-up to this).

I'd personally go for cover at LB.....Mendy will be like a new signing but we should be easing him back and have an able back-up should he suffer a set back. Delph has done this admirably but I think we need an actual LB who can suit playing in both the full back and wing back position.

He's not had a great season but what about Guerreiro at Dortmund. Capable in DM but a LB by trade.

 

[kun]

He has never lost a big game olauinp DM for us. It's a mindfuck how people continuously argue he should not play in the very games he has excel.

It's like contrary evidence dont matter

I like him there but I think we're still a CM short (unless we plan on using Delph there in which case we're a full-back short)

 

[Dax777]

I like him there but I think we're still a CM short (unless we plan on using Delph there in which case we're a full-back short)

Bernardo?

 

[blueballs84]

Gundogan is no less capable as a DM than most of the names we've been linked with. People need to get it through their heads that we aren't looking for a traditional English no.6 enforcer. Pep played Xabi at no.6 at bayern and he is one of the worst tacklers I've ever seen (ok maybe a slight exagerration but its certainly not a strength). Busquets can tackle but it's not his key attribute in the position. My understanding is that Jorginho is hardly a specialist tackler either. That's just not what Pep is looking for and if you believe in peps vision you need to give up on this idea of needing a big physical enforcer playing there.

Having said that I'd still be more comfortable going into next season with another central midfielder. Ideally one that's versatile enough to be able to fill in at no.8 and no.6. To me Brozovic might be good shout but his name hasn't really come up on the rumour mill. Pjanic would be a dream but doubt that one will happen. Kovacic is only worth half what RM are asking. Thiago's injury record would make him a big risk. Vidal is perhaps too old or maybe too much of a individualist for the dressing room. So maybe we do just make the best of what we have right now. Vidal would actually fit the bill of being a highly gifted player technically as well as a fierce enforcer, but i dont know about taking him on at his age as a short term solution. Also havent heard any links between him and us. I do worry a little for our champs league prospects though if we sign noone. Time will tell.