Our rival's squads next year - Man City

I'd rather peak at the right moment (season end/squeaky bum time) as opposed to starting like a house on fire, and fading at the business end. As long as we keep continuing to pick up 3 points, whilst playing "shit", it's ok.

SAF's teams were, in main, very slow starters (barring a few select seasons when we started well).

Let's just hope we do click and find some rhythm though. City's definitely looking like favorites, but it's early days.
 
Robbie Boy said:
They should really look for an upgrade on Navas and Nasri. Sterling will surely come good and Silva and Aguero are brilliant. If they sorted out their right side, their attack will be outstanding. Left back is still a problem for them as Kolarov and Clichy really aren't good enough. If Toure and Fernandinho pick up their 13/14 form, they should be ok in that department but could probably do with one more centre mid.
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I think they will shift Silva to the right and De Bruyne to the middle if they get him

-----------Aguero-------
Sterling-------------Silva
--------De Bruyne-------

Not bad
 
Attila said:
I think they will shift Silva to the right and De Bruyne to the middle if they get him

-----------Aguero-------
Sterling-------------Silva
--------De Bruyne-------

Not bad
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I would envisage that will be the case but I reckon the De Bruyne transfer is still very 50/50. Silva on the right might be slightly wasted, I feel. But yeah, it would be some front four.
 
Insanity said:
I doubt they'll go deep in Europe with that midfield. It gets shown up everytime when pressed well.

They would be fine in the league and would definitely finish in the top 3. Title? Too early to call.
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By deep in Europe I mean QF, maybe SF until they come up against Barca/Bayern/Real who will get through that MF pretty easy.

I expect them to blow away a lot of the mid table and relegation battling clubs in the league this year. Their MF is still an issue, but their firepower up top should see them through the league.
 
Robbie Boy said:
I would envisage that will be the case but I reckon the De Bruyne transfer is still very 50/50. Silva on the right might be slightly wasted, I feel. But yeah, it would be some front four.
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Silva mainly just drifts around anyway so starting on the left or right shouldn't be too much of a problem for him.
 
Do people think Kompany is actually not crap anymore or is it just a decent start? Kinda hard to believe he's regained form after 2 bad years
 
Oh man - The egg on the faces of the posters who had so eagerly relegated them to the 4th best team in the league over the summer.
 
The narrative always changes with City doesn't it?

Hart
Kompany
Toure
Silva
Sterling
KDB*
Aguero

All capable of winning matches on their own on their day, far from the "aging,not good enough squad" people were talking about in the second half of last season and pre season.
 
Roman Bellic said:
The narrative always changes with City doesn't it?

Hart
Kompany
Toure
Silva
Sterling
KDB*
Aguero

All capable of winning matches on their own on their day, far from the "aging,not good enough squad" people were talking about in the second half of last season and pre season.
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Think that applies to how people view most clubs based on previous form, players declining, the clubs transfers business etc.

On the flip side, Chelsea were being praised to the hilt before the season started and were default champions elect.
 
Attila said:
Do people think Kompany is actually not crap anymore or is it just a decent start? Kinda hard to believe he's regained form after 2 bad years
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2 bad years? Don't get me wrong, he wasn't at his best in the 2013/14 season, but he still got in the PFA Team of The Year and was generally solid. Last season was his only truly poor season.

B20 said:
Oh man - The egg on the faces of the posters who had so eagerly relegated them to the 4th best team in the league over the summer.
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It is pretty funny, especially the way Toure and Fernandinho were constantly getting portrayed as two decrepit and weak CM's who needed upgrading.
 
BobbyManc said:
2 bad years? Don't get me wrong, he wasn't at his best in the 2013/14 season, but he still got in the PFA Team of The Year and was generally solid. Last season was his only truly poor season.



It is pretty funny, especially the way Toure and Fernandinho were constantly getting portrayed as two decrepit and weak CM's who needed upgrading.
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I can't even remember 13/14 too well now. Just remember him making some high profile mistakes (against Liverpool away I think?)

I really don't understand how your team went from crap to good so quickly. I mean the only difference today was Sterling. It seems members of the squad just give up after winning the title then switch back on when its time to win it back.
 
City's season will depend on Aguero staying fit, and Toure being motivated and fit. They both look up to it at the start of the season.
 
Attila said:
I can't even remember 13/14 too well now. Just remember him making some high profile mistakes (against Liverpool away I think?)

I really don't understand how your team went from crap to good so quickly. I mean the only difference today was Sterling. It seems members of the squad just give up after winning the title then switch back on when its time to win it back.
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They're only human. It's generally a lot easier to keep motivated after a poor season than a good one, hence why teams often struggle to retain the league title. Playing as champions is different to playing as runners up looking to make amends. Plus, it is only two games, we also won our first two games last season fairly impressively away to Newcastle and at home to Liverpool.
 
Robbie Boy said:
Think that applies to how people view most clubs based on previous form, players declining, the clubs transfers business etc.

On the flip side, Chelsea were being praised to the hilt before the season started and were default champions elect.
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Perhaps, I just never saw the point in writing off a team that was extremely poor in the league (with a host of top quality players) and still managed to scrape 2nd.

Chelsea on the other hand are the new United ( media darlings) so I can understand the hype, funny how they haven't beaten a team in 90 minutes since last season....i think.

Joke's on those caf/twitter experts that had City finishing below 3rd.
 
Roman Bellic said:
Perhaps, I just never saw the point in writing off a team that was extremely poor in the league (with a host of top quality players) and still managed to scrape 2nd.

Chelsea on the other hand are the new United ( media darlings) so I can understand the hype, funny how they haven't beaten a team in 90 minutes since last season....i think.

Joke's on those caf/twitter experts that had City finishing below 3rd.
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Of course it was ridiculous to write City off but some on here let their hatred of the club cloud their judgements. City still have sheer class like Aguero and Silva and if Kompany, Toure and the likes of Fernandinho can get back to their best, they will be a very good side this season.
 
Watching City today they look good going forwards but I think their balance is still a bit off.

Chelsea should have scored at least twice - Hazard and one of Costa/Falcao plus the Ramires disallowed one (only seen it once but it was mighty close). I think they are favourites for the league but I can't see them going far in Europe, again. They're still too open and they just don't look compact or solid to me (I know it sounds odd after 2 clean sheets on the bounce against decent opposition but there you go).
 
Aguero stays fit they win league for me. Last season they weren't far off but shaky at the back so if Kompany gets back to form and Otamendi continues his La Liga form I think they will be clear favorites unless Chelsea make some really good signings prior to window closing. Unfortunately for us I see another battle for fourth.
 
2 games in and people already jumping on bandwagons.

United for the title.
 
Attila said:
I think they will shift Silva to the right and De Bruyne to the middle if they get him

-----------Aguero-------
Sterling-------------Silva
--------De Bruyne-------

Not bad
Click to expand...

Add Otamendi to their defence too and they should walk the league really. FFP really hurt them and their spending :/
 
How many times did they manage to find Aguero with delivery from wide areas in the first half hour? He's shorter than all Chelsea's defenders but City were intelligent enough to find him in the box and not waste the delivery when getting into good positions. Complete contrast to when we get into those sort of areas and waste almost every ball.
 
Attila said:
I think they will shift Silva to the right and De Bruyne to the middle if they get him

-----------Aguero-------
Sterling-------------Silva
--------De Bruyne-------

Not bad
Click to expand...

Doubt it. Silva is amazing through the center like seen today and de Bruyne has been excellent on the right. He is going ro replace Navas in their current line up.
 
AttackingFlair said:
How many times did they manage to find Aguero with delivery from wide areas in the first half hour? He's shorter than all Chelsea's defenders but City were intelligent enough to find him in the box and not waste the delivery when getting into good positions. Complete contrast to when we get into those sort of areas and waste almost every ball.
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Yeah, City's wide play has been brilliant for years now.
 
AttackingFlair said:
How many times did they manage to find Aguero with delivery from wide areas in the first half hour? He's shorter than all Chelsea's defenders but City were intelligent enough to find him in the box and not waste the delivery when getting into good positions. Complete contrast to when we get into those sort of areas and waste almost every ball.
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75% of Citys attacks are running to the by-line and cutting back to Aguero, like the two they scored against us last season, we mark space instead of the obvious target
 
NoLogo said:
Doubt it. Silva is amazing through the center like seen today and de Bruyne has been excellent on the right. He is going ro replace Navas in their current line up.
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If De Bruyne plays on the wing...we should buy him
 
Paolo Di Canio said:
75% of Citys attacks are running to the by-line and cutting back to Aguero, like the two they scored against us last season, we mark space instead of the obvious target
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The one time they actually wasted it (Kolorov hitting the side netting), Aguero was unmarked again with neither Terry or Cahill even looking at him. It's like they didn't know they were playing against the best striker in the premiership. Like you said also, we did the same thing in the 4-2, no one bothered to mark him in the box when he's the obvious target. Baffling at the top level.
 
And some people think they're not miles ahead of us? :lol:

6 goals in the first 2 matches, we've not even managed 6 shots on target.
 
Theres no way they can keep aguero fit for the entire season. He will miss atleast half a dozen games during which time United will build an unassialable lead.

Still think city will come 2nd with most goals scored just like last season. Quite surprised as I did not expect the players to pull their weight for a departing manager, but they seem like a proper motivated bunch.
 
NoLogo said:
Doubt it. Silva is amazing through the center like seen today and de Bruyne has been excellent on the right. He is going ro replace Navas in their current line up.
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Is the correct answer. KDB will be an excellent addition. :drool:
 
i love how everyone has written off Utd for the title and city are now favourites after the first two games. This place is abit of a joke at times.
 
Said at the start they'd win it.

Sterling will prove to be a fantastic signing, his pace and dribbling from wide helps with making space for Silva who can now play as a #10.

Unless Aguero gets some sort of horrendous injury spell they'll win it. No one can compete with their attack. If they do replace Navas who's average, with someone like De Bruyne they'll be a terrifying side.
 
As I mentioned in another thread, City always have these patches where they look utterly unplayable.

Let's see if they can actually handle it when the going gets tough. They have a tendency to be massive bottlers at various points in the season.

I feel our mentality and team spirit under Van Gaal is better than theirs eventhough at their best they are probably the better side.
 
Lots of quality and can mix it when they need to. Only 2 games in but you can't help but being impressed. We aren't that far off them but we need to get players playing their right positions
 
AttackingFlair said:
The one time they actually wasted it (Kolorov hitting the side netting), Aguero was unmarked again with neither Terry or Cahill even looking at him. It's like they didn't know they were playing against the best striker in the premiership. Like you said also, we did the same thing in the 4-2, no one bothered to mark him in the box when he's the obvious target. Baffling at the top level.
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Phil Jones could have prevented there first goal by simply looking behind him and stepping to the right, I mean, i dont watch loads of City but it seems they try that cut back to Aguero about 10 times a game or look for the late run of Toure, probably easier to say then actually do but it will be a hell of alot harder for them to find them if somebody is actually standing in his path
 
TrustInJanuzai said:
i love how everyone has written off Utd for the title and city are now favourites after the first two games. This place is abit of a joke at times.
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Not eveyone believed that Chelsea were going to run away with it, or that City were finished.
So it isn't just 'now' that they've become favourites.
 
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