Our rival's squads next year - Man City

The only team in EPL that I enjoyed watching this season. Playing with fluidity and attacking mentality. They look good so far. Silva, Kun looks in good form.

And yet people here argue that we somehow cannot match winning with playing nice football like City have been..

Not going to lie, I'd love for us to play as fluently as City.
 
The first two matchdays have really put a few things into perspective. Before the season started, Arsenal were kind of favorites for the title while people claimed that City would be the team most likely to drop out of the top 4.
Now Arsenal have been brought back to reality after their usual brilliant pre season and City look like the strongest contender for the title (especially with Chelsea struggling so early).
Their biggest worry will be to keep Aguero injury free, Bony is good for most of the teams in the league but for the top domnestical and international level they heavily rely on the argentinian and if they don't get De Bruyne an injury to Silva would also be a huge loss. But apart from that they look great so far, especially if their defence continues to as solid as it has been in these two games.
 
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:lol: Even you don't sound too convinced!

Well there's no denying a fair few of City's sponsorships are courtesy of Sheikh Mansour's connections. As it is though no rules are being broken, none of them are taking the piss like the PSG deal and I disagree with aspects of FFP so as far as I'm concerned City are entirely justified to do whatever they can to legitimately comply with the rules.
 
Kicker saying Wolfsburg are going to offer De Bruyne a new contract
 
The first two matchdays have really put a few things into perspective. Before the season started, Arsenal were kind of favorites for the title while people claimed that City would be the team most likely to drop out of the top 4.
Now Arsenal have been brought back to reality after their usual brilliant pre season and City look like the strongest contender for the title (especially with Chelsea struggling so early).
Their biggest worry will be to keep Aguero injury free, Bony is good for most of the teams in the league but for the top domnestical and international level they heavily rely on the argentinian and if they don't get De Bruyne an injury to Silva would also be a huge loss. But apart from that they look great so far, especially if their defence continues to as solid as it has been in these two games.
We feel the hit when Aguero is injured because he's just that much better than everybody else - but I don't see Bony as a concern. To put it into perspective you'd find it pretty tough to find a huge difference between him, Benteke and Giroud. That's two of the other top four contenders. Meanwhile who is streets ahead of him at United?
 
Otamendi likely to be announced tomorrow, be interesting to see whether he gets to start automatically or if he has to bide his time until Kompany or Mangala get injured or lose form.
 
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It would be hilarious, of course, if he had actually said that but he didn't :nono:
 
What about Deneyar? Thought he was supposed to given a chance.
 
What about Deneyar? Thought he was supposed to given a chance.

Will be heading out on loan. A few PL clubs rumoured to be interested. A loan was always going to be the best option for him, I felt, even before we signed Otamendi.
 
As well as they've started, they still have MF problems. Toure is 32, he'll begin to fade as the season goes on and let's see how his motivation levels are. He's absolutely key to them doing well. It's why I was hoping he would actually leave.

Good defence, very good attack but their MF is still questionable. A MF of Toure/Fernandinho/Delph/Fernando is probably the weakest of the top 4. I expect them to still face problems and people already crowning them champions are premature.
 
He's gonna be a good signing for them. They'll probably win the title now with the addition of Delph, Otamendi and Sterling.
 
They get KDB and that forward line stays fit and the league is theirs, no question.
Our forward line is so far behind them it's laughable.
 
They get KDB and that forward line stays fit and the league is theirs, no question.
Our forward line is so far behind them it's laughable.

Our MF is almost much better then their MF. Our fullbacks are also better.
 
Our MF is almost much better then their MF. Our fullbacks are also better.
That's why I said our forward line, but I'm afraid a midfield and full backs don't win titles it's goals and at the moment we don't have any. We need a 20+ goal scorer and we need him now, simple as that
 
Our MF is almost much better then their MF. Our fullbacks are also better.
You're fullbacks may be better for you, but who's to say they'd work as well in our setup? Fullbacks are a huge part of our attacking game, and few are better at getting forward than Zabeleta and Kolarov (few are better at defending than Zabeleta too actually).

You're right the weakest aspect of our team is the two spots just infront if the defenders, but with Yaya, Fernandinho, Delph, and Fernando to pick from for just two spots in the side then we aren't looking TOO bad. Especially given that when he turns up Yaya is the best midfielder in the league.. It's not all bad there.
 
You're fullbacks may be better for you, but who's to say they'd work as well in our setup? Fullbacks are a huge part of our attacking game, and few are better at getting forward than Zabeleta and Kolarov (few are better at defending than Zabeleta too actually).

You're right the weakest aspect of our team is the two spots just infront if the defenders, but with Yaya, Fernandinho, Delph, and Fernando to pick from for just two spots in the side then we aren't looking TOO bad. Especially given that when he turns up Yaya is the best midfielder in the league.. It's not all bad there.

I don't rate Kolarov tbh and Zaba shows signs of ageing last season. Where is Zaba btw?
 
City's forward line is so much stronger than all of the other teams, and with decent back up players too.

Compare Aguero, Silva, Sterling and De Bruyne to our Rooney, Mata, Memphis and Januzaj and it's laughable. Then look at the squad depth and they have the best second forward in the league in Bony, as well as Nasri, Navas and Roberts. We have Hernandez, Young, Valencia and Pereira.

Obviously the centre midfield is key, but if Fernandinho and Toure can continue as they have started, and with the energy of Delph and Fernando in reserve, they look well stocked. We have the better depth but Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger aren't that much of an upgrade on the City midfield imo.
 
City's forward line is so much stronger than all of the other teams, and with decent back up players too.

Compare Aguero, Silva, Sterling and De Bruyne to our Rooney, Mata, Memphis and Januzaj and it's laughable. Then look at the squad depth and they have the best second forward in the league in Bony, as well as Nasri, Navas and Roberts. We have Hernandez, Young, Valencia and Pereira.

Obviously the centre midfield is key, but if Fernandinho and Toure can continue as the have started, and with the energy of Delph and Fernando in reserve, they look well stocked. We have the better depth but Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger aren't that much of an upgrade on the City midfield imo.

De Bruyne turned them down, Bony is not the second best forward in the league, and Navas is useless.
 
De Bruyne turned them down, Bony is not the second best forward in the league, and Navas is useless.

Who do you consider better than Bony? Navas is as good as Valencia, both similar players really with little end product.
 
Who do you consider better than Bony? Navas is as good as Valencia, both similar players really with little end product.
Really? I'm surprised City bought him, he's decent but not great.

There's plenty I'd take before him - Costa, Giroud, Sturridge when he's fit, Kane.
 
Really? I'm surprised City bought him, he's decent but not great.

There's plenty I'd take before him - Costa, Giroud, Sturridge when he's fit, Kane.

Yes but he's a second choice striker, so comparable to Remy/Falcao, Welbeck/Walcott, Adebayor and of course our Hernandez. To be fair, Benteke is at a similar level if not better.
 
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Really? I'm surprised City bought him, he's decent but not great.

There's plenty I'd take before him - Costa, Giroud, Sturridge when he's fit, Kane.

Am assuming by best second forward he means the best rotation option i.e. someone who is happy to sit on the bench. All of those are starters at their respective clubs.
 
Yes but he's a second choice striker, so comparable to Remy/Falcao, Welback/Walcott, Adebayor and of course our Hernandez. To be fair, Benteke is at a similar level if not better.
Am assuming by best second forward he means the best rotation option i.e. someone who is happy to sit on the bench. All of those are starters at their respective clubs.
I see. Tommy misread what you said as well it seems.
 
Well, they are having a great window even if they are spending way too much. Especially if they get KDB, more £50+ in the balance.

Their attacking force is amazing when Aguero is fit.
 
They'll probably sign Pogba next season then and their aging squad and FFP nightmare will be over..

This tiny club shouldn't be anywhere near the elite clubs but they're getting away with it all because of outrageous sponsorship deals, its infuriating.