Our Rivals' squads next year - Manchester City (2016/2017)

Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Shitting it? Over which player exactly?

Stones, Sicknote or Nolito? None are an upgrade on what they already have
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Just the team in general. They have Pep now managing Aguero, KdB, Stones, Sterling, Silva, Gundogan, Nasri and despite how poor they may have been so far both Mangala and Otimendi were both hugely promising talents. I know we've had great fun laughing at City (and I sincerely hope we get to do it again this year) but there's a ridiculous amount of talent packed into that squad. If they click under Pep then it feels like we could all be in real trouble.. :nervous:
 
KM said:
Yes I read that but they weren't interested to pay this amount. I frankly think we've got a star tbh.
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Potentially, sure. His biggest weakness is lack of concentration & experience in the top flight. Mou, for this, is probably a good mentor to improve the mental side of his game.

I always am amused though how underrated external fans are of the Primera, before it was about the players being too small/frail or too technical & not physical enough for the Premiership but the defenders were routinely panned

The good thing about Bailly is that he was routinely tested against elite forwards in a very intense Marcelino system so I can't see where he couldn't adapt to the Premiership. The mental side of his game, that is where we'll see if he becomes a star or not
 
Kentonio said:
Am I the only one shitting it a bit over this new City team? Everyone seems very calm.. :nervous:
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I think they will be good, and although it's controversial perhaps on here they are probably favourites for the title IMO (although I would love for us to win it).
Now for me, This will only happen if Aguero, Silva and De Bruyne can stay fit. If they don't then I think they may fall short.

In regards to the new players: I think Nolito will be a flop (basically a glorified Jesus Navas), Stones isn't anywhere near the finished article (yet), Nor is Sane. Jesus won't appear until Jan so he cannot be really counted. I think Gundogan will be a good signing for them if he can get some momentum going after his injury and Zinchenko could surprise a few people.
 
Kentonio said:
Just the team in general. They have Pep now managing Aguero, KdB, Stones, Sterling, Silva, Gundogan, Nasri and despite how poor they may have been so far both Mangala and Otimendi were both hugely promising talents. I know we've had great fun laughing at City (and I sincerely hope we get to do it again this year) but there's a ridiculous amount of talent packed into that squad. If they click under Pep then it feels like we could all be in real trouble.. :nervous:
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Nasri is being sold, not in CL squad.

Sterling is bang average.

Gundogan is a massive question mark due to his injuries, if they can get him truly fit he's a great signing though.

Stones is 2 years off being anything.

The true talent is what is already there, KdB, Silva, Aguero & Kompany but that talent finished level on points with us last season.

Nothing to be "shitting" it about, they will be in the mix if Pep doesn't go too heavy on forcing them to play all out possession football straight from the off as I think they will have a poor start to the season if they do so.
 
Kentonio said:
Just the team in general. They have Pep now managing Aguero, KdB, Stones, Sterling, Silva, Gundogan, Nasri and despite how poor they may have been so far both Mangala and Otimendi were both hugely promising talents. I know we've had great fun laughing at City (and I sincerely hope we get to do it again this year) but there's a ridiculous amount of talent packed into that squad. If they click under Pep then it feels like we could all be in real trouble.. :nervous:
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That can be said about any of City/Chelsea/us and Liverpool. Basically the last season was absolutely dire from all top teams and the title would be won by the team that manages to utilise this summer window to improve its on-field performance. On paper, all the top clubs have tried to improve and now its the fact of which team manages to translate this to the actual game. An unknown variable really. Although it does comfort me that Jose amongst all other managers is the most experienced of dominating the PL, which could help us be the top dog this season at least, while the likes of Pep undergo their transformation phase in the PL.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
What about the fact that Mourinho had zero interest THIS summer after the boy had a horrific season?

To be ignored @BobbyManc
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The point is someone said what potential has Stones showed. Mourinho obviously saw something in him to try and sign him last year. As for why he didn't this time only Mourinho knows, but that does not mean he has suddenly stopped rating him. It's like me saying 'well Mourinho didn't try and sign Bailly last summer, explain that. He must have thought he had no potential'.
 
I just think that (except us) shitty had the most talented team in PL. The likes of Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva are not matched in the league. And now that you add terrific footballer like Gundogan, Sané and even Stones, I think that they can have a good mix of power, speed and technic. They've got Nolito to supply Aguero's injury. But imagine IF Aguero does stay fit this year? They'll be contenders for sure. They may lack a bit of weight upfront now, and their full backs can be bad at times, but with Guardiola they can improve massively



----------------------------------Hart-------------------------------------
Sagna----------------Kompany------Otamendi/Stones----------Kolarov
------------------------------Fernandinho--------------------------------
Sané----------------Gundogan----------De Bruyne---------------Nollito
---------------------------------Aguero-----------------------------------
 
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If I was you guys I wouldn't be shitting about us or I wouldn't be as complacent as some here are either. We have done what we needed to do with the squad as the top players are already there. We needed young, fresh blood who can use a ball in the squad and we got it. You guys had the good potential young players and needed the already world class players and you got them too in Pogba and Zlatan along with a good centre back and top playmaker. We needed legs, plain and simple and we brought them in. I think both squads had a good window and brought in the type of player needed, both are still maybe a big weak in the full back positions and centre back is ok but neither are great. Should be a close and interesting season. I know on paper it looks like you guys have had the better window and in terms or big names you've signed 3 crackers and a promising CB. We though needed, youth, energy, pace and ball players in our own half and I think we've got it now with Stones at CB, Gundogan and Fernandinho in midfield and I have a sneaky feeling Pep might play Silva in a midfield 3 at times with KDB, Nolito and Aguero ahead.

@Adisa - lol, seems legit. I can just imagine Leicester and Vardy looking at that defensive line before a match.
 
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If true...English media/experts have so much love and respect for Pep,not sure how they gonna accept that their,how they said it "top top top top GK" going to be dismissed by Pep.
 
More and more looking like Pep needs an entirely new team to work his way at City.... Not exactly flexible if he needs that is he? Obviously they needed a revamp, but they've made what, 7 signings already? A lot of younger players though and a couple of them out on loan so it's really just Gundogan, Sane, Stones and Nolito for the first team this season, with Jesus coming in January. Wouldn't surprise me if they go on and buy another 5-6 players by next season as well to have almost an entirely new starting 11 (apart from De Bruyne and Aguero basically).
 
Stadium actually has fans inside, on both tiers?? what is this lunacy.
 
Aguero is one of the most overrated players around. Very poor when he isn't on form.
 
Good think we're playing them early IMO.
 
roonster09 said:
Twitter will be full of these triangles and pseudo tacticians.
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That @MochineGun bloke on Twitter is the worst for it, and those uber tossers at Spielverlagerung... The excuses the former especially makes for Pep, and his fawning over the tiniest little irrelevant detail makes me nauseous... And I'm actually a fan of Pep, relatively speaking, and I'd have loved him here.
 
rotherham_red said:
That @MochineGun bloke on Twitter is the worst for it, and those uber tossers at Spielverlagerung... The excuses the former especially makes for Pep, and his fawning over the tiniest little irrelevant detail makes me nauseous... And I'm actually a fan of Pep, relatively speaking, and I'd have loved him here.
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I don't know who all, I see some tweets which are retweeted. It's laughable when fans try to draw triangles to explain the complex tactics employed.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Probably true. It's possible Mourinho takes a few games to stamp his mark on the Utd side too though, so they'll maybe be thinking the same.
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True, but Mourinho is obviously already more than accustomed to the Premier League, something that you can't say about Pep.
 
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