I'm pretty sure he awoke be playing wingback again.
Manchester City 17/18 discussion | "If you're here for the Champions clap your hands" (#6505)
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
I agree. People judge too quickly (same with United, after 2 wins we are nowhere). City will gather pace eventually, question is whether it will be enough to challenge for titles
A real mixed bag last night.
Some elements of City's play was excellent, ball winning and retention in the middle third but final ball and poise in the penalty bix were lacking (just like last season).
Fighting spirit was excellent, Sterling and Bernardo Silva made important contributions when introduced.
Everton have been a bit of a bogey team for us and it's annoying that we can't shake them off.
Some elements of City's play was excellent, ball winning and retention in the middle third but final ball and poise in the penalty bix were lacking (just like last season).
Fighting spirit was excellent, Sterling and Bernardo Silva made important contributions when introduced.
Everton have been a bit of a bogey team for us and it's annoying that we can't shake them off.
In my head (and with the addition of Sanchez) City would look more cohesive with this setup:
It's offensive, but it's not dissimilar to how they setup last season. Watching them against Everton, it's evident why Pep wants Sanchez, because in Alexis, he gets a consistent and hard-working winger in place of Sane/Sterling whose own inconsistencies are too much for City to carry at times. I'm not convinced they need to play three at the back, nor do I think Aguero and Jesus suit one another - Pep will have to drop one of them, likely the latter.
This was always going to be the issue City have, particularly if they buy Sanchez. In that instance, they'll have Sane, Sterling and Jesus, all on the bench.
Regarding their performance against Everton, City have an ability to play like that (especially at the Etihad) - even under Mancini and Pellegrini, they'd start slowly, look sluggish, struggle for rhythm and drop points. Rinse and repeat. Conversely, when they're on it, start quickly and play incisively, they're almost impossible to contain.
Pep will get it right, but he's trying to be too clever - there was absolutely no reason to play Sane at LWB in place of Danilo.
Not that I care of course, tinker away Pep, you're mind is your greatest enemy.
Aguero
Sanchez------------B.Silva
D.Silva----De Bruyne
Gundogan
Mendy---Stones---Kompany---Walker
Sanchez------------B.Silva
D.Silva----De Bruyne
Gundogan
Mendy---Stones---Kompany---Walker
It's offensive, but it's not dissimilar to how they setup last season. Watching them against Everton, it's evident why Pep wants Sanchez, because in Alexis, he gets a consistent and hard-working winger in place of Sane/Sterling whose own inconsistencies are too much for City to carry at times. I'm not convinced they need to play three at the back, nor do I think Aguero and Jesus suit one another - Pep will have to drop one of them, likely the latter.
This was always going to be the issue City have, particularly if they buy Sanchez. In that instance, they'll have Sane, Sterling and Jesus, all on the bench.
Regarding their performance against Everton, City have an ability to play like that (especially at the Etihad) - even under Mancini and Pellegrini, they'd start slowly, look sluggish, struggle for rhythm and drop points. Rinse and repeat. Conversely, when they're on it, start quickly and play incisively, they're almost impossible to contain.
Pep will get it right, but he's trying to be too clever - there was absolutely no reason to play Sane at LWB in place of Danilo.
Not that I care of course, tinker away Pep, you're mind is your greatest enemy.
We should have put them to bed last night but only problems. The two big issues for me are Jesus and Aguero haven't really gelled, they seem to be not clicking at all, the other is Sane is not and never will be a WB. His letting Everton run away after dispossessing him for the goal last night was shocking and probably worse than Kompany and Stones defending what happened after. I hope we play some kind of 361 next time out if we're continuing with 3 CB's. I could well see us go that way with a midfield diamond Atm after preseason I'd say out best XI for B'Mouth is currently something like.
--------------Ederson------------
-----Kompany-Stones-Otamendi---
Danilo---------Ferna--------Mendy
-----------KDB-----DSilva---------
----------Sterling/B Silva----------
--------------Aguero--------------
Mendy is obviously only in there if fit and because Walker is suspended.
If Mendy isn't fit do you think Sane will play there again or is there a talented academy fullback who could slot in?
All the talented defenders are out on loan and LB is a fairly weak position. If Mendy can't play I'd expect to see Fernandinho shoe horned out there. He seems to be out "We have noone else so he'll do" player, while either Yaya or Gundogan (if fit) take his DM spot.
Even if we had a talented kid I wouldn't bet on him getting a game anyway...
He doesn't have defensive responsibility since Man City have so much possession. And it's not like Holgate was such a threat coming down that flank. Not sure why people are going crazy about Sane. Sure he miscontrolled the ball but wouldn't you expect a winger to be better at that than a fullback?
He still had to keep the shape and didn't look comfortable at all in that role, nerves and poor decision making crept in which led to Everton's goal. Was a strange decision with Danilo on the bench and City really lacking width further forward.
Objectively speaking, they should be the favorites to win the league. Pep should hang his head in shame for anything less than the league title with all the players he has brought in. They have the best starting 11 overall (although I think our starting midfield now edges theirs out), but what really gives them the advantage is their squad depth, which is only matched by Real and Bayern.
I agree with them failing in midfield recruitment, but they lost 4 fullbacks in this window. Danilo comes in to deputise both sides. David Silva is also 31, so I understand wanting to pass his torch on to Bernardo Silva.
I don't understand why you guys play with 3 at the back. Is it due to lack of solid midfielders? Or is it to fit in Aguero and Jesus? With the abundance of attacking talent at your disposal, giving an extra spot to a defender doesn't make much sense to me. I thought City would line up like this
Ederson
Walker Kompany Otamendi Mendy
Fernandinho
Silva----------Kdb
Jesus----Aguero-----Sane
Walker Kompany Otamendi Mendy
Fernandinho
Silva----------Kdb
Jesus----Aguero-----Sane
They have the best squad by far imo but with Pep in charge you always feel like the oppsotion have a chance
Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of what he has and would rather draw and play the way he wants to play then scrape an ugly 1-0 and I think that will cost them points. Whether it costs them enough points remains to be seen
Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of what he has and would rather draw and play the way he wants to play then scrape an ugly 1-0 and I think that will cost them points. Whether it costs them enough points remains to be seen
His problem is that he changes line up too many times and play the players out of position most of the time.
Why do people have this assumption it's all about the players? 'Oh, we have a lot of good players in this position so let's play a formation that utilises all of these players.' Why can't it be about the formation in itself? 3-5-2 gives lots of possibilities in offence and attack and those are what makes him use the formation.
Dear City fans, is Mangala staying or leaving?
Its looking like Inter is pretty much a done deal at this stage, a year long loan with a guarantee of a purchase last I read. Thought the same was said for Lyon a month ago for £18m. If we do manage to get £18m for him it'll be a miracle. Given the rumors and its Inter we're dealing with, its probably more realistic to think a year long loan with an option to by for about £10m. Quite a loss.
You would be left with Stones, Kompany and Otamendi as CBs at that point. Think Pep is gonna use Danilo as CB sometimes.
City's transfer window was odd. Bernardo and Mendy look like excellent additions and Walker and Danilo are decent. But they have concocted a scenario where they have the exact same central defence and central midfield as last season. Areas which were obvious weaknesses last season have seen no improvement. I don't think that's succeeded in pushing themselves ahead of their top 4 competitors.
Happy enough with our window in fairness. We got Ederson, Mendy, Danilo, Walker to really strengthen our weakest area's last season plus Bernado Silva for the price of 1 of a Neymar.
It's also the first season we haven't topped the premier leagues net spend in forever (though we would have if we got Sanchez, and in the end the difference was only a tiny £7m to United.).
I'm quite delighted with it as we've moved on:
Zabs,
Sagna,
Kolarov,
Clichy,
Nasri,
Fernando,
Nolito (who couldn't settle),
Iheanacho (who I'd lost faith in but could turn out to be good, but for new he's being kept out at Leicester by Okazaki),
Bony (terrible signing),
Jesus Navas,
Aaron Mooy,
Zucilini,
Caballero,
Oliver Ntcham (was never going to make it at City)
Enes Unal (I feel this will turn out to be the clanger we've dropped and not Iheanacho)
We've also got Harts wages off the books (well most of them) and an army of youths out on loan.
Thats alot of dead wood gone and 5 players who really improve us for a net spend of £133m plus overall wages at the club are supposed to be down for this season too.
Yes we're still not great at CB but last seasons defensive issues have mainly been put down to fullbacks not being able to get back at pace leaving them exposed, which has been rectified.
We don't have an unreal depth of talent at CM but for better or worse a 4 of KDB, Fernandinho, Gundogan and Yaya is not terrible for what is essentially 2 positions with David Silva acting as playmaker in there. There is also some cover for injury crisis albeit not great in Delph, Mangala and a few youths.
I think we've fixed our 2 biggest weakness from last season and are in much better shape moving forward. I'd say it was a great window looking at it, though our season depends hugely on Kompany and Gundogan staying fit (Kompany also needs to improve his form). Its been a massive step forward for us in my eyes.
Club now vs when Pep arrived:
GKs - Ederson & Bravo > Hart & Cabs
FBs - Mendy, Walker, Danilo >> Zabs, Clichy, Kola and Sagna
CBs - Kompany, Stones, Otamendi, Mangala = Kompany, Otamendi, MDM, Mangala (possibly even better if Kompany can stay fit)
MCs - Fernandinho, Gundogan, Yaya, Delph > Fernandinho, Yaya, Delph, Fernando
AMs - Silva, B Silva, Sane, Sterling, KDB >> Silva, Sterling, Navas, Nasri, KDB
FCs - Aguero, Jesus >> Aguero, Bony, Iheanacho
Its taken a lot of money but we are slowly getting shot of the junk brought in or left about during Pelligrini's era (albeit I can't say whether its Pellers or Txiki's fault) we are at least strengthening and not weakening the squad as was what happened post Mancini.
That's a rather optimistic view imo, but the squad has never really been an issue imo. The big question is whether it can click under Pep, and if it does, they can live with their poor defence.
I think it's probably for a similar reason to why LVG favoured a back 3/back 5 when he was with us - a lack of trust in the defence.
When managers don't feel their defence is up to scratch it gives them a little more comfort to throw an extra centre half at the issue. Of course it only works if your wing backs no how to defend, and can be disastrous as they don't. As shown by Sané against Everton and Son for Spurs in last season's FA Cup semi.
To be fair to him he's being kept out of the side by a toe injury. I expect he will be in ahead of Okazaki once that issue is sorted.
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Losing Sancho could be a massive dropped ball.
Angry with us? 
Angry with us?
Nope, we have to wait a year but we'll save £60m. Hope he doesn't pull a Costa on you, his supposed attitude today was quite pissed off.
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Your squad/club is falling apart.Angry with us?
I think you have a right to be angry.
We didn't have a choice given he wanted to go. That said from that situation to lose him abroad for £10m with a sell on fee included is best case scenario really. Good luck to the lad.
What did he say?
It was a stupid give me sport article with no actual proper quotes in the end it just said he's unhappy like everywhere else. I skimmed through it at first and edited my comment to something more solid.
Thats what I get for checking facebook half asleep.
Two words: feck off! You wanted to make a mockery of us, leaving us no time to replace Sanchez.
Alexis should have been sold abroad though.
Hope the rumours on Twitter are not true because your club wouldn't look good
He'd have them solid at the back and the attackers they have would tear most teams apart.
Hope the rumours on Twitter are not true because your club wouldn't look good
We never look good.
Read the tweet i posted above. Think it is a fake one though.
Pretty sure it's bollocks mate. Sounds like mischief making in Chile. City will be disappointed that the deal fell through for sure and may feel that they've been given the runaround by Arsenal a bit as they must've been given encouragement by Arsenal over the past few days that a deal could be struck for us to send a delegation over to South America, but personally I think nobody meant for it to fall through on purpose and it's just one of those things that will go down in deadline day folklore and I highly doubt the club have any legal grounds for making a complaint.
With regards to the other bit, Arsenal did try to tout Sanchez round foreign clubs but it was clear he wanted to sign for City. City have been in touch with Arsenal all summer - it was one of the worst kept secrets in football that we wanted him -and didn't just wake up yesterday morning and decide to make a bid. What happens going forward is anyone's guess. We may be back for him in January and I think the best thing for all parties is to put this episode behind them and if Sanchez is still adamant that he wants to come to us, concentrate on giving his best for Arsenal in the meantime and maybe a deal can be done during the next window.
Hope so mate. Would be a bit silly from City to do it
Nope, Arsenal did that all by themselves. City were interested in Sanchez all summer, you really think we only decided to act on deadline day? Quite clearly, and what has been widely reported, Arsenal changed their stance and decided to cash in but did so far too late, which has in the end achieved nothing other than pissing Sanchez off.
This tweet made me fuming, but i think it was a fake news
City are a real wild card this year.
Tons of quality players, but we have no idea yet how good they are going to be as a team.
I think it will be us and City in a two horse race for the league.
Mourinho gives me so much confidence though.
Tons of quality players, but we have no idea yet how good they are going to be as a team.
I think it will be us and City in a two horse race for the league.
Mourinho gives me so much confidence though.
Kompany is injured and not available for Liverpool game.