Pre Match Pre Match - Man City (H) - Sun 16:00

[keniget]

Yep - some really average work in the market especially in midfield with Nunes, Kovacic and Gundogan.

Did a quick check on some former academy players and this must hurt given the gaps in their squad

Cole Palmer
Michael Olise
Brahim Diaz
Romeo Lavia
Jadon Sancho
Morgan Rogers
Taylor Harwood Bellis
Liam Delap

Pedro Porro too.

 

[Modo]

Yep - some really average work in the market especially in midfield with Nunes, Kovacic and Gundogan.

Did a quick check on some former academy players and this must hurt given the gaps in their squad

Cole Palmer
Michael Olise
Brahim Diaz
Romeo Lavia
Jadon Sancho
Morgan Rogers
Taylor Harwood Bellis
Liam Delap

You could argue that these players wouldn't have reached the same heights if they stayed.

 

[Accedalyday]

everyone knows Pep LOVES a challenge ... and like all great managers, he can build teams who are average, or poor, and make them great.
He'll clearly show this in the coming years as he rebuild Man City's conference side ... right? right?

 

[binomial]

Besides Dias for Gomez and Foden for Szobo, not 1 player from their XI last week that would've started over our players.

 

[Modo]

What?! Haaland would be my first pick.

 

[binomial]

Haaland is absolutely fucking shite.

 

[Modo]

Haaland is absolutely fucking shite.

 

[The Nomad]

That's completely missed my point (or maybe I could have elucidated it better). I didn't say that they weren't winning and it was happening every season. I've consistently (2 seasons, especially in the pre-season forecasts) said that there were clear issues (I was just a little, OK a lot, ahead of the curve)!

However it was obvious that there was a clear trend and accumulative decline allied with poor buying decisions (despite the constant media Pep love in). In previous seasons players like De Bruyne, David Silva etc. were still at their peak (and uninjured) and they had acquired on the cheap their best buy by far of the past 3-4 years, the no-brainer of Haaland.
And yet in the media (and from some on here) we get this "City are capable of going on a 15 game winning streak. I'm still frightened of them" which to my mind they are patently now incapable of and slowly that rhetoric is also changing in the media.

So yeah, I have been shouting this out not only now but for 2-3 seasons. I'm due my Blue Peter Badge and a doggy biscuit!

TL;DR

I've thrown the same shit at the wall for the past 3 seasons.

This time it's stuck.

 

[Modo]

TL;DR

I've thrown the same shit at the wall for the past 3 seasons.

This time it's stuck.

I know.

 

[Brizzle]

Besides Dias for Gomez and Foden for Szobo, not 1 player from their XI last week that would've started over our players.

"apart from 2, not 1 player would start.."

I'd absolutely have Haaland up top with Salah on the wing. Absolute scenes. Think of all the big chances wasted by Nunez, Diaz etc. last season.

 

[binomial]

"apart from 2, not 1 player would start.."

I'd absolutely have Haaland up top with Salah on the wing. Absolute scenes. Think of all the big chances wasted by Nunez, Diaz etc. last season.

Except it's not always as black and white as that.

Haaland is your modern day goal hanger - he spends 90% of the game standing still, relies on others to do all the work for him and creates nothing for his team mates. Look who he's surrounded by.

He'll score more because more chances are put on a plate for him, sure, but who was it that still topped the big chances missed stat last season with 34 - 7 more than anyone else? Haaland.

 

[Hansern]

Haaland having been developed a couple of years under Klopp before being managed by the Slot this season, yes please!

 

[tombrown]

The problem with dropping this dreamy style 'i told you so' is that these are some of the streaks City had in the last two years

Unfair criticism of DB, he has often told us he has no interest in "told you so"s he merely reminds us that he "informed us thusly"

 

[Accedalyday]

 

[rubans]

Pedro Porro too.

Add Jamie Gittens to that list, currently tearing it up at Dortmund at a young age.