Noisy Neighbours - the Man City thread

[Karabiner]

Aguero is not Guardiola's first choice when all forwards are fit...could he leave Manchester City for Chelsea? http://dailym.ai/2uGgK7g

I've been away so not aftertiming or anything with the Morata news this evening.....but on what planet do the media think City would sanction the sale of Aguero to Chelsea?

The same planet where they think Arsenal would sanction the sale of Alexis to you lot?

Yeah, cos Arsenal don't have a very real recent history of selling their best players.

Not since we've been self-sufficient we haven't.

We did manage to slip in a couple of duds amongst the gems in those bad old days when we needed the money though.

Really Ralph?

Here is a little reminder from 2011:

"Big clubs don't sell their stars, claims Arsène Wenger"    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/jul/12/arsenal-cesc-fabregas-samir-nasri-arsene-wenger


"Samir's situation is clear for me," Wenger said. "He stays. We are in a [financial] position where we can say 'No' and we will, in the case of Samir." Wenger said that it was better to keep Nasri for another season and risk losing him for nothing than to sell him to United or City before the closure of the transfer window, even if it represented a £20m gamble.

That was a horror-show of a summer as after Fabregas had forced his way out, Nasri's departure resulted in strengthening Theo's situation and him getting a £150K per week contract.

As you correctly say that was in 2011 and there have been no such departures since.

Hmm, RVP went to United the following season.

I figured it might be a trap - I guess we've only been self-sufficient since then.

Mind you as you're currently buying FB's, Gibbs or Debuchy could available if the price is right.

TBH I was surprised Wenger was saying the finances weren't a problem as far back as 2011. The reality being the purse strings weren't loosened until the arrival of Ozil a couple of years later

As for Sanchez, all over City boards that it looks like PSG is the destination. If he moves of course...     8/1 now for a move to City.

Quotes like that are a little out of context as in 2011 we still had a fair amount of stadium-debt and many things are said while posturing before doing a deal - we are way stronger financially now than we were five years ago having virtually paid for Ashburton Grove and made much better sponsorship deals.

I've seen the rumours about Alexis being in Paris' 8th arondissement penning a deal as we speak, however all he could possibly be signing (should those rumours be true) are personal terms which mean little or nothing without a transfer being agreed. Mind you if they were to give us £80M and we could sign Lemar I would not be disappointed.

[Marky147]

Always liked Lemar...

[booder]

Always liked Lemar...

 

[Archer]

Love the new Sky advert and particularly the ending:

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10950849/new-sky-sports-feel-it-all

[TightEnd]

First choice team for the first league game please?

your best guess is....

specifically who is first choice up top this season?

[flushthemout]

Bag full of defenders now, still thing we need someone up front with Jesus and Sergio as an alternative, Korolov getting pelters from Lazio fans. Enjoyed watching Mo Sallah yesterday seems a very good buy. Here our guy not defo going to Leicester all about player rights. was not a fan of him anyway but needs more game time. Cant wait for the New Season.

[TightEnd]

Ihenacho signed away his image rights as a 13 year old to an agent, now former agent

has been in court trying to extricate himself from the deal

signs next week i am told, with a bvuy back clause so if he comes good you get him back if you want. something like £25m + clause

[Archer]

First choice team for the first league game please?

your best guess is....

specifically who is first choice up top this season?

Aguero or Jesus? Both!

More than ever it is very difficult to pick a first choice 11. So far the core squad has 18 players and all expected to get plenty of game time and rotation will be rife particularly when playing 2 games a week.

Core squad of 18 as below and 1 or 2 players more expected if they get the right quality - a defender and a forward.

It is by far and away the strongest City squad since the money came in and IMO unsurprisingly City are favourites for the league. One thing for sure is that the entertainment will be top rate and I can't recall ever looking forward so much to a season than the one ahead.

Ederson/Bravo

Walker/Mendy/Danilo/Kompany/Stones/Otamendi

Gundogan/Ya Ya/Fernandinho

Silva/ B Silva/ KDB

Sterling/Jesus/Aguero/Sane

[arbboy]

was looking at POY prices today and thought KDB looked big at 20/1.  Reaching his peak years, playing for the favs for the title.  Second year under pep. 

[flushthemout]

yeah Jesus and Sergio but need an alternative, my mistake.

[POWWWWWWWW]

First choice team for the first league game please

[hhyftrftdr]

First choice team for the first league game please?

your best guess is....

specifically who is first choice up top this season?

Archer covered it nicely, we essentially don't have a first XI anymore and this is comfortably the best squad City have assembled with incred strength in depth (something Pep has been hell bent on sorting out).

Depending on fitness, opposition, fatigue, etc we can almost field 2 first teams without a huge drop in quality.....


               Ederson

Walker Stones Kompany Mendy
       
              Gundogan

          KDB        Dave

   Jesus                      Sane

                 Aguero



                   Bravo

Fernandino  Otamendi Mangala Danilo

                   Yaya

       B.Silva                KDB (maybe Nasri if he sorts his head)


     Sterling   Jesus     Sane


It's the flexibility of the forward line and midfielders that is key; Aguero is pretty rigid (as is Nacho, hence him leaving) but the rest of them can play pretty much anywhere in the final 3rd. You can play any combo of Sane/Jesus/Aguero/Sterling/B.Silva and its gonna be pacey, direct and potentially deadly. KDB looks right at home in the middle, his passing range can pull the strings. Gundogan will be a key player too upon his return, think we really missed his link up play last season. Yaya can still dictate a game despite being mid 30s.

It looks increasingly unlikely to happen, this summer anyway, but can understand why Pep wants Sanchez so much; he really fits the profile of a fluid attacking player, but is more potent in front of goal than Sterling and Sane.

I wouldn't fancy being a full back when you see one wing has Walker and Sterling whilst the other side has Mendy and Sane  

[TightEnd]

Manchester City stars want Samir Nasri out of the club with some questioning why he is involved in pre-season tour http://dailym.ai/2unV8ey

[hhyftrftdr]

Manchester City stars want Samir Nasri out of the club with some questioning why he is involved in pre-season tour http://dailym.ai/2unV8ey

We're trying to move him on, what are we supposed to do? Leave him at home?

Another fantastic article of guessing ''journalism'' from that piece of shit newspaper.

Tighty, there are loads of City stories every day via various papers and news outlets, can you please select them instead of the Daily shite?

[tikay]

Manchester City stars want Samir Nasri out of the club with some questioning why he is involved in pre-season tour http://dailym.ai/2unV8ey

We're trying to move him on, what are we supposed to do? Leave him at home?

Another fantastic article of guessing ''journalism'' from that piece of shit newspaper.

Tighty, there are loads of City stories every day via various papers and news outlets, can you please select them instead of the Daily shite?

The Times carried the same story, though presumably that august journal is not distributed in York & surrounding hamlets, where t'Yorkshire Post holds sway with it's tales of pigeon & whippet racing, & the fortunes of major football clubs such as Leeds United.