Varchester City 18/19 discussion

[Sanche7]

United's net spend since 2014 is vastly higher than Chelsea's though.

Because they are better at selling (look at them selling Bakayoko for 40 mill) plus they were able to sell few players to China for huge amounts. Oscar IIRC was sold for 60 million pounds and Ramires for 25 million pounds. They almost sold Costa for 75 million
Plus their buy-loan-sell policy of youngsters have made them huge profits with very little investment (KDB, Lukaku) I imagine

So while they have a good net spend, it doesn't mean they have not spend anything. They have not lost a single player they didn't want to sell until this year when they sold Courtois.

 

[vadimivich]

Top teams like Liverpool, United and Spurs should look to exploit their vulnerability on the counter. A team that plays that high a line is extremely susceptible on the counter if done right. There is no other way to overcome a Pep team; you are not going to beat them at their own game. Poch tried it and came out looking extremely naive doing it.

Spurs went right at City in 16/17 and beat them easily (2-0) at WHL and then a wild match in Manchester that ended 2-2. Poch took the same tactics into 17/18 and we got thrashed both matches (4-1 and 3-1). We'll see what the tactics he tries this time are ... I assume it will be more counter attacking and less gung-ho than the first 4 match ups have been.

 

[padr81]

Will there be one that good, who isn’t cup tied?

Think Fernandinho being as good as he was last season blindsided Pep a bit, too. No doubt Fernandinho is a good player but him basically holding such a demanding position on his own at 32 last season was extremely impressive. Maybe factored into the clubs thought process when the Jorginho deal was getting a bit twitchy.

I think Pep will play Gundo there in the games he expects to dominate the ball to give Fernandinho a break every three or four games. For example our next 6 games are against the newest 6 teams in the league, I wouldn't be surprised to see Gundo play there in at least two of those. We have Delph too who'll be ok in all bar the biggest games.

I agree Pep's man crush on Fernandinho has blindsided him a bit but I'd say it's similar to Danny Alves we were aiming for our main target or none, with Alves we had time to recover and go get Walker but worryingly with Jorginho giving us the finger, I'm just no sure whose left available that could do the job. Weigl, I don't think is up to the task and the other alternatives are now at you guys, Chelsea and Liverpool. It's certainly a weak area in the squad and we're a Fern injury away from maybe a formation re-jig.

That said we've looked quite good when we've played 532 as well and we have the option of lining up something like.
-------------------Ederson----------------
-------Kompany--Stones--Laporte-------
Walker------------Gundo----------Mendy
---------------KDB-------Silva------------
---------------Aguero----Jesus------------
We could start in that and still have Mahrez, SilvaB, Sterling, Sane, Delph, Otamendi and Bravo on the bench

I don't think Pep (or supporters such as myself) can give out about lacking one midfielder. With that squad alone there's no room on the bench for players like Danilo and Foden.

 

[Needham]

May or may not be best PL team ever but they certainly have the best squad ever.

 

[VorZakone]

Feckers went to Arsenal away and won without breaking a sweat. If they kill off top 6 teams again like they did last season, they're pretty nailed on to win the title again.

 

[Klopper76]

Thought they looked a bit vulnerable when trying to play out from the back. Ederson gave the ball away once or twice in the second half but Arsenal failed to capitalize. Something to cling on to.

 

[Andrew Wolf]

Thought they looked a bit vulnerable when trying to play out from the back. Ederson gave the ball away once or twice in the second half but Arsenal failed to capitalize. Something to cling on to.

Ederson's first minutes for almost 5 months. No pre-season or World Cup action and didn't play our last 2 Premier League games either. I was actually surprised he started as I half expected Bravo, especially after him playing the full 90 in the Charity Shield. Would put those last 10 minutes where he gave the ball away 3 times purely down to rustiness and lack of match action. Not at all worried about him.

Was majorly impressed with Stones and Laporte yesterday. They are a partnership that I didn't want anywhere near the pitch for the 2nd half of last season due to their penchant for overplaying all the time. The World Cup looks to have aided Stones no end and Laporte, even dealing with the clowning around and lack of protection that Mendy provided, was outstanding. To then have the option to keep Kompany's powder dry for when he's really needed and still have a backup option of Otamendi, who was our best centre half last year, bodes really well for the season.

 

[ErranMorad]

Spurs went right at City in 16/17 and beat them easily (2-0) at WHL and then a wild match in Manchester that ended 2-2. Poch took the same tactics into 17/18 and we got thrashed both matches (4-1 and 3-1). We'll see what the tactics he tries this time are ... I assume it will be more counter attacking and less gung-ho than the first 4 match ups have been.

I hope so. Last season's tactics were suicidal. Spurs don't have the personnel to take on City playing that way. I appreciate Poch's bravado; however, at times you have to accept your limitations and play in a way to counter the opposition. Poch can try playing that way when he comes to United and has the resources.

 

[adexkola]

Now, Guardiola is working on a plan to break down defences earlier, and force teams to play against his City stars.

"The fundamentals will be the same but we found a lot of problems attacking [in a] 5-4-1."

He continued, noting that opposition teams will use a holding midfielder to man-mark Sergio Aguero or whoever is leading City's line.

"In the ‘1’ the striker is with the holding midfielder and 10 players [are] defending so so deep. We are thinking about how to attack in that system."

Will be interesting to see how Guardiola morphs his team to deal with the teams that will set up from the first minute in a low block.

Also, how will he handle the Liverpool problem? Liverpool proved to be the only team that flustered City's otherwise strong link from CB to Fernandinho to Silva and De Bruyne. Guardiola definitely has an adjustment... Remains to be seen how effective that is.

 

[zing]

Guardiola's transfer record is very good..

 

[Irish Jet]

Guardiola's transfer record is very good..

It is mixed. At best.

 

[Schneckerl]

It is mixed. At best.

Yeah it was actually pretty bad at Barca.

 

[Bugs Bunny]

David Silva has announced his retirement from international football. Can only be good news for us.

 

[SilentWitness]

David Silva has announced his retirement from international football. Can only be good news for us.

I don't know why but it has always surprised me how comitted Silva and Aguero have been to City. They've been incredibly important along with Kompany in keeping a core of players that have been able to make City flourish.

 

[Klopper76]

I don't know why but it has always surprised me how comitted Silva and Aguero have been to City. They've been incredibly important along with Kompany in keeping a core of players that have been able to make City flourish.

Similar to Chelsea's core of Terry, Lampard, Cole and Drogba.

 

[Bugs Bunny]

I don't know why but it has always surprised me how comitted Silva and Aguero have been to City. They've been incredibly important along with Kompany in keeping a core of players that have been able to make City flourish.

Well they have been playing for the greatest club in the world ;-)

Seriously though, those three have indeed been probably the most important players in our development and Silva is the best I've seen in 40+ years of supporting City. He's just a wonderful player.

 

[Denis_unwise]

It's nearly impossible to press them now. I'm not sure how you beat them at full strength. Getting every first and second ball maybe and disrupting their rhythm as much as possible.

The only team equipped to play the press against them are Liverpool. The problem other teams will face is the tactical fouls when having the chance to attack them. This stops you being able to build any kind of momentum & you end up stuck in your own half defending. The ref's have a big part to play in this respect this season. I fear that they will bottle out of giving decisions against them though. Laporte should have had a yellow early in the match yesterday. Committed a clear tactical foul to stop Arsenal breaking on them. If they are allowed to continually make these kind of challenges without punishment it will lead to a lot of games being reduced to little more than attack Vs defence.

 

[Adisa]

David Silva has announced his retirement from international football. Can only be good news for us.

Hasn't he announced that this would be his last City contract?

 

[Thunderhead]

Hasn't he announced that this would be his last City contract?

No, but I think he expects it to be as he'll be 34 when this one ends

 

[Thunderhead]

The only team equipped to play the press against them are Liverpool. The problem other teams will face is the tactical fouls when having the chance to attack them. This stops you being able to build any kind of momentum & you end up stuck in your own half defending. The ref's have a big part to play in this respect this season. I fear that they will bottle out of giving decisions against them though. Laporte should have had a yellow early in the match yesterday. Committed a clear tactical foul to stop Arsenal breaking on them. If they are allowed to continually make these kind of challenges without punishment it will lead to a lot of games being reduced to little more than attack Vs defence.

Tactical fouls are often hard to call as yellow for refs, especially if teams are just breaking with one man up top

 

[adexkola]

Tactical fouls are often hard to call as yellow for refs, especially if teams are just breaking with one man up top

Yeah. No ref is giving a yellow for a foul City commit within the opponent's box. And that's where they do it, before the break starts.

 

[Manchester Dan]

Does Pep really need to find a way to play Liverpool? It’s typically two games in the entire season, and last year we won one of those 5-1.

 

[adexkola]

Does Pep really need to find a way to play Liverpool? It’s typically two games in the entire season, and last year we won one of those 5-1.

It's unlikely yet possible that Liverpool and City meet again in the latter stages of the CL. But top teams in England and Europe will look to see if they can stymie Pep's team either through the low block and counterattack, or Klopp's unique gengenpressing (different from just aimless pressing that City easily tear apart). Guardiola has publicly admitted to crafting a way to get past the low block. No way he's not looking to counter Klopp's tactic which will be used by Liverpool and others with the personnel to do so. In particular I see Chelsea and Arsenal with their managers gravitating towards that.

 

[Andycoleno9]

United's net spend since 2014 is vastly higher than Chelsea's though.

What is up with that net spend last few months here on caf? Last year we all laughed how liverpool fans keep saying net spend as excuse for bad results and now, we are doing that. You spend much as you earn. Some clubs earn more from transfers and some like us, earn more money from sponsorship deals.

Also i often read/hear how city "only" spent 150 mil more than us. Well that 150 mil are mendy and walker. Or that 150 mil are willian and alderweireld. City spent big, city gave to guardiola every player that he wanted and result and performances are on the pitch.

 

[TheGame]

Anyone seen that show on Amazon Prime - All or Nothing about Man City?

 

[Manchester Dan]

Anyone seen that show on Amazon Prime - All or Nothing about Man City?

Don’t think it’s available until 17th Aug.

They picked a hell of a season though.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Anyone seen that show on Amazon Prime - All or Nothing about Man City?

17th it comes out. In the trailer that bit by Pep, “you have to learn to play football with courage” damn why is he so likeable, everything about that moment is what ya want in a manager.

 

[ShadesOfTomato]

KDB out for a while apparently

 

[Dobba]

KDB out for a while apparently

Don't worry, the delivery on those 'miracle cures' is only 3-4 working days.

 

[shabz]

KDB out for a while apparently

A shame for the league bevause he is quality to watch, but good for the teams chasing City as they will be worse off without him. Hopefully we can take advantage of slip ups and not make a difficult time easier for them.

 

[SER19]

17th it comes out. In the trailer that bit by Pep, “you have to learn to play football with courage” damn why is he so likeable, everything about that moment is what ya want in a manager.

You must be easily pleased, pretty sure every amateur club ive played for had a kitman that said that

 

[AltiUn]

Think both B.Silva and D.Silva will do an annoyingly good job of replacing him, all City's serious injuries seem to be cleared up by the end of the month anyway.

 

[RedSky]

Good news for Phil Foden, Pep was talking him up again recently.

 

[Klopper76]

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[Peyroteo]

They clearly missed De Bruyne against Arsenal, he’ll be a big miss for City

 

[Andersons Dietician]

You must be easily pleased, pretty sure every amateur club ive played for had a kitman that said that

Have you seen the moment?

 

[SER19]

Have you seen the moment?

Yep I’ve seen the trailer. Looks like yet another manufactured nugget of the most expensive vanity project in professional sports. The entire idea is a nauseating propaganda tool that top managers of years gone by would have booted into oblivion. Found the 90 second trailer so cringeworthy that not even morbid curiosity could make me watch any more.

This is football for the streaming generation

 

[Judas]

Doubt he'll be out 2 months, even if he was, City won't even notice him missing, that's the daft thing about their squad.

 

[SER19]

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So in city months, 10 days

 

[Adisa]

City announces player out for many months.
Back in three weeks.