Naby Keita

[Irishnev]

So if Keita or Henderson, whichever starts, is the weakest in our starting XI, it begs the question as to who is the next weakest player in our best XI?

Diaz or Jota maybe? Depending on which one is seen as a starter.


Speaks volumes about our best starting XI is we are going to be calling players like that our weakest

Correct - I think we have 7 players who would be world 11 candidates - slightly biased of course

Ali
Trent
Robbo
VVD
Fab
Thiago
Mo

[Doc_Piptorious]

Correct - I think we have 7 players who would be world 11 candidates - slightly biased of course

Ali
Trent
Robbo
VVD
Fab
Thiago
Mo

Same Magnificent Seven for me. Hell of a spine isn't it?

[Frog83]

Correct - I think we have 7 players who would be world 11 candidates - slightly biased of course



Ali

Trent

Robbo

VVD

Fab

Thiago

Mo

And of all those the only one we don't have decent cover for is Fab. Really need to sort that this summer!

Sent from my V2006 using Tapatalk

[Charly]

Matip is world class too.

I think partbif the problem is we have Keita or Henderson... and City have De Bruyne.

I think that is where the only obvious "gap" in quality between us, and somewhere most if us agree we need to improve if we want to finish above City. I think Keita is a decent player, but I also think we need better for our first 11.

[Fosterbloke]

Matip is world class too.

I think partbif the problem is we have Keita or Henderson... and City have De Bruyne.

I think that is where the only obvious "gap" in quality between us, and somewhere most if us agree we need to improve if we want to finish above City. I think Keita is a decent player, but I also think we need better for our first 11.

I think the Nunez signing will unlock the Leipzig Naby for us. I'm getting excited for the next season again!

[Doc_Piptorious]

And of all those the only one we don't have decent cover for is Fab. Really need to sort that this summer!

Sent from my V2006 using Tapatalk

Henderson can cover Fab to a decent level.


The one missing natural cover would be Salah.


Ali - Kelleher

Trent - Gomez or Ramsey if we get him

Robbo - Tsimikas

VVD - Matip or Konate or Gomez

Fab - Henderson

Thiago - Keita

Mo - Whichever left winger that did not start.



Got me thinking about the second string if the transfers we think ( and hope in the case of a starting CM coming in) will come up do.

We could start the season with a second string that resembles this.


------------------------------Kelleher----------------------------
Ramsey------------Gomez-------------Matip or Konate-------Tsimikas
----------------------------Henderson-----------------------------------
----------------Elliot----------------------Keita--------------------------
Minamino------------------Firmino---------------------------Jota


The likes of Milner, Carvalho, Jones etc could be switched in and out of the above.

Not bad at all and handy for saving the legs of the first choice XI by starting the above in the domestic cups and dead rubber CL games

That cover for Salah bit does stand out a lot for me though.

[rudedog]

Henderson can cover Fab to a decent level.


The one missing natural cover would be Salah.


Ali - Kelleher

Trent - Gomez or Ramsey if we get him

Robbo - Tsimikas

VVD - Matip or Konate or Gomez

Fab - Henderson

Thiago - Keita

Mo - Whichever left winger that did not start.



Got me thinking about the second string if the transfers we think ( and hope in the case of a starting CM coming in) will come up do.

We could start the season with a second string that resembles this.


------------------------------Kelleher----------------------------
Ramsey------------Gomez-------------Matip or Konate-------Tsimikas
----------------------------Henderson-----------------------------------
----------------Elliot----------------------Keita--------------------------
Minamino------------------Firmino---------------------------Jota


The likes of Milner, Carvalho, Jones etc could be switched in and out of the above.

Not bad at all and handy for saving the legs of the first choice XI by starting the above in the domestic cups and dead rubber CL games

That cover for Salah bit does stand out a lot for me though.

Henderson doesn't tackle though, I think we need to stop pretending that he can provide a viable option to Fab. Look how much we were all ****ting it for the CL final when Fab got the hamstring injury. Hendo is a massive step down as a number 6.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Henderson doesn't tackle though, I think we need to stop pretending that he can provide a viable option to Fab. Look how much we were all ****ting it for the CL final when Fab got the hamstring injury. Hendo is a massive step down as a number 6.

For domestic cup games and dead rubber games he would be a viable stand in.

I'm not calling him a like for like for Fab, just that he could play as a number 6 in our second string when we want to play the second string in comps.


Personally we need two CMs. One being of starter quality and a right sided number eight and the other maybe a younger player who can cover a few roles but that is good at CDM.

If I was raiding Serie A then maybe Barella and Tonali

[danperkins]

Matip is world class too.

I think partbif the problem is we have Keita or Henderson... and City have De Bruyne.

I think that is where the only obvious "gap" in quality between us, and somewhere most if us agree we need to improve if we want to finish above City. I think Keita is a decent player, but I also think we need better for our first 11.

[Charly]

Id say we dont have a useful backup for Trent (and Fab...).

If he got injured long term, that is half of our assists gone, and our major supply line.

There is no way Gomez is anywhere close to a like for like replacement on a tactical level.

I dont think Hendo tackles or reads the game as well as Fab. Fab has a knack for being in the right place to cut out through balls. I just dont think Hendo has the same instinct.I also think he is slowing up a bit. I thinkif he is in the tram he should be further forward as he can cross and thread through balls, works and presses at his best

[danperkins]

Henderson doesn't tackle though, I think we need to stop pretending that he can provide a viable option to Fab. Look how much we were all ****ting it for the CL final when Fab got the hamstring injury. Hendo is a massive step down as a number 6.

Id say we dont have a useful backup for Trent (and Fab...).

If he got injured long term, that is half of our assists gone, and our major supply line.

There is no way Gomez is anywhere close to a like for like replacement on a tactical level.

I dont think Hendo tackles or reads the game as well as Fab. Fab has a knack for being in the right place to cut out through balls. I just dont think Hendo has the same instinct.I also think he is slowing up a bit. I thinkif he is in the tram he should be further forward as he can cross and thread through balls, works and presses at his best

he's so easily bypassed, it's fairly frustrating watching him over commit and opposition just side step him.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Matip is world class too.

I think partbif the problem is we have Keita or Henderson... and City have De Bruyne.

I think that is where the only obvious "gap" in quality between us, and somewhere most if us agree we need to improve if we want to finish above City. I think Keita is a decent player, but I also think we need better for our first 11.

We could cherry picks areas in their team where they get a better reurn than us and just as easily pick areas in our team that give better returns.

De Bruyne gets more goals and assists than our midfielders.

Our two main full backs get more assists than their three main full backs combined.

We play with different systems but we score close to the same number of goals as them and we concede as few as them.

The gap between the two teams is razor thin and whilst it would be great to have a midfielder that gets as many goals and assists as De Bruyne, could we fit him into the team without taking goals from other parts of the team?

City seem to be set up to spread the goals throughout the team rather than rely on a core group of frontmen getting the bulk of the goals.

We are set up so our attacking players get the bulk of the goals.

City had eight players score seven or more goals in the league with their top scorer being KDB on 15 goals.

We had three players score 7 or more in the league. All three scoring 15 or more times.

Think Nunez coming in is our attempt at adding more goals but from the area we always focus on for our goals, the players in attack. Nunez for me is our attempt to turn three main goal getters into four main goal getters up front (maybe even five if Diaz takes off in front of goal.)


City on the other hand are trying to add a prolific frontman used to getting the bulk of the goals to a team used to spreading the goals around. Maybe it will work and they keep the goals they usually get and add Haaland's tally on top, but I suspect they will see some of their midfield goals be lost as they look to focus on getting more goals from up front, whereas we will be looking to add more goals in the area we are used to focusing on to be our goal threat.

That all been said I would still be trying to add more mobility and pace to us in the middle so that we can continue to control games and not see a drop off in intensity through age. I would look to bring in players that whilst they bring graft they also bring some craft. They may not be big goal getters but they can spot runs centrally up front and pick the passes to find the front men. Barella would be a shout for such a player thoygh I have a feeling we will see Thiago's assist numbers or his secondary assist numbers rise a little more this season now that he has a central threat to look for.

[Fosterbloke]

I'd like to see Jones given more creative freedom, I reckon he's got a few bangers in him per season.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I'd like to see Jones given more creative freedom, I reckon he's got a few bangers in him per season.

I think he is being groomed to be a cog in a pressing midfield along with being trained to be good at being pressed. Might be a less eye catching role but an important one for us.

[Buzzo]

We could cherry picks areas in their team where they get a better reurn than us and just as easily pick areas in our team that give better returns.

De Bruyne gets more goals and assists than our midfielders.

Our two main full backs get more assists than their three main full backs combined.

We play with different systems but we score close to the same number of goals as them and we concede as few as them.

The gap between the two teams is razor thin and whilst it would be great to have a midfielder that gets as many goals and assists as De Bruyne, could we fit him into the team without taking goals from other parts of the team?

City seem to be set up to spread the goals throughout the team rather than rely on a core group of frontmen getting the bulk of the goals.

We are set up so our attacking players get the bulk of the goals.

City had eight players score seven or more goals in the league with their top scorer being KDB on 15 goals.

We had three players score 7 or more in the league. All three scoring 15 or more times.

Think Nunez coming in is our attempt at adding more goals but from the area we always focus on for our goals, the players in attack. Nunez for me is our attempt to turn three main goal getters into four main goal getters up front (maybe even five if Diaz takes off in front of goal.)


City on the other hand are trying to add a prolific frontman used to getting the bulk of the goals to a team used to spreading the goals around. Maybe it will work and they keep the goals they usually get and add Haaland's tally on top, but I suspect they will see some of their midfield goals be lost as they look to focus on getting more goals from up front, whereas we will be looking to add more goals in the area we are used to focusing on to be our goal threat.

That all been said I would still be trying to add more mobility and pace to us in the middle so that we can continue to control games and not see a drop off in intensity through age. I would look to bring in players that whilst they bring graft they also bring some craft. They may not be big goal getters but they can spot runs centrally up front and pick the passes to find the front men. Barella would be a shout for such a player thoygh I have a feeling we will see Thiago's assist numbers or his secondary assist numbers rise a little more this season now that he has a central threat to look for.

There is nothing wrong with any aspect of our team. 2 defeats in a season is absolutely incredible, thats a squad effort. But, we are comparing with the most expensively salaried and built team in history.

We could have exactly the same season as the one just gone and win the League by 20 points. I see Nunez as part of a new plan of attack. Something different. I cant wait to see how he fits in.