Manchester City* - 130 charges (and counting...)

Pitchside - Football Forum
5097

For us, with the exception of Mane, we have pruned off players on the very edges of the squad who largely didnt make the match day squad even when fit.

With City it is different as the players they are trying to replace made much bigger contributions. Neither Sterling nor Jesus were guaranteed starters, but among the 5 of their forwards last season the appearances were almost exactly evenly distributed, so neither were the other 3 forwards who are staying “starters”. These 2 are leaving not because they werent getting games or were being forced out, but because they want more of a guarantee of games moving forward. Fernandinho is a bit different, but still played an important role for them. That means there is a lot more of a requirement for Phillips, Haaland and Alvarez to work out. If any of them fail to work out City will be weaker than they were last season.

They still have time to strengthen in other areas (is any LB an improvement over the combination of Mendy and Zinchenko?) that might help, but I think if you’re looking for positives it’s easy to see where City’s risks are.

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5098

Have we improved?

At the least we have stayed at the same level, only we have reduced the age profile, and with integration and improvement to come, we may well have improved. I’m a hopeful sort and I will say we have improved, though lets see them in a Liverpool shirt before drawing too many conclusion on that.

Mane or Diaz?
Currently Mane, due to consistency with goalscoring, and his big game nous. Having said that, Diaz from the outset looked a tiny bit faster, and had the beating of players a bit more easily. If he starts weighing in with a reliable supply of goals then he will edge ahead, but as things stand, Mane gets the nod for me, slightly. Obviously Diaz is younger and has more years on the clock, so I’m happy with the switch.

Nunez or Origi?
Darwin Nunez is better. Lots of great moments from Big Div, and he goes with his head held high and our best wishes. Still, Darwin Nunez has every chance to become a true Liverpool legend. Fast, strong, puts himself about, uses his physical gifts well, scores all types of goals. OK, let’s see him grow and do it in a Liverpool shirt, but there’s a reason why big teams were in for Darwin at a big price, while Origi went to Milan on a free. Love Big Div, but Nunez is a clear upgrade.

Minamino or Carvalho?
Currently even-stevens for me. Taki weighed in with some goals and did his job. Good player, but the right move at his age, as he should be playing regularly. Carvalho is starting out, but I suspect he is already at the level of Taki, and there’s a reasonable expectation of more to come as he grows with us.

As things stand I would say our squad is slightly better than Man City’s, but there’s not a lot in it. I expect the season ahead to boil down to very fine margins, and I would be surprised if we aren’t the top two teams in the Prem.

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5099

I’m just going to note that there are many reasons this could be, independent of their abilities. Núñez was in the second year of a five year contract, as the main striker for a team that is still challenging for honours. He’s 4 years younger, and the narrative around him is that his career is on the up. Meanwhile, Origi was finishing a contract which we had given him with the valuation of the role he played for us in 2019, as a 24 year old squad player with potential to break out. Ultimately however, he was stylistically ill-suited, getting the number of games that reflected the fact that we had better players, which also meant that the narrative on him is that he’s just a nobody. But he’s still joining a league-winning team so it’s not like he’s going to some backwaters for his career to fizzle out. Wijnaldum notably also left on a free transfer, but he was still a key player for us.

I’d be wary to assert that Núñez is going to be a breakout star for us yet.

5100

I love Origi and he is a good player. Moving to Italy is a good move for him, and seven (?) times Champions League winners AC Milan are a true European giant. If Origi was playing regularly for us, and mid contract, he definitely would have cost a tidy sum to prise away. I could have said it all better, for sure.

Still, no matter what I would say about Origi, the main point I am making is that I think Nunez will be a clear upgrade. Nunez has to show that, of course, and obviously we won’t see the best of Nunez from the off, but I still think he’s an upgrade on Origi.

Mane edges it over Diaz, but if the latter adds goals let’s see.
Taki and Carvalho is a draw for me, at present, but I’m backing the young lad to show a lot more in time.

5101

Sadly Minamino just lacked pace, and he didn’t have the in close trickery and strength of say, Bobby, to overcome that lack of pace.

Carvalho from appearances seems a speed demon, really tricky with and without the ball, finding space, running into space. I’m really really keen to see him develop over the next couple of years, even moreso than Nunez.

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5102

The other things is that you cannot overlook is the importance of players taking ownership for making things happen. Nothing will take a talented player down at this level quicker than being too deferential to high profile team mates. You need players who force themselves in positions where the can do something. Who demand the ball. Who are willing to be responsible for doing something with it when they get it. Hendo’s first year here you could see the quality, but he was a wallflower. Most people were done with him after that first season, but after facing down the prospect of being moved on he said fuck it and refused to defer to anyone ever again. Taki for 2 and half seasons was like the 18 year old Hendo in his first year. Carvalho is already sanding up and making himself seen and heard.

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5103

Mane/Diaz: the latter can be an incredible player for us without reaching the heights Sadio hit. I see no need to expect him to emulate one of our best ever.

Origi/Darwin: for the money and the fanfare we’d better hope Darwin will be a more regular starter and goalscorer!

Mini/Carvalho: I can’t wait to see what Klopp does with the kid.

2:1 to the new guys for me!

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5104

Harvey too, from his first game

5105

Thing with Diaz is, he has come in and re-energised that right side, I remember when he came on against Spurs. Not going criticise Mane but the 18 months before the Afcon we’re pretty poor, I know Covid and the like but if your saying Diaz in for Mane at the specific time Diaz came in then I’d say it was an improvement on what Mane was offering. Ironically it’s probably Darwin who should be the like to like comparison on Mane as that is likely where he will play.

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5106

To be honest to Origi , he was bought in during Brendan and Brendan didn’t have a clue on how to use him… Also his loan moves were middling as well.

I would love for Origi to succeed at Milan and he has the tools to make that happen. But simply can’t shake the feeling he’s an impact sub…

But Liverpool are full of very likable guys , and this isn’t me as a Liverpool fan. The footballers who play for Liverpool are just very very likable (even the pricks like Robbo)…and Origi is quite simply put immensely likable as a human being.

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5107

I think there’s a concerted effort by Liverpool to recruit footballers who are likable as human beings first… And that reflects from the leadership and the ethos of who Klopp is as a person.

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5108

And Atleti (and Simeone) are the mirror opposites. I’m not proud of it but I have in the occasion wished that someone break Koké’s legs

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5109

Or even Pep and his team…

I think there were childhood Liverpool fans in there as well with kdb Aguero etc., But on the whole their team with the cynical fouls is unlikable

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5110

I think its about how they want their teams to approach the games. Pep wants his team to win all their games at any cost. Thats why sometimes someone like KdB, who is generally likeable, acts like a cunt.
Then we have Klopp who wants to win by playing the right way. So even if we lose we end up winning hearts.

All fans love their respective clubs. But what I like is how well other club fans recieve us when we travel across the world (excluding the traditional haters of course). In fact, sometimes I wonder if there was a poll to find which club is second favourite among worldwide fans.

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5111

Arsenal talks with Zinchenko going on.

Wonder if Ake will still leave.

I am sure they will bring in Cucurella - no matter how much Brighton are asking for.

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5112

Yeah, in that case (if Ake leaves), it’s been said that they would sign a CB. So, Cucurella, a new CB and remains to be seen if something else happens. That should be it. After Sterling’s sale, their current transfer balance is +£40m. We’ll see how much more they raise from Ake and Zinchenko.

5113

With Haaland in, and Alvarez an unknown to us added to the arrival of Neymar in the coming weeks it was obvious that they would sell players.
Neymar, Haaland plus one from Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish, Foden?
Easy to sell Sterling and Jesus.

Ake? Zinchenko? Would either get minutes for us? But selling them will be seen as a major sacrifice, City mooted as a fair minded club balancing the books.
A midfield with Rodri, Phillips plus KDB or Silva or Gundogan…or some new toy yet to be unveiled?

This is smoke and mirrors stuff, offload unwanted high earners and expect people to believe they are ‘funding’ arrivals.

Its all fucking bullshit nonsense that only their naive supporters, SKY, PL, UEFA will believe.

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5114

neymar?

what have i missed?

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5115

Haven’t seen those rumours, but would love them to sign Neymar. He’s a toxic little shit, like Ronaldo. A team morale vacuum

5116

Sounds like a classic case of “who can afford him” and realising there’s on 3-4 clubs in the world that can.

Neymar’s over rated - would love to see him the in PL.