Thats a lot of full backs, Peps gonna play with a false 3 next season.

Complete overhaul of the full-back position! Clichy, Kolarov and Sagna all gone and a starting RB and LB and a sub that can play on both sides have come in their place.

Season is long and they play a lot of games, they may even be forced to play Fernandinho at RB at some points during the season.

Zabaleta out the door too, he's gone to West Ham.

Crazy money for fullbacks, but they are very important to the way Guardiola wants his team to attack. Similar to Pochetinno, that's why Walker will be a big loss for Spurs.

Walker wont be missed by Spurs. He looked better than he is for Poch. Trippier is a more than good enough replacement, probably would have ousted Walker this season or next anyway.

Yeah. It was a good transfer for both sides. Spurs get a whole lot of money for losing very little, while City secure a good full back for a few years.
As the summer draws to a close, we still feel very much 5th best, just ahead of United. It does not feel like a season where we try to resurrect ourselves as a top four club

That's nothing to be ashamed about, your squad is still very powerful, it's just a bummer that some clubs are owned by countries as rich as the UAE/Qatar and can spend 300m in 24 months. Somethings probably got to change sooner or later regarding spending. There is just always ways round it.

For me, Walker was a very important player in their style of play. I don't think Trippier will get close to providing the same level of threat. We'll see in the season ahead I guess.

Agree Ricky. Walker will be a big miss for them.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Zabaleta out the door too, he's gone to West Ham.

One of the most overrated fullbacks I've ever seen. Six good months in his career and everyone treated him like he was Cafu.

Claudius wrote:

Yeah. It was a good transfer for both sides. Spurs get a whole lot of money for losing very little, while City secure a good full back for a few years.
As the summer draws to a close, we still feel very much 5th best, just ahead of United. It does not feel like a season where we try to resurrect ourselves as a top four club

I don't know. Its all pretty close still IMO. There was 3 points separating 3rd and 5th. Chelsea and Liverpool will be dealing with the CL again next season (United too if you count them at all). We've finally bought a striker of note. We found a formation that allows more flexibility in terms of injuries, rotation, etc. If we keep Sanchez I think we should be nailed on for a top 4 finish.

Lucas and Di Maria asked to leave PSG. Should we take a punt?

Qwiss! wrote:

Claudius wrote:

Yeah. It was a good transfer for both sides. Spurs get a whole lot of money for losing very little, while City secure a good full back for a few years.
As the summer draws to a close, we still feel very much 5th best, just ahead of United. It does not feel like a season where we try to resurrect ourselves as a top four club

I don't know. Its all pretty close still IMO. There was 3 points separating 3rd and 5th. Chelsea and Liverpool will be dealing with the CL again next season (United too if you count them at all). We've finally bought a striker of note. We found a formation that allows more flexibility in terms of injuries, rotation, etc. If we keep Sanchez I think we should be nailed on for a top 4 finish.

I'd add Giroud to that list, we shouldn't underestimate his worth at least for the three or four months during which he performs. If we lose both him and Alexis we're fucked

It's a good squad otherwise, with a good manager such as Simeone or Sarri I'd have us in with a shout for the title. Mostly because all others have big issues themselves though

Qwiss! wrote:

Claudius wrote:

Yeah. It was a good transfer for both sides. Spurs get a whole lot of money for losing very little, while City secure a good full back for a few years.
As the summer draws to a close, we still feel very much 5th best, just ahead of United. It does not feel like a season where we try to resurrect ourselves as a top four club

I don't know. Its all pretty close still IMO. There was 3 points separating 3rd and 5th. Chelsea and Liverpool will be dealing with the CL again next season (United too if you count them at all). We've finally bought a striker of note. We found a formation that allows more flexibility in terms of injuries, rotation, etc. If we keep Sanchez I think we should be nailed on for a top 4 finish.

Nothing is nailed on with Wenger. Everybody said as much about top 4 last season and despite our superior squad still manage to finish 5th.

Klaus wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

Zabaleta out the door too, he's gone to West Ham.

One of the most overrated fullbacks I've ever seen. Six good months in his career and everyone treated him like he was Cafu.

Think he was pretty solid. Like a slightly lesser Sagna.

jones wrote:

Qwiss! wrote:

I don't know. Its all pretty close still IMO. There was 3 points separating 3rd and 5th. Chelsea and Liverpool will be dealing with the CL again next season (United too if you count them at all). We've finally bought a striker of note. We found a formation that allows more flexibility in terms of injuries, rotation, etc. If we keep Sanchez I think we should be nailed on for a top 4 finish.

I'd add Giroud to that list, we shouldn't underestimate his worth at least for the three or four months during which he performs. If we lose both him and Alexis we're fucked

It's a good squad otherwise, with a good manager such as Simeone or Sarri I'd have us in with a shout for the title. Mostly because all others have big issues themselves though

Yeah I'd agree with all of that. I was forgetting about Giroud. It'd be crazy to let him go. Laca could flop or get injured, then what? We have to keep Giroud and Sanchez. Anything less is accepting defeat before we start.

Mendy to city is official.

We're very unlikely to get Lemar now I reckon

I dont think it has any bearing personally. Mendy has been a certainty to go for weeks now, you only had to give his twitter a glance to see that.

Monaco knew that too. They just wanted their price and now they've got it. Lemar's no different.

Mendy
Walker
Stones

All bought for around 50m each. I know football is crazy but this is next level stuff. Guardiola was desperate for some fullbacks and boy does it show. Pressure on Pep is mounting though with these mad deals.

At least Mendy and Walker is quality. 30m on Danilo is laughable.

Wonder how much someone like Ashley Cole would go for now, or a Dani Alves in his prime? Or even Bellerin? Funny thing is I don't think it would be much more.

Apparently City have now spent over £300m on their defenders/gk in the last 3 years yet it still doesn't look close to being world class.

Ricky1985 wrote:

I dont think it has any bearing personally. Mendy has been a certainty to go for weeks now, you only had to give his twitter a glance to see that.

Monaco knew that too. They just wanted their price and now they've got it. Lemar's no different.

I think that's spot on Ricky. If anything this just reinforces the idea that they'll sell everyone if the price is right. They'll take the money, reinvest it in young players like Tielemans, and in 2-3 years time they'll start to sell off that generation too for big profits.

Klaus wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

I dont think it has any bearing personally. Mendy has been a certainty to go for weeks now, you only had to give his twitter a glance to see that.

Monaco knew that too. They just wanted their price and now they've got it. Lemar's no different.

I think that's spot on Ricky. If anything this just reinforces the idea that they'll sell everyone if the price is right. They'll take the money, reinvest it in young players like Tielemans, and in 2-3 years time they'll start to sell off that generation too for big profits.

173.5m euros made in sales, insane. 

Meanwile, Bernardeschi is gone to Juve. Their attack is going to look scary with him and D. Costa joining. 

Ederson
Walker-Kompany-Stones-Mendy
-Fernandinho-
D.Silva-De Bruyne
-B.Silva-
Jesus-Aguero

Is that how we see them lining up?

Jesus I hope so. Suicidal.

Aguero will be benched most of the time

Don't think I have ever seen Pep play a diamond.

Would be his standard 433, with Sane Jesus and Silva front line.

Fornals to Villarreal.

genius

Talk of Neymar off to PSG and Keita to LFC as both quit training after bust ups with team mates.
If so I guess AW will be looking for a bargain opportunity.

I'll be gutted if the scousers get keita. I haven't been jealous of any signings our rivals have made thus far but that one would annoy me

It annoys me that we didn't try hard enough to sign him 2 windows ago.

Keita meh

Matic close to ManU according to Sky. Glad they aren't getting Fabinho. Still a definite improvement over Fellaini.

Herrera and Matic isn't a very exciting or intimidating midfield. United will still be massively relying on Pogba to come good.

I hope my kid becomes a professional footballer...

Qwiss! wrote:

Herrera and Matic isn't a very exciting or intimidating midfield. United will still be massively relying on Pogba to come good.

Mourinho doesn't do exciting midfields though. Those three have the qualities Mourinho wants in his team - personally wouldn't want to see this happen

Segway wrote:

Matic close to ManU according to Sky. Glad they aren't getting Fabinho. Still a definite improvement over Fellaini.

It's done.

He@s a great player for Jose the man who used to play Pepe in MF. Matic is the kind of shield he loves. I'm more upset at fellaini leaving his arrival marked the day they became shit.