Caligula wrote:

Toure has been one of my top 10 performers in the league this year. He is a powerhouse. I hope Ramsey can grow into that soon.

I was looking at the Citeh squad today. They are seriously only one playmaker away from being a true contender in England and Europe. Bring in Sneijder. Maybe resurrect Kaka's career. I hope they go on to succeed if we don't

Richards, Lescott, Kolarov, Barry, Milner, are average footballers that play an awful lot of games for them, they're still a way off, but I'll admit them spending £150M+ this summer is a scary thought.

Richards, Milner and Lescott are all versatile squad options and they're good enough for that role in a succesful club. Of the 5 you mentioned only Barry really plays too often and he'll probably be replaced this summer.

If City want to challenge seriously they need to sort out their front 3. Either new players or Balotelli and Dzeko to improve.

Impressed by city and glad the rugby team
lost. Bunch of cunts.

At this point I don't mind city as I already think footy has become shit so I find it kind of funny they can come along and will piss united off something chronic

they are just a playmaker away from being euro contenders. And you know they'll get one

Kolarov is not an acceptable starter for a League/Champions League winning team. Neither is Richards, or Zabaleta, or Lescott, or Milner, and they all start a shed load of games - City will need to spend big money to change that. The scary part is you know they will.

I was discussing this in the pub, so I wonder what thoughts are here - how many of our players would have got in that City side today?

If I were Citeh, the only player I would take from Arsenal today to improve that squad would have been Fabregas in place of Barry. Not to say we don't have better players in some of the other positions. Just that their needs are pretty minimal and well-defined at this point. And the manager has openly said as much.

That's no kind of answer. Who from our team is better than what they had in their team today?

Ricky, that's not the point.
It's about fielding a team that can both score and defend. And I think putting someone like Fabregas in place of Barry allows them to better exploit their very talented forwards without compromising their defense.
I'm not interested in naming who has better players because it's not just about the quality of players you have, but the function those players serve. We may have a lot of good players, but they don't offer the requisite diversity in abilities. We would probably do better in the front half of the field, and they would do better in the rear half, I expect.

Fair enough.

A mixed team of mine would look like this;

-----------------Hart
Sagna-Kompany-Vermaelen-Clichy
---------------De Jong
-------Fabregas--Yaya Toure
Nasri---------------------------Tevez
-------------van Persie.

If I was in charge at City and all our players were on the market, I'd look at Vermaelen, Cesc and Van Persie to come in and make a good improvement to the first XI.

For us, I'd be looking at Kompany, Yaya Toure, Tevez and possibly De Jong.

For the rest, it'd either be marginal or squad options.

City have a superb defensive base to build on. One things for sure, unless arsene changes things then city will be winning the premiership before we ever do again

I'd agree with that entirely actually, Tim.

He was good today, impressed me quite a lot.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Kolarov is not an acceptable starter for a League/Champions League winning team. Neither is Richards, or Zabaleta, or Lescott, or Milner, and they all start a shed load of games - City will need to spend big money to change that. The scary part is you know they will.

I was discussing this in the pub, so I wonder what thoughts are here - how many of our players would have got in that City side today?

Sagna, Clichy, Cesc, Vermaelen, Nasri, van Persie. Maybe Theo, Wilshere, Shava.

Give me Kompany, de Jong and Toure for the muscle
Throw in Tevez for the hustle

I'd happily give away Chamakh or Bendnter for the madman Balotelli as well.

If I were to pick a mix of players between Arsenal and the city side that played today it would be:

--------------------------Hart---------------------------------
Sagna---------Kompany------Vermaelen-----------Kolarov
-----------------De Jong-------Wilshere---------------------
Silva--------------------Fabregas-----------------------Nasri
---------------------------RVP---------------------------------

Very close calls between Woj/Hart, Nasri/Balotelli and RVP/Tevez for me.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Kolarov is not an acceptable starter for a League/Champions League winning team. Neither is Richards, or Zabaleta, or Lescott, or Milner, and they all start a shed load of games - City will need to spend big money to change that. The scary part is you know they will.

I was discussing this in the pub, so I wonder what thoughts are here - how many of our players would have got in that City side today?

TV, Sagna, Jack, Cesc, Robin, maybe Song, Nasri, maybe Arshavin.

--------------Hart
Richards-Kompany-Tv-Kolarov
----------De Jong--Jack
---------------Cesc
------tevez--------------Nasri
----------------Rvp

I thought you'd be someone who adored Yaya, Dules?

------------ Hart -----------------
Richards-Kompany-Tv-Kolarov
------De Jong ----- Toure------
---------------Cesc --------------
------tevez------------Nasri ----
----------------Rvp --------------

bench: Silva, Walcott, Wilshere, Song, Sagna, Toure

Is Richards better than Sagna?

Not half as good a defender, not even close, but his power and pace is immense.

Biggus wrote:

I noticed how Man city are such a physically big and powerful team, they'll be a massive threat when Mancini gets a system to suit them.

They're their complete opposite of our Smurf Soccer.
Big, athletic fellas. Remember when we looked like Citeh, 10 years ago? We had big but cultured guys.

Talking about that, 10 years ago Henry and co were thumping Citeh for fun year in year out.

i think silva is brilliant. tevez, yaya, de jong, balotelli and kompany are all class players. with a few additions (a proper winger, full back and perhaps a "playmaker") they will be hard to beat next season.

I'd agree on all of them except Silva. He has class and bags of ability, but he's just about the most inefficient top player I've ever seen in the final third.

I know you don't rate him Ricky, but I just don't get why. Seriously that guy is top class in the final 3rd, created and scored goals for City this season with his own brilliance inside there.

He has poor composure when a chance comes his way, and I don't think he has that special skill that a Cesc has to play perfect little passes in the final third.

he is so creative, mobile and intelligent and creates goal chances, so his inefficiency in the final third doesn't bother me (or it does as he plays for city).

would love him here. would be perfect for our football. think he's on the same level as nasri.

Beg to differ Ricky, would love him here really. He is so much more creative than Nasri for instance. Seen him lob or thread passes with great vision.

I agree with Ricky 100%, Silva tends to look alot better than he actually is. What Ricky says about his inability in front of goal and his final ball passing not being at that top level is spot on. Exciting player to watch, great dribbler but he's just lacking that finishing touch. Maybe he'll find it next season.

Silva is similar to modric

Modric has played way deeper all season though. Silvas played in a Nasri like role, Modric in a Wilshere role.