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Extremely quiet transfer window and it seems to me that RvP and Hazard were our only targets. However what do people think we should add and who do you want us to get rid of?

Ins

Attacking midfielder - This may be winger or traditional "number 10". There's simply too heavy workload on Silva and he was clearly exhausted last season not getting enough breaks. Now he has long tournament behind him so it will be even worse. This is absolutely essential signing and Hazard was clearly target because of this. We may not find world class talent now (no one available) but we NEED some cover here.

Box-to-box midfielder - This is if aforementioned plan don't work. Other option would be to find more positive player than DeJong/Barry and/or better player than Milner to play alongside YaYa. Again if we had more dynamic and positive player there who would offer something going forward, we could give Silva some rest and be more positive if YaYa is injured.

Central defence - Preferably someone to challenge Lescott and provide top notch cover

Back up keeper - I think Pants needs upgrading in case of emergency

Outs

Santa Claus, Adeturd, Savic, Guidetti on loan again, Weiss

my thoughts (and some others') here:

http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=43391&p=444480#p444480

Alex Sapphire wrote:my thoughts (and some others') here:

http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=43391&p=444480#p444480

I started this mainly because I saw your discussion there and thought it deserved topic of it's own.

We need another winger to help Dzeko and Johnson out. Johnno will have space if there is someone on the other side of the field dragging the other full-back wide. More space, more crosses, more goals for Edin. Plan B, as it were. I'd see what Weiss has got to offer before letting him go. Mind you, the management will have been watching him last year. I wonder if any of the reserves are anywhere near.

Perhaps Denis Suarez can play when Silva is shagged out.

Desperately need a fourth centre-half. Not an all-purpose defender who can play across the back line and "cover" several positions. A proper centre-half who can defend and doesn't switch off.

I'd get rid of the players we sent out on loan last year except Weiss and Guidetti.

I don't think we missed out on hazard.

I think somewhere along the line we shifted focus because a better opportunity showed itself.

We'll find out who soon but I'll take iniesta :)

Anyway, cb is important but we still lack width and pace and I really hope we address it this time.

Original Dub wrote:I don't think we missed out on hazard.

I think somewhere along the line we shifted focus because a better opportunity showed itself.
We'll find out who soon but I'll take iniesta :)

Anyway, cb is important but we still lack width and pace and I really hope we address it this time.

I don't believe that at all. I think we were after Hazard big time and he just chose Chelsea. Whole Hazard thing was few months ago and if we really had another target, we would've been on it ages ago.

I don't think we need a CB at all. We won't find cover "happy" to sit on the bench that's better than Kolo. We have Savic (sort of) and Boyata if needed (who for me always did alright), we also have Richards who did well in the middle last season a couple of times, Zabs can cover RB. Barry too if the worst comes to the worst. I wouldn't spend any of our time or resources on looking for a CB. JL and VK have YEARS left in them as the best CB pairing in the league. Both will keep getting better. There's no doubt JL had a great season.

Pants is fine, no where near Hart but a strong back up keeper.

We really really need someone in the middle who can ideally cover both Yaya and Silva. The problem is any player that good will be at a better team already. Looking to youth is a good idea but risky. We've usually had an old timer hanging around like Vieira, Pizzaro. Its a shame that Seedorf is as ancient as he is. Last season he could clearly still do a job. A loan for him might be a good shout.

It's a shame Milner hasnt really looked like he could cover Yaya to the same standard. He was given a few clear chances to do that last season and didnt cut it. He doesn't seem to know what his strengths are other than high work rate. He had some good games but I doubt we'll ever get the best out of him. That will partly be down to us not playing him regularly enough.

I'd be happy to keep AJ, there is still a little buzz when he comes onto the field. Look back at the season review DVD, he scored some great goals. I know its all about attitude and application with him but he WILL learn. He just needs to shake off his arrogance and listen to Bobby and Lombardo, who were both world class wingers. They will improve him.

Im bored now.

back up gk - alan mcgregor
back up cb - carvalho

Maybe we can do alright with what we have at CB, but we have the same problem as last year with the ACN being switched to odd years and we'll lose Kolo for another clip of games, injury or suspension here or there and we're in the same boat as we were last season when we dipped.

Cavani for Carlos
Martinez for Kolo
De Rossi for De Jong
Muniain for Johnson
Boyata for Savic

Adebayor, Weiss, Rocky, McGivern out for cash and that'll do me til January

Nigels Tackle wrote:back up gk - alan mcgregor
back up cb - carvalho

He was the first name that popped into my head when I heard Stu Taylor had left yesterday.

Very decent GK available for nothing.

As for what transfers I think we need to take us to the next level as a club.

One player. Three letters.. D..D..R...

Daniele De Rossi.

The best complete midfielder in the world imo (and he can play CB too)!!

I agree pretty much with all the targets mentioned by NQDP.

I don't believe Hazard chose Chelsea as a preference, I think we fucked his agent's fee off &, unlike Nasri & Yaya, he chose another club rather than go against the agent.

I also don't think we are anywhere near done in the market. I think we are just about to start & could pull a few out of left field.

I agree that it's essential to get another attacking mid/creative player to cover Silva. This should be priority. I'm sure Bob knows this though.

(I just typed out about 10,000 words about rotating our strikers with Van Persie, then realised I'd completely forgotten Mario existed.)

The gist was the same though: What if Bob sees RVP, not just as a striker, but as a player who creates ? So rather than signing another Hazard as back up to Silva, we just stick another forward on & ask RVP to move around a bit more & feed them ? He had 15 assists last season. He doesn't dictate the pace of a game but that's where Yaya plus a DeRossi or Martinez would come in.

Whether that's what Bob has in mind I don't know but I remember when we were discussing Yaya on here & the fact that he's NOT a defensive mid & used to attack lots when at Monaco. People thought we'd signed a 7ft DeJong but Bob knew different.

Similarly RVP is not a traditional striker. Has Bob got another trick up his sleeve ?

Re CB: I think we're sort of emergency covered if we keep Kolo & use Micah there when needed rather than Savic etc. BUT, Lescott could soon start up with injuries & become a Paul McGrath type figure, so sooner or later we have to sign a CB with a view to competing for that job. If a real world class player became available I would sign him, but we don't want a Hummels or a Vertonghen, we want a proper defender imo.

Rekik could end up there one day. Maybe sooner than expected, but not just yet (apart from in the league cup etc).

Crossie wrote:I don't think we need a CB at all. We won't find cover "happy" to sit on the bench that's better than Kolo. We have Savic (sort of) and Boyata if needed (who for me always did alright), we also have Richards who did well in the middle last season a couple of times, Zabs can cover RB. Barry too if the worst comes to the worst. I wouldn't spend any of our time or resources on looking for a CB. JL and VK have YEARS left in them as the best CB pairing in the league. Both will keep getting better. There's no doubt JL had a great season.

Completely disagree.
We are going to play over 60 games next season. Lescott has extremely dubious injury record and they will not be able to start all the games with Kompany anyway. Certainly not being fresh. Throw in suspensions and you see that we could easily, in fact very likely scenario, be starting games as Kolo and Savic as our centerback pairing. Savic is fucking useless and shouldn't be counted at all. Boyata is promising but needs to get more games under his belt on loan. Last season didn't work well for him. Micah as centerback is possible but that would leave us without cover at right back.

Also Lescott has max four years left considering the injuries so replacement needs to be groomed anyway sooner or later.

Crossie wrote:I don't think we need a CB at all. We won't find cover "happy" to sit on the bench that's better than Kolo. We have Savic (sort of) and Boyata if needed (who for me always did alright), we also have Richards who did well in the middle last season a couple of times, Zabs can cover RB. Barry too if the worst comes to the worst. I wouldn't spend any of our time or resources on looking for a CB. JL and VK have YEARS left in them as the best CB pairing in the league. Both will keep getting better. There's no doubt JL had a great season.

We absolutely need another CB, whether it's a potential starter or a 4th choice is up for debate. Kolo is gone for the Cup of Nations again, Savic was out of his depth & Boyata didn't cut it at Bolton. Another suspension for Kompany or a knee injury to Lescott & we're fucked. The fact that Richards can help out doesn't change that. We'd be stretched pretty thin in any a case.

Pants is fine, no where near Hart but a strong back up keeper.

I agree. Maybe a new 3rd keeper to replace Taylor.

We really really need someone in the middle who can ideally cover both Yaya and Silva. The problem is any player that good will be at a better team already. Looking to youth is a good idea but risky. We've usually had an old timer hanging around like Vieira, Pizzaro. Its a shame that Seedorf is as ancient as he is. Last season he could clearly still do a job. A loan for him might be a good shout.

Seedorf signed for Botafogo, but the old timer idea is a good one. Can't think of anyone right now tho.

I'd be happy to keep AJ, there is still a little buzz when he comes onto the field. Look back at the season review DVD, he scored some great goals. I know its all about attitude and application with him but he WILL learn. He just needs to shake off his arrogance and listen to Bobby and Lombardo, who were both world class wingers. They will improve him.

Yes, I'd keep him & I think that he could be the cover for Silva (& Nasri) everyone is looking for. Just need to put his head down & cut the drinking. Another addition in attacking midfield & we'd be sorted.

GK

HART
PANTILIMON

CB

KOMPANY
LESCOTT
KOLO
NEW SIGNING
REKIK

FB

RICHARDS
CLICHY
ZABALETA
KOLAROV

DM/CM

BARRY
YAYA
DE JONG
MILNER
RAZAK

AM

SILVA
NASRI
JOHNSON
NEW SIGNING
SUAREZ

FW

AGUERO
TEVEZ
BALOTELLI
DZEKO

Loan/sell Guidetti, Savic, Weiss et al & we're good to go.

A WINGER. An out and out pacey, byline winger with a good delivery. A bit like Petrov when he first signed for us.

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:A WINGER. An out and out pacey, byline winger with a good delivery. A bit like Petrov when he first signed for us.

Surely that is dependent on whether we keep Dzeko though ?

I don't know if I've said it before but we'll buy players out of the Olympics.

Any fringe player that wants to go and gets a decent offer will be gone.

like most people i do think we need another centre back. But as things are quiet i think we are looking to sell first before making any purchases. Cant believe Santa Cruz is still hanging around the place.

Anyone who doesnt think we need a top quality back up CB needs to just look at what happened to the rags last season. Their best defender was out and they were all over the place. That is how fine a margin it is, they did not have a top quality back up and rotated until deciding on evans. Who to be fair did ok but nowhere near as good a job as vidic would have done. We need someone to puah VK and JL for a starting berth not just as a backup.

Tueart was on SSN and he reckoned we only needed a left sided defender to cover Lescott and a left sided winger because AJ was played on the right - was Dennis left footed I asked myself?