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Seems to me that we are getting better... even without Fern, Sterling and Jesus. ( or Mendy )
The last 3 games we seem to upped our game. The newer players have settled more and we are tighter. Our winning the ball back has gone insane, resulting in the clean sheets i think, and the finishing simply couldn't be any better.

This is a very good time of the season to get on song... the players will enjoy it even more and you know what that means.

I'm not sure what our strongest line up is any more, but the pace and directness Sterling offers on the other side to Sane is a frightening thought for oppo teams... If PG gets his way and Mendy comes back in to give us Aguero and Jesus together... fuck i might start feeling sorry for some teams.

My point is though we look like we are almost completely knitted together, so whoever comes in is going to slot in without fuss, that is one hell of a place to be.

In ways, yes, and part of this is due to bench players from earlier in the season - let's be real, some of whom have been highly questioned by our fans - getting more minutes and proving their value with injuries elsewhere.

Bernardo, Gundo and Zinchenko being those that stand out at the moment. The former two who I felt some of us were quick to question given the variables: adapting to new league/team or returning from major injuries + lack of game time, but I still get the reasons for doubt. I tend to be more patient, as does our manager about bedding in players, but the system being so clear, well practised and successful also has an impact, I gather.

Gundo at CDM has really been something, huh?

Many of our fans and in the media have said Fernandinho is our most important player due to lack of depth/similar players, but we signed Ilkay for this role, technically. The last few games he's done very well, but bringing more attacking nous to the role. Most touches EVER in the PL today. Now, against a top CL side, this might be a greater risk, but not if you can control the game even further, as crazy as that even sounds, but that's arguably what he offers.

Yes we are getting better. Much better than last season. And as the season has gone on we have gone from strength to strength. One can only wonder how much better it can get

we will only beat ourselves this season. we're that fucking good.

Good point about Gundo v Fern and interesting one going forwards... do we need Fern in all kinds of games? probs not.

The players that have come in have, with the game time to get used to where, when and how their team mates will be and going is the key for me.
Patience is paying off i believe, so Bernard, Gundo, Zinch and Delph can now slot in with ease.. and as i think with Zinch today start to offer more of themselves. He has been super reliable in passing but not so amazingly adventurous, keep it safe if you like, but today he tried a few more things, good to see.

brite blu sky wrote:Good point about Gundo v Fern and interesting one going forwards... do we need Fern in all kinds of games? probs not.

The players that have come in have, with the game time to get used to where, when and how their team mates will be and going is the key for me.
Patience is paying off i believe, so Bernard, Gundo, Zinch and Delph can now slot in with ease.. and as i think with Zinch today start to offer more of themselves. He has been super reliable in passing but not so amazingly adventurous, keep it safe if you like, but today he tried a few more things, good to see.

zinch is a 21 year old attacking midfielder playing left back.... that is fucking incredible.

We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

Mase wrote:We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

and we have maffeo and mendy coming back for next season
fred, which looks like a done deal, aside i expect a very quiet summer on the transfer front

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Mase wrote:We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

and we have maffeo and mendy coming back for next season
fred, which looks like a done deal, aside i expect a very quiet summer on the transfer front

I would not put money on Maffeo being at City next year.

We are awesome and when Chelsea turn up already beaten it shows we are really getting to teams big time. The CL games after Basil will be interesting to watch but if there is one game I want us to prove how good we are its against the swamp dwellers

We are getting better no doubt about that and covered in posts above....

One major concern is the upcoming international break (fucking friendlies, are you fucking kidding me).

Other than breaking momentum of the league when it's just going into the last straight we've got potential for injuries in fucking friendlies!

Don't know about who Spain, Belgium, Germany etc have got but England face Italy and Netherlands, neither of which will be in Russia come June, reckon they'll go easy? Of course they won't!!!

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Mase wrote:We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

and we have maffeo and mendy coming back for next season
fred, which looks like a done deal, aside i expect a very quiet summer on the transfer front

I would not put money on Maffeo being at City next year.

We are awesome and when Chelsea turn up already beaten it shows we are really getting to teams big time. The CL games after Basil will be interesting to watch but if there is one game I want us to prove how good we are its against the swamp dwellers

Sid Lowe was talking up Maffeo quite a bit recently when asked about by the 93:20 podcast.

However, sounds like he thinks may stay another season to get regular game time.

There were also questions raised about his size to play the position in the PL, but was suggested he could play in an attacking role. Seems to me that given Zinchenko's success this season Maffeo's size will not necessarily be a problem, but can see Pep being reluctant to play those two as WB/FB's against sides that rely on set pieces to score goals.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Mase wrote:We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

and we have maffeo and mendy coming back for next season
fred, which looks like a done deal, aside i expect a very quiet summer on the transfer front

I would not put money on Maffeo being at City next year.

Maffeo has been exemplary and is one of the reasons why his team are 7th and why Messi wants him at Barca.

Ill put money on him coming back.

Mase wrote:We’ve filled key positions in the summer that have needed sorting for a while. Keeper and both fullbacks. What a massive difference it’s made to our play.

Indeed, but it also makes you wonder about our other targets (outside of Fred) this summer. Pep seems to indicate maybe only 1 or 2 more (for the first team).

Will be interesting to see how Kun and Jesus do over the latter part of the season as this may very well determine Aguero's future.

I don't think Pep will give up on signing at least one other striker/winger. Whilst Bernardo has begun to grow into the position the last few games, I also think we all know his long term future is really about replacing Merlin.

Expect Gundo to helm the CDM spot with Fred, assuming we sign him.

As for striker, I'm starting to wonder if we may just sign a young player (like Bailey) and stick with the rest.

I thought Griezmann made sense, but sounds like Barca are sniffing around more so of late, and have more room in their squad, even after adding Dembele.

Could see Lewandowski coming as well, but rumours about Real Madrid sounds right, although clearly United will be willing to splash crazy cash (can see Lukaku having to really fight for his place to push him to improve, as I don't get how you can play Lewandowski, Lukaku and Sanchez together). I don't really see Chelsea getting him with their declined status.

Who else would it be anyway? Mbappe? Neymar? Hazard? Those sound ridiculous to me at this point.

To think that Pep is working on Pep's material only by 3/4 of a season is a mesmerizing perspective indeed.
Ideally I'd link this thought with what I expressed on the Nigell's thread, which takes on the same point from a slightly different perspective.

Indeed sky's the limit... at least till we get Pep on the gaff (just to remind myself the actual meaning of my chosen moniker)

Yes we are getting better.
Awesome this season
. But Chelsea and Ars not at the races this season. Rags miles behind. Spurs lack depth.
The Dippers proved that we can be got at.
Dippers will be better next season.

CL to tell us how good we are.
IMO we give up to many chances.
If I am right then Messi Ronaldo, etc... will bury us.

Yes we are getting better.
Awesome this season
. But Chelsea and Ars not at the races this season. Rags miles behind. Spurs lack depth.
The Dippers proved that we can be got at.
Dippers will be better next season.

CL to tell us how good we are.
IMO we give up to many chances.
If I am right then Messi Ronaldo, etc... will bury us.

Dimples wrote:Yes we are getting better.
Awesome this season
. But Chelsea and Ars not at the races this season. Rags miles behind. Spurs lack depth.
The Dippers proved that we can be got at.
Dippers will be better next season.

CL to tell us how good we are.
IMO we give up to many chances.
If I am right then Messi Ronaldo, etc... will bury us.

Your assessment of the other top 6 teams is not quitw correct Dimples. Their records this season pretty much reflect standard performances in every other Prem season and better than some.
That Spurs, the rags, Scousers and the Chavs have all been successful in the CL shows that they are mot failed teams.
The Prem shows that it is City that is out of step with other seasons and as such are on target to beat the best ever Prem record by a hefty 10pts.

There is no doubt that other teams will seek to improve next season but there is no reason to think that we won't either. The improvements of the likes of Bernardo and Gundogan bear witness to this. The depth of our squad is improving years on year with the rise of young Foden, Diaz and offerings from Tosin, Duhaney, and Nmecha. Pep will no doubt add players this next window.

Even the greatest teams have the odd off day and Liverpool was ours. Even in our failure aginst Wigan, we dominated the game. Shit like that will happen and no matter how dominant we may become, shit likethat will continue to happen fron time to time.

We don't know yet how good this City team is. We have overcome almost allthe domestic obstacles put before us and I am sorry but I can see no reason to worry yet that we will be buried by anyone.

Would this be a good time to point out that we started last season undefeated and then faded?

Oh and also, and as Cass was saying on talkspurt, that Chelsea beat us at our gaff last season?

Dimples wrote:Yes we are getting better.
Awesome this season
. But Chelsea and Ars not at the races this season. Rags miles behind. Spurs lack depth.
The Dippers proved that we can be got at.
Dippers will be better next season.

CL to tell us how good we are.
IMO we give up to many chances.
If I am right then Messi Ronaldo, etc... will bury us.

So rare to find a post of Yours where one not just must agree upon, Dimples.
Almost impossible to come just after John68's all absorbing reply and try to add anything meaningfully.
I'd say, to offer anything in between, that while the incident at the House of Koppers was largely down fatigue (mostly mentally wise), it's fair to say that Dippers have been the most positive surprise of the season and Klop has shown that he can do some positive work outside the realm of comedy gold buffons (stunning improvements of Salah and Ox spring to mind)
Once said that.. it's also true that we are approaching that crucial part of the season where LFC do tend to show off what their only contribution to contemporary football hi'stryy is made off...

Getting better and better, no doubt about that.

I'd still like to see fewer mistakes at the back though and I'd still like us to score a few more when we totally dominate games.