The Chelsea Syndrome

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

The way I see it we are currently in same situation as Chelsea were when Mourinho was sacked. After heavy spending spree and some time of stabilitation our squad is one of the oldest in the league. We could maybe mount anither serious title challenge or two in next few seasons and maybe even finally have serious Champion's League run with couple of decent additions. However after that the core of the team will be more or less done.

Now which way should we go? Should we have bigger squad revamp and just accept that we might have down year or two with new younger additions and maybe have all ruling team for half a decade or should we just sign couple of steady performers with big money and give this current crop one final shot?

[Moonchesteri]

Wahey, Good to see you around pal!

It will take more than this before we take you seriously again though

[dazby]

Hey captain obvious. Captain obvious Ted did this two weeks ago.

Basically everyone says we need to spend some moolah.

It's obvious.

Welcome back. :-)

[Dameerto]

We'd be daft to leave it all to one or two windows. A mix of like for like replacements and promising youngsters would make sense over two or three seasons without doing too much in a single window.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Hey captain obvious. Captain obvious Ted did this two weeks ago.

Basically everyone says we need to spend some moolah.

It's obvious.

Welcome back. :-)

It's not just about spending money though, Darren. I'm sure everyone thinks we need to spend money. However the big question is whether we should, at least at some scale, start frommthe scratch or more like "reload" the current team?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Evolution not revolution.

No revamp needed, the spine can be phased out over the next few years whilst their replacements are bedded in.

[sheblue]

Evolution not revolution.

No revamp needed, the spine can be phased out over the next few years whilst their replacements are bedded in.

Exactly, evolve. Bring in 2/3 good players each summer, promote youth if they are good enough.

[City64]

Without stating the obvious all we need to do is not blow £100 - £150 million on shit players / panic buys like the rags and dippers have done .
BTW we are in mighty fine shape , we have top top owners looking after us they know what they are doing big time . It will be us and Chelsea again next season but they looked a tired team last couple of months of last season plus teams had worked them out .

[Im_Spartacus]

The key points are:

Don't spend middle of the road money on shit
Don't spend massive money on gambles

The players who come in this summer need to be very very top quality players of whom one would have no doubt would fit into the first team. If we sign 3 of that quality this summer, we need not worry about losing say 5 of the squad players as we could supplement the bench with the odd youth prospect, killing two birds with one stone

We need to make sure we have players in the squad for a reason, not just for padding, as has been the case in two consecutive summers now after title wins.

[iwasthere2012]

The key points are:

Don't spend middle of the road money on shit
Don't spend massive money on gambles

The players who come in this summer need to be very very top quality players of whom one would have no doubt would fit into the first team. If we sign 3 of that quality this summer, we need not worry about losing say 5 of the squad players as we could supplement the bench with the odd youth prospect, killing two birds with one stone

We need to make sure we have players in the squad for a reason, not just for padding, as has been the case in two consecutive summers now after title wins.

Pretty much sums it up.

[DoomMerchant]

Hey captain obvious. Captain obvious Ted did this two weeks ago.

Basically everyone says we need to spend some moolah.

It's obvious.

Welcome back. :-)

It's not just about spending money though, Darren. I'm sure everyone thinks we need to spend money. However the big question is whether we should, at least at some scale, start frommthe scratch or more like "reload" the current team?

i love when you play the Darren card. Awesome.

You amazing Dick.

[Blue Since 76]

Denayer replaces Kompany over time and when that happens, another centre half should have come through. Sterling replaces Navas or Nasri, Patrick Roberts replaces the other in a year or so. Pogba could replace Yaya if we get him. Lopes in the 22. Maybe de Bruyne. By September, the average age is down and things look better.

Next summer, the likes of Angelino, Barker, Maffeo, Ambrose, Cole will all either be very close or sold. Couple more younger players bought.

The only risk is that the defence or forward line ages together, but with a plan, why would that happen. Khaldoon said we have a timeline for every player from 14 upwards and can see where we haven't got a natural replacement who'll be ready. Does that sound like a club which is suddenly going to realise its first team has all hit 33 at the same time?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Hey captain obvious. Captain obvious Ted did this two weeks ago.

Basically everyone says we need to spend some moolah.

It's obvious.

Welcome back. :-)

It's not just about spending money though, Darren. I'm sure everyone thinks we need to spend money. However the big question is whether we should, at least at some scale, start frommthe scratch or more like "reload" the current team?

i love when you play the Darren card. Awesome.

You amazing Dick.

More like

[Ted Hughes]

I think we are about to have a fairly serious rebuild right now, whatever we think. I'm glad Yaya is staying, because then the core, Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, is still in place & the new signings are being added to a double title winning spine, rather than just building a team from scratch.

But I think there is going to be major upheaval around that.

If we struggle next season, then more big changes to the core players may happen straight away. But otherwise, I imagine new players coming in, who start to become the core of the team, thus naturally replacing the older ones over the next few seasons & academy player filtering in. I'm happy with that.

But, I may be way off the mark; I think Pellegrini & Tiki, are building Pep Guardiola's team.

If he shits on us, then plan B may be Count plus Vieira, then Vieira. But I think the 4222, if it hasn't gone already, is about to evolve into a system more in keeping with the rest of the club, & the rest of the club is basically English Barca.

That's not one system, it's a bunch of systems, but the kind of stuff Pep does, not the stuff Pelegrini does.

So imo, we are not just rebuilding a team, over the next two seasons, we are about to evolve into the City 'project' style at first team level. And I'm all for it.

(And I think we may end up needing 4 changes to the current fullback positions)

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Id just liek a gentle reduction in age over time. While I don't want him, swapping Nasri for sterling or things to that effect will do for me. 2 or 3 stars under 25 would greatly reduced our average age on most match days.

[DoomMerchant]

I think we are about to have a fairly serious rebuild right now, whatever we think. I'm glad Yaya is staying, because then the core, Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, is still in place & the new signings are being added to a double title winning spine, rather than just building a team from scratch.

But I think there is going to be major upheaval around that.

If we struggle next season, then more big changes to the core players may happen straight away. But otherwise, I imagine new players coming in, who start to become the core of the team, thus naturally replacing the older ones over the next few seasons & academy player filtering in. I'm happy with that.

But, I may be way off the mark; I think Pellegrini & Tiki, are building Pep Guardiola's team.

If he shits on us, then plan B may be Count plus Vieira, then Vieira. But I think the 4222, if it hasn't gone already, is about to evolve into a system more in keeping with the rest of the club, & the rest of the club is basically English Barca.

That's not one system, it's a bunch of systems, but the kind of stuff Pep does, not the stuff Pelegrini does.

So imo, we are not just rebuilding a team, over the next two seasons, we are about to evolve into the City 'project' style at first team level. And I'm all for it.

(And I think we may end up needing 4 changes to the current fullback positions)

You need a fucking editor.

Cheers

[Ted Hughes]

I think we are about to have a fairly serious rebuild right now, whatever we think. I'm glad Yaya is staying, because then the core, Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, is still in place & the new signings are being added to a double title winning spine, rather than just building a team from scratch.

But I think there is going to be major upheaval around that.

If we struggle next season, then more big changes to the core players may happen straight away. But otherwise, I imagine new players coming in, who start to become the core of the team, thus naturally replacing the older ones over the next few seasons & academy player filtering in. I'm happy with that.

But, I may be way off the mark; I think Pellegrini & Tiki, are building Pep Guardiola's team.

If he shits on us, then plan B may be Count plus Vieira, then Vieira. But I think the 4222, if it hasn't gone already, is about to evolve into a system more in keeping with the rest of the club, & the rest of the club is basically English Barca.

That's not one system, it's a bunch of systems, but the kind of stuff Pep does, not the stuff Pelegrini does.

So imo, we are not just rebuilding a team, over the next two seasons, we are about to evolve into the City 'project' style at first team level. And I'm all for it.

(And I think we may end up needing 4 changes to the current fullback positions)

You need a fucking editor.

Cheers

Nothing there that can go out, without losing a potential gem.

[Tokyo Blue]

I think we are about to have a fairly serious rebuild right now, whatever we think. I'm glad Yaya is staying, because then the core, Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, is still in place & the new signings are being added to a double title winning spine, rather than just building a team from scratch.

But I think there is going to be major upheaval around that.

If we struggle next season, then more big changes to the core players may happen straight away. But otherwise, I imagine new players coming in, who start to become the core of the team, thus naturally replacing the older ones over the next few seasons & academy player filtering in. I'm happy with that.

But, I may be way off the mark; I think Pellegrini & Tiki, are building Pep Guardiola's team.

If he shits on us, then plan B may be Count plus Vieira, then Vieira. But I think the 4222, if it hasn't gone already, is about to evolve into a system more in keeping with the rest of the club, & the rest of the club is basically English Barca.

That's not one system, it's a bunch of systems, but the kind of stuff Pep does, not the stuff Pelegrini does.

So imo, we are not just rebuilding a team, over the next two seasons, we are about to evolve into the City 'project' style at first team level. And I'm all for it.

(And I think we may end up needing 4 changes to the current fullback positions)

You need a fucking editor.

Cheers

Nothing there that can go out, without losing a potential gem.

That one's a gem. ;-)

[Hazy2]

Fifa might just involve Roman A, at some point... Russia's bid was his baby.