carefree franco

I’m not triggered by it, I’m just pointing out that being good at everything and being rounded is an elite attribute in itself.

The elite attributes are a solid all round game and consistency. Azpi was not limited as a defender and using him as a comparison seems strange. I don’t look at stats too much but I wouldn’t be surprised if Statistically Grimaldo was, in attacking numbers, one of the best and he is put on the bench for cuccerella for Spain. If you look back historically you could argue faults in a lot of all time full backs games. Cole didn’t have monster numbers going forward and Robertson has better stats there but who would you want as a left back? Were marcello or Carlos monster defenders? Maldini didn’t have electrifying pace or wasn’t setting the world on fire in attacking numbers but is widely considered the best ever at left back. I’m not comparing cuccerella to any of these but am making a point. It’s not something I’ve looked into but I’d actually argue that being solid across the stats is probably a better metric for a fullback than being elite in certain things and lacking in others. Look at Trent for example as that.

Gallagher got an Irish passport last summer so that he counts as an EU player, Bellingham did the same at Madrid.

I am describing veiga but it seems for whatever reason he has burnt his bridges and is likely to be off. Hato at his age and coming from Netherlands would do very well to leave A**x and be guaranteed a starting birth at a top club.

He’s had 2 seasons at Chelsea, the first he looked like he had it all and the second he looked completely out of his depth. If he plays as a traditional full back he is frighteningly good. If he is expected to be an inverted fullback that goes into midfield he’s clueless. Hopefully maresca sees this and continues to play palmer on the right and gusto as a traditional fullback. I was actually worried that on the back of last season Liverpool would get him for cheap and be a perfect right back for salah in their system.

I honestly don’t think I’d have any lb in the prem over him and I think mendes is the only one better in the world. I might be forgetting someone but I’m going through the top clubs Bayern Davies has dropped off. Madrid and Barcelona have Spanish left backs who don’t start over him. Theo Hernandez has just moved to Saudi for 25 million so I don’t think he is. So yeah I think cuccerella is the second best in the world.

I haven’t seen loads of him but one thing I read is he’s similar to haaland in the way he plays and most of his goals come in transition and he’s not the best with the ball at his feet and pretty poor in the air for a big man. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to do well against deep defences where he doesn’t tend to play on the shoulder as much.

He’s played this season as a lb and cb. For a squad role can deputise for cucerella and colwill very well. He’s very pacey and looks to be very good on the ball. I think he ticks a load of boxes and his ability to cover 2 roles means he’d see plenty of game time.

Unfortunately I agree with you on fofana but he’s no use to us on the injury table, I’d suggest loaning him to France and seeing if he recovers but then signing a young cb would defeat that idea. Acheampong should be back up to James at right back and be emergency cover at cb. Sarr I don’t know a lot about but I would be surprised if he’s deemed ready straight away.

Right now I’d agree but In my opinion, we should look to move fofana on and get a centre back in. One of those 2 (or Scalvini) with Colwill and Chalobah and tosin as options suddenly makes me more confident. If I was in dreamland I’d move on badiashille and get a left sided centre back in as well.

Thinking about this if you were to go through and make a “combined 11” and I’d say not being biased most people would say there’s 5 from each side and the striker is up for debate Gk Raya RB James LB cuccerella CBS Gabriel and saliba Dm Caicedo Rice AM Palmer LW Neto RW Saka ST ?

How much do Benfica want for Silva or Araujo? Maybe a straight swap could work?

I know, silly me! But with the squad we have it would be interesting to see if there’s different shapes and tactics that could be used

With pedro coming in maybe a 4-4-2 diamond? Palmer 10 drifting right pedro starting up front with delap drifting left would be interesting to see

He also made a sloppy pass that led to Caicedo picking up a knock. He has his good moments sure, but they are becoming more and more fleeting

Agreed that he’s nowhere near hazard levels but he is magic with his feet and has little work rate. So the comparison of hazard stems from that, a fairer comparison is someone like Ben arfa, tarabt or payet being honest which is still impressive.

Yeah I do agree to an extent but having delap actually being a striker would instantly improve it. Where I don’t tend to agree is Enzo and palmer are the number 10s and then there’s 2 wingers hugging the touch line. I was saying give Enzo the chance to push on by having 2 cms alongside him but rather than 2 touchline wingers have palmer start out right with gusto or James getting forward to support him.

In a realistic ideal scenario I'd shift to a 4-3-3 and have chevalier(petrovic), James(gusto), araujo(Chalobah), colwill(medina), cucerella(ishe), caicedo(essugo), enzo(kdh), santos(lavia), estevao(Gittens/Neto), palmer(madueke), ekitike(delap). All depends on players we can sell and loan out but that squad is tactically flexible and strong in every area. I’d maybe consider a better backup to Enzo than kdh but I didn’t want to be greedy

I know I’ve said it before but maybe we play with 3 midfielders and play palmer and another as 2 hybrid 10/wingers. Fernandez with santos/lavia and caicedo looks a lot sturdier and gives him freedom you also have palmer in his drifting wherever he wants to go on the right which for me is his best position anyway. Yes in theory you lose a forward but dropping one of Neto/Madueke (as things stand) to accommodate this seems like a no brainer?

I do think there’s a good player in kudus and think he’d be less of a risk than Gittens but there’s a couple of things that concern me. If he was stifled in the first half of last season and then lost interest is this the kind of mentality we want? We have enough attackers that play well when the team plays well but seem to disappear when the going gets tough. The second thing and this might just be me but palmer, estevao, Paez, Madueke, Neto are all left footed and three are number 10s who ideally like to drift right. We also have Quenda from next summer. Our right footed attackers are Sterling and mudryk and I doubt either will be in the squad next season. Is signing kudus a number 10/rw who is left footed going to just add to the unbalanced nature or does it matter?

Sanchez is like a modern more crap David James or Monk from mean machine. Can he pull off good saves? Yeah. Do I trust him? No. One of the most important attributes for a keeper is concentration and Sanchez just doesn’t have it. We definitely need to replace him as number 1 but who replaces him is certainly going to be interesting.

Strange one this, everything screams that City are getting a hell of a talent he’s got a mindset that’s rarely seen anymore, let me do the talking with the ball at my feet kind of player. For want of a better term, he’s a maverick. He could be the next hazard or could be a Tarabt, either way a very entertaining footballer. However Grealish was very similar at Villa (not as eye catching but proved it in the prem) and he’s been coached into a robot under pep and lost a lot of the magic. I’d almost say it’s a shame because he is someone who screams entertainer and I don’t think we’re going to see him as that for city.

The young keeper from Lille, chevalier i think his name is looks like a very good keeper every time I’ve seen him, I haven’t watched maignan properly to comment really.

I really like this signing but I hope that he’s not the only one we’re bringing in. I did like Jackson and thought he had undoubted potential but recently my patience has worn out completely. Starting next season with delap and Jackson and I worry that this time next year we’ll still be talking about a need for a striker

Caicedo really is a special player! On your point, I think it’s still possible that we have one of the better midfields in Europe if the right decisions are made. Next season a midfield 3 next season with 2 attacking midfielders. Enzo Caicedo and Lavia/Santos with palmer and if it’s not too early estevao. The two 10s can drift wide and be wingers and Enzo can push on and change to a 4-2-3-1 at times too. Palmer would be back to his best position and Enzo would have quality and legs around him in midfield to get the best out of him.