1 hour ago, jack_super_class said:

Not sure Ake is better than Zouma. Its only been this season Ruidger has been poor. Tomori is still young, the only player Ake is better than is Christensen in my eyes.

Tend to agree with this.

I like Ake as a player, but I think he would just be another solid-to-good CB - rather than the excellent and more dominating CB we clearly need.

Question is, where do we get one of those!  

1 hour ago, Adamrb said:

Tend to agree with this.

I like Ake as a player, but I think he would just be another solid-to-good CB - rather than the excellent and more dominating CB we clearly need.

Question is, where do we get one of those!  

Giminez from Athletico

5 hours ago, Adamrb said:

Tend to agree with this.

I like Ake as a player, but I think he would just be another solid-to-good CB - rather than the excellent and more dominating CB we clearly need.

Question is, where do we get one of those!  

It's not easy, and every top club is looking for the same thing. Seems as though Lampard thinks Rice is the answer.

I'm a little more romantic than others and feel a partnership with Christensen, along with James, Loftus-Cheek, Mount and Abraham playing fairly regularly, would have produced the comradery and willingness to play for each other that enables players to excel beyond their means .  Man City obviously think he's great, and I think he would have been better here.

If we had a established center defender, or Rudiger from 2 years ago, Ake would have been a good choice. We need a mature, established central defender, and he's just not that player. He will  fit in well at City, they already have Lapore, just needs another to follow his lead.

On 03/08/2020 at 06:53, jack_super_class said:

No he doesn't need to develop and make every player better but he hasn't developed any in defence.....  hes just thrown money at it. You said Ake will improve under Pep likes its 100% certain. But he hasn't improved any of the defenders he has signed. I never said Pep hasn't improved any players, but the defensive ones? not for me. 

 

Based on what I've seen, he does improve the defensive players, though it doesn't get highlighted more often than not. IMO improving players, especially defenders, is not about improving individual skills and talents. It's about having them communicating, the tactical awareness to fit to the gameplan, having the composure to be an outlet to start attacks etc. Laporte for example is a much better player now compared to who he was when he came to the Prem. You don't just get in the Top 3 at least goals conceded year in year out just because you buy top players. 

Does he chuck money at problems? Yes as do all PL teams but to say he doesn't improve them? That's not the truth

I did digress a bit towards the end of my last post there. Sorry for that. 

We can agree to disagree on this. I respect your opinion tho

Edited August 6, 20205 yr by Deino

Imagine Laporte getting injured again and Citeh are left with Stones, Ake and Otamendi. This is totally comparable to Zouma, Rudi and Christensen as long as Pep doesn't lose it and put Fernandinho CB again. ? 

The dippers are entering the next season as heavy favorites again...

Perhaps I haven't seen enough of Ake, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. Now he's not a bad player, far from it, and the fact that he can play various positions certainly helps but I just see someone who's decent, but not outstanding in any way. He doesn't have the size to be a proper CB in the EPL, he's not exactly a big threat going forward or a defensive rock at the back. He's technically sound, but not brilliant, he's fairly intelligent player but makes his share of his mistakes.

Now, in a much better side I may discover certain qualities I haven't noticed, but all in  all I just could never understand the fascination with that player.

Edited August 9, 20205 yr by abramovich

41 minutes ago, abramovich said:

Perhaps I haven't seen enough of Ake, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. Now he's not a bad player, far from it, and the fact that he can play various positions certainly helps but I just see someone who's decent, but not outstanding in any way. He doesn't have the size to be a proper CB in the EPL, he's not exactly a big threat going forward or a defensive rock at the back. He's technically sound, but not brilliant, he's fairly intelligent player but makes his share of his mistakes.

Now, in a much better side I may discover certain qualities I haven't noticed, but all in  all I just could never understand the fascination with that player.

Pretty much my take. I'm sure he'll develop under Guardiola, but I never thought he was a player we needed to improve our shambolic defending.

3 hours ago, abramovich said:

Perhaps I haven't seen enough of Ake, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. Now he's not a bad player, far from it, and the fact that he can play various positions certainly helps but I just see someone who's decent, but not outstanding in any way. He doesn't have the size to be a proper CB in the EPL, he's not exactly a big threat going forward or a defensive rock at the back. He's technically sound, but not brilliant, he's fairly intelligent player but makes his share of his mistakes.

Now, in a much better side I may discover certain qualities I haven't noticed, but all in  all I just could never understand the fascination with that player.

Exactly the same as me, I just dont see anything he excels in or anything that marks him out as top quality. Now he may surprise us and prove to be a great signing for City but It just looks like a squad filler to me chosen because of his home trained thing. 

I think a lot of fans are still burned by De Bruyne.  The fear that everyone we let go will turn into a worldie.  I’m pretty sure if this was Christensen rather than Ake fans would be begging for us to sign him, probably the same fans who want rid of him right now.

Christiansen is terrible and is one of the weakest defenders I have ever seen. He really needs to hit the gym. 

Shouldn’t this be closed now?

On 09/08/2020 at 02:54, abramovich said:

Perhaps I haven't seen enough of Ake, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. Now he's not a bad player, far from it, and the fact that he can play various positions certainly helps but I just see someone who's decent, but not outstanding in any way. He doesn't have the size to be a proper CB in the EPL, he's not exactly a big threat going forward or a defensive rock at the back. He's technically sound, but not brilliant, he's fairly intelligent player but makes his share of his mistakes.

Now, in a much better side I may discover certain qualities I haven't noticed, but all in  all I just could never understand the fascination with that player.

 

On 09/08/2020 at 06:11, dkw said:

Exactly the same as me, I just dont see anything he excels in or anything that marks him out as top quality. Now he may surprise us and prove to be a great signing for City but It just looks like a squad filler to me chosen because of his home trained thing. 

 

Agreed,

I liked him as a player here but wasn't ever completely convinced by him.  I think Bournemouth paying quite a bit for him raised some eyebrows, and then there's the whole "he was Chelsea" aspect.  To me hes a bit like Chalobah

On 09/08/2020 at 14:11, dkw said:

Exactly the same as me, I just dont see anything he excels in or anything that marks him out as top quality. Now he may surprise us and prove to be a great signing for City but It just looks like a squad filler to me chosen because of his home trained thing. 

Same here sweetie. 

Of course I’ll no doubt rue saying this but it’s not a case where I’m gutted he’s going there. If he turns out to be another Kompany then them the breaks but I don’t see it. No offence to the kid at all, but it does seem a weird singing if I’m honest.