Yippee! The Season has finished!
Not only that, Pellers has now gone too!
I can finally start looking forward to the new season under some proper management. Seriously, I have not enjoyed the past two seasons under Pellegrini, and almost gave my season ticket up last year! Yes he comes across as a gentleman, but we needed more. My feeling is he won the double in his first season on the strength of Mancini's organised defence, it took a season for Pellers to ruin it. Liverpool also helped us by throwing it away!
The next two seasons were a waste of time and was clear the team was regressing at an alarming rate. Players became too casual, teams knew how to play us as we only had one way of playing… when the wheels come off, he simply had no idea how to get the jack out of the boot and change the tyre and kept using the same broken wheels despite having a garage full of Brand new Goodyears! Lol
So did I stay to wish him well after our last match against Arsenal? Well, After throwing the game away against an arsenal team there for the taking, the way our team failed to turn up at Real Madrid, after seeing our team struggling to make 4th, after seeing us go backwards in his reign, The answer is NO I did not. I decided to go as It would have been hypocritical to the way I felt if I stayed.
You would of hoped the sight of only about 7k supporters would of hit home with the players for the last game to at least go out with a bang away at Swansea...especiall
y when Man U were blowing bubbles from there arse after getting beat at west ham! But no, we almost threw it away at swansea too, to finish the season limping over the finish line… we still haven’t qualified for the Champs League, we have to play a playoff..
So Guardiola officially joins on July 1st for his 3 year stint at our club, I think the 1st year will be fruitless as he tries to implement his ethics onto the squad. These current players have obviously had it easy and the new regime may be too much of a shock for them.
The thing with pep that I am looking forward too, is that you KNOW he will of done everything he can in preperation and tactics according to the next opposition, not a 1 style of play with players being picked on his loyalty to them, and not on current form… Pep will demand high performances from all his players, if they dont he looks elsewhere.
The problem we might have next season, is that there is a certain European competition happening in the summer(10th June → 10th July), as well as the Copa America.(4th June → 27th June) Players will probably be coming back into training late, meaning the preparation and time of the new manager to instil his own ideas is very limited, although this could also be good for pep to see what he can do with all the gifted kids we have. The premier league will commence on the 13th August, Then champs league Playoff rounds will be on 16/17th and 23/24 of August.
So... The squad, Who do you reckon will still be here next season? Here is my assessment..
Goalkeeper; I wonder if pep has noticed Joe Harts distribution is pants? What does hart work on in training? This is the biggest floor in his game why does no one coach him properly? Hart could be under threat...although if any new keeper arrives, it would be at the expense of Silly Willy who I really cannot see being here next season. Richard Wright is retiring, possibly staying on as a youth coach, so this could make space for Angus Gunn.
Leftback is a position we have needed to strengthen for a while now. Kolarov is no longer good enough and hasnt been for the past 2 seasons, Cliché is the better of the two and also has Home grown status. Will Angelino get a chance?
Rightback is a strong but ageing area for us, Zabba has looked short this season, although only used by Pellers as a right back, he is very versatile, a trait Pep likes. Sagna has looked very solid this year…. I'd say Right back is Peps area that he will look at last.
CB; Drumroll please... Demichellis will be leaving, that should free up a space for Denayer. Captain Kompany despite his injury problems will most likely be staying. Otamendis erratic play style where he spends more time sliding on his ass than he does standing up, could mean his stay is a brief one... Mangala is also prone to huge lapses of concentration, we need to sell at least one to accommodate a new signing, but both are on long contracts and could prove hard to shift unless its for a cut price fee or a loan…
Central Midfield; I really cant see a future here for Yaya after this season can you? Fernandinho has been our most consistent player this year, Fernando is probably safe for the time being too although he is not cultured enough for permanent fixture in the team. Delph has done very little although Pellers has had him mostly playing on the left wing when called upon, being English will probably help him stay...
Attacking Mid/Wide players: Debruyne is a no brainer to say he is safe.. Sterling? Absolute dogshite this year, Being english will probably keep him around the bench. Lol I'm sure Jesus Navas wont be sticking around for long, he has work rate but what is the point in all that if he has no end product? And sadly I wouldn’t be surprised to see Silva leaving too, every season he seems to be carry an ankle injury, But equally I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stay! I think Nasri staying is dependant on who we sign...
Strikers: Aguero and Kelechi are safe, Bony on the other hand, if we can find a buyer, he is gone. Surely he will buy another striker? Jovetic could also be on his way back after an 18month loan at inter… to which I believe they are trying to get out of the deal to permenantly sign him...
So after my 1st cull the squad would look like this…
Hart(HG),
Zabba, Sagna, Cliche(HG)
Kompany, Denayer(HG),
Otamendi, Delph(HG),
Fernandinho,
Debruyne,
Silva, Sterling(HG),
Iheanacho?, Aguero I'm not 100% sure if Kelechi qualifys as homegrown next year, so I left him as foreign(bolded). You can have no more than 17 foreign players in your 25 man squad. There would be room for 8 foreigners + 3 more HG, U21s do not need to be registered for 1st team unless they require a work permit so either way Kelechi will take up a place of the 25 man squad lol
So whats the scouting mission?
- A leftback is surely a priority?
- A new centreback AGAIN!
- 1 Deep lying ball playing midfielder… the metronome to peps play is the guy he signs for this position!
- 2 wide/attacking players
- 1 Striker?
- 1 Goalkeeper to replace willy?
7 players to be signed?? maybe Not as many as that, and youth will be given a better chance?
Next season will certainly be interesting, and I for one hope we get back to having the passion on the field which will in turn give us something to cheer about
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