Okay, if we had drawn Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton or Tottenham Hotspur away in our opening fixture we might be forgiven for taking in a short, sharp intake-breath of air at the prospect of a ‘tuffy’ first game in.
However, when the fixtures came out and I saw newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion (A), I did raise a cautious eyebrow.
Footy’s back!
Those who know me will tell you that I like
a break from football in order to recharge the batteries ready for the start of
the best sporting season on the planet. I particularly look forward to the every-other-year of no European Finals or World Cup too in order to really take a rest from what is, let’s face it, a long, 9-month season
played out mostly through the colder, darker, UK
months.
As stated in my last blog posting, I haven’t produced ongoing postings
regarding on the ‘crazy
time’ that is the summer transfer window – an
example of that being the non-signing of Dani Alves;
who I had down as a 9/10 chance of signing, only for him to get on a different
plane and sign for Paris Saint-Germain instead.
So, in
summary, what’s happened over the summer so far?
Out so far:
Angus Gunn - Loaned to Norwich City for the rest of the season (ROS).
Joe Hart - Loaned
to West Ham United for the ROS for a fee of
around £2M but with
City paying around half his wages…about
£2M.
Willy Caballero - Released.
Aleks Kolarov - Sold to Roma for £5.25M.
Bacary Sagna - Released.
Gael Clichy - Released.
Pablo Maffeo - Loaned to Girona
for ROS.
Pablo Zabaleta - Released.
Jose Angel Tasende - Loaned
to NAC Breda for ROS.
Aaron Mooy - Sold to Huddersfield Town for an initial fee of £8M.
Aleix Garcia - Loaned to Girona for ROS.
Bruno Zuculini - Released.
Manu Garcia Alonso - Loaned
to NAC Breda for ROS.
Fernando - Sold to Galatasaray
for an initial fee of £4.74M.
Paolo Fernandes - Loaned
to NAC Breda for ROS.
Jesus Navas - Released.
Marlos Moreno - Loaned to Girona for ROS.
Enes Unal - Sold to Villarreal
for £11.9M (includes a first choice, buy-back clause)
Kelechi Iheanacho - Sold
to Leicester City for £25M (includes a £50M, first
choice, buy-back clause)
Ruben Sobrino - Sold to Deportivo Alaves for £1.7M
Thierry Ambrose - Loaned to NAC Breda for ROS.
I feel like I should get NAC Breda & Girona scarves!
Total incoming money from sales so far: An initial
£68.74M
Needed (in my
opinion):
A goalkeeper
A left-back
A secondary left-back
A right-back
A secondary right-back
A Central defender
Possibly a
holding, defensive midfield addition
A striker
In so far:
Ederson Moraes (GK) - Bought from Benfica
for £35M
Benjamin Mendy (D – L) - Bought from Monaco
for £49.1M
Danilo (D – L / R) - Bought from Real Madrid for £26.5M
Kyle Walker (D – R) - Bought from Spurs for initial fee of
£45M
Bernardo Silva (M/W – L/R/C) - Bought
from Monaco for £43.5M
Douglas Luiz (M – C) - Bought from Vasco de Gama for £10.3M (loaned to Girona for ROS)
Total expenditure on players so far: £209.4M
Silliest rumour-link I’ve seen this summer?
Neymar
to City for £190M.
A.
City / Pep wouldn’t DARE use most of his / their rumoured £300M ‘war chest’ on just
one player.
B.
As wonderfully skilful, creative and goal-threatening as he his; at £190M…no
chance.
C.
Most importantly, just not needed! On that side of the attack we have Leroy Sane & Gabriel Jesus (and Benjamin Mendy in many ways) -
two (three) very young, very exciting and very talented footballers; along with
others in the squad that can do a very good back-up job on that side if
required.
v Brighton & Hove Albion
 |
| Amex Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome.
3-5-1-1:
____________________Aguero____________________
_____________________Jesus____________________
____________________Ederson___________________
I have to admit that I’ve been taken
completely by surprise by Pep’s decision to
go with 3 centre-backs in pre-season; a formation I had heard many weeks ago
that Chelsea and one or two others
might ‘go with’ this season. Some Blues I have spoken to are
of the opinion that this could change to a ‘back 4’ formation for certain
games…
So…new keeper, Ederson, in between the posts
for our opener.
In front of him we should see the trio of
Nicholas, Vinny, & John.
Slightly ahead of those should be new
signings Danilo & Walker in very attacking wing-back roles and in between
those I think we’ll see, more often than
not, Yaya ‘keeping guard’; having clearly been given a deep-laying, roaming / passing job.
An ‘attacking quartet’, then, with central
midfielders David & Kevin and Gabriel & Sergio topping it all off.
Claudio as back-up keeper (gonna
stop using the 'alternative names' from last season for now – new season / clean slate
‘n’ all that); Fernandinho as cover for Yaya and, if
required, one or more of the defensive positions. It’s then a very young &
attacking list of ‘back-up’ players in Phil, Brahim, Leroy, new-signing
Bernardo and Raheem.
Notable absences: Benjamin Mendy (injured) &
Ilkay Gundogan (On way back from injury - a couple of weeks away from a return).
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
I’m warming to it,
having watched the whole of the West Ham game and highlights of the other 3
games in the USA. We work it very well
to our advantage.
But, for now and to answer my own questions,
I’m gonna say no; with the amount of attacking midfield & wing talent we
have I think it’s a bit of a waste to have more than there should be sat on the
bench. I’d go something like…
Fluid 4-4-1-1:
____________________Aguero____________________
_____________________Jesus____________________
Sane_________D. Silva_______De Bruyne____B. Silva
Danilo___________________________________Walker
______________Stones_______Kompany___________
____________________Ederson___________________
But Pep knows best of
course and I’m sure it’ll be a system that’ll work very well - and that I’ll get used to – especially when
we get Mendy in the team.
Result?
I think we’ll face a very excited & loud home crowd and a team full of
built-up adrenaline. Back in the top division for the first time since 1983; at
home, chosen as a televised game and against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City -
how could anyone connected with Brighton & Hove Albion NOT be up for this one?!
They’ll have a go at us and I think the first
20 minutes or so will be played at a frenetic pace! They might even take a shock lead.
But regardless of whether the game will burst
into life at 5:30pm (BST) or is, less
likely, played cautiously by both sides; we have such amazing quality and
control of our own energies & ‘pace of games’ that over the whole 90+
minutes, I think we’ll have way too much for the home side. This is a City win
for me and it could, eventually, be
by quite a number of goals…
Last
season’s, corresponding prediction and result…
Prediction:
N/A
Result:
N/A
Expected weather conditions during
the game: Overcast and with a brisk, Westerly breeze, which might affect any high balls played. But a dry and reasonably warm 68F should make it a very pleasant feel for all in attendance.
Footy’s back!
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