Friday, 11 August 2017

An early, potential banana skin?




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 Mari                              -           Loaned to NAC Breda 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.
Bersant Celina                        -           Loaned to Ipswich Town for ROS.
Bruno Zuculini                         -           Released.
Manu Garcia Alonso               -           Loaned to NAC Breda for ROS.
Olivier Ntcham                        -           Sold to Celtic for an initial fee of £4.25M
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.
Nolito                                       -           Sold to Sevilla for an initial fee of £7.9M
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____________________




__________D. Silva_____________De Bruyne_______


Danilo_______________Toure_______________Walker



________Otamendi___Kompany___Stones__________




____________________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


Footy’s back!


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