Thursday 26 July 2018

The fresh, the not-so and the…


…downright exhausted!

 

Okay, so they’re highly paid, very fit athletes who have all the best training, physios, nutritionists, medical care and facilities money can buy.

 

But after such a long, long season in 4 cup competitions followed by a World Cup for many, even the cold-hearted must be able to see that we, like many other top Premier League sides, are going to have players who will need extra rest / recovery time and a ‘gentle touch’ as the domestic season begins.

 

Here’s my look at who might fall into what category…


The fresh


Those who have already started in the pre-season tour, are probably in pre-season training and who should be a contender for the Community Shield v Chelsea on 5th August / should definitely be ready for the start of our season away at Arsenal on 12th August:

Note: Those in italic are less likely to be in Pep’s plans for most Premier League games this season / will possibly see more domestic cup action if not loaned out.



New signing, Claudio Gomes
New signing, Riyad Mahrez


The not-so fresh



Those who might be fit / fresh enough to start the Premier League season; might even get a run-out in the Community Shield but will likely do so having not played in any pre-season games / just training back home in hot & sunny Manchester:







The exhausted

 



Finished the season as a regular for us and was so too for Belgium, who lasted to the 2nd-last game in the World Cup. With the need to wrap him in cotton wool anyway, I think him-missing the start of the season would be a good thing both for the player himself and for us in the long run.


Similar to Vinny, John has a tendency to be a little bit fragile at times and had a long World Cup too; finishing the same time as our skipper.


Not so fragile but did pick up a niggle towards the end of our Premier League winning campaign. Also lasted until the near-end of the World Cup.



If we want to see a fresh & firing Kevin again this season coming then I think it’ll be wise to give this fella some extra recovery time after a long season & World Cup also.


For Fabian, read John Stones. Some sleepless nights too, perhaps, with his new arrival…


An almost ever present last season for City and with World Cup appearances also; I think the 33-year old and City would benefit from his boss finding someone to help fill his position early on in the season at least.


Crackin’ season for club last season and then some much-undeserved criticism from some quarters in the World Cup. He might not like / want to sit out the Community Shield or the start of the season and seeing Riyad Mahrez taking his place for more reasons than one (one of those being that it will fuel even more ‘Sterling bashing’ in the form of, “Is this the end for Raheem at City?”). However, I think, for similar reasons to some of the above, he would benefit greatly from additional rest and being out of the limelight for a slightly longer time. Then he can shut up some of the critics and come back firing; helping his squad-colleagues to even more glory.

Strongest side to face Arsenal in ‘the opener’ IF none of those in the last category were available and IF the ‘not-so fresh’ were only ready for the bench?


Fluid 4-1-4-1:

____________________Aguero____________________






Sane____________________________________Mahrez

____________Foden___________B. Silva____________


___________________Gundogan___________________


Mendy____________________________________Danilo

_____________Laporte_____Humphreys____________




___________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Bravo, Otamendi, Adarabioyo, Zinchenko, D. Silva, Diaz, Jesus.

I still say that’s a strong, creative & dangerous side from Gundogan upwards, with the added threat from Mendy on the left too. But it would lack ‘the glue’ & real craft in the heart of that midfield with both David & Kevin out.

The defence would, in this scenario, leave me a little jittery and if we were in the universe where this ‘freshness theory’ became reality, then I could see the start of our season ending in a 3-3 thriller!

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