2-new additions to our squad – here’s what I think.
Firstly, what kept irritating me as the links with this young Spaniard got stronger and stronger, was the number of pundits an’ the like who kept referring to him as being…’a replacement for Leroy Sane’. Hey?! You only need a computer or whatever and a very small amount of time to find out that Ferran is largely a right winger…and you only need a memory to recall that Leroy was…not.
Now, of course, he comes with the label, something like, ‘…can also play on the left’, or whatever AND, I’m sure, the plan is to coach him to become, perhaps, a more-rounded player; enabling him to play on the left as easily as he does do on the right; as well as through the middle / ‘just off’.
But I just wanted to scream at these people every time ‘the replacement for…’ tag was mentioned…over and over and over again.
Huff…so, now that I’ve got that off my chest…
I really like the look of him – strong, fast, bags of skill ‘n’ tricks and loves to take on / beat his man (or men, as his videos do demonstrate).
And I’m not just saying this because the player himself has said that he admires and largely models himself on this player; but his style really does remind me of Cristiano Ronaldo. Well, I’m certainly not moaning if he turns out to be as good as…
He’s certainly not shy of saying what’s on his mind, which has been demonstrated of late; with a few ‘parting shots’ at some individuals as he left his clearly-beloved Valencia.
Apparently, he likes dogs.
Really good signing is this - £20.8M plus future add-ons is also a really good price these days for a clearly talented, 20-year old who has just signed a 5-year deal with us. Exciting times for him & us at City, I think. Bienvenidos.
Firstly, I’m just gonna ‘copy & paste’ what I put in a blog-posting a few months back…
Finally, in this category, a player who-it-feels-like has been linked with us before he was even born! Nathan Ake is his name. I like him…and I think Pep does, or would, too.
I cannot believe the Dutch international has only just turned 25-years of age in February – he seems to have been playing for 5 years longer than that!
Has spent his entire domestic career in England (tick). Has spent the majority of that time in the Premier League (tick). Has 13-full, international caps for the Netherlands (tick). He’s 25 (tick). His contract has only 2 years to run in June (tick). He can – and quite often has done – played at left-back as well as central defence (tick). He’s very calm and assured and also, just like Dan-Axel Zagadou, reminds me a little of Vincent Kompany (tick).
Now he is only 5’ 11” but, from what I’ve seen, he does ‘get up there’ when needed. Perhaps it’s not his biggest (no pun intended) quality but, then again, I don’t think it’s Pep’s number 1 priority in his central defenders either. Besides, for that side of the defending or attacking corners we have Laporte, Rodders & Fernandinho at least. Nathan is a player, though, I have seen Bournemouth thrown into the opposition box whenever they have a corner themselves, so he can’t be too ineffective in the air, can he?
I would be shocked if we didn’t put in a bid for the dreadlocked defender and, as it’s my last central defender entry; I’ll now say that I believe that we’ll attempt to sign 2 centre-halves in the summer and that Ake will be one attempt, at least. Why 2? Well, we already need to fill the gap left by Vinny and I can honestly see both Nicolas Otamendi & John Stones leaving us in a few months’ time.
Chances of making a bid: 10/10
All I’m gonna add to that is that I found it really quite laughable; the sheer number of pundits who were openly shocked at us signing the top-flight-experienced, international, ball-playing, versatile defender. Seriously, I don’t know if you heard but Jamie Carragher an’ the likes were lining up to scratch their collective, empty heads in confusion about us-possibly signing the Dutch, 25-year old.
Now I’m not saying that we don't still need a more-rough ‘n’ tumble, central defender competing for a place with Aymeric & Nathan – a defender who perhaps likes to get ‘stuck in’ and likes ‘aerial dules’ etc. I think we do. And, in sayin’ that, I think we might have one in Taylor Harwood-Bellis. But Nathan definitely adds some much-needed quality to our centre of defence and I, for one, am very happy to see him at City.
Thanks, as always, for taking the time to read.
No comments:
Post a Comment