Realistically huge swaths of the City team would start for us. Whether we'd want them to sign is another issue (attitude, cost etc). Zabaleta for example would instantly improve us, as would say Fernando, Fernandinho, Nasri, Kompany.. even Demichelis. EDIT: On Jovetic... he's all style and little substance so far - City was the wrong move for him to prove himself. Could he do it here - maybe... but I doubt he'll want to stay in England at all.
Our summer budget has to go on improving our weaknesses first and foremost. Another good all round midfielder (but never excelling at anything) isn't what we need. That's what Henderson does. A more expensive and older alternative to him isn't going to move us up the table and playing the two together won't win us games since they're too limited. Are the people who still rate Kompany so highly the same people who rated the 'immense' Yaya Toure prior to the now quite common media thought train that he's lazy when it comes to anything other than the occasional run forward? Kompany is going downhill (has been for better part of 12 months) now but his shouting and blaming of other players disguises his faults nicely. He's good, but not the outstanding CB in the league he was. Plenty of City players are fantastic, but not necessarily the 'big names'. Fernando was brilliant before his move to the PL - he'd be a great DM for a team who'll play him consistently.
Kompany is going down hill but he's still better than we currently have. Were not going to sign him though, the whole topic is make belief lol
Today's a good chance to see Janmaat, who we've been linked with. Usually a RB - playing CB today it seems. Brendan will be sweating already.
Most teams in the league have better than we have...we had to play a back 5 and a midfielder there to find any success. Kompany is good, but there are better in the league although imo the standard of CB in the league is lower than it's been for years.
Would anyone take Benteke? Not the most ideal striker for us but effective and offers something we've not got (that Mario and Lambo were meant to offer but more)
Would he fit in?.............not sure He's got goals in him and we could get him from Villa if we wanted him
When our options looked limited last summer (and after RHC's mate said we were looking to sign someone from the Pl who's name began with a B) he was the one I said we should go for. I think he is a quality player and prefer him to Lukaku (check back to last year's comments) but not convinced he fits our style.
Benteke is awesome. Seriously awesome. Quick, powerful. His free kick goal last week was mind blowing. I think whether he fits in would depend on what system we used him in. in a 41212 or 3412 he could work very well. He's far from a Suarez but he would give a strong centre piece to our attack that Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho can play off. He deserves so much better than Aston Villa and would only do better with a better team around him.
I like Benteke, i liked Heskey, liked Drogba, i likes a big powerhouse up top i does (Whispered) i even likes Lukaku !
EXCLUSIVE: Man City consider stunning swoop for former Chelsea and Liverpool boss MANCHESTER CITY are considering a stunning move for Rafa Benitez. By Jeremy Cross, Chief Sports Writer / Published 13th April 2015 Manuel Pellegrini is facing a losing battle to keep his job at the Etihad following a woeful run of six defeats in the last eight games. The pressure on Pellegrini increased in the wake of his side's crushing 4-2 derby defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is expected to axe Pellegrini at the end of the season and ex-Liverpool and Chelsea boss Benitez has emerged as shock contender to replace him. The Spaniard is coming to the end of his contract at Napoli and has decided to leave the Italian outfit this summer. It is understood City chiefs are now looking into the option of offering Benitez a short-term deal with the champions. please log in to view this image WANTED: Man City may swoop for Rafael Benitez [GETTY] Pep Guardiola remains the board's No.1 choice to replace Pellegrini, but it remains to be seen if he is willing to leave Bayern Munich. The former Barcelona boss has one more season left on his contract and could make City wait until 2016 before considering a switch to the Premier League giants. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is also on the club's shortlist of targets but there are no guarantees he will leave the Bernabeu this summer. Patrick Vieira, who is in charge of City's elite development squad, is highly-regarded and being groomed as a boss of the future, but would be considered a risk if he was offered the job now. It means the billionaires could now decide to hand Benitez a 12-month deal and the chance to take the team forward, instead of sticking with Pellegrini. He took on a similar role at Chelsea in 2012 when he became interim manager and led the Blues to the Europa League title. Benitez, who has won two trophies during his spell in Naples, won the Champions League in 2005 with Liverpool and the FA Cup the following season before leaving Anfield in 2010. The 54-year-old still owns a house on Merseyside and has made no secret of his desire to work in the Premier League again if he is given the chance. Meanwhile, England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has stuck the boot into City when they're down and labelled his bitter-rivals lazy. Rooney reckons some of Pellegrini's superstar flops can't be bothered to defend and said: "We know some of the City players are not the best at getting back and defending and tracking runners and we felt we could make them pay for that - which we have done,
Wouldn't have Benteke - inconsistent. Certainly talented but feel there are better players available. We need a front line striker who fits our Plan A first and foremost. Squad players or Plan B's are not what's needed this summer.
i know benteke got a bad injury but his record before and after it at villa is a guy who wakes up and scores enough to get by. has he given a full season to anyone yet? i mean his streaks suggest a 25 goal man but his record suggests a streaky layer at best. mind you the reality is rooney is similar for utd he's really only has 1/2 seasons where he's delivered all year.
i think it'd take 2 years to get city right but i reckon he'd put them up there.... but if its just to keep a seat warm for a joker like vieira i'd laugh in their face
I suggested Rafa was being touted on the Rival Watch thread on Sunday, I think Diego or UIR was the only one to respond with laughter. Rafa would certainly sort out the aged dross they have and trim the squad.
everyone knows that rafa can organise a team but he likes a deal too so you'd wonder what he'd do that pelligrini can't. I honestly think city need to bite the bullet and get yaya and kompany gone. I feel as though they need to go for team and no better way to do that than promote from within. DO they have a scrap of talent in that underage system? I think not.
I like a big brutal striker to but a lot of the other players we have dont suit that kind of player. Coutinho, Sterling and Henderson like forward runners. But a few could love a big man to target. Markovic, Moreno, and I feel Sturridge is better witha partner who allows him to roam a bit. A centre piece to play off.
not for me thanks... big = immobile.. slow.... playing of a cetnre peice = hoof ball. Give me mobile players any day. Origi is enough of a unit coming in to sate this 80s throw back desire.
