You think Our defense last season will be strong against Premier League clubs? When teams like Stoke and Palace and throwing multi millions on players? I'd hate to see a decent world class winger run at Whittaker. Or a Lukaku or Bony against Martin? Our defense was decent in the Championship. The Premiership is an even more aggressive beast than the last time we were there. The money has gone mental.
There's a lot of ground between "very weak" and "strong". Of course, relative to the bigger teams our defence isn't particularly strong but I don't think it's any worse than most others in the bottom half. I'd obviously welcome improvements if it's a possibility but I don't think it's as vital as you believe it to be.
Completely indefensible. On another note, I read some interesting comments by someone who watches a lot of Serie A earlier. Supposedly Nagatomo really only works as a wingback in a 3 at the back system. Apparently his dribbling, and positioning isn't good enough, and he's lacking in height and strength. His only plus is his very high work rate. Alonso would be the better option, but he'd be looking to start regularly rather than be a squad player.
I will take retaliation to my opinions. I won't to a computer editing what I wrote to a typo. My point is valid. no matter what country edits me
A 28 year old with over 100 appearances for Inter Milan is probably on a different level to us in terms of issues. When they complain about a Left Back its because he's not Jordi Alba, I'm guessing that's still better than Garridoand potentially Olsson.
I see Watford made their 10th signing. Not sure overhauling the team that got you promoted is a good thing, you'll lose the team spirit and momentum/adrenaline you get when going up. Which is why I'm not panicking over the lack of signings, I believe the togetherness and team spirit will get us through this season and the fact AN will get the best out of the players and knows what he is doing.
Most if not all managers ''big up'' or talk good about the opposition, never get why many people complain when CH does it, better than getting them worked up and motivating the other team.
I think we had a more solid squad base too. There's little drop off in the quality of our players as you go through. One of the advantages of having spent 3 of the last 4 years in the PL. You rarely if ever see a PL team however bad they've been The previous season buying double figure new players.
The likes of Stoke and Palace spending multi millions don't bother me at all at the stupid prices people pay now you just get an average ball kicker for £5 million A well motivated solid team with an instinct to attack will do ok and if it don't then fine another year of ripping up the CCC and lots of dosh to make our club safe is fine
It was an Italian Norwich fan, rather than an Inter fan. I'm not saying he's a league one player, but it's interesting that he rated Alonso more highly. And FML, that was completely meant in jest, apologies.
We will never be able to compete with the big boys in terms of ability alone. We never have. What we have done in the past is to work more effectively as a team to achieve 'synergy', where the team effectiveness is greater than a mere sum of individual players' ability. I actually think this is the strongest City squad I can remember in over 40 years, with currently 20 players with PL experience and a manager who is very capable of working out just how to achieve that synergy. His approach to and handling of the pre-season has been excellent, building both team spirit and physical endurance in the players.
Just a note to KIO: American usage is defence, whereas defense is a French spelling. For historical reasons related to the US alliance with the French against the British in the revolutionary war and the later war of 1812, the French spelling was adopted for the Department of Defense, but to my knowledge, that is the only time the French spelling is used in the US. The ****ing Yanks may be committing other sins against English, but defence isn't one of them!
Not that I want to make the thread veer further off-topic, but bemoaning the Yanks for 'bastardising' the English language is stupid. If you do that, we should be equally bemoaned for 'bastardising' Norse, German, French, etc etc etc
