29 Jul 2019 16:30:57
Origi has scored some important goals but is an average striker. Brewster is a massive talent and will be a future starter and star but needs time and minutes around the front 3 to learn and develop. Shaqiri is hot and cold but something doesn't feel 100% with the fella and I sense Klopp isn't sure. AOC is coming back from a serious injury and has had the odd recovery niggle in pre season. Salah and Bobby are only just coming back and will need at least 2 week away and minutes to get near prime fitness. Mane isn't even due back for 2 weeks.

With all the will in the world, how can we be confident of any kind of early showing in the season that is only days away? I'm not even saying that a signing would help as they need to be taught the ways of the Klopp. We have a tired and unprepared front 3 with average and not 100% trusted back ups, I think Top 5 after 5 games is a fair target. We can't realistically expect to be top or even top 3.

{Ed025's Note - i cant argue with any of that BG..

1.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 16:44:55
Good call BG and I also agree on top 5 after 5 game's personally I'd take that all day long.

2.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 16:51:42
What happens if Aguero or Sterling get injured for City?

City realy on those 2 players to get to the 20 goal mark each.

To many ifs and buts from our fans.

{Ed0333's Note - they’ll go out and buy a world class striker probably in January.

3.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 16:56:42
Our frontline back ups last year were origi, Shaq and Sturridge, and we still had a pretty decent season. No player good enough to start every game will come in to start a low percentage of games, ed001 has intimated that this is the reason we're struggling to get players in, coupled with the fact we're struggling to move some others on.

4.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 17:11:28
I all honesty who cares about our league position after 5 games, all that matters is our league position after 38 games.

5.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 17:08:20
Ed0333, as it is Pep cannot keep his City squad happy when it comes to minutes on the pitch.

They are bound to lose Sane replacements for Sane not going to sign for City to sit on the bench either.

There is a reason they have not been active in the market other than signing Fernandinho's replacement.

{Ed0333's Note - I appreciate you’re sentiments. But in my opinion it’s not hard to find good players who will take a mega wage and be happy to sit on the bench. If you dangle a sweet enough carrot someone will bite.

6.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 17:33:10
I agree with you BG - starting the season without our front three (and Alisson) fully prepared is a worry, as while I really like Origi and Brewster there’s a clear drop off in quality.

On the other hand, if you view the Charity Shield and Supercup as just bonus games, then the only PL match between now and the 17th is Norwich, which we should hopefully still have enough firepower to win. If we win that and use the cups to get our front three full match fit for the 17th, we may not necessarily have as bad a start as current form suggests.

{Ed0333's Note - I think this notion we will have a bad start is absurd. It’s panty wetting for no good reason. If we can’t beat Norwich and Southampton without one or two of Mané, Bobby and Mo then I’m sorry we don’t deserve the points. These panicking Pete’s forget we beat Barcelona 4-0 without Salah and Bobby...come on people have a slice of perspective pie please.

7.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:09:10
I doubt City in are a position to just sign players for the sake of substituting wages for playing time Ed0333 otherwise you would have seen City making singings other than a replacement for Fernandinho oh and that fullback who they resigned who most likely won't even see a starting place.

Sane wants to leave because he ain't first choice.

{Ed0333's Note - for every Sane that wants playing time there’s another mercenary who won’t mind sitting on the bench mate. I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one mate.

8.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:21:05
This squad will not be together forever. It’s a brilliant XI. Why not fight to win every competition? Why not strengthen from a position of strength? No one knows if we will able to keep the core next year. Life happens. Hope this window is not a missed opportunity.

{Ed0333's Note - maybe players were targeted and wanted assurances of playing time?

9.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:22:04
Yeah Ed0333, then who will Pep sign to replace an injured Aguero to fill in for him for 2 or 3 games at 150 million and at the same wages as Aguero? Aguero will be on holiday afterwards.

Yes like Sanchez at UTD who does not even know what he is even doing at Old toilet but earning a pot load of wages. They have no plan for him.

Just sign replacements for the sake of them your current regulars 'getting injured'.

{Ed0333's Note - I’m sure someone like Dembele et al would come to City for astronomical wages with a view to deputizing for Aguero who misses more than 3 games a season on average. Also Aguero has arguably one more season left at city’s main striker so I’m sure there looking for a replacement.

10.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:26:00
So you are suggesting Sane is a mercenary?

{Ed0333's Note - Not all I’m suggesting the complete anthesis.

11.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:37:23
Pep signed Jesus. To do what?

Sit on the bench? Why did Pep sign Sane? Also to sit on the bench?

Players nowadays get promised the world, earn big and are misinformed and made promises and then stuck with a massive contract with many little clubs being able to afford them.

Do you understand that?

12.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:50:24
Some fans argue that:
1. We don't need any 1st team signing. Ox and Keita are like 'new signings'.
My concern: Ox injury history is really scary.
In 13-14: Missed 34 games
In 14-15: Missed 20 games
In 15-16: Missed 19 games
Missed the entire 18-19 season.

No doubt on his ability, but he's injury prone.

2. "There is no room for any first team player. We don't need an unhappy player. Look at Sane at Man City. "
My Opinion: What's the big deal, if Sane is unhappy or wants to leave? They have won back to back premier league with that unhappy player. Winning the league - that's the big deal in my opinion.

13.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:10:16
So we all agree that the 6 players to cover the front 3 are weaker now that at the start of last season. That’s not even allowing for the main 3 being weeks away from being close to match fit. Yes, we have the best front 3 in the world when fit, but we are clutching at straws for a decent 6.

We also agree that the 8 that cover the back 4 are weaker now than at the start of last season. Yes, we have a pretty Stellar back 4, but as an 8, we are weaker.

We are not in a position to spend and it’s hard to get players in who won’t start. All understandable and nothing different to what the Ed’s have said.

A weaker 14 across defence and midfield and a more tired main front 3 than ever before at the start of a season.

Top 5 after 5 is more than fair. I’m not sure I really read someone say, it doesn’t matter where we are after 5 games. That’s a terrible attitude, we need to be in the mix and fighting at the top after 5. Is it acceptable that City, Arsenal or god forbid United were at the top with say 13-15 points and we were in 5th on 8-9? Totally fine that we would be 2 wins and a draw off top after only 5? That would be a disaster for a team with so much expectation who thrive on momentum.

Looking at our fixtures, we need to be top 3 within 5 and a max of 3pts off the top because I think there will be two teams that are pushing City all the way this year and we can’t get left behind due to unfit players and inadequate replacements. In Klopp we trust but how we start this season will tell us a lot about how good the guy is at getting the best out of the cards he’s dealt.

14.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 18:37:13
Do you think we are done then Ed0333 in the window?

{Ed0333's Note - No mate I don’t I think we’re done I think we’ll sign one at least.

15.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:01:57
Spot on, Max. Ed033, the issue with Pep and City is that there aren't that many mercenaries in football now, IMO. Top players or top talents right now, want to play every game in addition to having the paycheck to go with it. Gone are the days where players used to be happy being on the bench and stealing a living. No longer is that the case. If it was the case then why are Sane, Jesus, Gundogan and Mahrez (who are on serious wages) fed up with being on the bench half the time?

Dembele from say Lyon, will not come to sit on the bench behind Jesus (if Aguero were to leave) cos he is a starter at a CL team in Lyion and would not feel Jesus is better which IMO, he is not. And for the last time, comparing us to City is a misnomer. We are not them and we don't operate like them. They signed Sane and Sterling very young to replace the players that were leaving eventually. They were signed as competition, not depth. This is the false argument people keep making. we are not City and we never do what they do and people need to get over that.

{Ed0333's Note - Firstly mate I was talking about Dembele at Barca. Secondly are you really telling me there’s good players out there that won’t sit on a bench for £150K - £200K a week? I really really really beg to differ.

16.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:07:18
One Eyed Monster, first of all Sane wants to leave. 2nd of all, he is on a huge pay packet. 3rd, whoever wants to sign him is going to need to fork out big amounts of cash wages and fee plus agent fees etc etc etc.

The result is you have an unhappy player and can only replace him if another club which can afford him signs him.

Then City are still stuck with an unhappy player who wants to leave and cannot replace him unless another club which is able to afford him pays up the money.

Salah wants to go to Madrid but knows he will be fine and dandy if he stays at LFC. His position does not change unless his desired destination i. e. Madrid becomes available.

Sane is in a position where he wants to be first choice, will not be first choice at City and not many teams can afford him.

Spot the diffetence?

{Ed0333's Note - pray tell

17.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:15:19
You do realise first place is in the top 5 :)

18.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:24:39
Pray tell lol. Let's sign Pepe Ed0333 and make him sit on the bench when Mane, Salah and Firmino are fit.

We can tell Pepe to relax and wait for hos chance.

If you think Pepe, at his age, with many clubs after him is going to sign a contract with a club where he will not be first choice the you are living in la la land. I guess Pepe can always be used in midfield lol.

{Ed0333's Note - I’d use him as the back up keeper until Salah leaves because he’d do a better job than Migs. P

19.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:26:47
Ed033, my bad, re: Dembele. I thought you were referring to Lyon's Dembele cos he plays the same position as Aguero. As for your take that there are top players who will b happy being on the bench on 150k to 200k a week. If that is the case, then let me challenge you on that front. Name five of them that you think would do that and then we can discuss. I'll wait.

{Ed0333's Note - how can I give you 5 names of players without asking them? And I don’t wanna piss on you’re chips mate but I’m not friends with any top strikers in world football, in fact Im not friends with any strikers. I do however know about human nature and psychology and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that most people have their price and footballers aren’t the exception.

20.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:37:20
Once again, it doesn't matter where we are after 5 games, all that matters is where we are after 38 games.
It wouldn't matter if we were bottom of the league after 5 games so long as we are top after 8 games.
The only people who care about this are the people who will say that the league is gone as soon as we drop points.

21.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:50:54
Ed0333, point is, Pepe is not going to sing with LFC unless he is going to be a starter from the off, from the very start when he signs on the dotted line meaning he will take Salah's place and Salah will have to be on the bench.

You are living in La la land if you believe otherwise.

22.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 19:55:52
1st in in the Top 5? Since when? Urgh :)

Looks like we are breaking a record then Thunder as no team what were in the bottom 12 after 5 games have ever won the premier league or old first division. It may not be there be all and end all but it does matter and is very important for player psychology and team confidence.

This isn’t doom and gloom, this is a let’s stop fooling ourselves because we are ever so weaker now and the fitness of the front 3 will be below par for a little while. I haven’t even allowed for Allison to be less than perfect. It’s more of a “don’t expect too much with this squad in this condition” but we need to have one eye on the detrimental effect of us having a poor start and hoping the key players can claw back and push on later.

23.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 20:29:58
I hope your right Ed0333. Anything from your end mate on whom? Times ticking mate with just over a week left.

24.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 21:14:57
A player who will take mega money and just sit on a bench bale is a prime example

front players different to last season
We have only lost studge who lost his place to origi midway through last season so origi is better than last seasons studge so to me we have improved in strength

Back 4 is exactly the same only Matip ended the season much better than he started and displaced lovren as 1st choise sub and possibly pushing gomez for a start so if anything we are better in that area

Also we hadn't bedded fabinho into midfield till midseason

Imo we are going into this season stronger than the team who started last season yes some players coming back from international duty but that's all top teams having that issue.

25.) 29 Jul 2019
29 Jul 2019 22:00:33
Oh beckers stop talking nonsense. how is our back 8 weaker? How is our front 6 weaker? Just a bunch of jokes.

26.) 30 Jul 2019
30 Jul 2019 01:03:37
Liverpool will be joint top after 5 games on 15 points.

Norwich home
Southampton away
Arsenal home
Burnley away
Newcastle home

Not the wost set of fixtures to get the 3 musketers up to speed.

I say 3 points from all 5 games because its a must. Man city's first 11 games up until they play us at anfield aren't the worst they could be either. Its going to be another nail biter this season. Due to the club world cup we are going to be the ones playing catch up come the turn of the year.

I think liverpool will be even more hungry and focused this season. With the same amount of luck here and there and not to many injuries to the key few we should be there or there abouts again.

All we need is a good start until everyone coming back gets fully match fit.

Liverpool are a different animal we the front 3 are playing. If they all stay injury free for the most part along with alisson and van dijk we will challenge.

If not city may win it at a canter because at the moment we are the only team that look close to them.

Spurs have a chance if erikson and toby stay. Or if they do leave replace them with quality additions. Spurs have by far the tougher first 10 games out of the 3.