Kevin de Bruyne

[Parky 739]

I initially believed KBD's transfer was a huge error on Jose's part but after reading Jose's comments about why he let KDB leave than it makes perfect sense. KDB believed he should be a regular starting XI player even though he was a young unproven player in the PL.

Don't get me wrong this guy can become a great and often greats have massive egos but he if goes to City than it may be a 50-50 chance of either greatness of flop.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

Game 1 Pokal Cup KdB 1 Goal 2 assists ...

[Neira 19]

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/458284/Exclusive-Manchester-City-expect-Kevin-De-Bruyne

[Fernando 6,375]

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/458284/Exclusive-Manchester-City-expect-Kevin-De-Bruyne

Good I hope it happens.

Don't think he will be that good in the EPL but if he does then it will just be a lesson learned to be more patient next time.

I mean we tried to make it work with Torres for many years but cannot gamble on younger players?

[Pizy 17,860]

Will be a brilliant signing for City. Aguero, Silva, Sterling, and De Bruyne in the front 4 with Yaya behind them. By far the best attack in England.

They'd still be vulnerable in central midfield and defense but will it really matter with the state of defending in the PL? Don't think so. Can't see any defense being able to stop that attack.

Hurts to say but I'd be pretty jealous if they line up with that array of talent.

[Billy. 2,739]

if he joins in time he will score against us

[Pizy 17,860]

if he joins in time he will score against us

Nailed on.

[ItalianBlues 16]

I think it's a very good player, but we will see what it do in Champions League

[OneMoSalah 8,611]

Will be a brilliant signing for City. Aguero, Silva, Sterling, and De Bruyne in the front 4 with Yaya behind them. By far the best attack in England.

They'd still be vulnerable in central midfield and defense but will it really matter with the state of defending in the PL? Don't think so. Can't see any defense being able to stop that attack.

Hurts to say but I'd be pretty jealous if they line up with that array of talent.

Wouldn't say they need attacking players though like you highlighted, they are doing what we did when we kept buying attacking players: Mata, Marin, De Bruyne, Oscar, Schurrle, Willian in so many windows when we really lacked a top midfielder to solidify the team. They still lack a another center back and another central midfielder. They can score as many goals as they want but they will concede especially when you consider Sterling and Silva will definitely play and they are very lazy off the ball. Toure is clearly one of those guys who can make the difference but doesn't always do the work he should. Even then they have Nasri as well who has never been the sort of guy to do that either.

In contrast, Barcelona have some front three but they are so good and balanced in midfield and defence too. Rakitic-Busquets-Iniesta very solid and dependable midfield in front of a back four that has improved after a few dismal campaigns where they looked weak.

Football is about balance as much as anything these days. If you can't defend your going to concede silly goals and lose points. City are like Arsenal in the way they will play this one style stubbornly because they believe it's the right way but you can't play like that 38 games a season, they don't have the right balance in their team in my opinion so I think we are still favorites because we can play like we did in the second half of the season last year and grind games out.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Aguero

Silva - KDB - Sterling

Yaya - x

Amazing, not going to lie.

[Pizy 17,860]

Wouldn't say they need attacking players though like you highlighted, they are doing what we did when we kept buying attacking players: Mata, Marin, De Bruyne, Oscar, Schurrle, Willian in so many windows when we really lacked a top midfielder to solidify the team. They still lack a another center back and another central midfielder. They can score as many goals as they want but they will concede especially when you consider Sterling and Silva will definitely play and they are very lazy off the ball. Toure is clearly one of those guys who can make the difference but doesn't always do the work he should. Even then they have Nasri as well who has never been the sort of guy to do that either.

In contrast, Barcelona have some front three but they are so good and balanced in midfield and defence too. Rakitic-Busquets-Iniesta very solid and dependable midfield in front of a back four that has improved after a few dismal campaigns where they looked weak.

Football is about balance as much as anything these days. If you can't defend your going to concede silly goals and lose points. City are like Arsenal in the way they will play this one style stubbornly because they believe it's the right way but you can't play like that 38 games a season, they don't have the right balance in their team in my opinion so I think we are still favorites because we can play like we did in the second half of the season last year and grind games out.

As Liverpool proved just a couple of seasons ago, if you have a ridiculously good attack you can mask your defensive deficiencies. And there's no way City's defense will be as poor as Liverpool's was.

[iseah100 5,612]

Aguero

Silva - KDB - Sterling

Yaya - x

Amazing, not going to lie.

Ridiculous.

[OneMoSalah 8,611]

As Liverpool proved just a couple of seasons ago, if you have a ridiculously good attack you can mask your defensive deficiencies. And there's no way City's defense will be as poor as Liverpool's was.

Yes but did they win the league? Or any trophies? No and they didn't because they eventually came up against teams (ourselves and Palace) who knew they were good offensively but lacked balance and picked them off. City won't win the league unless they strengthen in the middle of the park at least and possibly another center back.

[Pizy 17,860]

Yes but did they win the league? Or any trophies? No and they didn't because they eventually came up against teams (ourselves and Palace) who knew they were good offensively but lacked balance and picked them off. City won't win the league unless they strengthen in the middle of the park at least and possibly another center back.

Liverpool didn't win the league because they had an incompetent manager and an embarrassingly bad defense that crumbled when the pressure was on.

[Jase 43,479]

Aguero

Silva - KDB - Sterling

Yaya - x

Amazing, not going to lie.

Looks great - on paper.

Aguero seems to be getting a lot of injuries these days.

Silva is still good but isn't getting any younger.

Will De Bruyne be able to adapt to the demands of the Premier League?

Sterling is still young and erratic right now.

Toure blows hot and cold and if his age is anything to go by, he's already past his best.

On top of that, none of the players above are really hard workers and teams can easily take advantage of that if they play their cards right.

[Jase 43,479]

Liverpool didn't win the league because they had an incompetent manager and an embarrassingly bad defense that crumbled when the pressure was on.

You kinda just repeated what Ryan said and besides, Pellegrini is an incompetent manager as well. He doesn't how to organise a team properly and seems clueless when the pressure is on.

[OneMoSalah 8,611]

Liverpool didn't win the league because they had an incompetent manager and an embarrassingly bad defense that crumbled when the pressure was on.

Embarrassingly bad defense, incompetent manager... sounds similar to City.

City can have all the attacking riches in the world but again they have an incompetent manager (in my eyes, Pellegrini is like Rodgers and Wenger, believes you should only be able to play one way and should always try to play this tippy tappy football) and lack balance in midfield and have 2 major holes in their defense (partner for Kompany and Clichy).

Signing Sterling and trying to get De Bruyne just papers over the cracks, they've lost 2 strikers, signed an average midfielder to boost their HG quota, still need a partner for Kompany and have a really noticeable weakness in Clichy at LB.

They didn't win the league because they didn't score enough goals last year, they lost the league because they kept conceding goals and kept playing this same way despite it not working.

On paper it looks good for City with Aguero, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling and Toure.. but a clever man once said in an interview..

"They were fantastic and they scored a lot of goals and the goals were coming from every position and they score and they score and they score, but they never conceded goals, because no goal.'

“Again, the international board told them 'I'm sorry, you can't be champions because football is with two goals'.”

I still have us as favorites.

De Bruyne will cost them a bomb as well, which FFP surely has to do something with it considering they just paid 49M for Sterling.

[iseah100 5,612]

Embarrassingly bad defense, incompetent manager... sounds similar to City.

City can have all the attacking riches in the world but again they have an incompetent manager (in my eyes, Pellegrini is like Rodgers and Wenger, believes you should only be able to play one way and should always try to play this tippy tappy football) and lack balance in midfield and have 2 major holes in their defense (partner for Kompany and Clichy).

Signing Sterling and trying to get De Bruyne just papers over the cracks, they've lost 2 strikers, signed an average midfielder to boost their HG quota, still need a partner for Kompany and have a really noticeable weakness in Clichy at LB.

They didn't win the league because they didn't score enough goals last year, they lost the league because they kept conceding goals and kept playing this same way despite it not working.

On paper it looks good for City with Aguero, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling and Toure.. but a clever man once said in an interview..

I still have us as favorites.

De Bruyne will cost them a bomb as well, which FFP surely has to do something with it considering they just paid 49M for Sterling.

Kolarov is their starting lb, no? But i agree.