I dont want to sound like Im talking shit becasue I am not and I have much respect for Pep and what MC have accomplished recently. But that team on the field looks a shade of years past. The back 4 is vey worrisome IMO. Seeing Sterling central and no Silva and no Aguero as well....looks very different.
Agreed man, it is not talking $hit. Just more of stating the obvious.
Eric Garcia has one eye out the door, and is moving to Barca in the coming days (allegedly). He looks a great prospect, but is too small and too slow to play week in and week out at one the best clubs in the world. Barca seem to think different.
Mendy looked awful, and who knows what Pep will do moving forward with the LB position. Possibly play Cancelo at his unnatural position or give Zinchenko a few games.
Mendy was bought because of his crossing abilities and pace, but he is so easily exposed by good counter attacking teams his pros do not outweigh his cons at this time.
Ake looked fine, but he is still getting his feet wet in a new system with a new manager.
Walker has been a very good player for the club, but he was not very good yesterday either.
Lastly, the two biggest difference between this version of City's defense and the team that won back to back titles, and were arguably the greatest English club team ever is Kompany and Fernandinho.
1. Kompany was everything to this club. Captain, leader, coach on the field, just everything. They have not come close to replacing him, and may never replace him sadly.
2. Fernandinho is no longer young/quick enough to play CDM, and Rodri has been nowhere near good enough of a replacement for Fernandinho. Again Rodri is young and may get better, but he was exposed terribly yesterday by one of the best counter attacking teams in the world, and I'm finding it hard to believe it is going to get better quickly.
I am excited to see what Ruben Dias brings to the defense.
