I can't subscribe to not missing a quality player and Sane is a quality player. So are all the players you've listed but none of them can do what Sane does imo. Maybe Sterling but I dont feel he's as direct and doesn't have the same quality of strike. Likewise they all offer something he doesn't but Sane gives a way to win a game that City now don't have. Torres may well be a massive success though so it's a bit of an unknown.

I wasn't arguing that Sane isn't a loss of a talent, merely that we did without him for a whole season through injury. I loved watching play and will miss him but we have cover on the wing. The games where the team went walkabout (Norwich/Wolves etc) weren't because of poor play on the wing but a more general malaise. Any team would miss Sane's pace though, he was amazing, faster than Walker which is saying something.

comment by *Robbing Hoody - Clandestine Boat Pleb (U6374)
posted 4 hours, 15 minutes ago
Oh and Laporte.
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Can’t forget Laporte. He’s back from injury soon you know.

There was an intelligent debate taking place Neo, ask yourself how you add to that.

comment by bomdia (U13941)
posted 13 minutes ago
I wasn't arguing that Sane isn't a loss of a talent, merely that we did without him for a whole season through injury. I loved watching play and will miss him but we have cover on the wing. The games where the team went walkabout (Norwich/Wolves etc) weren't because of poor play on the wing but a more general malaise. Any team would miss Sane's pace though, he was amazing, faster than Walker which is saying something.
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Yeah Im a huge fan. Mad balance for such a tall guy and can go either way. Imagine playing right back against him and Davies.

All this Messi speculation is fun & I'm sure most fans would want him playing for their team.

A couple of things though, because he has a conviction for tax fraud there is NO guarantee he would get a work permit to play in UK.

His attitude stinks, he often acts like a petulant child and is unwilling/unable to track back and do his defensive duties. Great if the ball is going forward, often a liability when it's going the other way.

Can also be a disruptive influence in the dressing room which brings disharmony to the team.

Holds far too much influence at the club. FFS, what did he threaten Barcelona with to get that 'leave for free' clause into his contract?

I agree that he has had too much power at Barca but that would not be the same at City for a number of reasons. Firstly the board are not up for election every few years so don't need fans backing in the same way, secondly Pep is more experienced now than he was when at Barca and tends to stop any nonsense pretty early, thirdly Messi although still a great player is in the last years of his career.

I agree about his tracking back though, he seems to take the attitude that he has staff to do such things. Another concern is that he doesn't come to dominate the style of play like Sanchez and Ozil did at Arsenal where absolutely everything went through them. City don't play that way at their best. Putting two players on KDB simply freed up Merlin (Foden in the future I guess), marking him tight as well simply gave more space on the wings etc. I don't want a team where the ethos is 'give it to Messi'.

But that's what Messi is all about.

Just see how team harmony drops if Messi doesn't get golden chances handed to him on a plate from the lesser players like Sterling & KDB.

Personally I would steer well clear if Liverpool were being linked, but, it's Messi so many will disagree with me.

Also, with some of the cloggers in Pulis & Dyche type teans, he'd probably want out after a couple of weeks.

I can understand the perception, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest it’s false one as well though.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a great signing in terms of improving our chances of winning more trophies. As a fan though, I don’t particularly care about that, I’d give that up very easily just to watch Messi week in week out for a couple of seasons. The issue is we can’t even do
that at the minute though!

Is actually any evidence for this idea that Messi is bad for the dressing room?

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

From an England point of view I would love City to sign Messi. Having Foden watch and learn from him in training will be invaluable

It's rumoured Joe Hart was the unappointed dressing room spokesman and was immediately binned after Pep took charge.

I think Joe's view that any kick in the stadium was a good clearance and on the pitch was a bonus made that easy for Pep! I did like Joe as a stopper though but when you have Ederson you see the difference in the way we play. IF (big if) Messi comes I trust that Pep would get the best out of him and as a City fan to see him on the pitch would be incredible.

Garcia has confirmed he wants to leave, cash in now if Barca still want him.

Messi had his yearly tantrum. Anybody really believe his lawyers were unaware of the June 10th cut off for his release fee?

It was they who drew the bloody contract up in the first place.

Messi is a big baby.