What to do with Bony?

The poor sap is injured. His time with us has been difficult with injuries.

But, in this day of requiring immediate returns, are his day numbered?

Surely we can't take the risk and not buy someone in January. Aguero has injuries every season that keep him out for plenty of games. I reckon he misses at least 10 league games every season.

Bony, especially when injured himself, isn't an adequate replacement.

But who'd want to come and sit on the bench until Aguero is injured? Who'd be good enough to be an adequate replacement when that time comes?

Should we be looking at a big fish in a small pond again?

Aguero's league appearances for us have been:
34, 30, 23, 33

Please no one say Berahino or Ibrahimovic.

Ok, i'll go for the obvious....Harry Kane. He's young, English and scores goals...whether we'd go for him or indeed get him is a completely different kettle o fish though.

One things for certain, City NEED to get another striker. Although come January, all the strikers should be back fit n well, so MP may not think we need one.

Big conundrum.

MP has clearly worked out that playing a 4-4-2 doesn't work, therefore, we've seen the 4-2-3-1 this season.

When Sergio is fit, he's the number one striker, simple as. IF, he was to miss 5-10 PL games per season, we'd be buying a striker to play 5-10 PL per season - IF, they stay fit.
That rules out Kane.

Unless we bought Suarez, Neymar or ladyboy....nobody else in world football is better than Aguero....OK, maybe Lewandowski this season, but he won't come to City either (unless Pep comes and convinces him to follow)...but then, you're back to the "who plays, him or Aguero as we only play with one striker?"

So, for me, it's a tricky one. Bony was clearly to play 2nd fiddle to Aguero, but now he's injured again.

For me, yes, we need another striker in Jan anyway, regardless, as having only 3 strikers to start the season was poor planning IMO, but they will have to be happy sitting on the bench for long periods on the PL season or making FA/C1C appearances - and that rules out the big names.

What I see wrong with this team so far, is the lack of goal-contributions from TLMLF, Navas, Silva and Nasri.

Sterling and KDB have chipped in, so has Fernandinho, but TLMLF is not deserving of his place at the moment.

I wouldn't be too worried with Kelechi up top, if TLMLF was dropped for Silva.

Hart
Sagna/Zab, Vinny, Manga/Ota, Kolorov/Clichy
Fernandinho
Navas, Silva, KDB, Sterling
Kelechi

Come January, we do need a striker, but it'll be another bench warmer until a world class striker decides to leave a big club in the summer.

blueboy wrote:For me, yes, we need another striker in Jan anyway, regardless, as having only 3 strikers to start the season was poor planning IMO

Really? If the plan is to play 4-2-3-1, then three strikers is more than adequate. You should only need two, really, as one would always be stand-in for the other. We don't need four strikers. We just need one who can stay fit.

That's the problem Leo. We started with Aguero, Bony and a 19yr old kid.

Aguero, as mentioned, never manages to complete a full season, so we are relying on Bony staying fit for long periods of the season and 'hoping' that Kelechi is a suitable back-up to both of them. I think he is, but we didn't know that at the start of the summer.

We knew Bony had problems in Feb/Mar/Apr/May - he also contracted malaria. That would surely have raised concerns - add to that the ACON he was returning from and wouldn't be available in Jan/Feb 2016.

Austin should be cheap enough to cover 6 months certainly..
young enough and English.. gives us that extra option..

Austin was £15M last summer with only 12 months left on his contract. In January, I reckon he'd be available for £8M unless ether was a bidding war and he could always hold out for us and reject all other offers. Great choice for him. £120k+ per week, chance to play at the top end of the PL and he may even get some CL games.

Vardy wouldn't leave Leicester to play 2nd fiddle, though I reckon he could play wide instead of Sterling. His pace will slaughter defences, he knows where the net is and he can move to the middle if Aguero is injured.

Other than that, wait until the summer, but we definitely need someone in January.

Vardy would be a fantastic buy whatever system we play. Dunno how much he would cost & they obviously wouldn't be happy to sell. Probably 10-15 million more than the start of the season. If we dont go for him Chelski or the rags will.

Austin would also be a good bet. Probably would be more than happy with 2nd fiddle plus CC games & massive pay increase

I think i'm being a bit of a snob now....but i thought City were above buying players like Vardy n Austin now

Yes you are Den, but Vardy would be giving it his all for every single minute of every single game. That's what you want and don't get from Bony.

And Vardy is English which always helps with the quota.

Berahino would be £20+ mill
Vardy would be £20 mill
Austin £7 million
Kane would be £35+ mill (and will be going to the rags if he does leave spuds)

not really much around that we should be looking at..

I do feel Bony's chances could have been scuppered with this latest injury.. this was his big chance to come in and shine and he's not looked any better even with a run of games. Now he is injured again it's tough crappers..

nothing snobbish, just playing more intelligent with our home-grown quota for somebody who is not playing when Sergio is fit pretty much...

It's very difficult.

Many of us would be happy with Itchy as 3rd choice of 3 when we are playing one up top. We'd have thought that it was unlikely that both the big two would be injured at the same time, but we did have the same problem last year too.

The good thing about Vardy is that he can play through the middle on his own or out wide too. Sterling isn't showing us that he can do either at present. Yes, he's still young...

1 spot for 4 strikers just doesn't work in all reality.

Topdawg wrote:

1 spot for 4 strikers just doesn't work in all reality.

Not when you have 2 quality strikers alternating which we do not have!

Topdawg wrote:1 spot for 4 strikers just doesn't work in all reality.

I completely agree. It's hard to make it work for three, especially when you consider that every other position on the field is covered by just two players. In fact, the only position that has three contenders normally is the goalkeeper, which is by any measure a much more specialised role than being a generally defensive player (such as Fernando, Delph or Demichelis) or a generally attacking player (such as Silva, Sterling and KdB).

Most outfield places can be covered by other players if we're desperate - for example, our LB situation, where we'd normally have Clichy and Kolarov, but Zaba can fill in if necessary. The CF position isn't really any different, as without Serge and Bony, we've got Itchy, or Sterling, or potentially KdB or Nasri, or even TLF at a pinch.

Vardy????

Yes, he's hit a purple patch, but so did Danny Ings - and he was shite for Liverpool before he got injured.

I'd be gutted if we signed the likes of Vardy.

We've played less than a third of a season (12 games), and now we're putting Vardy in the £10-15m+ category? Really?

Let him hit 20-25+ goals this season and maybe, £10-15m at the end of the season may be a good buy, for an Everton, Stoke etc.

Look at Kane this season. He was talked about as a £40m player to United in the summer. He's scored the same number of goals as Sergio and he's missed most of the season so far.

Let's see these players do it season in season out - 20+ goals every season.

Vardy's got 12 and that's brilliant...but he ain't no player I want at City. Sorry, thought we were aiming higher than that.

Vardy's patch is deep purple. Ings hardly hit pink.

Yeah, like I said, 12 games in he's got 12 goals. Brilliant. But we're now 'actually' talking about him signing for City, the CL etc??????

Jesus, some are easily pleased today.

Oh, and he got 9 on the bounce because the normal penalty taker let him have it.....really couldn't see Aguero or TLMLF giving a shit about his record if he played for us!

Vardy barely held down a place last season, ok he has come good this season but like blue says I would want to see a bit of consistency. I would give Austin a go if we really need someone who is English. He is big strong can hold the ball up & lead the line well. he has been consistent through the divisions albeit he only had 1 season in the premier league.

I always say that you shouldn't include penalties when looking at the goalscoring record. Even freekicks as well. When Yaya scored 20 goals for us, I reckon quite a few were penalties and free kicks.

And teams seem to play with a high line against Leicester. They wouldn't take that sort of risk with us.

If Vardy had his purple patch for us we'd be miles ahead in the league.

Don't think he's rubbish or just lucky. And he's very hungry.

I get what you're saying Dawg....yes, he's in a brilliant bit of form, bit we can't judge him after 12 matches, just like Harry Kane last season. He was magnificent, but he ain't pulling up trees this season. Doing OK, but nothing near the £40m United were willing to pay for him.

Vardy could easily go the next 12 games without a goal...or get 4 more throughout the rest of the season, and he'll still have had a great season for his standard.

But City level, surrounded by the likes of Silva, Aguero, KDB??? Really? Not for me.

I was listening to the Sportsbar on TS last week and they were asking about who would get in the Euro squad for next year. Most agreed, that if Welbeck, Sturridge, Rooney, Kane and Sterling are fit, Vardy, regardless of his good start, doesn't make the plane.

I'm pleased for the kid as it's another great story, but let's not get carried away to say he's a City player or a CL player after 12 games.

What next? Ighalo worth a punt as the 2nd highest scorer?

Sometimes it's about taking a punt when the player's value isn't so high.

Mahrez is another one that is going to cost someone a pretty penny. I really liked him last year too.

Why don't we get Myhill because he's kept 6 clean sheets?

Bony was the top scorer for Swansea 2 seasons running his 1st season 20 plus second season 14. but suddenly according to a number of threads I have read he is rubbish can't do this can,t do that, it will be the same with Vardy no doubt, one minute flavor of the month next the biggest waste of money. The other thing to look for is how we play compared to the team they are / were with, are they like for like or do they have to adapt to a different type of style. Bony was the main man at Swansea, every forward ball was either trying to find him or played to him, with city we have different options so he may well  appear to be on the peripheral.

Bony's main problem is that he's injured too much to be of any use to us. I'm not questioning his ability at all.

I'm sure it's frustrating for him. These things happen I guess. Look at Benteke since his move to LFC.

Still think it wasn't a great idea to start the season with 2 seasoned strikers and a 19yr old unproven academy player. Said it at the time - "madness".

I get we are playing with one striker and we have players who can effectively play a false number 9, we are fighting on 4 fronts and knew that Aguero wouldn't last a whole season and that Bony was off to the ACON, probably with Kelechi.

Even if we buy one striker in Jan, we'll be left with that person and Aguero.

Jovetic played 8 scored 3 for inter, not injured currently  )
it's a shame all our decent youngsters are midfielders..
maybe Roberts can play further forward?

Moonchester wrote:Jovetic played 8 scored 3 for inter, not injured currently  )

Give it time

Actually thinking on it, Roberts would be a good fit, pacey and tricky to run through the centre...

Bit lightweight though - he's nowhere near as strong as Sergio, who can hold the ball with players around him. Can't see Roberts doing that, but I'd really like to see a little more of him than we've seen so far, as apparently, the players in training have been seriously impressed with him.

Mane at Southampton is another excellent player. Quick strong & skilful. £10 million??? A lot better than Navas

Blue - ACON isnt til 2017

Mane won't be less than £20M+ in January.

Worth a punt then

TMG wrote:Mane at Southampton is another excellent player. Quick strong & skilful. £10 million??? A lot better than Navas

I think Navas has done ok this season Tony....he just need to know how to score now

I'll agree that Navas has done well. His crossing still lets him down and his shooting is no better than pub standard.

I reckon Pellers thought he'd be able to use Sterling up top if desperate.

Gordon Bennett listen to you lot.  It was the same for Mangala and Fernando last season - same negativity.  Bony has had a run of terrible luck - injuries, illness etc.  Give him time.

I said the issue with requiring immediate returns isn't in his favour.

He'll be out for a few weeks and, hopefully, Sergio is back and fit. But what if he isn't? We are left with Itchy and that's really it.

Wensdi wrote:Gordon Bennett listen to you lot.  It was the same for Mangala and Fernando last season - same negativity.  Bony has had a run of terrible luck - injuries, illness etc.  Give him time.

Well said Wensdi!!!

Topdawg wrote:I said the issue with requiring immediate returns isn't in his favour.

He'll be out for a few weeks and, hopefully, Sergio is back and fit. But what if he isn't? We are left with Itchy and that's really it.

Hence my point about starting the season with 3 strikers...

Well we need to either back our own potential..
or buy somebody who is on form..

either way we need somebody who knows there the back of the net is..

Real Madrid and Barcelona? 

If they're really that keen to watch him, they can always fly over to London next Tuesday .