Which English Player would you sign?

[dazby]

Stephen Ireland.

I know he's Irish. But he's club trained and a brilliant world class player.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Stephen Ireland.

I know he's Irish. But he's club trained and a brilliant world class player.

Another world beating post from the resident spas.

[PrezIke]

Sterling

[Goaters 103]

Barkley and Nathaniel Clyne.

If tonight is a typical performance, not Barley

Cool, judge a player on 1 game - top analysis.

[Goaters 103]

Stephen Ireland.

I know he's Irish. But he's club trained and a brilliant world class player.

Words fail me.

Ireland wouldn't be worth a spot in the EDS team and currently resides on Stokes bench. A 1 season wonder and a flake who disappears when the going gets tough, and/or a higher level of quality was required. Had his chance, fluffed it.

[zuricity]

I'd sign me. Wheel me on to take corners from left or right. Light years ahead of those tossers that can't get beyond the first defender. I'll show Merlin what a left foot is for....

I might fail on the 'Age' thingy though.

[Slim]

I'd sign me. Wheel me on to take corners from left or right. Light years ahead of those tossers that can't get beyond the first defender. I'll show Merlin what a left foot is for....

I might fail on the 'Age' thingy though.

Don't you also fail on the "english" thing?

[Blue Oli]

I don't think there is an English player out there that i see giving us any advantage over those we have coming through the academy system, for sterling see barker, for Barkley we arguably have a number of in house options. This is the most difficult stage of our development as a club - a transition from a team bought to a team developed. Any purchases now have to be truly world class and the only ones that are (and young enough to be part of our next generation team) are from abroad - Pogba being a good example.

The quality we are now seeing in the EDS and under 18s outstrips the quality and potential in the market in my opinion so the question is only when do we start blooding these kids in the first team.

Barker, Ambrose, Evens, and many more could be our answer to this challenge within the next 24 months - I don't think they are that far away. Barker would be in any of our peers first teams already bar chelsea I think but we are protecting him correctly I think. This year is the first year we are 'marketing his potential' vis the web site and cityTV - this tells me the trust the club have in his potential.


Summary - I wouldn't buy an English player as we have better prospects in house or on loan currently than is available on the over inflated market,

Good times ahead I think - fully expect to see home grown (mix of foreigners of english though) players in our first team alongside the likes of kun and silva within the next two seasons.

And I can't bloody well wait for a Mancunian in our starting line line again.

Oli

[Slim]

I don't think there is an English player out there that i see giving us any advantage over those we have coming through the academy system, for sterling see barker, for Barkley we arguably have a number of in house options. This is the most difficult stage of our development as a club - a transition from a team bought to a team developed. Any purchases now have to be truly world class and the only ones that are (and young enough to be part of our next generation team) are from abroad - Pogba being a good example.

The quality we are now seeing in the EDS and under 18s outstrips the quality and potential in the market in my opinion so the question is only when do we start blooding these kids in the first team.

Barker, Ambrose, Evens, and many more could be our answer to this challenge within the next 24 months - I don't think they are that far away. Barker would be in any of our peers first teams already bar chelsea I think but we are protecting him correctly I think. This year is the first year we are 'marketing his potential' vis the web site and cityTV - this tells me the trust the club have in his potential.


Summary - I wouldn't buy an English player as we have better prospects in house or on loan currently than is available on the over inflated market,

Good times ahead I think - fully expect to see home grown (mix of foreigners of english though) players in our first team alongside the likes of kun and silva within the next two seasons.

And I can't bloody well wait for a Mancunian in our starting line line again.

Oli

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Baines.

There are three right there.

[s1ty m]

Ward-Prowse, Harrison Reed and Leighton Baines. Nothing else appeals. Barkley looks good but he is inconsistent.

[Blue Oli]

Oli[/quote]

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sterling, Baines.

There are three right there.[/quote]

Opinions only I know - but I don't see anything in oxlade-chamberlain or sterling that we don't have in the EDS - granted more first team experience but not a step up in my opinion. Sterling in particular I think is over hyped - good player yes but would be a gamble still that we could currently take with one of our own kids who could add the same dimensions to our squad. Baines is bloody good I agree but I don't think he is a player we would want for more than the next couple of seasons due to age - fair call though as its a problem area for us and there is no other Englishman (also young enough) as a long term option.

[Hazy2]

Jay R from Southampton, bad injury but A TALENT.

[Slim]

Opinions only I know - but I don't see anything in oxlade-chamberlain or sterling that we don't have in the EDS - granted more first team experience but not a step up in my opinion. Sterling in particular I think is over hyped - good player yes but would be a gamble still that we could currently take with one of our own kids who could add the same dimensions to our squad. Baines is bloody good I agree but I don't think he is a player we would want for more than the next couple of seasons due to age - fair call though as its a problem area for us and there is no other Englishman (also young enough) as a long term option.

What they have that the EDS doesn't:

Premier league experience.

What Baines has, well he is a top quality defender that delivers consistent freekicks and CORNERS.
I REPEAT...CORNERS,
I RE-FUCKING-PEAT...CORNERS.
Two years? FUCKING TAKE IT.

[Ted Hughes]

Jay R from Southampton, bad injury but A TALENT.

If we sign him, we might as well shut down the academy.

[Wonderwall]

Jay R from Southampton, bad injury but A TALENT.

If we sign him, we might as well shut down the academy.

Totally agree, he was very average at burnley and when Southampton took a punt on him, he was OK, but has not played in a year. I saw nothing special, just like Lallana was nothing special, they just gelled as a team at that time.

Also he is feckin 25 FFS and been injured for a year, no thank you! he would probably cost a fortune too.

[Ted Hughes]

Jay R from Southampton, bad injury but A TALENT.

If we sign him, we might as well shut down the academy.

Totally agree, he was very average at burnley and when Southampton took a punt on him, he was OK, but has not played in a year. I saw nothing special, just like Lallana was nothing special, they just gelled as a team at that time.

Also he is feckin 25 FFS and been injured for a year, no thank you! he would probably cost a fortune too.

Southampton have done a miraculous job finding players & also signing players, but nobody from Southampton that has been linked with us, is good enough for City apart from Bale imo. Not Walcott, Oxface, Shaw, none of them.

As squad players to fill holes yes. But regular starters; no chance, any of them.

We should not be signing anymore squad players, ever, unless we find a hole we really can't fill from inside the club.

[lets all have a disco]

Southampton have the run of a large catchment area and no other teams around them.

[Nigels Tackle]

Opinions only I know - but I don't see anything in oxlade-chamberlain or sterling that we don't have in the EDS - granted more first team experience but not a step up in my opinion. Sterling in particular I think is over hyped - good player yes but would be a gamble still that we could currently take with one of our own kids who could add the same dimensions to our squad. Baines is bloody good I agree but I don't think he is a player we would want for more than the next couple of seasons due to age - fair call though as its a problem area for us and there is no other Englishman (also young enough) as a long term option.

What they have that the EDS doesn't:

Premier league experience.

What Baines has, well he is a top quality defender that delivers consistent freekicks and CORNERS.
I REPEAT...CORNERS,
I RE-FUCKING-PEAT...CORNERS.
Two years? FUCKING TAKE IT.

he's past it
was useless in the world cup and isn't having a great season for everton

[zuricity]

I'd sign me. Wheel me on to take corners from left or right. Light years ahead of those tossers that can't get beyond the first defender. I'll show Merlin what a left foot is for....

I might fail on the 'Age' thingy though.

Don't you also fail on the "english" thing?

Well Hulme is still a part of Manchester, the last time I was at the ground. Who knows ? the Scots almost got Independence. "Freedom for Knott Mill !" I say...

[Ted Hughes]

Opinions only I know - but I don't see anything in oxlade-chamberlain or sterling that we don't have in the EDS - granted more first team experience but not a step up in my opinion. Sterling in particular I think is over hyped - good player yes but would be a gamble still that we could currently take with one of our own kids who could add the same dimensions to our squad. Baines is bloody good I agree but I don't think he is a player we would want for more than the next couple of seasons due to age - fair call though as its a problem area for us and there is no other Englishman (also young enough) as a long term option.

What they have that the EDS doesn't:

Premier league experience.

What Baines has, well he is a top quality defender that delivers consistent freekicks and CORNERS.
I REPEAT...CORNERS,
I RE-FUCKING-PEAT...CORNERS.
Two years? FUCKING TAKE IT.

he's past it
was useless in the world cup and isn't having a great season for everton

We were actually one of the best, possibly the best in the country at them last year after being shite previously. So we don't actually need Baines to do it; we just need to sort out whatever else is the difference. Perhaps it's a combination of Negredo, Lescott etc leaving the club & Dzeko being injured, reducing the number of potential targets/blockers/decoys or we are aiming for the wrong player(s) & fucking it up ?

But it's true; we were one of, possibly THE best.