Current Avatar:
No Avatar image uploaded
No Avatar image uploaded
Manchester City Rumours Member Posts
SolPiper's Profile
SolPiper's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To SolPiper's Posts
To SolPiper's last 5 banter posts
To SolPiper's last 5 banter replies
SolPiper's banter posts with other poster's replies to SolPiper's banter posts
13 Aug 2026 09:35:12
Hey Ed, wanted to get your thoughts on how the transition under Maresca will go? Interested to see how he shapes the team. Who do you seeing being the benefactors from his management and any players who will struggle. Have seen it suggested that his wide players often sacrifice their goal scoring ability which I would worry as I see Semenyo as someone who is at his best when in goal scoring positions.
I asked last year about Foden and Cherki and you were spot on in how their seasons would play out. So wanted to also give you some credit on that too!
{Ed001's Note - thanks mate. I fear for the transition under Maresca, I just think Pep is impossible to follow. If you try to stick with what worked for him, the best you can hope for is a Slot-style decline after a good season. The only way to go long-term is to stamp his style on the team and I don't see a squad built for his way of playing.
To be honest, it feels like he is a cheap fall guy to enable the club to move on from Pep and reset the fans expectations ready for building a new era under the next man. Maresca is very much his own man, so I do expect him to try and implement his own style, which will need time. Cherki is very suited though, he can be the fulcrum for the play, with grafters around him to do his running.
Though having said all that, with Haaland up front, it is like a cheat code and he should benefit, and he can pretty much singlehandedly ensure the handover's success. It is likely most of the rest will be having to adapt and so their season's are likely to be mixed. Doku could well thrive though, he gets a few great goals, but he is not looking to get on the end of things like Semenyo, so it should not affect him. Anderson looks entirely suited to be that player that gets up and down and breaks into the box late - a better version of KDH that he had at Leicester and took to Chelsea.
I do worry about your defence under him, all good individuals, but he is not the best at organising a defence, they tend to get pulled about a lot. And he has always refused to change his way of playing out from the back, no matter how horrendous the goalkeeper was on the ball, which could be a huge issue with Donnarumma!}
09 Aug 2025 10:20:51
Hi Ed, wondering your views on Foden? After a disappointing season do you see a bounce back or do you see his player of the year season as more of an exception than the rule?
{Ed001's Note - he has not made progress, far too busy living it up rather than concentrating on his game. He is young enough to bounce back but it needs to be soon or he will be replaced and gone.}
02 Aug 2025 02:58:50
Hi Ed001 if you were around. Wanted to get your opinions on Cherki and Ait-Nouri. Do you see these two being rotation options in the City squad or players who will be integral to what Pep's doing this season getting regular starts?
{Ed001's Note - Cherki is likely to be first choice, his only weakness is his effort, he is one of the laziest players I have ever seen. Literally makes no effort to track back at all, but he is incredible on the ball. I am sure Guardiola will not stand for that and we will see at least some effort out of him to help defensively.
Ait-Nouri I am unsure of, I do not rate him at all. He is not very good offensively, even worse defensively. He is one of those players that is rated for reasons I can't fathom. But there are not exactly a lot of options at left-back, so he will probably be a regular too, at least until January or next summer when Pep goes into the market for an upgrade.}
1.) 03 Aug 2025 02:11:41
Thanks Ed, appreciate all the work you do!
{Ed001's Note - very welcome SP!}
SolPiper has no Rumour Replies
03 Aug 2025 02:11:41
Thanks Ed, appreciate all the work you do!
{Ed001's Note - very welcome SP!}