Essjayess

Looks like a good bit of patience will be needed before the next signing emerges, with Ajer seemingly now out of the picture and Gilmour having a host of suitors lined up for his signature. Still, its been a good week nonetheless with Rashica and Angus signed, Flynn Clarke to, and shirt sponsor sorted. I guess the club do need another CB, but to me midfield looks to be pretty thin right now, plus maybe another striker, but thats an unknown. Oh well, the guessing games begin once again.

Agreed, i was just enforcing the point that reports and rumours mean nothing until its made official...clearly the guy who wrote about Gibbo yesterday had no true inkling of the reality and / or did not check the true situation.

Right now its a wait n see thing with Paddy already saying situation is ongoing and now Sky Sports saying talks are underway, but football.London saying most reports are wide of the mark and Tuchal has not even made a decision about Gilmour as yet. Rumours and reports are just that, nothing is of course definite until the club actually make a thing official. I even saw one guy say yesterday that Ben Gibbo has gone back to Burnley since his loan expired and yes, no official news as yet from the club that Gibbo or indeed Dimi have been officially made permanents..so those official statements on any transfer really do need to come thru before any guy has properly joined or left City.

I did a post many days ago linking Angus's surname with Webber's comments last year..Paddy could have picked up on that but likely quite a few people like me and Padd could have seen the connection.

Aggy we both seem to agree on certain things, especially that this wave is different statistically to the at least 2nd wave, which increased so rapidly in all 3 sectors that lockdown had to happen and yes the vaccination program has duly done a job in slowing the increase in people getting infected by the Delta variant. But my concern is that infections are now at 80k for the 7 day rolling rate compared to 14k a month ago and more worrying that hospital admissions have doubled in the last fortnight..they were at a low of around 750 patients per week and now around 1.5k..and that is speeding up. Yes true it may not be at a stage yet where hospitals are filled to brimming as like previously...but can anyone say with certainty that the type of scenario we had last year just wont happen again? Deaths to are starting to rise. Scotland has today recorded a new high for daily Covid infections, despite the vaccination program. Overall my point being...all areas associated with Covid..infections, admissions and now deaths are increasing and nobody can say how high these stats may go, but this is Covid and even with the amazing job done thru the vax program i truly believe utmost caution must be exercised at this time.

How the heck does SW constantly keeps guys like this to sign with us and never a single rumour of his incoming..quite amazing. Looks to be an absolute snip for the money paid to and a host of big clubs rumoured to be interested in him. Even with 3 seasons in the Bundesliga Milot seems to realise already that DF is a guy who can improve his game even more..we could be in for another exciting time watching him in yellow and green. Seems to speak decent English, has close relatives already living in London, has signed early enough to taste pre season with his new team mates, also time to get accustomed to the City, the club and its family atmosphere..having a bit of time to settle in can be so important. The Buendia era can never be forgotten but this is a type of guy who can very quickly push us forward again into the present. For sure a perfectly timed signing after the recent departure of Emi and then the BK8 saga.

Cannot really compare this 3rd wave with the first 2 waves as the circumstances are vastly different. First 2 waves brought on the necessary lockdowns, we did not have vaccinations, the variants were different. This 3rd wave has come at a time when vaccinations are getting higher each day, but...because of that this wave is increasing without increasing lockdown, yet this Delta variant is more transmissable..so thats the difference. What is now definte is that both hospital admissions and deaths are increasing AND speeding up..admisions 2 or 3 weeks ago were at a slow pace...now its nearly at a moderate rate. Deaths a couple weeks ago had been at stable or steady level...now they are rising slowly. We just cannot say how much the increase of speed will be in the rise factor of these two most important sectors Without doubt vaccination has curtailed Delta to a big extent, without vax it would have been scarily rampant here. But no one knows to what extent the situation will be a few weeks from now..we are trying to get back to some semblance of normality, yet knowing the short history of this awful virus so far should tell us caution is still needed for a time yet or maybe for longer even.

Testings these days kind of take a back seat to actual vaccinations, when this time last year they made up so much of the Covid news, but its worth a mention that UK testings reached the 200 million mark today and tests per head of population still put UK in the top spot of all nations in the world with above 10 mill population. So yes those first couple months when Covid hit the UK was very slow off the mark to react, but once things got moving no other major nation has come close to matching our combined testing and vaccination programs. Our NHS may always seem to be under the cosh these days but my goodness they and a heap of volunteers again and again show how wonderful they are, doing an almost herculean task every day and every week.

Very nice of the scientists to notice the 3rd wave, considering it started 3 or 4 weeks ago. Johnson strikes again?..im sorry i was under the illusion that it was Covid and its variants causing these waves. Around 230 nations on this planet, vast majority of whom are getting these waves of Covid..so you are expecting Boris to have some magical wand to himself trigger these waves all by himself?...and i guess you blame his triggering by delaying Indian people coming in to the UK by a few days to late?..be real..these variants will get into most nations sooner or later..im sure Boris has made mistakes...he's human...as has every single leader and government in the world. Anyways, yes, hospital admissions have increased from very slight to slow to medium now and deaths are just starting to see very slight rises so..no doubt that this 3rd wave has different circumstances to the first two..we are riding it with much less lockdown than before, with vaccination program protecting hundreds of thousands more each day and with the majority of infections being with the younger generation. The pro active start that the government had on vaccination right from the early days has helped immensely of course but most praise to the NHS and all the volunteers associated with making it happen.

England may have 4 points but by no means thru yet. But dearie me...the gulf between England and a team like France is huge..prolonging the inevitable..at some stage we will do as we do..customarily drop out of the competition. But tonight reminded me of one or two lower level Championship sides coming to the Carra and frustrating City with a 0-0 as has happened on a few occasions. Well done Grant, just about sailed thru the game without ever being under to much severe pressure, Scotland came to fight and frustrate and it worked.

Think that was the most boring 45 mins of football so far in this tournament. Scotland doing what they need to, England seem bereft of ideas. Think the rain is the winner so far.

Sept. 18th at home to Watford may be a big match for one particular unwanted record...Premier record for consecutive defeats is 15 held by Sunderland in 2003..lose our first 4 this season and the Watford game may see us equalling it if we lose that.

Even the EDP is not helping by trying to suggest there's a certain degree of impatience or frustration that no one has officially signed for City yet. But honestly, the signatures of Dimi, Ben Gibson and Angus are just a matter of time and behind the scenes im sure SW and Co are working flat out to get guys in and yes...if what Paddy is saying what that "high up" is suggesting is right then it most often takes time indeed to get the true mouth watering transfers to get done...if at all...as it no doubt requires incredible bargaining to shift all the scenario's together to make transfers happen...but if anyone can do it then its Webber for sure. Im more than patient to wait if it means some real tasty transfers coming our way.

One reason why new infections have increased continually is not just about NW England but also Scotland, which has not seemingly got the attention that Bolton, Blackburn etc have had. Right across the Lowlands, from Glasgow to Edinburgh and other areas like Ayrshire the increase has been every bit as much as Lancashire.

Honestly TVB, not only somehow are you feeling fans are being unsettled with no transfers coming in at present, but you yourself suggest City should sign incomings in a certain order of preference? Ony thing i have said myself in a post is that its the calm before the storm right now, but really, ask yourself...Do you somehow think SW, after all that he has said about selling one of City's gems for a club record transfer sale in able to overall strengthen the squad, is somehow sitting on his laurels and doing nothing proactive in bringing new guys in? Just relax, the incomings will arrive when they arrive, no need to be unsttled at all.

With the dust from Emi's move to Villa starting to settle and Euro 2020 started this is one of those periods when all of a sudden rumours just dry up..it feels kind of like a calm before the storm type time. Nothing much happening on the surface...but im sure behind the scenes Webber and Co. are working full tilt at the inevitable ins and outs and at some point in the next few weeks things will change drastically.

VW, i was likely one of the first on here, weeks ago, just after the lowest Weekly infection rate of 14k just started to level out and show the smallest of rises, to say that i thought that June 14th needed to give us a delay to any more easing of the lockdown..at the time that Ricardo was calling the pessimists "doom mongerers". Yes, now that weekly rate is 50k so it has risen significantly, but still pales compared to Jan 8th when we had 68k in one day, not just for a week. Also the data shows the high proportion of under 30s getting infected which has mainly been giving this rise. Deaths are still holding steady, hospital admissions have shown a small rise to 1k a week. Considering we are now a long way from a total lockdown, schools and shops been open for a decent length of time plus the Delta variant has been said to be more transmissable than previous variants i feel that vaccinations have and are doing their job in stunting the rise and more importantly, the affects, of this latest variant. Yes im sure new infections will rise further, arguably as will admissions and deaths, but those last two categories im not yet convinced will reach anywhere near the January highs. On the whole i still think opening the shops etc was the right approach and at the right time and still see no reason to go backwards again by tightening restrictions again, but still feel the delay coming is right and was ineviatable, indeed i would be more comfortable if it eventually lasted a good while longer than 4 weeks...we just need a good bit more time yet to get as many people vaccinated as possible before easing the lockdown further....as great and speedy as the program has been.

He was, at Southampton until that infamous 9-0 defeat, Pink Un stating he had started 21 of 22 Premier games. Also yes lets get this Topic correct, the title of which says Leeds agree a deal...nowhere is there any evidence of this, reports just saying Leeds are highly interested etc etc...there is a big difference between being interested and a Pink Un report laying out a deal and structure of the deal. I agree with Lakey in that this IS an important position within a squad and if we can get Angus in for even a sum that may eventually reach perhaps 6 mill then i think its a super deal and i personally rate Angus highly. Get it done.

Thx for today's stats Ricardo. Once again the weely and daily rates for new infections rises , its very a steady increase day on day now but deaths and hospital admissions continue to hold up well very level to at most very small rises. Considering how long schools and shops have been reopened now and at same time as this very catching Delta variant i have to say Vaccination is doing its job very well indeed. Would really like to see any latest stats as to what age groups are catching the new infections and some %s of vaccinated who have caught the infection.

SW sent Daniel into the lion's den last time out with no gun..this time he has rectified it early...and its name shall become Angus.

Well good thats it done early, by August and with new guys coming in the upset or sadness felt by some fans of his departure will be lessened quite a bit, just as it was after Madders left. SW saying Emi wanted to go to Villa i guess indeed left the club little choice but wow..33 mill...rising to 38 mill with add ons then beyond 40 mill quite likely if hes ever sold..that is a huge amount of money for a club such as ours and from just a single sale. This for sure gives SW a lot more ammo and a better gun to give to DF. Potential exciting few weeks ahead.

Who really knows at this stage, time will tell. But the performance of a side in any season is down to so many different factors, not just whether Emi is at our club or not. Truth be told, ive not been sad or upset at all in seeing Emi leave, he gave us 3 great and mostly wonderful seasons but the well being of the club in general vastly outweighs one player leaving us, even being one of the best ever to adorn the yellow shirt. The fee we have received for him has taken things to a complete new level for the club and im sure will be spent wisely. For me, when the day comes when either / both SW or DF leave us, then that day will be a real hard to get thru.

If it means ruling out gambling then even most of the so called good organisations, like many charities, have to be ruled out to as many use lottery style gambling tickets. Just where to find a sponsor who is acceptable to the vast majority of us fans is down to the commercial dept...this time around they got to get it right of course.

No idea at this stage and being relegated again is very much secondary to ensuring that the stable structure thats been built at the club these past 2 or 3 years is not destroyed in any way. Yes the Prem is enormously physical but this season just gone has been one that was physically testing to the extreme. Playing 46 league games from a September start to the first week in May and yet finish with 97 points and the title was just incredible. At least, all being well, this season coming its 38 games over a more usual season length. But to first things first. no one should need reminding we have a small matter of 10 consecutive losses from the awful end to the last Prem season so...looking for the first point or points will be the opening priority.

Seems a pattern forming for new permanent signings...Gibson, Gianoulis, Gunn. That has given me a good gee up to the start of this close season. Hope Angus can agree personal terms, a very decent addition to the keeper stock and hes coming home to.