Man City 1-0 Chelsea - Saturday 15th January, 2022

[Danny]

15 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

'Not far off' Just the £300-odd million more than Liverpool over the last 5 seasons. I'll give you the other two.

I'll give you Liverpool but a season or two ago it was closer between you two I believe. But my overall point is that obviously you have spent less than them, but yourselves, Chelsea and United have all been around City with big spending even if you have had to be more prudent at times.

[LFCMike]

1 minute ago, Danny said:

I'll give you Liverpool but a season or two ago it was closer between you two I believe. But my overall point is that obviously you have spent less than them, but yourselves, Chelsea and United have all been around City with big spending even if you have had to be more prudent at times.

I'm fine with you giving Guardiola some credit because I don't believe they'd be so dominant without him. Let's not pretend it's a level playing field though.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Happy Blue said:

Load of bollocks. Chelsea won it from mid premier league table  ..the fact we are smashing all the English football records already cements us as one of the greatest

Chelsea finished fourth in the league and were probably a top 6 team in the world . The champions league is the competition everyone wants to win. A lot of the time one of the best teams in the world wins it. No one will look back at city and say they were a great team unless they win it.  Your fans just still have a small club mentality 

[carefreeluke]

1 hour ago, Cicero said:

What amazes me is Tuchel continuing to abandon a winning formula that has beaten & rattled City three times on the bounce in-favor of playing a striker who can’t press or control a ball. 
 

Head banging stuff. 

This and I've been thinking it ever since the first half since when we played them at home earlier this season where it was both Werner and Lukaku. I don't know why Tuchel insists Lukaku, perhaps the price tag, his status, the pressure in and around him. In the home game earlier this season you could perhaps forgive Lukaku a little as he had little service. Today, there was no excuse, he has to do better given his price tag. I'm never sure what he's going to do with the ball when he has it at his feet, looks so awkward and clumsy. 

I think Lukaku is a good striker for certain games and matches but he wasn't bought for that, he was bought to be the main man, really isn't delivering at all and he probably deserves more criticism given his comments the other week. Costa was the last world class striker we had, carried us in that first half of the title winning season under Conte.

Two of Tuchel's biggest mistakes so far as manager for us have been these last two City games. We had beaten them three times in a row playing differently previously. Why throw that away?

Today I did see us play higher and there were some good opportunities on the counter so I did see a plan that could work but execution of it was dreadful. Pulisic, Ziyech and Lukaku all dreadful.

[Happy Blue]

32 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

'Not far off' Just the £300-odd million more than Liverpool over the last 5 seasons. I'll give you the other two.

People forget we had to replace nearly a full team of old footballer's the wrong side of 30 when Pep arrived, Mancini's City from 2012. we saw the last of these players go with David Silva & Aguero, just Fernandinho left now, this has inflated Pep's total spend

[Happy Blue]

18 minutes ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Chelsea finished fourth in the league and were probably a top 6 team in the world . The champions league is the competition everyone wants to win. A lot of the time one of the best teams in the world wins it. No one will look back at city and say they were a great team unless they win it.  Your fans just still have a small club mentality 

The Centurion's will not be remembered as one of the greatest teams?  ..have you even seen the dvd??

[MUFC]

22 minutes ago, carefreeluke said:

This and I've been thinking it ever since the first half since when we played them at home earlier this season where it was both Werner and Lukaku. I don't know why Tuchel insists Lukaku, perhaps the price tag, his status, the pressure in and around him. In the home game earlier this season you could perhaps forgive Lukaku a little as he had little service. Today, there was no excuse, he has to do better given his price tag. I'm never sure what he's going to do with the ball when he has it at his feet, looks so awkward and clumsy. 

I think Lukaku is a good striker for certain games and matches but he wasn't bought for that, he was bought to be the main man, really isn't delivering at all and he probably deserves more criticism given his comments the other week. Costa was the last world class striker we had, carried us in that first half of the title winning season under Conte.

Two of Tuchel's biggest mistakes so far as manager for us have been these last two City games. We had beaten them three times in a row playing differently previously. Why throw that away?

Today I did see us play higher and there were some good opportunities on the counter so I did see a plan that could work but execution of it was dreadful. Pulisic, Ziyech and Lukaku all dreadful.

Throughout his career Lukaku has gone missing against top sides. Anyone from 5th/6th downwards he'll dick on them. But vs top sides he's always vanishes.

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

The Centurion's will not be remembered as one of the greatest teams?  ..have you even seen the dvd??

Not on a world wide level no. 

[6666]

At this rate, Chelsea will end up in a battle to finish top 4.

[DeadLinesman]

1 hour ago, Danny said:

Guardiola has hands down been the best manager in world football ever since he took over Barce's first team. The man achieved the same amount of major silverware as Mourinho in half the time

Received the golden generation at Barsa, managed Bayern in a one team league and cheat mode FM Citeh. Of course he’s won trophy after trophy 

[Danny]

10 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Received the golden generation at Barsa, managed Bayern in a one team league and cheat mode FM Citeh. Of course he’s won trophy after trophy 

The fact I’ve replied to this post is a low point for myself 

[Cicero]

21 minutes ago, 6666 said:

At this rate, Chelsea will end up in a battle to finish top 4.

Liverpool and City out of the way is a bonus, but we have shown to absolutely throw results away against sides we should be beating. 

West Ham win tomorrow they are 3 points behind us. 

Arsenal win their two games in hand they are 2 points behind us. 

Spurs win their four games in hand they will be ahead of us!

 

[Rick]

I’ll never understand the unlimited praise that Guardiola gets. Do you praise the likes of PSG & Bayern for winning all the time? It’s the equivalent of Guardiola having the clear advantage in every single job he’s been in. 

[Bluewolf]

3 minutes ago, Cicero said:

but we have shown to absolutely throw results away against sides we should be beating. 

That's been our problem... You would expect games like today and Liverpool to be tight but being so far behind at this stage is down to us alone

[Cicero]

4 minutes ago, Rick said:

I’ll never understand the unlimited praise that Guardiola gets. Do you praise the likes of PSG & Bayern for winning all the time? It’s the equivalent of Guardiola having the clear advantage in every single job he’s been in. 

Right, but as Tuchel and Conte have shown, having a massive budget and using it efficiently is difficult. 

What was the last bad Pep signing?  

[The Artful Dodger]

2 hours ago, Danny said:

I know City and Pep have had more to spend than anyone, but considering that Chelsea, United and Liverpool haven’t spent far off of what he has over the past 5 or so years…you have to commend Guardiola’s ability to create a team that just dominates the pitch from one end to another.

Some real tactical innovations with his use of the false 9, 2 false 9s and not even playing with a striker at all. A true Premier League great and take my word for it the day he leaves City the unlimited funds will remain but the dominance won’t.

Ridiculous to include Liverpool in that. They have to sell to spend. 

Guardiola is the best coach in the world but let's not make out he's on a level playing field with Klopp.

[Rick]

45 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Right, but as Tuchel and Conte have shown, having a massive budget and using it efficiently is difficult. 

What was the last bad Pep signing?  

Most of his fullbacks at City. 

[Cicero]

Just now, Rick said:

Most of his fullbacks at City. 

Which ones?

Walker is class. Cancelo is class. Zinchenko is class. Even Mendy before he destroyed both his knees was class. 

[DeadLinesman]

55 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Right, but as Tuchel and Conte have shown, having a massive budget and using it efficiently is difficult. 

What was the last bad Pep signing?  

Mendy 

[Rick]

10 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Which ones?

Walker is class. Cancelo is class. Zinchenko is class. Even Mendy before he destroyed both his knees was class. 

Zinchenko is far from class. Mendy was average for most his time. Walker is good, but not elite. Cancelo is a knock out of the park. Danilo was nearly 30m and he was wank. Not to mention Ake was a big waste of cash, 40m. 

Paid big money for Bravo in goal, he was piss. And it’s looking like Grealish was a waste of money (not a bad player, but city didn’t need him). 
 

Pep is the most overrated manager around. Yes, he’s very very good but he has been given the keys to the castle in every job he’s had. He’s never had to buy to sell, he’s never not had the best resources in the league he’s managed in. I’m just not having him being the best. 

[Cicero]

7 minutes ago, Rick said:

Zinchenko is far from class. Mendy was average for most his time. Walker is good, but not elite. Cancelo is a knock out of the park. Danilo was nearly 30m and he was wank. 
Not to mention Ake was a big waste of cash, 40m. 

Paid big money for Bravo in goal, he was piss. And it’s looking like Grealish was a waste of money (not a bad player, but city didn’t need him). 

Think I'm going to have to disagree with you there Rick.

City have been incredibly dominate these few years considering how Pep's utilises his full backs. Zinchenko has operated as a wide outlet and as a CM at the same time given his versatility. Walker is a fantastic footballer with great recovery speed. Cancelo has absurd levels of ability and Mendy was on course to being what Alphonso Davies is today before he blew out his knees. 

I'll give you Claudio Bravo...although they spent only 17 million on him and not 70 million....

Grealish and Ake still to early too call. Agreed Grealish wasn't needed. 

[Happy Blue]

12 minutes ago, Rick said:

Zinchenko is far from class. Mendy was average for most his time. Walker is good, but not elite. Cancelo is a knock out of the park. Danilo was nearly 30m and he was wank. Not to mention Ake was a big waste of cash, 40m. 

Paid big money for Bravo in goal, he was piss. And it’s looking like Grealish was a waste of money (not a bad player, but city didn’t need him). 
 

Pep is the most overrated manager around. Yes, he’s very very good but he has been given the keys to the castle in every job he’s had. He’s never had to buy to sell, he’s never not had the best resources in the league he’s managed in. I’m just not having him being the best. 

Ake was a great buy, he's a CB btw though and decent cover for Dias & Laporte and will only get better under Pep

[Happy Blue]

23 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Mendy 

Bet he's half way to Cambodia about now 

[Stan]

51 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Ake was a great buy

His Community Shield performance was great. And the 5-2 last season at your place... 

[Danny]

3 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Ridiculous to include Liverpool in that. They have to sell to spend. 

Guardiola is the best coach in the world but let's not make out he's on a level playing field with Klopp.

Jaysus relax, never said he was, never have said he was, just said a lot of money has been spent regardless. Clearly stated City had spent more than Liverpool