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

[Happy Blue]

52 minutes ago, Danny said:

Starting to think you’re @Happy Blue second account

 

[Spike]

7 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

I met a girl from Melbourne over new year. Everything I've ever said, I'll change it if I have to.

Women will do that. It is why I live in America

[Happy Blue]

4 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Well that's not the point is it. You stated that Liverpool have spent as much as Man City and Chelsea. But that's like saying a comp school lad has spent as much on his utensils as tobias and Oscar. Liverpool are not the same.

 

Liverpool have the 6th most expensive squad in the world so don't give me that bullshit, they out spend 99% of other clubs in Europe 

[Dan+]

It's really hit me in the past couple of months how big a one horse race we actually have in this country now. Hasn't the PL has as many winners in the past 6 years as Ligue 1? Or will be the case when they lift this one.

Liverpool had to be nearly perfect when they won it. 26 wins from 27 wasn't it? They had to box it up very early on to win it. We had an illusion of a title race about 6 weeks ago, now you've got genuinely a more competitive title race in the Bundesliga. Bayern usually sew it up around March time with a run like this but Man City seem to be doing this in December/January.

[Machado]

10 hours ago, Rick said:

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. 

He deserves those keys and imo should not accept any job that gives him any less than what he's been getting. Yes he needs the players to make it work, but it's bloody fantastic to watch when at its best.

His legacy is greater than the results too. You can't look past the influence he had in the quality of the leagues as well as the national teams of the countries he's managed in.

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, Machado said:

He deserves those keys and imo should not accept any job that gives him any less than what he's been getting. Yes he needs the players to make it work, but it's bloody fantastic to watch when at its best.

His legacy is greater than the results too. You can't look past the influence he had in the quality of the leagues as well as the national teams of the countries he's managed in.

Pep's next job is New York City

[Devil-Dick Willie]

How many coaches in the world have had brilliant players, or a ton of cash, and haven't delivered? Lots. Just look at Real, Chelsea, Inter teams of the past. 
Yes, Pep gets his pick of the teams to manage, then gets backed to the hilt. But he wasn't sacked at Barca, Bayern or City, he delivers the league again and again. Never falters. There's something to be said about that, and if I were the owner of a rich club, I'd put my chips on Pep. Because it's a safe bet. Maybe he would struggle to lift a team like Arsenal or AC Milan out of the mire. We'll never know, so long as he's delivering every time at every established team he goes to. 

[Dan+]

He's proven he's worthy of the keys. You're witnessing a side so good that it almost takes the enjoyment out of things. There's nothing on this Premier League season beyond the relegation battle.

[Happy Blue]

15 minutes ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

How many coaches in the world have had brilliant players, or a ton of cash, and haven't delivered? Lots. Just look at Real, Chelsea, Inter teams of the past. 
Yes, Pep gets his pick of the teams to manage, then gets backed to the hilt. But he wasn't sacked at Barca, Bayern or City, he delivers the league again and again. Never falters. There's something to be said about that, and if I were the owner of a rich club, I'd put my chips on Pep. Because it's a safe bet. Maybe he would struggle to lift a team like Arsenal or AC Milan out of the mire. We'll never know, so long as he's delivering every time at every established team he goes to. 

You make a good point, how many successful mangers can you name that have been around for 10 years or more that haven't ever been sacked?

[LFCMadLad]

7 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

You make a good point, how many successful mangers can you name that have been around for 10 years or more that haven't ever been sacked?

Klopp.. who has also won the league in each country that Pep has been manager at the time with far more dominant clubs with far more resources than he had. 

Pep is very very good don't get me wrong, but he's no Klopp.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

11 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Klopp.. who has also won the league in each country that Pep has been manager at the time with far more dominant clubs with far more resources than he had. 

Pep is very very good don't get me wrong, but he's no Klopp.

I don't think Klopp is better. I think they're different. I don't think Klopp would so as good a job in Peps shoes, and vice versa. 

[Happy Blue]

10 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Klopp.. who has also won the league in each country that Pep has been manager at the time with far more dominant clubs with far more resources than he had. 

Pep is very very good don't get me wrong, but he's no Klopp.

I do rate Klopp, he's up there with Pep in that elite category 

[Devil]

4 hours ago, Dan said:

It's really hit me in the past couple of months how big a one horse race we actually have in this country now. Hasn't the PL has as many winners in the past 6 years as Ligue 1? Or will be the case when they lift this one.

Liverpool had to be nearly perfect when they won it. 26 wins from 27 wasn't it? They had to box it up very early on to win it. We had an illusion of a title race about 6 weeks ago, now you've got genuinely a more competitive title race in the Bundesliga. Bayern usually sew it up around March time with a run like this but Man City seem to be doing this in December/January.

I said this on other forums years ago, the resources City have will bring them constant success and ruin the game. I know I might sound hypocritical being a United fan but I do think our period of dominance was through great management like Liverpools in the 70's and 80s.

Pep is a phenomenal coach, there is no doubting that but the blue prints were put in place long before he arrived, the training facility, the academy, the back room staff, the sporting directors. They cherry picked the best of everything with their wealth so it was practically impossible for them to fail in dominance. Let's have it right once Liverpool's front three decline they won't keep with them, Klopp is an amazing manager but to land on those three together was special.

I've always maintained something needed to be done about City years ago, I predict and stand by it once they win the Champions league they will start making that an annual event as well. They've got past the small club stigma, players aren't bothered by the empty seats or the fact they are the smaller Manchester club, they are now the first choice of the elite player in England, I'm pretty certain of it, they even bought that honour. 

 

[Spike]

 Klopp is great and is easily one of my favs but he definitely lost the plot towards the end at Dortmund, the divorce was very messy.

[Waylander]

Yes City have managed to develop space between themselves and the chasing pack.

They might win the league at a canter though Lady Luck has a habit of throwing a spanner in the works.

Even at big clubs nearly everyone wants the limelight so the second tier players are not as good and I always feel they are 2 or 3 injuries away from imploding.

I do think they will win the league yet the margin will be closer though don't fancy them in the CL.

 

[DeadLinesman]

11 hours ago, Lucas said:

Any young manager coming through the game looks up to Pep and aspires to learn from his methods. 

You don't have to like him. But you have to appreciate the level he's took the game.

Nah. Along with United being shite, he’s the reason I hate modern day football nowadays. Sure I’m a grumpy cunt, but I have my reasons. I’m simply bored to tears of every match looking the same. Every single fucking team pressing. And god forbid they lose the ball and it’s a quick counter so the professional foul is committed. This isn’t something new for me either. Lads will tell you I hated it from his Barsa days. Enjoy any type of football you want, but it’s this slippery slope where everyone has to play out from the back (even shite Sunday league teams) and press. Press press press press press press press. Otherwise they’re not doing it ‘the right way’. Yawn.

[Reluctant Striker]

For me, the weird thing with City is how they are ahead by so much without a striker. I just can't get my head around how they're doing it. But surely a reason there don't seem as many 4-0, 5-0, 6-0+ kind of results. It's almost like they're just doing 'enough' which is the scary part if they do go out & get a 30 goal a season striker in the summer.

[Waylander]

11 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Nah. Along with United being shite, he’s the reason I hate modern day football nowadays. Sure I’m a grumpy cunt, but I have my reasons. I’m simply bored to tears of every match looking the same. Every single fucking team pressing. And god forbid they lose the ball and it’s a quick counter so the professional foul is committed. This isn’t something new for me either. Lads will tell you I hated it from his Barsa days. Enjoy any type of football you want, but it’s this slippery slope where everyone has to play out from the back (even shite Sunday league teams) and press. Press press press press press press press. Otherwise they’re not doing it ‘the right way’. Yawn.

Yes yet you know sooner or later someone will change it, these things go in waves almost like Conte making his 3 cbs work at Chelsea and within a season later  most are playing with 3 Cbs, Now it is more 60/40. Eventually these things change.

The professional fouling is an issue makes you start to wonder about the value of a long ball to a striker good in the air as it cuts out a lot of build ups where the professional fouling occurs. 

 

[Lucas]

1 hour ago, DeadLinesman said:

Nah. Along with United being shite, he’s the reason I hate modern day football nowadays. Sure I’m a grumpy cunt, but I have my reasons. I’m simply bored to tears of every match looking the same. Every single fucking team pressing. And god forbid they lose the ball and it’s a quick counter so the professional foul is committed. This isn’t something new for me either. Lads will tell you I hated it from his Barsa days. Enjoy any type of football you want, but it’s this slippery slope where everyone has to play out from the back (even shite Sunday league teams) and press. Press press press press press press press. Otherwise they’re not doing it ‘the right way’. Yawn.

That's ok. You don't have to like the style, appreciate everyone looks for different things out of the game, but as I said before, you have to respect he is the top level coach in the game, the best of his generation.

If you can't do that, and genuinely believe anyone can achieve what he has with the same resources then we'll park this there and simply agree to disagree.

Personally for me, the football they played in their 100pt season was some of the best football I've seen. Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Aguero etc were on overdrive. The level was insane.

Liverpool hit 97pts the season after trying to reach that level, relentless. Probably the best Liverpool I've seen including the side they have currently, and it still wasn't enough to conquer Pep.

Maybe Pep set the bar so high its not enough anymore for some. 

[Happy Blue]

50 minutes ago, Reluctant Striker said:

For me, the weird thing with City is how they are ahead by so much without a striker. I just can't get my head around how they're doing it. But surely a reason there don't seem as many 4-0, 5-0, 6-0+ kind of results. It's almost like they're just doing 'enough' which is the scary part if they do go out & get a 30 goal a season striker in the summer.

We badly need Haaland this summer, you could see against Chelsea we are missing a big striker to get on the end of the amount of ball's we fizz into the box

[Waylander]

1 hour ago, Happy Blue said:

We badly need Haaland this summer, you could see against Chelsea we are missing a big striker to get on the end of the amount of ball's we fizz into the box

So if Haaland won't come, who else is likely?

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, Waylander said:

So if Haaland won't come, who else is likely?

Vinicius Jr, Dybala, Vlahovic, Kane?  ..we also have a top young kid in Delap

[Waylander]

10 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Vinicius Jr, Dybala, Vlahovic, Kane?  ..we also have a top young kid in Delap

Interesting, for me Kane seems to have slowed still a good finisher yet not so mobile.

Hear Arsenal are making an offer for Vlahovic.

[LFCMadLad]

5 hours ago, Spike said:

 Klopp is great and is easily one of my favs but he definitely lost the plot towards the end at Dortmund, the divorce was very messy.

Probably because Pep cherry picked all of Klopps best players, season after season. 

Come on, Klopp worked miracles at Dortmund. Pep did what was expected except he couldn't win the Champions League. 

Klopp has.

[Whiskey]

Always makes me laugh, Guardiola is the best manager on the planet to everyone apart from Liverpool fans who would quite literally shag their Grandmother to avoid saying a bad word about Klopp.

bUt pEp OnlY mAnAGeD bIG tEaMS!!