West Ham 0-5 Man City - Saturday 10th August, 2019

[Rick]

Just now, SirBalon said:

Mate, I haven't skirted around any point as you can see on my post. I said that the fact UEFA turn a blind eye to the two Gulf clubs is something we have to take issue with but on BOTH counts. I know, I understand but my argumetn was the way City identify what they need and sign it. This doesn't always mean the most expensive player, but what's required.

But they aren't cheap either, and City have never had to raise funds to buy anything they want. It's just pumped into the club from the outside and fuck all done about it. 

It's why City are not celebrated by the neutral fan. It's hard to get behind a club like that even if the football is great. 

[LFCMadLad]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

. I know, I understand but my argumetn was the way City identify what they need and sign it. 

Well that's lovely for them that they can do that, but sadly the rest of us have to balance the books. 

[LFCMadLad]

2 minutes ago, Stan said:

You mentioned about the table without VAR earlier and how Liverpool would be top! 

I know you're not mate and I've got no problem with that each to their own as I know VAR itself is quite polarising at the moment. 

Yeah I mentioned the VAR table, but only in response to HB's comment. 

So you see, even tho VAR would have benefitted us last season... I'm still not a fan. Much prefer the passion and controversy football delivered pre VAR. 

[Cicero]

8 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Mate, I haven't skirted around any point as you can see on my post. I said that the fact UEFA turn a blind eye to the two Gulf clubs is something we have to take issue with but on BOTH counts. I know, I understand but my argumetn was the way City identify what they need and sign it. This doesn't always mean the most expensive player, but what's required.

You've essentially implied that because City and PSG can get away with it, there is no need to blame them.

Yet when you've asked when an English club can be able to compete with them, @LFCMadLad and I both said any club that can fool FFP and UEFA the way City has managed, will be at a level playing field with City. 

You then strangely counter by saying City make smart investments, completely forgetting the net spend factor, where City giant every other club in the league. They don't have to sell to bring a player in. For goodness sake they were able to bring in how many FB's and Wingers, now just added another top CM in Rodri without having to lose anyone. 

I like you Balon, but you get a very strange insecurity when anyone dare criticises Barca or Guardiola. 

[The Artful Dodger]

You cannot spend half your time slagging of psg for what is financial doping and then fawn over Manchester City, simply because your bald idol is managing them. They are one and the same, cancers. Not the cause of the cancer but cancers all the same. 

[LFCMadLad]

Just now, The Artful Dodger said:

You cannot spend half your time slagging of psg for what is financial doping and then fawn over Manchester City, simply because your bald idol is managing them. They are one and the same, cancers. Not the cause of the cancer but cancers all the same. 

Bald idol 

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

Well they haven't spent as big as some other clubs around Europe. They just seem to identify what's required and act upon it in a smart manner.

Correct, our net spend last summer was 17million and we have been walking away from deals if the money is too much like De Ligt this summer  ..we could just chuck 200million on the table for players like Mbappe but we don't, if the price is too high, we walk away

[Cicero]

So to answer your question, United should be competing against City. 

[Happy Blue]

42 minutes ago, Rick said:

City are bound to be first on the list of net spend every season. They haven't had to sell anybody to buy since the takeover. 

To imply that city don't have an advantage would be very silly.

We are 1st on the net spend because we do sell players

[Happy Blue]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

So to answer your question, United should be competing against City. 

Going back that far we have had to replace the 2008/14 team due to there age too

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, Cicero said:

So to answer your question, United should be competing against City. 

This actually proves the point I’m trying to make on how City recruit. They’re miles above the rest even though they break the rules. 

[The Artful Dodger]

Can't deny manchester city spend well. But they're doped. 

[Cicero]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

This actually proves the point I’m trying to make on how City recruit. They’re miles above the rest even though they break the rules. 

That's something I've given credit to how City are run, on the football side. There is an identity that was set in place since 2012 with Txiki, and now with the appointment in Guardiola, we're are seeing something that was in the making for years. 

The net spend also proves that they can keep all the quality they need, without having to worry about someone going out to fund someone else coming in. 

[Dan+]

Just seen the highlights on MOTD. Don't even know where to start. VAR is the worst thing to happen to football in my lifetime.

[Batard]

Just now, Dan said:

Just seen the highlights on MOTD. Don't even know where to start. VAR is the worst thing to happen to football in my lifetime.

I watched the game live and whilst the millimetre corrections on offsides is barking mad, there will never be an offside goal allowed to stand and penalties can be retaken more readily now for goalkeeper infractions. I'm not opposed to VAR even if it does break up the game.  

[Fairy In Boots]

West Ham’s kit is visually stunningly awful. 

Also VAR an absolute joke for the second Jesus goal scandalous really you can’t see millimetres 

[Fairy In Boots]

29 minutes ago, Dan said:

Just seen the highlights on MOTD. Don't even know where to start. VAR is the worst thing to happen to football in my lifetime.

I think it’s good for obvious howler decisions but this “checking” bollocks is crap 

[LFCMadLad]

1 hour ago, Fairy In Boots said:

I think it’s good for obvious howler decisions but this “checking” bollocks is crap 

Totally ruining the game. Its taking all the fun out of it. 

[Dan+]

2 hours ago, Batard said:

I watched the game live and whilst the millimetre corrections on offsides is barking mad, there will never be an offside goal allowed to stand and penalties can be retaken more readily now for goalkeeper infractions. I'm not opposed to VAR even if it does break up the game.  

The replays with the red and blue lines for the disallowed goal - tell me they're not what the VAR officials are working off? They weren't even conclusive.

I've seen enough of VAR. I'll never warm to it. It's going to make the match experience significantly worse. When people's default reaction is to be afraid to celebrate goals before it's checked then for me, to quote many Dads up and down the country, the game has genuinely gone.

[Dan+]

2 hours ago, Fairy In Boots said:

I think it’s good for obvious howler decisions but this “checking” bollocks is crap 

This clear and obvious thing is a complete myth and I've no idea where it comes from. They aren't using it sparingly, they're practically playing the game through it.

People commonly make a big mistake in my eyes that they assume all change is change for the better. This is not going to change football for the better. It's going to drain the passion from the game.

[Happy Blue]

15 hours ago, LFCMadLad said:

Come on Ballon, you're better than that. 

You've basically skirted around every point made to you. 

Utd are no better either but at least they spend money made by the club. 

It's not even debatable that City (and Utd) have a massive financial advantage over the rest. 

It's why I rate Klopp higher than Pep, purely because of the challenges Klopp has met in his career whilst being successful, compared to Pep who basically takes the best clubs to the next level, and hes not even been exactly successful at that in Europe. 

Anyway.....

All our money is made by the club mate, we have been self funded for 5 years now with all the prize money, shirt sales etc, we make at least as much as united these days  ..we are the best team in the world after all 

[SirBalon]

30 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

All our money is made by the club mate, we have been self funded for 5 years now with all the prize money, shirt sales etc, we make at least as much as united these days  ..we are the best team in the world after all 

What is UEFA investigating Man City for then mate?

[Happy Blue]

31 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

What is UEFA investigating Man City for then mate?

Lies  ..WE have already started legal action against UEFA because we have done nothing wrong, we sell a billion shirts weekly to Madagascar 

[Honey Honey]

4 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Lies  ..WE have already started legal action against UEFA because we have nothing wrong, we sell a billion shirts weekly to Madagascar 

Love the new away kit

 

[RandoEFC+]

Still seeing people have made their mind up about VAR and won't see it any other way. It's the first weekend it's ever been used in the Premier League and for me it wasn't even that bad.

I swear people just want something to complain about sometimes. One minute inept referees and offside goals are ruining football, next minute correct decisions are ruining football just because it takes a bit longer to get there.

And if Jesus' goal had stood we'd have people falling over each other crying about how the referees all favour City and how they'll win the league because dodgy decisions all go their way and probably how their owners have bribed officials.

Give it a chance. I watched our game and then the Spurs game and VAR didn't ruin any of those. The only thing that ruined the City game was how embarrassingly inept West Ham were.