Premier League

[RoverDom]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

There’s no magic to teams like City.

Rovers. Ranieri’s Leicester. Fergie’s Utd. Wenger’s Arsenal. Mourinho at Chelsea. Klopp’s Liverpool. Even Mancini’s City. All had real personalities about their teams, playing beautiful football in different ways. And all were beatable, so no matter how good they were they had to earn their wins.

Pep’s City are more like Football Manager FC, bought all the best players in each position and then press ‘simulate season’. Boring.

Nail on head. It's just boring. When they sign exciting players e.g. Grealish he just turns them into boring clones with no personality. 

They may be the best at what they do but for sport to be entertaining their needs to be some jeopardy. 

[Mike E]

40 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Really? 

Pep Guardiola is great coach and very good at getting his players to play their roles and understand what he wants from him. I would say Man City great attacking football but want to control the game by keeping possession of the ball. Pep admitted this week that he didn't even know who Ortega was before they were after signing him but what a brilliant second choice keeper who City sign him on a free transfer 

I also wouldn't sign all the best players either. Would you say that Ake, Akanji, Rodri were the best players in their position? Look at the development of players under his stewardship like Foden and the different roles he played under him

I just KNEW you were going to disagree with me.

Foden is a generational talent being held back by Pep imo. Fergie or Wenger would’ve had him at prime Kaka 2007-09 by now.

Rodri was one of the world’s ’next big things when City bought him. Akanji was a key piece of Dortmund’s playing style for 4 years before City bought him.

Look at Haaland. Gone backwards. Grealish has lost the magic in his boots that he had at Villa.

It’s easy to buy players for specific roles who are already superb at that role. That’s all Pep does.

I’ll give you Aké though. And I’ll credit him with keeping Kyle Walker at the peak of his powers at an age when full backs can lose their way if they rely on pace.

 

Edited May 19 by Mike E

[bazza]

Glad City won it. I remember them being in the old third division at one stage. They were always second best to their swaggering red scummy rivals.

Arsenal are the only club never to have been out of the top flight in my lifetime so glad they didn't win it.

[Exiled_Rover]

30 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I just KNEW you were going to disagree with me.

Foden is a generational talent being held back by Pep imo. Fergie or Wenger would’ve had him at prime Kaka 2007-09 by now.

Rodri was one of the world’s ’next big things when City bought him. Akanji was a key piece of Dortmund’s playing style for 4 years before City bought him.

Look at Haaland. Gone backwards. Grealish has lost the magic in his boots that he had at Villa.

It’s easy to buy players for specific roles who are already superb at that role. That’s all Pep does.

I’ll give you Aké though. And I’ll credit him with keeping Kyle Walker at the peak of his powers at an age when full backs can lose their way if they rely on pace.

 

Maybe I'm just tired, but this is sarcasm, right?

Edited May 19 by Exiled_Rover

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

I just KNEW you were going to disagree with me.

Cos I totally disagree with you 

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

Foden is a generational talent being held back by Pep imo. Fergie or Wenger would’ve had him at prime Kaka 2007-09 by now.

Is that why he just won player of the season this season. 

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

Rodri was one of the world’s ’next big things when City bought him. Akanji was a key piece of Dortmund’s playing style for 4 years before City bought him.

and both have improved under Pep 

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

Look at Haaland. Gone backwards.

gone backwards? haha, 2 league titles and 90 goals in 97 games. Oh yeah really gone backwards playing playing in the best league in the world and in champions League 

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

It’s easy to buy players for specific roles who are already superb at that role. That’s all Pep does.

I disagree it is easy to buy players for specific roles with Pep team cos he actually improve each player like Rodri, Stones, Ake, Foden, etc. 

 

Edited May 19 by chaddyrovers

[GHR]

Champions four years in a row? Farmers league territory. Even Germany have had the decency to get new winners this year.

[Mattyblue]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Cos you are totally rubbish

 

Bit harsh.

[wilsdenrover]

17 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Bit harsh.

but fair?

[roversfan99]

59 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I just KNEW you were going to disagree with me.

Foden is a generational talent being held back by Pep imo. Fergie or Wenger would’ve had him at prime Kaka 2007-09 by now.

Rodri was one of the world’s ’next big things when City bought him. Akanji was a key piece of Dortmund’s playing style for 4 years before City bought him.

Look at Haaland. Gone backwards. Grealish has lost the magic in his boots that he had at Villa.

It’s easy to buy players for specific roles who are already superb at that role. That’s all Pep does.

I’ll give you Aké though. And I’ll credit him with keeping Kyle Walker at the peak of his powers at an age when full backs can lose their way if they rely on pace.

 

Its absolutely ridiculous to suggest that Foden is being held back. He has been far and away the best player in the league and perhaps in Europe this season. We tend to look back at players with nostalgia but make no mistake, Foden has been incredible. And not just as part ot a structure, hes still that street footballer that he always was.

If you want to see him being held back, wait until Southgate manages him.

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Bit harsh.

amend Matty

[roversfan99]

Its hard not to reflect on the season as anything other than grimly predictable. City with a 4th title and the 3 promoted sides straight back down, and 2 coming back up with the third a losing play off finalist.

With all the Sky money sloshing around, it feels like football in this country is getting more and more predictable.

[Blue blood]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Its hard not to reflect on the season as anything other than grimly predictable. City with a 4th title and the 3 promoted sides straight back down, and 2 coming back up with the third a losing play off finalist.

With all the Sky money sloshing around, it feels like football in this country is getting more and more predictable.

Indeed which is why I'm delighted that City won it. They wanted a closed shop for the bug boys and are now worried the shop is closed and smaller than they wanted. Good! They reap what they sow. 

[Boroblue]

City used to be like us one of the good guy’s. Anti Man Utd and corporate football. Support from an area rather than international

It’s a shame where they’ve ended up. 155 separate charges for breach of the rules. Winners 4 in a row with the greatest lawyers in the world to make it happen 

When justice is finally done these titles will be seen in the light of how they’ve been won.It really is all very shit with the feeder clubs, gates that don’t match what they spend and enormous academies sucking the life out of football

Pep I’m a great manager of the best footballers bought for the most money. Just total crap

[simongarnerisgod]

the one view iv`e taken from this years premier league is england are absolutely stacked with class players,especially in attack,if southgate can`t win the euros with all the artillery at his disposal he should **** off and leave the game

[Darrenbot]

The whole of european football is mostly predictable. RealMadrid,Inter Milan,PSG,PSV,Celtic,Sporting Lisbon are some of the champions this year.Other than Leverkusen stopping Munich winning it for about the 100th time in a row theres no suprise champions

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

the one view iv`e taken from this years premier league is england are absolutely stacked with class players,especially in attack,if southgate can`t win the euros with all the artillery at his disposal he should **** off and leave the game

He isnt good enough to be in charge of England but those class players become more sparse the further you go back, with a real issue at left back and next to Rice in midfield and next to Stones at CB.

Sounds like Kane is really struggling with his back too.

[Parsonblue]

I must admit that City are the one Premier League team that I like to watch whenever they are on TV - which is an awful lot.  Having good players is one thing but getting them to produce the same high standards week in and week out, year in and year out says a huge amount about Pep's man-management skills as well as his tactical skills.

They play the most attractive football with a machine like precision.   Every player who arrives at City gets assimilated into the same pattern of play but each adds their own little bit of flair to the team.

I've seen some great teams during my lifetime but this City outfit is on a different level in terms of achievement and entertainment for me.

[K-Hod]

11 hours ago, Mike E said:

I just KNEW you were going to disagree with me.

Foden is a generational talent being held back by Pep imo. Fergie or Wenger would’ve had him at prime Kaka 2007-09 by now.

Rodri was one of the world’s ’next big things when City bought him. Akanji was a key piece of Dortmund’s playing style for 4 years before City bought him.

Look at Haaland. Gone backwards. Grealish has lost the magic in his boots that he had at Villa.

It’s easy to buy players for specific roles who are already superb at that role. That’s all Pep does.

I’ll give you Aké though. And I’ll credit him with keeping Kyle Walker at the peak of his powers at an age when full backs can lose their way if they rely on pace.

 

Foden’s being held back?

He’s just scored 27 goals this season….

[Mattyblue]

Kind of get his point on Grealish, does look like a lot of the fun and spontaneity has gone out of his game… but Foden? Pep has managed his career superbly.

[Mike E]

45 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Foden’s being held back?

He’s just scored 27 goals this season….

Aye, probably a bit of beer talking there. I can’t put my finger on it but I feel like theres a touch of freedom or expression that’s gone. Either that or I’m just merging Grealish and Foden into one in my own head.

[ABBEY]

1 hour ago, K-Hod said:

Foden’s being held back?

He’s just scored 27 goals this season….

Edited thought you said haaland... 

Edited May 20 by ABBEY

[ABBEY]

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Cos I totally disagree with you 

Is that why he just won player of the season this season. 

and both have improved under Pep 

gone backwards? haha, 2 league titles and 90 goals in 97 games. Oh yeah really gone backwards playing playing in the best league in the world and in champions League 

I disagree it is easy to buy players for specific roles with Pep team cos he actually improve each player like Rodri, Stones, Ake, Foden, etc. 

 

Oh God..I'm agreeing with the chadster

[Vinjay]

I agree with him too. 

[Ewood Ace]

15 hours ago, Darrenbot said:

The whole of european football is mostly predictable. RealMadrid,Inter Milan,PSG,PSV,Celtic,Sporting Lisbon are some of the champions this year.Other than Leverkusen stopping Munich winning it for about the 100th time in a row theres no suprise champions

That was just Sporting's second league titles since 2002, it was PSV's first title in 6 years and Inter's second scudetto since 2010. 

[Darrenbot]

2 hours ago, Ewood Ace said:

That was just Sporting's second league titles since 2002, it was PSV's first title in 6 years and Inter's second scudetto since 2010. 

Ask anybody to name a top  team in Portugal they say either Benfica,Porto or Sporting(20 times winners),name a team from holland they say PSV(25 times winners),Ajax or Feyenoord,name a team in Italy they say Juve Inter(20 times winners)or ACMilan so as i was saying hardly surprising winners