Topic: General Manchester City thread

[Flaccido Dongingo]

The #architechofmodernfootball, the #genius the #inventorofpassing now has the 3 most expensive defenders ever, all bought in the last 12 months, #developeroftalent also spent over £25m on a back up RB, is there no end to the #innovation?, definitely challenging the Portuguese Pulis for the title of footballs biggest ever fraud

[Elzar]

Yaya toure filled in there last season didn't he?

Possibly the worst DM that's ever played for a top team. I remember Coutinho just picking the ball up and running past him as he jogged slowly in the general direction

[puroresu_kid]

The #architechofmodernfootball, the #genius the #inventorofpassing now has the 3 most expensive defenders ever, all bought in the last 12 months, #developeroftalent also spent over £25m on a back up RB, is there no end to the #innovation?, definitely challenging the Portuguese Pulis for the title of footballs biggest ever fraud

The hate is real

[Flaccido Dongingo]

The hate is real

I don't hate anyone, what I do hate is fawning bollocks over a guy who buys success

[puroresu_kid]

I don't hate anyone, what I do hate is fawning bollocks over a guy who buys success

You can call him many things but I tend to look at what players who have worked under him and what clubs who have employed him say and everything suggests he is a damn good coach who makes players better.

 

[newrosswaterford]

I don't hate anyone, what I do hate is fawning bollocks over a guy who buys success

Spent 35m in his first season @ Barca, while Madrid spent near 200m. Won everything.

Your bile like many others here is embarrassing.

[puroresu_kid]

Spent 35m in his first season @ Barca, while Madrid spent near 200m. Won everything.

Your bile like many others here is embarrassing.

Yep and from what I remember this guy taken from Barcelona B was not expected to do anything. Not one person predicted they would go on to win everything or become one of the greatest sides ever to play the game.

I don't remember Guardiola getting the job after they finished 20 points behind Madrid and people claiming anyone can take this poor Barca side to the treble.  It didn't happen.

[thelinnen]

Spent 35m in his first season @ Barca, while Madrid spent near 200m. Won everything.

Your bile like many others here is embarrassing.

That was nearly 10 years ago with the best player in the world reaching his peak. What has he done at City or Bayern to deserve fawning over? He's doing absolutely nothing different to any other chequebook manager.

[puroresu_kid]

That was nearly 10 years ago with the best player in the world reaching his peak. What has he done at City or Bayern to deserve fawning over? He's doing absolutely nothing different to any other chequebook manager.

His been at City for 1 season. Bit early to throw in the towel. He might fail, it happens but lets see how it plays out before writing his time off at City already.

Personally I very much enjoyed watching his Bayern side. 

[RJ320]

Stevie Wonder could manage Bayern to the league title, they are levels above the second best team in Germany. At Barcelona he inherited the most talented collection of players I have seen in my lifetime. Pep so far hasn't done anything at City. For all the money he's spent, he should atleast have a trophy to show for it. This season is make or break for him.

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

You can call him many things but I tend to look at what players who have worked under him and what clubs who have employed him say and everything suggests he is a damn good coach who makes players better.

 

He makes them better as ballplayers - passing quality, passing decisions, interchanges. Ok sure. Beyond that, we are in no position to know whether his players have improved in the defensive phase (full pitch pressing aside) simply because the quality he's had at his disposal his entire career means he can take risks with player positions most other managers can't to win. His defensive stats are a product of this confluence of factors, certainly not defensive phase work in the traditional sense where the best organised ones know the opponents can have the ball for three hours and do sweet all.

I love innovators, creators. I love that aspect of Pep. Yet as a 'pure' coach, he has more to prove than Brendan Rodgers.

[puroresu_kid]

Stevie Wonder could manage Bayern to the league title, they are levels above the second best team in Germany. At Barcelona he inherited the most talented collection of players I have seen in my lifetime. Pep so far hasn't done anything at City. For all the money he's spent, he should atleast have a trophy to show for it. This season is make or break for him.

As I said before nobody when Guardiola took over this supposed most talented team in a generation nobidy said they would win every trophy they could win while also being called the best team ever to play the game.  Its easy to look afterwards but I clearly remember him taking over a Barcelona which was struggling.  Ronaldinho was done, Deco was done, Henry was struggling and they finished well behind Madrid.  Madrid were clear favourites to win the title again.

There was no demand for Busquets and Pedro from outside.  Nobody knew who they were.

Jeez they lost there first game and people were questioning whether the appointment was correct.

[Dim Glas]

Stevie Wonder could manage Bayern to the league title, they are levels above the second best team in Germany. At Barcelona he inherited the most talented collection of players I have seen in my lifetime. Pep so far hasn't done anything at City. For all the money he's spent, he should atleast have a trophy to show for it. This season is make or break for him.

and if they aren't, they just nab one or two of their best players   

Europe was his downfall with Bayern. He was expected to at least get them to the final, and well, to win it too, but each time he got to the semi finals, which would be ok for a lot of teams, but not for them with that talented squad. Plus they got a bit of a pounding in two of them semi finals too.  It's how Ancelotti's time there will be defined too.

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

To be fair, if I'm recalling it correctly, Pep deserved a lot of credit for making that set of decisions to move on Deco, Ronaldinho etc and promote Busquets, give Xavi, Iniesta the centre stage. It's easy with the benefit of history to underplay what a huge set of err...cojones it must have taken.

[puroresu_kid]

He makes them better as ballplayers - passing quality, passing decisions, interchanges. Ok sure. Beyond that, we are in no position to know whether his players have improved in the defensive phase (full pitch pressing aside) simply because the quality he's had at his disposal his entire career means he can take risks with player positions most other managers can't to win. His defensive stats are a product of this confluence of factors, certainly not defensive phase work in the traditional sense where the best organised ones know the opponents can have the ball for three hours and do sweet all.

I love innovators, creators. I love that aspect of Pep. Yet as a 'pure' coach, he has more to prove than Brendan Rodgers.

But that's just a consequence of his success.  Success at Barcelona led to Bayern. Bayern led to City, City will lead to another big job if he carries on.

His not going to take over Stoke City and nor should he have too when you have job offers from the wealthiest and biggest clubs in Europe.  When Managers are successful they tend to go from one big job to another. 

[lionel_messias]

The Premier League is quite competitive at the moment, so we'll see how good he is.

Right now, it looks like City have spent a ridiculous King's ransom and still won't be able to defend that well.

Pep's expansive policy of pressing and full-backs turning into midfielders etc looks inferior to the Italian task-master Antonio Conte's solid, well drilled Chelsea.

I love City personally, because should we sharpen up, there's every chance we'll eat them for breakfast in both games.

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

But that's just a consequence of his success.  Success at Barcelona led to Bayern. Bayern led to City, City will lead to another big job if he carries on.

His not going to take over Stoke City and nor should he have too when you have job offers from the wealthiest and biggest clubs in Europe.  When Managers are successful they tend to go from one big job to another. 

That's true regarding career path. Due to his tactical choices, we simply do not have the information to judge certain aspects of him as a coach, so there's a caveat to the Pep as player improver claim, that's all.

Again, it's not to demean his work, it just is. We'll have that new information  when he changes tactical choices or goes to a lower tier club, but his stature now makes it unlikely, obviously.

[El Lobo]

I keep getting an image of them having their full backs bust their lungs for 45 minutes and then subbing them both at half time, and people calling it genius.

[Pelé as a Comedian]

To be fair, if I'm recalling it correctly, Pep deserved a lot of credit for making that set of decisions to move on Deco, Ronaldinho etc and promote Busquets, give Xavi, Iniesta the centre stage. It's easy with the benefit of history to underplay what a huge set of err...cojones it must have taken.

those were players he knew like the back of his hand, he coached the reserves prior to his promotion so there was little to no risk for him.
hungry youth players loyal to him as opposed to a party animal and a mercenary ? not saying it was a no brainer but it wasnt rocket science either.
he knew with certainty what players he had.

[Thats So Dimitar]

those were players he knew like the back of his hand, he coached the reserves prior to his promotion so there was little to no risk for him.
hungry youth players loyal to him as opposed to a party animal and a mercenary ? not saying it was a no brainer but it wasnt rocket science either.
he knew with certainty what players he had.

But if this is true you can't just say he "inherited" them can you? If he has been coaching them as youths, so keep bringing them up through the ranks and keep them stepping up in level to becoming possibly the greatest club side in history is something I am pretty confident in saying no other coach has done before. The man is quite clearly not a fraud or even close, regardless of him trying to buy his way to a PL title.

[ElCapo]

To be fair, if I'm recalling it correctly, Pep deserved a lot of credit for making that set of decisions to move on Deco, Ronaldinho etc and promote Busquets, give Xavi, Iniesta the centre stage. It's easy with the benefit of history to underplay what a huge set of err...cojones it must have taken.

After Aragones had already made Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta the fulcrum of the national squad, winning the first major piece of silverware in 44 years.

And by the way, I am a big fan of Pep.

[puroresu_kid]

@agent_edward on Twitter says City have bid £140 mil for Mbappe

[Dim Glas]

Agent Edward

[Chris~]

@agent_edward on Twitter says City have bid £140 mil for Mbappe

No idea who that is, but imagine he's just repeating what the MEN are saying

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-sign-kylian-mbappe-13384333

[puroresu_kid]

No idea who that is, but imagine he's just repeating what the MEN are saying

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-sign-kylian-mbappe-13384333

His pretty decent to be honest. Saw him a few times call transfers before the media report them.

I'm still guessing Mbappe will go Madrid. Not many turn down Madrid for Manchester.

[Dim Glas]

If Real Madrid want him, they'll get him.

City though, if it wasn't so ridiculous, it'd be comical what Guardiola is doing.  It's got the point of being ridiculous now.

[puroresu_kid]

If Real Madrid want him, they'll get him.

City though, if it wasn't so ridiculous, it'd be comical what Guardiola is doing.  It's got the point of being ridiculous now.

It's why I see Aguero leaving. They clearly want another striker and I don't see Aguero surviving there if they get one.

[Skeeve]

His been at City for 1 season. Bit early to throw in the towel. He might fail, it happens but lets see how it plays out before writing his time off at City already.

Personally I very much enjoyed watching his Bayern side.

People are not writing off his time at City already, merely counting up how much he is spending to add to an already expensive squad and then rightly mocking him for those extravagances. 

[Dim Glas]

People are not writing off his time at City already, merely counting up how much he is spending to add to an already expensive squad and then rightly mocking him for those extravagances. 

exactly!

Can't blame him for spending, cos after all, he's gone there knowing the type of budget they have, and he's hardly going to say 'ah no, yer alright'.

But it's just nuts at this point! It's pure greed.

The attacking talent they have in Sane, Aguero, Silva, B. Silva, Jesus, De Bruyne, oh yeah, and Sterling too, who'll be a very expensive bench warmer at this rate.  So yeah, lets add Mbappe or Alexis to that lot, cos we're really weak in them attacking areas.

There has to be a point where someone needs to wrestle that chequebook away from him and go 'yer know what Peppy, you will just have to make do with what you've got now'.

[Brian Blessed]

I'm not huge on visiting other teams' forums, but for some reason I have been this summer, perhaps because of the insane transfer market. It's a bit like car crash television.

This evening I got on blue moon looking for their views on this Mbappe rumour. Before I got there, I saw a thread titled "how this summers transfers have cost us nothing", so of course I took a look, as it's so blatantly absurd. The reasoning was, despite the fees, and speculated wages adding up to a third of a billion, with the wages paid over the next five years, they'll get just as much from player sales this summer, and wages saved on said players. Again over the next five years.

I was expecting derisory comments, pointing out that the players sold aren't on five year contracts, and wouldn't be offered contracts that would see them there for five years. But no, apparently the OP is held up as some sort of football finance genius. (At lest at first, I didn't read beyond page one) Okay.....

[SandyShore]

Still linked to Mbappe, imagine if they somehow beat Madrid to his signature,  400 million in 1 transfer window.   Pep to PSG next career move nailed on.

[ggcc14]

Sane has a tattoo of himself scoring a goal against Monaco in the CL, a tie they ultimately lost.. not shown in this picture is also a big clock with the time he scored at.. just gone 9oclock.

so small time and embarrassing to be honest.

[Achilles Heel]

The finished version:



Give me that any day over a neck tattoo

[ggcc14]

Umm.. why are you comparing it to anything? what has a neck tat got to do with it? It is what it is.. a tattoo covering his whole back celebrating a goal in a LAST SIXTEEN tie they thrown away a 5-3 lead, super embarrassing. I suppose if he is happy with it then that's all that matters but what's he going to do when/if he scores a goal of actual importance?

[Craig S]

Wasn't it a tap in, into an empty net?

[puroresu_kid]

exactly!

Can't blame him for spending, cos after all, he's gone there knowing the type of budget they have, and he's hardly going to say 'ah no, yer alright'.

But it's just nuts at this point! It's pure greed.

The attacking talent they have in Sane, Aguero, Silva, B. Silva, Jesus, De Bruyne, oh yeah, and Sterling too, who'll be a very expensive bench warmer at this rate.  So yeah, lets add Mbappe or Alexis to that lot, cos we're really weak in them attacking areas.

There has to be a point where someone needs to wrestle that chequebook away from him and go 'yer know what Peppy, you will just have to make do with what you've got now'.

Isnt it more about getting the major surgery done now, reducing the age of the squad dramatically so next year and beyond they don't need to make such outlays?

[clinical]

Imagine if they spent £140m on Mbappe and then didn't win the league. Would be the biggest failure of all time right?

[stoa]

Wasn't it a tap in, into an empty net?

Forget that. What does "44866" mean? Is it his phone number?

[Achilles Heel]

Umm.. why are you comparing it to anything? what has a neck tat got to do with it? It is what it is.. a tattoo covering his whole back celebrating a goal in a LAST SIXTEEN tie they thrown away a 5-3 lead, super embarrassing. I suppose if he is happy with it then that's all that matters but what's he going to do when/if he scores a goal of actual importance?

Umm, its not my bag but better hidden away on a back than a neck. At least he won't see it every time he looks in a mirror.

Whilst its based on the photo of his celebration of the goal against Monaco, he is telling a story of his life so far  - Africa is depicted, Germany is depicted, his home post code, a picture of him as a kid with a ball, and other stuff such as clock which I've no idea of the relevance.  But I bet that goal, as insignificant as it might be in the big picture of his football career with no doubt many huge moments ahead of him, was the the best buzz he has had in his career so far aligned to his arrival on the big Champions League stage. A feeling he probably will never forget.

[Dim Glas]

never mind the utter arrogance of having a msssive tattoo of yourself,  that is one UGLY piece of work, it's terrible. Lucky he doesn't have to see it every day, it's really bad.