Topic: Predictions: Top 4

[spider-neil]

Problem with the Bournemouth defeat is it gave us little margin for error for the rest of the season and the next games were City/Chelsea and Arsenal where we only got 2 points and were still smarting from that game at City and Chelsea and first half v Arsenal. Had we followed up that United win by beating Bournemouth I think we would have got top 4.

I agree. Heck, had we drawn we would have been ahead of Manu with Manu playing a game less. Who knows what pressure being pushed out of the top 4 would had on Manu. As it is at no point all season did we sit in the top 4.

[UntouchableLuis]

Lots of people saying City will be different without pep. Does that mean he's not a fraud?

They'll still win titles but maybe a slight downturn in effort/adjusting to new tactics.

[Jm55]

Yeah they have Chelsea and Fulham at home. Could see them dropping points, but not losing twice.

It's over, and I've never wanted to say that at any point. Saturday ended our chances. Europa isn't an awful consolation and I think whether we'd snuck into the top 4 or not, our signings are probably already planned and in motion, so they wouldn't have been affected.

What you mean to say that had we got the added bonus of CL that FSG wouldn’t revise the budget to account for the extra funds?

[Crosby Nick]

Lots of people saying City will be different without pep. Does that mean he's not a fraud?

He an intense weirdo. But he knows what he’s doing!

Before he game it felt like they’d have a season on followed by a season off. A bit like Chelsea in the post Mourinho years. He could build such a strong culture that when he leaves everyone knows their kind and things carry on as normal. Or there could be an inevitable drop off. Which even if only minor, opens the door for anyone else who has their act together.

[MonsLibpool]

They'll still win titles but maybe a slight downturn in effort/adjusting to new tactics.

He's a tough act to follow because he knows how to keep his teams motivated and guard against complacency. He's like Fergie to them.

[UntouchableLuis]

He's a tough act to follow because he knows how to keep his teams motivated and guard against complacency. He's like Fergie to them.

Definitely. Even the best sides struggle when a new manager comes in for a bit after prolonged success. In the Premier League at least. Anyone could take over PSG or Bayern pretty much and they'd just keep winning.

When Pep goes, his coaches go and some of the old guard will be nearing the exit (Mahrez, Gundogan, Bernardo, Walker are all 32)

They obviously have Haaland, Alvarez and Foden for many years to come. Stones, Dias, Akanji, KDB, Grealish as well have a good 3-5 years left.

It's hard to see a ridiculous decline but if we make the right signings we could maybe pip them if it coincides with a slight downturn.

We of course are going to lose VVD, Thiago, Hendo and Salah in the next couple of years you'd imagine.

[Henry Gale]

He's a tough act to follow because he knows how to keep his teams motivated and guard against complacency. He's like Fergie to them.

Did he actually sign his new contract? I don't really take much notice to their news to be honest.

[PaulF]

It's hard to see a ridiculous decline but if we make the right signings we could maybe pip them if it coincides with a slight downturn.

Wishful thinking, but perhaps FSG are timing their spending to peak when City hit that dip? It's ridiculous any club should need to do that in the face of such cheating.

[MonsLibpool]

Did he actually sign his new contract? I don't really take much notice to their news to be honest.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12753075/pep-guardiola-signs-two-year-manchester-city-contract-extension

[Henry Gale]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12753075/pep-guardiola-signs-two-year-manchester-city-contract-extension

Thanks.

[Sharado]

When Pep goes, his coaches go and some of the old guard will be nearing the exit (Mahrez, Gundogan, Bernardo, Walker are all 32)

They obviously have Haaland, Alvarez and Foden for many years to come. Stones, Dias, Akanji, KDB, Grealish as well have a good 3-5 years left.

I actually think a lot of those players will see a big decline when Pep leaves and some will leave with him because of the expectation of decline. The only issue is when it happens. I'd love him to leave as soon as possible, but he can literally write a number on a piece of paper for as long as he wants to be there and get anything he wants. I'm loathe to give anyone at that particular branch of the abu dhabi propaganda project credit, but without Pep the project does look different. It's the money that got them Pep of course, but without Pep I don't see them being anything like this dominant.

[MonsLibpool]

I actually think a lot of those players will see a big decline when Pep leaves and some will leave with him because of the expectation of decline. The only issue is when it happens. I'd love him to leave as soon as possible, but he can literally write a number on a piece of paper for as long as he wants to be there and get anything he wants. I'm loathe to give anyone at that particular branch of the abu dhabi propaganda project credit, but without Pep the project does look different. It's the money that got them Pep of course, but without Pep I don't see them being anything like this dominant.

Mourinho was in the same position with unlimited funds at Chelsea almost 20 years ago but he only lasted 3 full seasons. It's not easy.

[amir87]

Leicester Chelsea will smash Newcastle Man Utd today Thursday and we’ll be back in with a chance.

[tubby]

Reach for the stars, Amir.

[amir87]

Reach for the stars, Amir.

That's plan B after the mushrooms run out.

[farawayred]

That's plan B after the mushrooms run out.

The mushrooms might provide the necessary lift, don’t discount the possibility 😎

[MD1990]

City will be 15 points a season less when Pep goes.
Do City get Haaland if Pep isnt their i am not sure either.
He is a prick but a brillant manager
The day he goes it will be a great day.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Where's Peter? He promised us 3rd place

[Barneylfc∗]

Where's Peter? He promised us 3rd place

He's on the phone to the bookies asking if he can have his £1000 back.

[Terry de Niro]

Where's Peter? He promised us 3rd place

He's on the phone to the bookies asking if he can have his £1000 back.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

He's on the phone to the bookies asking if he can have his £1000 back.

 

[Sharado]

Mourinho was in the same position with unlimited funds at Chelsea almost 20 years ago but he only lasted 3 full seasons. It's not easy.

There was a limit, even at chelsea. The city owners could hire Roman Abramovich as their butler if they wanted to. But take the wider point of course, whilst I'd say that Pep's 'style' is better suited over time than Jose's 'seige mentality' thing that always had a shelf life.

[kennedy81]

If the PL relegates them I don't see Pep staying. It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that happens in the next year or two.

[PaulF]

There was a limit, even at chelsea. The city owners could hire Roman Abramovich as their butler if they wanted to. But take the wider point of course, whilst I'd say that Pep's 'style' is better suited over time than Jose's 'seige mentality' thing that always had a shelf life.

While at Chelsea , the financial limit was never curtailed like city can do now. He effectively had limitless funds.
His style though wasn't likely to last more than a few years.

[kaesarsosei]

So we need to win our last game and United to lose both theirs. In that sense, did anything really change by drawing with Villa? We still needed United to lose 2 anyway if I have it right.

So long as United lose to Chelsea tomorrow, it will at least make the final day interesting for a while.

[Fromola]

I actually think a lot of those players will see a big decline when Pep leaves and some will leave with him because of the expectation of decline. The only issue is when it happens. I'd love him to leave as soon as possible, but he can literally write a number on a piece of paper for as long as he wants to be there and get anything he wants. I'm loathe to give anyone at that particular branch of the abu dhabi propaganda project credit, but without Pep the project does look different. It's the money that got them Pep of course, but without Pep I don't see them being anything like this dominant.

Pep is effective at relentlessly winning domestically compared to an Ancelotti who loses interest after one title or Mourinho whose head explodes after 2 seasons in a job. His Bayern teams barely dropped a point up to the point of confirming the title. It's very boring dominance, as the games are so one sided due to their possession and it relies on limitless budgets (City), having way more money than anyone else (Bayern) or a freakish generation of talent (i.e. Barca).

However, he's underachieved in Europe with the teams he's had and the domestic success he's had. Although that'll all be forgotten in a couple of weeks, it shouldn't have taken him 6 years at City to win a CL (or no final in 3 years at Bayern). He couldn't retain the CL either with the greatest club team of at least the last 25-30 years, including a ridiculous bottle job against a Di Matteo led Chelsea.

Before Pep can be labelled a genius he needs to come off cheat mode.

[Barneylfc∗]

So we need to win our last game and United to lose both theirs. In that sense, did anything really change by drawing with Villa? We still needed United to lose 2 anyway if I have it right.

So long as United lose to Chelsea tomorrow, it will at least make the final day interesting for a while.

2 draws would've been sufficient.

Had we beaten Villa and Newcastle still failed to beat Leicester, we'd have had a chance of finishing ahead of them with a decent win v Southampton and them drawing at Chelsea.

[Fromola]

2 draws would've been sufficient.

Had we beaten Villa and Newcastle still failed to beat Leicester, we'd have had a chance of finishing ahead of them with a decent win v Southampton and them drawing at Chelsea.

Pretty sure Newcastle would have won on Monday if they had to or we beat Villa. They only needed a draw and they battered a woeful Leicester and missed open goals and all sorts. Last 25  minutes they pretty much took their foot off and settled for a draw against a team who were causing them no problems.

Takes the pressure off United though.

[killer-heels]

We won 7, lost 1 and drew 2 of our last 10 games. It was a really good run and illustrates that it was lost way before that run.

[Fromola]

We won 7, lost 1 and drew 2 of our last 10 games. It was a really good run and illustrates that it was lost way before that run.

We needed to win the last 10 games from Arsenal onwards and even then we'd still be behind Newcastle on goal difference with a game left.

[UntouchableLuis]

We needed to win the last 10 games from Arsenal onwards and even then we'd still be behind Newcastle on goal difference with a game left.

No side should have to win their last 10 to achieve their aims. If that's the case they've fucked up too much before that or they're up against a cheat. Both have been true In our last 4 seasons.

[Fromola]

He's a tough act to follow because he knows how to keep his teams motivated and guard against complacency. He's like Fergie to them.

He's a perfectionist and demands high standards. They were playing like shit around Jan and he was flipping out at them and bombed Cancelo out. That can backfire as well . What seemed to get them going was the PL charge but again Guardiola knows how to use things like that to motivate.

He's extremely obsessive about winning relentlessly. Those manager usually burn out quick like Mourinho does. Pep himself did at Barca. He has kept that going at City which only Ferguson has managed in the modern era.

The resources are the key though and no CL up to now is poor. He's effective at domestic dominance because he can just churn out win after win unless they're on a poor run.