Most expensive team in the history of football on course for 100 points and 100 goals again. So much fun watching this unpredictable league unfold!
And not far behind in terms of money spent are Man Utd who have paid a total of £642m for their squad and should, on the basis of money spent, be on course for 2nd place.
But they're not. They are currently in 7th place with a goal difference of +1 and playing a brand of football the equivalent to The Crazy Gang at Wimbledon when compared to that of City.
Money can but you success. But it doesn't guarantee you anything and it is still down to the coach to get the best out of the team. You only have to look at how Pogba, Sanchez and Lukaku are performing at United under Mourinho (as did so many players at Chelsea including Hazard in the final season of "The Special One" at Chelsea) to realise the difference between him and Guardiola.
I bet Sanchez now wishes that he had not insisted on his demands being met by City because he is a shadow of his former self. Equally, I wonder how Sterling would be doing now had he chosen to go to United instead of City. Probably the same way as Rashford. Acting more as cover for the full back than a threat at the other end of the pitch.
Yep, they are run way, way better than United. Still, the most expensive squad ever assembled are likely to win the league with ease at this rate. We can only hope Liverpool can keep up the pace to give us something to care about.
Neither Chelsea or Liverpool have been shy in spending either - £370m and £300m respectively since the beginning of last season as opposed to the £200m City shelled out in that time.
Interesting, that is a lot. To be expected from a Russian oligarch I suppose.
And it's funny with Liverpool, even after that expenditure, at £500m the Liverpool squad STILL cost £300m less than City's! Plus, I suppose, they sold Coutinho for £142m which would have helped them in the transfer market. Although citing player sales is always tricky to balance out.
I read the other day that Mansour's lot have now spent just shy of €3bn in seven years to get the club where they want them (best manager, best players, best training ground etc) as part of the charm offensive with the west. It's certainly an impressive thing, to pump all that money and for it to work so well. It was only UEFA's rules that were supposed to prohibit them from doing it, but if they've got Gianni Infantino fighting their corner, it's hard to imagine anyone stopping them, on any level.
I think you are all missing Fergie's point. We're not talking about a couple of seasons, we're talking about history. Utd have the most league titles and success, albeit modest for their stature, in Europe. City are miles or years behind Utd and Liverpool too. Guardiola is undoubtedly an exceptional coach but he ain't going to be around for decades like Fergie or Wenger etc were.
Everton and Villa have also won more titles than Chelsea or City, i'm pretty sure it doesn't count for much in the modern game.
I think you are all missing Fergie's point. We're not talking about a couple of seasons, we're talking about history. Utd have the most league titles and success, albeit modest for their stature, in Europe. City are miles or years behind Utd and Liverpool too. Guardiola is undoubtedly an exceptional coach but he ain't going to be around for decades like Fergie or Wenger etc were.
Everton and Villa have also won more titles than Chelsea or City, i'm pretty sure it doesn't count for much in the modern game.
Players go to City and Liverpool and nearly always get better.
Players go to United at the moment and get worse. Or have erratic careers, being dropped at times and having bust ups with the manager (Luke Shaw, Martial, Pogba).
Players go to City and Liverpool and nearly always get better.
Players go to United at the moment and get worse. Or have erratic careers, being dropped at times and having bust ups with the manager (Luke Shaw, Martial, Pogba).
I think there is more to the increasing appointment of "head coaches" over "managers" than just semantics. Guardiola and Klopp and the like work as much on bringing the best out of players and improving them as much as tactical and positional drills. Mourinho is more old school, he has a set plan and buys players ready made for the system, but I think that time is passing.
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
44 passes in the build up to the 3rd goal, keeping possession for 2 minutes and 18 seconds, simply brilliant.
My father, who passed away last year and was responsible for my allegiance to CAFC, played football in Hungary at the time of Puskas and his Magnificent Magyars. He drilled into me growing up that to play the game you have to love the ball, to caress it and make it your own. That team did it. Barcelona do it and so do City now.
United, on the other hand, are more keen on stopping the opposition playing than doing something beautiful with the ball. By the time City had scored their first goal in the 12th minute, United had completed just six passes. Possession for possession sake wins nothing but if you can't retain the ball you are in even a worse position than just holding onto it.
44 passes in the build up to the 3rd goal, keeping possession for 2 minutes and 18 seconds, simply brilliant.
United were down by a goal with just 5 minutes left ... instead of playing like the United of old, they sat back waiting to hit City on the break. City sensibly refused to come charging forward, preferring to keep possession. United’s players were too deep ... eventually the GOTS came.
44 passes in the build up to the 3rd goal, keeping possession for 2 minutes and 18 seconds, simply brilliant.
My father, who passed away last year and was responsible for my allegiance to CAFC, played football in Hungary at the time of Puskas and his Magnificent Magyars. He drilled into me growing up that to play the game you have to love the ball, to caress it and make it your own. That team did it. Barcelona do it and so do City now.
United, on the other hand, are more keen on stopping the opposition playing than doing something beautiful with the ball. By the time City had scored their first goal in the 12th minute, United had completed just six passes. Possession for possession sake wins nothing but if you can't retain the ball you are in even a worse position than just holding onto it.
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
With 3 English players in it.
All of whom have improved greatly under Guardiola. In fact it's hard to think of a player there who he hasn't improved.
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
With 3 English players in it.
All of whom have improved greatly under Guardiola. In fact it's hard to think of a player there who he hasn't improved.
Which is his greatest talent as a manager for me. Good players become great players, but even great players find an extra level. Klopp has a similar effect but not always as consistently
44 passes in the build up to the 3rd goal, keeping possession for 2 minutes and 18 seconds, simply brilliant.
My father, who passed away last year and was responsible for my allegiance to CAFC, played football in Hungary at the time of Puskas and his Magnificent Magyars. He drilled into me growing up that to play the game you have to love the ball, to caress it and make it your own. That team did it. Barcelona do it and so do City now.
United, on the other hand, are more keen on stopping the opposition playing than doing something beautiful with the ball. By the time City had scored their first goal in the 12th minute, United had completed just six passes. Possession for possession sake wins nothing but if you can't retain the ball you are in even a worse position than just holding onto it.
Or you could just lump it forward.
Thank you Vinnie but, with all due respect, the era of you and your Crazy Gang has been and gone. In any case, with the modern interpretation of the Laws, your time on the pitch would be measured in seconds rather than minutes!
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
With 3 English players in it.
And the style is actually better than those teams. I'm not saying the team is, but the overall approach. City don't have the individual brilliance of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta but Guardiola had to tweak his style at the end of his time at Barce, developed it at Bayern and now has added a more muscular and aggressive approach to his style of play which suits the PL better. He had to respond to the pressing that became popular in football and he's found a way round that too (for the most part). Amazing to watch the evolution of his team from when he took over to now
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
With 3 English players in it.
And the style is actually better than those teams. I'm not saying the team is, but the overall approach. City don't have the individual brilliance of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta but Guardiola had to tweak his style at the end of his time at Barce, developed it at Bayern and now has added a more muscular and aggressive approach to his style of play which suits the PL better. He had to respond to the pressing that became popular in football and he's found a way round that too (for the most part). Amazing to watch the evolution of his team from when he took over to now
Excellent point. The way he has kept with his philosophy throughout whilst adapting to suit the needs of beating the competition has been phenomenal and to me really shows alone just how he is such an incredible coach.
A good coach improves the players they have at their disposal, that should be standard. Pep goes above and beyond that and that is why he is a winner and why City will win the league again this season.
Absolute joy to watch. From the keeper to the centre halves to the front men everyone in that team knows where they want the ball to go. So few wasted passes and wayward clearances. The difference in players like Fernandinho and Stones on the ball is ridiculous compared to what the used to be like
Amazing to see the football we saw in the great Barcelona and Spain teams replicated in the PL
With 3 English players in it.
All of whom have improved greatly under Guardiola. In fact it's hard to think of a player there who he hasn't improved.
Mangala. And Claudio Bravo.
Really had to stretch for those though - he's made players like Sterling and Stones improve loads. Even Aguero who was class anyway.
The overall spending, as a result of TV money, has gone through the roof and undoubtedly created a bigger void between the PL and the lower divisions. But there has always been that void - ask any of our fans how they felt when the likes of Paul Walsh, Paul Elliott and Killer were sold for example. We had to do it because we needed the money and the Division 1 Clubs had that money.
There is, however, another definition as to the value of a coach and that is whether he actually improves the players under his charge:
Is Sterling a better player than when he was at Liverpool? Is Stones a better player than when he first came to City? Is De Bruyne better than when he was at Chelsea? Is Delph, converted by Guardiola to full back, a better player? Is Otamendi now a much improved centre back? Has Aguero become more of a team player under Guardiola? Has Sane grown to be a more improved footballer? Has Fernandinho become the most complete holding midfielder in the PL?
Pochettino has had similar success with the likes of Kane, Ali, Dier and Winks and Klopp has too with the likes of Salah, Mane and Firminho.
All of the following players were bought for "money":
Pogba at Man Utd (£89m) Lacazette at Arsenal (£47m) Xhaka at Arsenal (£35m) Bakayoka at Chelsea (£40m) Morata at Chelsea (£60m) Drinkwater at Chelsea (£35m) Batshuayi at Chelsea (£33m) Bolasie at Everton (£20m) Schneirdelin at Everton (£20m) Klassen at Everton (£24m) Sigurdsson at Everton (£45m) Keane at Everton (£25m) Slimani at Leicester (£29m) Iheanacho at Leicester (£25m) Benteke at Palace (£27m)
All these 15 players (same number as City have bought in the last 18 months but at a cost a total of £554m - about £140m more than the money spent by Guardiola. And all of them have either struggled to hold down a place at their clubs and/or gone backwards as footballers.
It's not just about spending money but money certainly helps (and City have proven with Sanchez and Mahrez that they will not pay over the top - their largest fee is £57m). It's about buying the right players for the right money at the right age and having a coach that will improve them as players and with the style and within the team framework that is required to be both successful and pleasing to the eye. And that is relative to whatever division the team plays in.
1. I would say yes but he is very young so always would have improved and also lets not forget how good he was under Rogers which prompted City to pay £50 mil
2.Of course Stones is but again with age although I still feel he's still not a great player.
3. Don't understand why you're comparing him to when he was at Chelsea. So is Pepe responsible for his development in Germany and when De Bruyne was still at City.
4. Really can't say, again lets not forget his form previous to signing for City and not just remember him being a bench warmer. He's also played around 25 games as a full back so really hard to gauge.
5. I would say Otemendi has improved greatly "this season" but helps when not having to defend much.
6. Can honestly say, I've not seen much change in Ageruro, I feel he lacks the explosivness that he used to have and has adapted his game a bit to suit like all great players do.
7. Again, a young talented player who will always improve, however I feel his form has dipped this year.
8. No, despite being better in a box to box role, I still feel Kante would be better in holding role as would Dembele. However I agree he greatly improved and in fact I would say the biggest success of Pepe.
Do you not feel that similar things could be said about several players at several big teams? As others have pointed out, a true text of his coaching ability would be if he had coached lesser players at lesser clubs into better players etc
I think Mourinho has now just about demonstrated through the way he used the likes of Hazard in his last season at Chelsea and Pogba at United that "coaching" and "managing" have to work hand in hand if you want to get the best out of players. Mourinho can coach but only in a dinosaur "stop the opposition from playing" way which does not sit comfortably with the more creative players. It then becomes a war between him and those players.
Pochettino, Klopp and Guardiola can coach and manage. And yes I do seriously believe that they would do a better job than Lee Bowyer who, for one so new to the position, is doing admirably well nevertheless.
Guardiola is playing John Stones as a holding midfielder tonight and i hope Southgate is watching because he's playing really well and could definitely be an option there for England. Looks so comfortable playing there you'd think he'd played there for years.
Guardiola is playing John Stones as a holding midfielder tonight and i hope Southgate is watching because he's playing really well and could definitely be an option there for England. Looks so comfortable playing there you'd think he'd played there for years.
That finish from de Bruyne though... Absolutely class!!
We can only hope Liverpool can keep up the pace to give us something to care about.
Really?
F*ck the chronic grief merchant Bin Dippers, f*ck Klopp and his ridiculous teeth.
(Not sure how long ago I typed that but it was still in draft format but the point still bloody stands!)
So you'd prefer City just ran away with it than there being an actual title race?
Obviously i know you'd prefer Spurs won it but that's not happening.
Yes give me Man City winning it all, any day of the week (obviously fantasy stuff like Leicester denying Spurs is just a once in a lifetime bit of magic) Who knows any Man City fans, surely they don’t crow on about shit like a poxy Liverpool, we won it fiiiiiive times , fan would but imagine the living hell life would become if when the year ends in one mob ever won the league or champions league *shivers* perish the thought, anyone but Spurs
Apologies to Johnboy who comes across a good egg but living near Epping on the dirty side of the river too many of them , West Ham and Arsenal for my liking but the benefit of minimal palarse or scum fans is what I get .
Anyone see Sterling’s failed panenka style penalty kick last night that went over the Leicester goal . I thought Ward the Leicester keeper was was a bit over the top getting in his face giving him some grief for missing , sterling just laughed it off .
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And it's funny with Liverpool, even after that expenditure, at £500m the Liverpool squad STILL cost £300m less than City's! Plus, I suppose, they sold Coutinho for £142m which would have helped them in the transfer market.
Although citing player sales is always tricky to balance out.
I read the other day that Mansour's lot have now spent just shy of €3bn in seven years to get the club where they want them (best manager, best players, best training ground etc) as part of the charm offensive with the west. It's certainly an impressive thing, to pump all that money and for it to work so well. It was only UEFA's rules that were supposed to prohibit them from doing it, but if they've got Gianni Infantino fighting their corner, it's hard to imagine anyone stopping them, on any level.
Players go to United at the moment and get worse. Or have erratic careers, being dropped at times and having bust ups with the manager (Luke Shaw, Martial, Pogba).
United, on the other hand, are more keen on stopping the opposition playing than doing something beautiful with the ball. By the time City had scored their first goal in the 12th minute, United had completed just six passes. Possession for possession sake wins nothing but if you can't retain the ball you are in even a worse position than just holding onto it.
With 3 English players in it.
A good coach improves the players they have at their disposal, that should be standard. Pep goes above and beyond that and that is why he is a winner and why City will win the league again this season.
Really had to stretch for those though - he's made players like Sterling and Stones improve loads. Even Aguero who was class anyway.
Pochettino, Klopp and Guardiola can coach and manage. And yes I do seriously believe that they would do a better job than Lee Bowyer who, for one so new to the position, is doing admirably well nevertheless.
F*ck the chronic grief merchant Bin Dippers, f*ck Klopp and his ridiculous teeth.
(Not sure how long ago I typed that but it was still in draft format but the point still bloody stands!)
Obviously i know you'd prefer Spurs won it but that's not happening.
Who knows any Man City fans, surely they don’t crow on about shit like a poxy Liverpool, we won it fiiiiiive times , fan would but imagine the living hell life would become if when the year ends in one mob ever won the league or champions league *shivers* perish the thought, anyone but Spurs
Apologies to Johnboy who comes across a good egg but living near Epping on the dirty side of the river too many of them , West Ham and Arsenal for my liking but the benefit of minimal palarse or scum fans is what I get .
I thought Ward the Leicester keeper was was a bit over the top getting in his face giving him some grief for missing , sterling just laughed it off .
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11585544/raheem-sterling-misses-panenka-penalty-against-leicester
Edit :Having re watched it , not that bad (the grief that is)