Manchester City

[P45Mustang]

Liverpool is a tricky one.

They have fierce competition from City and Chelsea.

I wish chicog would fade away.

[Chicog]

<sigh> another glory hunter.

Sorry, mai khaw-jai, perhaps you can enlighten me.

Yeah, I'll enlighten you. Basically you are saying you want your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players, because you'd rather buy trophies than earn them.

Look at this shopping list &lt;deleted&gt;. How absolutely ridiculous.

We need to buy:

- a decent goalkeeper (replace Panti) to challenge Hart,

- a decent right-footed back-up for Kompany for when he’s inevitably injured or suspended (we tried many replacements last season but never found a decent replacement),

- a better left-back than Kolorov (another player who reacted well to Pellegrini’s management style and improved) or Clichy would be nice but probably won’t happen this season (next it has to),

- a replacement for Lescott (Demechellis ended the season as the most ‘in-form’ player last season but we need to be looking to replace him, hopefully Nastasic’s injury is over and he can move forward, so we need one more player),

- a replacement for Javi Garcia [although he finished last season really well – another player who reacted well to Pellegrini’s management style) – he’s not good enough, he’s not better than DeJong, and needs replacing. I have no doubt that the management had Rodwell in mind long term for this role when they bought him, but maybe Rodwell can be converted to a centre-back like Kompany (City fans will remember, Kompany joined when DeJong joined, Kompany was average in midfield and couldn’t hold down a place and it was only when we had injury problems – probably Dunne and Nedum were out injured – that he was played as an ‘emergency’ centre-back and he and the team have never looked back since],

- at least one replacement for Barry, Sinclair and maybe Rodwell,

- a back-up for Silva and Nasri (another player who reacted well to Pellegrini’s management style and improved) would be nice as one of them will be out from time to time with injuries following the stick they get (Silva must be black and blue every game after the treatment he gets). I would keep Jovetic as he looks like a real player if he can stay fit, and maybe he can be their back-up,

an alternative to Navas, whose game is limited, would be nice but probably won’t happen this season (next it has to if he doesn’t improve this season),

- some fresh-blood up front for one of Dzeko (another player who reacted well to Pellegrini’s management style and improved), Negredo or Guidetti. I’d keep Dzeko for another season as he’s a good squad player/goal scorer and he now seems to have learnt the basics of how to trap and lay the ball off to HIS TEAMPLAYER; he was excellent at the end of last season as the ONLY frontman, with Merlin behind him. Negredo’s 2^nd half of the season form after his injury at WHU was a worry, but unless we get a great offer than I’d keep for another season as he seems to play well with Aguero. Guidetti we’ve never seen and it must be getting very c

[P45Mustang]

What chicog is forgetting though is City will sell players also.

UEFA £49mil transfer limit applies.

But will he listen? He's blocked my posts cos I give him grief.

Somebody sort the cynical sarcastic bstrd out please.

I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.

Bitter acidic comments masquerading as humour, and the self declared arbiter of human rights for Arabs and Russians.

Seriously damaged goods, reducing people's joy of football.

[Bredbury Blue]

"Might just fade away" how'd you work that out? Because in another time and place they came second so it might just happen again? Great argument

I didn’t work it out; obviously no one can work it without the ability to see the future.

It’s also not an argument.

I merely put forward my opinion, based upon the following (i.e. not just on faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back) :

• I think they punched above their weight last season.
• They need to sort out that defence and look for a Gerrard replacement.
• How they cope in the CL will a major factor in the Premier (1st team is excellent but I’m not convinced by the squad).
• They also faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back.

You are a Liverpool fan (or of which team)? So your opinion of how Liverpool or the various Premier top teams will perform this coming season is?

[Bredbury Blue]

Chicog: “Yeah, I'll enlighten you. Basically you are saying you want your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players, because you'd rather buy trophies than earn them.

1. Jesus…talk about broken record…

As had been suggested by others, Mr.BJ I think, either join in please on footballing matters and leave aside the constant references to Sheik Mansour, Arab owners, Etihad, etc (six years have past since the Sheik bought City and you are still chipping away on this), or open a new topic on City’s owners and we can all join you there to debate it.

When I come on here I want to express my opinions on City, know what my fellow Blues opinions are, and I also don’t mind hearing from non-Blues their opinions on City. But come on man, leave out the constant chipping away will you, its annoying! Go on, come over on our side - it must be bloody lonely over there - join in with the healthy debate, and leave out your usual crap.

2. With regards your comments, yes, like any supporter of any professional team anywhere I want my club to be better than the rest…I was a season-ticket holder the last time we were successful in the 60s/70’s and it’s been a bloody long wait for us to taste success again. That entails constantly getting better players, better manager, etc, etc,. So yes, I do want City to buy better in the positions I listed. If you have an opinion on my suggestions regarding what we need, who should go, etc, please state it, but as a non-Blue I wouldn’t expect that you have any opinion so leave it out.

3. And what’s with this buying trophies comment? That’s pretty rich from an Arsenal supporter…I’d understand such a comment if you were from a team that hasn’t been one of the top teams – and wealthiest teams - for decades. Have a look at who has won the top trophy in England since it became the Premier League…yep, all the teams with money at the time. And fair play to Chelski for shaking things up with the Russians money and competing at the top table. Why do we have the Premier…because certain top teams (yours being one of them) who wanted to keep themselves rich and the other teams not as rich (seem to remember Chelsea’s Bates being anti-Premier as Chelsea around that time were not top table team) by breaking away to get what they wanted.

Can a team without money buy the better players around and win the Premier…can they hell.

When was the last time a team without loads of money won the Premier or Division 1 as was…mid 70’s (Derby, Forest) or was it 61-62 season (Ipswich)?

“you'd rather buy trophies than earn them” – grow up, we all buy trophies if we have the money! Why can City and Chelsea compete these days, yes, cause we have money like the Arsenals and ManU’s.

3. Based upon your logic, Arsenal won’t be buying anybody this summer then, you’ll only be using players coming through the clubs junior ranks will you? Course you won’t…Arsenal will be understandably looking to buy players, to improve what you have, so that you can win a trophy(s).

4. And as for “your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players”…

Haven’t we already been punished by the governing bodies for non-FFP compliance (even though we don’t agree with their case) so why bring it up again.

Any do you really think City are going to spend “another 200-300 (or more) million pounds” on players…come on. City will do like all the other top teams will do and buy a few players, if the ones they want come available, and if they spend more than 50 million pounds this summer I’d be amazed.

Jesus!

Let’s stick to talking and debating football matters on here, not politics, etc.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

PS. Could someone post the link to the Arsenal forum (i assume there is one) so i can go over and have a look at Chicog's contributions. Thanks

[P45Mustang]

FWIW.

I wish van Gaal well at UNITED.

Me as a chav, happy to compete with City.

Not a problem.

Jesus!

[Chicog]

4. And as for “your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players”…

No mate. You were let off with a puny fine and a slap on the wrist when you should have been fined all of your losses and banned from Europe until you balanced the books properly.

Anyway, it's water under the bridge.

Everyone in the Premier League, including the Russian, knows they are up against the Sheikh's billions and Platini won't do a thing about it, any more than he will about the others doing the same.

[Bredbury Blue]

4. And as for your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players

No mate. You were let off with a puny fine and a slap on the wrist when you should have been fined all of your losses and banned from Europe until you balanced the books properly.

Anyway, it's water under the bridge.

Everyone in the Premier League, including the Russian, knows they are up against the Sheikh's billions and Platini won't do a thing about it, any more than he will about the others doing the same.

Still can't leave alone eh, can you.

Anyway I think you will find that we've been penalised in accordance with the governing bodies rules.

The good thing I seem to have got you engaging more...don't go back to those short humourless posts again.

[BangrakBob]

"Might just fade away" how'd you work that out? Because in another time and place they came second so it might just happen again? Great argument

I didn’t work it out; obviously no one can work it without the ability to see the future.

It’s also not an argument.

I merely put forward my opinion, based upon the following (i.e. not just on faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back) :

• I think they punched above their weight last season.
• They need to sort out that defence and look for a Gerrard replacement.
• How they cope in the CL will a major factor in the Premier (1st team is excellent but I’m not convinced by the squad).
• They also faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back.

You are a Liverpool fan (or of which team)? So your opinion of how Liverpool or the various Premier top teams will perform this coming season is?

Yeah I read what you said and I commented on this sentence;

"After being so good last season, they might just fade away as they did the season after they came 2^nd to Utd a few seasons back"

Which I understood as they fade away in similar fashion, "as they did".

The club is a completely different proposition to what it was in post 2008/09 season. The owners at the time leveraged our arse to the wind, were not investing, but sending us out of business. The club was totally destabilised. So there is no chance of just fading away like that this coming season.

All your previous points are obviously true and are being addressed by the club

Re. opinion. I think it is too early to say. A lot of business to be done yet, and precious legs can still get broken over the next few weeks before.

[P45Mustang]

I wouldn't write Liverpool off, but they will find it tough.

[P45Mustang]

No point trying to engage with chicog.

He's damaged goods with serious baggage.

[Chicog]

4. And as for your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players

No mate. You were let off with a puny fine and a slap on the wrist when you should have been fined all of your losses and banned from Europe until you balanced the books properly.

Anyway, it's water under the bridge.

Everyone in the Premier League, including the Russian, knows they are up against the Sheikh's billions and Platini won't do a thing about it, any more than he will about the others doing the same.

Still can't leave alone eh, can you.

Anyway I think you will find that we've been penalised in accordance with the governing bodies rules.

The good thing I seem to have got you engaging more...don't go back to those short humourless posts again.

If City fans stopped banging on about all their spending, I'd stop banging on about how they can afford it.

[P45Mustang]

chicog's getting slippery.

dangerous little bitch.

[JacknDanny]

PS. Could someone post the link to the Arsenal forum (i assume there is one) so i can go over and have a look at Chicog's contributions. Thanks

Trust me, its not worth it mate!

He is just bitter that his club is our 'feeder' club

[P45Mustang]

He ain't too happy with Chelski either.

Not sure if it's a Cole, Fabregas thing, or whether he's just generally fkd tbh.

Either way, I wouldn't pi** on him if he was on fire.

Edited June 19, 2014 by P45Mustang

[Bredbury Blue]

"Might just fade away" how'd you work that out? Because in another time and place they came second so it might just happen again? Great argument

I didn’t work it out; obviously no one can work it without the ability to see the future.

It’s also not an argument.

I merely put forward my opinion, based upon the following (i.e. not just on faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back) :

• I think they punched above their weight last season.
• They need to sort out that defence and look for a Gerrard replacement.
• How they cope in the CL will a major factor in the Premier (1st team is excellent but I’m not convinced by the squad).
• They also faded away season after they came 2nd to Utd a few seasons back.

You are a Liverpool fan (or of which team)? So your opinion of how Liverpool or the various Premier top teams will perform this coming season is?

Yeah I read what you said and I commented on this sentence;

"After being so good last season, they might just fade away as they did the season after they came 2^nd to Utd a few seasons back"

Which I understood as they fade away in similar fashion, "as they did".

The club is a completely different proposition to what it was in post 2008/09 season. The owners at the time leveraged our arse to the wind, were not investing, but sending us out of business. The club was totally destabilised. So there is no chance of just fading away like that this coming season.

All your previous points are obviously true and are being addressed by the club

Re. opinion. I think it is too early to say. A lot of business to be done yet, and precious legs can still get broken over the next few weeks before.

Bob, all fair points.

[Bredbury Blue]

I wouldn't write Liverpool off, but they will find it tough.

Agreed. After their excellent performance last season they definitely can't be written off and they SHOULD be back this season challenging. Think we can all agree that after the City game mid-April, Liverpool should have gone on to won it.

[carmine]

He ain't too happy with Chelski either.

Not sure if it's a Cole, Fabregas thing, or whether he's just generally fkd tbh.

Either way, I wouldn't pi** on him if he was on fire.

He's a football fan and probably just doesn't like the unfair competition that Chelsea and City's owners have created through their obscene spending. And i'll add to that maybe you lot should stop being so prickly about the obvious and just enjoy your success....however plastic it is.

[carmine]

I wouldn't write Liverpool off, but they will find it tough.

Agreed. After their excellent performance last season they definitely can't be written off and they SHOULD be back this season challenging. Think we can all agree that after the City game mid-April, Liverpool should have gone on to won it.

Note to City and Chelsea fans; take a look again at Liverpool last season, because that was real achievement and thoroughly refreshing to see in these days of money driven success

Feel much better i've gotten all that off my chest....must be my irritation lingering on from England's defeat!!!

[Bredbury Blue]

4. And as for your unfairly wealthy owner and the airline he uses to get around FFP to go and buy another 200-300 (or more) million pounds worth of players

No mate. You were let off with a puny fine and a slap on the wrist when you should have been fined all of your losses and banned from Europe until you balanced the books properly.

Anyway, it's water under the bridge.

Everyone in the Premier League, including the Russian, knows they are up against the Sheikh's billions and Platini won't do a thing about it, any more than he will about the others doing the same.

Still can't leave alone eh, can you.

Anyway I think you will find that we've been penalised in accordance with the governing bodies rules.

The good thing I seem to have got you engaging more...don't go back to those short humourless posts again.

If City fans stopped banging on about all their spending, I'd stop banging on about how they can afford it.

Chicog - “If City fans stopped banging on about all their spending, I'd stop banging on about how they can afford it.”

There’s no need to be “banging on about how they can afford it” is there, everybody on this forum KNOWS City can afford it so why do you have to be telling us the obvious.

Chicog - As for “If City fans stopped banging on about all their spending”.

I’m not sure if you are referring to City fans in general or City fans on here ‘banging on’, but I don’t think City fans bang on about our spending at all, in fact it’s more of City fans continually having to DEFEND the clubs spending to fans of other clubs – like you. So if people like you left it out about City’s spending, then City fans wouldn’t have to defend our spending, and you’d be a happier grump Chicog.

Arsenal and ManU for decades existed in a different tier to virtually all other clubs. When City were in a position of NOT being able to buy the likes of Ljungberg 3M, Diawara 2.5M, Kanu 4.5M, Lauren 7.2M, Henry 10.5M, Sylvinho 4M, Jeffers 8M, Edu 6M, Wiltord 13M, Pires 6M, Gio 8.5M, Wright 6M, Silva 4.5M, RVP 2.7M, Reyes 13M, Rosicky 6.8M, Walcott 9.1M, Adebayor 7M, Hleb 11.2M, Eduardo 7.5M, etc, and compete at the very top, did City fans begrudge Arsenal who could afford it, no, we like all football fans just accepted it was economic reality, we had nowt so yo-yo’d, you had the brass so were always at the top.

I personally loved it when Chelski shook it up by being able to out bid the ‘traditional’ top clubs, fair play to them.

So now when another team has more money than Arsenal and you’re knocked off your perch of one of the richest clubs in the country, YOU can’t take it.

If someone buys Coventry or Sheffield Utd tomorrow and they have a wealthy owner who’s willing to really invest, will I begrudge them, no I won’t, fair play to them. Football for decades, and probably for a century or more has always seen that the wealthiest clubs are at the top of the top tier of football, and the poorest clubs are at the bottom of the bottom tier of football…it’s simple economics, isn’t it.

[Bredbury Blue]

He ain't too happy with Chelski either.

Not sure if it's a Cole, Fabregas thing, or whether he's just generally fkd tbh.

Either way, I wouldn't pi** on him if he was on fire.

He's a football fan and probably just doesn't like the unfair competition that Chelsea and City's owners have created through their obscene spending. And i'll add to that maybe you lot should stop being so prickly about the obvious and just enjoy your success....however plastic it is.

What unfair competition?

If it was unfair it wouldn't be allowed (and/or it'd be punished).

Team has more money than others, they can spend more, buy better players. It’s always been the same. So why when a team (Chelsea first and City second) get an owner who is willing to invest its suddenly unfair (for Chelsea or City) to spend more than the other teams. I will guarantee you that every season since football transfers started that one team spent more (stating the bleeding obvious here).

I hope I’m not coming across as prickly, as the opposite is true, I’m enjoying the banter with Chicog - and definitely enjoying our recent success; just wish Chicog would write a bit more instead of the one liners that only mean something to him, and wish that maybe offer Chicog would us all a few football comments beyond his broken record approach to City’s finances - not much to ask is it.

[P45Mustang]

Well, in the cold light of day following a very disappointing night last night...

Top football is just like Formula 1 Motor Racing. You have the big teams and the small teams.

What should we do? Put every body in the same car and see who the best driver is?

BredburyBlue is right. Economics. EPL, CL, WC is a big global money making machine.

Is it fair?

[carmine]

He ain't too happy with Chelski either.

Not sure if it's a Cole, Fabregas thing, or whether he's just generally fkd tbh.

Either way, I wouldn't pi** on him if he was on fire.

He's a football fan and probably just doesn't like the unfair competition that Chelsea and City's owners have created through their obscene spending. And i'll add to that maybe you lot should stop being so prickly about the obvious and just enjoy your success....however plastic it is.

What unfair competition?

If it was unfair it wouldn't be allowed (and/or it'd be punished).

Team has more money than others, they can spend more, buy better players. It’s always been the same. So why when a team (Chelsea first and City second) get an owner who is willing to invest its suddenly unfair (for Chelsea or City) to spend more than the other teams. I will guarantee you that every season since football transfers started that one team spent more (stating the bleeding obvious here).

I hope I’m not coming across as prickly, as the opposite is true, I’m enjoying the banter with Chicog - and definitely enjoying our recent success; just wish Chicog would write a bit more instead of the one liners that only mean something to him, and wish that maybe offer Chicog would us all a few football comments beyond his broken record approach to City’s finances - not much to ask is it.

OK i'll concede one point and thats my use of the word "unfair" is not justified.

Therefore i shall replace it with "not in the spirit of even competition".

And you do sound prickly i'm afraid!

[P45Mustang]

So how de we give Leyton Orient a level playing field against Spurs?

You can't.

FA and UEFA FFP is an attempt at controlling excess.

But it will never ensure 'a spirit of even competition'.

Nice idea but reality is, not achievable.

[carmine]

So how de we give Leyton Orient a level playing field against Spurs?

You can't.

FA and UEFA FFP is an attempt at controlling excess.

But it will never ensure 'a spirit of even competition'.

Nice idea but reality is, not achievable.

Yes you're always going to have a fair point there. All i can say to this is "a more even competition within each particular league."

It makes it all the more impressive seeing what Athletico Madrid and Diego Simeone has achieved in breaking the Real/Barca stranglehold

[Chicog]

Feel much better i've gotten all that off my chest....must be my irritation lingering on from England's defeat!!!

Cheer yourself up with a cheeky bet on Costa Rica to beat England while they are still 5/1. Great value.

But not in Thailand obviously, that would be illegal.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Chicog

[wilai]

So how de we give Leyton Orient a level playing field against Spurs?

You can't.

FA and UEFA FFP is an attempt at controlling excess.

But it will never ensure 'a spirit of even competition'.

Nice idea but reality is, not achievable.

Yes you're always going to have a fair point there. All i can say to this is "a more even competition within each particular league."

It makes it all the more impressive seeing what Athletico Madrid and Diego Simeone has achieved in breaking the Real/Barca stranglehold

Rafa also did it with Valencia..... Biggest problem is sustaining it, not least because you lose the players that got you there. Will be interesting to see how Simeone does next year (if indeed he stays himself?)

[carmine]

So how de we give Leyton Orient a level playing field against Spurs?

You can't.

FA and UEFA FFP is an attempt at controlling excess.

But it will never ensure 'a spirit of even competition'.

Nice idea but reality is, not achievable.

Yes you're always going to have a fair point there. All i can say to this is "a more even competition within each particular league."

It makes it all the more impressive seeing what Athletico Madrid and Diego Simeone has achieved in breaking the Real/Barca stranglehold

Rafa also did it with Valencia..... Biggest problem is sustaining it, not least because you lose the players that got you there. Will be interesting to see how Simeone does next year (if indeed he stays himself?)

If my memory serves me right he won two La Ligas with Valencia didn't he? Very impressive but as you say, maintaining it is not easy leaving your side in permanent transition. I'm sure Jurgen Klopp knows this all too well.

[jellydog]

So how de we give Leyton Orient a level playing field against Spurs?

You can't.

FA and UEFA FFP is an attempt at controlling excess.

But it will never ensure 'a spirit of even competition'.

Nice idea but reality is, not achievable.

Yes you're always going to have a fair point there. All i can say to this is "a more even competition within each particular league."

It makes it all the more impressive seeing what Athletico Madrid and Diego Simeone has achieved in breaking the Real/Barca stranglehold

Rafa also did it with Valencia..... Biggest problem is sustaining it, not least because you lose the players that got you there. Will be interesting to see how Simeone does next year (if indeed he stays himself?)

Could Simeone be interested in coaching the Spain or Argentina NT ? He'd be a logical choice if Argentina crash out. Spain ? Who knows ? I can't see del Bosque there much longer. Looks like Spain could use some Simeone inspired grit and desire.