Manchester City

[smokie36]

City's ban from signing anyone didn't help Pellegrini...I'm waiting to see what the mad Sheikh does this summer...I suspect its going to be great news for the agents.

[BangrakBob]

But was he was a racist, sexist, homophobic bigot who set out to deliberately cause offence and division, or was it just his act, or was it just the humour of the time (love thy neighbour and its ilk)? He was definitely funny though stevie, or does humour change that much as you go down the east lancs road?

BB i don't think you can justify racism by calling it "humour of the time" By definition it is racist humour.

And I don't think that Bernard Manning was funny at all, he was an act, a cheap one, but it worked well. He knew his crowd, how to work an audience, preaching to the converted was easy money for him, simple jokes for simple folks.

[Bredbury Blue]

But was he was a racist, sexist, homophobic bigot who set out to deliberately cause offence and division, or was it just his act, or was it just the humour of the time (love thy neighbour and its ilk)? He was definitely funny though stevie, or does humour change that much as you go down the east lancs road?

BB i don't think you can justify racism by calling it "humour of the time" By definition it is racist humour.

And I don't think that Bernard Manning was funny at all, he was an act, a cheap one, but it worked well. He knew his crowd, how to work an audience, preaching to the converted was easy money for him, simple jokes for simple folks.

I was a teenager at the time, and my recollection is Love thy Neighbour, Alf Garnett, etc were the order of the day, were very racist in today's context but were super popular. I don't see Uncle Bernard as being any different.

As two of you scousers (I assume both StevieH and Bangrak Bob are scousers) have come on here attacking Uncle Bernard and saying not funny, yet the Mancs on here defend him and thought him funny, could it be a regional thing? If I hear a scouse accent I automatically make an assumption, i have to admit is not a positive assumption, could you be doing the same with Uncle Bernard being a Manc? Probably. Let's leave it at humour is subjective.

[petermik]

"Man City face tough questions after season of genuine disappointment", a decent article that pretty much says what I'm thinking. The last 2 paragraphs of the article says it all:

"...A win at Swansea will still see City finish with their lowest points total in a season since 2009-10, while a draw or defeat will ensure the poorest haul in seven years. That's a shameful tally given the first five matches yielded the maximum score.

In the grand scheme of things, it's frankly astonishing that they could finish behind an awful Manchester United side. That could be the cost of progress in other areas and, under Pellegrini, City haven't progressed. At best, they've stagnated. Can anyone honestly say the Chilean will be leaving City in the summer in a better shape than they were in when he took the reigns three years ago?"

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/manchester-city/382/blog/post/2868861/manchester-city-season-a-clear-disappointment-under-manuel-pellegrini

City fans never wanted Mancini out for the sake of "harmony", he had his faults, but I doubt we would have stagnated in the Premier under BobbyManc. Pellegrini had a brilliant first season - got very little credit for it outside of City - has helped us mature this season in europe but definitely under achieved in the Premier in the last 2 seasons; if all the big players had remained fit this season, if, if, if. So definitely looking forward to Pep's coming and next season and can't wait to finish this season.

If life were so simple,sometimes we have to take a backwards or sideways step in order to move forward again,what worked well yesterday may not be the same today,take a look at Chelseas implode and ask how a team with the same players fail to deliver in such a manner.

One of the most difficult tasks facing a manager IMHO is trying to motivate millionaires.............OK son your performances lately have been crap your dropped- OK boss will that mean I,ll miss out on the ten grand squad payment and I,ll just have to manage on my hundred grand basic wage this week

Your best post ever [no piss take]; like it.

Motivation, or lack of it, is was did for us when we came 2nd twice and why it is rare to retain the title - before you post, we know ManU retained the title which proved RedNose was such a good manager. ;-)

Abolishing the maximum wage has a lot to answer to,salaries should be capped IMHO, players wages today in many instances are obscene

[Bredbury Blue]

^"Abolishing the maximum wage has a lot to answer to"...you can expect a visit from the ghost of Jimmy Hill anytime soon.

Agreed, footballers salaries in the higher divisions are obscene these days.

[balo]

I [snipped] City to win tomorrow , you'll better do it or you might lose the Champions League qualification.

Edited May 14, 2016 by mrbojangles
Please don't talk about gambling

[mrbojangles]

Pablo Zabaleta will have to undergo ankle surgery - ruling him out of this summer’s Copa America.

No time frame has been given on an expected return date for the Manchester City defender - but he joins Vincent Kompany in the treatment room ahead of Pep Guardiola’s arrival on July 1.

Zabaleta’s future was already in doubt after a season disrupted by injury.

But any potential move will be put on hold while the 31-year-old recovers. It is understood that he is yet to undergo surgery.

Guardiola is expected to overhaul his defence, with Eliaquim Mangala, Martin Demichelis and Aleks Kolarov all set to leave.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/zabaleta-injury-guardiola-manchester-city-11332426

[Bredbury Blue]

In a bored moment earlier I checked out YouTube videos of Patrick Roberts for Celtic (and other stuff). Didn't realise he was such a talent. Think Raheem is lucky Roberts has another season on his loan up at Celtic. Take a look...a real winger...and one to keep an eye (the other one is 16yr old Brahim Diaz).

[Bredbury Blue]

Try typing "young talents in England premier league mirop10" in to Youtube and it comes up with some great videos of our young talent (and of our clubs - there's 32 players featured). After watching an hour of clips of some of our kids I feel very optimistic about a few of them coming through under Pep.

[smokie36]

Try typing "young talents in England premier league mirop10" in to Youtube and it comes up with some great videos of our young talent (and of our clubs - there's 32 players featured). After watching an hour of clips of some of our kids I feel very optimistic about a few of them coming through under Pep.

I'm sure I have a video on VHS somewhere of me doing 300 keepy uppy's BB!

[Bredbury Blue]

Try typing "young talents in England premier league mirop10" in to Youtube and it comes up with some great videos of our young talent (and of our clubs - there's 32 players featured). After watching an hour of clips of some of our kids I feel very optimistic about a few of them coming through under Pep.

I'm sure I have a video on VHS somewhere of me doing 300 keepy uppy's BB!

There's even a video in the 32 of some unknown called Ali Delli.

[mrbojangles]

Try typing "young talents in England premier league mirop10" in to Youtube and it comes up with some great videos of our young talent (and of our clubs - there's 32 players featured). After watching an hour of clips of some of our kids I feel very optimistic about a few of them coming through under Pep.

I'm sure I have a video on VHS somewhere of me doing 300 keepy uppy's BB!

VHS!!!! More like Super 8

[nev]

Just like to add good luck in the battle for fourth, as my mate posted on Facebook its like two bald men battling over a comb.

Also as I am in a very complimentary mood, us Reds salute city to a man for stopping Liverpool winning the league the other season, they now have passed the 26 years we had to wait between title win.

[SantiSuk]

And yet I'll bet their entirely boring and irrelevant tie at the unspeakably mundane West Brom gets prime billing in the question of which games get shown live on CTH today!

Thais are nothing if not loyal.

[petermik]

Going back to City,s first ever Prem win and that remarkable afternoon (I was listening to GMR radio back home that gave live coverage of both City V QPR and United V Sunderland) when deep into stoppage time Aguero did the business and City took the title on the slenderest winning margin ever-goal difference,wouldn,t it be ironic if United could sneak in through lets say a very late Swansea winner............assuming of course United beat Bournemouth

Personally I think City will get the point,at the very least,to get 4th spot,where United go next season I don,t really know but my guess is that LVG will see out his final year and hand over to Giggs.

As far as I,m concerned this is preferable to Mourinho taking the job,as I say just my personal opinion.

Football is just a game,not life and death

[Bredbury Blue]

Going back to City,s first ever Prem win and that remarkable afternoon (I was listening to GMR radio back home that gave live coverage of both City V QPR and United V Sunderland) when deep into stoppage time Aguero did the business and City took the title on the slenderest winning mamrgin ever-goal difference,wouldn,t it be ironic if United could sneak in through lets say a very late Swansea winner............assuming of course United beat Bournemouth

Personally I think City will get the point,at the very least,to get 4th spot,where United go next season I don,t really know but my guess is that LVG will see out his final year and hand over to Giggs.

As far as I,m concerned this is preferable to Mourinho taking the job,as I say just my personal opinion.

Football is just a game,not life and death

Very surprised you didn't attend the Sunderland game Peter.

Lots in the press that it would be best for both teams to be in the europa cup next season, City so that Pep can build with less pressure, ManU so they can continue building and get rid of LVG.

[uptheos]

Swansea's Euro 2016-bound quartet Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lukasz Fabianski will all be rested.

Should be a walk in the park for City, though I disagree with this with top four places at stake.

[alfieconn]

Swansea's Euro 2016-bound quartet Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lukasz Fabianski will all be rested.

Should be a walk in the park for City, though I disagree with this with top four places at stake.

That's disappointing, i was looking forward to learning some new excuses

[Bredbury Blue]

Surprised you missed the opportunity to add Ki to that list Alfie.

"Swansea midfielder KiSung-yueng has returned home to South Korea to complete a mandatory four weeks of military duty. Ki will miss Swansea's final Premier League game of the season at home to Manchester City on Sunday as he has been granted leave by the club ahead of his national..."

[Bredbury Blue]

I think is a reasonably fair take of the era - the charts therein also indicate ManUs post-Fergie decline ;-)

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/premier-league/2016/05/15/23539702/-

[mrbojangles]

Swansea's Euro 2016-bound quartet Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lukasz Fabianski will all be rested.

Should be a walk in the park for City, though I disagree with this with top four places at stake.

Nothing is ever a walk in the park at City Ups.

[Bredbury Blue]

Swansea's Euro 2016-bound quartet Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lukasz Fabianski will all be rested.

Should be a walk in the park for City, though I disagree with this with top four places at stake.

Nothing is ever a walk in the park at City Ups.

Too bloody true! I expect a very uncomfortable 90 minutes.

[Bredbury Blue]

CITY: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Iheanacho, De Bruyne, Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Demichelis, Kolarov, Toure, Nasri, Sterling, Bony

Think I would have preferred Nasri to start over Nacho - try and work openings with KdB. Not so sure Nacho and Aguero gel. Anyway game on!

[smokie36]

Spend the break on the loo gents?

[Bredbury Blue]

Screwed that up. Aguero and Nacho not talking? They should have had a couple. Another bloody deflected goal.

[Bredbury Blue]

58 mins..not going our way..this is when a top manager changes it. Navas hasn't been it. Aguero not in it. KdB struggling to impact. Come on Pellegrini!

[smokie36]

58 mins..not going our way..this is when a top manager changes it. Navas hasn't been it. Aguero not in it. KdB struggling to impact. Come on Pellegrini!

Bit late for that mate.

[BIGTOE3]

Spend the break on the loo gents?

Is that where you have been since the dodgy Penalty.

Who is finishing 2nd in the EPL ?

Just need good prediction week to put you back in the BOX

BT

[smokie36]

Spend the break on the loo gents?

Is that where you have been since the dodgy Penalty.

Who is finishing 2nd in the EPL ?

Just need good prediction week to put you back in the BOX

BT

Do one ya foosty digit!

[petermik]

City have made it and good luck to them,when the "messiah" takes control next season everyone else will be left trailing

but on second thoughts we are talking about Manchester City aren,t we