The College Dropout

What's the point? Is he any better than what they have?

He’s up there with Ba. Ba edges it with worldie goals.

Loved Ba. RIP Tiote - what a ball. I was never a massive critic of Tiote. He had his limitations but he always took responsibility.

Nothing wrong with an all-star game. That pre-WC 98 all star game was a great idea.

JM isn't a CM mind.

Aye but it's still a failure on our part.

Of modern day managers only Simeone with the black on black and Carlo really pull it off well and consistently. Klopp's determination to wear the same clobber all the time is to be admired.

You want to be first in line in case of injury or suspension.

Was Ramsdale fit?

As in next summer? Sure. But the owners aren't stupid enough to sell him in January if relegation is a possibility. They are more likely to spend in January than sell.

Probably not if Leicester are still in relegation danger. With Rodgers still in charge, I think they'll be in trouble come January and need him to stay. If they sacked him last week, brought someone in - they could be midtable by Jan and in a position to cash-in if he's unlikely to renew.

That mistake was a sickener. He'll know that's blown any chance of starting at the World Cup if Pickford is fit. But starting both games shows he's Southgates number 2. I hope it doesn't impact his confidence. IMO he doesn't make that mistake for us.

I would take the gamble. But that's a Juventus style signing.

Athleticism is not a key attribute he looks for in most of his players. Going from an Aguero - Sterling - Sane frontline to a Grealish - Gundogan - Mahrez frontline isn't by happenstance. The wingers... purposely slow down the game rather than quicken it. It's purposely a slow moving team that suffocates opposition when in possession. In midfield it's the same.. athletic enough to compete at the highest level but no more. Rodri has replaced Fernandinho - Rodri is less athletic than a prime Fernandinho (although he is good in the air/big which was key to his signing). 1 reason for City having that poor season was Rodri new into the side and struggling with the physicality of the league. He was too easily turned, a split second too slow and teams could get onto City and run at the backline. He's much improved and is a brilliant player. But that aspect is still an achilles heel of that team that you can sometimes play too fast for Rodri and get on the defence - we did it at home. I think Busquets is closer to his ideal DM (not athletic) than a Fabinho. Maybe Dias aside, none of the defenders are quick. We've seen at Barca, he would play a 5'9 CB if he could. In contrast - I think of ultimate Klopp ball. Everyone is quick, powerful, strong, big, hard runners. Haaland - I didn't mean to convey that he wasn't suited as if it wouldn't work. He's big, fast, strong, loves playing on the counter, minimal touches to goal. That doesn't sound like a Man City player. You can see him bringing something different to that team - being different. You could see it early, the City players weren't playing him in quickly enough. As you say, it's evolving and they ahve already started to play faster and feed him in earlier. But this is a move to win. Not because Pep necessarily wants a more direct, fast team. He could have had an attack of Sterling - Haaland - Jesus but he doesn't want to go that far. That's what I think anyway. It's interesting to see what type of side Howe builds. From such a low base being "good" improves us so it's hard to tell. We are fast, pressing, counter attacking team but that's largely because of the pre-existing personnel. That's why I thought the James Maddison transfer was so interesting, he doesn't fit naturally into our shape or general style of play. So how does Eddie want us to play?

I genuinely think ultimate-Pep ball has zero athleticism. And height/strength is something he's forced to have in the PL. For a couple seasons he would often talk about his team lacking "verticality". Only having Sterling and KDB that can play "a vertical game". And I would think to myself, that's not an unexpected bug - you've got so many funds that you have designed a team that is slow purposely. He replaced Sane with Mahrez, Sterling with Grealish. Window after window not bringing pace into the side.. Jesus to Haaland basically. Height and power is largely only brought in at CB and DM. He's brought in Haaland and I think he's done so because of the failures in Europe and that the deal is too good to miss out on. But you can see, he's not a natural fit for that system. I think Kane would be a more natural fit.. with the same physical limitations. And then he sold the rest of the pace in the attack as if not go overboard with athleticism in the team.

Zidane is an extremely pragmatic and defensive first manager. Seemingly his management approach takes more from his time under Italian management than his own playing style. Pep's style is similar to his own style of football as a player though. His seeming disdain for physical prowess is far beyond any totaalvoetbal philosphy.

Exactly.

Everything was stacked in his favour to win the Euros and he didn't do it. The standout team in terms of quality got KO'd early doors and then Italy won it from genetic memory. A very average Italy side who just did Italian things with the best manager at the tournament.

International managers are rarely on the cutting edge of modern football tactics. That doesn't mean they can't be good/great. Southgate's issues run much deeper than that.

Not true. We've still yet to beat a team the quality of Portugal on neutral ground. The biggest victory he's achieved is Germany at home. The rest - is the typical England international W. You can argue Colombia but even that was on penalties. Southgate has less big international scalps than France's Euro 2000 run (Spain, Portugal, Italy). Germany aside, when we've faced this level of competition, we've lost or drawn.

Every team picks up injuries.

I think it's fair. He was great last season. Probably only Kane comes close.

Loved both these lads

Bang on the money

Rafa does love the footballing politics and it was of a great benefit to us. Murphy is butthurt about Rafa.