Manchester City

[jdckelly]

complacency seems to be a major problem, in all honesty they got away with it last season because of the lack of any really outstanding side and Liverpool bottling the title, this season however Chelsea aren't going to make mistakes like that.

 

Yep, they sort of won the league by accident last year.  If Mourinho's ego hadn't been big enough to think he could turn Torres' form around and they bought a proper striker instead then Chelsea would have probably won it.  Even Liverpool should have sealed the deal the position they were in, as you say

Chelsea were 2 results away from the title even then, win at home to Sunderland (they lost) and a win at home to Norwich (draw) both late in the season they win it and those are two games you expect them to win easily enough. Gets a bit overlooked how they blew it too probably because of all that "little horse" bullshit Mourinhio said once and the media ran into the fucking ground with.

[Mole_Toonfan]

It's not just complacency, they have just built a team perfectly suited for the PL and very ill suited to the CL.

 

It's more of a question of lacking versatility and adaptability than anything else. Problem with that is you probably take something from the team in the league by fixing it.

 

 

[Tachikoma]

Reminds me of NUFC in the Shepherd era, with 100x more money thrown at it.

[Ronaldo]

So not at all, in other words.

[Interpolic]

Yeah, what you on about?

[Guest RJberger]

I`ll have a go: Lack of heart and a bunch of mercenaries?

[Neil]

What a delightfully embarrassing shambles.

[Darth Crooks]

[mrmojorisin75]

wonder if they'll bin pellegrini this season then?  i have a strong suspicion they will

 

pardew gets a good write up in the press...

[wyn davies]

They still have a chance to  qualify, NEWCASTLE were in a worse state than them with NIL POINTS and staged the biggest comeback ever seen and still not beaten I believe to get through to the knock out stages, believe it was the season Tino scored 3 against Barca at St James.

[bowlingcrofty]

They still have a chance to  qualify, NEWCASTLE were in a worse state than them with NIL POINTS and staged the biggest comeback ever seen and still not beaten I believe to get through to the knock out stages, believe it was the season Tino scored 3 against Barca at St James.

 

No it wasnt

[Swissmag]

They still have a chance to  qualify, NEWCASTLE were in a worse state than them with NIL POINTS and staged the biggest comeback ever seen and still not beaten I believe to get through to the knock out stages, believe it was the season Tino scored 3 against Barca at St James.

 

No it wasnt

 

02/03 Champions League (1st round vs. Dynamo Kiev, Feyenoord and Juve)

[ponsaelius]

Just the 5 years out

[Pokerprince2004]

Pelegrinni getting so much stick and critisism on the BBC 5 Live podcast last night. All pundits saying this is all down to the manager and fans ringing up wanting him out. I just find it annoying how quick they stick the knife in even though he won 2 trophies last season yet they constantly defend Pardew last few months despite being bottom and getting hammered every week (at the time)

[Wullie]

He's foreign and therefore fair game.

[LRD]

Mansour is not as trigger-happy as Abramovich. Doubt Pellegrini will be sacked after winning two trophies in his first year. Besides, who else is there to hire as their new manager?

[Skeletor]

Mansour is not as trigger-happy as Abramovich. Doubt Pellegrini will be sacked after winning two trophies in his first year. Besides, who else is there to hire as their new manager?

 

I hear Alan Pardew has done a good job at Newcastle from the media.

[Big Geordie]

I was pissing myself watch their collapse at work, last night. Too many big-time Charlies in that squad who need taking down a peg or two by their manager. It won't happen though.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I enjoy their 'crisis', have to say.

 

Everyone is far too quick to say they have the 'best squad by far' IMO... they have a couple of genuine game changers, a solid CB and the rest are good players but not exceptional. Combined with that, they never really seem that bothered and they have this weird inability to play well in the Champions League.

 

Not saying they aren't a good side, but their squad is overrated by most people IMO.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I like the old cunt and some of their players, but I can't stand Man City as a club or their fans. Weirdly, I had a lot of time for them prior to their lottery win...

 

I have more respect and admiration for their neighbours who are a proper club at least.

 

I'd love success at Newcastle, but not the way City and Chelsea have achieved things.

[Stifler]

They still have a chance to  qualify, NEWCASTLE were in a worse state than them with NIL POINTS and staged the biggest comeback ever seen and still not beaten I believe to get through to the knock out stages, believe it was the season Tino scored 3 against Barca at St James.

Nah, we beat Juventus with a Buffon own goal, then we beat Dinamo Kiev, and the that magical crazy night in Rotterdam.

[Wallace]

Mansour is not as trigger-happy as Abramovich. Doubt Pellegrini will be sacked after winning two trophies in his first year. Besides, who else is there to hire as their new manager?

 

They were saying on the radio last night that he has a 4 year contract as does Guardiola.  And because the people now running City were previously at Barcelona that they think that is who they want as the next City manager and the length of contracts tied in nicely.  If they decide to get rid then they have a problem because the preferred candidates would be unlikely to be available this Summer (Ancelotti being another one).

 

They were also discussing the apathy shown by City fans to the Champions League.  Several phoned in to say they weren't interested in the Champions League and that anyway, UEFa had an agenda against them to make sure they did not progress!!! 

[Stifler]

I like the old cunt and some of their players, but I can't stand Man City as a club or their fans. Weirdly, I had a lot of time for them prior to their lottery win...

 

I have more respect and admiration for their neighbours who are a proper club at least.

 

I'd love success at Newcastle, but not the way City and Chelsea have achieved things.

I'm starting to think that success (long term)is only ever going to be achieved by the way Chelsea and City have done it. UEFA, FIFA, the FA have all colluded to make the rules seem against the likes of these clubs but actually in favour of them.

 

Yes the money going around may lessen slightly, but it will still have a role to play. You can look at teams who say you simply need a good academy to progress, well that's not going to happen either. You see Chelsea who buy all the youngsters they can, then look at Man City, they are in the process of turning half of Manchester into a training and academy area where they will be able to have one if not the largest academy there is.

[Tooj]

Mansour is not as trigger-happy as Abramovich. Doubt Pellegrini will be sacked after winning two trophies in his first year. Besides, who else is there to hire as their new manager?

 

They were saying on the radio last night that he has a 4 year contract as does Guardiola.  And because the people now running City were previously at Barcelona that they think that is who they want as the next City manager and the length of contracts tied in nicely.  If they decide to get rid then they have a problem because the preferred candidates would be unlikely to be available this Summer (Ancelotti being another one).

 

They were also discussing the apathy shown by City fans to the Champions League.  Several phoned in to say they weren't interested in the Champions League and that anyway, UEFa had an agenda against them to make sure they did not progress!!! 

 

Really don't think Guardiola would be interested in going to Man City. He's turned both them and Chelsea down before as he feels they both don't have sufficient history and cultures as clubs.

 

If he went to anywhere in England I think he'd replace Van Gaal at Man Utd.

[Stifler]

Southampton could buck the trend tbh

Southampton are an excellent example. They have a great academy, but look at the summer, they all fled after having a very good season. In future there is nothing to stop the likes of Chelsea and Man City from snatching these players early on to place into their academies.