The Title Race

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Something about Manchester City has always rubbed me the wrong way, even compared to Chelsea and PSG. Chelsea happened when I was a young teen and were pretty much always a big club in my understanding of the league from far away, and PSG were always a a dormant giant in Ligue 1 with great support. Manchester City were one of the most nondescript clubs in the league and then were essentially turned into an advertising extension of the UAE government overnight and were buying Robinho immediately. It never seemed real to me, and frankly diminished the league for me. At least Abramovich was someone that I could identify in the crowd on the broadcast and treat as a villain. Man City were just a non-entity that were suddenly dominant because of some shadowy figure that doesn't even bother showing up to matches or seem to be interested at all. I will always be against them in their current format, tbh.

 

You are wrong about Chelsea, they have never been a big club.

 

 

But they were winning trophies. League, FA, Uefa. It seemed like the next progression. It made it easier to stomach.

 

Correct, and my quoted opinion is entirely about individual perception, tbf. To a fourteen year old in Nigeria at a time where Premier League was massive, but less available than now, they were one of the bigger clubs and them winning a title made sense to me. I understand why that might be different if you were in England or of a different era.

[Deuce]

I’m with Baba, Chelsea have pretty much always been a successful team since I started following the PL. So my perception is skewed. Also why I don’t see the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds as anything but second-tier clubs, despite them having storied histories.

[ToonArmy1892]

You guys are making me feel old, i'm only 29 ffs

 

But Chelsea basically had a poor history of trophies before Abramovich, not even compared to us in terms of leagues and FA Cups, obviously that has changed now, the c***s.

 

But they are a horrible club with a horrible set of fans, please don't like them in any way

[Raconteur]

Chelsea weren't any better than Citeh in the early days of the PL. They made great use of Bosmans in the mid 90s (Zola & Vialli especially), and at a similar time Citeh fell to the third division. Chelsea were also broke and on the cusp of going under, so a similar fate might have befallen them.

 

The thing is, though, is that Citeh were getting 30,000 crowds in the third division, while Chelsea wouldn't get much more at Stamford Bridge in the PL. I always felt Chelsea getting money was grubby nouvea rich whereas at least Citeh were a real club. (And if we're going to argue morality of cash, Abramovich was gifted billions in one of the most corrupt and colossal plunders in history. So fuck that argument).

 

Gotta say my memory of PSG in the 90s wasn't a top level club - Marseille before their fall and then Monaco dominated for a long time. Paris had good players like Ginola et al, but it wasn't until the French government and the French FA built PSG a nice new stadium (played in by the likes of Ronaldinho) that they really blossomed into a club attractive for an oil takeover

 

[leffe186]

Generally speaking, in the unlikely event of us failing to win the league, I want a title win to be as meaningless as possible. When the moneybags club was Man U, I could tolerate them winning it, when it was Chelsea it was less palatable but still not as galling, now it’s Man City. Oh, you won the league with infinite money? Well done.

 

I suspect most people my age are “anyone but Liverpool”. They’ve always been such insufferable pricks. My football confession is that I wanted Michael Thomas to score - it had got to that stage. There are Liverpool pundits on TV as far as the eye can see, and the media have helped nurture their powerful brand through the mediocre years: it was only a matter of time before their disproportionate commercial income would pay dividends.

 

So, Man City for me, with a heavy heart. I can’t see Liverpool slipping up with that run-in. At least the inevitable and relentless ESPN love-in will make one more reason not to switch that channel on.

[ToonArmy1892]

Chelsea weren't any better than Citeh in the early days of the PL. They made great use of Bosmans in the mid 90s (Zola & Vialli especially), and at a similar time Citeh fell to the third division. Chelsea were also broke and on the cusp of going under, so a similar fate might have befallen them.

 

The thing is, though, is that Citeh were getting 30,000 crowds in the third division, while Chelsea wouldn't get much more at Stamford Bridge in the PL. I always felt Chelsea getting money was grubby nouvea rich whereas at least Citeh were a real club. (And if we're going to argue morality of cash, Abramovich was gifted billions in one of the most corrupt and colossal plunders in history. So f*** that argument).

 

Gotta say my memory of PSG in the 90s wasn't a top level club - Marseille before their fall and then Monaco dominated for a long time. Paris had good players like Ginola et al, but it wasn't until the French government and the French FA built PSG a nice new stadium (played in by the likes of Ronaldinho) that they really blossomed into a club attractive for an oil takeover

 

City have a s*** set of fans tbh, often loads of seats visible in their ground despite what they've become.

 

Neither Man City or Chelsea will ever be a big club, successful maybe, but not big.

[Astroblack]

You guys are making me feel old, i'm only 29 ffs

 

But Chelsea basically had a poor history of trophies before Abramovich, not even compared to us in terms of leagues and FA Cups, obviously that has changed now, the c***s.

 

But they are a horrible club with a horrible set of fans, please don't like them in any way

 

Dude they won the League Cup in 1998, FA Cup in 97 and 2000 and the Uefa Cup in 1998. I distinctly remember the FA and Uefa Cup wins and I’m also 29. That was all before Abramovich.

[ToonArmy1892]

You guys are making me feel old, i'm only 29 ffs

 

But Chelsea basically had a poor history of trophies before Abramovich, not even compared to us in terms of leagues and FA Cups, obviously that has changed now, the c***s.

 

But they are a horrible club with a horrible set of fans, please don't like them in any way

 

Dude they won the League Cup in 1998, FA Cup in 97 and 2000 and the Uefa Cup in 1998. I distinctly remember the FA and Uefa Cup wins and I’m also 29. That was all before Abramovich.

 

Still cunts man, fuck em.

[ToonArmy1892]

Also it wasnt the Uefa Cup, it was the cup winners cup.

[Astroblack]

I mean what’s the difference? It’s the one Sir Bobby won with Barcelona.

[leffe186]

You guys are making me feel old, i'm only 29 ffs

 

But Chelsea basically had a poor history of trophies before Abramovich, not even compared to us in terms of leagues and FA Cups, obviously that has changed now, the c***s.

 

But they are a horrible club with a horrible set of fans, please don't like them in any way

 

Dude they won the League Cup in 1998, FA Cup in 97 and 2000 and the Uefa Cup in 1998. I distinctly remember the FA and Uefa Cup wins and I’m also 29. That was all before Abramovich.

 

Yeah, and as is commonly accepted, they’d done so by running up enough debt to go under. Then Abramovich came along, wiped out that debt and spent insane amounts of cash to put them over the top and keep them there. You could argue the Man City lottery win was more egregious because they weren’t very good (despite a nice new stadium bought for - relatively - peanuts), but Chelsea’s was a lottery win nonetheless.

[ToonArmy1892]

I mean what’s the difference? It’s the one Sir Bobby won with Barcelona.

 

Two seperate competitions.

[ToonArmy1892]

Chelsea are the luckiest motherfuckers alive, they were basically going bust before the Russian gangster arrived.

 

Cunts in every way, i fucking hate them.

[Astroblack]

You guys are making me feel old, i'm only 29 ffs

 

But Chelsea basically had a poor history of trophies before Abramovich, not even compared to us in terms of leagues and FA Cups, obviously that has changed now, the c***s.

 

But they are a horrible club with a horrible set of fans, please don't like them in any way

 

Dude they won the League Cup in 1998, FA Cup in 97 and 2000 and the Uefa Cup in 1998. I distinctly remember the FA and Uefa Cup wins and I’m also 29. That was all before Abramovich.

 

Yeah, and as is commonly accepted, they’d done so by running up enough debt to go under. Then Abramovich came along, wiped out that debt and spent insane amounts of cash to put them over the top and keep them there. You could argue the Man City lottery win was more egregious because they weren’t very good (despite a nice new stadium bought for - relatively - peanuts), but Chelsea’s was a lottery win nonetheless.

 

Still can’t get over City’s one. It should have been either us, Everton or Villa. We were all either there or there abouts. City were nothing before the money.

[Stottie]

I hope City win. I lived in Manchester for a bit and used to go to Maine Road. That aside, Liverpool have too many celebrity fans and ex-players as pundits. Blatant dives from Salah do not help either.

 

If it were City vs. Tottenham, I'd want Tottenham to win, because like Leicester, they are closer to a normal club and therefore can be cheered on as an underdog. Like Man U, Liverpool are a glamour club in the most glamorous league and a decent chunk of their spending power is not linked to anything they have achieved on a football pitch in the past twenty years or current matchgoing fanbase. Man U would outspend other teams even before Ferguson and buy the best players, Bryan Robson, Paul Ince etc. even when they were finishing ninth and tenth. It mightn't be oil money, but Liverpool and Man U still operate with a big advantage, on top of the advantage every EPL club now has versus clubs in other European leagues.

 

If City could draw one and still win on GD, I'd fancy them, but the gap is two points and that tips it into Liverpool's favour.

[Guest covmag]

No beef with Liverpool,i hope they win it

[Superior Acuña]

I easily want Liverpool to win this. Aye, a bunch of pricks follow them, but even newer shallower pricks follow Man City now too. Liverpool are a proper football club, aye with a fair bit of many, but not like MC, and at least Liverpool's wealth isn't from just from a random cash infusion. They're a proper big club and haven't won the league in my living memory. It'll mean much more to them, and they're a likable bunch with Klopp now.

[Guest]

Chelsea are the luckiest motherfuckers alive, they were basically going bust before the Russian gangster arrived.

 

Cunts in every way, i fucking hate them.

 

Aye, this is what Baba fails to mention. They were spending beyond their means to achieve the cup wins they had done. The season before Roman bought them their one signing was De Lucas on loan. They were skint.

[themanupstairs]

I'm in two minds on this one. On the one hand I know Rafa and most of my mates/relatives would be happy with Liverpool winning the title so despite hating that club for years I could finally stomach being nonchalant about it. On the other hand, if we were to rip the title out of their hands in our last home game, and with it rip out their hearts it would be the sweetest revenge for the 4-3 that I could imagine.

[Stal]

I always hated man u. Insufferable arseholes with an arrogant tosser of a manager who had everything their own way. BBC contracted interviews? Nah, we won't do those. Plenty of added on time by arse kissing refs? Sure. Twats like keane, Rio f and staam? Aye. Giving them a nickname "united" even though a lot of other teams have that word in their names? Yeah, let's do that for them whilst pundit's tongues are still up their arses. Although these days I pretty much nothing them.

 

Chelsea for me are just milwall who can afford their own strips.

 

Man city were a yo yo club, where until recent memory their best ever player was Shaun Goater. I don't dislike them though.

 

Spurs have always been one of my "hope they do well" clubs. Probably due to the likes of Lineker and when they had Ossie Ardiles as manager with their 7 up front policy. Funnily enough, I like their arch rivals Arsenal too and have no axe to grind there. 

 

I like Liverpool too. Like it's been said earlier, they feel like a proper football club and one of the consistent big boys who've never won it. Plus the Rafa connection. As an aside, much like spurs/arsenal I don't mind Everton either.

 

As it stands, I'd want Liverpool to win it currently. Down the line, I wouldn't begrudge a Spurs win, although naturally I'd rather it was us up there with Rafa as manager and a new, decent owner.

 

 

[nufcjb]

City please. Won't be able to stand the media wanking all over a Liverpool triumph though I do see City dropping points unlike Liverpool.

 

Hope they slip up against us then at SJP. Jordan Henderson OG in the last minute. Newcastle 4-3 Liverpool Rafa's last home game.

[Froggy]

I hate both, but they're both playing incredible football and deserve to win the league. People can say City have the oil money or whatever but Liverpool's starting 11 is probably just as expensive as City's. People forget the likes of Keita and Fabinho cost £40/50m.

[Guest]

Yep. And Liverpool’s ‘net spend’ is only like it is because they’re unable to hold on to their ‘elite’ players when an offer comes in. Sterling, Suarez & Coutinho brought in at least £225m alone.

[TooonDoom]

Hope we beat the Scouse 4:3. 

[Boo Boy]

Hope we beat the Scouse 4:3. 

 

'Rondon Closing in. Newcastle lead in stoppage time. Klopp hangs his head, he's devastated' will be the commentary.