Today's football 13/01

They'll be out of sight by Easter, imo.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Chelsea above us now. Greeeat.

ETH is working miracles remember that.

Just checked, we’re 9th

Win tomorrow and we go 7th unless Brighton win.

Originally Posted by suedeshoes

Haaland has missed the last 6 games. They've won the last 6 games.

they won today. just about. they would probably havr been 4 up when de bruyne came on. alvarez is shit. they've missed him and de bruyne.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

We better pray INEOS have a ruthlessness we haven’t seen in ten years, because we’re as far behind City as we’ve ever been.

Once again we’re facing another dead season by January, where it’s Liverpool or City as champions.

It’s sickening.

Not to mention Champions League. It's not like when we were in our pomp and there were loads of class teams all over Europe. Various great incarnations of Madrid, Milan, Juve and Barca. To be fair, we're lucking they haven't won more of them in the last few years.

Originally Posted by goldfinger II

Not to mention Champions League. It's not like when we were in our pomp and there were loads of class teams all over Europe. Various great incarnations of Madrid, Milan, Juve and Barca. To be fair, we're lucking they haven't won more of them in the last few years.

true, true.

even in the last few finals we were in. We had to beat chelsea's greatest ever side, then we had the greatest barcelona side in history along with the greatest player to ever play the game at his prime. Twice.

it's fair to say we've always had the odds stacked against us in the champions league

Originally Posted by Sparky***

true, true.

even in the last few finals we were in. We had to beat chelsea's greatest ever side, then we had the greatest barcelona side in history along with the greatest player to ever play the game at his prime. Twice.

it's fair to say we've always had the odds stacked against us in the champions league

Meanwhile Liverpool got to play Spurs in the final.

Sigh.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Meanwhile Liverpool got to play Spurs in the final.

Sigh.

Yep. It just seems that ever since we got into that competition back in 93/1994 it's consistently kicked us right in the %@#$&!s.

The 3 foreigner rule, having to be the torchbearers for english football back in europe after 5 years in the wilderness and every other league had left us behind. Only to find we had to fight our way through the notorious mid-90s Serie A teams who were undoubtedly in the best league in the world, then we had the Galactico Era Real Madrid who we always seemed to run into at some point.

Then that's without helping to launch the career of one mr Jose mourinho thanks to a horrendous offside decision against Porto.

The list goes on and on. And as you say when you look at some of the teams our rivals have had to play in finals, particularly Liverpool, it sticks in the throat somewhat.

European football is in an absolute sorry as £#%&! state at the moment as well. Aside from maybe Bayern Munich and Real Madrid there's absolutely no team out there remotely good enough to stop City from just cleaning up again.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Yep. It just seems that ever since we got into that competition back in 93/1994 it's consistently kicked us right in the %@#$&!s.

The 3 foreigner rule, having to be the torchbearers for english football back in europe after 5 years in the wilderness and every other league had left us behind. Only to find we had to fight our way through the notorious mid-90s Serie A teams who were undoubtedly in the best league in the world, then we had the Galactico Era Real Madrid who we always seemed to run into at some point.

Then that's without helping to launch the career of one mr Jose mourinho thanks to a horrendous offside decision against Porto.

The list goes on and on. And as you say when you look at some of the teams our rivals have had to play in finals, particularly Liverpool, it sticks in the throat somewhat.

European football is in an absolute sorry as £#%&! state at the moment as well. Aside from maybe Bayern Munich and Real Madrid there's absolutely no team out there remotely good enough to stop City from just cleaning up again.

Yep. There were teams to fear in the 90s and 00s. Teams who always looked more streetwise and it felt a mammoth task to beat them. That Juve team circa 96 was so hard to get anything out of. Just strangling the life out of you. Then the Galaticos, where you just had to hold your hand up and say their players were better. Then a Barca team with peak Messi, Xavi, Iniesta.

Now. There are teams that can hurt you on their day, but nobody to fear. Nobody with that aura or generational talent in their team.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Yep. There were teams to fear in the 90s and 00s. Teams who always looked more streetwise and it felt a mammoth task to beat them. That Juve team circa 96 was so hard to get anything out of. Just strangling the life out of you. Then the Galaticos, where you just had to hold your hand up and say their players were better. Then a Barca team with peak Messi, Xavi, Iniesta.

Now. There are teams that can hurt you on their day, but nobody to fear. Nobody with that aura or generational talent in their team.

I'd go as far as to say an english team should be winning the champions league every season, or at least one in the final - such is the gap between our top teams and the rest of europe.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I'd go as far as to say an english team should be winning the champions league every season, or at least one in the final - such is the gap between our top teams and the rest of europe.

Clearly you’re forgetting Sancho’s assist tonight

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

We better pray INEOS have a ruthlessness we haven’t seen in ten years, because we’re as far behind City as we’ve ever been.

Once again we’re facing another dead season by January, where it’s Liverpool or City as champions.

It’s sickening.

Well you know what needs to be done.

You’ve championing a man taking us further back while hoping it doesn’t get worse.

If we spent well and had tactics we could easily be up these this seasoN.
The difference between the top teams and the others is as small as it’s been.

Spurs are a team full of average. With son as their only striker and they are up there.
Their best player this season has been out for nearly 2 months and they’re whole back 4.
The difference is what….you know what.

You can say what you want about managers, but the current side, compared to any of the previous successful sides, is an embarrassment. Says it all that Evans has been important for us this season. Indicative of where we are compared to where we used to be.

We used to have Rooney, Ronaldo, and Tevez in the same team. And the rest of the team was decent too.

Now look.

Originally Posted by armchair

You can say what you want about managers, but the current side, compared to any of the previous successful sides, is an embarrassment. Says it all that Evans has been important for us this season. Indicative of where we are compared to where we used to be.

We used to have Rooney, Ronaldo, and Tevez in the same team. And the rest of the team was decent too.

Now look.

I agree that what i wrote off this team in the summer

but when you think about it.

We’ve bought a 80m winger , a world class 4 ecl winning cm, a CB the manager worked with previous.
We then went and signed a midfielder for 60m, a striker for 70m and a keeper for 50m
We weren’t that bad before so when you add to that a supposed good manager and 18 months wit the squad we should be challenging to be honest.

Originally Posted by marlo

Well you know what needs to be done.

You’ve championing a man taking us further back while hoping it doesn’t get worse.

If we spent well and had tactics we could easily be up these this seasoN.
The difference between the top teams and the others is as small as it’s been.

Spurs are a team full of average. With son as their only striker and they are up there.
Their best player this season has been out for nearly 2 months and they’re whole back 4.
The difference is what….you know what.

You have a wonderful tendency to go wildly off point in single reply . But I suppose you need to do make literally every conversation about your dislike the manager.

Originally Posted by marlo

I agree that what i wrote off this team in the summer

but when you think about it.

We’ve bought a 80m winger , a world class 4 ecl winning cm, a CB the manager worked with previous.
We then went and signed a midfielder for 60m, a striker for 70m and a keeper for 50m
We weren’t that bad before so when you add to that a supposed good manager and 18 months wit the squad we should be challenging to be honest.

No, we bought a 20m winger for 80 million.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Then the Galaticos, where you just had to hold your hand up and say their players were better.

In fairness, after their clinic against United, Juve (who we’d taken the piss out of earlier in the tournament) dumped them out.

Our approach in some of the biggest ties was all off imo. Easy in hindsight mind you.

I feel like all football has gone a bit backwards. There are a lot more athletes and a lot less footballers.

A young Modric or Scholes probably wouldn't make it but some kid can hardly kick a ball but puts in the yards will.

Originally Posted by armchair

I feel like all football has gone a bit backwards. There are a lot more athletes and a lot less footballers.

A young Modric or Scholes probably wouldn't make it but some kid can hardly kick a ball but puts in the yards will.

Agree completely, individual skill has been replaced with technique and how that fits into a managers system.

It’s become very robotic. Shit like XG and XA being trotted out as fact just feeds into the way the game has been reduced to data.

Originally Posted by Stickman

In fairness, after their clinic against United, Juve (who we’d taken the piss out of earlier in the tournament) dumped them out.

Our approach in some of the biggest ties was all off imo. Easy in hindsight mind you.

Still remains galling that we had that downturn in the mid noughties just when the CL was basically there for the taking.