Today's football 12/11/22

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Getting ahead of yourself here. City’s squad is far better than Arsenals and has a lot more depth. Come 2023 and I personally believe Arsenal will have a collapse at some point.

That said I do believe that Haaland being dropped recently was political and Pep was trying to put him down a notch.

It is not about Haaland being 'put down a notch'. He is what he is. An anomaly of the highest order: one of the most lethal penalty box strikers on record, who essentially (almost literally) does not touch the football or press outside of that.

City essentially have a squad of 16 professional players. With the physical demands Guardiola puts upon the side (see: Sterling's decline), it is not a deep or strong squad.

Ironically had Liverpool not ran themselves into the ground last season this would have been their best chance to get another title probably in the last 5 years.

Arsenal winning it would be good for football. They should be further ahead than they are.

City seem to struggle with the more routine games now….

Anything can happen, they are much better leaders than chasers.

If Newcastle finish top 4 this season they won’t look back.

Everything is about the system. City and Liverpool are both great on their day, but it is the strength of the system that breeds consistency. The strength of the system that breeds 100 point seasons. Repetition.

With the loss of legs in midfield and full back Liverpool's system has weakened (the Nunez transfer and "poor performance" was a sideshow .. 2 more goals today, he is a very good player as his goals in Europe against quality opposition showed last season). With the reversion to Haaland and weakness at full back City's system has weakened.

Had that extremely soft penalty not been given for De Bruyne at the death last week, City would essentially be on the same points as Spurs and Newcastle for all the goals Haaland has scored them.

This is why Ronaldo was an albatross around the team's neck last season as well as this, and it was very very clear what would happen this season with him. Predictable. Systems over individuals. Those who know, know.

Originally Posted by ErikvanHaaksbergen

Everything is about the system. City and Liverpool are both great on their day, but it is the strength of the system that breeds consistency. The strength of the system that breeds 100 point seasons. Repetition.

With the loss of legs in midfield and full back Liverpool's system has weakened (the Nunez transfer and "poor performance" was a sideshow .. 2 more goals today, he is a very good player as his goals in Europe against quality opposition showed last season). With the reversion to Haaland and weakness at full back City's system has weakened.

Had that extremely soft penalty not been given for De Bruyne at the death last week, City would essentially be on the same points as Spurs and Newcastle for all the goals Haaland has scored them.

This is why Ronaldo was an albatross around the team's neck last season as well as this, and it was very very clear what would happen this season with him. Predictable. Systems over individuals. Those who know, know.

Boss post, la.

Originally Posted by ErikvanHaaksbergen

Everything is about the system. City and Liverpool are both great on their day, but it is the strength of the system that breeds consistency. The strength of the system that breeds 100 point seasons. Repetition.

With the loss of legs in midfield and full back Liverpool's system has weakened (the Nunez transfer and "poor performance" was a sideshow .. 2 more goals today, he is a very good player as his goals in Europe against quality opposition showed last season). With the reversion to Haaland and weakness at full back City's system has weakened.

Had that extremely soft penalty not been given for De Bruyne at the death last week, City would essentially be on the same points as Spurs and Newcastle for all the goals Haaland has scored them.

This is why Ronaldo was an albatross around the team's neck last season as well as this, and it was very very clear what would happen this season with him. Predictable. Systems over individuals. Those who know, know.

Murderer.

guys you are plebs you are going to have to do better than just calling someone a scouser.

either prove it or argue against their post. just calling them names is more likely you get banned than them.

Originally Posted by armchair

guys you are plebs you are going to have to do better than just calling someone a scouser.

either prove it or argue against their post. just calling them names is more likely you get banned than them.

Appreciate it - but its fine. There's been a lot of abuse over the months from the simpletons & hindsight merchants. Time and time again the viewpoints are correct. I leave them to their own devices. They have no insight to offer.

I feel like the goals Nunez scores are the chances (in the main) that most competent strikers put away. Whilst it may give Liverpool a new dimension, early signs are it will come at a cost. It’s far easier to shut that style of play down than interchangeable speed merchants that can all finish.

He'll miss far more than he scores. Am I supposed to be impressed he scored 2 against £#%&!ing Southampton? The bloke is a cart horse.

Originally Posted by windy waffles

Arsenal are gonna win it this season aren't they...

Absolutely not ffs, it’s Arsenal with Arteta in charge. It’s as Arsenal as it’ll ever get, they’ll probably do a post World Cup high for a month when they all get back together because they’re a “team”, lads together, a squad… right up until some actual adversity hits & then they’ll moan & whinge and fall apart like a mess. City will cruise right past in their customary 13 game winning streak at the “end” of the season and we’ll all just care less because it’s sports washing %@#$&!s.

If we bought the right two players post World Cup we’d win the league, but we’re not a proper club anymore. We’re a Glazer invoice, a dividend, a meme or a trend. £#%&! off.

Christ I hope Ten Hag gets a hold of this place, it’s utterly tedious trying to give a shit about the bigger picture. There’s the staff, a handful of players (most of which either just joined or broke through the youth squad) and that’s it isn’t it? Even St. Marcus makes it tough with his performances over the last 12 months or so. Glad he’s turning it around and himself into a player again.

We’re laughed at, other fans know our club better than us and know the inevitability of the transfer strategy or the managerial appointment.

It’s only this time around does anyone think it might be different… serious football people in the right roles. If we could lure VDS across it’s a limitless platform, that Cryuff blueprint works & my own dream of seeing total football at United might be realised.

*caveat, I’m trousered

enjoyed that

Saying we’re 2 players from a league win is a bold, bold claim

Tin hat….but Nunez has looked ok when I’ve seen him. Yeah, he fluffs a few and his decision making is a bit suspect, but we know as well as anyone what it like to see players integrated into a team that’s struggling. He’s chopping and changing the side every week too. Just looks to me like an over eager player struggling in a new league. He works hard and clearly knows where the net is. He has more goals than Rashford, who many are saying is rejuvenated.

Liverpool don’t have the legs in midfield anymore to sustain the ridiculous standard of the last few years, but there’s signs they’re settling down a bit. They’ll be right in there for top four.

City are vulnerable. Always have been. Nice to see some teams actually realise it.

Originally Posted by dunk

Saying we’re 2 players from a league win is a bold, bold claim

And its utter nonsense, utd have about six players who wouldn't make the ciddy reserves

Originally Posted by dunk

Saying we’re 2 players from a league win is a bold, bold claim

Perhaps, but we maybe aren't as far off as some think.

We’re £#%&!ing miles away.

We’ve got 16 decent players, and a couple of them need upgrades.

Originally Posted by dunk

Saying we’re 2 players from a league win is a bold, bold claim

Two? We're at least 6 players away from having anything resembling a title challenging squad.

Still don't think our first choice team is miles away now, though I concede strength in depth is rather lacking.

If you added 50 goals to the front line which is what two proper forwards do we’d win the league. We need a no.9 that bags 30+ and a wide forward that gets 20 - if Anthony can net similar, Bruno contributes as he does we’d do it. But we don’t have a world class no.9 and unless it turns out Garnacho can hit 20 as an 18 year old we’ll struggle to score enough to trouble the top of the league.

Salah, Mane, Kane, Son, even Mahrez on his best seasons are banging in numbers consistently and we have no one in the side that will do it.

We all thought we needed a defender when we lost the league to City & Aguero, Fergie went and got RVP and we smashed it. It’s about having the goals, look at today - should’ve been out of sight despite being shit. We do not score anywhere near enough.

You don’t just add 50 goals to the frontline though. They may be capable of finishing, but the supply has to come from midfield, full backs, controlling the game, none of which we have.