Pep's spending is insane (£941m and counting at City)

[MJJ]

So as at now we've spent something similar to what Pep spent last season, is it okay for us to expect something even close to their last season performances seeing as everything Pep does is all down to money

No no no for us even if we get close to first its a good season. We don't really need to challenge for the title, it's the hypothetical wojld have won it in x years title for us nown

 

[fellaini's barber]

Pep has spent almost 450m at City!
What's your definition of somewhat similar?

By the end of this window Jose would have spent more than Pep spent as at last season.

 

[cyberman]

By the end of this window Jose would have spent more than Pep spent as at last season.

Hopefully, but Pep did spend 450m on an already better squad so there's a slight difference between the two.
I think we still won't match that number though, we don't seem to be linked with any realistic major signings.
A defender maybe?

 

[Shaun Oldman]

Hopefully, but Pep did spend 450m on an already better squad so there's a slight difference between the two.
I think we still won't match that number though, we don't seem to be linked with any realistic major signings.
A defender maybe?

The world class players Pep already had really make the difference for me.

Although we paid 90m for Pogba he isn't a patch on KDB if we are honest, ditto RL / Sergio Aguero.

Reality - we are miles behind

 

[sunama]

Back to the spending - John Stones is really terrible. Was it 50+ million?
I’d say he’s worse than he was at Everton.
Now that is an insane buy.

Never mind just buy 3 more for £60 million. Genius...

When you have access to a blank cheque book, why not? I would.

 

[sunama]

By the end of this window Jose would have spent more than Pep spent as at last season.

You attempting to predict what we will spend. As of right now, Jose has not spent more than Pep and Pep already had a better squad to start off with.

 

[fellaini's barber]

Hopefully, but Pep did spend 450m on an already better squad so there's a slight difference between the two.
I think we still won't match that number though, we don't seem to be linked with any realistic major signings.
A defender maybe?

Its his 3rd season, this better squad excuse needs to end at some point

 

[cyberman]

Its his 3rd season, this better squad excuse needs to end at some point

Not when you're expecting similar results based on spend when squad quality is a huge aspect of that spend.
How much does Pep spend if he doesn't have KDB in his squad? Isn't it safe to assume a lot fecking more?
Even then Jose is around 100m short of that total, its not a direct comparison that's simple to make.

 

[Thunderhead]

Its his 3rd season, this better squad excuse needs to end at some point

yep, he's totally overhauled the squad but he had to, of the squad of 26 he inherited 13 were 30+ and only 5 were under 25 and 3 of those were on loan at other clubs, last season 6 were over 30 and 13 were under 25, Yaya is gone now, it may have been a slightly better squad (we finished level pre Jose and Pep) and finished 9 points ahead the season before that so there wasn't a massive chasm in terms of quality in the two squads.

 

[Schneckerl]

Eh? The City players I've watched have all been excellent at the World Cup.

A striker scoring zero goals playing for Brazil can't be described as excellent even if his overall play has been alright.

 

[padr81]

Not when you're expecting similar results based on spend when squad quality is a huge aspect of that spend.
How much does Pep spend if he doesn't have KDB in his squad? Isn't it safe to assume a lot fecking more?
Even then Jose is around 100m short of that total, its not a direct comparison that's simple to make.

I remember you saying the squad he inherited would finish closer to Everton than United in his first season...

United have improved game on game. We have finally integrated Mkhi into the side and Martial is showing signs of getting back to where he was last season. Thats a lot of goals across our front 3 while we have finally built the midfield around Pogba and are now getting the best from him.
You are simply a mess. Aguero didn't touch the ball once in Liverpools half today while your defence is still as horrendous as it's always been. You now have to play Yaya fecking Toure in your midfield, the same Yaya who lost his legs a few years ago.
Your great start has masked your actual output.
All your stats and league position are still hinged on that same start so when that begins to even out so will your league position.
I predicted Citys downfall last season and got mocked by BobbyManc et all. I was the lone voice on this forum, to the point I thought I would be labelled a troll, arguing against their summer transfer policy and I predicted you wouldn't make top 4.
Right now I'll predict you will end up closer to Everton than us and Pep will not see out two seasons at City. He will blame not taking a break between jobs and off he goes.

Big change in planet Cyberman revision there.

Theres also this...
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/man...kes-to-be-special.418850/page-9#post-19571448

 

[Pogue Mahone]

A striker scoring zero goals playing for Brazil can't be described as excellent even if his overall play has been alright.

Meh. Jesus has played very well IMO. Arguably the most impressive young player in the tournament so far. Can’t think of any other youngster who’s looked any better.

 

[Pexbo]

Meh. Jesus has played very well IMO. Arguably the most impressive young player in the tournament so far. Can’t think of any other youngster who’s looked any better.

Really? I honestly think he’s been dire. Like Hernandez at his worst.

 

[BusbyMalone]

You attempting to predict what we will spend. As of right now, Jose has not spent more than Pep and Pep already had a better squad to start off with.

Genuine question here.

How many seasons will Jose need to have had at United, and how much money will he have had to have spent, in order for this bolded part of your comment to stop being trotted out.

BTW, i agree 100% that he was working from a better base. But surely it must come a time when the "well, he had a better team to start off with" comeback is no longer relevant.

 

[BusbyMalone]

Meh. Jesus has played very well IMO. Arguably the most impressive young player in the tournament so far. Can’t think of any other youngster who’s looked any better.

Wow, really? He's been very, very average IMO. He seemed to be on a completely different wavelength to everyone else the other night when they played Seriba. Thought he was terrible in that game.

Lozano and Golovin have been much better if we're just looking at younger players.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Really? I honestly think he’s been dire. Like Hernandez at his worst.

Yeah, I think he’s been good. Brazil haven’t been great but him and Coutinho have both looked sharp.

 

[AshRK]

As a United fan yes pep's spending is insane but then the argument ends when our manager is begging fellaini to sign a contract. One thing pep has done extremely well is sell the deadwood and this is where Jose has failed. I understand Pep can do that as city gave him ultimate backing but still Jose is in his third year and still not addressed our deadwood issue.

 

[Schneckerl]

Meh. Jesus has played very well IMO. Arguably the most impressive young player in the tournament so far. Can’t think of any other youngster who’s looked any better.

It's alright if you have that opinion, I probably won't change it. It's not like I'm imagining things though, he also seems to be on the below average side of the Brazilian XI by whatever grades you look at and doesn't impress statistically either.

 

[11101]

Genuine question here.

How many seasons will Jose need to have had at United, and how much money will he have had to have spent, in order for this bolded part of your comment to stop being trotted out.

BTW, i agree 100% that he was working from a better base. But surely it must come a time when the "well, he had a better team to start off with" comeback is no longer relevant.

Never, if Pep keeps spending 200m+ every window. He started ahead of everyone else and will only continue to improve on that if he keeps spending more than everyone else too.

Pep can afford to take a punt on players. If he picks up a Gabriel Jesus he's a hero, if it's a Benjamin Mendy then he can just pretend it never happened. We can spend big like them but we can't afford to write a transfer off if it doesn't work out. If we screw up buying a left back for 50m we can't just go and buy another one the next window.

 

[Jeppers7]

Never, if Pep keeps spending 200m+ every window. He started ahead of everyone else and will only continue to improve on that if he keeps spending more than everyone else too.

Pep can afford to take a punt on players. If he picks up a Gabriel Jesus he's a hero, if it's a Benjamin Mendy then he can just pretend it never happened. We can spend big like them but we can't afford to write a transfer off if it doesn't work out. If we screw up buying a left back for 50m we can't just go and buy another one the next window.

This.......City have outspent us every season for the past ten years bar 2. They've spent 500 million more than us in that time. Why should we magically be able to overhaul them when they're in a position of strength and keep pushing beyond everyone else ?

 

[Raoul]

Genuine question here.

How many seasons will Jose need to have had at United, and how much money will he have had to have spent, in order for this bolded part of your comment to stop being trotted out.

BTW, i agree 100% that he was working from a better base. But surely it must come a time when the "well, he had a better team to start off with" comeback is no longer relevant.

He started off with what is the backbone of City's success already in place (Aguero, DSilva, De Bryune) added more good players and simultaneously made all of them better by way of coaching and deploying a system that played to the individual and collective strengths of his players. Jose didn't start off with the same backbone of players, has added some good ones, but hasn't coached or deployed his talent into a system that brings the best out of them. Pep did all three to Jose's one. That is the difference between City and us today.

 

[cyberman]

I remember you saying the squad he inherited would finish closer to Everton than United in his first season...



Big change in planet Cyberman revision there.

Theres also this...
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/man...kes-to-be-special.418850/page-9#post-19571448

Almost as if I'm not a professional manager isn't it?
Also notice squad..you finished a point above fourth that year and 450m later here we are.
You dig up old posts but I was closer with my assessments of City that year than the win it by Christmas narrative this forum fell in love with at the time.
Both had to replace a lot of players . Its the fact your handful of players proved themselves to be world class while we kept Herrera, Young and Smalling that's the difference. Is it not?

 

[ravi2]

Meh. Jesus has played very well IMO. Arguably the most impressive young player in the tournament so far. Can’t think of any other youngster who’s looked any better.

Mbappe and Lozano look much better than Jesus imo

 

[BusbyMalone]

Never, if Pep keeps spending 200m+ every window. He started ahead of everyone else and will only continue to improve on that if he keeps spending more than everyone else too.

Pep can afford to take a punt on players. If he picks up a Gabriel Jesus he's a hero, if it's a Benjamin Mendy then he can just pretend it never happened. We can spend big like them but we can't afford to write a transfer off if it doesn't work out. If we screw up buying a left back for 50m we can't just go and buy another one the next window.

Probably agree and disagree with some of that. Using Mendy as an example is not a particularly good one imo. He's a great player who was very unfortunate to get injured early on. Stones would probably be a better example as he cost a fortune and doesn't get a look in anymore, yet very little is made of it.

I just find it a very convenient excuse to use and somewhat absolves Jose or United of any responsibility. It surely must come to a point when the two managers have been there for enough time and spent such an asinine amount of money that the squad they will eventually end up with has little resemblance to the squad they had when they took over. Therefore, the "started off from a better base" argument will lose relevance as time goes on. I do agree that we have to be a little more prudent with our finances though compared to City. That's just what happens when you win the lottery like they did unfortunately.

 

[ravi2]

This.......City have outspent us every season for the past ten years bar 2. They've spent 500 million more than us in that time. Why should we magically be able to overhaul them when they're in a position of strength and keep pushing beyond everyone else ?

Does it matter when we re-sign Fellaini and give him 100k a week?
How are we to ever going to surpass City when we are starting with Young, Valencia and Jones in the back and we refuse to buy a winger.

Jose has had multiple transfer windows and refuses to address glaring deficiencies in the squad, this is on him at this point.

 

[BusbyMalone]

He started off with what is the backbone of City's success already in place (Aguero, DSilva, De Bryune) added more good players and simultaneously made all of them better by way of coaching and deploying a system that played to the individual and collective strengths of his players. Jose didn't start off with the same backbone of players, has added some good ones, but hasn't coached or deployed his talent into a system that brings the best out of them. Pep did all three to Jose's one. That is the difference between City and us today.

Yeah, i agree 100%. I'm not saying any different. I said that i agreed with the fact they started off with a better base. I've actually said it multiple times throughout the season. That's not my problem, really. My issue is, how long can you keep repeating that same thing over, and over. I think it's still relevant now to a certain degree, but surely it comes a point where it loses it relevance. That's the point i was getting at.

 

[cyberman]

Here @padr81 let's play that game

For my own team City:
Our defence will tighten up and Mangala and Otamendi if they stay will look like decent defenders without one of our cb's having to bomb out to midfield all the time. I think we'll probably start as title favourite and I think we'll win it with one or two decent signings. We need a bit of pace in fullbacks and possibly another midfielder. Will be great not to have constant Toure meltdowns via his agent and all will be rosy. I don't expect us to make the CL semi's again as we won't get as favourable draw again (well it all depends on our group.)

For you guys:
Title challenge is dependent on signings but with the squad as you are I easily expect top 4, more than likely top 3. You guys have alot of pace in attack and I think Jose will play a very counter attacking system. Will work really well if you can get that world class passer in midfield (who also puts a shift in). Has to be someone sitting deeper than Mata or Rooney do. Martial, Rashford and even Depay if he comes good have great speed and can control a ball at high speed.

The rest:
I think Arsenal will run us closest but in the end they'll fall away and battle you guys for 2nd or 3rd and I expect Spurs to make up the top 4.

So something like..

City
United
Arsenal (despite being ahead of you guys at new year, possibly top of the table)
Spurs
---------
Chelsea
Liverpool
West Ham

Champions League:
I think no english side has a chance with Jose not in it. City possible last 8 but I don't see us pushing any further. Leicester could make last 16 cause of group seeding. Arsenal about the same and Spurs too. One of the 3 spanish sides or Bayern to win it but I think its heading to Spain again, most likely Barca.

FA Cup:
Any of the above top 7 and maybe throw a steelier Everton under Koeman in the mix too. I'll say Chelsea.

League Cup:
As above. I'll say Liverpool.

Golden Boot:
Aguero

PotY:
Aguero (has to win it sometime)

YpotY:
Martial

Golden Glove:
De Gea

So are you arguing we were on equal footing despite a top 4 place predicted for us and a likely title win for you lot?

So even, so so even

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

What’s City’s wage spend compared to United’s? No I’m not trolling I just can’t be assed googling.

 

[fellaini's barber]

Said this before, and I'll say it again, Pep achieved a record breaking season with arguably 3-4 world class players and some other decent players yet you guys keep moaning as if he bought the best players in the world in every position.I don't see how after the money we've spent our best player is still our goal keeper. His back four for most of the season was Walker, Otamendi, Stones and fecking Delph.

Or are they all world class now? His front three for most of the season was Sterling, Sane and Jesus who individually were really nothing special before last season but coincidentally all had the season of their lives. We have a manager that's begging to keep players like Fellaini and telling us Young will play 50 games next season yet when we're playing shit next season you'll be telling me its because he has not spent as much as Pep?

 

[Emptihead]

What’s City’s wage spend compared to United’s? No I’m not trolling I just can’t be assed googling.

City had a 13 month accounting period last year, but if calculated for 12 months would be £243.8m. United's was £263.5m

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

City had a 13 month accounting period last year, but if calculated for 12 months would be £243.8m. United's was £263.5m

Is that the top 2? Or do Chelsea and the Dippers fit in?

 

[Emptihead]

Is that the top 2? Or do Chelsea and the Dippers fit in?

Link for a list note City wage bill is for 13 months because of lazy journalism.
https://www.planetfootball.com/quic...-of-wages-in-the-premier-league-championship/

 

[fellaini's barber]

This.......City have outspent us every season for the past ten years bar 2. They've spent 500 million more than us in that time. Why should we magically be able to overhaul them when they're in a position of strength and keep pushing beyond everyone else ?

Guess they should have had 8 league titles then given as whoever spends most is destined to win the league

 

[Adisa]

Must have said it a million times, once more won't hurt.
For all the money he has spent, he has gotten the players he has decided to work with, playing at an unbelievable level. The signs were there in the second part of his first season.
I don't believe they have a team full of extraordinary players. Imo, the only players they have who are genuinely world class are KDB, Silva and Aguero. The rest have just slotted into a system and have turnes it into a well oiled machine.
Apart from those three, just have a loot at the others outside of that team? You'd hardly believe they are key members of a team that got 100 points .

 

[Adisa]

Is that the top 2? Or do Chelsea and the Dippers fit in?

Both are behind us. Our wage spend up until recently was well above City's. Think City overtook is this season that just ended.

 

[Adisa]

As a United fan yes pep's spending is insane but then the argument ends when our manager is begging fellaini to sign a contract. One thing pep has done extremely well is sell the deadwood and this is where Jose has failed. I understand Pep can do that as city gave him ultimate backing but still Jose is in his third year and still not addressed our deadwood issue.

Fellaini doesn't affect the argument since he isn't a starting player. The argument fails when you realise that Jose hasn't got a tune out of his own signings, that have cost a lot of money.

 

[Gentleman Jim]

It's alright if you have that opinion, I probably won't change it. It's not like I'm imagining things though, he also seems to be on the below average side of the Brazilian XI by whatever grades you look at and doesn't impress statistically either.

Stats don't tell the whole story. There are some parts of some players worth that are not quantified in Opta stats.
Pre-assists and occupying opponents for the benefit of teammates for example.

 

[cyberman]

Does it matter when we re-sign Fellaini and give him 100k a week?
How are we to ever going to surpass City when we are starting with Young, Valencia and Jones in the back and we refuse to buy a winger.

Jose has had multiple transfer windows and refuses to address glaring deficiencies in the squad, this is on him at this point.

What are the positions people think we need to strengthen?
LB, RB, partner for Bailly, midfielder and RW.
What positions in our first 11 (bar DDG) have players not signed by Jose?
LB, RB, midfielder, partner for Bailly and RW.
Doesn't that tell you something? Fred and Delot are a start but you're blaming him for not signing a successful, entire first 11 in 2 summers.
That's ridiculous. The positions that you claim are glaring deficiencies would have been way down the list behind Rooney, Morgan replacements etc.
He even tried to sign Perisic for LB but got overruled by the board last summer so how much can the man do?

 

[ravi2]

What are the positions people think we need to strengthen?
LB, RB, partner for Bailly, midfielder and RW.
What positions in our first 11 (bar DDG) have players not signed by Jose?
LB, RB, midfielder, partner for Bailly and RW.
Doesn't that tell you something? Fred and Delot are a start but you're blaming him for not signing a successful, entire first 11 in 2 summers.
That's ridiculous. The positions that you claim are glaring deficiencies would have been way down the list behind Rooney, Morgan replacements etc.
He even tried to sign Perisic for LB but got overruled by the board last summer so how much can the man do?

Perisic is not a LB he is a LW and we should have been looking at a RW.
Anyways I hope he and the club get their shit together this summer or we are looking at City winning 2 league titles in a row.

 

[Son Of Sam]

By the end of this window Jose would have spent more than Pep spent as at last season.

Jose’s rebuilding job was 3 times more difficult than Pep’s. Jose inherited a squat that finished 5th & 7th....only made top 4 once.

Pep inherited a squad that never dropped out of the top 4 and actually won the league under Pellegrini.

For parity to be restored, Jose must spend 3 times as much as Pep - and even that is no guarantee cos Jose must still compete with Pep for the title.