Liverpool will win the league | NARRATOR: They did not, in fact, win the league.

DJ_21

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But it's City. Who cares what they do? Their success is irrelevant, unlike Arsenal's or Liverpool's. So many of our fans wanted us to be owned by similar owners to that of City, but what satisfaction could be gained from winning a league that way? It would be a case of 'well, what do you expect?'.
True but over the last few years we’ve actually spent more than city and have nothing to show for it…
 

Remember the geese

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True but over the last few years we’ve actually spent more than city and have nothing to show for it…
That's because we aren't set up properly for success. How much more satisfying would it be to succeed via our own self generated funds under a slick, new football structure as opposed to simply being bought by a Gulf State?
 

Dr. StrangeHate

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Neither scenario is palatable in the slightest, but it really doesn't even come close for me, I wouldn't want to see the scousers win a raffle let alone anything else.

I guess I'm lucky in one way that I don't know a single City fan in my day to day life, but on the other hand I live in Merseyside, for my sins, and know plenty of those gloating bastards so I say bring on another empty street parade for those plastic fecks, I really don't care anymore.
This is the case for me as well. But City started to become a force in football around 2011. This is when they started to get fans. So people in their early twenties would know a few city fans. People in their teens would know quite a few and people under 13 would be overwhelmingly City fans. I see mostly City shirts now in England especially Halaand ones. City success doesn't matter much to most people over 25 but for the next generation it will be a different story.
 

DJ_21

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That's because we aren't set up properly for success. How much more satisfying would it be to succeed via our own self generated funds under a slick, new football structure as opposed to simply being bought by a Gulf State?
Yes I agree that would be much better. Whether it happens or not though is a different matter.
 

erikcred

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Neither scenario is palatable in the slightest, but it really doesn't even come close for me, I wouldn't want to see the scousers win a raffle let alone anything else.

I guess I'm lucky in one way that I don't know a single City fan in my day to day life, but on the other hand I live in Merseyside, for my sins, and know plenty of those gloating bastards so I say bring on another empty street parade for those plastic fecks, I really don't care anymore.
City and Real are basically our second teams at this moment. :D

Never thought that day would come.
 

B20

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The squad is looking very different from just 12 months ago. One thing is that we bought four midfielders in the summer and totally overhauled midfield and added Gakpo up front, but there's also been a lot progression internally.

12 months ago, Gomez looked like he'd never recover from all his injuries, Jota was still going through his 32 game streak without scoring, Jones looked like he was never really going to progress, also largely stalled by injuries, we basically only had three centerbacks and no backup at right back.

Since then Quansah has stepped up at the back and looked a proper talent, Bradley looks like a proper right back to deputise TAA, Gomez is regularly among our best players every match day, Jones should be getting England call ups, Elliott has found a good role for his age as a bit of a super sub and Jota looks like a genuine top class player these days. Virgil getting back to his best has also been massive.

It's a different squad in so many ways and besides the new players it looks like our next generation are stepping up to fill the gaps that they weren't ready to last season. We played Bournemouth without six first choice players and didn't skip a beat.

I think we could have expected a bit more from Diaz and Gakpo this season, but players are really up for it this season.
 

whitbyviking

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This is the case for me as well. But City started to become a force in football around 2011. This is when they started to get fans. So people in their early twenties would know a few city fans. People in their teens would know quite a few and people under 13 would be overwhelmingly City fans. I see mostly City shirts now in England especially Halaand ones. City success doesn't matter much to most people over 25 but for the next generation it will be a different story.
All them "fans" will soon be wearing a new shirt if/when City get relegated and Haaland moves on. There were loads of young "Chelsea" fans too for a while, you don't see them any more.
 

christinaa

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The curse of a billion locusts on Liverpool. :D
 

DJ_21

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It’s helped the fact that city have been hit and miss this season. They’ve had there goalscorer and most creative player out which will impact any team. And Arsenal being Arsenal have bottled it. I’d rather spurs go on a good run and pip them… (fantasy land) I know.
 

mctrials23

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City will win the league. De Bruyne is back and City love a strong end to the season with their crazy squad depth. Liverpool will get a few key injuries and fall away. Hopefully anyway
 

Garnacho's Shoelaces

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True but over the last few years we’ve actually spent more than city and have nothing to show for it…
City are literally alleged to be paying staff in off-shore deals to double/triple salaries. They paid £42 in agent fees just to Haaland's Dad. If you think our spending is even 50% of City's true spending, I think you're off of the mark.
 

RobinLFC

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City are literally alleged to be paying staff in off-shore deals to double/triple salaries. They paid £42 in agent fees just to Haaland's Dad. If you think our spending is even 50% of City's true spending, I think you're off of the mark.
That's not too bad to be honest.
 

DJ_21

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City are literally alleged to be paying staff in off-shore deals to double/triple salaries. They paid £42 in agent fees just to Haaland's Dad. If you think our spending is even 50% of City's true spending, I think you're off of the mark.
We’re 2nd behind Chelsea in the biggest spenders in the last 5 years. City are like 7th. It’s about how you spend the money. We’ve wasted it on mediocre players.
 

RobinLFC

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City will win the league. De Bruyne is back and City love a strong end to the season with their crazy squad depth. Liverpool will get a few key injuries and fall away. Hopefully anyway
We already have "a few key injuries" at the moment - TAA, Szoboszlai, Salah and Robertson were not available yesterday.

The City squad depth is also kind of a myth, their bench against Newcastle last week (apart from KDB and Grealish): Ortega, Bobb, Phillips, Sergio Gomez, Nunes, Susoho and Lewis. So with Haaland back they have like 2-3 star quality bench players, the rest are just bench fillers imo and definitely not better than what other top teams have available to them. Pep won't fully utilize his bench either because he doesn't trust certain players for his specific carved-out roles (e.g. his comments about Phillips and Nunes not getting much playing time despite being a high-priced acquisition).
 

Statue of Limitations

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If they beat both Chelsea and Arsenal in the next couple of gameweeks, then I think they will win it.
Momentum is key, City often pull in huge win streaks, so if Pool still clear top in couple of weeks, it's theirs to lose.

Come on Citeh :(
 

Garnacho's Shoelaces

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We’re 2nd behind Chelsea in the biggest spenders in the last 5 years. City are like 7th. It’s about how you spend the money. We’ve wasted it on mediocre players.
I agree that we have wasted money. Poor scouting, recruitment and negotiation structures. No future planning.

However, suggesting that anyone, including Chelsea, has spent less than City is bizarre. Pep is being paid at least 3-4x his declared salary off-shore to remain at a club which is ruining his legacy as a manager.
 

erikcred

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We already have "a few key injuries" at the moment - TAA, Szoboszlai, Salah and Robertson were not available yesterday.

The City squad depth is also kind of a myth, their bench against Newcastle last week (apart from KDB and Grealish): Ortega, Bobb, Phillips, Sergio Gomez, Nunes, Susoho and Lewis. So with Haaland back they have like 2-3 star quality bench players, the rest are just bench fillers imo and definitely not better than what other top teams have available to them. Pep won't fully utilize his bench either because he doesn't trust certain players for his specific carved-out roles (e.g. his comments about Phillips and Nunes not getting much playing time despite being a high-priced acquisition).
That's fair. Alexander Arnold and Robertson are big misses.

You have enough attackers to survive Salah's absence. Maybe with him not around, the others will put in more work and there's enough attacking quality in your team to beat most defences. Szoboszlai seems to have gone off form anyway. Or maybe he's regressed to his actual level after the initial purple patch.

Thank heavens for the VAR feck up against Spurs. Otherwise we'd be getting treated to a lot of of Invincibles discussions right now.
 

RobinLFC

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Thank heavens for the VAR feck up against Spurs. Otherwise we'd be getting treated to a lot of of Invincibles discussions right now.
Meh, no way to know what the outcome of that game would've been otherwise, I think the classy move is always to just point out that it was a wrong decision, but accept it and move on.

I was way more irritated with some other results - draws away at Brighton and Luton, and the draw against United at home.
 

erikcred

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Meh, no way to know what the outcome of that game would've been otherwise, I think the classy move is always to just point out that it was a wrong decision, but accept it and move on.

I was way more irritated with some other results - draws away at Brighton and Luton, and the draw against United at home.
:D That one must definitely burn.

The last time I saw such a cocky Liverpool team and stadium was the Gerrard slip game. It's like everyone (including us) expected a goal every 10 minutes right from the start.
 

Josh 76

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The squad is looking very different from just 12 months ago. One thing is that we bought four midfielders in the summer and totally overhauled midfield and added Gakpo up front, but there's also been a lot progression internally.

12 months ago, Gomez looked like he'd never recover from all his injuries, Jota was still going through his 32 game streak without scoring, Jones looked like he was never really going to progress, also largely stalled by injuries, we basically only had three centerbacks and no backup at right back.

Since then Quansah has stepped up at the back and looked a proper talent, Bradley looks like a proper right back to deputise TAA, Gomez is regularly among our best players every match day, Jones should be getting England call ups, Elliott has found a good role for his age as a bit of a super sub and Jota looks like a genuine top class player these days. Virgil getting back to his best has also been massive.

It's a different squad in so many ways and besides the new players it looks like our next generation are stepping up to fill the gaps that they weren't ready to last season. We played Bournemouth without six first team choice players and didn't skip a beat.

I think we could have expected a bit more from Diaz and Gakpo this season, but players are really up for it this season.
Bournemouth had 5 first team players out.
 

Josh 76

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It's weird to see how this team is going for their 2nd quadruple in 3 seasons, and Utd finished above them last season!
 

DJ_21

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We already have "a few key injuries" at the moment - TAA, Szoboszlai, Salah and Robertson were not available yesterday.

The City squad depth is also kind of a myth, their bench against Newcastle last week (apart from KDB and Grealish): Ortega, Bobb, Phillips, Sergio Gomez, Nunes, Susoho and Lewis. So with Haaland back they have like 2-3 star quality bench players, the rest are just bench fillers imo and definitely not better than what other top teams have available to them. Pep won't fully utilize his bench either because he doesn't trust certain players for his specific carved-out roles (e.g. his comments about Phillips and Nunes not getting much playing time despite being a high-priced acquisition).
Ye that’s true. When De Bruyne and Haaland were out their bench doesn’t look all that good. I forgot they even have Nunes. Waste of signing that as was Phillips.
 

tentan

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They're gonna do it. The players will do it as a farewell gift for Klopp.
 

SilentWitness

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Think it's going to be one of those seasons between them and City where there is only one point in it. The seasons they win it or have very high points totals they only lose one or two games a season. Only lost once this year and it was where that Diaz goal happened.
 

Mickeza

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I still think City but watching Liverpool last night without Salah and Trent and witnessing how everyone is together working for each other I couldn’t help but be angrily impressed. City still have to play at anfield I think? They lose that and it’s a 4 point gap they need to overturn in the last 16 games. If they lose De Bruyne again not sure they do it.
 

RobinLFC

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So annoying that you realize beginning of February that we're probably have to be near perfect for the remainder of the season to even stand a chance against them cheaters.
 

Dumbstar

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So annoying that you realize beginning of February that we're probably have to be near perfect for the remainder of the season to even stand a chance against them cheaters.
We will be pipped again by 1-2 points. But it's still imperative to finish above Arsenal in order to benefit from any PL action later this year (as wishful thinking as that may be).
 

SilentWitness

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So annoying that you realize beginning of February that we're probably have to be near perfect for the remainder of the season to even stand a chance against them cheaters.
You're the only other team capable of it though and you've managed it multiple times before.
 

RobinLFC

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We will be pipped again by 1-2 points. But it's still imperative to finish above Arsenal in order to benefit from any PL action later this year (as wishful thinking as that may be).
With Arsenal you have the feeling that they'll inevitably feck up somewhere down the road and lose the plot two games in a row.

With City, you have the complete opposite feeling. It's imperative that we win against them at Anfield beginning of next month to even stand a chance imo.
 

Fallon d'Floor

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They look on it this year. Fair fecks to them too after the summer window they had.
I still feel like they lack a natural DM. Fabinho hasn't been replaced directly.

Mac Allister is very good in the buildup, but can be exposed in transition. He gets dribbled past multiple times per game.

And Darwin will need to fix up in front of goal. He misses way too many chances. But luckily for them, Jota is hitting top form.

It does feel like it's written in the stars that Klopp will have his dream send off... or maybe we'll get another Slippy G moment before the end. :D