Man City 2020/21 - General discussion

Dr. StrangeHate

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Yeah they have money but allowing the best manager in the world to go there unchallenged will always be Ed Woodwards biggest failing.
We basically accepted that we are second fiddle. Sick of it to be honest.
To be fair City bought Pep's brother a club in Spain. We have money sure but we can't compete with that.
 

Crustanoid

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To be fair City bought Pep's brother a club in Spain. We have money sure but we can't compete with that.
The entire club and any ‘achievements’ associated with them are built on exactly this type of corruption . Even more culpable than Ed are the governing bodies for allowing it to happen
 

Dr. StrangeHate

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Sanchez and Pogba would disagree
Pogba was more about his image so Manchester United was better for that. Sanchez I don't know why he came here, did he play with Pep before?

Pep is in contention for GOAT, so if a player like that level becomes available City would give them a second salary as well and get him, make no mistake about that. Ed is useless and indecisive but here I don't see he could have done much.
 

Bearded One

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Pogba was more about his image so Manchester United was better for that. Sanchez I don't know why he came here, did he play with Pep before?

Pep is in contention for GOAT, so if a player like that level becomes available City would give them a second salary as well and get him, make no mistake about that. Ed is useless and indecisive but here I don't see he could have done much.
Oh how they must rue losing out on the two of those, hey.
Whatever reason they joined, I was responding to the thought that once City need a player, we should just fold because it’s going to be a no contest. I don’t think that’s the case and the two transfers I highlighted are proof of that. Every man and his dog thought that Sanchez was coming to City but we beat them to it. Pogba was hailed the next Yaya also.
 

Pep's Suit

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If City thought he was worth it they would have done same. Remember the Mancini second salary stuff.
Mancini's first and second salaries were around €3m each while best-paid managers make €15-20m. No chance City would have paid Alexis that much just like they offered 'only' £60m for Maguire.
 

Maluco

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Mancini's first and second salaries were around €3m each while best-paid managers make €15-20m. No chance City would have paid Alexis that much just like they offered 'only' £60m for Maguire.
If you believe this, I don’t know what to tell you. They can pay whatever they want whenever they want, no matter what way the story is spun.

How much is accounted for, is another story and one that Mancini confirmed himself.
 

Zen86

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If City thought he was worth it they would have done same. Remember the Mancini second salary stuff.
Absolutely they would.

Whatever reason they joined, I was responding to the thought that once City need a player, we should just fold because it’s going to be a no contest. I don’t think that’s the case and the two transfers I highlighted are proof of that. Every man and his dog thought that Sanchez was coming to City but we beat them to it. Pogba was hailed the next Yaya also.
I said that if City really want someone, they’ll get him. I don’t ever recall them seriously being in for Pogba and Sanchez, well, if they thought he was worth the money they would have paid it. Unfortunate for us they didn’t.
 

Bearded One

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Absolutely they would.



I said that if City really want someone, they’ll get him. I don’t ever recall them seriously being in for Pogba and Sanchez, well, if they thought he was worth the money they would have paid it. Unfortunate for us they didn’t.
All you need to do is look it up. I’m pretty certain that City pursued Sanchez for multiple seasons. Mou got one over Pep at the time with the help of Arsenal Wenger. It was a master stroke at the time and redcafe was buzzing. I recall vividly because I thought Sanchez would elevate us: I was literally over the moon. City were complaining about the price Arsenal was demanding and Mou just came and hijacked the deal.
 

Zen86

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All you need to do is look it up. I’m pretty certain that City pursued Sanchez for multiple seasons. Mou got one over Pep at the time with the help of Arsenal Wenger. It was a master stroke at the time and redcafe was buzzing. I recall vividly because I thought Sanchez would elevate us: I was literally over the moon. City were complaining about the price Arsenal was demanding and Mou just came and hijacked the deal.
We got him because City didn’t want to pay the money that we did, that is literally the reason we got him and why his ridiculous contract was a problem for us afterwards. City have more money than us, if they wanted him that badly they would have got him.
 

Bearded One

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We got him because City didn’t want to pay the money that we did, that is literally the reason we got him and why his ridiculous contract was a problem for us afterwards. City have more money than us, if they wanted him that badly they would have got him.
I also remember Pep got a little salty and Mou giddy over the transfer. Sanchez was carrying a dire Arsenal team singlehandedly on his back so it was a transfer City wanted. That idea that if City needs a player badly we have no chance needs substantiating because I don’t see it.
 

JSArsenal

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Was in the Spiegel allegations, that they were paying Mancini a second salary with some bogus avenue to keep the books balanced
I remember Wenger saying something similar about City or Chelsea years ago regarding players. That the reported salaries in the papers and the like aren't accurate
 

SER19

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I remember Wenger saying something similar about City or Chelsea years ago regarding players. That the reported salaries in the papers and the like aren't accurate
It's a comedy league. Comparing it to the years of Ferguson vs wenger is like comparing wrestling to boxings prime years.

18 straight wins without even being at their best :lol:
 

Zen86

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I also remember Pep got a little salty and Mou giddy over the transfer. Sanchez was carrying a dire Arsenal team singlehandedly on his back so it was a transfer City wanted. That idea that if City needs a player badly we have no chance needs substantiating because I don’t see it.
Pep got salty because he followed the bigger contract offer and came to us. But anyway, I’m not going to bother repeating the same things over and over. If you want to think we can financially compete with City then good for you.
 

thepolice123

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Was Ruben Dias always this good? I remember someone who watches the Portuguese League regularly said that Lindelof was the better defender then. :eek:
 

Loon

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Was hoping Guardiola wouldn’t run away and mount a City challenge this year. He’s done exactly that, but what I did not account for was the dipper’s glorious meltdown and us actually improving significantly.

Be careful what you wish for, I guess, but in analysis we’re not ready to mount a challenge quite yet.

Solid second would be great.
 

padr81

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Was Ruben Dias always this good? I remember someone who watches the Portuguese League regularly said that Lindelof was the better defender then. :eek:
I always thought Lindelof was seen as the better ball player and Dias marginally the better defender but no one had an idea he was this good. that said he cost £60m and was only available at that price because Benfica messed up CL qualifiers and needed the cash. Had they made the groups we'd likely have gone for Kounde instead.
 

thepolice123

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I always thought Lindelof was seen as the better ball player and Dias marginally the better defender but no one had an idea he was this good. that said he cost £60m and was only available at that price because Benfica messed up CL qualifiers and needed the cash. Had they made the groups we'd likely have gone for Kounde instead.
Fair play to Pep and the coaching staff. He has been utterly dominant at the back.
 

ExecutionerWasp001

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How do you defeat a state. Klopp did it for a few seasons but I just don't see how any long term challenge is sustainable
As long as the owner stays around they'll keep winning titles regularly. You will have outlier years when other teams win it but you would think City should win 6/10.

To put into context the task we face, the Mansours have put £5 Bill into Etihad Airways & it is yet to turn a profit. It's highly likely to need further massive investment to stay afloat. You could buy Utd twice for the amount the Mansours have wasted on an airline. If they are prepared to waste this much on failed vanity project it's unfathomable to conceive how much their limit is on investing in football clubs.
 

teteus

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It's a comedy league. Comparing it to the years of Ferguson vs wenger is like comparing wrestling to boxings prime years.

18 straight wins without even being at their best :lol:
City is just mostly back to their usual self (the big exception is their attacking ruthlessness of truly destroying teams with lots of goals, they aren't as sparkling and exciting as previous seasons), super solid, controlling and consistent.

But I fear they will lose to Mönchengladbach. Guardiola is an amazing coach when it comes to make a great squad play at their highest technical level and very consistently throughout a season. But in away games in the UCL, he chokes and overthinks. He makes baffling choices and line-ups that a more average coach wouldn't have done. He doesn't seem to trust the own team well enough, lacks the mentality. He becomes so worried and scared by the opposition that he makes changes trying to nullify any potential threat of the opposition, but at the cost of compromising his own team.

Last year was a perfect example. Guardiola was scared by Lyon's counter-attacks, so he changed formation and compromised City's fluidity. He makes mistakes that worse coaches wouldn't do in these big UCL games. Even when he was coach of Barcelona in 2011, he was scared of SHAKHTAR in the quarter-finals. Shakhtar was a pretty good team and played good matches, but why can't you be more confident when you made and coached perhaps the best team ever?
 
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Noot

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Yeah, as if we ever had any influence on where Pep went. If City really want someone, there’s not a chance they won’t get them.
Of course there is. We didn't get Van Dijk, Sanchez, Pogba or Maguire. We almost certainly won't get Messi or Haaland.

People here are acting as though we weren't 10th a few months ago. We're now top of the league largely because United and Liverpool have thrown away an absurd amount of points that they shouldn't have. Last year we finished miles off the top. Only one of our modern league titles has been won before the final day of the season. If we're walking the league and lifting the trophy with four games to spare every season like Bayern do, then people who say we've made the league boring might have a point. Until then, United and Chelsea can absolutely compete with us should the people in charge just make better decisions.
 

horsechoker

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They've become annoyingly efficient at winning games.

Once Liverpool tailed off there isn't anyone else left to challenge them. We've improved but still too defensively naïve and not clinical enough in attack when it matters.

It should be have been obvious whoever has the deepest squad would thrive and City have that whereas Liverpool don't.
 

croadyman

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Yeah they have money but allowing the best manager in the world to go there unchallenged will always be Ed Woodwards biggest failing.
We basically accepted that we are second fiddle. Sick of it to be honest.
Yeah we missed out big time and are now paying the heaviest price for it
 

croadyman

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Of course there is. We didn't get Van Dijk, Sanchez, Pogba or Maguire. We almost certainly won't get Messi or Haaland.

People here are acting as though we weren't 10th a few months ago. We're now top of the league largely because United and Liverpool have thrown away an absurd amount of points that they shouldn't have. Last year we finished miles off the top. Only one of our modern league titles has been won before the final day of the season. If we're walking the league and lifting the trophy with four games to spare every season like Bayern do, then people who say we've made the league boring might have a point. Until then, United and Chelsea can absolutely compete with us should the people in charge just make better decisions.
I would make you strong favourites to sign Haaland and don't believe the supposed issue between Guardiola & Mino will prove to be any kind of obstacle either because think Erling just wants to compete for trophies and you will always be doing that with your squad.
 

Zen86

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Of course there is. We didn't get Van Dijk, Sanchez, Pogba or Maguire. We almost certainly won't get Messi or Haaland.

People here are acting as though we weren't 10th a few months ago. We're now top of the league largely because United and Liverpool have thrown away an absurd amount of points that they shouldn't have. Last year we finished miles off the top. Only one of our modern league titles has been won before the final day of the season. If we're walking the league and lifting the trophy with four games to spare every season like Bayern do, then people who say we've made the league boring might have a point. Until then, United and Chelsea can absolutely compete with us should the people in charge just make better decisions.
It’s inevitable. Bayern is exactly what you’re aiming for, except you’re hoovering up football clubs as well as talent. All backed up by your stellar PR and legal teams. You’re basically the antichrist of football.
 

Raredaredevil

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City is just mostly back to their usual self (the big exception is their attacking ruthlessness of truly destroying teams with lots of goals, they aren't as sparkling and exciting as previous seasons), super solid, controlling and consistent.

But I fear they will lose to Mönchengladbach. Guardiola is an amazing coach when it comes to make a great squad play at their highest technical level and very consistently throughout a season. But in away games in the UCL, he chokes and overthinks. He makes baffling choices and line-ups that a more average coach wouldn't have done. He doesn't seem to trust the own team well enough, lacks the mentality. He becomes so worried and scared by the opposition that he makes changes trying to nullify any potential threat of the opposition, but at the cost of compromising his own team.

Last year was a perfect example. Guardiola was scared by Lyon's counter-attacks, so he changed formation and compromised City's fluidity. He makes mistakes that worse coaches wouldn't do in these big UCL games. Even when he was coach of Barcelona in 2011, he was scared of SHAKHTAR in the quarter-finals. Shakhtar was a pretty good team and played good matches, but why can't you be more confident when you made and coached perhaps the best team ever?
I was also thinking about this, it's baffling how they have such a terrible away record under Pep in Europe. The bookmakers never learn, do they? Just look at their odds for City to win, big disrespect to Mönchengladbach. I might actually put a tenner on Mönchengladbach just to jinx City.
 

adexkola

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I was also thinking about this, it's baffling how they have such a terrible away record under Pep in Europe. The bookmakers never learn, do they? Just look at their odds for City to win, big disrespect to Mönchengladbach. I might actually put a tenner on Mönchengladbach just to jinx City.
Wrong stage. They haven't had much issue with the last 16.
 

manc exile

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The entire club and any ‘achievements’ associated with them are built on exactly this type of corruption . Even more culpable than Ed are the governing bodies for allowing it to happen
explain how buying a second division spanish club is corruption?
 

manc exile

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Because being state run shouldn’t be allowed in football. It’s a joke.

a state doesnt, its owned by a member of the royal family, not the state
mansour is the deputy prime minister of the UAE and a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family

even if we ignore this factual error, why does who owns a football team ruin your enjoyment of football