The greatest treble winners and manager ever: City 22/23

[crossy1686]

First of all, congratulations to City for winning the treble, it's not an easy feat. Third title in a row also.

With that said, does that cement Pep's status as the greatest manager of all time? Probably?

Are this City side better than United's 99 team? Probably?

Do we care about City enough yet to let this bother us?

*pssst, this is a jinx thread, stop taking everything on the internet seriously.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

This City team cannot be jinxed, they are too good. I still think Pep's Barcelona would have beaten them though.

 

[giorno]

They are better than '99 United but it's a byproduct of the eras. Simply put it's much easier to be this good now than it was to be as good as United was in '99. It's also easier to win the treble now

Edit: disagree that Barcelona would have beaten this City side. No chance they could have coped with their speed and energy, and they lagged behind tactically as well

 

[crossy1686]

They are better than '99 United but it's a byproduct of the eras. Simply put it's much easier to be this good now than it was to be as good as United was in '99. It's also easier to win the treble now

Only because there's so many big teams in transition because they can't buy up all the best talent in their leagues anymore. Looking at you guys on the continent.

 

[Judas]

Fair play to them, it was their time, still hasn't made them interesting though! God bless the dull rich robots.

 

[vulmik]

Edit: disagree that Barcelona would have beaten this City side. No chance they could have coped with their speed and energy, and they lagged behind tactically as well

Nonsense.

 

[giorno]

Only because there's so many big teams in transition because they can't buy up all the best talent in their leagues anymore. Looking at you guys on the continent.

Honestly, nah, this City side under Guardiola should have won a treble already, they didn't because they kept losing in CL in weird ways. They still haven't done the treble yet this season either. That said, in the last 15 years we've seen 4 trebles. In the previous ~50, off the top of my head, we had 3. Talent is stacked at the top like it never was before, the best teams of the last 15 years are WAY better than the best teams from previous eras, and advancements in both tactics, equipment and sports science means players are fitter than ever - fatigue being the biggest obstacle against past teams pulling this off

 

[giorno]

Nonsense.

Reference Bayern running them off the pitch in '13. The closest comparison we have for this City side that team faced

 

[Unam333]

They are better than United '99 and have far greater squad depth. It's funny, only two seasons ago we were discussing whether Klopp's Liverpool were the best PL team ever.

 

[gajender]

Reference Bayern running them off the pitch in '13. The closest comparison we have for this City side that team faced

But was that the Peak Barcelona .

 

[Trezeguet17]

Honestly, nah, this City side under Guardiola should have won a treble already, they didn't because they kept losing in CL in weird ways. They still haven't done the treble yet this season either. That said, in the last 15 years we've seen 4 trebles. In the previous ~50, off the top of my head, we had 3. Talent is stacked at the top like it never was before, the best teams of the last 15 years are WAY better than the best teams from previous eras, and advancements in both tactics, equipment and sports science means players are fitter than ever - fatigue being the biggest obstacle against past teams pulling this off

So why is it easier to win the treble now than 99‘?

 

[giorno]

But was that the Peak Barcelona .

No, but it wasn't far off - that's their 100 points season. They never faced anything like that Bayern in the previous 4 seasons, only Real Madrid coming close and then only in spurts - and Barcelona really couldn't cope with Madrid in those either

 

[giorno]

So why is it easier to win the treble now than 99‘?

I literally just said in the post you quoted

 

[BootsyCollins]

Honestly, nah, this City side under Guardiola should have won a treble already, they didn't because they kept losing in CL in weird ways. They still haven't done the treble yet this season either. That said, in the last 15 years we've seen 4 trebles. In the previous ~50, off the top of my head, we had 3. Talent is stacked at the top like it never was before, the best teams of the last 15 years are WAY better than the best teams from previous eras, and advancements in both tactics, equipment and sports science means players are fitter than ever - fatigue being the biggest obstacle against past teams pulling this off

I agree 100% with the bolded. Talking to some guys playing pro in different leagues in Europe and its insane how much injections and similar they say they get. I fear what will happen with their bodies after their careers is over.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Cheat FC does the treble. What an unforgettable achievement

 

[arnoldS]

Lets make more City threads it doesnt look pathetic at all

 

[Amar__]

they didn't because they kept losing in CL in weird ways.

What a weird way to describe being outplayed by many different sides in what was, 4 years?

2021/2022 - they conceeded 6 goals in two games of semi finals last year.
2020/2021 - they were outplayed by fecking Chelsea in the CL final(they had one shot on target the entire game).
2019/2020 - they went out against Spurs, which says a lot itself tbf. Spurs were without Kane back then too, he was injured.
2018/2019 - they lost both games against Liverpool(5-1 in total), what's weird about that?

There is absolutely nothing weird about any of those exits.

 

[Lyng]

I mean they literally cooked the books to achieve this. Nothing great about it at all.

 

[Telsim]

Unlike the scouse delusions, this City team actually is the best in the history of the Premier League. Pep is also in a shout for the greatest manager ever, but is being held back by the fact he has always managed for... well-funded teams, let's say.

 

[DOTA]

Lets make more City threads it doesnt look pathetic at all

Quite.

 

[tenpoless]

Quadruple is a matter of time innit

 

[Trezeguet17]

I literally just said in the post you quoted

You said that the biggest obstacle to win a treble back then was fatigue.

Now you have to win vs top teams that are way better than the best teams of the last 15 years, talent is more stacked and they have better access to advanced sports science and better equipments. Also that teams are way better tactically now.

With these reasons you have rather argued for the opposite.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

First of all they haven't won the treble, at least not yet.

What's the point of comparing our 99' treble winning side with this City side? Will they ever play one against the other? Does today's City side have to beat our 99 team for any trophy? Will we see Irwin vs Mahrez? Or Stam vs Halland? Or Cole vs Diaz?

Is it from our frustration that they have been better than us for the past 10 years and they have the best manager there is to have? I am frustrated too, but let's be honest, they won't dominate football for another 20 years, that's for sure, this will end sooner or later.

If our owners would of been smart enough to get Pep after SAF we would of been in there place now, but we cannot change the past so we have to get over it.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Why do you insist in torturing yourself with these endless City threads

I think they're in with a shout for the best premier league team ever, but that's also just a result of the top players being distributed over less and less teams as time goes by. In the 90s even the midtable teams had some truly top players, now it's the same 5 clubs hogging all the talent and draining all the others of their quality. It's making football more boring if you ask me.

From a footballing perspective this City team is brilliant though, that DeBruyne - Haaland tandem is devastating. Like they were playing toddlers yesterday.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

I mean they literally cooked the books to achieve this. Nothing great about it at all.

Sneak into your neighbours kids room and see the Halaand shirts in their closet and then tell me it is not great.

 

[SilentWitness]

What a weird way to describe being outplayed by many different sides in what was, 4 years?

2021/2022 - they conceeded 6 goals in two games of semi finals last year.
2020/2021 - they were outplayed by fecking Chelsea in the CL final(they had one shot on target the entire game).
2019/2020 - they went out against Spurs, which says a lot itself tbf. Spurs were without Kane back then too, he was injured.

You'd expect City to beat Chelsea and Spurs 9/10 and you wouldn't expect them to concede as many or in the manner they did against Real so yeah, i'd say those are all results that are weird ways to go out or lose for City.

 

[giorno]

What a weird way to describe being outplayed by many different sides in what was, 4 years?

2021/2022 - they conceeded 6 goals in two games of semi finals last year.
2020/2021 - they were outplayed by fecking Chelsea in the CL final(they had one shot on target the entire game).
2019/2020 - they went out against Spurs, which says a lot itself tbf. Spurs were without Kane back then too, he was injured.
2018/2019 - they lost both games against Liverpool(5-1 in total), what's weird about that?

There is absolutely nothing weird about any of those exits.

Break them down:
Liverpool: offside goal(Salah, 1-0). Disallowed goal on very very tight call(Sterling, would be 1-3), PREPOSTEROUS disallowed goal(Sane, 2-0, 2-3 aggregate)

That's a 3 goals swing against them over 2 clear refereeing mistakes and possibly a third

Spurs: missed penalty. Tie-winning goal which directly lead to a rule change, as the ball went in off Llorente's hand.

Chelsea: yeah that's 100% on Guardiola

Madrid: missed chances, stupid dumb penalty conceded, Mendy clearance off the line, Courtois miracle spikes save on Graelish, 2 goals in 1 minute

Realistically they were outplayed by Liverpool because they crumbled before Anfield's push after going down and their comeback was stopped by one of the most unbelieveable ref mistakes in recent memory. Against Spurs Pep fecked the first leg, they still should have won and missed a penalty, then went out to a handball goal at home in a game they dominated. OL: Pep literally spotting them 60 minutes, the Sterling open goal miss. Chelsea, again Pep spotting them an half of football, City doesn't play well here though. Madrid? They battered us for 179 minutes...

 

[giorno]

You said that the biggest obstacle to win a treble back then was fatigue.

Now you have to win vs top teams that are way better than the best teams of the last 15 years, talent is more stacked and they have better access to advanced sports science and better equipments. Also that teams are way better tactically now.

With these reasons you have rather argued for the opposite.

No? The biggest difference now isn't among the top teams - "if everyone is better, then no one is better" - it's with the rest. Modern superteams are far less likely to lose to anything but another superteam. In relative terms, the competition hasn't gotten tougher(except in CL due to the expanded format) and all the possible other factors that weighed past teams down aren't there anymore. Hence Celtic, Ajax and United being the only 3 teams to pull off a treble in 50 years, then Barcelona and Bayern doing it 4 times in 11, with several others coming close as well

 

[Sassy Colin]

Not another City treble thread, FFS!

@Damien can you possibly lock, or at least merge this into the other ones?

 

[Lyng]

Sneak into your neighbours kids room and see the Halaand shirts in their closet and then tell me it is not great.

Who kids idolize doesnt change anything to me.

 

[Real Name]

City thread number 6 and more to come I'm sure.

 

[Red4Ever]

Reference Bayern running them off the pitch in '13. The closest comparison we have for this City side that team faced

because city haven’t really done anything of note in Europe yet

comparing them to a great Barca team is embarrassing

 

[Red4Ever]

I mean they literally cooked the books to achieve this. Nothing great about it at all.

this

 

[The Corinthian]

No? The biggest difference now isn't among the top teams - "if everyone is better, then no one is better" - it's with the rest. Modern superteams are far less likely to lose to anything but another superteam. In relative terms, the competition hasn't gotten tougher(except in CL due to the expanded format) and all the possible other factors that weighed past teams down aren't there anymore. Hence Celtic, Ajax and United being the only 3 teams to pull off a treble in 50 years, then Barcelona and Bayern doing it 4 times in 11, with several others coming close as well

Inter as well.

 

[Mogget]

Why do you insist in torturing yourself with these endless City threads

I think they're in with a shout for the best premier league team ever, but that's also just a result of the top players being distributed over less and less teams as time goes by. In the 90s even the midtable teams had some truly top players, now it's the same 5 clubs hogging all the talent and draining all the others of their quality. It's making football more boring if you ask me.

From a footballing perspective this City team is brilliant though, that DeBruyne - Haaland tandem is devastating. Like they were playing toddlers yesterday.

I'd actually argue it's the opposite. Looking at the league table I'd say there's maybe only 4 or 5 teams that don't have squads filled with good players. Every other team is stacked with some of the best players from all over Europe. I just think people's definition of what a good player is has changed.

 

[Rojofiam]

They are better than '99 United but it's a byproduct of the eras. Simply put it's much easier to be this good now than it was to be as good as United was in '99. It's also easier to win the treble now

Edit: disagree that Barcelona would have beaten this City side. No chance they could have coped with their speed and energy, and they lagged behind tactically as well

Every great team of the past is lagged miles behind current elite teams tactially. That's why it's a pointless comparison IMO.

For me, Barcelona 2009-2011 is still the best club side I've seen, but maybe they'd be beaten by a few teams today.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

We have the most self loathing fanbase in football.

 

[crossy1686]

Sneak into your neighbours kids room and see the Halaand shirts in their closet and then tell me it is not great.

Yes officer, this post right here.

 

[matsdf]

Haha, we'll beat them in the final. Calm down.
The universe has a funny way of working sometimes. They'll win their first ever CL, but it'l be tainted by losing out to us in the FA cup costing them the treble.

 

[Trezeguet17]

No? The biggest difference now isn't among the top teams - "if everyone is better, then no one is better" - it's with the rest. Modern superteams are far less likely to lose to anything but another superteam. In relative terms, the competition hasn't gotten tougher(except in CL due to the expanded format) and all the possible other factors that weighed past teams down aren't there anymore. Hence Celtic, Ajax and United being the only 3 teams to pull off a treble in 50 years, then Barcelona and Bayern doing it 4 times in 11, with several others coming close as well

Fair enough