It's an horrific insipid disgusting shade of blue that they insist on using for the kit.
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What's wrong at Manchester City?
- Thread starter sammsky1
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Oh my god
Maybe they could have saved some of that benevolent generosity for their currently deprived
They definitely do. I can't remember any times when they've had a number of key players out at the same time though, until now. Especially when they first won the PL, they were practically invincible that year whilst we were playing Carrick and Fletcher in defence and had lost Vidic for the season.
Not much unfortunately. Football has a lot of variance.
KDG looks absolutely class.
KDG looks absolutely class.
The year they won it on goal difference we had numerous injuries every week.
Good grief, the delusion is strong with this one
Make your mind up.
Are the investors so rich that they throw money around carelessly or are they hard nosed businessmen
Believe or not I came onto this thread to try to constructively put my opinion on the original OP question rather than argue about history, oil money, manky meat, empty council houses and the like as that's all been done to death but a thread like this is doomed from the start on a United forum as a sizeable number of respondents just want to resort to playground name calling. I do realise it would be same on BM if the same question came up there about United BTW.Most fair minded people thought that because we had the best team, the best coach, a winning mentality and our competition for the title was no where near as strong as it now. Plus the rest of the premier league wasn't as close in terms of overall ability in teams. We were the best, no doubt about it.
Now that there's a genuine 3/4 horse race for the title, as well as teams like Swansea, West Ham, Crystal Palace & Stoke being capable of beating anyone on their day, no one can say with certainty that any one team will walk the league.
Before the season started Chelsea were favourites. Then after their collapse - City became favourites with Arsenal behind, if we win our next few matches and keep our advantage over City we'll be favourites. It doesn't mean that these analysts know what they're talking about, it just means that no one can predict the league anymore.
There's a narrative that United are sleeping giants, we're past our best and won't reach the levels of where we were before. That's what most opposition & neutral fans and journalists and "analysts" alike want, because we've dominated for so long, we're the team that everyone wants to beat. Even in defeat, opposition fans get glory out of us losing, regardless of their own team results. That's why so many clickbait articles reference Manchester United in the title, because if it just had Manchester City it would hardly get any clicks or comments.
So while it's taken us a couple of years to get adjusted to life without SAF (as any other club would if they had the greatest manger ever) to suggest that we've lost our aura is ridiculous at best.
I didn't put my point over well about the benefit to the Manchester area of the City project. If anyone took that as an act of philanthropy rather than a spin off bonus then that's my fault for not explaining myself properly.
This current trend, though, of posters saying that the investment only came about as a result of United's success at the time is terribly arrogant. There is an interesting debate to be had as to whether it was a factor but anyone who thinks it was the main or only factor in the choice is the one who is deluded.
I am new on the main forum (close to promotion but currently a trialist) and will have to grow a thicker skin and ignore the simple minded comments by responding only to points made by fair minded posters such as yourself.
Oh, by the way, United have lost their aura of a decade ago. It can be regained and van Gaal seems to be turning the club around but none of England and Europe's elite fear United at the moment. You'll have to do a lot more than be top of the table in September and get a few goals from Martial to change that perception.
What is it with Liverpool and City fans being so obsessed with fear and teams being scared of them. It's pathetic. It's professional football we're talking about, not a playground bully.
I don't really know what the point is but if you're saying England's and Europe's best teams have no reason to be wary when playing us, then you're wrong, and it certainly wouldn't be a position held by the management at your club for instance.
Given Van Gaal's record in big games with us (we've either won or been the best team in every big fixture), maybe teams would do well to 'fear' us a bit more.
I'm guessing you're either 10 years old or not the brightest lamp in the street?
Lost our aura? Sorry mate, we've been there tons of times over the years. But they still always want to watch us.
You'd think Ferguson never had a poor United side at his disposal. There was plenty of seasons (2003-2007 quite frankly) when United were not favourites for the title at all given Arsenal's great side and Chelsea's massive investment later on.
Next time maybe you could read my posts a little more carefully before going in all guns blazing?
Not to do so displays a certain immature arrogance?
I have to say I don't see much wrong with them barring the injuries. Then again, I can't remember them having a serious injury crisis like this since the takeover, so they're due. Sure, they've occasionally melted down after losing a single player (Silva once, Touré in the ACoN, Aguero once or twice), but they've never endured a mass loss of key players like this. Which (until this season so far, touch wood, fingers crossed etc) is pretty much an annual occurrence for us. Especially losing the entire defence all at once, our speciality.
The Spurs game was the first I've seen them really deserve to lose this season, and clearly the injuries are to blame. How they didn't beat West Ham I still can't fathom - there was nothing solid or special about the defending, and nothing lacking in City's attacking, the ball just somehow didn't go in the net.
Even Aguero doesn't really look out of form to me, just not getting the rub of the green.
We'd do well not to expect them to keep dropping points.
The Spurs game was the first I've seen them really deserve to lose this season, and clearly the injuries are to blame. How they didn't beat West Ham I still can't fathom - there was nothing solid or special about the defending, and nothing lacking in City's attacking, the ball just somehow didn't go in the net.
Even Aguero doesn't really look out of form to me, just not getting the rub of the green.
We'd do well not to expect them to keep dropping points.
Yet you resorted to it, try harder if you really arent here on the wum.
Yes because when childish posters perpetiate untruths and pass off wild guesses as fact it bugged me somewhat.
Thanks for your advice and have a nice day.
You come across very contrary and argumentative in your posts. Just trying to help you out.
Its night here, my day was good tho, thanks.
Bollocks. City were chosen as the underperforming neighbours of the biggest brand in football for a simple reason. Bought, lock, stock and barrel as a vehicle/host for an exercise in brand detoxification
No. This is a risible post in its entirety from comparing dodgy business practice to despotic regimes (yes there are hierarchies of wrongness) as well as claiming the investment is somehow borne out of a sudden burning desire to help deprived Mancunians. All you need to know is here..
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jul/30/manchester-city-human-rights-accusations
Spot the irony of a club that still has fans claiming it to be a "working class club" being consumed for its own purposes by a group that has nothing but disdain for the rights of workers. They don't give a feck so stop telling yourself otherwise and we might take you more seriously? You won't find anyone here defending the Glazers business practices and plenty who'd rather they never showed their faces so comparisons, as well as being entirely inappropriate, are simply unwarranted
There'll be a couple more City fans along in a minute to explain how it's no different from investment at any other club and that it was needed to catch up because, back at the birth of professionalism, United got a couple of grand more from local business men than they did.
The lengths you lot go to in order to portray your club as a paragon of virtue compared to us or anyone else is hilarious.
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What injuries? They were able to field a team with Aguero, De Bruyne, Sterling, Otamendi and Yaya Toure. It's not like they had half of their team missing.
City are the new Chelsea on here. Even if they lose convincingly, they are still amazingly wonderful and head and shoulders above United. It was like that with Chelsea between 2009 and 2013 when they were poor by their standards but maintained their incredibly high opinion for some reason. It was infuriating at times because we could have 50 points while they'd be sitting on 30-something and people would still speak of them as if United's tally was pure fluke while Chelsea were incredibly underrated by the low points total that they did not deserve at all.
City haven't been great this season, first couple of games aside - and even then it was 'only West Brom', then Chelsea in deep crisis and Everton they beat. Watford at home is not a difficult fixture and they didn't even deserve to win at Palace. Then they proceeded to lose all 3 important games, two of them at home but somehow nothing is wrong with them even though if United went through similar spell people would be laughing at anyone suggesting we're still title challengers (even though it'd be true).
They are still title favourites by a small margin for me. If things don't work out they will just throw money at the problems in the Winter and get done with it but I wouldn't say that they are champions elect like the vast majority on here seem to think, or even clear favourites.
The quality of the league is so unprecedented that it's unthinkable that City could drop any points outside of PL... oh wait, they just lost to a Juventus team at home, a Juventus team that won 1 in 6 league games this season and have been absolutely horrid all season. It can't possibly be that City are just in poor shape and both West Ham and Spurs results had a lot to do with that.
Mate I'm trying to step back from arguing about which club has more skeletons in the cupboard than the other (as stated in previous posts) but I will just say that I don't present City as a 'paragon of virtue' at all but I don't take the arrogant, misplaced self righteousnessness of some posters very kindly.
Mea culpa for getting involved on a United forum I guess. Lessons learned and all that.
And that's it, what could possibly go wrong? He new players need a bit of time to adapt to make the team function as a unit but in the end it's just a massive competition..
I rage.
Well actually the guts of that Guardian article are the opinions of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch but gloss over it all you like.
And it seems to me you're the one getting arrogant and self righteous on a United forum which is only going to get people's backs up really isn't it?
If I looked at the great sides of the PL era, united 92-96, 97-03, arsenal 97-04, chelsea 04-06, united 06-09 - city of 2011-15 are not fit to lase those teams boots. With city I know what to expect from them, look good in periods of the season, inept in Europe, and quiet beatable there is nothing progressive about the football, its been the same since they put the team together, nothing really has improved. The great sides of united, chelsea, arsenal had that aura of invincibility and a mentality of a champions unmatched, if we look at city's 2 title victory's it was never impressive or convincing, they failed to beat a united team coming to an end of a cycle on goal difference, and had to rely on a liverpool collapse for them to nick the title, there was nothing dominating about how they have won these league titles, while in the process getting beat in europe every time by madrid, barcelona, juventus, it becomes a comedy show, not once have they even looked like a challenger of the elite of CL.
What interesting for me about united, they are building a spine and team much like city done back in 2010-11, that is geared for success. DDG, darmian, smalling, blind, shaw, bastian, morgan, carrick, herrera, mata, memphis, rooney, martial, you seeing a core of a team being constructed that could really kick on in the next 3 or 4 years to come. VG is going to add more every season, making the core of the team much stronger, but at the same time the core is there now and that has got me excited. I think our playing staff is probably the strongest in the league has it continues to progress has the season really kicks into gear. 2 years ago we never had a core of players who looked like a challenger, it was a mess, now things are starting to look like a real MU team
What's wrong with them? nothing at all. They're still the same stumbling City. It's not like they've ever won the league at a canter before, they've always crawled from behind to snatch it. There European form is also nothing new.
You're reaching mate.
City has it all to prove in Europe, despite their recent success in the league, so all we have to go off on is the West Ham defeat (where they could have got the win on another day if not for West Ham's stout defense), and the loss away at Tottenham. That doesn't change the fact that they are champions and their quality in the league is proven. We and other teams rightly have to prove ourselves before we get the benefit of the doubt. Totally different scenario from the Chelsea teams that got that benefit despite doing worse than us in the league after Mourinho left.
Isn't Zabaleta out? He is a huge outlet for their attack. This is a blip until proven otherwise.
I don't think there's too much wrong at City. They're having a patch of poor form and that's it. As @adexkola says, it's a blip.
Annoys me when people bring up the 2nd half of City's game v West Ham like the first half didn't happen.
They were a fantasic Mangala last man tackle away from going 3-0 down at home. The reason they came out all guns blazing ( literally every shot from outside the box, no well worked chances ) is due to being forced to and West Ham having something to protect.
I've personally posted many times since the summer about their lack of goals from consistent sources around the team. This is a problem that should t be glossed over.
The odd Kompany header or 18 yo sub are exceptions, it's still Ageuro and an aging Toure.
As soon as KDB settles back into his 1 in 5 ratio the worse it will be ( 38% pass completion first half v Spurs btw!)
These days if you're a top side and you play a variation of 4-3-3 then your top three need to all be goalscorers.
They were a fantasic Mangala last man tackle away from going 3-0 down at home. The reason they came out all guns blazing ( literally every shot from outside the box, no well worked chances ) is due to being forced to and West Ham having something to protect.
I've personally posted many times since the summer about their lack of goals from consistent sources around the team. This is a problem that should t be glossed over.
The odd Kompany header or 18 yo sub are exceptions, it's still Ageuro and an aging Toure.
As soon as KDB settles back into his 1 in 5 ratio the worse it will be ( 38% pass completion first half v Spurs btw!)
These days if you're a top side and you play a variation of 4-3-3 then your top three need to all be goalscorers.
They aren't really champions though, they finished 2nd last year and at one point it looked like we might finish above them (then we imploded). They have certainly improved with three high-money, high-quality signings but so have we and I reckon maybe even more all things considered.
They are a good team, I don't doubt it. I think they are actually going to win the league because United aren't ready but I don't think City are as good as people seem to believe.
Truth be told they have a rather unbalanced squad that is overly reliant on 2 or 3 players. If Kompany is in bad form or injured their defence is generally terrible. Aguero is injured or out of form and they struggle to score goals. Toure is out of form and teams tend to walk through their midfield. They needed to sign a couple of top class midfield players in the Summer to firstly give Toure the rest he needs and to secondly replace the poor Fernando & give extra protection to their defence, instead they signed the equally uninspiring Delph who hasn't yet featured due to injury. They also don't seem to be able to change tactics to cope with player's being out of form or injured - they seem to just throw more of the same at the opposition and hope for a different result.
They spent over £50m more than United this Summer (over £75m net) and if their fans were perfectly honest they'd trade transfer windows in a heartbeat. Schweinsteiger alone would have been invaluable for them (let alone Darmian, Schneiderlin, Depay & Martial).
This post also sums it up quite well:
They spent over £50m more than United this Summer (over £75m net) and if their fans were perfectly honest they'd trade transfer windows in a heartbeat. Schweinsteiger alone would have been invaluable for them (let alone Darmian, Schneiderlin, Depay & Martial).
This post also sums it up quite well:
They're still favourites for the title with Chelsea's bad start, but I don't think they are that much better than us, Chelsea or Arsenal.
Was on bench against Spurs.
Yeah agreed. Makes me laugh how people on here and the pundits make excuses for them whenever they inevitably go on a bad result when Kompany/Silva are injured. They should've a squad to cope up with injuries. Strangely enough the same excuses aren't used for United whenever we're performing badly or losing.
Likewise the excuses for how bad they've been in the transfer market. They have spent insane amounts of money, far more than United or any other team over the last 5-10 years, but you still read in the press about "Van Gaal's £300m spree" and how we've spent insane amounts of Martial (without context as to the player's who've left). Yet you look at their squad and their inability to perform well when any of Kompany, Aguero, Toure or Silva are out of form or injured is very telling, particularly given the insane amounts of money spent.
I suppose tearing into United generates a lot more clicks and views than giving a balanced assessment and writing about City at all probably doesn't generate that much interest in general.
The Moyes era shook the invincibility, but Van Gaal's home record is actually very good. Just 3 losses last year in the league, one of which was his first game in charge, and one was the 2nd last home game of season when the foot was coming off the pedal. We've had plenty worse years than that at home under Ferguson. Zero losses so far this year and I don't anticipate many teams getting much from us. Away is more of a concern, especially with the league's lesser lights making big strides.
Difficult to say how United will do in Europe under Van Gaal as we've barely had a chance to feature yet! Personally, I think his teams will be very well suited to European football. City have been a far bigger embarrassment in Europe than anyone else in recent years. Even in Moyes' disastrous year we had a better stab at it than anything City have produced.
I don't really know who all these 'feared' teams are. There certainly aren't any in our league. Are there any anywhere? How do you become feared? Even the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, you respect them and you're wary of them, but you shouldn't fear them.
Missing players (injured) have obviously had a big impact for City, but that's no real excuse considering the vast amounts of money they've spent and the virtually unlimited amounts of money available to them.
So I can't help thinking that they're suffering from the potential downside of sugar-daddy money, namely a lot of players on huge wages who've fooled themselves into thinking - mainly because they're paid so much - that they've "made it" and so feel that they don't need to prove that much and can just cruise towards winning most of their games as part of a big money team.
So I can't help thinking that they're suffering from the potential downside of sugar-daddy money, namely a lot of players on huge wages who've fooled themselves into thinking - mainly because they're paid so much - that they've "made it" and so feel that they don't need to prove that much and can just cruise towards winning most of their games as part of a big money team.
I'd agree with that. City players aren't in it for the trophies their in it for the money. Without a very good manager I don't see them as a team that really worries me.
They were missing their best goalkeeper, their best CB by a mile and their most important and best creative player, all three of whom have been excellent this season. If we lost De Gea, Smalling and Mata+Young (combined, their contribution this season is about equal to Silva's), you wouldn't be saying 'what injuries?'
Everyone is getting so very carried away. Post above me doesn't 'see them as a team that really worries me'. I think we've been good this season, but they're still a significantly better team as things stand, and there's been very little in this 'slump' of theirs to suggest that it will last beyond these injuries, if that.
and this ladies and gentlemen is exactly the answer to the OP. This washing their hands of where the money comes from is what is wrong with City at the moment. Forget football, it pales in comparison. Once you bring the subject up all I hear is this bull. The, well, we're not responsible, but we're enjoying it and all money is dirty really because if we keep telling ourselves that then we can forget that our club and all recent success is tarnished in blood and suffering.
I come from a family of mancs who supported both teams. My grandad was the typical watch one week at Old trafford then travel to maine rd the next. My brother was an ardent city supporter and me a red. My family are also pretty religious christians. (i'm an atheist but the rest aren't) My brother decided that he had to stop supporting the club as he couldn't condone where the money was coming from and the suffering involved. Every major signing, every bit of silverware is slap in the face of human rights but it's OK because United once had a guy who sold dodgy meat.
There's no excuse or argument for it.
I respect your brother's decision but at the same time I can understand a City supporter whose been behind the team through thick and (mostly) thin continuing to support the club and enjoying the trophies. After all, the fans can't control who buys their club. I do think the hero worship of the Sheikhs and the whitewashing of their human rights abuses is disgusting, though.
This covers what i think.
They've always been pretty poor against the stronger sides
and a lot of the weaker teams in the league just give them the initiative, they dont really need to work for it most weeks and struggle to get it when they do.
They haven't been really suited to playing a counter attacking game and breaking quick till recently when they picked up sterling and even with him, their front line isn't that quick.
They aren't really set up to control a match and slowly break a team down as their midfield and defenders aren't particularly good on the ball.
They're a team who'll get 6 points against the bottom 15 or so teams and it'll be enough to win them the league quite often
but they're not a cup team or one thats suited to getting results in one off games against good opposition imo.