absolute joke
Why, every season, around February/March, do the press have the gall to talk about City quadruples?
- Thread starter Fortitude
- 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?
They've been very lucky with the cup draws, in particular the FA Cup. But still have a mountain to climb for the biggest trophies: they will probably need 94-95 pts to win the league (which is unprecedented) and have to beat Ronaldo's Juve and Messi's Barca (or Liverpool) to win the CL. It is unlikely to happen but maybe not highly unlikely anymore.
They have already won the Carling Cup. They are clear favorites for the FA Cup. They have the most points in the league. They are also one of the favorites for the CL along with Barca. So what is so surprising if they are linked to a quadruple.
I think some of you have been taken for a ride and are biting on what's being pushed. A team with no CL pedigree is not a favourite over numerous teams that have won the thing, or at least have experience in the semi's and final, to magically triumph, out of nothing, or even be regarded as a favourite for the trophy.
Whoever said it's the media's job to run with this has got it spot on.
Whoever said it's the media's job to run with this has got it spot on.
We need them to win the quadruple, we need them in good spirits to stop Liverpool again next year, and then again from seasons 2020-21 to 2023-24. If 5 quadruples are a price, so be it.
The only competition that will make it difficult is the CL. And who is their biggest challengers? Barca and Juve, really. No Madrid, no Bayern. The CL is as open as its been for awhile. It’s well within their grasp. If we manage to knock Barca out it’ll be even more likely.
Except, they are the favourites? This is a UK bookmakers so possibly biased to English teams but City are indisputably the favourites.
I don't necessarily agree, I would have Barcelona as favourites but not because of your 'CL pedigree' argument.
Champions League Winner 18/19
- Manchester City. 9/4.
- Juventus. 10/3.
- Barcelona. 7/2.
- Liverpool. 4/1.
- Manchester Utd. 16/1.
- Tottenham. 22/1.
- Ajax. 33/1.
- Porto.
They are doing it again because City are consistently in the mix for the biggest prizes come this time of the season.
They are the favourites for all 3 of the remaining competitions, just like they were favs for every competition at the start of the season - it’s what happens when a team has the best manager with the most expensive squad. By the way, the year you won the treble it was all the press were talking about around mid Feb time, don’t be so bitter.
Surely teams competing in the CL should be judged by the merits of how good their squad is, as opposed to on a historical basis? City don't have a lot of European pedigree because they've typically been shite. But this City side demonstrably isn't shite - they quite evidently stand a better chance than any previous City side and they're undoubtedly among the favourites for the competition. When Mourinho was at Chelsea during his first stint there they were often considered among the favourites for the competition even when they didn't reach any finals because of their obvious quality as a side. There are some sides left in the competition who have a lot more European pedigree than City but who aren't seen as likely winners because their squad isn't as strong.
Anyway, the quadruple talk doesn't strike me as too far-fetched, especially this season. I don't think they'll win it, because they're bound to slip up in one competition at the very least, but I'd say their chances are more viable than any other sides have been at this point in the season. They're favourites for the league, overwhelming favourites for the FA Cup, and one of the strongest sides left in the CL.
I don’t think people are saying that they’re favorites to win the CL but more like in with a good shout, which they absolutely are.
And they are definately favorites for the PL and FA Cup.
I’m not saying they will do it, but it’s certainly a possibility. I’m not English either, but I can see why the English media would write about an English team having a decent chance to do what no English team has done before. It’s a pretty good story, truth be told.
It should be spoken of as a possibility, not an expectation.
Chelsea went to war with whatever anyone had to offer at the time, which is why they were immediately catapulted into consideration for the CL. They faced other giants and beat them, even if they didn't get to the final, and it's by beating those giants that the measure of them was made, just as with us in '99 before we even got to the final, let alone won it!
Experience is huge at the SF and final level, and it wouldn't be a surprise if any first-timers there get stage fright - that, in and of itself is no knock on City, as the CL is a progressive and organic experience before a team is usually ready to star at the loftier end of it. To just skip or gloss over this would be to do the competition a disservice - calling in a quadruple ticket before even the quarter-finals have been played, and that being with City not even facing a giant, is, well it's fantasy, or at the least fantastically ridiculous.
Quadruple talk is for the next stage or even stages, not now, imo. As it is, it's a hype train that the press can use to build steam and create an impressive and 'exciting' story well before time - this, imo, stems from what Kompany said and has just become a thing with them that's going to stick, no matter what (with regard to the CL) for as long as Guardiola is there and they do well (by Feb, March) domestically.
The prematurity rankles more than the suggestion, as if they are in the position to challenge for all four trophies in a months' time, then sure, it's not unwarranted and does actually have a chance of happening, heaven forbid.
What are the odds from continental bookmakers, out of interest? Do they match with what the British ones are putting out? If not, why not?
Looks similar. This is marathonbet.
They’ll never get a better chance. League Cup already won, semi final of the FACup against Brighton with no ‘big’ clubs left in it and Spurs in the quarters of the Champions League.
This City side is filled with experienced winners though even if they've not yet won this competition. Players like Silva, Aguero and various others know how to handle the big occasion. This isn't new to them. Guardiola will literally be the joint most successful manager ever in the CL if he wins it with City. Plus, with Real and Bayern both out, you've got a situation where apart from Barca most of the quarter finalists are sides who aren't particularly used to getting to the latter stages of the CL. City aren't exactly at a disadvantage in this regard.
The quadruple talk is obviously going to rear its head at this point in the season. Any media outlet that wants to sell papers or get clicks is going to pursue it, because it adds an interesting dynamic to City's participation in various competitions: generally a side like City might look at the FA Cup and not regard it as a priority even if they'd like to win it, but the fact that it's now one part of a potential quadruple may impact on their approach.
Not to mention that their fixtures are incredibly kind. Their most dangerous challengers in the FA Cup are mid-table sides and they've been given one of the better QF draws in the CL. That obviously ups their chances, and naturally people are going to notice that and react accordingly.
I'd certainly be surprised to see any bookmaker who's not got them as one of their favourites. They're the best team in the league that's got by far the most participants in the QF, and they've got one of the kindest draws.
Looks similar. This is marathonbet.
Because they need to fill the 24/7 coverage the public demands with something. There's only so much you van say about men kicking about a leather ball.
And hell, why nog, they're the only English team that can still achieve it this year.
And hell, why nog, they're the only English team that can still achieve it this year.
Yeah, they should talk more about Barça's Tripletes.
It appears they are similar.
I think I would have Barca as favourites. Juve and City as joint second. Then Liverpool, then United, then Spurs. Ajax and Porto joint last.
How would you rank them?
I seriously think Liverpool and Man Utd (fit squad-no injuries) could knock out City in the UCL.
And Bottletino and Kane might surprise us.
Pep couldn't stop Messi with Bayern and certainly he won't now (in semis or a final, whatever).
Quadruple? Ha!
And Bottletino and Kane might surprise us.
Pep couldn't stop Messi with Bayern and certainly he won't now (in semis or a final, whatever).
Quadruple? Ha!
Unfortunately City will win the lot this season,
The only challenge they have is the Champions League, and even in that they have a favourable draw.
Barca are the one team who will stop them but alas we are going to knock them out anyhow
The only challenge they have is the Champions League, and even in that they have a favourable draw.
Barca are the one team who will stop them but alas we are going to knock them out anyhow
I see the rationale behind the points people are making in here, yourself included, I just don't buy into a team being classed as such, at this point in the season, without tremendous obstacles being put in their way to this point in time from which it could be extrapolated that it's fair and reasonable they can and will face off against any top team and triumph, which is why I have made a point of talking about runs other sides have had to get to even the semis, at which point going further, or possibly winning, is fair comment.
I think it'll be better to revisit this in a few weeks where a clearer picture has been formed than I believe possible at the moment, unless, as I said before, people really believe this City side is literally one for the ages, all of this talk is OTT at this point in time, for me.
I don't think anyone stands out, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Spurs actually knock City out this actual round. Pre-determined, I would go with Barca, Juve and then it's a toss up between a few others - there's no reason at all to put Liverpool under City, for example, given they are the ones with all the pedigree and short-term performance/experience record in the competition.
How would you translate your point in numbers? 10% chance to win the quadruple? 20%?
Think not many give them more than 20% chance. Which means that it is not likely to happen but it is not completely improbable either.
I am not sure the press are pushing it at such a low level of probability otherwise they wouldn't mention it with every City game.
I think making somewhat risible claims on fora is also different to putting the notion in the heads of the collective that a quadruple, no less, is goer at the arse-end of February - the press have bounced Kompany's words back like sonar and used them to their gain. It's now seeped into public consciousness despite City having done nothing on one of the stages being talked about. Would any other club get that kind of leeway/bye in logic?
If nothing else, the fact that Liverpool will have to play Barcelona (70/30 in Barca's favour?) or, I'm being kind, United (50/50?) in the semifinal suggests that City are more likely (I would say 50/50 v Juve) to be in the final.
And, no I would not be surprised if Spurs beat City, however, I would say every logical prediction has City winning that tie.
However, thankfully, no one can predict what's going to happen. I still think your 'pedigree' angle is absolute bollocks. Your posts are normally quite objective and intelligent so I'm surprised by that opinion.
The press want to sell and a dramatic story sells better. Not many would watch City vs Fulham or City vs Cardiff, but now this quadruple thing makes games like these intriguing.
That said, I'm not sure that all this talk is good for them. It puts a lot of pressure on City and they might crumble in a game that should be relatively easy to win. The bookmakers give them 15-20 % chance and I'd go with that for now. If they beat Brighton and Spurs without losing ground to Liverpool, then maybe 35%. But it's too early for that now.
If we won the league cup, top of the league, still in cl and fa cup I would expect nothing less really.
I think they'll do it, which is a pity.
I hope they win the league. They won't win the CL because the gods won't allow that to happen and I don't care that much if they win the fa cup but an upset will not go amiss.
I think they'll win the CL and FA cup.
liverpool will win the league.
liverpool will win the league.
What’s this about not being surprised if Tottenham beat City? Wtf. I’ll be gob smacked.
Nothing, if we're being objective. But some of us can't do that...
You'd really prefer that?
Wow.
No, because starting from next season We'll compete with them both.
Nah.. not really. If we're fighting on 4 fronts in April there'll be talks about us doing the quad
No, I tried to make fun of all the City fans.
I love how Spurs and especially Juventus are underestimated as if City will just stroll to the final.
So what would you prefer, City quadruple or Liverpool league title?
haha. Yep. It's not impossible, but absolutely unlikely given both the respective strengths and form curve of each team.