Premier League 17/18 - Matchday 16

[krengon]

I can't breathe .

ffs tears in my eyes.. Genuinely laughed out loud reading that comment

 

[Notorious Big]

yeah this year is the strongest the PL has been in a while..

Yep,think that they have best spell since 2011 in CL.But,term competitive is somehow stupid,EPL was competitive in recent years because all teams were **** and they showed that in Europe.

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

Just back from watching City/United at the local hipster 'soccer pub' -- Pep owes Lukaku an extra large Christmas gift this year. What a shocking performance.

 

[Makingtrax]

The gulf wasn't enormous. They have different styles which you don't recognise. Anyway. You're obsessed with money and will always default to that position while ignoring the financial gulf between Porto and those who they beat on route to their CL win or the financial gulf between Inter and those they beat as well.

People seem to bemoan managers like Pep or Mourinho for spending money. I have never understood it. They've both cultivated a reputation that means top clubs with the deepest pockets want them. It's hardly their fault that they are regarded as the best and clubs are happy to pay big and spend big to have them. Some may say that their spend is a result of their desirability and the age we live in where clubs are capable of spending huge sums.

Can't have this debate again, surely. It's done and dusted. Their spend is a result of rich owners not desirability.

Pep is an exciting attacking manager, like Wenger and Klopp. But Klopp and Wenger are handicapped in comparison.

Wenger's finishing now but Klopp, given enough money would be Pep MkII.

Mourinho can't hold a candle to those two. His football is negative, he is petulant, a bad loser, can easily upset players, coaches and the board. He's difficult and liable to mental instability. If I was an owner, I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

I remember when Herrera was the heir to Xavi's throne.. heh.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

We're only 6 points behind Yanited.. good stuff.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I've just realised I'm not getting tagged in posts anymore when Lukaku's playing. The first few games of the season I was constantly getting tagged in posts every week but it's stopped for about 2 months now. Very strange.

 

[redanddread]

Mou came to England when the Invincibles were on the way down tbf

In all fairness he came when they were reigning champions!

 

[vantoure]

The gulf wasn't enormous. They have different styles which you don't recognise. Anyway. You're obsessed with money and will always default to that position while ignoring the financial gulf between Porto and those who they beat on route to their CL win or the financial gulf between Inter and those they beat as well.

People seem to bemoan managers like Pep or Mourinho for spending money. I have never understood it. They've both cultivated a reputation that means top clubs with the deepest pockets want them. It's hardly their fault that they are regarded as the best and clubs are happy to pay big and spend big to have them. Some may say that their spend is a result of their desirability and the age we live in where clubs are capable of spending huge sums.

Oh come on, the gulf couldn't have been more. It was like City were toying with them. You could blame City for the score being as low as it ended, there were a few instances where they could and should have turned the screw.

The fact that United were even as cautious as they're at home, yet City carved then open time and again, I think it is lame to ascribe that to managerial style, that was basically hiding and hoping for the best.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

The die has been firmly cast. Manchester United needed the win to stay within touching distance of City & now find themselves 11 adrift.

Some would say "It's only December" but the truth is all the supposed challengers are beset by a number of impediments.

An upside is neither Mourinho nor Chelsea winning anything. The downside is that the overrating of Pep will continue & now he'll be reimagined as the unparalelled genius his rabid fanbase already believes he is.

 

[carlito'sway]

For all intent and purpose, the League is over now. City may have the title wrapped up by early April easily.
Glad that they beat MU and Mou today though. Jose is really an embarrassment to the sport. The dude has assembled one of the most expensive squad ever but plays the team like he is Tony Pulis at WBA. Shocking.

 

[Makingtrax]

For all intent and purpose, the League is over now. City may have the title wrapped up by early April easily.
Glad that they beat MU and Mou today though. Jose is really an embarrassment to the sport. The dude has assembled one of the most expensive squad ever but plays the team like he is Tony Pulis at WBA. Shocking.

This.

Really can't understand why posters still big him up. Beating United yet again would be almost as good as winning the league

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I don't think Everton's penalty was a penalty. Lovren put his hand on Clavert-Lewin but he didn't push him, giving penalties like that almost encourages players to go over rather than stay on their feet. If it was given against us I'd be extremely pissed too. I'm not a massive fan of Klopp but loved him shutting down the Sky reporter.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

The league title was over the second Mourinho decided he wanted a 0-0 draw at Anfield, City are not in any mood for settling for 1 point anywhere this season and the performance from United sent out the wrong message. City went to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, outplayed the home team and got the 3 points on both occasions. United's 0-0 draw at Anfield took all the momentum away from United and as a result their performances decreased and lost to Huddersfield the very next week.

 

[A Lighter Shade of Blue]

I remember when Herrera was the heir to Xavi's throne.. heh.

Apparently when they signed him, he was better than Silva.

Had a good giggle reading this thread, thanks lads.

 

[celestis]

Mou came to England when the Invincibles were on the way down tbf

Yeah pretty much , Viera was pretty much burnt out , Edu was injured for most of it , Reyes was struggling with that racist controversy .

 

[carlito'sway]

More controversy after the Manchester derby. Mou was no stranger to it....


MANCHESTER -- Manchester United and Manchester City players were involved in a tunnel bust-up following Sunday's derby, sources have told ESPN FC.

City won the game 2-1 to go 11 points clear in the Premier League title race.
But after the final whistle United players and staff were left unhappy at the way the visitors celebrated deeming it "disrespectful."

Sources have told ESPN FC that City's celebrations were "very vocal" and accompanied by loud music that could be heard by United players in the home dressing room.
It prompted a confrontation between players and staff from both clubs outside City's dressing room.
Sources have told ESPN FC that United manager Jose Mourinho was involved in the fracas, which happened in the corridor connecting the home and away dressing rooms, as he walked past City's dressing room to the main tunnel area to fulfil his broadcast media interviews.

According to Guardian journalist Daniel Taylor, Man City assistant and former Arsenal stalwart Mikel Arteta "was left with blood pouring down his face."

 

[Makingtrax]

Apparently when they signed him, he was better than Silva.

Had a good giggle reading this thread, thanks lads.

Well played today bro. Love the style of football Pep has got them playing.

United were really poor, you cut them open so easily, like we did.

You had more luck than we did though, when your defenders gave the ball away, it fell to Lukaku

 

[Makingtrax]

More controversy after the Manchester derby. Mou was no stranger to it....


MANCHESTER -- Manchester United and Manchester City players were involved in a tunnel bust-up following Sunday's derby, sources have told ESPN FC.

City won the game 2-1 to go 11 points clear in the Premier League title race.
But after the final whistle United players and staff were left unhappy at the way the visitors celebrated deeming it "disrespectful."

Sources have told ESPN FC that City's celebrations were "very vocal" and accompanied by loud music that could be heard by United players in the home dressing room.
It prompted a confrontation between players and staff from both clubs outside City's dressing room.
Sources have told ESPN FC that United manager Jose Mourinho was involved in the fracas, which happened in the corridor connecting the home and away dressing rooms, as he walked past City's dressing room to the main tunnel area to fulfil his broadcast media interviews.

According to Guardian journalist Daniel Taylor, Man City assistant and former Arsenal stalwart Mikel Arteta "was left with blood pouring down his face."

Just hoping Mourinho gets some sort of punishment, might help the melt down further.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

This.

Really can't understand why posters still big him up. Beating United yet again would be almost as good as winning the league

We should hold ourselves to loftier standards than basking in the glory of victory over a glorified West Brom as @carlito'sway elegantly put it

The fact we're barely up there in 5th is due to our home record & less than stellar opponents. It's something to work on but we're a comfortable distance from having the requisite materials to firmly claim a stake in the top 4 battle let alone mount a title challenge.