Do you think if Nunez had missed the ref would have sent Bailey off, after playing advantage?
No idea, seemed like he was the last defender but then the goal was scored.
Was it Poch why barged Owen for the England goal in 98?
I love the pundits saying Citeh are now in crisis. Oh what I’d give to be in that kind of crisis. They’re just missing the best player in the world. That’s all. Who wouldn’t be?
Also; Brighton were absolutely bloody brilliant in the second half. Not many teams have come from behind to beat city. But they just went at them.
Yep. Totally. That's what I love about the premiership.
A few short years ago mighty Reading beat Brighton in Brighton. I flew that over for that, good weekend.
So there’s only one team in the top 4 levels without a win this season.
Spurs had better watch out tomorrow….
You read it here first folks!
I hope you had money on it?
This Chelsea Arsenal game must hold the record for putting the most absolute sitters into Row Z, from both sides
It’s a bit tight behind the top two.
Currently on my way home to Bristol, after a great away day at Spurs. What a result!
binners
Full Member
I hope you had money on it?
Sadly not. Wonder who we've got next?
Normally we’d be a safe bet, but apparently we’ve taken the handbrake off
4 points between 3rd and 13th. With nearly 1/3 of the season played. Crazy.
You do get the sense that the so-called mid table teams have generally given the bigger boys a better run for their money so far this season, which is a good thing. The bigger teams also look to be suffering from the crazily congested fixture list and the new CL format does appear to have thrown up an increased number of difficult ties.
Not sure I understand the furore over this referee's comments. Obviously he's a pillock for expressing them in a situation where he could be recorded, but it's not surprising that getting confronted by Klopp post match might make him think significantly less of the bloke.
Sure, this guy is toast, but football in general needs to protect refs, even bad ones, from abuse from players and managers post match.
You’d think in any sane world the amount of players pulling out of the Engerland squad would maybe make them rethink pointless nonsense like the nations league. If you were a player at the top level, competing for the Premier League and Champions League, so playing twice a week, would you want to risk injury to play some glorified friendly in Greece? Ir would you take the opportunity to have a week off from a massively congested season instead?
Harry Kane can **** right off! It’s not like he plays in the most competitive league in the world any more, is it?
Or you could do a Luke Shaw. Be out of action for your club for months, get taken to the World Cup when not fit, played, aggravate the injury, out for another 6 months.
The Nations League was always ridiculous, but given the amount of games that are now being played by the top squads, it’s now just a farce. No wonder loads of players are suddenly developing ‘injuries’ that will have miraculously disappeared by next week.
Made me laugh with its relentless handling of Man U
So Engerland players are playing the same injury shenanigans that R. Keane used to do to us.
It wasn't until i read this thread that i realised that yet again we have an international break. Too much FIFA, too much.
They need to reduce the number of pointless International Fixtures.
It's only getting worse.
The expansion of the World Cup will cause some ridiculous mis-matches.
Why can't England just pull out of stuff like this Nations League? Are they obliged if they want to compete in the other tournaments?
The same Harry Kane who missed his team's defeat to Greece last month because of *checks notes* injury?
Players get injured; there's no doubting some of the injuries in his squad, surely? If he's got something specific to get off his chest, then he should say it - not some snide, vague comment about 'country before club'. Some players simply don't have his level of myopic loyalty, for varying reasons.
Is Kane getting the hump because he wants to win something at a national level before his career ends and the Nations League is the most likely chance of it? He'll be remembered for eternity if we win that.......
Its a glorified friendly - thats it. And its the clubs who pay the players wages, not England/the FA so if they don't want their assets to risk injury etc (moreso given how some of the "big" clubs are doing so crap in the league this year) then they should be well within their rights to pull them from internationals.
Not sure I understand the furore over this referee’s comments. Obviously he’s a pillock for expressing them in a situation where he could be recorded, but it’s not surprising that getting confronted by Klopp post match might make him think significantly less of the bloke.
Sure, this guy is toast, but football in general needs to protect refs, even bad ones, from abuse from players and managers post match.
The allegations have got worse today - the S*n have really got it in for him. Making him a household name in the worst possible way.
Regarding Harry Kane - have a word with yourself mate - most of the players that have withdrawn are playing in injury depleted squads & there are a lot of injuries this year, & I think too much is being put on the players at the top clubs now.
Again, he's a pillock, but hitting the sniff is fast becoming our national sport anyhow.
He's a football ref, not a High Court Judge, archbishop or minister of state.
Indeed. At an average Engerland game, pretty much all the support will have been on a steady supply of gak and Carling since breakfast
He’s a football ref, not a High Court Judge, archbishop or minister of state.
True that. I'd not be at all surprised at any of those being caught out; referees are expected to be a cut above those dubious roles mentioned above in terms of bribery, bias & illicit shenanigans.
As per usual tho you can pretty much guarantee the journo's reporting on - no doubt sounding horrified enjoy snow sports in the evening or at weekends.
Exciting news on the BBC that training by Amorim has gone well and there were many positive reports.
Well, he's up against a team on the rise on Sunday....
You gotta build ‘em up to knock ‘em down.
Exciting news on the BBC that training by Amorim has gone well and there were many positive reports.
One of our midfielders moved faster than walking pace? Someone managed to hit a shot that didn’t end up in row Z? Luke Shaw had the salad option for lunch? Marcus Rashford found out he was in fact a footballer and not a social media influencer?
To be honest they are complex questions. I and the world are hoping the BBC run another story tomorrow.
New thread title needed.
Yeah, godammit. Maybe the legal case is going City’s way? I think when he does go the empire will begin to crumble, as all do, but delayed for another year.
He won't go this year as he now has a real challenge on his hands. Lets see how good he really this. Oh, and Pep might stay too.
I think Pep might now stay at city until he is offered the Spain job, but even if he goes sooner I don't see city crumbling, they do look to be a very well run club and working for the success of the team rather than personal fiefdoms competing internally. I think it will be more like the Liverpool Klopp-Slot transition rather than the United Ferguson-(after Ferguson) meltdown.
Oh I think you'll find that my crystal balls were on fire as regards Pep. Now he feels challenged...and even richer.
I think it will be more like the Liverpool Klopp-Slot transition rather than the United Ferguson-(after Ferguson) meltdown.
Indeed. The United squad Fergie left was ageing with players at the end of their careers, like a 35 year old Paul Scholes who’d unretired to play. It’s a testament to how good Fergie was that he won the league to bow out
If Pep left tomorrow he leaves a squad of world class players at their peak that any manager would kill for.
City were woeful, how can losing one player, no matter how good he is, have such a dire effect.
Was going to post the same, one man team!?! Maybe stick Gvardiol up front, seems better at finishing than defending, Ben Doak gave him a torrid time the other week for Scotland. Gundogan looks even slower than Casemiro. It’s mad how things change in a few games.
Doris must still be out celebrating after shrews turned over Birmingham at lunchtime. Did Wrexham a big favour but Wycombe are on fire.
Reading are up to 8th in the only league that matters. A giant is stirring once again.
City were woeful, how can losing one player, no matter how good he is, have such a dire effect.
De Bruyne, Walker, Grealish, Doku, Rodri, Bobb and Akanji injured for this one. Akanji was only just coming back and pulled up in the warm up. Dias and Stones only just back from injury too. I wouldn't say it was the bare bones, but quite disruptive to the normal City way of defending and playing forward.
Will be interesting to see how many plastic fans we shed during this 'blip'. I think the old me who watched them lose at Wycombe on a wet Wednesday night would still take this level, to be honest.
New thread title needed
The way results are going maybe don't rush that just yet.
Grealish, Doku and Bibb are squad players really though, aren’t they? Walker’s a starter but signs his pace is starting to go. De Bruyne has missed loads of games over the past few seasons, I don’t think city can count on him playing week in week out any more.
Spurs had as many key players out, five teenagers on the bench and won 4-0.
City obviously have the quality to turn it round, away at anfield next, wouldn’t be surprised if they win.
Grealish, Doku and Bibb are squad players really though, aren’t they?
Grealish is a £100 million ‘squad’ player?
Anyway… I eagerly await the adventurous, free-flowing and creative football our new manager has instilled in the squad in the half an hour since he arrived and I’m not at all concerned about him trying to play 3 at the back
Doku and Akanji are almost as significant as Rodri, especially as Gundogan's level has clearly fallen off a cliff since his move away. No complaints though, Spurs turned up at home and took advantage. If we don't get spanked at Anfield, it will be a missed opportunity for them. Eventually someone will have to hold onto their Christmas lead in the season run-in.
As for United, let's see what the latest revolution brings.
Akanji, yes. Doku? Disagree - very inconsistent. Unbelievable to think he was bought when they had Palmer.
Just put 5Live on in the background. It's been a hell of a season so far.
Cooper sacked. Didn’t think he’d be the first although Leicester were pretty gutless against Chelsea. He was also whining a lot.
Leicester fans also disliked the style after Maresca. Not a great squad really, still reliant on old Steptoe up front for goals.
Surprised to Cooper go. At the end of the season no matter who else is in charge I don't think they'll be any higher up the table.
As for Mam City they're having one of those spells they haven't had in recent years. They'll get a couple of players back and come good. The standard they've set over the past few years has been ridiculous.
Doris must still be out celebrating after shrews turned over Birmingham at lunchtime.
Haha yes! All the way up to 2nd from bottom!
Tbf that one has a special resonance for me. Around 30 years ago I got a Saturday job selling programs at the ground. My first match was against Birmingham city. The bloke who ran the operation handed me a float, a bag of programs, and sent me, an 8 stone twiglet, off to the away entrance with the words "Scum of the earth, Blues fans". I was promptly swarmed around by Blues fans who stole all my change. I didn't make much money that day and have not had the highest opinion of City ever since!
Oh god, no! The dream start!
It’s the hope that kills you
Some start for the new United messiah!
It's going even worse than I feared.
I’m seeing the words ‘94th minute Ipswich winner’
Onana had a shaky start at United but he pulls off some great saves.
I’m seeing the words ‘94th minute Ipswich winner
The way we've been playing I was expecting it the other way round.
Sounds like it was a good match and I should be happy with a draw but maybe I'm getting greedy.
I’m seeing the words ‘94th minute Ipswich winner
You were playing the team who have lost the most points from winning positions in the league, swdan and I were definitely expecting it to go the other way!
The bits I heard on the radio made it sound a good game that could have gone either way, looking forward to the highlights later.
Anyway, I have to look forward to all the Forest fans laughing at Steve Cooper in work tomorrow...
Apparently every team with an 8 points lead before that festival has gone on to win the title. Would also take them level with ManU.
It can/might turn around quickly. Arsenal have a good looking run of fixtures coming up and with Odegaard back I think they’ll kick on. Liverpool have Madrid, City at home, then Everton and Newcastle away in the league. Tough run!
Apparently every team with an 8 points lead before that festival has gone on to win the title.
8 point lead before Christmas or at Christmas? Even recent PL history shows that leading by 8 at Christmas is no guarantee of the title, and both Arsenal and Man Utd have dealt with much bigger deficits before.
There was a 10 point swing between Arsenal and City last season post-Christmas, all these teams know what City can do in the run-in, although I'm not sure that's going to be the case this season.
I am a bit ambivalent about city winning the PL this year. I want us to win every game we play when we are playing, but I am also aware that winning the PL shouldn't be easy it shouldn't be a one team league, winning should feel special, so I can see it being better for the league if we don't win, it is meant to be the most difficult league to win that becomes a bit of a false claim if city just keep rolling over the league.
As a City fan - all I look for every season is the 40 points we're not getting relegated cushion.
This season 100 points might not be enough to avoid it...
Tend to agree with this view, too many titles leads to entitlement, which is the sort of thing that has plagued Man U since Fergie left. It's clear that City need a period of renewal, with pivotal players like Silva and De Bruyne starting to wane, and that's perhaps why Guardiola has decided to do at least one more season.
Fair play to Pep for signing for another two seasons, as you say with top players on the wane and Begeirstein leaving, I’d thought he’d go too. But obviously he’s up for the challenge of a bit of a rebuild.
8 point lead before Christmas or at Christmas? Even recent PL history shows that leading by 8 at Christmas is no guarantee of the title, and both Arsenal and Man Utd have dealt with much bigger deficits before.
It was said on match of the day. Every team with an 8 point lead after the crimbo period/start of the new year have won the title:
ManU 93-94
ManU 00-01
Chelsea 05-06
City 17-18
Liverpool 19-20
It was said on match of the day. Every team with an 8 point lead after the crimbo period/start of the new year have won the title:
Except Newcastle....
Except Newcastle….
gosh yes. Letter to Points of View coming up.
Every team with an 8 point lead after the crimbo period/start of the new year have won the title:
Oh ISWYM, exactly an 8 point lead...and only over second place. 20/21 City were eight points back at Christmas, but they were also in eighth place, so don't qualify for this stat.
Tbf that one has a special resonance for me. Around 30 years ago I got a Saturday job selling programs at the ground. My first match was against Birmingham city. The bloke who ran the operation handed me a float, a bag of programs, and sent me, an 8 stone twiglet, off to the away entrance with the words “Scum of the earth, Blues fans”. I was promptly swarmed around by Blues fans who stole all my change. I didn’t make much money that day and have not had the highest opinion of City ever since!
If it's any consolation, there's a lot of Blues fans I'm not mad keen on.... Fair play to you for the win last Saturday, I wasn't expecting that. 🙂
Well for the first time in a long I am not looking forward to a top of the table clash - genuinely think we could be on the wrong end of a thrashing at the when we play Liverpool - the capitulation last night was almost ManUtdesque...
I think you’ll find that, awful though we are, the benchmark for capitulations is still Spurs. We don’t yet have our own adjective 😀
It should be a belter of a game this weekend though. Having said that, as everyone is expecting a goalfest, it’ll no doubt end up as a cagey nil nil
Comical defending from Man City last night. Was Ederson on his way to the dressing room for the 3rd?? He had defenders coming in to cover him!
Will be interesting to see how many plastic fans we shed during this ‘blip’.
Apparently there were loads of empty seats last night?
Grealish is a £100 million ‘squad’ player?
Thats Man City! Mental money for a pretty average player...