Arsenal looked like they’ve just completely run out of steam

Not just this week. Not a great run if you want a title:
Arsenal’s last seven games: DDDLWWL

Compare that to:
Manchester City’s last seven games: WWWWWWW

As I said very early on in this thread: Devon Loch, a phase used by Ferguson to describe Newcastle.. one of things that sent Keegan ballistic.
City are unstoppable in this current guise. Until Wednesday of course.

Today’s obviously a final nail but it’s all the dropped points elsewhere, against ‘weaker’ sides or from strong positions. And I’m not sure if they’ve blown their chance full stop – they’ve been great but I think they’re overperformed a little, and City won’t be weaker next year, Utd are not far off, Liverpool even, and depending on the investment Newcastle too.

Devon Loch indeed.

I didn’t think a point at Elland Road was bad but Newcastle will be looking over shoulders – they have a home ‘banker’ against Leicester but also H vs BHAFC on Thurs, and a last day trip to Chelsea and still need 5 points to be certain of CL. They are at least I think pretty certain of 5th because Liverpool and BHAFC have to play each other but not sure on that.

Crazy – last game out Brighton lost 1-5 at home to the utterly useless Everton then go and win 0-3 away at Arsenal. This season has been utterly unpredictable.

Its the highest scoring Premier League season in terms of goals per game, apparently. Actually the highest since 1967/68.

In terms of predictability, City will win it, which is very predictable. Not sure many would have predicted Liverpool’s relative struggles though. Everton being rubbish, poorly run, and (possibly) surviving to do the same next season is very predictable.

The thing about this season is that it’s not just the quantity of the goals, but the quality

That first City goal from Gundugan was unreal and his second was totally different but also an absolute peach. Haaland is just a beast who’s going to demolish all previous records. Brightons forwards today are as good an attacking unit as you could ever want to watch. Arsenal have looked awesome going forward all season. Rashford went through a patch of being absolutely unplayable

We’ve been spoilt rotten really with top notch creative attacking

It’s been helped by some absolutely bloody awful defending, but still

The Premier League this season has been absolutely nuts! And you get the feeling there’s more bonkers results to come over the last few games

It’s always been an uphill battle for Arsenal, even when they were flying and Man City lost a few points, i watch arsenal now and they’re just not as dangerous down the wings as they were in the first half of the season, Saka was world class early in the season, Martinelli on fire, but they’ve kind of waned a bit, add in the Jesus injury and him not coming back the same and they’re a bit of a struggle up front.

Man City on the other hand, they can just play games and rest players at the same time, Stones sat it out, same with De Bruyne, Grealish and Bernardo off the bench for a few minutes, if someones not at the races they can switch them out for someone of similar quality after an hour, Arsenal just don’t have that kind of squad yet.

I guess it’ll be another summer of changes that’ll influence what happens next season, the likes of Gundogan looking to leave, but then again, they’ll have money, i just remembered they even loaned Cancelo out as he was surplus to requirements!

i just remembered they even loaned Cancelo out as he was surplus to requirements!

He wasn’t surplus to requirements, Guardiola thought he was getting disruptive with his attitude when he wasn’t playing, and decided that team focus was more important than having a quality left back, but it was a big risk. It is incredible that Guardiola, famous for supposedly wanting a team of midfielders, and playing inverted full backs, has preferred a back line of center backs stepping into midfield.

I can’t see much changing in the premier League as long as Pep’s in charge and they have near limitless funding. Pity really as an uncompetitive league is a right bore.
Alternatively support Reading, who’s club management would make the chuckle brothers baulk.

This was before Chelsea spent a large fortune in January… Spending money is no guarantee of success. Man City are also a very well run football club.

? Transfer spend since summer 2016

? Chelsea – £1.2bn
? Man United – £1.1bn
? Man City – £1bn
? Arsenal – £772m
? Liverpool – £735.6m
? Everton – £716.6m pic.twitter.com/mMogxW1oBU

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 4, 2023

Citeh target specific players to strengthen specific areas season-on-season, always looking ahead towards the upcoming seasons.

In comparison, the management of Everton, Chelsea (under Ted Lasso) and United, pre-Ten Hag, look like they choose their transfer targets by throwing darts at a Panini World Cup sticker album

Everton’s spending is a ‘WTF’ moment.

Yeah, but Man City have had the same manager since 2016, so that’s all been Pep’s spending, add to that the squad he inherited and the deals he’s done and it’s not that accurate of a picture, deals like Haaland were more about the fees and wages, as the clause in his Dortmund contract made the fee lower to get more money into agents/players pocket.

Liverpool have had similar with management, but they’ve had restricted spending compared to others, it didn’t show up that much at the time, but is now with an ageing squad.

I think Man City also have a good team above Pep, they don’t get held to ransom, they just move to another target, ManU and Chelsea have suffered the opposite, desperate to be competitive they’ve overspent on a lot of players.

Can see ManU spending a bit this summer, they’re not that far off being competitive, they do need 3 or 4 players though, especially a proper front man.

Everton’s spending is a ‘WTF’ moment.

The only possible explanation for Everton’s spending is that its a front for a money-laundering operation run by the Columbian Cartels

The cartels wouldn’t put up with those sorts of returns.

They do play like Escobar’s hippos

deals like Haaland were more about the fees and wages

Figures for the 22/23 season (again before chelsea’s spending spree)

Rank Club Name Total Wage Bill £(million)
1 Manchester United 227.1
2 Chelsea 189
3 Manchester City 177.9
4 Liverpool 156.3

And all clubs have to deal with agents fees, anyone who thinks Liverpool don’t is just living in fantasy.
(These are post January figures for this season, which amazes me that chelsea haven’t paid more)
1. Man City – £51.6m
2. Chelsea – £43.2m
3. Liverpool – £33.7m
4. Man United – £24.7m

So while we know that wherever Harland went, there was always going to be some ridiculous agents fees tagged on, it was still a better deal than many other clubs were making. And despite the claims that Harland is on 600,000 to 1 million a week, the considered reporting was that city gave him pay parity with KDB (which is still beyond the dreams of mortals, but not exactly Messi, Mbappe or Ronaldo money)

Does that Man Utd wage bill include sulky Ronaldo at that point? Unbelievable if not, barely believable even with him.

Pogba’s agent personally made 30 million on his transfer to United, which is total insanity!

I saw the other night that after not playing for a year, he went off injured after 20 minutes in his first game back. A quick bit of maths and thats £350,000 a minute for the time he’s spent on the pitch

That probably does include Ronaldo, but united also have a load of players that most fans have forgotten are on the books, they are just not even getting into the match day squad.

but united also have a load of players that most fans have forgotten are on the books, they are just not even getting into the match day squad

HI!

Still picking up his £110,000 a week

For gurning?

If you can fathom out what exactly it is that Phil Jones has been doing to be on United’s books (on over a hundred grand a week) since 2011, then you’re doing better than the rest of us. He’s still under contract and getting paid despite not even being registered as a United player this season

He must have some photos of one of the Glazers in a gimp outfit in a compromising position with a midget and a goat. Its the only explanation

I remember when he first burst onto the scene he was described as the next Duncan Edwards.

Fergie said he’d be United’s best ever player didn’t he. How many bottles of red had he quaffed???

To be fair to Jones, his injuries have been chronic. And watching the players ahead of him he must have fancied his chances of getting a game, had he been able to stay fit.

ManU and Chelsea both contain high transfers and wages due to the amount of managers they’ve been through, a new manager will sign lots of players on 4 or 5 year deals (or 7 for Chelsea!), then sack the manager after a year, add to that the whole way the financial fair play is being circumvented by big teams and it’s probably a lot worse than the official figures!

With both clubs there’s the players the successive managers have bought, then there’s the players that are being bought from the boardroom that the managers didn’t know anything about.

Anyway, back to tonight… have Liverpool just saved Everton? Leicester we’re absolutely woeful! As they have been all season. Shockingly bad at the back

Leicester very poor tonight – especially the ‘better’ players, Tielemans and Maddison, who were anonymous. Didn’t look to be much fight, them and Leeds to join Southampton?

Leicester were awful last night.

Just hope they roll over like that next week at Newcastle and a different Brighton turns up on Thursday.

2 wins to get top 4.

Squeaky bum time as they say.

Manchester United’s English defenders Phil Jones, 31, and Axel Tuanzebe, 25, are expected to be released this summer. (Manchester Evening News)

According to BBC Sport Gossip column Man Utd have discovered they have a Phil Jones on their books & are looking to release him into the wild.

I’ve just been looking at the current situation (as a Leeds fan). Assuming Leicester are down and Forest are safe, it could come down to ‘goals scored’ for Leeds and Everton given how close we currently are on goal difference.

Wow, Ivan Toney.  8 month ban for betting, immediate effect.

Won’t affect their last 2 games, Spurs have little to play for really and Man City will have wrapped up by then but this has been known quite a while in which time he’s contributed to some other teams maybe not getting points that could have been vital

but this has been known quite a while in which time he’s contributed to some other teams maybe not getting points that could have been vital

Yup – that is what I was thinking.

Whole season for four of the bottom five could rest on how Spursy Spurs are on the final day…gonna be a long two weeks.

I don’t think any Forest fan thinks they’re safe, especially with goal difference potentially coming in to play

I don’t think any Forest fan thinks they’re safe, especially with goal difference potentially coming in to play

They were pretty cocky in the office this week, mainly by baiting the Leicester fans.

Can all change in a heartbeat, I’ll wait and see.

Finally – rope a dope from Madrid, aided by Courtois’s brilliance.

I wonder if ManU fans have their half ‘n half scarves draped over the TV?

What a finish, great player.

I still think they need another. Real have this habit…