[mikewsmithSubscriber]

I mean who can’t beat city……. Seems like they found some good motivation

[PrinceJohnMember]

Chelsea have shipped so many goals they’ve dropped a league position

[shortbread_fanylionSubscriber]

Jorginho chose Chelsea over City…..😂…..although his form suggests City got the better deal.

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Match Stats
Home TeamMan CityAway TeamChelsea
Possession
Home 56% Away 44%
Shots
Home 15 Away 12
Shots on Target
Home 9 Away 4
Corners
Home 2 Away 2
Fouls
Home 9 Away 13

From the BBC, going to be an interesting watch on MOTD tonight 6 goals from 9 Shots on target and 56% of possession.

[blader1611Member]

City wont win anything this season, they could only manage 6 against Chelski, thats just not good enough! Sarri has destroyed the team with lack of tactics and playing players out of position, they should get jose in to finish the players off in public.

[shortbread_fanylionSubscriber]

Now that’s clinical Mike. Shows how the stats can obfuscate and confuse!

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Wow, just caught that and the hiding of the match ball by the ref 🙂 Some humour out there

It was the City that stayed back on the bus at Newcastle, they thought they could just turn that on when they needed it.

Going to be interesting to see if City can bring that form to the CL now

oh and OGS picked the right game to go check out the neighbours

[CaherSubscriber]

Quite surprised that Aguero still needs an interpreter.

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

From the BBC Sport feed

[shortbread_fanylionSubscriber]

😂 Classic!

[slimjim78Member]

Wow, just caught that and the hiding of the match ball by the ref 🙂 Some humour out there

I was at The Amex this weekend to see one set of referees (amongst other baffling decisions) completely rob Brighton of a stone cold handball penalty, that I think even the Burnley fans had conceded from the other end of the pitch – how a referee and 2 assistants could miss it is truly beyond me – it actually smacks of corruption! And this is far from the first time I have seen this happen this season.
Until the standard of refereeing can be made consistent I take issue with any referee doing silly little dances when he awards a pen, and hiding balls in his shirt etc – Does he think he’s some kind of celebrity?? STICK TO YOUR FECKEN JOB!

Grumpf.

[martinhutchMember]

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Not again….

So good to see us playing up with confidence, harsh for Dubravka he had done so much and been one of the best players this season.

Aside from that another amazing work rate from Ritchie, hands down man of the season so far for Newcastle, always gives 110%. Longstaff picking it right up there too, having not played in the PL before boxing day he will be a fighter.
New lad looks like he could cause some trouble against the bottom half of the table which is where survival comes from.

And to add, massive respect for Hayden, he has wanted away for family reasons but couldn’t go. He has got himself up there, stuck in and showed commitment when he could have gone off and sulked like quite a few others in the PL this year

[hodgyndMember]

I’m with you most of the way there Mike ..however I’m not a huge Ritchie fan as he plays first and foremost for himself …granted his work rate is good but his first instinct is to pass it back or sideways ..and often doesn’t see the obvious ( forward ) pass or is too cautious to make it .
Almiron made some great runs into space late on ..but Ritchie didn’t play him in …running himself into trouble instead…rarely does he take on his man and win as he isn’t blessed with pace..hopefully when the new boy is fully integrated into the team it will be as a no.10..and not on the wing as playing in front of Ritchie is going to cause him a lot of frustration..if he keeps his place in the team once Barecca is up to speed ( I would play him on the right to cover Yedlin).
The obvious player to drop for me is Perez..his infrequent flashes of something out of the ordinary can’t hide the fact that 90% of the time he is crap …but Rafa seems to like him !
Longstaff was fantastic ..but who would have thought he would excel in the holding midfield role ..he has come up through the ranks as an attacking midfielder but on that performance alone will take some shifting from the team ( or until he needs a rest ) ..he covered more ground and made more passes and tackles than any other Newcastle player ..very impressed .
Dubravka was fouled ..and the goal shouldn’t have stood for that reason alone and not least because it was in the 95th minute and the game should have been over ..they deserved to win

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

I wouldn’t say he plays for himself there, he was back at just about everything digging us out of trouble. When he has got up the field this season there generally isn’t a good pass forward as the rest have been lumbering up, this game was an exception to that. Yedlin has the same problem on the other side, a cross to Rondon being the only option unless he was setting up the move and not up there yet, chances of Atsu or Perez getting a head to a ball is slim.

The new left back should allow us to go 4-5-1 against a few more teams give Ritche certainly more cover to go forward and have somebody for Yedlin to work with on the right.
Swapping Perez/Atsu for Almiron and will be a big help in front of goal and getting in behind some of the slower back lines. I’m kind of looking forward to the Huddersfield game after they have 10 days in Spain to work on a few things.

[PrinceJohnMember]

So – predictions for tonight? Will the OGS inspired ManU continue as the have in the PL or will PSG be a step too far?

[theotherjonvSubscriber]

we’ve lost a great….

[hodgyndMember]

That is sad news ..I will never forget that save from Pele’s header in the ’70 World Cup Finals …

[binnersSubscriber]

He was a proper legend. RIP.

Should be a good match tonight. Certainly the sternest test Ole has had so far. I don’t think anyones going to be relishing a trip to Old Trafford at the moment though, and Rashford and Lingard were both rested last game, and Pogba is on proper form! I doubt it’ll be 0-0

At least Neymar is out though, so…

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

The tramful of psg fans heading through earlier looked like they were up for a good night! Though anything has make you feel good after coming through CDG.

[binnersSubscriber]

Oh Christ! Do I really have to listen to Steve ****ing McMannamon for 90 minutes?

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

It’s balance for letting Rio on TV

[shortbread_fanylionSubscriber]

Phil Neville is on 5 live commentary.

Have to say, finding some of Ole’s comments bordering on arrogance…..fine line I guess.

[binnersSubscriber]

I think I was a bit premature thinking it wouldn’t be the same from the rest of the PSG Squad

[senor jSubscriber]

My dad took me to Brunton Park in the v early eighties. He became unusually animated and thrust me and my autograph book towards a “ bloody World Cup winner “! Nice one Gordon. 🙂

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Well certainly Pogba should have seen the yellow coming

PSG looking fast and flying though

Edit

That 2 footer could have had Pogba off, bit too much passion going on there

[CaherSubscriber]

Ref is little fussy at times.

[binnersSubscriber]

I thought it was was quite funny that Di Maria kept forgetting which part of his body he’d meant to have hurt while he was rolling around like he’d been shot 😂

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

True but not sure many on here would have fancied that sort of drop without a fullface and body armour

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Just don’t concede the away goal there, the run up to the corner was a good bit of keep ball up the pressure

[shortbread_fanylionSubscriber]

Now where’s that bus when you need it!

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

and whatever you do don’t let them have 2……

Pray For Binners, bring back Jose…….

[binnersSubscriber]

Looks like the game plan went out of the window with Tony and Lingard going off.

Sanchez is completely hopeless and it looks like we’re resorting to bringing on Lukaku/Heskey to lump long balls up to

Herrera has looked the most likely to score. Says it all

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

looks like we’re resorting to bringing on Lukaku/Heskey to lump long balls up to

Don’t want to become an Arsenal and only have one way to play (beautiful as it was) sticking with a plan A for so long after going 1-0 down was a mistake especially after the injuries, he is still a quality striker, just need to know how to work for him

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Oh dear….. could have gone in the first half but stupid at that point

[binnersSubscriber]

Can’t argue with that red card. He’s been bloody brilliant recently but he’s needed to calm down tonight.

Not a good night. A proper reality check.

Steve McMannoman can **** right off though!

[slackaliceSubscriber]

Ouch! Something of a McNulty special on the Beeb sport website on Man Yoo. Scathing towards the hierarchy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47218876

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

Scathing but not much more than anybody has been saying for a while now. As it was pointed out after Jose went, City got the background staff in to prepare the place for Pep, starting making strategic purchases etc. Looking at City and Liverpool there has been some big money transfers but they always felt like there was a plan to it. Not that way at Man U

[binnersSubscriber]

Pretty much spot on!

Everyone knows what the problem is at United. This has all been in the post since the Glazers bought the club, saddled us with all their debts and started milking the club.

They haven’t got a clue what they’re doing, and they don’t really care. As long as they keep getting sponsorship deals and the money keeps rolling in. Players are bought on the strength of shirt sales in Singapore rather than whether they’ll actually fit in the squad

We payed 80 million for Lukaku and we’re paying Sanchez 400,000 quid a week

Absolute madness!

[mikewsmithSubscriber]

https://www.transferleague.co.uk/premier-league-last-five-seasons/transfer-league-tables/premier-league-table-last-five-seasons
Binners, 2nd biggest spender over the last 5 years, only £20m/year less than City so the debt etc. doesn’t seem to be the issue just the direction, it might be that they don’t care as much but it’s that not the cash that has been the problem.