So Pep failed at Bayern?

[BillyShears]

"


Yeah man I'm fucked.

I like teams getting to the CL SF 3 years out of 4. I like a club with a budget a fraction the size of their main two rivals punching way above their weight and winning the title.

It's a question of what you like I supose. I'm entertained by seeing us win. Some people are entertained by 600 sideways 5yd passes per game. Each to their own.

I agree that it won't happen though.

How many CL semi's Pep been to?

How do you expect a club with our ambitions and our resources to operate like a club that's broke ?

How many winning teams don't dominate possession ?

 

[Tom_mcfc]

Firstly there's a reason some managers are decent, some half decent and some great, it's not about the players you have at your disposal although that helps but it's about motivation, keeping the fringe players happy, changing tactics to suit certain games and drilling that into the 'superstars' so that they work hard as well as just use their flair. If half decent managers could do it, Hughes would have done better as would Moyes, even AVB at Chelsea.

Secondly, would i like to win it all the time playing a style like Athletico, then no, would i be happy to win it every few years playing an attacking brand of football, being entertained every week even when we do lose then yes i'd prefer that.

I had a conversation with a lad after our first title who was adamant we now needed to go and win it every season, i said at the time and still believe that no team in England will ever dominate again and that being in or around the title but playing entertaining football was all that mattered to me, i've been going since the mid '70's and seen enough dour shite that being entertained was all i wanted, i accept that's not everyone's cup or tea but it's how i feel.

I don't get that though? I appreciate the logic behind this claim might make sense however the year after we won it United ran away with it with no challenge. They upgraded their team with one player. The year after we won it the second time Chelsea then walked the league with no challenge, same with Leicester last year and now Chelsea again. Had we of spent better and been managed better then there is no reason especially with this spine already in place that we couldn't of won more. We have bought badly and underachieved hugely.

 

[himalayan_blues]

It's a difficult one. Obviously it's a lot easier for me to say Pep's underperforming than to diagnose a way to fix things (if things do need fixing)

All I can say is what kind of style of team I like. A team of high quality, tough, well drilled men who will go out with an attitude that every tackle is to be fiercely contested, we earn the right to play first and we keep things tight before imposing our greater quality on the opposition.

Sounds like a Simeone team to me but realistically Abu Dhabi don't want that kind of football, Txiki doesn't want it and maybe a lot of our fans don't either.

For me a dour 1 nil win from a scrappy goal will always be preferable to a scintillating 3-3 draw, sorry.

You must be roberto mancini.

 

[BillyShears]

You must be roberto mancini.

Nah more likely Bobby's famous umbrella holder/man Friday. ;)

 

[BlueAnorak]

.... And before someone declares Pep should have addressed the issues with personnel, the club were in no position to move on players with 12 months remaining on their deals.

Not having this.
It would have cost £2m-£4m to pay off most of the player contracts that expire this summer. Not Yaya of course, but the rest yes. Not a massive drop in the ocean compared to the fees we will be shelling out this summer. - Hell with transfer inflation those outlays may have saved us money on the transfer fees we are going to pay.

 

[inchy14]

I don't get that though? I appreciate the logic behind this claim might make sense however the year after we won it United ran away with it with no challenge. They upgraded their team with one player. The year after we won it the second time Chelsea then walked the league with no challenge, same with Leicester last year and now Chelsea again. Had we of spent better and been managed better then there is no reason especially with this spine already in place that we couldn't of won more. We have bought badly and underachieved hugely.

No one will dominate because Peter Scudamore said so!!!

In all seriousness it's far too competitive in England, 7 sides can all challenge for the top 4 and 4 or 5 can be pushing for the title, then you factor in that we have 2 English cup competitions plus Europe and it's just too much. It wouldn't surprise me if no one won back to back titles for a long time it's that competitive and that's not counting the cash at stake at the bottom of the table wish forces teams to buy bigger and better which in turn means teams drop points in England to lesser likes unlike on the continent. IMO it's better for the game overall. Would we seriously like it to be like Portugal or Scotland? I certainly wouldn't.

 

[Tom_mcfc]

No one will dominate because Peter Scudamore said so!!!

In all seriousness it's far too competitive in England, 7 sides can all challenge for the top 4 and 4 or 5 can be pushing for the title, then you factor in that we have 2 English cup competitions plus Europe and it's just too much. It wouldn't surprise me if no one won back to back titles for a long time it's that competitive and that's not counting the cash at stake at the bottom of the table wish forces teams to buy bigger and better which in turn means teams drop points in England to lesser likes unlike on the continent. IMO it's better for the game overall. Would we seriously like it to be like Portugal or Scotland? I certainly wouldn't.

His comments were stupid however we didn't challenge United, Chelsea twice or Leicester due to refereeing sadly. Due to us not pushing on in the manner champions should of.

I keep seeing this word competitive, yes the top 4 run in is but is winning the league competitive? I would say it's the complete opposite as other than our title wins the teams that have won the league have won it with no challenge what so ever. 2nd-7th is competitive winning it isn't.

 

[inchy14]

His comments were stupid however we didn't challenge United, Chelsea twice or Leicester due to refereeing sadly. Due to us not pushing on in the manner champions should of.

I keep seeing this word competitive, yes the top 4 run in is but is winning the league competitive? I would say it's the complete opposite as other than our title wins the teams that have won the league have won it with no challenge what so ever. 2nd-7th is competitive winning it isn't.

But that's because one side has been allowed to dominate that particular season, Leicester were last and Chelsea this, no European football and out of one cup early helped them enormously. Next it'll be someone else who is dominating.
The main reason Rags dominated was, until Chelsea, that they had all the financial clout and just picked off everyone else's better players, something that has been prevented to an extent with more money around to all the teams.

Plus, and let's be honest here, if we'd been refereed the same as Chelsea nd Spurs it'd be a 3 horse race going into the final 6 games with us probably on the top.

 

[Cityfan]

And before someone declares Pep should have addressed the issues with personnel, the club were in no position to move on players with 12 months remaining on their deals.

Personally I think Pep has done a decent job and I'm really glad he is here. But I think it's a bit disingenuous to say he/Txiki couldn't move on others.
They put out Hart, Bony, Nasri & Mangala when they wanted to, Zab said he was on the point of signing in Italy.
They have decided to prioritize other areas which is fair enough, but they certainly could have shifted the full backs had they chosen to do so.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

If Pep doesn't succeed here and the owners are still insistent on a certain style of football Wenger is probably the closest adherent to that style.

Fuck me, this has got to be one of the most stupid things I've read on here in a while.

Question. Would you rather finish a distant 2nd or 3rd playing "pretty" football or win it playing pragmatic football ?

Answer. The win.

Question. Would you rather finish a distant 2nd or 3rd playing "pragmatic" football or win it playing entertaining football?