LolI have one, but it’s old and frayed and might not take the strain.
It was a good rope once. A great rope in fact able to bear any burden.
Alas now though, I think time and overuse has caught up with it.
I wouldn’t rely on it to hold anything together.
Wasn't having a pop mate in fact I agree with most you say just my old sense of humour;)Sorry to be a Debbie-downer.
Thing is, every team eventually undergoes decline. But great sides rise up from the floor when beaten down.
This season, we're shit and won't win anything - I think we'll qualify for the C/L but who knows? - maybe not. The stupid FFP charges against us might well compound matters for seasons following. But so long as we have Pep and the backing of our owners, we'll rebuild and become great - and possibly even better than before.
For example, that Barca side of 2011 is the best ever squad in professional football, IMO. They fell off big time - but in spite of major financial problems - they've rebuilt.
The club are way too far invested in what Pep wants to change now. Viana isn't going to be implementing some new style of football, his role in the wider transfer committee is to use contacts to sign players as agreed upon by the committee. He doesn't have carte blanche to just change what the entire football club is doing.From an objective point of view, Pep stayed for another 2 years because the club don't know who to appoint next. Txiki was hired in his role, as the owners knew 2 things, 1. He could get Pep to the club as they're close friends, and 2. He could build a squad for Pep having done that before in the past. That makes the signing of the new deal after Viana has agreed even more unusual.
I know people won't want to hear this, but I think the owners would have wanted a similar model which would be - Hire Viana, Hire a Manager he's worked successfully with - Amorim. That can't happen for the time being, so Pep now has effectively become an interim in a new project. Is Pep Viana's man? Probably not as he was Txiki's man and Txiki is moving on. If Txiki's next club is right you can see Pep following him to wherever that is. The next decision is what is the sporting direction of the club? Again that was driven by Txiki and Pep and goes right through the first team down into the academy. What happens when Viana comes in? Does he continue what has been working even though it's not "his way", or does he try and implement "his way". If he does, then you could end up with a lack of synergy, and something of a clash of styles if Viana and Pep aren't on the same page. It also effects recruitment too. At some point as well for a smooth transition, players will need to be recruited for the next manager, and his style of play. That means Pep ends up with players that aren't his players as he knows he's leaving. Only way it goes smoothly is if the next manager has a very similar style of play to Pep or has worked with him. I think it ends up being Kompany, but he probably wants to commit to Bayern for longer than a year. From an outsiders point of view he'll win stuff in the next 2 years, but it just won't be as plain sailing.
100% agreed. Basically, too many of our players simply can't run to the required level. Other half decent teams waltz past us time and again and there is no recovery pace within the team. The third and fourth goals yesterday were embarrassing for a top level side to concede. Poor Gundogan - badly exposed time and again but nothing much better in terms of energy from Ake, Walker or Lewis either.this a situation for Pep he has not been in his career imo. currently half decent teams found us out, they know what to do against this City side, how to hurt us and have the belief they can do it. we have a bad injury situation and that is made worse by our awful recruitment and comfortable approach. now many says we need a big rebuild, but wasnt that the case in August too? yet we sold more players than how many arrived. we will pay for the transfer errors no doubt about that. we are paying for the Phillips transfer right now when Rodri is out.
I fear the worst in December, away games at Liverpool, Palace, Villa and Juventus. home games vs overperforming Forest and Everton, Leicester and the derby. even must win type of games at home like Everton and Leicester will cause us problems even more so the rest of the clubs.
there is nothing there right now that tells me these 5 losses in a row is the end of our poor run. this is maybe the start of it. players badly out of form, something not right in the dressing room.
in january if we dont have at least two quality addition, well its a fight for 3rd or 4th at best. we need to get CL qualification no matter what. otherwise we wont get the likes of Wirtz etc.
Sadly there is an end of an era feel about it. Can we regather our composure and save our season? I hope so, but we are on a cliff edge at the moment, make no mistake about that.100% agreed. Basically, too many of our players simply can't run to the required level. Other half decent teams waltz past us time and again and there is no recovery pace within the team. The third and fourth goals yesterday were embarrassing for a top level side to concede. Poor Gundogan - badly exposed time and again but nothing much better in terms of energy from Ake, Walker or Lewis either.
I fear the worst at Anfield next week and worry it could the era-defining loss that bookends the sick swan victory in 2011 which announced us as a major force. Overly negative - probably, but that's how on the ropes we appear right now.