Are we 3rd best?

[Jumanji]

I'm not not saying he's crap but this Mourinho mysticism shite needs to end.

 

[oakiecokie]

In all honesty I`m not in the least bit concerned who our opponents buy.
I am very happy,compared to last season,as to who we have actually brought in and certainly as the only team so far to have fully strengthened our squad,although it could be argued that another decent centre half could help.
If I was a supporter of the other chasing packs,Chelsea,Arsenal,Spurs,Everton and Liverpool, I would be shitting myself,at the thought of our transfer business.As for United,well I aint too worried in the least.
Even with Fabregas as a potential signing,just look at every position and do a comparison with our team.Would you really swap any like for like player,apart from maybe RVP ??
You`ll do for me Sky Blues.Never felt more confident than this season.

 

[SWP's back]

You have your grammar/punctuation head on today, don't you?

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

You where not sent to Ladybarn Secondary Modern - 44 in every class for every lesson for 5 years .

Knob .

You make a very compelling case.

SWP's back

 

[Chippy_boy]

Many on this forum seem to want to be penetrated by Mourinho but I'm not fooled by his media portrayal.

He's never built a team.

He's simply an opportunist who goes into already made teams and goes and spend gigantic sums of money and buys big names.

His record speaks for himself but so do his teams.

For me the best managers are the ones that make a team greater than the sum of their parts without the bank roll.

You can relax with all that bold, fan boy, it's not like his record breaking teams were Leiria or some shit.

9 years without losing a single home league game and he's "simply an opportunist". I think you are seriously unbalanced.

Mourinho is a manager who’s rode more than his fair share of luck, inherited good teams at the right time, and been better at self-promotion than any other manager since perhaps Brian Clough.

Just to knock this bollocks on the head once and for all, he was at Porto for 3 years during which time he won them the Champions League as you probably know. During that 3 year spells, his total net spending in the transfer market was MINUS £2.5m.

He took the club from zero to CL Champions without spending a bean.

I do think for whatever reason he lost his mojo at Real somewhat. But if you think for one moment that he isn't going to improve Chelsea MASSIVELY, you are very very much mistaken pal.

 

[Eccles Blue]

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

You where not sent to Ladybarn Secondary Modern - 44 in every class for every lesson for 5 years .

Knob .

You make a very compelling case.

SWP's back

SWP, having spent most of last weekend reading application forms I agree wholeheartedly with you!! My biggest bug bear though are the ones who type the whole thing in CAPITAL letters!! As soon as I see that, especially when I have another 65 to read, they are binned!!

 

[Jumanji]

9 years without losing a single home league game and he's "simply an opportunist". I think you are seriously unbalanced.

Mourinho is a manager who’s rode more than his fair share of luck, inherited good teams at the right time, and been better at self-promotion than any other manager since perhaps Brian Clough.

Just to knock this bollocks on the head once and for all, he was at Porto for 3 years during which time he won them the Champions League as you probably know. During that 3 year spells, his total net spending in the transfer market was MINUS £2.5m.

He took the club from zero to CL Champions without spending a bean.

I do think for whatever reason he lost his mojo at Real somewhat. But if you think for one moment that he isn't going to improve Chelsea MASSIVELY, you are very very much mistaken pal.

Plenty of managers have won two chumps leagues without all the adulation, Ancelotti for instance....but they're too boring for all that. Not enough soundbites to be loved...

His time in Portugal was the only epoch in his career that truly impressed me.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

He's obviously a fantastic manager, but the fact that he's already making excuses about his young team should tell you a lot. Of course, everyone has interpreted it as "mind games" rather than covering his own back because he's such a "genius." Benitez is also massively underrated, for me.

I think people are overestimating the Mourinho factor and underestimating the Rags tbh, especially if they get a genuinely world class midfielder. People are also underestimating us simply getting back to the level that we know we're capable of. Hart, Kompany, Toure, Silva and Aguero are all capable of being the best in the league in their positions, but last season, none of them showed it. Sort that out and we'll win the league.

It's definitely the most open league in a long time, but I think Mr. Pellegrini starts with the best squad, and also has a pretty decent start fixtures wise.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I find it pretty laughable that many feel United will go to shit because they went from Fergie to Moyes.

The same very strong squad, probably stronger after the summer, that won the prem by some distance as well. Let's leave the rag hate at the door and be objective, Fergie can't put the ball in the net and I think this season will show just how overrated he was.

I like our additions quite a bit actually and feel like the team can definitely win the prem. Was just looking to spark some debate. no need to get the shorts in a knot.

 

[ManCitizens.]

Mourinho is a manager who’s rode more than his fair share of luck, inherited good teams at the right time, and been better at self-promotion than any other manager since perhaps Brian Clough.

Just to knock this bollocks on the head once and for all, he was at Porto for 3 years during which time he won them the Champions League as you probably know. During that 3 year spells, his total net spending in the transfer market was MINUS £2.5m.

He took the club from zero to CL Champions without spending a bean.

I do think for whatever reason he lost his mojo at Real somewhat. But if you think for one moment that he isn't going to improve Chelsea MASSIVELY, you are very very much mistaken pal.

Plenty of managers have won two chumps leagues without all the adulation, Ancelotti for instance....but they're too boring for all that. Not enough soundbites to be loved...

His time in Portugal was the only epoch in his career that truly impressed me.

You cannot deny his intelligence. Moyes is already pissed off with the Rooney situation. Mourinho and his team will continuously tell SSN Rooney should join them, without placing a realistic bid. Thankfully Pelligrini isn't getting drawn in and has ignored the money jibes.

 

[trevorriley]

we have strengthened more than any team in the pl, so by finishing second easily last season how have we dopped to 3rd. This must be a sky sports / talksports fan who ever wrote this thread .

from changes made so far from coach to players, i feel bles
sed to be the holder of a season card and im sure many agree........

 

[JGL07]

Last season City were too late into the transfer market and failed to land any of their prime targets with most dealings being on deadline day. This year all has gone well and with the possible exception of a new defender (assuming Lescott goes) everything has been sorted a month before the deadline. Tevez and Ballotelli were both great players but were often distractions and the likes of Navas, Negredo, and Jovetic should be more 'team players'.

By comparison United have been knocked back by Thiago Alcantara and seem likely to lose out on Cesc Fabregas. They will not be allowed to sign Gareth Bale. Spurs will sell him to Real Madrid if he is going anywhere. They also have the distraction of the Rooney affair. The loss of Ferguson will be a crushing blow for United.

Chelsea have not strengthened greatly (apart from at Manager). City beat them five times in six matches last season. They also have issues over the Wayne Rooney chase. The core of Chelsea's team is aging (Terry, Lampard, and Cole).

I am not convinced that Mourino will offer much of an advance for Chelsea. The old adage of never go back applies here. I remember Big Mal's return to City! How long before Mourino ends up in dispute with the egos in the Chelsea team or with Abramovich? Why did he depart the first time?

Liverpool and Arsenal are getting themselves into a tizzy over Suarez which must be distracting for both as will be the Bale situation for Spurs.

City seem far better placed than all their rivals in terms of preparation for the coming season. City to win with Chelsea second and United third. Arsenal to battle out with Spurs and possibly Liverpool for the last CL place.

 

[NoahCity]

Last season City were too late into the transfer market and failed to land any of their prime targets with most dealings being on deadline day. This year all has gone well and with the possible exception of a new defender (assuming Lescott goes) everything has been sorted a month before the deadline. Tevez and Ballotelli were both great players but were often distractions and the likes of Navas, Negredo, and Jovetic should be more 'team players'.

By comparison United have been knocked back by Thiago Alcantara and seem likely to lose out on Cesc Fabregas. They will not be allowed to sign Gareth Bale. Spurs will sell him to Real Madrid if he is going anywhere. They also have the distraction of the Rooney affair. The loss of Ferguson will be a crushing blow for United.

Chelsea have not strengthened greatly (apart from at Manager). City beat them five times in six matches last season. They also have issues over the Wayne Rooney chase. The core of Chelsea's team is aging (Terry, Lampard, and Cole).

I am not convinced that Mourino will offer much of an advance for Chelsea. The old adage of never go back applies here. I remember Big Mal's return to City! How long before Mourino ends up in dispute with the egos in the Chelsea team or with Abramovich? Why did he depart the first time?

Liverpool and Arsenal are getting themselves into a tizzy over Suarez which must be distracting for both as will be the Bale situation for Spurs.

City seem far better placed than all their rivals in terms of preparation for the coming season. City to win with Chelsea second and United third. Arsenal to battle out with Spurs and possibly Liverpool for the last CL place.

We will bring in a new defender and Lescott will stay, need 4 CBs.

 

[Mr. Aguia]

I find it pretty laughable that many feel United will go to shit because they went from Fergie to Moyes.

The same very strong squad, probably stronger after the summer, that won the prem by some distance as well. Let's leave the rag hate at the door and be objective, Fergie can't put the ball in the net and I think this season will show just how overrated he was.

I like our additions quite a bit actually and feel like the team can definitely win the prem. Was just looking to spark some debate. no need to get the shorts in a knot.

Nobody said they would go to shit. Finishing 3rd is hardly shit. There is a big difference between Moyes and Fergie though, you have to accept that. He has very limited experience in europe, no success to speak of. His teams handled the underdog position much better than favorites. They'll rarely be underdogs so we'll see how he handles being the favorite, handling the big ego players etc... all new experiences for him.

You can put a lot into them winning the league by a large margin but again I don't think their squad is all that good and it's key players are getting older, and injury prone. Their defence was shit last year and while they won a lot of games they didn't play well in many of them and were forunate to win several of them.

 

[Dogsbollox1962]

not one to say much
but , this season is the most anticipated by me ,in 45 years
we've come along way
the rise of manchester city fc is now

 

[TFC]

I find it pretty laughable that many feel United will go to shit because they went from Fergie to Moyes.

The same very strong squad, probably stronger after the summer, that won the prem by some distance as well. Let's leave the rag hate at the door and be objective, Fergie can't put the ball in the net and I think this season will show just how overrated he was.

I like our additions quite a bit actually and feel like the team can definitely win the prem. Was just looking to spark some debate. no need to get the shorts in a knot.

I find it laughable that you would refer to the pisscan as overrated. Utter **** he is, but overrated he certainly is not.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I'm not going to discredit the man's legacy, everyone is so sensitive around here. And yes, many have stated in this thread that United will falter entirely because Fergie has left and Moyes is in charge now. For no other reason.

Watch United hardly miss a beat next season, that's more what I was referring too.

 

[bernabias home shirt]

The Mourinho factor is a damn myth. Keep spouting bollocks.

2 CL wins
5 CL semi finals
20 trophies including 7 league titles

In 10 years.

What sort of myth is that, FFS ???

He went 9 years without losing a home game, but he's only average right?

He's still a horrible c unt though
Will be a good duel between him and pellegrini though this coming season
With the engineer coming out on top :)

 

[SWP's back]

I'm not going to discredit the man's legacy, everyone is so sensitive around here. And yes, many have stated in this thread that United will falter entirely because Fergie has left and Moyes is in charge now. For no other reason.

Watch United hardly miss a beat next season, that's more what I was referring too.

Of course they will miss a beat, they have sacked the entire coaching staff and brought in people with little or no experience of coaching along with the old Everton coaches.

Not to mention the fact that Utd came back and won something like ten matches from losing positions last season, can you really see Moyes instilling that same desire?

 

[TonyM]

Almost every season I am really surprised by how wrong my expectations are for teams. I hope not this year though as I'm hoping United falter.

I think Chelsea will be formidable. Their old guard will not hold them back because those battles are fought already.

We will hopefully be stronger than last year but we are in transition and might take a while to click. If we do then I feel that panic will not strike too much. That said we have a very solid preseason under our belt...reminds me of the US trip before we started our title winning campaign.

I can't wait!!! :-)

 

[Chippy_boy]

I find it pretty laughable that many feel United will go to shit because they went from Fergie to Moyes.

The same very strong squad, probably stronger after the summer, that won the prem by some distance as well. Let's leave the rag hate at the door and be objective, Fergie can't put the ball in the net and I think this season will show just how overrated he was.

I like our additions quite a bit actually and feel like the team can definitely win the prem. Was just looking to spark some debate. no need to get the shorts in a knot.

I enjoy the debate.

But in my humble opinion you are wholly wrong in your assessment above. I think Ferguson made an enormous difference at the swamp, which when taken away will show just how poor they are. RVP carried them from August to January last year and in that regard they got real lucky; normally he gets injured.

Without Scholes and with Giggs a year older, and with no Ferguson and maybe with an RVP injury (or maybe not), and likely no Rooney as well, I think you will be shocked how much worse they are.

My only concern - and it is a very real concern - is that they have spent nothing so far but if they splurge it all on a Bale or even worse, Ronaldo, that could make them competitive. I don't think Ronaldo or anyone that special would come to work for Moyes, so I don't expect this. But if it did happen, that would change things.