My point was we could have gone that route, but we didn't.
I agree that our current crop don't often show the same passion as past players, but the game has moved on. I genuinely feel for the players that just missed out on the PL money (White, Lake Brightwell, Hinchcliffe, etc.). They did it the hard way; played fair; played well and earned their right to represent our club.
Pretty much spot on for me.I like the sentiments mate and I did that second and third division shit but this team is a bunch or mard arses who cost between the squad about £500 million.
You can't fool the fans mate when they aren't busting a gut for the club, Morrison and Horlock had twice the bollocks of KDB and a few others in the squad and earnt a pittance by today's standards .
It's not fucking good enough full stop.
Is it me or does anyone else think caballero should have done better for their second goal, he seemed slow to react.
I've heard that the talk of Pep extending his stay is based on him realising that it will take him several years to offload many of our highly paid average players and get his own players in. I cannot understand why some pundits say we should walk the league with our squad. We have a small number of truly outstanding players and others who would struggle to get in the Everton team. When any team attacks us, whether it's Burnley, Arsenal, Everton or whoever, it always feels like there's a strong possibility that we'll concede. Even when we're battering the opposition, they can smell a goal if they can get to our box. My guess is that Pep knows he now needs physically bigger, stronger and quicker defenders with the class and composure on the ball he craves. At Barca he didn't need a Madrid style imposing back four, as he had players who would rapidly filter back and cover attacking defenders. Unlike Spain, the Prem requires a physically imposing type of defender to succeed. Arsenal aren't exactly a physical team, but they looked more robust than us in so many areas - albeit that we should have won....... and I'm not just talking about the Monreal basketball.It's fucking pathetic mate, we've been playing some of these sub standard players for the past THREE seasons and still they are pulling a shirt on every week, Pep has inherited a bang average squad in very important areas of the game.
Do you see Madrid, Bayern, Barca or even united running down player contracts en masse so they can get rid without it costing a penny? Aswell as the obvious ones out of contract in the summer we still have the likes of Nasri, Bony, Mangala, Delph, Otimendi stinking the place out contracted for the next 2/3 seasons .
Edit. You can add Bravo and Nolito to that list aswell.
It's a fucking joke it really is, Pep might just say three seasons is enough with the shit position he's inherited and who could blame him.
You always get maximum effort with Navas. His touch in midfield or around his own area is very underrated. But he does hesitate on arrival at the opposing box and the opposition have time to organise. However, Zaba (best right back in the Prem of his generation) takes up positions that make life difficult for wingers to get past him. Although injuries have caught up with him, he is probably still the best one-on-one full back in the tackle - especially against the better wingers. Not Navas' fault that he's not a natural fit at right back.Don't be daft. Anyone can argue that a strong defence is required but we just dont have the players. Kompany's injuries have brought his career to an end at City not Guardiola. Time has caught up on Zabaleta and that isn't Guardiola's fault either. I'm sure if he had those two players four years ago and injury free available to him then he'd happily play them. He's had leaders in all of the teams he's managed and there no evidence that he has a problem with strong characters. He might have moved the odd bad apple on in the past but the truth zaba and kompany can't be relied upon anymore. Whatever you think of navas, it's not that much of a stretch to understand why he wanted someone with a bit of pace back there.
Sergio's all-round game is better than ever - 8 in 8 and 26 for the season. Nuff said.That's very harsh. Personally thought kun worked really hard, scored a good goal and his goal return since coming back in the team is fantastic. The issue was NOT kun, it was our abysmal defence and midfield which wasn't much better.
Silva has 30/31 goals for Spain from midfield and 50 in all comps for us. For Spain he has players like Iniesta and others to create chances, but for us he is the creator supreme. In Spain he is part of the Iniesta, Casillas, Xavi discussion - a step up on the Fabregas, Mata level of player.I don't think Pep is the Messiah he was made out to be but he can not be blamed for the lack of basics the players display when crossing the white line.
Look at Yaya for example, he trotted on never broke a sweat and spent the first ten minutes passing to Arsenal. De Bruyne has been dreadful this season and, apart from the odd world class pass, he goes walk about for large portions of the game. Stirling has forgotten how to take his man on and always bottles a 50/50. Silva was innocuous yesterday and his shooting is abysmal - why doesn't he work on it in training?
You need 10 outfield players who put 100% effort in, something we do not have.
The neutral supporters must love our team though as you always get goalmouth action at both ends and 0-0 draws are few and far between.
The man on the back post should have got it, but there wasn't one. Nor anyone on the front post. Asking for trouble.Is it me or does anyone else think caballero should have done better for their second goal, he seemed slow to react.
Silva is a physically combative player - underrated part of his game.yesterday we did not lack physical intensity, but focus. We got in some great attacking situations but the passing was way off. That's why Yaya came on but there are weaknesses in his game.