Discuss Pellegrini...(cont)

[mancity1]

Dead right. Next season will be easier. The manager is on his second year, the players bedded in further, our squad will be stronger again. We have more experience in Europe and we almost certainly won't be as bedevilled with bad injury luck.

if all those things come to fruition and most importantly we get a decent pre season from injury free players coming back from Brazil and our squad is improved its hard to disagree with you DD.

I fundamentally disagree. Chelsea like us had a new manager getting used to his team, but unlike us they were ludicrously short of a top quality striker, and yet they still ran us very close. They might even finish above us yet, or who knows perhaps even win it. I cannot see anything other than them being even more formiddable opponents next season.

Perhaps bizarrely, I don't think Liverpool will be as much of a threat. Not because they won't strengthen - I am sure they will - but because their ridiculous run of good luck cannot continue forever and they will have their hands full with CL distractions. Top 4 for them at best.

Arsenal will be just, well, Arsenal. There or thereabouts but not really a threat. And United will be similar - there or thereabouts but not really a threat.

It's Chelsea we have to worry about though. Unless we are MUCH better next season (which by the way, I expect we will be), Chelsea will run away with it imho.

I don't think Chelsea will necessarily run away with Chippy , even by your own thought process you think we will or at least expect us to be much " better" next year in which case you think we are decent bet to win the title next year.

its a bit foolhardy to think any side will run away with a title in any given year before the year has even started.

Too many things have to play out.

I don't want to sound smug but I thought at the start of the season Liverpool were a big chance to lift the title this year and I said so to many people.

its a good thing for the competition that at least 5 sides can win the title each and every year and long may that continue.

Manure will be back sooner rather than later for sure and lets be having them to quote someone from Norwich way.

We have to be thankful that at least for the forseeable future we are one of those sides.

Chelsea have a captain and a midfielder that are coming to the end of their careers and by any measure they have been successful careers at that.

They have to be replaced sooner rather than later,

They have other deficiencies that need addressing as well .

If they lose Hazard to a bigger club he will need replacing.

Even if they get two world class strikers over the summer which they are likely to do there is no guarantee that the results against the likes of Villa , Sunderland , Palace , Newcastle and the list goes on will not happen next year.

 

[Chippy_boy]

if all those things come to fruition and most importantly we get a decent pre season from injury free players coming back from Brazil and our squad is improved its hard to disagree with you DD.

I fundamentally disagree. Chelsea like us had a new manager getting used to his team, but unlike us they were ludicrously short of a top quality striker, and yet they still ran us very close. They might even finish above us yet, or who knows perhaps even win it. I cannot see anything other than them being even more formiddable opponents next season.

Perhaps bizarrely, I don't think Liverpool will be as much of a threat. Not because they won't strengthen - I am sure they will - but because their ridiculous run of good luck cannot continue forever and they will have their hands full with CL distractions. Top 4 for them at best.

Arsenal will be just, well, Arsenal. There or thereabouts but not really a threat. And United will be similar - there or thereabouts but not really a threat.

It's Chelsea we have to worry about though. Unless we are MUCH better next season (which by the way, I expect we will be), Chelsea will run away with it imho.

I don't think Chelsea will necessarily run away with Chippy

I am not expecting them to run away with me ;-)

, even by your own thought process you think we will or at least expect us to be much " better" next year in which case you think we are decent bet to win the title next year.

its a bit foolhardy to think any side will run away with a title in any given year before the year has even started.

And to be honest I didn't say they would run away with It, either. I said unless we get our shit together, they could.

 

[mancity1]

I fundamentally disagree. Chelsea like us had a new manager getting used to his team, but unlike us they were ludicrously short of a top quality striker, and yet they still ran us very close. They might even finish above us yet, or who knows perhaps even win it. I cannot see anything other than them being even more formiddable opponents next season.

Perhaps bizarrely, I don't think Liverpool will be as much of a threat. Not because they won't strengthen - I am sure they will - but because their ridiculous run of good luck cannot continue forever and they will have their hands full with CL distractions. Top 4 for them at best.

Arsenal will be just, well, Arsenal. There or thereabouts but not really a threat. And United will be similar - there or thereabouts but not really a threat.

It's Chelsea we have to worry about though. Unless we are MUCH better next season (which by the way, I expect we will be), Chelsea will run away with it imho.

I don't think Chelsea will necessarily run away with Chippy

I am not expecting them to run away with me ;-)

, even by your own thought process you think we will or at least expect us to be much " better" next year in which case you think we are decent bet to win the title next year.

its a bit foolhardy to think any side will run away with a title in any given year before the year has even started.

And to be honest I didn't say they would run away with It, either. I said unless we get our shit together, they could.

That little word " it " is often left alone Chippy (LOL) my apologies.

You actually state unless we are much better next season Chelsea WILL run away with it Chippy.

Which part of WILL run away with it am I misreading ?

 

[paulchapo]

Dead right. Next season will be easier. The manager is on his second year, the players bedded in further, our squad will be stronger again. We have more experience in Europe and we almost certainly won't be as bedevilled with bad injury luck.

if all those things come to fruition and most importantly we get a decent pre season from injury free players coming back from Brazil and our squad is improved its hard to disagree with you DD.

I'm incredibly optimistic that the jigsaw is virtually complete. It's blindingly obvious we need a centre half and also that we haven't got adequate cover for fernandinho and silva. And in January we attempted to solve those problems so the board are obviously aware. In summer we will put that right. And I think that, with a bit more turnover/tweaking, will put us at the level of the best in Europe. As long as we can keep hold of silva and aguero of course.

I am totally convinced that club is finally dead right from the top down. Khaldoon, soriano, txiki and Pellegrini. These are fucking good operators, shrewd, bright and driven. Even if we don't lift the title this year, and i haven't given up hope at all, I've seen enough to know that big trophies are coming, and plenty of them. Major upheaval is not needed. The ingredients are there.

I seem to remember everyone being optimistic that it was ''All in place now'' before this season and that with our team strengthening and new holistic manager we would sweep all before us,[well nearly all.]

The fact we have won a trophy and if we don't win the league ran whoever does win it closer than last year is an improvement granted,but with 100 million pounds worth of new talent added to an already strong squad it is the least i would have expected.Injuries to the likes of Aguero in particular have cost us definately.Other players may have stepped up and scored here and there in his absence but when fit he is world class and takes us to a different dimension.

The deadwood in the squad now need to go,mainly Rodwell and Richards.We need TWO centre halves,not one,a high quality left back and a reliable back up for Zab,plus two midfield players.If we can nab a top quality mainly injury free forward then one of three will have to be sacrificed to make way for him out of Negrado,Dzeko or Jovetic.This may sound controversial but IF a world class keeper can be bought i would do that too.Hart is at times a decent shot stopper but still gets beaten too easily on floor shots and has lost that 'unbeatable aura' that all top keepers have.Such keepers win you 10 points a season by pulling of incredible saves that win you games you would have drawn and save you a point in games you would have lost.

This may sound ruthless but if we want to be the worlds best it is the only way.

 

[mancity1]

if all those things come to fruition and most importantly we get a decent pre season from injury free players coming back from Brazil and our squad is improved its hard to disagree with you DD.

I'm incredibly optimistic that the jigsaw is virtually complete. It's blindingly obvious we need a centre half and also that we haven't got adequate cover for fernandinho and silva. And in January we attempted to solve those problems so the board are obviously aware. In summer we will put that right. And I think that, with a bit more turnover/tweaking, will put us at the level of the best in Europe. As long as we can keep hold of silva and aguero of course.

I am totally convinced that club is finally dead right from the top down. Khaldoon, soriano, txiki and Pellegrini. These are fucking good operators, shrewd, bright and driven. Even if we don't lift the title this year, and i haven't given up hope at all, I've seen enough to know that big trophies are coming, and plenty of them. Major upheaval is not needed. The ingredients are there.

I seem to remember everyone being optimistic that it was ''All in place now'' before this season and that with our team strengthening and new holistic manager we would sweep all before us,[well nearly all.]

The fact we have won a trophy and if we don't win the league ran whoever does win it closer than last year is an improvement granted,but with 100 million pounds worth of new talent added to an already strong squad it is the least i would have expected.Injuries to the likes of Aguero in particular have cost us definately.Other players may have stepped up and scored here and there in his absence but when fit he is world class and takes us to a different dimension.

The deadwood in the squad now need to go,mainly Rodwell and Richards.We need TWO centre halves,not one,a high quality left back and a reliable back up for Zab,plus two midfield players.If we can nab a top quality mainly injury free forward then one of three will have to be sacrificed to make way for him out of Negrado,Dzeko or Jovetic.This may sound controversial but IF a world class keeper can be bought i would do that too.Hart is at times a decent shot stopper but still gets beaten too easily on floor shots and has lost that 'unbeatable aura' that all top keepers have.Such keepers win you 10 points a season by pulling of incredible saves that win you games you would have drawn and save you a point in games you would have lost.

This may sound ruthless but if we want to be the worlds best it is the only way.

I think I make that 8 players currently not with us that you want in our starting eleven next year.

its not ruthless its just not plausible given current contracts on existing players that don't want to leave , team balance , FFPR , home grown quotos , asking prices we will place on players that do want to leave that will not be met , wage demands that will not be met by buying clubs just to name a few reasons.

At best we will bring in three players possibly four but more likely three that if fit and in form will be first choice that are not with us now.

Barry will leave , Lescott will leave , Richards most likely will leave and possibly Rodwell as well but given his contract and age he will be likely be loaned out.

Maybe one of our strikers will leave but I suspect not we shall see.

 

[paulchapo]

I'm incredibly optimistic that the jigsaw is virtually complete. It's blindingly obvious we need a centre half and also that we haven't got adequate cover for fernandinho and silva. And in January we attempted to solve those problems so the board are obviously aware. In summer we will put that right. And I think that, with a bit more turnover/tweaking, will put us at the level of the best in Europe. As long as we can keep hold of silva and aguero of course.

I am totally convinced that club is finally dead right from the top down. Khaldoon, soriano, txiki and Pellegrini. These are fucking good operators, shrewd, bright and driven. Even if we don't lift the title this year, and i haven't given up hope at all, I've seen enough to know that big trophies are coming, and plenty of them. Major upheaval is not needed. The ingredients are there.

I seem to remember everyone being optimistic that it was ''All in place now'' before this season and that with our team strengthening and new holistic manager we would sweep all before us,[well nearly all.]

The fact we have won a trophy and if we don't win the league ran whoever does win it closer than last year is an improvement granted,but with 100 million pounds worth of new talent added to an already strong squad it is the least i would have expected.Injuries to the likes of Aguero in particular have cost us definately.Other players may have stepped up and scored here and there in his absence but when fit he is world class and takes us to a different dimension.

The deadwood in the squad now need to go,mainly Rodwell and Richards.We need TWO centre halves,not one,a high quality left back and a reliable back up for Zab,plus two midfield players.If we can nab a top quality mainly injury free forward then one of three will have to be sacrificed to make way for him out of Negrado,Dzeko or Jovetic.This may sound controversial but IF a world class keeper can be bought i would do that too.Hart is at times a decent shot stopper but still gets beaten too easily on floor shots and has lost that 'unbeatable aura' that all top keepers have.Such keepers win you 10 points a season by pulling of incredible saves that win you games you would have drawn and save you a point in games you would have lost.

This may sound ruthless but if we want to be the worlds best it is the only way.

I think I make that 8 players currently not with us that you want in our starting eleven next year.

its not ruthless its just not plausible given current contracts on existing players that don't want to leave , team balance , FFPR , home grown quotos , asking prices we will place on players that do want to leave that will not be met , wage demands that will not be met by buying clubs just to name a few reasons.

At best we will bring in three players possibly four but more likely three that if fit and in form will be first choice that are not with us now.

Barry will leave , Lescott will leave , Richards most likely will leave and possibly Rodwell as well but given his contract and age he will be likely be loaned out.

Maybe one of our strikers will leave but I suspect not we shall see.

Sure it is an optimistic view if we were in an ideal world, i know it isn't going to happen.

 

[mancity1]

I seem to remember everyone being optimistic that it was ''All in place now'' before this season and that with our team strengthening and new holistic manager we would sweep all before us,[well nearly all.]

The fact we have won a trophy and if we don't win the league ran whoever does win it closer than last year is an improvement granted,but with 100 million pounds worth of new talent added to an already strong squad it is the least i would have expected.Injuries to the likes of Aguero in particular have cost us definately.Other players may have stepped up and scored here and there in his absence but when fit he is world class and takes us to a different dimension.

The deadwood in the squad now need to go,mainly Rodwell and Richards.We need TWO centre halves,not one,a high quality left back and a reliable back up for Zab,plus two midfield players.If we can nab a top quality mainly injury free forward then one of three will have to be sacrificed to make way for him out of Negrado,Dzeko or Jovetic.This may sound controversial but IF a world class keeper can be bought i would do that too.Hart is at times a decent shot stopper but still gets beaten too easily on floor shots and has lost that 'unbeatable aura' that all top keepers have.Such keepers win you 10 points a season by pulling of incredible saves that win you games you would have drawn and save you a point in games you would have lost.

This may sound ruthless but if we want to be the worlds best it is the only way.

I think I make that 8 players currently not with us that you want in our starting eleven next year.

its not ruthless its just not plausible given current contracts on existing players that don't want to leave , team balance , FFPR , home grown quotos , asking prices we will place on players that do want to leave that will not be met , wage demands that will not be met by buying clubs just to name a few reasons.

At best we will bring in three players possibly four but more likely three that if fit and in form will be first choice that are not with us now.

Barry will leave , Lescott will leave , Richards most likely will leave and possibly Rodwell as well but given his contract and age he will be likely be loaned out.

Maybe one of our strikers will leave but I suspect not we shall see.

Sure it is an optimistic view if we were in an ideal world, i know it isn't going to happen.

Too many changes will lessen our chances of success next season for starters.

I think the club knows which ones have no future with us and I think we do too and all of them will be off our books come next season.

Might be one or two surprises but I don't expect any shocks with all the regulars still under contract playing a role of sorts next year.

Of the players we bought in only Ferni and Martin are regular starters or at least have been this year for a number of reasons.

 

[cibaman]

We need a top quality left back almost as much as another centre back. The way we play leaves the left back very exposed and although Clichy and Kolarov are decent players they're not good enough defenders to cope without the protection they used to get when Barry was patrolling the left side.

Its noticeable that all three of the top clubs have had a defensive weakness at left back. Chelsea and Liverpool plugged that gap by converting right backs into left backs. That has cost them some attacking threat but the switches have worked for them really well defensively. Apart from the failed experiment of playing Kolarov in front of Clichy against Barca we haven't really dealt with the problem.

 

[Gundogan's Moustache]

Does anyone else think Frank De Boer would be perfect for us after Pellegrini

 

[johnson28392]

Does anyone else think Frank De Boer would be perfect for us after Pellegrini

The other day I watched Ajax lose 5-1 to an average team.