Media discussion - 2024/25

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The above post is spot on.
We keep the ball (or we did/do at our very best), we wear the opponent down and then go for the jugular.
It might be 10 minutes before HT or 10 minutes from the end, but our short passing game reduced the risks and tired the opponent.

TV hates that, because it takes out the jeopardy.
But is it celebrated? No! It's grudgingly praised but not celebrated.

The media loved the crash, bang, wallop of Klopp.
They loved the emotional rollercoaster of Arteta.

Why? Cos it gave them column inches and airtime and fed the narrative that City are boring and are "being coached within an inch of their lives!"
Yet put the tennis on (5-10 years ago) and they loved the way Federer elegantly broke his opponent down with artistic beauty.
 
This is not particularly profound but I've come to the conclusion the way City are viewed is actually indicative of a much wider social malaise.

In a world where there's a tendency to treat everything like one big reality TV show we are essentially the contestant who turns up has a good solid plan, plays smartly, wins many of the challenges, doesn't bad mouth the opposition, doesn't do anything outrageous whether win or lose. In other words is a model of professionalism and competence. Or to put it another way a reality TV producers nightmare.

There was a time when society used to value excellence and capability but in an always on 24x7 world that's not what is required any more. Are you not entertained? Increasingly neurotic, dramatic, unhinged behaviour is required for people's increasingly jaded palates. Or that's what they would have us believe and would direct us towards.

They feed off contestants who provide drama, they want the faded beauty queen who can't work the toaster and nearly burns down the house; they want the self-absorbed one who spends all their time in the hot tub crying as they desperately explain how sexy and special they are; they want the one who starts well but becomes fraught and goes on the wine too early and ends up chucking glasses everywhere. I leave you to work out which club is which, but the point is they don't want the sane one who tries to behave normally and focuses on how best to get the challenges done. Who wants to watch someone being excellent when you can watch someone stick a firework up their arse?

We were alright when we provided drama early doors, after all they still play the Aguero ident. But as we became ever more capable and took things to a new level the view was that being excellent wasn't entertaining or dramatic enough in comparison to dysfunction so if we had none they would do their best to create it for us. They hate us not simply because we are interlopers, but because we are excellent rather than entertainingly dysfunctional interlopers. The more I think about the failed attempts to pin things on us the more I think the motivation was at least in part about providing a reality TV narrative that we didn't provide them with, as much as it was about simply hobbling us. Either way it's been double bubble for them.

In previous times our achievements would have been sufficient on their own but sadly not in the world we live in today where twattery seems to attract retinas.

Our national sport has been turned into a circus. In some ways our club is as complicit as others in this but at least on the pitch under Pep we've mostly been the graceful acrobats performing with style and dignity. It's just a shame that what the circus masters really want is clown cars and tooting horns.
Style and dignity, exactly. If any of the other te@ts had achieved what we have with Pep, the arrogance of that club, its players and fans would be on a different stratosphere.
I hope we as a club and fanbase stay humble
 
The off field war has only just started..
IMG_6616.jpeg

Promotions for Leeds and Burnley, with Sheffield United favourites from the play-offs, means 12 of the 20 Premier League clubs next season could be US-owned.
This version of 'the Yanks are coming' is causing a little panic among traditionalists who assume that once a voting bloc of 14 (the threshold to change Premier League rules) is reached, all hell will break loose.

While I would prefer indigenous ownership models and can be guilty of viewing all overseas ownership through the prism of 'which disease would I want least', I don’t fear US ownership.

The Abu Dhabi Group at Manchester City may have a wider agenda, but still want to reach the point of economic viability. It’s why their club is now making profit and pushing the prices up on certain things, like ticketing.

Few highlights.

I do think England should fear an American majority. I would have the same fear if it was a Middle East or Russia business owners trying to take control of the league. It will only lead to yet more legal challenges.

We all know the legacy clubs, namely arse,dip and rag overall have the only voice but as we have seen with Brighton, smaller clubs can be manipulated to push certain agendas against a club they perceive a threat.

City are already standing alone, I expect more issues going forward unless the apt cases and 115 is deemed enough pushback for the yanks to fuck off.
 
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The above post is spot on.
We keep the ball (or we did/do at our very best), we wear the opponent down and then go for the jugular.
It might be 10 minutes before HT or 10 minutes from the end, but our short passing game reduced the risks and tired the opponent.

TV hates that, because it takes out the jeopardy.
But is it celebrated? No! It's grudgingly praised but not celebrated.

The media loved the crash, bang, wallop of Klopp.
They loved the emotional rollercoaster of Arteta.

Why? Cos it gave them column inches and airtime and fed the narrative that City are boring and are "being coached within an inch of their lives!"
Yet put the tennis on (5-10 years ago) and they loved the way Federer elegantly broke his opponent down with artistic beauty.
It is more simple than that. The rock and roll football is more exciting to watch. It is more open and likely to be more end to end. This makes a more exciting watch. Watching City have the ball for three quarters of the game isn't exciting for the neutral is it. It should be praised how we can keep the ball to them levels but in terms of football and excitement, it isn't for anybody other than City fans. If I was watching a team play our way I wouldn't enjoy it.
 
Funny Chris Sutton is fine with Celtic winning year-on-year and he never says anything negative about Chelsea Women's dominance.

Yet he doesn't want us to win the FA Cup and he was very vocal about not wanting us to win 4-in-a-row!

And if it wasn't for that pesky Barcelona Womens team Chelsea would have won the CL they deserve to complete 'historical quadruple'.
(For those not aware Barca fluked an 8-2 win over Chelsea Women!!!!)
He is an attention seeking buffoon.
Also changes his opinion, whenever the agenda suits.
I suppose he played for Celtic & Chelsea, but is definitely not a fan of City...
 
This is not particularly profound but I've come to the conclusion the way City are viewed is actually indicative of a much wider social malaise.

In a world where there's a tendency to treat everything like one big reality TV show we are essentially the contestant who turns up has a good solid plan, plays smartly, wins many of the challenges, doesn't bad mouth the opposition, doesn't do anything outrageous whether win or lose. In other words is a model of professionalism and competence. Or to put it another way a reality TV producers nightmare.

There was a time when society used to value excellence and capability but in an always on 24x7 world that's not what is required any more. Are you not entertained? Increasingly neurotic, dramatic, unhinged behaviour is required for people's increasingly jaded palates. Or that's what they would have us believe and would direct us towards.

They feed off contestants who provide drama, they want the faded beauty queen who can't work the toaster and nearly burns down the house; they want the self-absorbed one who spends all their time in the hot tub crying as they desperately explain how sexy and special they are; they want the one who starts well but becomes fraught and goes on the wine too early and ends up chucking glasses everywhere. I leave you to work out which club is which, but the point is they don't want the sane one who tries to behave normally and focuses on how best to get the challenges done. Who wants to watch someone being excellent when you can watch someone stick a firework up their arse?

We were alright when we provided drama early doors, after all they still play the Aguero ident. But as we became ever more capable and took things to a new level the view was that being excellent wasn't entertaining or dramatic enough in comparison to dysfunction so if we had none they would do their best to create it for us. They hate us not simply because we are interlopers, but because we are excellent rather than entertainingly dysfunctional interlopers. The more I think about the failed attempts to pin things on us the more I think the motivation was at least in part about providing a reality TV narrative that we didn't provide them with, as much as it was about simply hobbling us. Either way it's been double bubble for them.

In previous times our achievements would have been sufficient on their own but sadly not in the world we live in today where twattery seems to attract retinas.

Our national sport has been turned into a circus. In some ways our club is as complicit as others in this but at least on the pitch under Pep we've mostly been the graceful acrobats performing with style and dignity. It's just a shame that what the circus masters really want is clown cars and tooting horns.
"Where Twattery seems to attract retinas" brilliant :-)
 
This is not particularly profound but I've come to the conclusion the way City are viewed is actually indicative of a much wider social malaise.

In a world where there's a tendency to treat everything like one big reality TV show we are essentially the contestant who turns up has a good solid plan, plays smartly, wins many of the challenges, doesn't bad mouth the opposition, doesn't do anything outrageous whether win or lose. In other words is a model of professionalism and competence. Or to put it another way a reality TV producers nightmare.

There was a time when society used to value excellence and capability but in an always on 24x7 world that's not what is required any more. Are you not entertained? Increasingly neurotic, dramatic, unhinged behaviour is required for people's increasingly jaded palates. Or that's what they would have us believe and would direct us towards.

They feed off contestants who provide drama, they want the faded beauty queen who can't work the toaster and nearly burns down the house; they want the self-absorbed one who spends all their time in the hot tub crying as they desperately explain how sexy and special they are; they want the one who starts well but becomes fraught and goes on the wine too early and ends up chucking glasses everywhere. I leave you to work out which club is which, but the point is they don't want the sane one who tries to behave normally and focuses on how best to get the challenges done. Who wants to watch someone being excellent when you can watch someone stick a firework up their arse?

We were alright when we provided drama early doors, after all they still play the Aguero ident. But as we became ever more capable and took things to a new level the view was that being excellent wasn't entertaining or dramatic enough in comparison to dysfunction so if we had none they would do their best to create it for us. They hate us not simply because we are interlopers, but because we are excellent rather than entertainingly dysfunctional interlopers. The more I think about the failed attempts to pin things on us the more I think the motivation was at least in part about providing a reality TV narrative that we didn't provide them with, as much as it was about simply hobbling us. Either way it's been double bubble for them.

In previous times our achievements would have been sufficient on their own but sadly not in the world we live in today where twattery seems to attract retinas.

Our national sport has been turned into a circus. In some ways our club is as complicit as others in this but at least on the pitch under Pep we've mostly been the graceful acrobats performing with style and dignity. It's just a shame that what the circus masters really want is clown cars and tooting horns.
Your final paragraph just brought to mind a picture of Zinchenko at Arsenal in their 1st attempt to de-crown us.
He played the fool way to soon
 
The above post is spot on.
We keep the ball (or we did/do at our very best), we wear the opponent down and then go for the jugular.
It might be 10 minutes before HT or 10 minutes from the end, but our short passing game reduced the risks and tired the opponent.

TV hates that, because it takes out the jeopardy.
But is it celebrated? No! It's grudgingly praised but not celebrated.

The media loved the crash, bang, wallop of Klopp.
They loved the emotional rollercoaster of Arteta.

Why? Cos it gave them column inches and airtime and fed the narrative that City are boring and are "being coached within an inch of their lives!"
Yet put the tennis on (5-10 years ago) and they loved the way Federer elegantly broke his opponent down with artistic beauty.

It’s 10 defenders behind the ball that makes it boring. There’s a reason we went from Sane & Sterling on the wings as players sprinting 40m wasn’t needed when they sit deep.
 
It is more simple than that. The rock and roll football is more exciting to watch. It is more open and likely to be more end to end. This makes a more exciting watch. Watching City have the ball for three quarters of the game isn't exciting for the neutral is it. It should be praised how we can keep the ball to them levels but in terms of football and excitement, it isn't for anybody other than City fans. If I was watching a team play our way I wouldn't enjoy it.
Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I loved watching Pep’s Barcelona as a neutral. Now when I watch a game we’re not involved in and both teams are running around like headless chickens with possession changing every ten seconds I just wonder what the hell is going on and why aren’t they playing football?
 
This is not particularly profound but I've come to the conclusion the way City are viewed is actually indicative of a much wider social malaise.

In a world where there's a tendency to treat everything like one big reality TV show we are essentially the contestant who turns up has a good solid plan, plays smartly, wins many of the challenges, doesn't bad mouth the opposition, doesn't do anything outrageous whether win or lose. In other words is a model of professionalism and competence. Or to put it another way a reality TV producers nightmare.

There was a time when society used to value excellence and capability but in an always on 24x7 world that's not what is required any more. Are you not entertained? Increasingly neurotic, dramatic, unhinged behaviour is required for people's increasingly jaded palates. Or that's what they would have us believe and would direct us towards.

They feed off contestants who provide drama, they want the faded beauty queen who can't work the toaster and nearly burns down the house; they want the self-absorbed one who spends all their time in the hot tub crying as they desperately explain how sexy and special they are; they want the one who starts well but becomes fraught and goes on the wine too early and ends up chucking glasses everywhere. I leave you to work out which club is which, but the point is they don't want the sane one who tries to behave normally and focuses on how best to get the challenges done. Who wants to watch someone being excellent when you can watch someone stick a firework up their arse?

We were alright when we provided drama early doors, after all they still play the Aguero ident. But as we became ever more capable and took things to a new level the view was that being excellent wasn't entertaining or dramatic enough in comparison to dysfunction so if we had none they would do their best to create it for us. They hate us not simply because we are interlopers, but because we are excellent rather than entertainingly dysfunctional interlopers. The more I think about the failed attempts to pin things on us the more I think the motivation was at least in part about providing a reality TV narrative that we didn't provide them with, as much as it was about simply hobbling us. Either way it's been double bubble for them.

In previous times our achievements would have been sufficient on their own but sadly not in the world we live in today where twattery seems to attract retinas.

Our national sport has been turned into a circus. In some ways our club is as complicit as others in this but at least on the pitch under Pep we've mostly been the graceful acrobats performing with style and dignity. It's just a shame that what the circus masters really want is clown cars and tooting horns.
Can’t argue with anything you wrote here, spot on, another great insight to what we have to try and over come.
 
It’s 10 defenders behind the ball that makes it boring. There’s a reason we went from Sane & Sterling on the wings as players sprinting 40m wasn’t needed when they sit deep.
Give me Pep's pure football rather than the dipper, rag, up and under, kick and rush, route one shite. If I want to watch that crap I'll go and watch rugby. Some brain dead English audiences are turning into yanks.
 
The above post is spot on.
We keep the ball (or we did/do at our very best), we wear the opponent down and then go for the jugular.
It might be 10 minutes before HT or 10 minutes from the end, but our short passing game reduced the risks and tired the opponent.

TV hates that, because it takes out the jeopardy.
But is it celebrated? No! It's grudgingly praised but not celebrated.

The media loved the crash, bang, wallop of Klopp.
They loved the emotional rollercoaster of Arteta.

Why? Cos it gave them column inches and airtime and fed the narrative that City are boring and are "being coached within an inch of their lives!"
Yet put the tennis on (5-10 years ago) and they loved the way Federer elegantly broke his opponent down with artistic beauty.

Yes of course you are correct with one but.
If the roles were reversed Klopps, pass pass, move, would have been best, and City’s crash , bang wallop would have been rudimentary.
The new Liverpool way , slower , more controlled is even better than Klopp. There you have it.
 
Give me Pep's pure football rather than the dipper, rag, up and under, kick and rush, route one shite. If I want to watch that crap I'll go and watch rugby. Some brain dead English audiences are turning into yanks.
This. I was brought up on tony cotton launching it to big Niall at every opportunity, ok for a time but became depressing especially as most teams were doing the same. I love watching us move teams around, anyone who finds that boring should watch the 44 pass goal in the derby a couple of years ago
 
Give me Pep's pure football rather than the dipper, rag, up and under, kick and rush, route one shite. If I want to watch that crap I'll go and watch rugby. Some brain dead English audiences are turning into yanks.

Barcelona last night played Pep football they just fresher younger and have world class player in Yamal maybe he will be one of the best players to ever play for Barcelona!? Or Yamal was passing the ball back when out on the wing he was picking the right moment to attack the lad is young but his footballing intelligence is up there at such a young age..
 
Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I loved watching Pep’s Barcelona as a neutral. Now when I watch a game we’re not involved in and both teams are running around like headless chickens with possession changing every ten seconds I just wonder what the hell is going on and why aren’t they playing football?
Barca was levels up from our best, there possession based football was quick and with purpose. We do it very well, but probably the last two years especially without that zip to it. That game last night was a classic and it would be wrong to call them headless chickens. From a defensive point of view it was all over but a great spectacle and what a neutral would love to watch.

Best example of it would you rather watch us go up as we did with Keegan or say how Burnley have this year. Both have the same result in promotion but one with a much more exciting style of football (which left us vulnerable at the back) over a more organised approach.
 
Barca was levels up from our best, there possession based football was quick and with purpose. We do it very well, but probably the last two years especially without that zip to it. That game last night was a classic and it would be wrong to call them headless chickens. From a defensive point of view it was all over but a great spectacle and what a neutral would love to watch.

Best example of it would you rather watch us go up as we did with Keegan or say how Burnley have this year. Both have the same result in promotion but one with a much more exciting style of football (which left us vulnerable at the back) over a more organised approach.

Play quicker, you get transitioned quicker more times, and that’s why Inter had so many chances and could of scored more goals.
 
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