The Title Race - 2024/25

[calumdown]

The latter.

the former for me.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

the former for me.

This place is like the concourse at St Pancras.

 

[Father Paul]

All the teams have improved and going under the radar apart from one, let’s not panic Pep has got this and even he will have off days. FFS we do have some fanny fans on here are we in 14 position oops that’s the team from Trafford

I think Pep will really have to work extra magic this year. The last couple of seasons it looked like the early issues were a jigsaw in need of putting together. This season I fear there may be a piece or two missing which will really put it up to the great man.

 

[M23 Citizen]

Without Rodri and de Bruyne we are only as good as the rest of the pack.

It wasn’t long ago that we had the strength in depth that we wouldn’t have even noticed that two of our best players were missing if they were out injured.

Having prime de Bruyne, Agüero, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Gündoğan, Fernandinho, Mahrez and then others like Sané, Sterling, Jesus and a young Foden shits all over what we’ve got now.

We’ve now got a prime Rodri, Haaland and Foden (fantastic trio befitting of that list above), then an older and past their primes (never said ‘past it’ before anyone starts!) de Bruyne, Bernardo and Gündoğan, then Kovacic, Nunes, a young McAtee, an unknown in this league and young Savinho, an inconsistent Doku and a young Bobb.

If any two of those best players from the first list were out injured, the gap in quality wasn’t that big that you’d notice them not being there. Take any two of our better players out now and the contrast is stark. It’s like we’ve drifted downwards in average squad quality through a number of transfer windows of buying poorly or not buying where needed.

We do not have enough players who are in their prime. They’re mostly either older or younger than prime years.

Yaya Touré, Barry, de Jong, David Silva, Nasri, Tevez, Agüero, Džeko is a higher quality and longer list of players in their prime than we have now. Imagine what Pep would do with these players.

Also, the current squad has slowly drifted away from Pep style players. That quick short passing game has looked so far away from this collection of players this season. We had absolutely no idea at all how to break Arsenal down, could you imagine de Bruyne and DSilva leaving two centre halves on the ball for most of the second half trying to break down a team with ten men sat in their own box? No fucking chance! Our midfielders did almost nothing against Arsenal in that second half. Some of our passing this season, even under no pressure, has been woeful. Yesterday, Foden must have run to find space where he was wide open to be passed to once every two minutes, and he hardly ever received that pass. Could you imagine Fernandinho not making that pass? No fucking chance!

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we don’t win the league this season.

 

[alexmcity]

Without Rodri and de Bruyne we are only as good as the rest of the pack.

It wasn’t long ago that we had the strength in depth that we wouldn’t have even noticed that two of our best players were missing if they were out injured.

Having prime de Bruyne, Agüero, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Gündoğan, Fernandinho, Mahrez and then others like Sané, Sterling, Jesus and a young Foden shits all over what we’ve got now.

We’ve now got a prime Rodri, Haaland and Foden (fantastic trio befitting of that list above), then an older and past their primes (never said ‘past it’ before anyone starts!) de Bruyne, Bernardo and Gündoğan, then Kovacic, Nunes, a young McAtee, an unknown in this league and young Savinho, an inconsistent Doku and a young Bobb.

If any two of those best players from the first list were out injured, the gap in quality wasn’t that big that you’d notice them not being there. Take any two of our better players out now and the contrast is stark. It’s like we’ve drifted downwards in average squad quality through a number of transfer windows of buying poorly or not buying where needed.

We do not have enough players who are in their prime. They’re mostly either older or younger than prime years.

Yaya Touré, Barry, de Jong, David Silva, Nasri, Tevez, Agüero, Džeko is a higher quality and longer list of players in their prime than we have now. Imagine what Pep would do with these players.

Also, the current squad has slowly drifted away from Pep style players. That quick short passing game has looked so far away from this collection of players this season. We had absolutely no idea at all how to break Arsenal down, could you imagine de Bruyne and DSilva leaving two centre halves on the ball for most of the second half trying to break down a team with ten men sat in their own box? No fucking chance! Our midfielders did almost nothing against Arsenal in that second half. Some of our passing this season, even under no pressure, has been woeful. Yesterday, Foden must have run to find space where he was wide open to be passed to once every two minutes, and he hardly ever received that pass. Could you imagine Fernandinho not making that pass? No fucking chance!

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we don’t win the league this season.

We won a 4th title in a row with KDB and Haaland out for months. Actually, last season we were in for another Treble as late as late April. Penalties stopped us.

In 19/20 we lost Laporte and Sane for most of the season and things went south. Remember, the 17-19 squad had only one consistently good CB in Laporte (Kompany was often injured, Stones was often injured/inconsistent) and didn't have a genuine LB.

Even the greatest teams struggle to win 5 league titles in a row. Sacchi's Milan never won 2 Serie A titles in a row, never mind 4 or 5. Yet they are considered amongst the very best.

To evaluate the strength of squads in a vacuum as you do is not the best approach.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Without Rodri and de Bruyne we are only as good as the rest of the pack.

It wasn’t long ago that we had the strength in depth that we wouldn’t have even noticed that two of our best players were missing if they were out injured.

Having prime de Bruyne, Agüero, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Gündoğan, Fernandinho, Mahrez and then others like Sané, Sterling, Jesus and a young Foden shits all over what we’ve got now.

We’ve now got a prime Rodri, Haaland and Foden (fantastic trio befitting of that list above), then an older and past their primes (never said ‘past it’ before anyone starts!) de Bruyne, Bernardo and Gündoğan, then Kovacic, Nunes, a young McAtee, an unknown in this league and young Savinho, an inconsistent Doku and a young Bobb.

If any two of those best players from the first list were out injured, the gap in quality wasn’t that big that you’d notice them not being there. Take any two of our better players out now and the contrast is stark. It’s like we’ve drifted downwards in average squad quality through a number of transfer windows of buying poorly or not buying where needed.

We do not have enough players who are in their prime. They’re mostly either older or younger than prime years.

Yaya Touré, Barry, de Jong, David Silva, Nasri, Tevez, Agüero, Džeko is a higher quality and longer list of players in their prime than we have now. Imagine what Pep would do with these players.

Also, the current squad has slowly drifted away from Pep style players. That quick short passing game has looked so far away from this collection of players this season. We had absolutely no idea at all how to break Arsenal down, could you imagine de Bruyne and DSilva leaving two centre halves on the ball for most of the second half trying to break down a team with ten men sat in their own box? No fucking chance! Our midfielders did almost nothing against Arsenal in that second half. Some of our passing this season, even under no pressure, has been woeful. Yesterday, Foden must have run to find space where he was wide open to be passed to once every two minutes, and he hardly ever received that pass. Could you imagine Fernandinho not making that pass? No fucking chance!

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we don’t win the league this season.

Some of this has to be down to poor recruitment. Honestly if we’d gone the extra few million for Rice when we made that weird one off £90m bid, we’d all be sat here now saying we’ll win the title easily. He’d have stepped in to do Rodri’s job now and when Rodri was available would have been far more effective than Nunes, an aging Gundo or even Kovacic. Plus Arses would be weaker.

Even Guimaraes would have been a good signing. If we baulk at top fees it makes Pep’s job harder. We’re still good because of his genius but why make it harder for him. We can’t possibly be skint, yet we’re not even top 5 for spending; even the likes of West Ham have outspent us. Not that I want their level of signings, but if we’d dropped £100m+ on one of Rice or Guimaraes instead of worrying about what the dickheads in the rag cartel would say we’d be pissing the league this season.

 

[mancboy]

Some of this has to be down to poor recruitment. Honestly if we’d gone the extra few million for Rice when we made that weird one off £90m bid, we’d all be sat here now saying we’ll win the title easily. He’d have stepped in to do Rodri’s job now and when Rodri was available would have been far more effective than Nunes, an aging Gundo or even Kovacic. Plus Arses would be weaker.

Even Guimaraes would have been a good signing. If we baulk at top fees it makes Pep’s job harder. We’re still good because of his genius but why make it harder for him. We can’t possibly be skint, yet we’re not even top 5 for spending; even the likes of West Ham have outspent us. Not that I want their level of signings, but if we’d dropped £100m+ on one of Rice or Guimaraes instead of worrying about what the dickheads in the rag cartel would say we’d be pissing the league this season.

Rice isnt a patch on rodri, never has been and never will be, same as guimaraes, guimaraes i wouldnt even give 55 never mind 100.

 

[chris63]

Arsenal to win it
Liverpool 2nd
City, Spurs, Chelsea and Villa fighting for the last 2 spots.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Rice isnt a patch on rodri, never has been and never will be, same as guimaraes, guimaraes i wouldnt even give 55 never mind 100.

They don’t have to be, just better than Nunes, McAtee, 34 year old Gundo and Kova.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Rice isnt a patch on rodri, never has been and never will be, same as guimaraes, guimaraes i wouldnt even give 55 never mind 100.

Plus I thought it was widely reported at the time that Rice wanted to stay in London.

Last season in the early part people were saying we were nuts to let Palmer, Mahrez and Gundo go. We managed ok, I think. There is no-one like Rodri in the world, and we just need to move on from that for this season, and see what we can do with what we've got.
We've got the best solutions-man in the world at the helm. That should help.