United (H) - Sun 15th Dec, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[Kippax77]

3 derbies reffed at the Etihad for Anthony raggy Taylor.
3 penalties for the scum.
Resulting in 1 win for City 2 for them.
Howard Webb is taking the piss

 

[John Wayne]

Is he the 'biggest magnet' though?

Although I personally wouldn't have wanted either at City, both Bellingham and Rice opted to go elsewhere, and I suspect that there are quite a few others who wouldn't fancy working within his obviously rigid / inflexible system.

The 'biggest magnet' is, was, and always will be money. When Pep leaves, the money will still be here, top players will still come, regardless of who is coach.

That's my biggest concern at the moment... I've said it for a while... Our situation since the FA Cup final (not just the last two months), reminds me of that at the swamp when Ferguson jumped ship... Ageing squad, poor signings, inadequate succession planning etc.

Despite winning the PL for the fourth successive season in 23/24, I honestly think that Pep should have left the club at the end of 22/23 after winning the Champions League.

I just can't agree that he should have left at the end of the Treble season. Had he chosen to leave then I would not have blamed him. But he had the chance to win four in a row and make history. Make no mistake, that is the greatest achievement of all - better than centurions, domestic treble and real treble. He completed the greatest achievement in English football history.

The reality is, if he'd have left the stage in 2023 then there's every chance that things could have fallen apart much earlier. Ferguson left Moyes with an impossible job really. That squad was busted. Ferguson held a gun to their heads and got them over the line for one last time but at a tremendous cost.

Pep has signed for longer because he wants to rebuild the team at the club he loves. One more league title puts him outright second in most league titles won by a manager in English football. Pep wants to face the challenge and go through the pain so he can come out on top again. He also wants to hand over something to his successor that is in far better shape than what Ferguson handed over to Moyes. That's the kind of man I want at my club.

Am I happy with how this season has panned out? No, of course not. Am I happy with how Pep has managed the last few weeks? No, I think he should have been more pragmatic. But ultimately, this bloke deserves respect and a bit more than six weeks to work out a solution. He's the best we've had and the best we'll ever have. This will only be realised fully when he's gone.

 

[bernard o'silver]

I dread this fixture when we’re firing on all cylinders, never mind when we’re doing our best Dad’s Army impersonation.

'Private Walker' one of the culprits

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

United are absolutely shit, but I still don't have a great deal of confidence going into this. Suspect they'll pick us off quite easily on the counter, as many other teams have. Hopefully Akanji will be available, and Kovacic and Foden fit enough to start. Not sure what team we'll put out, but suspect it will be just more of the same in the blind hope that it suddenly clicks. It won't.

Im sure they will play exactly like they did at Arsenal when they kept them at bay for large parts of the game with a very defensive set up and without creating much. Problem with us is they will get more opportunities. Even Forest had 11 when we beat them. Kovacic is a must.

 

[Bluemoon dan]

We'll play slow possession based walking football in pretty patterns around the edge of their area with neither the pace or intensity to properly open them up. Eventually we'll give the ball away and they'll be straight through, score with their first shot on target and then the pattern will repeat.

No, you could say I'm not optimistic.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Ederson

Lewis Dias Simpson Pusey Gvradiol

Kovacic Grealish

Foden Kev Doku

Haaland

I would be half tempted to throw Wright in the fold.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Oh I can't wait for Utd fans bouncing around taking the piss........It's not going to be a pleasant day.

I hope the police are ready.

 

[bluethai]

Don’t see how going round in more circles without the only goal threat we have will help

That's the root of the problem, when one player has a goal drought, and that's it, we're finished on the attacking end. The rest is just one counterattack and one shot away from defeating us, as every team has locked our lone striker out, forced us to play like we're down to 10 men, and has been teaching us this lesson for months!

 

[pride in battle]

Spot on. The problem starts at the top. Pep and Txiki have most to answer for. This cliff edge has been staring us in the face for at least 18 months.

Txiki is on his way out, and Pep is left fiddling like Nero as things begin to fall apart.

The Board aren't football people. They're business people who have been more interested in developing money making activities in Manchester.

Ungrateful ****

 

[herrock]

Last seasons cup final was to prepare us for what we are witnessing this season. Even the Gvardiol cock up