Happy Forest stayed up, was resigned about the league after the Liverpool game, enjoyed seeing Manure tonked in the FA Cup, I expect Citeh to stroll past Inter: watched their 2 legs vs a Barca-in-transition and Inter relied on 2 outrageous VAR penalty decisions to go through. Got bossed both games but somehow managed to win without conviction. I think Brighton would hump them.
I think Arsenal had a great year but the problem has always been like it was since peak Cesc - key injuries cost you. As they would most teams. I remember City being weaker defensively when Laporte was out long-term, he was our most consistent defender. Remember when Fernandinho and Fabian Delph were covering for real defenders?
The key purchase for City has been Ruben Dias, and then everyone else has stepped up, or got better understanding of the system. The days of the opposition getting two shots all game, and two goals, are rare now.
Not that City are unbeatable, of course. This is, regardless of what the press want us to think, a competitive league - City getting to the post by a single point or winning it on the last day. They just get consistent over the final two months. That is the difference and it's hard to buy that.
Zitto Zampe is me - although as a Saints fan it's not been the greatest of seasons... Two home wins in the league all year and the only high point being the win against City in the Carabao cup.
I'll slink back off to lurking now... The Mack, Pap Day, Stark Reality, Thriller etc etc
Zitto Zampe is me - although as a Saints fan it's not been the greatest of seasons... Two home wins in the league all year and the only high point being the win against City in the Carabao cup.
I'll slink back off to lurking now... The Mack, Pap Day, Stark Reality, Thriller etc etc
It's been a few hours after the final whistle and I am still expecting City to throw it away. Even after the extra extra time, they came close.
But despite us fielding a team of Pele, Mbappe, Zico, Maradonna, CR7, Messi and any other player we want (because no-one else has money), Brentford did the double over us. They are therefore the benchmark of the beautiful game.
Indeedy. Haven’t been this optimistic (as a Gooner) going into a season for a loooong time (not going to do the phantasy league though as I never remember to do substitutions).
Declan Rice for £105 million. I don’t think he’s terrible, but not sure he’s the kind of player we needed especially at that price. Havertz… ok, Chelsea have history of misusing talents, but I’m wondering if he’s going to be a Diet Ozil. And again, the price - he wanted out, Chelsea didn’t seem keen to keep him (and god do they need to sell after Todd’s spending spree), couldn’t we have haggled down from £60 million?
Not a bad year for City, I guess... Despite ruining all of football and being 100 points clear after one (1) game, we somehow had to battle in the finals (I know, right?) and just about overhauled Arsenal whose eternal Achilles heel - squad depth - got them at the end. But Arteta should be proud. Hopefully he gets this fixed. Rice is good, City were in for him, but I dunno about £105M good, either. Seems a bit strong. But sure, a good move for the lad. CL football.
Couple of departures will hurt. No Gundo, no cry. Well, a little bit. He made it look simple but turns out he was another Kaiser and not sure we have a direct replacement - Foden better out wide, Kalvin Phillips not a goalscorer, maybe Mateo Kovačić but he's got to learn the system and stay fit. Foden will get more time and that's good, because him and Grealish are going to feed the Striking Viking even more this season. He's just learning, remember. Good news on the horizon for the rest of the PL, though : City being relegated into the Phantom Zone for cooking the books etc. So every cloud, and all that.
Speaking of persona-non-grata owners - So nice to see the wheels fall of Chelsea. And I thought comrade Abramovich was over-interfering...
At least he didn't come with the bone-saws though. Can you imagine them calls if they underperform? "Eddie, the boss would like you to come over for a chat. Would you mind shaving your head and pulling out all your teeth before you get on the plane?" Ahh, but are they allowed to keep pigs? Hmmm - might save him.
But listen, them nice Al Saud lads, salt of the earth they are. They prop up our defence industry too. Litterally our BAEs. Call it "Bomber washing". Has a nice ring, no? No? They also have their fingers in the ownership pie/lasagne-layers of other overseas clubs, so y'know, Newcastle selling their squad castoffs to Saudi clubs for bizarrely-overinflated sums will be "Totally legit sources of income, m'lud. Whatabout City, anyway?"
I'd like to see good news come out of Kloppa Castle too. Sadio Mane was doing some heavy lifting there, right? It's a good squad, perhaps getting a few greys in the beard but Jurgen usually gets it right. I heard Mbappe was on the radar? That would make things interesting.
I really can’t see MBappe going to Liverpool as Klopp runs a “system-team” while Kylian seems to be too egotistical to track-back, gegenpress etc. Also seems that Real have been wooing him for the last 3 seasons, eventually they’ll convince him.
Anyone watch the Dele interview? Fuckin' hell. Heartbreaking stuff.
Read it earlier. Grim times. I don't like to see people waste their talent or be robbed of it, so good luck to him. Hope the terrace morons give him respect for opening up.
Where are Paul & Junior when I want to have a good gloat? Biggest cheer in the 2nd half (before THAT Rice goal) was for Harry Maguire coming on as a substitute… from the Gooners. Havertz WHIFFED a sitter from 5 yards out, 5 mins later his tame pass launched the Manure counter-attack that led to Rashford’s (v good) goal. That’s quite a negative swing. To make things worse I just discovered Donkey Havertz is our highest paid player. Seriously, what is it with Arsenal being enamoured with Chelsea rejects? Anyway Declan, great time to score your first Arsenal goal: Fergie time winner vs Manure. The ref playing on and on and on only gave Jesus a chance to seal it with a slick goal: the difference between him and Nketia is unfortunately vast especially as Jesus seems injury prone.
I think the bigger problem with last season’s stellar Arsenal performances is the expectations are different now, unrealistic perhaps.
Says a lot about that first half that the only real talking point on my stream was Kovacic getting away with one, cough, two.
Arteta’s treatment of Partey this season has been bizarre. He was clearly one of our most important players last season, this season Arteta is on a mission to prove we don’t need him and that he was right about Kai Havertz…
It _looks_ like Raya feels he’s getting the nod over Ramsdale on the *perception* that he’s better with his feet, or on that basis, so he keeps overplaying things when sometimes he should just hoof clear or play it short & simple: he just tried a clever pass and it went straight to a Citeh player. Just like last week when it led to goal (against us!).
Comments
The key purchase for City has been Ruben Dias, and then everyone else has stepped up, or got better understanding of the system. The days of the opposition getting two shots all game, and two goals, are rare now.
Not that City are unbeatable, of course. This is, regardless of what the press want us to think, a competitive league - City getting to the post by a single point or winning it on the last day. They just get consistent over the final two months. That is the difference and it's hard to buy that.
See you in another 16 years!
But then, also today's Grau:
Yes please!
Bad luck Kev.
It's been a few hours after the final whistle and I am still expecting City to throw it away. Even after the extra extra time, they came close.
But despite us fielding a team of Pele, Mbappe, Zico, Maradonna, CR7, Messi and any other player we want (because no-one else has money), Brentford did the double over us. They are therefore the benchmark of the beautiful game.
lukaku did a madness last night
Man's a wastemans is it.
Is there going to be an FF league again this season. There's a wooden spoon I need to retain.
Declan Rice for £105 million. I don’t think he’s terrible, but not sure he’s the kind of player we needed especially at that price.
Havertz… ok, Chelsea have history of misusing talents, but I’m wondering if he’s going to be a Diet Ozil. And again, the price - he wanted out, Chelsea didn’t seem keen to keep him (and god do they need to sell after Todd’s spending spree), couldn’t we have haggled down from £60 million?
Indeedy. I didn't realise it was already almost upon us again.
Eyarrrr : https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/k44016
Not a bad year for City, I guess... Despite ruining all of football and being 100 points clear after one (1) game, we somehow had to battle in the finals (I know, right?) and just about overhauled Arsenal whose eternal Achilles heel - squad depth - got them at the end. But Arteta should be proud. Hopefully he gets this fixed. Rice is good, City were in for him, but I dunno about £105M good, either. Seems a bit strong. But sure, a good move for the lad. CL football.
Couple of departures will hurt. No Gundo, no cry. Well, a little bit. He made it look simple but turns out he was another Kaiser and not sure we have a direct replacement - Foden better out wide, Kalvin Phillips not a goalscorer, maybe Mateo Kovačić but he's got to learn the system and stay fit. Foden will get more time and that's good, because him and Grealish are going to feed the Striking Viking even more this season. He's just learning, remember. Good news on the horizon for the rest of the PL, though : City being relegated into the Phantom Zone for cooking the books etc. So every cloud, and all that.
Speaking of persona-non-grata owners - So nice to see the wheels fall of Chelsea. And I thought comrade Abramovich was over-interfering...
At least he didn't come with the bone-saws though. Can you imagine them calls if they underperform? "Eddie, the boss would like you to come over for a chat. Would you mind shaving your head and pulling out all your teeth before you get on the plane?" Ahh, but are they allowed to keep pigs? Hmmm - might save him.
But listen, them nice Al Saud lads, salt of the earth they are. They prop up our defence industry too. Litterally our BAEs. Call it "Bomber washing". Has a nice ring, no? No? They also have their fingers in the ownership pie/lasagne-layers of other overseas clubs, so y'know, Newcastle selling their squad castoffs to Saudi clubs for bizarrely-overinflated sums will be "Totally legit sources of income, m'lud. Whatabout City, anyway?"
I'd like to see good news come out of Kloppa Castle too. Sadio Mane was doing some heavy lifting there, right? It's a good squad, perhaps getting a few greys in the beard but Jurgen usually gets it right. I heard Mbappe was on the radar? That would make things interesting.
Good luck to everyone onboard this year!
Also seems that Real have been wooing him for the last 3 seasons, eventually they’ll convince him.
Read it earlier. Grim times. I don't like to see people waste their talent or be robbed of it, so good luck to him. Hope the terrace morons give him respect for opening up.
…………………
Not sure why Arteta has decided to try and “do a Pep”, but this Partey at RB to fit Donkey Havertz into the team really isn’t working.
Biggest cheer in the 2nd half (before THAT Rice goal) was for Harry Maguire coming on as a substitute… from the Gooners.
Havertz WHIFFED a sitter from 5 yards out, 5 mins later his tame pass launched the Manure counter-attack that led to Rashford’s (v good) goal. That’s quite a negative swing. To make things worse I just discovered Donkey Havertz is our highest paid player. Seriously, what is it with Arsenal being enamoured with Chelsea rejects?
Anyway Declan, great time to score your first Arsenal goal: Fergie time winner vs Manure. The ref playing on and on and on only gave Jesus a chance to seal it with a slick goal: the difference between him and Nketia is unfortunately vast especially as Jesus seems injury prone.
I think the bigger problem with last season’s stellar Arsenal performances is the expectations are different now, unrealistic perhaps.
I can't like, per se, common assault but Roy did sow these seeds back in the day.