The English Football Thread

[didierforever 7,349]

Can't look past them at the moment. Only a long term Kompany or Yaya injury will stop them.

I think Jose will get our boys really close, but we're just missing that one important key. A striker. I can see us having another couple of matches like our Everton one early this year where we don't have a world class, clinical finisher to bail us out RvP-style if our midfield isn't effective. City have proven this season so far that any of their 3 strikers can score loads.

no rebuttals for the striker situation. but yes, we will have "one of those matches" and probably that will cost us the league.

[robdog 2,084]

since we are on the topic of Man City, does anyone remember those numpties that said Pelligrini wouldn't succeed in the EPL? Are they still posting on this forum? If so, do they still feel Pelligrini is not legit?

[Paul1970 250]

Man city are the media`s current wankfest right now...you can just envisage that gary nevil sex moan going through their heads when city score again and again.

[Jase 43,479]

city STILL have to prove themselves away from home. after watching their match against newcastle, i am more than sure of that. they have an amazing attacking strength but defensively and especially without toure/kompany, they seem lost.

i think the season is still long and an injury here or there can have a massive effect.

Inclined to agree with you on the injury thing there but TBF, City have done well in recent away games. Their last away defeat and in fact overall defeat in all competitions was back in November against Sunderland. Since then, they have won 6 and drawn 2 in the subsequent away games, which is already an improvement compared to their early season struggles. Though it has to be pointed out that, 6 of their remaining 8 league away games are against the current top 10 - Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United and Hull City.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

City still has to play AWAY against Arsenal, Liverpool, United, Spurs and Everton. That's the main reason I think it's up to us. This, and the fact they lack a big club character.

[The only place to be 11,313]

since we are on the topic of Man City, does anyone remember those numpties that said Pelligrini wouldn't succeed in the EPL? Are they still posting on this forum? If so, do they still feel Pelligrini is not legit?

I said he was overrated and didn't want him here and I still haven't seen much to get excited about by him. At home they're fantastic but away from home (statistically almost half of all PL games are played away from home....read that on twitter the other day) they look vulnerable.

He's got a fantastic squad but he just reminds me of a decomposing Kevin Keegan with better players.

Newcastle away was their first away clean sheet since September, and that was only after the ref chalked off a perfectly valid goal. 3 or their next 5 away games are at United, Spurs and Arsenal, places we got 3 points from and conceded 1 goal in total.

[didierforever 7,349]

Inclined to agree with you on the injury thing there but TBF, City have done well in recent away games. Their last away defeat and in fact overall defeat in all competitions was back in November against Sunderland. Since then, they have won 6 and drawn 2 in the subsequent away games, which is already an improvement compared to their early season struggles. Though it has to be pointed out that, 6 of their remaining 8 league away games are against the current top 10 - Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United and Hull City.

result wise, their away form has been good/excellent but performance-wise its been poor.

the swansea match, they were lucky to get the 2nd goal (yaya deflected shot) and swansea had themselves to blame for not scoring when they were absolutely dominating city.

same goes for the newcastle match. and to be honest newcastle deserves at least a point from the match if not 3.

moreover they were lucky to get a draw away to rovers in the FA cup which says a lot.

before that it was fulham, where they lost a 2 goal advantage before milner and navas won the match for them.

u can argue that they are winning matches that they should have dropped points in and "that is the stuff of champions", but should they be struggling so hard to have any grip in these games? hence i said that city STILL have to prove themselves away from home and with the big away games that they have, i feel they will struggle.

[Jase 43,479]

Newcastle away was their first away clean sheet since September, and that was only after the ref chalked off a perfectly valid goal. 3 or their next 5 away games are at United, Spurs and Arsenal, places we got 3 points from and conceded 1 goal in total.

I wouldn't rule them out of getting 6 points at United and Spurs. The former, unless they get in January reinforcements, are very average right now and the latter have a rookie manager that seems to be one of those typical English dinosaurs, tactically.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I wouldn't rule them out of getting 6 points at United and Spurs. The former, unless they get in January reinforcements, are very average right now and the latter have a rookie manager that seems to be one of those typical English dinosaurs, tactically.

I think you may be right. We were unlucky to get both clubs when we did, because no-one could have thought United would have been as average as they were (probably too cautious in retrospect) and Spurs now are perhaps more effective but they're also more one-dimensional. Having said that it's still a Manchester derby and I'd expect them to concede in both games.

[Jase 43,479]

result wise, their away form has been good/excellent but performance-wise its been poor.

the swansea match, they were lucky to get the 2nd goal (yaya deflected shot) and swansea had themselves to blame for not scoring when they were absolutely dominating city.

But they still won in the end, didn't they? Not sure why need to be picky on their goals being deflected or not and all that when we ourselves had matches like that such as the one at home against Crystal Palace where they arguably deserved a point from.

same goes for the newcastle match. and to be honest newcastle deserves at least a point from the match if not 3.

For this one, I can't disagree as Tiote's goal should have stood and Remy should have scored at least 1-2 goals in the second half with his chances.

moreover they were lucky to get a draw away to rovers in the FA cup which says a lot.

before that it was fulham, where they lost a 2 goal advantage before milner and navas won the match for them.

u can argue that they are winning matches that they should have dropped points in and "that is the stuff of champions", but should they be struggling so hard to have any grip in these games? hence i said that city STILL have to prove themselves away from home and with the big away games that they have, i feel they will struggle.

True true but if they continue winning, don't think they care one jot. I mean they are pretty much outscoring everyone else at this point. They might struggle in the upcoming big away games (though they didn't do too badly at our place in October) but if they can win the rest of the away games and their home matches, then they might win the title in the end as it would take someone with incredible consistency to match them.

[Special Juan 27,421]

Man City are a machine right now, regardless of opposition they just love scoring goals and by god are they good at it.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

If Spurs play 4-4-2 against City, they're going to concede six again.

[Jase 43,479]

I think you may be right. We were unlucky to get both clubs when we did, because no-one could have thought United would have been as average as they were (probably too cautious in retrospect) and Spurs now are perhaps more effective but they're also more one-dimensional. Having said that it's still a Manchester derby and I'd expect them to concede in both games.

But City are likely to outscore them, like what they have pretty much been doing this season. And not to mention, even Fergie hasn't done too well in the past 2 seasons at home against Mancini's Man City, never mind Pellegrini's.

[didierforever 7,349]

But they still won in the end, didn't they? Not sure why need to be picky on their goals being deflected or not and all that when we ourselves had matches like that such as the one at home against Crystal Palace where they arguably deserved a point from.

For this one, I can't disagree as Tiote's goal should have stood and Remy should have scored at least 1-2 goals in the second half with his chances.

True true but if they continue winning, don't think they care one jot. I mean they are pretty much outscoring everyone else at this point. They might struggle in the upcoming big away games (though they didn't do too badly at our place in October) but if they can win the rest of the away games and their home matches, then they might win the title in the end as it would take someone with incredible consistency to match them.

outscoring teams sounds awesome and produces some good football but is a risky business.

just have feeling, big european nights (against barca) coupled with big away games, something's gotta give.

[Jase 43,479]

outscoring teams sounds awesome and produces some good football but is a risky business.

Yeah but it's not like they are just going gung-ho without any regards to defend. They are scoring at free will right now which is just rather ridiculous and makes any goals conceded almost redundant.

just have feeling, big european nights (against barca) coupled with big away games, something's gotta give.

It may affect them when the Champions League return but their squad is big enough to cope with that, without any injury(-ies) to key player(s) obviously. And it's in our best interest in the Premier League that they beat Barcelona and progress further into the competition.

[guddy69 174]

If by brilliantly, you mean - brilliantly fucking up our Title chances in the EPL

2 points off the top and playing really really well, getting better all the time.... i'm happy.. :0)

[Las7 951]

2 points off the top and playing really really well, getting better all the time.... i'm happy.. :0)

[Polo7 3,496]

City's away form will be a deciding factor in who wins the league. They have dropped quite a few points away from home.