To be honest his can they complain about him? He won the League Cup and League Title last season and they're not gonna finish outside the Top Four. Tell you such spoilt fans honestly.

 

Come on it's not like Chelsea fans weren't like that, I don't know about this forum but the forum I was previously on they wanted Carlo Ancelotti's head despite winning an F.A. cup and league title the previous season. Also Di Matteo didn't get much mercy from the spoilt brats.

Edited March 1, 201511 yr by Slawth

There team is ageing and in its peak it won't get any better. Whilst we have a younger squad with players who can still improve like Azpi,Courtois,Oscar Hazard etc. Its not easy for City to replace these players with FFP. I can see them being worse next season.

 

We have a younger squad, but City aren't exactly like we were in 2009/2010 to 2010/2011.

 

We had all our key players in the 30's, Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Cole, Malouda, Anelka, Cech (although young for a keeper). Also you could count Essien in the 30's bracket if you add those knee injuries.

 

Who do they have in there 30's now exactly? Besides Yaya Toure I can't really see how any of them will decline. Most of them are in there 20's, prime years also, not a safe bet to say they will decline, besides Toure and Zabaleta (who probably still has a season left of running that flank) I don't see how any others will decline.

Come on it's not like Chelsea fans weren't like that, I don't know about this forum but the forum I was previously on they wanted Carlo Ancelotti's head despite winning an F.A. cup and league title the previous season. Also Di Matteo didn't get much mercy from the spoilt brats.

Only managers I've known people to have problems with were Scolari and AVB but that was understandable we weren't looking like getting top 4 with either of those and both times the changes we're for the better and lead to great things.

Well of course there was Grant and Benitez but they were both only interim anyway.

I think Robbie was one many of us just knew wouldn't make it, I don't remember many calling for his head though.

We have a younger squad, but City aren't exactly like we were in 2009/2010 to 2010/2011.

 

We had all our key players in the 30's, Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Cole, Malouda, Anelka, Cech (although young for a keeper). Also you could count Essien in the 30's bracket if you add those knee injuries.

 

Who do they have in there 30's now exactly? Besides Yaya Toure I can't really see how any of them will decline. Most of them are in there 20's, prime years also, not a safe bet to say they will decline, besides Toure and Zabaleta (who probably still has a season left of running that flank) I don't see how any others will decline.

 

I think they have the oldest average age in the premier league. Dzeko hitting 30, Zabaleta,Kompany,Fernandinho,Navas,Clichy,Milner,Kolarov,Sagna,Dimichellis and David Silva all 29 or in there 30's. The young ones they have signed like Jovetic,Mangala haven't been that great.

 

If we finish above them this season its not looking great for City, our team is young that it can still go and improve whereas i feel City won't because the age of the team i feel like it will only decline.

Edited March 2, 201511 yr by jack_super_class

There team is ageing and in its peak it won't get any better. Whilst we have a younger squad with players who can still improve like Azpi,Courtois,Oscar Hazard etc. Its not easy for City to replace these players with FFP. I can see them being worse next season.

They intentionally bought players at their peak to shoot them up the table and because they intend on integrating their youth players into the team rather than splashing the cash. If I remember correctly, they have one of the main coaches responsible for La Masia's "golden generation" working on their youth project. The original plan was 3/4 years of hard spending followed by dependence on youth. 

 

As for FFP, they won't be restricted next season and have already got a guaranteed £30m-£35m coming in from player sales which they will take over into next season. With that plus whatever the transfer budget will be, they could spend big if they wanted to and challenge for the title again.

 

I think what's more likely to happen is they will bring in youth such as Marco Lopes who has looked really good, Rekik who I like the look of and a couple more I've not even heard of but they will still be supplementing the squad with a few signings here and there. Their decline will depend much more on the quality of the youth rather than the established players, most of them still have another 3 years left at top level which is more than enough time to be bringing in younger players.

 

Either way, they will still be a Top 4 club, at the very least, for as long as the owners are there.

They only need a few improvements to be sorted much like ourselves.

In our case we could do with adding more quality to our midfield so that when we lose Cesc and/or Matic we have a quality replacement who is better equipped than Mikel and Ramires.

Providing we keep Remy we can bring in Bamford to take the third strikers role if Drogba does retire which isn’t confirmed yet. The back line looks pretty good with Zouma proving he can be relied on while JT seems to be getting better with age, I’m not sure we will spend big in this area.

City could be doing with another midfielder as I don’t think Fernando or Fernandinho are game changers plus Lampard will leave in the summer. Defence too will need to be looked at I reckon but in attack they are pretty well balanced with Bony, Aguero and Dzeko.

The main difference with us and them at the moment is our manager IMO.

I think City are perhaps where we were after our initial success. They have an ageing squad, they buy players at their peak value so have little resale value and they'll probably flit between managers who have wildly differing views on how they want to play football. Not saying they're doomed but I'm not sure where they go at the end of the season if they don't win the league or CL.

 

 

They only need a few improvements to be sorted much like ourselves.
 

 

Think that's a massive understatement when you look at their fans wanting a massive overhaul in some cases. 

 

We talk in terms of rejuvenation, they talk in terms of replacing.

 

I think you'd be hard pressed to find 6 players they all agree are good enough to stick around next season if they got someone like Simeone in.

Their fans from what I have seen on the forums are ungrateful brats.

They are turning on the manager who last season brought them the title again and they are only 5 points behind us today yet want everyone sacked and shifted out. Talk about overreacting, some need to take a good look at themselves and remember just how far they have come in the last 5-6 years.

They have a super squad and IMO the best equipped squad in the league with large numbers to call upon.

Toure is the only one who I think will decline a fair bit next season for them but this is kind of the same situation as we had with Lampard last year as we knew he couldn’t go on forever but we replaced him well while obviously never going to get a player as good as him again. They will need to do the same with Toure, I can’t think of another player like that out there who they can get but it will be interesting.

Their fans from what I have seen on the forums are ungrateful brats.

They are turning on the manager who last season brought them the title again and they are only 5 points behind us today yet want everyone sacked and shifted out. Talk about overreacting, some need to take a good look at themselves and remember just how far they have come in the last 5-6 years.

They have a super squad and IMO the best equipped squad in the league with large numbers to call upon.

Toure is the only one who I think will decline a fair bit next season for them but this is kind of the same situation as we had with Lampard last year as we knew he couldn’t go on forever but we replaced him well while obviously never going to get a player as good as him again. They will need to do the same with Toure, I can’t think of another player like that out there who they can get but it will be interesting.

 

Granted their fans are a little on the kooky side, but they're manager has shown Wenger-levels of naivety, especially in Europe. However their squad seems to be littered with players who are either approaching the end of their peak years or are long past it and not getting any protection from Pellegrino.

 

Like I said, I think you'd be hard-pushed to find a core of players that all fans agree should be built around and that's their issue. Comparing us with them in that regard is a wild understatement when you look at the fact that we have a core of players as well as a spine running through the first-team. We're looking for depth, not a foundation.

Looking at their next 5 league games I don't think we can expect many, if any points to be dropped by City. 

 

Leicester City (H)

Burnley (A)

West Brom (H)

Crystal Palace (A)

Manchester United (A)

 

Our next five games are:

 

West Ham (A)

Southampton (H)

Hull (A)

Stoke (H)

QPR (A)

 

Of the big boys we've got to play before the end of the season:

 

Manchester United (H)

Arsenal (A)

Liverpool (H)

 

Whereas City by contrast have to play

 

Manchester United (A)

Tottenham (A)

Southamton (H) This is their last game of the season, I think the title will be decided one way or another by then. 

 

 

I think if we look at the fixtures objectively we have the harder run in up to the end of the season, we need to build some momentum and keep putting points on the board because the title is still very much to play for. 

Granted their fans are a little on the kooky side, but they're manager has shown Wenger-levels of naivety, especially in Europe. However their squad seems to be littered with players who are either approaching the end of their peak years or are long past it and not getting any protection from Pellegrino.

Like I said, I think you'd be hard-pushed to find a core of players that all fans agree should be built around and that's their issue. Comparing us with them in that regard is a wild understatement when you look at the fact that we have a core of players as well as a spine running through the first-team. We're looking for depth, not a foundation.

Not sure about that.

Hart, Kompany, Toure, Silva and Aguero are the core and have been for 2-3 years now with only Toure really coming to the end of his time at the top.

They have a foundation there, it's been inconsistant but it's still there. A bit of tweaking and it's still a core of players who can win titles.

As I said before IMO the main difference is the managers we have.

Looking at their next 5 league games I don't think we can expect many, if any points to be dropped by City.

Leicester City (H)

Burnley (A)

West Brom (H)

Crystal Palace (A)

Manchester United (A)

Our next five games are:

West Ham (A)

Southampton (H)

Hull (A)

Stoke (H)

QPR (A)

Of the big boys we've got to play before the end of the season:

Manchester United (H)

Arsenal (A)

Liverpool (H)

Whereas City by contrast have to play

Manchester United (A)

Tottenham (A)

Southamton (H) This is their last game of the season, I think the title will be decided one way or another by then.

I think if we look at the fixtures objectively we have the harder run in up to the end of the season, we need to build some momentum and keep putting points on the board because the title is still very much to play for.

Yeah there really is no easy games left from here on in.

Tomorrow night will be tough for us and Southampton are a dangerous side to play. We need to keep a cushion of points for as long as we can because they have came from behind twice to win the title in the past few years so we can't allow them to get ahead as they have the mentality to get over the line.

Not sure about that.

Hart, Kompany, Toure, Silva and Aguero are the core and have been for 2-3 years now with only Toure really coming to the end of his time at the top.

They have a foundation there, it's been inconsistant but it's still there. A bit of tweaking and it's still a core of players who can win titles.

As I said before IMO the main difference is the managers we have.

 

Hart is by no-means undisputed in the eyes of their fans, and Kompany is starting to look that way too with increasingly shaky performances. Toure is probably gone in the summer and that leaves a 29 year old Silva and Aguero. You could maybe include Zabaleta in that and Bony who is unproven and that's your core of players??!!

 

There really is no way of knowing for certain until you know who their manager is next season but if they do replace him then they probably have to make wholesale changes to the squad, and that also means you have more upheaval which damages the chances of youngsters coming through. 

For us to lose the title, in my honest opinion we have to lose four of our remaining 12 games which obviously means dropping 12 points. City will only have room for error twice with a draw and a loss.

My opinion is that if City drop 5 more points, it's game over for them.

For us to lose the title, in my honest opinion we have to lose four of our remaining 12 games which obviously means dropping 12 points. City will only have room for error twice with a draw and a loss.

My opinion is that if City drop 5 more points, it's game over for them.

 

The other issue is that at some point City might start looking over their own shoulders at Arsenal and United who are only 4 and 5 points behind them respectively. Throw in the Barca second leg and they've got plenty on their plate.

For us to lose the title, in my honest opinion we have to lose four of our remaining 12 games which obviously means dropping 12 points. City will only have room for error twice with a draw and a loss.

My opinion is that if City drop 5 more points, it's game over for them.

 

Ideal scenario would be that they drop points on Wednesday at home to Leicester City. 

 

If they drew that one and we won against West Ham we would be 7 points clear going into our final 11 fixtures. 

 

Not sure I could see a Mourinho led Chelsea dropping 8 more points than City in that few amount of games. 

Er, they won the league last season...

NA, Jose gave it to them.

Only managers I've known people to have problems with were Scolari and AVB but that was understandable we weren't looking like getting top 4 with either of those and both times the changes we're for the better and lead to great things.

Well of course there was Grant and Benitez but they were both only interim anyway.

I think Robbie was one many of us just knew wouldn't make it, I don't remember many calling for his head though.

Guus Hiddink took over from Scolari, Grant after Jose.

Does anyone think, if City end the season trophyless and Pellegrini is sacked, Aguero might want to leave?

It's just something I have seen a few of their fans discuss... Some of them believe they need a big rebuild and Aguero might not want to stick around if he really wants to win the Champions League.

Could see Real Madrid bid for him, especially if they don't win La Liga or the CL and they want another big money signing.

 

If Suarez did a Zlatan then maybe he could go to Barca but it's only them and Madrid who could be in for him and I'd question whether Aguero could go to Real.

 

If City had to sell it would be a massive blow to their credibility on the world stage and he only signed a new contract this season so it's massively unlikely.

Guus Hiddink took over from Scolari, Grant after Jose.

Your point is?

I don't know if I was alone in always wanting Kompany here as JT's 'replacement' but would anyone still want him on this season's performances? Seems to make suicidal jumps out of defence with terrifying regularity.

^ He's also a foul machine. He's a lot less effective when there's a whistle and card-happy ref in charge. I think that's one reason why Citeh have never done as well in the CL, where the refs tend to be stricter.

Edited March 2, 201511 yr by Englishman

I don't know if I was alone in always wanting Kompany here as JT's 'replacement' but would anyone still want him on this season's performances? Seems to make suicidal jumps out of defence with terrifying regularity.

 

I'm not sure about Kompany, his performances have really deteriorated from a couple of seasons ago, doesn't seem to have any sort of consistency now.

 

I still have my heart set on a Football Manager-style Varane-Zouma partnership... not expecting it to happen but at least we are 50% of the way there!

I think they have the oldest average age in the premier league. Dzeko hitting 30, Zabaleta,Kompany,Fernandinho,Navas,Clichy,Milner,Kolarov,Sagna,Dimichellis and David Silva all 29 or in there 30's. The young ones they have signed like Jovetic,Mangala haven't been that great.

 

If we finish above them this season its not looking great for City, our team is young that it can still go and improve whereas i feel City won't because the age of the team i feel like it will only decline.

 

Besides Yaya Toure, Sagna and Demichellis I really can't see how those players will decline next season. Also Dzeko is 28 not hitting 30.

 

They do have a lot of players in there late 20's but I still wouldn't say they will necessarily decline next season. They will have to replace Yaya Toure though and that's not going to be easy, besides that they will do what they do, they wont go out for young players I don't even think City will attempt that sort of transition. They will just go out and sign players in there primes because they probably can, they seem to have a strong intake when it comes to FFP despite not selling any players.

Edited March 2, 201511 yr by Slawth

I'm not sure about Kompany, his performances have really deteriorated from a couple of seasons ago, doesn't seem to have any sort of consistency now.

 

I still have my heart set on a Football Manager-style Varane-Zouma partnership... not expecting it to happen but at least we are 50% of the way there!

 

Everytime I think about us getting Varane, I can't think of a single reason why Madrid would sell him. Okay they sold us Makelele and Perez is still there, but he's still getting plenty of minutes and Pepe isn't getting any younger plus he signed a contract extension. Maybe start a new game with a Stones-Zouma partnership.