I'm glad they haven't sacked Pellegrini. José has clearly got under his skin, and his lack of tactical nous will ruin City in the CL again. I don't think City will be as poor as they were last season at times but I see Arsenal as the closest challengers to us this season. City's squad needs a lot of work for me for the future whilst some of the key players, like Yaya Toure, look like they haven't got much left. Don't see them having much trouble finishing in the top 4 though.

Edited June 24, 201511 yr by Celery1989

I see him and Wenger more as a gruesome version of Stadtler and Waldorf, off the Muppets....

 

All this talk of Arsenal being our rivals next season...laughable.

 

Wilshere will get injured again, as will the OX and Walcott (there is something in the water at London Colney) .

 

And even Sanchez alone isn't enough to make them title challengers.

 

Ah yes, their new goalkeeper...only he can perhaps get them to second place. And I don't even think they will manage that.

"I love the manager, I love the man, I've had a distant relationship with him for many years but, I have regrets for not playing for the man and the coach because I know he would have made me a better player," Gerrard said, as per ESPN.

"I love the manager, I love the man, I've had a distant relationship with him for many years but, I have regrets for not playing for the man and the coach because I know he would have made me a better player," Gerrard said, as per ESPN.

 

Jose?

Oh yes

He does speak some sense occasionally then.  Tough titty though Stevie, you had your chance.

liverpool fans are really going crazy about firminio damn  i cant blame them coutihno and him together should be fun to watch but they both are inconsistent as f**k

I've noticed something about last season. The majority of the top European club's 3 most influential offensive players are not from the country of the team they play for.

I'll start with us

Chelsea

Hazard(Belgium), Willian(Brazil), Costa(Spain)

Arsenal

Sanchez(Chile), Ozil(Germany), Giroud(France)

Man City

David Silva(Spain), Yaya(Ivory Coast), Aguero(Argentina)

Real Madrid

Bale(Wales), Ronaldo(Portugal), Benzema(France)

Barcelona

Neymar(Brazil), Messi(Argentina), Suarez(Uruguay)

Bayern

Ribery(France), Robben(Netherlands), Lewandowski(Poland)

P.S.G

Cavani(Uruguay), Lavezzi(Argentina), Ibrahimovic(Sweden)

Juventus

Vidal(Chile), Lloriente(Spain), Tevez(Argentina)

Atletico

Griezmann(France), Turan(Turkey), Mandzukic(Croatia)

I found this rather fascinating.

You could put Fabregas instead of Willian but it doesn't change anything.

But some of those teams I.e Barcelona Bayern have a good contingent of players from their own nation. Bayern's first XI you could pick out Neuer, Boateng, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Gotze, Muller. Barca you could have Pique, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi up until this season and to a lesser extent now Pedro. Messi is a La Masia prodigy so he is essentially one of their own too. Arsenal also have a good sized contingent of English players too who feature in the first team. Wilshere, Gibbs, Ox, Walcott, Chambers, Welbeck, Coquelin, maybe Ramsey could be included as one of their home grown as they signed him at 17. Even United have Smalling, Jones, Carrick, Young, Rooney, Shaw, Blackett, McNair. Atletico have Koke, Gabi, Juanfran, Mario Suarez, Moya, Torres, Saul, Cani, Raul Garcia. Juventus have Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli, Marchisio and Pirlo up until now.

In comparison to these teams at Chelsea it's only Terry and Cahill who we see featuring frequently in the first team. Ake makes sparse appearances. Zouma we bought a season or two ago. So he can hardly be classed as our prospect. I think the amount of English/home grown players in our team could and should be addressed.

I agree. We used to have a decent amount of quality English players in our line up.

Terry, A. Cole, Lampard, J. Cole, S.W.P Sturridge.

Unfortunately there's a lack of world class English players at the moment.

I think it's safe to say Rooney is the only world class Englishman right now.

I think it's safe to say Rooney is the only world class Englishman right now.

 

 

 

 

 

JT

 

 

 

 

JT

 

Well yes, I was talking about the national side but point taken and well made! 

Sounds like Liverpool are getting Clyne, I think he can do better

Getting their signings in early if so just like us last season.

Getting their signings in early if so just like us last season.

It's best way but I can't say any of their signings are worrying me even in terms of a top 4 finish. Even a player like Firminho who could go either way I'm not sure Rodgers can get the best out of a player like him.

All this talk of Arsenal being our rivals next season...laughable.

 

Wilshere will get injured again, as will the OX and Walcott (there is something in the water at London Colney) .

 

And even Sanchez alone isn't enough to make them title challengers.

 

Ah yes, their new goalkeeper...only he can perhaps get them to second place. And I don't even think they will manage that.

 

Wilshere, Ox and Walcott were all peripheral players last year during their run of winning 10-odd PL games in a row. Add them to a team/squad that's gelling and at a good average age, combined with the imminent arrival of Petr Cech, and they look like a real threat to me. The only thing they are really lacking any more is a top-class CF, thankfully there aren't any on the market, as well as another holding player. They are not far at all. I just hope that Wenger's tactical naivety and the players' mental block comes back to haunt them.

 

On a side note - £12.5m for Clyne: Absolute bargain! Why so cheap? Always presumed he'd go to United, would expect them to enter the running now.

Edited June 25, 201511 yr by Celery1989

 Everton have signed Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu on a permanent basis after agreeing a £4.3m deal. 

 

He was pretty good for them a couple of years ago, much better than Lennon and Atsu were after he left. 

 

Solid signing that for them. 

Not sure if this was posted here or not, but Ray 'Butch' Wilkins has been named Assistant Manager of Aston Villa. Butch is a Wealth of knowledge & I am sure he will assist Tim Sherwood out. Still I want to see more temper tandrums from Sherwood

12.5 seems very reasonable considering his English and his been an important part of that sturdy Southampton backline. Weren't we linked with him over the course of the season. Surprised we didn't make an offer

Wilshere, Ox and Walcott were all peripheral players last year during their run of winning 10-odd PL games in a row. Add them to a team/squad that's gelling and at a good average age, combined with the imminent arrival of Petr Cech, and they look like a real threat to me. The only thing they are really lacking any more is a top-class CF, is bottle thankfully there isn't any on the market, as well as another holding player. They are not far at all. I just hope that Wenger's tactical naivety and the players' mental block comes back to haunt them.

 

On a side note - £12.5m for Clyne: Absolute bargain! Why so cheap? Always presumed he'd go to United, would expect them to enter the running now.

 

There you go, I knew what you REALLY meant!

Was nodding along in agreement until you mentioned Rooney. He is not close to being finished at all, people have been saying that for a couple of years now. Why would they reduce his role in the team? He's consistently one of their best players. 

 

I just think if they want a fresh new start, it'd be better for them to move Rooney to a lesser role and try to phase in a new top talent. 

12.5 seems very reasonable considering his English and his been an important part of that sturdy Southampton backline. Weren't we linked with him over the course of the season. Surprised we didn't make an offer

12.5 for Clyne? Lucky them -- Shaw went for 30mil, would be a very good deal if it happens. Certainly an upgrade on Glen Johnson. 

12.5 for Clyne? Lucky them -- Shaw went for 30mil, would be a very good deal if it happens. Certainly an upgrade on Glen Johnson.

Agreed very good price for a player who will hold that position for a long time to come if he continues to develop as he is. Saying that upgrading Glen Johnson isn't as hard as it sounds really is it?

12.5 seems very reasonable considering his English and his been an important part of that sturdy Southampton backline. Weren't we linked with him over the course of the season. Surprised we didn't make an offer

My assumption is the reason we're looking at that Baba bloke is because when Ivan doesn't cut it anymore, we will switch Azpi to his natural position and bring in a LB to replace the gap that he's left. If Jose does plan to keep Azpi as a LB then I do think we should be in for him.