4 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Bayern look like a team that has it easy. They have no tempo to their game, you can tell it's the norm for them to play this way. This is the issue with leagues that have no competition, they can't raise their game for the Champions League against the very best. You see it with PSG every season.

Watching Bayern play is kinda like watching us play under Tuchel. 

Strikerless, wide overload in both flank. They can keep the ball against city which is impressive but they lack cutting edge

I don't want to talk about Potter too much but as you can see with Bayern, they already playing in TT way, you don't need 3 years to install your system. 

Of course If this was tuchel 1st game then whatever I say is just total nonsense. 

Edited April 12, 20233 yr by Bob stark

Tommy T's teams yet to score against City since the CL final.

The problem is in Bundesliga is they don't have the competition or coaches that improve the players/coach. As Scott said, it's all too easy for them in Germany. When they come up against a tough test that they do not have the advantage against, they struggle.

In recent years it's been the English teams. PSG are another of those teams who have little competition in their league and so struggle in Europe when going up against top tier quality.

10 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Yep, even I have been reluctant to praise Guardiola like everybody else, but it doesn't matter who seems to go out of that club, he throws somebody else in and they look no worse off. Cancelo was brilliant for City and if it was any other club, it would be a huge loss. He's one of those coaches that just seems to have the knack of getting the very best out of pretty much any player. It's something Ferguson was very good at. I don't even rate Ake that highly and I think if he was in any other team, he would soon be exposed, but he's on another level for City.

Ake has always been a very good defender, that much was obvious from just watching him. This is the style of football that brings the best out of him so its no surprise at all he's adjusted effortlessly at City under Pep. 

18 hours ago, Snedger said:

City have turned the PL into a Bayern in the Bundesliga like yearly procession and now look absolutely untouchable in Europe too. It’s funny how at the start of the season how people were suggesting Haaland had somehow weekend them. I wish we could be weakened by a striker scoring 397 goals in a season.

Well as it stands they're going from back to back title winners to missing out to Arsenal.

1 hour ago, Argo said:

Well as it stands they're going from back to back title winners to missing out to Arsenal.

A few games to go and they’re to meet in Manchester yet. Unlike most here, I’d like to see Arsenal win it, but I fear they won’t.

8 minutes ago, Snedger said:

A few games to go and they’re to meet in Manchester yet. Unlike most here, I’d like to see Arsenal win it, but I fear they won’t.

What sort of Chelsea fan want Arsenal to win the league?!

21 hours ago, enigma said:

Speaking of John Stones, do you remember when we were after him when he was at Everton? Ake, Stones and KDB could have been Chelsea players. 

After my big fail in predicting Josh McEachran would be Chelsea and Englands No. 10 for years to come, I think my next biggest fail was to say no way we should sign John Stones when we already had Christensen at the club as Christensen was much the better player.

To be fair, in his early days Stones did make a lot of f**k ups and still has the odd one even now, but he is one hell of a player and a really decent level headed lad too.

It pains me as a Chelsea supporter to have to admit just how good City are and what a great coach Pep is. Sure, at times he has got it wrong along the way and should have won the CL by now at least once, but what a squad he has assembled and so many players improve under him. When you look at the money we have wasted compared to that city squad, it is truly sickening. City hit the jackpot when they appointed Pep and can honestly see them doing the treble this season.

That's why our next appointment is so imprtant and has to be spot on if we are to get anywhere near them anytime soon.

Edited April 12, 20233 yr by Nibs

8 minutes ago, Nibs said:

City hit the jackpot when they appointed Pep

I think they hit the jackpot when the Abu Dhabi state bought them. Roman was brilliant in many ways, but I think their owners have so far proven to be a bit more consistent and better at achieving a kind of sustainability.

I know that people will point out our two CLs and amazing trophy haul. Fair enough, but in another ten years or so, I can imagine the scales tipping back their way.

2 minutes ago, Snedger said:

I think they hit the jackpot when the Abu Dhabi state bought them. Roman was brilliant in many ways, but I think their owners have so far proven to be a bit more consistent and better at achieving a kind of sustainability.

I know that people will point out our two CLs and amazing trophy haul. Fair enough, but in another ten years or so, I can imagine the scales tipping back their way.

Yeah, think you're right.

Wonder what would have happened IF we had got Pep instead of City? Would he have lasted or got sacked or walked. Our club do have a habit of hitting the self destruct button.

Abu Dahbi

Txiki

Pep

23 hours ago, guddy69 said:

For a minute I thought I was watching Koulibaly tomorrow night ..

He hasn't let me down..

The weird thing about Napoli is that they were actually fine and still able to play to their maximum without Osimhen when he was injured for the first part of the season and Simeone was filling in just fine, appreciate both of them injured now but nonetheless. Milan looked hopeless prior to these performances against Napoli too, it’s as if they have lost all motivation for the season; the fire has gone out.

53 minutes ago, Term_X said:

The weird thing about Napoli is that they were actually fine and still able to play to their maximum without Osimhen when he was injured for the first part of the season and Simeone was filling in just fine, appreciate both of them injured now but nonetheless. Milan looked hopeless prior to these performances against Napoli too, it’s as if they have lost all motivation for the season; the fire has gone out.

I think running away with the league is working against Napoli in UCL. For me match sharpness beats supposed freshness at this stage of the season.

I think one of the biggest factors in our favour in Porto was us getting to the FA Cup final and top 4 going to the last day, we had do or die match after do or die match while City were effectively playing friendlies for a month.

On 12/04/2023 at 05:00, Scott Harris said:

Yep, even I have been reluctant to praise Guardiola like everybody else, but it doesn't matter who seems to go out of that club, he throws somebody else in and they look no worse off. Cancelo was brilliant for City and if it was any other club, it would be a huge loss. He's one of those coaches that just seems to have the knack of getting the very best out of pretty much any player. It's something Ferguson was very good at. I don't even rate Ake that highly and I think if he was in any other team, he would soon be exposed, but he's on another level for City.

Complete agree, this is what Guardiola good at. He is very good at putting his player in their best role and trying to get the best out of his big gun and then adjust his team accordingly to accommodate that. 

Pep is quite ruthless, walker has been fantastic for him and he drop him. It doesn't matter though because it is about getting the best out of Haaland. 

 

Edited April 13, 20233 yr by Bob stark

that ref really f**ked over Napoli

UEFA probably want a Inter - AC Milan semi final

53 minutes ago, azpi28 said:

that ref really f**ked over Napoli

UEFA probably want a Inter - AC Milan semi final

Highest bidder wins in Italy.

roma got a very soft penalty

hit the post 

justice

feyenoord playing really well 

1-0 

Paul Scholes is such a twat

Sevilla got their Europa League hats on again

what a legend

 

On 13/04/2023 at 08:25, Argo said:

I think running away with the league is working against Napoli in UCL. For me match sharpness beats supposed freshness at this stage of the season.

I think one of the biggest factors in our favour in Porto was us getting to the FA Cup final and top 4 going to the last day, we had do or die match after do or die match while City were effectively playing friendlies for a month.

Absolutely. We saw it last season with Liverpool as well, they finished incredibly strongly in no small part due to the fact they treated every game like a final. Winning begets winning and it fosters a hunger and singular focus like nothing else. Apart from obvious momentum, it tends to keep the whole squad sharp and focused because rotation is necessary.

The problems only occur the season or pre-season after, where pent-up fatigue manifests as injury, unfitness or complacency.