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I would still say DeBruyne, if you don't watch city regular you just don't understand how he controls every game, the thing is his stats are fantastic any way, but they don't fully reflect what he does, it is his passes that are responsible for 75% of the goals city scores, the decisive passe that cuts the opposition to shreds, even if there are a couple of passes after so he doesn't get "assist", also somebody posted about chances created compared to goals scored a bit further up, Agureo actually has a bit of a poor conversion rate, and think how many goals he has scored, with being rotated out of the team frequently for the first half of the season, and that tells you how many chances are being created.
However I would say that DeBruyne had a goalden (see what I did there) period up to Christmas, and has just dropped back a little bit now, were as Salah has improved, I would say with Salah's recent form he is currently the best over the past month or so, and if it continues this way until the end of the season it is going to be very close.
This season it is a real shame that only one of them will be the best player, they both probably deserve it. I think they have both raised the bar above what we have seen for quite a few seasons.
So, is anyone interested in international football anymore?
I was browsing through netfix looking for something to watch tonight, and nothing tickles my fancy, and then a sense of dread came over me as I realised "oh god I am going to watch the game aren't I" well at least I have some "edibles" to enjoy.
Nope.
Life’s too short to watch Engerland friendlies
Actually, life’s too short to watch their tediously predictable floundering and going out in the group stages at the World Cup and the Euros.
The only interest I have in these pointless Engerland games is the usual needless injuries that are generally sustained. I hope Rashford doesn’t play. I’d happily see Jose adopt Fergies approach where players like him would develop phantom injuries just before the international break, only to miraculously recover once it was out of the way
Not a bad international friendly in Manchester tonight, if I had been around I wouldn't have minded going to watch Spain vs Argentina.
Well, now that all that silly international nonsense is out of the way, normal service is resumed. I’m hoping that Everton put up a fight against City, otherwise they could win it next weekend at the Derby.
I’m not optimistic.
Spurs v Chelski is always an interesting one. The game from a couple of seasons ago where the ref decided to let both sides just kick lumps out of each other was one of the most bonkers premiership games ever! A repeat of that would be good 😀
We can go a long way to securing our premiership safety today against Huddersfield ..who seem to have a lot of injury problems ?
No excuses then ..( other than we haven't played for three weeks ! ) ..
You won’t see many more one-sided games than this in the Premiership. City are absolutely taking Everton apart, without apparently breaking a sweat
Everton lucky to be only 3 goals down at half time, city are just on another planet.
As a city fan, while happy about the success of recent years, I also missed the old days of celebrating snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, this year has washed that away.
Not good news about Ray Wilkins. One of my heroes when I was a kid. Hope he pulls through.
Well dare I say it ..but I'm starting to look up the table rather than down ..up one place to 12th but with a game in hand over both Watford & Bournemouth which would lift us into the dizzy heights of 10th place if we got 3 points from it..
Yeah sorry to hear about Butch ..not really a fan of his but hope he makes a good recovery .
I think everyone hopes Ray Wilkins makes a full recovery. Good luck to him.
Just watching MOTD, having watched the game earlier, and if anyone would like to talk me through how on Earth Mane stayed on the pitch after following the most embarrassing dive ever (he should have been wearing Speedo’s!) with the most blatant handball? He should have been off!
If Palace had had anyone up front other than Benteke, who couldn’t hit a cows arse with a banjo.....?
I think the ref was going to red card Mane, but the CP players surrounded him (and especially Cabaye waving the imaginary card) broke his train of thought and he decided he wasn't going to allow them to dictate his actions. What he should have done IMO was give Mane his second yellow and therefore red, and then yellow card Cabaye.
Cabaye did that for the "dive" also..so maybe he should have had two yellow cards and been sent off too?
I hate seeing players do that ..
I'm slightly at odds as to wether it was a dive though ..I watched the match live too and there was definite contact which looked minimal in slow motion ..but in real time looked worse ..and as Souness said ( not that I like to agree with one of the worst managers we have ever had ) ..all of his weight was on his right leg when the contact occurred which made things look " delayed " ..but I'm not sure it was .
I think he was unlucky to be booked and I have seen penalties given for less ..
It wasn’t a dive? Give over! The Ashley Young of a few seasons ago would have considered that a bit over-theatrical 😉
I have to agree with you about players doing the whole card thing though. Just let the red do his job. And it’s counter-productive, like you said, as Mane should definitely have been walking for that
Anyway.... Spurs Chelski later so i’ve no doubt we’ll have plenty more cards to discuss 😀
Spurs Chelski later
Rumours in the papers this morning were that chelsea were going to make a move for Pochettino. Could just be trouble making ahead of the match, but if there is any truth, I wouldn't be surprised if that forced manu's hand to also make a move.
If it does happen, it could also see a big fee being paid to spurs, akin to a star player transfer.
A bit of a wind up if you ask me ..money talks that's true but with a new stadium coming and a very real possibility of surpassing Chelsea in the not too distant ..why would he want the hassle of moving to another London team ..your other guess has more legs methinks ..
He'd have to be mad to go to Chelski. I reckon that they're doing it as a wind up as it looks like this afternoon Spurs might finally break their Stamford Bridge hoodoo. And Spurs will be in the Champions League next year. Chelski won't.
Going back to the player of the season thang, David Silva was unreal yesterday. He always is. Everyone goes on about De Bruyne, but surely Silva is the perfect all-round player. He just runs games! Sane has got to be up there too.
He'd be mad to go to Utd as well.
Silva has come on strong recently, De Bruyne has been amazing most of the season, but I was thinking yesterday that Silva must also be a contender. Funny thing about De Bruyne when you watch him make a run from his own half, it looks like he burns out quite quickly and it is only sheer will of mind that keeps him going.
Sane, Sterling and Jesus are all eligible for young player of the year, as well as stones who was fantastic the first half of the season until he got injured.
What's happening at Arsenal ?
I hadn't realised the sheer amount of fan unrest..I get the whole Wenger out thing ..although given the success he has had he would have a job for life at Newcastle..but to be honest I was shocked at the number of empty seats I'm seeing on my t.v...how fickle !
To be honest though the performance on the pitch is absolutely woeful on the evidence of that first half ..no longer a team to be remotely worried about ..
Arsenal don’t just need to be worrying about Their woeful lacklustre performances (all those empty seats speak volumes), they need to be looking over their shoulder at Burnley
They’re on a roll at the moment and I wouldn’t bet against them finishing above them
Conte getting sacked in the morning then? It’s the Chelski way! 😂
Who the hell are they going to get in next? And who the hell would want that job anyway?!
You’d have to say the UCL places are almost decided now wouldn't you?
Can’t see it changing. It’s all academic now. I expect an exercise in bus parking by Jose next weekend to frustrate City (and anyone who enjoys watching attacking football) and a procession to the end where the only interest is will Burnley finish above Arsenal and the relegation scrap which will probably go down to the last minute of the last game
Who the hell are they going to get in next? And who the hell would want that job anyway?!
It's a bonanza payday. I'm sure they'll get someone who's mercenary enough. They don't even have to succeed: Just do an average job for 6 months to a year, let top-class players manage themselves, and walk away with £5m in their pocket when it all hits the fan. Hell, even a league-winning manager gets the sack these days, so there's no real motivation to be anything other than someone who turns up and puts names on a team sheet each week.
Pardew is available.
Sympathy to all WBA fans ...but you were warned .
Hope that slimy **** never gets near another club and also hope that we don't have to suffer his " expert" analysis as a tv pundit ..and Carver ..you might love Newcastle ..but you are completely shite as a coach .
The real pity though is that once again Pardew escapes without a relegation blemish on his CV ..
Fascinating week or so of football for city, Liverpool-United-Liverpool, I give the edge to city over two legs, but am am nervous, it is far from a guaranteed win. Should be exciting though, I think every football fan will want to watch these two teams go toe to toe.
here is my combined 11.
Interesting you'd have Firmino instead of Aguero.
The table does not lie and City are better than Liverpool. However both teams are capable of winning this. I suspect one player will have a blinder though and turn the match. As you note, with your team, city have more than Pool - both your strikers are better than Firminho IMHO
I also like the way pep is going to play a weakened team against Man u[ if not well payed on the mind games] - really rubs our nose in it if they still win and easy excuse if they dont win;either way they are still going to win the league by a country mile and deservedly so.
Interesting you’d have Firmino instead of Aguero
Aguero has a surprisingly low conversion rate over the past few years, although he does create chances himself, his goal tally should really be higher for the chances created by the team. I think at the moment while Aguero would get more than Jesus because of the chances he creates for himself, the city team would get more with Jesus in the forward role.
Jesus still has a lot of improvement to make, and I think he and Sane are going to be challenging for world player of the year soon. But if you look at the goals and assists by Firmino this year I think he has the edge on both Aguero and Jesus.
I also like the way pep is going to play a weakened team against Man u[ if not well payed on the mind games] – really rubs our nose in it if they still win and easy excuse if they dont win;either way they are still going to win the league by a country mile and deservedly so.
I suspect that depends on how the first match against Liverpool goes, if city can establish a decent lead at Anfield, he may go stronger in the united match, but any other result means having to prioritise.
I can't see Liverpool keeping City from scoring in both games, especially away. It could end up about 8-6 on aggregate as Klopp will have a go - and even if they get a two or three goal lead from the first leg City won't be out of it. City to go through.
I correctly called the last Liverpool v City game as a 4-3 result. I just had no idea to who.
I think tonight might be a slightly cagier affair, but giving the respective attacks involved i’m going 3-2. Again, I have no idea which way.
I’m away with my folks at the moment, and as my dad is a Liverpool fan I suppose that means i’ll have to support City, just to wind him up 😀
As for Saturday...:. I hate to say it but the Manchester derby is an irrelevant sideshow, as the result will affect absolutely nothing. City are head and shoulders above any other squad, and delaying them winning the premiership by a week tells you everything you need to know about our respective seasons.
OMG, wait until you see Ronaldo’s second goal tonight! All the Juve fans were applauding....unheard of!
lucky strike by the prancing pony.
Awesome result from Real Madrid - Juventus had only lost once in their previous 75 home games.
119 goals in the Champions League is amazing - thank god the rags sold him. At 80 million he was a bargain.
It was an amazing goal ..and fully deserving of the standing ovation it received..
It reminded me of another teams set of fans who also play in Black & White giving a standing ovation to an opposition player as he was substituted mid-way through the second half of a game with his team leading 5-1..
I was there that day and while the result hurt ..this fella was on a different planet..
http://www.nufcblog.com/2008/12/29/gerrard-newcastle-fans-know-what-football-is-all-about/
Ronaldo's goal has got some equally good reactions:
https://twitter.com/petercrouch/status/981263026664955904
That's Crouch alluding to the fact that he too scored a spectacular overhead kick a year or two back ?
I reckon Crouch's is better..... better contact, pulled it back from further behind him, and the distance from his brain to his foot means he must have started to execute it before the ball had even been crossed to allow the neurons to get there 😉
Ronaldo's was sort of expected, he's that good. Crouch was WTAF, did that just happen?
Yes, was every bit as good, but mibbe not in as big a game!
Oh that was indeed special from Crouch 🙂
The thing that makes Ronaldo different is that he always seems to be able to defy gravity for half a second, you see it in his headed goals as well, you'd swear at times that he is actually floating.
standing ovation to an opposition player as he was substituted mid-way through the second half of a game
Man U did this when Ronaldo - the other Brazillian one- got a hat trick against us.
I remember thinking that it was kind of therapeutic ..yeah we were well stuffed but it gave us something to applaud !
Disgraceful behavior from the Liverpool fans tonight, it might be a minority, but it wasn't a small group, they were in their thousands. Hopefully city win anyway, because Liverpool deserve to be kicked out for that, the team and manager don't deserve it, but there were far too many fans involved for that to be ignored.
On a football note, interesting that Pep has gone for a new formation for this game.
Dippers gonna dip - this "coach greeting" has been discussed for weeks.
Merseyside Police were pathetic - where were the motorcycle escorts and how many of the "fans" who threw bricks and bottles have been arrested?
Pep looked a bit rattled but we have characters like Silva and Kompany who will lead us and not be intimidated.
Let's see what UEFA do after the match. Banning Liverpool fans from the away leg would be a reasonable punsihment.
Oh. My. Word.
Game ON.
But feel free to bottle our bus on return leg. Inexcusable behaviour from Liverpool fans.
Strewth. That sets this tie up nicely.
And as a qualified ref, credit where due, great advantage when he could easily have blown for a 'ceremonial' free kick
(but they won't mention that while they've already mentioned a fractional offside 3 times)
Wallop!
2-0 inside 20 mins !
O my days !!!
Listening to R5 via VPN in Denmark. Wishing I was watching it!
Football.... bloody hell!
😳
We've been here before. 3-3.
Man City know they've got the beating of us at their ground, so they'll be patient. They could even just settle for an away goal.
Crikey Moses! I didn’t expect that scoreline at half time.
The only downside is seeing some cracking videos of the pre-game with the crowd all singing etc (Yes i'm aware of the other bit with the coach). All about 1 minute walk from where i grew up. I love leafy West Berks, but every now and again i miss living in Anfield 🙂
Up the Pool !
You miss living next to Anfield? 😳
Having gone to a couple of Liverpool games last season I can assure you that you’ve obviously not been there for a while. It’s an utter and complete shit-hole! Proper third world shit! I’d rather live in Aleppo! Which in a lot of ways it quite closely resembles
Anyway.... football-wise I had a punt on 3-2 to Liverpool. Hmmmmmmmm
liverpool have previous with regards european football violence resulting in english clubs were banned for 5 years from european football.
The atmosphere in the ground is toxic, so much to celebrate, but this is what they decide to do instead. It is a real shame, when the managers and teams have shown each other so much respect that this is what the fans resort to. You wouldn't want to take your kids to that.
Salah off injured, will this change it around?
You miss living next to Anfield?
Having gone to a couple of Liverpool games last season I can assure you that you’ve obviously not been there for a while. It’s an utter and complete shit-hole! Proper third world shit! I’d rather live in Aleppo! Which in a lot of ways it quite closely resemble
That's where i grew up mate, it's where all my family are from, trust me, coming from Scotty Rd, Anfield was quite nice. I spent my formative years until i was 11 living about 125 from the Anfield Rd end. We then moved up to Huyton (about 2 miles from Stevie G).
I spent my weekends at Anfield, in the Kop with my mum, auntie, 3 uncles and 6 cousins, that was our life, our childhood and seeing the teams of the 70's and 80s, well you can't ask for much more.
It was of course why my life never involved either motorbikes or MTBing, as they simply didn't exist in inner-city Liverpool. Eventually i moved down south at 26 years old and have been down here in various parts of Berks now for 20 years. I saw a lot of the family in early Dec as it was my mums funeral, it did remind me of how much i miss of the City. You see the bits there as being awful.. I just see them as 'how it was/is'
its really not that rough for a big city and Manchester has just as many shit holes
Binners was just upset because there was no Greggs near by
It’s too rough for a Greggs?
Stop and have a think about that for a minute 🙂
Weeksy - I think you might have a serious case of rose-tinted glasses. I went for a pint in the pub next to the ground after the match and it felt like i’d Walked into a scene from Boys From the Blackstuff!
still.... hats off for carrying on the time honoured scouse tradition of claiming that ‘The Pool’ is the greatest city in the weeeeeeeeeeerld having not actually lived there yourself for decades 😉
City a bit unlucky, offside goal allowed for Liverpool, onside goal disallowed for city.
Alexander Arnold man of the match for me, never put a foot wrong.
still…. hats off for carrying on the time honoured scouse tradition of claiming that ‘The Pool’ is the greatest city in the weeeeeeeeeeerld having not actually lived there yourself for decades
LOL Really ? You're going with that. I was born in Liverpool, spent the first 26 years of my life there, i have a crest of LFC on my left are, my family have been there for 5 generations and i'm being half accused of not being a true Scouser LOL
Weeksy – I think you might have a serious case of rose-tinted glasses. I went for a pint in the pub next to the ground after the match and it felt like i’d Walked into a scene from Boys From the Blackstuff!
There's far worse parts of Liverpool. There's far better of course. But there's no rose tinted glasses here, i'm well aware of the good and bad aspects of living there. Hence why i live in a small village in West Berks.
Weeksy - What do you need to keep your Scouse Passport stamped? i’m a United fan and i’ve been to more recent Liverpool home games than you 😛
You is like Macca or Ringo, innit? It’s a fantastic city! Best in the weeeeeeeeeerld Would I love there? ****, NO!!!
Anyway.... Alexander Arnold was brilliant! And nobody has said that about a Liverpool defender for a long time. A deserved win, despite two dodgy offside decisions
And nobody has said that about a Liverpool defender for a long time
I'm pretty sure they've been saying it about Robertson recently, and VVD for that matter.
Trent AA was excellent - good to see a young local kid come through and fair play to Klopp for sticking with him as he's made a few errors recently, which all young players will. Oxlade-Henderson too - again, credit Klopp. Compare him now to under Wenger.
Tie is not over though Licverpool do look more solid now with Van Dijk organizing things and Mignolet and Moreno banished. One goal in Manchester will do it and I expect Klopp to go for it.
Weeksy – What do you need to keep your Scouse Passport stamped? i’m a United fan and i’ve been to more recent Liverpool home games than you
And i've been to more games than you'll ever have been to if you live to be 200, i went to every home game for 15 years My mum went to Rome in 1977, Paris in 81, i've been all over Europe to see them play including the Bernabau to see Yossi score and Liverpool win 1-0 in Madrid. What's your point caller ? I generally get to 4-5 games per season now away from home, but only 1-2 at Anfield
My tattoo and my Scouse accent mean i'm never mistaken for anything less than a Scouser.. Although these days, some do suspect i'm from the other side of the river 🙁
To be fair to the dippers they played very well but City were architects of their own downfall. Not sure what Walker was thing for the first goal - just put it out for a corner!
Liverpool's young fullbacks were great.
I think the "coach greeting" did un-nerve City - I guess having adrenaline pumping through your system unexpectedly can mess up your preparations - never seen City misplace so many passes or misjudge things like they did in that first half.
Pretty sad state of affairs that Liverpool have to resort to that type of tactic to gain an edge. I believe the club and Merseyside Police were complicit in what happened pre-match. If there are no arrests and/or banning of fans then this will be impossible to argue against.
Let's tie up the title against Manyoo on Saturday and then see what we can do next week. One thing for sure our fans and club will show more class than the Istoreeee boys.
I need to go to more Liverpool games. I’m like this kiss of death! I’ve never seen you win 🙂
stay classy though....
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/feb/23/newsstory.sport1
Weeksy please stop taking the very humorous bait. Naughty Binners.
i agree ,Trent AA was man of the match.
night night.
As a neutral ..as good as City are ..I really think the tie is over now ..if they had got an away goal that would have been different ..but Liverpool only need to score to seal it ..and even if they don't I can't see City winning by 4 clear goals ..
Enjoy Saturday instead ..
Always makes me laugh when one lot claim to be better fans than the other! 🤣
My dad's bigger than yours! 😂
I think the “coach greeting” did un-nerve City
Did you even watch the game? City started off the better side, by a stretch.
I believe the club and Merseyside Police were complicit in what happened pre-match
Please present your evidence for this. if you're that sure, you should go public with your evidence.
It’s too rough for a Greggs?
Stop and have a think about that for a minute
Well played 🙂
Merseyside Police tweeted the change of route for the team coaches. It was changed so that it did not go past a building site with lots of loose bricks for loveable scousers to throw.
There is a 184 page thread on a City forum where Liverpool fans were claiming that they would attack City's coach but Merseyside Police did nothing to protect the vehicle and made no arrests. Throwing bricks and bottles at vehicles is clearly against the law so failing to act upon intelligence and failing to make any arrests indicates clearly that Merseyside Police neglected their responsibilities.
Liverpool have previous for this against Man United. When similar treatment was mooted against the Liverpool coach coming to Old Trafford Man United supplied Bobby Charlton to sit at the front of the coach which ensured no missiles were launched at it. If Liverpool had any conscience then they should have done something similar - maybe Daglish?
I am confident that it will all end in tears for Liverpool - they may win the tie but they will finish the season with nothing.
All over? Balls...... it's half time and an early goal back for City will see puckering arses all over the place.
I remember being in the pub with mates for the 'Pool-Milan final. They wanted to scrap the game at half time / 0-3 and go for a curry but I persuaded them to give it 10 minutes in case they got a goal back. Because once they get one, you know if you concede again then panic sets in, panic of the sort that says 'we aren't going to blow a 3 goal lead are we?' And so even before you actually concede the second you're starting to worry that you only need to concede a second before you panic properly!!
City will score, and it'll be close, not least because Liverpool can't park the bus in their wildest dreams.
Agree this is far from done and dusted. I remember watching that final in the pub with my scouse mates. They wanted to leave at half time. We wouldn’t let them because we wanted to see if they’d lose by 7 or 8. So much for that. The last time they won owt.
Yeah..... but....you know..... next year.......
