Gribz 919 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Just awesome at the moment! Nobody will stop them winning the league now they are in front. They have Chelsea up next and if they win that its over. Arsenal dropping points at Southampton shows they don't have the strength City or Chelsea do. Pundits and managers in England saying they are the best in the world, but that's off the mark. They are they best in England only. If they stuff Barca in the CL then we'll debate how good they are on a world level. But Pellegrini has basically taken Mancini's team and improved them. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Arsenal hoping to sign Matuidi, Vucinic and Draxler. But yes, Man City are fantastic. They'll run away with the league and hopefully take about 5 off Chelsea on Monday. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 EPL, Ashley Cole, Joe Hart now Man City. It's why sky and the English media do. Can't just say they're very good. No, they must be unequivocally the best in the world. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 EPL, Ashley Cole, Joe Hart now Man City. It's why sky and the English media do. Can't just say they're very good. No, they must be unequivocally the best in the world. It's what they've done for years now. It's especially pleasing when they go into World Cup's and European Championship's thinking they're onto a good thin go may to get pumped out early doors. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Gribz, I dont think that Man City beating Barcelona will open the debate about them being the world's best. Simply because I dont think Barcelona are Europe's best. Bayern Munich for me are still the strongest team in Europe. If Man City win the CL only THEN can they be considered to be the best in the world. As per usual.... the English being premature in their fawning over their teams and players. It isnt quite Mancini's team although granted much of it is. Fernandinho, Navas and Negredo have all been very decent additions to what was already a very strong squad. Money talks though, they have bought, again, world class players. I see yesterday that their wage bill is a staggering 234 million quid. They only just complied with the FIFA Financial Fair Play rules (although how they managed it is open to debate, no doubt the inflated sponsorship income for the "Etihad Stadium" naming rights. Chelsea have a stronger squad than Arsenal but I dont think that Arsenal dropping two points to Southampton proves that. Going to Saints and getting a draw is a far more difficult proposition than dropping two points at home to West Ham. Chelsea are just as prone as Arsenal to drop points. Very difficult to see past Man City on current form. Difficult to see who can stop them. Pellegrini is a coach I have always admired - he now has a job which he deserves. Has always done well with fairly unfashionable teams. His signings have all been reasonably successful so far, will be interesting to see them next season when they have fully settled into the English game. Arsenal still need signings - we need at least one striker, could do with a CB too and there are other areas of the team that arent as strong as they could be. Draxler would be an excellent signing but he isnt an out and out striker so where would you play him ? I guess the left hand side of the "3" in a 4-2-3-1 with Ozil the central and Walcott (next season) the wide player. Flamini and Wilshere holding ? But a striker is a MUST. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc 280 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 It's a lifetime away from watching City get relegated and then relegated again at Maine Road in the late 1990's. There were still 30,000 odd punters turning out regularly to see them in what was the old 3rd division. That's loyalty and love for your club. Only matched by the loyalty shown by Rangers fans over the last 2 years. I was at Wembley in 1999 to see City scrape past Gillingham in the play-offs and start the long climb back from the abyss and I can remember the joy on so many people's faces. Kids who had grown up City fans and had suffered nothing but pain, misery and dog's abuse from their United supporting glory hunting peers. Finally they had something to shout about. It was inspiring and it's my City mates who followed the team through the dark days, who suffered so much heart-ache and so many dismal performances under the likes of Alan Ball and a string of equally useless managers, that truly deserve the great team that they now have. It's wonderful that the boot is on the other foot now and City are rampant while United are shite. Another 6-1 at Old Trafford in a few months would go down nicely. Craig is right Pellegrini is a fantastic coach. Level headed and calm - a real inspiration. He's improved an already good team and he's finally getting the recognition that he deserves. Hopefully one day Rangers' fans loyalty will be just as well rewarded. Rangers (and City) 'til I die. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 919 Posted February 1, 2014 Author Share Posted February 1, 2014 I dont think that Man City beating Barcelona will open the debate about them being the world's best. Simply because I dont think Barcelona are Europe's best. Bayern Munich for me are still the strongest team in Europe. If Man City win the CL only THEN can they be considered to be the best in the world. As per usual.... the English being premature in their fawning over their teams and players. Barcelona are probably in the top 3 in Europe still even with an ageing Xavi and Iniesta. But I agree Bayern are head and shoulders above the rest. But if Man City do get past Barca in an impressive manner then it will open eyes to make them genuine contenders, but the Barca games will be a real test. So Far they have came up against the most of Englands top sides and they stuffed Tottenham twice, put 6 past Arsenal, put 4 past Man Utd and beat Liverpool. They did lose at Stamford Bridge but Mondays game will be interesting. If they win that with ease then it will be another eye opener. It isnt quite Mancini's team although granted much of it is. Fernandinho, Navas and Negredo have all been very decent additions to what was already a very strong squad. Money talks though, they have bought, again, world class players. I see yesterday that their wage bill is a staggering 234 million quid. They only just complied with the FIFA Financial Fair Play rules (although how they managed it is open to debate, no doubt the inflated sponsorship income for the "Etihad Stadium" naming rights. Whats impressed me is he has taken players like Nasri who were in and out and turned him into the player he was at Arsenal. Agree money talks and without these owners Man City would be a top 8 team again. But this season bringing Pellegrini in has given them a more professional look. There is no off field capper with the likes of Balotelli and Tevez acting up and even Mancini was partial to controversial moments. Those reasons made Man City look amateurish and I didn't want them to win anything seeing that but now they look the real deal and they get on with their business and if Arsenal don't win the league then I hope Man City do over Chelsea and Liverpool. Very difficult to see past Man City on current form. Difficult to see who can stop them. Pellegrini is a coach I have always admired - he now has a job which he deserves. Has always done well with fairly unfashionable teams. His signings have all been reasonably successful so far, will be interesting to see them next season when they have fully settled into the English game. TBH Id barely heard of Pellegrini before. But for him to come in and he seems to have the respect of the players and is in control - that's superb managing considering the money these players are on. He has a likeable side to him and I hope he does well. As said if Arsenal don't win it then Id like to see City win...at the moment they would be deserving champs. But Pellegrini has also brought them on in Europe. Mancini was getting stuffed every game. Arsenal still need signings - we need at least one striker, could do with a CB too and there are other areas of the team that arent as strong as they could be. Draxler would be an excellent signing but he isnt an out and out striker so where would you play him ? I guess the left hand side of the "3" in a 4-2-3-1 with Ozil the central and Walcott (next season) the wide player. Flamini and Wilshere holding ? But a striker is a MUST Kallstorm has been brought in to cover the midfield which is the one area you'd think they didn't need any cover but the injury list has once again hit. He is a decent player and having Wilshire and Ramsay out may bring the best out of Ozil as they may be forced to play more of a diamond trio in midfield with more natural wide players in Gnarby / Ox-Cham / Podolski....I think that will bring the flow of Ozil out more. Disappointed they didn't get Draxler but more so that Wenger didn't buy a striker. That could cost them the league IMO. You mentioned Negredo earlier who is Citys 2nd striker - compare that to Bendtner and that's the difference. Bringing in 35 million Diego Costa half way through a season may upset the rhythm a bit as he would expect to be first pick but the no brainer was Berbatov for me. He would be outstanding for Arsenal. He wouldn't be first pick, he'd be straight swap for Giroud when required. He wouldn't need to track back which ruins his game and he has that touch of brilliance and being in a footballing team he'd have produced the goods. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Chelsea have the greatest manager of all time. This is why the blues will reign supreme. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 6,170 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Better than Jock. Better than lennie. Surely not. If you mean greatest Chelsea manager of all time, you could be right. Otherwise ask Real fans what they think. In England, has to be Bob Paisley, no? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barristan Selmy 222 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Folk seem to be forgetting that Bayern destroyed Man City in the first game and had hardly anything to play for in the return game. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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