₦airaland Forum

Mendy will not be back before Chelsea but Delph would put in a shift. Walker worried all first half but in the 2nd half he was the man. Shaktar were the first technical team City played all season and I am happy at the drill the team received before the Chelsea game.

Fernandinho was my MOTM. He was phenomenal!

He should tuck in his Arsenal. Kane is too.

The respect for CFC stems from the fact that they are previous league winners that sold off their bad eggs and replaced them with younger players. Also, in Conte, they have a tactically-aware grinder of games who masks his defensive inclinations by encouraging his team to score more rather than closing up shop like his senior brother in United.

That said, having to chase many competitions like the FA Cup and UCL will weigh on his team and by extension the type of consistency they had last season enroute to winning the EPL. Adjusting to this new regimen is what would cause them to wobble.

But I would not judge them off the Burnley or AFC games especially the latter as AFC had all to play for considering their 2 previous away losses.

CFC will pose a different threat from what City has experienced thus far but they would have a very torrid time containing Pep's team to zero chances and them having a ton of their own. If this did not happen last term when Clichy and Sagna were liabilities, I doubt it would happen now with Danilo/Delph or Walker/Danilo i.e if Mendy does not recover in time.

ChristineC:
what do you mean by shelved their weakness?

City had defensive issues to go with converting chances of the many they created. They missed Kompany's leadership; their full backs had aged considerably and were slow. Their keeper was always caught in La La land and they struggled atimes without Silva.

This season Pep fixed the full back issues with Mendy, Walker and Danilo. Vincent is back and albeit out again, the prognosis is not bad. Bernado will comfortably replace David Silva in case of an injury thus making the team as dynamic as Pep needs them to be. They have had more time with him - it is evident plus they are finishing their chances atleast better than last season. Sterling, Sané, Gab and Aguero are on course to outdoing their last season's totals. They have Ederson a pellucidly better keeper than Bravo.

United on the other hand, were good defensively partly because Mou likes to build his team from the back but they were not as creative as they needed to be. The corollary effect of their lack of creativity was their low output goal wise. Pogba, who was to be the chief creator looked out of sorts possibly because he was saddled with too much to do; create, defend, score.

Now Mou has Matic who is tall and powerful enough to free Pogba of his defensive duties. Lukaku is a more powerful striker than Zlatan as he would run in behind the defence of many teams thus giving his midfielders options in terms of trying to assist him. The team is looking more like his own with defensive reinforcements in Linderlof and Jones (who looks rejuvenated). Plus, they have played with Mou for 1 full season - so they know his game. Mhiki, Pogba, Lukaku, Rashford and Martial are already putting in the goals. Whether they would do enough to tip the scale in United's favour is what I doubt based on what I have seen.

The synopsis is, both City and United don't have the same personnel weaknesses they had last season. Only terrible injuries to many key players and managerial gaffes will be the undoing.

ChristineC:
is this really what I think it is?

Which is?

larride:
I agree with you 100% that Pep has a better squad than Mou and they are strong contenders but I just have this feeling that they will not win the league.

I am not even saying United's team is way behind. I predicted if the league winner has 87points, 2nd might have 86 and 3rd, 85. It will be close. I just feel City will edge it.

larride:
At the end of the day, no one remember who finished 2,3,4,5 or 6. It's the first position that count. In the league last season, both Mou and Pep failed since neither of them won the league but Mou salvaged his season by winning the Uefa Cup and EFL (beating PEP city along the way).

In the history books right now, both coaches were employed to the 2 Manchester teams last season:

Mou: 2 trophies
Pep: none.

Argue with facts only.

Thank you for making my argument for me WRT the emboldened. The rest of your post is conjecture. I can go pedantic on you and say Mou beat City's reserves in Old Trafford but it is to what end? Carling Cup is a cosmetic way of saying I won a trophy.

As per Europa, well, City or Pep cannot lose something he never played in. The discourse was pertaining to the league and the only facts are; one was 6th and the other 3rd. C'est fini.

Victornezzar:
Trash......Dis is just d beginning of d season nd ur here saying city are strong contenders......Is like u really don't know what Fatigue is.....wait till January......Or is it d injury prone aguero dah will guide city 2 d title

Dumb hypotheticals.

I can as well say if Lukaku gets injured your season is over or De Gea or Pogba. Who makes projections based on injuries yet to happen?

City were stronger contenders than you last season and they are better than they were this season yet you want to dismiss them sentimentally?

The fatigue you are talking about will not affect your own team?

Take several seats and be humble.

lekkie073:
8 different players have scored for united dis season, the highest in the league.
other players r scoring too.

Yes, which is why I know they would do better than last season. How much better is where I differ from many here.

diggz:
You have every right to your opinion as I have also picked manU to win the league. The reason why I highlighted a part of your post while asking Raumdeuter to come respond to it is because dayo is of the opinion that this city team is not settled yet, and manU stand a better chance of winning the league.

I know his position as I know yours. You are entitled to it and him his. I disagree with both of you.

Victornezzar:
Not us
you do

So show me that "Plan B" season in the EPL. You can even bring out any of Mou's title winning campaigns in Portugal, Spain and Italy. I am waiting.

diggz:
Raumdeuter please can you help me respond to the bolded?

On your CFC thread, I gave my opinion; I expect City to win the league, CFC to finish 2nd and United 3rd. I said so even when City had just drawn with Everton (if not before) and I am yet to see anything that will change that opinion.

I know United fans are excited about Lukaku and his goals, but he is only replacing Zlatan's goals thus far. I need to see another source of 15+ goals from say Rashford or Martial to be sure they would punch 20-24points higher than their last showing.

Victornezzar:
come do u know anything about football at all......I doubt

You guys throw words about you barely understand.

Victornezzar:
so are u trying 2 say last season would be d same with dis season

I am saying, it is rubbish to say City won't seriously compete this season when they added on their 79pts team and took away their weaknesses when the same argument can be made about your team; started well and tapered off even finishing 6th.

larride:
Where you are so quick to point out City that were fluent and good against a crystal palace side that has its first 5 games, scored zero goals and are away from home, you could think City has won the league already. Beginning of last season where City was demolishing all teams left, right, center, some sections of our fans were already cussing the board and berating Mou, end of season we had a better season than them. You guys have started again this season. You can port to City so you can support your pep. Nonsense.

Na here we dey.

You did not have a better season than City. You had a salvageable season for yourselves compared to what you had endured post Fergie.

This myth that 6th place United did better than 3rd place City needs to end. The only advantage Europa brought to your team, City got it by finishing 3 places higher than you in the league.

Neymar1095:
well if Your Plan A has won You 21trophies in 7Yrs Then Fvck Plan B.

What they call "plan B" is to hoof the ball into the box and hope tall players head it in. The only issue with this simplistic way of viewing things is, none of them can pick a season where this sort of football won the league.

Victornezzar:
some of u all don't understand football at all......if u think city will continue like dis....den ur in 4 a shocker
d title race would be btw Manu nd Chelsea buh city would score goals definitely

LOL

SMH.

You lot say anything to help you sleep at night.

City had 79pts last season compared to United's 66. Both of them shelved their weaknesses and consolidated on their strengths yet somehow City is expected to do worse than they did last season yet United will be 20-24points better. How does that work?

Mehn, City, Chelsea and United will be in the thick of things.

Winning scruffily to Southampton was not a plan B. Mou set out to play well but it just did not work out. Period.

You crack me up.

There is an evident disenchantment by the players either towards his coaching style or they are just so bored with winning for being better. But all that would change when they get to advanced stages in the UCL.

Coutinho doing what I felt he could do for us.


Isco is dribbling and dribbling with no output.

Neymar1095:
I didn't think we were great
today.....but that makes the result
more impressive....if we were at full tilt
it could have been double figures

No team will play wonderfully for 90mins. Barca's last game against Eibar, the scoreline flattered how they played. Chance conversion is what is key, because no matter who they play, they would create chances.

The last time City lost to Chelsea and even the 3-1 game at Etihad were all down to missing chances. They are a good enough team to create 1 or 2 of their own, but City would edge it if they score theirs.

I was not too bothered with how bad City were in the first half because these things happen. I am sure that City are in a better place this season personnel wise, than they were last year and with how sharp Sergio Aguero has been - the future of this season is bright.

Mendy will be missed. Hopefully he is back before the Chelsea game.

Neymar1095:
Win next week and we will be in a
fantastic position.

The problem is converting chances. If they can score their chances they will win.

Conte is going to park the bus with hit and hope balls to Morata in the box.

They miss too many easy chances. They need to be more serious in bigger games.

With which salary cap?


SmooshCHN,

Khaytunechi:
Vector the viper @Henessy cypher

"My girl get assets, the a$$ sets when I dey Bend her!
But your girl lack asset(Lacazette) like say she dey play for Wenger"

Lol

That is how he meant it.

Funny line though.

10d0ve:
As far as being a striker is concerned, G .Jesus is miles ahead of Iheanacho. Boy can move n finish! Boy can pressurise the CB's as if they've got his destiny. Also good in the air! I envy the collection of young talents at city; mendy, B.silva, sane, G.Jesus, De Bruyne (with the exception of sterling n stones!)

You are right. That is why I cautioned against blind patriotism. If Nacho was Brazilian will he start ahead of Gab? No way.

Even Aguero had to step up and the improvement is now clear to everyone. Before now, even the Argentinian head coach refused to play him and he looked like a 33 year old striker even though he was only 29 last season.

Now he looks vibrant and lethal. Suarez on the other hand looks like he has regressed. Suarez this season looks like Aguero of last season and Aguero now looks like Suarez in his Liverpool days.

justicejay:
i always follow your argument on a thread about Africa football or so.
I can't really remember the name of the thread.
you always pin point it that so far as at that time Jesus ain't better nacho, I don't believe you that time but not anymore. I now reason with you, Jesus might be a wonderful kid, but to me he hasn't add anything special to our game. Nacho did and can do more than what Gabriel is offering though I don't know of years to come, but I think letting Nacho go is a big mistake.

Nacho is a great finisher of goals. That is it. He frustrated me a times in City through his lack of ball retention or in reading the game wrongly. It is in these aspects that Gabriel trumps him.

2 games come to mind about Nacho - City vs AFC 2:2 draw in Pelle's last season and 2:1 win against United last season. In both games, Nacho was with the ball with 2 City players on both flanks and in both instances he was not aware of their positioning and ended up giving the wrong pass.

In that United game, Pep spoke to Nacho after the first half. It was clear by his gesticulations that he was telling Nacho to be aware of his left and right. In a city team in which other teams tend to park the bus, Intelligence of the players is what is needed to unlock such defenses. Nacho has to work on that via regular play in Leicester.

So far, he is not setting Leicester on fire but that could change quickly. Shakespeare believed in him to have coughed out £25M for the kid. Let us not use blind patriotism to inhibit the player's development. Pep was right.

Neymar1095:
I dare say Sane is better than Rashford and dembele Imo.

Not Dembele but time might tell.

Neymar1095:
If Pep doesn't want to play an out and
out winger then I don't see why Sane
couldn't play a central role.

Aguero - Sane

Jesus - Sane

Jesus - Aguero

His finishing is as good as good as
anyone, he's got lightning pace, his link
up play is good. He's basically Henry
but even quicker, and has the next 5
years to reach his potential before he
even hits his prime.
Personally, I'm more excited about him
than Jesus - and the potential of those
two together really is frightening

Sane is not near quicker than Henry if he is even as quick. Henry could have run 100M for France. Gab Jesus is a positive enigma because you see him achieving things yet you know he is not even near the talent that he truly possesses. Barring injuries, he is one for the future of Manchester City, just the way Aguero was and you are right, Sané is in that mold.

Sterling perplexes because if he can add scoring and football sense to his game, he can be a world-beater. But he refuses to improve in those aspects.

It is crazy. Busquets is biscuit. Iniesta is a eunuch. Piqué is trash etc. But same people turn around and say Pep only wins because he coaches world class players.

I am happy they ignored Sergio, Silva and the rest of the team. Ego-swelling is already turning out to be the downfall of Real Madrid this season and City does not need that. So let the city players still feel like they have something to prove. That is exactly what Barca gave Pep in 2008.

Donlittle:
I think that is understandable especially kobe > Lebron.

He looks up to Kobe, ask for advice from Kobe, even when he won the championship, he called Kobe while champagne was being popped and i believe Lebron was there.

However, i will put bron ahead of KD right now, although, that might change during the course of the season or after the season ends depending on how it unfolds.

The reality is, Kyrie has always said KD was his favorite player in the NBA. I remember an interview I saw before the last Olympics where he said he was looking forward to playing with KD "my favorite player in the NBA while I was in Duke". I believe he even said he modeled his shooting the exact way KD does it. KD in return said Kyrie had better handles than A. I

I agree that Lebron is overall the better player but he is not touching KD as a scorer.

Lana1:
Bullshît. Double Standards.
In our Derby in 2009, when Atkinson added four mins but allowed the game go on till the 96 mins where Owen later on scored the winner, i'm sure u would ve been one of the people who claimed PDP that day. I'm sure u wouldn't ve taken ur time like u just did to explain how City took time to celebrate their late equalizer and also made a substitution plus the fan that invaded the pitch all in stoppage time. When it comes to United, its PDP. When it comes to ur beloved Pep and City, all manner of excuses come up.
Besides ours was 2 mins. How is an extra 7 mins for City justifiable?? Am not surprised tho. U are a Barca fan. So its perfectly understandable why u'd want to find all manner of excuses to defend Pep's team in this situation.(pic)

LOL. You can pad the sentiments of your fellow United fans but it does not mean you are not drifting away from common sense. The rule says 'Minimum of [insert whatever minutes is added]'. I am explaining to you how that rule applied in the Bournemouth game. Heck, if the Ref had ended the game in the 95th min, that would mean that he added no time in that game.

Irrelevant. Teams ve red cards and decisions in general go against them all the time. No be today. Nani's red vs Madrid. Ronaldo's alleged diving and 2nd yellow(for what was a clear Pen btw) in the Super Cup. Only for same ref to award Suarez a penalty for diving himself.

Actually, the bolded is my point and the rest of your drivel is irrelevant. Nani, Ronaldo and Suarez have no bearing on United, City or the EPL.

U sure say u watch this match??
Mata had a goal wrongfully disallowed for offside in the 1st half. How wasn't an obvious handball from Martial's cross a penalty?? Na back of TV u dey watch?? Fellaini wasn't offside. Go and watch the replay very well.

Every time the ball touches a player's hand in the box does not translate into a penalty. And Fellaini was OVER-offside is there any such construction. You obviously did not watch the back of the TV but I guarantee you listened to match commentary from a United-sponsored radio station.

Besides, the point is not whether united deserved to beat Leicester or not - so tell your fellow fans who want to take consolation from "2 offside" goals of City that those goals could have been taken away and the scoreline will not change.

Once again, irrelevant to the discourse.

Yea...sure. But the jury is still out for City- was that not your statement?

atheist5:
discussing with is a waste of time,which fucking pontential do these lots have?,only tottenham outscored us in the league last season not even man city and you are bringing crappy arsenal,my guy make i see road

No it is not a waste of time. You would learn the meaning of the word potential and get to "see road" well while at it.

Alexis does not have a 40-goal season but everyone knows he has the potentials to achieve it. Whereas, Hazard does not have one and cannot have one; The skill-set he possesses evince that he cannot score that number of goals in one season.

Whether Alexis goes on to score 40 goals is inconsequential in this discourse. The fact remains that he can, if maximized in a better setup.

Conclusively, that Conte maximized his team to give him what they did and Wenger could not does not detract from the potentials of Wenger's players. That goes for the rest of your piffle on Tottenham bla bla...