PaulC

I can't work it out. Did win the championship with Burnley so with better players they think he will do better there l.

Europa league final not on YouTube this year though 

9 minutes ago, Zatman said:

He is awful. His career has been constantly relegation battles and no better team ever bid for him

Jamie Carragher doest agree 

3 hours ago, Genie said:

If England have a back 5 of 

Pickford

Walker, Stones, Maguire and Shaw then they ain’t winning anything imo.

Pickford: Shit

Maguire: Shit

Shaw: Shit and injured

Stones: Alright but nothing special

Walker: Good

and that’s a first choice back 5 with everyone available.

Certain pundits had pickford in their team of the year. He's not the best but not shit imo

We going to obviously want a fee for him and he's probably not going to want to accept a big drop in wages. 

Yes I'd rather generate cash by getting rid of fringe players than a player like Luiz who we could probably sell for 80 million but it's not easy to do that.

If Carlos stays and with the return of Mings then we can look at other areas ti strengthen. Obviously it wouid be good to get him off the wage bill and sign a younger cb on lower wages as bsck up

15 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Rice didnt play in the World Cup when England made semis

Maguire played in both so can play big games and still be a weakness

Okay I stand corrected there but I think Rice is a top player in his position. Every player makes mistakes even the best keeper in the world does but that does not define his career. Macguire Is different. His career has gone backwards and he can't be trusted anymore. Southgate shouid have found someone else to play alongside Stones.

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

He was poor against Porto and dreadful against Bayern. He was reason Bayern won as he was ball watching

He's been in a final of a euros and semi final of a world cup. He's not a weakness. 

1 minute ago, HKP90 said:

That's the thing about international management. Most international sides have an inherent weakness somewhere that is dictated by the players available. 

The trick is to minimise these weaknesses by keeping the ball in areas of strength. In England's case, we should be set up to be the most attacking side in world football. No-one would be able to handle or outscore us. Instead we are set up defensively, and the ball is recycled along our back line- giving most possession to the weakest element of our team. It's bonkers. 

This is Southgates last chance  of winning a major international tournament. I hope and think he will be more attacking than he has in previous tournaments.

2 hours ago, Zatman said:

England have a big midfield problem defensively. Rice was found out when stepping up in the Champions League

I don't think Rice has been found out at all he's now a very experienced player for England. There are problems at cb and left back but the rest of the squad is very strong. Maybe backup keeper to Pickford.  France must be struggling in that dept bringing a has been back into the squad.

8 hours ago, VillaChris said:

I do think France are a bit weaker than 2022 personally. Lost a shed load of experience with Varane, Lloris, Pogba all for various reasons not part of the set up. Kante was set to be added but he's been recalled I assume for his tournament knowledge in two years. Giroud will also be a sub in this tournament.

Deschamps got away with it in the England match with lack of changes and then in the final he should've started Coman and Camavinga, put both on after half an hour.

Already he dosen't seem to think Saliba is good enough to start for France yet so could see Konate or Upamecano instead which would be pretty comical as both have mistakes in them.

I actually think Portugal are the best rounded team in this tournament. Just looking at their squad and it's very impressive....Dalot, Ruben Dias,Pepe, Joao Paliniha, Joao Neves, Bernando Silva, Fernandes, Leao, Jota etc so a fantastic mix age wise and got good back up on the bench. Their problem will be the same as the World cup, how much will Ronaldo impact on their play in the final third with his lack of pressing and movement? He's nearly 40 now but Martinez pretty much started him every game so can't see him being dropped like in the last World cup. They would be my favourites to win it.

If it wasn't for the  defence I'd really fancy England. Yes France beat England in the world cup but it was very close with Kane missing a penalty and I believe players have matured and are better now. England's midfield is not a problem . Lot of options there with Bellingham and foden named as forwards. 

Have France got better players than Bellingham, Foden, Palmer. Kane and Saka apart from.Mbappe I'm not sure. England have a serious chance and for once Southgate is picking players on merit and not showing favouritism apart from Macguire

A very strange decision 

Hew done some good stuff for disadvantaged children. He's not a bad person and I think he's very likeable. Yes he's had a nothing season but not that it will happen but he'd be much more than a bench warmer at Villa

7 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Id take three strikers definitely 

 

Kane toney and watkins 

Even if you play one up top if you have a injury there you are light. Also if you chasing a game you may need to use two

Agree I think all three will make the cut. 

5 minutes ago, KAZZAM said:

I would cut. 

Trafford, Quansah, Gomez, Guehi, Curtis Jones, Maddison, Grealish 

I think Gomez will make the cut because he can play a variety of positions. 

37 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

My worry with Barkley isn't his footballing ability, it's his athleticism and pace. 

His technique and ability can't be questioned. They're top notch and probably always have been.

My worry is we're starting to put together a squad that lacks pace and energy. Tielemans and Barkley are both great footballers but they lack energy. It's why I liked the Gallagher links because I believe he brings an energy we lack in the middle of the pitch. Even Kamara and Luiz can be pedestrian at times (again, ability not in question).

I hope we procure some athleticism at some point. Like me. In my prime. 

We have a few athletic players like Rogers and Ramsey but hopefully he will sign somebody else that fits that bill. A year ago I would have though 'what the heck'. But he's had a good season and we need players who are stronger on the ball.

The only thing I wouid say is that when Pep.leaves possibly at the end of next season Man City will never have the same success again. 

18 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think the essence of the disappointment, to those that are disappointed, and not those off renewing their passorts.....is the manner and magnitude of the defeat, we wasn't just beat, we was outplayed.

Look, no one is raging or pulling their hair out.....it's just not nice to concede 5, when it's not the first time, and conceding 6 in a European double leg, was not  encouraging either.

The objective is done, granted and the disappointing final game, will only be disappointing to those fans who want to be....if some can ignore it, great for them.

If it is a one off end of season, Job done type performance that's fine. We did have a lot of players misses and I don't rate Lenglet.  We have so much to look forward to but its a but like the 76/77 side that finished 4th. Scored loads of goals and conceded loads. I'm sure like Saunders did Emery will fix it.  

This journey with Emery may not be a steady line of progression. It might take a while. 

4 hours ago, TRO said:

I didn't say it wasn't convincing me.....what I said was the " unconvinced"

but let's get real here, despite a great season, we have limped over the line....since that home drubbing to Spurs, we have won 3, so to suggest the Palace game is a one off, is disingenuous.

I have wallowed in this season, of watching quite possibly the best game for years against City, and following it up against Arsenal......but overall we have conceded too many goals, to get too carried away.

along with us, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcastle and Man U who will all be looking at tightening up, in order to progress.

Spurs are deemed Spursy, and yet they have conceded the same amount of goals as us.....we are a bit Spursy too.

Consistency is the goal we pursue, and yes there are pointers, like not losing back to back, that suggest we are getting there, but other pointers suggest, we have much work to do...particularly defensively.

Perhaps it's not a good time, to point these things out......but when the dust has settled, I am sure Unai, will address them.

We certainly won our block of 4 to 8, but if we want to break in to the top 3, we have some way to go.

 

 

It's a huge  challenge next season and everybody is expecting us to falter and now we have to reign in on the spending at a time we are very attractive to players to join. I'm.sure we will find some value for money players but to challenge against Eurioean greats and in the league too is going to be hard. So I expect a little dip in league position..to finish 6th like Newcastle and to qualify out of the group stage in the champions league would be success imo..just don't want to finish bottom of group like Newcastle

Oh no I was fearing this when I saw his name.  A really talented footballer who the doc signed at the same time as Bruce Rioch. Played a big role in us getting back from the then third division to the first. division.  RIP

Wouldn't be adverse to it. The squad needs strengthening and he has the ability to make things happen.

Helped us get 4th with some monumental performances.  Overall not consistent enough but it was a bit odd a stop start season for him 

On reflection it doesn't really matter. We been running on empty for weeks and it's been a monumental effort to get 4th. Many of these players who played today won't be in our starting 11. Lenglet wknt he here. Forget this and look forward to next season.

1 minute ago, allani said:

Maybe we can have a vote or a poll set-up for this?

Yes something we need to address next season.  

Game maybe irrelevant but this is embarrassing and not the way we want to end the season.