Czechlad Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I was really hoping they wouldn't pull it back against Arsenal. Truly amazing how they are somehow second. United, City, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Liverpool all look pretty mediocre at times this season. 2-4th are up for grabs so those clubs have to start getting their acts together if they want champions league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 I still think top spot is up for grabs. It doesn't take much to overturn a 7 pt gap. Chelsea have been on a great run but it wont last forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Looked absolutely awful for about 70 minutes, Liverpool barely broke a sweat. Guardiola didn't make a change until the 86th minute. Madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Poor game quality wise. Liverpool did what they had to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 King Pep and his gazillion pound salary, lost 4 out of 19 games already. What are the excuses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Their record is horrendous at Anfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 31, 2016 Moderator Share Posted December 31, 2016 On 20/12/2016 at 10:50, PaulC said: I still think top spot is up for grabs. It doesn't take much to overturn a 7 pt gap. Chelsea have been on a great run but it wont last forever. Hmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 The way Chelsea are going they could end up with over 100 pts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 I can see what Paul is saying....say Liverpool win at Sunderland as you expect and then Chelsea only draw at Spurs which could easily happen then it's down to 4 points. Then Liverpool win at home to Chelsea it's down to 1. Still a way to go.....no chance Chelsea will get over 100 points. The great Mourinho sides didn't manage it so can't imagine this one doing it as well drilled as they are. As for Man. City....personally think they were more entertaining to watch under Pellegrini and Mancini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Borediola strikes again. with their budget they should be strolling the league especially since they have the great managerial guru in charge that will revolutionise English football according to some journalists Pellegrini was a lot better option for City Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 As was suggested in the summer. Guardiola really isn't THAT good. When he's not working with the very very best players in the world, he's pretty average 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuwabatake Sanjuro Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 They will need Gabriel Jesus to hit form quickly when he joins, their bench was pathetic enough today (Iheanacho aside) considering the money they have spent in the summer and over the years. Jesus Navas is worse than Adama Traore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 (edited) I know they have spent a lot of money but maybe Pep needs a season to get the team playing the way he want to and the results to reflect it. Afterall some on here were saying Klopp had not improved Liverpool last season but we can now see the improvement this season and its reflected in the results they are getting. With Conte, he inherited a title winning side, they were just shockingly poor last season. Edited December 31, 2016 by PaulC 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 22 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said: They will need Gabriel Jesus to hit form quickly when he joins, their bench was pathetic enough today (Iheanacho aside) considering the money they have spent in the summer and over the years. Jesus Navas is worse than Adama Traore. There's obviously something managers see in Navas that mere mortals can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuwabatake Sanjuro Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 6 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: There's obviously something managers see in Navas that mere mortals can't. It is approaching 4 years since he scored a league goal and he has generally played more than 30 league games a season in that time. He can provide width and balance to the team (Pellegrini's 4-4-2) and he still has some pace remaining but he is nowhere near the player he was at Sevilla though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 5 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said: It is approaching 4 years since he scored a league goal and he has generally played more than 30 league games a season in that time. He can provide width and balance to the team (Pellegrini's 4-4-2) and he still has some pace remaining but he is nowhere near the player he was at Sevilla though. Yes, I completely agree, he appears to be a serial underachiever. I'd have kept Nasri instead, personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuwabatake Sanjuro Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I wonder how Nasri will get on with the doping thing and whether City had any prior knowledge of it. He is still their player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 29 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said: I wonder how Nasri will get on with the doping thing and whether City had any prior knowledge of it. He is still their player. Don't think City would have had a clue, I think he went to LA on holiday and then went to this clinic, which seems ludicrous as hell because they announced the treatment they'd given him on their twitter feed. It just seems like utter stupidity from all involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 8 hours ago, PaulC said: I know they have spent a lot of money but maybe Pep needs a season to get the team playing the way he want to and the results to reflect it. Afterall some on here were saying Klopp had not improved Liverpool last season but we can now see the improvement this season and its reflected in the results they are getting. With Conte, he inherited a title winning side, they were just shockingly poor last season. Thing is you can tell last season with Klopp what he is trying to do. The pressing etc was all introduced last season and they got some big results. Under Guardiola City can potentially go through 70 minutes without a shot on target. For me I expected a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted January 1, 2017 Moderator Share Posted January 1, 2017 8 hours ago, PaulC said: I know they have spent a lot of money but maybe Pep needs a season to get the team playing the way he want to and the results to reflect it. Afterall some on here were saying Klopp had not improved Liverpool last season but we can now see the improvement this season and its reflected in the results they are getting. With Conte, he inherited a title winning side, they were just shockingly poor last season. I don't think anyone was saying Klopp hadn't improved Liverpool last season or if they were nobody was talking them seriously as it was plainly not true. Right now there is no improvement in City, if anything they've gone backwards, it remains to be seen if they will improve. Personally I think your comparison above is flawed. The improvement in Liverpool was visible last season and they've continued to improve yet further this season, so Klopp didn't need a season. As for what Conte inherited compared to Pep, both sides one the league 12 months apart. One then spent over £150m so I think it's somewhat unfair suggest Conte got the better hand. What Conte has shown is tactical flexibility to find a way of playing that gets the best out of the resources he has, he has then drilled them to within an inch of their lives. He has also sorted out Costa, rejuvenated a number of players and performed a minor miracle with Moses. Which players has Pep improved? Which signings that he has made have offered much? He still retains his idealistic and arrogant approach compared to Conte's flexibility and adaptability. Right now Klopp and Conte look the better managers and personally I think their achievements are far more impressive in their careers to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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