Rimbeux

Guardiola has set ridiculous standards that I don’t think he, and certainly not a lot of City fans, thought any other club could get anywhere near, and they’d be well within their rights to think that way. Think it was a major shock we were able to run them all the way last year and it took everything they had to go on that incredible run, but it seems to have emptied the well where once they would have coped with key injuries and carried on racking up wins. It’s understandable they thought a major rebuild could be put off a year at least after the players had just done 198 points, but they didn’t count on needing to keep going at that pace. Ferguson was able to change things up and still compete with high 70s & low 80s totals a lot of the time as they developed, no chance of that right now

Can’t help but peaking now. It’s end of the world cult stuff. So many just can’t accept they’re no longer the best team on merit

Dermot Gallagher opening up with exactly what’s wrong with refereeing in the PL, reacting to press noise about decisions and changing how they judge offences accordingly. It’s pathetic. Resting him for the next match, back fired

Just about perfect for us, City loss and Wolves having to put that much emotional and physical energy into that. If both can get up for their games on Sun after this they’re pretty impressive He’s gonna fume. Sure players are thinking why he came off too

It will be part of the conspiracy, there to cover tracks after the damage is done!

VAR all agin City!

Did Beglin just say that’s not possible to anticipate? It’s a clear tactic to get in behind them and surely they’ve had that chat and practice about the keeper coming out to sweep?

The concern is they’re nearly perfect and we’re much worse over next 20 games than we’ve been in the last 20, probably four games worse than them Including losing to them I’m worried, but that’s just cos of the history and the wait. If it was anyone else they were chasing I’d give them slim and no chance of winning at least 28 out of 30 games, which is the run they’d need to be on to get to 98 points, and even Leicester winning 25 of 30 to get to 90 whilst hoping we win fewer than 15 of the next 22, having won 21 of the last 22, looks v unlikely. For context, our final 22 last season was P22 W17 D4 L1; we do that again and it’s 101 points, with Leicester needing to win 21 of next 22, 29 out of 30 to even match

Eeew Without any sense of irony there seems to be widespread belief there’s a conspiracy cartel of top clubs, UEFA & PL working corruptly to drag them down. Hundreds & thousands of pages on such as Liverpool spygate, media bias, VAR, FFP & UEFA. Where’s the fun? Seems as gloomy as we were in the Hicks & Gillette era, and it’s their most successful team and period ever Suddenly learned...

Some injuries, but it’s exposed what looks like a serious decline and made their need to rebuild immediate. Might be last season broke them when they thought it would break Liverpool. Maybe they thought the old guard could do it again or could get by on 90 points whilst eyeing up the CL as legacy? All looks very tough now. Who can they rely on for the next season or two? The keeper, Laporte & maybe Walker in defence? Bruyne, Rodri and who in midfield? Sterling, Bernardo, Mahrez and Jesus in attack? Not a disastrous base, but not even a notional first eleven yet, let alone the squad they’ve been used to. If the latest full back splurge doesn’t work, they need another go, plus central defenders, central midfielders and likely at least high level striker competition, and all for next season to keep PG interested

Indeed, losing became a unsustainable habit for a leading team Might struggle to find one, they’re more a team for now, but Sessegnon looks a candidate

Yep, we get them right at the start of the window with something like half a dozen needing to go to raise cash or else going for free With either a new in, second string or want away defence, screams a dogged five at the back and functional midfield for better teams for the rest of the season.

Identical filth from the free kicks, basically piss taking

Yep, indeed

For an odd reason, it’s all about Poch choosing whether to stay or not despite doing worse than Emery with a much better squad, yet it’s Emery hanging on by a thread. Arsenal’s squad is nowhere near title challenging quality, miles off in midfield and defence, Spurs players have actually challenged for the league and CL

Think both are more than capable of getting high 70s and can improve, Chelsea especially when you look at the young attacking players they have like Mount, Hudson and Pulisic who can come in and out and rotate with Willian and Pedro, with a very good midfield behind them. Not saying either will be in for the title, or get 90 points, but they’re up there with the level of top four teams in any era and it feels like the rest of the league has been written off this past year in football chat

Very good goal. Leicester and Chelsea are very good teams keeping pace with City at least on merit. Way too much of this two horse race and everyone else is poor talk, just because Arsenal, Man U and Spurs aren’t up and at it.

Don’t see what it’s got to do with Phil. Far more a case of a liability at left back and a number of players who look like they’ve not played competitive football this season and look a mile off what the regular lads can do. Disturbing thing is they needed this cup to get more games to get up to speed, many will struggle to start the rest of the season

I don’t get that, usually the flag goes up the moment ball goes near offside players. It stands to reason they’re involved in the play when it goes in the mixer.

What for do you think, I bolted for the car

At least get within 3 yards would be a start I don’t know what he’s been doing I’m training, but I don’t see how Moreno can keep making the matchday squad. I’d sooner have Clyne cover both fullbacks

Should have taken that Dan

Pray for Robertson. Moreno has been beaten more times this game than AB has this calendar year

Same game plan, just at least 5 of these are really struggling with it. Both fullbacks, Fab, Naby, Shaq

It’s wierd watching what we normally do like clockwork take some thinking around. Stuff like when to press and drop, and passing out Like going back in time