Summer window

Southgate's only clear flaw IMO is a tendency to almost freeze in the biggest games. Not so much against France, when a tight game was just out of reach.

But against Croatia in the WC semis, and Italy in the Euros, we scuttled back too early behind an early goal, and basically didn't partake in the second halves of both games until the equaliser. Both goals were invited by stasis

Easy watching from a County Durham couch, but we clearly needed a change to get some possession in both games. I always thought that he could have done at those times, with an older head with him. Especially against Italy.

The chance might not come again. But Southgate has definitely exceeded expectations, has developed many young players who would probably have been mostly ignored by others, and has consistently got results.

He does have Harry Kane mind!

 

I reckon that will be way towards the end of the window unless it's a younger player like Simms.

Happy to wait for an Amad level loan

 

Didn’t realise a team from another country are classed as a team around City.

Why don’t you compare Madrids squad, the one that got obliterated and it worth close to $1bn?

People seem to be stuck in this weird parallel universe of acting like other football teams don’t spend money.

12th for net spend in the last 5 years in the Prem. Chelsea, United, Arsenal all spent megabucks, how many years behind city are they?

What did Mancini achieve when he joined City and spent a fortune? A genuine world class manager. Finally won a league title then lost the next season to Fergies awful United squad which had Scholes out of retirement..

If it’s so easy then why are so many other big spenders so far behind? I’m not saying he’s worked with limited funds, that’s just a ridiculous statement but they’ve spent similar to plenty of other clubs lately. How anyone can every try and argue that he’s not world class is beyond me it’s laughable. When he finally leaves City and they drop off people will realise just how good he is.

Messi scoring about 15 goals across all competitions when pep joined was his peak? My bad! They must’ve just been letting other teams win the competitions they were entered in for the crack anarl so Pep looked better when he came in.

 

Pep is a very good coach, with very good coaches working with him. He is no doubtvone of the best.

But if he was the genius many have him to be, his teams would not have repeatedly imploded in the second half of so many big games in the last eight or nine years.

He's very good, and almost all players improve under him, but he is only doing what is expected at City - and that very nearly went arse up in the final - and was no better than many others have been at Munich, and poorer than his predecessor.

When he does it against the odds, we can judge him more completely then.

 

Don't quote Bayern mind in defence of Pep. The bloke took over a team that had won the quintuplet.

 

People who are brilliant in sport rarely have to battle the odds.

Wont see Klopp, or Mourinho, or Pocc or Tuchel managing Barnsley anytime soon either.

 

Oh aye the team he inherited was utterly insane. He maintained the work and it’s gradually faded since he left. Repeating 5 trophies isn’t realistic for anyone.

 

I despise everything Man city stand for
Somebody has just stated that, and I agree

 

Cmon mate, look at the two squads and which manager has the better tools.

 

That’s fair enough but it only goes to show they are not as good as coaches who have managed teams like Barnsley and got them to win titles and European trophies while against managers that have everything given to them on a plate.

 

We tend to do out best loan business at the back end of the window so we'll waiting for the better players to be made available then. They'll know which positions they'll want to fill with quality loans and fill in the gaps around that.

 

Klopp has had to in the past though. Starting at Mainze and fighting off Bayern at Dortmund. And Liverpool have a defence with Gomez, who cost £3m, Robertson £8m . They just cannot spend like City do. That's it.

Tuchel had to work his way to where he is, as did Mourinho. Poch had two lesser jobs before getting Spurs.

Pep is very good, and the highest praise should be showered on him for his best work at Barcelona. Since then he has had huge advantages at his two clubs.

 

Getting the big one was why they hired him though. They always win the league, even this year when they shouldn't have!

 

Aye, I’m sure Cloughie would win the champions league with Grimsby but we’ll never know now. I’m sure one of the European cup wins Forest played a team who are now in the 7th tier of German football, some part time team from Poland and can’t remember the third. Shows you how different the game is now.

 

Aye, but who signed the players?

Pep has signed all of that squad, Arteta is gradually improving Arsenal, massively.

Facts are the ‘spend’ doesn’t wash with City, many clubs have outspent them.

 

Liverpool.

Worlds most expensive GK
Worlds most expensive CB

Diaz, Jota, Salah, Thiago, Keita (disaster), Darwin…

Hardly pennies is it?

 

It shows it’s easier now, no playing the fourth team them days over god knows how many legs, you played the top team from each country, no room for cock ups.
So what you are saying is if Man City are in League 2 in 20 years time they are s hit now. Have I got that right?

 

It all looks fair/level to me

 

It totally does. They've doped their way to top. Don't think otherwise