Manchester City

[Doc_Piptorious]

I thought Walker was a waste of money , but seems to have hit the ground running in their system.

They play with Silva and De Bruyne in midfield and this doesn't seem to impact the defensive side of things .

Perhaps we need to get back to just playing our attacking players and drop on of Can / Hendo or Wij or maybe 2 of them .

De Bruyne in particular tracks back very well and drops deep to put in a shift when City don't have the ball. Plus his long passing is so damn good that he can intercept a ball in a deep position and be an assist threat within seconds.

[baitman]

But nobody did say that. Even Fredo in his original post which started this debate referenced the advantage being able to spend the money. Of course the money/players were a massive factor, it would be foolish to suggest otherwise.

This is the way Pep has always managed though and he doesn't care that he's seen as a chequebook manager. He was accused of being too stubborn last year because he refused to change they way his team played. Klopp is the opposite, he tries to develop players, hold out for primary targets and not buy players for the sake of it, but ultimately he's still choosing to manage this way in the face of strong public criticism. Similarly with how he sets his team up and asks them to play, he's told he can't set up a defence, needs to buy a DM, needs a CF, but like Guardiola, this won't deter him.

So yes, even though the situations and the approaches are completely different, there are still parallels that can be drawn between both managers which was the point Fredo made. We can’t follow City’s example and go spend £200m every transfer window, but what we can do is follow City’s example and support the manager, trust in his methods and give him time to build the squad he wants and play the type of football he wants. If anything, the main difference the money has made is it has sped up the process for City.

good post and good comparison.
pep is a winner, but hes always been a spender and only ever managed the clubs that could pay the top money for the best players. it doesnt make him a brilliant manager or team builder though.

you mention about klopp also being set in his ways, having his style, method, preferred target players...
without the same ton of money at his disposal he cannot always get the guy he wants but the lack of a serious back up option is a major flaw. we cannot always wait until the next window or next season to sign vvd or others, and by that time maybe others will come in for him so we have pissed another year away with an under strength squad with obvious flaws that have not been addressed.

with so many of our squad being regular sick notes we really should be looking at a serious overhaul of some of the guys who we are chucking 100k a week at.

henderson seems to have been given the role of the deeper 'play maker' even though he only excels at the sideways pass. his main strength was his running and ability to cover more of the pitch but this seems to have dwindled. maybe his long term plantar issues have caught up with him but he isnt the mobile guy we need, nor is he the solid DM we need...

lovren is playing on painkillers. he should share them out with the fans as some of his performances should only be watched with something to help numb the senses.

matip seems a bit fragile. lallana is another long term sicko. how long until the ox reverts to the sick bay. dan studge is a seasoned veteran of the physio room...

is klopp going to stick or twist. maybe replacing some/all of these isnt a serious priority right now but is its not on his list then he needs to get real. maybe he isnt going to be here that long so hes happy to leave the redecorating to the next occupier.

[labourRed]

De Bruyne in particular tracks back very well and drops deep to put in a shift when City don't have the ball. Plus his long passing is so damn good that he can intercept a ball in a deep position and be an assist threat within seconds.

Admittedly i have only seen the highlights of City games this season but De Bruyne has went up another level this and perhaps the last half of last season as well (and he was pretty good to begin with).

Football can be simple enough of a game at times, put great players into a team and the team plays well. That said Pep deserves credit for playing KDB centrally as it seems to get more out of him.

He's definitely world class now, stand out for player of the season already.

[Fosterbloke]

Admittedly i have only seen the highlights of City games this season but De Bruyne has went up another level this and perhaps the last half of last season as well (and he was pretty good to begin with).

Football can be simple enough of a game at times, put great players into a team and the team plays well. That said Pep deserves credit for playing KDB centrally as it seems to get more out of him.

He's definitely world class now, stand out for player of the season already.

They have several world class or near world class players, it's quite scary!

KDB, Silva, Aguero, Sane, Jesus, Ederson, Mendy. Even Sterling is bloody good!

[gratziani]

[QUOTE=baitman;3415295]good post and good comparison.

lovren is playing on painkillers. he should share them out with the fans as some of his performances should only be watched with something to help numb the senses.

[gratziani]

De Bruyne in particular tracks back very well and drops deep to put in a shift when City don't have the ball. Plus his long passing is so damn good that he can intercept a ball in a deep position and be an assist threat within seconds.

We used to have this with Gerrard and Alonso , break up the play and one pass and we are away when are three at the moment don't have that in their armoury consistently.

Phil playing centrally in front of Can and Hendo hopefully be that answer.

[Bender]

[ame]https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/920407011740798977[/ame]

[Doc_Piptorious]

Admittedly i have only seen the highlights of City games this season but De Bruyne has went up another level this and perhaps the last half of last season as well (and he was pretty good to begin with).

Football can be simple enough of a game at times, put great players into a team and the team plays well. That said Pep deserves credit for playing KDB centrally as it seems to get more out of him.

He's definitely world class now, stand out for player of the season already.

I am not sure that he has. He was playing like this in the Bundesliga in his final season there.

The guy has oozed class for a good few years now and that makes it even funnier for me that Mourinho could not find a place for him in his Chelsea team

[labourRed]

I am not sure that he has. He was playing like this in the Bundesliga in his final season there.

The guy has oozed class for a good few years now and that makes it even funnier for me that Mourinho could not find a place for him in his Chelsea team

That's why i caveated it with a (it was pretty good to begin with)

I've no stats to back it up, but PL is a level higher than the Bundesliga IMO and moving central he seems to be more influential. Absolutely bossing it at the moment.

[Fosterbloke]

I am not sure that he has. He was playing like this in the Bundesliga in his final season there.

The guy has oozed class for a good few years now and that makes it even funnier for me that Mourinho could not find a place for him in his Chelsea team

And Salah!

[Liverpool]

[ame]https://twitter.com/benmendy23/status/935994437364219911[/ame]

[Shaggy]

He's well funny tbf

[Buzzo]

[Liverpool]

he's a breathe of fresh air from the usual sterile media trained players

[Norbs]

David Silva's gone from Boyzone to Belsen. He looks dreadful