Manchester City H Build up Sun 13th 13.37 Sky Sports 1

[Roboklopp]

No, and I know you're joking but anyway Chelsea are obviously better set to challenge given the ridiculous player and fan unrest under Benitez and the "unity" under Mourinho. Not to mention the £100m+ spent.

Aye, I know. Just couldn't help it, soz.

[The_weatherman]

My wife is due our 3rd sometime the next two weeks. You just know it'll start around noon on Sunday.

[PTP]

Us, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Spurs and Everton all have more points now than at this stage last season. So it's clearly more competitive and stronger.

i'd dare say southampton as well?

[Shaggy]

i'd dare say southampton as well?

By an absolute mile (10 points better off) but didn't include them as they're not really on our radar and certainly weren't at the start of the season.

[dom9]

Totally disagree - look how competitive the top end of the league is. It wasn't that at all last season. It was a procession led by a weak United side. Chelsea have bought relatively well - Matic, Willian and Schurrle is £70m or so well spent. Plus Mourinho back, a proven course and distance winner. Arsenal are having a better season and have more points than they did at this stage last season, and obviously we have developed into a top side and are challenging for the title when we were ****e and finished 7th last season.

It's beyond debate that Pellegrini's City have managed three things they didn't last season under Mancini - got out of their CL group, won a trophy and are mounting a proper title challenge. So there's three immediate improvements, without having mentioned their playing style and the infinite improvement in their goals scored tally. I can't see how anyone can say Pellegrini isn't doing any better when he demonstrably is. They also have more points than Mancini's City did at this stage last season.

Every team apart from two has regressed this season. Us and City. We have no right to expect to be anywhere near the top given that Sakho aside, our team is pretty identical to that of the second half of last season. City have marginally improved.

Chelsea haven't improved imo. They're static compared to last season. United are having a catastrophe now that Ferguson has left, and Arsenal are just Arsenal, another mental implosion. Everton have improved, but not to the extent that they're challenging for the league.

So us aside, City are playing in a weaker league.

Ok, they won the cup thing, but that wasn't enough to save Kenny's job when he won it. I'm not in the slightest saying that Pellegrini should sacked btw. Just that the trophy is an irrelevance to everybody unless you actually win it. And even then it's not seen as any sort of achievement. Just a nice little addition.

[Shaggy]

Every team apart from two has regressed this season. Us and City.

Don't see how that can possibly be argued when Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and Everton all have more points now than at the identical stage last season.

Also if City have progressed then how is Pellegrini not doing any better than Mancini? He's doing better in every department and all the while with a much more progressive, positive and open style of play.

Chelsea haven't improved imo. They're static compared to last season.

But they have - they've got fully 10 points more than they had last season. It's a clear and significant improvement.

So us aside, City are playing in a weaker league.

Only United have regressed. Everyone else in the top 6 has got better. Arsenal 4 points better off, Chelsea 10 points better off, City 5 points better off, Liverpool 24 points better off, Spurs 2 points better off, Everton 8 points better off etc.

[dom9]

Well, we shall agree to disagree in that case.

[Shaggy]

But the stats clearly back up what I'm saying.

[PTP]

dom la - i normally have your back but you're swimming in a sea of wrongness here

[dom9]

dom la - i normally have your back but you're swimming in a sea of wrongness here

To be honest with you, anybody engaging in a football debate with me is clearly wasting their time. I don't even watch football, apart from our games, mostly on a blurry, stuttery screen.

[PTP]

[dom9]

Or through blurry stuttery eyeballs in the pub.

[vlahka]

Looks like we got Clattenburg. I'm surprised to see him so quickly after last time. This tells me 100% we were supposed to have that dopey stooge Webb. I guess the FA are protecting him by keeping him out of the big matches for the moment so he doesnt keep showing how inept he is before the world cup.

[john316]

I bet we get Webb for the Chelsea game

[fah-q]

I'm not saying Dom is right but it could be argued that the whole league has regressed which is evident with how tight the relegation fight is/was. Thus even if the top teams had got worse (witness the ineptness in Europe) they could feasibly have more points on the board.

No idea if that makes sense but thought I'd join in anyway.