Just sent this message to my daughter, thought I’d share .....

“With the exception of GTFCs 4-0 demolition of Sheffield Utd to win the 79/80 3rd Division title, I have never witnessed a more impressive performance than City in that first half - wow. When you consider that was against the greatest club side in the world .... what more can I say. City have been superb”.

No way Sheffield United are the greatest club side in the world.

Quoted from SouthLakesMariner

Just sent this message to my daughter, thought I’d share .....

“With the exception of GTFCs 4-0 demolition of Sheffield Utd to win the 79/80 3rd Division title, I have never witnessed a more impressive performance than City in that first half - wow. When you consider that was against the greatest club side in the world .... what more can I say. City have been superb”.

Is the punchline that Sheikh Mansour received a message from you saying, ‘Hello Poppet. Sorry for making you wear those braces but you’ve got to admit, your smile is as crisp as a Kingsley Black free kick. Lots of love. Dad’.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Is the punchline that Sheikh Mansour received a message from you saying, ‘Hello Poppet. Sorry for making you wear those braces but you’ve got to admit, your smile is as crisp as a Kingsley Black free kick. Lots of love. Dad’.

Have you been hacking into my phone again?

We were pretty good when we beat City 4-1 in the mid Eighties

To add:

Someone posted on the BBC that Luton played Coventry in Div 2 only 5 years ago.  Not sure I remember that.  One of them will be in the PL next season.

Good win for City. It’s amazing what a team you can get for on outlay of just £1.5 billion isn’t it.

Quoted from RonMariner

Good win for City. It’s amazing what a team you can get for on outlay of just £1.5 billion isn’t it.

I know it’s fun to mock the amounts of cash spends but spending money doesn’t equate to success, Utd have spent more and are bang average, just as a comparison.

Whatever anyone thinks, you’d have to be a hard faced miserable twit to not have enjoyed watching City dominate and dismantle a side that win the European Cup for fun.

They were relentless and the fluidity to their play is something to behold. I genuinely think had we drawn City in the cup they’d have hit double figures.

It’s win win all round really; they win the champions league in June and the one thing Manure fans have been clinging to, that makes them unique disappears right before their eyes or Inter win with a scrappy, archetypal Italian Shithouse performance which will really be fun, seeing a team that drift from excellent to shite over the course of a couple of games…

Quoted from RonMariner

Good win for City. It’s amazing what a team you can get for on outlay of just £1.5 billion isn’t it.

Tell me how much Real have overspent from all the dodgy deals they’ve done with Spanish and local government like selling their old training ground to fund the first galacticos era.

And funnily enough, Real Madrid’s total debt is €1.5bn (£1.3bn) and that is spiralling out of control as the cost of refurbishing the Bernebeu goes up and up.

Man City & PSG didn’t cause the current financial climate in European football, they are a consequence of it.

Quoted from aldi_01

I know it’s fun to mock the amounts of cash spends but spending money doesn’t equate to success, Utd have spent more and are bang average, just as a comparison.

Whatever anyone thinks, you’d have to be a hard faced miserable twit to not have enjoyed watching City dominate and dismantle a side that win the European Cup for fun.

They were relentless and the fluidity to their play is something to behold. I genuinely think had we drawn City in the cup they’d have hit double figures.

It’s win win all round really; they win the champions league in June and the one thing Manure fans have been clinging to, that makes them unique disappears right before their eyes or Inter win with a scrappy, archetypal Italian Shithouse performance which will really be fun, seeing a team that drift from excellent to shite over the course of a couple of games…

Hmmm. I don’t know. Even if City clean up this season it will still be…

United 3-1 City for European Cup/Champions League wins.

United 20-9 City for Top flight League title wins.

United 12-7 City for FA Cup wins.

Obviously City would match the treble that United won in 1998/99, but if we’re honest it’s easier to win that now as there’s virtually no domestic rivals close to them. Man Utd had to overcome a great Arsenal team to win both domestic honours that season.

Anyway, Man Utd are going to win the FA Cup and I have proof.

Look who’s knocked us out of the 3 cups this season. In both the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy we’ve been knocked out by a team who reached the Semi-Final and lost at that stage to the eventual winners of the competition. Therefore the FA Cup will be won by Man Utd who beat Brighton in the Semi-Final.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Tell me how much Real have overspent from all the dodgy deals they’ve done with Spanish and local government like selling their old training ground to fund the first galacticos era.

Indeed .And likewise because Real Madrid is a institution Ive read in the past the Spanish government have bent the rules for them money wise . On another note I was in Madrid last year and went to the stadium and club shop. Highly impressive the ongoing refurbishment works but prices in the club shop were ridiculous. I remember shirts being roughly 140 euros  the equivalent to £120 pounds. Wish some fans wouldn't pay this and then prices would drop(reflects football in general) . Ridiculous amount of money.

Sometimes it’s better not to whinge about the money spent and just marvel at the absolute top drawer football on display. We watch it for entertainment purposes don’t forget. City were excellent last night.

John Stone master class in midfield, just goes to show how good a coach Pep is. Yes he spent a lot of money, but wisely and then improved the players and took them up a few notches. No amount of money on its own can do that.

Quoted from jimgtfc

Sometimes it’s better not to whinge about the money spent and just marvel at the absolute top drawer football on display. We watch it for entertainment purposes don’t forget. City were excellent last night.

Have to admit I didn't expect a 4-0 thrashing by Man City on Madrid . Expected it to be tighter with it possibly going into extra time. Having said that although they lost nearly always a pleasure watching Vinicius Jr play and the player I most enjoy watching in football at the moment worldwide.  Having BT sport is a bonus as I  can watch him on champion league nights.

Quoted from mimma

John Stone master class in midfield, just goes to show how good a coach Pep is. Yes he spent a lot of money, but wisely and then improved the players and took them up a few notches. No amount of money on its own can do that.

He is the best English defender since Bobby Moore in my opinion.

It was a privilege to witness that performance by City last night. I’m getting old but I hated being surrounded by tourists on their phone’s filming rather than celebrating Bernardo’s opener. Real Madrid the biggest and best club side in the world were lucky it wasn’t 8-0.

One game at a time, but win the treble and it’s the best football side this country has ever produced.

Quoted from NorfolkImp

I’m getting old but I hated being surrounded by tourists on their phone’s filming rather than celebrating Bernardo’s opener.

Funnily enough, that's a little similar to what the City fans, who can remember trudging along at Maine Road (FYI, that was City's ground a few years before they became good), say about these folk who ditch their local side when they get relegated for a winning side.  ;)

And regards Stones...

Sorry, not a patch on a few defenders before him just yet.  He's got the ingredients there but he needs to show much more consistency.  

I've never understood the criticism of him for England.  The defence should be built around him as he's the only one really capable of bringing it out and doing something other than hoofing it.  

But still not as good as Ferdinand as that Rolls Royce type defender.  He'll never be an Adams, Terry type who just wins everything but he's by far the best we've had for a fair while in doing what he does.  Interesting how Pep has brought his game on, from seemingly outcast to now a key player who's capable of playing in more than one position.  Unfortunately for England there's little other option than to play him at centre-back.

I felt a bit sorry for Haaland last night (but only a bit)...

He spent all night chasing fairly poor balls from KDB to no avail. As soon as Foden and Alvarez are on, Foden delivers an inch perfect pass that splits the defence and Alvarez scores. Haaland must have been thinking 'hang on a f*cking minute...'

But yes, what a performance.

I must admit, I expected Man City to batter Real in terms of possession and chances created (though not necessarily scoring as many), so the result wasn't too much of a surprise.

De Bruyne was a little out of sorts last night, but I think Haaland should still have scored one or two - he gave Courtois the opportunity to save a couple of those big chances.

I was impressed by the way Grealish played - he tries to stay on his feet more when playing for Man City, as opposed to looking to win free-kicks when playing for England. Caused them lots of problems and put in a good shift as well.

Stones is a decent defender who is good on the ball, but moving into midfield in that manner was only possible because Real didn't attempt to press them at any point, unlike most modern teams. It's certainly a role he can repeat when England play weaker countries who are 'parking the bus' in the qualifiers, but I would expect him to be too busy defending against the better sides to manage more than the odd sortie into midfield.

Quoted from Maringer

I must admit, I expected Man City to batter Real in terms of possession and chances created (though not necessarily scoring as many), so the result wasn't too much of a surprise.

De Bruyne was a little out of sorts last night, but I think Haaland should still have scored one or two - he gave Courtois the opportunity to save a couple of those big chances.

I was impressed by the way Grealish played - he tries to stay on his feet more when playing for Man City, as opposed to looking to win free-kicks when playing for England. Caused them lots of problems and put in a good shift as well.

Stones is a decent defender who is good on the ball, but moving into midfield in that manner was only possible because Real didn't attempt to press them at any point, unlike most modern teams. It's certainly a role he can repeat when England play weaker countries who are 'parking the bus' in the qualifiers, but I would expect him to be too busy defending against the better sides to manage more than the odd sortie into midfield.

I used to be a centre back and/or a left back and I often watch Grealish and think he must be a f*cking nightmare to play against - he's quick and strong, keeps the ball, holds the ball close to him, never stops running and if you get a bit physical he goes down like a bag of pooh and always gets the free kick.

For me he needs to produce the killer final ball more often. Mostly he offloads the ball to someone else on the edge of the box. Unless that's what Pep wants him to do to keep possession.

Quoted from Maringer

I

I was impressed by the way Grealish played - he tries to stay on his feet more when playing for Man City, as opposed to looking to win free-kicks when playing for England. Caused them lots of problems and put in a good shift as well.

.

I think he's growing into it a bit at club level, loved it when he nutmegged Modric.

Quoted from Rick12

Indeed .And likewise because Real Madrid is a institution Ive read in the past the Spanish government have bent the rules for them money wise . On another note I was in Madrid last year and went to the stadium and club shop. Highly impressive the ongoing refurbishment works but prices in the club shop were ridiculous. I remember shirts being roughly 140 euros  the equivalent to £120 pounds. Wish some fans wouldn't pay this and then prices would drop(reflects football in general) . Ridiculous amount of money.

Real have also had close links with the Spanish royal family (as well as Franco's regime but we'll gloss over that..) so they've always had a get out of jail card financially. They're seen in Spain as a business that's too important to Spain to get into financial trouble.

Prices in the club shop are amplified by the tourists. Visiting the club and doing the tour is a very popular tourist destination, especially with the Japanese and Koreans and they will pay whatever they have to to say they bought their shirt at The Bernabeu.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Funnily enough, that's a little similar to what the City fans, who can remember trudging along at Maine Road (FYI, that was City's ground a few years before they became good), say about these folk who ditch their local side when they get relegated for a winning side.  ;)

First game at MR in 78’ v West Brom, plus I was at Blundell Park when Derek Parlane netted at the Ponny End …. a typical comment I’d expect from an East Coast Scouser though ;)

East Coast Scouser?  ;D

Think you confuse me with someone else.  My affinity to any other side ended when I was about five, when I outgrew the, ahem, 'replica' Liverpool kit from Top Town Market.

Quoted from NorfolkImp

He is the best English defender since Bobby Moore in my opinion.

Apart from Paul Futcher obviously......

Quoted from Maringer

De Bruyne was a little out of sorts last night,

.

A lad who I know is a Sheffield United season ticket holder and said De Bruyne was the best player he saw in the premiership by a fair bit. Fair play to him especially as it didn't work out for him at Chelsea.

De Bruyne is another that has improved under Pep. Had he gone anywhere else I don't think he would have become the player he has. I also thought he didn't play very well last night though.

Quoted from mimma

De Bruyne is another that has improved under Pep. Had he gone anywhere else I don't think he would have become the player he has. .

From the bit I've read on Pep this doesn't surprise me. Always striving for perfection and some players can't stand the heat. I know this was the case from some players at Barcelona for one. Mentally suffocating was the term they used loosely  when playing under his leadership.

He's the best of the best when it comes to coaching.
Just hope he stays put and doesn't decide to coach the Spanish national team!

Don't get me wrong, he's clearly good at what he does.  That's an understatement, he's bloody fantastic.

But more often than not I find Pep's style of football a bit boring.  Lots of possession football, intricate build up and just holding onto the ball until the opposition leave a gap somewhere.  Technically it's superb and the patience is unreal.  Probably incredible if it's your team but as a neutral I'm more often than not screaming at them to just have a bloody shot.

Quoted from mimma

He's the best of the best when it comes to coaching.
Just hope he stays put and doesn't decide to coach the Spanish national team!

There’s more chance of him managing Grimsby Town than the Spanish National Team.

It’s an open secret he’s a proud Catalan and has been fined for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians. A lot has changed since his playing career.

The 2 most likely countries for him to manage are Brazil & England.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Real have also had close links with the Spanish royal family (as well as Franco's regime but we'll gloss over that..) so they've always had a get out of jail card financially. They're seen in Spain as a business that's too important to Spain to get into financial trouble.

Prices in the club shop are amplified by the tourists. Visiting the club and doing the tour is a very popular tourist destination, especially with the Japanese and Koreans and they will pay whatever they have to to say they bought their shirt at The Bernabeu.

Yes. Read a few books on the subject on this eg Real Madrid was often used by Franco as a way of showcasing the best of what Spain had to offer thereby strengthening his regime. Having said that those close to the club in the era of Franco ,players and directors I recollect   have expressed although the club was used politically they wanted to keep politics out of football as much as possible. For them the glory of winning overrided any political tendencies.  

On the subject of business and Real very much so. I know within the last 10 years a few were upset when Real Madrid dropped the Christian cross on  it's emblem in its sporting merchandise in the middle east for fear of causing financial damage in the Arab world.    

A football club, owned by a nation state worth Trillions. Continuously breaks FFP rules but always manages to wriggle out of the charges. Now they are complaining that the QC appointed by the FA to investigate is an Arsenal fan.

They don't mention that their own QC is ALSO and Arsenal fan.

meanwhile, a footballer with a gambling problem gets banned and is unable to attend his club which is the very group that has pledged to support him.

Football in this country needs a serious overhaul. Banning all gambling sponsorship would be a start.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

There’s more chance of him managing Grimsby Town than the Spanish National Team.

It’s an open secret he’s a proud Catalan and has been fined for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians. A lot has changed since his playing career.

The 2 most likely countries for him to manage are Brazil & England.

If only....

Quoted from Rick12

Yes. Read a few books on the subject on this eg Real Madrid was often used by Franco as a way of showcasing the best of what Spain had to offer thereby strengthening his regime. Having said that those close to the club in the era of Franco ,players and directors I recollect   have expressed although the club was used politically they wanted to keep politics out of football as much as possible. For them the glory of winning overrided any political tendencies.  

On the subject of business and Real very much so. I know within the last 10 years a few were upset when Real Madrid dropped the Christian cross on  it's emblem in its sporting merchandise in the middle east for fear of causing financial damage in the Arab world.    

And it's one of the roots of the Barca/Real (well Madrid in general) hatred. The Catalan language was illegal under Franco and the Camp Nou was one of the few places Catalans felt safe to speak it. Catalonia has always leaned to the left and so was a focus of anti Franco feeling. Barca represent much more than just the city of Barcelona, they represent Catalonia.

I briefly dated a woman from Madrid who supported Atleti and I assumed that she would be reasonably pro Barca based on 'the enemy of my enemy etc' but she absolutely hated them, just slightly les than she hated Real.

I didn't know about the cross on the RM badge, thanks for that snippet.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

And it's one of the roots of the Barca/Real (well Madrid in general) hatred. The Catalan language was illegal under Franco and the Camp Nou was one of the few places Catalans felt safe to speak it. Catalonia has always leaned to the left and so was a focus of anti Franco feeling. Barca represent much more than just the city of Barcelona, they represent Catalonia.

I have links to Spain via people I know who live out there so it's a subject thats close to my heart .I know the issue of independence is a divided one  in Catalonia. From recent reports there seems to be a bias there now to be part of Spain rather than be independent. Certainly though Francos regime was tough on Catalonia and Barcelona football club indeed Francos troops killing  Josep Sunyol i Garriga the president of Barcelona amongst other things. Interestingly though in a article done at the time of Spain winning the world cup and the wave of temporary euphoria amongst a fair few independent supporters from another angle overseas immigrants  to Catalonia were not really bothered about the Catalonian independence movement and only interested in providing for their families.  I can see this being the way forward for Spain. In the illegal referendum for Catalonia independence  in 2017 for one major banks  were threatening to pull out of the region of Catalonia due to the financial risks if Catalonia was to become free from Spain  .

Quoted from Rick12

I have links to Spain via people I know who live out there so it's a subject thats close to my heart .I know the issue of independence is a divided one  in Catalonia. From recent reports there seems to be a bias there now to be part of Spain rather than be independent. Certainly though Francos regime was tough on Catalonia and Barcelona football club indeed Francos troops killing  Josep Sunyol i Garriga the president of Barcelona amongst other things. Interestingly though in a article done at the time of Spain winning the world cup and the wave of temporary euphoria amongst a fair few independent supporters from another angle overseas immigrants  to Catalonia were not really bothered about the Catalonian independence movement and only interested in providing for their families.  I can see this being the way forward for Spain. In the illegal referendum for Catalonia independence  in 2017 for one major banks  were threatening to pull out of the region of Catalonia due to the financial risks if Catalonia was to become free from Spain  .

I have to say I have limited knowledge of Spanish football apart from Barca or Real win it most years + I went to watch Barca once years ago and to my suprise they loved Yaya Toure more than Messi 'Yaya Yaya ' was a consistent chant in a half empty Nou Camp against a minnow that took a  heavy beating in La Liga .

Nice to read a bit more about it here .

Quoted from Mappers

I have to say I have limited knowledge of Spanish football apart from Barca or Real win it most years + I went to watch Barca once years ago and to my suprise they loved Yaya Toure more than Messi 'Yaya Yaya ' was a consistent chant in a half empty Nou Camp against a minnow that took a  heavy beating in La Liga .

Nice to read a bit more about it here .

I actually have had more love  to Barcelona than Real Madrid in recent years ( things maybe changing again  though ) due to the way Barca have developed their youth players and given them more opportunities in the first team. Indeed Barcelona have provided more players than Real Madrid to the Spanish team. I always go back to what I read in 2010. Grown men crying tears of joy when Spain won the world cup as it was a day many thought they would never see after years of choking on the world stage. Hence football as in the words of the ex Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque reflects life .

I understand the need and value in understanding the back story and the likes, I agree that football needs a huge overhaul and recognise that flipping about with VAR means the attention stays there than the real issues…

However, sometimes I just try and watch in isolation…and as a football fan, City are phenomenal. They blew a side that wins the European cup for fun, to the side. The way they play at times is like art, physical poetry…

Quoted from Mappers

I have to say I have limited knowledge of Spanish football apart from Barca or Real win it most years + I went to watch Barca once years ago and to my suprise they loved Yaya Toure more than Messi 'Yaya Yaya ' was a consistent chant in a half empty Nou Camp against a minnow that took a  heavy beating in La Liga .

Nice to read a bit more about it here .

There is a town fan - Phil Ball - who has written some excellent books on Spanish football, highly recommended.

I don't have much time for either of Real or Barcelona. There's no denying their achievements but they leave me cold. I did a tour of the Bernabeu a long while back, its sole purpose seemed to be to flog stuff at every turn (the 'chairmans cocktail', as an example) to hordes of tourists. Tacky. Real just seems to operate as some sort of national vanity project.

In contrast, when in Bilbao a few years later I chanced a visit to the club shop when the daily ground tour was due. I got a 1-on-1 tour of the old San Mames ground by a club employee, all about the history, famous matches...bit of chat about town too. It was great.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

If only....

I think's it virtually certain Pep will manage England one day.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I think's it virtually certain Pep will manage England one day.

And his last 10 UEFA Champions League campaigns suggest he's probably over qualified to manage England...

Barcelona...
2011/12 - Semi-Final
Bayern Munich...
2013/14 - Semi-Final
2014/15 - Semi-Final
2015/16 - Semi-Final
Manchester City...
2016/17 - Round of 16
2017/18 - Quarter-Final
2018/19 - Quarter-Final
2019/20 - Quarter-Final
2020/21 - Finalist
2021/22 - Semi-Final
2022/23 - ???

It's hard to see how he'll lose this year's Final. But coming up short has become a habit for Pep in Europe.

Their second string saw off Chelsea today, a team that spent £500,000,000 on players this season and will finish mid table.

Mind you the City second string included Phillips (£50 million), Mahrez (£50 million) and Alvarez, a world cup winner and a snip at £14million.

If you want to win the Prem you better have a least a billion quid tucked down the sofa.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

And his last 10 UEFA Champions League campaigns suggest he's probably over qualified to manage England...

Barcelona...
2011/12 - Semi-Final
Bayern Munich...
2013/14 - Semi-Final
2014/15 - Semi-Final
2015/16 - Semi-Final
Manchester City...
2016/17 - Round of 16
2017/18 - Quarter-Final
2018/19 - Quarter-Final
2019/20 - Quarter-Final
2020/21 - Finalist
2021/22 - Semi-Final
2022/23 - ???

It's hard to see how he'll lose this year's Final. But coming up short has become a habit for Pep in Europe.

I don’t dislike Pep but there’s a heap of hyperbole that surrounds him. He won the European cup with Barca, but in truth, anyone could’ve won the European cup with that Barca side, however, as you’ve pointed out, since then he’s been a bit of a disaster in Europe. The one final so far with city, he copulated about with the side and system and Chelsea did them…

He hasn’t done that so much this season and I think the recognises system and selection on the second leg against Real helped to dismantle them…

As you say though, perfect record for an England manager…

The problem would be he can only choose his team from a small pool of players and he can't go out and buy a replacement if his English options aren't good enough .

He also wouldn't have the benefit of working the players on a day-to-day basis.  

There would be no transformation of Stones/Philip Lahm from defender into a midfield general.  Good club managers don't automatically equal good international mangers, nor vice-versa.