The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

Post by Kabalega »


The inside story of Manchester City's title win, why it wasn't all about the money and how Pep Guardiola is only just getting started


Record-breaking expenditure has secured a record-breaking Premier League title win, but as Miguel Delaney explains there was much more to it than that

As Pep Guardiola celebrates at last confirming such a comprehensive Premier League title, there were some figures in the Manchester City hierarchy celebrating with a quieter sense of satisfaction. That’s because they couldn’t help thinking how much this meant to the Catalan himself, how much it vindicated him - and not just because of what happened in the Champions League, or even against Manchester United. It went deeper than that, and further back than that. It went to how very different things were just over a year ago.

The roots of such record-breaking brilliance are not just found in record-breaking expenditure, but also Guardiola previously suffering by far the worst results of his career.

City CEO Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak see this season as the first reward for investment in a manager and his idea, as much as an investment in so many transfer fees. That is the wider story of the style of this league victory. It is also a victory for that idea.

While a league title should always have been the minimum expectation for the amount of money City’s Abu Dhabi hierarchy have backed Guardiola with, what could not have reasonably been expected was the massive gap between the newly-crowned 2017-18 champions and all of their wealthy rivals (especially ManU :D ). That’s a massive gap in terms of points, performance and - most ominously - the very sophistication of the football.

The genuine feeling is that the three-game dip at the start of April, and the slight diminishment of how they finished the campaign, really doesn’t take away from 10 months of magnificence.

The reality is that manufacturing a gap as chasmic as that took more than money. It took the capability to really maximise that money, and a deeper idea. It also took a lot of confidence, faith and stubborn belief.

That was what Guardiola radiated, and there are a number of specific stories from that difficult winter of 2016-17 that spell this out.

Image
Guardiola's lowest point came at the end of 2016 (Getty)


City were then in a spell of form that would see them lose four of eight games, and also concede four goals in separate fixtures against Leicester City and Everton. It was a far cry from the runs of wins they have so effortlessly put together this season, while so repeatedly and exhilaratingly putting the ball in the net.

It was also a far cry from the way Guardiola is currently feted.

Aside from facing such poor results for the first time in his career, he was also facing very pointed questions for the first time. His media comments were not met with studied appreciation of a superior football mind, but instead bemused wonder, especially when he came out with lines like “what is tackles?” :lol: :lol:

It was how City defended, however, that was causing the most problems. The decision to replace Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo had looked a disaster. In front of the greatly suffering new goalkeeper, the highly expensive John Stones was trying to play the type of expansive football that Guardiola demanded but only seemed to keep getting caught out with high-profile mistakes. Some of the most influential figures at the club were at that point even admitting to doubts about why they spent so much on Leroy Sane. Guardiola was insistent to them the German would turn out brilliantly, but the hierarchy also saw this was far from a brilliant time for the manager.

Image
The Claudio Bravo signing did not work out as hoped (Getty)
They could see how much this was paining him, how he was suffering some “low lows”, how highly he was scrutinising absolutely everything about his work. If Guardiola is an “artist”, as Khaldoon describes him, he at that point only looked like a tortured one. The Catalan even privately admitted he may have underestimated that much-debated “competitiveness” of the Premier League, mostly as regards how energy-sapping the schedule is, and how that didn’t give him time to do any proper coaching.

It didn’t, crucially, lead to any personal doubts about how he coached. Instead, Guardiola only doubled down. Rather than adapt, he was going to go in the opposite direction, and even more adhesively stick to his principles. He was determined.

Soriano and Khaldoon believe that, in that sense, the disappointing first season might have been the best thing that happened. They really do see it as the key to this title win, and to how emphatic it was.


READ MORE
How Ederson proved Pep right and redefined what we expect of keepers
​Guardiola was still going to need to be ruthlessly decisive himself if he wasn’t going to adapt, but there was no doubt about that either. That started at the back. Guardiola had to upgrade on Bravo with the same swift brutality he had upgraded on Hart.

There was sympathy for Bravo - as was to be intimated when the manager insisted on sticking with him and so praising him for the League Cup win. Guardiola’s theory was that Bravo had suffered from something the Catalan thinks unique to goalkeepers. The City boss believes that if their first game in a big opposition stadium is a bad one, something goes in their mind, and it is very difficult to recover from. Bravo suffered such a bad one at Old Trafford in September 2016, and didn’t look right for the rest of that season. He could barely make a save. Ederson has been the opposite. He has barely made anything close to an error, and one of his stand-out moments of the season was the effective game- and title-clinching late double stop in the 2-1 win back at Old Trafford in December. That was the win over United that was really won the league. :D

Ederson was also the opposite in terms of profile, something that is relevant to the wider debate over how much City have spent. Not much of it has been spent on established stars. Indeed, when Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain put Ederson’s name to some of City’s main decision-makers, eyebrows were raised as they had never heard of him. Guardiola and Begiristain were insistent, however, that all of their scouting and analytics had emphasised that the then 23-year-old was “perfect” for how they wanted to play. So it has proved. Ederson’s record £35m fee is now seen as a bargain.

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Kyle Walker has established himself as one of the top right-backs in the country (Getty)
No one would quite say that the £130m spent on full-backs Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo was a bargain, but that just represented more extreme decisiveness. Guardiola knew his system just wouldn’t work in the same way with full-backs no longer capable of the physical power he required. It is too important a position.

This also raises another important point about the money, and the manner it’s used. City’s win is far from just a case of Guardiola putting them out on the pitch and letting them play. He by contrast looked to improve on every single little detail in what is a grand overarching plan.

Having introduced the squad to his vision of how a team should move in his first season, and getting them to try and comprehend the conceptualised map of a football pitch with 20 different zones to move between, Guardiola immediately began his second summer by concentrating on building play from the back. That was the main focus of preseason.

Image
Guardiola has worked closely with Stones (Getty)

Players were told to never, ever kick it long from the back - even when under intense pressure. This is possibly something under-appreciated in this victory.

It also involved a lot of players having to learn a new way, and in some cases overturn everything they knew about the game.

Stars like the peerless Kevin De Bruyne believe the effects of this really began to show around February 2017, but it really finished coming together in September, and with one big win. That, coincidentally and symbolically enough given how the campaign ended, was over Liverpool. They were the true beginning and the end.

In the build-up to that 5-0 and even right up until the second goal, there had still been some holes in the City side, gaps in their understanding, and a few too many remaining breaks in their play. The debate over how that match would have gone had Sadio Mane not been sent off touched on this.

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De Bruyne has been peerless at the heart of everything City have done well (Getty)

The answer to that will never be known. What is very definitely known is how City benefitted from what happened next, but not just in terms of the greater space that brought a 5-0 win. There was also the understanding gleaned from that 5-0 win, and the ability to now very transparently see how Guardiola’s grand plan worked. That was what the greater space of that game really brought; that greater final comprehension.

Knowledge of Guardiola’s ideas - particularly the 20-zone map of a pitch and how to move within it - was now second nature to the City squad, but was boosted by a key second quality: full and unwavering confidence in those ideas.

In real visible terms on the pitch, it meant the following tactical approach. Technically perfect controllers like De Bruyne and the sublime David Silva would command the centre of the pitch and so much opposition attention, while two of the wide players - either the wingers like Raheem Sterling or wing-backs like Walker - would go very wide to take the other side’s full-backs with them and create a space outside the opposing central defenders. The two wide players who didn’t go wide would then move into that space, giving those midfield controllers an abundance of potential passing options... and that for controllers like De Bruyne and Silva who are capable of an abundance of different types of divine passes. It was precision, with pace, with proper organisation and then emboldened by the most wondrous imagination.

Image
Silva has been outstanding throughout City's title-winning campaign (Getty)

This was the source of so many moments where De Bruyne would play what seemed an impossibly threaded through ball, and so many goals that involved close-range finishes after short passes and looked like they belonged on a five-a-side pitch rather than a Premier League game.

This was similarly the source of so many games where City would effortlessly but effervescently pull teams apart with moves that seemed to just spin the opposition out of control, and so many high-scoring thrashings: the 6-0 away to Watford; the 5-0 over Crystal Palace; the 7-2 over Stoke City; the 4-1 over Tottenham Hotspur; the 5-1 over Leicester City.

It was also the source of that 18-game winning run, the longest that English football has ever seen. That wasn’t all the City hierarchy were seeing either.

Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end
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They were seriously impressed by the drastic improvement in youngsters like Sane and Sterling - still in their very early twenties yet now firing one of the very best attacks in Europe - but most struck by the effect on the band of players aged between 28 and 32 like Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi. As crucial as they were to the overall plan, they also benefitted from specific individual improvements. Fernandinho was shown movements and little tricks Guardiola himself excelled at when he played in that pivot position, while Otamendi did a lot of work on winning second balls in both boxes.

Their importance reflects something else that Guardiola has concentrated on: the creation of a collective identity, of something they all feel a key part of. Conscious of the criticism that City could just be a collection of excellent expensive players, Guardiola wants them to stand for something more. He has wanted to create more of a “narrative” around the side, and have the players also [open itals] feel [close itals] they stand for something bigger.

This has been discussed with the sports psychologists, and emphasised with specially commissioned media. It has been reinforced by the repeated stressing that any team decision is merit-based. This is why there have been “no noses out of joint" when players have been left out. As one club source says, “everyone has been made feel a part of the project. Guardiola has cultivated an environment of generosity and respect.” It says much that even any ego Aguero might have had has been tempered. It’s also probably the first time at club level where he’s felt a member of a group, rather than one of the leaders responsible for carrying the team.

Image
Guardiola has built a winner (AFP/Getty Images)

This is why Guardiola insists the players go out on the pitch together, leave together and celebrate together.

This could be particularly seen in that victory over Liverpool, the key win at Old Trafford, the two at the Etihad over Tottenham and Chelsea… and now for the title itself.

The team never bent because Guardiola never bent, and it is why there are no great concerns over the end to the season that will someway caveat this joy.

City already saw significant progress from last season, and can now fairly anticipate more progress next season. Everyone says they can feel it. So many key players are still so young. Players like Sane and Sterling will be older and De Bruyne closer to his prime, and the feeling is they can become an even more complete team. The idea is there now, fully formed, and so is the Premier League trophy.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 93481.html
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
Did you read the article?
It's not a tough read, unless you're a hater, then it will be a bitter pill.... :taunt:
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
You know its possible to focus on their football first and leave the finances for the time there is an article about their finances right?


Not dismissing the fact that they have spent 600m but the article is about their football( how they played) which was fantastic, better than most other financially doped clubs which spent more or less like them
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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bk-one wrote:
pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
You know its possible to focus on their football first and leave the finances for the time there is an article about their finances right?


Not dismissing the fact that they have spent 600m but the article is about their football( how they played) which was fantastic, better than most other financially doped clubs which spent more or less like them
:clap:

therefore we expect the following next season
1. Players from the famed City Academy being blooded into the 1st team
2. A deeper run in the UCL
3. Other teams in the Prem playing from the back,something which was never seen prior to 2017
4. The remaining teams to stop hoofing it from the back <-- justification of the English Revolution

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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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what a daft thread
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
That was then, things have now changed.

Pep and Klopp are in town.
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
That was then, things have now changed.

Pep and Klopp are in town.

They both were on Vacay last season. Tell me something I don't know.
If Noah had been truly wise, he would have swatted those two flies. -- Helen Castle

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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
That was then, things have now changed.

Pep and Klopp are in town.

They both were on Vacay last season. Tell me something I don't know.
Adjustment period.
Read the article... :)
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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tfco wrote:
bk-one wrote:
pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
You know its possible to focus on their football first and leave the finances for the time there is an article about their finances right?


Not dismissing the fact that they have spent 600m but the article is about their football( how they played) which was fantastic, better than most other financially doped clubs which spent more or less like them
:clap:

therefore we expect the following next season
1. Players from the famed City Academy being blooded into the 1st team
2. A deeper run in the UCL
3. Other teams in the Prem playing from the back,something which was never seen prior to 2017
4. The remaining teams to stop hoofing it from the back <-- justification of the English Revolution
Is this what you got from the article? :roll:
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
That was then, things have now changed.

Pep and Klopp are in town.

They both were on Vacay last season. Tell me something I don't know.
Adjustment period.
Read the article... :)

Conte chose to adjust in his second season after doing the double on Guardiola in his first.

But I agree that Guardiola adjusting in his first season is a novel idea.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
balo wrote:Roman needs to search his inner billionaire and cough up the dough to challenge City.
Surely 700M would be money well spent, even if I recognize that 9M of that would go to send limited Conte packing.. :D
Another one who didn't read the article. :roll:

Chelski will probably get Allegri next season and lose about 9 key players too.
No amount of spending will win you titles. To do that, you need a Pep Guardiola. :thumbs:

Chelsea didn't have Guardiola before cleaning up all these years.
That was then, things have now changed.

Pep and Klopp are in town.

They both were on Vacay last season. Tell me something I don't know.
Adjustment period.
Read the article... :)

Conte chose to adjust in his second season after doing the double on Guardiola in his first.

But I agree that Guardiola adjusting in his first season is a novel idea.
Chelski refused to give Conte "his players."
On the other hand, Pep got his boys, e.g Ederson, Kyle Walker, e.t.c...
It's not a money thing, but a support issue.

Even Klopp got his defender at a high cost but that is the price of doing business for top EPL teams.
People like you look at the wage bill and go we need to spend. No!

You need to support your manager then hold him accountable for the displays on the green grass.
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote:
pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
Did you read the article?
It's not a tough read, unless you're a hater, then it will be a bitter pill.... :taunt:
Chief, I don't need to read the article. That is the opinion of the writer. I formed my own opinion about Man City and Pep a long Tim ago.
Not many managers can have the tools and make it work. Pep gas. But Oep has always taken teams that have won things. Pep also works in environment where lack is also part of the pressure.

Maurinho took a club from Portugal to the top of European football. He's shown he can manage at middle of the road clubs as well as rich clubs.

Many good managers that could have given Pep a run for his skills don't have 300m to spend on defenders alone.

I recognize his achievements but 'm a firm believer in building a team not buying a team. For me Pep falls short on that. Their academy is utterly useless. It's like making a vegetable farm but going out to but all your vegetables.

I don't need to waste my time reading someone else's opinion of Pep.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote:
tfco wrote:
bk-one wrote:
pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
You know its possible to focus on their football first and leave the finances for the time there is an article about their finances right?


Not dismissing the fact that they have spent 600m but the article is about their football( how they played) which was fantastic, better than most other financially doped clubs which spent more or less like them
:clap:

therefore we expect the following next season
1. Players from the famed City Academy being blooded into the 1st team
2. A deeper run in the UCL
3. Other teams in the Prem playing from the back,something which was never seen prior to 2017
4. The remaining teams to stop hoofing it from the back <-- justification of the English Revolution
Is this what you got from the article? :roll:
The reason why you're going on about the article is because it resonate with you. It's someone's opinion. We can agree or disagree. But one thing the writer I trying to "quick brush" is the money aspect. Make no mistake about it, he bought the best defense money can assemble plus son seriously expensive mf and attack. Without such liquidity, Pep would be trying to mold a player or buying his third choice. You just cannot remove finance from City's equation. It is a huge part. I don't even think Pep himself would have considered city if not for the money and the ability to get who he wants
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Kabalega wrote: Chelski refused to give Conte "his players."
On the other hand, Pep got his boys, e.g Ederson, Kyle Walker, e.t.c...
It's not a money thing, but a support issue.

Even Klopp got his defender at a high cost but that is the price of doing business for top EPL teams.
People like you look at the wage bill and go we need to spend. No!

You need to support your manager then hold him accountable for the displays on the green grass.

The call to spend 700M was a dig on Pep. Surely you knew that.
Like others have said, you can't disregard the money aspect. You saw how shait City was under the same Pep in his first season.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

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Conte did not have any European distraction last season. This season he lamented that unlike last year when they were able to rest for 7 days between matches his players are now tired
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

Post by balo »

Kaiser1 wrote:Conte did not have any European distraction last season. This season he lamented that unlike last year when they were able to rest for 7 days between matches his players are now tired

Conte himself is tired. And that's obvious with the brain farts he has been having not knowing when to swap players.

He maintains the players are tired, yet will play Alonso 90 minutes, every game, when Emerson is available.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

Post by Cally »

pajimoh wrote:
Kabalega wrote:
pajimoh wrote:Inside story is over 600m spent. Wages excluded. Congrats to them. The money could have been spent without achieving their objective so they deserve to be complemented
Did you read the article?
It's not a tough read, unless you're a hater, then it will be a bitter pill.... :taunt:
Chief, I don't need to read the article. That is the opinion of the writer. I formed my own opinion about Man City and Pep a long Tim ago.
Not many managers can have the tools and make it work. Pep gas. But Oep has always taken teams that have won things. Pep also works in environment where lack is also part of the pressure.

Maurinho took a club from Portugal to the top of European football. He's shown he can manage at middle of the road clubs as well as rich clubs.

Many good managers that could have given Pep a run for his skills don't have 300m to spend on defenders alone.

I recognize his achievements but 'm a firm believer in building a team not buying a team. For me Pep falls short on that. Their academy is utterly useless. It's like making a vegetable farm but going out to but all your vegetables.

I don't need to waste my time reading someone else's opinion of Pep.
Stop being a cheap hater. You are a Tottenham fan. Which of your defenders isn't more highly rated or expensive than the defenders Pep bought? On paper, Spurs likely has better defenders than City. Compare Otamendi, Stones, even that French dude, and Walker to the likes of Aldewereild, Sanchez, Vertoghen and tell me who the better defenders are. I would only single out Kompany as perhaps better than Spurs' centerbacks. Compare Lloris to Ederson, who would you have rated higher prior to this season?

Heck, Pep spent tons of money on Mendy, and the guy proceeded to get injured after only about 4 games. He's even in danger of not receiving a medal. Pep then used the right footed Danilo and a converted midfielder like Fabian Delph to walk the league. City ended paying so much money cause the likes of Tottenham skinned them with huge demands for average players like Walker. You overcharge them for your player, rejoice at making so much money from money-miss-roads and when they walk the league, you turn around and accuse them of buying the championship.

What a load of rubbish! Give credit to a deserving manager joor! Pep Guardiola.
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

Post by Cally »

balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote: Chelski refused to give Conte "his players."
On the other hand, Pep got his boys, e.g Ederson, Kyle Walker, e.t.c...
It's not a money thing, but a support issue.

Even Klopp got his defender at a high cost but that is the price of doing business for top EPL teams.
People like you look at the wage bill and go we need to spend. No!

You need to support your manager then hold him accountable for the displays on the green grass.

The call to spend 700M was a dig on Pep. Surely you knew that.
Like others have said, you can't disregard the money aspect. You saw how shait City was under the same Pep in his first season.
Who did he buy that made the world of difference? Perhaps Bernardo Silva? Did you really read the article? The point of the article is that he already started some serious work that took a while to set in. His team struggled in the first season but his ideas were set and took time to sit in. Once they understood him, they simply rolled.
http://www.meditationsofthesoul.com

"My friends - "We need to really reassess the way we trash our national team, derogate some players and disrespect the people that run our football. Let the brand new Super Eagles become our new Brand of national pride.. The unifying identity for all.. Bar none!" - CE's The Great Seloweizer (6/24/13)

The Arsenal Football Club - "The Deeper The Foundation, The Stronger The Fortress."
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Re: The inside story of Man City's Premier League title Win

Post by balo »

Cally wrote:
balo wrote:
Kabalega wrote: Chelski refused to give Conte "his players."
On the other hand, Pep got his boys, e.g Ederson, Kyle Walker, e.t.c...
It's not a money thing, but a support issue.

Even Klopp got his defender at a high cost but that is the price of doing business for top EPL teams.
People like you look at the wage bill and go we need to spend. No!

You need to support your manager then hold him accountable for the displays on the green grass.

The call to spend 700M was a dig on Pep. Surely you knew that.
Like others have said, you can't disregard the money aspect. You saw how shait City was under the same Pep in his first season.
Who did he buy that made the world of difference? Perhaps Bernardo Silva? Did you really read the article? The point of the article is that he already started some serious work that took a while to set in. His team struggled in the first season but his ideas were set and took time to sit in. Once they understood him, they simply rolled.

We are saying the same thing. The 600M had nothing to do with the success.
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