Ah I just noticed that even better than Kane not winning anything is Eric Dier
My god if he won the CL before arsenal I think I’d go into cardiac arrest.
He wasn’t even good enough for spurs. He’s somehow blagged himself a move to Bayern. For him to then lift the CL is something I never ever want to see.
Jesus has seasons he's scored 13, 14 goals in the league and 21 and 23 goals in total for City.
This season is Rodrygo's best, yet he's scored 10 goals in the league and his record total is from last season with 19 total and this season he's scored 17, as the main CF for the best club in the world.
We have Hab saying he's a better finisher than Jesus. Yet less goals scored. Funny.
Rodrygo is a top player though. And unlike Jesus he can finish. But he isn't a Striker though. I wouldn't pay astronomical money for him, but for the right price he would be a good pickup.
I’m generally very happy with our tactical system. But these CL semis have really illustrated the trade offs you make when you fill your backline with central defenders. We look more defensively solid than all these teams. But also much more predictable in attack. RM, Bayern, and PSG use their fullbacks as pattern breakers in a way that takes a lot of pressure off their attacking midfielders. They don’t have a single point of failure in that sense. Maybe something to consider when we (hopefully) replace Zinchenko in the summer.
City play the same way as us. Last season, they won it by inverting stones from CB when we invert one of our fullbacks.
I have no qualms playing that way. We just need difference makers in these tight games. City had it last season with Gundogan, Mahrez, Debruyne and Haaland. This year foden is added. Real have Vinicuis, Bellingham, Rodrigo. Bayern have Sane, Kane, Musiala.
We have Saka and Odegaard. The others aren't enough. But Havertz has done well to be that these couple of months. Add an Alexis Sanchez level attacker to our Frontline plus experience we had this season, we can be a threat.
We’ve won the vast majority of tight games and the differences makers have been found left right and Centre
We beat city and liverpool at home with the winning goal both times from Martinelli
Trossard has scored key goals most of the times he scored and he has more than 10 himself
Havertz has been a key difference maker in 2024 without doubt
Rice has something like 7 goals and has spent much of the season at DM.
Gabriel is the highest scoring CB in Europe’s top 5 leagues over the last few years
That’s not including saka and Ode nor Jesus’ contributions
It’s definitely true that we can improve. There’s always scope for that - but I think just because we probably won’t win the league people are still stuck in the mindset that we’re not already right now one of the top few teams in the world. We already are.
Most likely scenario is we come second by 2 points to a team which has cheated 115 times. Last season we were also up there come the end and only the cheaters could better us.
We had a couple of bad games vs a clearly inferior Bayern team and got edged out by 1 goal in the CL knockout stages. But that’s basically it.
We must continue to improve and focus on addressing our least effective areas, but you don’t go toe to toe with city two years in a row and get (hopefully) 89 points, with most goals scored and fewest conceded) if you don’t have a team full of difference makers. We are jammed full of them otherwise we wouldn’t be here for the second year in a row.
A team which cheats is LITERALLY the only thing that’s stopping us from collecting our second title in a row. You can’t be in that position if your only difference makers are saka and ode
And the only reason why we haven’t seen so many Real Madrid style late clutch comebacks is because in the league we’ve not let many teams get anywhere near us. We dominate most matches and win decisively - which is better than a clutch win, despite being less dramatic
I suspect that this type of system works better over a 38 game season than it does in knockout football. City haven’t exactly lit the CL on fire, all things considered.
That said, I agree with your point about forwards. We need much more from the left side. I have no idea how much money we’ll have this TW but it wouldn’t be too hard to upgrade LB, L8 and LW if the funds were there.
Ah I just noticed that even better than Kane not winning anything is Eric Dier
My god if he won the CL before arsenal I think I’d go into cardiac arrest.
He wasn’t even good enough for spurs. He’s somehow blagged himself a move to Bayern. For him to then lift the CL is something I never ever want to see.
Spud.
Welp...we have all our players fit, right? Man Utd has seven or so defenders injured, right?
Remember our former team doctor or whatever? Didn't he leave us and go to the dark side, to Yanited? Coincidence? :)
Maybe they should try some horse placenta!
Jesus has seasons he's scored 13, 14 goals in the league and 21 and 23 goals in total for City.
This season is Rodrygo's best, yet he's scored 10 goals in the league and his record total is from last season with 19 total and this season he's scored 17, as the main CF for the best club in the world.
We have Hab saying he's a better finisher than Jesus. Yet less goals scored. Funny.
He isn't a CF though Rap. Rodrygo is a Winger. He could be a really good LW for whoever picks him up. He is just not great at CF.
Ok.
The fact that Rich takes it personal is funny. It's an opinion but sure, flame.
The fact neither Raptora or Dissenter want Rodrygo, just further convinces me we should go all out fit him if he becomes available..
See Rich selling us Rodrygo but an average CF Joselu came in and showed how it's done. I'm sorry, I don't want another Jesus.
I'd rather get a superstar winger like Leao, or Bruno G, or someone that's a specialist top quality than raise a vast amount of money for Jesus 2.0.
Rodrygo is a top player though. And unlike Jesus he can finish. But he isn't a Striker though. I wouldn't pay astronomical money for him, but for the right price he would be a good pickup.
He's got 10 goals in the league this season, playing entirely at CF for the best club in the world, and it's his record tally yet.
Havertz has 12 goals in a season he came damaged and as a midfielder.
Jesus 2.0. And he'd cost a truck of money. No, thanks.
He’s a right footed RW. Hardly a massive surprise he’s not putting up Haaland numbers. Put him on the left wing in our system and he’d blow up.
Or.... we could try Marti as CF. He may be a pacy merchant but we have not seen what he can do upfront.
Worth a try maybe?
that was a legit goal by Bayern, Rudiga put the Bayern players onside.
Who they gonna sell to accommodate Endryk and Mbappe
Love it fuck Bayern
Bayern score a legit goal but is ruled out because the ref blew his whistle before. These Spanish clubs get marginal calls. Ridiculous.
Surely Real Madrid have some sort of Juju to keep doing this again and again. They just keep winning in weird comebacks. The Aura is just insane.
These guys have all the luck. A huge error from Neuer.
Be interesting to see how Mbappe + Vini Junior link up.. Both favour the inside left.
Madrid also want Davies this summer, they could be very left side dominant.
Shame we couldn’t push the margins in our favour, there’s not currently much between Arsenal and any of the 4 teams in the semi finals.
Stinker from Neuer..
I’m generally very happy with our tactical system. But these CL semis have really illustrated the trade offs you make when you fill your backline with central defenders. We look more defensively solid than all these teams. But also much more predictable in attack. RM, Bayern, and PSG use their fullbacks as pattern breakers in a way that takes a lot of pressure off their attacking midfielders. They don’t have a single point of failure in that sense. Maybe something to consider when we (hopefully) replace Zinchenko in the summer.
City play the same way as us. Last season, they won it by inverting stones from CB when we invert one of our fullbacks.
I have no qualms playing that way. We just need difference makers in these tight games. City had it last season with Gundogan, Mahrez, Debruyne and Haaland. This year foden is added. Real have Vinicuis, Bellingham, Rodrigo. Bayern have Sane, Kane, Musiala.
We have Saka and Odegaard. The others aren't enough. But Havertz has done well to be that these couple of months. Add an Alexis Sanchez level attacker to our Frontline plus experience we had this season, we can be a threat.
We’ve won the vast majority of tight games and the differences makers have been found left right and Centre
We beat city and liverpool at home with the winning goal both times from Martinelli
Trossard has scored key goals most of the times he scored and he has more than 10 himself
Havertz has been a key difference maker in 2024 without doubt
Rice has something like 7 goals and has spent much of the season at DM.
Gabriel is the highest scoring CB in Europe’s top 5 leagues over the last few years
That’s not including saka and Ode nor Jesus’ contributions
It’s definitely true that we can improve. There’s always scope for that - but I think just because we probably won’t win the league people are still stuck in the mindset that we’re not already right now one of the top few teams in the world. We already are.
Most likely scenario is we come second by 2 points to a team which has cheated 115 times. Last season we were also up there come the end and only the cheaters could better us.
We had a couple of bad games vs a clearly inferior Bayern team and got edged out by 1 goal in the CL knockout stages. But that’s basically it.
We must continue to improve and focus on addressing our least effective areas, but you don’t go toe to toe with city two years in a row and get (hopefully) 89 points, with most goals scored and fewest conceded) if you don’t have a team full of difference makers. We are jammed full of them otherwise we wouldn’t be here for the second year in a row.
A team which cheats is LITERALLY the only thing that’s stopping us from collecting our second title in a row. You can’t be in that position if your only difference makers are saka and ode
And the only reason why we haven’t seen so many Real Madrid style late clutch comebacks is because in the league we’ve not let many teams get anywhere near us. We dominate most matches and win decisively - which is better than a clutch win, despite being less dramatic
I suspect that this type of system works better over a 38 game season than it does in knockout football. City haven’t exactly lit the CL on fire, all things considered.
That said, I agree with your point about forwards. We need much more from the left side. I have no idea how much money we’ll have this TW but it wouldn’t be too hard to upgrade LB, L8 and LW if the funds were there.
Stupid push that