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Here’s my theory/view on Klopp.
I think that for all his brilliance, as long as Pep is at City I think City will continue to pip Liverpool to the league, barring crazy number of injuries at City. Pep is great at creating a well oiled machine that does the same thing week-in-week-out which is what you want for a league assualt, however his system isn’t as good at revving up the gears when it is needed (see his multiple failures in cup comps). Klopp’s system is far more reliant on graft and energy. That system is hard to maintain a consistent performance throughout the course of a season (the fact he’s come close to City so many times now is incredible), however they are brilliant at revving up and going up a gear for one-off games, which is greatly suited to cup comps. I have absolutely no doubt that Liverpool will make mincemeat of Madrid, in fact they would have beaten any club in Europe (City included) as they are animals when they have the bit between their teeth.
If (and that’s a big if) my prediction comes true and Klopp continues to be a cup-man rather than a league-man then they will be seen as the best Second-Best team ever to exist in my view._____________________________
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I think I made the comment on here about 2 or 3 games into Howe taking charge at Newcastle that they were in dire trouble and based on the lack of quality they had in defence and midfield they were going to finish 20th. Howe may have spent some money, but really in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that much. One could argue they were simply spending what should have been spent in the previous 5 or 6 seasons of underinvestment, and even then it wouldn’t come close. If you consider that Fat Frank came in not long after Howe to a squad that had already invested huge amounts in comparison and then added DVB and Alli on top of that, Howe has done an incredible job. THe signings Newcastle brought in were hardly world class or renowned players, Trippier is the wrong side of 30, otherwise could fall into that category.
I don’t disagree too much with the argument for Thomas Franck, but we have seen countless examples of promoted teams coming up and finishing mid table before, it’s highly commendable but certainly not outstanding. Howe had half a season to turn around a langiushing team who were destined to finish 20th and finished 11th.
Just to cement the point about Howe, only Liverpool, City and Spurs accumulated more points than Newcastle in 2022, which when you consider he only took charge in late Nov is incredible!_____________________________
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Not sure what is funny by my logic Dirty Harry. I agree that I wouldn’t give it to Pep, he won the league by 1 point. I agree that Howe should have got it considering he had the biggest effect on his team IMO
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I do think Klopp is an incredible manager, but I am very confused how the Barclay’s Premier League Manager of the Year award can go to him? He finished second with a team that was expected to finish in the top 3. That is his only LEAGUE achievement, the cups and European achievements are irrelevant for this award
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I’m not sure why there is even an argument about Manager of the Year. Pretty sure that award is a Premier League award, right? How many cups or European games/comps Klopp has won is completely irrelevant, it’s based solely and purely on the league. Klopp finished 2nd in that comp. For me, it is between Pep, Conte and Howe. I’d go Howe.
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I’ve always believed being an Ast Manager means sod all. Too often they are tasked with only one aspect of the job, tactics, training or man-management, rarely all aspects and so when they makes those transitions from Ast Manager to full time manager it rarely goes well. I mean how many Ast Managers did Fergie have work under him and go on to be successful mamagers in their own right?
I actually think you’re better off earning your stripes as a youth team manager as you will more likely have to perform all the duties you are expected to from senior football in a lesser format_____________________________
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…and each manager after was worse than their predecessor
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I find it funny how no one is talking about the fact that it could be Chelsea that finishes outside the CL spots. I mean I know it is unlikely, but it could still happen
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Yeah, Arsenal’s fixtures are really tricky. Newcastle are no mugs these days and with them missing so many defenders I think Newcastle’s physicality will be their undoing. Then Everton on the final day who might have everything to do (depending on how Leeds go in this next game). If Spurs can get over this next game against Burnley with a win, which will be tough then I have them as taking that final spot on the last day.
Love watching Son, hardly ever mentioned in the same breath as other top performers in the league yet would easily walk into any starting XI in the league. One goal behind Salah now and he hasn’t even taken any pens this season. That’s some feat!
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Honestly Ed, he is the only reason I watch City play.
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I’ve always believed that KDB has been the best player in the league ever since he joined City. Injuries and City’s rotation policy have robbed him of putting that into practice game after game.
I’m probably going to be very controversial, but I think he is quite possibly the most skillful player ever to grace the league. Everything about him is absolute class, even off the ball he is a joy to watch, his movement and scanning are incredible
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It’s official
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Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it about Haaland performing in the Prem. We see it time and time again, top performing strikers in other leagues and struggling in the Prem. Interestingly when Lukaku was being touted as signing for Chelsea this time last year, the narrative was about a striker who has already performed in the Prem. The part of the story they didn’t tell though was about a striker who never performed against the top sides. His record against top 6 sides was and always has been awful.
There really are very few top foreign strikers to have killed our league who were banging them in for fun before they arrived here. Even Aguero and Henry weren’t prolific before they came to England. Henry had only scored 9 goals in this most prolific season before joining Arsenal (I know he was really a winger back then, but still valid point I think). Aguero did a lot better, he scored 20 goals in his last season at Atletico, which for La Liga is pretty low, as the top sides score goals for fun in that league. For all the Van Persies, Agueros, Henry and Drogbas successes of this world there are plenty of Moratas, Schevchenkos, Lukakus, Brolins, Rebrovs, Hallers, Kezmans, Falcaos, Soldados, Higuains, Sukers, Kluiverts, Depays, Forlans, Morientes
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If he gets you 20 goals a season, that’s a steal in this day and age. He’s already scored more than Lukaku, more than any City player, more than any Arsenal player, more than any Hammers player, more than any Chelsea player. Like I said, with better quality service he could be next level. Also, we already know he’s not a one season wonder, he scored 33 goals last season.
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I actually think Ivan Toney is class, I reckon, with good service he could be incredible. Could probably pick him up for 50m too, which for a striker is a steal in this day and age
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City will have the league now and Liverpool will walk the CL
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I’ve long held that belief too that Pep lacks that ability to rev his team for the big moments. His entire philosophy is all about getting the 90 percentile right all the time. That is great for winning leagues as they are about consistency. Knockout cups though are about heart and desire and this is where Pep has consistently been out-managed. He seems to think that you can always outthink your opposition, which sometimes you can but sometimes it’s purely about grit and determination and sometimes just doing the nasty stuff when needed, which Pep has never been about
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I can definitely see both teams dropping points. The schedule along with other competitions and the toll on each of the squads will play a huge part. This race is far from over
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What a bat shit crazy game from two bat shit crazy teams.
Seriously, Arsenal got every single ref call their way in that game. Tavares should have received 4 yellows and Man U should have had 3 pens easily.
It’s embarrassing for the PL that one of these two teams could be representing in the Champions League next season.
Regardless of where Arsenal finish this season, mark my words it is a false dawn, much like Ole’s second place finish last season. Arteta is a pretender and has fluked so many games this season. I’ve watched a lot of their gamesn and so many of them have mirrored this one played today. Ramsdale has easily won them 15-18 points this season and that will unlikely be replicated next season. They will finish outside of the top 6 next year.
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The type of overhall Man U needs is going to be painful in the short term and I’m not sure the hierarchy (or fans for that matter) will allow that. But it needs to happen. If Man U fans think this is rock bottom, they are wrong. Look at Klopp’s rebuild of Liverpool, first season in charge they finished 8th. Man U would never allow that to happen and so the merry go round of mediocrity will go on. SAF was famously a game away from being sacked, but they persisted and it paid off big time. I said at the time, with Moyes, LVG and Mourinho that if you want genuine rebuilding, there needs to be pain first and you are starting from the ground up. None of those managers were allowed to work through that painful period, instead the whole “they lost the dressing room and fans” argument was thrown out there. Then, when they finally learned that lesson, they gave that freedom which none of the previous highly experienced managers were afforded to the most inexperienced and undeserving manager of the lot.
Moyes was the most mistreated of the lot. Inherited an absolutely awful squad of players, a squad that only SAF could do anything with. That squad had been neglected horrendously for the previous 2 seasons with next to no investment and refresh. His job was the hardest of all the managers since SAF and therefore needed much more time to rebuild. LVG was dire to watch, but again the man is a tried and tested boss and was never given a chance. Mourinho, Man U’s most successful manager since SAF (and arguably the most similar in style to him) at the first sign of prima donna player revolt was ousted. Now look where those prima donnas have taken this club. The players have been given too much control, say and influence and this is the price you pay, hence the need for a complete clean out.
This will be very painful for Man U fans but very necessary_____________________________
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