I agree with second part, unsure why you would think I don't because I said city have missed an incredible amount of chances and given up very very few chances
Why do the media keep claiming Liverpool are on par with City?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
I mean...it's not absolute, and if there's a case where there's a point or two separating another team then, yeah, it's fair enough to suggest that a team below another may be better, but Liverpool are seven points ahead. City may arguably have more quality overall in their squad but being able to manage that quality effectively is a key component of being a good side. Thus far Liverpool haven't had any collapses or substantial dips in form whereas City have. City, in spite of their quality, have shown that they can be got at, and if you have enough quality to apply significant pressure to them they don't look anywhere near as strong. Liverpool haven't had a weakness like that this season. Earlier in the year they briefly looked a bit light in front of goal but they quickly rectified that.
Again there's an argument to be had that City potentially have more quality overall but it's absurd right now to suggest Liverpool somehow aren't on their level when they're quite literally comfortably ahead of them in the league. You could try to form any sort of argument on this basis when there's not really any evidence to prove it's true.
City are having a rough patch and Liverpool the opposite. Still think City are the better team and will win the title IMO.
The closer Liverpool get to it the more pressure on them and they’ve historically not done too well under that pressure. Long way to go yet.
The closer Liverpool get to it the more pressure on them and they’ve historically not done too well under that pressure. Long way to go yet.
The second part wasn’t to you specifically. The first part was, as you seemed to imply that Liverpool’s games have been tight affairs and City much better attack. You started by saying that Liverpool are not really on par. I used the GD to show that they are both high scoring sides.
I don't mean scoring or any stats that people might have. Watching city's 3 losses they were insane games with teams clinging on and scoring with their first shot if the game etc. Liverpool's games all season have been quite open and especially early in the season fairly fortunate wins. More a view I have built from watching games rather than looking at stats and trying to build an argument from there, although not saying stats have no value
Yes but Liverpool don’t even have the 3 losses to analyse. How can the fact that City’s losses were tight mean that a team who hasn’t even suffered a tight loss is the weaker?
And I’m very much an anti-stat man myself, so I respect your opinion if it’s an observation from what you see.
I hear ya. Credit to them for their points total. I don't find it absurd to hold this opinion personally. They were close in points a week ago so maybe I would have been allowed to say it then, or maybe in a few weeks if they are close in points again, I'll bide my time
Indeed, reverse those three losses (and three losses for a title-contending team is a lot) and they're still only two points ahead of Liverpool. Which would hardly be a demonstration of their immensely superior quality.
Well, yeah...but the point is that a lot's changed since then. I do think there's a decent chance City will come back (Liverpool are surely due a slump) but predicating an argument on ignoring City's losses strikes me as a bizarre approach. Three defeats aren't really a symptom of freakish games but a proper slump in form.
I don't think city's losses that I saw were tight games by any measure bar the score, I really don't. I enjoyed them all the more because it was total domination and they just couldn't put the ball from 3 yards out in the goal. Makes it all the sweeter when pep mumbles something about how the opposition team shouldn't be allowed stand on their goal line for 90 mins and score with their 2 breaks of the match.
I honestly didn't think I would meet much resistance on this view and it is eye opening how strong the response has been - my group of friends share similar opinions that Liverpool haven't been at all amazing this year and that city, while something is going wrong at the moment, are one of the most dominant sides we have ever seen
I always try to be performance oriented vs results oriented, I honestly think it is the only way to look at things over a short space of time. I guess I am saying if you watched every minute of city's game a vs Liverpool's games over the season but nobody showed you the league most people would guess city were the better team. It is maybe seen as extreme in football to separate performance from results in such a way but it is normal in other walks of life. In United's case, nobody had a problem saying we weren't worth 81pts last season and I believe it is because they watched all of it that they could hold that opinion. There is no law against holding those opinions for trams that aren't your own
Yeah sorry about this. In fairness its mostly city's fault for turning dogshite and thinking they can get away with Sterling being their main goalscorer.
I reckon they'll sulk their way through the rest of the season if they fall further behind as well.
Definitely a front-running team. I worry about them capitulating and Pep doing his usual breakdown routine when under pressure.
If Liverpool win the title, you are aware you deserve a Noodleday, right?
Definitely a front-running team. I worry about them capitulating and Pep doing his usual breakdown routine when under pressure.
If Liverpool win the title, you are aware you deserve a Noodleday, right?
I accept no responsibility and will also delete this thread and deny it ever existed. Like any decent person would.
City rely too much on running teams into the ground. If the motivation goes the performances will drop off, I reckon. On the plus side if they drop off too much we can pretend we might be able to catch them for a short while.
They're better,in my opinion. City have peaked til they sped another 300m.
One of the more frightening things about Liverpool is that their best player didn't really start playing well until mid November
Liverpool have had a lot of breaks so far.
Mahrez missing that late pen at anfield.
Pickford dropping that 96th min clanger.
Equalising late on at chelsea.
Three huge game changers.
Mahrez missing that late pen at anfield.
Pickford dropping that 96th min clanger.
Equalising late on at chelsea.
Three huge game changers.
Touche!Yeah, City are the ultimate feel good team and don't think Pep has any stones for any kind of contest - if it's not all one way traffic he's more likely to capitulate than Klopp and I think that will filter into his team (jitters and nerves), then we're looking at a league apocalypse.
You could say this about ANY team,ANY season.
City I think still have a better squad on paper but, a few differences between this and last season
1) KDB, their best player been out
2) They won at a canter and even in the past and probably thought they'd keep doing more of the same. With Liverpool winning and this time, unlike last season, when things were difficult and they pulled out those last minute wins, things haven't gone their way. Even in the past they've not had much of fight in them to defend their title, part of the merc DNA I suppose - not sure how much they fight for the shirt.
3) This Liverpool squad is hungrier and have enough now to keep things going even with injuries or having to bring players on to change a game, like Shaquiri and Sturridge
In the next week, we very well may be looking at a completely different picture though, should Liverpool lose ground in the Arsenal and City games. If they don't, then think City will not put up that much of a fight rest of the season.
1) KDB, their best player been out
2) They won at a canter and even in the past and probably thought they'd keep doing more of the same. With Liverpool winning and this time, unlike last season, when things were difficult and they pulled out those last minute wins, things haven't gone their way. Even in the past they've not had much of fight in them to defend their title, part of the merc DNA I suppose - not sure how much they fight for the shirt.
3) This Liverpool squad is hungrier and have enough now to keep things going even with injuries or having to bring players on to change a game, like Shaquiri and Sturridge
In the next week, we very well may be looking at a completely different picture though, should Liverpool lose ground in the Arsenal and City games. If they don't, then think City will not put up that much of a fight rest of the season.
Give me a similar set of breaks for city this year?
Yep this is a key two games .
If city don't reduce the 7 points i don't think they will.
Liverpool are fortunate to have this double header when in good form.city are in the opposite position. It's not a given they'll beat an improved Southampton first.
Tottenham? No chance
This isn't far from the truth. Liverpool was the only team that troubled City last season and with their additions in the summer plus VVD hitting the ground running , it's not far fetched to say they're at least as good as City if not better.
Do I want Liverpool to win? Heck no.
But I do wish them luck, as I wish every team luck, because may the *best* team win.
I have a bad feeling about this. IF, IF Liverpool win the Arsenal AND City games. I think the title is theirs.
They clear 6 points ahead, meaning they can lost one match and still ahead. okay, let say they will lost to Spurs (which I doubt Liverpool will lost). But even they did, they still ahead.
Perhaps indeed this is their year. Not that I like or want them to win, but perhaps they are the best team this season.
But I do wish them luck, as I wish every team luck, because may the *best* team win.
I have a bad feeling about this. IF, IF Liverpool win the Arsenal AND City games. I think the title is theirs.
They clear 6 points ahead, meaning they can lost one match and still ahead. okay, let say they will lost to Spurs (which I doubt Liverpool will lost). But even they did, they still ahead.
Perhaps indeed this is their year. Not that I like or want them to win, but perhaps they are the best team this season.
I think Liverpool and spurs have had an unusually high number of games this season which could have swung either way and have just luckily worked out in their favour. Spurs in particular...this was basically every single game of theirs that they won up until the past month.
Though, I also think arsenal have had more than their fair share of games like that, and it hasn't stopped them being in 5th, so there's obviously more to it than just luck. Liverpool look like the sort of team who can put in an average performance and still win. Last season they had no hope of doing that...they could barely get away with switching off for the last 2 minutes
Their worst form has coincided with his return to the team.
Yep but that happens to everyone title winner.
If roles were reversed and City were seven points clear of Liverpool we'd all be saying game over. So it's Liverpool's now to lose. City need to have a near perfect sequence to win it.
I think they've missed Fernandinho more than KDB. Stones and Gundogan aren't good enough replacements.
As much as I hate to say it. Liverpool are better now than City and will go on to win the Premiership this season. God help us all.
I agree with that.
Still leaves a 4 point gap.
Assuming they win today, the gap is one point.
Refreshing scenario, in which at last there's a team giving us a challenge
People were talking about City being arguably the greatest team English football has ever seen only a couple of weeks ago. Do a few successive defeats really alter that perception?
You're in for a rude awakening if you think this title race is over.
Agreed.
Long way to go, lots of potential twists.
A fact that is often overlooked, but come April time when clubs are fighting to get out or stay out of the bottom 3, there are always upsets of some description.
I’d prefer for the sun to crash into earth frying us all instantly than for Liverpool to win the league
Just saw a post that the clubs in the league need to loan Pogba, Hazard, Kane and Aubameyang to city in January to prevent Liverpool from winning the league
I'm sceptical Liverpool and Klopp can keep going at the rate they are.
City though, might not even be up to try and capitalize on a dip from the dippers. Great when it's all going their way and players can avoid yellow cards.
City though, might not even be up to try and capitalize on a dip from the dippers. Great when it's all going their way and players can avoid yellow cards.
Well yes as that would smash city's 100 point record
If they can get 90+ points I'd be surprised if they didn't win the league
40 points more in 18 games... That seems doable (we will probably need to do that or more to get cl)
I still think (hope) that City will win this. Frankly, they were much more impressive than Liverpool at the beginning of the season, although Liverpool are better now, and I doubt that scousers will be able to finish this season in the same style. City still have a bigger and better bench, which will be evident in the spring.
Fernandinho is a worry though.
Fernandinho is a worry though.
What is happening to City now because of Fernandinhos injury will also happen to Liverpool if one of Firmino or VvD gets injured.