Manchester City 17/18 discussion | "If you're here for the Champions clap your hands" (#6505)

The problem with the posts here is that they're assumptive in nature. DDG for Mourinho isn't going to be stat padding his passing stats when Jose wants him to play a longer pass. If he was at City, he'd have the coaching and responsibility given to him by Pep.

People are making it out that Ederson is better for City than DDG would be at distribution, because of the fact that he's at City. Well it's not like Pep had the choice between them did he?
 
Manchester City have given a new role to youngster Sinan Bytyqi after he was forced to retire from the game with heart problems.

The 22-year-old midfielder won rave reviews during his loan spell in Holland with Go Ahead Eagles last season and was regularly featured in the Eredivise team of the week.


But everything changed towards the end of last year when he was suddenly told his loan spell in the Netherlands was over and that he'd be heading back to England.

According to the Daily Mail, Bytyqi had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease in which a portion of the heart muscle is enlarged, creating functional impairment of the heart. It is also the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Essentially, the condition meant there would be a 4% chance Bytyqi's heart could stop if he continued playing, leading him to the decision of hanging up his boots.

Bytyqi has since taken up the role of loan scout, where he'll watch the performances of City's young stars out on loan - including Patrick Roberts at Celtic - before compiling reports and recommendations.
Classy move by City.
 
Classy move by City.

Very classy. Bash the sheik and his oil money all you want whatever, but one thing about Arab culture is the importance they view family even extended family to be. This has definitely been integrated into Manchester City club culture and they treat their own very well.
 
You just don’t get it. Everyone knows what De Gea can do, he’s no mug at anything, and is the best at shot stopping. Until we mentioned this other aspect of keeping, none of you gave De Gea’s passing a mention. As soon as the issue was raised, up came the hackles, and you instantly claimed that your guy was better. You’ll be telling us next that De Gea has more tattooes than Ederson, it’s just that we haven’t seen them, or that the sheikh paid for them, so they don't count. When it comes to the goalkeeper passing the ball, we're not winding you up, we're waking you up.
More tattoos ? Sorry mate but I'm 50 years old, so I hope you'll excuse me for not entertaining such puerile piffle. Thanks.
 
He made Begiristain aware of his decision: 'He said I made the right move. Then he asked me what I wanted to do and said they wanted to keep me at the club. He said if I wanted to open a shop at the stadium he would help me!'

Bytyqi contacted Fergal Harkin, City's scouting manager. 'He looked after me while I was on loan,' he says. 'He said he was going to build a team and I was welcome to work with him. I wanted to do that because I know how difficult a loan can be.

'At City you get everything, food, pool, sauna. You go out and you don't get that. You have to cook your own food. Even the language you don't understand.'

City, who have kept news of Bytyqi's playing retirement quiet until this interview, were as good as their word. On November 2, around a year after diagnosis, he started his new role as loan scout. 'I watch players, provide reports and try to support them,' he says.
 
Very classy. Bash the sheik and his oil money all you want whatever, but one thing about Arab culture is the importance they view family even extended family to be. This has definitely been integrated into Manchester City club culture and they treat their own very well.
Have you ever tried stand up ?
:)
 
"City average over five sequences of 20 or more consecutive passes per game... The next nearest side in (Opta’s) living memory is the Barcelona side of 2012/13 with 3.9, and then Bayern of 2015/16 with just over three. Guardiola’s influence here is clear. There are only two other sides who average more than 2.5 such sequences per game. City are doubling that....They also get to the final third in over 55% of their possession sequences, at the top of the historical list along with Pep’s Bayern Munich sides of 2013-2016."

That's the most surprising stat regarding City, imo. Obviously, they can keep the ball well but I didn't thought they can do it to such an extent.
 
Manchester City are close to finalising a £50million-a-year kit contract with Puma, which will be the largest commercial deal in the club's history. [@Jack_Gaughan]

I don't really like Puma, always thought their kits were below par in quality, can some Arsenal/Leicester/Dortmund fan confirm this notion?



"City average over five sequences of 20 or more consecutive passes per game... The next nearest side in (Opta’s) living memory is the Barcelona side of 2012/13 with 3.9, and then Bayern of 2015/16 with just over three. Guardiola’s influence here is clear. There are only two other sides who average more than 2.5 such sequences per game. City are doubling that....They also get to the final third in over 55% of their possession sequences, at the top of the historical list along with Pep’s Bayern Munich sides of 2013-2016."

That's the most surprising stat regarding City, imo. Obviously, they can keep the ball well but I didn't thought they can do it to such an extent.

Extremely surprising considering 12/13 Barca, 15/16 Bayern were late into Pep's tenure and that's supposed to be the time at which a Pep's team is in it's peak (tactically).
 
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Extremely surprising considering 12/13 Barca, 15/16 Bayern were late into Pep's tenure and that's supposed to be the time at which a Pep's team is in it's peak (tactically).

Pep left 2012, IIRC, it was the season when they won La Liga with 100 pts under Vilanova.
 
Too soon to say I'm starting to think I was wrong about Pep? I really thought he was just a decent coach who was very lucky to manage Barca and Bayern. I'm now starting to think differently. City at the moment are on a different level to anybody else in the Prem :(
 
I don't really like Puma, always thought their kits were below par in quality, can some Arsenal/Leicester/Dortmund confirm this notion?

Not sure about the quality of their shirts, but their boots are great.
 
Pep left 2012, IIRC, it was the season when they won La Liga with 100 pts under Vilanova.

Yep. Another factor that skews that stat is Pep’s Barça had 4/5 of the best possession/dribbling footballers in history so there were fewer passes required
 
I don't really like Puma, always thought their kits were below par in quality, can some Arsenal/Leicester/Dortmund fan confirm this notion?

Extremely surprising considering 12/13 Barca, 15/16 Bayern were late into Pep's tenure and that's supposed to be the time at which a Pep's team is in it's peak (tactically).
Quality can’t be worse than Nike.

Anybody but Nike!
 
Sir, If I may ask, why is it that you have 9 posts so far and majority of them are on this thread, all of them criticizing City.
Touchy.
If you accept the UAE money to gatecrash the big boys then you'll simply have to toughen up and accept a little criticism, especially as a welcomed guest on our democratic United supporter website.
You can't have it both ways :)
 
More tattoos ? Sorry mate but I'm 50 years old, so I hope you'll excuse me for not entertaining such puerile piffle. Thanks.

Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit, but a failure to recognise it at 50 years of age is amazing.
 
Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit, but a failure to recognise it at 50 years of age is amazing.

What's even funnier is after 9 posts about city, he tries to speak on the forums behalf and to tell us all about it. 50 years old, I'd have thought 14. 12 if not for the fact his English us quite good.
 
At times you have to hold your hands up ans just accept things.
They're so far ahead of everyone atm I don't see them losing it. Even today, with a bit more luck they should have won 4-1.
 
Nobodies invincible, not even PSG. Poorish showing today in fairness by us.
To expand that much emotional energy on only the 13th game of the season has me feeling better about United's chances. Be interesting to watch how your Citizens react to a run of bad results. Might never happen of course.
 
Huddersfield unlucky not to take a point regardless of how little ball they had.

They had zero shots on target and could barely string a pass together. They were lucky to even be in contention of winning a point.

They defended admirably, but you cannot say City didn’t deserve the win today. They completed dominated, albeit lacking in the finishing department.
 
Thought they looked more like a Van Gaal side today.

Pretty toothless. Lots of passing but little keeper testing.

Huddersfield unlucky not to take a point regardless of how little ball they had.

Sane hit the post, Aguero had to good chances that he fluffed, Sterling had a good chance after keeper making a save from Aguero and Aguero had chance to square the ball to Sterling who was wide open, but headed towards the GK. Hardly they didn't test the keeper.
 
Very classy. Bash the sheik and his oil money all you want whatever, but one thing about Arab culture is the importance they view family even extended family to be. This has definitely been integrated into Manchester City club culture and they treat their own very well.
The sheikhs who own city are rich people beyond imagination. They wouldn't be able to tell you a thing about Arab culture as they would have never mingled with peasants. Yes this is a very classy move by city but their owners aren't saints. The whole reason they bough City is to improve their image and it has worked it has to be said. Very few people talk about workers or civil rights when it comes to Abu Dhabi now.
 
Long shot but could they get 100 points this season?
You can speak about that around February, even if they're miles ahead of everyone, they're yet to lose 2-3 games here and there.

Dunno I have a bad feeling that even Arsenal have something to say this seaso, they keep grinding results lately
 
Too soon to say I'm starting to think I was wrong about Pep? I really thought he was just a decent coach who was very lucky to manage Barca and Bayern. I'm now starting to think differently. City at the moment are on a different level to anybody else in the Prem :(

Their squad is stronger than anyone else in the Prem, just as his squad has been in every other league he’s managed in. Last season his squad had gaping holes, and he struggled.
 
You just don’t get it. Everyone knows what De Gea can do, he’s no mug at anything, and is the best at shot stopping. Until we mentioned this other aspect of keeping, none of you gave De Gea’s passing a mention. As soon as the issue was raised, up came the hackles, and you instantly claimed that your guy was better. You’ll be telling us next that De Gea has more tattooes than Ederson, it’s just that we haven’t seen them, or that the sheikh paid for them, so they don't count. When it comes to the goalkeeper passing the ball, we're not winding you up, we're waking you up.

I don't think you understand that De Gea isn't a weak passer of the ball. That's the issue here. Presumption that he doesn't have great distribution.
 
Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit, but a failure to recognise it at 50 years of age is amazing.
Whoosh!
The sheikhs who own city are rich people beyond imagination. They wouldn't be able to tell you a thing about Arab culture as they would have never mingled with peasants. Yes this is a very classy move by city but their owners aren't saints. The whole reason they bough City is to improve their image and it has worked it has to be said. Very few people talk about workers or civil rights when it comes to Abu Dhabi now.
Yes very few talk about the horrendous human rights records of their owners because of thrir project at the Etihad. But that doesn't make it okay.
Their brutal oppression of homosexuality and systemic abuse of female migrant domestic workers should not be overlooked just because we allow them ownershio of one of our clubs. Equating mediaeval, barbaric oligarchs with 'class' is an absolute contradiction of terms.' Don't be taken in by the propaganda exercise. They've spent £2billion of their peoples money on a plastic project to whitewash the brutalist reality of their regime. But as westerners who believe in freedom and democracy we must never forget the suffering of those being oppressed by the Etihad club owners at City.
 
"City average over five sequences of 20 or more consecutive passes per game... The next nearest side in (Opta’s) living memory is the Barcelona side of 2012/13 with 3.9, and then Bayern of 2015/16 with just over three. Guardiola’s influence here is clear. There are only two other sides who average more than 2.5 such sequences per game. City are doubling that....They also get to the final third in over 55% of their possession sequences, at the top of the historical list along with Pep’s Bayern Munich sides of 2013-2016."

That's the most surprising stat regarding City, imo. Obviously, they can keep the ball well but I didn't thought they can do it to such an extent.
It's probably not about just keeping the ball, but keeping the ball and having it go to the final third. Though the real difference is probably the ability to convert in front of the goal, which is the big difference compared to last year, on top of every other aspects of the game. That's the real danger currently. When there will be moments of doubts and less success and efficiency in front of the goals, it will be a bit more manageable but it's not the case right now.
 
Their squad is stronger than anyone else in the Prem, just as his squad has been in every other league he’s managed in. Last season his squad had gaping holes, and he struggled.
I agree but he has built the squad, yes he has spend a lot but his transfers have been very good (In general), the keeper, the full backs, Silva, Jesus and Sane all look very good signings and that is down to him.
 
Long shot but could they get 100 points this season?
63 in 25 games. 21 Wins. That would be the same as 96 over 38 which beats the existing record, so even to do it from here would take record breaking form between now and the end of the season.

I think we’ll end mid 90s with a chance of breaking Chelsea’s record, but it will be tight because that’s still a hell of a benchmark. Easy to forget how ruthless Chelsea were that year.
 
63 in 25 games. 21 Wins. That would be the same as 96 over 38 which beats the existing record, so even to do it from here would take record breaking form between now and the end of the season.

I think we’ll end mid 90s with a chance of breaking Chelsea’s record, but it will be tight because that’s still a hell of a benchmark. Easy to forget how ruthless Chelsea were that year.

Chelsea won 63 pts from the last 25 games when they broke the record.

To break the record you need competition for the title. If you have a very big lead in February/March, say 12-13 pts, and go far in the cups and thew CL, you will rest key players and try to avoid injuries etc.
 
In know this is the best start to a PL campaign but what is the best start in England's top flight ever, that is: who won the first 13 league games?
 
Chelsea won 63 pts from the last 25 games when they broke the record.

To break the record you need competition for the title. If you have a very big lead in February/March, say 12-13 pts, and go far in the cups and thew CL, you will rest key players and try to avoid injuries etc.

Also IF they gain a large lead Pep will start experimenting as he always tends too.
 
Very classy. Bash the sheik and his oil money all you want whatever, but one thing about Arab culture is the importance they view family even extended family to be. This has definitely been integrated into Manchester City club culture and they treat their own very well.
Where to begin with this nonsense...