Champions League 2023/24

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,493]

1 hour ago, yuddie said:

Well, it's a watershed moment for football..this teams now immortal (or immoral, depending on your view).

 

Plug the greatest coach of the last 20 years into a team with unlimited resource and he sweeps up, who knew. I appreciate the relentlessness of it but I think, if it wasn't already, the games gone. 

I get the money argument (to a point...) but 8 EPL teams spent more than Man City this season and won nothing. Regardless of how much you spend, you still need a real manager to harness a teams talents. Look at Chelsea this season. 

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,334]

7 hours ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

I get the money argument (to a point...) but 8 EPL teams spent more than Man City this season and won nothing. Regardless of how much you spend, you still need a real manager to harness a teams talents. Look at Chelsea this season. 

Perhaps, but there is something ‘cheat mode’ about the city and PSG approach. When Real Madrid, Liverpool or Bayern win it, it feels more organic. Just big clubs being at the top. Yea they have money and top managers but it’s not the same.

 

For me City winning it has detracted from what a great job Inzaghi and Inter did getting there. A team with decent resources yes but a few old guys on loan and a bit of a good run of form they won’t be likely to recapture in the next 20 years. A remarkable run from them and in many ways a bigger achievement than Ciry winning it all.

 

Actually if anything City have underperformed in Europe for years. Pep also underperformed in Europe at Beyern. He left there and they improved.

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,493]

2 hours ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Perhaps, but there is something ‘cheat mode’ about the city and PSG approach. When Real Madrid, Liverpool or Bayern win it, it feels more organic. Just big clubs being at the top. Yea they have money and top managers but it’s not the same.

 

For me City winning it has detracted from what a great job Inzaghi and Inter did getting there. A team with decent resources yes but a few old guys on loan and a bit of a good run of form they won’t be likely to recapture in the next 20 years. A remarkable run from them and in many ways a bigger achievement than Ciry winning it all.

 

Actually if anything City have underperformed in Europe for years. Pep also underperformed in Europe at Beyern. He left there and they improved.

There is nothing organic about how Real Madrid have operated to ensure their top table status. Let's not forget their rather dubious property deal in 2003/4 which cleared nearly 200 million of debt and bankrolled the Galacticos. The ghost of Franco in the room when all deals were signed. 

Edited June 11, 2023 by BlackSocksRedTops

[yuddie 1,037]

9 hours ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

I get the money argument (to a point...) but 8 EPL teams spent more than Man City this season and won nothing. Regardless of how much you spend, you still need a real manager to harness a teams talents. Look at Chelsea this season. 

If you throw enough money at it you will get success.. Blackburn, Chelsea, QPR and City being examples of that with varying degrees. Newcastle now as well. If United keep spending they'll get there eventually, whether people like it or not.

 

City claim they don't spend but then stock up on 50m pound footballers who might work out or might get punted in a season or two.

 

And the proper murky dealings like the clubs owners buying peps brother a football club, that's something that's common knowledge but never gets mentioned, imagine what's happened behind closed doors.

 

 

[compo 6,218]

Well done city a pleasure to watch 

[Scott7 5,238]

2 minutes ago, compo said:

Well done city a pleasure to watch 

Usually. Last night not so much.

[Scott7 5,238]

10 hours ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

Can you expand WTD?

Inter’s failure in the 1967 final. They thought they’d stroll it. So did I.

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,334]

1 hour ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

There is nothing organic about how Real Madrid have operated to ensure their top table status. Let's not forget their rather dubious property deal in 2003/4 which cleared nearly 200 million of debt and bankrolled the Galacticos. The ghost of Franco in the room when all deals were signed. 

That’s true but that’s how real and Barca have operated from day dot. A bunch of oil billionaires bought a random English yoyo club and chucked money at it until they won it all.

 

When Real Madrid went out and bought all the galacticos it just felt like that’s what they do. Historically they have had the worlds best. 

 

City have also been at the forefront of this ‘franchise-ification’ of the European game where clubs are bought to be part of a group and it absolutely sucks for football. You have multiple clubs steering towards one singular interest and goal.

 

Or maybe I’m just getting old but it doesn’t feel like football.

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,334]

35 minutes ago, yuddie said:

nd the proper murky dealings like the clubs owners buying peps brother a football club, that's something that's common knowledge but never gets mentioned, imagine what's happened behind closed doors.

And I’m sure it will come out in time but there is suspicions that the likes

of mbappe and haaland have been paid outside of the clubs with various dodgy crypto and gambling company sponsorships to get around ffp and wage bills.

[Gonzo79 13,762]

Was disappointed to see Inter lose.  

 

Used to like City but recent goings on have put me right off them. 

 

The footage of the blasé reaction of their fans after the goal and final whistle was a sad reflection of modern football but Seville was similar.  Folk with money and little passion get tickets and normal punters struggle to get to the 'showpiece' matches.  But City have plenty of really passionate fans.  

 

Hopefully more British fans get into lower league football, where you can still see proper tackles, don't have to wait for VAR decisions and mobile phones don't come out for corners and throw-ins.