They are serial winners. Ancelotti is some manager.

They trade on their name really well to get the best players. (And pay the big fees) That’s why they win the big cups the chances finally come along against the run of play and it’s not fullkreug or adeyemi it’s someone with world class individual brilliance. I saw utterly zero tactical master class from them this evening. As a man manager sure. I think the tag of not a great tactical manager but a good man manger that he bristles against is pretty accurate.

He's won the CL 5 times as a manager. Two more than Pep. Three more than Ferguson. The fella is an all-time great.

Sure the two things can be true. Tactically RM were awful for 60 minutes and conceded the better chances by far. The had no answer to Jaden Sancho drifting inside dragging his fullback with him, then no-one being literally 10 metres in any direction from the fullback who just waltzed into space and collected the ball. Anyone can have a game like this when it’s tense but Real do it all the time. It’s the galáctico players who take their chances that win it for them.

And he’s been pretty good at introducing young players into the team and to win with them. I’d be happy if we win one CL.

I was there in 2006. Was proud of our little club just getting to the final.

We will never win it. Requires a couple of Henrys in your side to win it these days. We are just terrible in Europe, don’t travel well.

I’ve been posting on here since mid to late 90s or so. He’s been here the whole time but now has blocked 90% of posters here but still continues

He’s not well. Likely someone with major OCD or something. It’s weird a compulsive thing.

We will win it. And the team that wins it for us will probably be a weaker outfit than the invincibles but that's cup football. It's about performing on the big occasions. It might be next year. It might be 10 years from now but we will win the Champions League.

I recall Keane talking about people eating prawn sandwiches. The one thing about becoming a mega club is you have to give up a bit of the soul of the club. I would imagine Real Madrid is the same. City are now experiencing it. I am guessing that the pre big money City fans despise the post big money City fans.

If we do become a mega club I fear we will lose a bit of our soul too like the money becomes some Harry Potter horcrux. Taking a bit of the soul out of the club.

I agree with you regarding our European campaigns. I thought this year was pretty ordinary as well.

Fulham after Smith Rowe.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/footbal ... r-BB1ntzlI

Have to say would make sense for the player. London club and he would play every week. Some good performances would quickly get the attention of sides in Europe.

I'd prefer to keep him and flog Vieira.

Me too

Seems Fulham want Smith Rowe
https://talksport.com/football/1904343/ ... -transfer/

Can't understand why some people don't like him? You're never going to get a bench who is top. Man Utd had Nicky Butts, John O'Shea and others during their good years. Guys who wouldn't get in anyone's top 4.

Smith Rowe is a great asset to have in cup ties against weaker clubs and off the bench. The one player I would have put in this category is Reiss Nelson but he's not taken full advantage of his opportunities. He's salvageable if he can change things. Very talented obviously.

me too, but I think Arteta will still persist with Vieira

I think skill wise Rashford and Isak are tailor made for us. They'd do very well. Doesn't seem like either will happen and I'd vote against Rashford and for Isak. My next preference is Zirkee.

But it seems we will probably get Sesko if the back page rumors are correct. If so, I'm warming to him. I thought he was a bit too slow but I am warming to the idea. First, I think he will be Haaland lite if he matures physically. He's 6'5" and if he fills out, he could hard to stop. His dribbling is much better than Haaland and at that height mouth watering chances in the box at set pieces given how good we are at it.

It makes sense but I think possibly bigger clubs than Fulham will try for him too. I still think Villa could come back. Worth noting that Fulham's record transfer fee for a player is about £26m. Most Arsenal fans would want a fair bit more than that for Emile Smith Rowe.

Sesko has a £55m release clause but that runs out at the end of June. The player will be at the Euros with Slovenia.The Euros start in 2 weeks and transfers during the tournament for players involved in the tournament I think are quite hard to do and rare.

We have to have a squad that can deal with either clubs that press us from our keeper out and low block. The question is does Sesko help address either? High press puts the onus on our back line and center mids, the striker can make canny runs up top to get on to a long ball.

Low block of course is where a striker is worth their salt. He's tall so balls into the box have a chance, as well as close control that can draw penalties.

Now Eddie

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/28270750 ... er-league/

Fulham, palace and wolves.

30 million. I’d bite their hands off.

Eze the standout for England tonight from the left sided position. Has a brilliant turn of acceleration and dribbling ability. Would love him at Arsenal

https://www.football365.com/news/man-ci ... -civil-war

Man City launch legal action against the premier league against the FFP rules.

Strange, I thought City said they were compliant with the rules? Why would they need to take such action against the league if they have been and want to play by the rules?

Ingenious. Using the guilty huge US corporation strategy. Counter sue in hopes of 1. a much reduced settlement and/or 2. tie it up for years, making it super expensive and the opposition eventually gives up from sheer exhaustion.

Wow, never knew this.

I think their line of attack is related to associated clubs - clubs under the same ownership and how they’re permitted to interact.

For instance, there has been a long standing accusation that New York City - a potless start-up with no visible means of support, but part of the world wide City franchises - was able to ‘sponsor’ Man Citeh to the tune of some £30m. Allegedly.

I think we all think there’s something pretty whiffy here.

The City statement feels a bit like the last roll of the dice in a super aggressive move as they know they are cornered. In one part of their statement they basically say of the rules aren’t changed they will be forced to raise ticket prices and reduce funding of youth infrastructure, womens team and community projects - clearly failing to realise that those last 3 items are excluded from FFP, so if City wanted they could pump £1billion a season in to each of those. It’s a blackmail kind of move. Let us do what we want or we’ll stop helping the most vulnerable in our local area. If Man U wanted to strike a blow on this and get some decent PR they could release a statement saying that any community project City back out from they would pick up the tab for!

The two big differences between City and Everton is City's offenses were much greater and Everton didn't have the resources to fight it and/or didn't want to so they could take their punishment as quickly as possible and move on.

City is now a global brand. They are probably worried that admitting guilt will greatly hurt their merchandizing revenue. Duh..it will. I'm a bit surprised they are doing the 'we are being targeted' thing. Its a last gasp possibly. It works for Trump...haha...so maybe they take some comfort in that.

Also, is it possible their trophies for certain years be vacated?

Doesn't matter the sport, there is a prevailing wisdom with some coaches that if you are building a team from scratch you start with defense. In some sports like football where you have draws, you can get a point when you wouldn't otherwise. I am a bit of a student in that.

I want our backline to be solid across with a top number 6. We are far ahead of building from scratch. We have shown we can score but now I want to see us with even more clean sheets.

It would be nice to have a top rated striker up front. It's not the worst thing in the world if we don't. For me, as long as we have a striker that gives us an additional look to the opposition defense, then I'm fine. Even if don't get the finished article like Sesko.

No one talks about this but I think our most valuable player is Ødegaard. He's been very lucky healthwise. I am comfortable Jesus for example can fill in for Sako. Trossard has been able to get ahead of Martinelli which a year ago no one would have imagined with the form he was in.

Ødegaard and either of the center backs are my big worry is either are out. We play good team defense Saliba or Gabriel can be out we're still pretty solid. However, Ødegaard is the quarterback. He's the heartbeat. Who fills in god forbid he's out?

It's hard to see where all this City stuff ends.

They may well win this case, and then what?

Do the other clubs just say OK that's fine no more limits on spending, knowing full well that City and Newcastle have bottomless pockets and any sense of financial fair play will be lost forever.

Or do the PL and the clubs make a stand and start a new league, minus City and Newcastle and anyone else who does not want to abide by the rules.

In truth I can see both sides of this argument. How does a little club ever become a big club without having the some sort of financial advantage? It's been like this for every really. If you pay the biggest transfer fees and wages the very best players eventually gravitate towards your club.

By the same token, allowing a nation state to spend obscence amounts of money, far in excess of anyone else, with no need to balance the books makes any sense of fair play impossible and removes the very essence of a competitive league. Not to mention the inflationary pressures that result.

Had it not been for the newly imposed FFP rules then there is little doubt Newcastle would now be dining at the top table. Some might say but why shouldn't they? Why should United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc always have a financial advantage based on history and fanbase.

No idea what the answer is. It's a mess.

Hi Soc,

There was an interesting report on R4 a month or so back where it was claimed that the Saudis invested in City as a 'soft power' move to get their main target, which was to buy up huge swathes of the north side of Manchester city centre and get easy planning permission for all sorts of developments.

According to the report, the amount of investment in building a property portfolio, along with the 'schmoozing' of local dignitaries, councillors, planning inspectors etc., dwarfs what's been 'invested' in the club.

No idea what the truth of that is, but it seems to follow a pattern as I believe something similar happened at PSG regarding large parts of Paris.

Follow the money.

Between 2009 and 2019 Manchester City enjoyed a 1117% rise in commercial revenue. More than the combined rise for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, the three biggest clubs in England.