CHAMPIONES! CHAMPIONES! OLE, OLE, OLE! A double last year. A potential treble this year. A quadruple next year? One can only hope.

Or will Liverpool finally overtake City in the league? Can Chelsea cope with a one-year transfer ban? Will there ever be another St. Totteringham's Day? How long will United's false messiah stay in charge? Can Wolves book a place in Europe? Stay tuned.

If you can't wait until August for Premier League football, there's an Arsenal vs. Roma friendly in Charlotte on July 20. It might be your best chance to get a selfie with Gunnersaurus.

5/12/2019 1:21:28 PM

too soon

5/12/2019 1:30:12 PM

Quote :

"A potential treble this year."

Can't buy a treble hopefully.

5/12/2019 1:57:32 PM

Quote :

"too soon "

Just be glad I didn't post this pic haha

5/12/2019 2:09:15 PM

^ hahahahhaa

5/12/2019 2:10:29 PM

yeah I really hated only losing once this year. Completely miserable

[Edited on May 12, 2019 at 2:19 PM. Reason : ^damn you were at OT today? https://twitter.com/PSGalu/status/1127626497961922562?s=19]

5/12/2019 2:17:27 PM

Glad he is rightly getting the stick he deserves. Hope the players were booed off today. Unfortunately nothing is going to change because Ed would rather sign players like Pogba so he can sell more shirts and sign more sponsors.

5/12/2019 2:26:03 PM

To finish the convo from the last thread. What are your realistic expectations if you actually do all the business you hoped for in the your last post? That is a lot of team turnover. And you didn't mention Lukaku, isn't he supposed to be gone too?

5/12/2019 2:27:53 PM

Well I singled out players who I never want to see put on the shirt for lack of quality or attitude. I don't think Lukaku is a bad player but I also wouldn't mind seeing him leave. You are right, it is a lot of turnover and I don't expect all of those guys to be gone unfortunately. I don't know what the situation is with Pogba and De Gea internally. I don't think Pogba is to blame but if he isn't going to put in consistent performances then he is just a luxury we can't afford to have. I obviously would like to keep De Gea but if his head is turned then there is no point. I wouldn't blame him either if he did want to leave.

I have zero expectations at this point, we could be much worse depending on the turnover but the best I can see is improvement in our play and challenging for the 4th spot. That would probably be a good 2019/20 season, especially if we can throw in a cup run. We have to turn to youth in my opinion. Even if they may not be good enough, there really isn't anywhere else to go and we need to start preparing for the future. This current squad has decent players but most of them aren't going to cut it if we want to get back to the top. Can't see us being anywhere close to City or Pool at least next year. Tottenham might improve considerably if they get the right investments. Chelsea probably will too if they don't have a transfer ban. So that leaves us and Arsenal needing to absolutely get it right if we want top 4 next year.

It will all depend on what Ole and the players do in pre-season. Ole has still said all the right things and it remains to be seen what they work on in the off season and how we play from August to December. Ole could be gone by January next year worst case scenario but only if we don't see improvement I think. More important, United need an internal restructure. Scandalous that Ed still has a job despite failing for the last 6 years.

[Edited on May 12, 2019 at 2:46 PM. Reason : a]

[Edited on May 12, 2019 at 2:47 PM. Reason : .]

5/12/2019 2:41:23 PM

Yeah the way I see it —

1. City/Liverpool should be comfortable in Top 4
2. Spurs had a season similar to Liverpool last year where two comps wore them down and if they make the right investments, could turn into this year’s Liverpool and challenge on both. Even though it was close this season, I’d definitely put them as solid to comfortable in Top 4, depending on their summer.
3. Love Pulisic but Chelsea can’t replace Hazard with him and they got unlucky with the CHO injury. They’re fucked if the transfer ban is upheld.
4. Arsenal has a front 2 worth building around and they’re my pick to take Chelsea’s spot right now.
5. Agree United needs to go all youth and take a chance on some players that want to prove themselves but they’re probably going to go with the old mercenary route. I’d expect at least one good signing like Maguire or something.
6. I think Leicester and Wolves will be real players for Europe spots with the right moves this summer which makes the job at United even more time sensitive. I’m real big on Leicester with BR and they have a lot of nice young players now. Hope they can sign Tielemans permanently. Wolves proved they can beat the good teams this year already and they have cash and connections to add some more pieces. Hell, even Everton and West Ham have capable squads and recently shown a willingness to go out and get ballers.

Honestly I hope all the above teams get better because there needs to be more than a two horse race to take down City. Summer is gonna be longgggg.

5/12/2019 4:10:26 PM

To that meme, didn't City spend like 530 mil over that same period?

5/12/2019 4:18:43 PM

^agree with that. I have no faith in getting the players we need honestly. Club is a mess. Not really optimistic for next season at the moment. I'll let the players and coaches prove me wrong instead of getting hyped regardless of who we sign.

5/12/2019 4:27:01 PM

IBTL

5/12/2019 4:29:53 PM

This dude legit comes back to TWW to post this thread. Kudos to Google calendar reminders.

[Edited on May 12, 2019 at 9:27 PM. Reason : First page post history goes to 2012.]

5/12/2019 9:23:54 PM

It's tradition but maybe we need to make a new rule for lurkers

[Edited on May 12, 2019 at 10:19 PM. Reason : And fucking unc fans, seriously ]

5/12/2019 10:18:51 PM

I agree that if the Transfer ban is upheld Chelsea will not finish Top 4 next season, though I hope I am wrong.

5/13/2019 8:36:47 AM

Is there any reason to believe it won't be? Everything I've read seems to think it being upheld is a certainty.

5/13/2019 8:52:18 AM

^^^ He was an Arsenal fan too at one point iirc

Maybe he's down to one bandwagon now?

[Edited on May 13, 2019 at 8:53 AM. Reason : COYS]

5/13/2019 8:52:32 AM

Arsenal has basically no money to spend so lol at building around anything.

Though tbf, a healthy Holden and a benched or sold Mustafi is probably worth six points.

[Edited on May 13, 2019 at 9:10 AM. Reason : Which will be immediately lost by Ramsey leaving for free]

5/13/2019 9:09:36 AM

Yea some interesting problems for both Arsenal and United. Arsenal don't have the financial strength or will to spend like City, United and Pool but do have a good manager. United have the financial strength and no plan besides throwing money at the problem and sacking managers. Football and fans are fickle though so a lot can change but based on the evidence of this year it doesn't seem like either club is poised to break into the top 4. Arsenal at least can still win the Europa.

5/13/2019 11:03:22 AM

I fully support this potential City champions league ban.

5/13/2019 8:04:37 PM

Might be the only way City can manage a PL three-peat. No European distractions for Pep.

5/13/2019 9:13:02 PM

Except Pep was brought there to win the CL, not the league.

Also I'm calling it now, if Arsenal don't win the Europa league, Auba is going to start kicking up a fuss. He doesn't strike me as a player that would be satisfied spending his prime in the Europa.

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 8:44 AM. Reason : COYS]

5/14/2019 8:36:35 AM

The CL Ban is supposed to be for the 20/21 campaign so not next season. So if thats being discussed for City than I am guessing PSG should also be discussed at some point too considering how much they have spent in transfers.

I have heard the Hazard fee has been agreed to for £87 Million and will be announced after Europa Final. Going to make next season a challenge. I will hold out hope that we can battle with Arsenal and ManU for the 4th spot. Think Spurs, Liverpool, and City should be the creme of the crop next season.

5/14/2019 9:39:35 AM

Interesting column (similar to one from the other thread) about City's dominance and wondering if they were BETTER this year than last.
https://nograssintheclouds.substack.com/p/manchester-citys-improbable-improvement

5/14/2019 11:00:01 AM

Too much talk of dominance. These same journos will be the first to dissect what went wrong after wanking over them if they don't win the title next year. I don't think the title winner next year will have more than 92 points. Partly because I am looking at teams from 7 to 11 to be better. Everton, Wolves, Leicester and West Ham will have more stability and I do think the quality of Norwich and Sheffield is also better with a potential of Villa and Leeds making it to the prem as the third.

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 11:52 AM. Reason : a]

5/14/2019 11:46:18 AM

Quote :

"Too much talk of dominance."

Im not sure what you expect after the two best PL seasons ever....

Quote :

"These same journos will be the first to dissect what went wrong after wanking over them if they don't win the title next year"

Yea, that's what they're supposed to do? The guy that I posted writes analysis about soccer, so yes, if he predicts them to win again (which any sane person would) and they don't, I'm sure he will try to dissect what went wrong. That's his job.

5/14/2019 12:11:27 PM

League doesn't work that way. What city is doing isn't new, there isn't a revolutionary change. Teams have ebbs and flows. This is the first time in history they have retained the title. There will be turnover at city and player motivation changes. Players regress as well and they have some older players that will undoubtedly regress and question is are the new players going to be better? Of course they will challenge but as I said I don't expect them to get "better." I will be shocked if a team has more than 92 points next season.

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 1:12 PM. Reason : a]

5/14/2019 1:11:58 PM

Ah I see the confusion. Maybe I should have posted that in the other thread,but that thread is basically dead now. Anyway, he was saying 18/19 was better than 17/18, not that 19/20 will be better than 18/19. So shame on me for not being clear. But I guess it seems like you criticized the column without reading it, so shame on you there.

5/14/2019 1:33:27 PM

No I read most of it and understand its comparing previous year to the title win this year and I agree they got better. What I am really responding to is this:

Quote :

"It seems unfathomable that the team could keep improving, but they don’t seem likely to decline any time soon."

What I am saying is I don't think this keeps up and while City could retain the title for a third season I don't think it will be as dominant as the last two. Simply because I think the middle half of teams get a bit better. I am also really hoping for a title race with 3 or 4 teams as improbable as that is but it would be fun.

5/14/2019 1:42:00 PM

Ok I guess I'm not sure what your last post "doesn't work that way" was about. I offered no response or criticism to your post about City being worse. You have one read, someone else has another. I just responded to your criticism of soccer journalism/analysis in general.

You are doing the opposite of wanking them, but if they get 114 pts and a quad next year, you will be explaining what you got wrong. Bc that is how talking about sports works.

And yea sure, teams have ebbs and flows but also no team has ever "flowed" more than city in consecutive PL seasons. Even if they are worse, they could still win the league and potentially in a route. You keep saying 92 like that isn't still a massive, top 10 ever, season.

5/14/2019 2:12:27 PM

Just stating my opinion as you are yours. I’d argue teams like United and Chelsea have flowed this well in a season and handled multiple competitions along the way. The last two city squads obviously break the top 5 and I won’t argue that but not too long ago the media was wanking over a young Portuguese that changed the standard and United came up to meet the challenge. This city tram is also changing the standard and I can see pool and Spurs coming up to meet the challenge.

5/14/2019 2:48:22 PM

Yes I agree the two highest points totals ever probably "break the top 5" glad we can see eye to eye

5/14/2019 3:20:32 PM

I know we have been through this and we don't see eye to eye but can't really claim to be the best PL team ever just because you scored the two biggest points tally's. United's 99 squad won the treble and the invincibles won the league without losing a match. The fact that only two teams have been able to do that over a long period in England just goes to show how hard it is. It isn't even about City, if City had won the treble this year or if Pool had gone on to win without losing a match then either of them would have had a claim to the top 2 but as it stands they aren't the best PL team's ever. Meanwhile Mourinho and others have come close to a 100 points and set a "new standard."

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 3:49 PM. Reason : a]

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 3:51 PM. Reason : .]

5/14/2019 3:49:33 PM

Hmmm I'm not good at this so I'm wracking my brain to see who wrote this so I can ask them to argue for me

Quote :

"Well 7 draws is worse than 3 more losses and 4 more wins.... Losing just 1 match doesn't mean anything if you can't score more points over the course of the season. "

And very convenient that YOUR criteria rate a United team (that didn't break 80) as a better PREMIER LEAGUE team

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 4:18 PM. Reason : All city did last year was set every record, not good enough ]

5/14/2019 4:15:22 PM

I love how you are comparing apples to oranges here. Which is a better team, the one who won the title but lost 3 matches along the way or the one who won the title but lost 0 matches along the way? My quote was clearly within the context of this season and not overall. What you have just compared is a team in X season to another team in Y season. They both won the title but it is clearly much harder to lose 0 matches while winning the title or else a lot more teams would have done it.

Again I don't care if it is United, Pool or City. As it happens its United and I hope it stays that way forever but if City or Pool win the treble and score more points then United's 99 team then sure they are the best ever PL team. Again, no one has ever come close to winning a treble in England besides us because it is significantly harder to be in three competitions and win all of them.

Carry on holding on to the points tally argument though. Impressive what City have done? I admitted it. Better than what Arsenal and United have achieved, nope. Significantly harder to go undefeated and win a treble. Even this City team wasn't close to doing either.

Quote :

"All city did last year was set every record, not good enough"

All Chelsea did in 06 was set every record. Guess 1. Chelsea because they were the first to do it (1 trophy to show for it, maybe 2?). 2. City this year if they can complete the domestic "treble" 3. City last year (1 trophy to show for it). 4. United who won three major trophies and ONLY team in England to do so. 5. Arsenal who went invincible and ONLY team in England to do so.

Liverpool fan in a nutshell. You are letting your judgement of United impact your logic. Anyway I am done, we know where we stand on this topic.

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 4:39 PM. Reason : ,]

[Edited on May 14, 2019 at 4:43 PM. Reason : a]

5/14/2019 4:38:35 PM

Cool tactic to post 4 paragraphs of an argument then say "I'm done". Nobody forced you to join the discussion in the first place. But feel free to run away wrong.

And yea iknow totally makes sense for me to prop a team that just crushed our dreams.

Quote :

"Which is a better team, the one who won the title but lost 3 matches along the way or the one who won the title but lost 0 matches along the way?"

Convenient to leave wins out of this

Quote :

"but it is clearly much harder to lose 0 matches while winning the title "

You could have ended that sentence early, would be even harder to lose 0 matches and NOT win the title. Also I'd argue it's harder to win 32 games and win the title. The premier league agrees with me bc they quantitatively rate that season better, they definitively say that draws aren't that impressive.

Also maybe City should have won 10 fewer games so they could focus on winning tournaments. I think last year's City team could add 10 draws and STILL have more points than United.

Quote :

"All Chelsea did in 06 was set every record. Guess 1. Chelsea because they were the first to do it (1 trophy to show for it, maybe 2?). 2. City this year if they can complete the domestic "treble" 3. City last year (1 trophy to show for it). 4. United who won three major trophies and ONLY team in England to do so. 5. Arsenal who went invincible and ONLY team in England to do so. Liverpool fan in a nutshell. You are letting your judgement of United impact your logic. Anyway I am done, we know where we stand on this topic. "

Why would Chelsea be ranked first bc they did it first? Also are we discussing the best PL team ever or the best PL/UCL/FA/EFL team ever?

5/14/2019 5:08:20 PM

Quote :

"But feel free to run away wrong. "

Your whole logic revolves around points obtained when the achievements of the squads of United and Arsenal are much greater than the achievements of the two city squads, Chelsea squad and pool squad of this year. There is no point to this argument because really you won't change your opinion on it and neither will I. For you the best PL team ever only needs a points scored record while ignoring how they fared in the overall season in all competitions. For me that only tells you half the story.

As I have already said it doesn't matter which team does it but if another English team were to win a treble then I would put them as number 1 and if another English team went undefeated and won the title I would put them as number 1 or 2 as well. Arsenal has a golden PL trophy sitting in their trophy cabinet. Sir Alex got knighted for his treble win. What United and Arsenal did are much more difficult to achieve and are iconic moments. City breaking records may be a "new standard" but its not really iconic.

And now I will run away because there really isn't a point to this.

5/14/2019 6:20:40 PM

Quote :

"There is no point to this argument"

I don't know, I'm having fun

5/14/2019 7:17:43 PM

Quote :

"Except Pep was brought there to win the CL, not the league."

Agreed, the owners are obsessed with the CL. But local fans claim that they care more about domestic supremacy than European glory. I suspect it has something to do with United boasting 20 league trophies and 12 FA Cups compared with three CL trophies. City has their work cut out for them if they want to catch their rivals on either front.

5/14/2019 9:00:54 PM

So anyone on here want to make more excuses for Martial? Even OGS is questioning his commitment. What a waste of talent.

5/14/2019 9:57:45 PM

Martial isn't going anywhere unless the Glazers leave the club first.

5/15/2019 9:51:45 AM

^ which is basically everything wrong with the club. I hope these American fucks fuck off but I would hate for the oil fucks to buy us too.

I can't believe the Glazers are so rich and yet have no idea how to run a billion dollar company. Sir Alex propped these fucks up for so long.

5/15/2019 11:52:29 AM

What did Martial do? Spill

5/15/2019 2:45:01 PM

https://talksport.com/football/543217/anthony-martial-transfer-reason-solskjaer-sell-manchester-united/


This is a good summary. Attitude problems and too much drama in his personal life. Basically what I was complaining about last pre season.

I know Pep won manager of the year but I think its a bit criminal to not give it to Klopp. Liverpool finished 4th on 75 points the year before while Pep maintained the status quo. Thought Klopp definitely deserved it for keeping pace.

Also in things that grind my gear: Barca has spent what 450 million on attackers now over the last 4 years? This Barca DNA and Mes que un club BS is so stupid given that stat alone.

5/15/2019 4:35:35 PM

Gotcha thx. Lol at Pele

5/15/2019 5:07:16 PM

nonsensical lol. At this rate he'd be lucky to even be as good as Agbonlahor.

5/15/2019 5:31:53 PM

Shocking no one Chelsea played a meaningless friendly 3 days after the final game of the season 5000 miles away from England and what happens....a key player picks up a significant injury.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek possibly ruptured his Achilles last night.

I blame Roman Abramovich for scheduling this game so soon at end of the league season and when you have a Cup Final to prepare for. While the cause was worthwhile do this after the completion of the club season. Hazard is leaving the two best homegrown players (Though I know CHO wants to leave) are out injured for the next 5-6 months and you are on a transfer ban.

5/16/2019 8:19:03 AM

At least the earliest rumblings are looking positive for Spurs this summer.

Sessengnon is close already, and then the annual Bale rumors resurfaced, except this time the only real ITK for Spurs and guy that is highly negative about any rumor and shoots everything down just said the clubs and Bale are working out a 3-way wage compromise and it actually stands a chance of happening. I personally still think it's a longshot, but that's exactly the type of player we need to start thinking and acting like a "big" club.

Kane flanked by Son and Bale. Oh my. That would be crazy.

5/16/2019 10:00:36 AM

Quote :

"Bale "

Quote :

"I personally still think it's a longshot, but that's exactly the type of player we need to start thinking and acting like a "big" club."

I hear there is a Chilean that was PL top scorer or something that is looking for a move, I hope Levy is in for him too.

Quote :

"Kane flanked by Son and Bale. Oh my. That would be crazy."

Yea the physio room is going to have some crazy bantz.

[Edited on May 16, 2019 at 11:41 AM. Reason : a]

5/16/2019 11:40:54 AM