Yeah I was about to say that it's only a barrel of laughs if you're a Manchester City fan. This season's Premier League reminds me of when I used to play my old FIFA games on amateur difficulty as a little kid and I used to win every league match and was near 20 points clear of my nearest competitor by around Christmas/January in the virtual game time. I wont stop watching the Premier League altogether and I will keep watching Man United whenever I can but the fire that was there at the start of the season is gone now. It's only banter between rival fans that is at stake now when it comes to the top tier of the league.

 

I'm still happy with the progress we've made from last season though, it just happened to coincide with a freakish winning streak from City. Even Chelsea are in really good form now but it doesn't stand out much.

 

Of course knowing the media it wont be until March/April that teams at the bottom of the table will get pushed to the forefront because that's where the entertainment really is at the moment and on the last day of the season I think at least one of the relegation spots will be up for grabs.

 

Sure Man City have got a bit of luck along the way, but I don't understand why you are giving up on Premier League football? You are doing miles better than last year and are not even doing that bad (you have been terribly lucky in some games, but then your poor finishing has also let you up too). I'd argue that you are not much better than Liverpool/Chelsea/Spurs/Arsenal and we are all light streets behind Man City.

 

This Man City side is pretty great though, Pepe has evaluated players to new heights. That is the reason they are on such a good run right now, not because of the money spent (which is exactly the same as Man Utd pretty much, especially when the "free" transfer of Ibrahimovic comes in to play). It looks likely this Man City team will dominate for a couple of years - you'll just have to get used to how the rest of us felt at times during the Ferguson era :D :lol:

Sure Man City have got a bit of luck along the way, but I don't understand why you are giving up on Premier League football? You are doing miles better than last year and are not even doing that bad (you have been terribly lucky in some games, but then your poor finishing has also let you up too). I'd argue that you are not much better than Liverpool/Chelsea/Spurs/Arsenal and we are all light streets behind Man City.

 

This Man City side is pretty great though, Pepe has evaluated players to new heights. That is the reason they are on such a good run right now, not because of the money spent (which is exactly the same as Man Utd pretty much, especially when the "free" transfer of Ibrahimovic comes in to play). It looks likely this Man City team will dominate for a couple of years - you'll just have to get used to how the rest of us felt at times during the Ferguson era :D :lol:

I'll still watch the Premier League this season and in particular Man United's games but it wont feel the same as it did at the beginning of the season, that's all. And as I said I'm still happy with the progress that we've made this season and I think it bodes well for the future.

 

 

I think it was only in the 1999-2000 season during the Ferguson era that the gap between 1st and 2nd was bigger than it is at the moment but by this stage of the season it was still close before United pulled away towards the end of that season. I don't think it's good for the neutral having things the way that they are at the moment and it must not have been good for the neutral during the Ferguson era as well.

The bottom of the table is where its at anyway, glad people are finally realising! :lol:

 

Swansea and West Brom look in danger of being cut adrift at the moment. Pardew will get them on a run eventually though.

City need 13 more wins to claim the crown :)

 

Jose could still do a job in the champions league imo!

It seems like Chelsea want 2nd place more than us! Swansea have woken up now that they've got a new manager.

We ain't even getting top 4 this season.

I think we will get top 4 but Chelsea look more hungry to be Man City's nearest challengers. I will be surprised if we finish lower than 4th this season.

 

Watching this evening's match you can see the lack of motivation written all over the squad, there was no urgency until the 90th minute.

 

Edited December 30, 20177 yr by Houdini

I think we will get top 4 but Chelsea look more hungry to be Man City's nearest challengers. I will be surprised if we finish lower than 4th this season.

 

Watching this evening's match you can see the lack of motivation written all over the squad, there was no urgency until the 90th minute.

 

You're going to be in a Top 4 battle - the saving grace that might swing things is Arsenal and Chelsea are in danger of a huge fixture pile-up, but you are basically in exactly the same position as Liverpool last year. We were with the title race then hit a bad run of form for a few weeks and were left to battle for the Top 4.

 

The problem is simple - the manager. I can't believe Mourinho is going to whine that he needs to spend more money when your squad is actually quite good. Sure there are rooms for improvements like all teams, but on the whole it's not a bad squad. Car-crash management from Mourinho throwing numerous players under the bus.

We need honesty, not excuses. Why didn't we win today? We sat back off them, gave them too much room and time on the ball. We have been doing this for years now. We play well on the rare occasion where we go to another team and take them on properly. Too slow and pondering in possession too. We work so well when we move quickly. Slowing it down gives the opposition time to catch up. We were woeful today. I'm not sure how much is down to the manager, but I am not sure that we do have the right approach with his 'sit back and nail them on the counter' philosophy. It makes us lethargic and gives people too much possession and space and time. Sure it works on occasion (see Arsenal at the Emirates) but not at home. People should be shitting themselves to come to OT and face down a relentless attack.

 

Seems to have been an attitude shift since the derby. Almost like they've given up. That I firmly blame Jose for. His job is to inspire that team to fight until the final whistle of the final match in may. Not give up at New Years because the laundrette is in a very firm and most likely unassailable lead. Instead of capitulating be there ready to pounce incase the wheels come off the wagon. Chelsea, look like they want to be in that position more than us. That has to be down to the manager.

 

 

Soton shouldn't be proud of their performance today though. The ref had no control of Southampton at all and it showed. Same complete lack of balls by the ref to deal with time wasting as when we played City. It's not good enough and is becoming a problem across the league. Dull matches don't £3bn TV right packages make.

Can't say I will ever have any sympathy for a Jose Mourinho side that comes to ever mention time wasting!

 

It is a problem and eventually I believe football will be played for 60 minutes with the clock stopping every time there is a break in play.

It's not as if it's just happening to United. It's utterly rampant across the league with lower teams especially thinking it's a viable strategy to nick a point off the higher teams. Until the refs start to get a grip of the issue it's just going to get worse.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to a rugby style stopped clock for breaks in play.

It's not as if it's just happening to United. It's utterly rampant across the league with lower teams especially thinking it's a viable strategy to nick a point off the higher teams. Until the refs start to get a grip of the issue it's just going to get worse.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to a rugby style stopped clock for breaks in play.

 

Oh it happened recently against West Brom for Liverpool and Leicester started time wasting from 20 minutes in our recent game until they went 2-1 down :D

 

I think the rugby style breaks will be what is next in store, Fifa are wanting to trial it iirc.

That is much more like it from United! 2 really good goals from us and Lingard's goal in particular was a screamer, he has improved so much over the last few weeks and is turning into our player of the season. Everton played well and had some good chances but we were clinical in the 2nd half.

That is much more like it from United! 2 really good goals from us and Lingard's goal in particular was a screamer, he has improved so much over the last few weeks and is turning into our player of the season. Everton played well and had some good chances but we were clinical in the 2nd half.

 

First half was turgid, but surprise you play one of your better players (Martial) and he scores a great goal. Everton are really going to suffer if they don't sign a striker who can adapt pretty quickly.

Everton have improved a lot under Sam Allardyce though. I think they were in the relegation zone before he took over and now they are 9th.

Any team burdened with Rooney is going to suffer! :lol:

 

First half was woeful, same shit as the Soton match really - although there was a couple of brighter moments with Mata and Shaw performing decently plus Rojo pulled off some great interceptions.

 

 

Second half started much brighter and the goal was richly deserved. We took our foot off the pedal though and let Everton get back into it a bit, a few shots and they won their crowd back over and I started to get a bit concerned. The sub was really quite well timed, if perhaps a little bit forced because of Martial colliding with the hoardings quite heavily, and we turned it around from there into Lingard's goal. Both were well taken and it's great to see both having quite a good year this year, especially after a challenging year for Martial last year.

Everton have improved a lot under Sam Allardyce though. I think they were in the relegation zone before he took over and now they are 9th.

 

They're still shocking, the only thing they've changed is they have gone back to basics. They won't get relegated, but people at the start of the season had them finishing higher than Liverpool (lol).

 

See this is what I find highly amusing, loads of Man Utd fans are obsessed with you guys buying new players. Martial is (or was) one of the best young players in Europe. He is absoultely wasted under Mourinho. You put him with Klopp or Guardiola and he's consistently a different player. He's a great player, servery mismanaged under Mourinho. Yet again I think the injuries to Lukaku and Ibrahimovic will do you good.

Didn't see Palace going out of the bottom three this time two months ago with the form they were in back then.

Didn't see Palace going out of the bottom three this time two months ago with the form they were in back then.

 

Same, I thought they were absolute goners. They've hit form at a good point, but will undoubtedly go on a bad run again. Right now Swansea and West Brom look certs to go down, then I am not sure about the other team. I think a lot will depend on who gets who in January. Think Southampton could struggle if they don't sign a striker.

Arsenal vs Chelsea should be a fairly entertaining match, hopefully it will be a draw.