English Football 2024-2025

[Oldelpaso]

Spurs win, MU loses again today (Amorim disaster at the moment)... and in the next matchday Tottenham vs ManUtd

In other news, City with a kind of logical result, given the circumstances. As @Oldelpaso has mentioned before, City concedes in clusters, and this time right after the Haaland equalizer. This repeated pattern speaks to a lack of discipline and concentration, what the hell is going on there? Guardiola probably isn't at his best right now because of his divorce, but what about the players?

City conceding in clusters is not a new thing. Think of some of the Champions League exits - 3 goals in 19 first half minutes at Liverpool in 2018, two goals in as many minutes at the Bernabeu in 2022. The difference previously is that the level of the team made these occasions rare, and more like aberrations. Now the team is not at its peak, the frailties are more readily apparent. I don't know the cause. Maybe its that they are so drilled into certain patterns of play that when that gets broken and exploited they struggle to reset. There is something of a pattern among teams used to domestic dominance struggling to cope and collapsing once adversity comes along - Barcelona losing 8-2 to Bayern, or PSG losing 6-1 to Barcelona.

I'm not especially downbeat about yesterday's result, largely because a result like that been on the cards for a while. At least two goals are attributable to basic defensive errors. The fourth was described by The Athletic's Sam Lee as "the last three months summed up in one goal" which is spot on. City in possession outside the opposing box, lose the ball and the initial attempts to win it back are far too sluggish. Two passes later, the slow midfielders have been cut out of the game and the defenders frantically backpedal in a futile manner.

The Rodri injury has been the headline, but the fitness issues of Ruben Dias have had a huge impact. Not only is he City's best defender, he is by far the best at organising the backline. Its no coincidence that City's collapse at PSG only occurred after he went off injured.

[mspm89]

The Rodri injury has been the headline, but the fitness issues of Ruben Dias have had a huge impact. Not only is he City's best defender, he is by far the best at organising the backline. Its no coincidence that City's collapse at PSG only occurred after he went off injured.

I haven't been following transfer news closely at all, but I just saw someone on social media claiming City spent over 170m on the January window. On whom has that money gone? Has it addressed these fitness issues in the squad?

[Oldelpaso]

The Rodri injury has been the headline, but the fitness issues of Ruben Dias have had a huge impact. Not only is he City's best defender, he is by far the best at organising the backline. Its no coincidence that City's collapse at PSG only occurred after he went off injured.

I haven't been following transfer news closely at all, but I just saw someone on social media claiming City spent over 170m on the January window. On whom has that money gone? Has it addressed these fitness issues in the squad?

£59m on Marmoush from Frankfurt. He fills the gap left when Alvarez was sold without being replaced.

£49m for Gonzalez from Porto. Plays as a 6 or 8. Feels like lot like an overpay but someone who can play defensive midfield was essential.

£32m for Khusanov from Lens. 20 year old central defender. More for the future but likely to get minutes sooner in the current situation.

£29m for Reis from Palmeiras. Another central defender, who just turned 19. Again, one for the future.

This window is an admission of how wrong City got it in the summer, when Savinho at £20m was the only arrival, compared to £136m of departures. Laporte in 2018 was City's last major January arrival. Its a mixture of signings for now and for the future - Reis was mainly to get him ahead of other clubs who planned to bid in summer. It should help a lot, but there is still a glaring hole at right back. Walker was becoming unplayable and has gone on loan to Milan, but the prospect of creative midfielder Nunes lining up at full back against Vini fills me with dread.

[Firnen]

City spend around 200M this January, shamelessly showing around they won't be deterred by charges and courts. Unless they relegate them, nothing changes.

[matt]

Good to see that Tottenham can't steal a place in Europe through the League Cup to teams that rarely qualify such as Nottingham, Bournemouth or even Fulham.

They (and M. United) can still steal a spot via the FA Cup, hopefully not.

[SimonB]

Good to see that Tottenham can't steal a place in Europe through the League Cup to teams that rarely qualify such as Nottingham, Bournemouth or even Fulham.

They (and M. United) can still steal a spot via the FA Cup, hopefully not.

Agree with that. There is still a chance that either could win the EL although that wouldn't be "stealing" a place since it would be additional. If Newcastle's form dipped just a little form what it is currently they could also need the place. It is possible, if a top 7 team wins the cup that the eighth placed team could take the conference league spot, which is still just about possible for either club with a good late run of form.

[mspm89]

£59m on Marmoush from Frankfurt. He fills the gap left when Alvarez was sold without being replaced.

£49m for Gonzalez from Porto. Plays as a 6 or 8. Feels like lot like an overpay but someone who can play defensive midfield was essential.

£32m for Khusanov from Lens. 20 year old central defender. More for the future but likely to get minutes sooner in the current situation.

£29m for Reis from Palmeiras. Another central defender, who just turned 19. Again, one for the future.

This window is an admission of how wrong City got it in the summer, when Savinho at £20m was the only arrival, compared to £136m of departures. Laporte in 2018 was City's last major January arrival. Its a mixture of signings for now and for the future - Reis was mainly to get him ahead of other clubs who planned to bid in summer. It should help a lot, but there is still a glaring hole at right back. Walker was becoming unplayable and has gone on loan to Milan, but the prospect of creative midfielder Nunes lining up at full back against Vini fills me with dread.

Thank you for the detailed response.

I can only hope these signings are enough and Guardiola has some plan for Vinicius, given the issue on the right back. Please, let them eliminate Madrid even if it's the last good thing they do in the season (kind of like in the Covid season, when they eliminated the Cheaters just before crashing out against Lyon of all teams).

[rrey1]

Here goes Liverpool, out of the FA Cup. No quadruple.
They will probably end with 2 (League Cup + either EPL or CL).

[Firnen]

Here goes Liverpool, out of the FA Cup. No quadruple.
They will probably end with 2 (League Cup + either EPL or CL).

EPL is almost a given for them.

Only United and City remaining from the Big 6 + Forest, Villa and Newcastle.

[Lorric]

Should mention it's an immense upset Liverpool, who have looked like the best team in the World this season, losing to Plymouth, who are dead last in the Championship!

[matt]

Only two "top 6 teams" (though it's a misleading concept this season) remaining: Manchester City and Manchester Utd.

Both are far from unbeatable this season, especially on a one-off game, so it feels a great chance for teams like Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Bournemouth or even Fulham, Brighton, Crystal Palace.

It might be an interesting FA Cup.

[mspm89]

Weird. It's usually the League Cup that gets thrown away by PL contenders, not the FA.

[angel_87]

Postecoglou (today eliminated by Aston Villa in FA CUP) a disaster at Tottenham, only UEL can save a super negative season...

[mspm89]

Only two "top 6 teams" (though it's a misleading concept this season) remaining: Manchester City and Manchester Utd.

Both are far from unbeatable this season, especially on a one-off game, so it feels a great chance for teams like Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Bournemouth or even Fulham, Brighton, Crystal Palace.

It might be an interesting FA Cup.

You have a point, but it's funny that you say this in a season where giant-killing seems to be on a clear low in relation to recent times. Today the last League Two team is falling, tomorrow it'll probably be the turn for the last League One team standing.

And given the Round 5 draw, it's likely the only Championship team that will make it to the QF is the winner of Preston vs Burnley.

[Lorric]

A big win for City, 4-0 over Newcastle. Hopefully they are galvanised and ready for battle in Madrid.

The form for Everton after the return of Moyes is impressive.