What Will Next Season Hold For Manchester City?

[ExileSteve]

There can be no doubt that this season has been something of a disappointment for the Blues, but for those of us who have invested a lifetime of passionate commitment the big question is what will happen next time around?


I sincerely hope I'm wrong and that I've got egg all over my face this time next year but, if I'm being completely honest, I have to admit that I'm not optimistic. In fact, I'll stick my neck out and make a prediction, namely that Pep will not survive to see the end of next season in his current post. My reckoning is that around the end of February or early March, when we're out of the Champions League at the first knockout stage, sitting in fifth place in the Premier League and still shipping needless goals every week, the so-called Messiah will either choose to spend more time with his family or be persuaded to do so by the club's owners.


From what we've seen so far I'm not convinced that Guardiola has the necessary insight to solve our existing problems. It is surely obvious to anyone with eyes that Claudio Bravo is a clown who is not only nowhere near good enough for the top level but would probably struggle in League Two or the National League. And yet the manager persists in picking him until injury finally puts him out of his misery, and us out of ours. There are other reasons for my pessimism, but overall I'm not impressed with Mr Guardiola, despite all the media hype.


What do the rest of you think?

[Parky]

As a red (a fair one I hope) I think you're right in fact if it was anyone else but pep city would be advertising for a new manager now , and the joe hart / bravo situation should have set alarm bells ringing with the sheikh straight away.

[ExileSteve]

You're more than likely right, Parky. I don't want to keep harping on about Bravo, but I'm going to just for the time being!


I can't be the only one to be thoroughly bamboozled by his peculiar technique of diving-on-the-spot, for which I'm convinced he must have taken out some kind of trademark or copyright. I've watched countless non-league matches down here in Cornwall over the years (following Penzance in the Carlsberg South-Western League) and even at that level I've never seen anything quite like it. When any goalkeeper dives to stop a shot he always moves from one piece of turf to another..........any keeper, that is, except for our Claudio. How he can throw himself into a dive but still land on the same spot he started from is a phenomenon that appears to defy the normal and accepted laws of physics. Utterly puzzling and bizarre!!


Anyway, that's my gripe off my chest, for tonight at any rate.


Night, night, everybody!

[Parky]

And over at the red side Utd will  have to have such  a clear out of deadwood that they'll need a couple of buses to shift them

[ExileSteve]

A container lorry, perhaps?


Anyway, last night I meant to say Carlsberg South-West Peninsula League. That's where the mighty Magpies ply their trade. The description I gave was the old name for it.


Oh no, I've just realised I might be turning into Mr Logic from Viz comic.


Help..........!!!!

[ExileSteve]

Tell you something, folks, I'm not feeling anything like as down as I was when I started this thread!


The new Summer signings are pretty exciting, to say the least, so I'll stick my neck out once again.


The sky's the limit! We're gonna win the League!! The quadruple is a nailed on certainty!!!
The Blues will conquer the world for decades to come!!!!


Just you all wait and see.................

[celeste]

You are a card Steve

[ExileSteve]

Eee-aye-addio, We're gonna win the League..........................

[Parky]

I like to think it's a magnificent battle between Jose and pep . I know that my team are gonna face a relegation battle 

[ExileSteve]

Which team is that, Parky? I've not been on the Forum for all that long, but I had an idea you followed United. Sorry if I've got it a bit mixed up!

[Parky]

Which team is that, Parky? I've not been on the Forum for all that long, but I had an idea you followed United. Sorry if I've got it a bit mixed up!

hi Steve i am a united supporter but I also support FC United of Manchester ( FC  UTD ) formed in the image of what MUFC should be (member owned ) I've followed them home and away since their inception, just got sick of daft o'clock ko times , ticket prices, all seaters stadiums  over zealous stewarding , and of course it was the Glazers that  broke the camels back ,non  league is good fun we have some great away days although sometimes our football spoils it , hopefully we'll be better this season,

[ExileSteve]

I know precisely how you feel, Parky. I've mentioned before that I follow Penzance down here in the South West Peninsula League and I've seen hundreds of other non-League games in the Manchester area and elsewhere, and I love every minute of it. There's something a bit special about football lower down the pyramid, isn't there?


The odd thing is that last season I noticed that my interest in the professional game was definitely not as keen as it normally is and I was pleased when the season ended. This had nothing to do with City not having a particularly good campaign, and I've thought about the possible reasons quite a few times. If I'm being honest I think I'm growing tired of seeing the top players and the leading clubs swirling around in a cesspit of filthy lucre. Transfer fees, wages and admission prices are obscenely offensive and it's all getting completely out of hand. I would dearly love to take my wife and three children to see the Blues play live but the cost involved means it is completely out of the question. And City do actually try to keep ticket prices down as far as possible, so God knows what Arsenal and Chelsea supporters are forking out. It's a real shame, because my family and I will be denied what should be one of life's simple pleasures.


And on the subject of pig-greedy players, even I was surprised to read somewhere that rich and thick Neymar's transfer to PSG was being held up because he was in dispute with Barcelona about a 'loyalty payment' that he insisted he was entitled to. Loyalty!!!.........wow, you just can't make this stuff up, can you?