General Premier League Thread 2023-24 Mod Note in op 27/6/23 And 21/05/24

Because Pep is so particular about how he needs his teams to play. You'll find there are little kooks in the way they play that we don't see, and until Pep irons them out, he won't trust them.

It's also why losing Gundogan, as well as the KDB and Stones injuries, has made them look very, very different.

It was patently obvious that Wilder worked on defending corners in the 24 hours he had with them - the work consisting of pulling & dragging the Liverpool players in the box and then going down themselves claiming it was they that was fouled. Horrible manager with horrible tactics.

it's still between City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

there is no other team that can put the string of wins together that are needed. Villa are great to watch, and a superb team, but when they've dipped in form this season they haven't the ability to get through those games in the same manner. those other 3 teams do. that is what sets them apart.

It drives me insane these days, City get 2 penalties 2 weeks on the trot for holding a playing make a run for a corner/cross.

There's was at least 2 incidents where a Sheffield UTD player had his 2 arms fully wrapped around the Liverpool player on a corner, it wasn't even subtle, and its not even addressed. I know these are rarely giving and it generally wouldn't bother me, but going back to those 2 City incidents it just pi**es me off now.

Looks like we have a proper title race anyway. This was always going to be the season Citys level would drop and they'd give someone else a chance.

I notice that too, to be honest there were calls on both sides. I will say for the VVD goal it looked like he purposefully tripped the defender going past him and should have been disallowed by VAR, Nunez tackle was also a bit questionable but didn't get a chance to see it properly. Then of course, there was the pulls and tackles flying in from the other side so another sub-par refereeing game.

i love to stick the boot in on City, but they actually don't have a massive squad now. Rodri, Haaland, Gundogan, Bernardo and Stones simply kept fit for the most part last season - Pep did an awful lot of subbing people early when they were obliterating teams, which meant they could rest players, and so they all kept fit at the business end.

the problem they're having is that KDB is injured. Stones is just back from injury. Rodri has been suspended for a few games. Gundogan has gone. Kovacic and Nunes aren't trusted. Phillips never has been. they let Palmer go as he felt he was ready to start, and City couldn't guarantee it.

if you talked to Pep right now, and got him to be fully honest with you, he would say he's played some players far more than he wanted to - Alvarez, Walker, Bernardo, even Haaland. definitely Alvarez anyway.

i've no sympathy, but this isn't the same Man City as last season when you see how things are going.

I'm not sure Ramsdale is superior to Raya in that particular facet of goalkeeping - catching crosses. Most keepers seem incapable of doing so these days.

I would say it’s City then Arsenal slightly ahead of Liverpool - Arsenal look a more balanced side, but Klopps Liverpool are the only team outside of City to put the sort of run needed to compete - even on last years dreadful run they manage to string a decent number of wins together near the end.

Yeah Salah is missing because of the AFCON, and if I remember correctly he will be missing games against Chelsea & Arsenal at least and maybe more depending on how far Egypt progress. Endo will also be missing because of the Asian cup. One key player, one squad player.

Arsenal will have Partey, Tomiyasu & Elneny playing in those tournaments. Mostly squad players there.

Man City will have no players going to those tournaments.

FWIW, Spurs would be missing Son, Sarr, Bissouma and I don't think Villa would be affected.

I can't see arsenal winning the league, they lack what city and Liverpool have, a world class goalscorer, it's very difficult to win it without one.

City will win it but if they don't it'll be Liverpool.

Arsenal have villa and Liverpool away in the next couple weeks it will tell alot about their title credentials.

Can't be having 81 points as a collapse either.

Liverpool essentially won the league in January.