***Champions v Newcastle Official Match Thread***

[Mase]

Wednesday isn’t too bad, but Antonio bullying Fern and Laporte worries me a bit. Could have done with Dias

[Harry Dowd scored]

Absolutely class

Absolute mega from the manager !!!

Fucking says it how it is !!!

Just love that Pep, let’s have more of the same

[carl_feedthegoat]

When Gobber asked whether Pep will be considered a failure if he doesn’t win the CL with City I would offer these two replies…….do you think Pep is a failure if he wins 4 out of the last 5 PL’s (assuming he wins this one) and I would also say that Liverpool shouldn’t be in the CL because they’re not champions!!! If you rename it European runners up league then fair enough.
So far Pep is a failure in CL because he hasn’t won it, if he doesn’t win it with City he will be considered a failure in the CL only, like he was with Bayern. Pundits, most of whom tend to be reds, cannot bring themselves to admit that City are the best side ever in the PL and the only argument they have left is the CL which frankly has absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s a cup competition, everyone knows we are plenty good enough to win it but there are many factors to get there. Whereas there is absolutely no argument over 38 games….the team that wins it is the team that deserves it. Nobody but us has won the domestic treble or achieved a 100 points in a season…..end of discussion. Gobber, fuck off you horrible and bitter cunt.

Poetry .

[Nick]

Class

Anyone else see the older woman geordie moaning trying to get my mate banned for calling her fat lolll

[Nick]

Also

City are very much in for pogba ( fuck knows why !) And Mase hates our best CB (Stones)

[nottsblue]

When Gobber asked whether Pep will be considered a failure if he doesn’t win the CL with City I would offer these two replies…….do you think Pep is a failure if he wins 4 out of the last 5 PL’s (assuming he wins this one) and I would also say that Liverpool shouldn’t be in the CL because they’re not champions!!! If you rename it European runners up league then fair enough.
So far Pep is a failure in CL because he hasn’t won it, if he doesn’t win it with City he will be considered a failure in the CL only, like he was with Bayern. Pundits, most of whom tend to be reds, cannot bring themselves to admit that City are the best side ever in the PL and the only argument they have left is the CL which frankly has absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s a cup competition, everyone knows we are plenty good enough to win it but there are many factors to get there. Whereas there is absolutely no argument over 38 games….the team that wins it is the team that deserves it. Nobody but us has won the domestic treble or achieved a 100 points in a season…..end of discussion. Gobber, fuck off you horrible and bitter cunt.

Poetry .

It was a shame Micah is a bit thick and when asked by Gobber if Pep was a failure for not winning the CL, he didn't turn it round to say does that mean Klopp is a failure to have only won 1 PL and 1 domestic cup in 6 years whilst we have cleaned up

[Outcast]

This is why I believe we need to win champions League, not because I love or crave it, it's the icing on the cake to ram it down the media throats and especially that cunt spitter. I have no doubt we'll get there eventually, it just means we'll have the indignation listening to more spiteful despicable mutants beating us with that stick until next year's final.

[london blue 2]

No way in earth spit thinks the CL is the better pot. He’s just a typical scouser trying to convince himself that Liverpool are the better team.

[CTID Hants]

XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Grealish, Sterling, Jesus

SUBS | Steffen, Ake, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer

that team has missed sitters written all over it

For the record... Tickles only post in this match thread (that i can see)

and again since we last played..... sorry lost.... pants, ankles, told you so.....

[Dimples]

Season ending injuries to Stones, Diaz and Walker and Ake being injured is a big problem.
We gave up three big chances to Newcastle and we're very lucky not to conceed.
Liverpool have Stevie (arse in the air, screaming bugger me please) G next, a gimme, the only question is how many will he let them score.

This run-in is a real bitter sweet experience and is far from over imo.

[Hazy2]

Season ending injuries to Stones, Diaz and Walker and Ake being injured is a big problem.
We gave up three big chances to Newcastle and we're very lucky not to conceed.
Liverpool have Stevie (arse in the air, screaming bugger me please) G next, a gimme, the only question is how many will he let them score.

This run-in is a real bitter sweet experience and is far from over imo.

Why oh Why does Pep have to give the media, the information on Dias and Co. Keep it in house. Wolves now know we are struggling. Just say Dias ok we will see, just keep quiet.

[Beefymcfc]

When Gobber asked whether Pep will be considered a failure if he doesn’t win the CL with City I would offer these two replies…….do you think Pep is a failure if he wins 4 out of the last 5 PL’s (assuming he wins this one) and I would also say that Liverpool shouldn’t be in the CL because they’re not champions!!! If you rename it European runners up league then fair enough.
So far Pep is a failure in CL because he hasn’t won it, if he doesn’t win it with City he will be considered a failure in the CL only, like he was with Bayern. Pundits, most of whom tend to be reds, cannot bring themselves to admit that City are the best side ever in the PL and the only argument they have left is the CL which frankly has absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s a cup competition, everyone knows we are plenty good enough to win it but there are many factors to get there. Whereas there is absolutely no argument over 38 games….the team that wins it is the team that deserves it. Nobody but us has won the domestic treble or achieved a 100 points in a season…..end of discussion. Gobber, fuck off you horrible and bitter cunt.

He’s a cunt. Great post.

[Tokyo Blue]

XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Grealish, Sterling, Jesus

SUBS | Steffen, Ake, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer

that team has missed sitters written all over it

For the record... Tickles only post in this match thread (that i can see)

and again since we last played..... sorry lost.... pants, ankles, told you so.....

Nice to see how happy he is when we win.

[sheblue]

Season ending injuries to Stones, Diaz and Walker and Ake being injured is a big problem.
We gave up three big chances to Newcastle and we're very lucky not to conceed.
Liverpool have Stevie (arse in the air, screaming bugger me please) G next, a gimme, the only question is how many will he let them score.

This run-in is a real bitter sweet experience and is far from over imo.

Ake was on the bench yesterday, even though he might not be 100%. I am guessing, but in control of the game, maybe Pep didn't want to unnecessarily risk Ake at half time, and he opted for Fern.
Hopefully Ake in better condition for Wednesday.

[blues2win]

Also Fernandinho is right footed. A better balance with Laporte. We were never going to draw the match never mind lose it but Newcastle did have their chances. We need to defend better on Wednesday which will be a struggle with all our injuries. Of course if we score five I suppose it doesn’t matter.

[stupot]

Also Fernandinho is right footed. A better balance with Laporte. We were never going to draw the match never mind lose it but Newcastle did have their chances. We need to defend better on Wednesday which will be a struggle with all our injuries. Of course if we score five I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Wolves have scored less than everyone bar Burnley and the bottom 2. I think he was wrapping Ake in cotton wool yesterday as we were comfortable but he was on the bench so he must be ok. Laporte/ Ake for the last 3 games will be fine.

[Mase]

Also Fernandinho is right footed. A better balance with Laporte. We were never going to draw the match never mind lose it but Newcastle did have their chances. We need to defend better on Wednesday which will be a struggle with all our injuries. Of course if we score five I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Wolves have scored less than everyone bar Burnley and the bottom 2. I think he was wrapping Ake in cotton wool yesterday as we were comfortable but he was on the bench so he must be ok. Laporte/ Ake for the last 3 games will be fine.

I’d be happy with Ake and Laporte. Stones and Dias are both right footed and they made up our main CB pairing last season.

[johnny crossan]

Raggy Sam feeling dug out
Guardiola believes his strange comments about Liverpool bias – and he won’t care who disagrees


By Sam Lee
May 8, 2022

Sometimes Pep Guardiola wakes up and chooses… not violence, but chaos, and leaves the world wondering why he has decided to say that, and why then?

“Everybody in this country, the media and everyone, supports Liverpool,” he told BeIn Sports after City moved three points clear at the top of the table on Sunday by beating Newcastle United 5-0.

“Of course, because Liverpool has an incredible history behind (them) in European competition — not in the Premier League, because they have won one in 30 years — but it’s not a problem at all. The situation is what it is, we have to win nine points, maybe six right now, we will see what happens with goal difference”, and then he drifted off into talking about the upcoming games.

When he sat down for his press conference a few minutes later, he was asked about his side’s brilliant reaction to being knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals in stunning fashion four days earlier.

“Did you have any doubts?” he asked warmly of a reporter he recognises. “Yeah… You are a Liverpool fan.”

Another reporter piped up that the inquisitor actually supports Manchester United.

“I’m sorry,” Guardiola joked.

He was jovial and, of course, this will all go down wonderfully with the City fanbase and inside the club itself.

The comments regarding media coverage in particular will be toasted in sky-blue households up and down the land. It is a commonly held view that there is a media agenda against City, and the presence of so many United and Liverpool fans within said media features prominently.

“In England, everybody, all the journalists, all the TV channels, everybody, they’re all Manchester United supporters,” Sergio Aguero said recently, to cheers from City fans. “Everybody!”


The comment about Liverpool only having one league title in 30 years will, of course, never be forgotten at Anfield.

Only a few weeks ago, it was being said that City-Liverpool cannot be a truly great rivalry because the two sets of players don’t hate each other, and that Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have too much mutual respect.

Guardiola has indeed always praised Liverpool as a wonderful team but he is disliked by their supporters anyway, because that’s how rivalries work. Guardiola could justifiably say he has always acted correctly, but all those years of magnanimity have been thrown out of the window now.

It’s not that deep, but it is one of those things that will surely be brought up again and again whenever Liverpool get the upper hand on the pitch. A bit like when Guardiola brought up how he supposedly “overthinks” big games, presumably just for a laugh, ahead of the quarter-final first leg at home to Atletico Madrid last month.

He was accused of throwing shade at Diego Simeone’s side afterwards, too, but on that occasion he wasn’t. There’s a chance he was not having a dig at Liverpool here, although it’s pretty evident that he was.

In that sense, it would have made a bit more sense to get it out of his system in a fortnight’s time, if he has the opportunity to give a press conference with a league winner’s medal around his neck. There would be no chance of it biting him in the backside then, not this season anyway.

With defenders Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and John Stones now out for City’s remaining three games, though, their three-point advantage is still there to be chipped away at.


Pep Guardiola said he feels the media favours Liverpool over his City side (Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
This probably goes back to Guardiola simply not caring what people say.

It has often been said that he never used to read or listen to what was written about him or his teams. He had apparently never even read Marti Perarnau’s two epic books, written from deep inside the Bayern camp while Guardiola was coach there.

Yet, the other week, he admitted he had read an article in the Manchester Evening News about City’s rivalry with Liverpool and the word is he has a clandestine Twitter account to keep an eye on what’s being said.

And he has never been afraid to simply say whatever he feels like. Or say nothing at all.

After having his words twisted regarding that Atletico game, he simply refused to give the Spanish reporters much at all when they returned three weeks later for the semi-final first leg against Real Madrid.

One asked him why he was being “surly”. He said he wasn’t. After giving a fuller answer to another Spanish reporter, he went to get up from his seat, turned back to the microphone and said, “I hope that wasn’t too surly for you.”

On delicate issues — such as UEFA disciplinary proceedings relating to Financial Fair Play, or Bernardo Silva’s tweet to Benjamin Mendy — he has been heavily briefed by the club on what to say, and to keep his answers short. Journalists have been told to expect short shrift.

And then he talks in depth, and regularly goes off-piste.

Figures at the club have long held the view that media coverage favours Liverpool and United, and doesn’t give City a fair crack. This belief is sometimes extremely paranoid and completely untrue, but sometimes it is easier to sympathise with. Of course, like all of these theories, positive coverage of City and negative coverage of other clubs (have you seen the United inquests over the past few years?) are ignored to suit the particular agenda.

Yet Guardiola has lived and worked in this environment for nearly six years now, and has developed his own thoughts and feelings on how things work.

During the title run-in in April 2019, he was walking through the training ground on the way to a press conference and stopped to watch Sky Sports News. There was a segment looking at a David Silva foul on United’s Andreas Pereira, which went unpunished. He sat and waited for a similar segment looking at a foul on Ilkay Gundogan which forced the City midfielder off the Old Trafford pitch in the same game. It never came. Curious, he thought.

Even on Friday, in a stirring press conference following that disappointment in Madrid, he recalled the nine Premier League clubs who wrote to the Court of Arbitration for Sport urging them not to delay a hearing into City’s Champions League ban. After City were cleared of the most serious wrongdoing by CAS, he put on another show in front of the microphones and rounded on those nine teams.

Around then, he had been discussing the prospect of facing Watford and Norwich City before a big European game. “And Arsenal. I have all the respect for what they are on the pitch; not much off the pitch, but on the pitch, a lot.”

Normally these things are said before matches, rather than afterwards when emotions run a little higher.

It’s ironic that his most famous press conference of all time was when he was still Barcelona manager and called Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho the “puto amo” of media briefings, but he knows exactly how to use these things to his advantage.

Ahead of big games, when reporters might be looking for a headline, he will often say nothing.

After big defeats, like Madrid on Wednesday, or Monaco in his first season with City, he has come out and rallied the troops, turning media narratives on their head and delighting his fan base along the way. Of course, a fair few times he’s said things that have wound his own fans up, purposefully so.

Funnily enough, he says that was the main point behind his comments about Liverpool and the media. He was asked if he really believed it.

“Liverpool, alongside United, are the most important teams in history in terms of titles, legacies, history, dramas — many many things. But we are since the last 10, 11 years being there.

“I know we are sometimes uncomfortable, but I don’t care if the people want Liverpool to win more than us, it’s not the issue, it’s normal. Maybe they have more supporters around the world for sure, and here in England, but this is not the question.”

He went on to say that the main “question” — or issue — was in fact the City fans’ reaction to their Champions League exit and “not being grumpy”, as he put it, but rather in full voice and fully supportive of their side yesterday.

Guardiola will know this will not be on the back pages, but then again, City fans will love it and, above all, he simply won’t care.

[Mase]

Does Sam Lee get paid for those stories

[sheblue]

Does Sam Lee get paid for those stories

You wonder. Such a long winded pile of shit.