Stoke v Man City - Sat 5th Dec - 12:45

[Jockney]

For me, that's the reason why this is the best league in the world, anyone can beat anyone. You just don't like it because you can't walk it anymore.

Maybe this season but in my conscious lifetime that has never been the case, so I do t think you can call it a league where anyone can beat anyone just yet. Only five different winners since the rebrand nearly a quarter of a century ago and only one season where the one of the favourites didn't win it. That is not exciting.

 

[JimJams]

It's the same with all the top leagues though. Since '92 Spain has 5 winners, Germany 6, Italy 5. If you count Ligue 1 then they are well above that because the title was passed around in the 90's.

 

[G.B]

No, all of the pre-season favourites the title playing mediocre football as often as not yet still being at or near the top of the table = a lack of quality in the division. My comment wasn't even about City losing today, more how shit they were in doing so.

The fact that more clubs are competetive, and nobody is running away with the title, suggests a general increase in quality imo. I mean, it's fairly obvious if you compare this Stoke team to one from a few years back, their players are much better at football. As it is across the majority of clubs in the division, most of them have improved and attracted players they'd have never been able to get pre-mind boggling TV deal. If they win it it'll have been a lot more difficult than it was previously, due to the higher quality of opposition.

 

[smat]

omg how good is shaqiri

filth

 

[Whitechapel]

Was trying to think of any Stoke fans who are regulars on here, can only think of one.

 

[Abertawe]

Arnautovic, Bojan & Shaq. That trio was always gonna go off once they clicked.

 

[JimJams]

Was trying to think of any Stoke fans who are regulars on here, can only think of one.

Aber used to be a Stoke fan. What happened to that?

 

[Whitechapel]

Aber used to be a Stoke fan. What happened to that?

That's who I'm thinking of, he keeps it quiet though.

 

[JimJams]

From Swansea but lived in Stoke I think.... I'm sure he'll let you know.

 

[Stevencc]

Arnautovic and Shaqiri were absolute magic, they made City's defenders look like sunday league cloggers.

 

[SomeMightShay]

Poor old Manuel with only his 13 or 14 fit players. It is terrible that the Premier League squad size was limited at City to 21 players whilst everybody else got to choose 25. Even more of a shame that they don't have the best training facilities in the league for keeping their players fit. It is really not fair that other sides at the top end of the league never have four or five top players injured at the same time. And if only they had a multi billionaire owner who could help them assemble a squad to cover such injuries. Stoke got to field an entire squad out of the same money Citeh were allowed to spend on four defenders how is that fair?

boo *fecking* hoo.

 

[voltage]

Shaqiri was the guy and with Arnautovic and Bojan that also did very well Stoke was way better and their score could even be bigger.

 

[Whitechapel]

Silva was shocking. A poor man's Özil.

 

[Jockney]

It's the same with all the top leagues though. Since '92 Spain has 5 winners, Germany 6, Italy 5. If you count Ligue 1 then they are well above that because the title was passed around in the 90's.

I think this probably explains why at the top level of domestic football only the champions league has ever really whetted my appetite. That and those two times Liverpool looked like they might win the title.

 

[Jockney]

What's even more amazing is that Leicester have done it mostly with players they either signed in the champ (vardy, mahrez, drinkwater, Morgan, schmichael, etc) or at bargain bin prices from clubs who didn't want them anymore (huth, albrighton).

Ps where's knockaert? I thought e was your best player whenever I saw you.

 

[JimJams]

Gone back to France. His departure kind of went under the radar. Shame as he could still have done a job if he stepped up a level with everyone else.

 

[GodsGift]

Since when was Liege in France?

 

[JimJams]

Oh yeah.Forgot where he went. Thats how far under the radar it was!

 

[Stocky]

City would be getting ripped apart if they were a big club. Nobody really cares about them though outside of Stockport, areas of Cheshire and west Manchester. They've spent a ridiculous amount once again. They have two centre halves over 32 million ffs and they are horrificly average. Funny thing is it could still win them the league.

And their fans wear white socks with black pants.

 

[rudebwoyben]

City would be getting ripped apart if they were a big club. Nobody really cares about them though outside of Stockport, areas of Cheshire and west Manchester. They've spent a ridiculous amount once again. They have two centre halves over 32 million ffs and they are horrificly average. Funny thing is it could still win them the league.

And their fans wear white socks with black pants.

The last point is by far the most important and they ought to be slagged off mercilessly for that.