The grass was too high

[BillyHamilton9]

What about the great results we've had against Liverpool for example?
The only team to take points off them at Anfield when they won the league.
The first team to beat them at Anfield in quite a few seasons.
And we've also drawn three times and won once away at Chelsea.
I'd say that's a far better record than most other sides in the bottom half of the table.

I didn't say it wasn't. Who's talking about away matches?
I'm talking about the persistent approach against the top sides to attempt to gain HOME advantage and note I said barely ever pays off and not never.
These away wins you mention will have been on nice short, slick pitches but yet SD likes it long at the Turf.

[jojomk1]

What about the great results we've had against Liverpool for example?
The only team to take points off them at Anfield when they won the league.
The first team to beat them at Anfield in quite a few seasons.
And we've also drawn three times and won once away at Chelsea.
I'd say that's a far better record than most other sides in the bottom half of the table.

Stop living in the past !!

We are where we are NOW because our manager could not get home wins against the likes of Brighton, Leeds, Norwich, Watford and Palace

[KRBFC]

So we didn't play good football with Defour in the team then?

Some people on here really remember the past wrong, I remember Dyche unwilling to use Defour and forking him out on the left wing.

[Vegas Claret]

Defour was 100 notches above every player we currently have

[Woodleyclaret]

It was the height of a grade one haircut, which we would have found out if we've played to feet

[RVclaret]

I don't understand this. Can you explain it for me please?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvsnHqSZZY

Plenty of great YouTube content / articles online that explain it much better with visuals. This one shows how he has evolved City's tactics since he arrived. It also explains the use of inverted full backs.

[Stayingup]

Pep, in my view is easily the best manager in the world.
Man City have had money for years but not the success Pep has brought to the club.
If Dyche was given unlimited amounts of money would he transform PL football ? I doubt it. He would still have 2 wingers and a big centre forward.

Its an opionion you have. But its hypothetical. Or it could be turned round and as mentioned above, how would Pep cope with out players in the PL?

[Stayingup]

Defour was 100 notches above every player we currently have

Midfield and yes. But we have a good galkeeper and two very good CH's. If we hadn't we would be down now.

[Sproggy]

....with a lot of players coming to the end of their time...

7 players over 30 in a squad of 37 and two of those were goalkeepers. He also inherited Fernandinho, Fernando, Toure, De Bruyne, David Silva, Nasri, Sterling, Kompany and Aguero. With a squad that poor, he had to spend £200,000,000 and got them up to third. The following season he spent £280,000,000 and won the league.

[KRBFC]

7 players over 30 in a squad of 37 and two of those were goalkeepers. He also inherited Fernandinho, Fernando, Toure, De Bruyne, David Silva, Nasri, Sterling, Kompany and Aguero. With a squad that poor, he had to spend £200,000,000 and got them up to third. The following season he spent £280,000,000 and won the league.

Fernando and Nasri were gash for City. Most of the others you mentioned have played their very best football under Pep.

[Sproggy]

Fernando and Nasri were gash for City. Most of the others you mentioned have played their very best football under Pep.

To be fair to him, in the subsequent seasons he's only spent £70,000,000, £150,000,000, £155,000,000 and £121,000,000 respectively so he's definitely having to rely on his coaching ability a lot more.

[KRBFC]

To be fair to him, in the subsequent seasons he's only spent £70,000,000, £150,000,000, £155,000,000 and £121,000,000 respectively so he's definitely having to rely on his coaching ability a lot more.

If only spending money was a guarantee to winning games, Everton would be in the top 4 and United would be winning the league.

[Sproggy]

The top 10 highest spending clubs in world football - 2012-2022

1. Manchester City - £1.38bn – 260 arrivals
2. Chelsea - £1.33bn – 342 arrivals
3. Barcelona - £1.28bn – 156 arrivals
4. Manchester United - £1.24bn – 167 arrivals
5. Juventus - £1.24bn – 533 arrivals
6. Paris Saint-Germain - £1.17bn – 177 arrivals
7. Atletico Madrid - £940m – 216 arrivals
8. Real Madrid - £920m – 133 arrivals
9. Arsenal - £890m – 195 arrivals
10. AS Roma - £870m – 508 arrivals

[Silkyskills1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvsnHqSZZY

Plenty of great YouTube content / articles online that explain it much better with visuals. This one shows how he has evolved City's tactics since he arrived. It also explains the use of inverted full backs.

Yes, thanks. I was hoping for an explanation from the poster that first mentioned it though rather than YouTube. He seems really knowledgeable on the minutiae and technical aspects of City's game.

[Vegas Claret]

hope they've got lawnmowers in Brazil

[boyyanno]

I think Pep is overrrated. Joins the best team in each league and then spends zillions for his success. Klopp has done a better job at Liverpool and Simeone at Atletico for different reasons.

Peps tactics quite simply wouldn't work with poorer players. They don't work as well without De Bruyne as it is.

[IanMcL]

I think there is a case to be made about the length of our grass.

Half the Everton players hid in it, for most of the 2nd half!

[Stayingup]

Stop living in the past !!

We are where we are NOW because our manager could not get home wins against the likes of Brighton, Leeds, Norwich, Watford and Palace

Not surprising as he didn't play.

[RVclaret]

To be fair to him, in the subsequent seasons he's only spent £70,000,000, £150,000,000, £155,000,000 and £121,000,000 respectively so he's definitely having to rely on his coaching ability a lot more.

Shock horror, team that’s competing for world domination needs to spend big money to sign world class players. I’ll say it again, Manchester UNITED have spent MORE money than CITY since Pep became coach. However, the gulf between the two has never ever been bigger. How many coaches have failed at United?