The 1-1 with Newcastle put us on 26 so we could have lost every game until the end of the season from there and still stayed up barring goal difference hammerings.
Yeah but we then got deducted another 2 points so we had to win another game or drew 2 more to ensure safety.
You’re right.
Forgot when the second deduction hit.
and none of us would be alive to witness it after dying of a heart attack due to the stress
It might not always be pretty, but Dyche hasn’t half done a job here. I would’ve snatched your hand off for a season with no drama and we would’ve been given that if not for the deductions.
Reality is we’re going to be in another position where we have to sell, but hopefully we can give him some money to spend with the incomings, and try do some work in the free transfer market.
The pretty thing is interesting. Over the years I’ve been pretty sensitive to long ball football (and god knows I’ve seen enough of it - I watched us under Walter smith).
Dyche hasn’t triggered that reaction in me. His football is direct, and quick, but it’s not dumb. You could see this yesterday against Arsenal - we played out from the back really neatly a few times. Hopefully if he can evolve the squad we can do that more and lump it long a bit less.
Yeah mate I’ve seen some shite in my time. I don’t think Dyche is that at all, I think sometimes we’re set up in a structured way which hampers us attacking wise in certain games. I have no aversion to direct football. Sometimes just think he goes slightly too conservative but overall he’s done an amazing job.
Especially with subs when things are clearly not working like young starting on the wing for so long in the 1-1 vs Palace. Harrison was immediately better when he came on. Still it's a small price to pay for the good he's done
I think Moshiri will be spending that on the stadium.
If our finances aren't in shambles I would fully be confident in fighting for Europe next season. Damn shame we'll probably be fighting for midtable at best instead
I hope we are fighting for top half but I think We’ll likely be in a relegation fight again next season - a lot can change in the transfer window and I’m optimistic we’ll do good business similar to last summer but we have a lot of constraints so it’ll be tough.
If/when we lose Branthwaite is by far the biggest worry for me. Going to be tough to replace him. At least we'll still have Tarky.
I have some confidence in Dyche at least being part of the process of identifying a capable CB. Expecting a downgrade from Branthwaite, obviously, but I think we can identify someone we can afford who can make a step up. I'm weirdly more worried about how we plug gaps in the squad in midfield and wide areas.
My biggest fear is that we end up starting Keane again next season.
For me in an ideal world, we find another youngster cb like branthwaite, loan him out to PSV (or another European club), and we keep hold of branthwaite until Xmas, by which time we have secured enough points to be safe or close to and we can struggle through the last half of the year.
I know even this isn’t possible just now.
Yeah that would be nice. I just hope Branthwaite leaves the prem because we have no shot of scoring against whatever team he lands with.
If it means we’re not stressing about relegation again I’ll be happy with mid-table. Just hope they can get the finances in order and a real owner, not 777.
You are optimistic. I would snap your hand off for midtable.
If the rumors are true and Branthwaite and Dom are off we could be in serious trouble. There's no way the league can be as poor as it was this year.
Maybe my sights are set too low but until we get rid of Fathead as an owner, I'll be satisfied with midtable and not in a relegation scrap.
Right now, I'll take midtable and holding on to assets for the future. Two or three years out, we make a run
4th best defence in the league
Defence is sound. Up top however… Man City won the league with just 14% of their shots being goals. Average for the winner is 13.5% since 2007. Unless we get considerably more shots we won’t score more goals, which is worrying. We averaged 11 shots per game, we desperately need to get more going on in the final 3rd.
I'll fucken do it again
We tried so hard, and got so far.
IN THE END, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER
I am not even a fan but how did city escape charges while you got points deduction. Those cunts get away everytime. The big 6 can get away with anything
And if you look at the PL app, the splash page is “Are City the greatest team ever?” As though nothing has happened. There’s no fear of “Hey if we pump this balloon too big it’ll be that much more embarrassing when we have to take their trophy”. It’s shamelessly twisted.
Exactly! The pundits stopped even caring about the charges. It's a soulless club with zero passion and 100 % corruption. The fa doesnt give a shit because it's the only club that can stand-up against real madrid in europe and so that will improve epl brand image more. The rest of the non traditional big teams have to suffer because the fa cares about "financial doping". Can't imagine pep being called the goat of managers(absolute joke).
If pep left they would throw the book at them. I think he's a big reason why they aren't.
Plus city have the legal muscle. They have already defeated uefa.
You know the stupid excuse people use? 115 charges takes longer than the 4 or however many we had. In that case everyone should break as many rules as possible and win every single trophy along the way
I said we were safe after we beat Forest.
The teams below us just don't take enough points and hadn't been all season.
It's not taking into account points deduction though. We had 24 points before the Burnley game last month.