Saturday Apr 13:
After all their chest thumping last week when they beat Arsenal (who are shite away from home and had one win in their last nine on their travels), Everton lost at Fulham today. Ryan Babel made the first and scored the second, and they couldn’t get near him all day. I might shit a lung here. Imagine the fume in the away end as his bright red head was bearing down on their goal. Great stuff.
Klopp says it might be a while before we see Ox back in the team and regrets that he got a bit carried away and said he’d be back soon when Ox first returned to training. He saw Ox in training, looking boss, and completely went against all the advice the medical staff had given him and went and got everyone’s hopes up! He’s like a big kid sometimes isn’t he? Just so excitable.
In other news, there are reports that Rafa Camacho has turned down a new contract and will be sold for £10m. Wolves are among several clubs showing an interest. He probably should turn down a new deal as he won’t make it here.
Demba Ba says he didn’t feel sorry for Gerrard after the slip. So fucking what? You think Stevie would want your sympathy? As if he’d even fucking care what you think. Gerrard is a legend of the game, Demba Ba was a journeyman famous for one lucky goal. Fuck Demba Ba, the prick.
Finally today, Paul Merson says Hudson-Odoi is the big threat to us tomorrow, and not Eden Hazard. “They will know all about Hazard and if he plays they will make sure he doesn’t get the ball. But they haven’t faced Hudson-Odoi before. They won’t know him as well and they will try and play him one v one. Good luck with that”.
I know he’s thick but even he can’t believe that? He has to be saying it just to be 'edgy' or to get attention. It’s like me saying that the best analysis of tomorrow’s game will come from Merson or Danny Murphy and not Carra or Neville.
Hazard terrifies me. He could beat us single handedly if he's on it, as sometimes he's quite literally unstoppable. If Hudson-Odoi plays he won’t even get a kick as he’ll be up against Robbo.
Sunday Apr 14:
L 2 Chelsea 0. Massive win, especially as we had to play directly after City had won at Palace. The lads just aren’t letting any of that shit effect them so far. They just go out and do their thing irrespective of what City have done.
Chelsea weren’t great and we were fairly comfortable winners, but we had to wait until after half time to take the lead. It’d be nice if we could score in the first ten minutes of every game like City do. Ok, today they had to wait until 15 minutes, which must have seemed like an eternity to them.
We were great in that second half though. As soon as the whistle blew to kick things off, we were all over them and wouldn’t let them get out of their own half. No-one can live with us when we play like that. The boys were like a swarm of angry wasps. Look at the first goal. We scored that through intensity.
The second goal was different, that was just sheer quality from Mo. What a fucking strike. The noise after that went in was spine tingling. We deserve this title and we’d have been crowned Champions already if there wasn’t one team ignoring all the fucking rules that the rest of us are playing by.
Sarri did us a favour by starting Hazard as a number nine, but when he switched to the left all hell broke loose and he could easily have dragged Chelsea back into it. As for Hudson-Odoi, yeah he didn’t get a kick.
The u23s also had a big win today. 6-0 at Leicester. Could easily have been double that as they were sensational. Camacho scored three (should have had six), Brewster got one (should have had three), Jones got one (should have had two) and Woodburn slotted a pen.
Brewster is looking sharp since he came back, he might even make the bench before the season is out. Ox had another run out and Gomez played an hour or so at right back.
Camacho’s future looks even more uncertain tonight though as he took to Instagram afterwards to have a moan.
"I do not know whose idea it is, but I will prove that they are mistaken about my football. I'm not a right defender, I'm an attacker who scores goals. This is my DNA. Happy to score three goals and help the team in today’s win vs Leicester."
Bye then.
Monday Apr 15:
RIP. Justice for the 96.
Tuesday Apr 16:
Wow, it’s been a rough stretch for Peter Beardsley. He lost his job and now he’s been made homeless by that fire last night. Thankfully he wasn’t on bell ringing duty when the Cathedral caught fire.
Another thing to go up in flames was Man United’s Champions League campaign. What a fucking embarrassing showing that was from them in Camp Nou. Obviously it’s hard to legislate for Messi doing Messi things, but it wasn’t just that. They gave him possession for the first and then De Gea threw in the second. A Coutinho special rubbed salt in the wounds and I switched over to the Ajax game after that.
Good decision too, as what a great second half that was. Made up Juve are out as the last thing I’d have wanted was to meet them in the final. Ajax going through was a good thing all round, because watching Juve toil away told me they wouldn’t stand a chance against either Spurs or City.
Ajax just might though. There’s a fearlessness and freedom about how they play. I’d love to meet them in Madrid as that would be a proper final that. We’ve got to get past Porto and then Barca first of course.
Oh yeah, before I forget. I saw Emre Can hack someone down and then yell at the ref and get booked, and I thought “I’m glad you don’t play for us anymore”. And I liked Big Sexy when he was here, it’s just that I see Fabinho play and it’s like… fucking hell, what an upgrade. Not quite Van Dijk over Sakho, but not too far off.
Meanwhile, Guardiola says he wants to see if City’s fans “want to reach a semifinal”. He spoke about how every time he’s played an away game in the knockouts, the atmosphere has been incredible. Someone asked if he wants the atmosphere to be like when they played us at the Etihad last year, and he replied “better”.
So, what we can draw from this is he knows City’s fans are shite too. Here’s the thing though, it was like that before he went there so he can’t complain. You can have all the money in the world but you can’t buy good support.
Speaking of our fans though, we’ve been told we can’t chant “Chelsea rent boys” anymore. That’s fair enough really as times have changed. Get rid of it, and while we’re at it can we also get rid of the ‘you ain’t got no history’ song as well? It was relevant and funny ten years ago, but not so much now.
Wednesday Apr 17:
Porto 1 L 4. Great job from the lads. Didn’t play anywhere near their best and still cruised through because they held firm when they needed to, took the sting out of Porto and then finished them when the game opened up and they had space to play. The front three all looked great and Hendo looked like Superman when he came on.
But enough of us, as let’s be honest here, it was the events at the Etihad that occupied most people’s thoughts afterwards. Not just because City lost, but because it was so damn fucking hilarious!
Some thoughts:
City’s fans are incredibly shit. The reaction when they thought they’d won it deep into stoppage time was utterly pathetic. Yeah, some were going mad like you’d expect, but loads didn’t look arsed at all. They’re the least passionate supporters in the country, but it’s weird because they didn’t used to be.
Some of those players are genuinely special and could play anywhere. But they’re playing for City. In front of those fans. It must take the shine off their success a bit, especially when they see what we have. That’s why there are people at City (mostly in the press office, but also the manager’s office) who are completely obsessed with us.
They want what we have, but they don’t understand that it can’t be bought or manufactured. Doesn’t stop them from trying though. There were reports today that they were putting crowd noise through the speakers. I don’t know if it was bullshit or not, but the fact that virtually nobody even questioned it says it all. Then there’s the pantomime they go through when the players get off the coach. Not seen it? Well enjoy….
If Man City go out tonight, they can at least take comfort from the fact that no other club in world football makes such an unnecessary fuss over getting off a bus. pic.twitter.com/PY3xbTOixP
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 17, 2019
As for VAR, leaving aside the fact it was City and therefore one of the greatest things to ever happen, this is exactly why I don’t like it. City thought they’d won it, and the players, manager and (some) fans went mental, as you would do. There wasn’t even a hint of offside at the time and none of the Spurs players were appealing.
Then, what seemed like an age later, the announcement is made that there’s a review, and then after another short delay the goal is disallowed. I’m torn here because the decision was correct, and without VAR a massive injustice would have been done.
And yet on the other hand, it doesn’t sit right with me because football is all about that spontaneous moment of unbridled joy when the ball hits the net. City had that, and then had it taken away. Worse than that though would be if players and fans begin to feel like they can’t let themselves celebrate until they know for sure it’s going to be given.
I’ll always remember West Brom players not celebrating a goal at Anfield because they didn’t know if it would be ruled out or not. When it was given, the celebrations were just completely half arsed as the moment has gone.
It’s a tough one and I don’t even know what to think anymore. I don’t like the idea of an injustice being carried out, but I also feel like football without that spontaneous moment of unbridled wild celebration just isn’t the same.
This is how it’s going to be though and I guess I’ll just have to get used to it. I have to admit that tonight VAR proved it’s worth (in both games).
Thursday Apr 18:
Mané got the crucial first goal again last night and he seems to have made a habit of that this season. That’s probably why Carra caused a bit of a stir on MNF the other night when he claimed Sadio is the best wide player we’ve had since Digger and if he had to choose between him and Mo, he’s taking Mané.
I don’t agree but it’s not such an outlandish claim given the huge impact he’s had on this season. My eyes tell me that Mané has had a better season than Salah, but the numbers say differently. This leads me to think that I’m judging Salah in the prism of what he did last season, whereas Sadio has upped his game from last year which further distorts my view on it.
This time last year I felt as though Mané was very much number three on the totem pole. Salah was atop of it, Bobby was just behind him and then Mané was another few notches down. Now? Based on this season? I don’t think there is a gap anymore. Sadio is right up there on top of the pole with the other two.
Meanwhile, Camacho has backtracked from his previous Instagram post, with another Instagram post saying:
“Jurgen Klopp is my father in football. Boss Jurgen bet on me and chose me to be part of his team. Boss Jurgen will be a part of my life forever, because it was he who pitched me into the most competitive league in the world. Boss Jurgen will be unforgettable for me and my family. I believe in boss Jurgen, and I know he believes me, too. The boss knows better than anyone, that if he gives me an orientation on behalf of the team, I will give 200% for the boss, the team and the club. My gratitude for Klopp will be eternal.”
Too little too late I reckon. Klopp was asked about him last night by a Portuguese reporter and he couldn’t have been any more non-committal about it. If we can get £10m for him, take it and run.
Friday Apr 19:
Solksjaer says some of United’s players need a reality check. Funny really. When he first got there he was acting like their best mate. Rashford, Martial and Lukaku all thrived and he even managed to get a tune out of Pogba for a little while. Then he got the job permanently and they’ve all turned to shit and the team keeps losing. Didn’t take long for him to go down the Mourinho route did it? He’ll be calling Pogba a twat and Luke Shaw a little fat fuck before you know it.
Meanwhile, conflicting reports in the Spanish press today. One outlet has Madrid allocating €250m for the signing of Mané, while another claims Salah has had a bust up with Klopp and told him he wants to leave, with Madrid his preferred destination. They’re the absolute fucking worst aren’t they?
Mo’s agent took to Twitter to rip into them, “talking through your AS again I see”, which was good to see. Unnecessary, as you’d have to be a fucking idiot to believe that story, but it was still good to see.
See Barca are charging our fans over 100 quid a ticket. Of course, just like United did, we’re doing the same to their fans and using the extra cash to subsidise our fans who are travelling over. The average price Barca fans pay for home games is €17, and they’ve even admitted that they screw the away fans to make up the shortfall. Fucking pricks. More than a club indeed.
Staying with Barcelona, and Mourinho has told us how to stop Messi. Did he ever manage to do it? Maybe he did, I don’t remember. Anyway, he says you need to ‘create a cage’ as that’s what he did. I do remember that, because he also had his players take it in turns to use a cattle prod on him while he was in that cage. It was brutal.
To be honest though, I’m all in on that philosophy. Get the lads to take it in turns to boot him. And do the same to Suarez too for that matter. Messi won't react but it might slow him down a bit. Suarez though. Different story. Provoke him to the point he gets so frustrated that he sinks his choppers into Big Virg. Fuck me, I’m so up for this one. Can’t wait.
Finally, Mo is on the cover of TIME magazine and has been named as one of the most influential people on the planet. Great to see, well deserved. Cracking fella and a great role model.
While it’s quite surreal seeing one of our players on the cover of a publication like that, it still can’t touch that time when ‘atk’ off the forum was on the front of the Wall Street Journal at the height of the Gillett & Hicks shitstorm. That might be the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen. Mad times they were.
That was the week that was….
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