[Mikus LFC]

Agree Nine, I grow tired of people shifting the blame. But instead the media narrative tends to be “but it shows his passion!”.

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[Mikus LFC]

For me, the season defining game was the City vs Liverpool one and it completely opened the title race. Now it’s simply a case of who will trip up more in the run in. I expect both City & Liverpool to continue to drop points. Be great if Ox could come back earlier than expected – he could provide a huge lift when he returns.

As for Sunday’s game, I think anything could happen. So I’ll go for 2-2.

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[Mikus LFC]

Probably a similar thing will happen with what happened to Barcelona – defer the ban and that will allow them to “stock up” so they can prepare for the ban.

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[Mikus LFC]

Nine, bizarrely, I wouldn’t necessarily rule out Chelsea on Sunday.

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[Mikus LFC]

Too loose in possession and final ball and touch tonight. So much for the warm weather training effect.

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[Mikus LFC]

Getting closer but no cigar.

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[Mikus LFC]

Both sides look a bit all over the place.

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[Mikus LFC]

Sean I think both sides will turn up. Klopp generally had a poor record vs Mourinho and Mourinho often stifled him successsfully. I think both sides will go for it, so anything could happen.

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[Mikus LFC]

Absolutely anything could happen next Sunday at Old Trafford.

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[Mikus LFC]

Banjo, this is the point I make no apology for repeating – it’s why no team has won back to back titles in a decade and why no British team has won the CL in almost as long a time. My only hope (particularly with FFP) is that the penny starts dropping at these clubs and they start turning to and blooding their youth. It’s in everybody’s interests that they do – even if they’re not top dollar – the fight and passion they bring is priceless and they are the glue that sticks the dressing room together.

Chelsea & Man Utd may both play passionately tonight because they’re under pressure somewhat. But this turning it on here and there just nowadays seems to epitomise this era, and it’s why there’s no consistency. That doesn’t mean managers can’t also be criticised but it means without such help in the dressing room, the manager has to now also be responsible for constantly firing people up. Hence Mourinho has still been so highly sought after. And will continue to be, no matter what is said about him.

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[Mikus LFC]

Nine, just because they’ve won trophies under strong managers doesn’t mean they’re necessarily strong “grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck” characters. Had real strong winners like Terry, Lampard & Drogba been available in their prime vs Man City, do you still think they’d have lost 6-0? Not for me. And I disagree with Banjo, I actually don’t think Chelsea’s problem is player power. Chelsea only have a handful of long serving players: Hazard, Willian, Azpilicueta and Cahill. And Hazard already will have eyes on Madrid. And Cahill has been left out quite a lot of games. Where’s the soul of that team? And I’m not just picking on Chelsea – these criticisms could be thrown at many clubs.

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[Mikus LFC]

There are similarities at both clubs. Chelsea started the season very well. But now it’s fizzled out. And Man Utd, after recently being strong, are also potentially in danger of fizzling out. You need a strong manager and/or strong characters in the dressing room that care deeply about the club. Does either side currently have that?

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[Mikus LFC]

Let’s face it Banjo, the ego can’t get any bigger can it??

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[Mikus LFC]

Juventus for me this year. Worth a punt at 7/1.

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[Mikus LFC]

Nine, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Will clubs like Chelsea start giving their managers more time and patience or will they just keep going for the reset button. Top top managers are getting harder and harder to find.

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[Mikus LFC]

Just saying that in Sarri’s world he’ll think the players should be delivering no matter what the tactics and fighting to the death in every game but the game has long moved on from that kind of thing.

But I do think a repeat performance from a Di Matteo figure (if Sarri is sacked soon) is far from certain because Chelsea no longer have those Terry, Lampard & Drogba figures and glue in the dressing room that played a big part in that CL win. They’ll need another serial winner like a Conte/Mourinho figure again if they’re too win something major with this group of players. I would add though that if such players had been available to Sarri, yes they may still have lost to the likes of City tactically speaking but I don’t think the margin would have been as big because they at least wouldn’t have taken it just lying down.

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[Mikus LFC]

Sarri needs help from his players though Nine if he is to turn this around. Thing is, who are the leaders in that dressing room?

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[Mikus LFC]

Only the person knows what nationality they feel closest to. If it was the case he was tempted into playing for Ireland because they struck first or whatever it may have been, then I don’t think anyone would have a problem with him later switching if that’s how he truly felt. If it was the case however that somebody chose to play for a country because they felt it gave them more of a chance to play international football then I don’t think that’s in the spirit of national identity (even if the adopted country in that instance don’t mind and both parties saw it as a beneficial marriage). The big problem in that case however, is how you would prove such a thing?

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[Mikus LFC]

Nil, there could well be any element of Poch being a victim of his own “success” from Levy’s point of view.

Banjo, the problem for Spurs also (and I genuinely mean no disrespect, I sympathise) is that they would struggle to compete signing certain players even if they did have bigger money because the other traditional top clubs are still the most attractive destination. I still think though regardless of the financial capability we’ve still seen enough of Poch to judge that he’s still not ruthless enough to win things (and I concede you could say the same about Klopp). You need to see coaches adapt to certain conditions because in that case winning means more than playing their own philosophy. When Mourinho went to City with Chelsea some years ago he just had a tailor made plan to stifle them and win the game at all costs. They may not be popular these people, but winners rarely are. But then could Mourinho have done what Poch has?? It could just be a case of horses for courses with these managers depending on where a club is at.

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[Mikus LFC]

Seem to remember the FA trying to get Cudicini to play for England. How desperate would that have been??

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