10/1 Weekend Gamethread

Jimy Hendrix

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Just watched half the video, which was about what I could tolerate. Haaland’s the worst performer of the three, but also keeps mostly to the background.

Even at that age a very good sense of positioning.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

RIP Dernell
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Mar 24, 2008
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He's on pace for like 67 goals right now this PL season. What's it going to take for him not to break Cole and Shearer's single season record of 34 (done in 42 rather than 38 matches)?

Salah by the way holds the 38 game record of 32.
 

Kliq

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He's on pace for like 67 goals right now this PL season. What's it going to take for him not to break Cole and Shearer's single season record of 34 (done in 42 rather than 38 matches)?

Salah by the way holds the 38 game record of 32.
Injury. The real question is if he breaks Dixie Dean's 1927-28 record of 60 goals in a season. It's the perfect combination of the perfect modern striker playing in a dominant Pep side, surrounded by elite playmakers.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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As a Gooner, I was wondering who to root for in the Manchester derby...and I think I retrospectively have my answer. City is going to win the league at a canter; Arsenal's goal should be a top 4 finish, period.
The one silver lining for anyone else in the league is that City look worse at the back than usual, it just hasn't mattered.

Of course, they have their first choice CBS coming back, so that hole might somewhat close soon.
 

teddykgb

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Nothing is over with fixture congestion and a World Cup. If City can stay healthy I don’t think anyone is keeping up over 38 but that’s such a hard thing to do.
 

swiftaw

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Nothing is over with fixture congestion and a World Cup. If City can stay healthy I don’t think anyone is keeping up over 38 but that’s such a hard thing to do.
Not only do City have the best players, they also have the strongest depth. They’ll win the league by double digits.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Pretty brutal for Villa if they don’t turn this whole half of a man advantage into more than a point.
 

the1andonly3003

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Not only do City have the best players, they also have the strongest depth. They’ll win the league by double digits.
Are we sure about that? Their depth seems young and unproven. If the results were different, I'd prefer Liverpool's depth (for the experience). In an ideal world, I don't want to test City's depth...
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Not only do City have the best players, they also have the strongest depth. They’ll win the league by double digits.
I think they'll win the league by double digits as well but they are actually kind of thin this year, at least by their standards.

In midfield, for example, they really only have five players for three positions. Its four world class players plus Kalvin Phillips so they have the best midfield in the game. But that's not a big group and if they get a couple injuries (Phillips is already hurt) suddenly its a problem. Attack is really five players for three positions as well unless you want to start talking about the likes of Cole Palmer.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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I think they'll win the league by double digits as well but they are actually kind of thin this year, at least by their standards.

In midfield, for example, they really only have five players for three positions. Its four world class players plus Kalvin Phillips so they have the best midfield in the game. But that's not a big group and if they get a couple injuries (Phillips is already hurt) suddenly its a problem. Attack is really five players for three positions as well unless you want to start talking about the likes of Cole Palmer.
it’s insane. Phillips was a mainstay of an overachieving and dangerous Leeds side and looked like he might do the same for England. I haven’t had a thought about him all season and literally forgot he was with City, sitting at the end of the bench.
 

teddykgb

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it’s insane. Phillips was a mainstay of an overachieving and dangerous Leeds side and looked like he might do the same for England. I haven’t had a thought about him all season and literally forgot he was with City, sitting at the end of the bench.
He’s basically been injured since he arrived so he’s mostly been sitting in the ice baths not on the bench
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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it’s insane. Phillips was a mainstay of an overachieving and dangerous Leeds side and looked like he might do the same for England. I haven’t had a thought about him all season and literally forgot he was with City, sitting at the end of the bench.
I think he would be seeing some time regularly (like he would have played yesterday) if he wasn't hurt.

City have an interesting squad composition. Basically, their top 17 outfield players has incredible quality (Haaland, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez, Mahrez, KDB, Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan, Phillips, Dias, Laporte, Walker, Cancelo, Akanji, Ake, Stones) but after that its essentially a bunch of kids. Liverpool and Chelsea have more like 20-22 senior outfield players, but they're just not as good at the top (at least anymore in the case of Liverpool).

As long as they stay reasonably healthy, nobody will touch City this year IMO. But if they have a run of injuries - especially in midfield - they could get exposed.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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I think he would be seeing some time regularly (like he would have played yesterday) if he wasn't hurt.

City have an interesting squad composition. Basically, their top 17 outfield players has incredible quality (Haaland, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez, Mahrez, KDB, Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan, Phillips, Dias, Laporte, Walker, Cancelo, Akanji, Ake, Stones) but after that its essentially a bunch of kids. Liverpool and Chelsea have more like 20-22 senior outfield players, but they're just not as good at the top (at least anymore in the case of Liverpool).

As long as they stay reasonably healthy, nobody will touch City this year IMO. But if they have a run of injuries - especially in midfield - they could get exposed.
I didn't know that Phillips was hurt but City is so deep that I guess I didn't miss him, the couple of times I've seen them this season.

The attacking midfield is fine. If they lose a guy or two in the engine room, they could suffer. Still, unless they have a historically bad run of injuries they're going to win the league by 10+ points. No one has the XI or the depth to compete over 38 games. We've talked about LFC's issues. Chelsea are a mess, relative to their spend, that's a fantasy team that doesn't have eleven round pegs in round holes, the new Americans in charge don't know wtf they're doing. Arsenal, I suppose if they play up to their potential, but I think they're still a season or two and a piece or two away. Spurs don't have quite enough 1 through 11 and I don't think Utd finishes top six let alone threaten. Brighton or another team from the second tier might even nick a CL spot but no one is getting close to City.