Man City vs West Ham | PL | 20.12.25 | Predictions & Match Thread

[stubbo-admin]

I'll stick up all the usual match content a bit later, but thought I'd get the thread up:

---------------------------------
This weekend brings what has been in recent times arguably the most daunting match of the season 

Away at the ever fluent, ball-dominating Manchester City...a club that in previous times we had much in common with and a certain kindred spirit, but that in more modern times merely emphasise the difference that getting owners of means with a true desire for sporting success versus barrow merchants with no interest in the Club beyond buying it cheap, taking advantage of circumstance, and like house prices....doing just enough to keep it viable while watching the market trend see it's value appreciate.

We go into this game notably affected by the departure of two largely ever presents to AFCON.

AWB and Diouf are off in search of glory at the International stage. Füllkrug is unlikely to be risked with a move to AC Milan (!) seemingly on the agenda, and with January feeling as far away as ever our lightweight squad and it's meagre offerings take in one of the juggernauts of the North.

Predicted Line-up:

All eyes will be on the full-back slots, as well as if Nuno reverts to a 3 at the back.  Scarles is fit again.

Areola

Mavropanos   Kilman.  Todibo

KWP.     Magassa.  Fernandes.     Scarles

Paqueta

Bowen (c).    Summerville

Subs: Hermansen, Igor, Myers, Rodriguez, Soucek, Potts, Wilson, Earthy, Irving

Predicted Result:

Man City: 4 - 0 :West Ham

Can't see anything but a heavy defeat in this one after too much PTSD with the Sky Blues. Expect Haaland to run amok as usual.

Hope for the best. Expect the worst. But a 1-0 defeat would feel like a win.

COYI.

 

[Massive Attack]

 A Lot of empty seats in the away end tells a sorry tale .












 

I couldn't help but notice that as well. That tells you a lot about how bad everything currently is. 

No excuses but isn't the case that regulars buy tickets for matches they don't attend to keep points up or something? Still you'd think someone would want to go up, we were ok v Villa.  
​​​​

Generally speaking about the Fans voting with their feet, we are sick of it all from top to bottom at the Club so it's understandable and don't blame them (not saying you are). The fun has been sacked out of it all and why people have had enough with the regime it's just not enjoyable anymore and like a form of protest with their feet. People always say if fans don't like it they can choose not to go anymore, so we aint. That's all on BS that has caused this, not the fans for giving it a wide berth for now.

Really BS should sit up and take good notice (if Sullivan can see over the top of his high chair) and think maybe, just maybe that they are the core reason for all this and should now do the *honourable* thing and fuck off and give the fans what they truly want so we decide to come back again and get behind the Team full throttle again.... That aint fairweather shit because fans can't take a bit of a hiding, it's fans deciding to do the right thing and send a clear message to these wankers we aint mugs who are having a bar of it.

[honky cat]

 A Lot of empty seats in the away end tells a sorry tale .





 

I couldn't help but notice that as well. That tells you a lot about how bad everything currently is. 

No excuses but isn't the case that regulars buy tickets for matches they don't attend to keep points up or something? Still you'd think someone would want to go up, we were ok v Villa.  
​​​​

[Massive Attack]

 A Lot of empty seats in the away end tells a sorry tale .




 

I couldn't help but notice that as well. That tells you a lot about how bad everything currently is. 

[Texas Iron]

Once again…all Nuno’s fault…

Doing the same crap he did at Wolves etc…

We are doomed with him managing…

Has no energy on the sideline…and it transmits to the squad…

late and wrong subs…

Who picked this dick of a failed manager…???


 

[BoleynGone]

Twoleft
Why are you blaming Nuno? This is on Sullivan

This is on Nuno 100%.He picks the team,tactics,subs bench and training.
How thick are you,really.
KWP and Scarles needed minutes but Nuno leaves the both out on the bench.
This is not rocket science.
His continued late use of subs who are all defensive when we are losing is beyond belief.
His selections on the bench are all negative game after game,8 defensive against City.
He doesn't want to use the energetic youth. Even yesterday he'll rather put on Rodriguez,Soucek and a central defender when we are 3-0,why,why,why.
I can't believe for one moment that we don't have a better squad than all but Newcastle,Forest,Spurs and on a par with Brighton and Bournemouth in the bottom 12. 

You defend this moron because you are one too.
 

[Mad Dog]

We. Are. Fucked.

Didn't expect anything aside from what happened to us today, but Leeds are picking up points, as are forest.

Proper fucked

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

If Sullivan won't sell up at Premier League valuations, he certainly isn't going to sell at a lower valuation in the Championship.

The Sullivan family are entrenched in the club, I agree ..I cannot see that changing any time soon.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

If Sullivan won't sell up at Premier League valuations, he certainly isn't going to sell at a lower valuation in the Championship.

The chumpioship is Sullivan/Brady's natural environment.

[northbankfrank]

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

If Sullivan won't sell up at Premier League valuations, he certainly isn't going to sell at a lower valuation in the Championship.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

 A Lot of empty seats in the away end tells a sorry tale .
A stroll for Man City ..and that's being kind to us.

Half the season gone ..6 points adrift of Leeds Utd  and 5 points adrift of Forest..(possibly 8 after tomorrow).
We look weak and rather pathetic... embarrassing stuff
The club deserve relegation in all honesty

[Anders]

Relegation ?
The Championship is a hard league to get out of.
Staying in the Premiership after promotion from the Championship is even harder.
Revenue would start dropping like a stone, there would be no money for player investment.
Fans could stay away and stop buying merch.
We could be stuck in the Championship for years, sleeping giant etc.
Yes all this could force Sullivan out, but we could just as easily get someone even worse, like a mercenary.

Truth is, we have to stay in the PL. That means emergency investment in players in January and fans getting behind the team in the stadium regardless of manager or owner.

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

Also a third/half empty echoey stadium, even worse atmosphere than now. Could be start of a dangerous downward self-perpetuating spiral. If we fell to league 1 like City, Leicester, Sheffield Utd, Bolton (yes we are bigger than most of those) we may not be able afford the stadium and would be ground sharing !

have to stay in the Prem.

PS I wanted Moyes out and said so for good reasons, but in hindsight that was a major error by all who said so.

[Anders]

Relegation ?
The Championship is a hard league to get out of.
Staying in the Premiership after promotion from the Championship is even harder.
Revenue would start dropping like a stone, there would be no money for player investment.
Fans could stay away and stop buying merch.
We could be stuck in the Championship for years, sleeping giant etc.
Yes all this could force Sullivan out, but we could just as easily get someone even worse, like a mercenary.

Truth is, we have to stay in the PL. That means emergency investment in players in January and fans getting behind the team in the stadium regardless of manager or owner.

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

But in all likelihood stuck in the Championship, or worse.
any promotion likely followed by immediate relegation.

[Anders]

Of the 45 teams who changed manager when in the relegation zone at Christmas, only 9 avoided relegation — about 20% survival rate historically. 

[twoleftfeet]

Relegation ?
The Championship is a hard league to get out of.
Staying in the Premiership after promotion from the Championship is even harder.
Revenue would start dropping like a stone, there would be no money for player investment.
Fans could stay away and stop buying merch.
We could be stuck in the Championship for years, sleeping giant etc.
Yes all this could force Sullivan out, but we could just as easily get someone even worse, like a mercenary.

Truth is, we have to stay in the PL. That means emergency investment in players in January and fans getting behind the team in the stadium regardless of manager or owner.

More fun though. Proper grounds, players that give a shit and a new owner. Endless possibilities 

[Anders]

Relegation ?
The Championship is a hard league to get out of.
Staying in the Premiership after promotion from the Championship is even harder.
Revenue would start dropping like a stone, there would be no money for player investment.
Fans could stay away and stop buying merch.
We could be stuck in the Championship for years, sleeping giant etc.
Yes all this could force Sullivan out, but we could just as easily get someone even worse, like a mercenary.

Truth is, we have to stay in the PL. That means emergency investment in players in January and fans getting behind the team in the stadium regardless of manager or owner.

[twoleftfeet]

Now five points adrift and possibly six by tomorrow night. It will take a miracle to avoid the drop from this dire situation with this rank squad. 
We know the cause of our woes; sullivan is a cancer and needs to be removed, but in the short term Espirito Santo has been a fucking disaster. Thanks to his constant  fucking about with line ups, systems and subs we have accrued virtually fuck all points under his tenure.
The bloke is an egocentric weirdo and is incapable of rescuing us.  
If we’re to stand any chance of staying up then he needs to be gone by the first week of January.

Why are you blaming Nuno? This is on Sullivan

[Any Old Iron]

Now five points adrift and possibly six by tomorrow night. It will take a miracle to avoid the drop from this dire situation with this rank squad. 
We know the cause of our woes; sullivan is a cancer and needs to be removed, but in the short term Espirito Santo has been a fucking disaster. Thanks to his constant  fucking about with line ups, systems and subs we have accrued virtually fuck all points under his tenure.
The bloke is an egocentric weirdo and is incapable of rescuing us.  
If we’re to stand any chance of staying up then he needs to be gone by the first week of January.

[northbankfrank]

The knee jerk drivel on this site is incredible. So we are now a yo-yo club after at least 14 years at the top level. 

[Sir Alf]

The one time CALVERT lewin avoids injury and starts producing. We’re cursed !!

[twoleftfeet]

Useful player that Calvert-Lewin

[Meerkat]

You’d have to think Nuno will get 2 or 3 in next month and it might be enough to keep us up .
I’d still part company with him at end of season irrespective.
its just too grim to watch - Moyes was gung ho by comparison.

[Beef&Tomato]

Plenty more games left to get ourselves clear.   Don't panic.

[Sir Alf]

Nothing going our way as Leeds deservedly go ahead to Palace. Were fooked

[Sydney_Iron]

Hardly a surprise this result! Didn't watch and won't be watching the highlights so can't comment on how we played, but not that bothered either

This is a shadow of the club i grew up supporting, shed tears for and watched through thick and thin, but all i can see now is a name only especially since that move to the LS, final nail in the coffin maybe? Just another yoyo fodder side for the "big clubs" to get the routine points.

The PL is just about the same 5 or 6 clubs getting all the attention, most of the sponsorship money, pity they won't fuck off and form that super league in many ways, although the media and big business will just focus on that and what's left behind on a domestic level would soon diminish, younger generation won't have the same connection or loyalty to the local sides and swallow the razzle dazzle of a SL hook line and sinker.

[cup of tea]

I am 51 years old, I have seen us in good and bad times, I have seen us relegated numerous times, I have seen players come and go but you know what kept me going? Yes its the same old repetitive line but to me and others it meant something, it was the fact we'd be at Upton Park with the crowd behind the team and a realistic chance of promotion.

That absolute shithole we play in is bad enough in the PL let alone the Championship. If (when) we go down the club will have to shut the top tiers down and make it a 30-40k shithole as it ain't selling 60k seats v Lincoln no matter how good our support is.

Don't be fooled into thinking relegation will mean an instant return, there are some massive clubs in the Championship that will up their game against us more than others. We could end up rotting down there for years or even get relegated again, and don't say it'll never happen, look where Man C, Sheff W, Leeds, Forest etc ended up for years.

To me the club died when we left UP, it would have been an easier pill to swallow if we were moving to our own owned FOOTBALL stadium but no, we've ended up with an absolute toilet that is an embarrassment to everyone bar the cancerous owner of our ONCE great club who couldn't care less, the parasitic midget cսnt.

I care to some degree but not enough to worry about it anymore. We go down we're done as a club for YEARS. We stay up its same old shit season after season. We deserve more but have been left with nothing, not even somewhere to call home.

Merry Xmas