Joleon Lescott

[bluebastardo]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if City are employing certain divisions of the media .
This big club thing is totally rediculous . We might as well say QPR are a big club too . Never have I seen so much over powering false arrogance as I'm witnessing from City at the moment .
They've just spent a fortune on players that would struggle to get into Chelseas first 11 .

They don't have any player that I would consider the best in the league in his position with the possible exception of Given , but that's debateable when you compare how many goals Given has conceded in relation to other keepers . What they do have is a team that on paper has depth and good players . Nothing more .

I watched the game against Blackburn , and I would be lying if I didn't say Blackburn put them under a lot of pressure throughout the game , and wasted their opportunities .
I expect Blackburn to be mid to lower table again this year , so in reality , they have yet to be tested in the Prem .

If they have a good season , then they can command a little respect , but for now , they're still a side that finished 10th last season . That was 32 points behind 4th place Arsenal and an incredible 40 points behind United .

United must be laughing themselves to sleep at this insistence of calling themselves the biggest club in the world .

Perhaps if they don't get booked all season , they might qualify for a fair play award again , because they have as much chance of winning the league as Chelsea have of being relegated .

 

[Goat]

They arent a big club yet, but sadly with the spending power they have, it surely most only be a matter of time. They have the stadium, they have the fanbase and they have the money, I dont really see what can stop them to be honest.

 

[chicoazul]

He's an idiot, move on.

Anyone who thinks money is an indication of the size of a football club doesn't understand the game.

Hear, hear.

 

[davek]

English Angle: Football's Food Chain - Are Everton Right To Deny Joleon Lescott His Manchester City Move?

Goal.com's Paul Macdonald considers whether or not it's time for the Toffees to allow Lescott to move to Eastlands...

18 Aug 2009 11:30:00

City's sudden jump in status means that, despite what league positions and heritage may have you believe, they are now a bigger club than Everton. The Toffees, then, may be acting in a hypocritical manner by not only accusing their rivals of a 'lack of respect', but by standing in the way of a player who has exhausted the benefits of playing at Goodison Park.



Moyes, despite the Arsenal thrashing, has performed minor miracles on a modest budget on Merseyside, building a supremely organised outfit who are very difficult to beat, this establishing himself as a serious contender to replace Sir Alex Ferguson once his countryman's tenure at Manchester United comes to an end.

But there are no billionaire Sheikh's coffers to raid; there will be no £20 million striker arriving; there is unfortunately no other outcome than Everton finishing lower in the table this season.

Whether City's spending has the desired result of Champions League football next season is irrelevant; Lescott is only 26, and he has the opportunity to be a key component in a 'Chel-ski' like revolution which he would be foolish to ignore. The prospect of doubled wages would clearly sweeten the deal, and Everton need to realise that bank balances are crucial at this level.

.....

Everton must learn their place, and allow Lescott to blossom at a 'bigger' club, where the opportunities are as limitless as the zeroes on City's cheques.

I'm guessing this feller MacDonald is one of those SKY Sports era pricks who pisses his kecks over freedom of individuals to exploit their talents. He should be writing for Merseymart with his thimbleful of talent.

 

[bluebastardo]

They arent a big club yet, but sadly with the spending power they have, it surely most only be a matter of time. They have the stadium, they have the fanbase and they have the money, I dont really see what can stop them to be honest.

That depends on what you consider to be a big team Goat .

Personally , I consider a big team to have continued success , and regular silverware .
Out of the top 4 , only Liverpool and United can really lay claim to genuinely being called a ' big ' team as they have dominated our domestic leagues and have had huge success on the European stage .
Historically , Chelsea , Arsenal , Everton and indeed City just can't compete where those 2 teams are concerned , and even recently , both sides have lifted European Silverware .

What is going to stop City ?

Well firstly , our own top 4 are one almighty obstacle in their path , and to achieve success , City must actually win something .

They can't simply win the FA cup like Portsmouth and lay claim to greatness .
To get in Europe , they will have to overhaul a team that finished at least 32 points in front of them last season , and to be fair to Arsenal , they too had injuries .

City aren't the only ones that will be chasing hard this season and I really can't see them ever dominating the English game , especially in the manner that Liverpool and United have .

I expect them to challenge for a Europa place at best this year as the team they have presently simply isn't good enough to win the league .

 

[kenada_blue]

They arent a big club yet, but sadly with the spending power they have, it surely most only be a matter of time. They have the stadium, they have the fanbase and they have the money, I dont really see what can stop them to be honest.

You're talking 6-7 years IMO. But still only on the case that they can spend big money.

If you're stepping up to be "Big" in the modern game you need to have a successful history, regular silverware, regular Champions League, regular top places finishes IMO.

Chelsea still need another 4-6 years or something to be as big as Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United IMO - more titles and a Champions League title. They need just to have some kind of impressive silverware history IMO to look back on in 20 years time rather than the "remember we were [Poor language removed] up until 2002? Then we got lots of money and started winning things. That was great." Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd as big clubs go back decades, they offer more than "we spent £30mill on someone and he's getting 90k a week".

Nowdays a big club is all about how much you spend, what your club is like as a brand to sell, and world wide exposure (mainly based on that). Citeh could win nothing for 3 years and still be labelled "big club". The fact breaking into the Champions League top 4 place means more than actually winning anything says alot.

Thats the way it goes I'm guessing.

 

[Goat]

I dont think they will win the league, but they have the basis of a good team, I can see them pushing hard for a top 4 place, whether they get it im not sure. This isnt the season for them, next season, after they have a settled side and a good manager, I can see them being a top 4 club for a little while.

I suppose it depends how long their owners want to bankroll them for. Everybody said it would all go wrong for Chelsea and while Roman has stopped spending, it did take him £800m and a good few years untill his boredom started.

 

[bluemooner_mcfc]

to be slightly fair i consider a big club to have a big following,stadia aswell as obviously plenty of silverwear so i do in fact consider city a big club but the way the press etc etc are going about calling us a big club it seems they are doing it to wind sections of the footballing world up.

make no mistake about it city are a big big club but without much success for 30 odd years.

 

[bluebastardo]

If we were to get 2 good players in for our right side , keep Lescott , and get Jags , Yak , and Arteta back , how would you compare the 2 teams .
Would our first 11 be worse than theirs ?

 

[bluemooner_mcfc]

If we were to get 2 good players in for our right side , keep Lescott , and get Jags , Yak , and Arteta back , how would you compare the 2 teams .
Would our first 11 be worse than theirs ?

me personally think everton have a very good spine aswell as others and the bonus everton would have over city IMVHO is that your players have been together much longer rather than ours just been put together.

nobody can question evertons commitment home or away but we had away day fever last season and thats all i can see in the differences in both teams mate.

 

[kenada_blue]

I dont think they will win the league, but they have the basis of a good team, I can see them pushing hard for a top 4 place, whether they get it im not sure. This isnt the season for them, next season, after they have a settled side and a good manager, I can see them being a top 4 club for a little while.

I suppose it depends how long their owners want to bankroll them for. Everybody said it would all go wrong for Chelsea and while Roman has stopped spending, it did take him £800m and a good few years untill his boredom started.

That's what I mean about "top 4". Is that really good enough when you spend countless 100's of millions? Its also not like Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool or United are going to turn [Poor language removed] in a year or two.

The funny thing is that the "top 4" all hit the top 4 at the right moment as the money was rolling in, the exposure was getting bigger, and they've stayed there for seasons as it did so. All this to a point that Arsenal and Liverpool will suffer financially if they never got into it one year.

But whoever comes in over one of them has to do it successfully season after season which is some ask compared to the ground work the established top have already got.

And under Sparky Hughes? The man only knows how to manage a suntan in overseas never mind a football team.

Not saying it wont happen. But it will be a loooooooong time.

 

[davek]

Handy rule of thumb on Big Club status: the last trophy won can't have had Kenneth Wolstenhome as commentator.

 

[bluemooner_mcfc]

Handy rule of thumb on Big Club status: the last trophy won can't have had Kenneth Wolstenhome as commentator.

can we count the 2nd division playoff final trophy mate ?

 

[davek]

can we count the 2nd division playoff final trophy mate ?

You certainly can.

 

[Goat]

If we were to get 2 good players in for our right side , keep Lescott , and get Jags , Yak , and Arteta back , how would you compare the 2 teams .
Would our first 11 be worse than theirs ?

It would surely depend on the 2 players. Would be interesting comparing player for player.

I mean lets just say for arguements sake :

Howard - Given
Jagielka - Toure
Robinho - Pienaar
Barry - Arteta
Neville - De Jong
Yakubu - Tevez

I make that 6-0 to us!!