The more I see Manchester City, the more I am surprised that his powers would not see him coming. They have caught them asleep behind the wheel.
Spending more than £ 130 million in January, a record for City in a winter period, only emphasizes that a club that seems so well organized did not react quick enough to its obvious deficiencies.
They were easily better seconds behind Paris Saint-Germain in the middle of the week and now in a situation in which they need A descending spiral. .
They have been in the box for several years, the perfect position to look to the future and implement careful planning, but this waste at this time is not something that one would identify with a club that does most things well.
Buy in January insinuates panic because a premium is always paid. Even if the City insists that they were identified players for next summer and presented, that is not the distinctive seal of a club that builds dynasties.
Those 130 million are more than Manchester City spending in the eight windows of previous transfers in January, since Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016.
Kevin de Bruyne is at the decline of his career and the injuries have reached him
The weaknesses of the City were seriously exposed by the PSG in the middle of the week when he traced to win 4-2.
Omar Marmoush has been the most important incorporation of the City this month, for £ 59 million from Frankfurt
It seems very strange that a club so well managed and with such solid football knowledge now presides over a template that faces a rapid disappearance.
The key to the dynasties, when successful, is to identify from the beginning the problems that will be found in the future and who is going to download.
Bill Shankly dissolved his great Liverpool team of the 1960s after they lost the quarterfinals of the FA Cup against the Watford of the Second Division in 1970. He promised that that would never happen again, allowing a team to remain united by much Time, and later said: “I knew I had to do my job and change equipment. It was my duty to the club.” That happened to Bob Paisley.
When players like Terry McDermott and Ray Kennedy arrived, they stayed on the sidelines, learning the style of Liverpool before joining the team. Professional careers reach an abrupt end or, like a candle, they go out slowly.
Last summer, the City hired Ilkay Guondogan, 34. Someone who knew was a really solid guy, well in the costumes and of great quality in the field, but he, along with Kevin de Bruyne, is now in the twilight of his career.
The injuries forced De Bruyne to start only in 15 league games last season, and the signs were there to be read. Kyle Walker is another whose best days have been left behind. I think PEP has been very friendly to allow the club captain to go to AC Milan in its terms instead of saying that he has also overcome his best moment.
Those three are the easiest to detect. But Pep will now look at others and think how much more life there is on their legs.
When Pep constantly used phrases like “we are tired” a year ago, I think he gave an excuse to some of his weakest personalities. The modern game is not more demanding than in the past, but is oriented to the longevity of the players. Best fields, better diets, better facilities.
The new signings Abdukodir Khusanov (left) and Vitor Reis have arrived to reinforce the defense
Kyle Walker was allowed to go to AC Milan in his terms and not in those of the club.
The new Erling Haaland contract is a reason to remain excited about the future of City
Pep and his team should have been playing for what they saw in the training field a long time ago, long before this season began.
All I would say is that the sale to Erling Haaland is even more impressive. He is a young man at the top of his powers who will want to be in the center of a team that wins things in the future.
To sign it with a nine and a half year contract, it would have been necessary to convince it and it will not be only money. The City must have a new plan and he has done it.
Why is it so difficult? To get help for patients Ex -soccer players?
Football needs to realize the enormous problem facing neurodegenerative diseases in the players.
It is very disappointing that the PFA and the Premier League continue to ignore a problem that will not disappear and that it will only get worse.
I look at the evidence provided by the Football Families For Justice campaign, led by John Stiles, son of the former winner of the Nobby Stile World Cup, and has gone beyond any argument that there is a correlation between the footballers head a ball all days in training. as well as on the day of the game for more than a decade, which eventually resulted in cognitive damage.
Former colleagues, greats of our game, known names, abandoned alone, is not pleasant to see.
Nobby Stiles, winner of the 1966 World Cup, who died in 2020, with his son John in 2012
Ray Kennedy (with trophy), Graeme Souness and Kenny Dalglysh raise the 1978 European Cup
I had my own experience when trying to get help from the PFA when I was in the Newcastle United and looked for help for Ray Kennedy, a true great, who suffered from Parkinson's disease.
After an initial “no”, I had to threaten them to make it public and embarrass them and finally helped him, but they said they could only afford to do so for a year. And this from an organization that had pictures of LS Lowry hanging in its offices.
Nothing has changed. The PFA is there to take care of the players in their difficulties. Surely they should almost have anything in their bank at any time because they should spend it on needy players and not on works of art.
We are the richest league in the world, but it is not yet an easy fight for people like John Stiles who fight to be heard despite calling loudly at the doors of the PFA offices and the Premier League.
Perhaps current players should look at their costume today. Look to the left, look right and consider how many of your teammates will be affected by this disease in the coming years. Or maybe you could be you.
It is a struggle up to get support. But it shouldn't be so.
Christie is in the heart of the impressive streak of the Bournemouth
No one should be surprised by the results of Bournemouth.
Last week I exposed how impressive the Newcastle midfield has been. But last Saturday, Bournemouth was even more aggressive and overcame them. The same had done to Chelsea days before.
Antoine Semenyo receives praise, correctly, like Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert and the left side Milos Kerkez, all have been fabulous, but I have to highlight Ryan Christie.
Ryan Christie has been the heart of a Bournemouth team overcoming all expectations
The Celtic eccentrocampist has gone unnoticed but is a key man for Andoni Iraola
He is a former Celtic player who arrived as a side but is the heart of the team and marks the rhythm. It is aggressive, very athletic and can happen.
Then they will face Nottingham Forest and Liverpool and neither will intimidate them. The danger to them is, will they run out of players?
They have a small template and many injuries, but they are a real team. Andoni Iraola deserves great recognition but the great challenge will be to retain these players beyond the season.
Amorim must be careful with your comments to avoid headlines
I like Rubén Amorim, but I was surprised to say that his team can be the worst in the history of Manchester United.
He has risked a lot with his players and I'm not sure what you can call them again. He says they need a union session, but they will need more than that.
Rubén Amorim must be careful with his comments with television companies pursued by headlines
However, I would say that it is not the worst United team in the history of the club …
Television companies are now trying to obtain comments from managers at the time. I understand it and it would be a great television, but I would not recommend doing it as a manager.
They want a reaction, that someone loses calm, but it is something that only a manager would regret it. If I was still in place, I would resist me.