Manchester United, that didn't last long. Seven up

[Pokerpops]

the difference, compared to the prior generations, being the financial disparity top six v the rest now v then and Man U's transfer and wage spending correlating to a far higher position than 7th, were the league table to equate to spend

But looking at the current league alone is misleading; Manchester United have performed at least as well as Liverpool and Spurs in the Champion's League.   They outperformed them both in last year's Premier League too. 

You could probably make a decent case that they are performing in line with their spend since the beginning of last season.  It could be just City are outliers and Mourinho isn't nearly as popular with neutrals/press as Klopp, hence every bad result is magnified. It feels like a lot of this could be just short term variance.   

This is a level doobs right?  I will bite.  Everyone knows manure should have comfortably finished 6th last year in the epl on all known data and it wasn't even close.

Opta stats and xG don’t count in the real world though.

[TightEnd]

i can't find the table now but there is a very high correlation for 3 seasons in the PL between squad wage spend and league position, R-squared in the 70-80% region

obviously Man U are currently spoiling that

i did get these back off my bookmarks though...

[TightEnd]

Interesting CIES Football review of Big 5 transfers 2010-18

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr37/en/

Seven big clubs in Europe have each spent €1bn+ gross in that time.

[TightEnd]

Most expensively assembled (current) squads in Europe's Big 5 leagues, from CIES Football

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2018/233/en/

[TightEnd]

And so to the Premier League, where the division-wide riches are so extraordinary and by and large you see wage bill more or less equals league position +/- a few spots

Man U highest wage bill in the division and obviously miles away from the top 3 (in squad quality?)

i would say its a strategic thing not just a short term blip in form

Woodward and co don't gel with Mourinho and co to build a squad worthy of the wage bill and transfer fees

https://www.globalsportssalaries.com/

[tikay]

And so to the Premier League, where the division-wide riches are so extraordinary and by and large you see wage bill more or less equals league position +/- a few spots

Man U highest wage bill in the division and obviously miles away from the top 3 (in squad quality?)

i would say its a strategic thing not just a short term blip in form

Woodward and co don't gel with Mourinho and co to build a squad worthy of the wage bill and transfer fees

https://www.globalsportssalaries.com/

If that graph is correct, quite amazing that Man U's wage bill is some 10% higher than the City wage bill.

Most neutral observers would surely suggest the City squad is a much better squad.

[Pokerpops]

And so to the Premier League, where the division-wide riches are so extraordinary and by and large you see wage bill more or less equals league position +/- a few spots

Man U highest wage bill in the division and obviously miles away from the top 3 (in squad quality?)

i would say its a strategic thing not just a short term blip in form

Woodward and co don't gel with Mourinho and co to build a squad worthy of the wage bill and transfer fees

https://www.globalsportssalaries.com/

If that graph is correct, quite amazing that Man U's wage bill is some 10% higher than the City wage bill.

Most neutral observers would surely suggest the City squad is a much better squad.

You don’t have to be neutral to acknowledge that the City squad is outperforming us. Pep is the better manager at the moment and it’s hard to argue against the thought that the City coaching staff are better too.

Woodward deserves a lot of the blame for the current situation, but he’s not alone. Mourinho was never the right choice, but given that he was given the job it is falling to see him declaring time and again that everyone needs to change but him.

[arbboy]

In gambling terms when buying players and paying wages Manure keep backing even money shots at 4/11 and Man City keep backing 11/4 shots at evens.  It's no wonder why the teams are where they are in the league.  One is hopeless at finding value and chasing losses and the other one plans well, does their research and doesn't overpay for talent.  It also helps when you have pep as manager to 'underpay' relative to the talent you are buying and you are gtd trophies every season.

[Pokerpops]

In gambling terms when buying players and paying wages Manchester United F C keep backing even money shots at 4/11 and Man City keep backing 11/4 shots at evens.  It's no wonder why the teams are where they are in the league.  One is hopeless at finding value and chasing losses and the other one plans well, does their research and doesn't overpay for talent.  It also helps when you have pep as manager to 'underpay' relative to the talent you are buying and you are gtd trophies every season.

fyp

[hhyftrftdr]

And so to the Premier League, where the division-wide riches are so extraordinary and by and large you see wage bill more or less equals league position +/- a few spots

Man U highest wage bill in the division and obviously miles away from the top 3 (in squad quality?)

i would say its a strategic thing not just a short term blip in form

Woodward and co don't gel with Mourinho and co to build a squad worthy of the wage bill and transfer fees

https://www.globalsportssalaries.com/

If that graph is correct, quite amazing that Man U's wage bill is some 10% higher than the City wage bill.

Most neutral observers would surely suggest the City squad is a much better squad.

What was the banner at O/T the other year?

'Your players make money, our players make history'

[arbboy]

Great show on the previous mid table man U side of the 1970s on BT sport now until midnight.

[youthnkzR]

Have Jose / Abramovich learnt from Rafa and Liverpool?

Click to see full-size image.

[kukushkin88]

They are definitely top 10 ever managers and top 25 ever players in EPL.

[rinswun]

Matic top 25 ever?! Miss a 0 off that?!

[kukushkin88]

Matic top 25 ever?! Miss a 0 off that?!

I guess top 100 feels ~right. It’s a pretty awful post though and I’m glad you criticised it. A bad evening for the ban on excess booze.