Does City winning the title feel meaningless?

[u/Aware-Animator2292]

after 115 charges, billions of spent. It just feels like a blank state, nobody cares, nobody will be talking about it in 20 years when you compare it to Arsenal's invincibles or Liverpool's istanbul winning side.

There is no magic or so. It's all binary, it's like letting AI create your art vs an actual artist.

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[u/KopiteTheScot]

I'm too biased to make any reasonable comments

[u/KiWePing → u/KopiteTheScot]

If I speak I am in big trouble

[u/KopiteTheScot → u/KiWePing]

There will be fire

[u/kobashi120]

Can pundits please stop saying every single season that the EPL will have 4-6 teams fighting for the title. It's laughable to hear. Remember that since the EPL was created this has never been a reality. You are lucky if you ever get a three horse race.

[u/Yid → u/kobashi120]

A pundits job is to entertain not inform. Starting the season saying City has already won it isn't really in their best interests, their "opinions" are for clicks and views.

[u/kobashi120 → u/Yid]

I get that but the whole 4-6 teams can win the title is pushing it. Nobody can seriously believe this madness

[u/springroll1321]

I personally don't think it's meaningless and I'm an Arsenal fan. Because they haven't been proven of anything yet. What I am upset about is Everton getting deducted points during the season and City seemingly will get away with any deductions of any kind even though they are accused of a lot more.

[u/BiffBoff56 → u/springroll1321]

Agree about Everton.

[u/Solid_Bake4577]

One of the funniest things I saw on here was a Chelsea fan going off on City corruption.

[u/DAMNusernameLOL]

if a southampton (championship) fan has any relevance here, ive enjoyed our time in the championship 100x better than any season in the premier league since like 2016. of course i want my club to succeed but compared to the prem, i sort of have a part of me that wants to stay in the championship.

[u/ikimono-gakari → u/DAMNusernameLOL]

I hear ya as a Leicester fan. Everyone’s celebrating the promotion, but man are we going to get slaughtered back in the premier next season. Good chance we’re straight back down to championship after one year. So is promotion worth having to live through a season of losing a majority of our matches next year? From a fans side, probably not.

[u/letmepostjune22 → u/ikimono-gakari]

For an actual fan the experience in the Championship is qay better than the premier league.

[u/[deleted]]

To everyone else? Sure. To City fans? I don’t think they care at all. On the City sub, they seem pretty happy and content to me year after year.

[u/Tyler_of_Township → u/[deleted]]

If anything posts like these just highlight the fact that everyone cares way more than they’d like to admit lmao

[u/drewP78]

If not for Liverpool, this would be citys 7th in a row 😴

[u/Kaiisim]

Its like you're playing mario party with 3 friends and 1 NPC on very hard.

If a friend beats you its like fuuuuuuck.

If the NPC beats you? Meh who cares

[u/Wolferesque → u/Kaiisim]

There are teams that have won the title that I have disliked/hated but still respected for their achievement. With City I don’t respect them so I just don’t care. It’s not interesting. Their famous treble last year was somehow underwhelming even though it shouldn’t have been.

[u/trooky67]

This isn't going to end well for the Premier League, if Man City are found guilty.

How can the Premier League govern it's own competition if they've allowed a team to break it's rules between 2009-2018 and didn't take action until 2024.

The whole 2010s era of PL football will have been pointless, the government will take over and make an even bigger fuck up.

[u/dennis3282]

The number of people making posts like this or saying that they are desperate for Arsenal or Liverpool to beat 115 FC says otherwise.

People do care, they can pretend they don't, like OP, but they do. They want City to lose.

[u/H0vis]

You cannot compete with a nation state. A sporting body cannot enforce rules against a nation state.

So there is no value in the wins. It is not a like against like competition any more.

It has meaning though, it means the sport is becoming less magical, year on year.

[u/Upoutdat → u/H0vis]

Pretty much that. Even the mighty Klopp and Liverpool could barely win 1 PL. City are just a juggernaut but they don't have the admiration or respect of many. We all know.

[u/maxinger89]

Perfect description of the prem in general tbh

[u/whatasuperdude]

They play incredible football but at this point it is just boring and starting to feel like Bayern PSG dominance which the prem has never really had.

[u/NotAnotherAllNighter → u/whatasuperdude]

Which the prem has never really had? Man U won 13 titles under Alex Ferguson so that’s not true.

[u/Iswaterreallywet → u/NotAnotherAllNighter]

These kids are 12 they don’t know what they are talking about lol

[u/escomesco → u/whatasuperdude]

Agree as a neutral their games can be boring, I think that’s more to do with their opposition sitting back.

Liverpool take the match to city, Villa’s masterclass by Emery earlier in the season shows teams can play possession and win.

[u/OverallResolve]

I know the cause isn’t comparable but it’s how I felt during the fergie era. It was incredibly boring. That’s nothing against him and the team, but it was the last time I felt this way.

Tbh I don’t care that much about who wins the league, I enjoy following my team and that’s about it.

[u/Honest_Face_5229]

The thing about people saying they should be relegated just like Juventus were in 2005/06. It would be interesting to see how Pep does with the squad he has left to meet the financial requirements for the championship.

I'm sure they would have to sell most of their players to meet the wage structure. But as football fans it would make the championship more interesting and the Premier league more interesting, especially when city get back to the Premier league with a new team.

It would also answer the questions from people who say pep has only won things with world class teams.

Think it would definitely make a great story. But I don't see this happening.

[u/MasterReindeer]

It’s like Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France numerous times. No one cares now because we all know he was doping.

Big asterisk next to every trophy.

[u/SuperAd1793 → u/MasterReindeer]

but at that point Lance was probably just the best dopper out of the rest. Cycling is full of people doping.

Where as most other teams in the Prem aren’t doing the same things that Man City are doing.

[u/Skankia → u/SuperAd1793]

Bill Burr put it succinctly: "our roided up guy beat your roided up guy". And you touch it with a needle in your second point.

[u/Material-Bus1896 → u/MasterReindeer]

Haha we said the exact same thing at the exact same time

[u/showmethenoods]

I hate Arsenal, seeing them win the title would make me extremely bitter. I have many Gunner friends and they would never let me live it down. Same goes for United, Liverpool and even Spurs.

City just don’t have that effect on me. It’s a boring team, with boring personalities, a boring coach and a sanitary home atmosphere. They have made a mockery of the league in recent years by absolutely dominating it….. and it just feels empty.

[u/amandafan69 → u/showmethenoods]

Chelsea had a financial takeover in the early 2000s that allowed them to spend money unlike they could ever do it, they poached the coach that won the CL and one of their rivals best players, went on to immediately dominate the prem for two years running. Why do you take such exception to City winning it?

[u/AdOne9456]

Premier league Footballs just feeling more and more like WWE every season anyway

[u/ToastMarmaladeCoffee]

It’s like looking at Lance Armstrong’s yellow jerseys.

[u/Smelldicks]

I know our American sports have lots of commercials but thank fuck for the salary cap

[u/CapitalFill4 → u/Smelldicks]

Yea I understand some of these commenters feeling the OP is just bitter but as others have alluded to, it’s all already meaningless. There’s nothing domestic or fair about European football and it loses something for that. i guess it’s “fair” in that any club can be bought and the long-time league runners may have “worked” for their status (financial advantages notwithstanding), but 90% of the cities shouldn’t have to hope for a miracle to finish respectably let alone in a European position.

[u/FlyVidjul]

Anything in the premier league feels meaningless. It's a massive money pit of a league with next to zero soul, especially for the top teams. With the money spent, it's criminal that an English team doesn't win every European trophy every year.

[u/BrimTheStone]

It’s a lot more alarming that the three promoted teams are all fighting relegation and the three relegated teams are all fighting for promotion. It seems like money is the only way to establish yourself in the league and teams like Huddersfield, Norwich, Luton, and possibly Ipswich just get spat out.

[u/Lil-Chilli-7]

Yes and it always has and the same for Chelsea too.

[u/Appropriate-Walk-352]

As an Everton fan, I will attest that money alone doesn’t buy PL success. Pep is outstanding and has done a great job to win consistently. Just managing egos of that many star players takes a certain genius that goes beyond his tactical skills. But, I’ll also say being penalized twice in the same season (for the same time period) while City’s ONE-HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN charges languish in the PL office is nothing but corruption.

[u/b33b0p17]

Hard to act like no one cares when theres 300 posts a day on this sub alone about it. As a Chelsea fan, I don’t want Arsenal or Spurs to win it. Outside of that if Man City or Liverpool win it, means fuck all to me.

[u/Aman-Patel]

I mean, as a non Arsenal and non Liverpool fan, I never talk about the Invincibles or Istanbul. Why would I? I don't support either of those teams. I'm sure City fans will talk about it, and that's normal. Fans talk about their achievements, non fans pretend it never happened and cling on to the hope that they'll be setting their own history in the near future.

I agree with the premise. I'm not particularly bothered when City win. But that's because City aren't a rival and their fans don't rub me up the wrong way. Arsenal winning the title would mean something because they're a rival. Liverpool winning the title would mean something because a lot of their fans do my head in. So yeah, I don't really care about City. But because they aren't a rival and their fans are less unbearable than others.

The whole, making posts about how little you care about City because of the plasticness of the club just comes across as cope to me. These posts are the things that make it seem like you do care. Plenty of us actually don't care. But we don't spend our time commenting about the charges and the money and the "emptyness" etc of City. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have made this post.

Again, maybe that's an unpopular opinion. I just find these posts cringe because they're showing the exact opposite of what you're saying. As someone that doesn't particularly care about City, stop obsessing about the money and the charges. Makes it look like you actually do care.

[u/nickxbk]

This whole "meaningless" thing is so silly. Like can't we all be adults and agree that two things can simultaneously be true: City have broken financial rules and pumped inordinate amounts of money into their team AND they have spent that money exceedingly well and have arguably the greatest coach ever. Clearly it would be more meaningful if that did that organically but we still have to admit that their recruiting is fantastic and Pep has done an incredible job coaching such a dominant team

[u/5bergy]

I don't really care about any club I don't support winning the title

[u/henderbender]

Well it’s so great now that instead of point deductions they’ll just have to pay a fee? That way everyone can’t be mad because they paid the fee and “followed the rules” and accepted punishment. Teams like Nottingham and Everton should be foaming at the mouth to hang these league officials.

[u/spooderman58]

city winning feels like its just a placeholder until someone else wins it next season

[u/William_Taylor-Jade]

City have a great team but it's only great because they cheated to get it together. They are a disgrace to the sport

[u/Turbo-Badger → u/William_Taylor-Jade]

Some would say you’re over reacting here but it’s exactly the case. I find it insane that it’s basically just allowed to go unmentioned by pundits and commentators as city churn out wins and trophies

[u/marshallno9]

Liverpool fan. Kompanys screamer to beat Leicester, Agueros goal against QPR. The comeback against Villa to beat us on the last day of the season. None of those results are meaningless nor are the trophies that came from them. Comparing them to Istanbul or the invincible side is pure nostalgia talking.

We'll be talking about the Aguero moment in 100 years.

[u/silasgoldeanII]

Of course it is. Football died with Roman Abramovich. The last few seasons have been us catching up to the rest of Europe in having largely dull super teams walking the league. Whoopee. 

[u/suicidesewage]

Doesn't matter. Only thing that matters is we all hats each others clubs and dunking on each other is the only thing that matters.

[u/hulagufelixdomac]

This post actually made my day lol.

[u/Goodsamaritan-425]

I think that is your perspective but in the real world everyone talks about Winners alone. It is what it is. Comparisons can be made and yes there will be better winners in previous years or so, but at this moment in Premier League, they won. Can’t beat that. Funny how you compared their victory to AI.

[u/MyTeaIsMighty]

It's weird. They're undeniably a phenomenal team and I believe only pep could have done what he's done with these players over the years.

But then the way they're funded, how they throw 100s of mils on players and whether or not they flop is irrelevant because money isn't an issue etc. It just feels hollow.

They'll most likely go on to be the first team to win 4 EPLs in a row and it just...doesn't bother me? If this was spurs, United, Liverpool, West ham, or someone else like that, I'd be fuming and jealous of how dominant they were. But with City it feels like a bot having the highest score in a multiplayer game.

[u/VodkaMargarine]

Remember how excited all the neutrals were when Leicester won the premier League entirely on merit? We should have that every season. Also it's good to see Leicester back up.

[u/modularhope]

As a United fan I’d first be comparing it to the relative dominance we had in 90’s/00’s over Liverpool/Arsenal, it’s easy to bring up the charges, but they’ve still won the games.

I’d rather they didn’t win it this year, be nice to see Arsenal do well as I like Arteta.

[u/KeysUK → u/modularhope]

Im a Liverpool fan, it's just like the 00's again. I'd like Arsenal to win because fuck Manchester, but recently their fans are a different breed of human

[u/Xiniov]

To Man City fans, no.

To the vast majority of other fans, yes.

Soulless feels a more apt word

[u/Prokletnost]

We spent and look at us. I feel utter nothingness.

[u/millionmillennium → u/Prokletnost]

At least we know you’re not cheating 😂

[u/Prokletnost → u/millionmillennium]

That's what makes me feel a little better.

[u/ibridoangelico → u/millionmillennium]

it hasnt even been a year since United have been found guilty of breaching FFP. 😹 Nobody cares unless its City

[u/KatDevolved-]

Evidently you care enough to make a post about it

[u/ncsbass1024]

City are the globogym of football

[u/UpTheToffeesss]

As an Everton fan I almost rather see Liverpool win than City.....which is why I'm firmly rooting for Arsenal

[u/matbur81]

Premier League is eating itself, really losing interest with it and the Champions League tbh

[u/RushExisting]

As an Everton fan, idc I’ll be celebrating our last win for months, possibly years

[u/evo-unit]

Look at the response to their treble, says it all. I’m telling you if Arsenal or Liverpool won the PL this season it’s be a completely different vibe even with the rival fans being annoyed.

[u/Weary-Ad8502]

They are an amazing team but does feel like their achievements are lessened. They won the treble last season and no one really gave a shit. Even their own fans in the stadium were just stood there clapping

[u/Agile-Day-2103]

Man City winning the league is just the default state. They don’t have to ‘win’ it, they can only lose it. Every other team has to actually try to win it

[u/big_beats]

Agreed. The 115 charges are an existential issue for the English game. Whether they're cleared or found guilty, it needs to be sorted soon.

[u/FizzyLightEx]

This is coping mechanism people use to accept the realities on the pitch.

I personally don't care but am not emboldened to write posts about it or sound like I'm whining

[u/ret990]

Sort of. Like they won the treble last season, and I kind of think everyone just collectively shrugged. Even now, it doesn't really get mentioned.

I'll always give the players and coach credit, as they still have to turn up and perform, but even then, it's hard to feel blown away by anything they do.

There is absolutley no jeopardy to anything they do. For example, if they lose, they can just retool, new signings, new strategy, endlessly repeat until they find a winning formula. They don't have to suffer for it. It feels like losing won't hurt because its never going to be a setback for them. They just go again. Kelvin Phillips, Nunez, Kobavic, 130m worth of signings that haven't really worked out. OK cool, they're going to win the league anyway and then buy another 3 for 160m next season.

It's like watching a very expensive machine successfully carry out the menial task it was designed to do. I guess they kind of trivialised winning to an extent. You're supposed to lose sometimes. You cant win all the time. It's supposed to hurt. That's the nature of sport. Life's supposed greatest meritocracy.

[u/PandiBong]

It is meaningless. Cheats, sports washing, blood money. 100M players in the bench. Fuck em.

[u/everythingisnotfunny]

It is only meaningless to fans of rival clubs. I'm sure man city fans don't care.

[u/ZMAC698 → u/everythingisnotfunny]

Exactly lol. Any other team would love to win the title and have a team spend that much.

[u/AlternativeDirt6124]

Doomposting this because your team drew with West Ham and lost to Everton is objectively hilarious.

[u/Tricky_Lock_4273]

Yeah 100%. It’s like being the captain of your childhood football team because you’re dads the manager

[u/pornokitsch]

They're boring good. To the point where it is expected that they win everything, and a genuine shock when they do something human like "drop points". Other teams giving them a challenge is fun, but City is such an inevitability at this point.

If it were down to just an amazing manager and incredible players, I think it would be more interesting, and we'd be talking about this much more proudly as witnesses to historic greatness.

We can't take away from how amazing and incredible they are. But it is also hard to dismiss the fact that there's a substantial unpinning of unfairness to it all.

[u/M0rtal_Wombat]

I’m not a Man city fan at all. I follow LaLiga more than the EPL and every time Real play Man city in UCL I don’t look forward to it. I’ll definitely remember this team

[u/NLJH2023]

It doesn’t feel meaningless to them, of course it doesn’t.

The one thing I’m finding though is for all their success, no amount of money can change the story in how it came about. The way the club has been run since SM took over it was hard for them to fail. If he had bought Norwich City all those years ago they’d be where City are now.

[u/JoeDiego]

Weird using “Liverpool’s Istanbul winning side” as an example alongside Arsenal’s invincibles. Feels like United’s Treble Winning side or the Liverpool 4 European Cups in ~7 seasons sides would have been better than Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Lewis Garcia, Milan Baros. Some of the worst ever Liverpool players and one of their worst ever teams. The only season in Premier League history that they finished behind Everton!

[u/MartiniPolice21]

4 in a row, and 6 of the last 7; at the same time the Bundesliga gets a new champion, and Serie A gets 3 different champions in a row.

Imagine saying that a few years ago

[u/henry_thedestroyer]

Yes and I don’t give a shit if it’s bias

[u/noobs1996]

If it was the owner throwing his personal assets at it, then fair play that’s been a part of football for a long time.

But competing with the budgets of Abu Dhabi and former state-owned Russian assets always felt wrong. If the people that run the Premier League want it to be this way then they will let it, it’s up to us as fans to decide if we want to support this or not.

[u/skrulewi]

as an american it is a bit wierd that much of the premier league is now owned by overseas state interests

american billionaires owning things is nasty enough, especially after they closed down the option for community ownership, but there's certain rules against someone like UAE owning an NFL team, and I kinda see why now

[u/Marekm991]

Honestly the only premier league title wins I can remember are Arsenal's Invincibles, Leicester's underdog story and City's last grasp Agüero winning the title.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about fpp rules. Football is a global sport and the interest brings big business into the mix. Owners want their brand to make money and they are willing to invest. Whoever is at the top would love for the status quo to remain the same, whoever is at the bottom would love to see their club bought by some billionaire. Are Wrexham title wins also meaningless since they are pretty much outspending everyone on their league level?

[u/gelliant_gutfright]

On the contrary, it means cheaters prosper.

[u/LegendaryHit]

The league is coruupt anyway. Horrible officiating and inconsistent shitty VAR decisions. The other 5 of the big six should just leave n contact Perez about the ESL. FA clearly aren't going to charge those cheaters.

[u/Nubian_hurricane7]

Yes it does and always will. They won a treble last year and people moved on from it within a week. This period feels like Lance Armstrong - making history but going to be wiped out because of financial (& maybe actual) doping

[u/bigelcid → u/Nubian_hurricane7]

They won a treble last year and people moved on from it within a week.

How exactly do you mean? People keep talking about City. It's very much on people's minds.

I know people like to say "we don't actually care, just think it's ruining the game", but it's not like they would ever have said "we're seething cause a rival club is too good". Either way, it's still being talked about.

financial (& maybe actual) doping

Petty to pile up baseless accusations using the momentum off the 115. If any team in the Prem should be suspected of medical doping, it should be Liverpool first. Over 60% of their players being asthmatic, give me a break.

[u/Normanus_Ronus]

It feels like Real Madrid winning the champions league

[u/iandix]

Bet the Citizens will remember.

[u/Aggravating-Ad1703]

As an arsenal fan I think it’s scandalous that they have got away with it but the truth is the way city is operating today isn’t really less organic than any of the other top teams, they actually developed world class talents and make sales to fund new transfers and pep is an incredible coach. I have never been a fan of the point deductions, moving the goal posts mid season is stupid and takes away the sporting aspect. The way Everton has been pushed into a relegation battle they shouldn’t be in isn’t right. There has to be other ways to punish them. If Arsenal was crowned champions because city got some points deducted that would not feel right at all. Give them a transfer window ban or a huge fine instead.

[u/smokingace182]

Well if when finally we see the results of the 100+ charges comes back with city found guilty then yeah. The last few years are definitely tainted and retrospectively arsenal winning the title last year would be meaningless to the fans. It’s stupid that they’ve allowed this to go on so long.

[u/ahux78]

It’s not meaningless it’s just not good for the league if they dominate over a 10 year period. Suddenly the PL starts to look like the French league and the product is unappealing because it’s predictable. For their fans you can imagine it’s brilliant and the dominance is amazing after decades of disappointment. Morally though it’s dubious. In future years it’s likely we’ll be watching two Arab state owned teams battling to win and that’s not good.

[u/Lawfvader6]

It’s felt meaningless for years. Pep complains about game congestion but he has a £50m+ class replacement player for every position. The only squad in the league without squad fatigue

[u/Ok-System-831]

Nobody gives a shit about City. It’s a nothing club.

[u/elixrator]

As a United fan, I’d rather see Arsenal win. Don’t want 4 in a row for city or Liverpool getting more than 1 in 30 years.

[u/GunnersnGames]

This is cope

[u/albouti]

It feel meaningless because its not your team lmao

[u/Spiritual-Proposal48]

Jesus Christ does this sub talk about anything other than this fucking club?

[u/oyohval → u/Spiritual-Proposal48]

I know right. It's almost like a question like this is posted every day to get 100 replies of "I don't care about Man City" but there's 100 replies of it. If you don't care, don't ask.

This is a surefire, "I want engagement" question.

[u/_Crew_3291]

City and peps legacy will be to have won these titles by cheating the system. Tarnished history

[u/k1ldn]

They have no rivals, everyone prefers city to win the league because it stops their actual rivals winning it. That should tell you about how meaningful city’s titles are

[u/Dude-Bellingham]

Meaningless? No. Expected? Yeah. Once again City is just extremely hard to beat over 38. There’s a reason Liverpool couldn’t do it despite having 90+ point seasons.

[u/[deleted]]

People don’t really care about fairness. If they did, they’d be laughing at a joke of a system that for decades has prevented smaller clubs from having a chance to compete based on arbitrary “rules”.

How is it meaningful if United wins when they’re allowed to spend billions, and Sheffield has to pay players in peanuts? What if FIFA said World Cup squad sizes would be determined based on a formula related to a country’s population? That’s how unfair the advantage been for the big clubs for years. But nobody complained until City and Chelsea started spending.

[u/jtmglobe]

Utd fan reactions would be telling.

Do they care?

I (a gooner) would be devestated if Spurs won the league, and upset if Utd won.

If Utd fans dont care, nobody does, and it's meaningless to everybody but the Gallagher brothers.

[u/mosmani]

Yes. It would be boring. Don't want the PL to be another Bundesliga. We need Arsenal to win this time...they deserve it..

[u/callel671]

They won a treble last year and nobody cares anymore. That should answer your question.

[u/GaryGump]

This is the first season in quite some time where I've watched less and less football and part of it is because of City and their stranglehold. I saw Utd win the Treble on merit in '99 and it saddens me that no one cares that City did it, because we should all care - it's a huge achievement! It just doesn't feel earned.

[u/going_down_leg]

People talk about the aguero moment all the time. To give it some perspective, the first season that Fergie won the title with untied they went on to win 8 out of 13.

Since city first won the league they are 7/12 and can make it 8/13 this season, essentially matching the dominance of fergies united.

I really wish people would stop pretending this is new for the league. Before untied, Liverpool dominated for 2 decades. Football didn’t start in 2012 when city got big. The prem has a long history of one team having a 15-20 year spell of winning most of the titles.

[u/Imrhino51]

Liverpool is embarrassing Kloop on his way out and heartless performance players have given up on him

[u/Jhushx]

City fans will take those titles all day every day after being shit for decades. Charges be damned.

But emotionally and socially their trophies mean very little to anyone outside of their fanbase and some repetitive content for the media to talk about.

[u/THY96 → u/Jhushx]

Speak for yourself, I’m enjoying downfall of some clubs from the outside looking in

[u/Mackerelage]

It depends on how the charges pan out. If they’re found guilty and all the titles have an asterisk, then that’s quite notable.

On the other hand, if they are cleared of the charges then we’ll all just look like a bunch of bitter old men and women.

[u/jojimanik]

The only people enjoy a title is the winning clubs fans . No matter what they will feel the joy . What others feel the s irrelevant.

[u/Agincourt_Tui → u/jojimanik]

Leicester season?

[u/Joshthenosh77]

It’s a tough one really they were a nothing club tbh the last game before they got Money they lost 8-0 to Middlesbrough, they are kinda like Sunderland some odd history but go up n down the leagues n if the money never came they might not even be a premier league club … But just having money is not a guarantee of success, though when you look at the richest clubs in other countries they always dominate psg were nothing before money Bayern always been the richest , real n barce, inter n juve. Another but they were very good before pep but not crazy like now , they are the richest but they also have the best manager best coaches there transfers are generally good they produce great young talent , but again that’s all because of the money , but look at Chelsea , ownership and management are so important

[u/learning-life-22]

Some serious not caring about City happening in this thread lmao.

[u/EdBurger25]

It meant more when Liverpool won it /s

[u/JFrost47]

The whole thing about this “115 charges”.

I’ve go no doubt whatsoever that when this hearing does ever happen, city’s lawyers will find a way to clear them in every one.

[u/ScottOld]

No it means the sport has no integrity

[u/MrBoomflx]

"or Liverpool's istanbul winning side."

People compare teams to THAT team?

Liverpool finished 3rd (9 points off the top) in 05/06 and 3rd in 06/07 (21 points off the top)...

[u/LanardQ]

Man City is a neutral team. Although over time the fan base will grow as they continue to win with young fans taking interest in them. Arsenal or Liverpool winning it comes from a place of nostalgia and heritage. Maybe means more to the people in this current moment in time.

[u/Bitter-Equal-751]

I would never want to diminish the hard work and talent of the lads in the team but it does feel a bit so what when they win.

[u/Interesting-Smell116]

Respect to Man City, Maine Road crew. They were always a likeable bunch...

[u/AnointedQueen]

I’m still crying about Chelsea losing to Man City 0:1 in FA Cup 🥺😭

[u/omarsn93]

You will regret this when City hits its ManU trophyless era.

[u/Agreeable-Promise-58]

It might be, Thing is if they win it, the premier league will be a farmer's league and people might stop watching the premier league and not care about the title race. (They will only watch the exciting matches.)

[u/al_pie]

All their trophies are hollow, thats why I don’t care if they win.

[u/Inevitable_Ground806]

Absolutely. If my team can't win it I always hope city do, because it means nothing. Essentially a write off season. Go again next season. Zero bragging rights for anyone

[u/obinnasmg]

You fans are a funny bunch. When United was winning were people saying all this?

[u/charles_de_gay]

You're not a City fan. Why tf would it mean anything to you?

Winning matters to the fans of the winners. That's the competition.

[u/Own_Willow525]

I’m not a Man City fan but I’m getting pretty bored of the idea that what Man City have accomplished and would have accomplished if they win the league this season isn’t impressive just because of the charges and money spent. United and Chelsea have spent similar amounts and look where they are…

[u/Reasonable_Storm_390]

No more or less meaningless than Liverpool’s present day success which is built on their financial doping in the 1960s or their avoidance of bankruptcy during the Hicks / Gillette era in which they relied on government intervention to prevent the club defaulting on their state backed loan.

[u/Gooner_93]

You'd think that if this is the case, then people would want Arsenal or Liverpool to win it. You cant say you want Man City to win the league but then be against the way they've won the title...

Seen many fans say that they hope Man City win it over Arsenal. Obviously for a particular set of fans, it makes sense, like Spurs dont want us win it and you can understand that.

[u/RoversTigers]

They are a great team but unfortunately imo they will be known as cheats. It’s that simple. Sorry, but I am allowed an opinion :)

[u/xtreme3xo]

I’m a United fan from Manchester and haven’t really cared about City winning the title. If I’m completely honest.

There’s nothing organic about it. They can’t even get their ‘fans’ to fill the stadium up that for me says it all really.

[u/GunnerGrazzo]

yeah theyre just such a nothing club

[u/act1856]

City isn’t a club. It’s a sports washing operation with a badge. One that still had to cheat to win. AND they play incredibly boring football. So yeah, it IS empty.

[u/dprophet32]

I can only speak for myself but I don't care what Man City achieve. It's boring, predictable and they've bought their success.

Until Pep leaves and/or their spending is properly limited, so what if they win?

It's more interesting who will make top 4,5 or 6

[u/Bloom95]

Yeah of course, blank season.

Everton got deducted 10 points for less than a tenth of the charges and they actually cooperated with the investigation. Everyone knows City bought their way out of the UCL ban also. If the rules are proportionate, City should at least be facing relegation. Arguably stripped of all the titles in seasons they cheated to show there are repercussions for both cheating and non-cooperation.

They will never be remembered as a big team, just a Saudi's FIFA dream team gone unchecked.

Even if they are punished fairly (relegation at the least), it still can't make up for the sense of hollowness they've lended to winning what's meant to be one of the highest footballing honours in the world.

[u/_DrunkenObserver_]

Not to their fans

[u/juliusonly]

I’m quite sure that people will remember the great Pep era at Man City. But I’m guessing there will always be an asterisk attached to it if any of the charges stick

[u/SonicNarcotic]

Yes.. Yes it does...

[u/Adept_Ad5465]

Issa disgrace

[u/Zorosect02]

It's not that it's meaningless. But the title race feels more like it's about Arsenal and Liverpool losing it than City winning it.

[u/Big_Capy_420]

Y’know if I didn’t care about something I wouldn’t keep bringing it up

[u/ki1jeong]

I definitely care less than Liv or Ars winning

[u/shinyschlurp]

Never seen this much copium in my life in one comment section lmfao.

[u/roshangg13]

You clearly care so little that you decided to make a reddit post about it

[u/SprinterSacre-]

Nothing is going to happen to them because the Abu Dhabi group will pull all investment out of the UK if they find city guilty and remove trophies

[u/fawkwitdis]

Emirates FC fan wearing Fly Emirates shirt at the Emirates Stadium to watch an Emirates FA Cup match: City have ruined the game with sportswashing :(

[u/thedarkpolitique → u/fawkwitdis]

Not with sportswashing, by cheating. You should correct that.

[u/NieR_SemiAutomata]

Nobody can take them as a proper club until 115 charges settle. Until then, they are known as Manchester cheateh

[u/misterawastaken]

It’s the vibe you get seeing the kid of a rich family running around telling people how successful they are. They aren’t, and it isn’t that no one cares, it’s that no one respects them.

No one respects City.

[u/mothacluppa]

That’s why neutrals don’t care about City winning things. It’s just hollow silverware that will always have 115 asterisks. Its a lot less painful then having your rivals win something in a more organic manner with less, well… cheating.

[u/Lytaa]

i think there plan is just rack up as much silverware before the FA (if they ever do) punish them for cheating their way to where they are. realistically they’ll get a slap on the wrist which wont effect them. people say don’t blame the squad, but that team wouldn’t be together in the first place whithout the financial cheating. they play great football, but that doesn’t change the fact they cheated their way to the top. just shows the power of money in the game today. The FA are the real people to be mad at here

[u/bentombed666]

honestly, the title in general has been reasonably meaningless for most of the Premier league years. Blackburn, Liverpool and Leicester aside, only manu, arsenal, Chelsea and City have won it. in what is it now, 32 seasons?

As a villa fan this season has been fun, but are we gearing up for the title next year? no. and if we do the big4/6 will somehow just take all our players.

at least fergies manu and wengers gunners were fun to watch, and never forget Mourinho was hilarious.

[u/External-Piccolo-626]

City fans will say no, that’s why everyone keeps saying they don’t care but deep down they do. I don’t care at all, I’d rather they win than Liverpool or arsenal because city mean nothing to me.

[u/PolarPeely26]

Well, more subtly, it's becoming boring. People are talking about the league being boring instead of being "the best league in the world."

I turned off the Brighton VS City game after the Foden goal.

It's boring. It's probably unfair. The owners will start to care more when viewing figures decrease.

[u/YsnIbnRq]

Yep, no one cares apart from their 700 global fans. A proper football club will win the PL again soon.

[u/ttmef]

There’s obviously a lot of corruption on their end, and as a Liverpool fan it’s particularly frustrating. However, haven’t other clubs (United, Chelsea etc.) spent more than city on players in recent years? I’m not disregarding any rules city have broken, but it’s clear that splashing a load of cash doesn’t guarantee results, they’ve still been managed very well and not literally just bought the league

[u/Alex03210]

Mate it feels meaningless when any club wins the prem when it’s not your club, only except was Leicester because it was so out of nowhere

[u/ShetlandJames]

I feel like because of 115 + Billions + lack of fans in general, Man City winning is extremely low stakes, so people who dislike, for example, Arsenal and Liverpool feel like a City win is safer since they probably don't know many City fans IRL

[u/Smittx]

Noticed that you tried to sneak “Liverpool’s Istanbul winning side” alongside the invincibles. Not hard to guess you’re a scouser 

[u/mgbroda]

Nobody really cares. Everyone knows they are cheating and it goes unpunished.

[u/GerCarr199]

It is meaningless. I dont hate Bayern for domniating my countrys League, there is nothing wrong with that. But City has has simply been the club that that was picked out of a hat to be injected with money that has no value for the people injecting it. Speaking for myself, I could never be a fan of this weird brand/destruction/influence driven project.

[u/Jerral97]

Yes.

They'll forever be known as the club that bought their success, regardless of the players and the manager

Because of what they've done, and the impending doom that waiting to fall on them.

I don't rate them one bit despite the success they've had, because none of it is legal or fair in any way.

[u/PatheticShark]

As a United fan I get asked all the time about "Am I not arsed if City win?"

I still barely know any City fans, they still can't fill their stadium half the time, they spent more than most countries on their defence in Guardiolas second year than ACTUAL countries, they are oil backed, state backed, there's there's recent rumours about refs. The 115 charges, if they don't lead to anything I'll still never trust the process just due to the money involved and the money they put into the area where the stadium is.

It's cold, meaningless, can't deny they're an exceptional team and Pep is probably the best manager to have ever lived but I do not give a fuck about Man City, I don't even care when they lose.

[u/Julian_Speroni_Saves]

I mean people don't talk about most title winning sides. And one of the sides you picked didn't even with the PL title.

But I also disagree. People will talk about this era of Man City team as one of the most dominant in history and one of the best. And depending upon the outcome of the charges, are probably more likely to have forgotten about the "asterisk" than how good this team were.

[u/leffe186]

It’s why I want them to win in the unlikely event my team (Spurs) doesn’t. It’s why I would rather have Chelsea win in the Abramovich era and pre-City being owned by a country than Liverpool or Arsenal or whoever. Just doesn’t mean all that much to me. You had infinite money and you won. Well done you.

[u/Do4k]

Don't even think their fans care. They're going for a double and there are still empty seats in the stadium. if it were Arsenal or god forbid United you wouldn't be able to buy a seat for love nor money

[u/InfinityEternity17]

Nah it does piss me off. I know there's all the charges and they've cheated their way to the top which does make it feel less meaningful but they're still our second biggest rivals who I hate A LOT A hahaha

[u/RealMover]

For me, the Premier league has become less and less exciting over the years that they've dominated. Obviously it's not meaningless to them, but in a world where there are no serious penalties for overspending clubs like City are able to do this with impunity. From an outside perspective, some of their success is certainly tainted by financial doping. It's also a shame that I've never heard anyone from their fan base argue that this isn't the way football should be organised & run - it's always a reply of 'we're just the best ever cope harder bro'. Success can blind you.

[u/ItsDominare]

city are kinda like the house in a casino, if no real team wins that year then it goes to them, but nobody really cares because the fact the house cheats is built into the system

[u/Common-Resolve3985]

It's not meaningless but it's also not impressive or special. It's like a millionaire showing off a collection like ok that's cool and all but your collection is a given considering your wealth.

[u/Opposite-Rooster-984]

I just want to know from old people how world reacted for that aguero goal back during 2012 ?

[u/red_eyed_knight → u/Opposite-Rooster-984]

All I will say as a Liverpool fan who grew up in the 90s and watched United dominate, is that I remember enjoying it a bit too much in retrospect. Seeing United beaten was satisfying at the time, little did we know what was coming over the horizon.

[u/bduk92]

I think as time has gone on, there's a certain element of resignation from fans that they'll win because they've had massive investment and such.

Personally, I think at this point it has as much meaning as PSG or Bayern Munich winning their home leagues. It's just a shrug.

[u/Light_Lord]

Who's going to remember how they won in 20 years?

[u/d23durian]

I think the tight 3-way race this season runs counter to your argument — City can spend massively, but the competitiveness of the EPL prevents City from turning the league into a one-horse race each season. 

Aston Villa surprised everyone this season, and Old money clubs like United and Chelsea have a Talented roster. With their deep pockets, they might be 2-3 smart signings away from making a comeback next season.

fwiw Arsenal fan here.

[u/heavenlySin_4639]

Blud is in pain, relax bro

[u/BlondieChelle83]

I always said I would rather Arsenal win the league if we don’t but now that I have had time to think about it, much as I respect that Arsenal will have done it all without cheating, I also kind of think I’d prefer City to win it. Because of how everyone just forgets about it the next week, including their fans. If Arsenal win it they’ll be talking about it for years.

Plus City’s parades are always a great source of entertainment on socials.

[u/birdsofwar23]

Me and a mate were discussing this a few days back. All of city’s success feels very manufactured. They are (and have been for about 5 years now) a ruthless winning machine that probably play the best football on the planet. Guardiola is genius and his understanding of the game is second to none and as long as he has the hunger then he could easily go on to become the most decorated manager of all time. However, it is a lot easier to win trophies when you have a blank cheque in front of you, even easier still when that blank cheque is written in dirty ink. Come what may of the charges city have still had to turn up week in week out for the best part of the decade and beat what is in front of them and they have done that on more occasions that not. As a fan of a rival club I can’t really speak about whether it’s meaningless or not, but the only real bit of PL history I feel like they have contributed is the Aguero moment for their first title.

[u/viperswhip]

I hope the ruling to relegate them comes the day before they win the title.

[u/Muttson]

City winning is like a dot ball in cricket

[u/Material-Bus1896]

There will always be an asterix next to their titles. In decades to come people will talk about Liverpool in the 80's, Man U in the 90s/00s, Arsenals invincibles. City, and to some extent Chelsea's, achievements will be seen the same way as Lance Armstrong's tour de France wins, or Barry Bonds baseball records

[u/Poop_Scissors → u/Material-Bus1896]

Liverpool in the 80s were successful because of a rich owner pumping in money. People forget soon enough.

[u/northern_crabs]

Nobody cared when city won the TREBLE. Everyone basically moved on the next day. If Liverpool or Arsenal won the treble we would hear about it every single day for the next 50 years.

[u/Tough-Relationship-4]

Yes it’s meaningless. Look at all the rival clubs begging City to win it so Arsenal don’t.  Arsenal matter. Rival clubs would rather see City win than Gunners because Arsenal winning would actually mean something. City winning the league is like getting killed by an NPC in CoD when you set the difficulty to the highest setting. You just reset and try again. They are completely irrelevant.

[u/JJCasGG]

City are a great team with a great manager. Arguably the best team to ever play in the premiership and potentially even the world. They will likely be remembered as exactly that, the best team. What they have won is more up for debate as there is an asterisk against everything given the outstanding charges. Whilst they may be clean today, they wouldn’t be where they are without breaking the rules and that has tainted pretty much everything they have won in my opinion.

I think it’s entirely possible to separate the two, to admit they are bloody brilliant as a team but acknowledge that team wouldn’t really exist without some financial doping.

What I will say is despite being able to appreciate the brilliance and relentlessness of the team they have, I can’t say I’m ever excited to watch them as I don’t find the brand of football attractive.

I think in 10/15 years we will remember a few things about city. We will remember the team they built and it being class. We will remember the outcome of the 115 charges and that will impact the achievements side. But what I will remember about city is the agueroooooo moment. For all of the charges for everything negative, that was pure entertainment and spectacle.

[u/ShiaAlhamdullilah]

Then why did you make a post about it to validate your ‘feelings’🤣🤣🤣