Man City 4-0 Newcastle

&c

As they always have and always will, Newcastle went to the Etihad in body but not in spirit and were roundly thrashed.

Given that there's nothing more to discuss about that, I'll take this opportunity to lament the rise of the dogmatic coach in the modern game.

Surely any rational person would agree that a good manager (or coach, head or otherwise, or whatever you want to call the person that gets fired when results are bad) can adapt to the players he has available.

What is this current obsession with a manager having one single way of playing, that they obstinately refuse to adapt in the face of overwhelming evidence that it's not working? I mean ok, it is hilarious that both Spurs and Man U have both landed themselves with this style of manager, but it would absolutely do my nut in if we had one.

I feel like a memo needs to be sent to everybody who holds a coaching badge of any level to ensure they know that, just because Pep has done something, they don't legally HAVE to copy it.

Don't get me wrong, I know Eddie Howe sometimes seems to lack a bit a plan B, but he is actually capable of tweaking formations and systems.

Just because you managed a team with the biggest budget in a small league, developed a system that worked, and walked the league, does not mean it's an absolutely infallible, unbreakable tactic that can be plonked down like a downloaded FM tactic and stuffed with overpaid prima donnas and work again and again.

Not to mention demanding the "right players to fit the system"! Call me old fashioned (or just old, you'd be right either way) but good players are good players and systems are boring.

Anyway, what's next? Oh yes, just the small matter of Forest at home on Sunday.

That looks big, doesn't it?.