Football 2020/2021

[eastynh]

6 hours ago, eFestivals said:

It's all little country lanes round here.

As I am finding out. Stunning scenery though.

[Gnomicide]

2 hours ago, st dan said:

Trent getting axed from the 26 man squad then. Big call. 

If this turns out to be true, and I'm pretty sure it will be, then England must be chocka with the best players in the world.

People will spout the usual bollocks about him not being at his best but he's been incredible for the last 2 months at least. On top of his usual creative side, he's also defended really well since Fabinho moved back to midfield and we played 2 actual center backs in the middle of the defence. 

I'd probably prefer from a selfish point of view that he doesn't go, I'd rather our players got a proper rest, but know he'll be gutted.

[st dan]

Dropping both White and Godfrey could be a mistake I think - there are going to be huge doubts over the fitness of Maguire. I think he’ll be desperate to play and could declare himself fit too early. If he breaks down during a game, or suffers any setbacks in his recovery after the deadline today, then we’ll only be left with Stones, Coady and Mings as conventional CB’s.
And at the same time we’ll be including some forwards and midfielders who realistically won’t be getting any game time at all. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by st dan

[Hugh Jass]

I'd have taken TAA myself, but if you look at who he has taken you have the English title winning RB, the Spanish title winning RB and the Champions League winning RB.

[lost]

Haven't Walker, James and Trippier all played the right sided centre back as part of a back 5 too? I think James did it once with Hudson Odi and Walker has done it before for England. I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of Southgate's thinking even though I don't rate us when we play that formation.

[pink_triangle]

Wrexham have Les Reed on board now in an advisory role. I remember him as one of the worst managers in premiership history, but he has good record with youth development.

[squirrelarmy]

Wrexham missed an opportunity not having Deadpool somewhere on their new kit. I would have bought one instantly and so would many other comic geeks. Maybe next season it could happen. 

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, squirrelarmy said:

Wrexham missed an opportunity not having Deadpool somewhere on their new kit. I would have bought one instantly and so would many other comic geeks. Maybe next season it could happen. 

Would sticking Deadpool on there not made it all a bit of a joke?

[squirrelarmy]

3 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Would sticking Deadpool on there not made it all a bit of a joke?

I think it would be a fantastic opportunity to boost shirt sales. If you have high profile Hollywood owners why not use the marketing power that comes with it. Especially for a smaller club like Wrexham. 

[pink_triangle]

1 hour ago, squirrelarmy said:

Wrexham missed an opportunity not having Deadpool somewhere on their new kit. I would have bought one instantly and so would many other comic geeks. Maybe next season it could happen. 

They took over half way through the season. I suspect big commercial opportunities will come next season. They have an Amazon documentary sorted and I'm sure will try to monetize having such a famous owner.

What impresses me is they seem to accept they know nothing about football and bringing in the likes of Peter Moores (ex Liverpool CEO) and Les Reed they are getting people who wouldn't look out of place at clubs far higher up the pyramid. If we were in league 2 I would be very confident about promotion, but national league a lot harder.

[Hugh Jass]

Just now, pink_triangle said:

They took over half way through the season. I suspect big commercial opportunities will come next season. They have an Amazon documentary sorted and I'm sure will try to monetize having such a famous owner.

What impresses me is they seem to accept they know nothing about football and bringing in the likes of Peter Moores (ex Liverpool CEO) and Les Reed they are getting people who wouldn't look out of place at clubs far higher up the pyramid. If we were in league 2 I would be very confident about promotion, but national league a lot harder.

This is where most takeovers fail - you get billionaires buying football clubs who think because they've been successful elsewhere they will know how to run one. The shrewd owners bring in people who do know how to run a football club.

[squirrelarmy]

Does anyone run a tournament fantasy football league on here? I can set one up for efests for the euros but I don’t want to tread on anyones toes if it’s something that someone already does regularly. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by squirrelarmy

[efcfanwirral]

Don't blame him at all- we're deep in the shit next season. Wrong appointment with the wrong signings and relegation is a real worry 

[st dan]

11 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

Don't blame him at all- we're deep in the shit next season. Wrong appointment with the wrong signings and relegation is a real worry 

Yeah, was never going to work. A top class manager needs to be surrounded by top class players (no disrespect to Everton). That was an appointment doomed to failure. 
Got a lot of Everton fan friends who are turning their noses up at Howe / Potter, but I think that’s the type of appointment that is needed. A complete rebuild of the club, give him 5 years to build towards something. A major clear out of players like James, Gomes, Iwobi etc is needed, to be replaced by some ‘lesser known’ names. 
Other two names in the mix appear to be Nuno and Fonseca - both currently without clubs so I could possibly see them as likely candidates too. Although not sure the Everton fans will like the football that Nuno plays. Fonseca has been liked for years, and would probably be a popular choice. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by st dan

[Hugh Jass]

Even Ancelotti can't turn Alex Iwobi into a competent footballer.

For years Everton have been the place big clubs go to offload their crap.

[lost]

Ex-Everton managers now manging the two biggest clubs in the world and the top ranked country and the team is still shit.

[lost]

49 minutes ago, st dan said:

Other two names in the mix appear to be Nuno and Fonseca 

Id be happy with Fonseca. it'll probably be Gerrard or Rafa just to rub it in a bit more.

Still don't really get it at Carlo's age. He talked about wanting a long term project and he's had his run ins with Perez before. Seems like when he left PSG he just can't say no to Madrid.

His comments last month were: "This is good publicity for me to be linked with Real Madrid but its not true, I would like to be there when the new stadium opens, to finish the contract here until 2024 means you did a good job. I would like to stay as long as possible"
 

Edited June 1, 2021 by lost

[st dan]

36 minutes ago, lost said:

Id be happy with Fonseca. it'll probably be Gerrard or Rafa just to rub it in a bit more.

Still don't really get it at Carlo's age. He talked about wanting a long term project and he's had his run ins with Perez before. Seems like when he left PSG he just can't say no to Madrid.

His comments last month were: "This is good publicity for me to be linked with Real Madrid but its not true, I would like to be there when the new stadium opens, to finish the contract here until 2024 means you did a good job. I would like to stay as long as possible"
 

I honestly think it’s probably something to do with his family and the weather / lifestyle in Madrid vs Northern England. Add on to the fact that’s he’ll now be managing the most famous club in the world again too, he probably didn’t need much convincing. Plus the fact the Everton job is probably a lot more difficult that he anticipated. It needs a culture shift more than a smash and grab with a couple of big name signings. 

[lost]

10 minutes ago, st dan said:

Plus the fact the Everton job is probably a lot more difficult that he anticipated. It needs a culture shift more than a smash and grab with a couple of big name signings. 

I think the strange season and the last minute 10th placing masked alot of the good work he did. The signings last season were a hell of alot better. The year we qualified for the champions league under Moyes we were only 2 points better off than this season.

We were 18th when silva was sacked and if you look at the players that played in the 5 vs 2 against Liverpool its not far off the same team. I think he'd of been fine after a few transfer windows personally but we will never know now.

Edited June 1, 2021 by lost

[st dan]

27 minutes ago, lost said:

I think the strange season and the last minute 10th placing masked alot of the good work he did. The signings last season were a hell of alot better. The year we qualified for the champions league under Moyes we were only 2 points better off than this season.

Yeah that’s a fair point. Would have been interesting to see what he would have done in a 3-5 year period given the chance  

I just think he’s probably thought that as a 3 time CL winning manager (plus countless other domestic trophies) that he should have another shot at the big time in the twilight of his career, rather than managing a team to 10th who haven’t won a trophy in 26 years - again no disrespect to Everton, just unfortunately fact. 
I think the large salary and the attraction of being a manager who could go down in the club’s history with a trophy is what lured him, but think it’s proving to be a tougher challenge than anticipated and the signings he add. Saying that, I don’t think he’d be moving on just yet if it wasn’t for one of the big boys making a move. He will be a loss to the Premier League though. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by st dan

[lost]

22 minutes ago, st dan said:

I just think he’s probably thought that as a 3 time CL winning manager (plus countless other domestic trophies) that he should have another shot at the big time in the twilight of his career, rather than managing a team to 10th who haven’t won a trophy in 26 years - again no disrespect to Everton, just unfortunately fact. 
I think the large salary and the attraction of being a manager who could go down in the club’s history with a trophy is what lured him, and don’t think he’d be moving on just yet if it wasn’t for one of the big boys making a move. He will be a loss to the Premier League though. 

Yeah I don't think anyone is going to argue Madrid isn't probably the top job in world football but its just sad that the noises he was making were that that wasn't what he was looking for at this stage in his career. Some clubs are a business, other are a family, Everton is a family etc..

Edited June 1, 2021 by lost

[jyoung]

Nuno is the favourite for Palace which seems strange. I saw Gerrard linked with Everton... Surely not?

[lost]

1 minute ago, jyoung said:

Nuno is the favourite for Palace which seems strange. I saw Gerrard linked with Everton... Surely not?

This account is normally quite accurate:

 

[jyoung]

Just now, lost said:

This account is normally quite accurate:

 

They can kiss goodbye to Conte, christ. Who do they think they are?

[balthazarstarbuck]

6 minutes ago, jyoung said:

They can kiss goodbye to Conte, christ. Who do they think they are?

To be fair eyebrows were raised (as it were) when they got Ancelotti.

Agree with Conte though. Same as those saying he’d go Spurs. No chance.

Only question though is where he actually would go? He’s running out of choices, short of waiting 6 months for someone to implode.