Football 2021/2022

[andyrhodes24]

1 hour ago, balthazarstarbuck said:

Always reminds me of this stat which still blows my mind. The mans got nothing to prove.

This stat becomes more insane to me every time I see it

 

4 hours ago, JoeyT said:

Messi to PSG is such a shame.

I’ve always swayed towards Messi in the classic Messi v Ronaldo debate and to be honest never expected him to leave Barca but now that’s happening for him to move to such a sub standard league is really disappointing.

Surely if you want to cement yourself as the G.O.A.T then you come to the Prem…

Ultimately money is the winner.

 

Not just Messi but there seems to be a real struggle from PL clubs in attracting the top top players in the world. Obviously Lukaku and Varane have signed this summer but in the class above them you can't see the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe coming here, even if it is described as the best league in the world. Maybe Haaland will be the exception

[lost]

25 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Not just Messi but there seems to be a real struggle from PL clubs in attracting the top top players in the world. 

That's mainly down to two clubs in La Liga though and I said a couple of pages back that period could now been done.

Would you now rather have a De Bruyne or Kroos? A Kane or Benzema? Salah or Hazard?

There is a strong possibility the future of European football is going to be Premiership plus one club (PSG) with the German clubs dipping in occasionally but not spending the big money due to their financial model.

Edited August 10, 2021 by lost

[eastynh]

18 hours ago, crazyfool1 said:

@eastynh sadly it’s not to be 

 

Could he hack a cold night at Illminster?

2 hours ago, balthazarstarbuck said:

Always reminds me of this stat which still blows my mind. The mans got nothing to prove.

Shows how good Aguero was.

[andyrhodes24]

1 hour ago, lost said:

That's mainly down to two clubs in La Liga though and I said a couple of pages back that period could now been done.

Would you now rather have a De Bruyne or Kroos? A Kane or Benzema? Salah or Hazard?

There is a strong possibility the future of European football is going to be Premiership plus one club (PSG) with the German clubs dipping in occasionally but not spending the big money due to their financial model.

It's obviously not sustainable if you do it on the scale of some of the La Liga clubs - my club found that out the hard way chasing the Champions League at the turn of the millennium.

My point to the Kane/Benzema argument is that you could absolutely see Kane signing for Real Madrid if they sorted their finances out, but a striker on the same level or fee (Mbappe, Neymar when they both went to PSG for £160m+) wouldn't sign for a PL club. How PSG afforded and got away with signing both of those in the same window I'll never know 

[lost]

9 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

 a striker on the same level or fee (Mbappe, Neymar when they both went to PSG for £160m+) wouldn't sign for a PL club. How PSG afforded and got away with signing both of those in the same window I'll never know 

It will be interesting to see how things develop as I definitely see national leagues becoming less important and the future being a champions league battle between PSG and City (neither of whom have won it yet)

I agree with you though that Haaland will be the litmus test to see if things have changed. I actually think a 33 year old Messi would of been a risk for a prem team and I'm not sure how close this transfer is to PSG getting one of the truly top in demand players and how close it is to say a 32 year old Ruud Gullit signing for Chelsea. PSG always made sense from a profile point of view with the Qatar world cup on the horizon.

Edited August 10, 2021 by lost

[thetime]

4 hours ago, lost said:

That's mainly down to two clubs in La Liga though and I said a couple of pages back that period could now been done.

Would you now rather have a De Bruyne or Kroos? A Kane or Benzema? Salah or Hazard?

There is a strong possibility the future of European football is going to be Premiership plus one club (PSG) with the German clubs dipping in occasionally but not spending the big money due to their financial model.

Player will still want to sign for madrid or barcelona over the likes of city or Chelsea.

[jyoung]

5 hours ago, thetime said:

Player will still want to sign for madrid or barcelona over the likes of city or Chelsea.

And City and Chelsea will do just fine mate, I wouldn't worry about that.

[thetime]

10 hours ago, jyoung said:

And City and Chelsea will do just fine mate, I wouldn't worry about that.

Of course they will, that wasn't the point though. Will be interesting to see in the next 20 years how the traditional clubs like Madrid, Barcelona, united fare  compared with the oil money. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by thetime

[eFestivals]

Pepo, has spent over £1Bn on players and still hasn't won the Champions League. Another billion should do it!

[The Nal]

2 hours ago, eFestivals said:

Pepo, has spent over £1Bn on players and still hasn't won the Champions League. Another billion should do it!

2 Champions Leagues with a team he inherited a decade ago. Spent 1.5 billion since, with a goal to win the champions league at both clubs and has failed 9 seasons in a row at two title winning clubs. 

[Andre91]

Arsenal supposedly on the verge of signing Aaron Ramsdale for £30m… spending that much money on a 2nd choice keeper when we need a creative midfielder… why?

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

Arsenal supposedly on the verge of signing Aaron Ramsdale for £30m… spending that much money on a 2nd choice keeper when we need a creative midfielder… why?

At least you have nice kits.

[Andre91]

20 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

At least you have nice kits.

That third kit is a stunner!

[jyoung]

Man like Kepa.

[pink_triangle]

17 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Arsenal supposedly on the verge of signing Aaron Ramsdale for £30m… spending that much money on a 2nd choice keeper when we need a creative midfielder… why?

He isn't even that great a keeper!

[Hugh Jass]

19 hours ago, Andre91 said:

That third kit is a stunner!

Arsenal are now basically a fashion brand where the models occasionally have a go at playing football.

[rock the clock]

12 hours ago, jyoung said:

Man like Kepa.

Did you read this?

I was really happy for him last night. People will quite rightly point out how ridiculous it is having a £70m keeper for a back-up, but it's not his fault Chelsea panic bought him for that price. He's obviously been quite down a lot of the time hes been at the club so was lovely seeing him be the main character of a trophy win

[CG31]

4 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

He isn't even that great a keeper!

Pulled out now, not sure who else we can go for 

[jyoung]

2 hours ago, rock the clock said:

Did you read this?

I was really happy for him last night. People will quite rightly point out how ridiculous it is having a £70m keeper for a back-up, but it's not his fault Chelsea panic bought him for that price. He's obviously been quite down a lot of the time hes been at the club so was lovely seeing him be the main character of a trophy win

We wanted Alisson but fannied about and then as you say panic bought. I think he's been through the ringer and his confidence was shot for a long time. He'll play some cup games but that's probably as far as it will go unless Mendy suffers an injury. As you say, happy to see him get his moment to contribute last night. Maybe he will pop up again in another shoot out in the future.

[Hugh Jass]

It's easy for Tuchel to pull this sort of thing in a game that literally has zero consequence, but does anyone think he'd actually do it in a real cup final?

[st dan]

31 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

It's easy for Tuchel to pull this sort of thing in a game that literally has zero consequence, but does anyone think he'd actually do it in a real cup final?

I see no reason why not - it actually makes a lot of sense in some circumstances, and it wouldn’t cause any real issues if it’s agreed with both keepers and the manager beforehand. Van Gaal showed it can also work on the big stage too when he swapped Cillessen for Krul in the QF of the 2014 World Cup. 

I was crying out for Ole to do it vs Villarreal in the Europa League final, knowing that De Gea has a terrible penalty saving record, whereas Henderson’s is pretty impressive. I’m sure if he’d have made that sub then Henderson would have saved at least one of the 11 penalties he may have faced, and we could well have lifted the trophy. 

Edited August 12, 2021 by st dan

[CG31]

Any predictions for this season from anyone, may have already come up but here’s mine ahead of the start today

[CG31]

Forgot to add these last week, Luton would be higher now swap them with Boro

[st dan]

43 minutes ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Any predictions for this season from anyone, may have already come up but here’s mine ahead of the start today

Agree with most of them placings and doubt you’ll be too far off. With the exception of Southampton - I think they’ll do well just to stay up if I’m honest. Especially if JWP leaves too, as that will be the spine of their team taken away.  

[CG31]

14 minutes ago, st dan said:

Agree with most of them placings and doubt you’ll be too far off. With the exception of Southampton - I think they’ll do well just to stay up if I’m honest. Especially if JWP leaves too, as that will be the spine of their team taken away.  

I had them going down actually, put a pound on them Newcastle and Brentford as the trio to go down, but I thought about it and don’t think Norwich have invested enough to stay up, Willock alone won’t save a poor Newcastle team and think Toney will do a Pukki hence leading to Brentford’s demise and there’s definitely potential in Adam Armstrong and some of the numerous Chelsea youngsters Southampton have signed. Watford will inevitably finish the season with a 3rd different manager but I think they’ll do alright on the whole. If Brighton don’t sign a striker they’ll struggle, Burnley and Southampton will be down there and maybe Wolves as well actually, and Palace depends on how well Viera works and how quickly the team gels. 
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Big Pat be the first casualty.