Recent Posts

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General Football and Sport / Re: LIVERPOOL TRANSFER THREAD - 2023 (FSG posts = get muted) - No Mbappé

« Last post by MD1990 on Today at 10:49:18 am »

it will be hard selling players.
little money around europe. psr contraints in the pl.
i think we will target some players from psr sides and release clauses & perhaps serie A with hughes's history
Ederson at Atalanta looks a good option

2

Liverpool FC Forum / Re: Jürgen Klopp

« Last post by Eeyore on Today at 10:49:17 am »

I would simply like to shake his hand, look into his eyes and say 'thank you'

No Hug?

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General Football and Sport / Re: Man City - Cheating Bastards on & off the pitch - 115 Charges

« Last post by danm77 on Today at 10:48:49 am »

I'm glad Carra has mentioned this. Every journo and pundit should.

The most important line:

"The foundations at the Emirates and Anfield were laid after a slow and steady rebuild with the clubs diligently abiding by the profit and sustainability rules designed to make it a fair race.

City, as we know, remain under investigation for fast-tracking their way to the summit and have 115 charges pending related to the years 2009-2018."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/05/17/manchester-city-premier-league-title-115-charges-financial/

Man City could become greatest Premier League side – but 115 charges are inescapable
Guardiola’s team have raised the bar to an unprecedented height, but City will never escape shadow of allegations until they are dealt with

JAMIE CARRAGHER
17 May 2024 • 7:01am

A Manchester City win on Sunday will erase any doubts about their and Pep Guardiola’s place in English football history.

City are the best Premier League side this country has ever seen. Guardiola is the greatest manager of the modern era.

The statistics do not lie if, as we expect, City make it four league titles in a row. The best Manchester United teams could not manage that, despite winning three in a row and dominating our league.

City have gone beyond by changing the landscape of what is required to become champions.

If they beat West Ham, their six titles under Guardiola will have accumulated an amazing 175 wins from 228 Premier League games. Their points haul over those victory campaigns will average just under 93 points per season.

United’s hat-trick was won with an impressive average of 88 points. Go back four decades, and Liverpool won three in a row with an average of 83, although the four European Cups over seven years put them on another level.

In the Premier League years, the bar has been raised to an unprecedented height, and only tribalism prevents rivals acknowledging what Guardiola has done.

Mr. Ferguson will always have one aspect of his career separating him from Pep, namely the Aberdeen years.

Achieving what he did at Pittodrie is the most persuasive argument that he, not Guardiola, is the greatest. Others will measure Guardiola against the 13 Premier League titles Ferguson collected during his Old Trafford career.

Alternatively, Guardiola will have won six titles in his eight years in England. Only Jurgen Klopp will have prevented City winning seven championships in a row. Ferguson needed seven seasons to win his first.

Absurd to describe Guardiola as cheque-book manager
There are other churlish arguments thrown at City and Guardiola which do not stand up to scrutiny, like their success is solely a consequence of the money spent during his reign. It is absurd to describe Guardiola as a cheque-book manager.

Nobody can deny their level of investment has been a huge contributing factor in helping to build such a wonderful team. But as I have argued in this column on countless occasions, spending big is no guarantee of success and it does not ensure a side will emerge as brilliantly coached as City’s.

As Guardiola rightly observed, if it was that easy Manchester United and Chelsea would not be where they are right now. Based on the last published wage bills, United’s salaries are higher than City’s, and Chelsea’s are fourth in the Premier League. Their transfer spending is as much as, and in many summers greater, than Guardiola’s.

Sadly for Guardiola, the scale of his talent may never be fully appreciated until he has stepped away from the Premier League. After he has gone, City will continue to invest heavily in their squad but they will never consistently hit the same heights. It is impossible to be any better than they are during every title run-in.

On the day Arsenal lost to Aston Villa and Liverpool were beaten by Crystal Palace on April 14, there was despondency at the Emirates and Anfield because the expectation was City would win their remaining six games. The title race felt like it was over there and then. We are on the brink of that being proven correct.

What team in the history of football has such a profound psychological impact on their rivals? With the great United side – no matter how good they were – you would never rule out mistakes in the final weeks.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been magnificent. They are one game from winning 16 of their last 18 Premier League games, exactly the same as Klopp’s Liverpool in 2022. By all normal definitions, that form deserves a title.

As was the case with Liverpool, Arsenal’s wage bill is significantly less than City’s. They have taken on a juggernaut and look like they come up just short, not because of any flaws in their set-up, but because of the flawlessness of the opponent.

Anyone assessing this period in history and judging the close title races through the lens of Arteta and Klopp underachieving does not understand football, and the elite levels required to keep winning under the most intense physical and emotional pressure.

Arsenal, just like Liverpool, also had to overcome another disadvantage in pursuit of top spot which cannot be ignored, no matter how much Guardiola, City and the Premier League wish to sweep it under the carpet.

Charge sheet so huge, it has created a legal minefield
The foundations at the Emirates and Anfield were laid after a slow and steady rebuild with the clubs diligently abiding by the profit and sustainability rules designed to make it a fair race.

City, as we know, remain under investigation for fast-tracking their way to the summit and have 115 charges pending related to the years 2009-2018.

The club takes much displeasure in this being referenced, especially when they are the threshold of more success. They know the time taken to deal with this matter is an embarrassment for them and the Premier League. The charge sheet is so huge, it has created a legal minefield with the club disputing each allegation.

I would love to know how City’s owners, or those advising them, feel about the issue dragging on while the team prepares to win its fourth consecutive Premier League on the back of last year’s Treble. They must appreciate it is a public relations disaster.

Guardiola should be celebrated for his genius by neutrals as well as City fans. But whether he and his club likes it or not, City will never escape the shadow of those allegations until they are dealt with, the years of legal wrangling still preventing the club from clearing its name.

That is what baffles me about the whole sordid affair. When accusations are made against any individuals or institutions who have absolute certainty in their innocence, you would usually expect the demand of those involved to arrange a hearing at the earliest opportunity. Where is the statement from City expressing frustration or fury that the process is taking so long?

Kicking the can down the road means too many insults are being directed at a brilliant manager and his extraordinary team – none of whom will have a clue about how the club was operating in those years under suspicion.

Guardiola deserves better than lifting his sixth Premier League under such a cloud.

As a manager, a coaching and technical staff and a fantastic squad, Manchester City should be acclaimed for being one of the best football teams there has ever been.

As a club? I’d like to say the jury is out. Unfortunately, we have waited too long for a jury, or Premier League commission, to even begin to consider that verdict.

4

General Football and Sport / Re: Skybet Championship Thread

« Last post by Elzar on Today at 10:48:38 am »

Hope WBA win, they aren't inspiring, but can't get behind Southampton after them getting relegated off the back of spending £50million on Man City youth players who never touched the Man City first team.

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Liverpool FC Forum / Re: Welcome to Liverpool Thiago Alcantara

« Last post by Chris~ on Today at 10:48:34 am »

We wanted him because his situation meant he fell within our budget. He had one year left on his deal, he was in his late twenties, had a patchy injury record and was refusing to sign a new deal at Bayern. Given we had to pull out of the Werner deal that summer because we didn't have the funds. Then there was no chance of us signing an established top-class game-changer who was in his early to mid-twenties with a robust injury record. Probably the closest thing that summer would have been signing Havertz for £80m which would have fallen into the 'take risks' category.

If you already have Fabinho, Henderson, Gini, Keita and the Ox then if you are looking to bring in a game-changer who is going to start then he has to be absolutely top quality. The only way for me we could afford that quality was to take a punt on Thiago or to go big on a player with little experience but bags of potential.

For me it is down to what happens when you reach the top. You can take risks and look to improve or you can continue looking for value signings that may pay off further down the line.

Like I said, to me he was our first choice, we went and got him because he's the best at what he did and was something we didn't really have in midfield. We'll likely never know who we (or any individual involved in recruitment) may have preferred, if anyone

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Liverpool FC Forum / Re: LFC's next manager - chat and informed speculation

« Last post by Crosby Nick on Today at 10:48:25 am »

I just can't get excited for Slot.

Yeah, I’ve seen your posts in the Dating thread.

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Liverpool FC Forum / Re: LFC's next manager - chat and informed speculation

« Last post by has gone odd on Today at 10:47:34 am »

Try as I might, not excited by Slot either. Even before Jurgen's 1st interview at the club there was a buzz, like a real scoop, bigger than any player transfer we had done in years. Not this time, have nothing but empty emotions on this.

Don't get me wrong, we all knew Klopp was going and someone was coming in to replace, like all our once favorite players, plus am really happy to have witnessed this era and enjoyed the ride.

Nothing against Slot either, I just think football in general has reached it's entertaining peak and am pretty sure we will struggle for consistency for another season.

If the players buy into the new philosophy and we witness a new successful era then will eat my words, sure.

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General Football and Sport / Re: Everton - The 777 Unflushables

« Last post by Eeyore on Today at 10:47:14 am »

Has anyone ever got to the bottom of who is actually behind R&M? No employees, but who actually get the repayments.

RMF is reportedly owned by Michael Tabor.

He is part of the Coolmore stud with Magnier and McManus. Owns BetVictor and Global radio. He reportedly tried to buy West Ham.

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General Football and Sport / Re: Skybet Championship Thread

« Last post by Ray K on Today at 10:47:07 am »

Is that Grantham thing statue related?

Costs him a fortune in eggs and paint every time he goes through it too.

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General Football and Sport / Re: VAR! Video Assistant Referee & Shite Referees in General

« Last post by oojason on Today at 10:46:26 am »

'Liverpool manager Klopp would 'vote for scrapping VAR'' - short video clip from Sky (in Klopp's press conference vs Wolves):-

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/7xd5BoNTQl8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/7xd5BoNTQl8</a>

^ or click here to watch - www.youtube.com/v/7xd5BoNTQl8


"I don't think they're voting against VAR, I think they'll vote about how it gets used, because that's definitely not right. I understand that.

"In the way they do it, I would vote against it, because these people are not able to use it properly.

"I do not think VAR is the problem but the way we use it is the problem. So, you cannot change the people obviously, it's clear. You need them. So yeah, I would vote for scrapping VAR."



Full press conference here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FIPBbVM7Bo (from LFC)