(Football) Soccer thread (English Premier League, Champions League)

[scruffynick]

Wel that's a first, had the laugh that a bbc reporter said the team coaches couldn't leave their hotel because of fan congestion..... Just counted 19 😂 there's no one there. Easily could have started with just an hour delay..... But im really disappointed with the actions of those few hundred idiots, when the others were all peacefully protesting........ But we've been doing that for 16 years and these patacites are still here. Not sure what to think to be honest 

[Texas1]

On 5/2/2021 at 11:59 AM, scruffynick said:

Wel that's a first, had the laugh that a bbc reporter said the team coaches couldn't leave their hotel because of fan congestion..... Just counted 19 😂 there's no one there. Easily could have started with just an hour delay..... But im really disappointed with the actions of those few hundred idiots, when the others were all peacefully protesting........ But we've been doing that for 16 years and these patacites are still here. Not sure what to think to be honest 

Already fallen out with family over it

I have empathy for you and true supporters. But that was taken over by thugs like it always is. Neville tried to blame liverpool and their owners and his words were bordering on inciting a riot

 

but they lost me at the murderers chant and scouse bastards and trying to throw a flair at carra and souness

 

we went through it with hicks and gillet and were hrs from administration 

 

but sky started all of this along with the breakaway

 

theyve priced fans out of watching in the stands and on tv. Agents are taking billions out of the game as are uefa and fifa 

 

I get owners trying to make money, only city and psg can afford spending billions. No one else can but prem league allowed all of this to happen with foreign owners

 

also sky bt were trying to charge 20quid a game not long ago. It’s the hypocrisy that winds me up

 

I don’t wish the glazers on anyone. They’ve taken money out but they have also invested massively, well money generated by the fans has been put back in. You still are the 2nd highest spenders with them

 

they are swines but I don’t know how to fix it. The ship sailed in the 90’s and this is a culmination of 30 years of rip off

 

but glassing a copper and having staff hide isn’t on 

 

I hope you get rid of them

[scruffynick]

On 5/4/2021 at 12:21 AM, Texas1 said:

Already fallen out with family over it

I have empathy for you and true supporters. But that was taken over by thugs like it always is. Neville tried to blame liverpool and their owners and his words were bordering on inciting a riot

 

but they lost me at the murderers chant and scouse bastards and trying to throw a flair at carra and souness

 

we went through it with hicks and gillet and were hrs from administration 

 

but sky started all of this along with the breakaway

 

theyve priced fans out of watching in the stands and on tv. Agents are taking billions out of the game as are uefa and fifa 

 

I get owners trying to make money, only city and psg can afford spending billions. No one else can but prem league allowed all of this to happen with foreign owners

 

also sky bt were trying to charge 20quid a game not long ago. It’s the hypocrisy that winds me up

 

I don’t wish the glazers on anyone. They’ve taken money out but they have also invested massively, well money generated by the fans has been put back in. You still are the 2nd highest spenders with them

 

they are swines but I don’t know how to fix it. The ship sailed in the 90’s and this is a culmination of 30 years of rip off

 

but glassing a copper and having staff hide isn’t on 

 

I hope you get rid of them

Well we got a reply..... See what happens. 

My gripes with the glazers are, huge ticket hikes, automated cup scheme.... Buy cup tickets or lose your season ticket. If you opt out of cups, you can't go to any finals if you get there.... Argghhhh!!! 

Went from a well run club operating at no more than 40% on transfers, wages etc to £750m in debt and it's still at £450m after 16 years. 

They haven't used or spent any of their own money.... Money spent was generated by the club. Only started spending when fergie left because the team needed rebuilding.... Fergie got nowt for years, was just a genius! 

They've taken over a billion out the club and put it into other failing businesses. They're the main things. 

Had to laugh at how they got in, were let in ffs..... Can't help but feel it was all staged, wonder how many of the idiots wrre actually united supporters who go to games or just drunken morons looking for a punch up.... And don't get me started on the police who only turned up at 4pm.....and only about 10 turned up. The protests started at 11 for crying out load, glad to hear Andy Burham get an ear full about the shambolic policing, they new all friggin week this was going to happen. Anyway, rant over....... Put my name in for Poland, but I'm not very hopeful 

[north_east_pro]

Now that Newcastle United are safe for another season as one of the twenty stake holders in the Premier League they have one less reason to delay our takeover. They better settle outside of court otherwise there will be plenty of dirty laundry aired in the coming months with the Anti-Competition Case filed against them by the club which has completely blindsided them along with the Arbitration Case rumbling on in the background. 

 

Richard Masters & Gary Hoffman could well be forced to resign with potentially a lot of incriminating evidence to be disclosed if the case goes to court showing there was collusion with the 'Big 6' over Project Big Picture & the European Super League. 

[NRJyzr]

I am amazed....  watch Liverpool biff several chances, goes to the very end of stoppage time, and they win with a goal by the keeper?  Seriously???

 

Unbelievable 😁😁😁

[scruffynick]

It's coming home, it's coming home 😀😀 can they do it? Never get a better chance now

[scruffynick]

Come on lads, 55 years of hurt can end tonight....... Come on England ☺️ no one will be in work or school tomorrow....... Just please win.... Please!!!!!! 

[Halebopp]

We are back baby! The 23-year journey has come to an end!

 

 

[MU Mike]

Traveling to London this fall and have always wanted to see a live match.  Below are the fixtures for that weekend, and it looks like multiple London teams have home matches (Arsenal, Chelsea, Palace, and the Hammers).

 

Those are all big clubs - how difficult is it going to be to find tickets to one of those?  I assume very difficult!

 

Any tips?

 

 

Saturday 28 October 2023

• Arsenal09:00Sheffield UtdEmirates Stadium, London

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• Aston Villa09:00LutonVilla Park, Birmingham

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• Bournemouth09:00BurnleyVitality Stadium, Bournemouth

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• Brighton09:00FulhamAmex Stadium, Falmer

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• Chelsea09:00BrentfordStamford Bridge, London

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• Crystal Palace09:00SpursSelhurst Park, London

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• Liverpool09:00Nott'm ForestAnfield, Liverpool

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• Man Utd09:00Man CityOld Trafford, Manchester

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• West Ham09:00EvertonLondon Stadium, London

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• Wolves09:00NewcastleMolineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

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[smashdn]

Bummed we lost Gundogan but interested to see how Kovacic slots in. 

[smashdn]

About time to fire back up gents.  Been watching Leagues Cup matches but not the same as EPL ones.

[NRJyzr]

This time of year is a little difficult for me.  Being in Minnesota, it's hard not to see the start of any Premier League season as the beginning of the end of the golf season.  😐

 

[scruffynick]

Way hey this thread is back......and can't see united doing much. 4th at very best, hoping for another cup win that be good....love a day out at Wembley. I'm afraid can't see anyone beating city and that's including the CL, maybe bayern 🤔 

 

[mshills]

Bayern fan here 😁 with a question.....with the talent level and style of play that City's had, why is that club so impossible to root for?

[TiScape]

Never have I been so lost in a sports thread 🫤 

 

 

 

🤣

[MU Mike]

18 hours ago, mshills said:

Bayern fan here 😁 with a question.....with the talent level and style of play that City's had, why is that club so impossible to root for?

 

Saudi money would be my guess.  I think the old guard in the EPL looks at City as "new money".

 

But yeah, what a team.  What a coach in Pep.  Arguably the best forward and midfielder on the same team.  Beautiful style they play.

[NRJyzr]

18 hours ago, mshills said:

Bayern fan here 😁 with a question.....with the talent level and style of play that City's had, why is that club so impossible to root for?

 

7 minutes ago, MU Mike said:

 

Saudi money would be my guess.  I think the old guard in the EPL looks at City as "new money".

 

But yeah, what a team.  What a coach in Pep.  Arguably the best forward and midfielder on the same team.  Beautiful style they play.

 

 

Side note:  I believe it's Qatari money.  Similar thing, different name.  🙂

 

As for why, I suspect it's similar to why so many have a similar dislike for Chelsea.  With Chelsea, Abramovich bought the team, spent a quarter of a billion dollars in a short time to buy a title.  That doesn't seem like much in today's transfer market, but this was 20 years ago; it was an astronomical sum.

 

In the Man City case, you essentially have a sovereign nation bankrolling disturbing spending, taking considerable effort to try circumvent FFP rules, and buy multiple titles.

 

Both leave a bad taste.

 

Money is really wrecking the game, and maybe has been for a long time.  It's been worse the last 10 years.  Possibly why so many jumped on the Leicester City title season bandwagon.  <shrug>

 

edit to add:  the above is why I'm less excited about La Liga (Madrid and Barca).  Have a similar outlook on Scottish Premier League, which seems to be nothing but Celtic and Rangers to the media.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by NRJyzr

[Petethreeput]

The monetization of all sport is really a drag.  As a kid through early adulthood I would watch "my" teams and root for them with the hope they would excel.  And I felt like the players were playing for my team, not the paycheck.  There are few sporting events that feel that way anymore, and the ones that do are exhibitions.  Glazer, Abramovich, now sovereign wealth funds?  When does it stop?  I rarely watch any sports anymore unless the weather is crap because I have learned it isn't the sport anymore, its the money.

 

I truly appreciate the relegation system and wish the US would institute it for all sports, but on the flip side (excepting MLB) I like US sports have the salary cap which keeps the teams more competitive.

[mshills]

I get the points for sure.  I guess it's an emotional response and I am certainly in the same boat.  The players, play, and coach are so much fun to watch....so why do I actively root against City?

 

I'm a long-time Bayern fan.  My club is pretty "corporate" as far as German football goes, and I personally struggle with this point:  it's professional sport, so how can money ruin it?

 

[NRJyzr]

5 minutes ago, mshills said:

I'm a long-time Bayern fan.

 

This reminds me of a lovely quote  🙂

(no offense or snark intended)

 

[mshills]

^^^^Factual^^^^

 

Look, even this Bayern fan admits that more / better parity in the league would make for better, exciting viewing.  The Bundesliga style is generally great to watch.....and more competitive title races would make it even better.

[NRJyzr]

A Bayern connected comment, unrelated to the current theme....

 

My sister in law was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma several years ago; essentially it's a malignant tumor in your eye.  She's one of the lucky ones, as she's still around.  It's a nasty form of cancer.

 

Anyway, support groups out there for Ocular Melanoma, she has made contact with folks in many parts of the US.  One young man she met wound up losing his eye from the disease, got a glass eye to wear.  Chose to have it painted with the Bayern crest.  Turns out he's a huge fan.  🙂

 

[scruffynick]

20 hours ago, mshills said:

Bayern fan here 😁 with a question.....with the talent level and style of play that City's had, why is that club so impossible to root for?

Because they've cheated on a huge scale, 115 counts of cheating and still no punishment...the other teams are playing by the rules but city just seems to carry on like they've done nothing wrong. But try and find a city fan, not many around especially in Manchester.....they like to pretend Stockport and Cheshire is Manchester where most of their hard-core support comes from....small club who hit the jack pot. 

[smashdn]

I like Pep and have followed his career and coaching.  I support Man City due to him.  I like to see how his style has changed and melds with the talent he has.

 

As far as why the dislike, I feel they are looked at similarly as the Yankees of football.  Though I find that harder and harder to get behind as a theory with Chelsea.

 

City has a pretty good academy that makes them a fair amount of money.  Palmer just paid out 45mil pounds to go to Chelsea.  They'll roll that back into the kitty to buy another player when needed.

 

In tactical news, city is playing more over the top this season it seems.  Not the slower, plodding, tactical dismantling of the press but just Ederson banging it down pitch.  Haaland is effective but not particularly good to watch.  It is not "elegant" footballing when the ball is on his boot.

[tatertot]

1 hour ago, mshills said:

I get the points for sure.  I guess it's an emotional response and I am certainly in the same boat.  The players, play, and coach are so much fun to watch....so why do I actively root against City?

 

I'm a long-time Bayern fan.  My club is pretty "corporate" as far as German football goes, and I personally struggle with this point:  it's professional sport, so how can money ruin it?

 

It's fun to watch young players mature into old players on "your" team and become "your" guys ... now, rich teams just buy all the good guys. 

 

Probably always been that way, just something for us old guys to complain about.

[tatertot]

Biggest mystery for us Everton fans (yes, we do exist) ... will we dent the back of the net this season?

[Petethreeput]

21 hours ago, mshills said:

I get the points for sure.  I guess it's an emotional response and I am certainly in the same boat.  The players, play, and coach are so much fun to watch....so why do I actively root against City?

 

I'm a long-time Bayern fan.  My club is pretty "corporate" as far as German football goes, and I personally struggle with this point:  it's professional sport, so how can money ruin it?

 

I guess it feels like the money has changed the attitudes of the players.  Going back to the days when a player was happy to take on a role for the team, to make the team better, even if it didn’t show on the sheet.  Today it feels like the goal of each player is to be noticed by someone with deeper pockets so they can get a massive contract.

 

One of my favorites was Paul Scholes. He was a chameleon depending on what was needed that day.  Sure, he made a ton of money but different from Ronaldo it felt like he just wanted to win.

 

Lots if guys like that, now it feels more selfish.  And it might just be me feeling that way.

[scruffynick]

Well waking up to the glazers not selling, what a waste of time. Seriously they want £10B 🙄  what world are these numpties in?? They've got thick skin ill give them that, but boy they've destroyed united......the club goes from bad news to further bad news daily. Wonder what's next? 

[mshills]

Yikes, tough late collapse there but I reckon a neutral perspective would tell you this result was inevitable. 

[scruffynick]

On 9/3/2023 at 8:49 AM, scruffynick said:

Well waking up to the glazers not selling, what a waste of time. Seriously they want £10B 🙄  what world are these numpties in?? They've got thick skin ill give them that, but boy they've destroyed united......the club goes from bad news to further bad news daily. Wonder what's next? 

Well i said daily 😅 sancho now Anthony....just a mess.....tomorrow who knows. Ten hag will walk by Christmas