Discussion Football (Soccer) Thread

[Barrels]

I thought you were a West Ham fan for some reason. Bandwagoner.

The 1997 photo of me at a Test match at Bellerive Oval in a City shirt would beg to differ…

FWIW, I actually DID join a bandwagon this year… Plymouth Argyle!

 

[Barrels]

You can call then names. Just don't call City a club that spends their way to success. They don't like that.

Your tears are delicious…

Also, how does a team break an established monopoly without buying top players?!

And I assume players like Cantona, Klinsmann, Rooney, Salah, Ronaldo, etc. were all relevant academy products and played for nothing?

In a league with no historical salary cap, EVERY successful team has bought their way there.

 

[Barrels]

Saw this the other day… I don’t know whether the figures are genuinely accurate or not, but it raises some interesting discussion points…

 

[The Punter]

Your tears are delicious…

Also, how does a team break an established monopoly without buying top players?!

And I assume players like Cantona, Klinsmann, Rooney, Salah, Ronaldo, etc. were all relevant academy products and played for nothing?

In a league with no historical salary cap, EVERY successful team has bought their way there.

Look, as I have stated in other places on here, IMO City have solved the EPL. While all those mentioned cost money, in the same window Liverpool bought Salah, City spend over $10m more on Benjamin Mendy for no discernable issue for City. There was no hazard with City spending that much on what turned out to be such a marginal, unimportant player.

I wish Liverpool were winning the league, but at the same time, I'm pretty happy with the team I support.

 

[George]

Saw this the other day… I don’t know whether the figures are genuinely accurate or not, but it raises some interesting discussion points…

View attachment 1398937

City are lower because they haven't been in the premier league as long as the other clubs have. Clearly since the oil money came in you have been head and shoulders above the rest haha

 

[Barrels]

City are lower because they haven't been in the premier league as long as the other clubs have. Clearly since the oil money came in you have been head and shoulders above the rest haha

Not above Chelsea, but also not when adjusted for inflation, as that graph is.

You also have to factor in all sorts of add-ones, like the “English tax” on blokes like Grealish, and the absolute insanity that are modern transfer fees.

“City have bought the league” is just a lazy take.

 

[Barrels]

Look, as I have stated in other places on here, IMO City have solved the EPL. While all those mentioned cost money, in the same window Liverpool bought Salah, City spend over $10m more on Benjamin Mendy for no discernable issue for City. There was no hazard with City spending that much on what turned out to be such a marginal, unimportant player.

I wish Liverpool were winning the league, but at the same time, I'm pretty happy with the team I support.

You also have to factor in that as soon as City show genuine interest in a player, the selling club immediately adds a “City tax” on their valuation.

Then the options are either, pay the inflated figure, or miss out on the player.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Toon’s transfers, now they’ve got bottomless pockets.

 

[bergholt]

You also have to factor in that as soon as City show genuine interest in a player, the selling club immediately adds a “City tax” on their valuation.

Then the options are either, pay the inflated figure, or miss out on the player.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Toon’s transfers, now they’ve got bottomless pockets.

Do we know how much Haaland will cost yet? He ended up being relatively cheap I think?

 

[Barrels]

Do we know how much Haaland will cost yet? He ended up being relatively cheap I think?

£51m was the release clause apparently, and the wages will be £350k a week or something - whatever the same is that KDB is earning.

****ing sickening, sure, but in context, not that bad.

 

[Plugger35]

I've signed up to Paramount Plus to watch the FA Cup, it's been a big day so I'm hoping I can manage to stay up to watch it.

Chelsea knocking off Liverpool would cap off a perfect day.

 

[Plugger35]

We're going to make this a Blue Day.

 

[George]

 

[Munga]

Penalties, what a way

 

[austinnn]

Salah - King
Henderson - Steele
Allison - Ryder
Van Djik - Wilkie
Konate - Battle
Thiago - Gresham
Keita - Hill
Robertson - Dmac
TAA - Sinclair
Mané - Marshall
Diaz - Higgins
Milner - Ross
Jota - Crouch
Tsimikas - Long


Fabinho - Z Jones
Curtis Jones - Winhager
Kaide Gordon - Sharman



Brendan Rodgers - Ratts
Sir Alex Ferguson - Clarko

My kingdom for a Klopp... and a Kop

 

[Plugger35]

I didn't even make it to the penalty shootout, I fell asleep during extra time, probably a good thing with how it ended up.

 

[George]

Tomorrow morning at 5am AEST, Rangers will be making their first appearance in a European cup final in 15 years, and also trying to win European silverware for the first time in 50 years (1972). Going for their first Europa League title, too.

Incredible to see how far they have come in the last few seasons.

 

[PoppedCorn]

So we need to beat BHA and man u need a loss with palace

 

[triggering bro]

View attachment 1398808

I can’t stand City but I’m really looking forward to Haaland in the Premier League. He could’ve earned far more at PSG, Barca, Real, Juv, etc. Good to see him test himself in the most competitive league. It’s a reputational risk but I think he’ll do very well under Pep.

 

[gringo2011]

I can’t stand City but I’m really looking forward to Haaland in the Premier League. He could’ve earned far more at PSG, Barca, Real, Juv, etc. Good to see him test himself in the most competitive league. It’s a reputational risk but I think he’ll do very well under Pep.

His old man played there back in the old days didn't he? Nice to see some AFL style sentimentality in the prem.

 

[triggering bro]

Mbappe 300 mill signing bonus & 100 mill a year to stay at PSG. Three year deal so essentially he’s on 200 mill a year. Insane money. Will prob make another 100 mill a year through sponsors too. Geezus.

 

[George]

Mbappe 300 mill signing bonus & 100 mill a year to stay at PSG. Three year deal so essentially he’s on 200 mill a year. Insane money. Will prob make another 100 mill a year through sponsors too. Geezus.

****ing hell, almost 2 million a week. No wonder Salah wants to explore his options, isn't he on about 300k a week?

Insane money...but PSG are going nowhere so I wonder if he'll ever actually win trophies. French league doesn't count haha

 

[triggering bro]

******* hell, almost 2 million a week. No wonder Salah wants to explore his options, isn't he on about 300k a week?

Insane money...but PSG are going nowhere so I wonder if he'll ever actually win trophies. French league doesn't count haha

I forgot to mention: tax free!

 

[triggering bro]

******* hell, almost 2 million a week. No wonder Salah wants to explore his options, isn't he on about 300k a week?

Insane money...but PSG are going nowhere so I wonder if he'll ever actually win trophies. French league doesn't count haha

I think Salah will stay for 300k. I think he’s on a bit less atm.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Nerves kicking in. Bar fridge stacked and ready to go.

In the last 10 years, as a City fan I’ve had to deal with the title being decided 3 times on the final day with today being the fourth. The “Agueroooo” day, Pellegrini’s title against West Ham last day (fairly comfortable 2-0 win, if it’s possible to have a fairly comfortable last day result), and 2 years back away to Brighton when we went 1-0 down early.

Being a Saints fan, the natural pessimist when it comes to sport in me says I can’t be lucky enough to support a team that wins again on the final day.

Having supported City since the mid 90s, I never signed up for this. I get to go to a couple of games a season in Manchester (as City Newcastle 2 weeks ago) and it’s the same for most of the older City fans, completely unprepared for the sudden success since being taken over. They are a fan base similar to the Saints so there is always the potential for self-destruction.

Good luck Reds, neither team deserves to lose the title, the standard of football this year and the last few years has been incredible.

If you do get up, the quad is yours (IMHO you will easily beat Real Madrid) which is unthinkable.

 

[joop]

Back to the championship a.k.a the worlds best league for us.