English football 2023-24

[Durhamfootman]

oh for crying out loud

[Durhamfootman]

I'm really ssiped off

1-0 up, van Dickhead sent off, hit the woodwork twice, Barnes shooting instead of sliding the ball to Wilson for a tap in, Allison pulling off incredible saves, then getting mugged late on.

I was sure Newcastle were going to thrash Liverpool today..... and they should have done, in truth, becasue Liverpool spent the first 80 minutes of the match clinging on by their fingernails

That might be a vision of Newcastles CL campaign when it gets going. They have to learn the art of finishing teams off when they have them by the throat

[Gingerfinch]

Poor defending for both goals. You could say a bit unlucky for the first but the Newcastle defender just let Nunez go for the 2nd.

[Durhamfootman]

I'm still cross

[Durhamfootman]

£150 million..............Liverpool will sell Salah, won't they?

I would..... in a heartbeat

[sussexpob]

Chelsea meanwhile sign their 117th winger of the last few years.

[Durhamfootman]

ah well..... nothing says financial fair play like spending a billion pounds over 3 transfer windows

[sussexpob]

ah well..... nothing says financial fair play like spending a billion pounds over 3 transfer windows

Contrary to what people think, the purpose of FFP originally wasnt to make it fair, but to stop clubs dangerously over spending and going bankrupt. And yet UEFA seem to standby and watch Chelsea spent literally a billion quid, and don't do anything. So we are back to pretty much square one.... if you want to recklessly spend an infinite amount of money, then simply draw up bogus employment contracts claiming each player has a 10 year contract, and then amortise the transfer fee over a decade.

I think officially, Chelsea spent 40 million for FFP purposes this year. In theory, they could spend another 3 billion, and with creative accountancy, none of it breaches anything right now....

Wait 5 years, and when it turns out this fat headed yank billionaire doesnt want to spend money anymore to fail, the club is done.... it wont exist.

Cant think of a more sh*tty organisation than UEFA.

[sussexpob]

Meanwhile, Liverpool reject 150 million of Saudi cash for Mo Salah.... he's 31, I cant help but think that is a mistake

[Durhamfootman]

time to change their mind, though. Saudi window doesn't shut for another week

I'd have taken the money in heartbeat

[Durhamfootman]

ah well..... nothing says financial fair play like spending a billion pounds over 3 transfer windows

Contrary to what people think, the purpose of FFP originally wasnt to make it fair, but to stop clubs dangerously over spending and going bankrupt.

I'd argue that the point of FFP is to keep European football a closed shop where the traditional big clubs (you know who they are because they tried to form a breakaway closed shop league to protect their revenue streams) don't have to worry about upstart clubs acquired by wealthy owners buying their way into the football money making pie, Man City stylee

It will surely surprise no-one that it was first discussed a year after Man City was bought by Qatar and introduced just a couple of years later

[mikesiva]

Nottingham forest win 1-0 at Chelsea.

[bigfluffylemon]

Last season's poor behaviour from managers continues as Ten Hag whines about a VAR offside decision.

Marginal call perhaps, but from the replay it seemed to be correct.

And even if it wasn't, whatever happened to the referee's decision being final, and showing respect to them? I banged on about this last season, but the FA really needs to take harsher action against criticism of the match officials. It's a very bad look for the game and has been filtering down to grassroots where referees (mostly volunteers) are reporting abuse on a regular basis.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/wh ... ort-supply

[sussexpob]

Last season's poor behaviour from managers continues as Ten Hag whines about a VAR offside decision

In short, its just a clever way of manipulating the narrative after the game. Ten Hag knows full well that during this game 2-3 blatant decisions went in favour of his team, but Man United have the most fans in world football, so as look as the social media narrative is churning out the fallacy that United got screwed, we spend less time asking questions like why the hell was Lindelof not sent off for booting Eddie Nketiah full in the face, or for what god damn reason was Arsenal's penalty revoked when it was the clearest contact you will ever seen?

Man United have been the receipt of 2 quite unbelievable VAR calls in recent weeks (Onana taking out the Wolves lad on the first match was the clearest penalty you will ever see).... if we lingered on that, the tough conversation about why certain teams ALWAYS get unexplainable decisions go their way would probably force changes. Instead, we get millions of Man United fans that outnumber the rest probably put together, claiming they were robbed, and the narrative changes from biased decisions their way to the idea everyteam is a victim of bad decisions.

One only has to look at the MacAllister red card being overturned after the social media uproar to see it works..... he went studs up off the ground into someones ankle, and the FA changed his red card.

If that's a Brighton lad, he gets told on Monday that his extra 2 game ban for violent conduct is already in the post. Its such nonsense.

And 2nd City goal this week I mean my god, the guy is 2 yards offside and masking the keepers view of the play... how the hell was that ruled a goal?

[sussexpob]

And even if it wasn't, whatever happened to the referee's decision being final, and showing respect to them?

I think this is easier said than done, BFL. Of course we all want to see players being respectful, but I put myself in their position at the moment, and the standard of refereeing is quite frankly absolutely appalling in the PL at the moment (and across the board).

I think if my professional performance and integrity was reduced on the basis of someone else's mistake, I'd lose my cool too. Its perfectly natural to do so. At the end of this year, Wolves could be relegated by a point... the point they should/could have got had it not been for a referee making an absolute stinking error in favour of a favourite team. Relegation costs jobs, reduction in wages, reputations.... a lot is at play.

The FA really need to buck up their ideas, because the standard is unacceptable.