The Football Thread.

Boromedic · April 2023

axisus said:

Boromedic said:

Anyway, we've secured the playoffs at least which didn't look at all likely pre Carrick, we're never going to get the Blades now so it's the lottery!! Don't fancy playing Luton, they're a bit of a bogey side for us, or at least they used to be in the plaggy pitch days So I hope they get drawn in the other half and beaten. Great season for me, just hope we can top it off, but I won't be too disappointed if we don't as we're a great side to watch on our day and that's been a long time coming.

As a Born & Bred Lutonian I am SOOOOOO happy that we are most likely back in the playoffs again! After all those dark years dropping out of the league I could just never imagine us being in this position again. I would LOVE to see us back in the top flight! Yes, we would get battered every week and I could just see the lowest ever Prem points total, but it would be magnificent!!!!! I'm even happy if we don't make it, just to see us at the top end of the Championship is brilliant!

I think you've made it certain haven't you? If we're confirmed they must be as they're above us

Would be nice to make it to the Prem for either side, we shall see!

menamestom · April 2023

Teetonetal said:

The issue with Man U does not lie with the Owners. They have bought players, spent big and backed managers. The real issue is that for years players arrive with good reputations and get worse. So the real problem is either with the recruitment or the coaching. The 2nd string players don't seem to be able to step up.

ETH needs to be given time - the team has looked good at times this season and I think for the first time some players have looked better, so with a few squad changes in the summer, I think they will be in good shape.

The Glazers have owned the club for nearly 20 years so are ultimately responsible for recruitment and coaching. They seem to have been ambivalent to making any strategic changes to the management and structure. As long as they have been able to milk the cash cow they haven't really been interested. The whole structure is wrong and needs addressing.

ETH is the right man and has done enough this season to prove that, but ultimately whilst the current owners and board remain in place, the club will not be able to move forward.

axisus · April 2023

TTony said:

I really am grateful that ManU & Chelsea are having such dramas.

Takes some of the spotlight off the debacle at Spurs.

In all fairness all the drama is Chelsea. Man U have had two or three dire matches (Sevilla x2, L'pool) but actually look better than they have for many years overall.

I do feel a bit sorry for Spurs fans, it just never works out for you lot.

Wazmeister · April 2023

axisus said:

TTony said:

I really am grateful that ManU & Chelsea are having such dramas.

Takes some of the spotlight off the debacle at Spurs.

In all fairness all the drama is Chelsea. Man U have had two or three dire matches (Sevilla x2, L'pool) but actually look better than they have for many years overall.

I do feel a bit sorry for Spurs fans, it just never works out for you lot.

For me, Conte was absolutely spot on…

But you simply cant upset our little millionaire darlings can you ?

You want to see sadness and pain ?

My beloved Q.P.R. are heading towards relegation, and the whole club is meling away like ice in the sun…

TTony · April 2023

Wazmeister said:

My beloved Q.P.R. are heading towards relegation, and the whole club is meling away like ice in the sun…

I have a bit of a soft spot for QPR, for no reason other than I remember watching Stan Bowles back in the day.

Thought QPR were going to get sorted when Mark Warburton went there.

RaymondLin · April 2023

Man U doesn't really have much drama. They lost a few games, but already won a trophy, still on course for Top 4. This is a good season. I mean the Glazer sales stuff can be drama i guess.

Chelsea on the other hand is where the drama is, it makes Spurs' problems look small because FFP and big wage bill and all those dead weight is going to drag on for at least another season plus. No CL or european football is a massive lost. Won't attract the players that they need, like a No.9 and those that are there who are on huge wages wouldn't want to go for less. Like that Murdrik (sp) kid who clearly went to Chelsea for the paycheque when Arsenal was Top of the League and he made all the social media posts about going to Arsenal before changing his mind to go to Chelsea.

Chelsea's problem is medium to long term and is all their doing. I have no sympathy for their owners.

Wazmeister · April 2023

TTony said:

Wazmeister said:

My beloved Q.P.R. are heading towards relegation, and the whole club is meling away like ice in the sun…

I have a bit of a soft spot for QPR, for no reason other than I remember watching Stan Bowles back in the day.

Thought QPR were going to get sorted when Mark Warburton went there.

Yes, me as well mate...

Sadly lost Beale, and now are in free fall...

axisus · April 2023

RaymondLin said:

Man U doesn't really have much drama. They lost a few games, but already won a trophy, still on course for Top 4. This is a good season. I mean the Glazer sales stuff can be drama i guess.

Chelsea on the other hand is where the drama is, it makes Spurs' problems look small because FFP and big wage bill and all those dead weight is going to drag on for at least another season plus. No CL or european football is a massive lost. Won't attract the players that they need, like a No.9 and those that are there who are on huge wages wouldn't want to go for less. Like that Murdrik (sp) kid who clearly went to Chelsea for the paycheque when Arsenal was Top of the League and he made all the social media posts about going to Arsenal before changing his mind to go to Chelsea.

Chelsea's problem is medium to long term and is all their doing. I have no sympathy for their owners.

Didn't they recently give a payer a 9 year contract!?!?!

RaymondLin · April 2023

axisus said:

RaymondLin said:

Man U doesn't really have much drama. They lost a few games, but already won a trophy, still on course for Top 4. This is a good season. I mean the Glazer sales stuff can be drama i guess.

Chelsea on the other hand is where the drama is, it makes Spurs' problems look small because FFP and big wage bill and all those dead weight is going to drag on for at least another season plus. No CL or european football is a massive lost. Won't attract the players that they need, like a No.9 and those that are there who are on huge wages wouldn't want to go for less. Like that Murdrik (sp) kid who clearly went to Chelsea for the paycheque when Arsenal was Top of the League and he made all the social media posts about going to Arsenal before changing his mind to go to Chelsea.

Chelsea's problem is medium to long term and is all their doing. I have no sympathy for their owners.

Didn't they recently give a payer a 9 year contract!?!?!

Chelsea? I think it was 8, to get past the FFP rules, spread the cost of the player.

Philly_Q · April 2023

RaymondLin said:

axisus said:

RaymondLin said:

Man U doesn't really have much drama. They lost a few games, but already won a trophy, still on course for Top 4. This is a good season. I mean the Glazer sales stuff can be drama i guess.

Chelsea on the other hand is where the drama is, it makes Spurs' problems look small because FFP and big wage bill and all those dead weight is going to drag on for at least another season plus. No CL or european football is a massive lost. Won't attract the players that they need, like a No.9 and those that are there who are on huge wages wouldn't want to go for less. Like that Murdrik (sp) kid who clearly went to Chelsea for the paycheque when Arsenal was Top of the League and he made all the social media posts about going to Arsenal before changing his mind to go to Chelsea.

Chelsea's problem is medium to long term and is all their doing. I have no sympathy for their owners.

Didn't they recently give a payer a 9 year contract!?!?!

Chelsea? I think it was 8, to get past the FFP rules, spread the cost of the player.

Mudryk and Fernandez are both on eight-and-a-half-year contracts. Maybe one or two others as well, I don't know.

TeleMaster · April 2023

Philly_Q · April 2023

They've blown it. I just can't see City dropping any points in a similar fashion.

Philly_Q · April 2023

Hmmm, maybe not....

TeleMaster · April 2023

Philly_Q said:

Hmmm, maybe not....

3-3!!!

Philly_Q · April 2023

TeleMaster said:

Philly_Q said:

Hmmm, maybe not....

3-3!!!

Good effort, but six points dropped in the last three games... they probably have blown it.

Lestratcaster · April 2023

I tell you this supporting Arsenal business is doing no good to my health! Was literally on the edge of my seat in the last 10 minutes. Poor start, dunno what Ramsdale was doing giving them a goal inside 30 seconds. Then the 2nd one goes in.

I thought we had run out of ideas until Odegaard's goal, and then when it went in for 3-3 I couldn't believe the turnaround.

But the dropped points are going to cost us. I don't see us getting anything next Weds, and City dropping points in between then and the end of the season.

axisus · April 2023

Damn it. Another city title. Bollox.

guitars4you · April 2023

Arsenal now have to beat Citeh to win the title - If they had have beaten Soton then they would have gone clear by 7 points, albeit played 2 games more - But that 7 points would have ensured Citeh would have had to win this coming week and a draw for Arsenal would have been good news - That draw last night has changed the whole pressure point

sev112 · April 2023

look, West Ham still have to play City. That will give you gooners another chance - don’t muck it up!!

Philly_Q · April 2023

I realise no-one here gives a flying fuck, but Swansea have gone on a quite remarkable run recently - 16 points from the last 6 games. At the beginning of March I was saying I could hardly believe Russell Martin hadn't been sacked **.

Of course several of the better players will be leaving in the summer and we'll be back near the bottom end of the Championship next season.

(** I'm sure he would have been, were it not for the fact that Swansea's owners have zero interest in the club. They've probably forgotten they even own it.)

thecolourbox · April 2023

Results have certainly gone well today again for a late West Brom Play Off charge, however it's usually when we hope for the best that the players let us all down and crumble to bits so I'm not expecting much positive tomorrow against Sunderland

MrTee · April 2023

Hollywood ending for Wrexham tonight

Boromedic · April 2023

thecolourbox said:

Results have certainly gone well today again for a late West Brom Play Off charge, however it's usually when we hope for the best that the players let us all down and crumble to bits so I'm not expecting much positive tomorrow against Sunderland

Fingers crossed you can beat the dirty Mackems!

RaymondLin · April 2023

Yay Wrexham!

thecolourbox · April 2023

Boromedic said:

thecolourbox said:

Results have certainly gone well today again for a late West Brom Play Off charge, however it's usually when we hope for the best that the players let us all down and crumble to bits so I'm not expecting much positive tomorrow against Sunderland

Fingers crossed you can beat the dirty Mackems!

Is that because you know you'd beat us over two legs in the play offs haha

kaypeejay · April 2023

Currently trying to keep my breakfast down after “slightly” over celebrating Wrexham’s result. Boreham Wood scored after something like 43 seconds but then we Mullined them!! That man is welcome at my house any time.

TeleMaster · April 2023

I'm super happy Wrexham managed to get promoted because I've followed it since the start, and you can't deny that the owners are completely in love with the club and are what owners should be. I'm a big fan of It's Always Sunny and Rob seems great, and Ryan Reynolds seems really down to earth and they've done the best for that club. These are all positives things and the owners deserve a lot of praise.

But when you look at it without the emotion it is another example of money winning titles. They've spent more than anyone in their league after the owners have come in, and it proves that money injections will win stuff at any level and it was only a matter of time before people started buying up lower league clubs. Lots of clubs in that league are very sensible and sustainable and it must be heartbreaking to see Wrexham winning with this kind of backing just a couple of years after being taken over, it's unprecedented at that level. I wonder what the fans of other clubs in the National League think of this whole thing.

They went from 19th, to 8th, to 2nd to winning it. They've doubled their goals scored in a couple of years, they are paying their players triple the league average, and some players are reportedly earning 5x the average (Mullins), they signed a Premier League level goalie, just retired (Foster) and their manager is a manager who normally manages clubs 3/4 leagues above Wrexham.

So while I am happy for the club, the supporters, I do think that it is interesting to look at this as another example of the influence of money in football. I suspect that many more lower league teams in good locations with good fanbases will start to get taken over and we will eventually see even wider disparancies open up between the upper leagues and lower leagues. I don't think it's a good thing for football, but I also don't want to see grand old clubs struggling and going under. It's also not a good thing for clubs to go under and scrap by. So it's a complex issue, isn't it.

Anyway, congrats to Wrexham. May your fans be very drunk!

scrumhalf · April 2023

Oh bollocks.

TeleMaster · April 2023

scrumhalf said:

Oh bollocks.

Spurs fan?

steamabacus · April 2023

Spurs - Just like watching Brazil! Playing Germany.

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