Premier League 2019/2020

[Aussie Rules]

If a player gets a better deal then fine. But I personally rail against million dollar plus deals anywhere in the world when billions of people lack the basics of food, shelter and clothing - even the hope of growing old peacefully. 

[Fosse69]

4 hours ago, Aussie Rules said:

If a player gets a better deal then fine. But I personally rail against million dollar plus deals anywhere in the world when billions of people lack the basics of food, shelter and clothing - even the hope of growing old peacefully. 

Too true, but until people elect politicians world wide that think that way nothing much will change. My annoyance is a few clubs collecting players to sit on benches, which tend to create closed shops, not quite as bad as the US system with no promotion just franchises. But still drifting off topic.

[For Us All]

On 24/07/2019 at 16:04, Heatwave said:

Nice work if you can get it. I don't know anyone who would refuse that choice. 

Looks like he's off to China on a 3 year deal worth £150m.

Fewer games against poorer opposition with less pressure.It's a no brainer.

Mind you he might have to learn Chinese?😃

 

[TylerB]

 

Still not a lot happening yet. If I was a United fan I'd be very worried considering everybody knows they need at least 4 or 5 quality players to give them a chance. I'd have liked Liverpool to have made one top notch signing, and perhaps they still will, but seems like Klopp is happy enough just having the Ox back on the scene and the likes of Brewster and Wilson in the squad. That said, new signing Harvey Elliot is such a talented player and could become anything he wants to be under Klopp.

[TheSage]

I haven't really followed all the comings and goings in the top flight, apart from dropping my jaw in amazement (again) when I saw what De Gea was getting, Hudson Odoi (I think it was) at Chelsea, as an 18 year old, and now Bale and what China will pay him. It's beginning to grate with me these days and although I know it's supply and demand and nice work if you can get it, at the same time for most fans on the terraces paying - what is it, Tyler - £30-60 a ticket, it seems beyond the realms of reality and fairness. Or we can pay a fair wack to Sky/BT if you want to see most games - correction, haven't Amazon got games now or is that next year? - plus your BBC licence - and all that quickly adds up to quite a bit each year. Shirt? Parking? Travel? Food and drink? Programme/fanzine? Things from the shop? The list is endless and it can be very expensive and beyond the reach of some families. So, that side of things is getting out of hand for me, at the top level.

Back to the football. I think City will again be the team to beat. Haven't they strengthened in midfield? Someone from Atletico for mega bucks? I still think they have a slightly stronger squad than Liverpool but I don't know what Liverpool have been doing and don't recognise many names above. But if De Bruyne is fit all season the rest of the league will have fun chasing the ball for 90 minutes.

I worry a bit about Liverpool because they seem to have had a few lads playing in Africa all summer with no extended break. There is too much football now. But I was delighted to see them and the charismatic Klopp get their reward last year.

Spurs will be up there. Can't see United doing anything yet. They are still short of 3-4 quality players for me. Sorry Howjy. I don't think Lampard will turn around a Hazard-less Chelsea with no incomings. Arsenal are still rebuilding. So it's looking like a similar top 3-4 for me with no changing of the guard.

For the drop? The promoted teams often struggle and I would think the usual suspects will be down there, like Burnley, Brighton & Saints. Palace too if Zaha leaves.

 

[TylerB]

 

1 hour ago, TheSage said:

I haven't really followed all the comings and goings in the top flight, apart from dropping my jaw in amazement (again) when I saw what De Gea was getting, Hudson Odoi (I think it was) at Chelsea, as an 18 year old, and now Bale and what China will pay him. It's beginning to grate with me these days and although I know it's supply and demand and nice work if you can get it, at the same time for most fans on the terraces paying - what is it, Tyler - £30-60 a ticket, it seems beyond the realms of reality and fairness. Or we can pay a fair wack to Sky/BT if you want to see most games - correction, haven't Amazon got games now or is that next year? - plus your BBC licence - and all that quickly adds up to quite a bit each year. Shirt? Parking? Travel? Food and drink? Programme/fanzine? Things from the shop? The list is endless and it can be very expensive and beyond the reach of some families. So, that side of things is getting out of hand for me, at the top level.

Back to the football. I think City will again be the team to beat. Haven't they strengthened in midfield? Someone from Atletico for mega bucks? I still think they have a slightly stronger squad than Liverpool but I don't know what Liverpool have been doing and don't recognise many names above. But if De Bruyne is fit all season the rest of the league will have fun chasing the ball for 90 minutes.

I worry a bit about Liverpool because they seem to have had a few lads playing in Africa all summer with no extended break. There is too much football now. But I was delighted to see them and the charismatic Klopp get their reward last year.

Spurs will be up there. Can't see United doing anything yet. They are still short of 3-4 quality players for me. Sorry Howjy. I don't think Lampard will turn around a Hazard-less Chelsea with no incomings. Arsenal are still rebuilding. So it's looking like a similar top 3-4 for me with no changing of the guard.

For the drop? The promoted teams often struggle and I would think the usual suspects will be down there, like Burnley, Brighton & Saints. Palace too if Zaha leaves.

 

 

Yeah, City signed Rodri who plays similar to Busquets and will be a replacement for Fernandino in the near future. They've also signed a left-back who was previously on their books called Angelino but he's no better than what they already have. The thing with Liverpool is that it's almost impossible to bring in a genuinely world-class player without promising them first team football every week. Klopp is dead set on Mane, Salah and Firmino and rightly so. But it's not realistic to think about signing someone like Timo Werner or even re-sign Coutinho, two players they've been strongly linked with, and expect them to be on the bench most of the time. I'm glad that Rhian Brewster is going to be given his chance this coming season though as he's a gifted young English player and him, United's Greenwood and Arsenal's Nketiah could become England Internationals without any shadow of doubt if they fulfill their potential, and they're only going to do that by playing as many games as possible at the highest level. Agree on the wages, it's getting sickening if it wasn't already. But of course you can't blame the footballers themselves, even if at times they do give the impression of being greedy as is the case with Hudson-Odoi, who for all of his obvious talent has yet to achieve anything individually.

If Spurs can make another world-class signing to go along with Ndombele I think they could be right among it. Playing away from Wembley and back in what is their new home will help them too.

[TheSage]

I did read where Bale was on Liverpool's radar but was that complete rumour and agent speak?

And just thinking of United again, who have they brought in apart from a right back (seems to have potential but still learning) and James from Swansea (another young lad with huge potential but not yet cut it in the top flight)?  They don't seem settled at all. Is Pogba staying or going? Lukaku? Even if they buy another 2-3 world stars I still think they are behind the curve a little. You have to bide your time with young lads and bring them through slowly and carefully. The gulf between top top players and even good ones is now huge.

Not long to wait. As a neutral I'm hoping for a 4-5 horse race and a photo finish!

[For Us All]

On 28/07/2019 at 15:55, TheSage said:

I did read where Bale was on Liverpool's radar but was that complete rumour and agent speak?

And just thinking of United again, who have they brought in apart from a right back (seems to have potential but still learning) and James from Swansea (another young lad with huge potential but not yet cut it in the top flight)?  They don't seem settled at all. Is Pogba staying or going? Lukaku? Even if they buy another 2-3 world stars I still think they are behind the curve a little. You have to bide your time with young lads and bring them through slowly and carefully. The gulf between top top players and even good ones is now huge.

Not long to wait. As a neutral I'm hoping for a 4-5 horse race and a photo finish!

The world's gone mad.

United have signed Harry Maguire from Leicester for £85m,a world record fee for a defender.Fair play to Harry though,he's come up in the world from playing against us five years ago?

Good luck at United Harry.

[Aussie Rules]

2 minutes ago, For Us All said:

The world's gone mad.

United have signed Harry Maguire from Leicester for £85m,a world record fee for a defender.Fair play to Harry though,he's come up in the world from playing against us five years ago?

Good luck at United Harry.

The football world went mad years ago. There's simply no rhyme nor reason spending such money on footballers. 

[Fosse69]

Quote

3 minutes ago, Aussie Rules said:

The football world went mad years ago. There's simply no rhyme nor reason spending such money on footballers. 

 

Massive sponsors make all the difference

[Heatwave]

3 minutes ago, Fosse69 said:

Massive sponsors make all the difference

Money talks, and it talks loudest in the Greed Is Good League. Something to ponder while the fate of Bury and Bolton Wanderers are decided. 

[Fosse69]

1 minute ago, Heatwave said:

Money talks, and it talks loudest in the Greed Is Good League. Something to ponder while the fate of Bury and Bolton Wanderers are decided. 

Would £85M pay the wages of the entire League One for a season?  I know in reality the transfer fee will be staggered.

[Fosse69]

1 hour ago, For Us All said:

The world's gone mad.

United have signed Harry Maguire from Leicester for £85m,a world record fee for a defender.Fair play to Harry though,he's come up in the world from playing against us five years ago?

Good luck at United Harry.

Start a shuffle Bristol C > Brighton > Leicester, Lot of money to change hands

[For Us All]

2 minutes ago, Fosse69 said:

Start a shuffle Bristol C > Brighton > Leicester, Lot of money to change hands

Slam Dunk.

[Fosse69]

Quote

4 hours ago, For Us All said:

Slam Dunk.

 

Lots of value added