Premier League 23/24 Thread

[Cazza]

Euros thread would be good- go for it. No stickers this year for me.

 

[weasel]

Agreed. Not collected the stickers since school, probably Italia 90

 

[theforceuk]

We need a Euro thread, I can't be assed collecting the stickers, may change my mind but doubt it.

 

[edd_jedi]

Arteta went 8th, 8th, 5th, 2nd and 2nd. Arsenal could easily have moved on after two seasons, but they trusted his plan, backed him to shift the duds and recruit his player to play his way. If, and it's a big if, Man Utd do something similar then they'll challenge. Man Utd and smart anything don't really go hand in hand right now though.

I know it looks like I'm Arteta bashing again, and I do genuinely thinks he's done an amazing job, but… his success is the exception, not the rule. If you put a manager with no experience in charge of a PL team for 5 seasons, 99 times out of 100 they will fail. Do you think Lampard, Rooney, Gerrard, Kompany etc would fair as well? They are literally the same as Arteta - ex players with no grassroots management experience. I don't want to call Arteta lucky, but damn have you been lucky because look how the rest turned out (granted none of them got 5 seasons.)

 

[edd_jedi]

And speaking of Kompany, him getting the Bayern job has got to be the most baffling managerial appointment of all time!?

On the plus side, I hope Kane wants to come back to Spurs after finding out

 

[edd_jedi]

I think there's a Euros fantasy football too if anyone fancies it?

 

[lejackal]

I know it looks like I'm Arteta bashing again, and I do genuinely thinks he's done an amazing job, but… his success is the exception, not the rule. If you put a manager with no experience in charge of a PL team for 5 seasons, 99 times out of 100 they will fail. Do you think Lampard, Rooney, Gerrard, Kompany etc would fair as well? They are literally the same as Arteta - ex players with no grassroots management experience. I don't want to call Arteta lucky, but damn have you been lucky because look how the rest turned out (granted none of them got 5 seasons.)

In fairness Pep had no first team managerial experience when he took over Barca. Sometimes people are just good at their jobs and learn fast.

 

[weasel]

And was Arteta not Pep's assistant/bitch for a few years? No better man to learn from. Unlike Fat Frank, Stevie and Wazza who all went straight in at the deep end…..and sank.


Wazza got the Plymouth job I see. A side who just stayed in the Championship appoint a guy who took Birmingham from top six to deep in the **** (albeit that club is as "well" run as Utd and Chelsea, but without the money). I can see no way that ends but with him sacked and Plymouth going down.

 

[lejackal]

Yep, chief cone boy for two/three seasons

 

[theforceuk]

Plymouth Argyle is my closest team, although I don't live in Plymouth I do listen to local radio and get the impression everyone is really excited. Because Plymouth is so far down they love it when somebody like Rooney comes in. I have to say I agree fully though, it's destined for failure, that said they probably would be with anyone, which begs the question why can't Rooney see this and stay clear? Probably has very few options.

As for Artetta I think a lot of his success is down to simply being at the right club for him. Some times the glove fits perfectly, the owners/board clearly saw something in Artetta in the early years to stick with him. He's certainly surprised me with how he's taken arsenal to the next level.

 

[weasel]

Agreed on both Arteta and Rooney.

Ps, @theforceuk now he's taken the job you should probably keep an eye on your mum and granny. We all know he likes the grannies

 

[lejackal]

Sat down, put discovery on, Madrid just about to lift the trophy, changed the channel. Their record in the competition is ridiculous in recent years. Still a bunch of coCoNUTS though

 

[weasel]

I saw bits of it on a phone at a BBQ. It looked like the typical Real game in a CL, they get out played, the other team dont take their chances and Real get two chances and score.

Much as we call Arsenal "lucky", Real in the CL is an entirely different league of luck.

Yer boy from Dortmund scores that one on one, the shot that hits the post goes in and it's a totally different game. City score any of the 27 chances they missed in the quarter final and Real lose. Courtious doesn't have the game of his life and save more shots than any keeper in CL/Euorpean cup final history and Real lose the last final to Pool. Ramos doesn't dislocate Salah's shoulder, Karius doesn't get concussed, and who knows what happens in the first Pool Real final. Ramos doesn't equalise in the 96th minute against Atleti and Real sure as **** lose. Etc., etc., etc.

When their luck turns they won't win a game for 20 years, and I'll love every second of it.


Ohhh and the last manager to beat Real in a European final?




A young Alex Ferguson at Aberdeen!

 

[theforceuk]

Yeap Cup' Winners' Cup final 1983!

 

[lejackal]

Man City fighting against the "tyranny of the majority"
Bless their little cotton socks, the plucky underdogs are taking a stance against the tyrants

Manchester City launch legal action against Premier League over sponsorship rules

Manchester City have taken legal action to challenge sponsorship rules and the means by which decisions are taken by the Premier League

www.theguardian.com

 

[theforceuk]

There basically admitting that they've cheated but don't agree with the rules they've broken. Best form of defence is attack.

 

[weasel]

It's purely coincidence that the club that definitely hasn't broken the rules, 115 times, sues claiming the rules aren't fair. And that the club that had won 6 of the last 7 PL's sues saying the rules have disadvantaged them.

I saw someone say that you only do stuff like that if you know the punishment for the 115 charges is going to be bloody severe. I hope they are right, and City lose the case and are ****ed down to the regional leagues and stripped of every title, trophy and Pound of prize money.

 

[theforceuk]

Man City's revenue in 2008 was £21 million, last set of accounts showed a revenue of £720 million……that's some growth in 16 years.

 

[lejackal]

1177% uplift was the figure I saw quoted, so yeah, completely mental and far and away the highest of all the top clubs.

 

[weasel]

It's ALMOST as if they cheated and lied!