While we’re on the subject of things to watch… The Damned United is on BBC1 at 11 tonight, so worth recording as it’s bloody brilliant! I suppose that means it’ll be on iplayer
This was the team labelled Dirty Leeds which has hung about a bit since. But the reality was Revie was looking at how continental teams at the time played (ie Juventus) and modelled Leeds on that. Not dirty but cynical.
Funny that Clough's later Forest team were also pretty cynical.
That Leeds team were brilliant. My earliest football memory was them being robbed by Bayern in 1975.
Oh yes, the 1970 FA Cup replay at Old Trafford was full of ‘cynicism’. (smiley face winking emoji)
I know it’s a cheap shot at a goal a mile wide but this did make me laugh..
The draw for the Champions League is just mind-boggling.
Designed to have more big name clashes early on whilst ensuring the big names get through. I think. I'll just take in the fixtures as they come
Was meant to let smaller teams have a chance to do more than be whipping boys as well, as a supporter of Celtic it'll be nice to have a couple of games we have a chance with, instead of just a pot 1 and pot 2 team who will roll us over.
The best thing any sport can do with it's tournaments is make them super confusing so that the casual viewer has no idea what's going on.
My team Wrexham are spending pretty big in EFL1 terms but Birmingham are taking it to another level. They've just bid £10m for Fulham's Jay Stanfield on top of the £16m already spent although they did get £5m for Jordan James this summer. The whole of the EFL seems to be morphing into a bunch of extremely rich owners but at the moment you are either with the haves or the have nots, I guess a bit like the UK in general.
As a Shrewsbury town fan, may I say that while I applaud Wrexham's revival and am quite enjoying the documentary, they'd better not get into the PL, or I'll cry.
lol at doris5000. Playing you guys in 8 days and managed to snag a ticket and it's nice to renew the rivalry I remember from a good many years ago when you were at the old ground in town next to the river.
Real lack of activity at City, I wonder if they are building a war chest in the expectation of a big (200 million +) fine.
or it could be that they've already got a very talented squad and don't need the extra players
Remember the last few years where they sold Sterling, Zinchenko, Jesus, Laporte, Mahrez, Brahim Diaz, Torres, Gundogan etc. etc, and nothing really changed.
No proper left back, no proper cover for Rodri, Harland the only proper striker. City are not a complete team, they have the best 1st team in most some important positions IMO, but I think that the gooners are probably going into the season with a better strength squad.
City have shown in the past that they want the right deal, and will walk away if they don't feel they are getting the right value, but this feels different, there aren't even any strong rumours of deals that they couldn't get done or fell apart.
lol at doris5000. Playing you guys in 8 days and managed to snag a ticket and it’s nice to renew the rivalry I remember from a good many years ago when you were at the old ground in town next to the river.
I loved that old ground! Even though it was a complete shed, and despite the fact that every visiting team found it hilarious that it was called 'the Gay Meadow'. All the stuff with the bloke retrieving balls from the river in a coracle just exemplified the endearing crapness of lower league footy that makes it what it is.
I (really) hate to say it, but i think you're gonna give us a pasting. We haven't won a league match since March, and we're plum last. It's going to be a long old season...
My team Wrexham are spending pretty big in EFL1 terms but Birmingham are taking it to another level. They’ve just bid £10m for Fulham’s Jay Stanfield on top of the £16m already spent although they did get £5m for Jordan James this summer.
It's insane what Knighthead have done/are doing at Birmingham - never in the history of football has a fan base been less bothered about relegation. If we get Stanno back it'll be massive.
I see Toney looks like he might be taking early retirement in the Saudi league
That's really disappointing. Probably means he's not too fussed about getting picked for England, either...
Toney has found success a little later than most, only been on good money for a few years, and even that is still probably on the lower side of PL earnings. Also given that he just been barely used in the England set-up, and if the new manager has indicated that will probably continue, I can see why he would be tempted to feather his nest in SA.
It is a shame that he doesn't have any decent offers from PL or Europaplan teams, I personally think he could do a really good job for a team on the cusp of champions league qualification. But I don't think he is in the same situation as someone who has been at a big club for most of his playing career, he is someone who is earning at a level where he has to think more about his lifelong financial situation, in a few years his savings pot may be all he has to live on till the end of his life, he really doesn't have the superstar power to use his football past to earn in the future IMO.
I can see why he would be tempted to feather his nest in SA
For one last payday, sure. But he's got several years left at the top level of he wants it.
he's not on crazy money, though as a normal human I feel like having earned some £5 million plus bonuses plus sponsorships plus whatever else by the age of 28 is enough to get your pension in good shape. (i do accept that he might have lost a fair chunk on what appears to be a gambling problem though)
but.... as a guaranteed starter at Brentford, and as some teammates earn almost triple his salary, he was surely well set for a contract renegotiation (only had one year left) if he wanted good money and regular PL football.
i dunno, good luck to him and all that. I can see why he was agitating for a move away from Brentford - he's been excellent and no doubt deserves to be at a club that plays in Europe, at least. I just always think it's a bit sad when players do one to Saudi, (just like 10 years ago with China). Especially considering you have to live in Bahrain anyway so your wife and kids don't get stoned to death for wearing jeans and a t-shirt.
Tricky move for Toney given betting in Saudi is illegal. Or perhaps the best thing for him, removing temptation.
My team Wrexham are spending pretty big in EFL1 terms but Birmingham are taking it to another level. They’ve just bid £10m for Fulham’s Jay Stanfield on top of the £16m already spent although they did get £5m for Jordan James this summer. The whole of the EFL seems to be morphing into a bunch of extremely rich owners but at the moment you are either with the haves or the have nots, I guess a bit like the UK in general.
Speaking of have-nots; my team hasn't been allowed to buy anyone, while other clubs pick off our best talent at will, because the EFL's decision on who's a fit and proper person to own a football club has turned out to be the worst one since someone said 'maybe camera technology would help with ref's decisions'
I know it's a competition and I'm wired to the moon but this could happen to about 80% of the league; wouldn't it be nice if the other clubs didn't asset strip, or at the very least not bash down knowing it's a firesale and at least offer a fair rate for the talent they're poaching.
The scary thing is that this whole FFP thing is starting to cause a lot more damage to some clubs, and do the opposite of what it was meant to do, we see teams doing a boom or bust approach in the hopes of achieving promotion, or winning something, to offset their transfer splurges, but if they don't get promotion, they are having to have a fire sale, and everyone exploits it.
It's also providing a safety net for some big teams, i see ManU are spending big again, same as always, Chelsea as well, but the teams who want to challenge, like Newcastle, or Villa, have to toe the line as they're getting close to the limits, so they have funds, but can't spend to compete against teams who finished below them last year?!
I see ManU are spending big again, same as always
No doubt on another batch of overpriced Donkey’s. I wouldn’t worry. We’ll still finish 7th. If we’re lucky.
United have raked in £100m though, including selling homegrown players. I don’t rate McTominay at all, but he gives his all, and it’s a bit sad to see someone there 2o odd years shipped on as it suits the FFP rules.
Transfer window's nearly over, anyone on here been signed by Chelsea?
Not Stanno - he's a Bluenose. 😀
@dander - unfortunately he’ll forever be remembered as one half of the disastrous McFred midfield partnership that induced so much swearing amongst United fans. Probably unfair, but there you go
Sancho on loan to Chelsea? Just bizarre. We paid 75 million for a player who mainly sat in the bench, then was sent out on loan to the club we paid the 75 million to, and now he’s off on loan to Chelsea, where he’ll no doubt spend his time warming the bench.
Meanwhile Sterling is off on loan to Arsenal, who presumably felt they were missing someone who could reliably find the corner flag or row Z with their efforts on goal?
Oh and Toni has effectively retired. Off to the Saudi Pro League/Sleepy Meadows Home for the Greedy and Bewildered
Off to the Saudi Pro League/Sleepy Meadows Home for the Greedy and Bewildered
Says the United fan....
Usual mental window, last minute loans are always weird, but Chelsea still appear to be run by a 12 year old with access to Championship Manager, Brighton were the biggest net spenders as well. Big clubs relatively quiet, City made a large profit, Liverpool and Newcastle made small profits, as stated, ManU spent big again, think they're around £500 million net spend with Ten Hag now, so should really be pushing for top 3 this year.
You have to feel for Toney, he wanted a big team, but none of them came in for him, he's a player who hasn't made a huge fortune and is getting on, so you can see why he's gone out to the Saudi league, plus Brentford basically told him he's gone, one way or another.
It'll be interesting to see the newly promoted teams and how they do, i see Ipswich were the second biggest net spenders, just ahead of ManU, if they go down straight away that's a hell of a lot of debt for 1 year to sustain in a 3 year period (and only 1 EPL season), they could be in real trouble, the newly promoted seem to have to either make a big gamble, or accept they're going straight back down and spend modestly.
@binners - I've got a feeling that Sterling might find the form he was in a few years ago. Arteta managed to turn Havertz from Plug in the Beano to a half decent team player last year, so there is hope for Sterling.
Sancho was in good form at Dortmund last year. It's obvious that something at Man U isn't right, well it's everything by the stories we hear. ETH is simply awful - his Ajax success was that he was lucky to have such a talented pool of players in peak form.
I'm really looking forward to another year of mediocrity from your lot.
Toney is a weird move but the betting ban blotted his copy book. Maybe moving somewhere without bookies will be good for him?
@doris5000 - Shrewsbury have bagged a great player in Alex Gilliead, really disappointed Bradford have let him go. Not necessarily the most technically gifted player but he'll give you 100% week in, week out. Massive engine too, he can run forever. Hopefully you stay up so we can play you next season 😉
i see Ipswich were the second biggest net spenders, just ahead of ManU, if they go down straight away that’s a hell of a lot of debt for 1 year to sustain in a 3 year period (and only 1 EPL season), they could be in real trouble,
Very worrying from a longer term perspective. Even with my blue rose tinted glasses on we are not the kind of team who are "definitely" long term Premiership, and I'd sooner we bounce up and down like Norwich rather than go big and go bust.
I’ve got a feeling that Sterling might find the form he was in a few years ago. Arteta managed to turn Havertz from Plug in the Beano to a half decent team player last year, so there is hope for Sterling.
You're talking about a player they spent £65 million on, who had a struggle at Chelsea during their mental period (still ongoing!), it's not as if Arteta took a gamble on someone like Dele Alli and turned them around.
It’s obvious that something at Man U isn’t right, well it’s everything by the stories we hear. ETH is simply awful – his Ajax success was that he was lucky to have such a talented pool of players in peak form.
A fair appraisal. I look forward to seeing if any of our latest signings can fail as dismally to deliver as Antony did last season
You won a trophy.
Ming the Merciless lookalikey comp?
You won a trophy.
…and finished 8th, 31 points behind city, with some truly abject performances, after an outlay of what?… £1.5 billion?
If you’re Spurs then that’s your best season for 40 years, or whatever, but we’re not. The FA Cup win was a double-edged sword, because it saved Ten Hag from the definite chop and I suspect we’re in for a pretty serious reality intrusion tomorrow afternoon. We were tonked by Brighton last weekend and only managed to squeak 3 points at home against Fulham the week before. Not a great start, is it?
Under Ten Hag it still looks as disjointed and incoherent as ever and none of us are any the wiser about what it is he’s actually trying to do
Ref in the Arsenal game just likes the sound of their fans whining post-match, clearly.
Wasn't really a second yellow, was it?
The 2nd yellow was ridiculous.
I can't even see where he is meant to have kicked it? It just sort of bounces off the side of his foot?
He nudges it to the side while being booted by the Brighton player. Time-wasting? He doesn't even move it more than a couple of feet.
Was there today and great to see a ref that didn’t give every free kick when players fall to the floor (Saka and tbf Pedro).
Couldn’t see what Rice got the second yellow for as it was down the other end but having watched it on the way home he clearly kicks the ball away as Veltman was about to take a quick free kick. You expect Rice to be a bit smarter than that when he’s already on a yellow. Maybe he just assumed the ref wouldn’t be brave enough to send him off at the Emirates.
