And, we’re off.......2018/2019

[Lord Tyrion]

Everton don’t seem to be doing too bad with a billionaire backing them in Moshiri and Wolves are also backed by considerable more money than say Spurs and Liverpool with the Fosun

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_owners_of_English_football_clubs

In both cases the clubs are starting from a point far further back. Liverpool in particular, over Spurs in the example you give, have had big money to spend, plus wages, for quite some years. It is very new to have decent money for both Wolves and Everton. Throw into that FFP and neither Moshiri or Wolves can go fully bonkers with a cheque book.

 

[Tashyboy]

Surely that's just human nature, I'd be exactly the same in his position.

It is slime, but he has just bought another player, who is highly rated by all accounts. But how long is he prepared to just hang around. His latest buy, is it a case that he wants to spend a few quid to keep the magpies in the Prem to protect his investment. Until the club is sold, the Geordies are gonna suffer.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

What is there for 7th though aside from the prize money? None of those battling around 7th-10th will kick on and break the top 6. It is very much a two, if not three tier league and with the odd exception (Leicester) the top six is a pretty closed shop at the moment with just a battle for Europa League spot/CL spot to sort

I'd say it is a 3 tier league and has been for some time. For a while the top tier had just 4 teams in it but now it is a 6 team league. Below that is currently a 5 team league, Everton, Watford, Wolves, Leicester, possibly West Ham. The rest are in the 3rd tier, looking down more than up. Everton and recently Leicester have been pretty steady in that 2 tier, otherwise teams move in and out of it. Burnley were there last year, Stoke and Southampton were for many years.

Breaking from the 2nd tier into the top tier is now incredibly difficult and requires the teams above to have bad years as much as teams below having good ones. It also requires a great deal of, and consistent, investment, not just one big summer. This year, especially now that Utd have picked up, no top team is having a mare. Some bumps but no disasters.

 

[Piece]

I'd say it is a 3 tier league and has been for some time. For a while the top tier had just 4 teams in it but now it is a 6 team league. Below that is currently a 5 team league, Everton, Watford, Wolves, Leicester, possibly West Ham. The rest are in the 3rd tier, looking down more than up. Everton and recently Leicester have been pretty steady in that 2 tier, otherwise teams move in and out of it. Burnley were there last year, Stoke and Southampton were for many years.

Breaking from the 2nd tier into the top tier is now incredibly difficult and requires the teams above to have bad years as much as teams below having good ones. It also requires a great deal of, and consistent, investment, not just one big summer. This year, especially now that Utd have picked up, no top team is having a mare. Some bumps but no disasters.

I want us to finish 8th. Don't want 7th as that means Europa League. Our squad won't be able to handle that, imho.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I want us to finish 8th. Don't want 7th as that means Europa League. Our squad won't be able to handle that, imho.

We'll fight you for 8th . I agree, let Wolves have 7th and let them crash and burn next season. I'd either want to be top 4 or below the Europa spot.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Just seen Lingard's pen, unsurprisingly theres been no criticism of his actions by some on here who are quick enough to comment on others.

 

[Orikoru]

I want us to finish 8th. Don't want 7th as that means Europa League. Our squad won't be able to handle that, imho.

It's sad how poorly viewed the Europa is that nobody wants to be in it. They might as well scrap the bloody thing. Not knocking you, every club seems to feel the same. Burnley last year qualified for it, what a great moment for the club etc etc - put the reserves out and get eliminated before it properly even begins. West Ham & Southampton have done the same in recent years to name a few.

 

[Orikoru]

Just seen Lingard's pen, unsurprisingly theres been no criticism of his actions by some on here who are quick enough to comment on others.

Just watched it, hadn't seen anything mentioned before. It is very similar to the two recent Salah ones. You have to question Hendrick putting his hand on him when he's going nowhere as well though - stupid defending. But yeah, he definitely feels a hand on the shoulder and drops to the floor.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

It's sad how poorly viewed the Europa is that nobody wants to be in it. They might as well scrap the bloody thing. Not knocking you, every club seems to feel the same. Burnley last year qualified for it, what a great moment for the club etc etc - put the reserves out and get eliminated before it properly even begins. West Ham & Southampton have done the same in recent years to name a few.

Its only 12 games to manage and reach the CL, im surprised more teams dont play their best sides in the Europa.

 

[ColchesterFC]

Just watched it, hadn't seen anything mentioned before. It is very similar to the two recent Salah ones. You have to question Hendrick putting his hand on him when he's going nowhere as well though - stupid defending. But yeah, he definitely feels a hand on the shoulder and drops to the floor.

I haven't seen it. BBC live text last night described it as a definite penalty as Lingard was pulled back. Was it really as much of a dive as the Salah ones?

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I haven't seen it. BBC live text last night described it as a definite penalty as Lingard was pulled back. Was it really as much of a dive as the Salah ones?

Yes.

 

[Orikoru]

I haven't seen it. BBC live text last night described it as a definite penalty as Lingard was pulled back. Was it really as much of a dive as the Salah ones?

Search for it on Twitter, that's how I found a video of it - or wait for MOTD tonight I guess. It was very similar to the Salah v Brighton penalty, where he had a hand on the shoulder, just slightly pulling him back, and he dropped to the floor. It's a difficult grey area, because technically that is a foul so a penalty is the correct call. They just fall to the floor to exaggerate and highlight it to the referee. That's just how football is nowadays. They look silly and potentially get booked if it's not awarded, but it often is.

In the Barnet v Brentford match I watched the other day (which was a classic by the way), a Barnet player got in the box, took a slight kick to the waist/thigh area, but ignored it and pulled the ball back into the box, but it was cleared. Robbie Savage on commentary was fuming and saying he should have gone down when the contact came in and earned his side a penalty! Perhaps that's what managers are saying to their players nowadays as well, I wouldn't be surprised.

In Dyche's interview last he basically said he never would have gone down like that, but that's modern football so there's not very much he can do or say about it.

 

[huds1475]

Just seen Lingard's pen, unsurprisingly theres been no criticism of his actions by some on here who are quick enough to comment on others.

Perhaps Phil is just busy Stu?

 

[fundy]

Just seen Lingard's pen, unsurprisingly theres been no criticism of his actions by some on here who are quick enough to comment on others.

got a link?

 

[fundy]

ok found a bad clip of it, seems like he goes down completely unnaturally to me so firmly in the simulation camp here

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think 7th place is likely to get Europa isn't it? Provided the FA Cup is won by a top 6 team. Other than that though, yeah it's just prize money, but I'm sure every team wants to finish as high as they can. Wolves being promoted and finishing 7th for example would be quite an achievement.

But as I know from Fulham's experience (which I wouldn't have missed as we got to a final) it's a drain on resources for a lot of average strength teams and hard to rotate a squad that isn't too deep without it affecting PL performances. It was definitely a mixed blessing, especially as if you get through the initial group stages.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Perhaps Phil is just busy Stu?

🙄

Yawn - why would you need to wait for me before being critical of your own player when it’s comes to simulation- or is it just when it’s opposing players

https://twitter.com/x/status/1090512505217171456

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Perhaps Pokerjoke is just busy Stu?

😉

 

[pokerjoke]

Have not seen the suggested dive as I didn’t watch it and I’m not on Twitter.

If he dived I would condemn it like all the other diving cheats out there.

As Slime said yesterday if Utd had lost and City lost it would have been a bad night.

I still think Liverpool will falter but I also think they will win the title.
Listening to the scousers chirping like budgies is going to be unbearable.

 

[Pin-seeker]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1090373341431693318

Searched it on twitter & the comments from Liverpool fans are just 😳

“If this was Salah” 🎻