And, we’re off.......2018/2019

[Papas1982]

Yeboah was class though. Banging screamers every week. (In reality he probably only scored a handful that were replayed endlessly, lol.) I think it's just my generation though, when I started watching football they were a solid Prem team, then they got better and started competing - then they just kind of vanished. In a nine year stretch they finished top five 7 times, that's pretty good going. Then it was 15th, 19th, and they were gone. I would have liked to see them come back.

They were never gonna bounce straight back tbh. They took a punt on the cl. Missed it one year and were gone. Lived and died by the sword. All that success you remember was built on quicksand. It wasn’t done organically like spurs for example. They took a punt and failed. No sympathy from me I’m afraid.

Yeah Yeboah scored the same banger two years in a row but history would have you believe it was every weekend lol

 

[Orikoru]

That side with O'Leary was great to see, it was a romantic story. I'm not sure why the unpopularity stuck after that but it did. That team should have banished those old memories.

Good points you make about the loans etc, I wasn't aware of that.

I think any goodwill they built up was ruined by Lee Bowyer!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Football is the only sport I know where there is sometimes genuine hatred between supporters of different teams.

Mostly it’s just partisan, almost tribal rivalry, which as long as it’s good humoured isn’t a problem

That’s football

This is a golf forum, we tolerate football threads, we could easily ban football and religion and politics threads, but that would devalue the forum in my view.

Re Liverpool specifically, you have “history” Heysel and Hillsborough happened, both tragic events. But they happened, and sometimes these events will get mentioned in the course of debate.

Of course the context is everything and if the post is out of order, report it and we will look at it and take action if we think it appropriate, what you don’t see is the editing , warning and infractions we issue behind the scenes.

There are so many posts in this thread it’s impossible for the mods to police it fully, so if you see something that is obviously wrong, report it.

And if you drop another F bomb I’ll do you, I’ve edited it as it’s a very emotive subject and you were clearly angry, but no need for that.

I believe what Pete is trying to say is

Hillsborough, Heysel , Munich , Bradford etc shouldn’t be “taboo” subjects , there is no reason why it can’t be discussed and just look at the way Hobbit and Paul interacted about it , these were awful events and at times it’s good to keep awareness about them

BUT the issue is when people use these events as some sort of tool to try and score points or get people to react , it happens on here regularly from a few certain people and the “warning” comes out but a couple weeks later it happens again , it’s disgraceful that people are allowed to use innocent lives lost as something to troll people. It happens all over social media and not just here though and people seem to love the reaction which is natural.

Rivalry , banter , tribalism etc will always be there in football and 99% of the time it’s within the acceptable boundaries - it’s a shame that the 1% go beyond that line and imo using Hillsborough etc to get people to react is disgusting - even more so when you know it’s from grown adults who know exactly what happened. Talk of Hillsborough etc should never be culled - the use of it to wind people up should be.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I really wanted Leeds to go up! Big club who have been away far too long, and Bielsa is a great character. Bit of a shame they bottled it last night big style. So we have the choice of Frank Lampard's Derby or John Terry's Villa now. Joy.

Is it not Dennis Smith’s Villa ?

That side with O'Leary was great to see, it was a romantic story. I'm not sure why the unpopularity stuck after that but it did. That team should have banished those old memories.

Good points you make about the loans etc, I wasn't aware of that.

It’s a shame that the romantic story is the reason why they dropped like stones - paying massive wages and then banking on CL to help pay for them . A lot of their unpopularity was from that and of course historically from the Revie years etc

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It’s a shame that the romantic story is the reason why they dropped like stones - paying massive wages and then banking on CL to help pay for them . A lot of their unpopularity was from that and of course historically from the Revie years etc

I don't remember at the time people being aware that they were blowing the budget, it was only at the end when they started to unravel. That team played with freedom, they had a number of young and exciting players in it. They were reminiscent of the Spurs team when Bale was there, imo.

I'm sure you are right about the Revie team, largely disliked by most. I didn't mention that era as it was before me and so not my reference point. It certainly would be for many though.

 

[Hobbit]

I believe what Pete is trying to say is

Hillsborough, Heysel , Munich , Bradford etc shouldn’t be “taboo” subjects , there is no reason why it can’t be discussed and just look at the way Hobbit and Paul interacted about it , these were awful events and at times it’s good to keep awareness about them

BUT the issue is when people use these events as some sort of tool to try and score points or get people to react , it happens on here regularly from a few certain people and the “warning” comes out but a couple weeks later it happens again , it’s disgraceful that people are allowed to use innocent lives lost as something to troll people. It happens all over social media and not just here though and people seem to love the reaction which is natural.

Rivalry , banter , tribalism etc will always be there in football and 99% of the time it’s within the acceptable boundaries - it’s a shame that the 1% go beyond that line and imo using Hillsborough etc to get people to react is disgusting - even more so when you know it’s from grown adults who know exactly what happened. Talk of Hillsborough etc should never be culled - the use of it to wind people up should be.

Very well said Phil.

Knowing history, learning from history stops people making the same mistakes.

Some of the best laughs I've had at matches has been with opposition supporters at away games. Probably the best being a night match at Spurs 10-15 years back. Ended up going for a curry with them - fab night! Banter can be sharp but still brilliant. As long as we remember that banter, like any joke, has to be able to be laughed at by both sides. We all a laugh and to enjoy life, so why troll?

Worst night was at an international night. Internationals seem to come with a far greater share of idiots from both sides.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't remember at the time people being aware that they were blowing the budget, it was only at the end when they started to unravel. That team played with freedom, they had a number of young and exciting players in it. They were reminiscent of the Spurs team when Bale was there, imo.

I'm sure you are right about the Revie team, largely disliked by most. I didn't mention that era as it was before me and so not my reference point. It certainly would be for many though.

I get the Revie thing (for those that remember that far back like me) and yes I think there was a dislike to the way they played and the "dirty Leeds" tag that went with them. As for their demise after that, as others have said if was a bankrolled project based on CL qualification and once that failed it fell like a house of cards. As a club now, they've had great support even as a league one side and so you have to hope they enjoy their chance to get to the PL and if they get there, the club has a degree of stability, especially in terms of their managerial turnover, and that they buy sensibly and with a pragmatic outlook to PL survivability (unlike my mob who spent £100m+ and ended up with players that couldn't play as a team and look where that finished)

 

[pendodave]

As someone who occasionally spends money on watching football, I'd much rather have big city teams with ambition and support like villa and Leeds in the top flight than a lesser light with a few hundred away fans, 10 men behind the ball, time wasting from minute one, tactical fouling etc etc

I'm old enough to remember many incarnations of Leeds, doesn't bother me in the slightest. Most clubs have gone through a variety of good and bad times, many self inflicted, so it's tough to take the moral high ground.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I
was starting to feel the love for the champs league. But the noisy neighbours are not welcome at the top table. Both here and in europe. City get a one year ban for overspending. Utd for over spending get Olly for one year. Gonna do a big write up on City once the FA cup is done. But if City do get a ban. Chances are it wont be next season if they go through appeal process.

It’s not just about “overspending” though - it’s seems it’s also about deception and lying to the authorities in regards covering up spending to ensure FFP rules are complied too . It’s got nothing to do with “not being welcome” as if it’s some big conspiracy against City - remember they have already been found guilty once before and fined.

City are also currently under investigation by FA , Prem League and FIFA -

City have bought themselves a place in the top table over a very short period of time - that was only done through the spending which is ok provided the money being spent is at a level within FFP ,

For years people wanted FFP to show some teeth and make the sport a bit more financially responsible- maybe this is the start as opposed to a one off

 

[Papas1982]

As someone who occasionally spends money on watching football, I'd much rather have big city teams with ambition and support like villa and Leeds in the top flight than a lesser light with a few hundred away fans, 10 men behind the ball, time wasting from minute one, tactical fouling etc etc

I'm old enough to remember many incarnations of Leeds, doesn't bother me in the slightest. Most clubs have gone through a variety of good and bad times, many self inflicted, so it's tough to take the moral high ground.

The size of a cubs fan base has zero to do with the style of play you’ll get to see. Do you honestly think if Leeds were to have gained promotion they’d have gone all gun ho all season? Finances form fans are insignificant now. It’s all media revenue. If bmouth made the champions league two years in a row they’d be able to outspend any of the so called big city teams that aren’t currently present in the league (if they’d been promoted and finished 17th).

 

[USER1999]

So Barca and Madrid have absolutely ignored FFP for years, but the moment City look to be getting somewhere, UEFA jump on them. Hmm.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Is it not Dennis Smith’s Villa ?




It’s a shame that the romantic story is the reason why they dropped like stones - paying massive wages and then banking on CL to help pay for them . A lot of their unpopularity was from that and of course historically from the Revie years etc

The Revie years produced a terrific team playing some marvellous football.

Yes they knew how to dig but, in those days, everyone did.

The problem is that the terms "dirty Leeds" and the "Revie era" are bandied about by many who have no knowledge or experience of the '60s and '70s.

 

[PJ87]

Bit of a joke that a team finishing 9 points below you can be promoted while you stay in champs.
The league table dosnt lie.
Playoffs should be scrapped.

Bit of a joke that the “champions” league final is against a team that’s lost 13 games this season and other team who haven’t won the league in 29 years

 

[clubchamp98]

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I really wanted Leeds to go up! Big club who have been away far too long, and Bielsa is a great character. Bit of a shame they bottled it last night big style. So we have the choice of Frank Lampard's Derby or John Terry's Villa now. Joy.

Don’t think they bottled it Derby just played very well imo.
Best game I have seen for a while end to end.

 

[clubchamp98]

Bit of a joke that the “champions” league final is against a team that’s lost 13 games this season and other team who haven’t won the league in 29 years

Totally agree with you!
The champions of each country should be in and that’s it.
Getting into Europe for coming seventh should stop as well.
But money talks.

 

[PJ87]

Totally agree with you!
The champions of each country should be in and that’s it.
Getting into Europe for coming seventh should stop as well.
But money talks.

Agreed. Champs league should be

League cup winner
Europa winner
League winner
Fa cup winner

Teams would take all comps full force if they got into the champs league

I’ve been to 2 play off finals and they are great tbh!

 

[Papas1982]

Agreed. Champs league should be

League cup winner
Europa winner
League winner
Fa cup winner

Teams would take all comps full force if they got into the champs league

I’ve been to 2 play off finals and they are great tbh!

I like that idea in someways. But what if a team wins more than one? Quite often a lesser team can be a runner up in a cup compared to a league?

I’d be happy to keep things as they are. Whilst running a league winners cup as a straight knock out. Neutral grounds for all games. One leg. Would probably only add 5 games.

 

[AmandaJR]

It looks increasingly like City are going to be banned for a season from the CL. Not going to be good for the other top teams in the PL if that is the case, fewer games for them to play, fewer distractions, fewer injuries etc.

One for Tashy and Amanda, will City fans care? I know the owners, manager and players will but I am not sure the City fans feel any love for the CL. This might suit them, concentrate purely on 3 in a row.

I'd take winning the Premiership over CL all day long. Probably the FA Cup too! Never been too excited by European football even though some see it as the pinnacle.

 

[Orikoru]

Agreed. Champs league should be

League cup winner
Europa winner
League winner
Fa cup winner

Teams would take all comps full force if they got into the champs league

I’ve been to 2 play off finals and they are great tbh!

I agree, it's misnamed. Calling it Champion's League and probably around 30-40% of the teams in it are actually champions of that season. Just go back to calling it the European Cup.

 

[clubchamp98]

Agreed. Champs league should be

League cup winner
Europa winner
League winner
Fa cup winner

Teams would take all comps full force if they got into the champs league

I’ve been to 2 play off finals and they are great tbh!

I would go back to how it used to be .
European Cup Champions only.
runners up in separate comp.
FA / League cup cup winners cup .
All knock out home and away.

Not holding my breath.