The Footie Thread

[Arthur Wedge]

Because there is no title race. Liverpool have it won already, barring a bottlejob of epic proportions. A title race doesn't mean one team running away with it and two more struggling to keep up.

The main thing for Forest is, you've cleared that magic 40 point mark so it looks like you'll stay up.

Title is far from won yet

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It's the people that Radcliffe brings in to run the football club that will be judged more for me. Sure, he will have to make decisions to bring those people in. But, once they are in, what is it that they are doing?

My support of ETH on this forum was well known, and I'll still always insist that he couldn't polish a you know what, and that it is far too simplistic to think he was given a blank cheque book to sign exactly who he wanted, for as much as he wanted. He needed good people above him, to ensure he had good players working under him. He didn't.

INEOS then came in last season, and backed ETH going into this season. Again, I had no issues with that. Brought some decent players in, but there were still fundamental issues in that squad. Especially in possession of a football, and players like Rashford who are clearly having issues behind the scenes as well as in front of them. They then decided to sack ETH after the poor start. Utd were often creating many chances, but pathetic at converting. We were actually playing football I was often quite excited by, until the shouting and swearing began when the final shot or pass was messed up spectacularly. I can see why they sacked ETH. I was disappointed, but given the media and many others where bashing him every day, it just became relentless and it was probably for everybody's benefited that the relationship ended and give us all room to breath a bit again. And, they brought in Amorim quickly, which seems to have been a popular choice for fans (including opposition fans) and media.

Amorim has come in, and so far we have been worse than we have been in a very long time. I don't blame Amorim, it is still the players. But it isn't just that there are many low confidence and poor players, he also doesn't have players who can play his system. Did the guys working for INEOS expect him to click his fingers and get the current players to play brilliant, high tempo football? Or, when they signed him up, did they also have a plan to start rebuilding the squad again by getting rid of more deadwood, and bringing in the types of players he needs? Been very quiet in this transfer window, so no idea what they are planning or not planning.

At the moment, it is easy for Amorim to be absolutely honest, call Utd the worst Utd team ever, etc. because he still has all his credit in the bank. Some will say that is one reason he is better than ETH. However, if Amorim is still at Utd in 1 year or more, there is no way he can still come out with statements like that if Utd are still poor. Because, media and fans will start pinning full responsibility on Amorim as to the players that have come into the Club. But, I don't see Amorim as a full time scout. I see him as a guy that will say "I need players in these positions, with these qualities, and I need strong characters, and we can get rid of these players". It is then up to the guys above him to do the work and find those players, and do the deals without getting fleeced.

The jury is out for me as to whether the new ownership model will do any better, but still happy to give them time given that I never believed they could turn Utd around in a year or 2. And perhaps things do need to get worse before they get better, when the remnants of players with no future are still at the club. I just worry that patience is a quality that most people lack when it comes to football, and Amorim will become the laughing stock in 6 months time, he'll get all the blame, and then we just move on to the next fall guy.

So are they not back then


At least we can now dismiss the idea of the players at the club getting into the current top clubs teams

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I think we've got as good a chance as anyone else up there, that's my point.

But if I was a gambling man, I'd put my money on Liverpool.

It seems I'm in a minority in believing that the title isn't a 100% foregone conclusion though.

The title is far from a foregone conclusion- plenty of games and points to play for yet

 

[Bdill93]

The title is far from a foregone conclusion- plenty of games and points to play for yet

Id be saying this if it were my team leading too.... But from the outside you're in a great position and the challengers aren't catching you.

 

[Norrin Radd]

But Everton just beat the mighty Spurs. Everton could be at the start of a great run of results

Not next weekend though ,cos they are at Brighton and we are going on a win streak of our own. Top four here we come ,any of you slip up we will be taking your place.
You read it here folks

 

[Bdill93]

Champions League is back this week!

A win away against Monaco could secure Villa a top 8 finish if other results swing the right way.

Failing that - our last game against Celtic at home might be the decider, but either way we are already through the group, its just about avoiding an additional knockout round at this stage.

Villa could really do with it, playing a lot of games of football these days and the injuries are creeping up.

 

[Don Barzini]

Think most looked at Forest for potential relegation due to the fact that the previous two seasons they finished 16th and 17th

Well precisely. Their "research" consisted of looking at previous league tables, rather than the business we did over the summer or the fact that Nuno had a full preseason with the squad.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Id be saying this if it were my team leading too.... But from the outside you're in a great position and the challengers aren't catching you.

Yes it’s a great position but there is still a lot of games to go

The CL starts up again this week , cups games as well

Need to ensure we still keep getting the results but it’s not over yet

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Well precisely. Their "research" consisted of looking at previous league tables, rather than the business we did over the summer or the fact that Nuno had a full preseason with the squad.

But that’s what most will go on at the beginning of the season

Most of the signings behind Anderson people wouldn’t know

It’s why most had City winning and Arsenal coming second

You can only judge on the previous seasons

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Not next weekend though ,cos they are at Brighton and we are going on a win streak of our own. Top four here we come ,any of you slip up we will be taking your place.
You read it here folks

We are nearly as bad against you as Utd are, not quite though . How about we both take a point and it saves on the train fare? Don't bother actually playing the match.

 

[Swango1980]

I think we've got as good a chance as anyone else up there, that's my point.

But if I was a gambling man, I'd put my money on Liverpool.

It seems I'm in a minority in believing that the title isn't a 100% foregone conclusion though.

Always dangerous to be certain about stuff like that. Liverpool lose one game, stumble a bit in confidence, lose another game and perhaps start losing points after that, then suddenly everything can start to look a hell of a lot closer if the teams behind still win games. It can be very easy for teams to hit a bad spell and start dropping lots of points (e.g. Man City earlier this season).

Despite a lot of mockery towards Arsenal (especially after losing to Utd in FA Cup) the BBC league table shows their recent form as 4 wins and 2 draws in last 6, Forest 5 wins and a draw. Either team could hit a bad spell, but they just need to hope that they keep up that form and Liverpool are the ones that stumble first, then really try and put them under pressure.

City certainly require a huge favour from Liverpool, but I still wouldn't be shocked if they were to win 10 games in a row and see where that puts them in the run in.

The good news for Man Utd is that is they win the rest of their games, they'll finish with 74 points. I think 75 points is the lowest total a team has won the PL, so still a slim chance Utd can still win the league

 

[RichA]

I think we've got as good a chance as anyone else up there, that's my point.

But if I was a gambling man, I'd put my money on Liverpool.

It seems I'm in a minority in believing that the title isn't a 100% foregone conclusion though.

I would much rather have my team constantly underestimated and outperform expectations.
At least nobody is mocking us yet.
Top 5 would still be a very pleasant surprise.

 

[Norrin Radd]

We are nearly as bad against you as Utd are, not quite though . How about we both take a point and it saves on the train fare? Don't bother actually playing the match.

I think I will take our chances

 

[Don Barzini]

I would much rather have my team constantly underestimated and outperform expectations.
At least nobody is mocking us yet.
Top 5 would still be a very pleasant surprise.

Well exactly. Historically, we've always done better when people write us off!

Fully aware a couple of bad results could be just around the corner and ruin the dream. But I'm loving the dream while it lasts. Any European football would be truly amazing.

 

[Bdill93]

Well exactly. Historically, we've always done better when people write us off!

Fully aware a couple of bad results could be just around the corner and ruin the dream. But I'm loving the dream while it lasts. Any European football would be truly amazing.

You'll get European football, and honestly cant see it being anything less than the CL.

We're going to get a 5th spot this year, you could drop a couple of places and still get it - but I reckon you'll finish top 4.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think I will take our chances

I think we would have to get you all really drunk in order to agree. Really, really drunk

 

[Norrin Radd]

I think we would have to get you all really drunk in order to agree. Really, really drunk

You buying

 

[Tashyboy]

Because there is no title race. Liverpool have it won already, barring a bottlejob of epic proportions. A title race doesn't mean one team running away with it and two more struggling to keep up.

The main thing for Forest is, you've cleared that magic 40 point mark so it looks like you'll stay up.

Trust me if there is one club that have done a bottle job of epic proportions. It’s Liverpool. They and Arsenal have shot them selves in the foot more than once. The only surprise was they managed to hit there foot.

 

[Orikoru]

Trust me if there is one club that have done a bottle job of epic proportions. It’s Liverpool. They and Arsenal have shot them selves in the foot more than once. The only surprise was they managed to hit there foot.

Well, fingers crossed it happens again.

 

[Aztecs27]

If anyone had any doubt how terrible Anthony Taylor is as a referee, here is the concrete evidence (this was a foul against MGW, in case you’re wondering)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1881311745291206954