Football

[DavidM]

Man C v PSG final in a battle of the massive spenders and underachievers 

[Gerrumonside ref]

I think it’ll be an Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Munich final.

City have had a tough draw really with potential for back to back games versus Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern/Barcelona en route to the final.

If I had to pick out a dark horse it would be the Atalanta who have been in fine form since the restart and will fancy themselves in a one off game on a neutral ground.

On paper PSG have the quality, but it is a long layoff for them.

[Mister Ting]

23 hours ago, DavidM said:

I don’t know how much they cost but boy Everton have wasted hundreds of millions.Just a snapshot is Bolasie 25m , Davy Klaasen 24m , Tosun 27m , Walcott 20m , Siggurdson 45m , Scheiderlin ... Kean ... 20 odd mil etc . Richarlison 40 odd but at least gives some return . Now after zero progress they’re gonna need to do it again , and will take a big hit on the overvalued deadwood they need to shift . Mosh has thrown about 500 mil in already 

This is a club that didn't go after Sean Dyche when they last had a chance. Yeah but he can only coach a certain way.

[Gerrumonside ref]

On 09/07/2020 at 20:50, DavidM said:

I don’t know how much they cost but boy Everton have wasted hundreds of millions.Just a snapshot is Bolasie 25m , Davy Klaasen 24m , Tosun 27m , Walcott 20m , Siggurdson 45m , Scheiderlin ... Kean ... 20 odd mil etc . Richarlison 40 odd but at least gives some return . Now after zero progress they’re gonna need to do it again , and will take a big hit on the overvalued deadwood they need to shift . Mosh has thrown about 500 mil in already 

I think you can only judge a manager after he has been given a chance to bring in his own players.  

Seems to me that Ancelotti’s name carries a certain cache that previous managers haven’t, meaning Everton might be able to attract some proven quality at its peak, rather than gamble on players from teams around them being able to step up to another level.

There’s obviously a decent youth system at Everton that needs blending with proven quality and experience.

[Gerrumonside ref]

On 11/07/2020 at 10:39, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think you can only judge a manager after he has been given a chance to bring in his own players.  

Seems to me that Ancelotti’s name carries a certain cache that previous managers haven’t, meaning Everton might be able to attract some proven quality at its peak, rather than gamble on players from teams around them being able to step up to another level.

There’s obviously a decent youth system at Everton that needs blending with proven quality and experience.

I take this all back haha, watching Everton against Wolves they have been a shambles particularly the keeper.

[DavidM]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I take this all back haha, watching Everton against Wolves they have been a shambles particularly the keeper.

You’re being kind 

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I take this all back haha, watching Everton against Wolves they have been a shambles particularly the keeper.

I’ve said before I’ve never been sold on Pickford . To many mistakes , to many brain explosions , to often makes the easy look difficult . 

[Gerrumonside ref]

2 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I’ve said before I’ve never been sold on Pickford . To many mistakes , to many brain explosions , to often makes the easy look difficult . 

He was awful today, flapping around and looking vulnerable with every opportunity.

I think Carragher described him as erratic which tends to breed panic and uncertainty in the rest of the defence.

It would have seemed unthinkable a while back to question whether he should stay number 1 there, but I’m pretty sure Carlo Ancelotti will want to build from the back.

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

but I’m pretty sure Carlo Ancelotti will want to build from the back.

I’m sure he will , but to me our big problem is midfield. There’s no control there , virtually no quality outside Gomes who’s still coming back from horrific injury but who’s too good for them , and no tempo about them . They hardly string a few passes together . 

[Tommygilf]

4 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

He was awful today, flapping around and looking vulnerable with every opportunity.

I think Carragher described him as erratic which tends to breed panic and uncertainty in the rest of the defence.

It would have seemed unthinkable a while back to question whether he should stay number 1 there, but I’m pretty sure Carlo Ancelotti will want to build from the back.

An erratic keeper is a nightmare for the defence and indeed the whole club. It means everyone, even the crowd, is on edge with nerves any time you're defending. Its not an easy fix for that individual keeper either.

[Irish Saint]

Good to see Mark Chapman back presenting Match of the Day after the recent bereavement of his wife.

 

[Tommygilf]

Man City win their appeal and have their UEFA ban overturned for FFP.

I have to say this whole scenario has exposed Financial Fair Play for what it was at the highest levels; a way of maintaining the elite clubs and putting down challengers. I'm not a City or PSG fan but empathise that they need serious investment to get them to the level to compete in the champions league that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal have had over decades. I really don't like Chelsea, but it seems their rise under Abramovich has really rubbed some people up the wrong way and FFP was their palatable solution to it.

I understand the worries of rogue investments from essentially state ran companies in the Gulf and elsewhere. I just do not believe that FFP genuinely is targeted at them for that.

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Man City win their appeal and have their UEFA ban overturned for FFP.

I have to say this whole scenario has exposed Financial Fair Play for what it was at the highest levels; a way of maintaining the elite clubs and putting down challengers. I'm not a City or PSG fan but empathise that they need serious investment to get them to the level to compete in the champions league that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal have had over decades. I really don't like Chelsea, but it seems their rise under Abramovich has really rubbed some people up the wrong way and FFP was their palatable solution to it.

I understand the worries of rogue investments from essentially state ran companies in the Gulf and elsewhere. I just do not believe that FFP genuinely is targeted at them for that.

That is exactly how I feel but you have explained it a lot better than I could. 

I think there has to be a pathway for "new" clubs to join the elite. Otherwise they would just share the trophies between themselves.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Niels said:

That is exactly how I feel but you have explained it a lot better than I could. 

I think there has to be a pathway for "new" clubs to join the elite. Otherwise they would just share the trophies between themselves.

Yeah mate I really think its a problem. It extends down the pyramid too. Look at Derby and Villa that have had to jump through silly hoops of selling their grounds to their owners so that they can access finances to improve the team. In both cases they could be in the Championship next year having wasted that investment for little benefit. 

Its an anti-growth, anti-competition position typical of those with long held hereditary power feeling the new money taking that power out of their grasp.

[DavidM]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Man City win their appeal and have their UEFA ban overturned for FFP.

 

Shock news of the day ....

[JohnM]

They'll make a film of it one day. Stolen emails and documents, What motivated Der Spiegle, corrupt and biased UEFA, Rui Pinto, a Portuguese national now charged in his home country with 147 criminal offences including computer hacking. It'll run and run.. 

[17 stone giant]

I'll take a Desmond at Old Trafford. Another very good performance by Southampton. We're playing some decent football at the moment.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Wigan beating Hull 7-0 at halftime.

[Old Frightful]

6 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Wigan beating Hull 7-0 at halftime.

My mate just asked if it was a try, conversion and dg.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

My mate just asked if it was a try, conversion and dg.

I was on the phone to my brother when I saw it was 6-0 and suddenly 7-0 a minute later and I mentioned it and he said he didn't realise the rugby season had restarted. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Wigan have got another drop goal

[DavidM]

Kieran Dowell has a hattrick I see . Everton never gave him a chance even though the midfield is rank 

[shrek]

11 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Kieran Dowell has a hattrick I see . Everton never gave him a chance even though the midfield is rank 

He's only at Wigan on loan so you never know.

[Old Frightful]

1 hour ago, shrek said:

He's only at Wigan on loan so you never know.

And it was only against Hull City.

[tonyXIII]

13 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

And it was only against Hull City.

It's nice to see that, in these times of change, some things can be relied on to stay constant, your love for the 'Targers' being one of them.

Hope you are keeping well, OF. Take care.