AUGUST: Europe, fitba and the MAGIC OF THE CUP

[Ian]

It's all happening this month as the football season ramps up to a gripping conclusion and also starts at the same time, somehow.

Super Frankie Binman is delivering a lecture on touchline etiquette at Wembley this evening, Scotland is starting the new season with a BANG with a series of tantalising fixtures such as St. Mirren vs. Livingston and next week European competition resumes whether we like it or not as it grinds to an underwhelming conclusion.

But today it's all about The Cup! At whatever stupid fucking time the FA Cup final kicks off at these days.

[Giggles]

Shelbourne are LIVE-STREAMING at 14:00 so fuck the cup.

[Ian]

Mate, you can watch that AND the cup. Is this going to be your greatest ever Saturday???

[Don]

Any particular reason the Scots are kicking off so early?

[Jimmy Floyd]

They didn't start again since March so presumably everyone there is gagging for a pint and an overhit set piece. Plus I'm sure they start roughly now anyway.

[Reg]

Is Arteta a binman too?

I think good old Frankie lad will win today, but I don't watch either side enough to know whether they'll be a shambles or good enough to beat Man City on any given day.

[niko_cee]

They don't call him El Basurero for nothing.

[Pleb]

Pre Season went well chaps, that Fernandez player is a BEAST!

[niko_cee]

Decent finish by Kent there.

No drawing of lines ad infinitum after the fact either, which is nice.

[Don]

Have they done away with VAR? That's me becoming a St Mirren season-ticket holder if so.

[Giggles]

Mate, you can watch that AND the cup. Is this going to be your greatest ever Saturday???

I’m sorry I’m watching it now :moop:

[SincereTheRebel]

Giroud to score one of his trademark one touch goals

Arsenal:

Martinez, Holding, Luiz, Tierney, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles, Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
Subs: Macey, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Smith, Willock, Nelson, Saka, Nketiah.

Chelsea:

Caballero, James, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Giroud, Pulisic.
Subs: Kepa, Christensen, Tomori, Emerson, Kante, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Pedro, Abraham.

[Manc]

Disappointed not to see Saka start.

[phonics]

What an odd dedication

‘Dedicated to those who lost their Lives to Covid-19 or a hate crime’

[Boydy]

How'd she get up there in those shoes?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How'd she get up there in those shoes?

She can jump really high.

[Shindig]

I was expecting this Youth Opera to be younger.

[Giggles]

Haven’t paid much attention to them but how is Kante a sub? Style or is he shit?

Also, go an lie in your piss with this mental health bollocks. The generic excuse.

[Shindig]

Oh, fuck this shite. :D

[SincereTheRebel]

The Arsenal players names in Old English font is terrible.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

'MURICA FUCK YEAH.

Still don't know who I want to win though.

[Giggles]

:cool:

1289596417611190272

[Gray Fox]

Pulisic has great quick feet.

[Lewis]

The only winner is the NARRATIVE, and me if it gets out of sight before half-time because I'll go for a mooch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Clearly offside but that's a cracking finish.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Azpi :harold:

[Ian]

Clearly offside but that's a cracking finish.

Yeah I didn't realise the "Finishing ability doubles when the flag's gone up" thing from FM had been applied to real football.

[Lewis]

What a tramp Binmel Arteta waving an imaginary card about. It's bad enough he isn't wearing a cup final suit.

[Boydy]

The Arsenal players names in Old English font is terrible.

It looks a bit like the nazi font.

[Lewis]

Super Frankie Binman is dressed like an electrician as well. You would expect better from him.

[Lewis]

Didn't Tony Pulis line up in his suit in 2011 and then re-emerge in his gimmicks?

[SincereTheRebel]

These long balls from arsenal have snapped azpi Achilles

[Manc]

How the fuck is Dave captain? Sat on the turf weeping like a child.

[Lewis]

Super Frankie Binman is dressed like an electrician as well. You would expect better from him.

Actually, he's dressed as Ian Huntley.

[John Arne]

Is Azpilicueta crying?

[Giggles]

Is Azpilicueta crying?

Bound to be worth a few bob more in sponsorships.

[Manc]

Jorginho looking like the sixth member of NSYNC.

[Giggles]

Arsenal would have got the same shaping from a youth as they paid for pepe. Wasn’t he shit loads?

[Gray Fox]

£70m I believe.

[Giggles]

Christ. I’ve more initiative.

[Manc]

Lacazette is the real fraud from that front line.

[SincereTheRebel]

Arsenal would have got the same shaping from a youth as they paid for pepe. Wasn’t he shit loads?

Its basically yannick bolasie with a left foot.

[Boydy]

I was more entertained by the Irish Cup Final that was on TV here last night than this.

[Giggles]

The new FAI need to go to court over that name. It’s like Portugal having a Spanish cup final.

[Boydy]

I fucking knew you'd complain about that. :D

[Giggles]

I fucking knew you'd complain about that. :D

:D predictability is my best quality.

Still though, Irish or British. Can’t be both.

[Baz]

When did Arsenal get decent?

[Lewis]

Seen Croke Park is a mosque now.

[Giggles]

Seen Croke Park is a mosque now.

So I seen. Some jump from back in the day where you weren’t allowed in the door if you watched soccer, which wasn’t all that long ago. I suppose it’s a good thing. Nice to be inclusive until you remember that everyone one of them would wipe us all out in a click of a finger if they could.

[Lofty]

Fake crowd applause for going off injured :D

[Waffdon]

Pedro. Oh Jesus

[Giggles]

That was under 12’s shit from Aubameyang there.

[Waffdon]

The real Chelsea would sack Lampard after this performance.

[Giggles]

That token defending :D

Yer man lazily threw a toe in like he’s on the take.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chelsea :harold:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That is never a yellow.

[SincereTheRebel]

Thats the softest second yellow ive ever seen

[Bob Sacamano]

Billy Gilmour has Barry Bannan written all over him

[Waffdon]

Does VAR not look at second yellows?

[SincereTheRebel]

Does VAR not look at second yellows?

Appears not. It should look at everything and they should be in the referee's ear telling him it's not yellow.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

England's Number One, Tammy Abraham to break some hearts.

[Shindig]

Barkley's like two players in one.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ref is having a mare.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://i.imgur.com/jGdrimY.png

ZILLIONS!

Sutton is paid for this...

[Giggles]

I know transfer fees were increasing, but...

[SincereTheRebel]

Chelsea have had some really harsh referee calls. Auba fouled Azpi before he gave away the penalty

[SincereTheRebel]

Did I just see Pedro hurt his shoulder and they have to give him oxygen and take his off on a stretcher..

[Luca]

Frank Binman :cool:

[Spikey M]

That's bribery investigation refereeing.

[Shindig]

Binman of the Year.

[Giggles]

This does a prove VAR to be utterly pointless though.

[SincereTheRebel]

The real Chelsea would sack Lampard after this performance.

They really should.

[Manc]

Big dick energy from Arteta throughout. Never in doubt.

[Lofty]

Convinced Martinez handled outside the box but fuck it I'm drunk and a kebab is on it's way

[phonics]

Where’s that quote about Arsenal not scoring a goal from Jim. 🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗

[niko_cee]

Poor Frankie Binman.

Probably his one shot at a trophy as a manager.

[phonics]

Who let Jimmys brother have a Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/tovers98/status/1289631963377102848?s=21

[niko_cee]

Anthony Taylor is a terrible ref, but yeah, lol at Chelsea.

Aubemayang's second goal deserved to win it.

[phonics]

1289650954967683072

Plsplsplspls

[Shindig]

Have bin, will travel.

[SincereTheRebel]

Credit where it's due. On multiple occasions, Arteta has arsenal defending with 11 men behind the ball against their rivals.

[Kikó]

Porto have had an early red and the manager sent as well. Benfica have the chance to face a shit season.

Free sports channel.

[Browning]

Howe has gone.

[niko_cee]

Jimmy's brother has led me down some sort of Chelsea twitter rabbit hole. I assume they exist for all clubs (hence 97% of the mad clickbait news/transfer stories), but it's always heart warming to lol at the mentals from another club.

Feels like Howe's ship has sailed on getting a better job. Sunk by Ibe and Solanke. The indignity of it.

[Kikó]

Porto have had an early red and the manager sent as well. Benfica have the chance to face a shit season.

Free sports channel.

They're fucked. 2-0 to Porto.

[-james-]

Howe to West Ham, Moyes to top half championship side, trendy but shite championship manager to West Ham managerial merry go round seems quite likely.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Arsenal got literally every decision, most of the big ones wrong. Oh well, enjoy perhaps your final ever trophy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Howe to West Ham, Moyes to top half championship side, trendy but shite championship manager to West Ham managerial merry go round seems quite likely.

Can't imagine a worse fit than Howe to West Ham. All those pie and mash eating cockney wide boys up ladders and he's there in fleece and chinos asking for the chaps to put some bloody effort in if you please.

Could see him going to whichever of Fulham, Palace and Southampton next have a vacancy.

[phonics]

Expecting that to be as good a prediction as ‘Arsenal won’t score’

[Jimmy Floyd]

You wouldn't have scored if not handed a dodgy/dived for penalty.

[Pleb]

All abroad the Wolves train for winning Europa?

[phonics]

You wouldn't have scored if not handed a dodgy/dived for penalty.

Lol. Chelsea playing Giroud up front, half the team going off injured, dodgy defensively and their fans are saying that the opposition didn’t deserve to win. Are you Arsenal in disguise?

[Lewis]

I thought it was a nice touch dedicating it to Claude.

[Spikey M]

Can't imagine a worse fit than Howe to West Ham. All those pie and mash eating cockney wide boys up ladders and he's there in fleece and chinos asking for the chaps to put some bloody effort in if you please.

Could see him going to whichever of Fulham, Palace and Southampton next have a vacancy.

Isn't he a Bournemouth Legend? That rules Southampton out unless he wants to shit on time last 25 years of his career.

[SincereTheRebel]

All abroad the Wolves train for winning Europa?

100%

[SincereTheRebel]

Tierney is my new favourite player.

[Spikey M]

All abroad the Wolves train for winning Europa?

Why?

[John Arne]

Oooff.

https://gyazo.com/0a2d40ceebbc6dd99fa53f6fd720d108.jpeg

[Giggles]

What’s that?

[SincereTheRebel]

If thats a legit image of Martinez handling the ball outside the area because I never saw a reply during the game

[Lofty]

You wouldn't have scored if not handed a dodgy/dived for penalty.

Yes Chelsea have not benefitted from any cuntery over the years :D As I pointed out to you prior to the result, Chelsea aren't great at keeping clean sheets against Arsenal. Even during the Baku bumming you let one in.

Not sure how the penalty wasn't a foul though? The Kovacic second yellow was harsh and Martinez should've been penalised for handling outside the box but didn't see too much wrong with the penalty decision.

The scenes if Arsenal win more trophies than Chelsea in the next five seasons :drool:

[SincereTheRebel]

Oooff.

https://gyazo.com/0a2d40ceebbc6dd99fa53f6fd720d108.jpeg

That looks photoshopped. Match of the day just showed a reply and its in.

[Browning]

Yea that picture is definitely fake because the ball was behind him.

[Don]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EeXs7ZdXkAErNZw?format=jpg&name=900x900

Fair bit to unpack there.

[Lewis]

There seems to be some pretty exploitative employers out there. Liverpool especially, and I bet the non-white players are bearing the brunt of it.

[Pleb]

Why?
So that they can win Europa and get Champions League football?

[phonics]

This kpop documentary is too Liverpool for me.

[mo]

Nicked from another forum:


If Brentford win the Championship play-off final tonight, they will be guaranteed at least £160m, from next season's basic award + minimum TV revenue and at least two seasons of parachute payments. That is more money than they have earned *in total* in their entire history.

Madness.

[Don]

Trip to watch it at a pub near Griffin Park has had to be postponed due to my injuries and concussion so MON Fulham. Nah jk.

[Bob Sacamano]

Frank actually referring to them as the 'BMW' :sick:

If Fulham win this they have sack Scotty Parker In November and appoint Eddie Howe written all over them.

[Giggles]

Brentford would be far more interesting than Fulham.

[Manc]

That's Wigan into the abyss.

[Spoonsky]

Well set up for an 89th minute Tim Ream winner here.

[Foe]

What an awful game of football this is.

Both these teams would get smashed in the premier league.

[Manc]

Knockaert to spoil the love in.

[Don]

What an awful game of football this is.

Both these teams would get smashed in the premier league.

They're hardly going to play with the shackles off. My arse is twitching and I got no real vested interest.

[Lewis]

I'll go for Fulham simply because there are probably less Athletic articles to be written about their promotion.

[Spoonsky]

no way

Fabio Aurelio-esque

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking hell.

[niko_cee]

:harold:

What's the xG on that one then Brentford Bunker?

[Lewis]

I've never seen that Brentford 'keeper before, but look at the state of him. He looks like someone who responds to fake Facebook accounts.

[Spoonsky]

I see you bruhnaldo

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The BMW has crashed.

[Browning]

Commentator links him to Arsenal and he immediately responds with two hilariously bad errors within a minute.

[Spoonsky]

He sounds well suited.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Merked by a left back.

[niko_cee]

Oh well, at least another year before we get to have the professional gambler statswanker derby.

Shame as Brentford could really have brought the lols to the Premier League.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rodak :D

[Mellberg]

Scored two in the final and dropped the F-bomb live on Sky. Good lad.

[phonics]

Can we bring Bryan McBride back?

[niko_cee]

Leeds headlining the promotion business is all well and good but the supporting acts are pretty underwhelming.

[Don]

Imagine Chilwell fetching £70m+ and that superior cunt toiling in the Champ all this past year :face:

[Baz]

Fucking Fulham. That's one match to skip on MOTD, I guess.

[-james-]

There's going to be a proper rancid bottom six or seven next season.

[-james-]

That points per quid thing is mental. What Sheffield United did this season kind of breaks my opinions on most of the league. They don't even have strikers.

[Don]

Quite possibly the most innovative mind I've seen in the sport and he looks like Tommy Robinson's dad. You love to see it.

[thommo]

Get fucked Brentford, maybe invest in a keeper that doesn't stand about 12 yards off his line before all your wanky xG stats dross next time. Who would have thought Joe fucking Bryan would be the goalscoring hero for us?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well at least Fulham will be going straight back down.

[thommo]

Goes without saying, but it's very sweet to have Scott Parker (yes, Scott Parker) tactically outmanoeuvre Brentford and crush the media love-in of the past few months.

Parker's basically a better version of Frankie Binman.

[Mellberg]

Just realised four of the last six playoff finalists have been Fulham or Villa :moop:

Well done tonight. I like Fulham, despite beating us two years ago.

[phonics]

Fulham is a good Watford replacement. I just can't bring myself to hate a team that plays at Craven Cottage.

[Kikó]

Craven Cottage is a super away fixture.

[John Arne]

King Kazu starts for Yokohama today. His 34th year as a pro :)

[Ian]

I remember looking him up after seeing a story about him last year. It didn't seem like he actually serves much purpose these days beyond it being nice to have him about the place.

[randomlegend]

This Utd game is atrocious.

[Raoul Duke]

Like a training game

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Daniel James is crap.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That is some hit.

[randomlegend]

That's an unbelievable strike.

[Lewis]

The red of this United shirt is shit. It's like a two quid t-shirt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Dan James is good at running in straight lines and?

[Lewis]

Juan Mata wants putting down the poor bastard. He's absolutely wasted his peak years at United.

[Don]

I don't even want to search the posts from the Utd fans on here when he scored a couple goals at the start of this season. No one needs that level of shame.

[Lewis]

I said he would displace Rashford. :gs:

[Manc]

Inter v United needs to happen.

[Manc]

Five substitutes has been knocked on the head. Vote swung 11-9.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can I predict that the 9 were those that fancy themselves as 'big clubs'?

It's a stupid rule, thank goodness it's gone.

[Don]

Allahuakbar. No decision on drinks break and VAR, yet? Also last I hear of crowds was target date of October so I guess we're starting behind closed doors?


Inter v United needs to happen.

https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020/08/03/inter-list-europa-league-2020.html

I take it no restrictions on Young and Alexis to play, right?

Edit: Young ain't even on loan. Those two and Romelu running riot against them would be great lols, three of the most blamed individuals from their last few years.

[SincereTheRebel]

I liked the idea of more subsitiutes .

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I liked it too.

[Boydy]

1291295212648759296

[Don]

:D

It's put me on to this though:

https://twitter.com/necowilliams01/status/1291087194208206848?s=20

Fucking hell, Milner and Hendo have their hands full trying to straighten out these cunts.

[Andy]

:D

It's put me on to this though:

https://twitter.com/necowilliams01/status/1291087194208206848?s=20

Fucking hell, Milner and Hendo have their hands full trying to straighten out these cunts.

Double Burberry is a bit much.

[Don]

I'm gomna get involved in these early games. Not a.clue wtf is going on with Rangers playing a 2nd leg and the other one seemingly beig a tasty one game face off.

[Don]

Sevilla game started bright and open but I switched over and Rangers are in with a shout here so MON.

[Pen]

I'm gomna get involved in these early games. Not a.clue wtf is going on with Rangers playing a 2nd leg and the other one seemingly beig a tasty one game face off.

I think the first legs stand if they playd them before covid. Yesterday only the Inter game was the only one played as a one off.

[SincereTheRebel]

Wolves XI: Patricio; Boly, Coady, Saiss; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Doherty; Podence, Adama, Jimenez.

Vs

Greece

Its 1-1 from the first leg

[SincereTheRebel]

Greek GK just gave away the softest penalty of all time. 1-0 Wolves.

[Don]

Jimenez is fully in peak Hugo Sanchez mood. Be a shame if this Wolves side don't win this. Be a greater shame if this cunt goes to Utd and they win the quadruple.

In other sights, Olympiakos have a Malian CB partnership, 24 years old each, both grown up together at same clubs, both with a combined penis length of over 1 metre and there's scouts going to Lille to get bumraped for an emotional Brazillian melt :face:

[Manc]

There's a goal in this for Olympiakos.

[SincereTheRebel]

First time all season Wolves have looked tired here. It's ok though. These greek man are softer than that feta cheese. Onto Sevilla in the quarter finals. :drool:

[SincereTheRebel]

:cab:

I know players born before a certain date qualify but it need reevaluating. Martial is 25 in a few months.

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/67/590x/secondary/2607903.webp?r=1596798076141

[Ian]

That smile gives Mount an expression you'd never tire of punching.

[Ian]

Just saw this in Bandini's Serie A review of the season and this is basically a perfect hit:

https://youtu.be/s10w3QC2Us8

Phwoar.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If one of the yoo-nited players wins that over Trent there needs to be a national riot.

[Giggles]

Alexander-Arnold.

[SincereTheRebel]

Trent should win the big man player of the year award.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Alexander-Arnold.

True, otherwise we might confuse him with the river.

[Manc]

Marcus will win for service to his country.

[randomlegend]

Lampard and Rodgers nominated for manager of the season :harold:

[Gray Fox]

Yeah but remember that time he told a German guy to fuck off?

[phonics]

'English managers get treated terribly by the press'
'English manager goes from 3rd to 4th, scores 12 less points, concedes as many goals as a team in a relegation battle and loses a cup final gets nominated for manager of the year'

[Jimmy Floyd]

Without Eden Hazard. His season was 5 times better than Sarri's. We had no real right to be above Arsenal and Spurs.

[Manc]

Give it to Jody.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jody is definitely the brains of the operation, which having watched him as a player does come as a bit of a surprise.

Lampard brings the proper binman qualities: regal disposition; a few war stories about when Ricardo Carvalho was pissing in the same urinal you're pissing in now, Mason Mount; houses in town and country; that sort of thing.

[Kikó]

Why is Lampard better than Solksjaer? Not that I'm really arsed with it going to Klopp but it seems pretty random to think the former has done better than the latter.

[Manc]

If only there were someway of recording thier efforts.

[phonics]

Blue passport.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As far as I can see they've both done basically identical jobs - marshalled a not terribly impressive squad competently into an open goal top four while introducing good youngsters.

Lampard probably gets a pass due to nationality and our football has been more lively than United's.

[mo]

Leagues One and Two vote to bring in salary caps, effectively immediately:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53696424

Am sure this will be just as effective as FFP.

[Lewis]

Worth remembering as well that United lost Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez last summer. Chelsea only lost one really big name.

[Ian]

And only had half a season of Ashley Young.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leagues One and Two vote to bring in salary caps, effectively immediately:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53696424

Am sure this will be just as effective as FFP.

Will this not just lead to the richest handful in the National League splashing the cash? Or do they already have something else in place.

[Lewis]

Those numbers are lower than I would have expected. I would have guessed closer to double.

[ScousePig]

Will this not just lead to the richest handful in the National League splashing the cash? Or do they already have something else in place.

We're apparently now doomed to a life in
the lower leagues, unless we can get out this season.

If it's going to be done, it really needs doing holistically.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're apparently now doomed to a life in
the lower leagues, unless we can get out this season.

If it's going to be done, it really needs doing holistically.

You would need the entire world to adopt it in that case.

[Browning]

Am I reading that right that players from relegated teams are going to be paid some kind of “league average” if their wages are too high? That sounds like total bollocks.

[ScousePig]

You would need the entire world to adopt it in that case.

We could start with the whole of England and go from there.

It sounds like there are lots of legalities to come with this, but if we were smart (which we're not) we could use it to our advantage by developing our academy and/or signing younger players who are exempt from the cap.

[ScousePig]

Am I reading that right that players from relegated teams are going to be paid some kind of “league average” if their wages are too high? That sounds like total bollocks.

Also, a blanket wage cap irrelevant of turnover seems a bit strange. We'll be making several times over what most of the other clubs are in the league.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Am I reading that right that players from relegated teams are going to be paid some kind of “league average” if their wages are too high? That sounds like total bollocks.

I assumed it was they would be paid whatever was in their contract, but that 'average' amount would count towards the salary cap.

[SincereTheRebel]

Man City

Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho (C), Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Foden, Sterling, Jesus.

Real Madrid

Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Varane, Mendy; Kroos, Modric, Casemiro; Hazard, Rodrygo, Benzema.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53687308

:harold:

He's mugging then right off.

[Manc]

Take him out to the shed and blow his brains out. Useless cunt.

[Bob Sacamano]

This Tommy Doyle character keeps popping up on the bench for City, he sounds like he should have been apart of Neil Warnock's Sheffield United side.

[Browning]

I assumed it was they would be paid whatever was in their contract, but that 'average' amount would count towards the salary cap.

That probably makes more sense than how I read it, but basically makes the whole thing redundant if relegated teams can get away with being massively over the cap because all their big earners aren't counted properly. It would almost guarantee any relegated side goes straight back up. Whole thing sounds like a mess.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I wouldn't have thought so, the only way it will help them is in that they won't have to get rid of (as many) other players while being saddled with their mini-Rodwells. It sounds relatively well thought out in terms of the internal dynamics of Leagues One and Two.

The only problem with it, as with all salary cap schemes, is that Leagues One and Two do not exist in a vacuum. It only really works in smaller sports or in America where everything is self contained.

[Browning]

The problem is I feel like the wage difference between the Championship and League 1 is massive. Admittedly, I have no idea where figures are at now, but if you've got a team coming down and all their players salaries are only being counted as 10% of what they actually are, they're going to have a big advantage over the other teams at that level. Making it a hard cap and forcing them to sell players is clearly not ideal, but how long are they allowed to operate like that? 1 season? Indefinitely?

Also, if they've got a £20k a week player being counted as £2k towards the cap, are they then allowed to sign other players as if they're under the cap? Something about it just feels off to me.

Edit- I'm guessing it's until the end of each contract, which yea.... guess that means they'll have to sell players when the deal is almost up. Still, I think we'll see teams who come down who are over the cap by a laughable amount. Especially if any team comes down from the Premier League to League 1 within a handful of seasons.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Varane looking like a mong there.

[randomlegend]

Madrid :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They're all over the place.

[Browning]

What the fuck were they doing?

[Manc]

Juve needing three.

[niko_cee]

Real and Juve being DUMPED OUT tonight would be most excellent.

[Bob Sacamano]

Both Rodrygo and Vinicius won't even half the careers that Robinho had. And they'll also be in Turkey a lot sooner

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Benz :drool:

[Pleb]

Oh YEAH?

[phonics]

If City could go out on Away Goals so they go on a several year long campaign to get that rule binned alongside FFP I'd be happy.

[ScousePig]

I wouldn't have thought so, the only way it will help them is in that they won't have to get rid of (as many) other players while being saddled with their mini-Rodwells. It sounds relatively well thought out in terms of the internal dynamics of Leagues One and Two.

The only problem with it, as with all salary cap schemes, is that Leagues One and Two do not exist in a vacuum. It only really works in smaller sports or in America where everything is self contained.

It's alright for the teams who are happy spending their entirety in League One. For those who don't really want to be there, not so much.

Also, it hasn't met its legal obligations of consulting with the PFA so not a great start with regards the 'well thought out' angle. Plus allowing the teams in the league to vote it in..

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only if you think having more fans/a bigger ground should give you a structural advantage. I mean, it's been that way, but I don't see why it should necessarily be so.

If the quality of your coaching/recruitment/tactics/youth development is superior then a salary cap won't stop you.

[ScousePig]

Only if you think having more fans/a bigger ground should give you a structural advantage. I mean, it's been that way, but I don't see why it should necessarily be so.

If the quality of your coaching/recruitment/tactics/youth development is superior then a salary cap won't stop you.

We've been shite, no doubt about it, but if we're averaging 30,000 and bringing in ten times the revenue of the other clubs, why shouldn't we be allowed to spend it proportionately? Should Liverpool only be allowed to spend the same amount as Burnley?

On the flip side, we should in theory be able to use our academy and appeal to younger players who would be exempt from the salary cap.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Varane :lol:

[phonics]

There should be a luxury tax equivalent for teams that want to go over the limit where they have to pay into a fund that’s distributed either to the rest of the league or to grassroots or a bailout fund or something.

Allow the more ‘successful’ team to benefit from their advantages and raise the others through it.

[niko_cee]

This Lyon game has 'Atleti' last year written all over it. :moop:

[randomlegend]

Varane's been paid off.

[Waffdon]

Why has Courtois given him an empty net :D

[Manc]

World Cup winner. None of the French have been at it since.

[SincereTheRebel]

Another gift from Varane but Courtois made zero attempts to save that

[Spoonsky]

This must be an all-time bad performance by Varane.

[SvN]

Can't be as bad as Wayne Bridge against Croatia

[randomlegend]

Club football must be at about the weakest it's been in a long time. Liverpool are obviously good (although I'm not convinced they're that good compared to the really great teams of the last 20 years) but beyond that it's mostly shit.

[John Arne]

Raphael Varane looks a tad like Rick Fox

https://gyazo.com/227d637f945de53770c76cf63c6b0160.jpeg

[Lewis]

Ronaldo having to waste a season padding Maurizio Sarri's CV is a disgrace.

[SvN]

Juve were absolutely dreadful. It's basically Ronaldo and 10 Championship players.

[Lewis]

Matthijs de Ligt must be sick with envy watching those slick 'AWB'/Juan Mata combinations down the right.

[Spoonsky]

Club football must be at about the weakest it's been in a long time. Liverpool are obviously good (although I'm not convinced they're that good compared to the really great teams of the last 20 years) but beyond that it's mostly shit.

Yup. All aboard the Atalanta train.

[Don]

Bayern and City are also far better than any shite in recent years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Two French sides in the semi-finals is end of days stuff, which suggests it may not happen.

[niko_cee]

Club football must be at about the weakest it's been in a long time. Liverpool are obviously good (although I'm not convinced they're that good compared to the really great teams of the last 20 years) but beyond that it's mostly shit.

Not really.

Bayern are right at it. City probably are a great team of the last 20 years. Just because the lazy hegemony of the super-moneyed clubs is faltering a bit. Real Madrid and Barcelona being comedy shitshows is hardly anything new. If anything their dominance under the cheat players is the outlier.

[Spoonsky]

Two French sides in the semi-finals is end of days stuff, which suggests it may not happen.

*joke about this year*

[Jimmy Floyd]

How very typical of 1854.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hang on, I've just realised those weren't even quarter-finals.

Do all the teams left in it have to sit around for weeks locked up in some bio-secure hotel in Duisburg, having a plate of boiled pork shoved through their door every night and 80s soft porn on the TV, then get knocked out, and then straight back into league football? Bit miserable.

[niko_cee]

The elite get Bolinhos de bacalhau.

[-james-]

Atalanta will spank PSG tomorrow.

[Lewis]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/aug/07/zinedine-zidane-real-madrid-manchester-city-champions-league-tactics

Is it me, or does that actually end up making the case for him being a bald fraud?

[phonics]

https://i.imgur.com/DcM2usG.png

The prosecution rests.

[Lewis]

'Pep' has been beaten to two titles here by hair transplanters as well. :sherlock:

[Manc]

Atalanta will spank PSG tomorrow.

Without Ilicic?

[phonics]

Without Ilicic?

One of Atalanta's star players walking out on the team after having a breakdown caused by walking in on his missus mid-coitus with another man is the under-rated story of lockdown for me.

[niko_cee]

Van Dijk not being on the player of the year shortlist is pretty lol seeing as he's the best player in the division by a country mile.

In his absence Alexander-Arnold should probably win both but won't.

De Bruyne will for his 'exceptional' season. :cab:

[Giggles]

True, otherwise we might confuse him with the river.

It’s more that you don’t know him personally. Don’t let that F1 wankery slip into soccer.