February Football: In time for Wolves vs. United

[Ian]

Sorry, Wolves / United is always such a good game I should probably have started this thread a couple of weeks ago so we could get the hype train going.

20 minutes still left to discuss it before kickoff, though!

There's probably other football stuff happening this month but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Lofty]

Wolves owe them one for that disgraceful let off at Old Trafford.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1753120430133514397

What the fuck is the keeper doing and how does that goal stand? Surely it's a non-direct free kick.

[niko_cee]

Good job Phillips is now going to be nailed on for England at the Euros.

Really need Bradley to displace Alexander-Arnold into midfield for the good of everyone.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Not sure why Rashford is playing but that is a tidy goal.

[Kikó]

I refuse to believe a wolves v united game might be good despite an early goal.

[Danny]

Hojlund now scoring lucky ones.

[Ian]

Hojlund now scoring lucky ones.

Sounds like his goal was a result of having a striker who's prepared to BE THERE*.

* one for the haxball crew o/

[SincereTheRebel]

Are all man utd players wearing full long sleeves?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sounds like his goal was a result of having a striker who's prepared to BE THERE*.

* one for the haxball crew o/

Absolutely.

It wasn't a jam factory goal.

[Waffdon]

Not sure why you’d set up to play into Man Utd’s hands by allowing them to break on you at will but there you go

[Dark Soldier]

Newport was the catalyst lads its on

[niko_cee]

Not sure why you’d set up to play into Man Utd’s hands by allowing them to break on you at will but there you go

Particularly as they set up to play on break themselves in the eye-bleeder last Monday.

[Luke Emia]

Rashford is BACK…

[niko_cee]

:happycry:

[Shindig]

Ian, what have you done to this fixture!?

[Lewis]

That was good.

[randomlegend]

:happycry:

:happycry:

[niko_cee]

:checkit:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was great from Mainoo.

[Ian]

Ian, what have you done to this fixture!?

Jinxes only work if you meant it.

[SincereTheRebel]

This lad in Man Utd midfield looks alright. Like Paul Pogba in a blue shirt.

[Don]

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[Jimmy Floyd]

All cricket fans: first time?

[Waffdon]

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[Lewis]

I hate seeing plugs left like that. Captain, Leader, Legend.

[Kikó]

What a result yesterday. First time in premier League history that united v wolves was not the worst fixture of the weekend. Now the question is whether united can keep the majority of that xi fit. Mainoo is superb.

[Ben]

Seven goals and no VAR, a genuinely good game for once.

[Baz]

All praise Ian for the reverse-jinx

[Ian]

The least I could do for making you all wait until 8pm for the new thread.

[John Arne]

Getafe apparently reporting Bellingham to the Spanish FA cos he called rapist Greenwood a rapist :D

Have they never heard of the Steisand effect?

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[CJay]

Can you be done for slander on the pitch?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Getafe apparently reporting Bellingham to the Spanish FA cos he called rapist Greenwood a rapist :D

Have they never heard of the Steisand effect?

1753329567240953944

Jude :cool:

[Kikó]

He said he's the greatest.

[Shindig]

He said Rey pissed. Referring to the King's obvious displeasure at the tackle.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/status/1753533821935403492

Lord knows I'm not getting involved in the trans debate, but the revelation that the Premier League operates some kind of covert intelligence agency collecting information on fans who express non-approved opinions online and then passing it onto clubs to get the people banned is surely a massive story? Must be a huge breach of data protection if nothing else.

You get the feeling this league is going to have its wings severely clipped in the coming years.

[Shindig]

There has to be more to it than that.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, that sounds super shady.

Be even more interesting if that woman has previously expressed anti-Saudi/anti-whatever views and that is the reason she has been targeted.

[niko_cee]

The Premier League are also going to get absolutely annihilated by the ICO if half of that alleged profiling stuff is in anyway accurate. Really really not something organisations are allowed to do or share unless they've got their lawful basis for doing it really locked down, which I doubt they will have even if one plausibly exists, which it probably doesn't.

[Yevrah]

If the information is publicly available (which I'm guessing it is if this department is merely combing twitter) then there's no data breach involved. I'll watch the video though.

[Gray Fox]

I've often wondered why we haven't had any Premier League players coming out, be it with their gender, sexuality or anything, but I guess that might be a look into the window of why.

If even the runners of the sport you play are against you, what chance do you have?

[Shindig]

Yeah, that sounds super shady.

Be even more interesting if that woman has previously expressed anti-Saudi/anti-whatever views and that is the reason she has been targeted.

I'd say it's likely. Gateshead's canny Jewish.

[Yevrah]

Watched the video. I'm no expert on GDPR, but it doesn't look like the Premier League have had access to personal information on this Woman from her dealings with them that they've then released when they shouldn't have so I don't think they've done anything wrong in that respect.

However, you then get onto the rest of the questions this raises and well, fuck me. It's run mad, hasn't it?

[niko_cee]

If the information is publicly available (which I'm guessing it is if this department is merely combing twitter) then there's no data breach involved. I'll watch the video though.

It's not a question of data breach, you simply aren't allowed to collate large amounts of personal information, regardless of source, without having a lawful basis to do it and for it to be a proportionate thing to do even if you do think you are on sound ground as regards that, which they won't be. Every aspect of data processing and controlling is heavily regulated, particularly for large corporate entities.

Once you have collected the data, which you probably aren't allowed to do but even if you are, you then become a processor and possibly controller of that information, which imposes all sorts of regulatory requirements on you. The law is ridiculously far-reaching.

[Jimmy Floyd]

So let's say Boots approach me while I browse the toothpaste aisle and offer me an incentive to go out and find racists to ban from their stores. I then walk past someone on the street who I hear calling someone 'coloured'. I then follow the person home, discovering their home address, name and other information about them. I then pass this information back to Boots who use it to ban the person from their stores. What, if any, laws have been broken in this scenario, and by whom?

[Yevrah]

It's not a question of data breach, you simply aren't allowed to collate large amounts of personal information, regardless of source, without having a lawful basis to do it and for it to be a proportionate thing to do even if you do think you are on sound ground as regards that, which they won't be. Every aspect of data processing and controlling is heavily regulated, particularly for large corporate entities.

Once you have collected the data, which you probably aren't allowed to do but even if you are, you then become a processor and possibly controller of that information, which imposes all sorts of regulatory requirements on you. The law is ridiculously far-reaching.

Yeah, but large corporate entities are collecting ridiculous amounts of personal information as a side product of their normal course of business so it's right that they don't share that. What if your normal course of business is collecting data on people, that is freely available for anyone to see?

[phonics]

It's not a question of data breach, you simply aren't allowed to collate large amounts of personal information, regardless of source, without having a lawful basis to do it and for it to be a proportionate thing to do even if you do think you are on sound ground as regards that, which they won't be. Every aspect of data processing and controlling is heavily regulated, particularly for large corporate entities.

Once you have collected the data, which you probably aren't allowed to do but even if you are, you then become a processor and possibly controller of that information, which imposes all sorts of regulatory requirements on you. The law is ridiculously far-reaching.

Lol have you been asleep for the last 20 years where this is the the main money maker for swathes of the technology sector?

[Yevrah]

I mean, the Premier League's 'secret police' have collected all of this data on this Woman that as far as I can see anyone could have done, Newcastle Utd just couldn't be arsed to do it but gladly welcomed it all parcelled up from the Premier League. I'm having a hard time believing that as a business you're not allowed to share data that's in the public domain and having worked for large corporates (who were terrified of GDPR) I've never come across that.

[Yevrah]

Lol have you been asleep for the last 20 years where this is the the main money maker for swathes of the technology sector?

That's slightly different as it's packaged anonymously, no? e.g. 43% of 35-45 year old men put something mellow on Netflix after watching a Riley Reid gangbang.

[niko_cee]

Lol have you been asleep for the last 20 years where this is the the main money maker for swathes of the technology sector?

Yeah, but you have to have all your ducks in a row as regards privacy policies etc. Or, you know, not bother and just cop the fines, which is also a popular approach.

Collecting info as per Jimmy's model probably puts you at risk of breaching laws on stalking and harassment, and then presumably neither he or perhaps Boots would have the necessary policies in place to satisfactorily account for what you are doing with the collected data.

It's not a crime type thing, well, maybe the stalking thing could be but that's more flippant/tenuous, but data protection regulatory frameworks do sort of impose an obligation on any data collector in the course of a business to have the correct policies in place to account for that data and what is done with it. Now, the Premier League may think they have this covered off by the lawyers, and it is possible that they have, but on the bare facts it sounds a bit suss.

[niko_cee]

Anyway, 'mon the Spuds.

Always believed in Richarlison's quality.

[Waffdon]

I think Everton might actually go down. They’ve been horrendous for a while now.

[Spikey M]

Any other season they would, but there's too much shite down there this year.

[niko_cee]

They'll be in trouble when they get their next points deduction.

[Waffdon]

Any other season they would, but there's too much shite down there this year.

Luton are already ahead of them though with games in hand and Everton have had their good form earlier in the season. They’d need a total of 45 points+ to stay up if Luton keep it up

Spurs keeper turning into a pudding at set pieces certainly helps though

[Ian]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68190865

He's run wild for the last time.

[Manc]

I think Everton might actually go down. They’ve been horrendous for a while now.

Fancy a wager?

[Waffdon]

I’ll wait and see the result of this weekends games first tyvm :lol:

[Ian]

Maybe wait until July and do it then.

[niko_cee]

Even if they finish 18th they'll end up being saved by City getting a 100 point deduction or something equally unlikely.

[Raoul Duke]

A trade I'd be willing to make

[niko_cee]

No Eze and Olise only fit enough for the bench. :cool:

Hopefully big head can sort himself out up front for Brighton but I have my doubts. Get Mitoma on the plane home.

[niko_cee]

Spursy. Was going to be a big win for them as well.

[Spikey M]

Football 'eritage.

[phonics]

It’s just who we are mate.

[Waffdon]

Newcastle :lol:

[Shindig]

Everton are fucked. :D

[niko_cee]

Why do Newcastle never play that Hall kid? And given that they never play him, why are they going to spend £30m on him in the summer to the direct benefit of one of their rivals?

[Gray Fox]

So we are now facing the very real situation of relegation being decided after the season ends.

Everton have their appeal and I reckon some points will be given back to them, but they're going to lose more down the line, along with Notts Forest. The appeals for those wont be heard until June.

[Gray Fox]

This could end about 6-6 :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Newcastle :lol:


Everton are fucked. :D
Dickheads.

[Waffdon]

Why do Newcastle never play that Hall kid? And given that they never play him, why are they going to spend £30m on him in the summer to the direct benefit of one of their rivals?

Who knows. There’s rumours about not having to pay if he doesn’t play certain amount of minutes but the threshold is tiny (which explains not playing when they had no defenders).

Fuck off luton

[niko_cee]

Palace making a strong case to be considered part of the debate at the bottom, so they'll probably shit the bed and sack Woy before Eze and Olise bail them out eventually.

[Waffdon]

Olise is probably out injured for a while again. Another player who came through the Chelsea academy who is incredible but permanently crocked

[Ben]

Joao Pedro is money.

[Waffdon]

2 goals for Datro Fofana :cool:

Should have gotten a chance if they were loaning Broja out

[Shindig]

Phew. We're off the hook.

[Baz]

Good MOTD tonight if you like goals

[Gray Fox]

Could be a cricket score in Sheffield.

[Adramelch]

Luton's form is pretty mental at the moment all things considered. 14 points from the last 7 games.

[Shindig]

They've got Sheffield United next. :D

[Adramelch]

They've still to play Sheffield, Burnley, Everton, Forest, Brentford, Bournemouth and Fulham at home. Obviously nothing is an easy win given their squad, but I'd imagine their confidence must be very high at the moment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If they even come close to staying up then Rob Edwards should get manager of the year.

[niko_cee]

Yeah. It's refreshing to see them being the only promoted team in with a hope. Sheff United have to be one of the worst teams the league has seen in a good while and it is satisfying to see Kompany and his brand of sub-Pep wankball being lolled out of the league.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Wednesday are a complete waste of space as well. Can the FA unilaterally rule that there is now only call for a single professional side in Sheffield? Move the other one to Canterbury, as phonics suggested.

[Waffdon]

Losing Konsa’s extra 5 points because he got subbed off 10 seconds before the 60th minute. Fuck sake

[phonics]

Wednesday are a complete waste of space as well. Can the FA unilaterally rule that there is now only call for a single professional side in Sheffield? Move the other one to Canterbury, as phonics suggested.

The Tunbridge Wellers

[Giggles]

Never realised how how fucked up Paul Merson was back in the day or how bad he was up to very recently.

[randomlegend]

That's fabulous from Hojlund.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He seems to have really settled now.

[Ian]

Hoj. :cool:

[Luke Emia]

I know they are winning but fuck me United are dross.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Speaking of dross, Chelsea...

[Waffdon]

Surely to god he’s sacked if he loses this game. Even a draw. Give a new man at least a few weeks to keep the cup final score down to a minimum. Pochettino will coach the highest defeat in recent memory

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He just needs more time.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Tactical goalkeeper sub for West Ham?

Or I guess that challenge by Zouma was worse than originally thought.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Emerson :lol:

[niko_cee]

Surely to god he’s sacked if he loses this game. Even a draw. Give a new man at least a few weeks to keep the cup final score down to a minimum. Pochettino will coach the highest defeat in recent memory

Who's the next cab off the rank then? Or is it Lamps to the end of the season again?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Get fucked West Ham.

[Waffdon]

Who's the next cab off the rank then? Or is it Lamps to the end of the season again?

Hiddink:cool:

[Gray Fox]

Whispers that Sexy Szobo hasn't travelled so an early advantage for Arsenal.

The cup game a few weeks ago was one of the most literal game of two halves I've seen. Hopefully they forget their scoring boots again.

I do feel though that the draw just hands all impetus over to City, so I expect to see madness in the last 10 minutes should it somehow be level.

[Waffdon]

Hopefully wolves score another goal or 2 here as there’s no way he walks out alive

[Don]

The butcher really needs to stop butchering his own body in aid of being a favela cunt :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a fucking block by Dalot.

[Gray Fox]

The fuck is this Thiago bloke on the bench?

[Don]

No Szobo hurts but Darwin off the bench is naughty.

[Gray Fox]

No Conor Bradley today as the lads dad died yesterday.

Nunez left the game in midweek in a protective boot, so I am surprised hes even on the bench.

[niko_cee]

Was hoping Bradley would start for the emotion of it all, and the fact that he's a far better defender and Martinelli usually toasts Trent.

That Liverpool team looks a bit bleh really.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Garnacho :cool:

[niko_cee]

Back to back pumpings, you'd have to think Poch may be in a bit of trouble here.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kalvin Phillips is wank, no wonder he never got minutes under Pep.

[Waffdon]

Back to back pumpings, you'd have to think Poch may be in a bit of trouble here.

Need a 5th or 6th

[Gray Fox]

Was hoping Bradley would start for the emotion of it all, and the fact that he's a far better defender and Martinelli usually toasts Trent.

That Liverpool team looks a bit bleh really.

Famous last words but Martinelli has been off it this season. Konate and Gomez defensive efforts probably decide the game. I'd like to be in a situation where Thiago can come on to gain some fitness and not in search of a goal. If hes on with 10 to go looking for a goal then he's absolutely going to concede a penalty or counter attack to lose the game.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Small Pockets saving himself :drool:

[randomlegend]

I love Garnacho with his horrible hair and gack teeth. He's so loveable.

[Waffdon]

6-0 Villa on Wednesday if the loon keeps his job.

Surely a competent manager realises Silva is one of the biggest reasons Chelsea have been a mess defensively for 18 months. He’s one of the only mainstays.

Well him and Gallagher being shoehorned

[Lewis]

I love Garnacho with his horrible hair and gack teeth. He's so loveable.

He appears to have had them done. Before they looked like every tooth was from a different tramp.

[Kikó]

I think that's Martinez done for the season if he's twisted his knee - kind of thing that takes ages to heal. Such a shame as he's absolutely brilliant.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pochettino needs time. Three or four years.

[Don]

Jose, please.

[Waffdon]

Pochettino needs time. Three or four years.

He’s not moved with the times. Tactically inept.

Made Messi look like he was past it. He’s just not up to it anymore.

[Gray Fox]

You can't just change the manager every 6 months and expect things to change.

[Waffdon]

The two managers brought in were always going to be a risk. Potter was the one who they should have stuck by if anything. Pochettino will only get worse. He is completely inept.

How anyone can watch Chelsea every single week and not see the same tactical mess happen time and time again and not blame the manager is beyond me.

Watch Caicedo in any game. He’s literally playing in midfield by himself. No one around him or near him. Teams win the ball back and are running at a 40 year old and a pro bodybuilder.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Stop crying lad, give him the season.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You knew Havertz was missing that, he's a lucky boy Saka was right there for the rebound.

[Gray Fox]

A good first half for once would be nice.

[Giggles]

A good first half for once would be nice.

Might win 5-1 instead of 3-1.

[Gray Fox]

Entire of our right side just looks asleep. 3 guys who haven't had many first team minutes in the last few weeks.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Saliba and Raya :lol:

[Gray Fox]

Saliba has done almost everything right there. Raya just freezing is mental.

Absolutely crazy. Get me Darwin chaos ASAP.

[Lewis]

That Liverpool kit is an appalling colour. Nobody likes Parma Violets.

[Don]

There's fewer things sweeter than seeing people try and demonstrate their strength in shielding and being fucked up. Butcher first and now Saliba :drool:

[Baz]

It seems popular among female children.

[niko_cee]

That Liverpool kit is an appalling colour. Nobody likes Parma Violets.

And yet it is somehow not the worst of Liverpool's alternative kits.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68199137

A near-capacity crowd of 38,323 at Hong Kong Stadium had each paid more then 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (£101) for a ticket.

Paying £100 to watch Messi not play in a friendly :harold:

[Luke Emia]

Done more in 2 minutes than the previous 45.

[Gray Fox]

A bit of proof there that Trent is undercooked.

These games often pass Harvey Elliott by. Hopefully he can do something here.

[Gray Fox]

Only seems fair to chuck them a goal back....

[Waffdon]

Van Dijk :drool:

[Dark Soldier]

PL's apparently greatest ever CB and GK there. Class.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

loooooooooooool, well done lads.

[Gray Fox]

Famous last words but Martinelli has been off it this season. Konate and Gomez defensive efforts probably decide the game. I'd like to be in a situation where Thiago can come on to gain some fitness and not in search of a goal. If hes on with 10 to go looking for a goal then he's absolutely going to concede a penalty or counter attack to lose the game.

Calling it now.

[Manc]

Pochettino needs time. Three or four years.

The project needs time. The manager not so much.

[Manc]

Heads have gone here.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Alisson :harold:

Taibi-esque.

[Gray Fox]

Always does a 6 month stretch of greatness and then chucks in 4 errors in one game.

[Dark Soldier]

Alisson is fucking shite

[phonics]

Didn’t create a thing all game against our various Aryan Kings. Taz in pieces.

[Waffdon]

City city city city

[Gray Fox]

We'll just not talk about the obvious 2nd yellow card for Gabriel though.

[Dark Soldier]

We'll just not talk about the obvious 2nd yellow card for Gabriel though.

Good man.

[phonics]

We'll just not talk about the obvious 2nd yellow card for Gabriel though.

Might’ve raised your xg to 0.2.

[Don]

Poor day at the office, lol at these useless 4-6-0 wankers getting hyped.

Results are irrelevant anyway, we got 15 mins of Thiago art so the world is a better place.

[Gray Fox]

A few too many absentees today. Looked toothless in the first half with no Nunez, Salah, Szobo and a clearly unfit Trent. First 15 mins of the second half was a lot better, but then it reverted to being ploddy and slow with no real thought.

A shame, but our first defeat of the season coming in February isn't too bad.

[Waffdon]

2 defeats by February and City still have the title in their hands already.

Hilarious

[phonics]

Hilarious

We talking Chelsea?

[niko_cee]

Liverpool obviously viewed the halftime statement that they couldn't play any worse in the second half as a challenge.

[Waffdon]

We talking Chelsea?

:lol:

[SincereTheRebel]

and here was me. Tipping Wolves for relegation. Gary O'Neil. Legend. Despite the delfected goals. Wolves were superb.

Graham Potter needs an apology. Chelsea are a mess.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I remember listening to the pre-season Football Weekly preview podcast and the whole row of journos were predicting us between 3rd and 6th, absolutely mental. My prediction of 16th was maybe a bit low but I had much better logic going. I think maybe we've just been a top team for long enough that people can't get their heads around the fact that our squad is complete gunk.

I think there was also a collective thrill at how badly Lampard did in the 12 games or whatever it was he had at the end of last season, and therefore a willingness to pin our shitness on him rather than the fact that we just have bad players who aren't going to do well enough under any manager to attain top six football.

[phonics]

Considering 99% of 'football journalism' is just 'whatever happenned last week will happen next week' it's surprising how little them being pitiful for 2 years during which they were bought by an anthomorphised dunning kruger effect got factored into those predictions.

[niko_cee]

Transfers trump all in pre-season assessments.

Remember when Lukaku was the missing piece of the puzzle? Twice.

[Don]

https://understat.com/league/EPL

Chelsea 6th where it matters.

[phonics]

Doesn't the fact that stats say the game was a 2.5 goal draw in a game they got absolutely hammered slightly underrmine this continued farce?

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's just strokes gained tee to green, doesn't win you any prizes. Football seasons are far too short for it to be all that significant.

[phonics]

Also those stats say we're winning the league meanwhile Taz spends his days calling everyone in the team frauds. So do stats lie or are they the truth?

[phonics]

In other news they've announced the stadiums for the American World Cup and it's madness. The travelling involved is criss-crossing the continent. You could win a round of 16 game in Canada, get on a 7 hour flight to Dallas and play a quarter final 2 days later.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, but think about the brand experience.

[phonics]

Lewis will be boycotting it due to the Bud Light sponsorship.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The final will just be fittest teams. Sweden v Norway or something.

[Lewis]

1754116673714475013

Never heard his voice before lol.

[phonics]

All these journo's will bang on about how they know foreign football and how it's a great product. 'Oh don't think he's shit because hes in Serie A'

Meanwhile the derby d'italia description could have been in the 2004 edition of Premier Years.

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[Jimmy Floyd]

It's English football from the 90s. Arnautovic is Brian McClair and Szczesny is Ludek Miklosko. Meanwhile all the good City and Liverpool players are spread across Milan, Inter, Juventus and Lazio.

[Danny]

1754116673714475013

Never heard his voice before lol.

He sounds like he should be the antagonist in a season of 24

[Ben]

The lady who broke the news on the random Potter sacking is saying Poch is already gone Waffdon

[Jimmy Floyd]

Could well be a big mistake. It's possible there are one or two better managers than Pochettino available on the market currently (though I don't know who they are), but there are definitely thousands of managers worse than him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

At least Waff will be happy for a few weeks.

[Waffdon]

The lady who broke the news on the random Potter sacking is saying Poch is already gone Waffdon

Who?

I think if he was gone he’d be announced as such already like both Tuchel and Potter. Athletic reporting he’s got his press conference tomorrow as usual

[Waffdon]

At least Waff will be happy for a few weeks.

I just want to watch Fernandez and Caicedo next to each other. (Like Jorginho and Rice yesterday, even Arteta finally learned his lesson)

[Ben]

1754282512547733938

Seems to be a bullshitter on the surface but apparently she of all people broke the Potter story, so she might be pumping someone in the building.

[Manc]

De Zerbi packing his bags as we speak.

[niko_cee]

He has had the air of a man who might be on his way going off some of the things he's been saying in his press duties recently, although you'd think Chelsea might know better by now, as should any self-respecting manager.

I half wonder whether big brain Boehly might have discovered an unfortunate football finance fly in the ointment of his long term contract scams. Now, I don't really know how any of it works, but going off the basic principle that you book in the cost of a transfer over the course of a contract, if that is a very long contract then it happily brings down the yearly cost, all very big brain. But what happens when the hugely expensive player turns out to be shite, are you limited in how you can dispose of them as by selling them do you crystallise any player trading loss in the year it happens? For example, Mudryk cost £90m, fuck oh my days. That costs Chelsea's books say around £10m a season for his mental contract, assuming it's 8 or 9 years or whatever it is they thought was a good idea. Now, if some frankly insane counter-party wanted to sign Mudryk, what are they likely to be paying for him? Half that, if you're lucky? If Chelsea take that, do they have to instantly book whatever loss they have made without being able to now amortise if over the course of a contract? Does selling him for £50m this summer cost them £30-40m in accountancy losses, whereas holding him only costs £10m or whatever? Are they essentially trapped into holding these players forever in the hope that they come good at some point or have I misunderstood how it all works?

Cucurella 60m/6 year contract, Wesley Fofana seventy-fucking-five millions pounds and a seven year contract, dear god in heaven.

[Waffdon]

Boehly isn’t in charge.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Does the sold player not stay on the books as a dead horse at £net-loss per year until the original end date? It sounds like that would have to be the case for the thing to make sense. An alternative explanation would be that it in fact does not make sense.

[Waffdon]

And Mudryk didn’t cost £90m. It’s £65m (still huge) and instalments are only paid if they win the league and Champions League (which would mean success so who cares).

Fofana is a don. Hopefully his new knee means less injuries when he’s back. Wishful thinking.

[Waffdon]

Would need to sell Mudryk for £51m this year to book a profit on the accounts. £50m for Fofana. £37.33m for Cucurella.

[niko_cee]

I just took the number off the top of google.

[Giggles]

I just took the number off the top of google.

Don't question a lifelong fan.

[niko_cee]

I love that Waff has an encyclopedic knowledge of Chelsea's accounts.

Not sure I've known how a fee is broken down since maybe Coutinho, and I never really understood that one anyway.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Boehly isn’t in charge.

Doesn't matter what you call them, it's US private equity goons and 'Boehly' is as good a metonym as any.

[Waffdon]

RL will show you who to listen to and not.

Iranian mobster - Behdad Eghbali - is the guy running Chelsea and making all the decisions

[Luke Emia]

Would need to sell Mudryk for £51m this year to book a profit on the accounts. £50m for Fofana. £37.33m for Cucurella.

Well that shows the problem perfectly. Maybe if they tried to sell Mudryk they'd get £20 million based on what he looks like he is. Fofana has been out for nearly 2.5 seasons now so you can write him off as worthless until he plays for a solid 12-18 months if they wanted to sell him and you'd probably get about the same for Cucurella as you would for Mudryk so out of those three 'assets' the one it currently looks like they could carry the smallest loss on is Cucurella. Which means you are stuck playing him in Mudryk or at least having him round the squad being a drain on wages because a lot of the smaller clubs can't afford them.

What a business model.

[niko_cee]

Nail Warnock, famous Cornwall resident, taking the Aberdeen job is a bit mad. He just can't help himself.


Warnock has one session with the players on Monday before the game at Ibrox and joked that "if we get battered on Tuesday it is Peter's fault, and if we do well I've been influential".

:D

[Waffdon]

The briefs are out. He’s staying.

The end to this season might somehow eclipse last year under Lampard. Could be special.

[Gray Fox]

Apparently he is staying because under FFP they cannot afford to sack him. :D

[niko_cee]

Sacked on July 1st then.

[Ben]

Apparently he is staying because under FFP they cannot afford to sack him. :D

Outstanding if true. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently he is staying because under FFP they cannot afford to sack him. :D

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought everyone had priced in that we're absolutely turbo-fucked and probably won't make the CL again. Maybe not. Never mind, I might be able to get home tickets again if we go down to League One in a decade's time.

[Luke Emia]

Apparently he is staying because under FFP they cannot afford to sack him. :D

Waff will be in shortly to tell you why this simply cannot be true and that Chelsea are simply the greatest at FFP.

[Waffdon]

I don’t have a clue but believing anything out of the Daily Mail is something

[Raoul Duke]

They should get Mourinho for some additional banter

[Lewis]

There was a Guardian article today about Chelsea, and basically they can keep the plates spinning as long as 1) they play European football; and 2) can shift enough home-grown players year after year to balance things out. If one or more of them doesn't happen then things can quickly get choppy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You can do that by starting with a good experienced side, not by starting with a load of not very good youngsters. It's all over.

[niko_cee]

Shame Brentford couldn't make it to half time, that was a proper superkeepering up to that point, replete with an assist and all.

[Dquincy]

Neil Warnock would have been fun at Chelsea (and cheap).

Also, it's interesting to see FFP starting to impact the running of teams. Even if it is helping the top boys more than the smaller clubs.

[Luke Emia]

There was a Guardian article today about Chelsea, and basically they can keep the plates spinning as long as 1) they play European football; and 2) can shift enough home-grown players year after year to balance things out. If one or more of them doesn't happen then things can quickly get choppy.

Didn’t have you as a signed up member of the Wokerati.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Poor old Chalobah, Gilchrist, Gallagher, Castledine et al. Pigs being fattened up for market.

[niko_cee]

Do we then go fully through the looking glass where buying clubs know Chelsea's situation and further to holding out beyond the June 30th deadline they just start calling their bluff on asking prices? I mean £50m for Broja? Do Spurs have to make the calculation whether they think Connor Gallagher will make them 10 points better than Chelsea, or would it be a better bet to see if the PSR goon squad can make that difference for them?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Presumably so. Like the administrative equivalent of drawing the press. Got to keep those goal kicks in the six yard box.

We've obviously been hawking Gallagher out like nobody's business the last two windows but haven't attracted the money we want.

[Lewis]

Do we then go fully through the looking glass where buying clubs know Chelsea's situation and further to holding out beyond the June 30th deadline they just start calling their bluff on asking prices? I mean £50m for Broja? Do Spurs have to make the calculation whether they think Connor Gallagher will make them 10 points better than Chelsea, or would it be a better bet to see if the PSR goon squad can make that difference for them?

This is what made the Mason Mount fee all the more lol. They didn't have to sell him, but they clearly wanted to. United caved big time.

[Raoul Duke]

Came here to post the same thing. And Mount is absolutely shit

[Don]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/05/manchester-city-agree-deal-savio-girona-troyes-cfg-transfer-news

Fuck sake, the kid's already incredible, at City he's just going to be silly. Title seems done too unless we can keep the big boys fit for the rest of the season.

[Don]

1754593981436969120

Lol.

[randomlegend]

I don’t have a clue but believing anything out of the Daily Mail is something

I've never heard of Kieran Gill but Daily Mail have some decent reporters.

[Lewis]

'Savio' looks like every current City player blended into one.

[Waffdon]

Joint piece with Matt Hughes. Who is an absolute melon.

I also doubt sacking him would cost a huge amount. He’s out of contract next year

[Jimmy Floyd]

If I were them I would do the experiment we all need, get a half-decent manager from the Isthmian League on fifty grand a year plus bonuses, and if he can still deliver top-twelve soccer then who needs to blow the FFP budget spending millions on a fancy dan.

[Raoul Duke]

Didn't they already basically try that with Potter?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Potter was on twelve million a year, this is about how costly they are, not the quality of manager.

[niko_cee]

It's all the backroom staff as well. I see 'Poch' has got his son on the payroll, in the style of Carlo.

Potter has basically taken retirement on his Chelsea contract by the looks of things, which, well, why wouldn't you?

[Lofty]

If I were them I would do the experiment we all need, get a half-decent manager from the Isthmian League on fifty grand a year plus bonuses, and if he can still deliver top-twelve soccer then who needs to blow the FFP budget spending millions on a fancy dan.

Moyes at United proved the knuckleheads will only respect a manager of a quality they percieve adjacent to that of the club's standing. Also see Emery at PSG and Arsenal vs Emery in Spain/at Villa.

[Ian]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2024/feb/06/david-squires-on-chris-wilder-the-other-earl-of-sandwich

Squires vs. Wilder's deranged sandwich comment is excellent.

[niko_cee]

:D

I'd missed the sandwich comment, but CW is always good value in those things, usually as Klopp's nemesis.

[thommo]

This lad must be Waff putting on an accent.

1754850218200211929

[Waffdon]

:D

He would play Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount amongst 9 other white Englishmen. I’m offended.

[wullie]

Maidstone have been rewarded for their efforts in the FA Cup with a fifth round plum tie at Cov on a Monday night in front of the wind-up ITV4 cameras. The greatest gift of all

[Gray Fox]

Someone is going to have to clean Waff up. No Thiago Silva will have sent him over the edge.

[Waffdon]

No Nkunku or Chukwuemeka though. :’(

[Waffdon]

He has a striker on the pitch and yet he’s playing Palmer as a ‘false 9’. Cunt

[niko_cee]

You'd think a midfield diamond or the old Brazil 4-2-2-2 might make more sense with these players.

Or 4-2-3-1, is it that?

Nice goal.

[Waffdon]

Star boy

[Waffdon]

Trying to play out from the back with Chilwell in the team is near on impossible. They should just stop bothering

[niko_cee]

Poch in!

Probably harsh but it looked like that just hit Jackson in the face and he had little to no idea about it.

[Gray Fox]

I don't watch Chelsea very much, but purely from Jims posts about Jackson, that's about the perfect goal for him to score.

[Waffdon]

Jackson is class.

Still wouldn’t be shocked if Villa get it back to 2-2 out of nowhere

[Waffdon]

‘Need more experience’

Sterling and Silva dropped and now looking like an actual competent side

[niko_cee]

Were Villa not decent for a bit under Gerrard before going to shit and is Emery in danger of repeating the same over the slightly longer time period here?

[Waffdon]

Hardly went to shit. Lost twice since November.

I think they might fall off a bit if he doesn’t learn to rotate though. especially Europe soon as well

[Giggles]

Were Villa not decent for a bit under Gerrard before going to shit and is Emery in danger of repeating the same over the slightly longer time period here?

Or just having a bad game and the answer is somewhere in that massive space between best ever and worst ever.

[Gray Fox]

Villa would have to shit the bed hard to fall outside of the top 5 by now you'd think. With 5th likely being good enough for Champions League too.

Villa just lack the squad that the bigger boys do. If Emery keeps up the good work he can get them there consistently.

[niko_cee]

Or just having a bad game and the answer is somewhere in that massive space between best ever and worst ever.

Was someone else on here that pointed out that their form has been a bit wonky for a fair while, although that was before they bunted Sheff Utd at the weekend.

[Ben]

Alright that like.

[Waffdon]

Oh yes baby

[Clunge]

This is the worst Villa performance of the Emery era. We have been absolutely dire to a man tonight.

[Waffdon]

Chukwuemeka on for the seethe pls

[Waffdon]

Silva and Sterling still somehow finding themselves on the pitch. Ffs. Collapse incoming

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jackson comes back and everything is fine. Agent of chaos. My favourite Chelsea player for years.

[Waffdon]

Unbelievable work rate.

Belle Silva may have saved Chelsea. Silva starts tonight without that tweet of hers. Hopefully that is him being phased out now

(Starts Monday)

[John Arne]

Thiago injured again :face: