SempreSami
Hall of Fame
Unreal if he's giving it the big'un on social media per Fabresque while posting numbers like this.
The TT Football Club
- Thread starter Ross K
- Start date
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Oh damn, they are close to elimination but could be saved against the ever (un)reliable PSG. Even with their trouble, I still have that fear of a good ass kicking on Sunday. But it's Viktoria Plzen tomorrow night, it's an early one, 17:45.
Off topic cameo. I'm hyped for Dexter prequel but more hyped for the sequel. Good times if you need more Dexter. Friday night Original Sin begins.
I've never seen blood splatter like this before. Bludgeoned. Manchester United are sending me a message, they're trying to impress me, and it's working.
You think 5.45 is early? We play in Kazakhstan at 3.30! 7000 miles away, takes 9 hours to get there, 5 hour time difference, it’s -21 degrees and we’ve sent the under 18’s
That damn United FA Cup win is a curse to everyone.
We’re now chilling (literally) in the Conference League, and Yanited kept ETH off the back of it. Everyone lost.
Juve-City was a battle between two pretty evil clubs, both of whom I want to lose more often than not, so I was supporting the referee there. The ideal outcome there would have been both teams fielding ineligible players and getting kicked out of the tournament or something.
But at least City's troubles continuing is a positive story. Long may that continue including in the upcoming Manchester derby. I was gutted that Juve preserved their unbeaten Serie A record vs. Bologna last weekend.
I've been in Rotterdam with work during the past few days and was able to get a ticket for the Feyenoord-Sparta Prague game last night . That was the first time that I've been to the De Kuip stadium since the Feyenoord-Blackburn UEFA Cup match in 2006/2007. Some of the nearby Feyenoord fans were throwing bottles at us in the away section. Feyenoord were later booted out of the competition, due to their some of fans rioting during one of their away games. It's safe to say that yesterday, sat with the home fans, was a lot less scary.
It was a fun game with a great atmosphere, and another 4-2 result not long after the one that I witnessed between Braga and Sporting. Things came to life with 2 goals from Feyenoord in the first 10 minutes including a nice finish from Igor Paixão for their 2nd goal, and a stunning strike by Anis Hadj-Moussa for their 3rd goal. Plus due to my Mexican links I was very happy to see Santiago Giménez scoring their 4th goal as well. I haven't checked how Feyenoord are doing in terms of potential qualification out of the league phase though.
Feyenoord in some ways remind me of Sporting, as while they are part of the big 3 in the Netherlands, they have clearly been the third / weakest member of that trio in modern times, going quite a long time without winning the title until then they finally did it under Van Bronckhorst a few years ago (their title drought was widely memed and mocked in the Netherlands). Then again they're the last Dutch team to have won a European trophy, the UEFA Cup with the final in their own stadium during the early 00s. Sporting played in a UEFA Cup final in their own stadium a few years later, but got stage fright and lost.
But at least City's troubles continuing is a positive story. Long may that continue including in the upcoming Manchester derby. I was gutted that Juve preserved their unbeaten Serie A record vs. Bologna last weekend.
I've been in Rotterdam with work during the past few days and was able to get a ticket for the Feyenoord-Sparta Prague game last night . That was the first time that I've been to the De Kuip stadium since the Feyenoord-Blackburn UEFA Cup match in 2006/2007. Some of the nearby Feyenoord fans were throwing bottles at us in the away section. Feyenoord were later booted out of the competition, due to their some of fans rioting during one of their away games. It's safe to say that yesterday, sat with the home fans, was a lot less scary.
It was a fun game with a great atmosphere, and another 4-2 result not long after the one that I witnessed between Braga and Sporting. Things came to life with 2 goals from Feyenoord in the first 10 minutes including a nice finish from Igor Paixão for their 2nd goal, and a stunning strike by Anis Hadj-Moussa for their 3rd goal. Plus due to my Mexican links I was very happy to see Santiago Giménez scoring their 4th goal as well. I haven't checked how Feyenoord are doing in terms of potential qualification out of the league phase though.
Feyenoord in some ways remind me of Sporting, as while they are part of the big 3 in the Netherlands, they have clearly been the third / weakest member of that trio in modern times, going quite a long time without winning the title until then they finally did it under Van Bronckhorst a few years ago (their title drought was widely memed and mocked in the Netherlands). Then again they're the last Dutch team to have won a European trophy, the UEFA Cup with the final in their own stadium during the early 00s. Sporting played in a UEFA Cup final in their own stadium a few years later, but got stage fright and lost.
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Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Red Rick
Bionic Poster
Game's gone can't even yeet bottles at the away section anymore smh
I don't blame him. I would probably be tempted to throw a bottle at myself as well.
I just wish the bottles were full of beer and capped so I could have a drink afterwards and not empty
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
I must say, it does look like I’ve jinxed him the last few games
Sorry about that.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
I must say, it does look like I’ve jinxed him the last few games
Sorry about that.
I don't think it's a jinx I think he's just a mediocre GK that occasionally makes a highlight reel save.
Also it looks like it's time for the 6th winter to be the charm in Rashford leaving rumors being actually true. He is dreadful.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Onana is complete dross
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Losing to a team named after a cake and a Czech beer? Crazy.
Knowing United, they’ll be ok. Play crap, somehow come out of the game with something. Rinse and repeat.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Take off Rashford and immediately score. Sounds about right
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
I should be financially compensated for watching full Manchester United games in 2024.
Hojlund at least saved it from being a complete waste of time --- but even current City will beat United if they play like that again.
Hojlund at least saved it from being a complete waste of time --- but even current City will beat United if they play like that again.
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Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Thanks You Rasmus.
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Alejandro Garnacho liked this.
Alejandro Garnacho liked this.
Alejandro Garnacho liked this.
Alejandro Garnacho liked this.
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
I got my TV fixed but I think I needed a night off tonight.
I watched the highlights. It was nice to see Hojlund getting a lot of chances, missed a few, would have been a sweet assist for Bruno after some cutback magic. You're right, a win is easier to take after some missed chances. Felt sorry for De Ligt when Plzan scored, could hear the metal gear solid alert going off in his head when Onana made that pass. Frickin idiot. Sorry, Andre, I might be part of the goalkeeper union, but I know my team mates would be asking for a different goalkeeper next week after another of my F ups.Most of the highlights were Amad running wild and making stuff happen, but we know how much Amorim tinkers at the minute. Scary City coming next. Come on, United.
optic yellow
Legend
Please elaborate on your hatred for Juventus?
optic yellow
Legend
bruv you know the beer was named after the
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
I got my TV fixed but I think I needed a night off tonight.
Most of the highlights were Amad running wild and making stuff happen, but we know how much Amorim tinkers at the minute. Scary City coming next. Come on, United.
Amad looks a cut above the rest. I don’t know why he bothers tinkering with him. In a team full of hot and cold, surely you play your shining light all the time? Mazraoui is another. Both players look too good for this team at the moment. I don’t know why he’s rotating or taking them off after 50 minutes in some games.
I’d probably put Hojlund in there too. Still raw and all that, but to get to where you’re going, you’ll need him. Playing Rashford at striker? The plodder Zirkzee?
I dunno, feels like he’s making it harder than it needs to be
It's mainly due to their constant cheating and them being dodgy to the core, with the match-fixing, bribery, financial fraud, doping, the antics of Moggi, the antics of Agnelli etc.
Clearly they have been far from alone when it has come to cheating, and for example I thought it was farcical that Inter were awarded the 2005/2006 Scudetto, but in recent decades it's difficult to think of another 'heavyweight club' that has cheated as much or as regularly as Juve. At least despite the fact they have won a huge number of Serie A titles, their sustained underachievement in the Champions League, and inability to win it again after 1996 losing in so many finals, has been pretty hilarious IMO.
Also the fact that they were one of the clubs most strongly pushing for a 'closed shop' Super League in 2021 was yet another reason for me to hate them - I also hated both of their main partners in crime there Real Madrid and Barcelona well before that whole saga developed.
But on the positive side Torino which I visited in September is a beautiful city.
The standard of the Championship this season is so poor, far worse than during the past few seasons, that I can't help but feel that whoever goes up is going to struggle badly next season, and it could it be another scenario in which all 3 promoted clubs go straight back down. The Burnley season ticket holders I know think they've been pretty terrible attacking-wise in most of their games, Leeds (understandably after the players they lost during the summer) really don't look special at all. this current Midlesbrough team is nowhere near as strong as the one that were promoted under Aitor Karanka in 2015/2016, we're nothing special at all especially in attack etc.
I think that Sheffield Utd getting promoted again would be the worst scenario, even putting aside my dislike of Burnley. Their owner who has wanted to sell the club for a long-time now but has failed to find a serious, non-dodgy buyer, has put that on hold, hoping that they'll secure promotion and then this time he'll be able to offload a Premier League club for a higher asking price (which he was unable to do last time), Clearly if they get promoted, they won't spend any serious money and will proceed to get battered week in week out, as was the case last season. After getting promoted in 2023, they then weakened their team, selling their best striker Ndiaye, and their best midfielder Berge to a fellow promoted club Burnley.
2011/2012 when we were last in the Premier League, feels like a drastically different era. At that time, the 20th placed Premier League team was bringing in around £40 million a year from TV revenue (still about 4 times more than what the lowest earning La Liga clubs were bringing in per year). But then from 2013/2014 when BT entered the broadcasting ring, the money has continually sky-rocketed to a completely different level, to the extent that the team that finishes rock bottom in the Premier League nowadays brings in more than £100 million from TV revenue.
When we were a Premier League club, I think we received more media attention and coverage overall, than comparable Premier League teams receive nowadays. I guess one thing we have in our favour, is that we are one of only 7 clubs to have actually won the Premier League, so we'll always be in a special category there. But there seems to have been more of a gradual shift towards (even) more time and attention being devoted to the heavyweight clubs, even when its rinse and repeat news. For example in 2011/2012 sporting directors like Dan Ashworth and Edu leaving Man Utd and Arsenal respectively clearly would have been news stories, but nowhere near as big as they have been this season. The 'middle of the road' Premier League clubs these days are far wealthier and stronger, but in many ways far less relevant in terms of media coverage. In the 00s for example, clubs like ourselves, Bolton, Middlesbrough etc. could realistically finish in European qualification places without spending big money, but clearly that's far more difficult nowadays. But I have been very impressed by teams like Brighton, Bournemouth, Fulham etc.
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SempreSami
Hall of Fame
Do have a fair bit of time for Blackburn, partly because former Gillingham midfielder Bradley Dack at least got to partially fulfill his potential as a Championship level player with you lot before the injuries set in and ruined him.
Dack was a wonderful player for us, with so many goals, assists and 'magic moments', before his injury hell, and was a real crowd favourite, looking so comfortable in his 'free role' behind the strikers. Suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury in one knee which sidelined him for more than a year, and then about a year later suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury in the opposite knee which sidelined for almost another full year, was just beyond unlucky. And at Sunderland he suffered numerous hamstring injuries. I'm convinced that he would have been able to move to a mid-table standard Premier League club and cut it at that level, before his career was wrecked by those injuries.
We signed him after getting relegated to League One, and at that level he basically looked like a peak David Silva.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
That’s a shame! I haven’t given the Championship much attention in recent years (since Wolves got promoted).
If they do get relegated, sounds like it could be a tough watch.
optic yellow
Legend
Both Torino and Milano suffer a sickness of proximity to Svizzera.
Fabresque
Legend
Yeah it was confirmed few nights ago. I don’t know if Garnacho is just leaking stuff himself. I think what the general story is, is that he tells his brother (who has a big social media presence) who then tells a bunch of people for $$$.
What is true though is that Garnacho himself has liked tweets and posts in the past that have slandered/made fun of his teammates and coaches.
And then sulking when he was taken off the other night. I mean he’s ridiculous. He has the ego of Ronaldo. Yet plays like a pigeon. At least when Ibrahimovic ran his mouth he was one of the best in the world.
Fabresque
Legend
It’s crazy our level of production from the academy. Jeez. Did you see Acheampong’s performance? Woah.Raving to the Conference League theme tune at 3pm on a Thursday, ready to watch Neto and Olise ball out on the border with China
Even if none of the academy grads can truly make it into a title winning squad the potential return we can get from other teams just off pure profit is incredible.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
It’s the best academy to be in, that’s for sure. Other teams might produce more for the first team, but the number of players who come through Cobham and go on to have great careers (at all levels) is crazy.
I think it’s something like 25% of the starting right backs in the league came through the academy.
As for Josh. He looked incredible! I know he’s very highly rated, experts on these kind of things say something will have to go drastically wrong for him not to be one of the best centre backs in Europe in a couple of years. The ability and physique is crazy.
I saw some Man Utd experts complaining yesterday that they’ve spent all this money on Yoro when we’ve just unearthed a better version for nothing
I won’t count my chickens until the contract is signed though. With Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool and Bayern all willing to give him regular first team minutes right now, it could still end badly. But it does seem like he’ll sign a new contract, as things stand
Fabresque
Legend
Well, as I say all this, United twitter has turned into a major civil war.
Turns out the company the Garnacho family keeps leaking team info to, tried to frame Amad Diallo as the leaker. So what happened is all the Garnacho fanboy accounts started threatening Diallo for “hurting their boy” or whatever, until it was unearthed that the Diallo story was all a plot to get the pressure off Roberto Garnacho.
At this point just sell off Garnacho and end this misery. He’s not that good and I’m sure they can fleece some sucker into giving them £40-50m. Get him off the books.
Fabresque
Legend
I think Cobham is probably the best academy in the world. And even the “players don’t play for the first team” thing is a myth, about 20-30% of our last UCL winning team was made up of academy graduates.It’s the best academy to be in, that’s for sure. Other teams might produce more for the first team, but the number of players who come through Cobham and go on to have great careers (at all levels) is crazy.
I think it’s something like 25% of the starting right backs in the league came through the academy.
As for Josh. He looked incredible! I know he’s very highly rated, experts on these kind of things say something will have to go drastically wrong for him not to be one of the best centre backs in Europe in a couple of years. The ability and physique is crazy.
I saw some Man Utd experts complaining yesterday that they’ve spent all this money on Yoro when we’ve just unearthed a better version for nothing
I won’t count my chickens until the contract is signed though. With Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool and Bayern all willing to give him regular first team minutes right now, it could still end badly. But it does seem like he’ll sign a new contract, as things stand
But of course the main selling point is that many of these players that don’t end up making it at Chelsea still go on to have pretty successful careers in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, etc… even a long career in the Championship is a successful career. There’s waaaaaaay too many hits from the academy to count. We’re in a great spot, if they’re good enough to play for the first team then they’ll have a pathway with Maresca. If not, they’ll get a move to another club and we can pocket pure profit. Most of them will go for around £30m+.
That’s why I think Boehly should hold off on this wonderkid from Brazil search. We’ve got a lot of the talent in-house to do the job. We’ve probably struck gold with Estevao but we also can’t forget we also struck gold with Reece James (before the injuries) so we shouldn’t overlook our academy. People moaned about Roman’s treatment of the academy but most of the time I don’t think it was his call, plus he was the one responsible for reshaping Cobham and putting in a lot of money on the facilities and coaches.
It's difficult to think of a worse owner of a 'big' European club right now than Peter Lim at Valencia. His management of the club's finances and general footballing decisions have both been disastrous at the same time.
In that region, the contrast between the impeccably run Villarreal and the shambolically run Valencia is very stark. Valencia rescinding the contract of their club captain and one of their best and most influential players Dani Parejo in 2020, and allowing him to leave on a free transfer to Villarreal, is one of the biggest transfer blunders of modern times.
They only narrowly avoided relegation 2 years ago, and I fear that this time they will not be so lucky. I think Valencia getting relegated from La Liga, would probably still be a bigger deal than any relegation from the English top flight during the Premier League era. I remember Atleti's relegation in 1999/2000 (probably the worst failure of Ranieri's managerial career), despite Hasselbaink banging in the goals for them and having a strong team on paper, was huge.
I have a soft spot for Valencia, due to fond memories of the days when they had the likes Mendieta, Aimar, Héctor Cúper etc, and absolutely loving the city in general. Betis and Sporting Gijón are the other Spanish clubs that I have a soft spot for.
In that region, the contrast between the impeccably run Villarreal and the shambolically run Valencia is very stark. Valencia rescinding the contract of their club captain and one of their best and most influential players Dani Parejo in 2020, and allowing him to leave on a free transfer to Villarreal, is one of the biggest transfer blunders of modern times.
They only narrowly avoided relegation 2 years ago, and I fear that this time they will not be so lucky. I think Valencia getting relegated from La Liga, would probably still be a bigger deal than any relegation from the English top flight during the Premier League era. I remember Atleti's relegation in 1999/2000 (probably the worst failure of Ranieri's managerial career), despite Hasselbaink banging in the goals for them and having a strong team on paper, was huge.
I have a soft spot for Valencia, due to fond memories of the days when they had the likes Mendieta, Aimar, Héctor Cúper etc, and absolutely loving the city in general. Betis and Sporting Gijón are the other Spanish clubs that I have a soft spot for.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Robertson lol
optic yellow
Legend
Someone please tell me Kelleher not playing means I'll get Pickers' sexy CS automatically subbed in.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
You might’ve been on the wrong end of it last week, but yes, you’ll get Pickford’s 8 points this week.
Can you do me a favour, next time I play a Wolves defender instead of Hall, can you give me a stern talking to?
6 wins on the bounce, and this time we didn't stop at 1-0 and actually got a 2nd goal ! This still seems crazy to me.
The 5 consecutive clean sheets, after we previously looked so chaotic defensively for so long under numerous different managers, is the most surreal thing of all. To be fair during the match before this winning run started, a 2-0 home defeat to Stoke, we completely dominated it but their goal-keeper produced an inspired performance.
Under Tony Mowbray we typically did extremely well this time of year to raise excitement levels amongst our fanbase, before collapsing after the New Year, and I'm still far too cynical to think we'll finish higher than mid-table. Still this run has been very nice while it has lasted.
The 5 consecutive clean sheets, after we previously looked so chaotic defensively for so long under numerous different managers, is the most surreal thing of all. To be fair during the match before this winning run started, a 2-0 home defeat to Stoke, we completely dominated it but their goal-keeper produced an inspired performance.
Under Tony Mowbray we typically did extremely well this time of year to raise excitement levels amongst our fanbase, before collapsing after the New Year, and I'm still far too cynical to think we'll finish higher than mid-table. Still this run has been very nice while it has lasted.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Liverpool will bottle the league IF anyone wants to actually take it from them.
Marco Silva has definitely done a very good job at Fulham.
When he got them promoted in the first place in 2021/2022, I was kind of bitter as it felt like they were playing in the Championship with a cheat code (like Leicester last season), with them benefitting from yet another new parachute payment cycle due to their yo-yoing at time, and having Mitrovic who was unstoppable at that level and scored 43 league goals.
But then after that promotion which was entirely expected, they've faced zero relegation danger whatsoever in the Premier League, and have typically been able look up in the table rather than down. They've also handed departures such that of Palhinha and injuries in defence this season very well, players like Iwobi and Smith-Rowe have been revitalised / settled in well, and the big guns certainly don't look forward to playing them.
Typically Marco Silva's teams have usually have had an issue with defending set pieces - that was apparent when he was at Hull, Watford and Everton and has also been evident at Fulham this season. But he seems to have evolved and adapted as a manager. When Fulham appointed him, it did seem like a great fit at the time.
I guess Fulham do benefit from an inherit advantage vs. other Premier League clubs of a similar statute, their (West) London location.
When he got them promoted in the first place in 2021/2022, I was kind of bitter as it felt like they were playing in the Championship with a cheat code (like Leicester last season), with them benefitting from yet another new parachute payment cycle due to their yo-yoing at time, and having Mitrovic who was unstoppable at that level and scored 43 league goals.
But then after that promotion which was entirely expected, they've faced zero relegation danger whatsoever in the Premier League, and have typically been able look up in the table rather than down. They've also handed departures such that of Palhinha and injuries in defence this season very well, players like Iwobi and Smith-Rowe have been revitalised / settled in well, and the big guns certainly don't look forward to playing them.
Typically Marco Silva's teams have usually have had an issue with defending set pieces - that was apparent when he was at Hull, Watford and Everton and has also been evident at Fulham this season. But he seems to have evolved and adapted as a manager. When Fulham appointed him, it did seem like a great fit at the time.
I guess Fulham do benefit from an inherit advantage vs. other Premier League clubs of a similar statute, their (West) London location.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Agreed, really good manager. Not just what he’s doing now, but the job he did to get them to this point.
Actually thought Liverpool did ok. Fulham are a difficult opponent for anyone, man down early.. they still came back twice and were the team pushing for the winner.
Hopefully we can beat Brentford tomorrow so the table looks interesting. Difficult game though, our record against them is horrific. West London Derby that means everything to Brentford and their fans. They’re a tough game at the best of times, but they always raise their level for this one.
optic yellow
Legend
Yes, I absolutely owe you this favor for all the help you've provided me. But I have to say, even with that performance today, Hall has a pretty mid PPM/£ so I think you can hardly fault yourself for not jumping to play him.You might’ve been on the wrong end of it last week, but yes, you’ll get Pickford’s 8 points this week.
Can you do me a favour, next time I play a Wolves defender instead of Hall, can you give me a stern talking to?
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
That’s true, I was switching between the two all week. Hall had Leicester at home. Ait-Nouri had Ipswich at home. It was a 50/50 really.
Unfortunately I went with the wrong one! I got -2 when I could’ve had 15. So a 17 point swing.
Hopefully I follow in your footsteps and I get some better fortune next week
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Fabresque
Legend
Yeah now that the walking disaster Mason Mount was thrown out the club and made way for superstar Cole Palmer, we have a shot.
How’s Mase been btw? Him and his dad said Old Trafford was “home”. Hopefully he’s liking it!
optic yellow
Legend
I would say less good fortune and more complete bailout from above, but I suppose that is a matter of branding.That’s true, I was switching between the two all week. Hall had Leicester at home. Ait-Nouri had Ipswich at home. It was a 50/50 really.
Unfortunately I went with the wrong one! I got -2 when I could’ve had 15. So a 17 point swing.
Hopefully I follow in your footsteps and I get some better fortune next week
Why is there so much noise about Ait-Nouri I see? Is he a popular player to have? A whole thread on the FantasyPL subreddit is dedicated to this exact problem you encountered.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
He sucks.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
He’s very attacking for a defender, despite Wolves being rubbish! Think he has 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games. So he gets one every 2.5 games or so. That’s quite nice when 99% of the defenders are lucky if they score one in 2.5 seasons.
