Football 19/20

[eastynh]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

I always thought of Cesc as a player who never hit the heights expected of him as a youngster. If he's got better stats than the best player ever I guess he didn't do too bad after all.

Stats are not the be all and end all. Can you not use your eyes and form an opinion? Or do you just go off Opta lists?

[eFestivals]

1 hour ago, pink_triangle said:

I think Liverpool still win the league if he had been injured all season. I'm not sure that is the same for Allison or VVD. I would probably go for VVD as I think that their dominance over city was more down to their relative defensive strength than attacking.

Henderson has had a very good season, but probably doesn't make my best 11.

I pretty much agree - but he's what makes all those great players into a team. Milner has (or at least, had) much the same effect tho in a different way. 

I'd say you need a steady-eddie amongst the flash to get the best out of the flash.

[Gnomicide]

3 hours ago, eastynh said:

Right then fellas, what has Jordan Henderson done this year to be given football writers footballer of the year? From an outsider looking in, he has not even been the best player at his own club.

He seems to have a good engine, seems to be a great leader and a competent footballer.Every club needs one or two players like him. Yet I have never once thought, what a great performance from Jordan Henderson, he totally dominated that match and was the best player on the park.

What am I missing? Why is he winning awards?

Similar to what you said earlier about only seeing De Bruyne on MOTD, you have to watch Liverpool week in, week out to appreciate what Henderson brings. He sets the tempo, drives them forward, adds bite that is often missing. It's especially noticeable if he's brought on as a sub. His range of passing is way better than he's given credit for but that ability grab a game by the scruff of its neck (particularly the ones where we may have looked like it was never going to happen for us) is what has set him apart this season.

 

Edit: Just checked on the Liverpool forum I go on, he came 2nd in the vote there:

Mane - 41%

Henderson  - 33%

Van Dijk - 16%

So what do I know.

Edited July 27, 2020 by Gnomicide

[kaosmark2]

40 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I always thought of Cesc as a player who never hit the heights expected of him as a youngster. If he's got better stats than the best player ever I guess he didn't do too bad after all.

He peaked at 24. I'd probably argue it's mostly due to Barca messing him around, begging him to return then playing him irregularly in the time he should have been improving further, so when he went to Chelsea at 28, he hadn't actually had 4 years of development.

[pink_triangle]

1 hour ago, Gnomicide said:

Similar to what you said earlier about only seeing De Bruyne on MOTD, you have to watch Liverpool week in, week out to appreciate what Henderson brings. He sets the tempo, drives them forward, adds bite that is often missing. It's especially noticeable if he's brought on as a sub. His range of passing is way better than he's given credit for but that ability grab a game by the scruff of its neck (particularly the ones where we may have looked like it was never going to happen for us) is what has set him apart this season.

 

Edit: Just checked on the Liverpool forum I go on, he came 2nd in the vote there:

Mane - 41%

Henderson  - 33%

Van Dijk - 16%

So what do I know.

I am not doubting Henderson is a good player, just there are clearly better, both this season and in general.  Someone like KDB is at a completely different level in terms of his performances.

I think with these awards the reality is not everyone thinks independent, there tends to be a bit of a campaign for a certain player and people follow along. It’s similar to when the PFA gave it to Giggs when he wasn’t the best player. I remember in the past Fletcher was the media flavour of the month for a while. I don’t think he deserves the award, but at the same time struggle to get worked up about it.

[Dan R]

I think for a period between November and February Henderson was absolutely incredible, after actually being pretty poor for the first few months. He pressed relentlessly and set the tempo high up the pitch and was a big reason Liverpool won so many games late on.

When Fabinho was injured and he was moved back to the 6, he stepped up even more and was everything you could ask for from a DM. All the great stuff off the pitch talk actually covers up how good he was on the pitch imo. The long break seems to have made people forget those performances.

Still reckon de Bruyne should and will win the PFA award but Henderson has been phenomenonal.

[TheGayTent]

It’s all too common for class players to get overlooked because they don’t play for a fashionable club. 
However, Grealish in the team of the year? I call bollocks. 

[eFestivals]

9 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

It’s all too common for class players to get overlooked because they don’t play for a fashionable club. 
However, Grealish in the team of the year? I call bollocks. 

i've just read on BBC gossip that Man Utd are keen to sign him, while telling him he wouldn't be a guaranteed starter.

So yeah, you're probably right. 

[thetime]

42 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

i've just read on BBC gossip that Man Utd are keen to sign him, while telling him he wouldn't be a guaranteed starter.

So yeah, you're probably right. 

United will be signing a lot.of players according to BBC gossip.

[eFestivals]

Just now, thetime said:

United will be signing a lot.of players according to BBC gossip.

well, it's not actually the beeb's own gossip, of course. It's all the bullshit from all the bullshitting papers.

[thetime]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

well, it's not actually the beeb's own gossip, of course. It's all the bullshit from all the bullshitting papers.

Wouldn't mind grealish, dumping pogba in the process.

[eFestivals]

11 hours ago, eastynh said:

Stats are not the be all and end all. Can you not use your eyes and form an opinion? Or do you just go off Opta lists?

Silva stood out for me when a youngster playing alongside Villa (I guess that was Spain games? I forget).

At City, not so much.

See, I have opinions. Ones of my own, nowt to do with spinning the club I support line.  

[eastynh]

4 hours ago, eFestivals said:

Silva stood out for me when a youngster playing alongside Villa (I guess that was Spain games? I forget).

At City, not so much.

See, I have opinions. Ones of my own, nowt to do with spinning the club I support line.  

You are perfectly entitled to your opinions. By saying Silva did not stand out at City just shows you are absolutely clueless.

Some plaudits from players here, 3 of them Liverpool players, with 2 of them being club legends. They all say Silva stood out and was better than most. Yet Neil efests thinks Silva does not stand out, or even worse, he does not stand out in comparison to somewhere he can't remember.

Maybe you're not clueless, maybe you are blind. More likely you have not even seen him play but just like arguing and talking absolute bollocks.

https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11096/12037197/david-silva-salute-to-manchester-city-legend-after-final-premier-league-appearance

[eastynh]

14 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

It’s all too common for class players to get overlooked because they don’t play for a fashionable club. 
However, Grealish in the team of the year? I call bollocks. 

It was me who put him in. I seen him play close up twice this year. I went to both league games between Villa and City, also seen him against us in the league cup final. Now he did not turn up in the cup final, Foden outshone him quite easily. In the game at the Etihad though, I was very impressed. He is fast, strong, never gives up, got a good touch. He actually tried to go toe to toe with our midfield and always wanted the ball. The accusation against him is that he holds onto the ball too much, but that could be due to the lack of intelligence from his team mates in finding space. Plus, he is also too quick for most of them to keep up with. People say it is easy for him to stand out in such a poor team, but he stands out even though the opposition targets him and often surrounds him with multiple players. Take him out of that Villa team and they go down, there is no doubt about that. His image goes against him to an extent, people do not take him seriously. As a footballer though, I like him and think he is far better than Maddison, who he is often paired against.

I think he has had a really good season and would do well for a top team.

[eastynh]

16 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

Similar to what you said earlier about only seeing De Bruyne on MOTD, you have to watch Liverpool week in, week out to appreciate what Henderson brings. He sets the tempo, drives them forward, adds bite that is often missing. It's especially noticeable if he's brought on as a sub. His range of passing is way better than he's given credit for but that ability grab a game by the scruff of its neck (particularly the ones where we may have looked like it was never going to happen for us) is what has set him apart this season.

 

Edit: Just checked on the Liverpool forum I go on, he came 2nd in the vote there:

Mane - 41%

Henderson  - 33%

Van Dijk - 16%

So what do I know.

Will reply later after finishing work. Spent too long shaking my head at the nonsense Neil has been spouting, while on my lunch.

[Wooderson]

Who is the madrid player that tested positive?

'Fraid that competition will just simply *have* to be binned immediately now.

Hohum. Cant be helped.

[pink_triangle]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-aston-villa-var-18573759.amp

So at other times in the season VAR went against Villa and benefited Bournemouth? 

[eastynh]

The Cas report is out. City did not disguise equity as as sponsorship from Etihad and Etihad fully complied with the conditions of their contract. 

Not read the full report and skinmed over the Etisalat accusation being time barred. CAS just threw it out inmediately and did nit even ask City to defend themselves. Now seeing City have been vindicated in the main Etihad accusation, the Etisalat one is probably a load of bollocks as well. We will never know as UEFA could not even be arsed following their own rules. Quite ironic that UEFA accused City of breaking the rules, when ut was in fact themselves who did not follow them. 

You can save you apology Neil, you have made yourself look a big enough fool as it is over the last 7 months.

I will shut up about it now and look forward to Champions League football.

[eFestivals]

18 hours ago, eastynh said:

You are perfectly entitled to your opinions. By saying Silva did not stand out at City just shows you are absolutely clueless.

Some plaudits from players here, 3 of them Liverpool players, with 2 of them being club legends. They all say Silva stood out and was better than most. Yet Neil efests thinks Silva does not stand out, or even worse, he does not stand out in comparison to somewhere he can't remember.

Maybe you're not clueless, maybe you are blind. More likely you have not even seen him play but just like arguing and talking absolute bollocks.

https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11096/12037197/david-silva-salute-to-manchester-city-legend-after-final-premier-league-appearance

I love how I say one thing, and you make it something else entirely.  

Morning Donald.

[eFestivals]

13 hours ago, eastynh said:

The Cas report is out. City did not disguise equity as as sponsorship from Etihad and Etihad fully complied with the conditions of their contract. 

Not read the full report and skinmed over the Etisalat accusation being time barred. CAS just threw it out inmediately and did nit even ask City to defend themselves. Now seeing City have been vindicated in the main Etihad accusation, the Etisalat one is probably a load of bollocks as well. We will never know as UEFA could not even be arsed following their own rules. Quite ironic that UEFA accused City of breaking the rules, when ut was in fact themselves who did not follow them. 

You can save you apology Neil, you have made yourself look a big enough fool as it is over the last 7 months.

I will shut up about it now and look forward to Champions League football.

Just reading it.

City bullshit no.1:-
Cas stressed that Uefa did not instigate “frivolous charges” and had a “legitimate basis to prosecute” City based on leaked emails appearing to show the Abu Dhabi-owned club deceived the governing body by overstating sponsorship deals from 2012-16 and hid the source of revenue linked to state-backed companies in the emirate.

City bullshit no.2
Cas said in the full verdict that the “charges with respect to equity funding being disguised as sponsorship contributions from Etisalat are time-barred”.
and
The club was “well aware” that the payments were made as equity funding, not as payments for the sponsor on account of genuine sponsorship liabilities.

In other words, City took the piss with the FFP rules but Cas made no judgement on whether they did.

And you reckon City are innocent.  

City got off on a technicality, while Cas say that UEFA got everything right apart from the time-limit for prosecution.

Edited July 29, 2020 by eFestivals

[eastynh]

53 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Just reading it.

City bullshit no.1:-
Cas stressed that Uefa did not instigate “frivolous charges” and had a “legitimate basis to prosecute” City based on leaked emails appearing to show the Abu Dhabi-owned club deceived the governing body by overstating sponsorship deals from 2012-16 and hid the source of revenue linked to state-backed companies in the emirate.

City bullshit no.2
Cas said in the full verdict that the “charges with respect to equity funding being disguised as sponsorship contributions from Etisalat are time-barred”.
and
The club was “well aware” that the payments were made as equity funding, not as payments for the sponsor on account of genuine sponsorship liabilities.

In other words, City took the piss with the FFP rules but Cas made no judgement on whether they did.

And you reckon City are innocent.  

City got off on a technicality, while Cas say that UEFA got everything right apart from the time-limit for prosecution.

I wiĺ say this. All UEFA had were 7 emails. One of them was from 2 years before FFP even existed and had the date removed from Der Spiegel. One of the emails was actually 2 merged together and some of others had been doctored. UEFA's whole case was brought on the basis stolen and doctored emails. That is clear to see from the report.

Yes CAS do say that UEFA had the right to bring charges after what appeared in Der Spiegel. They also say that if City had given the original emails to UEFA, then City would have been found not guilty.

UEFA tried to ruin a football club on the basis of news reports from a newspaper that had already admitted making things up. Now we find out they had doctored the emails.

The CAS report also states that the HH in the emails is not Sheikh Mansour, which I had already told you. Sheikh Mansour provided evidence to CAS. When asked directly at the hearing if they were calling Sheikh Mansour a liar, UEFA said no, someone might have paid the money out of his bank account without him knowing. That is how utterly ridiculous it all is.

Neil you are not going to change your mind. You like a lot of idiots had decided City were guilty and you are determined to find them guilty no matter what.

The CAS report is damning in resoect to City not co-operating. Yet it totally clears City of any financial impropriety.

The report makes UEFA look like idiots.

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, eastynh said:

UEFA tried to ruin a football club on the basis of City cheating the FFP rules as Cas notes.

corrected for you.

[eastynh]

12 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

corrected for you.

CAS sides with City. I read the full 93 pages last night. City took full audited accounts, a written statement from Sheikh Mansour, personel appearances from 2 high ranking company executives. UEFA had screenshots of 7 stolen emails, with a number of them altered and one from before FFP even existed. That is all they had, they did not even have the original emails. No wonder Der Spiegel refused to give them to UEFA as they had messed with them. In relation to FFP breaches, City were totally exonerated.

Shall we draw a line under it now? You are never going to change your tune even though you have continually shown to be wrong. I suppose when you have a dug a hole that big, it is easier to keep on digging, rather than try to climb out

 

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, eastynh said:

In relation to FFP breaches, City were totally exonerated.

they were, on the technicality of the offences being out of time. It doesn't mean they didn't do it.

Cas noted that Etihad couldn't pay their sponsorship bill themselves, and had to get financial help from the owner. If you can't understand what that means it's your problem, not mine.

[eastynh]

14 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

they were, on the technicality of the offences being out of time. It doesn't mean they didn't do it.

Cas noted that Etihad couldn't pay their sponsorship bill themselves, and had to get financial help from the owner. If you can't understand what that means it's your problem, not mine.

But the owner of Etihad was not Citys owner.

The sad part about this Neil is that due to your hatred of either City or its owners, you are looking for technicalities that do not exist, to try and validate your position. You totally ignore that a newspaper has doctored illegaly obtained emails to try and damage an English football club. For one of the time barred barred accusations, UEFA tried to use an email that was sent  2 years before FFP even existed, but had the date redacted by Der Spiegel. 

Now with Sheikh Mansour providing a written statement, UEFA had the chance to challenge at CAS. When they were asked directly by the adjudicators whether they believed Sheikh Mansour was lying in his statement, they said no. CAS also said that if City had given the evidence that they supplied to CAS, to UEFA, that they would have been found not guilty in the first place.

UEFA had absolutely no evidence to back up their charges and CAS explicitly mention this at least 12 times.

Now at the end of the day you are not going to change your tune. City did not get off on any technicality and UEFA are looking a joke operation this morning.

City will play in next years champions league and no one will hold us back now.