Football 2024/25

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

Its very possible that I think Eddie might have to sit out for the rest of the season - it's the kind of condition that you can't really rush a recovery from, not least as football manager is a pretty intense profession to try to rush back into.

 

If nothing else I'm hopeful Jason and Graeme have been well versed enough from their time working with Eddie that they would be able to deliver a framework to get the points we need in these final 7 games.

I think it could be weather dependent as well? If it's a bit warmer then the training ground is more reasonable.

 

Kinda gutted that didn't got to extra time tonight. I was hoping Villa would be in a proper post-PSG hangover for the weekend!

[Skip997]

On 14/04/2025 at 14:40, balti-pie said:

 

 

😄 imagine what you'd be like if you supported an actually dreadful FC, you'd never be able to handle it! 

It would be a lot easier as I wouldn’t have an expectations

[charlierc]

13 hours ago, Skip997 said:

It would be a lot easier as I wouldn’t have an expectations

Tell that to Spurs fans. I wouldn't say its a club with the highest of expectations in football but the club do seem to be finding new ways to even underperform against those.

[charlierc]

14 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I think it could be weather dependent as well? If it's a bit warmer then the training ground is more reasonable.

 

Kinda gutted that didn't got to extra time tonight. I was hoping Villa would be in a proper post-PSG hangover for the weekend!

I guess a lot depends on the severity of Howe's condition and what extent he needs in order to recover and return to being able to manage. I know that Jason Tindall said the other day that he's prepared to remain in charge for the rest of the season if need be and I suspect that may be an option.

 

Villa could be an interesting case. They were great against PSG last night os might have a mix of disappointment not to stick the landing and pride that they came close. I suspect the mood is going to be that they're gonna want to challenge for the Champions League places though, and ofc we have a day less of rest due to the Wednesday timing of tonight's Palace game.

[thetime]

13 hours ago, Skip997 said:

It would be a lot easier as I wouldn’t have an expectations

 

Every club have expectations, no matter what level they are at. 

[thetime]

Bonkers utd could finish 4th from bottom and be in the champions league. 

 

Which would give us 3 trophies in 3 seasons. 

[kaosmark2]

12 minutes ago, thetime said:

Bonkers utd could finish 4th from bottom and be in the champions league. 

 

Which would give us 3 trophies in 3 seasons. 

Any thoughts on the keeping situ?

[lost]

35 minutes ago, thetime said:

Bonkers utd could finish 4th from bottom and be in the champions league. 

 

 

 

Even more bonkers there are two teams who could do that. Its actually made the race for 17th interesting in a way now its not going to be a team that has scraped staying up.

 

Wolves have been in good form so I thought it would be Everton looking at their run in but they've just played the top 3 and taken 4 points so what do I know?!

Edited April 16, 2025 by lost

[thetime]

25 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Any thoughts on the keeping situ?

 

They are not very good, same can be said for all positions though. 

 

Tom Heaton has the best contract in football. 40k a week and not played a league game since he signed 4 years ago. 

 

It was the right decision to dump De Gea though. Utd goal keeper is a tough gig, even during fergie it was the same. Had a few average ones between Schmeichel and van Der Sar.

 

Although the most pressing issue is the strikers, majority of utd fans would of called that. 

 

 

 

 

[kaosmark2]

13 minutes ago, lost said:

 

Even more bonkers there are two teams who could do that. Its actually made the race for 17th interesting in a way now its not going to be a team that has scraped staying up.

 

Wolves have been in good form so I thought it would be Everton looking at their run in but they've just played the top 3 and taken 4 points so what do I know?!

Everton play half the teams fighting for CL right? We've got them for our last game, and I think I remember seeing them in Chelsea and City's run-in? Maybe Villa's?

[thetime]

14 minutes ago, lost said:

 

 

Wolves have been in good form so I thought it would be Everton looking at their run in but they've just played the top 3 and taken 4 points so what do I know?!

 

Will be carnage in my house Sunday. Tried my best, taking them to old Trafford and all sorts. But both my boys (7 & 11), are mad Wolves fans. 🫣

 

My 11 year old even fell asleep at Old Trafford last season. 

Edited April 16, 2025 by thetime

[kaosmark2]

4 minutes ago, thetime said:

 

They are not very good, same can be said for all positions though.

🤣

 

So true and still so funny.

 

I do agree about De Gea though, just because Onana's been underwhelming doesn't mean moving on from De Gea was wrong.

Edited April 16, 2025 by kaosmark2

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Everton play half the teams fighting for CL right? We've got them for our last game, and I think I remember seeing them in Chelsea and City's run-in? Maybe Villa's?

We're certainly a long way from me thinking there was a scenario where we might have sent them down on the last day. 

 

They play Man City and Chelsea as their next two. They also have Fulham away, although I'm not sure if Fulham are consistent enough to land a European place judging by the variables that recently saw them beat Liverpool then lose to an inconsistent Bournemouth.

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, thetime said:

It was the right decision to dump De Gea though. Utd goal keeper is a tough gig, even during fergie it was the same. Had a few average ones between Schmeichel and van Der Sar.

 

I guess De Gea will look better given how much of a problem the position has been since his exit and indeed the fact De Gea has had a few big highlight reel games with big saves after his gap year.

[thetime]

23 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I guess De Gea will look better given how much of a problem the position has been since his exit and indeed the fact De Gea has had a few big highlight reel games with big saves after his gap year.

 

De Gea was awful last few seasons, especially the last one. Should of been sold 3-5 years before. 

 

Is Onana the answer? Probably not. 

[charlierc]

Well if nothing else we did the business against Palace tonight. Puts us in a great place for Villa on Saturday, which I expect will be a challenging contest.

[thetime]

Arsenal's tie against Real Madrid, one of the best in champions league history. 

Edited April 16, 2025 by thetime

[Neil]

I'm already looking forward to arsenal Vs PSG which should be crackin games between two fantastic teams

[balti-pie]

20 hours ago, charlierc said:

Tell that to Spurs fans. I wouldn't say its a club with the highest of expectations in football but the club do seem to be finding new ways to even underperform against those.

I do have expectations as a Spurs fan, but unfortunately they're for Spurs to find new and spectacular ways to hurt me 😄 

if your expectation is disappointment, then you'll never be disappointed. Im beyond the age where it pisses me off, i treat it as a soap opera nowadays - 'how will they kick me in the nuts today? oh, four down in the first half hour? fabulous! thats different' 

[Neil]

2 hours ago, balti-pie said:

I do have expectations as a Spurs fan, but unfortunately they're for Spurs to find new and spectacular ways to hurt me 😄 

if your expectation is disappointment, then you'll never be disappointed. Im beyond the age where it pisses me off, i treat it as a soap opera nowadays - 'how will they kick me in the nuts today? oh, four down in the first half hour? fabulous! thats different' 

Spurs fan huh; that new stadium is great for getting more booo-ers in. Shame they can't make up their mind who to boo the team or the owners.

[kaosmark2]

20 hours ago, charlierc said:

We're certainly a long way from me thinking there was a scenario where we might have sent them down on the last day. 

 

They play Man City and Chelsea as their next two. They also have Fulham away, although I'm not sure if Fulham are consistent enough to land a European place judging by the variables that recently saw them beat Liverpool then lose to an inconsistent Bournemouth.

Fulham seem to beat good teams and be bad against bad teams. I fully expect Fulham to lose to Everton and draw against Southampton, while getting points in 2 of their games against Chelsea, Villa, and City.

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Fulham seem to beat good teams and be bad against bad teams. I fully expect Fulham to lose to Everton and draw against Southampton, while getting points in 2 of their games against Chelsea, Villa, and City.

Kinda like Brighton then, given they've won this season against a lot of the other European chasers (not least us) but got demolished by Forest and failed to win any of their home games against the bottom 3.

[charlierc]

10 hours ago, balti-pie said:

I do have expectations as a Spurs fan, but unfortunately they're for Spurs to find new and spectacular ways to hurt me 😄 

if your expectation is disappointment, then you'll never be disappointed. Im beyond the age where it pisses me off, i treat it as a soap opera nowadays - 'how will they kick me in the nuts today? oh, four down in the first half hour? fabulous! thats different' 

Tbf I think to be a football fan is to be deeply disappointed by your club on multiple occasions. Newcastle's history even in 25 years or so of being an active fan gives me plenty of material to work with in the "How and why the f**k did you do that?" stakes.

 

Maybe sometimes you need gallows humour. I once saw the Toon at Southampton in our last relegation season in 2016 where home fans were trying to get a rise out of us in a game where Newcastle were 3-0 down and had barely threatened until a random Townsend worldie and the away fans just joined in embracing that we were sh*t.

 

It's kinda almost petty to pick on Spurs tbf but their season has been pretty ridiculous even by their standards. Even if winning in Frankfurt tonight gets them a step closer to go someway to redeeming it.

[charlierc]

20 hours ago, thetime said:

Arsenal's tie against Real Madrid, one of the best in champions league history. 

I'm kinda surprised at how lacklustre Real Madrid were in the two legs. Unquestionably, Arsenal deserve their flowers for exceptional game management to win both legs, not least given their defensive and offensive injury crises, but a team managed by Ancelotti with Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Bellingham barely threatened and seemed to be trying to manifest a comeback last night rather than put the work in. Kinda strange ngl. But in keeping with their season according to more regular La Liga watchers than I.

 

It's a fascinating final 4 tbf. Be exciting to see who's got the panache to stick the landing.

[kaosmark2]

10 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I'm kinda surprised at how lacklustre Real Madrid were in the two legs. Unquestionably, Arsenal deserve their flowers for exceptional game management to win both legs, not least given their defensive and offensive injury crises, but a team managed by Ancelotti with Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Bellingham barely threatened and seemed to be trying to manifest a comeback last night rather than put the work in. Kinda strange ngl. But in keeping with their season according to more regular La Liga watchers than I.

 

It's a fascinating final 4 tbf. Be exciting to see who's got the panache to stick the landing.

I mean, Real Madrid have been bad all season in games against teams with a strong midfield. Instead of playing with Kroos as the metronomic lynchpin of a midfield 3 and Bellingham either pressing up the pitch or dropping back to help from a false 9 role; they're playing with Bellingham in there, who is naturally a player who wants to roam forward and take players on, trying to dictate the pace of the game at the age of 21, and Mbappe offering no attacking press. Add in that Rodrygo's attacking press has been a lot worse (probably because he's playing alongside Mbappe who refuses to do it), and they've effectively lost 2 players when they're off the ball (Kroos -> Mbappe is -1, and the worse effectiveness of Bellingham and Rodrygo combined is -1).

 

This means when they do get the ball, they don't have someone dictating the pace of transitioning the ball into attack, and the midfielders that have been pressing are just more tired and not quite as sharp. Good as Camavinga and Valverde are, they can't do the job of a midfield 3 as just 2 of them.

 

If you compare that to PSG, who also have a sharp and fast-paced 4 players, who are all finishers but none of whom are natural strikers, they just rotate which 3 of 4 are on the pitch, maintain their shape, make sure they're pressing or tracking back to aid the midfield and give all 4 enough game time that they're not salty about their participation and being a star. AC Milan have a similar problem to Real as well. And in some ways it's one of the issues City have had (albeit injury induced more than tactically), they're getting their attacking stars out but not able to get the legwork in midfield done.