Football 2024/25

[Skip997]

Wow Athletic Bilbao must be truly shite 

[thetime]

Just now, Skip997 said:

Wow Athletic Bilbao must be truly shite 

 

I love football. 

[thetime]

I thought utd would get battered tonight, glad to be proven wrong.

 

6 teams in the Champions league next season then. 

[lost]

Is that a record. Has any other team managed to play against 10 men in the last 16, quarter finals and the semifinal?

 

Can't complain if your a Man Utd fan though ☺️

[efcfanwirral]

11 hours ago, thetime said:

I thought utd would get battered tonight, glad to be proven wrong.

 

6 teams in the Champions league next season then. 

And Branthwaite to them despite them finishing around or below us. So annoying 

[thetime]

18 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

And Branthwaite to them despite them finishing around or below us. So annoying 

 

Is that a big rumour at the minute, CB is perhaps not our biggest problem. Especially the price Braithwaite would cost. Although Lindelof and Evans

Should be going. That would still leave us with 6 though. 

 

Utd need a wingback, midfielders and strikers more. 

Edited May 2, 2025 by thetime

[efcfanwirral]

35 minutes ago, thetime said:

 

Is that a big rumour at the minute, CB is perhaps not our biggest problem. Especially the price Braithwaite would cost. Although Lindelof and Evans

Should be going. That would still leave us with 6 though. 

 

Utd need a wingback, midfielders and strikers more. 

Its been talked about for ages, I imagine its all based on Champions League just for funds more than anything else. That is true about the need for attackers at United more though, so it could be that the plans move in that direction.

 

I wouldn't be complaining if we get one more year of Branthwaite, would be a big part of helping us achieve some stability, but I imagine he'll have to go because of the size of rebuild required in the summer and PSR rules

[lost]

2 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

I imagine he'll have to go because of the size of rebuild required in the summer and PSR rules

 

How well do you think the new stadium will stablise things? I know its not just about the football nowadays its other events and stuff like that. Also the "fan zone" around the stadium, I was watching an interview with I think the Arsenal chairman and he said a bar managed to take £1 million just from fans hanging around after the Spurs match.

[efcfanwirral]

46 minutes ago, lost said:

 

How well do you think the new stadium will stablise things? I know its not just about the football nowadays its other events and stuff like that. Also the "fan zone" around the stadium, I was watching an interview with I think the Arsenal chairman and he said a bar managed to take £1 million just from fans hanging around after the Spurs match.

I think off the pitch as a club we need a reset from the fans perspective, there's a fatalistic element of the fan base where we expect the worst, but that almost happened and didn't. Now the debt is manageable, the stadium is built against all odds and we didn't get relegated. If that mindset can be reset it'd be nice.

 

Financially it should really help, like you say other events will add money (https://www.iq-mag.net/2025/02/inside-everton-fcs-new-must-play-stadium/ this article is really interesting on that, the outdoor space using the facilities of a stand, saving the promoter from having to sort toilets and bars etc does seem a good opportunity) and I think it'll attract sponsorship and even players. Financially they'll be better off but will still be miles away from the top teams. 

 

On the pitch I think it's the biggest summer in a long time, and will define the club for years to come. So many players are out of contract, or have loans expiring. That's a needed reset as that core group have been through a number of managers over the past few years.

 

That's where the reset comes in, the new players have to be stronger mentally and not be scarred by the last few seasons,which will naturally happen with so much change, but the fans need to give them room to breathe and not be on their backs at every misplaced pass. I'm just a bit concerned they have to sign so many players in such a short period, but I do trust Moyes to lead that.

 

The new board will help too, proper football people with real experience instead of local "custodians", which sounds nice but sentiment and trying to be a family club is ultimately what got us into the position we ended up in.

 

Exciting times though! 

[pink_triangle]

It feels a probable Man U v spurs Europa league final and Chelsea in the final of the other one is bad for European football.

[thetime]

56 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

It feels a probable Man U v spurs Europa league final and Chelsea in the final of the other one is bad for European football.

 

I would say it's the complete opposite. UEFA are licking there lips,  at the potential of 3 big premier league sides being in the finals of the 2 weaker cups. 

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, thetime said:

 

I would say it's the complete opposite. UEFA are licking there lips,  at the potential of 3 big premier league sides being in the finals of the 2 weaker cups. 

I'm not sure what makes UEFA happy is the same as what's good for football.

[pink_triangle]

12 hours ago, thetime said:

 

I would say it's the complete opposite. UEFA are licking there lips,  at the potential of 3 big premier league sides being in the finals of the 2 weaker cups. 

I don’t think what is good for football and what is good for UEFA is necessarily the same thing. We all know the conference league was not set up for teams like Chelsea.

[thetime]

1 hour ago, pink_triangle said:

We all know the conference league was not set up for teams like Chelsea.

 

Who is it set up for? With the premier league so competitive, with more and more clubs getting new money. Its going to happen.

 

Chelsea haven't qualified for the champions league for 3 years. They qualified by finishing 6th, which could be one of the big boys every season. 

 

A bit different this season with the extra place in the champions league. Without it though it could be a Chelsea, villa or Newcastle in it. 

 

 

[thetime]

Top 5 going to the last game isn't it? 

 

Some intriguing games as well.

 

Newcastle v Chelsea

Arsenal v Newcastle 

Forest v Chelsea last game. 

Liverpool  V  Arsenal

 

On paper City, Forest and Villa the easier run in. 

Edited May 4, 2025 by thetime

[thetime]

Mainstream media and social media, getting there knickers in a twist over utd or spurs potentially being in the champions league. 🤣

 

 

[Skip997]

49 minutes ago, thetime said:

Mainstream media and social media, getting there knickers in a twist over utd or spurs potentially being in the champions league. 🤣

 

 

They’re not alone. 
 

15th or 16th in the CL 😂

[lost]

I don't know why, it hasn't been the champions league for years. It should be called "the closest thing to a european super league we can get away with league"

[Punksnotdead]

5 hours ago, Skip997 said:

They’re not alone. 
 

15th or 16th in the CL 😂

Them's the rules. It doesn't say anything about where you are allowed to finish in the league. Didn't notice anyone moaning when Villarreal, Sevilla or Atalanta were winning it.

 

Funny how Wenger is only piping up now because it could be United or Spurs winning it - can't think why? 🤣

[thetime]

1 hour ago, Punksnotdead said:

Them's the rules. It doesn't say anything about where you are allowed to finish in the league. Didn't notice anyone moaning when Villarreal, Sevilla or Atalanta were winning it.

 

Funny how Wenger is only piping up now because it could be United or Spurs winning it - can't think why? 🤣

 

United still the biggest story in town. Liverpool won the league days ago, it's already forgotten. 

 

Got to love the clout of Utd.

[kaosmark2]

20 hours ago, thetime said:

Mainstream media and social media, getting there knickers in a twist over utd or spurs potentially being in the champions league. 🤣

 

 

I dunno why anyone except Arsenal fans wouldn't want Spurs in the CL. It'll be good entertainment.

[kaosmark2]

Best Champions League tie this decade at least?

[thetime]

9 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Best Champions League tie this decade at least?

 

I dont very often watch non English games in Europe, glad I watched both ties. 

 

Amazing games. 

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, thetime said:

I dont very often watch non English games in Europe, glad I watched both ties. 

 

Amazing games. 

I do quite a bit, more this season now they've become more accessible.

 

My favourite world cup games are usually two non-European countries playing.

[thetime]

8 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I do quite a bit, more this season now they've become more accessible.

 

My favourite world cup games are usually two non-European countries playing.

 

Only problem was putting up with Shearer on commentary. I dont watch MOTD, so miss him usually.