Football 2025-26

[Dan R]

40 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I don't think Nunez's reputation was helped by Liverpool fans frequently saying on social media that he was rubbish, but there's equally that idea that selling our top scorer and getting crumbs from Liverpool's table didn't appeal. I think if we'd signed Ekiteke, Liverpool would've gone for Isak instead. 

 

I do agree though that if it wasn't for the way Isak handled this, this probably would've been put to bed by now. 

 

If you ignored the narrative on social media (often a good move), Nunez was a really good player for us and a lot of fans were sad to see him go. Also think he's the kind of mad, maverick player that the Geordies would love.

[charlierc]

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea... ooft.  Graham Potter felt like he was under pressure coming into this season, and following up a 3-0 opening day defeat with this didn't feel like a great way to soothe that tension.

 

Though wouldn't have expected Nuno at Forest to be a contender for first PL manager change. Marinakis strikes again huh: Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo's future as manager is uncertain - BBC Sport

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, Dan R said:

 

If you ignored the narrative on social media (often a good move), Nunez was a really good player for us and a lot of fans were sad to see him go. Also think he's the kind of mad, maverick player that the Geordies would love.

Tbf I've seen the same discussions about Nicolas Jackson. Although the longer this goes on, the more I think he wouldn't be the worst Plan G. Even if the way he got cheap red cards both late last season in the PL and in the Club World Cup makes me think he might be a tricky character to manage. He may be off to Villa though.

 

I will be fair and note Nunez did get a few big goals. It certainly may help be an advert that two of those were against Newcastle when he came off the bench for a ten man Liverpool to turn a 1-0 deficit to 2-1 advantage. But I guess it's that thought of "Can we do better?"

 

If Isak is petulant enough, we may get into a "Beggars can't be choosers" situation though, whether it's paying Brentford's latest price for Wissa (quoted £35m a month ago, now £50-60mil) or some other solution.

[kaosmark2]

53 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Tbf I've seen the same discussions about Nicolas Jackson. Although the longer this goes on, the more I think he wouldn't be the worst Plan G. Even if the way he got cheap red cards both late last season in the PL and in the Club World Cup makes me think he might be a tricky character to manage. He may be off to Villa though.

 

I will be fair and note Nunez did get a few big goals. It certainly may help be an advert that two of those were against Newcastle when he came off the bench for a ten man Liverpool to turn a 1-0 deficit to 2-1 advantage. But I guess it's that thought of "Can we do better?"

 

If Isak is petulant enough, we may get into a "Beggars can't be choosers" situation though, whether it's paying Brentford's latest price for Wissa (quoted £35m a month ago, now £50-60mil) or some other solution.

I think if Jackson goes to Villa then Watkins becomes available. It kinda seems like Emery either doesn't trust him or wants a different style of striker or something. And the sanctions UEFA have put on Villa mean that they have to sell as quickly almost pound for pound they spend or risk getting kicked out of the Europa League.

[thetime]

7 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I think if Jackson goes to Villa then Watkins becomes available. It kinda seems like Emery either doesn't trust him or wants a different style of striker or something. And the sanctions UEFA have put on Villa mean that they have to sell as quickly almost pound for pound they spend or risk getting kicked out of the Europa League.

 

Saw a stat that villas wage bill to revenue is 96%. 

[Ryan1984]

10 hours ago, charlierc said:

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea... ooft.  Graham Potter felt like he was under pressure coming into this season, and following up a 3-0 opening day defeat with this didn't feel like a great way to soothe that tension.

 

Though wouldn't have expected Nuno at Forest to be a contender for first PL manager change. Marinakis strikes again huh: Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo's future as manager is uncertain - BBC Sport

Nuno at West Ham could fit quite well?

 

Not sure about Potter. Such a great time at Brighton but just not happening anywhere else.

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Saw a stat that villas wage bill to revenue is 96%. 

93% was the stat I'd seen, but was still the highest in the Premier League in 2023/24. Accounts for 2024/25 aren't out yet but you'd imagine Champions League money might help with that a bit. They also got a £10m fine from UEFA for not complying with their rules.

 

Saying that, Chelsea got a £26m fine for non-compliance and are still carrying on spending like crazy.

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, Ryan1984 said:

Nuno at West Ham could fit quite well?

 

Not sure about Potter. Such a great time at Brighton but just not happening anywhere else.

Chelsea were clearly wrong place wrong time for him, given he arrived while they were in their transition after the new owners threw the cash at the club. But to wait two years out of management and then land at this dumpster fire with a mish-mash squad and a track record of not developing players or struggling to get quality strikers? Woof.

 

Nuno leaving Forest is definitely a curveball. Obviously not confirmed yet but his comments yesterday felt pretty incendiary and the kind of thing that an owner with short temperament might see as grounds for a firing. Even talk of Ange getting the gig a few months on from his Spurs exit is already in the air.

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

93% was the stat I'd seen, but was still the highest in the Premier League in 2023/24. Accounts for 2024/25 aren't out yet but you'd imagine Champions League money might help with that a bit. They also got a £10m fine from UEFA for not complying with their rules.

 

Saying that, Chelsea got a £26m fine for non-compliance and are still carrying on spending like crazy.

Selling their women's team to themselves (like Chelsea) probably also helped. 

[charlierc]

I know we had a debate a while back on James Trafford. But oof. Not ideal timing to have been directly responsible for a goal like the second Spurs goal earlier.

[charlierc]

New Everton stadium looks pretty smart. Plus I can guess it helps the locals embrace it by winning on day one.

 

Even if not many teams will be as wasteful as Brighton were.

[charlierc]

Ugh. I don't know what it is about games against Liverpool where we seem to end up getting late slaps in the face.

 

Everything went wrong with that one with wasting chances at 0-0, the Gordon red (can't pretend it was not a red tbh), Gravenberch and Konate getting away with second yellow challenges, 3 of our best 11 getting injured, conceding pretty much as soon as the second half started and ofc the Isak debacle that hangs heavy over everything we're doing right now, so to get back to 2-2 was pretty extraordinary through a genuinely impressive performance, then at the end of the end of the end, that happens. Worst ending since How I Met Your Mother. I know it's only a game but still... God damn it. 

 

Hopefully there's something in the tank left for Leeds on Saturday cos that's a hell of a game to have to dismiss as in the past and move on from. 

[Gnomicide]

21 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Ugh. I don't know what it is about games against Liverpool where we seem to end up getting late slaps in the face.

 

Everything went wrong with that one with wasting chances at 0-0, the Gordon red (can't pretend it was not a red tbh), Gravenberch and Konate getting away with second yellow challenges, 3 of our best 11 getting injured, conceding pretty much as soon as the second half started and ofc the Isak debacle that hangs heavy over everything we're doing right now, so to get back to 2-2 was pretty extraordinary through a genuinely impressive performance, then at the end of the end of the end, that happens. Worst ending since How I Met Your Mother. I know it's only a game but still... God damn it. 

 

Hopefully there's something in the tank left for Leeds on Saturday cos that's a hell of a game to have to dismiss as in the past and move on from. 

 

Funny though, no?

[charlierc]

8 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

 

Funny though, no?

It's funny if you don't support the team on the wrong end of that many slaps in the face. Felt like Sideshow Bob stepping on all those rakes after a while. Either that or treat it as dark humour, like the kind of crazy sh*t that only seems to happen to Larry David.

 

Maybe if Manchester United crash at Grimsby in the Carabao Cup tomorrow, that'll provide some football schadenfreude to get such kicks.  

[lost]

A Newcastle player in the beeb's team of the week but no Liverpool players. I don't thnk I've seen that before but sums that match up pretty well.

[kaosmark2]

I can't believe I've got to the point where I'd prefer Man U or Chelski to win things than Liverpool.

[Skip997]

Anti football lost in the end 😃

[Skip997]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cjeyjwq9kkno

[charlierc]

6 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I can't believe I've got to the point where I'd prefer Man U or Chelski to win things than Liverpool.

Funny old game innit.

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Anti football lost in the end 😃

TIL that the team who produced more shots, more touches in the opposition box, more corners, a higher xG and didn't look like they were carrying passengers in a way akin to the surprisingly anonymous Salah, Wirtz & Gakpo were playing anti-football. 

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

TIL that the team who produced more shots, more touches in the opposition box, more corners, a higher xG and didn't look like they were carrying passengers in a way akin to the surprisingly anonymous Salah, Wirtz & Gakpo were playing anti-football. 

I just assume now that no Liverpool supporter understands football, people only support that team to be a troll.

[thetime]

Nice to see a Scandinavian player not refusing to play, when a club put in a under valuation bid. 

 

I am sure the entire wolves fanbase, are not spitting there dummies out. 😀

 

Edited August 27, 2025 by thetime

[charlierc]

45 minutes ago, thetime said:

Nice to see a Scandinavian player not refusing to play, when a club put in a under valuation bid. 

 

I am sure the entire wolves fanbase, are not spitting there dummies out. 😀

 

I'm kinda puzzled by the Strand Larsen links if only because Wolves only just brought him on a permanent basis and given all their other recent sales, that squad really looks like it could do without another sale. Still, good for Wolves that JSL isn't throwing a tantrum and be a bit of a baby about it in search of a move that might not happen. Same with Eze at Palace before Arsenal swiped him up. 

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

I'm kinda puzzled by the Strand Larsen links if only because Wolves only just brought him on a permanent basis and given all their other recent sales, that squad really looks like it could do without another sale. Still, good for Wolves that JSL isn't throwing a tantrum and be a bit of a baby about it in search of a move that might not happen. Same with Eze at Palace before Arsenal swiped him up. 

My feelings are I don't want to buy both Wissa and JSL. Either feels like a Wilson replacement not an Isak replacement, and the fees feel a little inflated. The lack of tantrum makes me want JSL a lot more but I think either does well for us without being a world beater.

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

My feelings are I don't want to buy both Wissa and JSL. Either feels like a Wilson replacement not an Isak replacement, and the fees feel a little inflated. The lack of tantrum makes me want JSL a lot more but I think either does well for us without being a world beater.

It's difficult to know exactly who could be an Isak-level replacement, be it at that level or close enough, this late in the window with a budget that we have. But this is where we're at when the tantrum is this major. Feels tbf that I've seen a recalibration this week and more Newcastle fans are thinking Isak should go if he's going to carry on being this much of a toxic presence.

 

But it feels like a stalemate given Wolves and Brentford aren't finding getting JSL & Wissa replacements easier. I thought Outtara counted for Brentford but apparently they see him more of a replacement for Mbuemo. So... pfft. f**k knows. At the very least we can hope Osula's getting an unexpected goal against Liverpool is a confidence boost, but it would be negligence to not invest in extra forwards.