Football 2025-26

[charlierc]

On 20/11/2025 at 18:53, thetime said:

Champions league going to paramount TV, another subscription if you want all the tv football.

 

Miss the days when Sky had it all. 

 

BBC confirmed they will still be showing Champions League highlights. Will that be enough? 

 

... I mean I don't think anything is enough to stop people using illegal streaming if football is going to be split over 5/6 highly priced pay-for platforms. 

[balti-pie]

16 hours ago, Skip997 said:

I’m Irish, also living in England, and I’m 100% “anyone but England”. 
 

I can understand that, I have spells where I think there’d be nothing worse than England winning something (particularly when the team is full of arseholes - Terry, Rio, Flumpard, etc etc) but then there’s also times when the draw opens up and I can see the joy on my pal’s faces about maybe getting over the line - winning quarters, semis, and I think ah, would it be so bad? Happiness for other people is a nice thing! 
 

but then they lose and I find it very, very amusing 🤣 the media don’t help, but I’m ignoring analysis and commentary more and more, and certainly can’t be bothered with newspapers so that kind of one eyed analysis doesn’t exist in my world. Makes them much more palatable. 

[thetime]

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

BBC confirmed they will still be showing Champions League highlights. Will that be enough? 

 

... I mean I don't think anything is enough to stop people using illegal streaming if football is going to be split over 5/6 highly priced pay-for platforms. 

 

Will probably have a big impact for TNT sports more than anything. Will people pay 30 odd quid for a 12:30 premier league game and the other sports they show. 

 

Personally the sports I watch are on Sky over TNT (football, darts, golf). Only reason I subscribe to TNT is the European competitions. 

 

[kaosmark2]

The only sports I give a sh*t about enough to go out of my way/split a payment with my flatmate for are Champions League football and Cricket. If we stopped having a PL lunchtime game each week as a side-effect of the CL, it'd just not get watched outside of games exciting enough to warrant a pub trip for.

[lost]

I meet my friends for a meal wednesdays and then a drink afterwards in a pub that has TNT. It's been handy as I only have amazon at home so have been able to watch both tuesdays and wednesdays CL when its any good.

 

The pub in question has TNT but not sky (I'm guessing the pub packages are cheaper?) Haven't a clue on paramount pub packages, you wouldn't think only dedicated sports bars will bother to begin with.

[Skip997]

I said Slot shouldn’t have made it past the Utd post match press conference and I was right. 
 

Liverpool are not traditionally a “sacking club”, but if he’s not gone by Monday then there’s far more wrong at the club than it seems. Currently it’s only going one way and that’s relegation 

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Will probably have a big impact for TNT sports more than anything. Will people pay 30 odd quid for a 12:30 premier league game and the other sports they show. 

 

Personally the sports I watch are on Sky over TNT (football, darts, golf). Only reason I subscribe to TNT is the European competitions. 

 

 

7 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

The only sports I give a sh*t about enough to go out of my way/split a payment with my flatmate for are Champions League football and Cricket. If we stopped having a PL lunchtime game each week as a side-effect of the CL, it'd just not get watched outside of games exciting enough to warrant a pub trip for.

One thing that is worth keeping an eye on is that Paramount's new parent company Skydance are trying to buy Warner Bros Discovery, who own TNT Sports. I don't know if it'll happen what with monopoly concerns or the fact that another US media empire in Comcast are joining in for a bidding war but if that does happen, it could lead to TNT being a part of Paramount+. In theory. Would also become more expensive, but then that seems to be a regular issue.

 

I would agree that TNT would have problems if they lose this. I don't know if the Ashes or the WWE are helpful. Personally, the main sports I would pay to keep tabs on are football and F1, both of which are heavily covered by Sky, and I'm not sure if TNT, even with it eating Eurosport and putting all the stuff on there behind a paywall, has enough.

[charlierc]

On 12/11/2025 at 11:19, kaosmark2 said:

It's one of those decisions where if it goes against your team in either way you feel aggrieved. But most clubs just let their fans (and maybe manager) moan for a few days then get on with it.

I don't think it'll help their mood that Forest today scored a goal that VAR allowed after asking the exact same question. I felt the one at Man City was more worthy of penalising as the ball is hitting Robertson in an offside position if he doesn't duck, but it's only fair to ask the question about where Ndoye is standing. Though such is the weirdness that got allowed when it could've been chalked off, then literally a few moments later, Forest have a goal disallowed for handball when it's very hard to tell if it hit a hand at all.

 

Admittedly, I'm aware the question is going to change from whether that goal should've stood to can Slot turn this around. Liverpool are in a rut now, no? Only Wolves are in worse form over the last 6 games and they're basically a broken club from years of chronic underinvestment, not a team that just spend £450mil to go backwards. Sacking Slot right now isn't the answer imo, but there's definitely a lot of goodwill from last season being burned through right now.

 

I can also admit I'm fairly happy with my lot today for once. Although how Newcastle go from dreadful performances at West Ham and Brentford to going toe-to-toe with and beating Man City is a headscratcher. Same as well tbf with Harvey Barnes scoring two excellent finishes after missing a sitter (albeit likely from an offside position). Take what I can get though.

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

I can also admit I'm fairly happy with my lot today for once. Although how Newcastle go from dreadful performances at West Ham and Brentford to going toe-to-toe with and beating Man City is a headscratcher. Same as well tbf with Harvey Barnes scoring two excellent finishes after missing a sitter (albeit likely from an offside position). Take what I can get though.

I've been saying for weeks that what the team is missing is dynamism from the full-backs. I don't mean this as a criticism of Trippier and Burn who've been doing their best while playing ALL the games, but the extra pace and energy Livramento and Hall bring adds so much to the side both in and out of possession.

[Skip997]

10 hours ago, charlierc said:

Admittedly, I'm aware the question is going to change from whether that goal should've stood to can Slot turn this around

Slot ain’t going to turn this around. He’s too stubborn. Insists on playing people out of position, has favourites, doesn’t base his selection on form, refuses to give others a chance etc. I could go on and on.

 

I’ll say it again. Should have gone after the Utd debacle. Not sacking him now is a dereliction of duty

[thetime]

4 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Slot ain’t going to turn this around. He’s too stubborn. Insists on playing people out of position, has favourites, doesn’t base his selection on form, refuses to give others a chance etc. I could go on and on.

 

I’ll say it again. Should have gone after the Utd debacle. Not sacking him now is a dereliction of duty

 

Doesn't he get a bit of time to sort it out, after winning the title 6 months ago?

 

Not been an easy summer with Jota passing away. Signing a few players that haven't had chance to bed in. Giving Dijk and Salah new contracts when they are coming up to there mid 30s. 

 

I thought utd fans were reactionary. 

 

 

[Skip997]

45 minutes ago, thetime said:

 

Doesn't he get a bit of time to sort it out, after winning the title 6 months ago?

 

Not been an easy summer with Jota passing away. Signing a few players that haven't had chance to bed in. Giving Dijk and Salah new contracts when they are coming up to there mid 30s. 

 

I thought utd fans were reactionary. 

 

 

There’s absolutely no sign of improvement, in fact it’s very quickly getting worse. With the exception of Sobozli (sp) every single player is getting worse. No one has any idea what his tactics are or if there even are any. His idea of changing things is to substitute on as many attack minded players as he has available on the bench and hope.
 

In the two games he won recently, Real Madrid and A. Villa he used (as far as possible) Klopp’s team and tactics. Why did he abandon this in subsequent games?

 

Since PSG last season he’s lost 50% of games. Not only totally bizarre, but totally unacceptable with that squad.

 

Only Wolves have a worse recent record. It’s relegation form and the way things are going it’s entirely possible 

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Doesn't he get a bit of time to sort it out, after winning the title 6 months ago?

 

Not been an easy summer with Jota passing away. Signing a few players that haven't had chance to bed in. Giving Dijk and Salah new contracts when they are coming up to there mid 30s. 

 

I thought utd fans were reactionary. 

 

 

Football fandom is full of impatience. Amorim Out has been shouted more times than I care to remember, Arteta has had calls for him to be fired, a few fans suggested after Brentford that Howe might be running out of road... pick a fan base, they'll have people call for a sacking.

 

I think you have to question Liverpool's recruitment at this point - Frimpong is too attacking for the type of right back they want, Konate's form all season long has been abysmal, not replacing Luis Diaz is turning into an odd choice, Isak increasingly feels like a square peg in a round hole given the way Liverpool like to play, etc. I think it is therefore a question of them, and a further question on whether you trust them to spend more in January as they may well have to if they are to revive attempts to try and push for a Champions League place.

[thetime]

8 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Football fandom is full of impatience. Amorim Out has been shouted more times than I care to remember, Arteta has had calls for him to be fired, a few fans suggested after Brentford that Howe might be running out of road... pick a fan base, they'll have people call for a sacking.

 

I think you have to question Liverpool's recruitment at this point - Frimpong is too attacking for the type of right back they want, Konate's form all season long has been abysmal, not replacing Luis Diaz is turning into an odd choice, Isak increasingly feels like a square peg in a round hole given the way Liverpool like to play, etc. I think it is therefore a question of them, and a further question on whether you trust them to spend more in January as they may well have to if they are to revive attempts to try and push for a Champions League place.

 

As mentioned on here and across the media. They didn't need Isak, centre backs was there priority. 

 

That being said, salah and and dijk have been very disappointing. They can't be world class for ever, time catching up with them.

 

460m spent wasn’t it? Can they go again with PSR and FFP? As a utd fan, I know doesn't matter what you spend if the recruitment is shite. 

Edited November 23, 2025 by thetime

[Skip997]

This is an entirely different level of regression, next level regression. It’s staggering.

 

0-3 at home to 19th place. The only reason to keep Slot is a lack of available replacements. I’d even accept a “caretaker manager”. The old saying “too good to go down” is one of the biggest misconceptions in football.

 

I’ve only ever been wrong once re Liverpool manager sackings - Benitez, and was only because I couldn’t imagine them hiring a bitter old owl as the replacement 

[Skip997]

6 minutes ago, thetime said:

460m spent wasn’t it? Can they go again with PSR and FFP?

No idea. I know little about the financial rules and care even less. However, it should be noted that they recouped at least £200m in sales 

[charlierc]

10 minutes ago, thetime said:

 

As mentioned on here and across the media. They didn't need Isak, centre backs was there priority. 

 

That being said, salah and and dijk have been very disappointing. They can't be world class for ever, time catching up with them.

 

460m spent wasn’t it? 

£445m according to Sky. Some sources say £450m, although Transfermarkt says was closer to £424m.

 

Either way, it was f**king loads. Even with the caveat they did bank a fair wedge in player sales.

 

They obviously needed full-backs with Trent going and Robertson having made errors in games last season, but yeah, only having 3 centre-backs was a puzzling choice, and with Konate being awful for most of the season and van Dijk looking a step below last year, there's a real depth problem there. Plus as noted, Salah hasn't been at his recent levels - it's possible he's being asked to play a different role that he's not really suited for. I still think left wing is also a problem - losing Jota was obviously an unforeseen tragedy, but I don't know why they sold Diaz and replaced him with nobody. Nunez could play wide left as well and could've been useful.

 

Oh yeah. And as for Isak, no refunds. Slot the other day in his presser before the Forest game said it could be six months before he's back to the form he showed at Newcastle, but I don't think Liverpool can wait that long. They also don't seem to be playing a system that suits him, given he barely touches the ball there whereas for us, everything seemed to go through him.

Edited November 23, 2025 by charlierc

[charlierc]

17 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I've been saying for weeks that what the team is missing is dynamism from the full-backs. I don't mean this as a criticism of Trippier and Burn who've been doing their best while playing ALL the games, but the extra pace and energy Livramento and Hall bring adds so much to the side both in and out of possession.

Indeed you have. It helped that Tonali and Joelinton looked better than some recent displays, but yeah, there's a better balance with an actual left back. Bless Burn as he's a trier and been a good servant, but he's better now as a centre-back than a left back.

 

I think that we're going to need to find another full-back as Trippier is now 34 and can't be relied on forever and Krafth looks a step down even on his cameo appearances last season, plus both Tino and Hall have had long-term injuries in their history. So it's a case of keeping us insured if nothing else.

 

I'm still content to get a win yesterday though. Debate about the offside question in the build up to our winning goal or otherwise.

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

Indeed you have. It helped that Tonali and Joelinton looked better than some recent displays, but yeah, there's a better balance with an actual left back. Bless Burn as he's a trier and been a good servant, but he's better now as a centre-back than a left back.

 

I think that we're going to need to find another full-back as Trippier is now 34 and can't be relied on forever and Krafth looks a step down even on his cameo appearances last season, plus both Tino and Hall have had long-term injuries in their history. So it's a case of keeping us insured if nothing else.

 

I'm still content to get a win yesterday though. Debate about the offside question in the build up to our winning goal or otherwise.

I think Joelinton has been particularly struggling as a consequence of Burn playing left back. Instead of having a pacey player with energy where he's dovetailing with them in both attack and defence, doubling up, he's trying to cover in both and looking a bit like a headless chicken running around while also having one less passing option. 

 

I do fully agree that the lack of cover makes it the next transfer priority. Krafth is Championship level really but he's on peanuts wage relative to the squad and is willing to play 5 games a season without kicking up a fuss which I think is why he's still around. It's a matter of who could we get who'd be a good option and be happy on a wage/role suited to back-up. 

 

Getting the 3 points is great though, and it coming with a good performance as well is a nice bonus.

[balti-pie]

Going back a subject or two, i think that great swathes of the TNT audience are only subscribing cos its free with their mobile phone- i know i am! Thanks EE 👍

Though i would pay for march to september to cover the Aussie Rules season, if i had to - thats the thing that locks me in. If they lose that i'm off instantly. 

[kaosmark2]

38 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

Going back a subject or two, i think that great swathes of the TNT audience are only subscribing cos its free with their mobile phone- i know i am! Thanks EE 👍

Though i would pay for march to september to cover the Aussie Rules season, if i had to - thats the thing that locks me in. If they lose that i'm off instantly. 

Sort of true. We've got a heavy discount of it because of that. But it is the only one I'd actually consider subscribing to atm.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, balti-pie said:

Going back a subject or two, i think that great swathes of the TNT audience are only subscribing cos its free with their mobile phone- i know i am! Thanks EE 👍

Though i would pay for march to september to cover the Aussie Rules season, if i had to - thats the thing that locks me in. If they lose that i'm off instantly. 

Is that still available? I used to have it but I lost that perk in lockdown.

 

Admittedly I'm no longer able to claim that as I moved from EE to O2.

[kaosmark2]

10 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Is that still available? I used to have it but I lost that perk in lockdown.

 

Admittedly I'm no longer able to claim that as I moved from EE to O2.

£5/m added to the phone bill here

[balti-pie]

Yeah, i think its free to use via the app, or a fiver a month for Big Screen privileges - its one of the perks you can choose as part of your line rental above £20 a month or whatever. I think its meant to be £29.99 a month innit? blimey

[Gnomicide]

Liverpool being so sh*t would be quite funny if I wasn't a fan. 

 

They're gonna have to win the Champions League to qualify for it next season.