Premier League 24/25 Thread

[theforceuk]

Saudi has to be Rashfords only option surely! Wouldn't be surprised if he worms his way back in, scores a couple goals and expects to be star boy again.

Made me laugh when Rashford was going around the local hospital handing out Christmas presents. That's all great of course, but how about sorting out the 200+ staff that have been sacked from Man Utd since INEOS took over to stop the club going bust. Or perhaps put some money towards the staff Christmas bonus fund, which has been cut from £100 to a £40 M&S voucher. Imagine how much £350k Rashford earns a week would go. Man Utd pay for kylian Mbappe but get Harvey Barnes!

Also made me laugh when someone asked how will Man Utd replace him? What a joke, he won't need replacing.

 

[weasel]

Agreed on the second part, albeit he probably has that many hangers on bleeding him dry that he's not making as much as we think.

As for the first bit, is he going to be dumb enough to go to Saudi? No one has gone there in their "prime" and those that have gone have been close to retirement or come back and struggled (hello Jordan Henderson you utter moron).

 

[theforceuk]

He earns more than £350 a week when you consider his endorsements, no one apart from the Saudi's or MLS will pay him that. As for him being in his prime. His prime was 24-26, he's another Owen.

 

[edd_jedi]

The great news is we get to play Liverpool at least three more times this season

 

[edd_jedi]

I thought now seems like a good time to do a half-ish way point review of the season so far. Some of my observations about my and other teams:

• No team is invincible this season, 5 wins out of 6 is the currrent best form and almost every other team is having a real mixed bag
• Liverpool look on course to win currently, blowing my prediction out of the water. I honestly thought they'd struggle this season without Klopp and half their squad pushing 40
• Chelsea are another surprise package, I don't think anybody saw them coming, they were looking like another United spending billions with no progress to show for it. And very typical for them to score four (OK 2 goals and 2 penalties) against Spurs, then can't be bothered against Everton. It would be nice if just once they didn't give us such a hard game!
• What is going on at City? It's looking like a Leicester-esque fall from grace
• Spurs are the top scorers, something to be pleased about I guess. But...
• Conceding 10 goals in your last two home games is clearly not acceptable, and why we're currently sitting 11th. Yes, we're missing our first choice keeper and three of our first choice back four, but still. This can't continue, it might be fun to watch for the neutrals but these basketball-like scorelines are not entertaining me
• Stoke (sorry Arsenal) have conceded the joint-fewest goals, something I'd like Ange to have a long hard think about
• And finally, if somebody can explain to me how Spurs have scored 13 more goals than Villa and conceded one less, yet are five places below them, I'd appreciate it

 

[lejackal]

City are playing like a team that knows they're getting relegated regardless was one conspiracy theory esque take I read. Not sure I buy it, but there you go

 

[lejackal]

Obviously watch them return to prime Guardiola monsters when they play Arsenal in Feb

 

[weasel]

Aye, I do feel sorry for you @edd_jedi after watching that yesterday. Spurs are SOOOOOO wide open it's scary. I actually found myself swearing at your back four at a couple of points. They are just all over the shop and there is very little protection from your midfield.

It is great viewing for a neutral but **** me, I would have pulled out all my hair months ago.

I get Ange likes/wants his teams to attack, but when u have a keeper who is less use with the ball at his feet than Stephen Hawking and the definition of a makeshift back four in front of him, a little pragmatism has to come in to play. Truth be told, that score line flattered Spurs, if Pool had scored two or three more it would have been more accurate. You should not be shipping 4 or more at home, once it gets to 3 you set up shop.
I hate anti football, Especially the Jose or Fat Sam type, but if you getting played off the park, like Spurs were, then it's damage limitation time

 

[Cazza]

Obviously watch them return to prime Guardiola monsters when they play Arsenal in Feb

They've got to play us soon, so they'll no doubt give us a battering!

 

[weasel]

Utd to go down?

 

[theforceuk]

If it meant getting rid of the Glazers I would take it.

 

[weasel]

It won't though.

They made the club borrow money during lockdown so it could pay them for their "consultancy". Even if Utd's revenue drops to zero they will leech money out of the club.
You need someone, really really rich and dumb, to make them an offer they cant refuse.
That person then needs to invest in the stadium, team and club infrastructure.

None of which will happen

 

[theforceuk]

We had that person a year ago and the Glazers turned him down and chose Jim boy.

 

[edd_jedi]

And for today's brain teaser, 25 goal difference but only 1 point ahead of West Ham

 

[lejackal]

If this was 95/96 and Ange was Keegan you'd be 2nd at the end of the season. You simply can't just attack in the PL, you need to be able to defend as well

 

[edd_jedi]

I agree, that's what is puzzling me though, +13 GD is far higher than any other team outside the top 4. And it's equally bizarre to me that Forest can be 2nd with only +7 GD! How have they managed to win 11 games with an average of less than one extra goal!? You can't draw your way to the title surely...

 

[lejackal]

I assume you must have dished out a couple of thrashings and they've been winning by one goal

 

[lejackal]

The table does tend to rationalise towards March though, we were top four with not very good GD about 3 seasons ago and ultimately dropped out

 

[edd_jedi]

And it's not even funny that Udogie went off with a hamstring injury after 20 minutes in his first game back from injury. This has got to be the unluckiest season in history, even more so than last year for us. Either the Spurs medical team are doing something seriously wrong, or Ange is not giving the players enough recovery time.

 

[lejackal]