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The 2022-2023 Football Thread

Mitthrawnuruodo said:
Enter the Dubai Investment Fund...

...or maybe the Qatar Investment Authority?
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If something like that happens they won’t see a penny of my money. I won’t support the club while under state ownership. I’m not saying I’m thrilled about their current ownership model, but oligarch/state ownership is a red line for me.

laptech said:
Ten Hag has been brought in to do exactly the same thing, rebuild the squad.
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He hasn’t yet been given either the time or the resources needed to have accomplished that. A full rebuild of any elite squad is going to take at least three transfer windows plus bedding in time. It would be insane to sack him this season on the basis of having failed to rebuild the squad.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
If something like that happens they won’t see a penny of my money. I won’t support the club while under state ownership. I’m not saying I’m thrilled about their current ownership model, but oligarch/state ownership is a red line for me.



He hasn’t yet been given either the time or the resources needed to have accomplished that. A full rebuild of any elite squad is going to take at least three transfer windows plus bedding in time. It would be insane to sack him this season on the basis of having failed to rebuild the squad.
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As greed. Plus where are they going to find a better manager? They’ve already been through half the managers in Europe!
 
By way of a clarification it appears, FSG are looking to sell minority shares in Liverpool in order to bring in new investment, not to sell a majority stake in the club.

It still fits the narrative I laid out earlier - the club's value is greatly enhanced at the moment - but with the caveat that FSG appear to be cashing in on that value without divesting themselves of control of the club. This is a much more sensible financial 'lever' than the ones Barcelona have been pulling lately. On the face of it it seems like business as usual rather than a change in ownership, perhaps to help fund a squad rebuild. Potentially a shrewd move, though it also raises the question as to what FSG's long-term plans for ownership are. Do they, for example, have a preconceived exit strategy?
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
By way of a clarification it appears, FSG are looking to sell minority shares in Liverpool in order to bring in new investment, not to sell a majority stake in the club.

It still fits the narrative I laid out earlier - the club's value is greatly enhanced at the moment - but with the caveat that FSG appear to be cashing in on that value without divesting themselves of control of the club. This is a much more sensible financial 'lever' than the ones Barcelona have been pulling lately. On the face of it it seems like business as usual rather than a change in ownership, perhaps to help fund a squad rebuild. Potentially a shrewd move, though it also raises the question as to what FSG's long-term plans for ownership are. Do they, for example, have a preconceived exit strategy?
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Sell when you are at your peak. That’s why the glaziers can’t sell Utd! It’s a shadow of the club they purchased! 🤭
 
laptech said:
Am surprised Ten Hag has not been given his marching orders either. Has the 2nd most expensive squad in the world and has been beaten 4-0 by Bentford and 6-3 by Manchester City. Results which would and have given other managers their marching orders. Yes I know Ten Hag has only just come into the squad and it's starting a rebuild but to get beaten liken that with the expensive squad he has, given the marching order standards of other clubs, yes he should have gone by now.

Look at it this way, when Ferguson retired Moyes was handed a premier league winning squad oozing with talent and experience but what happened? 6 months later he was sacked. If it can happen to Moyes it can happen to Ten Hag.
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as someone who grew up in the north west with most of my mates being Man U fans nothing would please me more. But if they sack him then what? Ludicrous to even suggest it at this point there’s no better plan than to let him build his way out of this.
 
On the Champions League draw...at first I was disappointed, but on further reflection, I'm happy to face Real Madrid in the next round. We'll get a two-leg shot at beating them, and the reality is if we hope to win the CL we'll be facing them at some point anyway. Better now than in another final. And if Liverpool knock them well, no remaining team will be a tougher opponent.
 
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Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs all out of the league cup. Liverpool B and Newcastle just manage to scrape by on pens. Man City didn’t look too troubled by Chelsea.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs all out of the league cup. Liverpool B and Newcastle just manage to scrape by on pens. Man City didn’t look too troubled by Chelsea.
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Was a real Newcastle B side as well. Really hoping we can have a run at this people call it a Nicky mouse trophy but I honestly don’t care at this point.
 
Goes to show Arsenal can't be trusted to win the league. The drop off in quality outside the first 11 is too massive.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
So Gareth Bale scores a late equalizer in extra time to take the MLS Cup Final to pens - which his LAFC side win after Philly missed all three of their spot kicks. Philly were the better side over the season and have fewer resources, so it’s a shame the Gareth Bale Temporary Retirement Home take the trophy.



Apparently you’ll be fine as long as you make sure ‘Worst Defender on the Planet’ Trent Alexander Arnold doesn’t make the cut. Mind you, if he doesn’t go and England flop, the very same scribblers and typers of drivel who currently don’t rate him to play Sunday League will probably be blaming Southgate for leaving him out…such is life. Dier gave away a goal and yet the commentators were still going on and on about the TAA Question.

'Pool beat another contender today despite recent losses to the bottom feeders. Spurs did not look all that impressive, though they have players who can create big moments. Salah with two superbly skillful strikes.

Liverpool could struggle to finish in the top four though none of the teams above them apart from Man City and Arsenal look truly convincing/consistent thus far.
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Your boy TAA is in. Could be both positive and negative. English media are going to roast him if England gets knocked out which they will lol.
 
England definitely not entering the World Cup with good vibes going. Good to see Ben White and James Maddison made the cut. I see a lot of fairly redundant attacking players, but the options aside from Harry Kane up top look very thin.

France squad still looks completely stacked. The only quibble might be the lack of experience in the midfield if Camavinga and Tchouameni both play, but I'm sure Rabiot will start on current form.
 
Rumors of a massive Dubai-based takeover of Liverpool are rumbling. Disgusting. These entities should not be allowed to own English football clubs. I'm not really comfortable with FSG's ownership wither (shareholders calling shots? Meh). But state ownership is unethical and unacceptable. Hope it's not a real possibility but it would be naive to assume otherwise.
Sal09 said:
Your boy TAA is in. Could be both positive and negative. English media are going to roast him if England gets knocked out which they will lol.
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Right, because naturally TAA is the only person who could possibly be responsible for any defensive failings in what is an okay-but-not-glittering defensive roster....

It's bad news AFAIK because it's a lose-lose for both TAA and Southgate in terms of public opinion; unless he performs some kind of seismic heroic act at some point he won't get any credit, and he'll be blamed for everything that goes wrong.
Silencio said:
England definitely not entering the World Cup with good vibes going. Good to see Ben White and James Maddison made the cut. I see a lot of fairly redundant attacking players, but the options aside from Harry Kane up top look very thin.

France squad still looks completely stacked. The only quibble might be the lack of experience in the midfield if Camavinga and Tchouameni both play, but I'm sure Rabiot will start on current form.
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France's midfield and forward line are both superb. Defense is maybe not the strongest but they could certainly win this.

England are a very good team. But they do not look like a real contender for the WC. If I were an England fan a 'good' result would be a QF exit to one of the eventual finalists. A semifinal is possible with a favorable draw and if the players perform. But equally a round of 16 exit would not shock me.

USA are going in with a totally ho-hum squad. A last 16 berth would be a great result IMO. Steffen did not make the cut - surprising since Berhalter had coached him at Columbus...he's not heven third choice? I think his move to Man City was a gamble that didn't opay off - as I predicted at the time.
 
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Dont really understand why Southgate wasn't braver with his choices given its not his first tourney and he already has decent success to leverage.

Maguire/Dier over Tomori or Dunk is just weird. Wilson over Toney is questionable given the former's injury record and similar style to what they have already. Not sure i agree with Gallagher either. Phillips i slightly get since he's the only pure DM England have.

Oh well, at least i can temper my expectations even further. Probably the most uninspiring WC in terms of timing, location, and now squad.

 
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
Despite my colleagues at work desperately excited that Wales are in a World Cup, I am avoiding it as much as I can. I can’t see England doing very well and I don’t agree with the venue. Any sport that takes place in Qatar or Saudi Arabia gets a pass from me. We all as a continent should have boycotted it IMO.
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And let’s not forget Qatar colluded with Vladimir Putin to ‘acquire’ this WC in return for helping ‘convince’ FIFA’s ExCo of crooks to vote for Russia’s 2018 bid.

It’s probably the most nakedly corrupt and problematic World Cup of all time…and that’s before you even begin considering Qatar’s appalling human rights record, the stupid timing of the tournament, and additional health risks to players.

I don’t blame players for wanting to compete, but I won’t contribute to the viewing figures and revenue by watching the broadcasts.
 
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Well Liverpool managed 92 and 97pts in two separate seasons and still lost the league to City. So i understand his skepticism and PTSD.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
You are so convinced City will win it aren’t you. Arsenal might surprise us all yet.
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We lack strength in depth, and, if afflicted by an unfortunate run of injuries (brought about by fatigue), to key players, I cannot see us sustaining this challenge.

Having said that, firstly, it is an astonishing and very impressive achievement that we are still top of the table - and have led from the front, the head way, almost since the start of the season - and secondly, I am glad that we are out of the Carabou Cup (the League Cup to those of us of a certain vintage), - nice though it would have been to have been in a position to challenge and seriously compete - for some silverware - as the fixture list is already incredibly demanding, and looks set to become even more so after Christmas.
daneoni said:
Well Liverpool managed 92 and 97pts in two separate seasons and still lost the league to City. So i understand his skepticism and PTSD.
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An excellent point.

This is also very much on my mind; Liverpool had two superb seasons, and yet, that wasn't sufficient to claim the Premier League title.
 
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