EPL 2024/2025
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@Dodge said in EPL 2024/2025:
I'm pleased for Newcastle fans to some extent but can't help thinking that it feels a bit fake, i.e. the Saudi money has bought their way up the table. As a Chelsea fan i have some sympathy with them, its exciting at first, but if we're honest, leaves a slightly bitter taste in the mouth. Trouble is having a parent billionaire is now the only way to reach the top table if you're not already a 'global brand' who can monetise rich muppets in foreign countries by convincing them that they're fans.
I've said before that I started to fall out of love with top level football the second season Chelsea won the league in 2005/06. I am so disillusioned by the whole thing now i not only don't watch football anymore, I have become one of those people who doesn't know when 'big games' are on, nor know who the managers or key players are. People still look to tease me about Chelsea not being very good but I genuinely couldn't name more than a couple of players in the squad and just had to look up who the current manager is.
As a sports nut, my lack of enthusiasm for Premiership football, and now any cricket outside of the County Championship and Test matches is something I wouldn't have believed possible. Rugby's ridiculous distribution of matches across different platforms and lack of profile / marketing means apart from internationals and Premiership matches, I am also losing interest in competitions I would have made an appointment to view in years gone by. Can't remember the last time i watched a Super Rugby match, haven't seen a single European club game this year, never watched a URC match.
Sport is eating itself at the expense of people who want to care or maybe i'm just getting old
Interesting. I'm almost the complete reverse.
I feel a lot of the "big match" feel has gone from all rugby beneath Internationals. Alot is because I'm not on the ground, and similar or M4L, have insufficient time to manage my life around games.
But Football still has this, and has this at times that really work for me. Sunday 1630 kick off is an absolute joy, quite often there is a decent match at 5:30 on a Saturday and the CL being on a Tues/Wed night is great.
Cricket has almost always been too long to watch at level above much more than "on in the background" so nothings changed there for me. Although with a son who's getting into it, the hundred has been brilliant as has a lot of the T20 games.
Although there is the Saudi backdrop to Newcastle, you only had to look at the fans in the stadium and their reactions to know that this was no skin deep victory. Which I think is exactly why I feel so chuffed for them.
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Leaving aside the ethical issues and the exponential growth in the money sports generate the underlying issue for me is the way almost all sports have become 'product' and the marketers have convinced everyone that more is better, when the reality is the complete opposite.
Wall to wall sport available 24 hours a day and it is, in the main, boringly predictable.
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On Newcastle, I believe their success has been somewhat due to not being able to spend too much money. They have spent big to bring in the likes of Isak, Gordon, Tonali, Bruno, Botman but being restricted has meant building a team around Burn, Schar, Joelinton, Murphy. Chelsea show how difficult it is to throw cash around and still build a team.
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@KiwiPie said in EPL 2024/2025:
On Newcastle, I believe their success has been somewhat due to not being able to spend too much money. They have spent big to bring in the likes of Isak, Gordon, Tonali, Bruno, Botman but being restricted has meant building a team around Burn, Schar, Joelinton, Murphy. Chelsea show how difficult it is to throw cash around and still build a team.
You only have to look at the success Forest are having now to know you don't need an astronomical budget. It takes more skill to spend less and actually build a proper squad
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This is net spend for the last 5 years apparently plus 10 years underneath
Premier League - Transfer balance and five-year comparison
In dieser Statistik werden die Transferbilanzen der letzten fünf bzw. zehn Jahre der Vereine der Premier League miteinander verglichen.
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Chelsea -947m
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United -683m
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Spurs -571m
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Arsenal -556m
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Newcastle -422m
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Everton +33m
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@KiwiPie said in EPL 2024/2025:
This is net spend for the last 5 years apparently plus 10 years underneath
Premier League - Transfer balance and five-year comparison
In dieser Statistik werden die Transferbilanzen der letzten fünf bzw. zehn Jahre der Vereine der Premier League miteinander verglichen.
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Chelsea -947m
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United -683m
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Spurs -571m
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Arsenal -556m
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Newcastle -422m
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Everton +33m
So Forest's spend rank is lower than their EPL table rank. My Spurs on the other hand, have spent a significant sum and got nothing to show for it. Mainly because they have paid a lot for some prospects that can't help the squad win consistently now, instead of buying battle hardened EPL tested players who can. Utd also guilty of spending lots of cash but not building a cohesive competitve team
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That list from before was meant to show Everton in 20th place - the only team with a positive balance. Brighton would have joined them except for their big summer splurge.
And here's a female footballer who, like Stefan Kuntz, should probably avoid joining an English club
In addition, this UEFA Nations League is more exciting than the Euros - all 8 teams are good, 3 ties went to extra time, 2 to penalties, the other tie was a 5-4 aggregate thriller. 21 goals in 4 games, fun.
France beat Croatia on pens after 2-2
Germany beat Italy 5-4
Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 after extra time
Spain beat Netherlands on pens after 5-5 -
@KiwiPie said in EPL 2024/2025:
And here's a female footballer who, like Stefan Kuntz, should probably avoid joining an English club
A new NRL player started this year, normally I would agree by not joining a club, but given this one is in Australia, Thomas Cant fits right in with the Australian vernacular
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We didnt have kerkez or huijsen (which is likely for next summer) but no attack from depth as a result, strangely flat and got beaten by a better City side, our first qtr final in the cup regardless
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Bit gutted at Fulham's loss. Paid price for not scoring when we were all over Palace.
Might have been different if Wharton had been sent off which in a different game he might have been but reality is for the second time in a row at the Cottage Fulham were outgunned and out thought by Palace. I reckon they have a good shot against Villa. As have Forest against City
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@sparky said in EPL 2024/2025:
Aston Villa into the FA Cup Semi Final. Happy Days.
Can we end our 68 year drought in this competition?
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2024/2025:
Bit gutted at Fulham's loss. Paid price for not scoring when we were all over Palace.
Might have been different if Wharton had been sent off which in a different game he might have been but reality is for the second time in a row at the Cottage Fulham were outgunned and out thought by Palace. I reckon they have a good shot against Villa. As have Forest against City
Palace didn't do much and then it was 2 quick goals and all over. Clinical stuff. Good win for Forest today means their top 4/5 place is looking pretty certain barring a late collapse - all the teams below them are trading blows so maybe 3 more wins will seal it for them, which might make that semi easier to focus on. 3 penalty shootout wins in a row in the cup, they are hardly smashing their way to it.
And Wolves won to definitely condemn the 3 worst sides to do down - 9 wins between them in 87 games so no real prospect in either of Ipswich/Leicester winning 6 in 9 just to give themselves a chance. A good chance Southampton will be relegated after this coming weekend.
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@dogmeat youre not alone as a team to drop points against teams you shouldnt lol
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Big win for Villa over Notts Forest today.
Unai Emery is cooking something very special at Villa Park: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crlnjwggk9jo
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@sparky said in EPL 2024/2025:
Big win for Villa over Notts Forest today.
Unai Emery is cooking something very special at Villa Park: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crlnjwggk9jo
The January transfer window has saved our season. We were in decline until our additions came in.
