**Official** English Football Season 2024/25

[flibbertyjibber]

 

[Furball]

The bar is so high at that club not many end up going down as legends - take note, Jude.

This is entirely anecdotal but about 90% of the Real Madrid shirts I saw on a recent trip there were Bellingham 5 shirts. He is also incredibly prominent in their marketing in the shop etc.

 

[Furball]

Real Madrid have questions to answer re: flogging him off to Manure when they did.

Varane or Casimero?

 

[Niall]

This is entirely anecdotal but about 90% of the Real Madrid shirts I saw on a recent trip there were Bellingham 5 shirts. He is also incredibly prominent in their marketing in the shop etc.

Yeah I can understand the general public not giving a defender the respect he deserves, but Jude a goalscoring young marketable midfielder assuming his career continues on the same trajectory will most certainly get his flowers when he moves on IMO.

 

[andruid]

Varane or Casimero?

Both, now that you mention it.

 

[Skipper Pup]

This is entirely anecdotal but about 90% of the Real Madrid shirts I saw on a recent trip there were Bellingham 5 shirts. He is also incredibly prominent in their marketing in the shop etc.

I wasn't really talking about marketability though, even someone like Mbappe would already be selling tons of shirts.

In regard to your other comment, I think its unfortunate but there is quite a bit of recency bias when it comes to modern football and how we reflect on player's careers. Casemiro is another example where a plenty of fans will point to his performances at United when he's brought up in conversation, particularly those that don't watch La Liga religiously.

History will be kind to Varane but in the short term I suspect he won't be as prominent in best XI's as guys like Silva, Ramos, Van Dijk, Hummels etc. That's not to say he wasn't as good or doesn't have a record that can stand up to those guys, but he won't be a player Madrid fans die on the hill for.

I'm digressing here but another example of the point I'm trying to make is Raheem Sterling. One of the best English players of his generation and has achieved more than most but he's never been loved by any fan base, compared to a Mane or Hazard, for example.

 

[Ali TT]

I wasn't really talking about marketability though, even someone like Mbappe would already be selling tons of shirts.

In regard to your other comment, I think its unfortunate but there is quite a bit of recency bias when it comes to modern football and how we reflect on player's careers. Casemiro is another example where a plenty of fans will point to his performances at United when he's brought up in conversation, particularly those that don't watch La Liga religiously.

History will be kind to Varane but in the short term I suspect he won't be as prominent in best XI's as guys like Silva, Ramos, Van Dijk, Hummels etc. That's not to say he wasn't as good or doesn't have a record that can stand up to those guys, but he won't be a player Madrid fans die on the hill for.

I'm digressing here but another example of the point I'm trying to make is Raheem Sterling. One of the best English players of his generation and has achieved more than most but he's never been loved by any fan base, compared to a Mane or Hazard, for example.

Seeing Sterling in an Arsenal kit is wild ngl

 

[Niall]

I've supported him quite a bit here, but when Ten Hag is fired and its when not if, then Bruno will owe him a serious apology. Yeah he can do some special things but to many games he is dropping 2/10 performances.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I've supported him quite a bit here, but when Ten Hag is fired and its when not if, then Bruno will owe him a serious apology. Yeah he can do some special things but to many games he is dropping 2/10 performances.

He is the classic going through the motions player. He has been rubbish this season, as soon as Ten Hag is sacked he will spark into life again. Rat.

 

[Furball]

I've supported him quite a bit here, but when Ten Hag is fired and its when not if, then Bruno will owe him a serious apology. Yeah he can do some special things but to many games he is dropping 2/10 performances.

Ten Hag is free to drop him at any point.

 

[Uppercut]

He is the classic going through the motions player.

Bruno? Hard to think of a player this is less true of, he's full of chaotic energy. When he's bad it's almost always because he's trying too hard.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Bruno? Hard to think of a player this is less true of, he's full of chaotic energy. When he's bad it's almost always because he's trying too hard.

Don't see him putting in a shift like before though. Just seems distant by his standards

 

[Himannv]

Don't see him putting in a shift like before though. Just seems distant by his standards

He generally puts in a shift but his problem really is his impulsiveness. He goes for the heroic defense-splitting pass every time, even when it's completely not on and gives the ball away. That just doesn't work when everyone else tries to play to a more possession-based tactic. Would be completely fine if we try to just play on the counter, but we don't.

 

[CartyDurham]

I can’t believe what Sunderland are doing currently

as a fan I’m aware that impending doom is never far away though

 

[Spark]

Walker being first choice right back for City genuinely might be the difference in the title this year, in the wrong way.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Walker being first choice right back for City genuinely might be the difference in the title this year, in the wrong way.

Last season was baffling enough.

How that melt is still captain is beyond me.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Unrelated but it's ****ing criminal that if you want to watch a Premier League game on your PC you can only watch it in 720p. What a ****ing joke Optus Sport are.

 

[Ali TT]

75% possession, 76 touches in the box to 11, 36 shots to 5, 17 corners to none, 13 saves forced and 10 blocked shots compared to 1 each against.

And Arsenal still came within minutes of not winning against Leicester.

 

[sledger]

They did win though.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Great win for us despite playing atrociously. Happy with the 3 points considering the performance, we controlled things well and never really looked like losing. That's the exact sort of game we would have dropped points in last season.

Played well: Konate, VVD, Gravenberch, Jota, Macca
Played poorly: Trent, Robbo, Alisson, Szobo, Salah, Diaz

This team will go to another level once Elliott is back and in the 10. We're basically playing a man short with Szobo there at the moment he's so ineffective.