**Official** English Football Season 2024/25

[Tangles]

The player control seems out of control. Across all the 5 managers there have been issues. Rooney was an issue, then Pogba, then Ronaldo and then Sancho. And I’m sure there are more. Maybe stable structure above the manager helps but it seems like the players are in charge.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Individual awards in a team sport shouldn't have this much emphasis.

It happens in every sport, just got to deal with it.

I heard a good suggestion yesterday, they should give 3x Balon D'Or for each position - defence, midfield, attack. GK already has their own.

In no other football conversation would we compare Vini Jr with Rodri, so why do it for this award..

Would at least open the door for a more balanced conversation on who should win.

 

[Pothas]

Disagree.

He missed El Clasico, Suarez scored a hat-trick which won Barca the first game. Suarez single-handedly carried them to the Copa del Rey final, which they lost. He didn't do much of note v Inter, but was very good v United. They didn't get further than the SFs of the UCL after what happened at Anfield (4-0). Argentina were 3rd in the Copa America.

You're comparing him winning La Liga (admittedly scoring a ton of goals in doing so - but what did that mean for Haaland?) against the following from VVD:
- 97pt season in 18/19, just one loss.
- UCL win in 2019
- Undefeated in the 19/20 at time of Balon D'Or (8/8 wins)
- 1 loss in 46 consecutive PL games at time of Balon D'Or
- Record 25pt gap in the table at any one time in 19/20. (Was about 7pt gap in league at time of Balon D'Or).
- Captain of the Dutch team that made Nations League final

They finished within 7pts in the polling of each other, the closest in voting history since 1996.

Don't think its absurd at all to say it should have been Virgil's.

Yeah but Messi was better at football.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Yeah but Messi was better at football.

Messi couldn't defend like VVD.

 

[sledger]

Individual awards in a team sport shouldn't have this much emphasis.

Yeah exactly. No serious person actually cares about this.

 

[Molehill]

It happens in every sport, just got to deal with it.

I heard a good suggestion yesterday, they should give 3x Balon D'Or for each position - defence, midfield, attack. GK already has their own.

In no other football conversation would we compare Vini Jr with Rodri, so why do it for this award..

Would at least open the door for a more balanced conversation on who should win.

Wouldn't a better suggestion be to scrap the whole thing?

 

[Skipper Pup]

Wouldn't a better suggestion be to scrap the whole thing?

Just this one or every individual award in team sports? (golden boots, MoTM's, etc)

 

[Skipper Pup]

Yeah exactly. No serious person actually cares about this.

Except the players, clubs and sponsors who actually do care.

 

[Molehill]

Except the players, clubs and sponsors who actually do care.

Only because it sells more merch, just another money making scheme.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Only because it sells more merch, just another money making scheme.

For the sponsors and clubs, sure. But we also know it means a lot to players, because individual awards are spoken about in terms of their legacies.

If you need proof just look at the recent interview with Trent. He's about to leave his boyhood club of 20+ years because he wants a chance to win the Balon D'Or. It seemingly means more to him than any UCL or EPL title he can win at Liverpool.

Many players have individual awards stipulated in their contracts, more often than not as incentives. Vini Jr and his Madrid mates' petty act is further evidence that players care. It has come out recently that a Balon D'Or clause is in Vini's contract, it's also in Mbappe's and is being used to attract other players to Madrid.

To play devil's advocate, it begs the question... if the players care, the clubs care, and the sponsors care - why shouldn't we as fans care?

 

[Molehill]

For the sponsors and clubs, sure. But we also know it means a lot to players, because individual awards are spoken about in terms of their legacies.

If you need proof just look at the recent interview with Trent. He's about to leave his boyhood club of 20+ years because he wants a chance to win the Balon D'Or. It seemingly means more to him than any UCL or EPL title he can win at Liverpool.

Many players have individual awards stipulated in their contracts, more often than not as incentives. Vini Jr and his Madrid mates' petty act is further evidence that players care. It has come out recently that a Balon D'Or clause is in Vini's contract, it's also in Mbappe's and is being used to attract other players to Madrid.

To play devil's advocate, it begs the question... if the players care, the clubs care, and the sponsors care - why shouldn't we as fans care?

Because we as fans care if our team picks up 3 points at the weekend. For some of us, we care about whether our club is even going to be in existence next year (I've nearly lost mine twice). We don't care if some overpaid primadonna gets a shiny trophy to say he's been a very good boy this last year.

And if TAA really said that, then firstly he's found a supply of high quality LSD, and secondly, I expect the good people of Liverpool to tell him to **** right off to Spain on the next available plane.

 

[Chin Music]

Because we as fans care if our team picks up 3 points at the weekend. For some of us, we care about whether our club is even going to be in existence next year (I've nearly lost mine twice). We don't care if some overpaid primadonna gets a shiny trophy to say he's been a very good boy this last year.

And if TAA really said that, then firstly he's found a supply of high quality LSD, and secondly, I expect the good people of Liverpool to tell him to **** right off to Spain on the next available plane.

If that is true, then WTAF? He has a shedload of talent, but he is position non-determinate. He isn't really a right back, doesn't have the positional intelligence for a midfield play-maker and is always going to be found out when good teams are on the attack against his side, regardless whether it's with Liverpool or with England. They did wonders at Liverpool making him this 'inverted right-back' but that is great when your team is on the attack against a team retreating, not so helpful when you are up against top teams who are able to get at you, from what I can see.

 

[Furball]

Many players have individual awards stipulated in their contracts, more often than not as incentives. Vini Jr and his Madrid mates' petty act is further evidence that players care. It has come out recently that a Balon D'Or clause is in Vini's contract, it's also in Mbappe's and is being used to attract other players to Madrid.

This is stupid though. How the **** do you build a cohesive team if every **** is incentivised to care about his individual performance?

 

[Skipper Pup]

And if TAA really said that, then firstly he's found a supply of high quality LSD, and secondly, I expect the good people of Liverpool to tell him to **** right off to Spain on the next available plane.

About 10min mark.

It hasn't gone down well.

 

[Boy_Blunder]

Sounds like Ruben Amorim to United.

Been touted for a while with big moves. Big job on his shoulders as whoever goes in there they never seem to at least build a good base for the next guy even if things didn't go perfectly.

To be fair the United squad is in a significantly better position now than the one Ten Hag inherited. That squad had downed tools for Solskjaer, then Rangnick in the same season.

Amorim needs to get his own background team in as soon as possible. Neither Rangnick, nor Ten Hag were able to implement their own style on this team. Amorim has his own distinctive way of playing, and I'm doubtful he'll be able to implement that on his own.

 

[Boy_Blunder]

I'm not sure City would be on the table for Amorim.

He's quite clearly keen to get out of Portugal and has been for a little while. He spoke to West Ham last summer.

I think he was being lined up to be Guardiola's replacement. City picked up Guardiola's preferred DoF a few months prior to his arrival, and they've recently poached Sporting's DoF.

There were rumours that he was going to Liverpool when Klopp left, but Liverpool didn't want to pay his 10 mil Euros release clause.

Either way, I think Man United have got a very exciting manager. He just needs to be given the freedom to implement his style of football.

 

[Skipper Pup]

To be fair the United squad is in a significantly better position now than the one Ten Hag inherited. That squad had downed tools for Solskjaer, then Rangnick in the same season.

Most of the same squad that downed tools for ETH... I would take the United squad that ended the '22 season (that ETH inherited) over this one.
McTominay, Sancho, Varane, Sabitzer, Fred, Greenwood, Ronaldo, Bailly, De Gea, AWB, Elanga etc.

I think he was being lined up to be Guardiola's replacement. City picked up Guardiola's preferred DoF a few months prior to his arrival, and they've recently poached Sporting's DoF.

There were rumours that he was going to Liverpool when Klopp left, but Liverpool didn't want to pay his 10 mil Euros release clause.

Either way, I think Man United have got a very exciting manager. He just needs to be given the freedom to implement his style of football.

You reckon he'd be taking the United job if he had any sort of inkling City were keen on him? No chance imo. It seems Pep is keen to stick around anyway.

You're right we spoke to him but the release clause wasn't why we walked away. He apparently made transfer spending demands and wanted to rebuild the squad to suit his style of play, which FSG weren't keen to do.

 

[Furball]

I think he was being lined up to be Guardiola's replacement. City picked up Guardiola's preferred DoF a few months prior to his arrival, and they've recently poached Sporting's DoF.

There were rumours that he was going to Liverpool when Klopp left, but Liverpool didn't want to pay his 10 mil Euros release clause.

Either way, I think Man United have got a very exciting manager. He just needs to be given the freedom to implement his style of football.

Wasn't it €20m? Pretty sure Sporting Lisbon paid €10m to get him from Braga in 2020.

 

[Tangles]

To be fair the United squad is in a significantly better position now than the one Ten Hag inherited. That squad had downed tools for Solskjaer, then Rangnick in the same season.

Amorim needs to get his own background team in as soon as possible. Neither Rangnick, nor Ten Hag were able to implement their own style on this team. Amorim has his own distinctive way of playing, and I'm doubtful he'll be able to implement that on his own.

From what I have read he likes to play a 343 with wingbacks and 2 DCMs. That doesn’t fit this squad at all. There isn’t 2 fit DCMs unless you count Casemiro. And why would you. There definitely isn’t 5 fit defenders. There isn’t 1 fit LB with Shaw mia post England. Then you have to fit all the forwards and attacking mids into 3 positions? Which will lead to constant press leaks from those not playing.

If he asks them to press he will get the same response in games that ETH and Ole and Rangnick got. Which is that they won’t all do it. And it won’t be consistent from those who do.

 

[Boy_Blunder]

From what I have read he likes to play a 343 with wingbacks and 2 DCMs. That doesn’t fit this squad at all. There isn’t 2 fit DCMs unless you count Casemiro. And why would you. There definitely isn’t 5 fit defenders. There isn’t 1 fit LB with Shaw mia post England. Then you have to fit all the forwards and attacking mids into 3 positions? Which will lead to constant press leaks from those not playing.

If he asks them to press he will get the same response in games that ETH and Ole and Rangnick got. Which is that they won’t all do it. And it won’t be consistent from those who do.

I actually think the current United Squad would suit that system quite well. Ugarte is a ready made solution for the Ball Winning Midfielder, and has played for Amorim before. Mainoo when he returns will suit the Progressive role alongside him. Erikson or even Bruno can fill in there.

United have 6 CBs in the squad so we have no need to worry about that. Fully fit the system allows for Yoro, De Ligt and Martinez all to get in that side. In the short term Lindelof or even Mazraoui could work as that right sided CB.

We have a weakness at the left sided WB position, but that's a weakness of the Squad in general and would be there for a 4 at the back system too. Amorim has played wingers at WB in the past, so Garnacho could perhaps fill in there. Alternatively he could go to the Academy - something he's done often at Sporting.

We have huge depth in the AM positions, and any combination of player would work there. Fully fit I think he'll go with Bruno and Rashford or Garnacho.

And Hojland is perfect for that system up top.