Football

David May

Have you just realised this or did the league table not state it clearly enough for the last 3 seasons? 10th place has been closer than automatic qualification for the CL.

LFC have got the 5th largest salary bill in the PL and have consistently under performed and my best guess is that this season will be pretty much make or break for FSG. Over the course of the last 3 season LFC have been the biggest underachievers and Everton have been the biggest overachievers in the top half of the table (salary vs. points ratio).

http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/latest-news/wage-and-the-premier-league-scaled-table

I think it's going to be an interesting season if only for the fact that Spurs will be much stronger this year and the gap between the top 3 and the rest is ever growing but the rest of the lot have all gotten a lot stronger.

Norwich, Southampton, Swansea, WBA, Villa and Sunderland have all made good signings.

We've been slashing at those numbers drastically since that table was produced (with the likes of downing and Reina earning top dollar yet not producing) plus it's pointless blaming the current regime for the errors of the past (both their own, hicks&gillet and Dalglish). IMO there is now and only now, clear daylight between the THFC and LFC. But I'm not overly worried. Their activities this window have been in the making for years at Tottenham through buying young/talented players and selling. It simmered with the Modric sale but really exploded with the soon to be confirmed sale of Bale thus allowing them to smash it.
Unless you're the plaything of an oil rich owner then it's clearly the model to follow. Given what BR walked into: that documentary & owners burnt from wasting so much money etc I think he's done a top good job steering things the right way and making decent signings (Toure £0, Coutinho £8M). The only issue I have is pretending to be in for top ballers like Willian when despite agreeing terms with the player, failing to make an offer to the club (same with Mkhitaryan). Spurs simply walked in, asked what they wanted, paid and strolled off. Question is which is more damaging appearing not to be in the running at all? or pretending to be in and looking like like we were gazumped? I guess given all the bedwetting in the stands it keeps fans off their back. In time we'll be back. They just need to know whom they plan to spend the Suarez money on next.

was hoping all this tedious talk of transfers would stop now that playing has actually commenced.

ahem

"insulting"

"Rejected out of hand"

was hoping all this tedious talk of transfers would stop now that playing has actually commenced.

The most amusing transfers always take place on the deadline day.

Like Robinho turning up at City, after Chelsea thought they'd got him?

Talk about blessings in disguise.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Talk about blessings in disguise.

Like ladyboys?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/20/giles-barnes-houston-dynamo-interview#comments

Hey Giles Barnes!

Like ladyboys?

Like Carroll

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/20/giles-barnes-houston-dynamo-interview#comments

Hey Giles Barnes!

Good to know at least one of your 'Golden Generation' is tasting some success.

I like his attitude of getting on with it and accepting a challenge.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/07/26/soccer-world-digest-idUKL2625990220070726

"England defender Jonathan Woodgate was voted the worst signing of the 21st century by readers of www.marca.com, the Web site for Spain's biggest selling sports daily. The 27-year-old was the runaway winner polling 37.11 percent of the votes cast on their Web page, the newspaper said."

First impressions and all that.

I watched that game in Spain and he was pretty much the olny defender for Real Madrid the whole game (well, untill he got sent off). He actualy played really well but the other defenders were all trying to score goals so he was pretty much on his own. Great finish on the own goal as well.

If the reports of our being in for Lamela, as well as having signed Willian, it would mean we have virtually revamped the squad in two seasons. If we do sell Bale and bring in Coentrao as a makeweight, we could have a starting 11 of:

lloris

walker kaboul verthonghen coentrao

dembele paulinho/sandro

lennon lamela willian

soldado

Which on paper looks like a strong team, with enough creativity to unlock some of the massed ranks of defenses we'll face against some of the teams below us, and hopefully enough nous to take on the teams above us without being overawed...

Been reading some of the comments below the line in the plethora of Tottenham articles which are out there, and there seems to be a split with those fans who think we lack creativity and guile, and after our performance against Palace pine for 'Arry and the swashbuckling we'll score more than you approach we had then, whilst opining that AVB is building a solid, uncreative team full of defensive midfielders, who whilst being tough to break down won't excite, and that AVB himself is a timid safety first coach who has no interest in producing a team to thrill the hearts.

Then you have those fans who see the Palace game as a good way to start the season, not a great performance but a win from a team which has potential, but all the constituent parts haven't had time to gel, but still think we need some more creativity to produce goal scoring opportunities. They are resigned to the fact that Bale will probably go, but are happy as long as the transfer windfall from his sale provides the long sought after creativity and shores up a couple of areas of need.

I'm actually astounded that we have splashed this much cash. But if the players above are brought in, then we'll have competition within the squad from front to back. With replacements of a similar quality so an injury to one player won't derail our season..

Looks like you are about to add Will Hughes to the list of purchases.
I guess it's a bit like going mental with a credit card before Christmas knowing you are going to get a whopping great bonus come January. You just have the hope that things don't go tit's up before then though

It's okay, you'll have enough to pay your credit card bill when you sell Suarez before the end of the month.

You may even be able to pay off his lawyers fees too.

What's the reported figure for spuds + Will Hughes? We should get a decent chunk of Bale money if it happens.

6m was the last I saw, with loan back for the rest of the season, money going straight into the debt repayment

No dice.

It's okay, you'll have enough to pay your credit card bill when you sell Suarez before the end of the month.

Please tell me you are not still clinging onto the hope of signing him?

I don't think we could afford his wages. Plus I don't know if his knowledge of mobile platforms is up to scratch.

^^ are you still clinging onto the hope that the rest of the squad will forgive him and everyone will play happy families and he won't get another ridiculous ban for being an utter cuntard?

Get some sleep!

^^ are you still clinging onto the hope that the rest of the squad will forgive him and everyone will play happy families and he won't get another ridiculous ban for being an utter cuntard?

Yes. They are footballers.
No. He will be banned within 10 matches of returning