Hhtoon

Find that disproportionately funny

Do we actually see a lack of effort from the players anyway? I'd say the application is there.

Motivation due to the club having no ambition. We had something to play for in his first two full seasons under Rafa, promotion and the league title and then staying up during the first season back then what? Same again lads? Just do the bare minimum to try and keep the SD adverts on prime time TV. Just doesn't work unless you build on the momentum and push on. Blame lies at Ashley's door. I suspect players don't think like that, more along the lines that the better they play the more likely a move to a bigger club/contract. They must be incredibly self-motivated to get where they are. If you're unable team who sell all their best players then maybe, but not sure if the summer was as negative as that. They will not consciously think like that but it will have a big impact on them. Collective desire and motivation and momentum are massive in football. Shouldn't be underestimated the impact it has where there's not much to play for beyond what you've already achieved when that in itself is not exactly something special. The fact that these workers know their outstanding boss is leaving, likely to be replaced with someone much less skilled, would surely have most people concerned about the future, no matter what industry you’re in. Absolutely. Footballers know they are one bad performance from being dropped and a string of bad results leads to a new manager. They won't be thinking past the next 5 months. Half the squad will probably be thinking a new manager gives then the opportunity to get a 1st team place. But whatever, you might be right. Guess we'll see when the whole squad hand in transfer request in the next 3 weeks or summer.

Motivation due to the club having no ambition. We had something to play for in his first two full seasons under Rafa, promotion and the league title and then staying up during the first season back then what? Same again lads? Just do the bare minimum to try and keep the SD adverts on prime time TV. Just doesn't work unless you build on the momentum and push on. Blame lies at Ashley's door. I suspect players don't think like that, more along the lines that the better they play the more likely a move to a bigger club/contract. They must be incredibly self-motivated to get where they are. If you're unable team who sell all their best players then maybe, but not sure if the summer was as negative as that. They will not consciously think like that but it will have a big impact on them. Collective desire and motivation and momentum are massive in football. Shouldn't be underestimated the impact it has where there's not much to play for beyond what you've already achieved when that in itself is not exactly something special. You could say the same about 12-14 clubs in the premiership. Nor do you hear of any players clamouring for a move (Hayden aside which is non football related). They might be behind the scenes I suppose but suspect with agents it would be pretty obious. Suspect a lot of our players know their limit and are satisfied at the moment. If Rafa leaves that might change of course...

Motivation due to the club having no ambition. We had something to play for in his first two full seasons under Rafa, promotion and the league title and then staying up during the first season back then what? Same again lads? Just do the bare minimum to try and keep the SD adverts on prime time TV. Just doesn't work unless you build on the momentum and push on. Blame lies at Ashley's door. I suspect players don't think like that, more along the lines that the better they play the more likely a move to a bigger club/contract. They must be incredibly self-motivated to get where they are. If you're unable team who sell all their best players then maybe, but not sure if the summer was as negative as that.

Player improvement is an issue. In fact I'd say regression is more commonplace, with Kenedy, Murphy and Merino the standouts. Was hoping more from Muto as well as thought he looked promising. I do think he has the team as a whole performing greater than the sum of their parts, certainly last year. Just seems a little drained from the last 2 years and looks like it is having an impact this year. Would hope any new owners would fight to keep him though, and think we'd see a different Rafa to the current.

Odd thing to state. We both know this but I'll say it anyway. PR bullshit. Oh oh, Ashley had spend our transfer war chest on legal and financial advisors. Drat!

Swear it looks like Perez did that on purpose

Should start Manquillo, Murphy, Lejeune and Kenedy jnstead.

It's proper grim. Getting Twitter-esque

The amount they’d have to invest in the squad & training facilities? I'd like to think anyone wanting to buy the club would have considered those prior to due diligence, the squad itself is obviously public knowledge.

What do we reckon is in the books that makes bidders offer £100m under the asking price? I know it's over valued, but he's always said £300m and Staveley last year proved he wouldn't lower that. So surely anyone looking would be expecting to have to pay £300m or thereabouts or not bother. Its got to be something a little under the radar as surely discussions from the outset would discuss Ashley's loans and sports direct advertising before bothering with a detailed due diligence.

Loving the new info and insights in this thread

Love Klopp myself. If he defends Salah then he's just doing his job, but you'd hope he'd have a word with him behind closed doors.

My wife left me for a real man who supports a team with a positive net spend and who smash their transfer record season after season

Your post will probably get him fired

Yeah don't believe that. Especially after Staveley's was rejected last year, would make no sense for Kenyon.

Very misleading. I think it’s more of a gripe at the media for trying to use the protests and boycotts as a method to get at him, the players, and the club, rather than him actually thanking or blaming the fans. I'd hardly say very misleading and think you're looking for the interpretation you want. He does actually thank the fans and not sure if I've seen the media use boycotts as criticism of Rafa or the players, always largely (couple of bell end pundits aside) been linked to Ashley unless I've missed something. If Lascelles came out with that he'd be vilified again. Especially the fact that that 3 points would make everybody happy....obviously doesn't come on here

And I think your opinion is total shite also my original point has and always has been that the broadcast was not because of any January window embargo, protests or any boycotts - your spectrum and my spectrum of thought are miles apart and always have been - these things happen move on. No your original post that triggered this exchange was... "He does not give one fuck unfortunately about any boycott" Now would a boycott force him to sell? Maybe not, but as KI has proved, any action against him does result in a response. So he does give a fuck and you are wrong.

Strengthening one position a season. In another 9 years we'll be competitive.

Yup. That's the difference in approach I'm talking about. Chris and KI are actually engaging and trying to understand what makes people tick, then putting decent arguments why for this one game it makes sense to "miss out".

I'd always still intended going anyway but mentioned the boycott to the bairn and her response was that we'd already bought season tickets if we didn't go it meant Ashley was the winner as he'd took money off us without us getting the service/goods/game we'd paid for. Said we shouldn't let him win and shouldn't let him stop us from doing what we enjoy doing ie going to the match. We've already missed Brighton as we were on holiday (lad at work bought our tickets though) and may well miss Liverpool due to my neices wedding but this will depend on the game being moved for tv. It's about the visual impact though. I know, i get that, but i also think fuck him, he's not stopping me from doing what i want to do which is go to the match. He'll be laughing his stots off at that fact he's had the money and people haven't come. Not as much as hes laughing at you for still turning up season after season . Its mugs like you that keep him here and in the long term fuck the club over . Take a bow And its people like you that lead to a divided fan base by acting like a dick. Your type gets people's backs up as you're incapable of putting a well reasoned argument across and resort to slinging insults. Its counter-productive and is more likely to push people in the opposite direction. Dont you get it yet ? The club is dead . The fans are divided because of Ashley and because the vast majority are brainless morons like you who are happy to watch a corpse of a club whilst making a fat rich man even richer . Want me to walk you through it again ? Ashley doesn't get a penny from me. Walk me through what? Your well reasoned, logical argument? Save it for Twitter. I agree with your underlying position, just don't know why you have to act like a knob about it.

I'd have swam the other way.

If you don't want to go , don't go, don't watch it on sky and go and find another hobby, but respect the fact that thousands of other people do want to go and enjoy going. Why are you on this thread? You have nothing positive to add so why don't you respect people's decision to boycott and post elsewhere.