TheBrownBottle

Not sure you can blame them here

I think I’m staying in bed for the final next week Wish to fuck we’d just played the reserves today.

Kariis plays in the final lads

What the living fuck is Pope doing there?

Likewise - matchsticks in the eyes job. Well and truly fucked off so far edit: Trippier is playing like it’s 4:30am Sunday hisbtime

Does Trippier know how to step up?

Bruno not sitting in front of the back line makes one hell of a difference.

Anderson getting some stick on here but that was utterly shite defending generally - Schar ball-watching and Trippier playing everyone onside

Arsenal are doing everything possible to bottle this title now. At present I wouldn’t be surprised to see them finish 3rd.

There will be plenty who would moan. Loads who see it as ‘their’ seat. They’re as bad as the dozy owld sods who sit in the same seat in the club (CIU) every day of the week.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u33aBKB6k9o

The whole story is utterly horrific, I read it on the AI website a few days ago: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde23/6441/2023/en/ I’m not convinced that Howe is the appropriate target for the letter mind, though I’ve obviously no issue with anyone trying to highlight the case - it almost feels cowardly to target Howe though; if anyone at the club should be the target of the letter then it’s the owners, not the manager.

Yes - and while the test does allow for failing the test if you’d have been convicted elsewhere, ultimately it was about piracy. They prove MBS is the state, the state backed BeOUTQ, MBS therefore involved in piracy, which would have led to conviction in the UK (though of course he’d never have been convicted in KSA). It was a convoluted way to hammer them on piracy. There is zero chance that the PL starts an international diplomacy issue otherwise - they knew that PIF would never allow MBS to be ‘convicted’ of piracy by the PL. They would have also known that the PL was unlikely to pin the murder of Khashoggi, or multiple violations of international law, or state-sponsored oppression of minority groups etc. The PL’s only sense of morality or ethics applies to its own interests.

His poor family, bloody awful news. Heartbreaking

Who wants to let Tariq know that there is nothing in the PL rules about clubs being owned by a state …

Yep. Only ended up being a net £6m in fees in the end - a nice bit of business all in, helped relegate Burnley and I still think the lad did a decent job leading the line for a few months last season. All the best to him - also, have Forest had a deekee at Jamal Lewis? Someone should tell them he’s just what they need at left back …

I don’t mind Colin Wanker tbf - he’s often canny about us. But that is helped by the fact he never managed us.

Yep

Yep. I remember playing them at home late in 96/97 - we’re going for the CL (and finished 2nd), they’re in the doldrums (ended up relegated 3rd bottom). We had to scramble a late equaliser to salvage a point. A lot of the confident ‘we’d be guaranteed to smash the 8-0’ shite isn’t borne out by history or reality. Bournemouth are second bottom and we’re top four - but you wouldn’t have thought it last week. Let the cunts rot, I say.

I don’t like those things. A stupid and potentially dangerous distraction.

Agreed. A Man Utd unencumbered by the Glaziers’ ludicrous leveraged debt repayments will be an even bigger monster. It’s a massive club with huge revenue streams already - it doesn’t need a boost. Though I’d expect the Qataris will likely rebuild the ground and training facilities. Ultimately, they’re the biggest club in the country and likely always will be. A properly run Man Utd isn’t fannying around in 3rd/4th/5th year on year.

I said it on here during the WC (and I know I wouldn’t be the only one to think this) that once the WC is over, PSG has had its use for the Qataris and they’ll buy into the PL. PSG was to win vital votes from France & Platini, but ultimately its a failure - no-one outside of France gives a solitary shite about Ligue 1 and they never will. It’s a money sink for them.

It has to be said, if I was offered a Faustian pact whereby Newcastle win the league cup and lose every other game this season, I’m signing in my own blood at that instant. No such thing though, so fingers crossed tomorrow. I’d take (another) draw now if offered.

NB some of this boils down to simple jealousy, like that Chadwick knacker. Man Yoo are on the market - of course everyone will drop everything to buy it. That’s not going to be the case. They’ll get a buyer chucking daft money at the purchase - but it is a hell of a gamble. Anyone who doesn’t have shit for brains would be much better off buying a Leeds, Everton, Villa etc - buy a club which can be grown to those levels at a relatively low price.

I love this stuff. It’s a fundamental failure to understand the intent here - PIF has already made it clear. You spend £300m on NUFC, then invest in it - even a £1bn investment might grow the club to reach Spurs or Chelsea levels and the club is worth £2, 3, 4bn. The idea is that it is an investment which pays off. Buying Man Utd for £5bn makes a return much, much more difficult. You’re relying on values continuing to climb - and ultimately, a thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Man Utd ran up a £115m loss last year. Where exactly is the yield, other than the value of the club? And again, how many would be willing to buy for more than you paid should you decide to flip it? We’ve reached the point where sovereign states are buying clubs - where do you go once they wish to sell?