2024/2025 English Premier League Thread

[Locke]

Interesting run of results today. What a season though. It was really all over the place with the relegated teams really sealing their positions early letting almost all of the rest of the League to flail around like it was their first day.

[Locke]

And now for the Silly Season to begin!

It looks as though there are problems with everyone's favourite off-brand, low-rent Machine Gun Kelly impersonator.

[GirlySports]

European places set

Champions: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Spurs
Europa: Aston Villa, Crystal Palace
Conference: Forest

[devo22]

Cunha to United.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have given forward Matheus Cunha to undergo a medical at Manchester United ahead of a proposed summer transfer.

Club-to-club talks between United and Wolves, where Cunha has a £62.5million ($83.7m) release clause, were opened on Tuesday. United have now met the terms of Cunha’s contract at Molineux and will now seek to complete the transfer of the Brazilian.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/629...ited-transfer/

[Locke]

Manchester United were booed by fans at the final whistle after losing 1-0 in Malaysia against ASEAN All-Stars on Friday as the club's disastrous domestic campaign continued into their postseason friendlies

Amorim's side flew out to Kuala Lumpur following their final match of the season -- a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford -- on Sunday that capped United's worst ever Premier League season with a 15th-placed finish.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/...sean-all-stars

Well yeah, it was ManU vs. an All-Star team! Thats hardly fair.

[Slava]

I can't believe that teams do this right after the season ends. I know, it's all about money, but it seems stupid to risk injuring players when they've got to be fatigued at the end of a season. I think that Spurs did this last year or the year before as well.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Slava

I can't believe that teams do this right after the season ends. I know, it's all about money, but it seems stupid to risk injuring players when they've got to be fatigued at the end of a season. I think that Spurs did this last year or the year before as well.

Yeah, you're right.

Its about Global Brand presence, hence money.

I dont know the logistics of it all, most guys are out there playing half a game to make a 'name appearance' and they've probably been on a beach or in a bar the prior night, who knows?

I kind of rationalize it as; "Professional sports isn't a career, its an opportunity."

And some players more than others will adhere to that dedication and do whatever it takes. Essentially selling their souls for a decade or so in order to sit on a remote beach sipping drinks once they retire.

[devo22]

it's completely braindead, but that's just the way football is going, sadly. It's a 20 hour flight to play a friendly in terrible conditions (heat + humidity) ... if I was a player, I wouldn't even pretend to half-ass this.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

it's completely braindead, but that's just the way football is going, sadly. It's a 20 hour flight to play a friendly in terrible conditions (heat + humidity) ... if I was a player, I wouldn't even pretend to half-ass this.

Yeah. Essentially this.

[Senator Clay Davis]

They should go and just score on their own net after every kickoff and lose 99-0. "Silent protest" or whatever.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

They should go and just score on their own net after every kickoff and lose 99-0. "Silent protest" or whatever.

Dude...they're still getting paid. Its not like its some kind of indentured servitude. If they dont want to do it then forfeit the money or pretend you're injured.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Unless I'm mistaken, which is known to happen, they aren't getting a bonus for going? So it's just a regular salary week for them? I'd rather they do something comical like that for the lolz then show up and not even try.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Unless I'm mistaken, which is known to happen, they aren't getting a bonus for going? So it's just a regular salary week for them? I'd rather they do something comical like that for the lolz then show up and not even try.

I dont know if you're mistaken or not, I don't know the specifics but I presume they're getting paid, be it a salary week or a bonus.

But...screwing about is probably a breach of contract. Clubs usually bank on some revenue from these trips as part of their budget and seeing as ManU lost out on all of Europe by being dogcrap all season, they probably need every revenue stream they can get.

But I'm with devo, if I were one of the stars on this trip? They'd be lucky to get a quarter or even a fifth-assed effort out of me. I'd be drinking a beer on the bench.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But thats my thing, would you rather they show up and mail it in, or show up and do something hilarious? They got their asses booed off the pitch anyway, I think it'd be lots of fun to have them trying rabona's and scorpion kicks on their own net.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But thats my thing, would you rather they show up and mail it in, or show up and do something hilarious? They got their asses booed off the pitch anyway, I think it'd be lots of fun to have them trying rabona's and scorpion kicks on their own net.

You make a cromulent point.

I mean, I'm sure the denizens of Kuala Lumpur paid good money to see the mighty, mighty Man United, 15th best team in England, and were expecting a good show.

Despite the fact that...in my mind, the home team won which...should be kind of what you want?

But yeah, as you said, they got their asses booed off the pitch anyways so they might as well have had some fun with it. Then again...it is soccer and when you enrage fans if all you get is some booing thats pretty much a win. It doesnt take much to go from that to an all out riot.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Preseason tours, money grabs that they are, at least serve a purpose to get fitness levels back up after the summer break. But these postseason friendlies are insane, I'm shocked anyone pays money to see them knowing you're getting exhausted players who just wanna start the vacation.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Preseason tours, money grabs that they are, at least serve a purpose to get fitness levels back up after the summer break. But these postseason friendlies are insane, I'm shocked anyone pays money to see them knowing you're getting exhausted players who just wanna start the vacation.

Fair enough. I'd agree with that. I just wonder if the post-season friendlies are 'sponsored vacations' with a little soccer being played.

I dont know, I wouldnt want to do it, I'd want to be gone. But money is money.

And...the club is trying to generate new fans in new markets to generate more revenue...showing up with a terrible squad and losing? Thats not really fitting the bill.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It'd be like seeing your favorite band after they've finished their tour and have a hookers and blow retreat waiting for them once they finish the "postseason" gig you're about to see. I suppose maybe it's better than nothing if it's your best chance to see them without paying a lot, but I feel for them to spend on that. Unless they were United haters, then they got a great time.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

It'd be like seeing your favorite band after they've finished their tour and have a hookers and blow retreat waiting for them once they finish the "postseason" gig you're about to see. I suppose maybe it's better than nothing if it's your best chance to see them without paying a lot, but I feel for them to spend on that. Unless they were United haters, then they got a great time.

See, this is kind of the crux of the matter to me.

I agree with your statement.

But if the goal of the match is to get new fans, this seems like the wrong way to go about it. Bringing a bunch of exhausted, unenthusiastic players halfway across the world to half-ass it while you spent your money to watch this garbage?

Not going to make a new generation of ManU fans that way.

[MegaErtz]

Kevin De Bruyne had no problem telling Manchester City that he wouldn't play in the Club World Cup in America next month, despite being contracted until June 30. Of course he's on an expiring deal.