2017/2018 THE Premier League Thread

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I think he knows beating Pep in the league is going to be nearly impossible given the advantage of unlimited finance Pep enjoys.

I honestly feel that when you get to the spending power that United have you can't say that a team beat you in the league due to outspending.
If it was as simple as who spends most wins then Liverpool might have a PL title. Team assembly, tactics and management plays a significant role also.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I honestly feel that when you get to the spending power that United have you can't say that a team beat you in the league due to outspending.
If it was as simple as who spends most wins then Liverpool might have a PL title. Team assembly, tactics and management plays a significant role also.

I don't entirely disagree, but let's face it. There are three clubs with unreal amounts of money. When people were calling for City to win the league back this summer it had nothing to with tactics and Pep being a great manager and everything to do with them dropping hundreds of million. It's ridiculous, quite frankly.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Sure, they're a better team with Pogba in the side but I don't buy the argument that they had no chance yesterday without him.
Fact of the matter is that United play scared/conservatively against the top teams. Look at their timid approach at Anfield against a fragile defence. Look how they say back at The Emirates relying on De Gea to save a dream two goal start.

And look at yesterday. There was no attempt to break at speed. They sat back, they invited city to come at them, and when they did get possession back they promptly returned it to them with a long ball to a lonesome Lukaku. Even when he was winning it there was no one around him to lay it off to. They were extremely lucky to go in at 1-1. City looked comfortable yesterday but part of that is because imo United made it easy for them.

They play timid against virtually any team without Pogba. It's his searching passes that generate half their quality chances. Jose is a very smart man and realizes what he has got at his disposal which ain't much thanks to the two clowns who were in charge before him. As his side has gotten better they have in fact scored more often and look far better than in years past. But they still have a long way to go. They need more players to match them.

I could easily see Jose, as smart as he is, taking the PSG job. Cash is the king now. Sure it can go wrong but without the spending it ain't going right. MU has to throw another half a billion out there IMO IF they really want to be one of the best teams.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I honestly feel that when you get to the spending power that United have you can't say that a team beat you in the league due to outspending.
If it was as simple as who spends most wins then Liverpool might have a PL title. Team assembly, tactics and management plays a significant role also.

I definitely don't disagree with any of this, but United and Liverpool have owners with different goals than City's (and PSG's) owners. United have ungodly amounts of money sure, but the Glazers will never run losses to produce a winner. So it's the knowledge Pep has that nothing is unattainable for him, whereas with United if the Glazers are going to lose money on a move, they simply won't do it. So for Jose at United there will always be things that are unattainable, a problem he won't have if he goes to PSG.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I definitely don't disagree with any of this, but United and Liverpool have owners with different goals than City's (and PSG's) owners. United have ungodly amounts of money sure, but the Glazers will never run losses to produce a winner. So it's the knowledge Pep has that nothing is unattainable for him, whereas with United if the Glazers are going to lose money on a move, they simply won't do it. So for Jose at United there will always be things that are unattainable, a problem he won't have if he goes to PSG.

Pretty tough for Mourinho to cry poverty. The broke the transfer fee record last year on Pogba, and at the same time spent what....250 million? Then they spent a pile of money this summer as well, and are already planning on more spending this coming year. And then you look at their wage bill and it's astronomical compared to say 15/19 other teams.

And it could be said that they refuse to lose money on a move, but when I look at their financials (they're publicly traded) they have taken on a lot of debt over the past few years. I don't know their exact structure, and maybe that would explain things, but their net debt is up by about half a billion in the last few years. Clearly they're losing money somewhere!

[Senator Clay Davis]

Obviously it's not poverty per se, but it's a lot more difficult for United than it used to be financially. Not just because there are more owners with obscene amounts of money and the willingness to spend it, but because there is so much more money in the PL (and other leagues) that teams are unwilling to sell their guys unless it's overpays. And City's owners have shown more willingness to overpay, and obviously PSG are in a league of their own with how much they just spent.

And knowing the Glazers as I do, I don't think I ever said they were wise fiscal managers (though they did broker a remarkable stadium deal for the Bucs), they just don't like spending money unless they make it back. Pogba was expensive but the jersey sales and cross over promo will pay for itself, plus he'll still be valuable in a couple years if they wanna cash out to pay off some debt.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Obviously it's not poverty per se, but it's a lot more difficult for United than it used to be financially. Not just because there are more owners with obscene amounts of money and the willingness to spend it, but because there is so much more money in the PL (and other leagues) that teams are unwilling to sell their guys unless it's overpays. And City's owners have shown more willingness to overpay, and obviously PSG are in a league of their own with how much they just spent.

And knowing the Glazers as I do, I don't think I ever said they were wise fiscal managers (though they did broker a remarkable stadium deal for the Bucs), they just don't like spending money unless they make it back. Pogba was expensive but the jersey sales and cross over promo will pay for itself, plus he'll still be valuable in a couple years if they wanna cash out to pay off some debt.

Making whole with kit & marketing is a myth.

Sell Pogba to pay off some debt? Seriously? hah

[Senator Clay Davis]

Of course it's hilarious to suggest they'd pay off debt, they'd obviously pocket the fee.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Making whole with kit & marketing is a myth.

Sell Pogba to pay off some debt? Seriously? hah

The companies (Adidas/Under Armour/Nike) make the kit money. That's why they pay to sponsor these things. It was a nice story that they sold so many Zlatan shirts that it was basically free for him, but just not accurate.

And yeah, maybe poverty is a bit of a stretch, but I did see something in the past month or two that said "if Jose had a board to back him like Pep he could compete" or something like that. Which is pretty crazy because yeah, City spends ridiculous money, but its not like United doesn't as well.

All that said, City winning the league this year is kind of hollow. It's financial doping and just buying your way to a win.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The dichotomy between capitalist America having socialist sports leagues while socialist Europe has football which is basically pure capitalism is hilarious to me. Reality is outside the Leicester miracle, the only teams to win the league the last decade are the teams who spend a lot, Chelsea, United and City. Spurs are building a new stadium, in part, to make more money, although since it's apparently spiraling out of control cost wise, it may end up harming them financially in the short term, at a time the team should be pushing to win a title.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Of course it's hilarious to suggest they'd pay off debt, they'd obviously pocket the fee.

Oh whew, you were only joking. I thought you believed that for a moment.

[Senator Clay Davis]

What we've been waiting for: The Daily Mail pictogram of the milk incident

[devo22]

that's got to be it for Mark Hughes.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Sean Dyche, aka the bald ginger Mourinho. Here's hoping to see Bayern at Turf Moor next fall in UCL.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

What we've been waiting for: The Daily Mail pictogram of the milk incident

That's hilarious! Surely there is disciplinary action coming though, right? You can't have teams fighting in the hallway.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Slava

That's hilarious! Surely there is disciplinary action coming though, right? You can't have teams fighting in the hallway.

I agree! Right in time for Spurs to beat em!

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

What we've been waiting for: The Daily Mail pictogram of the milk incident

it's a piece of art. Mourinho charging out of the dressing room. A City player who throws the bottle towards Mourinho as if he was a scrambling NFL quarterback. A shirtless Rojo leading his troops into battle, which of course culminates in an explosion while a single steward watches on from afar.

Beautiful.

[VladtheImpaler]

I told you, Locke, Leicester is going to CL next season.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Leicester have been impressive since Puel took over. Only loss was to City.

[d_phaneuf]

Aurier goal was unique

Gets fouled while he was crossing it, which changed the direction of it and it floated in over the keeper