General Premier League Thread 2024-25

~Rebel~ · 13-03-2025 02:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260591#Comment_123260591

(probably also worth adding that Pep's brother just so happened to be brought into the City Group's Girona purchase, leaving him with a tasty 16% of the club - which all just so happened to take place in and around the time of Pep signing for City)

POKERKING · 13-03-2025 03:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260591#Comment_123260591

I really thought this would be the last I would post on this but I cant help myself here….

"And they certinatly were not between the years of 2008 and 2016 before Pep" Which players during this period would have got into the Barcelona or Real Madrid team that city had? Silva and Aguero were citys two best players, neither were required by either team in this period. Our other best player was Yaya who Barca sold to us, what do you want me to say here? City players were harder to "poach" here for Barca/Real because we didnt have any they needed and if they were semi interested it would have taken a big fee to sign them? Why is it so hard to understand?

"for a lot of players Real Madrid and Barca represent the ulitmate goal in club football….That is unless of course you happen to play for Man City" I dont doubt the former, who has said otherwise? You are essentially saying that players only play for Man City because they pay them a tonne of cash? Thats the only reason? Who are these players turning Barca and Real down?

"There is also the slight issue of Man City getting caught out for paying Mancini off the books"…hasnt been proved to date and is on the basis of an allegation of a convicted criminal. Funnily that article claims he was being paid twice in 2009 before FFP was even brought in(approved in 2010 and implemented in 11-12 season). Incredible foresight from City to see into the future and see legislation coming in so avoiding loopholes that didnt even exist at the time….

I dont really give a **** about respect, I(and English football) have seen the best football it has ever seen breaking record after record, for a purist who loves football and watching 11 v 11 on a saturday thats good enough for me. Annoyed at the owners? No chance. Look up Franny Lee or Peter Swales if you want to see owners I would be annoyed at.

Anyway lets leave it at that and agree to disagree here.

8-10 · 13-03-2025 03:40PM

Just FYI although FFP was only approved in 2010, it had been formally announced at their summit in 2009, it was one of the key items Platini said they were planning on introducing

So it wouldn't have been known the exact impact or extent of the rules in 2009, but it certainly would have been known that they were on the way at that point

IncognitoMan · 13-03-2025 04:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260994#Comment_123260994

You do give a **** about respect. That's why you are replying, because nobody outside of Man City fans rates anything they have done over the last 15 years. It irks City fans.

When this era is over and if the UAE walk away (and they will if it no longer fulfils their interests btw) nobody is going to look back at this City side and talk about them being an incrediblly built side like the PL's other greats sides.

They'll talk about the legacy of allowing state run clubs to exist, the negitive impact it had. The financial issues it created throughout the rest of football. The blockers it put down in front of other clubs to compete against.

OK to your other point re Real and Barca, so City play the best football that English football has ever seen (hard disagree) but the players who play that football don't peak the interest of the 2 boys in Spain? Is that it? It's a bit odd!!

Yeah we'll agree to disagree but I think a lot of City fans can't see the wood for the trees when looking at their club.

POKERKING · 13-03-2025 07:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261225#Comment_123261225

The first three paragraphs are just nonsense but whatever.

Because the period of Man Citys domestic dominance and brilliance(if i dont say so myself) has coincided with Barca being skint and Real Madrid dominating Europe with 4 Champions league whilst building a new stadium in a league that has fallen below the premier league in terms of appeal and overall revenue. You know this, you are a clever person and dont need me to point it out. And you know its not odd, just like its not odd that city havent gone after barca or real players with all this under the table cash they can offer (apparently).

And of course im not surprised you “hard disagree”, i mean its a debatable topic thats maybe worth a disagree but a hard disagree like its some sort of mental statement is funny. Youd probably want to close your eyes watching 90percent of football at all levels from kids grassroots right up to the premier league because there all trying to play that way.

We will leave there so but because you added a but in your last line i will too…but some fans bitterness about shortcomings at their own clubs shines through when it comes to City more than any other club and i find Irish United and Liverpool fans(esp barstoolers) to be the worst in this regard. Mind you I would probably feel bitter too so I get it to an extent.

doc_17 · 13-03-2025 07:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260426#Comment_123260426

people have been wondering where the city fans are in general….them being the highest revenue generating club in the world and who can’t sell their ground out.
I do however kinda agree that few of City’s players were really wanted by Real or Barca. Aguero and Rodri are former Athletico players? Maybe they aren’t going to Real or a Basque team?

But go back further, Nasri, Clichy, Toure, Adebayor all left a good Arsenal team to play for City. Why? $$$$
Liverpool hammered Madrid 4-0 a few months before Xabi left to go to them. Liverpool were going somewhere. They lost the league with almost record, if not close to one, points total for a runner up.
The Sane one to Bayern is interesting, what has he gone on to do? Germany didn’t take him to a WC, Pep saw his attitude and acted accordingly. Pep doesn’t try to keep people who really want to leave.

Jesper · 13-03-2025 09:57PM

I'm bringing my godchild to a Manchester United game in GW 36. When will the start time be confirmed. At the moment all games are for 3:00 Saturday the 10th.

It will have. A huge impact on the booking or csn I take a chance now and book late flights back Saturday?

mightyreds · 13-03-2025 10:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262220#Comment_123262220

Won't be confirmed til around March 28th, wouldn't take a risk booking now it could go to Sunday if united get into the europa league semi final.

FourFourRED · 13-03-2025 10:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262220#Comment_123262220

24 March - 28 March.

I booked flights for the Manchester Derby for €76 return and just made the assumption it would be on the Sunday. Same flights now are €400.

I would say wait for confirmation though. If you follow the PL account on Twitter and turn on notifications on your phone, you can get alerted to it when the dates are set and try get in ahead of others.

IncognitoMan · 13-03-2025 10:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262220#Comment_123262220

No, not safe to book / assume that it'll be a Saturday game.

The Europa league Semi is on the 8th. If Utd are involved in that then they will play the Sunday.
Even if they get knocked out it'll be down to TV

https://www.premierleague.com/news/4039904

You are looking at the TV being announced around March 24th-28th
If Utd make it through tonight then you are looking at a Sunday game either way I'd say to be safe or maybe Monday night

IncognitoMan · 14-03-2025 12:29AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261671#Comment_123261671

My first 3 paragraphs are nonsense? ….right. Not to a lot who aren't City fans or fans of other state run clubs.

I'm involved at grassroots football (underage). Why exactly would I want to close my eyes?
Pep didn't invent passing out from the back ya know…

It's been around in many variations long before Pep came on the scene. I won't deny it's has been more common (espically as the quality of the pitches has impoved so getting the ball on the ground has been much easier at lower levels) but Pep is coach who plays a variation of that style. He is not the inventer of it. So I have no idea what I would be closing my eyes to?

I can assure you at grassroots level we are in no ways trying to emulate how Pep's teams play football. Nor anyone we play against.

Kids want to have fun when playing football. Putting them in highly structured, possesion based, positional football simply won't work at that level. It would kill their enjoyment of the game. 99.9% of these kids aren't going to be professional and even the 0.01% who might have a shot at it would be useless outside that really specfic system if they were never allowed to play with freedom. If we were copying Pep's style that freedom would have to be removed…

Grassroutes football is about allowing people to enjoy football and giving an enviroment that the talented players can learn in and kick on from.

It's funny that any team that passes the ball on the ground is now somehow "influenced" by Pep.

Pep is obviosuly elite at what he does, he sets teams up to be extremly effective, point collecting machines.
But the football is robotic and dull to watch. It kills individualism in favour of a stronger overall team unit. With highly repeatable patterns.
It's impressive sure because it is so functional and consistent over 38 games.

But it lacks in so many other ways.. and requires an elite level squad (with very specfic attributes) to make it work. See how Pep struggles when he has a keeper who isn't as good with the ball at his feet. Or the difference in his teams when the holding midfielder isn't highly specialised.

Actually what we are seeing more at the top level (from teams having success) now is a move away from the highly structured systems and far more relational systems. With players given more freedom to overload certain areas of the pitch and "bunch" players up closer. Players being trusted to move and occupy space with more tactical freedom.

Fluminense in brazil are the best side I have seen introduce this style (an extreme version of it) a couple of seasons ago and you can see it's transfering into Europe now. Or at least certain ideas from it.

There's some really interesting videos on it on YouTube.

Liverpool have played with it this season. PSG showed it to a great level during the week, some of the movment of their midfield and front 3 was a joy to watch. Inter use it, they often drop their midfields deeper than the defenders when building up. It's less about Pep's favoured version with high structure and more about moving players in relation to each other on the pitch.

Pep wants his players in specfic areas at specfic times to create highly specfic patterns of play. It is perhaps why he has struggled when he has faced better sides in Europe despite often being touted as being the "best team in Europe". They are predictable. It's hard to stop them when you have a squad like Southampton, but better sides in Europe can keep their structure and counter the space.

Hell, Ole did it to great effect a number of times against Pep.

Real Madrid have been a relational side for a while and as mentioned before have been unbelievable in Europe over the last few years. Carlo has always been a manager who looks to give his players freedom inside his tactics and he wins in Europe… A lot!

It'll be interetsing to see if Pep changes with it. Will he make changes in the summer to adjust as his style of football looks like it might be becoming less effective.
And if he does will he then become the new "inventor" of the next stylistic era for many 🤣

POKERKING · 14-03-2025 08:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261777#Comment_123261777

Real Madrid are the highest generating revenue club in the world. A huge chunk of citys recent revenue has been based on recent success(prize money and tv money), that will be considerably down this year. City not being able to sell out their stadium esp in the premier league is a myth which i have discussed extensively here and im pretty sure with you specifically(could be wrong). City fans not posting on boards doesnt equal no fans.

Agree money played a huge part especially at the start with the players you mention i dont doubt it, I dont doubt salary on offer in general is a huge attraction. City have one if the highest wage bills in the world, my point all along is it hasnt needed to be under the table and that along with a top salary(declared) there are many other genuine reasons why city are an attractive proposition. The counter argument from people is its only due to off the record additional payments and this is what I have argued.

Pep and Sane didnt see eye to eye, pep would spend many matches just shouting at him constantly before whipping him off at the first chance. He was class at city though in my opinion and was gutted he left, i felt his ceiling was higher than any other player we had at the time. Not sure where it all went wrong.

IncognitoMan · 14-03-2025 11:55AM

I'd have loved Sane at Utd - he was the closest player to remind me of Giggs I've seen maybe ever.

And that will be why Pep and him didn't see eye to eye. Sane wants to run at people, be free to move into open space etc..

Pep wants him standing in the correct position at all times and wants him to repeat specific moves, link ups etc..

Sane was never a Pep winger

doc_17 · 14-03-2025 08:50PM

Yeah, but Sane hasn’t lit the world on fire like he should be doing. I’d say his attitude is questionable.

theoneeyedman · 14-03-2025 11:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264998#Comment_123264998

Sane would fit in perfect at United alright - a questionable attitude off the field by all accounts, a big time Charlie who would command astronomical wages and would be back playing at a midtable German or Spanish team within 18 months.... Make it happen 😉

sligeach · 15-03-2025 05:45PM

What a glorious chance wasted for Brighton to go 3-2 up. It was teed up on a plate and Baleba skied it over the bar from around the penalty spot. It's a very entertaining game.