Man City and their legal threat to the Premier League dominate the Mailbox, with rival fans claiming City supporters should boycott the club.
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Let’s talk Manchester City…
‘Tyranny by majority’ (democracy) as described by the club owned by an autocratic nation (actual tyranny by minority). Hilarious.
Almost as hilarious as ‘we’ve got irrefutable proof of our innocence! We’re just going to keep it to ourselves and drag out the case for years with appeals on technicalities and appeals of appeals when those fail and now a legal challenge that is so desperate as to be laughable.’
Pretty seismic stuff in the post, hopefully it doesn’t f*** the game for good.
James Outram, Wirral
…MCFC: The value of our sponsorships reflect our global fanbase, unprecedented recent success and are in no way made up by us and our cousins.
Also MCFC: We’re suing the PL for not allowing us to make up sponsorships with our cousins.
Ryan, Bermuda
…Now that City have somehow managed to make themselves more despised I thought now might be the time to ask how many of their digital pitchside advertisers last season people actually heard of?
Seán, Dublin
…So let me get this right.
Manchester City are so guilty of those 115 charges that they’re suing the Premier League to change the rules? I can’t wait to hear the justification of this from their fans.
Just when you think football couldn’t get any crazier.
Alex, LFC
…I honestly cannot believe that Man City fans are not boycotting their club and have not been for years now. What a bunch of cowards.
So jealous of your neighbors that you have no problem with the game being destroyed as long as you get your time in the sun.
United fan here, who has never even been to Manchester, but I believe that shouldn’t matter. I urge all City fans to boycott their club until they agree to play by the rules that everyone else does. Openly. No bs.
Zdravko
MORE ON MAN CITY AND FFP FROM F365
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Jarrod Bowen is fine, actually
In my opinion Jarrod Bowen had a decent game for England last night. His passing was good, he is one of the fittest players in the England squad.
He is capable of playing outside right or centre forward ,which is good for the team.
He deserves to go to Germany.
Anne Davies
READ: England Euro 2024 squad: Predicting the Unfortunate Seven to be cut in Southgate’s final 26
More on England’s strengths and woes
I meant to add this earlier but forgot – probably as my brain was numbed from watching that match.
It was really great to see Wharton getting his first cap. He was composed and comfortable. You have him making the squad which is entirely possible, and it will be both pretty magnificent and pretty damning to see two of our midfielders be players who hadn’t played PL football before this season making the cut. Wharton looked like he can offer everything Henderson has ever been able to, already, and a whole lot more besides. Mainoo is transcendent.
The damning side of that is it shows how limited we have been in depth in midfield for England. The top end is exquisite but behind that has been pretty terrible. With those two coming in, the future in the middle is looking – dare I say it – pretty damn exciting!
As far as the rest of the squad, wingers are looking great for the next three tournaments. Creative roles are superb. Striker is massively concerning, however; we desperately need someone to break through in the next few years or Kane will be leading the line until he’s 36. Watkins is like Defoe – a handy option to have around but you don’t want to be relying on him going into a tournament.
Full backs, eek. Right side has options enough with age on their side for a couple of tournaments (more if we actually get to see more of Rico) and Shaw is great, when he’s available, but behind that it’s a bit bare for specialists. Personally, and for both United and England’s sake, I”m praying that Amass has a breakthrough season for United next season.
Central defence, not so bad actually, all of a sudden! With any luck, United will be picking up both Guehi and Branthwaite and building them up as a partnership. But either way, they look like a decent future. Is it bad that I’m praying Maguire gets himself arrested during the tournament so one of them can play instead?
Finally, in goal, we look ‘fine’. Nothing exceptional, no Seaman or anything but Pickford does at least keep things exciting, with Henderson and Ramsdale comfortable replacements with many tournaments left in them.
Badwolf
Ivan Toney as an impact sub? Really?
This thing about taking Ivan Toney to the Euros as a 119th minute sub, because he can take pens: Just stop it. There is an alternate universe where England Manager Sam Allardyce is currently telling the press that Andy Carroll remains a great plan B off the bench; this is just a hipster version of that.
Surely I’m not the only one who remembers that England tried bringing on penalty specialists for a tournament shootout not long ago? And that it didn’t work very well? Kane and Saka are also deadly from the spot normally – as were Stuart Pearce, Marco Van Basten, Roberto Baggio – but taking a pen with a country on your back (especially this country) is not easy.
England seem to be the only country that uses squad spaces on people they don’t have any intention of putting on the pitch if possible (Walcott, Shearer in 92, Steve Bull, etc) and it has always been a bad idea. This is not different!
Neil Raines
Missing the point on Grealish
Calvino is completely missing the point with his Grealish/Antony/Rashford observations.
Jack Grealish was a vital component for the team that won the Treble last season. He may not have racked up goals and assists but he was key to how Pep wanted the team to play. He hardly ever gave away possession and his role stretched defences and allowed his teammates to take advantage. He played a pivotal part in many of the moves that led to goals even if he didn’t get the assist. That is why Pep picked him for all the BIG games. It is also the reason why comparisons with Antony & Rashford are both ridiculous and irrelevant.
Admittedly he didn’t really get going this season (had a lot of niggling injuries interrupting his rhythm whenever he looked like getting back to his best), but still did his bit in helping us get the Title.
Michael The Bert
Blaming Ten Hag
Been a relative high level soccer player and a good soccer coach. Many writers like to blame someone. The coach must be able to read players. Here is what I think:
1. You either have a system and get players or find a system for the players you got. This is Ten Hag weakest point:
A. Don’t let Marcus Rashford GO. Make plays for him.
B. Ten Hag made many mistakes and he should go. Negative GD is a catastrophe
C. Too many slow old players. I don’t agree that mount is a good player or better than Bruno
D. I see no reason why Casemiro, Eriksen, Verane, Harry and MacTo should play. When you have a slow team you get young players in
E. (Impact)Players to go after: Neto(must), Olise, Solanke, Robinson (Ful-best LFB), Gibbs-White, Bowens, Ross Barkley
Looking for impact players not necessarily expensive
2. Ten Hag a bit old personality. A bit stiff with younger players.
Ron
The truth about Palace and Man Utd
Manchester United fans in the mailbox are starting to get a little bit carried away. For their benefit and everybody else’s:
* Marc Guehi has a clause in his contract that if Crystal Palace accept a bid for him, Chelsea have the right to match it and go ahead in the queue. While figures have not been quoted, it would be entirely reasonable for Palace to expect a fee in the region of what Manchester United previously paid for Harry Maguire.
* Michael Olise has a release clause reported variously as £60m or £70m. This is not beyond the means of most of the biggest European clubs, and that’s the point: he wants to play in the Champions League, a competition that unfortunately will not count Manchester United among its participants next season. Any bid from them, Chelsea or Spurs is more than likely to be matched by a club who will use Champions League as a selling point in their offer.
* If Olise does leave, it makes it less likely Eberechi Eze will also leave at the same time. Regardless of what anyone else is doing, Palace are working towards a long term plan that features some turnover of players, but not wholesale changes all at the same time.
* Agreeing a fee with the club or meeting the release clause does not guarantee a player will sign, moves may still break down if the buying club and the player do not agree personal terms.
* With the exception of Olise’s release clause, any other price tag will be high enough to make some fans say “how is he worth this much”. The price will factor in the cost of replacing the sold player, which will be affected by two factors: Palace will basically have to force another team to part with their best player, and whoever they take a shine to, their club will know they have lots of money to spend following a big sale, so the cost will go up some more.
We’ve got a long summer ahead of us, everyone just needs to calm down a bit so we can get through it.
Ed Quoththeraven
READ: Ten multiple ‘raids’ which should warn Manchester United, including sackable Liverpool failure
Fanmail for Barry Fox
I’ve just read Barry’s message where he lists players that would strengthen Tottenham’s squad. Whilst I agree that these players would absolutely strengthen the Spurs squad – the idea that they could acquire their services has me speculating what cannabis strains Barry has been consuming to come up with each of these players if he believes there is a chance they could come to Europa-bound Tottenham.
Player: Lautaro Martinez. Strain: Sour Diesel. Quite heavy head high. Allowing for extended creativity which would allow the batsh*t mental gymnastics that would see a World Cup and Serie A winner move to Spurs.
Player: Raphael Leao. Strain: Northern Lights. An Indica this time so more of a body high. In between the bowls of delicious cereal the hands would glide across the keyboard as a name appears out of the ether. Who is it? One of the most sought after attacking talents in the world being courted by infinite money club PSG? Yes. They want to come to Tottenham. Maybe because of the nice stadium.
Player: Benjamin Pavard. Strain: Tobacco. At first I thought this was reasonable as I thought there had been a lot of rumors about him. Turns out that was last year and he has been at inter milan for 1 successful season so far. Looks like some incredibly powerful stuff accidentally fell into that rollie..
Player: Pedri. Strain: XK545. If you gain access to the deepest security vaults beneath the Pentagon, get through several armed dogs, a crack team of navy seals and hulk hogan, you are greeted with a giant vault door. Get through the vault and you find the US government’s most mind altering, perception destroying, paint soiling strain of cannabis ever created. Smoke that through a bong the size of a bouncy castle and maybe then and only then – can you begin to form a hazy image of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. being a speck on Pedri’s radar.
Or maybe Barry is just trolling us I dunno.
Oz
…I have to say, there is a lot of talk in the mailbox daily about what teams need to do to finally overthrow citys grasp on the premier league. We have had article after article on tactical nuance and tweaks that Liverpool and Arsenal, even for one season Utd (remember when Utd were in the conversation for winning the league, lol) can do to get over the line.
But then Barry Fox comes along this morning with something straight out of left field…a maverick if you will. It was so simple, so mind bending that I don’t know how no one ever thought of it before. Just buy 4 of the best players in their position in the world. Simple.
Lets not get bogged down in the simplicities of why would four of the best players in the world leave Ac/Inter/Barca to join Europa League contenders Spurs. Or the simple fact that their probable combined cost of, on the low end £350m+, not including signing on fees/agent fees etc, would crucify the clubs FFP. lets not even get bogged down in the thoughts of why ONLY buy 4 top players, why not round it up to 5. No, No, lets just revel in the masterstroke of simplicity of how to win a league.
Fifa and Football Manager have a lot to answer for.
Hammer McHammerface
…Just when I thought Stewie was the most insufferable fan of a London club, Barry comes in to remind us of his existence and penchant for the ridiculous.
Just going to ignore the positive as even though its filled with ridiculous hyperboles, the negatives are where the crown jewels are located. The delusion to feel that you’re title favourites after just 10 games and to believe that you could go toe to toe against City after losing your best player and having a new manager is just incredible. Its like Barry has never heard of something called the new manager bounce or just getting the sweet sweet release after Conte toxicity.
The real delulu points start from which players he feels could strengthen the squad.
First option of Lautaro Martinez, a guy who would cost at least 80m and is currently on 190k a week is a realistic target? Oh and just to make it even more realistic, he just 3 days ago signed a new deal with higher wages and is now on a 6 year contract. I’m sure Levy will be spending a lot of time on this deal.
Leao is the second option, a player that AC Milan rejected a close to 90m bid for. A player that has mentioned his ambition in winning the big prizes openly and will be in the Champions league next season would be willing to join a club in the Europa League. Oh and he is on 150k a week and would require 100m+ bid to prise. I’m sure Levy will be spending a lot of time on this deal.
Pavard to be fair is possible since he’s not that expensive and is a solid squad player. Gotta give Baz this one.
Pedri would be a cherry on top to some mysterious Angeball cake, apparently. This is a guy that many Barca socios consider an untouchable player. But ignoring that, his injury record for the past 3 seasons is horrendous regularly missing 3+ months of a season. But of course his injury record should only improve in the Prem, a faster and more physical league.. I’m sure Levy will be spending a lot of time on this deal.
The sign off is the best part stating that these small signings of just 350m should take them from possible title winners into probable ones. Who in their right mind considers Spurs to be possible title winners? Okay this one is on me I said in their right minds and forgot to include the delulu factor. Anyways I look forward to Levy faffing about for the first 2 months of the window and then signing decent but relative unknowns from the Bundesliga/Serie A.
Anyways Barry how we’ve missed thee, please do come back the offseason is upon us and your musings do make one chuckle.
Shy Ronnie (peak banter season is truly upon us)