angelman

I cringe everytime I unblock a post of yours.

Poor defending by van Dijk for the first

Part 2 of 4 of Der Spiegel: http://www.spiegel.de/international/manchester-city-and-the-fight-against-financial-fairplay-a-1236347.html#ref=rss

We do actually have 2 owners..... the minority one with 20% is even quieter than the majority one, which I guess is to be expected. No idea why she kept 20%, but guess it gives her another £52m (if based on the sale price of £210m for 80%), or is there another reason? If I was Gao, I would have said 100% for £210m or no deal.

If Sam was that bad, why did he get the England job?

And this is why football is ****ed...... http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/financial-fair-play-manchester-city-and-psg-pact-with-the-sheikhs-a-1236414.html

One of the (few) journos who actually does write about it, our good old "friend" Martin Samuel....... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6356043/If-greedy-pampered-clubs-want-join-super-league-call-bluff.html?offset=52&max=100&jumpTo=comment-364521389&reply=364521389#comment-364521389 IMO, one of his better articles, and pretty spot on.

I guess the main question is whether the players are still playing for the manager. By sounds of the 2nd half, they are. When that changes, you have to take action.

Would have probably been better to start off "Dear Mr Gao" (just IMO).

As a journo in the Express (of all places) wrote not so long ago. "The PL is not English football, it is football played in England." It slightly annoys me that journos, like us, can see the problems yet hardly write too much about it, although it does seem more articles are coming out now. Maybe things have changed, but PL won't. They're too frightened of losing the big teams to a Euro league. So PL, Serie A, Ligue 1, La Liga, Bundesliga all lose their cherries. What do they do? Carry on with the rest or form Euro leagues of their own?

The problem that this is going to face is the no relegation for some clubs for 20 years. That suggests that some clubs will be promoted and relegated. Relegated to where though? Say an English club (that is eligible for relegation) does finish bottom, where do they go? The PL? Why should the PL take them back? To me the PL should say to these clubs that if they leave to join this Euro competition, then they can't come back. But if they did come back via relegation, what do PL do? Tell one of the Championship boys that they ain't coming up?

I see a flaw in this great plan. Their little league will suffer and two or three teams will dominate the rest. For the very same reason all the current leagues do. Money and the way that no club wants to share it around, but just make as much for themselves (or rather spend it, as I presume FFP will not exist) and to hell with everyone else. Invariably 2 or 3 will be rather more successful at doing it, and will rise to the top. It too will become boring. I hope that if these clubs decide to go, that they will not be allowed back. They would have to start at the VERY bottom. Northern leagues or whatever. Hackney Marshes on Sunday. Ultimately though, I don't really mind too much what they do. I ain't enjoying things any more so they can do what they like. I guess thought it is sad that 125 years of footballing history is going to be destroyed by largely foreign owners.

He seems to say this when we have been utter ****. I guess he doesn't want a fellow manager to get sacked so comes out with all sorts of nonsense.

I find myself not caring any more. A shame maybe, but ultimately it is what the footballing powers want, and they have got it. Big 6 winning easily again. As things stand, Saints vs Big 6 this season. Played 3. Lost 3. Goals for 1. Goals against 12.

WTF is that pitch???

Short term is to get a goal or two (more than the opposition). The strikers need to get firing..... Ings - 3 goals in 9 games this season Austin - last scored a league goal in April, and before that it was December 2017. Long - doing better than Austin, as he has managed 2 league goals this calendar year. But last season at 789 minutes per goal....!!! Gabbi - doing the same as Long with 2 goals this calendar year. But last season he scored once every 214 minutes Gallagher - does he exist? U23 Afolabi Barnes N'Lundulu Obafemi Barnes and Obafemi seem to know where the back of the net is. So far for the U23 in all comps, Barnes has 6, Obafemi has 5 and Gallagher has 1. Not sure about appearances. If we point blank refuse to look towards U23 and instead persist with 3 strikers who can't buy a goal, then that is madness, as well as asking what the point of the academy is. I don't expect them to start straight off, but surely one of them should be in the match day squad. Obafemi came on last season vs Spurs, probably should have scored, and ran around a bit too keenly. He's got a taste of it. He knows what it is about. Give him and/or Barnes the chance.

I am going to come out in defence of Hughes. All managers would like to spend £500m and get Messi, Ronaldo etc in, but those in the boardroom control things. Some managers have more input than others. Hughes is not an idiot and knows what the squad needs. So he has the tools he has. Looking at the defence, midfield and attack, it is clear where the biggest problem is. It might have been said that the defence was equally problematical, but there does seem to have been some improvement there. So the attack. We have spent £40m on it in the past 2 windows. One £20m was a complete and utter waste (although I would probably have him over some in the team), and the other seems OK. Simple fact is that we haven't scored a goal in our last 5 league games and if that continues we are relegated, no two ways about it. Hughes is trying to, or having to, polish a constipated turd. If we get rid of him, is anyone else going to be able to polish the turd any better?

How is Long any different? (Apart from being slower)

Is Obafemi injured as he wasn't in squad for the U23 today vs Sunderland?

Reports that he had a heart attack.

I have a disabled son, so understand where this might have come from. But I hope he recovers swiftly.

From reports, it really doesn't sound good. Up and straight down and going up in flames straight off. Don't want to say anyone's life is more worthy than others, so thoughts with the pilot, owner and everyone else. But as owners go, he seems a pretty damn good one. A provincial club of similar stature to ourselves, but with an owner who is so much better/involved/interested etc etc. In recent years I have been a little jealous of LCFC and the owner they have.

Just hope that all managed to escape unhurt.

Bored. If our strikers can't score, bring in a youngster.

That's what I said.