Futbol Talk

[BM1090]

Great start to camp for the US

[JWags85]

As Ive mentioned plenty of times, I'm a huge Liverpool fan.  My son is 3.5, still too young to properly get into the matches, but he'll come and yell "Goooo RED goooo RED" for a few minutes at a time when I'm watching. 

We're going to Nashville next month to see them play on their US friendly tour, so when browsing stuff online, my wife thought it would be cute to get him an LFC songbook.  Its one of those books where you flip the pages and each page has a corresponding button on the side panel that plays a song (this one is a welcome change from that type of book which is normally nursery rhymes or animal sounds  ).  Its got all the classics...YNWA, Oh Campeone, When the Reds come Marching, etc...  sung in a Scouse accent for good measure.  He loves it.

But the best part?  He flips through all 7-8, nodding his head along with them.  Then turns to my wife and very matter of factly asks "Where are the ones with the bad words?"  Clearly he has not forgotten the multiple times I've laughed at or called out a chant, hes asked what it is/why I'm laughing, and was told that it didn't have nice words

[Its DJOver]

Ladies got the CONMEBOL special last night.  I especially liked the part where the police in riot gear got to come out to protect the refs.

[JWags85]

Ladies got the CONMEBOL special last night.  I especially liked the part where the police in riot gear got to come out to protect the refs.

ALL OVER A FRIENDLY!  Thats the best part for me.

[Its DJOver]

ALL OVER A FRIENDLY!  Thats the best part for me.

Next summer's gonna be spicy.

[MU1in77]

Will be in London Sept 3-7, with my bride, and would love to see an EPL game. The 26-27 schedule was recently released and Arsenal, Brentford and Fulham all have home games on Sept 5th. Any suggestions for getting tickets?

[Pakuni]

Sounds like Poch 2.0 is getting close.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/soccer/article/mauricio-pochettino-reportedly-close-to-new-contract-that-would-keep-him-with-usmnt-through-2030-world-cup-135545231.html

[MU82]

European nations have agreed to boycott the World Cup over FIFA's plans to sell stakes in the tournament to private investors.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7476012/2026/07/30/fifa-world-cup-boycott-sale-uefa/?

[MU82]

Never mind. After the pressure ratcheted up, Infantino canceled his plan on TACO Friday.

[brewcity77]

Never mind. After the pressure ratcheted up, Infantino canceled his plan on TACO Friday.

Something tells me he'll be voted out in March regardless. I think this scam attempt used up the last goodwill he may have had.

[Pakuni]

#donedeal


https://x.com/espn/status/2084267254615625835?s=20

[MU1in77]

Over in the UK for a couple of weeks and wanted to see a futball game while in London. We could not find EPL tickets for what we wanted to pay so ended up with tickets for the QPR/Middlesbrough at Loftus Road. Quite the experience!

[panda]

Pulisic with a miraculous recovery from a broken leg logging 45 minutes with an assist.

[Pakuni]

So, will the PL have the cojones that UEFA lacked and actually do something about Man City's cheating?

[Its DJOver]

So, will the PL have the cojones that UEFA lacked and actually do something about Man City's cheating?

Punished, yes (once the appeals process plays out). Kicked out of the league, probably not IMO. Several year transfer ban, record fine, points deduction significant enough to keep them out of Champions League but still stay up.

[jesmu84]

So, will the PL have the cojones that UEFA lacked and actually do something about Man City's cheating?

If the punishments aren't severe, then why wouldn't teams continue to cheat?

Are city's fans, players, coaches, etc gonna be zapped of all their wins and celebrating?

They should be sent down multiple leagues and transferred banned for years.

[The Sultan]

I also think they will be severe because the other clubs will insist on it.

[JWags85]

If the punishments aren't severe, then why wouldn't teams continue to cheat?

Are city's fans, players, coaches, etc gonna be zapped of all their wins and celebrating?

They should be sent down multiple leagues and transferred banned for years.

I don't see how they can get sent down multiple leagues, unless they declare it a ban/relegation from the EFL so they get sent down to the National League.  Otherwise, I think being relegated to the Championship is most likely (like when Juventus got popped in the mid 2000s and went down to Serie B).  A multi-year transfer ban is table stakes at this point I think.

I do think seeing them relegated multiple levels would be incredible documentary content as they rise right back up like Rangers did a decade ago.  Welcome to Wrexham is great, but seeing a bunch of minnows and tiny clubs playing in Etihad/City going to play at 5,000 seat grounds on a weekly basis would be pretty entertaining. 

[The Sultan]

I don't see how they can get sent down multiple leagues, unless they declare it a ban/relegation from the EFL so they get sent down to the National League.  Otherwise, I think being relegated to the Championship is most likely (like when Juventus got popped in the mid 2000s and went down to Serie B).  A multi-year transfer ban is table stakes at this point I think.

I do think seeing them relegated multiple levels would be incredible documentary content as they rise right back up like Rangers did a decade ago.  Welcome to Wrexham is great, but seeing a bunch of minnows and tiny clubs playing in Etihad/City going to play at 5,000 seat grounds on a weekly basis would be pretty entertaining. 

They are going to have to do something that satisfies the clubs within the PL. Or at least gets them to reluctantly agree with the punishment.

Anything seen as too light may cause a revolt.

[JWags85]

They are going to have to do something that satisfies the clubs within the PL. Or at least gets them to reluctantly agree with the punishment.

Anything seen as too light may cause a revolt.

Oh I think they absolutely have to be relegated.  I don't think there is any way they can play in the PL next season without extreme negative pushback.  I was just reacting more to the idea of them being demoted multiple rungs.

[BM1090]

Oh I think they absolutely have to be relegated.  I don't think there is any way they can play in the PL next season without extreme negative pushback.  I was just reacting more to the idea of them being demoted multiple rungs.

Two extra games for the Championship or do you have to relegate four?

[JWags85]

Two extra games for the Championship or do you have to relegate four?

Going back to Serie A and Juve in 2006, they relegated the bottom 2, instead of 3, and then added Juve.  So as the table currently stands, Fulham and Spurs would both be relegated at 19 and 20, but Coventry would survive at 18 cause City would go down with Fulham and Spurs.

I think that makes the most sense here if that would be the relegation designation for City.

[BM1090]

Going back to Serie A and Juve in 2006, they relegated the bottom 2, instead of 3, and then added Juve.  So as the table currently stands, Fulham and Spurs would both be relegated at 19 and 20, but Coventry would survive at 18 cause City would go down with Fulham and Spurs.

I think that makes the most sense here if that would be the relegation designation for City.

That makes way more sense.

Hopefully the punishment is severe. Both because they deserve it and because of the entertainment value.

[jesmu84]

I've seen rumors that City players don't have relegation clauses in their contracts

[jesmu84]

Oh I think they absolutely have to be relegated.  I don't think there is any way they can play in the PL next season without extreme negative pushback.  I was just reacting more to the idea of them being demoted multiple rungs.

Couldn't they be kicked out of League football entirely?