The 2016-2017 Football Thread

[pachyderm]

32 teams is plenty.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

32 teams is plenty.

More than enough, agreed.

 

[pachyderm]

More than enough, agreed.

I'll go back to 28 if you will...

 

[Apple fanboy]

Former England manager Graham Taylor has died today.
Sadly remembered for the absolute shocking press he got whilst doing the job. Did a great job as Watford Manager though.

In other news Payet looks like he is trying to ocastrate a move away from West Ham.
Hope they let him rot in the reserves for a bit until he comes to his senses.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

In other news Payet looks like he is trying to ocastrate a move away from West Ham.
Hope they let him rot in the reserves for a bit until he comes to his senses.

If I were a WH fan I'd be angry, but looking from the outside I can see why. He's hitting the Age of the Last Big Move and might prefer warming the bench at a European superclub or a giant payout in China to being West Ham's big star. In West Ham's case, the money they would get for him is probably not a fair substitute for the player they already have on the books.

 

[Apple fanboy]

If I were a WH fan I'd be angry, but looking from the outside I can see why. He's hitting the Age of the Last Big Move and might prefer warming the bench at a European superclub or a giant payout in China to being West Ham's big star. In West Ham's case, the money they would get for him is probably not a fair substitute for the player they already have on the books.

Apparently we were offered 19,000,000 by Marseille, not enough for me.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Former England manager Graham Taylor has died today.
Sadly remembered for the absolute shocking press he got whilst doing the job. Did a great job as Watford Manager though.

In other news Payet looks like he is trying to ocastrate a move away from West Ham.
Hope they let him rot in the reserves for a bit until he comes to his senses.

Very sorry to hear about Graham Taylor: An absolute gentleman, decent, compassionate, and respectful - yet insisting on professional standards at a time when some professional footballers thought this sort of stuff an unfortunate constraint on how they would like to live their lives.

Of course, he was treated disgracefully by the tabloid media during (and after) his tenure as England's manager - but the esteem and respect and affection he was held in by those who knew him and worked with him tells its own tale.

And, he was a damned good manager, England notwithstanding - his club record speaks for itself. A good guy, decent human being, and first rate manager.

Re Diego Poyet, if he does not want to play, ultimately, West Ham will have to cash in their chips and hope to get the best possible price for him. Punishing him with reserves football will be counter-productive: He will have reasoned that the club needs him more than he needs them, and, he may well be right.

If I were a WH fan I'd be angry, but looking from the outside I can see why. He's hitting the Age of the Last Big Move and might prefer warming the bench at a European superclub or a giant payout in China to being West Ham's big star. In West Ham's case, the money they would get for him is probably not a fair substitute for the player they already have on the books.

True.

Apparently we were offered 19,000,000 by Marseille, not enough for me.

I imagine that West Ham will hold out for more than that. It will be in their interests, as it would Poyet's, to obtain the highest possible role for him, and this is what I expect matters will boil down to - eventually, by season's end, if not earlier.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Very sorry to hear about Graham Taylor: An absolute gentleman, decent, compassionate, and respectful - yet insisting on professional standards at a time when some professional footballers thought this sort of stuff an unfortunate constraint on how they would like to live their lives.

Of course, he was treated disgracefully by the tabloid media during (and after) his tenure as England's manager - but the esteem and respect and affection he was held in by those who knew him and worked with him tells its own tale.

And, he was a damned good manager, England notwithstanding - his club record speaks for itself. A good guy, decent human being, and first rate manager.

Re Diego Poyet, if he does not want to play, ultimately, West Ham will have to cash in their chips and hope to get the best possible price for him. Punishing him with reserves football will be counter-productive: He will have reasoned that the club needs him more than he needs them, and, he may well be right.



True.



I imagine that West Ham will hold out for more than that. It will be in their interests, as it would Poyet's, to obtain the highest possible role for him, and this is what matters will boil down to - eventually, by season;s end, if not earlier.

Fairly sure he'll be gone in this window.
We paid £10 million for him so £19 million isn't nearly enough. Especially as he's on a long contract. Truth is he hasn't been the same player this season as last.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Fairly sure he'll be gone in this window.
We paid £10 million for him so £19 million isn't nearly enough. Especially as he's on a long contract. Truth is he hasn't been the same player this season as last.

Then, it is just a matter of negotiations......and price.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Then, it is just a matter of negotiations......and price.

I believe so yes. Hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Payet? Who's he!

Come on you irons. Massive 3 nil win today and a much needed 3 points.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all win handsomely.

Interesting.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all win handsomely.

Interesting.

And West Ham. A good day for London (unless your a Palace fan)
Looking forward to MOTD.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And West Ham. A good day for London (unless your a Palace fan)
Looking forward to MOTD.

And then it will be of interest to see what transpires tomorrow, when Liverpool meet Manchester United.

In essence, with all of the top clubs playing well simultaneously, there will be pressure on both Liverpool and Manchester United, as both will have to win (an impossibility obviously) in order to simply stay just where they are this evening.

However, as I loathe Mr Mourinho, and rather like Mr Klopp, my preferences are quite clear.

Will a beer accompany MOTD?

 

[Apple fanboy]

And then it will be of interest to see what transpires tomorrow, when Liverpool meet Manchester United.

In essence, with all of the top clubs playing well simultaneously, there will be pressure on both Liverpool and Manchester United, as both will have to win (an impossibility obviously) in order to simply stay just where they are this evening.

However, as I loathe Mr Mourinho, and rather like Mr Klopp, my preferences are quite clear.

Will a beer accompany MOTD?

Oh gosh no. It will be the end of the month before I have another. Probably a tea.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Oh gosh no. It will be the end of the month before I have another. Probably a tea.

You mean a Hammers victory will not be saluted with a Stella?

And, I will admit to having taken a quiet pleasure in Arsenal's reassuringly emphatic victory today.

 

[pachyderm]

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all win handsomely.

Interesting.

you left out THE MASSIVE SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY ...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

you left out THE MASSIVE SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY ...

I was waiting for you to post with a timely reminder.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Congrats to Apple Fanboy and his hammers...

I hope it's a good game tomorrow, but I feel entirely pessimistic. If their is one thing Mou is good at, it's getting results. He will focus on not losing first, keeping things tight, and then wait for a mistake from our keeper or one of the center backs. Bang, one nil. It won't be the so-called 'United Way', it will be ugly, but the momentum is with Man Utd at the moment and Mou won't be afraid to stink the place out if it means winning.

 

[JamesMike]

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all win handsomely.

Interesting.

Chelsea win was impressive considering all the upheaval this week.

It will interesting match tomorrow with my Man U against Liverpool. My Liverpool friends and I are already jabbing at each other...lol!

 

[Apple fanboy]

Congrats to Apple Fanboy and his hammers...

I hope it's a good game tomorrow, but I feel entirely pessimistic. If their is one thing Mou is good at, it's getting results. He will focus on not losing first, keeping things tight, and then wait for a mistake from our keeper or one of the center backs. Bang, one nil. It won't be the so-called 'United Way', it will be ugly, but the momentum is with Man Utd at the moment and Mou won't be afraid to stink the place out if it means winning.

Thank you kindly sir. After the news we had this week it was the perfect response from the team.
The question now is how much can we get for Payet and who can we get in to replace him.

 

[pachyderm]

I was waiting for you to post with a timely reminder.

hmmp.

I kinda feel important now. thanks!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thank you kindly sir. After the news we had this week it was the perfect response from the team.
The question now is how much can we get for Payet and who can we get in to replace him.

You see?

Nobody, but nobody, is irreplaceable.

Let Mr Payet go, and ensure that you get the greatest possible sum of money for him, which will be a mutually beneficial outcome.

Once a player decides that he is 'on strike', or has claimed that he is carrying a silly injury and offers this as an excuse for not training, or has decided not to give of his best on either the football pitch or the training ground, dropping him is only a temporary measure, to give everyone time to get used to his absence, (and remove his sulky and possibly demotivating and destabilising presence from the dressing room or training ground).

 

[Apple fanboy]

You see?

Nobody, but nobody, is irreplaceable.

Let Mr Payet go, and ensure that you get the greatest possible sum of money for him, which will be a mutually beneficial outcome.

Once a player decides that he is 'on strike', or has claimed that he is carrying a silly injury and offers this as an excuse for not training, or has decided not to give of his best on either the football pitch or the training ground, dropping him is only a temporary measure, to give everyone time to get used to his absence, (and remove his sulky and possibly demotivating and destabilising presence from the dressing room or training ground).

Very true. I recall a story many years ago when Alan Ball went to Southampton as a player he used to leave his wage slip out so everyone could see he was paid far more than them. Funny because when I met him he seemed like a real nice bloke. Very encouraging with my rubbish footballing skills.
Unlike Geoff Hurst who didn't come across as very friendly at all.

Read a nice piece where Andy Carroll was saying nobody is bigger than the club. Very encouraging. Hope we kick on from yesterday's result.
Talking of Carroll did you see his wonder goal? Superb. Quality always shines through.
Just hope he can stay fit.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Very true. I recall a story many years ago when Alan Ball went to Southampton as a player he used to leave his wage slip out so everyone could see he was paid far more than them. Funny because when I met him he seemed like a real nice bloke. Very encouraging with my rubbish footballing skills.
Unlike Geoff Hurst who didn't come across as very friendly at all.

Read a nice piece where Andy Carroll was saying nobody is bigger than the club. Very encouraging. Hope we kick on from yesterday's result.
Talking of Carroll did you see his wonder goal? Superb. Quality always shines through.
Just hope he can stay fit.

Andy Carroll? What paper?

Daniel Taylor has a very nice piece on that exact topic in yesterday's Guardian's sportblog - "Dimitry Payet and co cross a line with their striking self-indulgence". Well worth looking at, and some interesting comments on West Ham.