No sir. And I got offered "rich people" tickets... My son took them though.
03/02/24
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The 2023-2024 Football Thread
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03/02/24
I just wanted to hear this forum’s opinion on this issue.
French President Macron organized a state dinner to host the Emir of Qatar, Mbappé was invited, and in a video Macron can be heard jokingly telling Mbappé that he (Mbappé) is going to create more troubles for them.
psgtalk.com
Politics aside, are we actually seeing a country’s President pressuring a football player into not going to another team? Mbappé in the past declared that Macron was instrumental in his renewing his contract with PSG.
French President Macron organized a state dinner to host the Emir of Qatar, Mbappé was invited, and in a video Macron can be heard jokingly telling Mbappé that he (Mbappé) is going to create more troubles for them.
Emmanuel Macron Cracks Joke Toward Kylian Mbappé as PSG Exit Nears
Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé gladly accepted the President of the Republic’s invitation to dine at the Elysée Palace this Tuesday.
psgtalk.com
Politics aside, are we actually seeing a country’s President pressuring a football player into not going to another team? Mbappé in the past declared that Macron was instrumental in his renewing his contract with PSG.
Qatar and France have developed a weird close relationship since 2010. Sarkozy got them to buy PSG, buy planes from Airbus, and invest €250m into his private business.
He was also instrumental in Qatar getting the World Cup via Platini.
I would imagine that relationship has been maintained, and transcends acting presidents. As evidenced by this state dinner.
And footballers are ultimately pawns for state/corporate institutions. Because they're the ones who pay their (often) obscene wages.
He was also instrumental in Qatar getting the World Cup via Platini.
I would imagine that relationship has been maintained, and transcends acting presidents. As evidenced by this state dinner.
And footballers are ultimately pawns for state/corporate institutions. Because they're the ones who pay their (often) obscene wages.
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Looks like you stole your club motto from American currency. 
Liverpool B progress over a fairly toothless Southampton side who nevertheless had the better of the first half of the match. In truth long stretches were fairly dull, with the Liverpool kids + Virgil maintaining a high work rate but being half a yard off with their press and passing. Southampton dominated the first half hour.
In the second half Van Dijk was rested to conserve his legs, and Konate became the old head in defense.
In the end Liverpool were good for their win, with fine goals from youngster Jayden Danns after a Koumas’s deflected opener. But if Southampton had some finishers (and Kelleher was less sharp), things might be different.
On to Old Trafford, I hope more starters will be available for that one or we will be tossing a big softball at Man Utd...
In the second half Van Dijk was rested to conserve his legs, and Konate became the old head in defense.
In the end Liverpool were good for their win, with fine goals from youngster Jayden Danns after a Koumas’s deflected opener. But if Southampton had some finishers (and Kelleher was less sharp), things might be different.
On to Old Trafford, I hope more starters will be available for that one or we will be tossing a big softball at Man Utd...
I watched the Utd game. They were pretty toothless in attack. You’ll breeze past them.
As expected when it was first announced, Paul Pogba has now been banned for 4 years for using banned substances. His agent said he is appealing.
Also Liverpool have got Man United in the quarter final of the FA Cup. I suspect Liverpool will be favorites for that game.
Edited due to error of using wrong players name.
Also Liverpool have got Man United in the quarter final of the FA Cup. I suspect Liverpool will be favorites for that game.
Edited due to error of using wrong players name.
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It is Paul Pogba who was banned for four years for testing positive for a banned substance
Meanwhile Cristiano Ronaldo was banned for one match for making an obscene gesture at fans who were taunting him. Though he claims that such gestures are normal in Europe…
Pogba, another one that could have been a football player but wasn't interested.
lol, thank you for that. I was reading both articles and obviously got them mixed up, I will amend my post. Thank you for spotting my silly but very obvious error.
Pogba is a pretty sorry story. I think Man Utd played a big part in ruining him but he didn’t always help his own case, and the doping offense is obviously on him.
If he had stayed at Juve, I imagine his career trajectory would have been very different t.
If he had stayed at Juve, I imagine his career trajectory would have been very different t.
Pogba was one of the most frustrating players I’ve ever seen. So good when he was fit and motivated, and seemingly not a bad guy, but his career got destroyed by injuries, lack of motivation, bad advice and bad decisions. A real shame.
Maybe things would've gone better for him if he's stayed at Juve, but that team was ideally set up for him, just like the French national team when they were at their peak and won the World Cup. When Pirlo and the rest of the supporting midfield declined, I think Pogba would've had the same issues in Turin that he did in Manchester, sadly.
Pogba was the "cherry on top" player that made a great team transcendent, but without the ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup below him to do the hard work, he didn't provide enough to make a good sundae on his own.
Maybe things would've gone better for him if he's stayed at Juve, but that team was ideally set up for him, just like the French national team when they were at their peak and won the World Cup. When Pirlo and the rest of the supporting midfield declined, I think Pogba would've had the same issues in Turin that he did in Manchester, sadly.
Pogba was the "cherry on top" player that made a great team transcendent, but without the ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup below him to do the hard work, he didn't provide enough to make a good sundae on his own.
Wonder if any club now will touch him with a bargepole once his current deal elapses.
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He will be 35, even more out of shape.
Unless some appeal reduces the suspension he probably is over.
Unless some appeal reduces the suspension he probably is over.
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If he really does serve the full ban he’ll probably be toast at the elite level by the time he’s able to play. Unless he gets a gig in the North Korean League for the next three-and-a-bit years to stay in shape
Happy with our win at Everton. Two goals in stoppage time probably flatter us a bit, but that’s 7 goals in our last two games.
Good victory for West Ham (well, it looks good on paper), while Liverpool squeak through at the death, against Nottingham Forest, the sort of hard-fought, grimly ground out, victory (98th, or 99th, minute, at that), that champions (or, would be champions), need to be able to put away.
In truth, Forest could have credibly claimed a point, and are probably aggrieved not to have done so, but, it was not to be.
Well, take the best handful of players out of the best premier League teams and you end up with little margin over a pool. And that’s how it played out for Liverpool at Forest. I guess that is a good thing from a competitive perspective.
Liverpool hogged possession but Forest defended well and played Liverpool’s high one with a few well timed breaks.
I felt like the match had 0-0 draw written all over it. But Darwin had a little chaos left in the tank in the 99th minute.
Liverpool hogged possession but Forest defended well and played Liverpool’s high one with a few well timed breaks.
I felt like the match had 0-0 draw written all over it. But Darwin had a little chaos left in the tank in the 99th minute.
Forrest must be livid with that result. I’ve just watched the highlights and they had some excellent chances they just couldn’t put away.
But the nature of the Liverpool goal was shocking from a refereeing point of view. The dropped ball situation that lead to the goal should never have been allowed.
Nunez took his chance well (but had missed several since he came on).
But as you say grinding out 1-0 wins when you should have just got a point, really are how you win titles.
I guess time will tell.
Forest will feel unlucky but they did have their chances and didn’t take them. 1-0 either way or a draw would all have been fair results.
The drop ball call will always be controversial but, as Klopp pointed out, a similar incident happened in the first half that went the opposite way. Both arguably mistakes but only one resulted in a goal. It was a tight game that hinged on small margins.
Forest’s owner apparently had to be removed from the tunnel by security after the match.
I would t say Forest were cheated out of points there, but the fans have a right to be frustrated about the result. Granted, some of those same fans were chanting ‘you’re just a **** Andy Carrol’ at Nunez moments before he scored, so my sympathy is real but measured. 🤣
The drop ball call will always be controversial but, as Klopp pointed out, a similar incident happened in the first half that went the opposite way. Both arguably mistakes but only one resulted in a goal. It was a tight game that hinged on small margins.
Forest’s owner apparently had to be removed from the tunnel by security after the match.
I would t say Forest were cheated out of points there, but the fans have a right to be frustrated about the result. Granted, some of those same fans were chanting ‘you’re just a **** Andy Carrol’ at Nunez moments before he scored, so my sympathy is real but measured. 🤣
Just watched our game. Our keeper, Areola played an absolute blinder. He saved Everton’s only penalty of the season and I lost count of how many other saves he made.
The scoreline was very flattering, but Soucek goal was superb.
A good week for the Hammers.
The scoreline was very flattering, but Soucek goal was superb.
A good week for the Hammers.