The 2024-2025 Football Thread

[Scepticalscribe]

As the Charity Shield is scheduled to take place this coming week-end, - a date that traditionally marks the opening tie (even if it has become a somewhat ceremonial tie) for the forthcoming football season, - it seems that now is an appropriate time to start a thread for the discussion of the football season of 2024-2025.

With that, herewith the 2024-2025 football thread.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have been reading the brief profiles that the Guardian writes about each team (published each year, daily, and arranged alphabetically (at the rate of two teams per day) in the fortnight immediately prior to the start of the season), and invariably find myself indulging in a spot of unseemly retrospective research at the end of the season just to remind myself of how inaccurate and unreliable so many forecasts (no matter how tentative) actually are.

 

[Apple fanboy]

As the Charity Shield is scheduled to take place this coming week-end, - a date that traditionally marks the opening tie (even if it has become a somewhat ceremonial tie) for the forthcoming football season, - it seems that now is an appropriate time to start a thread for the discussion of the football season of 2024-2025.

With that, herewith the 2024-2025 football thread.

The only issue I have with this thread is how is it nearly 2025 already? Doesn’t seem that long ago it was 2000!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The only issue I have with this thread is how is it nearly 2025 already? Doesn’t seem that long ago it was 2000!

Yes, agreed.

The old "tempus fugit" and all that.

I'd be grateful if you could post a link to this thread in the current (soon to be superseded) 2023-2024 football thread.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Yes, agreed.

The old "tempus fugit" and all that.

I'd be grateful if you could post a link to this thread in the current (soon to be superseded) 2023-2024 football thread.

Done. I heard West Ham being linked to Trippier today, but I’m sure it’s just paper talk. His form did somewhat desert him last year.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Done.

Many thanks; much appreciated.

I heard West Ham being linked to Trippier today, but I’m sure it’s just paper talk. His form did somewhat desert him last year.

Agreed.

To be honest, I try not to become too obsessed with transfer stuff (rumours, facts, bidding wars, bluff), until the season actually starts, which is time enough.

 

[laptech]

Done. I heard West Ham being linked to Trippier today, but I’m sure it’s just paper talk. His form did somewhat desert him last year.

I've read the same. According to the articles I've read West Ham is after Man United's Wan-Bissaka but it appears he does not want to leave United therefore West Ham have turned their attention to Tripper.

I think it's the usual we see at this time of year, sports journalists pulling news items out of their backside just so their paper has something to print.

 

[Silencio]

Still feels like the Euros just ended. Yeeeeesh!

Can't forget to get my FPL squad sorted. Hopefully will have a moment to work on that tomorrow.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I've read the same. According to the articles I've read West Ham is after Man United's Wan-Bissaka but it appears he does not want to leave United therefore West Ham have turned their attention to Tripper.

I suspect that - even if a glimmer of truth exists - that this really falls into the realm of filling newspapers with newsprint during the dog days of the holiday season when nothing much else is happening.

I think it's the usual we see at this time of year, sports journalists pulling news items out of their backside just so their paper has something to print.

All too sadly true, alas.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Still feels like the Euros just ended. Yeeeeesh!

Can't forget to get my FPL squad sorted. Hopefully will have a moment to work on that tomorrow.

I refuse to pay attention to the approaching season until the Charity Shield is upon us.

 

[laptech]

I refuse to pay attention to the approaching season until the Charity Shield is upon us.

I am the same, I've not looked at what games are coming up, who's come and who's gone, who's changed their kit's for the new season and so on. I start doing all of that after the Charity Shield game, getting to know what is going on with other teams.

 

[laptech]

Is ETH having a joke or is this minds games towards City because he is basically saying his whole defense is question marked to play because they all have an injury of some kind or another

Man Utd have four 'question marks' for Community Shield clash v Man City

Defensive crisis for the Red Devils.

metro.co.uk

 

[laptech]

OMG!!!! here is an amazing stastic for you all. According to this BBC news article about Spanish football, in the 27 men's finals of major football tournaments that Spain have contested, they have won ALL 27 of them!!!!.

Euro 2024, Women's World Cup & Champions League all in Spain hands

Controversy surrounds Spanish football in the wake of last year's sexism scandal, but their national and club teams are dominating the sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

And as the article rightly points out, The men are European champions, the women are World Cup champions, Real Madrid are men's champions league winners and Barcelona women are women's champion league winners. That is extremely impressive.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I've been pondering my Fantasy League team**.

I set it up first without Haaland, because he cost WAY TOO MUCH... and then he scored 3 in the next pre-season game...

Also, I was looking over the team thinking: Who will be captain? And I had NO idea.

So I caved, threw out a few players, and got Haaland and a few cheaper options in attack and midfield.

And, now I have a captain, and if he has a good season, my team will probably not be at the bottom of the leagues I'm in (though probably not at the top, either... )

** Note: I'm not a passionate FL-player, I normally use the least amount of time possible, but still like to participate.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Lee Carsley given England job until FA finds successor to Southgate

Lee Carsley will take interim charge of England while the search for Gareth Southgate’s successor continues, the Football Association has said

www.theguardian.com

I do have fond memories of Lee Carsley as a player... but not sure about this...

 

[Lioness~]

Paris 2024

olympics.com

Personally, I hope Brazil wins, so Martha can get her Olympic Gold before retiring.

 

[daneoni]

United, West Ham, Villa, and Chelsea this transfer window.

Wonder what will constitute success/ROI for them this coming season

https://imgur.com/kC040VN

 

[Apple fanboy]

City win the Charity Shield on penalties.
Not a good game. Poor passing, decision making and finishing from both sides. United were probably just the better side.

 

[Apple fanboy]

United, West Ham, Villa, and Chelsea this transfer window.

Wonder what will constitute success/ROI for them this coming season

https://imgur.com/kC040VN

European football for us (West Ham).

 

[laptech]

These post match interviews where the losing team is asked if there were any positives and the reply they get back with is 'we were competitive'..that just boils me up. If the manager thinks their team is competitive then they should have won. There is no positives when you lose, you just lose, that's it.

ETH when asked about any positives from losing to City in the community shield 'we were competitive', you lost the blooming game, if you competitive then you win the game, not lose it.

I would prefer ETH to just say 'There were no positives, we lost, we now move on to the next game'.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

These post match interviews where the losing team is asked if there were any positives and the reply they get back with is 'we were competitive'..that just boils me up. If the manager thinks their team is competitive then they should have won. There is no positives when you lose, you just lose, that's it.

ETH when asked about any positives from losing to City in the community shield 'we were competitive', you lost the blooming game, if you competitive then you win the game, not lose it.

I would prefer ETH to just say 'There were no positives, we lost, we now move on to the next game'.

I beg to differ.

For once, Manchester United actually were competitive, though it beggars belief that they failed to convert all of their penalties.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I beg to differ.

For once, Manchester United actually were competitive, though it beggars belief that they failed to convert all of their penalties.

They scored 6.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

They scored 6.

Which was impressive, and very good, though - at the end - not quite good enough.

Actually, right until the end, I thought that Manchester United might shade it, and claim the win.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Which was impressive, and very good, though - at the end - not quite good enough.

Actually, right until the end, I thought that Manchester United might shade it, and claim the win.

Both teams were poor in the game but Utd were slightly better. Especially once Nacho came on. Just needed a centre forward to finish in the box.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Both teams were poor in the game but Utd were slightly better. Especially once Nacho came on. Just needed a centre forward to finish in the box.

Oh, agreed, - this was not a spectacle to remember - but of two less than inspirational teams, two creaky teams who have yet to become match fit, somewhat to my surprise, I thought that Manchester United were marginally better.