Premier League 2021/22 Thread

[davieG]

BBC

 

The Premier League has had its first week-by-week decrease in positive Covid tests for eight weeks.

In the seven days up to and including 2 January, there were 94 new cases among Premier League players and staff, from a total of 14,250 tests.

That figure is down from a record 103 cases over the previous seven days.

Because of the impact of the Omicron variant, 17 English top-flight games have been postponed since the start of December.

That led to a return to emergency measures at the Premier League's 20 clubs, which has continued into 2022.

A Premier League statement said: "The Premier League's Covid-19 emergency measures include protocols such as wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing, limiting treatment time, as well as the increased testing.

"The league is continuing to work with clubs to keep people safe by helping mitigate the risks of Covid-19 within their squads. We are also liaising closely with the government, local authorities and supporter groups, while being responsive to any future changes to national or local guidance."

Despite the ongoing Covid-19 disruption, Premier League and EFL clubs chose to fulfil festive fixtures, where possible.

[Aus Fox]

17 minutes ago, davieG said:

BBC

 

The Premier League has had its first week-by-week decrease in positive Covid tests for eight weeks.

In the seven days up to and including 2 January, there were 94 new cases among Premier League players and staff, from a total of 14,250 tests.

That figure is down from a record 103 cases over the previous seven days.

Because of the impact of the Omicron variant, 17 English top-flight games have been postponed since the start of December.

That led to a return to emergency measures at the Premier League's 20 clubs, which has continued into 2022.

A Premier League statement said: "The Premier League's Covid-19 emergency measures include protocols such as wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing, limiting treatment time, as well as the increased testing.

"The league is continuing to work with clubs to keep people safe by helping mitigate the risks of Covid-19 within their squads. We are also liaising closely with the government, local authorities and supporter groups, while being responsive to any future changes to national or local guidance."

Despite the ongoing Covid-19 disruption, Premier League and EFL clubs chose to fulfil festive fixtures, where possible.

Wow that’s amazing, especially considering this was in a week where 5 premier league players went to the darts.

[Finnegan]

Garth Crooks describing Sadio Mane, one of the most prolific divers in the Premier League, as an honest player is one of the funniest things he's ever written. Peak Crooks. 

[Stadt]

18 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Garth Crooks describing Sadio Mane, one of the most prolific divers in the Premier League, as an honest player is one of the funniest things he's ever written. Peak Crooks. 

Being a pundit would be a great gig, you can say demonstrably untrue things for decades and there's never any consequence. It's weird how un-meritocratic it is, once they have their feet in the door we get treated to watching them espouse bullshit forever, basically.

 

It's especially bad when we have moron ex-players who weren't even any good. Souness has had a varied and successful career as a player and as a manager so he can provide some insight, even if's wrong a lot of the time. Why the f uck is a tosser like Danny Mills ever wheeled out? 

 

Punditry from coaches, analysts and (good) journalists would make watching football a lot more interesting than hearing from Paul Ince who is about as insightful as a tablecloth.

[BenTheFox]

21 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Being a pundit would be a great gig, you can say demonstrably untrue things for decades and there's never any consequence. It's weird how un-meritocratic it is, once they have their feet in the door we get treated to watching them espouse bullshit forever, basically.

 

It's especially bad when we have moron ex-players who weren't even any good. Souness has had a varied and successful career as a player and as a manager so he can provide some insight, even if's wrong a lot of the time. Why the f uck is a tosser like Danny Mills ever wheeled out? 

 

Punditry from coaches, analysts and (good) journalists would make watching football a lot more interesting than hearing from Paul Ince who is about as insightful as a tablecloth.

In a way these pundits who spout nonsense have aided the rise of football fan media. Obviously this doesn't apply in the case of something like Arsenal Fan TV after a defeat when you have a bunch of overgrown children shouting down a microphone, but generally speaking I would much rather listen to the opinions of people who watch their team every week than some washed up former professional footballer who has probably seen less than an hour of football from the team that they are being paid to talk about at any given time. 

Edited 4 January 2022 by BenTheFox

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, BenTheFox said:

In a way these pundits who spout nonsense has aided the rise of football fan media. Obviously this doesn't apply in the case of something like Arsenal Fan TV after a defeat when you have a bunch of overgrown children shouting down a microphone, but generally speaking I would much rather listen to the opinions of people who watch their team every week than some washed up former professional footballer who has probably seen less than an hour of football from the team that they are being p[aid to talk about at any given time. 

I'd imagine pundits have a fair amount of free time, they could spend a bit more time reading around players, clubs, coaching and tactics. Instead they fall back on lazy cliches. A lot of it is driven by the broadcasters having fans over a barrel. People will pay will always pay £x amount to watch football, pundits aren't a deciding factor in that so they can get away with wheeling out the half time twat show every game.

 

The bolded bit is exactly why when pundits don't want a manager sacked are idiots, the fans who have watched their team play every week probably know best.

 

[dmayne7]

27 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Being a pundit would be a great gig, you can say demonstrably untrue things for decades and there's never any consequence. It's weird how un-meritocratic it is, once they have their feet in the door we get treated to watching them espouse bullshit forever, basically.

 

It's especially bad when we have moron ex-players who weren't even any good. Souness has had a varied and successful career as a player and as a manager so he can provide some insight, even if's wrong a lot of the time. Why the f uck is a tosser like Danny Mills ever wheeled out? 

 

Punditry from coaches, analysts and (good) journalists would make watching football a lot more interesting than hearing from Paul Ince who is about as insightful as a tablecloth.

Half time the time, somebody who's only played Sunday league would do a better job. 

 

I say it all the time but the quality of punditry in football is so far behind other sports, particularly on Sky. Even if you don't like them, the pundits for other sports invariably offer good quality insight into what are generally much more complicated sports than football, and better 'banter'.

 

I think the Amazon matches that I saw were much better in that regard.

[coolhandfox]

I was laughing at the commentator yesterday saying United were down to bare bone in defence. 

 

They had a 50m RB, a 4 x CL winner & WC winner at CB, current England LB. Even Phil Jones has 27 England caps, PL winners medal and a EL winner.

 

 

 

 

[Stadt]

For whatever reason broadcasters just don't drop pundits. Jamie Redknapp has been on Sky for how many years? An ex player of the club(s), an out of work manager or coach and a journalist would probably provide a better balance rather than just three run of the mill ex players. The European Football Show on BT was probably the closest to hitting the mark.

 

 

[BenTheFox]

There are some pundits who aren't great but I find to be generally inoffensive because they don't come across as arrogant or they are simply good entertainment value. Micah Richards is a prime example for me. 

[moore_94]

£100m for 80% of Southampton seems incredibly cheap?

 

Apparently planning to make them part of a “football group” like RedBull

 

 

Edited 4 January 2022 by moore_94

[Stadt]

3 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

£100m for 80% of Southampton seems incredibly cheap?

 

Apparently planning to make them part of a “football group” like RedBull

 

 

The book value of their squad would be way more than that alone. Does seem very cheap.

[Sly]

6 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

£100m for 80% of Southampton seems incredibly cheap?

 

Apparently planning to make them part of a “football group” like RedBull

 

 

Depends how much debt he’s buying. 
 

The playing squad would be worth more than that, if he sold everyone and basically asset stripped them. 

[turlo]

1 hour ago, coolhandfox said:

I was laughing at the commentator yesterday saying United were down to bare bone in defence. 

 

They had a 50m RB, a 4 x CL winner & WC winner at CB, current England LB. Even Phil Jones has 27 England caps, PL winners medal and a EL winner.

 

 

 

 

 

They've just loaned axel Tuanzebe back out as well

[Finnegan]

5 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

Can’t believe Jisheng ever bought them to be honest. Hasn’t really shown much interest in Southampton and he’s lucky they haven’t gone down with how he’s run them. They’re fans will be over the moon to see the back of him, I’m sure. 

 

Until they're renamed Red Bull South Coast... 

[turlo]

Less chance of catching it at the Darts. 

 

 

[KingsX]

3 hours ago, Stadt said:

 It's weird how un-meritocratic it is

 

I'm not saying this to wind you or anybody up.  But we outsiders don’t associate meritocracy with the English.  Football being a prominent example of why we expect the opposite.

[urban.spaceman]

32 minutes ago, turlo said:

Less chance of catching it at the Darts. 

 

 

What happened? Did Salah go to a wedding in Egypt again?

[KingsX]

1 hour ago, Sly said:

Depends how much debt he’s buying. 
 

The playing squad would be worth more than that, if he sold everyone and basically asset stripped them. 

 

Nearly £100 million a year ago, and likely well above £150 million today, so that's a quarter of a billion total price.

 

As you mention, probably not a bad deal when you figure in their assets.  But a motivated seller cuts a deal.  And for billionaires in China these days, staying out of the gulag is powerful motivation.

 

Parading your assets or moving them into European football clubs is not a good way to do that.

Edited 4 January 2022 by KingsX

[CosbehFox]

Karma moves in mysterious ways doesn’t it? Liverpool looking increasingly unlikely to play their first leg of the Carabao Cup Semi final. If we’d have progressed we would have been fielding Dave from Braunstone and Tom from Ibstock at the back. 

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, KingsX said:

Football being a prominent example of why we expect the opposite.

I know what you're saying but a draft system and no promotion or relegation in American sports isn't exactly it either 

[Out Foxed]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

What happened? Did Salah go to a wedding in Egypt again?

klopp signed more vaccinated players

[Leicesterpool]

Eriksen says he's keen to come back to the premier league, avaliable on a free Brendan...

 

Tbh I think he'll go back to Tottenham.

[fox_up_north]

4 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

There are some pundits who aren't great but I find to be generally inoffensive because they don't come across as arrogant or they are simply good entertainment value. Micah Richards is a prime example for me. 

Cannot express my dislike for Micah Richards enough. He's a plank who laughs at everything. 

[SkidsFox]

4 hours ago, moore_94 said:

£100m for 80% of Southampton seems incredibly cheap?

 

Apparently planning to make them part of a “football group” like RedBull

 

 

Depends really on how much money can be made (looking from the viewpoint of the foreign investor). Cheap if the biz guy can somehow make 30+ million profits a year. Expensive if he doesn't make money.