EPL 24/25 General Thread
- Thread starter DJnVa
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I have a different take--less penalties due to handballs is better. I really wish they'd bring back more indirect FKs, as that seems a more just result than a binary pen/non-pen decision.
Honestly, I don't think anybody really knows.
If they are found guilty of some of the charges, my hunch is that they will face some kind of points deduction. Just from a Premier League PR perspective, the one outcome that seems most unlikely is finding them guilty after a five year investigation and then not doing anything meaningful about it, especially after multiple other clubs have gotten points deductions over the last year for rules violations. But I have no clue what the odds are of them being found guilty.
Another thing to watch is that there is a PL investigation into Chelsea's dealings under Roman that will be reaching a conclusion soon, likely before the City hearing even begins. Depending on what kinds of violations that case involves, it could set some kind of benchmark.
I am quite confident that the PL will resolve City's charges of misconduct by deducting points from Everton.
Strictly from a PR viewpoint anything less then relegation will be met with an enormous backlash.
The other alternative is stripping them of points for the years in question - and subsequently the titles they have cheated there way to. I wouldn’t suggest awarding new PL champions as that would be relatively meaningless.
The Athletic had a pretty good piece today.
I agree that there will be enormous backlash if they get off lightly. There is definitely a contingent of clubs, executives, and fans that view this as nearly existential for the league, a fundamental test of integrity and its ability to actually apply and defend its own rules.
But I have no idea how any of this will be viewed by the people who make the decision on a punishment if they are found guilty of some charges. Personally, I think retroactively stripping them of titles is kind of pointless. City will no doubt still claim those titles and their fans and players will still have all the memories of winning them, while the fans and players of other clubs that finished second won't. And obviously fines are utterly pointless given that the entire issue revolves around dealing with a club owned by a state to which money just doesn't matter.
So the only real punishments that can be meaningful would involve things that hurt City on a sporting level this season and into the future - a points deduction, relegation, a transfer ban, etc.
From a fans point of view I agree that stripping the titles is kind of pointless. But at least it sets a precedent. They can, of course do all these things
- strip the titles
- two year transfer ban
- relegation to the Championship - maybe even League 1
Pity they can’t force an ownership change - no more state ownership !!!
Geez, man. I'm putting up a professional conference for 25-30 that weekend...not sure I can sneak away, but maybe we can get Rebecca to facilitate a panel discussion?
Where is the FA getting all the money to comp Kier's tickets???
View: https://youtu.be/RR7gq6_OiX4?si=F6EGNTmAIMsZ_0CQ
View: https://youtu.be/RR7gq6_OiX4?si=F6EGNTmAIMsZ_0CQ
Rodri possibly out for the season with an ACL injury:
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/41399455/man-city-rodri-season-acl-injury-source
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/41399455/man-city-rodri-season-acl-injury-source
If the Rodri news is true, it should be a watershed moment (spoiler: it won't be) with respect to player overuse and injuries. On one level you can't really predict ACL injuries but it was also clear that he just wasn't physically right after the Euros, what with Pep wrapping him in cotton wool for the entire first month of the season and him starting to speak up vocally about the number of matches and the wear and tear on players' bodies. This guy has played a superhuman amount of football over the last 3-4 years at an incredibly high level. He's right there in the Vieira/Keane/Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard pantheon of best ever PL central midfielders. Its just suicidal for a sport to be running its marquee players into the ground to this degree.
Rodri out for the year obviously also changes the title race but I wouldn't be writing City off at all. They probably don't have the same ceiling - its hard to imagine them achieving the consistency to hit 92-100 points like some of their best ever sides. But I don't think its that hard to see them figuring out how to compensate and still getting somewhere in that 85-88 range, which could easily be enough if enough small things go wrong for Arsenal and Liverpool and no dark horse candidate emerges.
Rodri out for the year obviously also changes the title race but I wouldn't be writing City off at all. They probably don't have the same ceiling - its hard to imagine them achieving the consistency to hit 92-100 points like some of their best ever sides. But I don't think its that hard to see them figuring out how to compensate and still getting somewhere in that 85-88 range, which could easily be enough if enough small things go wrong for Arsenal and Liverpool and no dark horse candidate emerges.
This is so spot on. You'd hope the press connects his comments and the injury and starts a real dialog on the brutal schedules these players are being asked to endure. I also fear you are right that it's a blip and then we go back to running them into the ground.
Rodri is such an incredible player that no matter your rooting interest, you can't be anything but disappointed to miss seeing him play.
Pep has been easing Rodri and Foden in so far. Only recently did Rodri play more (i.e. UCL). This was his first league start.
City could recall Kalvin Phillips and Nunes from their loans. Perhaps KDB/Ilkay drop back to the 6
Because both continue to add more games to tournaments for additional money. Of course clubs will likely grow their squads to compensate for increased injuries, but the idea is that we as spectators are also stakeholders and should get to see the best product within certain parameters.
So - it’s looking like City has won its lawsuit against the Premier League over third party transactions. This is a disaster for the league. It basically means City and Newcastle will be able to spend with virtually no limits. Any financial controls system that includes revenue will be meaningless.
Salary cap seems inevitable.
PL fear, Newcastle spree - Man City 'win' could show what's next for Liverpool
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/premier-league-fear-newcastle-spending-30015757?utm_source=app
Salary cap seems inevitable.
PL fear, Newcastle spree - Man City 'win' could show what's next for Liverpool
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/premier-league-fear-newcastle-spending-30015757?utm_source=app
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This is like a transfer rumor story, quoting the reporting of another outlet that was itself massively speculative. There are other journos reading the tea leaves in an entirely different direction. In the end, nobody knows what the arbitration panel hearing this dispute is thinking or if they’ve even made a decision at all.
Are we sure Ruud makes it through the rest of this season? Ruud van Nistelrooy is walking into an old-fashioned club at Leicester – it won't be easy