Featured: That was the Week that Was (Feb 19-23 2024)

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Monday Feb 19:

 

Klopp said something to the press on Friday in amongst all the Alonso stuff that I thought was a little odd. I didn't include it last week because there wasn't really anything to say about it, it was probably nothing. It was about Mbappe and the quote was 'Obviously, I'm not involved in that, but I can tell you I'd be surprised if all the top clubs were,' Klopp said. 'The top clubs I know, for most of them it will be tricky. Wages, signing-on fee.'

 

The reason I thought it was odd is because the market will set the price. If Mbappe is a free agent he has to sign for someone and if nobody is willing to pay him what he's on at PSG then he has to either sign a new deal there or take the best offer out there. I expected him to rule us out, but why was he talking about how tricky it will be for the other big clubs?

 

Then over the weekend I saw a report that Mbappe's people met with City before the announcement was made that he was leaving PSG. Is Klopp putting this out there so people will question how the fuck City can afford it, especially when they already have Haaland on close to a million quid a week (most of it off the books of course). You can bet your life's savings that meeting with Mbappe centred around some sort of ambassadorial role in Abu Dhabi while he makes 200k a week from City.

 

The media are so culpable in this shit though. They'll report that City are the only English club that can afford him but they won't tell you how they can afford it. A club with no world wide fanbase to speak of, that has empty seats every home game (despite the books showing that they are selling out), that is already paying incredible amounts of money to its players, yet they can match what PSG have been paying Mbappe. And fucking nobody in the media says its dodgy because "they've got rich owners".

 

Here's the thing though; it doesn't matter how rich your owners are. That's got nothing to do with how much a club is allowed to spend. Jeff Bezos could buy Luton Town but they wouldn't be able to sign Mbappe and pay him £1m a week, so how come no-one questions how City can afford it? You don't need to see the books to know they're cheating, you just have to look at the players and manager they have and the fact that they are able to attract and keep them when they aren't a big club. It's cheating in plain sight and it's still happening now despite the narrative that they've somehow now "gone legit". 

 

I don't think Mbappe is going there but that isn't the point. The fact it's even seen as normal for them to be in there offends me greatly. He's going to Real Madrid though, it's an open secret and Konate even mentioned it on Saturday when he was asked about it. He just laughed and said "everyone knows where he's going".

 

Nike probably won't be happy about him joining an adidas team though....

 

Speaking of dumb, I see Gary Neville is now saying United will finish top four. Interesting that, he must think either us or Arsenal are dropping out because it was only a few weeks back he was telling us that Spurs were going to challenge City for the title. Honestly, this tit is king of the terrible takes yet is still seen as a serious pundit. Actually that's unfair, he's not the king, he's the prince of the terrible takes. That dope Rio is the king. Neville is wrong so often though I might start keeping track of all the stuff he says just for a laugh. You'd think he'd have learned to hold back after embarrassing himself last summer saying Klopp would happily take United's midfield over the new one he'd assembled. Soft get.

Meanwhile, reports in Portugal suggest Jota will miss two months but he will be back before the end of the season. It isn't confirmed but it seemed quite reliable. Mixed feelings if this is true. It's good that his season isn't over but fucking hell, he's going to miss some of our most important games and it's proper shit for him and us as he's been in great form.

 

I don't really see it as us having a front three anymore, we've got five and when we have all of them and we're able to use all five to rotate and make substitutions, we look damn near unbeatable as few teams can live with that firepower. As long as Nunez isn't injured we've still got four and that's good, but we're down to the bare bones in midfield at the moment. Trent, Dom, Thiago, Stef and Curtis all out, leaving us with just Endo, Macca, Grav and Harvey. I think McConnell is going to feature over the next week or so because we can't keep putting the same lads out there every game.

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[DalyanPete]

I wished Fat Sam, Colin wanker, big fat head, Woy and the like where as passionate about the cheats as you are Dave. Those fuckas licked their arse and gave up 6 points that usually ended in a relegation fight/relegation. 

[Frank Dacey]

Nice to see you slag off Neville's credentials as a pundit, and how (even more) stupid he must look after Saturday but I was surprised you didn't burnish your own credentials after your forecasts about the demise of Mick Beale at Sunderland were proved to be spot on. Stil in the championship, your old mate Jon Walters has become technical director at Stoke. After one game they've dropped into the relegation zone. Long may they stay there.

[DaveT]

Great stuff. Disagree about Pochetino - his Spurs team were one of the worst for shithousing - diving, tactical fouling. One season, IIRC, Kane Lamella and Delle Ali were something like three out of the top 5 foulers - not counting the ones they got away with.

Totally agree about Xabi - he'd be on a hiding to nothing going to Bayern, that team is looking in need of a major re-build but they'd still be demanding instant success. Still can't believe they've got Eric fucking Dire lining up for them.