dave u

Bets for this week. No each ways this time, outright wins only.

Because pulling out of a long established European coalition to 'take back control' of ones own finances is clearly something Johnson would never be on board with.

I can't argue with any of that Andrew and I think my only real big issue with this is the closed shop aspect of it. A breakaway tournament telling UEFA to stick it up their arse could be a good thing if it was done right. Finals in stadiums that hold 90,000 and the two clubs get 10,000 each? Fuck UEFA. But it's scandalous and unworkable that 15 of the 20 will be in no matter what. The arrogance of that is astounding. Fair enough, Real and Barca qualify for the CL every year without fail anyway so I can see why they'd feel entitled to be a 'staple' but fuck me, it's utterly incomprehensible that the others - specially Arsenal and Spurs! - have the brass neck to think they should be in it every year regardless. How do you then pick the other five? If I'm Leicester and i get an invite for finishing 3rd in the PL (above most of the 'founder members') and get the opportunity to play in it for a season, and in doing so snubbing whatever competition UEFA are still running, why the fuck am I going for that deal? The likes of Porto and Ajax too. They probably think "good, start your own league and then rest of us have a chance at winning something again". As if they're going to accept these patronising little invitations to spend a year as a guest of the big boys in their league before being kicked out again.

I think the main difference is that usually when that has happened in the past it has been a difficult decision for the manager and there has often been criticism (except when it has been in the last couple of weeks of the season and we are still in the semi or final of the CL when everyone understands it other than Neil Warnock!). If you introduce a scenario when the only thing to play for is 1st place and there are no consequences to finishing 10th because it's effectively the same as finishing second anyway, that's when you lose the integrity of the competition and the PL will end up like the League Cup to any 'big six' team out of the title race early.

I get that mate, but you aren't on the pitch or picking the team. It's all well and good me or you wanting us to win every game but it's not realistic that everyone will see it with the same importance. Players aren't going to be going full throttle in every game when the incentive for them to win isn't as high, and managers aren't going to pick their strongest team for a home game with Palace when we're 15 points off top spot and we have a trip to Barcelona coming on the Wednesday night. Fans won't be up for it in the stadium either. There's be an 'end of season' feel about games in February. And the club (specifically the owners) doesn't want to be in the CL. They put out a statement this week saying exactly that. Breaking away from UEFA is the very definition of not wanting to be in the CL. Saying it counts for nothing was more in reference to that than anything else though. It may still count if FSG have a trademark change of heart and climbdown, but if they go ahead with their plans then it won't matter where we finish this season because we'll either be in a new ESL if it's formed in time, or UEFA won't let us play in the CL just until the new league is formed because why the hell would they?

I can only put that down to cutting off their nose to spite UEFA and the PL and the knobhead fans of all those other clubs cryarsing and giving it the "who do them scousers think they are?" spiel even though last time I checked, Boston isn't West Derby. People can't genuinely think a Super League with no relegation is a good thing, surely?

I have a higher res version of it somewhere. On the laptop I think. I'll have a look.

I bristle at a lot of the criticism being thrown at 'the club' (these cunt owners aren't the clubs) as well as the mass hypocrisy of some of those doing the throwing. We have to look beyond that though as there is a much bigger picture. Tthis will basically kill football if it happens. It's not just the teams not involved who will be screwed over by it, it will be shit for us as well. The reason games against Real Madrid are special is because they don't come around very often and because you have to earn the right to play them. It will quickly become boring, as will most other games both in the ESL and the PL because unless you're in with a good chance of winning the title then there's no stakes involved and games will just be dead rubbers. Take this season for example. From about mid-January every game we've had would be meaningless as the title had gone. I can't say I get excited about 'the fight for fourth' but at least there is some meaning and consequences to results. This is a terrible idea that will destroy football. There isn't one positive thing in it for anyone other than the billionaire owners who will make a quick fortune out of it before eventually leaving a smouldering mess behind when it all crashes and burns.

Staggering when you look at how badly everything has gone wrong since this. And I mean EVERYTHING.

I'm always reluctant to say too much on it because of how Skrtel got away with it for so long! I think he got punished once though, didn't he? I remember the look of shock on his face.

I don't even know where to start with it all. Not planning on writing anything until I've had time to digest the enormity of it all and until I've heard Klopp speak about it. If this happens I think it'll probably the be biggest, most significant thing to ever happen in football. The ramifications of it will change things forever, and not for the better.

Because greed, capitalism, chronyism and the rich looking after themselves and shitting on everyone else is just not on, right Boris?

Yep, I'm defo doing nothing at this point. If this happens, then unless we're in a title race next season the games are going to be dead rubbers if Euro qualification isn't on the line. The club and players aren't going to care about finishing 2nd or 10th as all eyes will be on whatever is happening in the new Euro league. Fuck paying the best part of a grand to watch a load of friendly games. I say friendly because of how we approach them. There won't be anything friendly about how other teams play against us and the other five. It'll be a bloodbath every week as everyone is going to be so resentful.

True but the two kind of go hand in hand as well. The fans would help the team through those situations where they need leaders.

The upside to having all these putters is it encourages me to practice because it just makes it more interesting. The downside is I flip flop from week to week about which one is best for me. Yesterday has really given me a problem. I was so good with one of those two boot sale putters it was a real eye opener. I think it's a John Letters one and it may even date back to the 60s. There's no way I'm using that on the course, but it's mad that considering all the supposed technological advancements in putters that what is essentially just a lump of metal is giving better results than all the higher tech stuff.