coachpotato

I find that people I have met who visit the city, and surrounding areas (Wirral, Southport etc.) often will say how their perception of the place and people have been changed by actually coming and seeing it for themselves. That more than suggests that there is a pre-determined view of what it’s like here and how the people are. Hardly surprising given the coverage in the media that is often biased against it all. The perception hasn’t been helped by the relatively small number of idiots that, unfortunately, get a disproportionate amount of media coverage and outrage when they offend. The establishment, particularly the right wing, have allowed and encouraged the bias and this has led to many taking the easy and lazy route of just seeing the place as tarnished. It doesn’t help either that the bile emanating from such sites as GOT strengthens the negativity. Sure there are knob heads and crooks, scallies and crime, but there are everywhere.

Hypocrisy rules. Those claiming “victory” in this are the ones who instigated the start of it in1992, this was an extension of their greed and craving for power, but it was leaving them adrift and the clubs in charge, but as usual the knuckle draggers and morons from the dross believe they’ve bloodied our nose and, somehow, it’ll be all Liverpool’s doing before too long, whether that’s true or not. I don’t like the way it was formulated but I wouldn’t mind betting it’s not the last we’ve heard of this, the genies out of the bottle and, probably, won’t want to be put back in despite the climb down. As for our owners, we’ll they’ve stepped over a line again and frankly aren’t likely to be forgiven. That, though, hasn’t worried them in the past and won’t going forwards. Perhaps they’ll sell because City, PSG, Chelsea etc., can pretty much do as they please and that’ll leave us falling behind which, effectively, will reduce the clubs worth. Our stock is still high and they may want to sell before that changes.

This is a government that believes in the kind of shit the ESL was trying to pull. Their ethos is exactly the same, protect the rich and powerful who then give them funds to keep on protecting the rich and powerful. The only reason they’ve come out and condemned it was because potentially some of their paymasters stood to lose out financially. There’ll be no German model in this country, it doesn’t suit them.

We probably withdrew before anyone else, but there’s been radio silence to ensure we will be seen as the last English club to get out then, ergo, we are the grubbiness shower of tosses around, it’ll leave the other 5 skulking away blameless.

One of the ironies of this is that, “ifitafnerbinferheysel” they would deffo have been in the same position as us according to their own take on how much it cost them over the decades.

Rent-a-quotes coming out from under all the stones and behind the woodwork. I don’t agree with this, but the hypocrisy coming from all angles is sickening. Anyone remember Kerry Packer? He led a breakaway league in cricket in the 70’s :- “Packer was famously quoted from a 1976 meeting with the Australian Cricket Board, with whom he met to negotiate the rights to televise cricket. According to witnesses, he said: "There is a little bit of the whore in all of us, gentlemen. What is your price?"” Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if behind all the outrage and pontificating going on, there hasn’t already been secret meetings to iron out a compromise.

The “game” has been a business for decades now, even back in the sixties we had business people taking over and beginning to run things, Moore’s at Everton, Edwards at United etc. etc. and likely before then. So is this the same, but on a bigger scale? Maybe that’s too simple an analogy. Of course there’s massive hypocrisy at work from those, happy to take financial advantage of changes in the past, who stand to see their particular gravy train run out of steam, such is football these days. Ultimately, it’s the supporter who has to suffer the most. Their choice is simple but not easy, do you carry on and support your club or bin it all off? For having put supporters in that position, ALL those running the industry (it isn’t a sport now) be they agents, owners, associations, officials, media or whoever, should be disgusted they have presided over this development and previous developments that have led here. They should be disgusted but I doubt they will be. Personally, I hope this is a game of brinkmanship and it won’t go as far as a breakaway competition, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

I expect he and the other utter nut jobs over on GOT will be elated that their brand new stadium will be untainted by the likes of us if this goes ahead, and secretly delighted they might be in with winning whatever league would be left, after all, it would be the REAL league.

It has been going to go this way for years, ever since UEFA changed from the European Cup to the Champions League for more revenue, and on a more “local” level when the Premier League was formed to the detriment of just about everyone else, for more revenue. Like it or not, we’re heading towards a “soccer” equivalent of the NFL, with franchises and draft picks and quarters rather than halves, for, again, more revenue. There’s no coincidence that American owners are prevalent in this, plus just about every other zillionaire in the world so to think they’ll have any qualms destroying tradition or history is nothing but naive.

Kane would suit Man U if he stayed fit. They aren’t currently good enough to finish above City, but with a proven goal scorer like him they’d be pretty good I fear. Son would be more likely to fit in with our style, but there’s no way Levy is losing both of them in the summer, he might cash in on Kane before he gets too old and still has a good trade in value, and would likely have someone lined up to replace him. We likely wouldn’t have enough cash for either.

Oliver and VAR conned at Goodison, where have we seen that before I wonder??

Of players in the Premier League, that Watkins kid at Villa seems to be decent, not better than Vardy would be maybe, but he is younger and might improve here? I think everyone else would be way too much money.

Think “digger” was because Barnes name is John Charles Barnes so his initials are JCB, hence the nickname.

Nine is worth a rep on its own!

Great post.

It was all working when Virg and Joe were fit and Salah, Mane and Firmino were putting away the chances. Defensively we have been less effective at pushing the play further up the pitch due to having less pace in the centre, but apart from Villa and City, we haven’t conceded that many goals more than I thought we might. We have been dominating possession in most games, but the big problem for me has been the difference between shots taken and shots converted. We don’t convert nearly enough at the moment and, as last night showed, miss relatively easy chances that many other teams seem to convert at the other end. It’s true that the contribution from midfield in terms of goals is dire, however we weren’t relying on that previously and teams are happier now sitting and cluttering up the centre of the park with bodies which leads to more shots blocked, but our midfield could do with assisting more. There was a point last night where one of the commentators mentioned we were working the ball well down the left side but “ there’s nobody in the box”, which spoke volumes about where our strikers and midfielders weren’t. Maybe with VVD back we’ll see that change in dynamic which is missing and Thiago showing us what he was presumably bought for, but I’ve felt for some time we need a striker, as opposed to very good forwards, to give us that sharpness and anticipation in the box. Its the chances we’ve been missing that has cost us dear this season, and they all could do with some shooting practice as well.

Cheerio Champions League, hope to see you again soon.

Got us at arms length here, we’re so easy to play against for good teams, as said earlier we’re good, but not that good. Hard to imagine that 12 months ago nobody wanted to play against us.

Can handball gives City a penalty.

Same situation as at kick off. But 45 minutes fewer to get the result we want. Should be well in front with the chances we’ve had, unfortunately our forwards seem to need at least three chances to score one goal, at this level it’s not good enough, and I still have the feeling that Madrid would up their game if we get near to taking the result. Perversely enough, if we were, by some piece of the magic, to get 2-0 up then the later the better for Madrid to get back in to it. Think it’s going to be a frustrating night though, we have had the best chances and haven’t delivered.

Do we even practise shooting?? Fuck me.

Benzema would have a fucking field day with those crosses from Trent, we don’t have anyone on the pitch capable of anticipating them, maybe Jota later on?

This is going to take an individual piece of brilliance to score against them, they’re far too savvy for us.

Turning into last weeks game this, after a decent start as well.

Final pass/cross is abysmal.