2021-22 English Premier League Discussion Thread

[The_Brecht]

Of course that's given as a pen, but the challenge on Odegaard wasn't.

It was a clear pen

Yes, but so was the challenge on Odegaard in the first half.
Why didn't they ask the ref to go look at the images then?

[HIF]

Of course that's given as a pen, but the challenge on Odegaard wasn't.

It was a clear pen

Yes, but so was the challenge on Odegaard in the first half.
Why didn't they ask the ref to go look at the images then?

I didn't think it was a clear pen. In fact I didn't think it was a penalty but I can see why some did. Therefore not clear and obvious in my opinion.

[wco81]

What a match at Stamford Bridge.

[Cactus Jack]

Well...That's it. The title race is over. This thing is getting to be a little too predictable. Shame.

Man city will drop some points.

It's over.

Even with a win. Pool are still 8 points behind. Chelsea 10. Neither team can catch City.

[wco81]

They showed a graphic of like 4 or 5 other clubs which had a 11 points or better lead on January 1 and all the previous ones won the league.

This will be 4 out of the last 5 if they win this year and 4 out of 7 since Pep took over in 2015

That is a dynasty.

Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Arsenal have the kind of resources to accumulate talent. But none of them outside of Liverpool has had steady leadership, a vision and strategy.

[Cactus Jack]

They showed a graphic of like 4 or 5 other clubs which had a 11 points or better lead on January 1 and all the previous ones won the league.

This will be 4 out of the last 5 if they win this year and 4 out of 7 since Pep took over in 2015

That is a dynasty.

Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Arsenal have the kind of resources to accumulate talent. But none of them outside of Liverpool has had steady leadership, a vision and strategy.

There is one other key component that you left out. They've outspent the other clubs. Sure, Pep deserves a ton of credit. But no one can really match the depth of the squad & the amount of resources at their disposal. It's the perfect storm. Great management, culture, money, etc.

Unfortunately, it seems the pandemic has really hurt Liverpool. Ownership hasn't been willing to provide the funds needed to keep pace. A lack of transfer business the last year and a half. It's really handcuffed the club.

[wco81]

Are there stats showing payrolls and transfer amounts?

OK found it.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/payroll/

Pool is not so far off City in payroll. In fact United has the biggest payroll.

But you're right about transfer fees, Liverpool is low for a top 4 club but look at Arsenal with over £182 million!

Not clear if that's only transfer fees that they paid or it includes fees that they received as well.

Still I don't think City are vastly outspending other clubs. You might say they had to spend after they let Aguero go and they had to bring in young attacking players. But mainstays like De Bruyne and Silva have been around for awhile.

You'd have to chart the last 5 years or so to see if one club is vastly outspending others. City survived a FFP investigation so I wouldn't think that they'd flaunt spending rules right away.

[Cactus Jack]

Are there stats showing payrolls and transfer amounts?

OK found it.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/payroll/

Pool is not so far off City in payroll. In fact United has the biggest payroll.

But you're right about transfer fees, Liverpool is low for a top 4 club but look at Arsenal with over £182 million!

Not clear if that's only transfer fees that they paid or it includes fees that they received as well.

Still I don't think City are vastly outspending other clubs. You might say they had to spend after they let Aguero go and they had to bring in young attacking players. But mainstays like De Bruyne and Silva have been around for awhile.

You'd have to chart the last 5 years or so to see if one club is vastly outspending others. City survived a FFP investigation so I wouldn't think that they'd flaunt spending rules right away.

Liverpool have a high payroll. But they haven't added to it. Players have been given raises. Meanwhile other clubs have outspent them on the transfer market & have closed the gap (Chelsea). Liverpool had an injury bug last season & lacked the depth to stay competitive. That is the main concern. City don't have that problem.

[wco81]

I'm guessing they splurged when they acquired Salah and Alisson, though those were probably great values at the time.

I don't know how they acquired Sane but when this team came together a couple of seasons ago under Klopp, they must have splurged then.

Yeah I don't know how the Fenway Group does its finances. Liverpool has to be worth a lot more than they bought it for or even spent so far. They probably have the biggest following in the US and other large nations other than Man U. But more than City, Arsenal and more than Bayern, Juventus, even Madrid and Barcelona, at least in the English-speaking countries.

I don't know which clubs are the biggest in Asia though.

But OTOH, they did trade Mookie Betts away rather than pay him and keep the Red Sox on top.

[Baseline81]

I'm guessing they splurged when they acquired Salah and Alisson, though those were probably great values at the time.

I don't know how they acquired Sane but when this team came together a couple of seasons ago under Klopp, they must have splurged then.

Yeah I don't know how the Fenway Group does its finances. Liverpool has to be worth a lot more than they bought it for or even spent so far. They probably have the biggest following in the US and other large nations other than Man U. But more than City, Arsenal and more than Bayern, Juventus, even Madrid and Barcelona, at least in the English-speaking countries.

I don't know which clubs are the biggest in Asia though.

But OTOH, they did trade Mookie Betts away rather than pay him and keep the Red Sox on top.

Both Alisson and VVD were funded through the Coutinho transfer.

[Cactus Jack]

I'm guessing they splurged when they acquired Salah and Alisson, though those were probably great values at the time.

I don't know how they acquired Sane but when this team came together a couple of seasons ago under Klopp, they must have splurged then.

Yeah I don't know how the Fenway Group does its finances. Liverpool has to be worth a lot more than they bought it for or even spent so far. They probably have the biggest following in the US and other large nations other than Man U. But more than City, Arsenal and more than Bayern, Juventus, even Madrid and Barcelona, at least in the English-speaking countries.

I don't know which clubs are the biggest in Asia though.

But OTOH, they did trade Mookie Betts away rather than pay him and keep the Red Sox on top.

Salah & Mane both we're bought at a reasonable (low) price. Coutinho was sold & that money was then used to fund both Van Dijk & Alisson. FSG haven't spent big. The club have done a great job in that regard. But it has caught up to them.

[HIF]

Are there stats showing payrolls and transfer amounts?

OK found it.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/payroll/

Pool is not so far off City in payroll. In fact United has the biggest payroll.

But you're right about transfer fees, Liverpool is low for a top 4 club but look at Arsenal with over £182 million!

Not clear if that's only transfer fees that they paid or it includes fees that they received as well.

Still I don't think City are vastly outspending other clubs. You might say they had to spend after they let Aguero go and they had to bring in young attacking players. But mainstays like De Bruyne and Silva have been around for awhile.

You'd have to chart the last 5 years or so to see if one club is vastly outspending others. City survived a FFP investigation so I wouldn't think that they'd flaunt spending rules right away.

Liverpool have a high payroll. But they haven't added to it. Players have been given raises. Meanwhile other clubs have outspent them on the transfer market & have closed the gap (Chelsea). Liverpool had an injury bug last season & lacked the depth to stay competitive. That is the main concern. City don't have that problem.

It's Salary that lures players to clubs - nothing to do with transfer fees - quite clearly 4 teams should dominate the league because of the wages they (can afford to) pay. Why would Youri Tielemans stay at Leicester for 33K a week or even 70K a week when Liverpool can offer him 150K a week?

[HIF]

I'm guessing they splurged when they acquired Salah and Alisson, though those were probably great values at the time.

I don't know how they acquired Sane but when this team came together a couple of seasons ago under Klopp, they must have splurged then.

Yeah I don't know how the Fenway Group does its finances. Liverpool has to be worth a lot more than they bought it for or even spent so far. They probably have the biggest following in the US and other large nations other than Man U. But more than City, Arsenal and more than Bayern, Juventus, even Madrid and Barcelona, at least in the English-speaking countries.

I don't know which clubs are the biggest in Asia though.

But OTOH, they did trade Mookie Betts away rather than pay him and keep the Red Sox on top.

Both Alisson and VVD were funded through the Coutinho transfer.

But not their wages

[HIF]

What a surprise that Klopp got the League Cup match called off on Fake results. It'll back-fire on him.

[Baseline81]

What a surprise that Klopp got the League Cup match called off on Fake results. It'll back-fire on him.

What does Liverpool gain from delaying the match? Keita, Mane and Salah will still be at the AFCON tournament.

[HIF]

What a surprise that Klopp got the League Cup match called off on Fake results. It'll back-fire on him.

What does Liverpool gain from delaying the match? Keita, Mane and Salah will still be at the AFCON tournament.

They are already.

Klopp is simply a whiny bitch, he doesn't need to gain anything.

[Baseline81]

They are already.

Klopp is simply a whiny bitch, he doesn't need to gain anything.

I'm not following. You're saying Liverpool has gained something by delaying the match. I'm asking what that is.

As for Klopp, what manager doesn't complain? Mourinho was likely the worst. Pep does it in a different manner. But I do tend to side with Klopp on his comments regarding winter scheduling, calling out the amount of penalties United had previously, and inconsistency of VAR. Care to name others I've missed?

[HIF]

They are already.

Klopp is simply a whiny bitch, he doesn't need to gain anything.

I'm not following. You're saying Liverpool has gained something by delaying the match. I'm asking what that is.

As for Klopp, what manager doesn't complain? Mourinho was likely the worst. Pep does it in a different manner. But I do tend to side with Klopp on his comments regarding winter scheduling, calling out the amount of penalties United had previously, and inconsistency of VAR. Care to name others I've missed?

I don't have enough time in the day to write a list of the whinging that Klopp has done this year and in previous years.

You fail to understand my point regarding the match, whether you or I think Liverpool gain is irrelevant. Klopp is a whiner, it's what he does rather than accept the rules in place in the country he has chosen to work.

[The_Brecht]

It's simple. It's nearly impossible to have that many false positives.
It should be investigated.

[HIF]

It's simple. It's nearly impossible to have that many false positives.
It should be investigated.

The percentage chance is astronomical but this is a big 6 team. Nothing will be looked at.