Football The 2025-26 Football Thread

[Raven]

Football is dead to me.

Donald Trump announces 2026 Fifa World Cup draw to take place at Washington's Kennedy Center

The draw for the 2026 men's World Cup will take place in Washington this December, US President Donald Trump has announced.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[DaGaffer]

Football is dead to me.

Donald Trump announces 2026 Fifa World Cup draw to take place at Washington's Kennedy Center

The draw for the 2026 men's World Cup will take place in Washington this December, US President Donald Trump has announced.

www.bbc.co.uk

And the fucking Olympics.

However, I am very curious to see what attendance for these events is going to be like; pretty sure I wouldn't fancy moving in and out of US borders at the moment.

 

[Scouse]

He can have the Olympics, but hands off the footie.

 

[Raven]

Pep, Out!

 

[Raven]

I see the plucky underdog are giving it their all at Blundell Park, shame they're 2.0 down.

 

[Embattle]

What a night

 

[caLLous]

 

[Embattle]

This week Amorim claimed Man U weren't ready for European competitions, he can now add domestic ones as well.

 

[caLLous]

This week Amorim claimed Man U weren't ready for European competitions, he can now add domestic ones as well.

He also said after Arsenal that they'd proved that they could beat anyone in the Premier League (despite losing that match). He didn't say anything about League 2 though...

 

[Raven]

I feel sorry for him, poisoned chalice and an awful set-up, from top to bottom.

Who in their right mind would take it on? Big Sam?

 

[Scouse]

I feel sorry for him

I don't. He's still nearly doubled Liverpool's spend, net, in the same timeframe.

 

[Embattle]

I feel sorry for him, poisoned chalice and an awful set-up, from top to bottom.

Who in their right mind would take it on? Big Sam?

History may show it as a poisoned chalice, but he hasn't helped himself at all.

 

[Raven]

The trouble is, UTD have been over paying average players for years, the merry-go-round of managers has been more damaging than any single manager's performance. Every manager comes in with "their vision™" and buys in a few mercenaries to make the square peg fit the round hole, and fail, and they then start again. Each round, they get more desperate and impatient, gaining more and more baggage.

They should have stuck with Moyes...

 

[Scouse]

They should have stuck with Moyes...

Thought that at the time

Pleased for Everton though. West Ham fans should be crying about now.

 

[Gray]

Grealish is an absolute dream, we've been screaming for someone like him for years. We're developing quite an attacking team, but wouldn't it be a surprise that when we finally strengthen our attack, our defence becomes frail.
Hopefully once Braithwaite returns we'll be a lot more settled at the back, but I wouldn't say no to some sudden reinforcements before the window closes.

 

[Raven]

Grealish is the difference between 16/17th and 10th. Great bit of business from Everton.

 

[Deebs]

Grealish is the difference between 16/17th and 10th. Great bit of business from Everton.

Grealish is the difference between washing and not washing.

 

[Scouse]

'The most sterile game there is' - another controversial day for VAR

Burnley manager Scott Parker says VAR decisions are threatening to turn football into "the most sterile game there is" after his side lose to a controversial late penalty at Manchester United.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Deebs]

VAR has changed the game for the worse. Rugby has a form of VAR but you do not really notice it. Well I don't.

 

[Scouse]

The only people who want VAR are people who can't admit they've been wrong all along without crying and, more importantly, the people who stand to make money out of it long term.

I.E. Club owners.

 

[Raven]

Even a 1% tax on transfers could overhaul football in this country.

The money being thrown around this season is obscene.

 

[Scouse]

Yep.

Liverpool spending big net this season. Brings us up to I think 4th in the last ten seasons (from 7th).

Of course, Chelski have spent biggest by a country mile.

 

[Scouse]

Why the facepalm @Embattle? It looks like Chelsea have spent more than double, net, than any other team in the last decade.

Numbers are big. But then, people don't blink at spending £100/month on a sky subscription.

 

[Embattle]

Why the facepalm @Embattle? It looks like Chelsea have spent more than double, net, than any other team in the last decade.

Numbers are big. But then, people don't blink at spending £100/month on a sky subscription.

You endlessly try to adjust the timescale to suit your argument and dodge the fact that your team spent the most, a record £415m that surpassed Chelsea's £400m for a single window, and had the second-highest net spend.

 

[Scouse]

You endlessly try to adjust the timescale to suit your argument and dodge the fact that your team spent the most, a record £415m that surpassed Chelsea's £400m for a single window, and had the second-highest net spend.

Ah. Ok, you're arguing about that. Net spend is the only figure that matters.

The answer is, of course, easy: Liverpool aren't even the biggest spenders this season. And you know that.

All time in the premier league it's Chelski, by at least half again more than anyone else, which is City & United - who are about level.

 

[Scouse]

@Embattle: If you have to facepalm every motherfucking fact in the room, accept no substitute!

 

[Embattle]

@Embattle: If you have to facepalm every motherfucking fact in the room, accept no substitute!

No you just recycled the same rubbish, thus go the same response.

 

[Scouse]

No you just recycled the same rubbish, thus go the same response.

It's factual.

Finance is easy. You tot up what is spent, you tot up what you made - subtract one from the other.

Bingo!

 

[Embattle]

It's factual.

Finance is easy. You tot up what is spent, you tot up what you made - subtract one from the other.

Bingo!

No, it is you trying to play a distraction tactic to hide from the fact that you were the highest spender and second highest net spender in this window, as stated earlier.

It is, shame you don't seem to understand how irrelevant your figures are to today.

 

[Scouse]

No, it is you trying to play a distraction tactic to hide from the fact that you were the highest spender and second highest net spender in this window, as stated earlier.

It is, shame you don't seem to understand how irrelevant your figures are to today.

So, the second highest spender in this window.

I'm not hiding it. It's fantastic! Liverpool haven't spent owt for three seasons, saved their cash, won the league and then went on a spree. This is how well-managed clubs should act.

I mean, we're still a striker down on last year because he died. So we're thin there, and we're thin in defence because of sales I think we shouldn't have made. And rotation was one of the reasons we won last year.

But Arsenal spent more than us this season. Period. And Chelski, Man United and City have been rolling around FFP like it doesn't exist. End of story.

I was replying to Raven's point about the money being spent being obscene. Which, frankly, I don't really care about - it is what it is. And a lot of people are having a pop at liverpool for "buying the league". But I don't see liverpool getting a by because we didn't spend for two seasons? And Chelski??? Wow to their spending.

You're not a Chelski fan are you @Embattle?