Premier League 2025/26 Thread

[Wsl]

9 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

They do try to pass themselves off as "against the odds" Arsenal fighting the machine that is Mam City. Let's face it they play appalling football which relies on nicking a goal (usually from a set piece) and being defensively resolute whilst also benefitting from ridiculous refereeing decisions 

 

They have been the best side this season just about but that speaks volumes about the state of football at the moment 

Nobody wins the PL by just nicking a goal. Only Man City have scored more. At least look at the table. Although my nephew, who has been an Arsenal fan all his life has just told me they’ve stuck a reel of their finest 1-0 victories on their web site….

Edited 21 May by Wsl
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[Danizen]

13 hours ago, Wsl said:

Nobody wins the PL by just nicking a goal. Only Man City have scored more. At least look at the table. Although my nephew, who has been an Arsenal fan all his life has just told me they’ve stuck a reel of their finest 1-0 victories on their web site….

I agree, there's nothing wrong with a 1-0 win. If anyone should know the importance of getting over the line by any means necessary, it's us. I loved the way Spurs fans collectively lost their minds during our run of 1-0 wins.

[Samilktray]

With how worked up a lot of our fans get about people talking down our title win you'd think we'd be a bit more gracious talking about Arsenal's win this year (or anyone elses to be fair)

[goose2010]

Romero for Spurs has decided to fly to Argentina to watch their cup final instead of going to the Spurs game on Sunday. Not sure i would be too impressed if my club captain did this! 

[fox_favourite]

21 minutes ago, goose2010 said:

Romero for Spurs has decided to fly to Argentina to watch their cup final instead of going to the Spurs game on Sunday. Not sure i would be too impressed if my club captain did this! 

Shows the issues with the club and football in general. Over paid and over protected. If I did that without annual leave, I'd be sacked. Romero won't be. 

 

Footballers are turning into selfish wombles

Edited 22 May by fox_favourite

[Corky]

Never understood why our fans got worked up about the talking down of our achievement. We were always going to be a weaker champion because we weren't a squad built to win the league. You win it when you win it.

 

Arsenal could be better to watch but they have been top for a long time and held their nerve when quextioned.

[AjcW]

Tell you what it's quite the leaving speech  

 

 

“When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This will be fun,’” Guardiola said.

“And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.
 

“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too.
 

“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.
 

“Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too.

“Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness.  A city united.
 

“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too.
 

“Players don’t forget - every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.
 

“So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me.

“Thank you for pushing me.

“Thank you for loving me.

“Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem this is the place. I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place.

“Noel…I was right.

“It has been so f****** fun.

“Love you all.”

Edited 22 May by AjcW

[RowlattsFox]

I think Pep leaving gives Arsenal a chance to go back-to-back. If it is to be Enzo he has a tough job to replicate, and not sure where the other threat to Arsenal is coming from. 

Chelsea under Alonso, who know's? Will Liverpool get stronger with or without Slot? Man Utd have fell into the Carrick trap but if he can build on this year then who knows. 

 

[Samilktray]

The league is going to be a very boring place without Pep. The bloke is box office.

[Izzy]

Emotional. Fair play, top man.

 

 

[fox_up_north]

I live near Manchester. He has REALLY taken to the city and the region

[Raj]

Amazing what can be achieved with unlimited funds and world class lawyers.

 

 

Lets see the **** get us out of League One if he thinks he's that good.

 

 

 

Edited 22 May by Raj

[winteriscoming]

Wouldn’t it be something if one of the journalists asked him if he was leaving because of the 115 charges or even had the balls to mention it in the press conference. 
Somehow I doubt it. 

[st albans fox]

Re maguire 

if one of the CB’s gets an injury then his family have royally screwed over his chances of being called up 

[Finnegan]

59 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

Wouldn’t it be something if one of the journalists asked him if he was leaving because of the 115 charges or even had the balls to mention it in the press conference. 
Somehow I doubt it. 

 

They're not anything to do with him really are they. 

 

He just coaches the squad he's given and, to be honest, it's not even like they spend disproportionately ridiculous amounts, constantly breaking transfer records is it? 

 

Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are allowed to spend what Man City have and it's fine because they sell a load of shirts and credit cards and whatever else in Asia, Africa and America. Man City apparently can't because they don't. 

 

I get being annoyed at the Premier League if they get away with everything when we've been hounded to the hells with points deductions. Fair point. But I don't actually have any issue with Man City and their titles and the other members of the Big Six trying to paint them as cheats. Until there's proper salary caps or fair spending limits achievable by mid table clubs in the sport then none of them have the right to moan. 

 

Man City are just better than them all on genuine sporting merit. Pep is a better coach than his rivals, Txiki is a better DOF than his rivals and Al Mubarak is a much smarter operator than pretty much any other chairman at the top of the league. Of Big Six owners, only really John Henry and Liverpool's brain trust really have any common sense. 

 

 

[Samilktray]

1 minute ago, Finnegan said:

 

They're not anything to do with him really are they. 

 

He just coaches the squad he's given and, to be honest, it's not even like they spend disproportionately ridiculous amounts, constantly breaking transfer records is it? 

 

Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are allowed to spend what Man City have and it's fine because they sell a load of shirts and credit cards and whatever else in Asia, Africa and America. Man City apparently can't because they don't. 

 

I get being annoyed at the Premier League if they get away with everything when we've been hounded to the hells with points deductions. Fair point. But I don't actually have any issue with Man City and their titles and the other members of the Big Six trying to paint them as cheats. Until there's proper salary caps or fair spending limits achievable by mid table clubs in the sport then none of them have the right to moan. 

 

Man City are just better than them all on genuine sporting merit. Pep is a better coach than his rivals, Txiki is a better DOF than his rivals and Al Mubarak is a much smarter operator than pretty much any other chairman at the top of the league. Of Big Six owners, only really John Henry and Liverpool's brain trust really have any common sense. 

 

 

Ok, but what about the 115 charges?

[Torquay Gunner]

Hard to judge a man who has only managed minnows like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City! How is he expected to win anything with them. 

Edited 22 May by Torquay Gunner

[winteriscoming]

7 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Hard to judge a man who has only managed minnows like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City! How is he expected to win anything with them. 

Same as Arteta. 
Done a remarkable job winning the league with Set piece fc/Stoke and only spending a few hundred billion………

[Torquay Gunner]

10 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

Same as Arteta. 
Done a remarkable job winning the league with Set piece fc/Stoke and only spending a few hundred billion………

Not really the same. Arteta took over Arsenal when they hadn't won the title for 15 years. Don't think Guardiola took over a club, who hadn't previously gone 2 or 3 years,without winning a title. 

[whoareyaaa]

6 hours ago, Raj said:

Amazing what can be achieved with unlimited funds and world class lawyers.

 

 

Lets see the **** get us out of League One if he thinks he's that good.

 

 

 

Exactly I rate Fergie, Klopp and Pearson higher and Wenger and Jose.

Edited 22 May by whoareyaaa

[whoareyaaa]

34 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Hard to judge a man who has only managed minnows like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City! How is he expected to win anything with them. 

Tough gig

[Stadt]

Arsenal have been undeniably smart but their min/maxing whilst spending inordinately only to grind a title out as if they’re a minnow rankles a little bit.

 

Its like winning the lottery and upgrading your dishwasher and having your bathroom re-grouted as a point of priory.

 

We couldn’t have won our title any other way, this Arsenal team are almost deliberately obtuse, as if they win 1-0 on purpose. The Burnley game the other night said it all.

 

It doesn’t feel all that sustainable to me either.

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Not really the same. Arteta took over Arsenal when they hadn't won the title for 15 years. Don't think Guardiola took over a club, who hadn't previously gone 2 or 3 years,without winning a title. 

 

Such a straight up braindead take.

[Corky]

Guardiola would have comfortably taken Rodgers' team into the top four, possibly third.

[Nalis]

Money doesnt guarantee success, so many examples of clubs spending big and failing which is why I don’t buy the argument Pep is only good because he has been at teams with money

Edited 22 May by Nalis