Premier League 2025/26 Thread

[AjcW]

6 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Eh, it's just example #568363 why footballers and especially their families shouldn't be posting their drama all over social media.

 

I mean, for clarity, nobody should but I do agree that it's a read-the-room kinda moment when you're complaining about not getting to move to London to earn millions when you already live in Liverpool earning millions.

 

Especially given that anyone with even the slightest bit of knowledge of football can look at Crystal Palace's day yesterday and realise they, too, were having a pretty bad day and it's fairly obvious why other deals collapsed.

 

Completely agree, this one just felt like a "snapping" type moment though, rather than someone being serially online. I just don't think it should ever get to that moment of someone snapping and feeling the need to fight back.

 

It's still such a tribal, aggressive, alcohol driven male environment which leads to the abuse at games, online abuse etc. I just think that's indicative of Sol saying "cry me a river McNeil wife", rather than going for McNeil or even maybe reading into the situation a bit more to understand what happened.

To me it didn't come across as being annoyed at not moving to London, it was about the online reaction to a club spending £20m on her husband. 

 

TL:DR

- Footballers and their families need to be better managed/trained

- Football fans forget players and their families are human beings.

[Finnegan]

Just now, AjcW said:

it was about the online reaction to a club spending £20m on her husband. 

 

I mean if my football club wanted to spend £5m on Dwight McNeil I'd be livid. 

[Leicesterpool]

14 hours ago, StanSP said:

I know it's only a very poor Burnley, but how good are Sunderland. Organised attack, always on the front foot and not afraid to chase more goals. 

 

I long for the days to watch us play like that again. 

Sunderland do look good, would be funny to see them get European football next season ahead of Newcastle

[Sol thewall Bamba]

59 minutes ago, AjcW said:

She's been through some pretty horrific surgery recently, probably going to severely limit their chances of a family. There's two sides to this... should it all be aired in public, probably not.... but equally if people are going to be abusive should you be given a chance to give insight into what's going on in your life to remind people footballers are human beings? ****ing absolutely! 

Fair enough, I wasn't aware of that. But tbf 99% of people won't be and it will just come across as her throwing a paddy because she wanted a London lifestyle. 

[Finnegan]

It also doesn't help that the BBC have posted it as one of their top football stories as if it's actually news.

 

"Dwight McNeil's missus says something on social media" isn't news.

 

[Tommy G]

I saw the article too and thought it was a very weird reaction - it's the business of football and deals fall through all the time, deadline day is chaos - it's not really Palace's job to ''protect his mental health''.

 

If you just trawl through the depression thread there are some real life examples of some desperate situations and I think she has used the mental health card here on a failed transfer (!!) - it's just unrelatable and daft IMO.

[AKCJ]

Palace aren't obliged to spend £20m and pay him £80k a week unless they're sure.

 

I have no sympathy for him in this regard.  I think it's actually a bit disgraceful to expect it. People playing the "oh won't anyone think of the mental health" card takes away from people that are genuinely suffering.

[Dan]

On 01/02/2026 at 21:00, BrilliantFox said:

I won't name names but when Michael Carrick was suggested to replace Cifuentes some were saying he's crap!

Look at what he's done in a matter of days already. United fans think they're on a title charge.

Bless them  

[jammie82uk]

5 hours ago, AjcW said:

Football fans forget players and their families are human beings.

Yes that’s very apparent in the few posts on here 

[Leicesterpool]

Footballers need to remember the careers they signed up for, it's not like an every day job where you can up and quit and relocate somewhere else. It was always subject to the deal being completed on time and January is always a tricky window to get a move. I do feel like at times footballers need to be educated and warned early on that sometimes in football things may not go to plan and you can be left disappointed, somethings can go out of your control. 

 

From Dwight's point of view he can be disappointed but accept time ran out, maybe the move will happen in the summer.

[kenny]

10 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

Footballers need to remember the careers they signed up for, it's not like an every day job where you can up and quit and relocate somewhere else. It was always subject to the deal being completed on time and January is always a tricky window to get a move. I do feel like at times footballers need to be educated and warned early on that sometimes in football things may not go to plan and you can be left disappointed, somethings can go out of your control. 

 

From Dwight's point of view he can be disappointed but accept time ran out, maybe the move will happen in the summer.

Most people have to weigh up whether the extra £10k per year they are being offered is worth the extra travel time and expense, plus the responsibility of a new role.

 

This guy has to weigh up how to book a Premier Inn for a few nights a week for his extra £30k every 7 days. He will probably have to go out of his way to text his personal assistant to get them to organise it.

 

 

[OntarioFox]

I just saw the fallout of the McNeil thing, was too busy focussing on our own deadline day madness.

 

Whether it was intentional or not for them to pull what they did, I can't help but notice the parallels between Palace right now and ourselves over recent years - gaffes, overspending, and failing to get players out who want to leave while facing deteriorating results on the pitch. It's a recipe for disaster, I just hope for their sake that their wage bill isn't as ridiculous as ours has been, because they're looking more and more like the next club to enter a doom spiral. They'll probably be ok this season but yikes, not looking good going forwards.

 

Oh, and I can't possibly not mention that this downturn has followed them winning the FA Cup. It's all oh-so familiar!

Edited 4 February by OntarioFox

[surrifox]

On 02/02/2026 at 12:38, The Bear said:

Yeah they saved a whole £2m the scamps. 

Pikey club 

[Leicesterpool]

Eddie Howe apparently now the favourite to face the sack at Newcastle. I won't surprised if Enzo ends up getting approached for that job.

[Fox92]

8 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

Eddie Howe apparently now the favourite to face the sack at Newcastle. I won't surprised if Enzo ends up getting approached for that job.

Whoever decided to spend £50m on Wissa needs sacking.

[Dan]

I can see Palace going down in the next couple of years, possibly even this. I'd be astonished if they fell as hard as we have though.

[Leicesterpool]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

I can see Palace going down in the next couple of years, possibly even this. I'd be astonished if they fell as hard as we have though.

Agreed they could find themselves in a similar situation to Wolves next season. 

[don_danbury]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

I can see Palace going down in the next couple of years, possibly even this. I'd be astonished if they fell as hard as we have though.

they have a much better owner than us. can't see their fall being that quick

[Dan]

1 hour ago, don_danbury said:

they have a much better owner than us. can't see their fall being that quick

Nobody will fall as quick and as hard as us without a Portsmouth like scenario. To achieve it without one is utterly remarkable. Unheard of.

 

But it's definitely going wrong at Palace. Their recruitment has gone off a cliff in the last year or two.

[Leicesterpool]

There is only so many top players you can sell in a small amount to then soon feel the impact. To lose both Eze and Guehi in the same season is two massive gaps to fill.  Wont be too long before Wharton leaves.

Edited 6 February by Leicesterpool

[Muzzy_no7]

Come on Leeds!

[Vacamion]

 

Probably like many in here - not a massive fan of Leeds,  but a massive unfan of F*rest.

 

Gwon Leeds.

 

 

 

 

[Spiritwalker]

I feel dirty for saying this but come on Leeds.

[Leicesterpool]

If West Ham win tomorrow and Tottenham lose. Is it safe to say Tottenham are in a relegation scrap.

[foxfanazer]

Lurrrrvvvvvley