The Football Thread 2024/25: Another international break, yay \o/

Last edited by Preezy on Mon Oct 07, 2024 9:32 am, edited 45 times in total.

The Official GRcade Football Thread 2024/25

Welcome once more to the home of top-tier football discussion, debate, memes and of course epic oi oi lads banter! :datass:

We had a closer title race than many expected last season, with City just pipping Arsenal to a record-breaking 4th consecutive title - surely they can't win 5 in a row?! We've also got the return of Ipswich to the top flight after a 22-year absence, up the Tractor Boys!

Supporters - Please let me know if I've missed you out and/or name changes, newly promoted fans please make yourself at home at the top table :toot:

2023/24 Champions: Man City
Champions League Clubs: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
Europa League Clubs: Tottenham and Man United
Europa Conference League Clubs: Chelsea
Newly-Promoted Clubs: Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton

The UEFA Champions League 2025 - The Road to Munich

The Fans

Let's goooooo!!!

Opening day fixtures:

Friday, 16 August
Manchester United v Fulham (20:00)

Saturday, 17 August
Ipswich Town v Liverpool (12:30)
Arsenal v Wolverhampton (15:00)
Everton v Brighton (15:00)
Newcastle United v Southampton (15:00)
Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth (15:00)
West Ham United v Aston Villa (17:30)

Sunday, 18 August
Brentford v Crystal Palace (14:00)
Chelsea v Manchester City (16:30)

Monday, 19 August
Leicester City v Tottenham (20:00)

Last edited by Preezy on Tue Jun 18, 2024 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

Boxing Day fixtures in full:
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Arsenal v Ipswich Town
Brighton and Hove Albion v Brentford
Chelsea v Fulham
Liverpool v Leicester City
Manchester City v Everton
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United

Final day of the season fixtures in full:
Bournemouth v Leicester City
Fulham v Manchester City
Ipswich Town v West Ham United
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Newcastle United v Everton
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
Southampton v Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton and Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford

Busy Boxing Day for Bournemouth there :lol:

Benzin wrote:Busy Boxing Day for Bournemouth there

BBC Football letting down the team

looking at the fixtures, west ham dont play a game outside of london until november

I'm changing my support to Man City this season. Please update the fan list, Preezy.

I know Dowbow and Cuttooth were both thinking about moving to Chelsea so would suggest anyone else thinking about changing their support does so before 16/08 or it won't properly count.

Albert wrote:I'm changing my support to Man City this season. Please update the fan list, Preezy.

I know Dowbow and Cuttooth were both thinking about moving to Chelsea so would suggest anyone else thinking about changing their support does so before 16/08 or it won't properly count.

I don't want to lose, so on 25 May 2025 I will decide who I supported for the season. :capnscotty:

Last edited by Preezy on Wed Jun 19, 2024 12:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Been idly browsing football stuff instead of doing work and was reminded of how ridiculously good AC Milan's starting XI was in the 2005 Champions League final:

Dida
Cafu
Nesta
Stam
Maldini
Gattuso
Pirlo
Seedorf
Kaka
Shevchenko
Crespo

Player for player, is there a better starting XI in recent memory?

and no the Liverpool XI that inconveniently beat them to undermine my argument doesn't count!

They must have have been good if they only needed 10 men.

Ste wrote:They must have have been good if they only needed 10 men.

how could I miss out Pirlo.

Team's even better now :datass:

Preezy wrote:Player for player, is there a better starting XI in recent memory?

If we include national teams then I think a starting XI from Brazil early 00s and Spain 2008-2012 might beat it.

If we are talking club only then no. Not in recent memory anyway.

Nobody cares about the Premier League now the best team has gone.
I foresee a near total collapse in viewing figures and game attendence.

Barca XI from the 2015 CL final runs that Milan side close, IMO.

ter Stegen
Dani Alves
Pique
Mascherano
Alba
Rakitic
Busquets
Iniesta
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

What a match that would be to watch :datass:

I used to love watching Italian football on channel 4 as back then the Italian teams were amazing.

Drumstick wrote:Barca XI from the 2015 CL final runs that Milan side close, IMO.

ter Stegen
Dani Alves
Pique
Mascherano
Alba
Rakitic
Busquets
Iniesta
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

2009 Barca CL final lineup is better for me (Clive):

V Valdes
C Puyol
Y Touré
G Piqué
Sylvinho
Xavi
S Busquets
A Iniesta
L Messi
S Eto'o
T Henry

Dowbocop wrote:
Drumstick wrote:Barca XI from the 2015 CL final runs that Milan side close, IMO.

ter Stegen
Dani Alves
Pique
Mascherano
Alba
Rakitic
Busquets
Iniesta
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

2009 Barca CL final lineup is better for me (Clive):

V Valdes
C Puyol
Y Touré
G Piqué
Sylvinho
Xavi
S Busquets
A Iniesta
L Messi
S Eto'o
T Henry

The defence lets it down for me (Clive). Sylvinho and Toure have no business being in a competition with Nesta and Maldini.

Yaya Toure in defence? Nah.

GKs are equal, '15 defence is better, '09 midfield shades it, '15 attack was utterly devastating.

Drumstick wrote:Yaya Toure in defence? Nah.

GKs are equal, '15 defence is better, '09 midfield shades it, '15 attack was utterly devastating.

I make no attempt to hide my bias but even if someone was being neutral I think Henry over any of those strikers but Messi is an absolutely reasonable choice, and Eto'o and Suarez apparently have an almost identical GPG for Barca from the brief look I had.

And let's not forget that if Sylvinho wasn't targeted by the HOME OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT MAFIA Ashley Cole wouldn't have got his big break and would've ended up at somewhere like Fulham married to a winner of The Voice - it's all sliding doors in this game...

The Football Thread 2024/25: Another international break, yay \o/

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