The Football Thread 2024/25: Erik's Euro Odyssey Continues...

[Denster]

Also, Haaland won't get any censure for throwing the ball at Gabriel, but I think he should get a retrospective six game ban - not for Arsenal's benefit, but just to make Fantasy Football a bit more interesting

He threw the ball at him and then barged a player over at the restart. Should have had a yellow. Haaland is very good at dishing it out but squeals everytime he is on the receiving end.

Same goes fir a lot if the city lot.

A team that has gundogan, silva, Rodri and Haaland has no case to make for other teams using the dark arts.

[Rex Kramer]

I guess that depends on whether they amend the rule to blow up as soon as the in play time hits 30 or whether it stops when the ball next goes out of play

Just do it when it goes out of play. And allow teams to take free kicks after the buzzer so you can't just foul the opposition to end the game.

That complicates it. When times up, whistle goes. If the ball is travelling to the net and crosses the line after the whistle, no goal.

[Tomous]

I guess that depends on whether they amend the rule to blow up as soon as the in play time hits 30 or whether it stops when the ball next goes out of play

Just do it when it goes out of play. And allow teams to take free kicks after the buzzer so you can't just foul the opposition to end the game.

That complicates it. When times up, whistle goes. If the ball is travelling to the net and crosses the line after the whistle, no goal.

It's not at all complicated and works fine in rugby.

I think both options would be fine in practice though.

[Dowbocop]

Also, Haaland won't get any censure for throwing the ball at Gabriel, but I think he should get a retrospective six game ban - not for Arsenal's benefit, but just to make Fantasy Football a bit more interesting

He threw the ball at him and then barged a player over at the restart. Should have had a yellow. Haaland is very good at dishing it out but squeals everytime he is on the receiving end.

Same goes fir a lot if the city lot.

A team that has gundogan, silva, Rodri and Haaland has no case to make for other teams using the dark arts.

Couldn't agree more. City are in no place to judge anyone on that.

But the one thing that boiled me up properly was Haaland's coward's move, bro. I saw it this morning properly. Throwing the ball in Gabi's head when he's not looking. When Gabi's back's turned to him. Real coward's move. Gabi would look him in the eye, you know. I'm looking at this as a really good defender vs striker for the years to come, them two. I love watching them two. And then you're doing a coward's move like that. No, no.

That's what bothered me more than anything else. I thought you was bigger than that, bro. I thought you was bigger than that.

FA have confirmed no further action btw. Any other team wouldn't get away with that gooseberry fool.

[Tomous]

A team that has gundogan, silva, Rodri and Haaland has no case to make for other teams using the dark arts.

Absolutely.

And let's not forget how Fernandinho made tactical fouling an art form over his City career.

[Dowbocop]

State of Wimbledon's pitch at the moment. I lived on the Wandle for a year and if I recall it was prone to flooding. The park near Colliers Wood was sometimes impassible.

[Benzin]

VAR apparently looked at the Haaland incident as well.

However as it wouldn't really be considered a red card (as much as many wished it would be considered violent conduct) they couldn't/wouldn't take action on it.

Besides, Arsenal never celebrated aggressively in front of opposition players ever

[Denster]

A team that has gundogan, silva, Rodri and Haaland has no case to make for other teams using the dark arts.

Absolutely.

And let's not forget how Fernandinho made tactical fouling an art form over his City career.

And De Jong when they first started being successful.

[Albert]

Besides, Arsenal never celebrated aggressively in front of opposition players ever

[Ecno]

Was in the away end at Anfield on Saturday with my lad for our historic win.

Lifetime memory created.

Out of interest how easy/difficult is it to get Forrest ( ) away tickets?

Impossible if you’re not a Forest member.

I’m an away member (in lowest 3rd tier of away membership ) and I have to apply in a ballot for chance to buy out of 1000-2500 available (depends on our allocation from home team). Season card holders and non away members also have an option for a ballot but there are only 100 tickets available to them.

Interesting that you use a ballot rather than the tiered free for all we (and I assumed most other clubs) use.

[Peter Crisp]

Luton are now on a 2 game winning streak so they'll be back here next season.

[Cuttooth]

Will Unwin is my least favourite pundit on Football Weekly now. Just a really smarmy sounding prick.

[Peter Crisp]

So the 2027 champions league final venue has been taken from Milan.

The new Luton stadium should open by then so it's pretty obvious where it should be.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

So the 2027 champions league final venue has been taken from Milan.

The new Luton stadium should open by then so it's pretty obvious where it should be.

I would love to see Luton get a new stadium as their plans have always looked amazing, right back to one they had planned with a retractable roof and looked like some sort of space ship. However as they've been talking about building a new one since the 90s do you think they could actually get the ground broken on the current plan before 2027?

This is a serious question by the way as I obviously don't follow Luton closely.

[Dowbocop]

I'm hoping Everton's new ground will be considered for a Europa/Conference League final. Don't see any reason why it shouldn't if it's in line for Euro 2028 matches.

[Moggy]

I'm hoping Everton's new ground will be considered for a Europa/Conference League final. Don't see any reason why it shouldn't if it's in line for Euro 2028 matches.

You can't have a League Two ground hosting big European finals.

[Preezy]

Varane retiring at 31, always a shame to see injuries take their toll.

Former Manchester United, Real Madrid and France defender Raphael Varane has retired from football at the age of 31.

Varane joined Italian side Como on a free transfer in July but suffered a knee injury on his debut against Sampdoria last month.

The centre-back says he will stay at the club in a non-playing role.

"I hold myself to the highest standard, I want to go out strong, not just holding on to the game," he wrote on Instagram. "It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct."

Varane began his career at French side Lens but spent just one season in the first team before joining Real Madrid in 2011.

He enjoyed a glittering 10-year career in the Spanish capital, winning 18 trophies - including three La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.

The defender moved to Old Trafford in the summer 2021 for an initial £34m, going on to make 95 appearances in all competitions.

He won the Carabao Cup in 2022 and his final appearance for the club was an FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City at Wembley in May.

[Peter Crisp]

I would love to see Luton get a new stadium as their plans have always looked amazing, right back to one they had planned with a retractable roof and looked like some sort of space ship. However as they've been talking about building a new one since the 90s do you think they could actually get the ground broken on the current plan before 2027?

This is a serious question by the way as I obviously don't follow Luton closely.

That's a fair comment as they have tried and failed to build a new stadium before.
This time though they have bought the land and done most of the work to it to get it ready (it had a power tansormer that needed to be moved and a river that needed to be cleaned and made into something that wasn't an eyesore) and they have also been in consultation with the local authority for years now.
I'm 99.9% certain we will get a stadium this time and the money they got fro the season in the Prem will massively help as they saved a shitload by not going bonkers in the transfer market trying to stay up. They also haven't overstretched by only making it a 25k seater so the cost compared to recent grounds like the Spurs staudium should make it much more possible.

There's always a chance it won't happen but I'm fully confident it will this time.

[DML]

I would love to see Luton get a new stadium as their plans have always looked amazing, right back to one they had planned with a retractable roof and looked like some sort of space ship. However as they've been talking about building a new one since the 90s do you think they could actually get the ground broken on the current plan before 2027?

This is a serious question by the way as I obviously don't follow Luton closely.

That's a fair comment as they have tried and failed to build a new stadium before.
This time though they have bought the land and done most of the work to it to get it ready (it had a power tansormer that needed to be moved and a river that needed to be cleaned and made into something that wasn't an eyesore) and they have also been in consultation with the local authority for years now.
I'm 99.9% certain we will get a stadium this time and the money they got fro the season in the Prem will massively help as they saved a shitload by not going bonkers in the transfer market trying to stay up. They also haven't overstretched by only making it a 25k seater so the cost compared to recent grounds like the Spurs staudium should make it much more possible.

There's always a chance it won't happen but I'm fully confident it will this time.

I would have thought it will basically wipe out the Prem money more or less, stadiums are so expensive to make nowadays, no longer can you make a modern, flatpack kinda stadium for £25m. Pompey aren't getting a new stadium, but in theory the numbers being touted were £100m+ easy even if they wanted to.

For what its worth I think its a good decision.

[Peter Crisp]

I would have thought it will basically wipe out the Prem money more or less, stadiums are so expensive to make nowadays, no longer can you make a modern, flatpack kinda stadium for £25m. Pompey aren't getting a new stadium, but in theory the numbers being touted were £100m+ easy even if they wanted to.

For what its worth I think its a good decision.

They have been extremely carefull with money and were by far the lowest wage payers in the Prem last season and were the second lowerst in the championship the year before.
They still remember what happened last time they went into administration and got spanked with 40 points penalty over 2 seasons so I'm confident they won't even get close to that happening again.
The club has a good following and should be able to fill a 25k seater and they have been very frugal recently.
The club has also just opened new training facilities and hope to attract a team to use those for Euro 2028 as they have been getting a lot of good press.

The club are never going to be as fashionable as the big boys in the prem but they are trying and are going in the right direction even if they have ultra limited transfer funds compared to any team in the Prem and most championship sides.
I'd be amazed if they broke the £5m transfer barrier anytime soon for example which many teams would see as third choice keeper type money.