The Swamp

I'll start things off on what is a very positive note for Spurs...

James Maddison a Spur

40 million pounds.

Looks like Rice to Arsenal is done too.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:46 pm Looks like Rice to Arsenal is done too.

My daughter will be thrilled (Rice is sooo cute!). Havertz was also announced. Much less excited about 65 million pounds for Havertz, but supposedly Arsenal will use him in his preferred position. I really wanted Arsenal to keep Balogun, but I think they sell him and a bunch of other players to pay for Rice and Havertz. I just need to trust Arteta and Edu.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:57 pmMuch less excited about 65 million pounds for Havertz

I don’t understand EPL spending rules. They don’t have a salary cap or luxury tax, do they? So, why do we care what a team spends on players? (I know Man City is in trouble for some spending-related issue, so clearly there are rules of which I am ignorant.) Please lay it out for a novice.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 5:00 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:57 pmMuch less excited about 65 million pounds for Havertz

I don’t understand EPL spending rules. They don’t have a salary cap or luxury tax, do they? So, why do we care what a team spends on players? (I know Man City is in trouble for some spending-related issue, so clearly there are rules of which I am ignorant.) Please lay it out for a novice.

I think you need an LLM in Financial Fairplay to begin to understand it, but there are rules. Unlike City, Chelsea (under Abramovich), Newcastle and all the other oligarch/oil sheikh/State-run clubs, Arsenal actually run like a business trying to earn a profit, so they are limited in the amount they can spend on players. Arsenal are going to sell around 10 players to cover the fees of Rice and Havertz.

Hearing that Bupkis to Everton is a done deal

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 5:00 pmI don’t understand EPL spending rules. They don’t have a salary cap or luxury tax, do they? So, why do we care what a team spends on players? (I know Man City is in trouble for some spending-related issue, so clearly there are rules of which I am ignorant.) Please lay it out for a novice.

Old money doesn’t want new money to compete at their level. Imagine if the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Red Sox all argued that teams can’t spend more than they make going forward to avoid any other teams from getting at their level.

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 8:24 pm Hearing that Bupkis to Everton is a done deal

Pretty sure man U is getting Bupkis.

We got a guy whose name sounds like Haaland!

Summer's biggest signing

Wolves are a dumpster fire, relegation certainties

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66437744

I know he's not the literal worst CB in the world, but I still don't understand West Ham offering United $30MM to solve United's problem.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:57 am I know he's not the literal worst CB in the world, but I still don't understand West Ham offering United $30MM to solve United's problem.

None of your business.

Going to say something possibly stupid but ... up until an hour ago, I would have very confidently said a Spurs defender punched a horse in the last ~5 years. I have no idea why I was sure of this and I can't find anything via a google or a Spurs fan friend to even come close to making sense.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 11:26 am Going to say something possibly stupid but ... up until an hour ago, I would have very confidently said a Spurs defender punched a horse in the last ~5 years. I have no idea why I was sure of this and I can't find anything via a google or a Spurs fan friend to even come close to making sense.

Sure you aren't thinking of the Newcastle fan 10 years ago? Most Geordie thing every.

Wouldn't Adams be blocked by the better and younger Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea?

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 2:47 pm Wouldn't Adams be blocked by the better and younger Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea?

Enzo's not really a true defensive midfielder. Chelsea needs an anchor there now that Kante's gone. Adams could make a great pairing.

Oh? That makes me feel a little better because Adams stepping right into the Pulisic mess at this stage of his career would suck ass.

Auf Wiedersehen

I'm going back to bed.

Pruitt IV wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 6:54 am Auf Wiedersehen

I'm going back to bed.

If he can stay fit, he'll become a much better player for England by playing in München.

Pruitt IV wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 6:54 am Auf Wiedersehen

I'm going back to bed.

Why the long face?

Glad I didn’t pick him in fipl.

WTF Harry Kane?

So if he stays at Tottenham and plays out his contract, Spurs will lose 100 million pounds.

The prayer for Spurs fans is that he is negotiating a big new contract with the team. Otherwise, his 25 goals this season will come with a massive price tag.

Pruitt IV wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 4:50 pm WTF Harry Kane?

So if he stays at Tottenham and plays out his contract, Spurs will lose 100 million pounds.

The prayer for Spurs fans is that he is negotiating a big new contract with the team. Otherwise, his 25 goals this season will come with a massive price tag.

Feels similar, but less mercurial, than the Mbappe situation at PSG. I'm on the side of labor nearly always. Kane doesn't owe Spurs anything but his best effort in training and games in exchange for the money they've agreed to pay him. If he can get a larger contract with a new club for next year because Bayern (or anyone else) doesn't have to pay a transfer fee, good on him. I suppose my feelings on this are also influenced a bit by the thought that it would fuck over Daniel Levy, which I'm 100% fine with.

Pruitt IV wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 4:50 pm WTF Harry Kane?

So if he stays at Tottenham and plays out his contract, Spurs will lose 100 million pounds.

The prayer for Spurs fans is that he is negotiating a big new contract with the team. Otherwise, his 25 goals this season will come with a massive price tag.

So if I’m reading the article correctly, Kane will refuse to sign, so Bayern can afford to pay him more since they will get him on a free transfer?

The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 5:22 pm

Pruitt IV wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 4:50 pm WTF Harry Kane?

So if he stays at Tottenham and plays out his contract, Spurs will lose 100 million pounds.

The prayer for Spurs fans is that he is negotiating a big new contract with the team. Otherwise, his 25 goals this season will come with a massive price tag.

So if I’m reading the article correctly, Kane will refuse to sign, so Bayern can afford to pay him more since they will get him on a free transfer?

That's the implication of the article, but it also sounds like Bayern intend for the deal to get across the line tomorrow.

Dias out with a concussion seems especially bad for a player like him. Does anything ever go City's way???

Expectations seem fairly high for Burnley, considering they just got promoted.

I really hate the collar look.

De Bruyne didn’t last long.

mister d wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 2:10 pm I really hate the collar look.

Disagree.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 2:28 pm De Bruyne didn’t last long.

Surprised he started unless Pep really wanted to let Kovacic (and Gvardiol) watch this one.

Wonder what time Kompany has to leave this match to get back to his job as a cool 90s advertising exec.

Dave Fishwick Minibuses don't sell themselves, Mr. D.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 2:50 pm Dave Fishwick Minibuses don't sell themselves, Mr. D.

Do they still have the Fishwick signage? I love it so much. Dave Fishwick was actually a good interview on MiB a number of years ago.

An Ass is right!

hell, i put 6 bucks on Villa to win it.


*aka the MW Guarantee™ to finish bottom 5

Gorgeous Martinelli assist.