Is anyone else ‘mystified’ by Liverpool positivity as raft of Iraola issues listed? | OneFootball

Are you, too, ‘mystified by how positive people seem to be towards Liverpool’ this summer? Andoni Iraola has been given basically nothing.

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Deal or Bruno deal? I think a few of the points Mike made are off the mark. Selling Bruno would be absolutely mental. He’s your best player and you need someone who is going to take risks in your team. He’s probably the best chance creator in the league. The team is much worse without him. It’s not as if Bruno is taking risks in his own half. He’s creating countless chances for your forwards in the final third. If you want Sesko and Mbeumo to excel, keeping Bruno would aid this.

I agree with the Maguire shout. I think he became very overrated last season. The fella played decently for 4/5 months and it was somehow a massive shock when he wasn’t in the England squad. Keep him starting for a whole season and I guarantee the errors will start happening again. I do rate him but he’s been inconsistent for his entire United career with his ups and downs.

Rodrygo? The fella is out til 2027 with an ACL injury. He won’t be properly good to go til next season you’d imagine. Also, why would he join United to play right wing. That’s his main issue at Madrid. If he does leave Madrid he will want to playing on the left. I would imagine he would be hesitant at going to a side like United too where CL football is not really guaranteed and they haven’t even made it past the last 16 all that much in 15 years. Dion

Do you know what really grinds my gears Football365? People that write in saying we need to sell Bruno. He’s our best player by many country miles and is genuinely world class.

This time the letter was from Mike and I am also called Mike so I shall refer to him as Evil Mike. EM says Bruno is exceptional at playing the early, high-risk pass and launching quick counterattacks. We have spent years building around that style, and it has not produced a team capable of consistently controlling and winning games. Top teams can counterattack, but they also dominate possession and dictate the tempo

But we haven’t been playing that way because Bruno’s real skill lies in launching counter attacks, it’s because we haven’t had the players around him to play different styles.

So sell him now to get a higher market value and then spend that money on players who will be nowhere near his ability?

I swear there will have been Barcelona people writing in saying they need to sell peak Messi now to maximise transfer value. Just stop it. Good Mike (He’s evil burn him with fire)

So let me get this straight.

Mike from this morning’s mailbox has some great ideas to get Manchester United back winning trophies. Start by selling Bruno Fernandes who bagged a record 21 assists in the league last season and will probably win the PFA award. Sell immediately, less than two weeks before week

Righttttt

Then follow that up with trying to sign Rodrygo who is recovering from an ACL injury and isn’t expected back until the early stages of 2027. Tosin, Bristol

Life of Bryan Good point Jack but who didn’t win the title out of Charlton, Robson, Bruce and Carrick? I’m assuming you assumed Robson but he got 2 and they got 13 between them. It’s why United fans want Bruno to ‘do a Robbo’ and scoop a late Prem title after carrying a bunch of goons for a decade.

Also all 4 had European success, the cup winners cup was legendary, bring it back and make European football and domestic cups great again. Moses

Laughing at Liverpool With the new season almost upon us, websites, podcasts and the like are all awash with preseason predictions and I find myself mystified by how positive people seem to be towards Liverpool.

Firstly, there’s the manager. I really like Iraola, if we’d not stuck with Carrick, he’d have been my preferred pick from that pool of “unproven at the very top” crop of managers. But he is still that: unproven. Has he got the personality? Can he handle the extra scrutiny? Can he manage juggling Europe as well? No idea, could go either way.

Secondly, and more importantly, the players. Bar keepers, every department looks short of quality and depth. In defence, Van Dijk was creaking horribly last season; why would he improve having turned 35? Why partner him with two very inexperienced kids, a crock and a guy on loan who had been absolutely dire for two years? Who is playing right back? The permanently crocked academy lad, the Pygmy wing back or their best central midfielder?

In midfield, Mac Allister has been dreadful for ages and gone through a long, exhausting World Cup. Freshen things up? Add a first team starter? No, sell Curtis Jones.

In attack, Ekitike is out long term and Achilles injuries are notoriously difficult to recover from. Might well not be back fit and in form til next season, so it’s a good job their record signing is available. However, as good as Isak is as a player, he’s always one that’ll need managing carefully. He’s not going to be able to play 50-60 games. Who is the cover? Who else is scoring the goals? Salah is gone, Gakpo is mediocre and they’ve signed a pretty unproven winger from Spain. Maybe he’ll be great, but there’s huge shoes to fill. Then there’s Wirtz, the one man excuse for pundits. For the price, he was diabolical last season; feels like the entire season is resting on his slight, weedy shoulders. Good luck with that.

If he wasn’t managing the filth, I’d feel sorry for Iraola, because it looks like he’s being hung out to dry by the higher ups. First choice right back, senior centre half, first choice central midfielder and first choice winger was the obvious top four items on the shopping list and it’s debatable that they’ve delivered any of them.

I’m absolutely here for it, I hope they implode like Spurs last season, but I’d be hugely concerned if I were a fan. Lewis, Busby Way

Arse in Europe Everyone banging on about Arsenal going one better and at ease winning the Champions League this season. Have they all forgotten the ridiculously easy route they had to the final – making hard work of it whilst soiling the eyes of all TV viewers and actual match attendees alike in the process? Gillingham would have been able to have a decent stab at getting to at least the semis with that run in.

Granted they may be in pole position starting the Prem this season – with all the uncertainties of the other teams being their biggest advantage (often winning the Prem comes down more to the shortcomings of the other usual main challengers – as it did last season and the season before when Liverpool won it) – but lets not pretend that had Arsenal got one of any of PSG, Bayern, Barca, Real, City or Liverpool in the knockouts – they would not have got anywhere near the final. And lets not hear any of the nonsense about beating some of those teams earlier in the competition – we all know by now that counts for nothing – apart from possibly getting you an easier draw later on. So yeah well done the Arse – I’ll give you that.

Here is hoping that a few more teams in the Prem can improve on last year and bloody the nose of Arsenal and bring them back down a peg or 2. A not still bitter at all Shunt LFC

Stats, fractions and barriers to entry I saw Dave Tickner and other mailboxers are still claiming Spurs got their place in the “big 6” through years careful financial husbandry, and the foresight to build a revenue cash cow of a stadium.   All on a “fraction” of the resources available to Man City according to DT.  Well yes Dave, but that conveniently ignores the fact that every club except the other members of the Sky 6 have been operating on an even smaller fraction City’s resources.  Not to mention on fractions of what Spurs were spending.

According to this graphic on wages I found (hope the link works ok), between 1993 and 2019 (before the new stadium) Spurs were 6th in the aggregate spend by PL clubs on wages.  At times in the 90s and 2000s they were higher in that table.

Their spend may have ended up quite a way behind the other Sky 5 in aggregate terms but still significantly ahead of those below them.   The “fraction” for Dave’s benefit, is Spurs spent about 3/5 as much City did in the same period.  Other relevant fractions might be Villa spending 5/8 of the amount Spurs did in the same period on wages, and Newcastle ¾.  The figures are skewed by both Villa and T

Then there’s the 21st century net spend table from F365 itself.

This s not just PL clubs but all clubs, up to 2025.

There are Spurs sitting in 7th place, behind the Manchester clubs, Arsenal, PSG, Real Madrid and Chelsea – three “traditional giants” and three sugar-daddy clubs.  Yet comfortably ahead of fellow superleaguers Liverpool, Bayern, Barca, Inter. Milan and Juve.   Fractionally, for Dave’s benefit, Spurs spent 5/7 of City’s spend, and 3/5/ of their net spend.  For comparison Villa spent 3/5 of Spurs’ total spend, and their net spend was 5/8 of Spurs’.

Ticket price history was harder to come by but the few tables I’ve managed to find show Spurs generally among the most expensive tickets and season tickets, along with Chelsea and Arsenal – perhaps a tiny indicator that being in London constitutes something of a boost to revenues that others do not and cannot share?  For example Villa’s most expensive season ticket for the 2025-2026 season was around 2/5 of Spurs’ most expensive – there’s another fraction for you Dave.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to argue that Spurs were already established as number 6 in the “sky 6” well before they built their new stadium, At the bottom end of it yes, and a way behind the others, but the runt of the litter still felt part of the pack enough to be involved in the Superleague breakaway talks.

It doesn’t compare to the spending of City or Chelsea, but based on the above stats I don’t think it’s unfair or inaccurate to suggest that they spent their way to that 6th position,  and that being in London aided their revenue generation in order to be able to do that.

In any case I wasn’t “blaming” Spurs for anything in my first letter (although they showed their true colours with their involvement in the Superleaque debacle) , just pointing out that they are maybe not the right team to be used as an example for Villa and Newcastle to improve their status organically, when they were clearly allowed to spend what they could, and were willing to, without any meaningful restrictions of the kind Villa and Newcastle, and others, are now shackled by.

Once established in that position, the rules make it pretty much unassailable, however bad Spurs may have been on the pitch recently and however well run another club might be.  For example, Villa’s net spend position for the last few years: , 19th, while still falling foul of PSR/SCR and accused of spending money they don’t have.

The fact is, by whatever means or resources,  Spurs were ”in the club” before the drawbridge was pulled up and are likely to remain there however incompetent they try to be on the pitch, because that’s precisely what the rules were designed for.  Football is now a Sport in name only, and the “Product” is the big successful clubs who appeal to Sky subscribers in Malaysia and Indonesia and China and the US who just want to see their favourites winning every week.   It’s about ensuring they continue to be successful to sustain that demand.  No Business in their right mind would allow that product to be undermined by interlopers.  Anyone with eyes and a brain can see that restrictive practices are being applied and straightforward, natural barriers to entry they are not, however much Adidasmufc might try to claim they are. Kevin Villa (awaiting the stats to show the above is wide of the mark)

Dick move Dear Richard Hughes and The transfer team, seriously WTF! Selling players  w/o replacements this close to the start of the season. M.Nair ( Haven’t they heard of the saying a bird in hand is worth two in the bush? FFS they’re screwing with the club and the fanbase ATM)

Predictions Seems a bit pointless predicting entire seasons when the transfer window still hasn’t slammed shut as we are told it must. Hence I’ll try to entertain myself with a ”wouldn’t admit it but would accept“ list . With some extra transfers getting over the line.

I´ll start with Villa because a lot of people seem to think they are going to be better than I do .

Supposing they lose Ollie to the oilys but get another striker through the door I reckon they´d accept another Champions league finish and a day out at Wembley.  Personally I can see a (relative) disaster in the midlands.

Now Arsenal. As the Gunners have to put up with jibes about Chelsea being the only team in London to`ve won a champions league I´d say Arsenal would accept losing the league if they could conquer Europe, though I don´t think that´ll happen. They ought to buy Rodrygo who can play on both wings.

Carrick would surely accept a repeat of his third placed finish and a quarter final in Europe, though it seems INEOS are moving in the right direction and they may become serious challengers soon.

Liverpool need to get their arses into gear before September the first , but let´s say they do  : Wharton and Barcola minimum and play a whole shed load of exciting football I reckon they´d accept top four and a cup win to build forward into serious challengers again after Van Dyke has retired . Isak can challenge Erling Braut if he stays injury free for capocanoniere

Kinda the same thing for Spurs , If the fans can see some exciting and coherent football and finish top eight they´d take that , unless they get a very good striker in and a return of Kulusevski then a champions league place might be the minimum.

Just City and Chelsea to go . They swing on whether Enzo joins Enzo or not , then there is the winter window where the Abu Dhabi team can waltz on to a Semenyo and Guehi type double swoop , which is clearly more financial doping but they´d expect to push Arsenal all the way and go to at least the quarter finals of Europe´s top comp´. I have big question marks over whether Maresca is the man yet City could maybe persuade Luis Enrique to jump ship.

I find Chelsea the trickiest to predict , let´s say they get some more good signings in and let Jackson eff off I suppose they´d be happy with some improvement in team spirit and a decent base for next season. Hopefully Alonso will make them as entertaining as his Leverkusen team were.

A top six club signing Junior Kroupi and waiting patiently for his recovery seems like good business to me .

Arbeloa to win the sack race – he is an imposter of the highest order.

Wanna see some blinders , attack over defence , no low blocks, good refereeing  – pigs might fly. Peter . Andalucia.

I have read a lot about super computers calculating who would win the prem, who would get relegated and everything in between. So on the morning of the return of the Premier League, I thought I would give it a try.

My methodology was to take 20 data points, rate each from 1-5 – with 5 being the best. These were then added up to give a total score. The final score is an amalgamation of the data, and not the estimated points total. Simple enough. Some of the data points can be quantified, and much of it is subjective – so go easy!

The data points gathered are; The head coach, first XI, squad, wage bill, squad value, goals, defense, xG, xGA, possession in final third, passes allowed per defensive action, season schedule, injuries, squad transfer gains, squad transfer losses, club culture, club pressure, teamwork, opening five fixtures and the bookies odds.

The results were not played around with to manufacture the desired outcome, and surprisingly, it would align with many pundits’ predictions beyond one or two minor upsets. Here is the results of the Calvino Computer:

1. Arsenal – 84 2. Man Utd – 83 3. Chelsea – 78 4. Man City – 75 5. LFC – 74 6. Brentford – 73 7. Brighton 72 8. Spurs – 70 9. Aston V – 69 10. Everton – 69 11. Leeds – 69 12. Bournemouth – 67 13. C Palace – 64 14. N Forest – 62 15. Newcastle – 61 16. Sunderland – 58 17. Fulham – 57 18. Coventry – 56 19. Ipswich – 50 20. Hull City – 44

Conclusions: No surprises for the relegated 3, or the champions. Man Utd could be close challengers if they can continue last season’s form, combined with a minor Arsenal dip.  All-in-all the top five seems obvious and could easily be interchanged within itself.

I had to check my made-up numbers twice for Brentfiord and Brighton, especially given Brightons upcoming European season. Brentford, data wise, seem good for the money – good up top, solid at the back and they won’t be bogged down with midweek fixtures – underdogs. Spurs, Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle fans may read this with disappointment, and I was slightly shocked to see where they ended up. Everything else seems rather reasonable. Calvino

As is traditional, tell me who will win the league: Likely to look foolish by December, but I will ignore the made-up computer and go for Manchester United. The hope is that  Sesko, Cunha,  Bruno, Rashford, Amad and Mbeumo are on form, with DeLigt, Martinez, and Maguire being fit, available and on form. Arsenal would need to have a tough season with injuries with a continued lack of form up top as a handicap.

And the rest of the top four, in order. Which nobody ever gets right: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool. Gut says City is in for a tough season.

Three picks for relegation please: Coventry, Ipswich, Hull City –  yawn.

Which club will be a pleasant surprise? Brentford. Seemingly achieving really good things whilst going slightly under the radar from the mainstream media. They have a solid team that can hurt teams, and a solid backline. Sangare will be exciting to see.

Who will win the Golden Boot? Being honest, Haaland. Being hopeful, Sesko.

Which new signing will have the greatest positive impact? Enciso – if Ipswich manage to stay up he will be why. Tonali  – Massive fee but he cannot be anything but positive for Spurs.

And which one will turn out to be a massive flop? Sangare – I really want this to work and he may very well be worth triple in a year’s time, but he may also be the next Jean Michel Seri.

I like Morgan Rogers but 117M is insane and I don’t know if Chelsea will see a return on this investment.

Who will be the biggest bloody bargain? Tielemans for 35M. is just yes thank you very much. Manzambi, Tzolis, Yirenkyi, and Wilson make the top five.

Who will be named the PFA Player of the Year? Bruno

First manager to leave their Premier League job? Jakirovic, or Arbeloa

Pick the Champions League winner. PSG with an iconic third-in-a-row.