Premier League 2021-2022 part III

[Savant]

How is 4g 3a in 13 games better than 5g 8a in 18? What Diaz did in other competitions doesn't matter when you're having a discussion about the premier league. I don't think Kulusevski is better than Diaz but he did have a bigger impact since arriving this season.

Talking about best signing of the January window/best January window ever. If you want to say PL only, go ahead if that makes you feel better, but I am looking at the whole of contributions if we are talking about best January signing. Diaz had a much tougher XI to break into and scored important goals in all four competitions that Liverpool are in, where Liverpool have won two, can win another, and probably should have won the league. Diaz is a major part of that. Because the level is higher, especially at the top of the table (contending for 1st tougher than contending for first/team performance overall) and in European competition (Diaz scored goals in CL knockout rounds, Tottenham sandbagged their competition and went out) this stuff matters. Frankly Tottenham’s best signing was Conte. I don’t think Kulusevski did anything particularly unique for them. We’ll see what happens next season though. Conte absolutely got the most of kit of Kulusevski, but if you switch Kulusevski and Diaz, I don’t think Kulusevski has nearly the impact that Diaz did for LFC, and Diaz does similar if not better than Kulusevski did at Tottenham. If you switch them LFC is worse (maybe they don’t win at least two cups) and Tottenham is better.

 

[robertmac43]

This is a ridiculous ask from the "senior figures". Imagine telling Rashford to stop raising millions for kids going hungry...

 

[hatterson]

This is a ridiculous ask from the "senior figures". Imagine telling Rashford to stop raising millions for kids going hungry...

I’ve said it before, as a United fan if this form is the price for Rashford to continue doing what he’s doing off the pitch, I’m more than happy to let him continue.

That said, I think it’s absurd to believe that the reason he struggled this year is that he spent too much time caring about starving kids. Far more likely is that he struggles with confidence after his injury and could never get things going again. He really needs a summer to reset on the pitch.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

I’ve said it before, as a United fan if this form is the price for Rashford to continue doing what he’s doing off the pitch, I’m more than happy to let him continue.

That said, I think it’s absurd to believe that the reason he struggled this year is that he spent too much time caring about starving kids. Far more likely is that he struggles with confidence after his injury and could never get things going again. He really needs a summer to reset on the pitch.

Who knows. As I've mentioned before, I work in oncology. "Compassion Fatigue" is a real, recognised thing that results in systems being put in place to help staff avoid it.

I don't know what ails Rashford - injuries, some personal issue, his mate being a rapist, Lindgard whining. But to say that its absurd that his off-field activities might have contributed to it is well, absurd.

Burnout, spreading himself too thin, who knows. But *something* is wrong with Rashford.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Club announcement - Tottenham Hotspur Limited agrees a £150m capital increase | Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham, London: Tottenham Hotspur Limited (the “Club” or “Spurs”) has, today, Tuesday 24 May 2022, agreed a capital increase of up to £150m from majority shareholder, ENIC Sports Inc (“ENIC”), via the issue of convertible A Shares and accompanying warrants.

www.tottenhamhotspur.com

Posted about this quickly in the transfer thread too. I struggle putting into words how shocked I am. I had nothing against ENIC keeping the club self-sustainable, which they've done for 20 years, but this is a very sizeable investment. Probably a one time thing, but still. Conte is getting backed for sure.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Club announcement - Tottenham Hotspur Limited agrees a £150m capital increase | Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham, London: Tottenham Hotspur Limited (the “Club” or “Spurs”) has, today, Tuesday 24 May 2022, agreed a capital increase of up to £150m from majority shareholder, ENIC Sports Inc (“ENIC”), via the issue of convertible A Shares and accompanying warrants.

www.tottenhamhotspur.com

Posted about this quickly in the transfer thread too. I struggle putting into words how big this is. I had nothing against ENIC keeping the club self-sustainable, which they've done for 20 years, but this is a very sizeable investment. Probably a one time thing, but still. Conte is getting backed for sure.

No excuses for them next year. Good news for Kane and Son too who have been left out for so long.

I think this summer will have the most investment in players ever in premier league history.

I fully expect United, Tottenham, Newcastle, City, Chelsea, West Ham, Arsenal and Liverpool to invest massively to improve their squad.

Good time to be a seller.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

No excuses for them next year. Good news for Kane and Son too who have been left out for so long.

I think this summer will have the most investment in players ever in premier league history.

I fully expect United, Tottenham, Newcastle, City, Chelsea, West Ham, Arsenal and Liverpool to invest massively to improve their squad.

Good time to be a seller.

David Sullivan not about to splash cash when the prevailing theory is he just sells up next summer (likely to Kretinsky).

I’d predict modest spending and a lot of pissed off Hammers knowing they’re about to have another European campaign with a shoestring squad. Season likely could have gone differently/better with competent backup players, they ran out of steam like crazy.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

David Sullivan not about to splash cash when the prevailing theory is he just sells up next summer (likely to Kretinsky).

I’d predict modest spending and a lot of pissed off Hammers knowing they’re about to have another European campaign with a shoestring squad. Season likely could have gone differently/better with competent backup players, they ran out of steam like crazy.

I thought they made bid to get Darwin Nunez in January for 60M which was rejected?

Maybe I got that wrong.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I thought they made bid to get Darwin Nunez in January for 60M which was rejected?

Maybe I got that wrong.

They very well may have, but it’s the same as the rumored £50M bids for Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha. If you make a bid you know will be rejected, did you really make a bid?

David Sullivan is a master of the “we tried” bid and well-placed story. No one really takes them seriously.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

West Ham don't have that much money. They're not poor, but they're only in the Conference League and they don't have anywhere near the financial clout that the teams above them do. They're equivalent to Newcastle, only without being owned by an oil state.

The problem that teams like Spurs & United & Newcastle are going to have is - yes, they have lots of money to spend, but all the best players that are available are already choosing RM & PSG & Liverpool & City. Conte + UCL gives Spurs a bit of an advantage, but the danger all three clubs face is overpaying for average players because the good players have already gone somewhere else.

 

[Chimaera]

How do they not have a lot of money? I know they've had some transfers who haven't worked out, but that's a massive stadium (relatively new, even with it's imperfections) in a good area with the London market...

Is it not having money, or being cheap?

 

[hatterson]

How do they not have a lot of money? I know they've had some transfers who haven't worked out, but that's a massive stadium (relatively new, even with it's imperfections) in a good area with the London market...

Is it not having money, or being cheap?

I think it’s “not having money relative to the big 6” more than not actually having money. Without checking Deloitte they’re probably somewhere in the low to mid teens for income in the world, which is obviously far from poor.

 

[Live in the Now]

Messi just casually did it three times lol.

 

[SSF]

Like Jersey says, I doubt either of the Davids is going to make a massive outlay before they sell in June of 2023 so they dont have to share the profits of the sale with the London Stadium authority.

 

[Gecklund]

Who knows. As I've mentioned before, I work in oncology. "Compassion Fatigue" is a real, recognised thing that results in systems being put in place to help staff avoid it.

I don't know what ails Rashford - injuries, some personal issue, his mate being a rapist, Lindgard whining. But to say that its absurd that his off-field activities might have contributed to it is well, absurd.

Burnout, spreading himself too thin, who knows. But *something* is wrong with Rashford.

If I had to make a very uneducated guess, I’d say it’s all the above. Injuries, his work in the community, issues around the squad, issues around his personal life. I genuinely think United should allow Rashford to continue his charity work but help him find someone to help him run it.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

How do they not have a lot of money? I know they've had some transfers who haven't worked out, but that's a massive stadium (relatively new, even with it's imperfections) in a good area with the London market...

Is it not having money, or being cheap?

I think it’s “not having money relative to the big 6” more than not actually having money. Without checking Deloitte they’re probably somewhere in the low to mid teens for income in the world, which is obviously far from poor.

Hatterson is definitely correct that on the world scale they’re a monied club (16th on the Deloitte money list), but David Sullivan historically has also been very cheap. Weren’t called Loan FC for a while for nothing.

Sullivan went for the money hire after Bilic with Pellegrini (firing Moyes who kept them out of the drop, btw) and opened up the purse strings for him and that window was a huge flop with car crash signings like Haller and Felipe Anderson. Since then, they’ve spent “sensibly”. The most expensive signings were Zouma and Vlasic at around £30M - certainly not nothing, but very expected outlays for a top half/mid table PL side in this day and age. They’re lucky they struck oil with bargain signings (Bowen, Soucek, Dawson, Coufal).

There’s very little expectation of Sullivan spending on a good day, let alone when he’s got one foot out the door.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

How do they not have a lot of money? I know they've had some transfers who haven't worked out, but that's a massive stadium (relatively new, even with it's imperfections) in a good area with the London market...

Is it not having money, or being cheap?

You have to remember the EPL isn't a gate receipts driven league. Yes, West Hams match day revenue will be bigger than say Brighton or Wolves, but a far bigger chunk of change comes from the TV money, and all 20 teams get £100m +

Even the prize money only goes up by ~£2m per position.

Plus they're not in the Champions League. They'll get a bit of money for their run in the Europa League, but it's not UCL money.

Finally they don't have the national and international fanbase of the teams above them. Merchandise sales and marketing deals will be dwarfed by those above.

So, they've got enough money that they don't need to sell Rice and Bowen....yet. They can even afford to offer them really good money....but they're unlikely to sign because they know the big boys are sniffing round them.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Quick Avram Glazer interview from yesterday.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Quick Avram Glazer interview from yesterday.

Fun fact. Building a successful team is purely dependent on money spent on players. And that’s it.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

You have to remember the EPL isn't a gate receipts driven league. Yes, West Hams match day revenue will be bigger than say Brighton or Wolves, but a far bigger chunk of change comes from the TV money, and all 20 teams get £100m +

Even the prize money only goes up by ~£2m per position.

Plus they're not in the Champions League. They'll get a bit of money for their run in the Europa League, but it's not UCL money.

Finally they don't have the national and international fanbase of the teams above them. Merchandise sales and marketing deals will be dwarfed by those above.

So, they've got enough money that they don't need to sell Rice and Bowen....yet. They can even afford to offer them really good money....but they're unlikely to sign because they know the big boys are sniffing round them.

Doesn't the Deloitte list account for all of those things (gate revenue, merchandising, marketing, etc.)? I don't think the question is why don't they spend as much as the "big six", that seems obvious, they don't generate as much money/have owners okay burning money. I think over the past decade or so West Ham is around 10th in net spend.

The general arc of West Ham has been: Owners don't spend -> the fanbase goes ballistic (this is usually paired with bad on-pitch results) -> the owners loosen the wallet, but spend terribly -> tighten the wallet and don't spend to course correct for previous mistakes. Rinse and repeat. That period after the Burnley match when it looked like West Ham might go down and the supporters invaded the pitch it looked like the pressure campaign against the owners was really going to explode. David Sullivan has typically spent only when he was all but forced to. West Ham might not be as big as the six teams ahead of them, but they should always be spending in that tier behind them. Not with the likes of Crystal Palace.

 

[maclean]

Wasn't Křetinský coming in supposed to help with injecting money? Though I guess he's got his hands full now with Sparta failing to win anything and everyone calling for everyone's head

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Wasn't Křetinský coming in supposed to help with injecting money? Though I guess he's got his hands full now with Sparta failing to win anything and everyone calling for everyone's head

He put in ~£180M, but that was mostly paying down debt. I don’t think much if any of that went into the squad.

What’s up with Sparta? Did they sink money in and still fail in the Czech league?

 

[Chimaera]

Doesn't the Deloitte list account for all of those things (gate revenue, merchandising, marketing, etc.)? I don't think the question is why don't they spend as much as the "big six", that seems obvious, they don't generate as much money/have owners okay burning money. I think over the past decade or so West Ham is around 10th in net spend.

The general arc of West Ham has been: Owners don't spend -> the fanbase goes ballistic (this is usually paired with bad on-pitch results) -> the owners loosen the wallet, but spend terribly -> tighten the wallet and don't spend to course correct for previous mistakes. Rinse and repeat. That period after the Burnley match when it looked like West Ham might go down and the supporters invaded the pitch it looked like the pressure campaign against the owners was really going to explode. David Sullivan has typically spent only when he was all but forced to. West Ham might not be as big as the six teams ahead of them, but they should always be spending in that tier behind them. Not with the likes of Crystal Palace.

I guess that was more my question. I know they were in the mid range of the money league, with decent cash if they wanted compared to the continent. They’re not top 6, but by no means should be poor.

 

[maclean]

He put in ~£180M, but that was mostly paying down debt. I don’t think much if any of that went into the squad.

What’s up with Sparta? Did they sink money in and still fail in the Czech league?

I mean, it's a matter of perspective, they used to dominate and they've been trying to get their mojo back for a while, and from a certain perspective, this year was an improvement. But they finished third in the league behind Plzeň and Slavia and lost in the final of the cup, so no trophies, Rosický (who is the sporting director) tendered his resignation but it wasn't accepted. Their fans are just extremely frustrated by anything that's not a title and their last one was 2014. I think they kind of fell off in the spring and Křetinský apologised for how the season turned out and said it wouldn't happen again because Sparta isn't Conference League level. I mean, my team is fighting not to get relegated most years so it's hard for me not to just feel like they were spoiled for a long time when they didn't have as much competition, but from their perspective if Sparta isn't racking up trophies, it's because somebody's f***ing things up

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Crazy stat: