The English Football Thread

[Vesper 27,272]

Man Utd star Paul Pogba rubbishes rumours he will quit France over President Macron’s comments on ‘Islamist terrorism’

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/13020178/man-utd-paul-pogba-quits-france/

[Vesper 27,272]

Donny van de Beek told he made huge mistake joining Man Utd by legend Marco van Basten

The midfielder was an unused substitute in Saturday's goalless draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford, and has endured a less than spectacular start at Old Trafford

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-van-de-beek-22904903

[Vesper 27,272]

Solskjaer’s Haaland pursuit, United seek data scientists, Liverpool set for move

https://theathletic.com/2159352/2020/10/26/haaland-solskjaer-liverpool-training-ground-united-data-scientists-drug-tests/

Edinson Cavani has made a very good impression in his first week at Carrington and will offer Anthony Martial genuine competition for a starting place this season, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still has designs on enhancing his centre-forward options in the long term. The name at the top of his list? Erling Haaland.

Manchester United’s negotiations with Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola may have ended fractiously last year but bridges are said to remain intact between Solskjaer and the player.

Jadon Sancho will also continue to be uppermost in Solskjaer’s mind, even if Cavani now has the shirt originally bracketed for the England international. Sources say an informal codename among those trying to strike a deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Sancho was “Project No 7”.

As far as Haaland goes, Solskjaer wanted to bring him to Old Trafford at the earliest opportunity having managed his fellow Norwegian at Molde in their homeland, but United refused to agree to the release clause demanded by Raiola.

Dortmund won the pursuit for the then-Red Bull Salzburg striker through their presentation of a sporting project and by accepting a clause that is understood to allow Haaland to leave if there is a bid of €75 million (about £68 million) in the summer of 2022.

Cavani’s 12-month contract with United can extend to that date if a clause is triggered, although sources say an earlier move for Haaland could materialise at a higher price if it becomes clear the 20-year-old is ready to move.

This weekend, Haaland scored his fifth goal in five Bundesliga games with a dinked finish in the derby against Schalke and Solskjaer believes the Norway international will become Europe’s elite striker for the next decade, justifying the high price tag.

Whether United would be willing to engage in more talks with Dortmund remains to be seen though, after the Sancho saga and a bruising episode that saw them lose out to the Germans over Birmingham City’s Jude Bellingham.

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Liverpool finally set to move into £50m training ground

Liverpool are set to finally make the move to their new £50 million training complex in Kirkby next month, reports James Pearce.

The Premier League champions were initially scheduled to leave their historic Melwood home at the end of last season. However, those plans had to be shelved due to delays to the construction project in Kirkby caused by social distancing measures.

Melwood was sold for around £10 million to be turned into housing but Liverpool inserted a clause that gave them the option to stay put for the entire 2020-21 campaign in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

The decision over whether to make the switch mid-season has rested with Jurgen Klopp and The Athletic understands the manager has now indicated he’s keen for it to happen during the next international break.

It means Liverpool’s Premier League trip to face Manchester City on November 8 is likely to be the final game where preparations take place at Melwood, which has been the club’s training base dating back to Bill Shankly’s reign 60 years ago.

Klopp championed the idea of bringing the first-team and youth set-ups together on one site shortly after his appointment in 2015. He felt constrained by the lack of space at Melwood and the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, backed his vision by purchasing 14 acres of additional land next to the academy base. Work started in September 2018 and was close to completion before being halted in March as a consequence of the pandemic.

Klopp was heavily involved in the design process of the 9,200-square-metre complex, which was led by London-based architects KSS. Senior players such as Jordan Henderson and James Milner also had some input in terms of the layout of the dressing rooms. The building, seen below in designs released before the pandemic, includes two gyms, a large indoor sports hall, swimming pool, an extensive hydrotherapy complex, specialist sports rehabilitation and medical suites as well as relaxation and dining areas.

 

 

There are also dedicated TV studios, press conference facilities and an array of offices, with balconies overlooking three GrassMaster hybrid pitches.

Klopp has also had a paddle tennis court built for his pre-training session battles with assistant manager Pep Lijnders.

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United search outside of football for new data scientist

Manchester United are closing in on appointing a data scientist to support research across a number of areas at the club, Adam Crafton reports.

Head of football development John Murtough has whittled down a shortlist to a handful of candidates, whose credentials will be presented to Joel Glazer and Ed Woodward for final selection. Industry insiders expect a decision to be made on the hire within a month.

United originally had a very long list of targets from the football world but are now looking at a more corporate external hire, possibly from a pharmaceutical background, although this is not guaranteed. The aim has been to entice specialists from these fields with the lure of working for an elite football club.

United want someone who can study data across a range of performance indicators — including medical and recruitment — but will also be able to straddle the business side of the club.

The role is a step in the direction of United establishing their own research unit, similar to what Liverpool have done with Dr Ian Graham. Graham holds a Cambridge degree in theoretical physics and his modelling has helped improve Liverpool’s record on injury prevention, conditioning, on-field performance and recruitment.

United’s process has been in the works for several months, prior to the outbreak of coronavirus, and the pandemic raised the prospect of the appointment being paused.

But Joel Glazer, who is in daily contact with executive vice-chairman Woodward, wanted United to press on.

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Three Premier League players ‘failed’ drug tests last season

Three Premier League footballers recorded positives in drug tests during the 2019-20 season, The Athletic can reveal. They were found not to have broken any rules and were allowed to continue playing by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD).

It is understood one of the banned substances a player tested positive for was methylphenidate, which is often sold under the trade name Ritalin. The stimulant medication is most commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list because it may enhance explosiveness, power, strength or stamina.

Another player tested positive for methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid commonly used to treat inflammatory and allergic disorders. It can also help athletes train more often and at a higher intensity.

The identity of the third substance was withheld by UKAD. The Athletic understands this is because it relates to an ongoing investigation.

No punishments were handed out because the players received therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) to allow them to continue playing. TUEs permit the use of substances or methods that are on the prohibited list, depending on the athlete’s clinical situation.

In total, UKAD handed out eight of them last season, while five additional TUEs were granted by UEFA to players in European competition.

The number of Premier League players to have recorded positive drug tests is down compared to previous seasons.

In 2018-19, there were 11 instances of players testing positive for substances on WADA’s banned list. This follows from eight during 2017-18, six in 2017-18 and two during 2016-17.

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Dele left out of Spurs squad for Burnley game 

It is understood Dele Alli will not feature for Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League match against Burnley this evening having not travelled north with the squad yesterday.

The 24-year-old midfielder is not injured and did play in the Europa League win against LASK on Thursday, coming off the bench for the final 30 minutes of that 3-0 victory.

At the end of last month Dele was left out of the squad for the Carabao Cup game against Chelsea having been linked with a move away from Tottenham, but no offers were forthcoming before the transfer window closed on October 5.

Dele has not started a league match for Jose Mourinho’s side since the opening day of this season, a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton on September 13 when he was subbed off at half-time and replaced by Moussa Sissoko. His only minutes in the league since then were the final 21 against Manchester United earlier this month, at which point Spurs were 5-1 up and cruising.

His lack of playing time has also impacted on his England chances, with Gareth Southgate leaving him out of both squads so far this season. His last appearance for England was in the Nations League match against Switzerland in June 2019.

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Bubble gives Arteta greater control over under-23s

Mikel Arteta’s control at Arsenal extends to the under-23 side, it has emerged. Conscious of getting minutes for some of his fringe players, Arteta spoke to Steve Bould before the Premier League 2 game against Manchester United on October 17 so that Cedric Soares, William Saliba, Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe all started.

Bould, Arsenal’s under-23s manager, changed his team accordingly for a match that ended 3-3. Arsenal’s first-team and academy players are mixing as part of the same bubble at the club’s London Colney training base, so the transition between the sides is straightforward. No additional distancing measures are required.

The situation is different at United, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team squad trains separately to youth groups. And that meant an unusual set of arrangements when Brandon Williams, Marcos Rojo and new signing Facundo Pellistri dropped down to the under-23s for Friday’s home match against Everton.

Protocols dictated that the trio could only mix with their team-mates on the pitch at Leigh Sports Village. So they each had to arrive individually by car, rather than on the team bus, and also get changed in a separate dressing room.

The Leigh site has four changing rooms, making the situation more manageable, but manager Neil Wood had to give his pre-match instructions to the players in his usual under-23s squad, then to the three from Solskjaer’s first-team side one after the other.

He still had to remain socially distanced from Williams, Rojo and Pellestri, who also had to wait for their team-mates to go onto the pitch before they could step into the tunnel to walk out.

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EFL keeps new squad lists secret

Mesut Ozil was the highest-profile casualty when Premier League clubs were asked to submit their official 25-man squads last week. He was far from the only senior player who will have to sit out matches until January at the earliest after failing to make the cut at their team.

Down in the EFL, however, it is not quite so clear-cut. A new rule has been introduced this season stipulating that each club must submit a list, with a limit of 25 players for Championship teams and 22 for those in League One and League Two. The deadline was last Tuesday.

All fairly straightforward, apart from the delay involving Nottingham Forest’s proposed loan arrangement for West Bromwich Albion’s Kamil Grosicki, which went through 21 seconds after the 5pm deadline and subsequently had to go to an appeal.

The difference is that the EFL, unlike the Premier League, has not publicised the squad lists and when contacted by The Athletic it was not prepared to share who was in and who was out.

All very peculiar — and our understanding is that position might eventually change. For now, however, it remains a guessing game when it comes to which EFL players have missed the cut.

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Lansbury turns down Villa pay-off

Henri Lansbury has turned down the offer of a payout on reduced terms as Aston Villa try to offload him, reports Gregg Evans.

The 30-year-old has not started a Premier League game since last December but refused to follow goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and midfielder Jota out of the club at the start of October.

Villa could not move Lansbury on to another club before the transfer deadline and subsequently tried to sort out an agreement to end his contract early. Without the full value of his deal being paid, however, he was not interested in leaving. His three-and-a-half year agreement, signed in January 2017, expires next summer.

The former Nottingham Forest captain has scored just two goals in 41 league appearances since. He is not in Villa’s 25-man squad but will continue to train at the club.

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Why Brighton named academy coach in squad

A shock return to the Premier League for Andrew Crofts at the age of 36 has not been totally ruled out, but his appearance in Brighton & Hove Albion’s squad is for regulations-related reasons, Andy Naylor reports.

The former Wales international returned to the club for a third spell as a coach and an over-age player for the under-23s in July 2019. He had to be named in Brighton’s official 25-man squad list as he is a professional player above the age qualification criteria for exclusion.

Crofts is unlikely to ever be needed, but he is viewed at the Amex Stadium as an emergency option if Brighton were to be hit by a COVID-19 or major injury crisis.

The midfielder made 24 appearances for Norwich City in the Premier League in 2011-12 between two stints with Brighton that spanned five seasons in the Championship and League One. His last senior game was for Newport County in the 2019 League Two play-offs.

[Blue Armour 4,158]

Also, just saw the Sky Sports news about Son and Kane getting close to the all time no.1 stats of deadliest PL duo, which is currently held by Drogba and Lampard at 36.

Ffs,  I think we're the only club in recent history to simultaneously hold records for that, highest scoring PL team, highest points tally, least goals conceded, highest scoring midfielder, most wins in a PL season, best undefeated home record, highest scoring defender.

All those records are slowly being taken by other clubs over the past few years.

We really need to turn ourselves around in the coming years.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

8 hours ago, Vesper said:

if we lose to Burnley the pressure on Lamps is going to be insane

they are fucking dreadful

only worse team in the EPL is Fulham 

maybe West Brom

those 3 are utter shite

As shite as they may be, we are still more than capable to gift them a win...we have seen it so many times that its a non entity no longer sadly.

[Laylabelle 9,293]

11 hours ago, Vesper said:

Halloween, Burnley, away at that rathole of a stadium, argggggg

deffo some bad omens there

they have down us hard before too

last 9 games those rotters have won 1 (that 2017 hot mess) and  drawn 3 more

and we almost blew that 2018 1 2 away win (that was the game Moses scored to put us up 1 2 with 21 minutes left, and they almost scored 3 times (I think it was 3) after that)

semi bogey team, I fucking hate them, so so so goonball

 

 

 

Not to bad bad.. think was thinking of Bournemouth and thought lost to them last year...but who knows lol. Keep us on the toes

Wonder if money has been donated instead of pay per viewing like other clubs hmmmn. Thats backfired.

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

So the Premier league has decided to continue to charge £14.95 PPV for games until 21 November. and not reduce it to £4.95...

 Theyre too stubborn to admit defeat, and we will continue to boycott.   Cheeky cunts think watching on TV is half as good as being there.....

Well done Newcastle fans they put the money into a pot (around £25 000) and gave it to a Foodbank instead

[Laylabelle 9,293]

27 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

So the Premier league has decided to continue to charge £14.95 PPV for games until 21 November. and not reduce it to £4.95...

 Theyre too stubborn to admit defeat, and we will continue to boycott.   Cheeky cunts think watching on TV is half as good as being there.....

Well done Newcastle fans they put the money into a pot (around £25 000) and gave it to a Foodbank instead

Think quite a few teams have donated..glad its gone to better causes!

Liverpool fans raised more than £120,000 for North Liverpool food bank

Leeds fans donated £57,000 

The NUFC Fans Food Bank group has made more than £60,000

 Tottenham Hotspur fans have already raised in the region of £16,000 

Arsenal fans had donated £30,000

West Brom, Sheffield United and Fulham fans also contributing.

Manchester United and Manchester City supporters have given £25,000 to a local foodbank 

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

1 hour ago, Laylabelle said:

Think quite a few teams have donated..glad its gone to better causes!

Liverpool fans raised more than £120,000 for North Liverpool food bank

Leeds fans donated £57,000 

The NUFC Fans Food Bank group has made more than £60,000

 Tottenham Hotspur fans have already raised in the region of £16,000 

Arsenal fans had donated £30,000

West Brom, Sheffield United and Fulham fans also contributing.

Manchester United and Manchester City supporters have given £25,000 to a local foodbank 

Wot no Chels ?? 

Yeah I heard a lot of those figures were disputed eg Newcastle this morning was £80 000 and this afternoon £25 000, and you have £60 000 

But the sentiment is right

[Vesper 27,272]

David Squires on ... Marcus Rashford v the Tory government

Our cartoonist on the striker’s mission to provide meals for children in need, and the grimly predictable obstacles in his way

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/oct/27/david-squires-on-marcus-rashford-boris-johnson-school-meals

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

Liverpool's casual staff have set up an in-house charity to donate food and money to their desperate colleagues during the coronavirus crisis, according to damning claims from a club employee.

The Premier League champions were slammed in the early stages of the pandemic for their decision to furlough their non-playing staff - followed by a swift U-turn - and now fresh claims have once again painted the club in a negative light. In a Reddit post from an employee of the club, it has been alleged that staff in the tours and museum centre have been left to fend for themselves as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the UK.

[Vesper 27,272]

4 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Liverpool's casual staff have set up an in-house charity to donate food and money to their desperate colleagues during the coronavirus crisis, according to damning claims from a club employee.

The Premier League champions were slammed in the early stages of the pandemic for their decision to furlough their non-playing staff - followed by a swift U-turn - and now fresh claims have once again painted the club in a negative light. In a Reddit post from an employee of the club, it has been alleged that staff in the tours and museum centre have been left to fend for themselves as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the UK.

sceptic owners gonna sceptic, even the supposed 'progressive' ones (FSG chiefs are pro US Democrats, unlike the (mostly) pro Rethug Glazers and Kroenkes)

[Laylabelle 9,293]

2 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Wot no Chels ?? 

Yeah I heard a lot of those figures were disputed eg Newcastle this morning was £80 000 and this afternoon £25 000, and you have £60 000 

But the sentiment is right

Maybe a BBC typo.

Hmmm link on Big Issue page says our donations go to Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank but doesn't say how much raised 

[Vesper 27,272]

FSG's possible £6bn deal and how it could impact Liverpool transfer spending

FSG in talks with US investment group over potential merger that would see Reds listed - but they wouldn't be the first

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fsg-liverpool-stock-market-transfers-19130843

[Atomiswave 6,072]

Fucking comical the way the media are wanking to spurs, I dont mind spurs they will go spursy soon enough, too dependent on Kane and Son.

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

sceptic owners gonna sceptic, even the supposed 'progressive' ones (FSG chiefs are pro US Democrats, unlike the (mostly) pro Rethug Glazers and Kroenkes)

Most yanks are Uber capitalists -all about the profit aint it

[Atomiswave 6,072]

1 minute ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Most yanks are Uber capitalists -all about the profit aint it

Will never change with these roaches of billionaires

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

1 hour ago, Laylabelle said:

Maybe a BBC typo.

Hmmm link on Big Issue page says our donations go to Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank but doesn't say how much raised 

Obviously the money isn't that vital to the clubs. They'd make more cash if they reduced the cost instead of being greedy preying on fans that actually keep the game alive. Either that or they're getting more money off the gangster betting cartels.

What do they think the future is just pretend crowd noises on TV.

Theyre probably working out a way to make the whole fucking game animation and CGI with no fans and only available on TV