Mr Popodopolous

It's something I've been thinking about for a while although Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday still to decide the final entrant. First answer would be yes. Then again I think the Reading who went down had varied good or competent players on paper, Sheffield United still had a lot of their PL players tbh or a reasonable number anyway. Whereas the three coming down on paper look big and established clubs, this can also be a culture shock to them. Of more interest I found was the general views. On a range of forums and platforms I've seen the Championship described as a bit poor or weak tbis year. Reading forum I read it on, Stoke certainly, a few Nottingham Forest fans on Twitter and perhaps surprisingly a BBC journo on Radio Sheffield. He also doubled down with quite the claim.

Courtesy of Kieran Maguire. Their wage bill will have come down on last season but still...?? Few figures I pulled from their accounts.

Agreed. Annual Accounts is the way then Player wages or football wages are usually 75-80 pct of wage bill if not itemised separately. Then I suppose these sites maybe seeking to extrapolate base wages and disregard bonuses, non football wages and or Tax, NI. This could be the most basic figure then extrapolated by a typical figure but even then very low.

All of the clubs who were listed had good recruitment in common but all had different models! The one I most often draw comparisons with is Brentford. A number if players we signed frok overseas were if a similar profile, starting point at the time of signing. At time of signing, could Nagy and Massengo vs Norgaard and Jensen profile wise not he relatively interchangeable to name two. I fancy they would (injuries permitting) have flourished more at Brentford, maybe can add Eliasson to that too. Kalas or Jansson? As of 2019 is there a great deal of difference- if anything Kalas is a bit ahead!

Aston Villa making Europe too, could have gone down if not for the technology not working in 2020. Some clubs are born spawny, them and Everton.

I used to have a certain respect for Everton but they seem to have become fairly obnoxious and entitled in the last few years as a fanbase and massively cheating and a club, FFP etc.

I do hope Leeds follow through their lawsuit this time if Everton are found guilty.

Well that's a shame. They always get away with it, always. Two, maybe 3 compliant sides have gone down, somehow they defy their poor away form their terrible away record to absolutely annihilate a side who have finished 6th in the table and beaten and competed with a host of top PL sides this season.

One bit to add on this, as we saw a few years back in 2019. Debates as to whether limits should be raised or tightened. Nottingham Forest fan on Twitter..reckons that £105m in 3 years adjusted loss limit doesn't reflect the modern market and should rise to reflect. I view that fairly dismissively but who knows how a majority of clubs will vote.

Leeds sold Raphinia and Phillips for big money summer 2022 so probably not them- you could be thinking of Leicester who sold Fofana and posted a huge pre tax loss of £92m despite being in year of record or 2nd or 3rd highest turnover. Leeds are currently in dispute over the wages of Augustin but I don't see that tipping them into FFP breach anyway. I would also query Leicester and their current position or projected current position to 2023, let alone 2024 and Wolves are reportedly under observation. Chelsea we know about, surely they'll get referred if they don't make the correct sales by end of June.

3rd highest behind Pereira and Wallace IIRC. All the same that is pretty good, especially as you say with a relative lack of game time or consistent game time. Double figures assists at this level aren't so easy to come by in a 46 game League season (ie disregarding Cups or playoffs).

Well they went down there despite winning so yeah you'd want to send them down. Win and send them down- we didn't show up vs Birmingham in 2017. They should go like Mainz did at Dortmund yesterday, no on the beach there.

Let's hope this is true. Worth noting that Bournemouth won 3-1 at Goodison on the last day in 2020 but went down. It feels like it is the turn of Everton too. Been in the top flight for many years and had a number of last day scrapes in the PL era.

Yeah agree with most of this. Seems odd that Mainz are suddenly like that after losing their prior 4 games tbh but credit to them for not rolling over. Borussia Dortmund clearly had nerves, lacked composure. The penalty miss for one- had Haller equalised I suspect they go on to win. They seemed too gung no if anything early on Borussia Dortmund even though I understand the thinking. Thought the one on Guerrerio was also a penalty but didn't even get a VAR check for some reason.

Perhaps they were playing quite hard for Tuchel as well. He did impressive things there and is at Bayern now , whereas Borussia Dortmund sacked him in 2017. Could be rubbish but you never know. Treated it like a bit of a Cup final.

Mainz were a dangerous counter attacking side with no pressure, in some ways not the gimme many thought. Weird combination of a deep, hard to get round line or through for a lot of the game but when they broke they were quite fast and difficult. Not a nice setup to play against chasing the win at home. 5-4-1 low block but a threat on the break..Mainz had what to play for exactly. Credit to them for their attitude and playing hard.

It is not uncommon, okay we are better supported but we have often taken 40k to Wembley or the Millennium. Higher than our gates especially pre redevelopment etc. New stadium might also add...Brighton went from 6-7k at Withdean in 2010-11 to 20k plus after promotion at Amex in the Championship in 2011-12! Factor of 2.5-3 overnight!

Why would a side that retained most of their players, play they lost Naismith plus added players like Morris and others that fit the setup and then playoffs with top half before fall into a relegation scrap? Plus a defined system, tricky away game etc.

Tbh they were a bit unlucky. So near yet so far. They were 9 points off with an inferior GD after 15 games that is an impressive surge. Bellingham gone but there is plenty to build on. A fully fit Haller post cancer over a whole season is a boost, provided that they spend well, they often do- but Bayern themselves being underpowered surely won't repeat itself but many clubs sell key or top players. Haller not playing before Christmas- Health clearly comes first, second and third, but that won't have helped . He has had an impressive last l 18 games of the campaign to last weekend, but it just did not happen for him today. Question Is twofold if we don't sell Scott, threefold actually. 1) What financial headroom will we have to add? It's debatable. 2) Will Scott himself be happy with the scenario? 3) If the time comes that we are still Championship in a year's time and we really do need to sell not even just for FFP but just a natural progression...What then? What would we get for him with one year left on his deal. I also give the counter argument- Blackburn. Twice going for the stars, twice sort of skimming and then slightly surpassing the moon. Summer 2022 Nyambe, Lenihan , Rothwell Out of the door for free. Summer 2023 Ayala, Dack, Brereton-Diaz £0 for the lot. Needing loans and frees, can't spend fees without transfer revenue coming in, bit like us probably betweek January 2022, summer 2022 and most of ie pre Semenyo sale January 2023. Except wow look at that list..out the door for £0, some player went to Luton as well, unsure who. Possibly didn't get anything for him either.

The disappointing thing is, it'll possibly be Borussia Dortmund's best chance for a while because.. 1) Bayern haven't yet properly replaced Lewandowski . Expect them to do so this summer either with a top striker or one a notch or two below. 2) I expect Bayern to also pad out the squad a bit depth wise although it's probably only the top reasonably seasoned striker that they are deficent in. Lanier from Leipzig off there another midfield option which also weakens a rival. 3) Bellingham off. Sure Borussia Dortmund will have money to spend but how well? 4) Haller for a full season. Okay today wasn't his best gsme to put it mildly but after his cancer scare a full pre season focused purely on the football will help them for sure.

It is and it isn't a choke. They clawed back a 9 point deficit from January to today, 11 points in fact from January to last weekend. Mainz were in certain ways dangerous opponents- strong on break and no pressure, away from home. Hell of a run after Christmas. Haller penalty miss will haunt him. His offside goal he may wonder about.

This I dunno what can you say. Mainz 4 losses in a row and midtable albeit nonpreseure and quick on the break. Borussia Dortmund so impressive since January overhauling 6th place placing and 11 points in the subsequent 18 games. 5 minutes seemed light stoppage time wise too.

Damn Bayern winning again. Back ahead...Two goals as we were 10 mins ago.

Penalty Equaliser for FC Koln! Deserved too by the sound. If Bayern don't win, Borussia Dortmund win it no matter what.

I noticed from what I've seen that Borussia Dortmund don't seem a typical tactical foul..could have been useful for Mainz 2nd goal.