Mr Popodopolous

To an extent I agree although their big problem appears to be the lack of a truly high end striker. In 2018, they were quite different- had both strong possession and created quite a lot of chances too. Vs Brazil their final ball left a fair bit to be desired, ball didn't exactly stick well either. Agreed,.rather difficult to break down. Rather compact for sure.

Wasn't all that impressed by then to be fair. They were solid, competent in possession not saying poor but not dazzling either. They had an X Factor in Messi and a fine support act in Alvarez but certainly wasn't blown away or anything like that.

The bit or a bit that interests me. For example, Stoke decide to drop £50m on transfers courtesy of their Bet365 backers- to what extent could, might the regulator step in? Where does the expenditure of a club on new signings become a point where it presents a risk to sustainability of the game? I choose Stoke as their fans seem quite bullish about ability to spend more next season- at what point does one club spending start to destabilise the market at our level.

https://www.efl.com/news/2022/december/club-financial-review-panel-appointed/ The CFRP has been officially appointed today. @Davefevs @ExiledAjax @Hxj @chinapig @downendcity Will they have already cleared clubs pertaining to Covid-19 add-backs and claims or is it still an ongoing review process do we know? That aside, timing coincidental given the whole Football Regulator thing?

Feel free to move this to the correct section if required first and foremost. I posted it last night but not so well. It's a bit of a question of etiquette and or form more than anything. Basically the venue in which I had the disastrous meet with someone last June that I posted about on here, hopefully that post was seen as relatively humorously. I digress, back off to that venue or planning to with someone else and doing a much better job of it. It was a venue that she suggested for completion purposes. I've decided to co-opt it in a sense and use it to go with someone else. I am comfortable with it but thought I might ask for a little advice- is there a risk or perception that I could be construed as taking the piss somewhat? My plan is that I won't run into her and vice versa and obviously won't boast or shout about it online but is it possible she might somehow see it as me acting in a manner that is less than constructive, a perception that I am setting out to wind her up? My view is that yes she should not get irked at all, no reason to. She probably won't.

Think we definitely deserved more vs Sheffield United, Watford and Norwich. QPR could have scored a few all told.in the 1st half vs us, Swansea at home maybe maybe not but we seemed to have to absorb more in 2nd.half.

Don't disagree. The claimed speed of fall, indeed the other one too about it being halved in 18 months or so just seems unfathomable to me given what we've seen with us and other clubs trying to get costs down. All those PL loan signings, plus Wilmot, Vrancic, half a season of Surridge, Gayle- and loans for Sawyers (relegated WBA) and Maja (Ligue 1 Bordeaux) and such claims are far removed. 2021-22 accounts will be interesting.

Latest Stoke wages claim. From their forum. Apparently reduced to 1/3 of what it was, their wage bill. Basic maths said that is a fall of 2/3...very sketchy on detail but it apparently happened on O'Neil's watch. Bet365 accounts to end of March 2022 will shed some light but that wage bill is falling all the time. Then again it's a post on a forum, nothing official.

Were I a believer in the conspiracy side, I'd say that FIFA want a lot of shocks but ultimately. Not the Messi v Ronaldo final that many state but France v Argentina aka Mbappe v Messi final. Passing of the torch to the new greatest player from the last. (Arguable, granted). Where do both play? PSG. Who owns PSG? Qatar. Where is the tournament? Qatar. Passing from the old to the new in the World Cup final would truly reflect the glory of Qatar- and perhaps by association, PSG.

Sepp Blatter used to slate officials when required. Can we say the same now? It's a bit of a segue as without him we wouldn't have a winter World Cup but he certainly wasn't averse to rating and slating refs and linesman. Whether it was a sensible approach dunno but he used to do it! He once said referee Ivanov should have been booked or booked himself for his display! Novel.

Could have been sent off, their defender for 2nd penalty. We had our moments- make it 2-2 and who knows what happens! Was the penalty shout in the 1st half one we should have had too- looked terrible on the replay yet VAR seemed to decline it. Disappointing though, I thought pre game that France might shade it but we (missed 1st 15 mins) from what I saw, we really deserved better I thought.

Never really seemed in that great danger or threat. Portugal had a lot of the ball but no waves of attack- some chances sure but never did Morocco look like they would crumble, crack. Just seen the winner again, Portugal definitely could have done better on that.

Impressive stuff that @Davefevs The higher cost base probably comes in part from higher event revenue and associated costs but then again if it's football only that perhaps cancels out a bit. I still look at some clubs and wonder if all clubs are treated equally under the regs: Stoke Major losses yet no problem. Starting line-up today contains Delap who scored plus loanees in the form of Clarke (Arsenal), Fosu-Mensah (Brentford) and Smallbone (Southampton). Wilmot signed permanently from Watford in summer 2021 and Baker from Chelsea in January 2022 yet we cannot sign in January unless we sell first seemingly? Reading A side who failed FFP and are under a Business Plan with conditions and 6 points suspended are beating Coventry- scorer was a free transfer most recently at Metz, (Ligue 1) plus their line-up today contains Hendrick (Loan, Newcastle), Fornah (Loan Nottingham Forest) and the gift from Chelsea in Rahman. I wonder about their compliance to this season and maybe even last. Selling Olise maybe did it but what of this season?? Edit- Loum off the bench, loanee from Porto.. They've made good efforts but absolute obligation, exact numbers etc. We have debated and discussed this in various ways, at varied times but do you think we are getting equal treatment in the context of the regs. I believe it's an open question.

Just talking about the Croatia v Brazil game again, I think some of the apparent claims of negativity were harsh. Watched some highlights. They were somewhat cautious yes although technically excellent but what frequently happened was that the final ball...was lacking. The final shot...failed to get it away, a Brazil defender made a little block whatever. The shot count was therefore perhaps a little misleadingly low, in the sense that they creativity and positivity was let down by the aforementioned factors.

No Wilson, Vyner, Kalas, Dasilva, Benarous. No problem. Our away record has unlike prior years been a bit of an issue this season- this is a great start post break, Naismith back is welcome he gives us a real extra dimension. Hopefully guves us the confidence to go on and strng some results together yet for all the patchy results, 2 or 3 of the home performances we definitely deserved more- Swansea to some extent, Sheffield United and Watford most definitely. First win there since 1995 it said on the radio too, that's excellent tbh.

Ah just checked, yeah he was from their academy.

Just seen the third- lovely stuff. Well done Pring, 1st goal. Hopefully the first of a good few over the years Scott-Pring-GOAL #MadeinBristol (Yes I know Scott is from Guernsey).

Nope it's his 2nd. This season in fact (although don't think he scored last season).

It's a bit of a cliche tbh. Heard this for years, read it for years on varied sites- fans of club x, manager or senior coach an ex defender and questionable defensively. Different style of players, different era of football with abilities and expectations to defend- different laws of the game. So many variables.

Well that was some match, but was obviously strongly leaning towards the Dutch. Was a shame, always good when Argentina lose- two of my first WC memories were 1998 Owen fantastic breakout goal, Beckham red and the dreaded penalties!! Then the redemption- for England and for Beckham- in 2002.

The thing that irritates me about Brazil I reckon, some of it isn't even their fault. Not so much Brazil themselves as their lackey pundits, media types- casual fans who like a reflex reaction swoon over them. Yeah they can play beautiful football but can mix it too. 20 fouls today! Their style has become a bit more pragmatic this century, bit more European perhaps.

Well well...what a shock!! Had a feeling Croatia one way or another would make a strong game of it but that Brazil would eventually win out.

I also maintain that if Croatia still had a prime Mandzukic, Suker, Boksic, or perhaps even Olic, Eduadro or even Prso, they would have had more punch up front, be it shots or making the ball stick.

It's a strange sort of game, been very comfortable in possession but really not much up top. If it goes to penalties they've timed that equaliser to near perfection. I say strange, I of course should add enjoyed it without doubt too as a neutral.

Lack a focal point post Mandzukic, a bit punchless in the final third although Petkovic seems to have his uses.