Premier League 2019/20

[Main Street]

The old RTE triumvirate, the panel, have moved onto an alternate pundit universe.
This week's podcast was interesting when the subject turned to the demise of Arsenal. Giles compared  Don Revie and the Leeds board  to when the Arsenal board ousted Wenger. He claimed the Leeds board hated Revie and hated the absolute control he had over team affairs, they could not wait to see the back of him . Both Giles and Brady concurred that similarly the Arsenal board hated Wenger's control and it was a constant battle in the last years with the board actively scuttling Wenger's decisions. That Emry a good coach, pretty much concluded that team decisions were firmly out his hands. And that Arsenal's chickens are coming home to roost starting with a football ignorant board taking control over football decisions.

[manfromdelmonte]

It is getting close now - feel like it is Christmas Eve . ,it is big pity Newry can't organise a drive thru screen for this game.So many locals are LFC fans and would be a boost for society here .Looks like that isn't happening but  there is about 6 socially distant fans will have ale and some pies watching .YNWA

YMCA

[laoislad]

It is getting close now - feel like it is Christmas Eve . ,it is big pity Newry can't organise a drive thru screen for this game.So many locals are LFC fans and would be a boost for society here .Looks like that isn't happening but  there is about 6 socially distant fans will have ale and some pies watching .YNWA

YMCA

1995

[Gabriel_Hurl]

New Everton stadium improvements looks super

[manfromdelmonte]

It is getting close now - feel like it is Christmas Eve . ,it is big pity Newry can't organise a drive thru screen for this game.So many locals are LFC fans and would be a boost for society here .Looks like that isn't happening but  there is about 6 socially distant fans will have ale and some pies watching .YNWA

YMCA

1995

Steaua banners.
Ye're paranoid

[Milltown Row2]

The helicopter is annoying

[lurganblue]

Watching West Ham this evening its easy to see why Karen Brady wanted the season called off. As for Wolves they could nip into 4th spot as they have a easier run-in on paper than Chelsea or Man United.

West ham and Bournemouth were dreadful today. Aston Villa might stay up at their expense.

I actually cant see it.  Not with Villa's remaining fixtures.  Newcastle tonight is massive and if they play anything like against Chelsea they will be beaten again.

I look at that West Ham side, with some of the individual talent, and I am amazed they are in the thick of this.

[brokencrossbar1]

Watching West Ham this evening its easy to see why Karen Brady wanted the season called off. As for Wolves they could nip into 4th spot as they have a easier run-in on paper than Chelsea or Man United.

West ham and Bournemouth were dreadful today. Aston Villa might stay up at their expense.

I actually cant see it.  Not with Villa's remaining fixtures.  Newcastle tonight is massive and if they play anything like against Chelsea they will be beaten again.

I look at that West Ham side, with some of the individual talent, and I am amazed they are in the thick of this.

Touched by the Moyesiah...

Norwich are gone and then it's 2 probable from all below Brighton...I reckon they'll stay up. I personally hope it's West Ham and Villa. Don't know why but I particularly dislike both teams. Must be the claret jerseys as I dislike Burnley also.

[GetOverTheBar]

West Ham have been asking for it for awhile, funny the team rock bottom is the only from that whole list Watford/West Ham/Villa/Bouremouth that I'd have like to stay up but you have to think they are gone now.

Villa will be in serious financial trouble if they do slip down. Could be the end of them Leeds style.

[lurganblue]

West Ham have been asking for it for awhile, funny the team rock bottom is the only from that whole list Watford/West Ham/Villa/Bouremouth that I'd have like to stay up but you have to think they are gone now.

Villa will be in serious financial trouble if they do slip down. Could be the end of them Leeds style.

What makes you believe this?

[GetOverTheBar]

West Ham have been asking for it for awhile, funny the team rock bottom is the only from that whole list Watford/West Ham/Villa/Bouremouth that I'd have like to stay up but you have to think they are gone now.

Villa will be in serious financial trouble if they do slip down. Could be the end of them Leeds style.

What makes you believe this?

TRANSFER RECORD
Income/Expenditure   Arrivals/Departures   Fee
Income   21   £3.60m
Expenditure   25   £143.19m
Overall balance   £-139.59m

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/transfers/verein/405

We are seeing Man Utd and Spurs take out loans to cover costs during this time. Absolutely no chance Villa can cope.

[shark]

West Ham have been asking for it for awhile, funny the team rock bottom is the only from that whole list Watford/West Ham/Villa/Bouremouth that I'd have like to stay up but you have to think they are gone now.

Villa will be in serious financial trouble if they do slip down. Could be the end of them Leeds style.

What makes you believe this?

Their owners have a net worth of $4bn. They are obscenely wealthy. When they bought Villa they did not expect to get promoted 8 months later. That has been part of the problem this season in that the squad was not ready for the Premier League. If they go straight back down they will be financially better off having been in the Premier League for the 1 year. The money they spent on players is comfortably offset by the 1 year increase in income + the restarting of parachute payments (for 2 years rather than 3), which would have ended this year had they not been promoted.
Plus they will sell Grealish, and possibly McGinn for substantial, clean profit (minus something like £2m that McGinn cost).

[lurganblue]

They have two of the richest owners around by all accounts, who would have splashed more cash last summer if not constrained by FFP.

Add in parachute payments and revenues from the sale of Grealish (possibly McGinn and Mings too), I don't see there being a major problem.  In fact probably a better standing than when they went down last time with an owner who had given up on the club. 

Maybe I have rose tinted glasses here but from a couple of years ago when they couldn't pay the tax man to the takeover and where they are now, I don't see a major issue.

Also, FFP is being suspended.

[brokencrossbar1]

I get what you're saying about Villa. I know there are parachute payments for relegated teams but not sure if they would save them. That's a serious shortfall unless they can shift players. You'd expect them to fleece United though for Grealish so that would go a long way to putting a dent in that.

[GetOverTheBar]

Fair point about the owners being wealthy - So too are the Spurs and Utd owners, they just don't even dig into any of their own cash (rightly or wrongly). I don't know anything more about the owners of the club and their loyalty. It just strikes me insane if those two, raking in the cash or so I thought need to take out loans at (albeit at 0.5 or something) these clubs are not being run correctly if they can't handle a loss of income, which at that time was only at the very start of the pandemic....the next set of results will be even worse.

FFP being suspended might just get them off the hook alright but you have to imagine, if they did go down there would be a firesale with relegation clauses for anyone with a cute enough agent. Grealish is bound to have one, Mings surely too.

We don't know how long the no crowds will last, so I'm basing my assumption on the worst case scenario. Parachute payments are a nice comfort zone but missing out on that TV money would be major.

For what it's worth I hope Villa do stay up - I've no bias.