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2024-25 Premier League Thread

jeffbear said:
I really wish that I felt better about Villa's off season. Going into this one with some honest trepidation.
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Imagine how we feel: NO new signings despite some glaring needs and a new manager who's a complete unknown quantity. I'll be surprised if we're Top 4 at this point.
 
andyt said:
(does the bar open at 4:30 Ed?)
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For the Pasadena Reds it does, since we're the only supporters' group that makes it worth the owner's while to open that early and pay her staff (admittedly, just one guy). For the opener, even at that hour, I expect we'll get about 30-35, maybe more.
Photo to follow. 😁
 
I honestly think I'd be ecstatic about Villa's offseason if Diaby was still here who I think is an absolute star and was only going to get better this year. I still feel pretty good about our improvements in depth and size. I'm oddly a lot less worried if the relationship with Duran gets mended a bit, because my biggest concern is that pre-season showed that we have nobody who can really play striker in our offense if Ollie isn't out there.

Liverpool on the other hand is getting fully Fenway grouped. They got lucky twice with Epstein for the Red Sox and Klopp for Liverpool and they think that makes them geniuses and they can coast off that success and never spend money again.
 
Actually, I'm pretty comfortable with Cameron Archer being the backup striker for Villa. He's a lot less efficient than Watkins but so was Watkins up until last season ... and he's still quite young. He's very good at playing off a CB's shoulder and making those runs to get to through balls played out into space and I feel like that's a big chunk of that role. I think most of my concern is with the defensive part of the midfield until Kamara can get fully back.
 
Absolutely, Kamara is so huge for us. Onana can fill the void to some extent, but we don't have a true number six without Kamara. I think there's also going to be a decent amount of growing pains especially building out the back with all the new faces that will be out there and not having Kamara as a steady option in midfield.
 
Another day, another celebrity investment. This one is a little different though. Singer Ed Sheeran has bought a passive 1.4% stake in Ipswich Town, the club he’s supported forever. Since 2021, he’s been their front of shirt sponsor too, a deal that includes the women’s team, which plays in the 3rd division.
 
John Textor was granted exclusivity in his attempt to buy Everton. Any agreement to buy the club is contingent on him selling his 45% stake in Crystal Palace. He engaged an investment banking firm in May to export the sale of his Palace stake.
 
The Italian FA confirmed that Sandro Tonali is eligible to return from suspension on August 28. Newcastle play Nottingham Forest on August 28 or 29, so he’ll likely feature then. He's been ineligible to play in friendlies, so Newcastle has had a couple of closed door matches without referees to get him match ready.
 

Fantasy Premier League, Official Fantasy Football Game of the Premier League

Official Fantasy Premier League 2024/25. Free to play fantasy football game, set up your fantasy football team at the Official Premier League site.
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Me and some buddies have a small FPL league, very low stakes….end of season we email the champ $5-10 depending on number of teams we have, and pitch in to buy them a new kit.

Few years ago I won and got a retro Tottenham kit for example.


Good fun, if any of you haven’t played it before….easiest fantasy game for sure.
 
Phil Jones officially retired. He hadn’t played since his contract with Man U expired in 2023 and only played 13 matches in his last 4 seasons there. He helped coach their U-18s last season and wants to move to coaching.
 
OK ... Jhon Duran can stick around for Villa, even if he is a freaking prima donna. Sweet finish on a sweet move initiated by new boy Maatson to nab 3 points on the road against West Ham. Also, he must be staying since Villa sold Cameron Archer the other day. Look forward to much whinging about playing time.
 
jeffbear said:
OK ... Jhon Duran can stick around for Villa, even if he is a freaking prima donna. Sweet finish on a sweet move initiated by new boy Maatson to nab 3 points on the road against West Ham. Also, he must be staying since Villa sold Cameron Archer the other day. Look forward to much whinging about playing time.
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You know how tantalized I am by Duran's potential so a part of me was kind of glad that the deals fell through and that they kind of worked things out with him. His first action of the game was when a ball was hit up toward him and I assumed he was about to go up and head it and instead he leaped in the air and took it cleanly on his chest and I went oh right, he is 6'3" and a freak athlete. He just also seemed a little different this week in a really good way and not just the winning goal. It felt like he actually paid attention in the tactics meetings for the first time in his career.

Instant impact from the two biggest signings as well is sure making me feel good about this summer. I am not quite there yet, but I could see myself getting to the point where I'm not just assuming the opponent is going to score on almost every free kick because of our inability to defend in the air. Onana instant impact on both ends of the field in the air. Obviously we started out pretty standard for us in this match, but I'm expecting a lot more tactical flexibility especially once Kamara returns. Maatsen is different class as well and Digne who I thought was possibly our worst player today is going go back to being a very expensive bench player again really quickly. Cash played well and as much as I like Kosta's potential, he looked like an 18 year old out there and unless Cash did get seriously injured today, he's going to be the starter more often than not. I can't really fault him for giving up a penalty when I don't think it was actually a penalty.
 
VinatieriDefinesClutch said:
You know how tantalized I am by Duran's potential so a part of me was kind of glad that the deals fell through and that they kind of worked things out with him. His first action of the game was when a ball was hit up toward him and I assumed he was about to go up and head it and instead he leaped in the air and took it cleanly on his chest and I went oh right, he is 6'3" and a freak athlete. He just also seemed a little different this week in a really good way and not just the winning goal. It felt like he actually paid attention in the tactics meetings for the first time in his career.

Instant impact from the two biggest signings as well is sure making me feel good about this summer. I am not quite there yet, but I could see myself getting to the point where I'm not just assuming the opponent is going to score on almost every free kick because of our inability to defend in the air. Onana instant impact on both ends of the field in the air. Obviously we started out pretty standard for us in this match, but I'm expecting a lot more tactical flexibility especially once Kamara returns. Maatsen is different class as well and Digne who I thought was possibly our worst player today is going go back to being a very expensive bench player again really quickly. Cash played well and as much as I like Kosta's potential, he looked like an 18 year old out there and unless Cash did get seriously injured today, he's going to be the starter more often than not. I can't really fault him for giving up a penalty when I don't think it was actually a penalty.
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Duran is absolutely tantalizing ... and I'm still convinced that he's simply too selfish and impatient to actually reach his potential with the first European club he signs with. We'll see, and he 100% is going to get there eventually.
 
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Brennan gets the start over Kulusevski, despite the Swede having a strong pre-season.

It’s what I was hoping to see, as Brennan & Solanke seem destined to click.
 
Geez, I hope Bentancur is okay. That looked nasty.

Tough draw for Spurs vs Leicester. Had the run of play in the first half but in the second? Not quite so much. Vardy equalized, then Leicester held on. Be interested to hear how our resident Spurs fan saw it.
 
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