Jamo

Death, taxes, Tottenham

With a very heavy heart, I have to say I think we’re all sleeping on Citeh a bit - especially because they began their rebuild seven months ago already. Questions over them (as us too), of course, but even if they don’t hit their imperious best of recent years it might still be enough for them …

Or, summed up, really a lot has happened at LFC this summer. And while some of it is wildly exciting for them (with potentially even more in pipeline), a lot happening is not generally conducive to the very best outcome here. Just surprised that’s not given more due weight in many of season previews

Crazy of course not, but hugely exciting as he is there’s a lot that could negate his impact and as such needs considering: extremely top heavy team, unbalanced squad still heavily dependent on three aging stars who Father Time could come for at any moment, Jota tragedy, not serial title winners etc

Or, put differently, I'm surprised how many of the various season previews I've read don't take stability into consideration as a key factor in deciding favourites. Salah on an all-timer aside, it was the leading reason why Liverpool were able to romp to the title last season ...

There's a lot of "Liverpool have won / are winning the transfer window" energy about with signing Wirtz (and potentially Guehi, Isak). I feel something of an outlier on being down on them a bit: huge amount of change, the Jota tragedy and its unknown repercussions, haven't defended title since 1984.

bsky.app/profile/drji...

So if we don't win it this time around again, and it isn't injuries that costs us, discussion will need to be in tandem as much about whether, in hindsight, tweaking system plus VG14, Noni were right calls and what else we could/should have done this summer in those positions let alone the LW one.

Two specific issues have cost us title in past three seasons. First is injuries (to key players), second an inability to create and score (enough) in certain game states. The former we seem to have done everything humanly possible to address, the latter an open Q even with style change, VG14 + Noni.

A position isn't going to cost us title, albeit it's one where all and sundry would like to see a Saka-level talent brought in. Q is rather whether we've done enough to resolve issue of scoring against mid/low blocks, the PL's middle order: Brighton, NUFC, Everton, Fulham, Bournemouth, West Ham etc.

#PL contenders:

LFC: Squad feels top heavy, but some elite talents on paper

MCFC: People seem to be sleeping on them a bit, but hitting their imperious best again questionable

CFC: Have a feeling they're going to be AFC 22/23, albeit with multiple rivals

AFC: Able to overcome mid/low blocks now?

Signing full backs who’d do better as wing backs (especially so in Frimpong’s case) might also suggest the long term plan is 3-5-2, need a couple more CBs at least for that tho : )

The only way it makes sense to me is if Liverpool view this as something of a transition season to an eventual post-Salah world. It’s a tournament summer next year after all, when recruitment is generally much harder and who knows when his decline will come exactly. Not that they’d ever say it …

Both Nwaneri and Dowman have played on the right as it’s more a soft landing into the first team experience than because that’s their best position or indeed where they’ll end up. Plus they’re 18 and 15, respectively.

Last summer's Premier League transfer window proves one thing: they don't make much difference

Did you read this at the time?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/611...

They're surely throwing Sesko in at the deep end, Mount played false nine in their last game rather than start Hojlund ... I don't rate either of their keepers at all either, but they surely need to start one of them : )

1. Arsenal
2. Chelsea
3. Manchester City
4. Liverpool
5. Brighton
6. Tottenham
7. Newcastle
8. Aston Villa
9. Manchester United
10. West Ham
11. Crystal Palace
12. Bournemouth
13. Nottingham Forest
14. Fulham
15. Brentford
16. Everton
17. Wolves
18. Leeds
19. Sunderland
20. Burnley

#PL #🔮

Or to put it differently, obviously there’s certain things you could empirically base such a prediction on. But how to factor in things like changing a lot of first team and first 18 players, losing a beloved team mate and the emotional impact, adaption to a new league for many of the signings etc

I was mostly curious whether it’s possible to calculate favourites without a single game played etc - and if so, based on what metric(s). I’d be inclined to see favourites as more game of opinions territory unless Scott or others know otherwise

Out of interest, what makes them favourites - that they are the defending champions?

Hard to escape the feeling that Eze is the player we'd all love as fans, but the sensible business choice that would ultimately suit all three parties best is Rodrygo given age, long-term ROI etc. Find it really hard to envisage us signing two 27 year olds in attack ...

In at least two of announcements for our summer signings, Berta has specifically said something akin to "we are pleased with the excellent deal we have completed". How does that sit with you? Why say it, do we really need to hear it, any negative implications? @gunnerblog.bsky.social #arsecastextra

Wonderful writing 🫶🏼

Many believe we just need an elite striker (and that Gyökeres is him), whereas it’s more we need one more elite talent up front. Nelli is great but there are even better players and Havertz is legit everything but a killer. Gyö compensates for latter but Trossard doesnt offset Nelli’s “shortcomings”

Israel Minister Aimchai Eliyahu "All Gaza will be Jewish...the government is pushing for Gaza being wiped out. Thank god, we are wiping out this evil."
Unless Netanyahu sacks him or reprimands him (he hasn't and won't), we should see it as an official statement of Israeli policy and objectives.

Having both the first and last names of some of history's worst people is surely no coincidence

When the last Palestinian is dead or in a concentration camp, when the last building in Gaza has been reduced to rubble, when the land has been made both uninhabitable and uninhabited, will that be the time for more than mild condemnation?

Share some of your sentiments, especially about VG as at that price the player acquired should bring a lot more than he likely will; what I would say is, improvement doesn't only come via the transfer market. We've got a very clear idea by now of what teams/formations we can improve against.

It’s pretty obvious, I would say (don’t mean that in a snide way). As in, using sport as a way to move money from certain places and people to other places and people, “cleaning” it in the process. If only there was a pithy term for that 😉

Chelsea transfers: Name every player signed in the Todd Boehly era Chelsea have signed a staggering 51 players since Todd Boehly completed his takeover of the club in May 2022 - but how many of them can you name?

51 including loans but not including all this summer’s business too

www.planetfootball.com/quizzes/can-...