You answered our calls for football opinions on Man City FFP, Aston Villa and so much more, including an Arsenal takedown.
Send your views to theeditor@football365.com
Why it is important for Man City to be punished
I read with interest the back and forths between various mailboxers about what Man City’s potential punishments should be, or if they will even be found guilty of anything. My own views are that City are likely to be punished for something, and that said punishment will be deemed “fairly tough”, but nowhere near tough enough for many people.
However I also have another thought, and that is that, for me at least, it’s absolutely crucial that Man City are punished for something. SOMETHING has to stick; something has to be punished; and whatever that something is, Man City need to be made an example of, even if it’s not that big of an example and a lot of fans are left feeling underwhelmed.
I think if Man City do manage to lawyer their way out of all charges, facing either no punishment or a literal slap on the wrist, I really do wonder if there will be some kind of abandonment of Premier League football in this country. Either people in the UK stop watching the Premier League, or possibly even people around the world stop watching it. There needs to be a modicum of sense of competition, of jeopardy, of rules being followed. I think if Man City are not punished I think it takes away a lot of… well… a lot of whatever it is that makes people watch the Premier League.
If City face no punishment at all, then any sense of fair competition goes out the window. It’s boring, there’s no jeopardy, there’s no hope for anyone else. It’s now a case of “who is the richest?” and once you’ve ascertained who the richest is then you know who will win the Premier League. We know this to be the case as Man City have won 4x Premier Leagues in a row, including a treble in 2023, and no one cares.
No one, (except presumably Man City fans), cares about the 2023 treble. One of the richest nations on earth, headed by one of the richest people on earth, with the most expensively assembled squad of players ever, with the highest wage-bill on earth, and the world’s best manager (and very likely highest paid too) won the treble. Sure, the football was exceptional, and who doesn’t appreciate a Kevin de Bruyne 30 yard assist that was played with his outstep, but for the rest of us there is no catching that. There is no doubting City’s inevitable victory. When it comes to Man City now, people only engage when they lose – which isn’t very often.
My own thoughts are that people are hanging around the Premier League BECAUSE of these charges. People want punishment. People want something meaningful. People, let’s be honest, people want to think their team might have a chance of winning something again – even if the odds are unlikely, they’re not as unlikely as the are with City’s billions and clever accounting.
I think lots of people abandon the Premier League if City aren’t punished – I really do. I also think that the Premier League themselves are quite concerned about this potential drop-off in viewers. Only time will tell.
Dale May, Swindon Wengerite
(Hmmm, this argument might have worked a tad better if it were not made at a time when Manchester City are fifth in the Premier League table – Ed)
**Are City really the bad guys here?**I’ll be honest….. I kind of want City to be found not guilty. So much of the system is gamed for American owners looking to parasitically extract money from their clubs & communities rather than invest, locking in FFP to do so. I’m a Toon fan (yes….still on cloud 9) & no I don’t like being owned by the investment fund of a bloodthirsty oil state (beyond my control) & I don’t support a free for all spend where it’s City vs us every year buying up all the players with no jeopardy. Where’s the fun in that? In particular clubs like Villa or Forest who are ambitious and successful and want to spend more must be seething.
But this FFP? It’s the mirror image. Rich clubs stay rich, minimise spend and tell other clubs that even if they want to spend, they can’t. Sure give them the odd European adventure or cup win & ruffle their hair saying ‘good job little guy’, but fundamentally it’s a 5 team race every single year (sorry Spurs). I’ve said this before but wouldn’t it be awesome if this whole City issue gave UEFA or FIFA, moral symbols of virtue that they are time to reflect on the system. Imagine a Premier League where each year there’s 10 clubs that could win. Engagement would sky rocket, and arguably revenue……. But nope, gotta keep extracting those dividends haven’t we.
Ironically the people angriest about the current system aren’t even Man City or Toon fans, but the likes of Man U, whose Dracula Billionaire owners won’t be happy until every member of support staff as been fired & their canteen charges £20 for a cheese and ham sandwich, all while they cry out that taxpayers aren’t funding their stadium. Then again maybe taxpayers should fund a stadium in the north… I heard there’s somewhere suitable in a certain park in the North East.
Tarqs, NUFC, Walthamstow
This means more etc etc
As I approach middle age I do start to question what it is I’m doing with my time which doesn’t now feel infinitely long like it once did. The crest of the hill is approaching and with it the downward slope. And that’s cool, going downhill is fun, should be easier in one way but also scarier and more fleeting in other ways.
Do I like my work, is it worthwhile, what will my life mean, how will my family and friends see me once I’m gone? Not really a midlife crisis (not yet at least!) but more a time for reflection perhaps.
And so to football. I’ve been a fan now for nearly 40 years, I’ve supported Liverpool. I’m not from Liverpool but I became a fan at a very young age in a crystalline moment of childhood beauty which tied me to them forever. Giving up being a fan would be like letting that part of me die. I’ve met those guys and I don’t wanna be one of them.
However I am aware what I do is not original nor does it make much sense, in one sense. Why do I support a team from another country. I feel connections, historical, cultural, personal but they’re not my team the same way a true scouser would feel it. I have more connection that lots of fans around the world and it doesn’t bother them so why should it bother me.
Because we all buy into the fantasy of belonging don’t we? That we’re part of this, that it means something more, that reductive explanations of what it is we all doing (grown men chasing a bag of wind huh huh). And so when we’re all fully ensconced within the illusion of belonging maybe it ceases to be an illusion and it’s true, we do belong, we don’t walk alone (surely why our anthem has such power and connection) and we feel free of our cage of separateness if only for a little while.
In a way you can even understand “this means more” in the context of the illusion of belonging. Clearly being a Liverpool fan doesn’t mean more than being a fan or any other team in the world necessarily but the point is: when it’s good it feels like that.
With all of that on my mind I’m still sympathetic to Trent’s apparent desire to play with Real Madrid…because…he’s an automatous human being who owes the club nothing and deserves whatever success and happiness he gets in life.
He should know though that for most fans if he leaves he will never be regarded in the same light again (unless he comes back ala Ian Rush) because he has threatened the illusion we all live under, that this means more, that this is worth giving up hours of our precious time for each week, watching, reading, debating, listening, subscribing, spending our precious free time and money on. Because for Trent if he leaves then clearly it doesn’t mean more.
And if he leaves and walks out at Anfield in 20 years time following a highly successful period at Real Madrid and says he was always a scouser at heart and this place is his true home the applause will be more muted that if he did that Gerrard and Carragher did and lived their life and careers as if that’s true for them. He will get the Michael Owen/Steve McManaman reception: appreciated for their time at the club but not a legend in most fans eyes. It’s not necessarily fair for a player who was so intrinsic to a first league title in 30 years and a CL but it is the reality. If that doesn’t bother him he should go if he wants to go.
Neil Atkinson who runs the Anfield Wrap podcast talks about he greatest living Liverpudlian: usually Mo Salah or VVD when he brings up; neither obviously Liverpool born or bred, but to return to the theme of this letter, embodying something deeper about what it means to represent this club of ours in the manner they do and the way they have for the best part of their careers. I hope the club reciprocates their dedication with two lucrative 2 year contracts for their sake but also for my midlife “crisis” – because if dedicating their careers to Liverpool means more to them then that’s good enough for me. YNWA
Dave LFC
READ: Ten reasons why this Premier League season has not been entirely sh*t
Up the VillaSeeing as you’re desperate, here’s a bit of Villa content…
So to deal with Marcus first of all: it’s a shame to see United fans so angry about him doing well. I could understand if there were commentary along the lines of – it’s not working for him at Utd, the problem could be the club or it could be the player, but he gets paid a lot of money and the club is skint, so we don’t have time to find out. But instead it’s the standard Daily Mail vs Famous Black Footballer bingo card: he doesn’t work hard; he gets paid a lot so should be perfect; he goes out sometimes; he doesn’t care about the club; he owns a big car; etc etc. Probably bought his mum a house at some point as well, the bastard.
But never mind all that, that’s their business. From Villa’s pov, he’s been an excellent signing. Since he joined last month, if we include the free kick vs Ipswich he’s scored or created a goal for every 78 minutes he’s been on the pitch, and he’s scored twice in the only game where he’s played through the middle. I doubt we’ll be able to afford to keep him after this season, unless we find several billion pounds to get the PSR accountants to leave us alone, but he and Mark O’Asensio have already paid their way.
Yesterday’s game was also another staging post for the continuing unsung hero at Villa, particularly in these parts – I saw a slightly sniffy article the other day about Ian Maatsen being hard done by for not getting more games at Villa. But the fact is, Lucas Digne’s performances since Emery joined the club have been staggeringly good. You don’t force your way back into the France team in your 30s without playing well (obviously Theo Hernandez being a complete moron helps). 2 assists for him yesterday: one that proves Ange’s point about why they’re a stupid stat, a 5-yard pass to Ramsey who then ran past the Preston team by himself; and another one that proves why they’re really useful for looking beyond goalscorers, a clinical 5-yard pass through a packed penalty box to set up the easiest goal of Rashford’s career. It’s not a coincidence that we’ve suddenly put together 3 clean sheets in a row with him and Mings playing together on the left hand side.
A shame to get drawn against Palace in the semi, they have completely got our number unfortunately. I was thinking, ideally we’d want to play against the version of Palace from the first half of the season, but then remembered we already played that version of Palace at home in the League Cup and got walked on pretty comfortably there as well. But here’s hoping.
And lastly, a word for King Unai. Clocks going forward last year was the point where our European trips and battle for the top four started to kill us, and we looked completely out of energy. This time, Pau, Bailey and Barkley are nearly fit so we’ve basically got a 100% fit squad with 2 quality players in every position going into the final straight of the season. I don’t see us getting top 5, I don’t expect to beat Palace and given that PSG have already won the league I can’t imagine we’ll have much joy against them either. But it is going to be fun watching!
Neil Raines UTV
Big Final Run-in: Liverpool transfer prep, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Maresca, Foden
What next for Spurs?
Spurs are in a very tricky position in terms of solving our manager problem this summer.
As someone who was bought in on the whole Ange project, it pains me to think about starting all over again, where there’s no outstanding candidate, but here we are…
From my perspective… including both potential for success and likeliness of their availability… my *current* preference list is…
1) (Europa League Winning) Ange Postecoglou
Look, if Europa goes to shit, he’s gone. But if it doesn’t… and he manages to break 20 years of Spurs trophy pain, by getting back to the kind of attacking, quality football that both the players and the fans can be excited by… then I’m all in on running it back with Ange and seeing if he can succeed given more time, and the good vibes from the cup win.
2) Thomas Frank
I’ve been impressed by Frank for years. He does something that I love: He adapts. He’s not married to just one style of play. He adapts to the players that he has, and the opposition that he plays. He prepares his teams so well game-to-game. He’s excellent on set pieces. All of that really speaks so well to his potential to succeed with better players. That said though, bringing in a manager who has never really had that experience of ‘winning’ might cap our potential. Overall though, the likes of Eddie Howe have shown that you can achieve plenty of growth and success by betting on a manager who’s proven credibility, success and consistency at the mid-lower table level, and giving them time and investment to succeed.
3) Simeone Inzaghi
Inzaghi would be my favourite, if forced to replace Ange. He’s got success, he’s got a great style of play. He commands respect. He’d probably be great. But let’s be fair – he’s going to be very hard to get. The man is contending for championships already in Italy, and playing deep into the Champions League. He’ll have plenty of suitors, and we’re not at our most attractive moment. We’d need Don Fabio to work some serious magic.
4) Mauricio Pochettino
Tied for the place of my favourite Spurs manager ever (with ‘Arry). I genuinely tuned out of following Spurs for the entire Mourinho reign after the unforgivable sacking of Mauricio Pochettino. After years of growth, and only months after getting us to a Champions League final (!!) it was sinful to sack him. I hold absolutely no grudge about the Chelsea stint, and I’d happily take him back at Spurs. But… it’s just not gonna happen. That man will be the manager of the US World Cup campaign in 2026 and there is no way he’s stepping away from coaching the host nation. There was an inkling of hope that if Spurs sacked Ange at the international break, Poch would return to do an ’emergency 8 week loan’ to manage us through the end of the season, but that’s just not gonna happen. Great if it was possible.. but it’s highly unlikely.
5) Andoni Iraola
I just have an eery feeling about this one. Yes, he’s got attractive similarities to Mauricio Pochettino, so it’s natural for people to be attracted to the idea of us taking a mid-table manager who’s got his team playing great football, and imagining the levels he could take a young, high potential Spurs team to. That said, I’m just not sure we’ve seen enough from Iraola yet. He’s had some wonderful patches of form, where his team have played exceptional football, but in his 18 months at Bournemouth, he’s bookended that great form with two terrible patches.
Unlike Thomas Frank, and more like Ange, he’s another manager who seems to put style of play above all else, which generally I like, but that approach hasn’t served Ange well, and I feel Andoni might get the same treatment by the end of 2026.
Managers who I’ve heard linked that I’m not getting behind (yet anyway): Eden Terzic, Marco Silva, Kieran McKenna, Gareth Southgate (God Help Us).
Above all, if any of these managers are in the big chair next season, i’ll be trying to do my best to get behind them. I’m also open to getting arguments for or against the names above, or new arguments for names not mentioned.
Andy, Spurs, Eire
It’s not Arsenal’s year
When will those including deluded Sooper Gooner and Scouse hater Jason Soutar accept that Arsenal are not and never were just sitting there waiting to be handed the Prem title for the last few seasons – they have gradually improved over the past 3-4 years having been an utter shambles – but that is about it.
He still thinks that they have been robbed by Liverpool this season for a title that was rightfully theirs apparently and that its a virtual shoe-in that they will win it next year. Anyone who watches other teams other than the Gooners should have seen quite clearly – as I did before the season started – that if it wasn’t going to be City this season then it would be Liverpool – certainly above Arsenal anyway.
Liverpool had a very decent team at the end of last season that due to half a dozen Darwin sitters just didnt quite get over the line – but face to face they were as good if not the best side in the Prem – and pre-season and this year has proved that as they obviously have the same team – and tbh haven’t been as dynamic – I think we were actually better last season but hey ho – it doesn’t matter.
The Arse are the most overrated (and unlikeable) team of recent years. You can’t just talk your way to a title. Liverpool have been dull and efficient? Christ – they are a damn site more entertaining than Stoke-lite have been. And apparently according to Soutar Liverpool will fall off a cliff at the end of this season and the path will be clear for Arsenal to claim what they should have won for the previous 3 years as they have been the best team despite what the tables have suggested. Yeah ok. I think actually the Arse should be happy with 2nd this year as they’ll be no higher than 3rd next year. Again. Accept it.
Shunt LFC
Bournemouth v Man City ConclusionsI hear the call to save the mailbox from the horror that was Monday morning so here goes.
I was at the Bournemouth v City game yesterday and here are my observations:
1. Pep shouts at the fourth official constantly. No matter what is happening on the pitch.
2. Troy Deeney is a lovely chap, had time and a word for anyone who stopped him.
3. City are a big team, physically big.
4. De Bruyne was astonishing. I don’t think I have ever seen someone live with such control of the ball, his touch, his passing, his reading of the game. All a clear level above anyone else on the pitch.
5. I was next to the press area (got a nice pic with Michael Brown) and there was one ‘journalist’ with a paper I won’t name who was the most dishevelled, shambles of a man I have ever seen. And I come into contact with a lot of street homeless. I am willing to bet Mediawatch knows who I mean.
6. At times in the match City were so in control, so good, that I couldn’t imagine how they ever lose a game… and then they went 1-0 down and had to rely on a soft winner to get over the line.
7. Bournemouth were bereft of ideas after going 2-1 down. They played too many long balls which were mopped up by City’s huge defenders, with the second balls hoovered by City’s midfield.
8. I didn’t see Noel Gallagher.
9. Bournemouth didn’t do their half time crossbar challenge. Just because it is a big game, don’t forget your roots.
10. Bournemouth did dedicate a good number of pages in the programme to the women’s team winning the league last weekend. I went to that too (7000 attendance) and it was a hell of an occasion. The presentation was exactly the same as would happen if the men won the Premier League. They have gone big on the website too. They are now in the National League South (one below the Championship) and I am looking forward to next season already.
11. I have been lucky enough to see quite a few Premier League teams live this season. Purely on the games I saw live I would rank them- Chelsea, City, Newcastle, Liverpool (League Cup), Bournemouth, Southampton, Everton (the Dyche version).
Micki
The Truth
Matt Le Tissier wouldn’t get into a Premier League Team these days, as he probably thinks all supporters are AI created digital images and players and managers are Stone Island obsessed Woke-rati, powered by COVID vaccines illegally power-sourced by various governments.
Maybe.
Ben, Stockport