Today’s Football 2022/23 Season

[Martin Alvito]

It's just Ronaldo going on for weeks about wanting to leave, sabotaging everything for personal gain when he's around too

Now imagine a dressing room full of those snakes. Why a player would ever want to go to Madrid is something I will never understand. Dealing with that is up there on my list of definitions of "circle of Hades". It's not the worst thing I can imagine, but I can tell you that I found it right awful to have to deal with a similar backbiting snakepit in a professional context for years on end.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Now imagine a dressing room full of those snakes. Why a player would ever want to go to Madrid is something I will never understand. Dealing with that is up there on my list of definitions of "circle of Hades". It's not the worst thing I can imagine, but I can tell you that I found it right awful to have to deal with a similar backbiting snakepit in a professional context for years on end.

Madrid has a fair few selfless players though don't they? I mean I certainly wouldn't describe the Kroos, Modric, Marcelo types as snakes. Benzema changed his style to fit Ronaldo in. Vazquez, Valverde and Casemiro all seem rather selfless.

Not that any would deal well with extended spells on the bench but footballers don't even when they aren't that good. Ronaldo has always been in a league of his own

 

[Martin Alvito]

Madrid has a fair few selfless players though don't they? I mean I certainly wouldn't describe the Kroos, Modric, Marcelo types as snakes. Benzema changed his style to fit Ronaldo in. Vazquez, Valverde and Casemiro all seem rather selfless.

Not that any would deal well with extended spells on the bench but footballers don't even when they aren't that good. Ronaldo has always been in a league of his own

Sure, any club like that realizes that they have to have some relatively selfless players. You could argue that this problem is why the first Galacticos era of Perez just didn't work, and that they got smarter the second time around. At the same time, they didn't start lifting European Cups until they had both Ronaldo and Bale around, clamoring for playing time and touches. I can't imagine Ramos being the best team player, either.

You could argue that the beginning of Zidane's reign coincides with the culling of a significant amount of ego from that dressing room, which helps to explain the resulting success. Ancelotti could do it prior to that because he's an ego whisperer, but Zidane never could. He's an alpha dog.

 

[Alan Whittle]

West Ham will be a massive threat from set pieces again this season:

Zouma 6ft 3
Dawson 6ft 2
Diop 6ft 4
Ogbonna 6ft 3
Aguerd 6ft 2

Rice 6ft 1
Soucek 6ft 4
Onana 6ft 5

Scamacca 6ft 5

Playing “the West Ham way”.

 

[roydo]

Playing “the West Ham way”.

I remember, many moons ago, Bristol City played a cup game against West Ham at Ashton Gate. Brooking and Curbishly era.

Jeez, from their kick off, they scored after a few seconds, and I swear to god, the ball never hit the pitch. Vollys and flicks all over the shop. Some how, City got a 1 1. Destroyed 6 1 a week later at Upton Park.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Sure, any club like that realizes that they have to have some relatively selfless players. You could argue that this problem is why the first Galacticos era of Perez just didn't work, and that they got smarter the second time around. At the same time, they didn't start lifting European Cups until they had both Ronaldo and Bale around, clamoring for playing time and touches. I can't imagine Ramos being the best team player, either.

You could argue that the beginning of Zidane's reign coincides with the culling of a significant amount of ego from that dressing room, which helps to explain the resulting success. Ancelotti could do it prior to that because he's an ego whisperer, but Zidane never could. He's an alpha dog.

Ramos seems to me like the kind of guy who seems like a bad guy but inside the building is beloved

 

[Martin Alvito]

Ramos seems to me like the kind of guy who seems like a bad guy but inside the building is beloved

Possible that he's a Costa type. I seem to recall Costa's relationships with managers being fractious. My guess would be that it's the same way with Ramos. You may be right that neither is the type to foment rebellion amongst the players, all of whom respect them for leaving it all out on the pitch.

 

[Nymzee]

 

[Nymzee]

I know some enjoy these.

 

[JLW]

Fofana 75mil my oh my!

 

[GoldenToffee]

Fofana 75mil my oh my!

Man, imagine having a centre back you paid £30m for and being in a position to command a sale fee of £70m pounds.

Meanwhile, in another universe:

Can't even give the cart away.

 

[Nymzee]

He gets mocked because he's a yank but even in Germany, Jesse Marsch's pressers were always great. Tells them everything they need to know.

(Yes, I watch multiple teams pressers when I'm bored out of my arse at work)

 

[Nymzee]

 

[Nymzee]

I know some enjoy these.

Part 2 (includes our bit)

 

[PhilM]

They were saying on the radio before that Braithwaite like DeJong is refusing to go unless he's paid his full wages. This could be very, very messy for them.