Under 18s live on AFC site FA Youth Cup action.

2-0 down at half time now 4-2 up with 15 mins of 2nd half to go.

They could teach the first team a few things

Now this is bang out of order. Too ridiculous.

My take on Man City and the recent allegations is pretty simple:
1) what are the intentions of the FFP rules? Answer, to stop artificial investment beyond the normal spending means of the club. Ie: you can only worn what you earn.
2) do Man City genuinely earn an amount of income to justify FFP regulations?
3) or are most of Man City’s incomes simply just a wedge of money shoved through the tills by the owner?

You can twist it however you want but we all know the reason why FFP was introduced, and City and Chelsea have exploited those rules for a number of years

Whisper it quietly but that’s also why they (along with Kroenket) wanted to create that super league ridiculousness. Spend as much as you want and split the enourmous profits amongst a smaller majorit ly without contributing anything to the smaller clubs.

Had we won the Everton game as expected, I'd have gone into this Brentford match mildly fearful of a bad result. Now? I am obviously a bit more worried as Brentford is a much better team and has some top 6 scalps to its name.

I hope...or I think we will go into this next game like a cup final. I'm hoping and I tend to think we are now going to be more focused. I don't see Man Utd catching us but City has to have a genuine fear of them. Man Utd are only 3 points behind them. 8 behind us with us having a game in hand and not having to play them in the league (but a chance in the Europa cup).

I wouldn't necessarily count Man Utd out of runner up. If City catches us then its we that might have to worry about being 3rd behind both Manchester sides.

I would assume that the evidence the Premier League have compiled on City is watertight or they will look a proper bunch of Charlies when City's high powered lawyers tie them up in knots, as they did with UEFA.

If the evidence of City cooking the books is proven then don't the PL have to kick out City's owners for no longer being a fit and proper owner, or whatever the term they use is.

City would effectively be unable to participate in the PL unless they sell up and the owners are replaced by some who do pass the Premier League's fit and proper owner tests.

I mean, how could you continue to let them run the club if they have been proven to be cheats who ignore the PL's rules?

Now that I have read more I think you might be right. 100 different charges. Seemingly the KC setting up the commission to "try" this is a season ticket holder at the Emirates.

A change of ownership at City might not be a good thing for those who detest the idea of a Super League or a league with no relegation. The Americans like that idea, and once they own the majority of Premiership clubs, it will come.

The tale behind the manager Will Still is even more remarkable.

https://en.as.com/soccer/who-is-will-st ... manager-n/

The owners of Newcastle literally had Jamal Khashoggi hacked to pieces like he was a Christmas ham.

This seems a bit fanciful what are you expecting mate

Yes, I'm not sure that any post referencing the appalling death of Jamal Khashoggi needs that chuckle emoji, but the idea of City being forced to sell up as unfit owners does seem a tad unlikely.

The Italian clubs were caught actually rigging games. The worst of the worst of offenses. As despicable as City did it doesn't rise to that in the minds of those who will make the decision. Likely? A huge fine and not missing 1 or 2 transfer windows. No point deduction, no forfeit of games. That's my best guess going by how I've seen these things pan out in the past.

There’s over 100 charges, it will be a points deduction. They’ve been paying their staff via secret contracts and for 8 years didn’t disclose any financial information for FFP. Every club in the league would complain and it would show even when found guilty FFP doesn’t work. That’s if it can be proved and it will take years too.

If proven it has to be at the very least a massive points deduction, enough to relegate then, otherwise every other club might as well throw away the rule book because any punishment does not fit the crime and you might as well flout the rules if all you will get is a fine or a small points deduction.

If proven then they've basically cheated their way to several titles and silverware. The Premier League will lose all credibilty if they do nothing of any consequence.

Everton home game rescheduled for wed March 1st.
4 of our next 6 league games are now at home.

No way the charges would be brought if it wasn't a certainty. And its not about if City should have points deducted. They full deserve to be if the charges are true and they appear to be. I am a bit cynical and money, marketing, etc, has always guided decisions it seems. I just don't think the league will do it. I don't think the league, the FA UEFA care enough to do that. There is nothing but the 'death penalty' automatic relegation for what Juve and the other clubs did.

It goes to the heart of the integrity of the game. So much money has been spent by the biggest clubs that I think fans don't see it as bad anymore. Chelsea has spent over half a million in several months and its supposed to be all legal...so far. City brings in revenue for EPL in viewership globally.

The cynic in me says they will not have points taken or forfeit games. Massive fine and no transfers for a window or two. I'd be somewhat surprised if more than that. Hopefully they will surprise me.

Another penalty they may do is no European football or a year or two. I can see that happening as well. I'd very surprised at point reduction because I don't think they have the balls to do it. If it happens, its us, Man Utd and Newcastle top 3.

The thing with the City stuff is it kind of has to be no punishment or huge punishment. Imagine they just get a big fine or even (as sky report) a small points deduction. If it was say 5 point deduction then everything they’ve done is totally worth just 5 points, it says you’re guilty of buying 6 prem titles so we’ll take 5 points off you. Punishment doesn’t fit the crime.

I have no idea how this plays out.

Probably because I'm guessing you live near London ....... the papers main focus will always be West Ham . Tott , Chelsea , Arse .

We lived in Kent and at one stage I spent about six months working in Manchester upgrading a little chemical plant ;

I was amazed at the total immersion with events Man U, City , Oldham........it was if Arsenal Spurs Chelsea didn't exist .

Very easily if UAE and their allies say no more oil and gas for you Poms

Okay off to the airport Mrs Kiwi and myself flying out of Christchurch back home .

Hope the Tiger Moth is fully fueled

I'd suggest it's because Klopp has managed Liverpool superbly for the last 4 or 5 years. They are now having a very poor season, but you'd want to be some clown of a journalist to seriously question him about his managerial decisions less than a year after winning two cups, getting to the CL final and taking the title race to the last day of the season. In short, he has a fair bit of credit in the bank.

If it's a points deduction, I reckon it will be 20 or 30, not some something as small as 5 points. City won't take it lying down. That's for sure. I think the talk of awarding the titles to the teams that came second is silly though.

Again, I'm looking at this as not what's fair but what the powers that be typically do. Maybe seeing the corruption in American politics first hand has jaded me. Maybe seeing how the CL is rigged so that the most popular clubs will always have a place no matter how badly they do for a time has jaded me.

In a fair and just world, everything proposed would be done. Maybe it will but I just don't see it. First of all: politics. This is not just about City but the country that funds it. It's a political issue. My guess again, is if its a point deduction it will happen next season. My guess is that they won't just de facto hand us the title and hand Man Utd runner up probably, depending on the point deduction.

I think at a minimum we are looking at probably record fines. They have the money. I think at a minimum we are looking at multiple transfer windows. How many? Who knows. I can also see at a minimum being banned from the CL for a season or two or whatever. After that, its up to the powers that be and we must include the politics of both the governing bodies and the UK and Qatar governments. It is de facto accusing a country of cheating. And all the ramifications of doing so.

I can see titles being stripped after the fact. If that happens, and we go back 10 years which I think the charges say they have had financial malfeasance (not sure) then Liverpool gets 3 titles and Man Utd will get 2. Tottenham were runners up in 2017 but Chelsea were champions. Just imagine if they were runners up when City had won recently? Shudder the thought.

Lastly, and I reiterate, its not about what is fair its about how fair and honorable the governing bodies are both the FA and the Parliament, who will have a say I hear and this affects international relations with another country.
I don't see automatic relegation. Too much TV money at risk.

Going down the plausible deniability route

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64563546

Plenty of city affiliates are going to embarrass themselves over this btw

Hi Dec,

Whats the good in a deduction even of 30 points, they might be denied a PL title challenge but they won't be relegated and basically all their cheating over the last decade will have been rewarded with PL wins and other silverware.

If the PL really wanted to make a statement they would relegate them and put a transfer embargo on them for the next 5 seasons. Anything else is just sending a message that cheating is OK because the punishments do not fit the crimes.

Talk about running for the new manager. In all prem games Everton have played this season 5 of the 7 greatest distances ran during a game came from 5 players in the game v Arsenal.

Over 21 games that is 231 starting players - 210 if we take out the GK. And in those 210 individual performances 5 of the top 7 came against us.

Those of you with season tickets, what do you make of the 5% price rise and this being for fewer games? I haven't fully digested what the detail is, but I did read something about having more tickets available for younger fans - which feels right as we need to be able to bring through new fans as well.

Are people ok with the rise if Kronke keeps investing in the team as he has the past 2 seasons?

Cost of next years STs will actually go down since FA Cup games will be excluded. We've always paid for 26 games (then credited for any unused games) but next season, it'll be 22. The rationale is that we'll only pay for fixtures that are guaranteed, so it will be 3 European (assuming we qualify) fixtures only. Of course the price of the tickets will increase by 4% but there'll be less of them. Not sure what to make of all that to be honest but the effect will be minimal.

Dire warnings also about letting other people use your STs. I did know that as part of the conditions of sale, only the name on the ST is allowed to use it, but it's always seemed pretty daft. It's never stopped me from handing my seats to other family members or to friends if I can't go. Apparently that makes me a ticket tout and I am to be clamped down upon.

They would much prefer that any spare seats are sold through the ticket exchange, with AFC taking 15% of the proceeds. Nice little earner, that.

I think the credit in the bank is a good point although I don't know how much leeway was given by the media to Wenger. Wenger went longer without a trophy of course but never tanked a season as bad as Klopp has right now. I'm seeing a lot of defence of Klopp for his spending - and that is quite right, but Wenger making a £10m profit every year on average for 8 years and still making top 4 is a massively overlooked achievement.

BTW I live near Leeds so do get plenty of Northern press

If I'm reading this right it will be more severe than that. I expect City to lawyer up and drag it through the courts.

OK, thanks. That makes sense and brings us more in line with other clubs. We always used to top those headlines about 'highest priced ticket in the prem' and it would routinely be ignored that our cost was for 26 games so the cost per game was less than the likes of Spurs for example.

Like most rises I’m not sure where I stand on it. Excluding fa cup games from my season ticket makes sense for me personally as I live outside London and need to balance the Arsenal with parental duties and work so I have no problem on that as I like the flexibility.

Not too bothered really in summary I suppose. The team are competing right now and everyone in the ground is enjoying their football. I can't really complain.

When the club have a real dilemma though is when safe standing is re introduced. This may bizarrely push our season ticket prices up if we adopt it. The club did a survey of fans and 70% want it but the truth is apparently it will reduce our capacity if adopted and the ground can’t be expanded as it was designed for the current capacity being seated and is next to a railway line. What ever happens will be a difficult decision because fan opinion will demand it but it’s not really logical

My Liverpool supporting friend, when I told him if City's titles are rescinded over the past 10 years, he'll have 3 more titles he was happy to hear it and accept it but there would be an asterisk in his view.

He asked me if point were deducted this season and enough where us winning the title is a forgone conclusion how I'd feel. I'm not so sure. I will take it but can see sperz supporters making all kinds of joke and memes.

I don't think Safe Standing will make much difference at all. 70% of those who responded might want it but that's not 70% of the attendance. Contrary to the popular view, it doesn't increase crowd density so therefore it's entirely neutral in terms of capacity. All it involves is an additional waist-high rail to guard against surges forward. The steps can't change and there'll still be seats. There's Safe Standing at Spurs but I can't say it made much difference to anyone's experience or enjoyment because that would always have been a standing game, safe or not. Most away games are standing for away supporters - it's just a universal fact throughout football in England. Becoming a pain in the arse for some!

The real issues in regard to Safe Standing areas is how they affect adjacent areas where people would rather sit. We've been told to sit for 30 years now and most of us have got used to it. Over the years, people in front who stand and block your view have become much less of an issue. If there's no advantage like cheaper tickets or more availability, I doubt whether many will see the point.

The great advantage with standing, for those of us who are old enough to remember, was the freedom of the terraces. You could stand with whomever you liked. As soon as you issue a ticket with a seat or a 'standing stall' number, you lose that forever.

I would be absolutely gutted if we sold Balogun in the summer. I just see so much potential in the boy and he is only 21.
Rumours with 18 months left on his contract we may consider selling him for 40 to 50 million in the summer.
I understand that but surely he will get a run to see if Arteta fancies him or not.
However how much of a run with Eddie and Jesus ahead of him?

Question for the forum.
Would you keep Eddie or Balogun because i dont think 3 into 2 will go sadly..

The club did say specifically though it would introduce segregation within the stadium bowl, separating designated safe standing areas and seated areas. This would result in a net loss of seats and a reduction in overall capacity. They said as capacity will not be positively impacted by introducing Safe Standing, it is unlikely that Safe Standing areas will be priced any cheaper

However fans are emotive on the subject of standing and will advocate for it regardless for the reasons you mention in your last point. It’s just not going to be the same as the north bank we all knew and the stadium wasn’t constructed with standing in mind.

The asterisk would apply in seasons where the chasing pack had given up, so who came second was a bit arbitrary.

Liverpool would fully deserve the title last year and in 2019, just as Lewis deserved the 100m gold in 1988. Cheaters don't count and Liverpool were excellent.

United getting the title with 74 points in 2020? Yuk!!

Liverpool with three more titles and Man United with two more would slick in the throat a bit, especially Manure who were mediocre. But Liverpool really have been the ones who were robbed .