SixCrazyMinutes - Liverpool FC Fans Forum

I know it’s early, but based on the transfer window so far and just your hunch how would you rank the title chances of the top 4 teams (Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea) next season?

Liverpool
Last season’s points tally: 84
Additions: Wirtz, Kerkez, Frimpong, Mamardashvili
Potential additions: A new #9 and a like-for-like replacement for anyone leaving
Losses: Trent, Kelleher, Quansah, Jota RIP 🙁
Potential losses: Konate, Nunez, Diaz, Elliott, Chiesa

Arsenal
Last season’s points tally: 74
Additions: Gyokeres, Zubimendi, Madueke, Norgaard, Kepa
Potential additions: Eze
Losses: #Partey#, £
Potential losses: Martinelli

Man City
Last season’s points tally: 71
Additions: Reijnders, Cherki, Ait-Nouri, Rodri returning from the ACL
Potential additions: A new RB, another winger
Losses: De Bruyne, Grealish
Potential losses: Bernardo Silva, Gundogan, Nico Gonzalez

Chelsea
Last season’s points tally: 69
Additions: Pedro, Delap, Gittens
Potential additions: Every winger or striker under the s*n
Losses: Sancho, Chilwell, Madueke
Potential losses: Nicholas Jackson, Nkunku

Before I try to answer my own question, I want to make a general point that the fans and pundits alike consistently overestimate the importance of last season’s results to predicting the new one. When we finished 3rd in Klopp’s last season no one gave us a chance of being title contenders next season; when a team finishes at the top everyone assumes they will perform just as well next season, even though in reality it’s extremely hard to maintain consistent level of performance (I would say statistically a drop-off or an improvement of some sort is much more likely than standing still). I think there is more natural fluctuation in form and results between seasons than people realize and even absent any transfers teams and players can just have bad seasons and good seasons for no apparent reason at all - of course there are always underlying reasons, but they are usually quite subtle and mostly invisible to us fans at least until the season is done.

So all this to say I see no reason why Chelsea can’t jump from 4th to the top or why Arsenal or us are necessarily guaranteed a top-2 finish next season. I don’t see another team “invading” the top 4 at this point - the gap in quality between the best and the rest is just too big and is likely to get only bigger - but between those big 4, literally any combination is possible. So my answer, as unsatisfying as it might be, is that at present there is no clear favourite next season - anyone between us, Arsenal, Chelsea and City has a roughly equal 25% chance to finish at the top or in any of the 3 positions below. A lot will depend on luck, individual player form and fitness and starting the season well.

First game of pre season tomorrow. Will be very emotional, but probably also good for the squad to play a game and try to move on.
Will be loads of fitting tributes to Diogo as well.

And we’ll get to see this gem for the first time:


View: https://x.com/anfieldedition/status/1944002616075464972?s=46

MPs have voted to back the Football Governance Bill and establish an independent regulator to oversee the men's game in England's top five divisions.

They voted by 415 to 98 to pass the bill at its third reading in the House of Commons, and it is now poised to become law.

The legislation will grant powers to a body that is independent from government and football authorities.

The government has previously said an independent regulator will "protect football clubs" by "ensuring their financial sustainability".

"I am proud to be part of the winning team that has put our fans back on the pitch at the heart of the game, where they belong," Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said.

The bill was initially introduced in March 2024 by the then-Conservative government but failed to pass through parliament before a general election was called in May. The new Labour government reintroduced the bill in July 2024.

In a message to fans before the vote, Nandy had told the Commons: "We are doing this for you because for too long, you have been treated as an afterthought at best or a nuisance at worst in a game that is only great because of you.

"This is for Macclesfield, for Wigan, for Bury, for Bolton, for Derby, for Reading, for Sheffield Wednesday, for Morecambe and for many, many more who have had to endure the misery of being put last when they should have been put first."

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Shadow Minister for Sport, Louie French MP, criticised the Bill, saying "a future Conservative government will trigger a review of Labour's regulator as soon as possible".

Football campaign group Fair Game described the bill clearing the Commons as "a historic step forward for our national game."

"This is a victory for fairness, sustainability and the future of football... Now, at long last, we are firmly on the path to a fairer future for football," it said.

MPs vote against free-to-air games, alcohol​

MPs, however, voted against a proposal from the Liberal Democrats to make at least 10 Premier League games available on free-to-air television each season.

The new clause would have also required the League Cup final, and the Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals to be free-to-air.

In the UK, the list of 'crown jewels' sports events, which cannot solely be shown by broadcasters who charge viewers, includes football's World Cup and European Championships as well as the FA Cup final.

Live Premier League matches have been broadcast behind a paywall since the league's inception 33 years ago, with only a handful of games shown on the BBC during Covid in 2020.

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said: "The government believes that the current list of events works well, and it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

"We all want to see more matches being televised, free-to-air, but that must be balanced against investment and not risk it."

The Lib Dems claimed analysis of subscription prices shows that to watch each available Premier League game live next season fans will have to pay £660 a year.

Lib Dem Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Max Wilkinson MP said they were "deeply disappointed" by the vote result.

Last month, it was revealed Premier League television viewing figures on main live rights-holder Sky Sports were down 10% last season, while TNT Sports had a 17% reduction in its year-on-year figures.

From next season, 10 Championship matches will be shown live free to air on ITV after an agreement between the EFL and rights-holder Sky Sports.

• Government's football regulator chair choice faces inquiry
  • • Published
      2 June
  • • Published
      21 January

MPs also rejected a Conservative amendment to force ministers to launch a formal consultation on scrapping the rule banning alcohol in football stands across the top five tiers of men's football in England.

"The alcohol ban, which has been in place since 1985, was introduced to help curb hooliganism on the terraces during the problematic era of British football," French said.

"As football fans know, we have this legacy ban which sees fans rushing to drink their beer before kick-off and at half-time, this often leads to the fans being delayed entering the stadiums and overcrowding on the concourses."

Responding to French, Sports Minister Peacock said: "This is outside the scope of the Bill, which is focused on sustainability of clubs and game overall. I've raised the issue with the Home Office, as I committed to do during the Bill committee, as it is their policy lead."

The minister also said an amendment to establish a compensation scheme to help with care costs for former players with dementia is also "not within the tight regulatory scope of the Bill".

"Although that does not mean the government is not aware and very sympathetic to the calls that are being made on this issue, both in this House and for many former players and their families," Peacock said.

MPs also voted against a requirement for prospective board chairs of the Regulator to publish their political interests and donations.

That amendment was tabled after the government's proposed chair of the new independent regulator, David Kogan, becoming the subject of an inquiry by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Kogan had contributed money to the Labour leadership campaigns of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, leading to claims of "cronyism" from Conservative MPs.

Couldn't be arsed posting about real football stuff right now... It just doesn't seem important, does it? It's ridiculous to feel this affected by the loss of a kid I never knew, but football does ridiculous things to the best of us, n'est pas..?

I need a distraction, so I thought I'd go with the ol' tried-and-true, greatest 11 ever discussion to start with... Feel free to take this one anywhere, that'll help us all just take our minds off how fucking horrible and unfair life can be sometimes.

Love yiz. YNWA.
D.

View: https://x.com/JacobsBen/status/1941170163421749546?t=8AEK4uOKepuWqwI0iWLJJw&s=19

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The offences are reported to have taken place between 2021-2022, the Metropolitan Police said.

The charges involve three women with two counts of rape relating to one woman, three counts of rape in connection to a second woman and one count of sexual assault linked to a third woman.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Very convenient for Arsenal that charges were made as soon as he was a free agent.

They were even keen on extending him. Abhorrent.

WTF? Car crash

RIP if true.. shocked.

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died following a car crash in Spain, Portuguese media have reported.

Let’s imagine the Saudis offer us big money and Luis decides to go - what would be your course of action in terms of a replacement?

A) Throw big money at a ready-made LW replacement like a Nico Williams or Rodrygo.

B) Look for a younger and cheaper version of Lucho somewhere in Europe.

C) Invest in a young gem from the Championship or similar level who will be Gakpo’s back-up for now while he develops.

D) Buy a top-class centre-forward as an indirect replacement for Diaz and use players we have (Wirtz, Jones, maybe Ngumoha) to fill in at LW as needed.

Thoughts?

Wow, Al Hillal Beat Citeh!

First game of the season (PL not the community shield)

Predict the line up. Can include players we haven’t signed yet.

I’m going

Alisson

Bradley
Konate
Virgil
Kerkez

Macca
Szobo
Wirtz

Salah
Isak
Gakpo