They can’t play games at Wembley because it’s the weekend?
@mattyhurst It’s not called the Charity Shield anymore (now the Community Shield) as the FA did not meet the requirements of it being a charity event under the law, apparently you have to actually specify what charities and how much you give them 
I still call it the Charity Shield, I’m too old to change.
Legit comment from BlueLoon…
I hate playing these cheating cunts
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
Fixed for accuracy
Their planning really does seem to borrow heavily from that ‘cycle’ idea, which really relies on free agency and especially the draft. Neither of those are really applicable, though we seem to be entering a stage where free agency really becomes a norm - just a matter of time before other clubs start following the practice set in Madrid and Barcelona. But there is just no analogue to the draft.
It really does seem odd that there has been such a generalized assumption that Maresca was just going to change the name on the office door and they would just keep on rolling. I guess the corollary will be that if they struggle, the press will make a sea change and suddenly he will be an ‘obvious mistake’, ‘in over his head’, etc.
I didn’t think he was much at Chelsea and he had a good season at Leicester but even he had a drop off at one point that was putting promotion in danger.
I was genuinely surprised that he was in the frame at City, let alone such a lock for the spot that he was willing to walk away from Chelsea. At that club you only need to wait a few weeks, and then you get the nice fat payout.
I lost an E once. Spent a whole night crawling around a toilet floor in a club in Friedrichshain looking for it.
Really don’t know what to expect from Sunday but a win could really ignite something for the next few weeks.
Other than that - we have Man City, Arsenal and ManU all at Anfield until matchday 11. Guess we’ll know by then what kind of season we can expect.
Oh great “ref cam”.
Will it be like the World Cup one and avoid showing any controversial decisions.
So all the reffies try n justify their decisions…oh what fun…
It is sort of an annual occurrence because the schedule is meant not to have ‘big’ games on the first weekend, but I was a little surprised at what a bland line-up the first week really is. Our game is arguably the highest profile of the whole weekend. Brighton-Villa is a match-up of two sides that might be in the frame for Top 5, I guess City-Bournemouth is too. But there probably isn’t a Saturday match I will end up watching.
Yeah it’s none European teams facing each other.
As you say ours is probably the biggest of the weekend. Sunday has the games to be honest. Though I’m on compassionate leave so probably watch it all.
Based on a survey conducted by the Athletic. Seems our lot have forgotten the immortal words…
As ever, i look forward to seeing how many of these teams end up massively disappointed
Looking at the Man United positivity versus the Liverpool negativity, I have to assume they interviewed @Nikola…
Well if you start with low expectations, you can be pleasantly surprised. Profound optimism only leads to disappointment.
Being a miserable git has its advantages.
