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*** The Official 26/27 Premier League Thread ***

revlis said:
All of that is just a reflection of what football fans have voted for. We all watch it. We all sat there and agreed as referees were criticised and lambasted for every mistake, convincing ourselves that VAR would fix it. That didn't just happen out of the blue.

Carragher should get push back from Villa fans, not the club. The club is not the product at all. The people running it, who made that statement, are just as greedy and manipulative as Sky and everyone else. They're not doing it for the good of the game. They're not doing it for the fans. They're doing it because they want to make more money. Protecting their brand and embarrassing it at the same time.
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Some not all.
 
Muttley said:
Wouldn't the Villa owners just say that they made the ultimate gesture to their players, their manager and their fans by going in strong with Sky and Carragher? I dont think any Villain is painting their club black, in the same way I wouldn't if Vinai and Charrington flexed their muscles and stood up for our own club. I think the Villa fans understand that one leadership incentive was total brand protection and enablement of future revenue growth as that drives success of the product. I don't think it embarrassed the brand at all.

The VAR story is obviously it's own worm hole. It should have been an enabler to get the game more closely aligned with the original spirit of the game that should be fully supported by the law makers and the officials. I'm still a massive supporter that the day that both of these parties lose their defensive nature and want to use tech to help the 22 guys and gals play football within the laws, then we could see some really positive things happen. If it's just there as an arse covering tool for referees, then it will remain a partial success only.
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I’ve read a lot of Villa fans seemingly utterly embarrassed by what the club did RE Carragher.

I’m not sure it helped. I’m not sure it’s a massive climb down from Carragher. I’m not sure it makes Villa seem any bigger or like any pundit won’t criticise them again. I think it’s just a very weird episode and for as many people respect Villa more for standing up, it seems an equal if not greater amount of people think they are silly and precious for releasing a batbrick insane statement,

Carragher essentially defused the whole thing quickly so it didn’t have oxygen to become anything bigger than it was, so either way it doesn’t have impact. And I’d definitely think less of Spurs owners doing something similar because I think it’s telling on yourself - a truly big club does not need to threaten legal action over a discussion about the hierarchy because it’s obvious where they sit.

PGMOL and pressure there I agree with, because they need to be held to a higher standard to be more consistent and not keep making the dumb, inexplicable mistakes that keep happening. But this Villa thing just makes them seem like an odd bunch, not bigger or stronger.
 
SissokoWasGood (BoL) said:
I’ve read a lot of Villa fans seemingly utterly embarrassed by what the club did RE Carragher.

I’m not sure it helped. I’m not sure it’s a massive climb down from Carragher. I’m not sure it makes Villa seem any bigger or like any pundit won’t criticise them again. I think it’s just a very weird episode and for as many people respect Villa more for standing up, it seems an equal if not greater amount of people think they are silly and precious for releasing a batbrick insane statement,

Carragher essentially defused the whole thing quickly so it didn’t have oxygen to become anything bigger than it was, so either way it doesn’t have impact. And I’d definitely think less of Spurs owners doing something similar because I think it’s telling on yourself - a truly big club does not need to threaten legal action over a discussion about the hierarchy because it’s obvious where they sit.

PGMOL and pressure there I agree with, because they need to be held to a higher standard to be more consistent and not keep making the dumb, inexplicable mistakes that keep happening. But this Villa thing just makes them seem like an odd bunch, not bigger or stronger.
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That's fine. It's OK to disagree about this stuff.

I'm wondering whether the world is moving into a new phase where we will now see intense scrutiny on the media. We had the first phase of the media reporting the news and providing inteliigent commentary and insights. That media in our early life times was very different and more controlled. We've now been in a reasonably long phase where the media changed completely. The digital age appeared, social media appeared and the media themselves change how they reported things. It became a free for all where there was no point letting the truth ruin a good story. The media run havoc through our lives and actually became quite toxic.

I'm now wondering whether a new phase is upon us and we will see extreme pressure applied from the real stakeholders back on the media to correct some of their behaviours. I think there will be more people like me that frown upon the media and challenge them to play a more important leadship role in society.

It's an interesting day for me when a football club threatens to sue a broadcasting company. It's the type of push back I now want to see become more pervasive. Doesn't always need litigiation though.
 
Muttley said:
That's fine. It's OK to disagree about this stuff.

I'm wondering whether the world is moving into a new phase where we will now see intense scrutiny on the media. We had the first phase of the media reporting the news and providing inteliigent commentary and insights. That media in our early life times was very different and more controlled. We've now been in a reasonably long phase where the media changed completely. The digital age appeared, social media appeared and the media themselves change how they reported things. It became a free for all where there was no point letting the truth ruin a good story. The media run havoc through our lives and actually became quite toxic.

I'm now wondering whether a new phase is upon us and we will see extreme pressure applied from the real stakeholders back on the media to correct some of their behaviours. I think there will be more people like me that frown upon the media and challenge them to play a more important leadship role in society.

It's an interesting day for me when a football club threatens to sue a broadcasting company. It's the type of push back I now want to see become more pervasive. Doesn't always need litigiation though.
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I agree with you there. I think with social media and it becoming more of a free for all in some ways you can’t blame someone with real power to throw their weight around to influence some media output, since it’s all such a crazy mess compared to what it used to be anyway, more controlled as you say.

So from that perspective, I can see why Villa’s owner does what he does. I just think my personal preference means that it’s the wrong target in my view. A pretty much factual statement was made in a jocular way on a football podcast, and I think it makes a billionaire look petulant to get that worked up about it. If it genuinely had the desired effect of making Villa look bigger, players and sponsors taking them more seriously, or even galvanising the squad then I’d hold my hands up and say job well done. I think it because it got defused quickly though, it just feels like a bit of a weird episode.
 
Pleased that Carragher has done an article today in the Telegraph reiterating his position. I’m glad pundits don’t have to pretend that up is down because of a billionaire legal threat and I think free speech is important.

He apologised for the tone he took towards Villa fans but not the substance of the argument. Which I think is right.
 
SissokoWasGood (BoL) said:
Pleased that Carragher has done an article today in the Telegraph reiterating his position. I’m glad pundits don’t have to pretend that up is down because of a billionaire legal threat and I think free speech is important.

He apologised for the tone he took towards Villa fans but not the substance of the argument. Which I think is right.
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I read he told the Villa fans to "shut the f*** up" and that is what this is really all about. He was being massively disrespectful to fans of the club.

Interesting that he isn't supposed to have climbed down but he has now admitted that Villa is a better place to manage than Utd right now. That suggests more of a climb down versus a double down to me. We all know the history of the clubs, the finances, the trophies etc. That's without doubt.

Despite the markets crashing this week because of AI, this is what our new techie friend partnering with google had to say :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy:

Key Reasons for Public Dislike

Hot-Takes and Social Media Trolling: Critics argue that modern sports media and platforms like X (Twitter) push Carragher into making extreme or attention-seeking claims. Fans often accuse him of doubling down on bad takes or engaging in public feuds with players and managers (such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, and Pep Guardiola).

Perceived Bias: As a former Liverpool FC legend who played over 700 games for the club, he is frequently accused by rival fans of showing lingering club bias, delivering harsh criticisms of opposing teams, or framing Liverpool's situation through a partisan lens.

Aggressive or Condescending Tone: Viewers often find his delivery abrasive. This came to a head in late 2026 when Aston Villa announced legal action against him for "unacceptable insults" and foul language directed at Villa fans after he dismissed the club's stature on the Stick to Football podcast.

Past Incidents: Public perception has also long been damaged by past behavioral lapses, most notably a 2018 incident where he was filmed spitting at a car containing a Manchester United fan and his teenage daughter after being goaded.

Punditry Fatigue: Some fans feel that broadcasters like Sky Sports encourage dramatic, sensationalized commentary over deep tactical insight, leading to a sense of over-exposure

lol - feels about the right CV for Sky presenter right now. You have to be a wrongun to work there. GHod help us.
 
glorygloryeze said:
Thierno Barry vs Nicholas Jackson vs Dominic Solanke - discuss...
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Barry 121 games 39 goals
Jackson 131 games 52 goals
Solanke 247 games 85 goals

Barry on hot streak
Jackson not missing as much as he did
Solanke struggling

Figures show not much difference between them.

Barry never caught my attention when he first joined Everton, just looked a typical Everton centre forward (big), has hit scoring form in last 20 odd games, perhaps he's come to terms with PL an he's got a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.

Jackson looked a decent player to me, missed a lots of chances at Chelsea and because he played for them he is rubbish (fan logic), he's got pace and movement and would be my pick.

Solanke doesn't seem to fit into our current style of play and appears short of confidence and fitness, hope I'm wrong and it clicks with him.
 
Muttley said:
I read he told the Villa fans to "shut the f*** up" and that is what this is really all about. He was being massively disrespectful to fans of the club.

Interesting that he isn't supposed to have climbed down but he has now admitted that Villa is a better place to manage than Utd right now. That suggests more of a climb down versus a double down to me. We all know the history of the clubs, the finances, the trophies etc. That's without doubt.

Despite the markets crashing this week because of AI, this is what our new techie friend partnering with google had to say :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy:

Key Reasons for Public Dislike

Hot-Takes and Social Media Trolling: Critics argue that modern sports media and platforms like X (Twitter) push Carragher into making extreme or attention-seeking claims. Fans often accuse him of doubling down on bad takes or engaging in public feuds with players and managers (such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, and Pep Guardiola).

Perceived Bias: As a former Liverpool FC legend who played over 700 games for the club, he is frequently accused by rival fans of showing lingering club bias, delivering harsh criticisms of opposing teams, or framing Liverpool's situation through a partisan lens.

Aggressive or Condescending Tone: Viewers often find his delivery abrasive. This came to a head in late 2026 when Aston Villa announced legal action against him for "unacceptable insults" and foul language directed at Villa fans after he dismissed the club's stature on the Stick to Football podcast.

Past Incidents: Public perception has also long been damaged by past behavioral lapses, most notably a 2018 incident where he was filmed spitting at a car containing a Manchester United fan and his teenage daughter after being goaded.

Punditry Fatigue: Some fans feel that broadcasters like Sky Sports encourage dramatic, sensationalized commentary over deep tactical insight, leading to a sense of over-exposure

lol - feels about the right CV for Sky presenter right now. You have to be a wrongun to work there. GHod help us.
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I don’t disagree with any of that AI insight. All very fair.

When Carragher made his original comments (on the Overlap, which has a jocular, we all banter with each other kind of vibe) the context of him telling the Villa fans to shut the fudge up is that they were having a go at him on Twitter for originally saying United was bigger than Villa. In the context I don’t think he has anything to apologise for even then, but I can see why he did.

His article today though is very well reasoned. He makes the point that Villa today are better than United but it doesn’t change the fact that United are bigger. And he extends it to how Villa also benefit from their position in the hierarchy, making the point that for example no matter what Tom Brady does at Birmingham for example, Villa will always be bigger.

I think he probably wrote a column where he could put a reasoned point of view out that would also be heavily lawyered so there would be a sense of protection before it was published. Either way, I can see why he apologised for his tone to Villa fans, which in no way amounts to trying to ‘stop Villa’s ascension in English and European football.
 
K.D.D.D.D.Soc said:
Barry 121 games 39 goals
Jackson 131 games 52 goals
Solanke 247 games 85 goals

Barry on hot streak
Jackson not missing as much as he did
Solanke struggling

Figures show not much difference between them.

Barry never caught my attention when he first joined Everton, just looked a typical Everton centre forward (big), has hit scoring form in last 20 odd games, perhaps he's come to terms with PL an he's got a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.

Jackson looked a decent player to me, missed a lots of chances at Chelsea and because he played for them he is rubbish (fan logic), he's got pace and movement and would be my pick.

Solanke doesn't seem to fit into our current style of play and appears short of confidence and fitness, hope I'm wrong and it clicks with him.
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Also it feels like Solanke has been injured for 2 years. He’s barely had a consistent run. I feel like even when he joined us he had some sort of injury in pre season, as I remember the chat in our first game away to Leicester with him up that he wasn’t yet fully up to speed.

So much of this comes down to form and fitness. So many of our players have been seen through the lens of a squad that has been decimated by injuries. I’m not even saying Solanke is better than, or a better long term her than the other two. Just that he’s probably much better than the last two years with us suggests.
 
Tarkowski pulls on one attackers’ hair whilst throwing his arm in the face of another and the ball hits his arm for good measure 🤪 If that was Romero the ref would've immediately pointed to the spot and sent him off!!

www.skysports.com

Should Tarkowski have seen red for a hair pull?

Should Tarkowski have seen red for a hair pull during Evertons Premier League match against Coventry.
www.skysports.com www.skysports.com

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SissokoWasGood (BoL) said:
Also it feels like Solanke has been injured for 2 years. He’s barely had a consistent run. I feel like even when he joined us he had some sort of injury in pre season, as I remember the chat in our first game away to Leicester with him up that he wasn’t yet fully up to speed.

So much of this comes down to form and fitness. So many of our players have been seen through the lens of a squad that has been decimated by injuries. I’m not even saying Solanke is better than, or a better long term her than the other two. Just that he’s probably much better than the last two years with us suggests.
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Quite remarkable how Solanke spent more time injured during his first 6 months at Spurs than he had over the previous 3 years at Bournemouth.

Hopefully he’ll be fully match sharp again some day but for a forward approaching 30 years old it’s unlikely he’ll ever be quite the same after such a lengthy succession of injuries.

IMG_5597.jpeg
 
Solanke has had about one very good season in his career. Injuries or not, there is not some great level he would return back to.

This place is fantastic for believing players of ours are going to reach levels they rarely have and do, whilst happy to belittle other teams players of a similar standard. Solanke is not the answer injury free or not....
 
SissokoWasGood (BoL) said:
I don’t disagree with any of that AI insight. All very fair.

When Carragher made his original comments (on the Overlap, which has a jocular, we all banter with each other kind of vibe) the context of him telling the Villa fans to shut the fudge up is that they were having a go at him on Twitter for originally saying United was bigger than Villa. In the context I don’t think he has anything to apologise for even then, but I can see why he did.

His article today though is very well reasoned. He makes the point that Villa today are better than United but it doesn’t change the fact that United are bigger. And he extends it to how Villa also benefit from their position in the hierarchy, making the point that for example no matter what Tom Brady does at Birmingham for example, Villa will always be bigger.

I think he probably wrote a column where he could put a reasoned point of view out that would also be heavily lawyered so there would be a sense of protection before it was published. Either way, I can see why he apologised for his tone to Villa fans, which in no way amounts to trying to ‘stop Villa’s ascension in English and European football.
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Your last paragraph is pertinent. Carragher knows his own history and his previous wrong doings. He knows there will be an additional focus on him and that another presenter may have rode it out without taking the very careful approach he has on the follow-up. That is also why it became a written article so he didn't trip up in vocalising it.

Be interesting to see in the future what happens now between Carragher and Villa. Hope it will be as much fun as the Carragher vs Richiarlison exchanges. Carragher had to climb down on that one as well and give the player more credit.
 
harr1984 said:
Solanke has had about one very good season in his career. Injuries or not, there is not some great level he would return back to.

This place is fantastic for believing players of ours are going to reach levels they rarely have and do, whilst happy to belittle other teams players of a similar standard. Solanke is not the answer injury free or not....
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This. He's a decent player, but not at the level or consistency we want and need to challenge in this league
 
I'm not heartbroken that we didn't get Ndiaye! Done absolutely nothing at city. Can't say I noticed him at Everton either. Expensive bullet dodged!
 
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