Declan Rice

[oldius]

I think combining champions league football and playing Premier league at daft o'clock on a Saturday is going to be a real eye opener for the Goons. Remember, they had no European football last year and were out of the domestic cups early doors and they still tired towards the end. I think they'll be there or there abouts because Legoheads putting together a talented squad, but I just think the amount of games will tell on them in the end.

Spot on. That's why I think top 4 is their immediate target. They are not going to sacrifice the CL in the way that they did the domestic cups.

 

[Gordyola]

I think combining champions league football and playing Premier league at daft o'clock on a Saturday is going to be a real eye opener for the Goons. Remember, they had no European football last year and were out of the domestic cups early doors and they still tired towards the end. I think they'll be there or there abouts because Legoheads putting together a talented squad, but I just think the amount of games will tell on them in the end.

Played in Europa League

 

[DeBlueLou]

Played in Europa League

Played their B-team almost every game, as it so easy until they faced Sporting...

 

[willipp]

Played their B-team almost every game, as it so easy until they faced Sporting...

They are in for a big shock next season. No idea what pot they will be for the CL but it certainly won’t be pot one and might even be pot 3. Hard group with tough midweek fixtures it a world away from shamrock rovers and playing the kids every week in the Europa league.

 

[DeBlueLou]

They are in for a big shock next season. No idea what pot they will be for the CL but it certainly won’t be pot one and might even be pot 3. Hard group with tough midweek fixtures it a world away from shamrock rovers and playing the kids every week in the Europa league.

Yep! The hard game they had last season was Sporting, and they went out right away. Showed their lack of experience there again.

 

[fulabeer]

Some blue's here seem bitter he went to them.
Is it maybe because we were interested and people now assume it would then be a done deal?

I think for the most part, if we were never linked/bid and the rags and dippers were fighting over him, most here wouldn't raise an eyebrow.
People seem bothered about another club getting one of our targets, more than not over paying or being shafted.

A decent enough footballer, but elite? Nah...

 

[Goatmeal]

Some blue's here seem bitter he went to them.
Is it maybe because we were interested and people now assume it would then be a done deal?

I think for the most part, if we were never linked/bid and the rags and dippers were fighting over him, most here wouldn't raise an eyebrow.
People seem bothered about another club getting one of our targets, more than not over paying or being shafted.

A decent enough footballer, but elite? Nah...

I personally think we only bid to inflate the price for Arsenal. Maybe cheeky bid as payback for pushing for the PL charges against us.
JG and Kovacic were clear targets and the players clearly wanted to come. That’s how we do business.
It’s not like city to come late to the table to gazump other teams. We have that done to us everyone knows we walk away.

 

[waspish]

Some blue's here seem bitter he went to them.
Is it maybe because we were interested and people now assume it would then be a done deal?

I think for the most part, if we were never linked/bid and the rags and dippers were fighting over him, most here wouldn't raise an eyebrow.
People seem bothered about another club getting one of our targets, more than not over paying or being shafted.

A decent enough footballer, but elite? Nah...

Who? name them!?

 

[willipp]

Yep! The hard game they had last season was Sporting, and they went out right away. Showed their lack of experience there again.

Fans of other clubs forget how tough the CL is not just to win, but as a whole. We’ve taken over a decade of playing every season to not only win it, but to break past that last 16/QF hurdle we struggled with. Experience and having a top class squad that can deal with two tough games a week is so much harder than people realize.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Played in Europa League

Shit! I forgot about that. Ignore my whole post then;)