r/SpicyFootballTakes

The rumors today are wild. Fichajes reporting that Madrid wants to sell Bellingham to fund a "squad rebuild"? After two seasons? This proves that the Mbappé signing broke the wage structure and the chemistry at the Bernabéu. If Liverpool gets Jude for anything under £100m while Manchester United is stuck chasing Tchouaméni, the balance of power in Europe shifts back to England overnight. Madrid is panicking.

90+5 minutes. Callum Wilson wallops in a screamer for a 1-1 draw. We then sit through a VAR check that felt like it lasted 12 years just for Chris Kavanagh to rule it out for a "foul" on David Raya that wouldn't even be a foul in a library. Arsenal are basically champions now because the refs were too scared to let the "big story" die. If West Ham go down because of that one decision, the PL integrity is officially zero.

Mbappé might not be the best club player, but he is arguably the BEST player for France. Two world cups, one brace and one win. You can’t simply argue with those facts. Yes, France’s 2018 World Cup squad was stacked, but Mbappe was the missing piece. Mbappe’s chemistry with Pogba and Griezmann is what won them the World Cup up top. And who can forget about the 2022 World Cup? The only one who could rival Mbappe is Zidane, but because of the headbutt incident, he falls just a bit shot of Mbappe

The only thing that Messi fans still have over Ronaldo is the World Cup they act like the debate ended when Messi got his but once Ronaldo wins it and scores 1000 goals he will be the undisputed GOAT:

Most goals in football history, World Cup and EURO, 5 Ballon d'Ors, 4 Golden shoes, dominated 4 leagues, most Champions League goals, most penalty goals, most international goals, the best freekick taker of all time, scored from 40 yards regularily, most goals in a single UCL campaign, forced entire teams to change their playstyle just because of him, when he wins the WC he will have the best trophy cabinet in football history. No other player can match what he has done in football. The GOAT🐐🇵🇹

After the 2018 Champions League final, his career really stalled. Limited minutes, different clubs, and even time without a contract.

Now at Schalke, he’s putting together solid performances and keeping clean sheets in a promotion push.

Do you see this as a genuine rebuild, or more a run of form in a different environment?

It still feels crazy looking back at the Keylor Navas situation.

He helped Real Madrid win 3 consecutive Champions League titles and the club still spent years looking for replacements.

First it was De Gea, then eventually Courtois arrived and Navas lost his place anyway.

I understand why Madrid wanted Courtois because he became one of the best keepers in the world, but it always felt like Navas had to prove himself more than other players despite constantly delivering in huge matches.

For me, he is one of the most disrespected elite goalkeepers of the modern era.

Last night was a 4-0 demolition of Nottingham Forest at Villa Park. Prince William was in the stands losing his mind, and honestly, so should we be. Emery turned a 1-0 first-leg deficit into a masterclass. They’re facing Freiburg in the Europa League final- a rematch of their 1982 glory days. While Arsenal and City fans fight over the Prem, Villa is quietly becoming the most competent project in England. McGinn is a better captain than any "Big Six" leader right now.

I've seen a lot of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace fans claiming their Europea League and Conference League finals as some sort of "great achievement", but it really isn't. Winning the Premier League or Champions League is a great achievement, this is just another 2nd tier trophy where none of the top clubs even compete in. Also why do Aston Villa fans care so much about Eropa League when they already won a Champions League? Shouldn't that be where the bar is set, settling for anything less is just loser behaviour

And then Crystal Palace and their Conference League final... brother you guys are 15th in the Premier League, maybe focus on that instead of a 3rd tier European trophy with random village clubs whos yearly budget is the same as one of your players salaries💀

Let's be real here: These competitions only exist so that bad teams and their fanbases can feel important and it gives them a chance to win atleast something, but it isn't really an achievement, it's just charity from UEFA.

Look at the stats. All the talk about Saka being the best RW in the world, and what does he do in the biggest game of his life? Taps in a rebound. He didn't take the game by the scruff of the neck. He didn't skin his fullback. He just existed in the right place while Trossard did the work. If Palmer or Foden put in that performance, they’d be called "ghosts." But because it’s "Starboy" Saka, we have to pretend it was a 10/10 performance. He’s a top player, but the "world class" label is a reach. He’ll be invisible in the final.

Sometimes referees make decisions that could cost some teams titles. More so in the league. Like in the prem it will just be an apology and get on with it even if you lose it by a point. Hate that you could literally influence a title win and not be fined as a ref or redo the game etc. all you get is some online apology. And the team who loses the league potentially by that decision gets laughed at as bottlers/losers. Just made by what referees feel and then you gotta suck up the consequence and be a loser or we go again…
When was the last time points were deducted/titles were handed? I think inter Milan in like 06’ was like the most recent one.

Let’s stop pretending Man City are inevitable; blowing a lead to Everton and needing a 97th-minute miracle to save a point is peak "bottler" energy. Erling Haaland might have 25 goals, but he was a ghost for 80 minutes while Everton’s defense treated him like a Championship striker. If Jérémy Doku wasn't carrying this entire squad on his back, City would be sitting in 4th place fighting for Champions League scraps. Arsenal has already won the league- City just hasn't realized the "dynasty" is over yet.

As soon as a suitable replacement is available i think city need to sell Haaland. I think he’s obviously a world class striker but the issue with him is that everything needs to be centred around giving him the ball if you want to score goals. Because of this city lack a goal threat from other positions on the pitch and the overall quality of their game is worse. He also doesn’t contribute all that much to the rest of the game outside of their attacks which means they can’t play the free flowing possession based football as effectively as they used to. Also Haaland always seems to ghost for a couple of months every season which leaves city seeming lost as well as the fact that other teams understand how to deal with him better every season. He had a huge impact when he joined city and was crucial in winning the treble but he doesn’t seem like the long term answer to me if city want to get back to dominating like they used to and i think they need to move on soon

i also think city need a big overhaul with their squad in general so it’s not just him

Like I get wanting to watch good football and skills but I feel like it’s so overstated. People with the stats are G/A merchants and also I find some people choose when to use it.
Recently saw on pitch side podcast that a guy said saka was not good when you look at stats… he himself was a purist enthusiast.
Also some strikers get called out. Why? Aren’t they mainly scoring goals. Or do you want them to be elite dribblers and all other attributes aswell?

Also if you’re so strong about it why don’t you praise higher your taarabts, Ben arfas, bolasie maybe etc. surely those should be higher then. Those players are ballon d’or level by that case too.

Did you see his statement yesterday? Defending "market-based" reselling that allows tickets to hit $2,000,000 because of "US laws"? FIFA isn't a governing body anymore; it’s a luxury scalping syndicate. They are pricing out every real supporter in favor of tech bros and corporate hospitality. If the 2026 World Cup is played in stadiums filled with people who don't know the offside rule, the "Beautiful Game" is officially dead.

Fair play to Everton. It was an extremely good game and im not too mad that they drew. Both teams played amazing but fans have completely forgot what “bottling” actually means and use it to just piss off every city fan 😂

Arsenal fans saying Man City bottled the league when we’ve spent a total of around 2 weeks in first whereas Arsenal have spent over 200 days at the top of the league and we’re also over 10 points clear.

At this point I just find it funny when they call us bottle jobs 😂

In light of todays game which could switch this opinion quite a lot but if arteta were to somehow win the UCL I’d like to see him be rated as one of the great managers.
Despite competing for a few years he’s still looked at as a tiny almost still inexperienced manager. Idk a manager also that won the fa cup and called x managers team. Do chelsea fans call Di Matteos win ‘villas boas team’ because he came in at the end.
Saw a comment saying he’d still be behind Wenger if he won the double and while I agree I wonder why he’s rejected so quickly in conversations. Why so hate towards him? He competed and rebuilt the team to do so. No world class manager would’ve won straight away. I’d love for him to win the ucl to see where he’d fall. He’d win the 1st ever and still be not rated I feel which would be hilarious to win the 1st ever and still be crap…
If he’d won a league by now would arteta haters still hate him/want him out?