Rousseau

Rangers 2 - 0 St Johnstone FGS Morelos

Oof! The last minute incompetence of the Referee scuppered a lot of us. Correct Result (1 pt): - Correct Number of Rangers Goals (1pt): Rousseau and Gaspard. FGS (2 pts): MacK and CammyF. Correct Score (3 pts): - Latest Standings:

Largely meaningless game. Played the second string. Lost a last minute equaliser. Still undefeated. I can't lie: I'm a little gutted.

What's happening here?!

Hypocrites.

This new CL format, called the 'Swiss model', seems, understandably, to have been ushered in to little attention. It seems to me this is moving the CL the same way as the ESL. There are two spots left to the discretion of UEFA - to be given based on historical performance! It's a safety net for 'big clubs'.

Ha! Collapsed like a house of cards. There should be severe punishment, yet I doubt it.

PL 14 have a meeting for several hours to come to the conclusion that they "reject ESL proposal"?

A Yank? We might get into the ESL after all!

The tone seems to be quite conciliatory, at least from UEFA, which is astonishing. If these clubs are damaging the game so much, you punish them. For me, it's greed in itself, because they know these clubs bring in the majority of the money.

Yes, that's my point: the new ESL is just more of the same, with the same clubs winning all the time. I think audiences -- like they are with the CL now, as you say -- won't follow the new ESL, they will prefer to watch what is left (a CL without the elite clubs). I don't know about where the money will go, but surely if audiences prefer product A ('diminished'* CL) over product B (ESL), then it'll go to product A? * I don't know why I deep saying 'diminished': it's better without the elite clubs, IMO.

True, but I don't see audiences turning their back on what is left; I think it's a better product, or has the potential to be.

Leicester to bottle it and Big Sam to keep the Baggies up! What are the odds on that?

I'm intrigued to see what will come of the talks between the other 14 PL clubs this morning. I wonder what punishments could be imposed? Some are talking about banning them, kicking them out of the PL, but I think that's highly unlikely.

I said as much above: surely, if you take out these super clubs (Bayern and PSG, notwithstanding), we are left with a better competitive and financial situation.

Chelsea 2-0 Brighton Tottenham 3-2 Southampton Aston Villa 1-2 Man City Leicester 1-2 West Brom

The plans are that all these teams still play in their domestic leagues, but they'd be out of European competitions - and they'll not be let back in easily! It's only the 'founding members' that are spared relegation.

If we just siphon off these elite clubs, I think what we have left is a much fairer situation, with clubs closer to each other financially. In that sense, Rangers have a better chance of being involved in the CL regularly -- albeit a diminished CL.

Yes, I agree, it doesn't make it right. The idea of an Americanised league disgusts me. That's what they're aiming for, I think. The CL Swiss model will be implemented, but I don't think it solves anything: the game is still dominated by certain clubs.

None - but that wasn't my question.

You mentioned CL qualification. If the ESL clubs are removed, surely we have a better chance of qualifying for the CL?

I found the Danish FA's statement about football being about ordinary clubs dreaming of gold funny. It's a nice sentiment, but still funny. How many Danish sides are going to win the CL? Or even the EL?! There is an elite group. The only way to restore parity would be to limit their spending and income, but will anyone do it?

I'm not for the ESL, per se; I'm just trying to cut through the politics and posturing. I really don't see a big difference between the ESL and what the CL is now, or what the PL or SPL did -- other than the so-called 'closed' nature of it (and it's not closed completely as it has been portrayed).

If these ESL sides are taken out of the CL, surely we have a better chance?