If we could somehow get a crap judo trophy with 'SCORINGEST LAD' on it to Ronaldo, and have him Twitter about it, we would be the biggest forum in town.
If we could somehow get a crap judo trophy with 'SCORINGEST LAD' on it to Ronaldo, and have him Twitter about it, we would be the biggest forum in town.
Looks like the Bailly roadshow was good again tonight.
Bailly is the best signing in the history of football.
I assume his fee was so low because his previous term were embarrassed that they had such a good player and wanted to stop drawing attention to themselves.
That's the Puskas award sorted then.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Probably not worth a thread for Thursday games... I might watch Luton's playoff tonight as they're a mate's team. It seems Nathan Jones has done a bit of a Gus there.
Everyone down in my neck end of the woods wants an Exeter-Luton Wembley final after tonight which would be a fucking miracle considering Exeter were bottom of the league near Christmas and now look at them.
I think teams are so even below the Championship. It sometimes just takes sensible transfers and a few good decisions.
IFK v AIK was postponed just before kick off today, after match-fixing allegations.
Those dodgy Asians.Quote:
IFK Gothenburg v AIK postponed
Big news has broken in Sweden on Thursday:*IFK Gothenburg v AIK has been postponed just hours before they were due to play each other in the Allsvenskan.
Two of the biggest sides in Sweden were due to play at IFK Gothenburg’s Gamla Ullevi at 6pm UK time tonight.
IFK v AIK is considered arguably the biggest intercity rivalry in Sweden.
The Swedish football authorities have cancelled the match due to a significant match fixing claim, from an AIK player, who was approached on Tuesday.
AIK goalkeeper approached
According to the Swedish media, one of the AIK goalkeepers was approached*this week by a suspected match fixer with the promise of money if he “under-performed” v IFK.
Rumours in Sweden suggest that the AIK goalkeeper approached was 37-year-old Kyriakos Stamatopoulos. He was also threatened.
Stamatopoulos has not played for AIK yet this season, after eight games of the Allsvenskan. But, was expected to play this evening as their starting keeper is suspended.
The AIK player*told his club, and all parties involved agreed to not play the game today. The police are investigating a story that has rocked Swedish football.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39962886
Players who dive in English football will face bans from next season under new Football Association regulations.
Under the new rules, passed by the governing body at its annual general meeting on Thursday, a panel will review footage from the weekend each Monday looking for cases of simulation.
Any player unanimously found guilty of diving would be given a suspension.
Finally.
That system will definitely favour the top 4/5/6.
It's absolute nonsense, but it sounds funny so let's give it a whirl.
"Its panel will consist of one former match official, one ex-manager and one ex-player."
Dermot Gallagher, Big Roy and Joey Barton then?
Who's big Roy?
Woooo, that's great news I reckon.
How has it been in Scottish football, @John and other Scots?
What happens in cases like the Fellainimania 'headbutt'? Their heads touched, but he went down like a fanny, so I would call that 'successful deception of a match official'.
Rumour is that it's an ex AIK player that has tried to fix the match and that the player in question is D*ckson Etuhu.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
The tackles are so bad, reckless and fueled with bigotry it's almost impossible to dive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
Neil McDonald has followed in Big Sam's footsteps and taken over at Limerick.
The headbuttee hasn't necessarily conned the ref, or changed the decision. The red card could still be correct, no matter how exaggerated the reaction. But I guess you could punish the diver as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Feigning injury is the real blight on the game, not diving.
On a podcast I was listening to today it was mentioned that Christian Eriksen has covered the most distance of any player this season. That can't be right surely? Every time I see them he's standing about.
I don't understand the negative reaction to the diving ban (hello, Sam!) - it's a great move, and will hopefully help towards getting rid of players rolling around like twats.
As if it will last more than a month or two.
It'll be like the pushing at corners.
Is the in game sanction for diving still a yellow card or is that going to be bumped to generate a ban afterwards as well? Seems odd that if a ref spots you diving you get a yellow card, but if he doesn't you get a ban.
If the panel keep banning players - I don't see why it won't work. It worked on the tackle from behind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Disco
With that though the decision was still left with the ref on the field - so whilst it didn't work - it's because the refs bottled it in the heat of the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Good point. Perhaps you'll get a situation early on where players admit to diving immediately to get the booking on the field, rather than the ban retrospectively (if they are bright enough).Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I think we will see refs giving less decisions on the pitch - and leaving it to the panel - but that will eventually phase out once the bans start happening, you'd think.
The whole thing about if the ref acts then it's matter closed (not just in relation to diving) is such a load of shit rule anyways. First thing that needs to go.
God, what a really boring Premier League season. Yes I've said that before, but it really has been shit. Literally everything decided apart from fucking 4th place (I notice this weekend Sky have put their TV programming around this. BORING).
Oh my days. Blackpool with a 94th minute goal. 6-5 to them on aggregate. My mate's gonna be gutted.
Exeter against Blackpool in a Playoff Final? :|
Yeah, what a lot of shit. Imagine everything being decided with one fucking game to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
You were whinging all of last season that the league was boring too, as well as every individual game you watched within ten minutes of it kicking off.
This one hasn't been a gripper, to be fair. The title race was done by December, Arsenal/Liverpool/United (the teams with biggest fanbases) were all crap and irrelevant, and the season was defined by endless mid-table drudgery and three pointless XIs ultimately going down. Even the jeopardy of United not making the top four will be erased by winning the Europa League (which they will do with immense ease).
Championship has been pretty good though.
I don't think it's been a great Prem season. The first third, maybe, was really good: the games between the big teams were all exciting and open, and there was still the unknown with Conte, Pep and Mourinho. But it definitely didn't deliver as the pre-season promised.
La Liga has gone down to the last day. Real Madrid need a point.
Looks like we've signed Bruno Alves to hopefully crack some heads next year.
Or about 15 games to go in your case. Though 2nd was on the cards for a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Overall the exchange rate between shit clubs being relegated and good ones coming up has been great. Just need Burnley to do one next year.
Leeds fan laughs at underachievement from basket case club :D
I'd say they're overachieving for such a new club.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adamski
2016/17: Crap
2015/16: Crap
2014/15: Crap
2013/14: lol at Liverpool
2012/13: Crap
2011/12: Crap, but made vaguely interesting by City and then United blowing it
2010/11: Crap
Wasn't there some interesting last minute relegation battles? Also last year wasn't shit.
How does that viewpoint tie in with your original post?Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
That viewpoint is an answer to your inane remark. Nothing to do with my original post.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adamski
Leicester winning it means it was great, no matter what.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Also why would you watch football if every season is crap? :D
Because some of it is still good.
Yeah baby. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleb
The real football maybe a bit uninspiring, but the fantasy version is going down to the wire. Just 3 points separating the top 3. Can Harold hold off the charge of seasoned veteran Andy the Builder from Southampton (what has happened to him)? Or will Rushie (I assume he's Chris Rushton) edge them out? Do any of these people still post here? I'm focused on fending off Samadini for the real prize, the much coveted 4th Place Trophy™.
Ha, I still browse (and ever-so-occasionally, post).Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I've wrapped up my mini-league, so the TTH trophy is the only thing I have to play for; I bottled it 3 years' ago, so this is my chance of redemption.
Also, you being 30 point behind means it's still doable; a differential captain choice and who knows...
Yeah, don't know whether to consolidate 4th with a safe captain pick, or roll the dice with an outlier and hope they have the weekend of their life. Strange things can happen on the last day in dead rubber games.
Harry Kane put an end to any big ideas I'd developed, so I'm going with Jesus as captain next week and whilst hoping Spurs get smashed 5-1.
What's the TTH league code? I never actually joined, but might as well for the last week.
EDIT: Never mind, got it.