[FOOTBALL] Weekend, New Year's Day & Midweek Fixtures (Fri 29 Dec - Thurs 4 Jan)

Also some Serie A and other stuff http://www.live-footballontv.com

Friday 19:45
Cardiff v Preston - Sky Sports Mix
St Mirren v Dundee United - BT Sport 2

Saturday 15:00
Watford v Swansea
Huddersfield v Burnley
Bournemouth v Everton
Newcastle v Brighton
Liverpool v Leicester
Chelsea v Stoke
Man United v Southampton - 17:30 BT Sport

Celtic v Rangers - 12:00 Sky Sports
Bristol City v Wolves - 17:30 Sky Sports

Sunday
Crystal Palace v Man City - 12:00 Sky Sports
West Brom v Arsenal - 16:30 Sky Sports

Monday - New Year's Day 15:00
Brighton v Bournemouth - 12:30 Sky Sports
Burnley v Liverpool
Stoke v Newcastle
Leicester v Huddersfield
Everton v Man United - 17:30 Sky Sports

Leeds United v Nottingham Forest - 15:00 Sky Sports

Tuesday 19:45
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Swansea v Tottenham - Sky Sports
West Ham v West Brom
Man City v Watford - 20:00

Napoli v Atalanta (Cup QF) - Sky Sports

Wednesday
Arsenal v Chelsea - 19:45 Sky Sports

Juventus v Torino (Cup QF) - 19:45 Sky Sports
Benfica v Sporting CP - 21:30 FreeSports

Thursday
Tottenham v West Ham - 20:00 Sky Sports

Sensational tele picks there from BT and Sky.

:drool:

I'm not doing anything all weekend, especially on New Year's Eve when my plan is to sit alone and eat cheese, so I'll see how many games I can take in. Cardiff v Preston is going to be a testing start though.

St Mirren v Dundee United is huge.

I'd fancy our chances more against Stoke than Brighton. I feel like season will be about trying to keep Palace at arms length. Or a cat's whisker.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

St Mirren v Dundee United is huge.

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Best thing was the snowball fight.

Ca believe MJ is still shagging his Missus.

https://i.imgur.com/kGZQII3.jpg

Is 15 offside?

Hard to tell from that angle.

Having gone into Paint and drawn lines on it, I would say he is offside by about two inches, and so it probably shouldn't be given.

That was my impression, the grass is misleading.

He runs on and scores. Shot data based models rate it an 0.5 xG chance, but if the linesman gets it right it's zilch. He's done something right to outwit the idiot left back though so I think I'll meet them half way. :cool2:

On the subject of offside, and drawing lines, when did it become acceptable (or standard practise) to take the line from the furthest most forward/back part of the respective protagonists? I've got no time for the modern phenomena of someone's toe being used as the defining point. Is there even an accepted methodology as to what the rule requires? I always think it should be done in the same way that photo finishes are in sprinting - through the chest.

It's the closest part of the attacker's body that can legally play the ball, isn't it? So strictly speaking a toe is often correct.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dino

That was my impression, the grass is misleading.

He runs on and scores. Shot data based models rate it an 0.5 xG chance, but if the linesman gets it right it's zilch. He's done something right to outwit the idiot left back though so I think I'll meet them half way. :cool2:

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It's probably only because one player has his feet together and the other has his leg extended. Jeff and the boys would do you for 'daylight'.

Liverpool’s counterattack will smash Leicester’s counterattack to smithereens. :drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Best thing was the snowball fight.

Ca believe MJ is still shagging his Missus.

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https://twitter.com/RossMixDonald/st...45597587464194

Shit second half performance. Missing a penalty though /0\

Watching the Old Firm derby. I'd say Rodgers should move on almost immediately, or certainly at the end of the season. This team has probably peaked, looks very complacent.

Lustig has had an absolutely howling game. Bodgers will invite him round for tea and a chat tomorrow morning.

James Forrest is a fucking coward, knew exactly what he was doing with that little hop into McCrorie.

For our part, Kranjcar needs shipped off to Peru as soon as we can arrange it, Declan John is brilliant, and Morelos must never be involved in build up play ever again.

Ajer looks really good. Celtic could easily be getting 50 million for him, Tierney and Dembele.

I quite like this Rangers team but can imagine they are infuriatingly inconsistent. You need a central midfield leader and a target man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dino

Ajer looks really good. Celtic could easily be getting 50 million for him, Tierney and Dembele.

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:D He's nineteen and he's played about five games. Behave.

Looks like a total bomb scare to me, although presumably he's supposed to be a midfielder and not a defender.

There's not this many posts about the entirety of the premier league Saturday slate normally.

He's been Celtic's best player for me, Jeff.

But there is always a post from you moaning about a lack of posts, and consistency is key, so thanks for getting involved.

Bates has been terrific since coming on. Nothing fancy but has done the basics very well. No more Alves, please.

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Originally Posted by dino

He's been Celtic's best player for me, Jeff.

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Fabulously pretty and I suppose those qualities are worth something in this football. I prefer Tierney, would have him at Chelsea tbh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

But there is always a post from you moaning about a lack of posts, and consistency is key, so thanks for getting involved.

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Hi John. Jump off something you sack of knob leakage.

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Hi John. Jump off something you sack of knob leakage.

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I've jumped off the couch several times during this game.

That's nice. I suppose I can identify with someone getting excited over meaningless leagues these days too so I shouldn't be so hard on you.

o/

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Originally Posted by Giggles

o/

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Why would you want to touch a 'sack of knob leakage'? Fucking weirdo.

:D

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Fabulously pretty and I suppose those qualities are worth something in this football. I prefer Tierney, would have him at Chelsea tbh.

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Get him in at united. He is a talent that we can bench behind young.

More likely, can't imagine us signing an Irish Catholic. We'll take Shaw off your hands for about eighty quid if that's alright.

Tierney will definitely be a Premiership player before long, probably for several Dembele Dollars.

Third best full back on the pitch today though.

Kris Commons is giving a fabulous interview for a job in the Bodgers spin room here. His genuine take just now was that Scott Sinclair was just too talented to put a particular chance away.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

More likely, can't imagine us signing an Irish Catholic. We'll take Shaw off your hands for about eighty quid if that's alright.

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I doubt Tierney is Irish or he'd have about 15 caps by now.

He's called Kieran Tierney, he must be basically Irish even if he plays for Scotland.

Never heard any mention of any part of the recent tree being from here. According to Wikipedia he's not from Scotland either though.

Isle of Man? That's a new one.

Could he have held out for England then?

He signed for Celtic at seven years old, so if he had any immediate Irish heritage he'd probably be playing for Ireland. He will have some in there though, Kieran Tierney is about as Irish as it gets without going down the Phil McGillivan route.

Interesting that the first thing Morata says in this interview, when asked about what England is like compared to Spain and Italy, is 'the referees are better'. He's spot on as well.

Better in the sense that most of them likely aren't bought at least.

Klopp was shitting the bed in the pre-match interview, so Christ knows what he'll be like if this stays the same.

Stoke three down to Chelsea already. You'd think Hughes will be next. Someone on one of the football podcasts made the point that they've become a team with no real identity: they're not Delap era 'hoof and head it', they're not all that flair-filled and exciting after the initial promise of Shakiri and co., and they're not any good against the best teams anymore. They're got some good players but it feels like a new era is needed. I say this after giving the subject about two minutes thought and my team one point ahead of them in the live table, but maybe there's something in it.

He's got to go this evening just for the team selection. You can't go to a Premier League match trying to lose.

I don't know how he's ever lasted this long.

There are a bunch of pointless shit teams in the Prem this year, more so than in the past couple seasons. I guess the whole thing is sinusoidal so it'll return to normal eventually but I'd relegate half the league as it is

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reg

Stoke three down to Chelsea already. You'd think Hughes will be next. Someone on one of the football podcasts made the point that they've become a team with no real identity: they're not Delap era 'hoof and head it', they're not all that flair-filled and exciting after the initial promise of Shakiri and co., and they're not any good against the best teams anymore. They're got some good players but it feels like a new era is needed. I say this after giving the subject about two minutes thought and my team one point ahead of them in the live table, but maybe there's something in it.

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A lot of Stoke fans have wanted him gone since the end of last season, and the remaining few after the Bournemouth loss. He won't go on the back of this though, I don't think it'd be until after next weekend's game, I don't even know who it is we're playing. Long overdue when he finally does leave.

Salah and Gomez are so, so good. :drool:

We’d never have overturned this in recent years. Good old Klopp.

Crappacosta on the scoresheet, what times we live in.

Watford have binned it again, fucking hell. Marco Costa binmnan in disguise.

Carlos had a dream :drool:

Just noticed that Spurs don't play today, or on the 31st. Seems to be a lucky draw for them.

Salah :cool:

I haven't loved a Liverpool player this much since Fernando Torres.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Just noticed that Spurs don't play today, or on the 31st. Seems to be a lucky draw for them.

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Eh? They’re playing 3 games in 6 days starting the middle of this week.

Superb win for Liverpool today. Mike is right - we used to lose or draw those. Salah is the man.

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Originally Posted by CJay

Eh? They’re playing 3 games in 6 days starting the middle of this week.

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Oh really.. I only saw fixtures up until 2nd.

Rashford and Mkhitaryan are jokes.

I've seen a fuckload of goalless football today. Bristol City and Wolves was a great 20 minutes until Danny Batth managed to go over the top of someone, got sent off, and since then it's been the dullest game of the season.

That one long shot Matic scored has given him the belief he can score a goal of the season contender every time he's in possession forty yards out, and it's going to curse United's build up for about five years.

HAHAHA Pogba you mug.

Goal would have stood if he didn’t kick it.

Wolvies with a 94th minute winner. Easy promotion for them. They may be the front for an international criminal conspiracy, but I like their manager.

And lol at us overtaking one of the MANCHESTER GIANTS while scoring fewer goals.

Dreadful. The only way is down.

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Originally Posted by dino

Ajer looks really good. Celtic could easily be getting 50 million for him, Tierney and Dembele.

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This is absolute nonsense :D

Tierney got dominated by a 30 year old journeyman :D and Josh fucking Windass has more goals than Dembele this season.

I had presumed he meant for all three.

I was fortunate enough to miss the United match, but I've just seen the 'highlights' and it's another one for the Lukaku end of season review. Alright mate go missing in the big matches, but you were literally bought to finish that chance a few minutes in.

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Originally Posted by Adamski

This is absolute nonsense :D

Tierney got dominated by a 30 year old journeyman :D and Josh fucking Windass has more goals than Dembele this season.

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Jesus.

Jesus cries.

https://dahliasent.files.wordpress.c...wkfd.gif?w=685

I see good old Jon Moss hasn't sent Puncheon off for that piece of barbarism.

Two 0-0s for me this weekend. Bah. On today's evidence I'd say Man City will get beaten at some point.

Palace look good under Hodgson, which is a little annoying. But I reckon we can be confident of five or so teams being worse than us. We don't really seem to have done very well at all for about two months, but are still looking pretty safe in 12th. It worked out quite well with the teams below us who have done well in that time having been so far behind previously (Palace, West Ham), allowing us to hover while not really doing anything.

Ashley Young has been charged for an elbow.

Elbowing Tadic should get him Player of the Month if anything.

Fuck 'stocky', Kolasinac is obese

He's part-Dothraki so it's all natural.

The Arsenal in red shorts looks weird. Have they ever done that before.

It's because of West Broms shorts apparently. First time we've done it since the late 70s or something. Looks fucking weird.

And you've never played against another team with white shorts since the 70s.

Well they're not for sale so I can't imagine it's a commercial thing. Maybe most other clubs have a second color on them?

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Originally Posted by Max Power

The Arsenal in red shorts looks weird. Have they ever done that before.

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I actually think it looks really nice.

Arsenal are a thoroughly uninspiring team, aren't they? Even if they play well, they're not going anywhere as a team. It's just some men playing football.

Sorry Arsene. luv u.

We're really dull these days. No real plan.

Changed the year we beat Newcastle to finish fourth. Kept getting smashed so became a team that plays tight and beat teams on the basis of our players being better than everyone else's.

That Everton game was sex though.

9 Premier League games this weekend, and we'll make the Old Firm derby the honorary 10th game. 6 goalless draws unless there is an unlikely goal in this one.

Thinking back to it, these games have always been pretty poor.

Calum Chambers getting rid of his long hair the moment he gets back in the first team is proper Mourinho mind games stuff.

Weng bringing Diaby on at LM would be blessed relief from this turgid shite.

What's the likelihood this is Sanchez's last Arsenal game? Do they have another one next weekend?

They play again on Wednesday.

Sucks for him then

I'm not sure what Alex Iwobi is good at these days. So many players where I have no idea what their role is.

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Originally Posted by phonics

I'm not sure what Alex Iwobi is good at these days. So many players where I have no idea what their role is.

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Playing in League One, along with three or so of his team mates here.

I've sat through some terrible football this weekend, but this game takes the biscuit.

Don't worry fans of The Arsenal, Per Mertesacker is coming on to unlock a resilient defense.

75 minutes. Allan Nyom replaces Hal Robson-Kanu. Send help.

The only goal being off a shit free kick deflected in off the wall is what this game deserves.

I'm so sad they've taken the lead there

And that penalty. lol. Mike Dean is a joke.

Pretty sure Cech still hasn't saved a penalty for Arsenal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Pretty sure Cech still hasn't saved a penalty for Arsenal.

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He's always been very poor at saving penalties. Had a couple kicked at him in Munich, thankfully.

You'd expect him to go the right way once in five years considering we conceded the most per season twice in them.

Arsene Wenger there accusing other people of becoming worse at their jobs over time.

Watching Brighton, it's amazing how integral Groß is to them. If he got knackered I doubt they'd score a goal for the rest of the season.

No Coutinho in the Liverpool squad. Guess that's the writing on the wall there.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

No Coutinho in the Liverpool squad. Guess that's the writing on the wall there.

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Or Sturridge. :wave:

This is going to be a bore draw.

Haven't you got a dodgy record when all of the 'Fab Four' play? Too many good players spoil the team.

@Jimmy Floyd Any rivals to him and Richarlison for bargain of the season?

Televised game plus hangovers meant lots of empty seats today. Strange how quickly this Premier League lark has become routine. Not since the Newcastle game has it felt like something really special. Beating one of the top six is the next thing that will feel genuinely exciting.

I’d forgot what watching a normal team every week was like, with three of our front four out today though I’ve been reminded.

Solanke isn’t good enough. Send him to Brighton or someone until the summer.

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Originally Posted by Reg

@Jimmy Floyd Any rivals to him and Richarlison for bargain of the season?

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Some of the Huddersfield players must be up there but in terms of value to the team, no one comes near Groß. I think you'd almost certainly be down without him.

On another note I see Harvey Barnes gone back to Leicester. Watch out for him second half of the season.

That finish from Mahrez is absolutely beautiful.

Nick Pope appears to have wrists and arms made of steel.

For fucks sake. Inevitable.

Fuck yes!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Hughes gone tonight?

Fucking get in!

7 changes and made a solid Burnley team look very average. Progress.

If Mark Hughes still has a job tomorrow morning I'll be surprised.

I hope we can grind a few more of those out.

Another game we wouldn’t have won 12-18months ago.

No expense spared....

https://gyazo.com/aebdce6982c6558ea7876f2749020805.jpg

Rafa is doing as well as any manager this season I reckon.

7th place I think is likely to be Europe (unless someone pokey wins the FA Cup) so the Leicester/Burnley race for that should be thriling before they play a reserve team and lose to TPS Turku in July.

It looks like Paulp Ogba as a number ten (seems like the long-term bet), and Anthony Martial up front. :cool:

I just completed my seventh goalless game of the last few days, and I'm very much looked forward to the next one in 15 minutes.

Wayne Rooney hat-trick.

Sky's little studio effort with Henry and Souness today has been tragic. Can they not drive the vans quickly enough to get the cameras to Goodison?

Nothing ever wants me actively want to turn off coverage quicker than Henry. It's like everything he says is with the single aim of being in Twitter clips in the morning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Fuck yes!!!!!!!!!!

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State of these nonce Liverpool fans.

I once joked about them following the bargain Thursday/Saturday Super League coverage, so expect them all to be just wibbling over Chinese broadcasts by 2020.

Thailand 'keeper training :drool:

View Tweet

Is that weird lalala music for the walk out an Everton thing or a PL thing? Is really odd for what it's for.

They must be in quite big trouble. Firing presenters everywhere, have no-marks doing match commentary, axeing programmes and cutting production costs everywhere. Richard Keys and Andy Gray will have the last laugh.

It's not quite as transparent as the BBC only selecting FA Cup ties from the north west, though. Liverpool and Fleetwood getting the two nods for this round.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

I would ask Jeff Stelling who his five best mates are, sack him and them, and then just hope it all sorts itself out.

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That is also a winning idea, if anyone from Sky was reading.

This is literally applause for everyone who died last year. Fucking hell.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

State of these nonce Liverpool fans.

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Suck my balls.

This is the worst thing I've ever seen.

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Is that weird lalala music for the walk out an Everton thing or a PL thing? Is really odd for what it's for.

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Z Cars.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Z Cars.

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What's the significance? Sounds like something you'd hear of you were watching those nonces going around a maypole.

Lee Dixon on commentary really is an boring, unfunny twat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

What's the significance? Sounds like something you'd hear of you were watching those nonces going around a maypole.

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I dunno. They’ve always had it though.

Z Cars was set on Merseyside. Watford took it first, as it was Bill McGarry's (then manager) favourite TV show.

United are proper rotten.

Lindelof looks like this century's William Prunier.

I knew from results they must have been shit lately but they're fucking rancid.

Was Lindelof not bought as a centre half?

That Adidas advert is the low point of western civilisation so far.

They should do a counter-advert with Marcos Rojo burning toast and spiting people.

Henry has had a few.

I like to think Adidas told him to keep the same hairstyle for a few months as well so that the advert would still look relevant.

Lindelof will come good, but he's definitely not a full back.

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Originally Posted by SvN

Lindelof will come good, but he's definitely not a full back.

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Isn't it that kind of fucking about early in play that ruined Jones forever too?

Equaliser will come in the 86th minute.

Big Sam should go for his approach to team selection here. Much worse than a pint of wine with an undercover reporter.

The Goodison Seethe (unique TTH Google result) is building nicely.

What a don Lingard is.

Did anyone see that Sun story about Lionel Jesse cheating on his model girlfriend with a fat single mother? I'm now convinced that he doesn't even know what he's doing when these wonder goals go in.

Why is Pogba wading in for a fight and raising his hands at 2-0 up? Must be the thickest bloke going.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Did anyone see that Sun story about Lionel Jesse cheating on his model girlfriend with a fat single mother? I'm now convinced that he doesn't even know what he's doing when these wonder goals go in.

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#dontbuythesun #stopfundinghate

Lingard slowly developing into a nifty little player, just in time for a disappointing World Cup :drool:

Also, when you image search 'Goodison Seethe' you get this. What a board.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

The Goodison Seethe (unique TTH Google result) is building nicely.

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Wow @P_3 should do more weekend football threads.

Just come here after watching the United game and surprised to see us getting slated. Thought we actually played pretty well for once. Pogba was a beast (as is liable to happen when he's played in a midfield 3 as he should be).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Did anyone see that Sun story about Lionel Jesse cheating on his model girlfriend with a fat single mother? I'm now convinced that he doesn't even know what he's doing when these wonder goals go in.

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#ticktings

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Just come here after watching the United game and surprised to see us getting slated. Thought we actually played pretty well for once. Pogba was a beast (as is liable to happen when he's played in a midfield 3 as he should be).

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Yeah, I thought they played quite well. Pogba in that position is maybe at his best but just his presence in any formation is so important for them. I still think he could add the ability to slow the pace down and control a game, which would be a much better way of defending leads than inviting teams on (today was a bit better in that regard actually).

http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...oles-criticism

:lol:

That bit where he does various calculations regarding his own trophy count and then says 'But in my mind? Paul Scholes, phenomenal player' is absolutely mega.

I've just been told Hughes purposefully lost to Chelsea with a weak team because he knew they'd beat Newcastle at full strength.

How does he still have a job?

Because Tony Pulis is no longer available?

He should have been fired at half time in the Chelsea game for a basic breach of footballing logic, but to then lose the game he was resting them for and still keep a job suggests that Peter Coates is a fucking moron.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42537120

I wish this cunt and his ilk would fuck off. Football isn't designed to maximise your chances of playing pretty football, it's designed for people to have an enjoyable escape from the grind of daily life, and that means lots of games at Christmas. Fucking deal with it.

City have 7 open spots in their 25-man squad that they have chosen not to fill, as it happens, so it's his fault that he can't rotate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42537120

I wish this cunt and his ilk would fuck off. Football isn't designed to maximise your chances of playing pretty football, it's designed for people to have an enjoyable escape from the grind of daily life, and that means lots of games at Christmas. Fucking deal with it.

City have 7 open spots in their 25-man squad that they have chosen not to fill, as it happens, so it's his fault that he can't rotate.

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Especially strange when they have invested something like $300m in their WORLD CLASS ELITE ACADEMY. U21 players, as I remember, do not have to be registered.... so just play some younger players.

From memory I think Gabriel Jesus and Sané don't count, so they could easily have another 5 squad players if they wanted to (6 considering Yaya Touré is dead wood). Chelsea are similar. It's probably FFP limitations on salary I guess.

Surely someone told him the was a Christmas fixture list when he was taking the job.

Surely he's still allowed to comment when he wants to be as competitive as possible whilst looking after his players fatigue.

Now if he's complaining that their fixtures are somehow more onerous than everyone else's then I think he could do one, but he's not.

but I like Jims assertion that football is there for us to escape the grind of daily life, so we need more of it at Christmas,
as it's such a miserable time of the year 😄

We need more of it at Christmas because that's when people have bank holidays/time off and are able to go.

Our football is exceptional compared to other countries in this respect, isn't our second tier the fifth most attended league in the world or some such? You go to Spain or Portugal and it's just a racket to ensure the big clubs win, not so here.

Was at the Amex yesterday for my first taste of Premier League Football there. Thought the atmosphere was good, although I was informed it was no better, and perhaps more subdued, than much of the season (which tallies with what Reg said). Echo Jimmy's sentiments about Gross. I said as much to the Brightonite I go with but he seemed to think that, in a worst case scenario of losing him they'd shunt Propper forward (where he plays for Holland) and put Kayal into midfield, which seemed plausible. Definitely the class player on the pitch though (him and Ibe probably). Shame Izquierdo couldn't cap an otherwise excellent performance with what would have been the winning goal. You could sense the nervousness after that meffing from all quarters. Still no idea how that Wilson goal went in, it probably wasn't undeserved, although it looked a fluke, and Brighton definitely had the better of the chances, if not of the game. I've no idea how Brighton are so bad on set pieces at both ends of the pitch seeing as it has been a major strength in seasons past. Bournemouth played nice stuff but looked very beatable when Brighton put them under pressure. Unfortunately they eased off as both halves progressed, which cost them. Hughton probably takes some responsibility for that through both the approach and the failure to make any changes until very late in the game. 2 points dropped.

The second Bournemouth goal came largely from Propper's shit attempt at a clearance amidst the melee.

I think they tired a bit in both halves, to the extent I thought Bournemouth might nick it towards the end. Also would suggest they need a tougher customer than Stephens/Propper somewhere in that midfield, although my opinion on midfields might have been clouded by largely watching Kanté for the last 18 months.

It looked like quite a few folk took a swing at the ball during that interminable melee. I think those two have been decent enough, if not spectacular. The most pressing concern is probably a centre-forward as although Murray is an honest trier, and he wins the header off every goal kick, he's probably not quite good enough at this level, but then who doesn't need a strong and pacey 20 goal a season forward (or a midfield engine like Kanté for that matter)?

Lots of teams are crying out for a goalscorer this window, there just aren't many of them around these days (as evidenced by Everton's bid to get this bloke from Turkey). In the 90s or early 00s, you could just bring in Andy Johnson or Darren Huckerby.

You're right about the set pieces, niko. I can't believe it's become a weakness really. We aren't making the most of Gross' deliveries and neither the defensive or attacking corners look particularly practiced. Perhaps we just spend 99% of training time on defensive shape in open play. The equaliser looked terrible and is equally terrible watched on replay. Duffy isn't tight enough on the first goal and has a mare on the second (two chances to clear).

On a brighter note, I thought Knockaert looked as close to his old self as he has done anytime this season. Quality in possession practically every time and bust a gut whenever we lost it.

I saw a hilarious video of Propper throwing someone to the ground and then doing an awful tackle from behind within about 15 seconds. I would have sent him off for two bookings.

Flanaghan the Liverpool defender has admitted a cheeky bit of assault on his missus for some Xmas bantz.

Time for Judge Kenny D to fire up the t-shirt printer and sort this shit out.

If he's admitted it, she must be a Hillsborough survivor or related to Bradley Lowery. Either that or Kenny's witness box skills have deteriorated along with his liver.

Jon Flanagan still plays for Liverpool? :cab:

How many fullbacks do they have?

His Missus is Eni Aluko so he’s double fucked.

Toggle Spoiler

Not really :stamford:

Fairly shambolic linesmanning for that Spurs goal.

Southampton binman surely being fired as we speak, as Moyes and Hodgson soar above his side in the table. Come on, chairmen, I'm thirsty for blood.

Would've liked West Ham and Palace to stay down there. Still, I can see two sides worse than us. Swansea and West Brom.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Southampton binman surely being fired as we speak, as Moyes and Hodgson soar above his side in the table. Come on, chairmen, I'm thirsty for blood.

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What's Nigel Atkins up to these days? Shit he's at Hull. Double shit, his name is Adkins. Bring him back to complete the circle.

Thy saviour's name is Pardew.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Southampton binman surely being fired as we speak, as Moyes and Hodgson soar above his side in the table. Come on, chairmen, I'm thirsty for blood.

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This Saints guy looked like a chancer from the start.

Moyes, Woy, Fat Sam and Pardiola donning things as per usual.

Hodgson is absolutely donning it since he took charge.

Don't Southampton have about 7 candidates picked out at all times?

Southampton should get Brenda back from Jockland. He's probably holding out for the Real Madrid job though.

Southampton are built specifically so that binmen can coast them into ninth whilst shedding their best player every year, so I suppose that their model was always going to take a knock once every club had cash to burn and one duff transfer window can undo four good ones.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

This Saints guy looked like a chancer from the start.

Moyes, Woy, Fat Sam and Pardiola donning things as per usual.

---

Pards is very much not donning it.

I like to think that the mentioned quartet will at some point in the next ten years be doing a 90-date theatre tour called 'MEN FOR A CRISIS: An Evening with Four Managerial Legends' in which they regale audiences with hilarious tales of training ground derring-do and that time Pep Guardiola smirked at them. Tickets priced £75.

I'll wait for the book (foreword by 'Arry, ghostwritten by Henry Winter).

https://s10.postimg.org/ajwh6y32h/Smash1.jpg

Never forget. Every possible detail you can find on that is somehow even more embarrassing than working for a slave state.

I actually saw a bit of something with them two on it one night recently and I was trying to work out whether "Keysey" has just got fat or if something peculiar has actually happened to his head.

"End your evening with a smash" is my usual general aim, so this aligns with my interests.

Can you just imagine the bants? Off the scale.

Livermore apparently smacking a West Ham fan after the fan made a joke about his dead kid.

https://twitter.com/ironswhufc66/sta...14275839467526

Vid of Livermore being led away.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

I'll wait for the book (foreword by 'Arry, ghostwritten by Henry Winter).

---

I was going to correct you by saying Martin Samuel but I can't remember if he's still alive. Enough reason to post this though:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B0t5gISCEAAjJ3C.jpg:large

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dark Soldier

Livermore apparently smacking a West Ham fan after the fan made a joke about his dead kid.

https://twitter.com/ironswhufc66/sta...14275839467526

Vid of Livermore being led away.

---

If it's true then I hope he knocked the cunt out.

Was their a specific reason for all the empty seats at the Etihad last night?

https://gyazo.com/e7690fa2438b8d7f53765d838ccee2bc.jpg

https://gyazo.com/9dfd0122a41d2c1889500eaf0bbe3299.jpg

Coronation Street was on.

There’s always empty seats; that’s why people call it the Emptihad.

Midweek games always struggle for attendance. It's no surprise the CL has been wailing and gnashing its teeth for years to get games moved to weekends.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news...s-dean-shiels/

:D

Scottish fans really take the biscuit when it comes to absolute cuntery.

Only two Andy Gorams etc.

Life ban territory these days.

The punishments for this stuff aren't severe enough. They need to get away from the 'ooh it's a minority' attitude and say actually no, it's on your watch and that's a 100 point deduction (or something similarly medieval).

Quality work.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...-League-FA-Cup

Toggle Spoiler

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img...ue-1180696.jpg

Bizarrely I recognised it instantly before I clicked on the link.

EDIT: Jesus Christ it's fucking wax? :D

Nice end to a decent year for him.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/irel...-win-1.3343203

Who's winning tonight?

Another game without Pedro or Willian starting. That's got to feel weird for them after such a successful season.

edit- Chelsea would be my guess, Boydy.

Chambers, Holding, and Maitland Niles in the back five, with the left side consisting of the latter two. I'd put Hazard out here and let him do as he pleases, he'd have those two on toast whenever he fancied it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Boydy

Who's winning tonight?

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Football.

Boring 0-0 guaranteed.

Jesus, what a miss that was.

Fucking hell Morata :D

Morata is good but fuck me his finishing one on one is dreadful.

What a miss that is. Pathetic from both sides once the ball was played.

If you stop thinking of him as a sexy Spanish stud and start thinking of him as a very good old fashioned target man, he makes more sense.

Fucking hell :D

lol.

Fuck me, Courtois.

Who scouted Bakayoko and why? Might as well have Carlton Cole in midfield.

Who was that Arsenal player and why, as a professional footballer, is he unable to run?

Maitland Niles looks very competent here. That'll teach me take what Phonics says as the truth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Who scouted Bakayoko and why? Might as well have Carlton Cole in midfield.

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He looked absolutely brilliant for Monaco last season. God knows what's happened this season, he looks like he's operating on a thirty second mental delay at times.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

He looked absolutely brilliant for Monaco last season. God knows what's happened this season, he looks like he's operating on a thirty second mental delay at times.

---

Nothing wrong with that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

He looked absolutely brilliant for Monaco last season. God knows what's happened this season, he looks like he's operating on a thirty second mental delay at times.

---

Was he in a free role or something? His Yaya Touré style bursts forward have had their moments (especially against Man Yoo), but everything else he does is a disaster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Was he in a free role or something? His Yaya Touré style bursts forward have had their moments (especially against Man Yoo), but everything else he does is a disaster.

---

Tended to start a bit deeper than Toure would, but he was certainly a more attacking presence than he's been for Chelsea.

The thing that most stood out watching him last season was that he seemed to make the right decision at almost all times, which makes this madcap shit all the more baffling.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

Maitland Niles looks very competent here. That'll teach me take what Phonics says as the truth.

---

Not sure if dig.

He's a promising central midfielder operating as a left back.

Chelsea seriously need a right wing back. Moses and his Italian counterpart is shite.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

Tended to start a bit deeper than Toure would, but he was certainly a more attacking presence than he's been for Chelsea.

The thing that most stood out watching him last season was that he seemed to make the right decision at almost all times, which makes this madcap shit all the more baffling.

---

Think that makes sense actually considering Monaco were quite a free form team (from what o watched) and Conte makes micromanagement his strength.

It's fucking weird how since Mourinho left Chelsea always come across as the inferior side despite clearly not being it. We may lose because we're actually shit but the way these games go considering our massive inferiority complex versus United is so weird.

Hazard’s back heels at it again :drool:

He’s far too unselfish. Needs to get out of Chelsea ASAP.

Bakayoko seemed less box to box at Monaco to me. He was in a 4-4-2 so couldn't go forward that much. He's looked pretty dreadful each time I've seen him for Chelsea. Gets into good positions but is too clumsy. What a waste of the Fabregas pass (which was :drool:).

Every pass of Fabregas' does make me think we fucked up not taking him but I still hate him.

That HSBC surely trumps whatever Adidas thing Floyd was moaning about before as the worst thing ever. It's like something they filmed in anticipation of a Remain vote then decided to put out anyway.

That's the first time I've ever seen anyone pass out of our anti-goal kick routine and not put it out for a throw in and of course it's Kante. I'd thought he's been quite poor prior to that but maybe we're just bypassing him.

The Moses/Crappacosta sub is always terrible no matter which way round it is.

Jack Wilshere is bae. Learn it. Live it.

Morata just can’t finish one on ones.

What was the gobshite Neville on about for that penalty shout? He kicked him.

That Hazard backheel to Zappcosta is sex.

That little flick from Hazard was a thing of real beauty.

“On the edge of being good”
High praise indeed from Gary.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

That HSBC surely trumps whatever Adidas thing Floyd was moaning about before as the worst thing ever. It's like something they filmed in anticipation of a Remain vote then decided to put out anyway.

---

Did you see that 'Crimbo limbo' one from Nationwide (I think). :sick:

Conte’s lack of faith in Hazard is mind boggling. He must substitute him in every game.

The one thing I've taken from adverts over the past month or so is that I'm the only person in the country with two white parents.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Conte’s lack of faith in Hazard is mind boggling. He must substitute him in every game.

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Probably because he gets kicked 50 times a game.

Fucking hell, Morata has been so shit.

Crappacosta almost broke the bar with that effort.

Had a fiver on both teams to score and Chelsea to win. Fuck's sake. :(

Morata isn’t getting over this for a long time.

I feel sorry for Arsenal, but that's what you get for granting premier league careers to Ron Holding and Calum Chambers.

Edit: my stream is slow :eyemouth:

That struck me as a really straight-forward finish from Marcos Alonso. Gary Neville just made it sound difficult stumbling for words other than 'controlling it at pace'.

Diego Costa would have had four.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Morata isn’t getting over this for a long time.

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He hasn't made a decision on any of them. Completely a mental thing.

Conte dropped us so deep in the last ten the equaliser was inevitable, Italian managers are all the same.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

That struck me as a really straight-forward finish from Marcos Alonso. Gary Neville just made it sound difficult stumbling for words other than 'controlling it at pace'.

---

This game was an example of when Neville just talks utter balls for 90 minutes but does it in such an authoritative tone that people buy it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

This game was an example of when Neville just talks utter balls for 90 minutes but does it in such an authoritative tone that people buy it.

---

I can't listen to him at all, had to put the sound down. It's not so much what he's saying but how the fuck can you hire someone with a speech impediment who's main job is talking?

Hazard’s now scored against the so called “top six” home and away. Best player in the league. He’d be absolutely ridiculous surrounded by better players.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Hazard’s now scored against the so called “top six” home and away. Best player in the league. He’d be absolutely ridiculous surrounded by better players.

---

If we sell him we'll come like 12th next year.

Plus one for best [outfield] player in the league. I wonder what they will sell him for.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Probably because he gets kicked 50 times a game.

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Even if this were true, it wouldn't be enough. Good to see Arsenal get the bare minimum of what they deserved from that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Plus one for best [outfield] player in the league. I wonder what they will sell him for.

---

He's under contract for three years, so you're looking at mid £100 millions.

Or about half that and send Bareth Gale our way.

I was thinking that. Even Madrid aren't going to just front up that much, and he is definitely the sort of tosser who will piss and moan for a move.

It seems like just yesterday that he called a press conference to say he hadn't decided who to join.

That was a good game. Chambers is train-wreck. He makes so many mistakes.

Sky have done more coverage of Wilshere taking a dive than Gerard had in his career.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

I was thinking that. Even Madrid aren't going to just front up that much, and he is definitely the sort of tosser who will piss and moan for a move.

---

Do Madrid even have that much? They have to pay all their current mongs and have no TV DEAL.

If Liverpool can hold out on Coutinho for this long I suspect we may find it easier to keep Hazard than in the old world.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

I was thinking that. Even Madrid aren't going to just front up that much, and he is definitely the sort of tosser who will piss and moan for a move.

---

It'll be whatever Real flog Gay Ronaldo to Le PSG for plus £50m.

It’s a shame it was Alonso and not Morata driving that car, otherwise that poor person wouldn’t have been murdered.

Has demot Gallagher had some sort of cancer recently? He looks on the verge of death.

Tactics Tim can't help but make it known that he gave Kane his chance. Three times in about a minute just now.

Why do they still show West Ham games on TV?

Such turgid shit.

Get fucked Mahow.

That's a ludicrous strike from Obiang.

Proper thundercunt, that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John

Get fucked Mahow.

That's a ludicrous strike from Obiang.

---

So you've enjoyed the game up to that?

Moyes and Hodgson fucking owning the league. Brexit means Brexit, motherfuckers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

So you've enjoyed the game up to that?

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Spurs aren't exactly a hundred mile an hour, thrill a minute either. Dour as fuck.

Holy fuck.

I love Son. He’s always so happy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

I love Son. He’s always so happy.

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Okazaki is another like that but he's nowhere near as good a footballer as Son.

It's the asians

Check out @ironviews’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/ironviews/status...016501248?s=09

Lol.

Just seen the two goals holy shit.