[FOOTBALL] New Year's Fixtures & More (Thurs 29 Dec 2016 - Thurs 5 Jan 2017)

[Reg]

15:00 unless stated. | Scottish fixtures. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/fixtures) | Full TV list. (http://www.live-footballontv.com)

THURSDAY 29nd
Aston Villa v Leeds United - 19:45 Sky
Rotherham United v Burton Albion - 19:45

FRIDAY 30th
Hull City v Everton - 20:00 Sky

Brighton & Hove Albion v Cardiff City - 19:45
Ipswich Town v Bristol City - 19:45
Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest - 19:45
Reading v Fulham - 20:00

Hearts v Aberdeen - 19:45 BT

SATURDAY 31st
Burnley v Sunderland
Chelsea v Stoke City
Leicester City v West Ham United
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
Southampton v West Bromwich Albion
Swansea City v Bournemouth
Liverpool v Manchester City - 17:30 BT

Huddersfield Town v Blackburn Rovers - 12:30
Barnsley v Birmingham City
Derby County v Wigan Athletic
Preston North End v Sheffield Wednesday
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Queens Park Rangers
Brentford v Norwich City - 17:30 Sky

Rangers v Celtic - 12:15 Sky

SUNDAY 1st
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur - 13:30 Sky
Arsenal v Crystal Palace - 16:00 Sky

MONDAY 2nd
Middlesbrough v Leicester City - 12:30 Sky
Everton v Southampton
Manchester City v Burnley
Sunderland v Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Hull City
West Ham United v Manchester United - 17:15 Sky

Birmingham City v Brentford
Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United - Sky
Bristol City v Reading
Burton Albion v Preston North End
Cardiff City v Aston Villa
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion
Leeds United v Rotherham United
Norwich City v Derby County
Nottingham Forest v Barnsley
Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town
Sheffield Wednesday v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Huddersfield Town

TUESDAY 3rd
Bournemouth v Arsenal - 19:45 Sky
Crystal Palace v Swansea City - 20:00
Stoke City v Watford - 20:00

WEDNESDAY 4th
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea - 20:00 Sky

Turkey v Moldova (Friendly) - 20:00

THURSDAY 5th
Doncaster Rovers v Portsmouth - 19:45 Sky

---
FA Cup 3rd Round (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/fa-cup/fixtures) weekend starts Friday 6th January.

[Magic]

Just bet on us to win. What have I done.

[Magic]

:drool:

[Giggles]

These two shithouses dropping two points each is best all round.

[Magic]

Cunt. :(

[Shindig]

Anything that softens our mid-season grind is welcome.

THANKS, GOD! Both rivals abandon their games and we take 3 points.

[Magic]

Biffa Bacon's son actually looks like a reasonable footballer.

[Kikó]

Celtic have dominated this. Quality of players they have is a little ridiculous.

[Magic]

McKay looks a good wei player. But yeah the overall difference is meteoric.

[Lewis]

It's surely more down to Rangers having no good players.

[Kikó]

Although Kenny Miller should have scored.

[Lewis]

I mean what was that idiot doing?

[Kikó]

It's weird that Celtic are being exposed 1-1 at the back with five minutes to go. Typical Brenda.

[Amigo]

Can't wait for the inevitable superkeeper performance from Valdes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Gaz Cahill :cool:

We should be well overdue a balls up by now but no sign that it's on its way.

[bruhnaldo]

Lmao how is that not a goal

Fuck this

[Kikó]

That was a goal that should have stood. Martial is having a good time out there.

[phonics]

Can't believe I'm supporting Mark Hughes. It's sickening.

[Kikó]

Fuck sake.

[Giggles]

What the fuck are Chelsea at with this shower?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can't believe I'm supporting Mark Hughes. It's sickening.

My old man won't accept that Mark Hughes's ex-Chelsea status doesn't stop him from being a twat. It's got to the stage where the other day he said 'Say what you like about Mark Hughes, but he's always dressed properly on the touchline'.

[randomlegend]

Literally every single game of ours this season the refereeing has been a fucking joke.

[Kikó]

Mason has been a fucking disgrace.

[randomlegend]

It's not even me complaining about us getting screwed (although this game we have been, royally) the standard has just been atrocious.

[phonics]

My old man won't accept that Mark Hughes's ex-Chelsea status doesn't stop him from being a twat. It's got to the stage where the other day he said 'Say what you like about Mark Hughes, but he's always dressed properly on the touchline'.

When I was at the Emirates the other day, I was right behind the goal so the managers were properly far away but you could have seen his white trainers from space. Spotless.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You've got about another 25 years of this to come before the rest of our debts from the 90s/00s are fully repaid, United fans, so get used to it.

[randomlegend]

Get fucked.

[Kikó]

Fuck off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:drool:

[Boydy]

Jammy bastards.

[Giggles]

Utd :drool:

[randomlegend]

Jammy bastards.

http://i.imgur.com/jOpMSJ2.png?1

Mmm hmm. Not to mention the perfectly legitimate goal that was disallowed and the penalty we should have had.

[Boydy]

:D

I'm not even watching.

[Smiffy]

That's a huge win for Man United considering.

[Smiffy]

I'm slightly nervous about this upcoming game. We need to win now Chelsea have (I'd take a point though) but I can't help thinking City owe us one at Anfield and so does the returning Aguero.

[John Arne]

Mason has been a fucking disgrace.

He's a genuinely terrible referee. There was a Liverpool game earlier this season in which he just literally getting in the way of our attacks. Lazy podgy tit.

[Reg]

City look a bit clueless/short on confidence so far. Bravo's long kicks are crap.

[Lewis]

He's just crap.

[Dquincy]

Love seeing man utd fans getting eggy over refereeing decisions after being on the rosey side more often than not during the last decade or so.

[Dquincy]

Origi ignoring Klopp's pep talk. Bloody youth of today.

[Dquincy]

Firmino on that counter attack.lol.

[Giggles]

Useless City cunts. Chelsea really are the only hope of steamrolling these scouse bastards dreams.

[Dquincy]

Easy tiger. There is no scouse dream, it's Chelsea's to lose.

[Raoul Duke]

City could do with Toure pushed further forward. He's not particularly effective sat back deep

[Lewis]

City missing the top four would be pretty lol.

[Lewis]

'Why deliberately missing out on Champions' League football is Guardiola's most audacious move yet.'

[Serj]

Hardly anyone on the pitch seems to remember how to pass a ball anymore.

[Smiffy]

Easy tiger. There is no scouse dream, it's Chelsea's to lose.

So we keep hearing but it will be confirmed in the next month if that's to be the case.

Tottenham (a), Leicester (a), Hull (h), Liverpool (a), Arsenal (h) is their next five.

This has been a poor second half and I'm braced for the fatal blow.

[Dquincy]

Hardly anyone on the pitch seems to remember how to pass a ball anymore.

Passing is so 2014.

[Dquincy]

Smiff, that is a tricky fixture list (save for Arsenal :harold: ). But on current form, I can't see them stalling.

[Smiffy]

:drool: Fantastic result that. Top four looks more and more likely. Happy days.

[Jeet]

Most Premier League points won in 2016:

Chelsea (79)
Liverpool (73)
Man Utd (72)
Tottenham (71)
Arsenal (69)
Man City (69)
Southampton (63)

[Jimmy Floyd]

I said this time last year that Liverpool would win the league this year, so a free-wheeling Chelsea being the only thing stopping them is quite sweet.

Klopp is a top, top, top manager.

[Giggles]

If only he was the first celebrity death of 2017.

[Spikey M]

Or the last of 2016. :drool:

[Smiffy]

Klopp or Conte, Jimmy? Serious question.

EDIT: Yev's thread beat me.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Klopp as my uncle, Conte as my football manager.

[Boydy]

Klopp would be a brilliant uncle.

[niko_cee]

Christ, Stoke haven't half been chucking them in these past few games.

[Reg]

Chelsea have equalled Arsenal's record for most consecutive wins in a PL season (13). They're on 49 points, if they match that in the second half of the season they'll break their own PL record of 95 points*.

I think they look pretty unstoppable. Especially considering that with Costa out they won just as easily the other day; they've shown they can win with any two of Kante/Matic/Fabregas; and they'll always have one of Willian or Pedro on the bench.

*Mourinho's first season, when they brought in Drogba, Cech, Robben, Tiago and Carvalho (the best transfer window by any club ever?).

[niko_cee]

They've still looked mega dodgy whenever they've played anyone half decent. How City didn't beat them is beyond reason and if Spurs weren't such bottling wankers then they would have taken them to the cleaners too, which presents a problem because said bottling wankers really need to sort themselves out for Wednesday. If Chelsea were to win there it's probably going to take an injury to Hazard to stop them. I have more faith in their ability to slip up than the ability of the chasing pack to necessarily capitalise on them slipping up though.

Where was this penalty United fans were shitting their pants over yesterday? That 'foul' on Rashford? :harold:

[Giggles]

Was just halfway through typing that I don't know how Spurs hadn't scored in this one.

Does that Trippier lad play much? Every time I've seen him he looks better than Walker.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Watford's performance here has been by far the worst of the season from any team (that I've seen). They've got some street cleaner in front of the back four.

[Kikó]

A sweeper?

[Giggles]

They've a couple in it too.

[Giggles]

Get the Dutch lad on and see how bad Watford really are.

[Jeet]

Arsenal trying to see how we do with life without Ozil once we sell him to cover the cost of not reaching the Top 4 this season.

[Giggles]

Arsenal will be top 4.

[Smiffy]

Holy fuck. :D What a goal.

[Giggles]

That was some finish. Most hot and cold player of all time.

[Pen]

Woof :D

Glad I went to check it out. Goal of the season more than likely.

[John Arne]

Did the commentator really just say "I wonder whether he thought about doing it because of the Mkhitaryan goal"... Yeah... as the ball was crossed in he thought about Mkhitaryan and decided in a split second to try the same. Either that, or it was great instincts.

[Kikó]

Was it offside as well? No? well then.

[Baz]

Giroud is an absolute legend already, but that goal crowned it superbly.

[ScousePig]

https://youtu.be/HvMYO1hwWGc

Klopp about 2:15 in :D

[Waffdon]

Laurent Robert's version was better.

Re: Giroud goal

[niko_cee]

I feel the true brilliance (madness) of Rene Higuita's actual 'scorpion kick' is being undermined by all these dangling leg flicks (Giroud's just looked like a normal volley to me, albeit the ball was behind him, although I only saw it once) being passed off under the same name.

[Reg]

I was thinking Giroud's goal couldn't get any better, but his interview has ruined it very slightly for me. He said he was lucky, and thought he'd backheel it. I guess that means he didn't intend it to come off the side of his boot? (A shame if so, as that made it even more absurdly good.)

Still, the flick to start the move off, the 60 yard sprint, and then the finish... Pen's "Woof" summed it up.

[Spikey M]

Was just halfway through typing that I don't know how Spurs hadn't scored in this one.

Does that Trippier lad play much? Every time I've seen him he looks better than Walker.

Trippier is better going forward from what I've seen (not hard when Walker doesn't seem to understand what a cross actually is) but Walker has the pace so he generally gets the nod as the system relies on the fullbacks playing high up the pitch and being able to get back.

[Shindig]

Laurent Robert had the decency to describe the cross that led to his (Did Olivier Bernard deliver it?) as "from the wing of a pigeon."

Also, around that time Zlatan bagged one for Ajax. They come in twos.

[Samadini]

It was a Solano cross.

Solano :drool:

Robert :hail:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfyty0_9Iyo

[Shindig]

I don 't think we've ever had a much more talented player give less of a shit. Peak Robert is unquantifiable.

[Kikó]

They've still looked mega dodgy whenever they've played anyone half decent. How City didn't beat them is beyond reason and if Spurs weren't such bottling wankers then they would have taken them to the cleaners too, which presents a problem because said bottling wankers really need to sort themselves out for Wednesday. If Chelsea were to win there it's probably going to take an injury to Hazard to stop them. I have more faith in their ability to slip up than the ability of the chasing pack to necessarily capitalise on them slipping up though.

Where was this penalty United fans were shitting their pants over yesterday? That 'foul' on Rashford? :harold:

Marital one on one, he was cleared out after the shot.

[niko_cee]

I have a beach ball sized sense of misgiving about this game today.

[Giggles]

Don't you all say that before every game? Well the general sentiment rather than the beach ball bit.

[Smiffy]

Have some faith, niko. Too quick to fear the worst. We've had enough opportunities to be well out of sight but clearly it's going to be a late one.

[Boydy]

Moreno's on so we're definitely chucking it away.

[Smiffy]

The fact we haven't taken Emre Can off is more concerning than Moreno being on. He's been absolute garbage today.

[niko_cee]

Don't you all say that before every game? Well the general sentiment rather than the beach ball bit.

I do generally approach most of our games with a palpable sense of dread.

[Giggles]

I do generally approach most of our games with a palpable sense of dread.

In fairness that was always my favoured approach with Spurs back in the day too.

[John Arne]

Chillibodgee has to be up there as one of the worst defenders ever in the BPLSBB.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's so terrible that you wonder how he gets a gig (he's like an average League 1 player) and the answer is of course bent agents and the fact that clubs only sign from certain agents.

[John Arne]

Not quite sure why Klopp got upset that Sunderland didn't kick the ball out then. Sturridge clearly wasn't hurt and just decided to sit down like a lazy fucking cunt.

[John Arne]

He's so terrible that you wonder how he gets a gig (he's like an average League 1 player) and the answer is of course bent agents and the fact that clubs only sign from certain agents.

I was genuinely going to add that there must be some deals going on with agents and Moyes to have sanctioned an 8m move for him.

[Boydy]

That was a penalty, yeah but it shouldn't have been a freekick before that.

[John Arne]

Yeah, it was never a freekick... and the ref was about 5yrds away from it, too.

[Shindig]

We've been really flagging badly in the last couple of months. :(

[niko_cee]

Brighton marching on as it stands.

:cool:

[John Arne]

Not sure why Sunderland have been allowed to let Chillibodgee back on the pitch. Received a big head injury, and clearly is struggling and doesn't know what is going on.

[Danny]

Isnt that normal for him?

[John Arne]

Even with the idiot-factor accounted for.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Newcastle barely created a chance in that match despite having the ball literally whenever they wanted.

[John Arne]

Moreno's second half performance was a kindly reminder of why he was dropped.

[Manc]

Someone take Sturridge out back and blow his fucking brains out.

[Boydy]

Newcastle fucked up my five team accumulator today and they had the shortest odds of everyone. Wankers.

[Reg]

Saved penalty, then 1-0 down, then won 2-1. :drool: It seems too fantastical to say but it feels a bit like we're the favourites to win it. Even though I thought we'd finish 2nd I really haven't gotten used to us being this good.

[Boydy]

Moreno's second half performance was a kindly reminder of why he was dropped.

He's so fucking bad. I don't know why he's ever allowed near set pieces either.

Why did Milner go off?

And is Sturridge injured again?

[Smiffy]

Two points dropped that but hey ho, still early days. We've got Plymouth and Southampton in the League Cup up next so we should ring the changes. Firmino looks knackered, Can was rubbish throughout and we missed Henderson and then Milner. Tough luck I guess.

[Smiffy]

Moreno's second half performance was a kindly reminder of why he was dropped.

Moreno the scapegoat, you mean? Far bigger culprits than him today. He didn't do a great deal wrong.

[John Arne]

Moreno the scapegoat, you mean? Far bigger culprits than him today. He didn't do a great deal wrong.

He was awful. Every cross missed it's target, every set piece he took was awful. I'm not making a scapegoat of him, I'm saying he had a bad game, which he did.

I'll give him this; he didn't two foot anyone, or spaz out defensively.

[Gray Fox]

Everyone looked knackered from about the 20th minute, so a 2-2 draw isn't all bad news. Lack of squad depth really shown up today though.

Frustrating as the 2nd penalty was through a free-kick that wasn't, but the game had the feeling we were going to chuck it anyway.

Still, 20 games done. Record points haul for this stage of a season.

[John Arne]

Why did Milner go off?



Everyone looked knackered from about the 20th minute, so a 2-2 draw isn't all bad news. Lack of squad depth really shown up today though.


This. Milner I think was just exhausted. Firmino was pretty rubbish/tired, too.

[Lewis]

Liverpool will need these points for when they're all PRESSED out by March, and Corporate Mourinho pinches second.

[Giggles]

Hopefully this is the first sign that they'll run out of puff in the second half of the season. Need Spurs to do their regular bending over for Chelsea now and put the cap on the week.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liverpoo.

Lol.

[phonics]

If we can go on a bit of a run here till we play Chelsea in February it could very much be BACK ON :drool:

[Smiffy]

:drool: Obsessed.

[niko_cee]

If we can go on a bit of a run here till we play Chelsea in February it could very much be BACK ON :drool:

I saw someone suggest the other day that Arsenal had to win all of their league games between now and then (eminently doable) but really that would just set things up for the usual February/March apocalypse, so probably best to chuck a few on the way to save on that disappointment.

[niko_cee]

I see Dunk got booked as well today so he can sit out the FA Cup game (and Preston) and rest up for Wednesday and Newcastle at the end of the month.

There's no way they'll willingly let him go but I'd be amazed if he was still at Brighton in a couple of years.

[Yevrah]

That is a terrible decision.

[niko_cee]

Some top notch reffing there.

If anything Jones goes in worse than the other tit.

[Lewis]

The shite refereeing in United games continues.

[Yevrah]

Hang on, were the commentators saying Jones was off?

[randomlegend]

Atrocious refereeing in our game once again.

[Danny]

No idea how that's a red, as nice as it is for United. It's just a tough challenge from both players.

[Smiffy]

Naturally there will be no mention of it later. Lucky fuckers.

[Lewis]

He'll send a United player off for nothing at some point to make up for it.

[Smiffy]

He'll send a United player off for nothing at some point to make up for it.

After the lead has been established, of course. You are right though, referee's have a huge history of that bollocks.

[Danny]

Obsessed :drool:

;)

[Jimmy Floyd]

It was one of those he gave on the other player's reaction. Should have adhered to the First Rule and booked him.

[Max Power]

Main Event Mike Dean at it again. Should be some more great moments from him before the game is up :drool:

[Reg]

I see Dunk got booked as well today so he can sit out the FA Cup game (and Preston) and rest up for Wednesday and Newcastle at the end of the month.

There's no way they'll willingly let him go but I'd be amazed if he was still at Brighton in a couple of years.
I suppose he's probably got years left to reach his prime but I could see him staying with us if we managed to go up and stay up. I don't rate him as highly as most, though he's less prone to diving in than he was.

---
Not sure why Gary Neville was so surprised about that being a red. It doesn't have to be two footed to be dangerous play.

[niko_cee]

I suppose he's probably got years left to reach his prime but I could see him staying with us if we managed to go up and stay up. I don't rate him as highly as most, though he's less prone to diving in than he was.


I think he'll stay for a season in the Premiership when (it's not even if now) they go up, but I reckon he'll move on after that. Either as a replacement for someone like Van Dijk when he goes for silly money, or maybe to bigger things. He's developed so much as a player in the past 18 months or so (probably since Hughton came). Much less error prone, composed, good on the ball and off it. I'd have him at Liverpool, for example.

[Foe]

I suppose he's probably got years left to reach his prime but I could see him staying with us if we managed to go up and stay up. I don't rate him as highly as most, though he's less prone to diving in than he was.

---
Not sure why Gary Neville was so surprised about that being a red. It doesn't have to be two footed to be dangerous play.

I think the surprise was that it was two footed from both players yet they sent off the one they assumed was on the receiving end. Never a red.

[Lewis]

That was impressive.

[Smiffy]

Goal attempts like that, Pogba's long rangers and Ibrahimovic's 6 yard high and wide swipes are the reason Man United both miss a lot of 'chances' and draw a lot of games.

0-0 en route.

[mugbull]

Goal attempts like that, Pogba's long rangers and Ibrahimovic's 6 yard high and wide swipes are the reason Man United both miss a lot of 'chances' and draw a lot of games.

0-0 en route.

What

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ibrahimovic winding up those swivel-volleys as if he isn't massively past his best is always good fun.

Herrera and Mkhitaryan are their best players, the rest are just filler. And Carrick I suppose but he's running mainly on 'ooh, I played under Sir Alex, I did' aura.

[Lewis]

I remember 'Zlatan' having crap composure on whichever Football Manager it was that had him at Milan, so he has misses in him against teams not manned by onion sellers and Africans.

[Smiffy]

Ibrahimovic winding up those swivel-volleys as if he isn't massively past his best is always good fun.

Herrera and Mkhitaryan are their best players, the rest are just filler. And Carrick I suppose but he's running mainly on 'ooh, I played under Sir Alex, I did' aura.

Mkhitaryan is the best at the club by far and is such a likable player but then so is Ibra. It's a horrible disgusting feeling. Pogba can get fucked though. No mention on De Gea?

[Lewis]

Paulp Ogba has quietly been the best midfielder in the league for about two months now.

[Reg]

Your definition of "filler" must be an unusual one, Jim, if Ibrahimovic, Pogba and de Gea come under that category.

[Jimmy Floyd]

In the league? Are you watching other teams? I'd give it to Henderson at the moment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Your definition of "filler" must be an unusual one, Jim, if Ibrahimovic, Pogba and de Gea come under that category.

One's a goalkeeper, the other one's an admittedly entertaining centre forward who doesn't score that many and I'll give you Pogba if you want, but they really need another couple of dynamic players before they challenge for the title.

[randomlegend]

One's a goalkeeper, the other one's an admittedly entertaining centre forward who doesn't score that many and I'll give you Pogba if you want, but they really need another couple of dynamic players before they challenge for the title.

???????????????????

[Max Power]

Pogba certainly one of the best in the league at a big cross field pass. I've seen the gifs on twitter.

[Lewis]

In the league? Are you watching other teams? I'd give it to Henderson at the moment.

He's a fucking freak. He's like an Asda own-brand Zinedine Zidane. And if he wasn't passing it to plebs and BOTTLERS he would have about forty assists.

[Bernanke]

One's a goalkeeper, the other one's an admittedly entertaining centre forward who doesn't score that many and I'll give you Pogba if you want, but they really need another couple of dynamic players before they challenge for the title.

https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/813424473898684417

[randomlegend]

Also:

http://www.worldfootball.net/goalgetter/eng-premier-league-2016-2017/

[Kikó]

Mike Dean is a bit of a mong but when you dive into tackles you can get sent off. It was a Sunday league touch.

Awful half though. Pedestrian.

[Lewis]

That was probably a red card.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not even a foul in the Afcon :drool:

[Kikó]

Yep.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A change that needed to be made at half time.

[randomlegend]

Rashford is class.

He always looks brilliant when he comes on.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was so good by Rashford.

[Reg]

Mata's underrated. Shame that both him and Mikh starting would mean no proper width.

Rotating the attacking spots seems to be working fine for them now though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Shame the grumpy Portuguese tit couldn't be bothered to make anything of Mata the first time round really.

[randomlegend]

Good to see Ibrahimovic scoring for once.

EDIT: West Ham have been fisted right up to the shoulder by the officiating in this match.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Good to see Ibrahimovic scoring for once.

He doesn't score many legal goals.

[Lewis]

lol offside.

[Smiffy]

No mention of it being offside though. Your lot are so predictable. Whinge all week because of a few poor decisions then silence when those same decisions go in your favour.

Ha.

[randomlegend]

He doesn't score many legal goals.

And then the ones he does get disallowed.

[Reg]

Neville is harsh on officials. Looked like Mikh was in linesman's line of sight.

PS Smiff you might need to give people more than a couple of minutes. Also what do you expect? "Goal! (Note: offside.)"

[Smiffy]

And then the ones he does get disallowed.

We heard all about it. Nice to see you Mancs coming out the woodwork at least, you've been hiding most the season.

#singwhenyourwinnin'

[Danny]

The shite refereeing in United games continues.


Atrocious refereeing in our game once again.


No idea how that's a red, as nice as it is for United. It's just a tough challenge from both players.

Yep no mention of it

[Jimmy Floyd]

Neville is harsh on officials. Looked like Mikh was in linesman's line of sight.

Neville is little more than a ridiculous gobshite. I only realised this when he went on the Sunday Supplement the other week and was laughably out of his depth up against titans of the intellectual world like Martin Samuel and Sir Henry Winter.

[randomlegend]

No mention of it being offside though. Your lot are so predictable. Whinge all week because of a few poor decisions then silence when those same decisions go in your favour.

Ha.


Atrocious refereeing in our game once again.


Good to see Ibrahimovic scoring for once.

EDIT: West Ham have been fisted right up to the shoulder by the officiating in this match.


Errr....

EDIT:

also:


It's not even me complaining about us getting screwed (although this game we have been, royally) the standard has just been atrocious.


The refereeing in our last two matches has been atrocious towards both teams, and Rojo should have been sent off in both.

[Yevrah]

Neville is little more than a ridiculous gobshite.

Welcome to my world.

[Lewis]

Neville is little more than a ridiculous gobshite. I only realised this when he went on the Sunday Supplement the other week and was laughably out of his depth up against titans of the intellectual world like Martin Samuel and Sir Henry Winter.

I bet you secretly voted remain.

[Kikó]

What's going on with the officials this season? Just completely garbage.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I bet you secretly voted remain.

It's Remain voters who like Neville. I'm more of an Andy Hinchcliffe man.

[Giggles]

Neville is little more than a ridiculous gobshite. I only realised this when he went on the Sunday Supplement the other week and was laughably out of his depth up against titans of the intellectual world like Martin Samuel and Sir Henry Winter.

Winter was an absolute embarrassment to himself that morning.

[Lewis]

It's Remain voters who like Neville. I'm more of an Andy Hinchcliffe man.

Remain voters liked him until he failed at Ba'lenthia.

[randomlegend]

We heard all about it. Nice to see you Mancs coming out the woodwork at least, you've been hiding most the season.

#singwhenyourwinnin'

That's...just not true.

You really are obsessed.

[Yevrah]

Been a bollocks match. Hope tomorrow night's is better.

[phonics]

It's Remain voters who like Neville. I'm more of an Andy Hinchcliffe man.

He's very good on that 'Set Piece Menu' podcast. That has somehow not become too pretentious.

[Reg]

Been a bollocks match. Hope tomorrow night's is better.
Spurs-Chelsea on Wednesday should be a good'un.

[Kikó]

Been a bollocks match. Hope tomorrow night's is better.

Awful game but we made up a couple of points on Liverpool and some on either Spurs or Chelsea.

[Boydy]

Jimmy didn't vote. He just pretends he voted Leave on here and Remain in real life.

[Smiffy]

Now now don't be fragile. At least you're now lucky instead of unlucky. Another corner turned and the unbeaten run remains.

Commonpotato made me laugh. "Man United are starting to move up the table"....ermm, nope, they're still sixth and have been for a while.

[Smiffy]

Awful game but we made up a couple of points on Liverpool and some on either Spurs or Chelsea.

We'll take those points back in a fortnight don't worry. ;)

[Kikó]

Fuck me you're seething.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jimmy didn't vote. He just pretends he voted Leave on here and Remain in real life.

I actually physically completed two ballots (one for each outcome), so I have everything covered and it's not my fault.

[Smiffy]

Fuck me you're seething.

2-2 Sunderland. You're damn right I'm fucking seething. :D

Moving on though, what's 'Pep' chatting in his interview? I can't understand him for shit.

[Lewis]

If he worked on the twitching and the SEETHING it would be a great thing to see more often. More managers should Wayne Bennett these idiots.

[Spoonsky]

Papy fucking Djilobodji.

Shit performance and a deserved result. :\

[Spikey M]

Shame the grumpy Portuguese tit couldn't be bothered to make anything of Mata the first time round really.

He was the Chelsea player of the year the year before he binned him, wasn't he?

[Danny]

Prior two years iirc

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pep clearly thinks he's in the Tony Blair class of international statesman. Quite literally in the not fancying a wet Tuesday night in Rochdale (Stoke is benign).

[Reg]

Just seen that interview, I don't mind that at all (he throws a decent joke in there too). I'd rather that than the standard ref-bashing nonsense.

[Max Power]

I never thought I'd see a manager with less time for the media than Nigel Pearson but Guardiola might give him a run for his money.

[Raoul Duke]

That Aguero finish is mental

[Giggles]

I suppose he's probably got years left to reach his prime but I could see him staying with us if we managed to go up and stay up. I don't rate him as highly as most, though he's less prone to diving in than he was.

---
Not sure why Gary Neville was so surprised about that being a red. It doesn't have to be two footed to be dangerous play.

Is Shane Duffy still doing OK?

[ScousePig]

Liverpool fans moaning about the free kick in the build up to the second penalty but no mention of the penalty we should have had before you scored your second.

Why were MotD making a big deal about Liverpool playing in such a short space of time when it was the same for everyone else?

[Smiffy]

Well it's not the same, is it. We kicked off later than everyone else, had to travel up to yours whereas City were at home a few miles away, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea all play later. Chelsea a few days later in fact.

The Christmas fixtures this year have been a joke all round though so who cares. It's not the end of the world dropping two points, everyone else will too.

[ScousePig]

You kicked off two hours later. Boo-hoo.

Did you walk up to Sunderland?

[Smiffy]

Yes because football stops the moment the whistle is blown. No warm downs, no going home, the players just stand on the pitch waiting for the next fixture.

It was clearly a factor and unfair in the sense our direct challengers (not relegated fodder like yourselves) had the benefit of an extra 24 hours or in Chelsea's case, an extra 48. If you can't see how that would make a difference then you're either blind or being obtuse.

As I said, no one cares. It was a joke all round. Ergo, for most.

[ScousePig]

Fucking hell Smiff, do other teams not have to warm down and go home?! It was the same for the following teams today:

Middlesbrough
Leicester
Southampton
Man City
Burnley
Sunderland
West Brom
West Ham
Man United

Some of them had to travel north to south, unlike Liverpool. Even Arsenal are playing Sunday - Tuesday.

The opening part of your second paragraph is cringeworthy.

[Reg]

Is Shane Duffy still doing OK?
Still doing well. We've got a very good defensive record. He's not as good on the ball as Dunk but maybe a better pure defender.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If there's one thing that really does even itself out over the season, it's bloody kickoff times. Managers are even worse at whingeing about that than they are about refereeing.

[Smiffy]

Fucking hell Smiff, do other teams not have to warm down and go home?! It was the same for the following teams today:

Middlesbrough
Leicester
Southampton
Man City
Burnley
Sunderland
West Brom
West Ham
Man United

Some of them had to travel north to south, unlike Liverpool. Even Arsenal are playing Sunday - Tuesday.

The opening part of your second paragraph is cringeworthy.




As I said, no one cares. It was a joke all round. Ergo, for most.




The Christmas fixtures this year have been a joke all round though so who cares. It's not the end of the world dropping two points, everyone else will too.

Clearly you do. Pipe down, pet.

[Smiffy]

If there's one thing that really does even itself out over the season, it's bloody kickoff times. Managers are even worse at whingeing about that than they are about refereeing.

It's impossible to gauge. I would rather play twice in 48 hours at the beginning of the season as opposed to the busiest, most stressful time of the year. I mostly don't mind but this seasons seems a bit daft but then we all know why that is. ££TV.

[Danny]

Pep is such a twat

[ScousePig]

Clearly you do. Pipe down, pet.

What are you on about?

[Smiffy]

I could ask you the same thing since I have now stated three fucking times that NO ONE CARES!

I'm going to break a habit here. I'm not going to go around in circles repeating myself. It's not the same kicking off at a later time than everyone else in one of the heavyweight clashes of the season as those fine margins make a difference whether you believe it or not. Just look at Milner for example. He ran himself ragged against City and clearly died today. But again....the last time....NO ONE CARES.

Clear?

[ScousePig]

Just because you claim that no one cares doesn't suddenly make it so. I care, which is why I'm talking about it. Other people who are talking about it must care too.

If you don't care then stop posting about it.

Please.

[Lewis]

Doesn't the festive schedule pre-date broadcasting money-grabs by about a million years?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Doesn't the festive schedule pre-date broadcasting money-grabs by about a million years?

Yeah but it used to be everyone playing at 3pm on the same day, whereas now it's spread out for TV.

Still, though, Smiffy, if it wasn't for TV you'd be having to actually go to the games.

[Smiffy]

Fuck that, I'm no mug. I'll remain an armchair fan until the end. I don't pay for these overpriced forms of 'entertainment' be it football, concerts, subscriptions to Netflix, Sky and the like.

[niko_cee]

It's arguably more of a hinderance to play in Liverpool's style on such a short turn around, but you could say that's their own fault. If they had had Chelsea's schedule I'd say the extra few days would have benefited Liverpool more than their opponent. Also, even though it is 'the same for everyone' Liverpool are the only team that has played three times in a week (Tuesday - Monday), so, if every day matters (????) then it isn't really the same. I suppose they should just be thankful they weren't put on the lunchtime tv slot.

Edit: Southampton actually got an even worse deal and look how well they have fared.

Many of the games over Christmas seem to have been a bit lacklustre/shit and I wonder how much of that is down to the quantity of games. Christmas sorts itself out next year (and then beyond) which should allow for games on the Saturday before Christmas (which, being empty this year has clearly botched things).

[phonics]

Yes because football stops the moment the whistle is blown. No warm downs, no going home, the players just stand on the pitch waiting for the next fixture.

It was clearly a factor and unfair in the sense our direct challengers (not relegated fodder like yourselves) had the benefit of an extra 24 hours or in Chelsea's case, an extra 48. If you can't see how that would make a difference then you're either blind or being obtuse.

As I said, no one cares. It was a joke all round. Ergo, for most.

Seeing as Smiffy is CLEARLY NOT SEETHING, I'd like to point out that Arsenal played on the 1st, so asking them to play on the 2nd might be slightly unfair.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sir Henry Winter this morning has written an article entitled: 'It's disgraceful Mark Clattenburg has been snubbed by the honours list'.

I fucking love Sir Henry.

[Smiffy]

Netflix? It's only 6.99 a month that's less then a pack of smokes.

By maybe 10p. I'm a cheap skate for a reason and I have no qualms in people knowing this. My sole outgoing lately is my rent and not a penny more. :cool:


Seeing as Smiffy is CLEARLY NOT SEETHING, I'd like to point out that Arsenal played on the 1st, so asking them to play on the 2nd might be slightly unfair.

I'd like to point out that Liverpool played on the 27th, 31st and the 2nd. Three games in five days with the City match being a late kick off and the Sunderland being a 3pm kick off.

Arsenal...26th then a five day break until the 1st then a late kick off tonight. So again, not quite the same but who cares. Take your rose tinted glasses off. It clearly played a part for us stuttering yesterday but that's all it was. We're still well on course for a top four finish.

[Smiffy]

Moving on from that obvious seethe, is Pep really going to retire early?

[Mazuuurk]

So much whinging going on here now. Why the fuck are you complaining about the X-mas fixtures? Who the hell cares, it's lots of football! It's glorious. I love the festive football fixtures. Last year there was at some point 6 consecutive days of Premier League football!

I love Premier League, I love watching football. I think Premier League is better and more fun than it has ever been before, when there were one - three teams fighting at the top.

5 years ago I wouldn't have bothered with watching West Ham - Stoke on a tuesday night, these days that could be a great game. Go on, complain about the mad transfers and the fact that money rules the game (when didn't it ever anyway? it's just even more of it at stake now) - but the truth is the TV money and it's distribution has made the PL into a league that stands way above the rest on the entertainment chart.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We literally don't care about other leagues or how exciting it is though, to us it's just the continuation of English football, and each of us has a club that we'd be supporting whether it was in the top flight or League Two.

If you watch the fans on here, most of them ultimately don't give a flying fuck about anything except their own team.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Also, for all we talk about the league, it's a 'product' that's based purely on soap opera regarding three clubs - Manchester United, Arsenal, and to a diminishing extent, Liverpool. The others only exist to be lolled at when they fail.

[Mazuuurk]

Well, isn't "English football" better than ever, in that the Premier League is better than ever, and to me seems far superior on it's overall level than other leagues?

(Yeah, I know, Barca & Real does well in CL but that's because they are pissing about in La Liga most of the season and don't have to play League Cups or whatever half the time).

I was always a Portsmouth supporter, and while I still care about them a bit I don't really bother with them since they got fucked by Harry and Co. I had a team here in Sweden as well, I even played football for that club for a while as a kid, which I hardly even know which division they play in anymore or how they are doing - because instead I can just follow Arsenal, and now Zlatan in United and marvel at the glory that is English Football. I'd say I support Arsenal more than anything else, and the more I watch the PL every year the more that tends to become true. That doesn't mean I don't bother with any other games and teams in the PL because it's just good football.

I don't understand how you can only care about your one team, if you like football.

[Mazuuurk]

Also, for all we talk about the league, it's a 'product' that's based purely on soap opera regarding three clubs - Manchester United, Arsenal, and to a diminishing extent, Liverpool. The others only exist to be lolled at when they fail.

Everything that goes on TV or in any way generated money is a "Product". There's nothing wrong with that. A team is a product, in that it's sustained by it's fans keeping interest in it - whether by going to the stadium or watching from a shoddy bar in Malaysia.

Professional Football, any sport for that matter, has always been a product.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's the top division of football in this country, there's nothing more to it than that (from our point of view). The difference is that if all the money and fame disappeared we'd carry on watching it for that reason - or a lot of people would - whereas those who only consume it as a televised product, rather than as a piece of the cultural furniture, would disappear.

Do you watch the FA Cup? I do.

[Adamski]

This is a bit of a turn around from not bothering to watch Chelsea for the first however many weeks of the season Jimmy Floyd

[Jimmy Floyd]

In truth I never watch much until mid September due to being busy with cricket. The football season's too long for me, September to March at the same level of intensity would be grand. Then you could bollocks off the internationals and have them all in an April/May block.

[Mazuuurk]

It's the top division of football in this country, there's nothing more to it than that (from our point of view). The difference is that if all the money and fame disappeared we'd carry on watching it for that reason - or a lot of people would - whereas those who only consume it as a televised product, rather than as a piece of the cultural furniture, would disappear.

Do you watch the FA Cup? I do.

Occasionally. Maybe the final or if Arsenal or Zlatan would play in it. More from a bit of fatigue than anything else.

Trust it from a guy who comes from a country where the main league is fucking terrible - if you were watching something like that, you would not keep watching your team with the same passion and fervour as it seems your are now. The Swedish league is probably about the equivalent of League 2 in English football, I'd say. I don't believe that most people here would keep following their teams as closely in League 2, to be honest. A few, yeah, but not many.

[Smiffy]

If you can make it through a Roy Hodgsons stint as manager than you'd probably enjoy a bit of League Two. Your argument is flawed Maz. Leeds United are a great example.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Allsvenskan average attendance is about 9,000, our third tier average attendance is about 7,500, and that is for clubs 45-68 in the national pecking order. English fans don't view (by which I mean 'perceive', not literally view) English football in the same way that fans abroad view English football.

[Smiffy]

I would say we're more tribal in our support for our clubs. Almost like a family member, you can slate them and say what you want, a member of the Chelsea family says the same thing then that's it, shit gotta get real.

[Mazuuurk]

If you can make it through a Roy Hodgsons stint as manager than you'd probably enjoy a bit of League Two. Your argument is flawed Maz. Leeds United are a great example.

What are you on about? I'm not a football manager. And I'm not really making an argument, so I don't see how it can be flawed. I'm saying the Premier League is great and it's more enjoyable than ever. You can think what you want and walk around and be miserable about transfer fees if you so please.


The Allsvenskan average attendance is about 9,000, our third tier average attendance is about 7,500, and that is for clubs 45-68 in the national pecking order. English fans don't view (by which I mean 'perceive', not literally view) English football in the same way that fans abroad view English football.


I would say we're more tribal in our support for our clubs. Almost like a family member, you can slate them and say what you want, a member of the Chelsea family says the same thing then that's it, shit gotta get real.

You're kidding yourselves if you think England is unique in having passionate fans for clubs. That happens everywhere - Sweden is full of dickheads who support their teams and go and watch that shite week in and week out. The truth is that you're all spoiled with extremely high quality of football and you don't know how to appreciate it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's because we invented the game and have always had it.

All I'm saying is the Premier League for us is not some extra special thing to get excited about, it's football, that's what it is.

[Smiffy]

What are you on about? I'm not a football manager. And I'm not really making an argument, so I don't see how it can be flawed. I'm saying the Premier League is great and it's more enjoyable than ever. You can think what you want and walk around and be miserable about transfer fees if you so please.

Are you all dense as fuck or something? First Spikey now you. Learn to read.


Trust it from a guy who comes from a country where the main league is fucking terrible - if you were watching something like that, you would not keep watching your team with the same passion and fervour as it seems your are now.


If you can make it through a Roy Hodgsons stint as manager than you'd probably enjoy a bit of League Two. Your argument is flawed Maz. Leeds United are a great example.

[bruhnaldo]

I mean some of you seemingly really hate football.

[Smiffy]

I mean some of you seemingly really hate football.

Too much exposure for most but for the bulk of football fans, all 800B of them apparently, they hated football since 4 goals, three points and a league titles stopped being delivered. Hardcore supporters, through thick and thin.

:henn0rz:

[Mazuuurk]

Are you all dense as fuck or something? First Spikey now you. Learn to read.

I can read just fine. Can you write? You wrote:


"If you can make it through a Roy Hodgsons stint as manager than you'd probably enjoy a bit of League Two."

Indicating I'd ever make it through a stint as a manager. Presumably a football club manager - since that's what Roy Hodgson arguably is.

What I said, as a reply to that, is that I'm in fact not a football manager, and would in fact not compete with Roy Hodgson or any other manager for any kind of professional position.

What you may have meant, is whether I can make it through a stint of having Roy Hodgson as manager for a team you support or follow. Which you did indeed not write, so don't lecture me on my ability to comprehend when you cannot express yourself clearly.

[Smiffy]

I cannot write no. I can however tell the difference between your and you're now.

I need to stop using the 'you' when replying to people because 'you' all actually seem to take it personally when 'you' in the above quote was me and Liverpool fans.

You've proper Sweded me head. Gerrit?

[Mazuuurk]

The first "you" could have been just generically aimed, but then when you added "[...] you'd probably enjoy a bit of League Two" - that means you were adressing me, personally, yeah? Unless you were making some very broad, general suppositions as to what people might enjoy.

Or correct me if I'm wrong?

[Kikó]

You simpleton.

[Smiffy]

I've never claimed to be anything but tbf. I can't wait until I actually turn up on one of these meets, it will explain so much as I'll be understood better than I am on here.

[bruhnaldo]

We really hate you as well but there isn't much we can do about it now is there. :huhu:

http://akns-images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/201519/rs_500x281-150209094336-prince.gif

[phonics]

Paul Clement has been made Swansea manager. I'd say it probably won't work out but when you're conceding 2.5 goals per game, the only way is up.

[Smiffy]

Or 3.5.

It's an absolutely stupid appointment though given he has as much experience as the last one. He failed at Derby too.

[phonics]

Pretty sure that 44 divided by 19 is 2.3, Smiff but if you've got a different calculator, feel free to chip in.

[Smiffy]

This is what I mean! :moop:

You said the only way was up, I meant they could start conceding more each game. Perhaps the course I need to go on is an English one afterall.

[Magic]

Paul Clement that was at Derby? :harold:

[Baz]

Even Hector "fastest fullback in the league" Bellerin couldn't cover that much ground. :D

and now a pen!

Could be a good game, this.

[Smiffy]

Arsenal collapsing? I didn't see that coming...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If they now don't even have the mental FORTITUDE to win the fourth place trophy what happens next?

[Smiffy]

Wenger leaves and Simone comes in the summer. :nodd:

[Adamski]

The most un-Arsenal manager outside of Mourinho currently in the club game.

Tuchel or bust.

[Max Power]

They give it Eddie Howe, sell Sanchez to Chelsea and finish 8th.

[Giggles]

Arsenal will get 4th.