Weekend Football (20/21/22 October)…and Tottenham versus Liverpool

[Pleb]

Friday Night Football sponsored by the Premier League.
West Ham vs Brighton – 20:00 – Sky Sports

Super Saturday sponsored by apparent rumours of Ozil moving to Old Trafford. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4998900/Arsenal-star-Mesut-Ozil-wants-join-Manchester-United.html)
Chelsea vs Watford – 12:30 – Sky Sports
Huddersfield Town vs Manchester Utd
Manchester City vs Burnley
Newcastle Utd vs Crystal Palace
Stoke City vs Bournemouth
Swansea City vs Leicester City
Southampton vs West Brom – 17:30 – BT Sport

Nissan Sunday Afternoon Football sponsored by no MNF this week.
Everton vs Arsenal – 13:30 – Sky Sports
Tottenham Hotspurs vs Liverpool – 16:00 – Sky Sports

Lads.

[Baz]

The Ox to start. :drool:

[Kikó]

I can't imagine Ozil being able to work in a Mourinho team. Although he can't be any more cowardly than the Albanian.

Hopefully we can get some attacking mojo back against inbred Huddersfield.

[Giggles]

Bit of a meh week again. Though it should hopefully make for more proper games later in the season.

[Waffdon]

I can't imagine Ozil being able to work in a Mourinho team. Although he can't be any more cowardly than the Albanian.

Hopefully we can get some attacking mojo back against inbred Huddersfield.

He worked fairly well at Madrid under him.

Richarlison to run riot again ahead of his £40m transfer in the next year.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why would Ozil move to Old Trafford? That's a long way from the Arsenal training ground.

[Magic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41695593

Everything that is wrong with football, and this is all our fault.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's great.

I could do a great world tour of the teams I've managed just in the last 3 or 4 years.

[Pleb]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41695593

Everything that is wrong with football, and this is all our fault.
Calm down, football never existed until 1992 remember?

[Spikey M]

How is that everything that’s wrong with football?

[Byron]

Because something something Leeds, something something scum, something something godawful pun.

[Shindig]

It's amazing. We should get Floyd to Montserrat. Actually, make that Frickley.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xcc5g8POStc/UMh1n2HJE4I/AAAAAAAAD6c/Xo0T_A8WfwY/s1600/100_2864.JPG

I love the fact they're right next to a country park.

[Reg]

Excited to see Izquierdo start. His pace v Zabaleta should be interesting.

[Baz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41695593

Everything that is wrong with football, and this is all our fault.If a day spent in Runcorn is the best day of your life, you honestly may as well just kill everyone you know and then set yourself on fire.

[Lewis]

I knew a Spaniard in Norwich who went to Aberdeen for a PhD interview, and to kill the afternoon he bowled up at the ground and pretended he had come all the way from Seville because he had always supported them (I don't know how he explained it), and the soppy cunts gave him the same sort of red carpet treatment that that Chinaman got. So he's probably a liar.

[Waffdon]

Joe Hart really does have soft hands.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/08/revealed-joe-hart-has-one-significant-weak-spot-opposition-players/

[Reg]

We're sitting so deep it's been uncomfortable, so that second is very welcome.

Loved Kouyate's airshot twenty seconds after he went up front.

[Baz]

Joe Hart really does have soft hands.He should advertise Fairy Liquid, not Head & Shoulders. :huhu:

[Reg]

Bilic has had a mare with this sub and formation change.

[Waffdon]

Brighton need to spunk whatever millions they have on a decent striker. Their team is fairly decent otherwise. Good balance to it.

[Reg]

Murray's scored two tonight. But yeah, that was the plan in the summer, just couldn't pull it off.

[Waffdon]

He’s fucking diabolical. Regardless of his two goals tonight. Could do with some pace up there.

[Reg]

He'll always score a few goals, regardless of whether or not he's a thousand times slower than an average Premier League striker.

[Magic]

Bilic surely has to go ffs

[Pleb]

What happened in West Ham then?

[Baz]

Kelly Cates is really, really lovely. :)

Kenny is the gift that keeps on giving.

[Reg]

What happened in West Ham then?
We were good and they were really bad. They look so unmotivated and the stadium is silent. Arnautovic was the worst player on the pitch, he should be told to stay home next week.

[Ian]

Off to an FA Vase game today. :drool:

[Shindig]

I love how the North dominates it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Pissing hell.

What a nice strike.

[Waffdon]

That Pedro goal is ridiculous.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fabregas :harold:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:drool:

What a strike.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How the fuck does he miss that?

[Waffdon]

That’s not v good at all.

Made up for it there though. Lovely pass.

[Max Power]

Watford look a very decent side, missing open goals aside.

[igor_balis]

woof. watford are a decent little outfit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chelsea are dogshit.

[Trancemeister]

Conte wont last the calendar year.

[ScousePig]

Off to an FA Vase game today. :drool:

Who?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Richarlison :face:

Clearly knows that I've got money on him to score.

[Magic]

:harold:

[ScousePig]

I wonder if Marco Silva plays Football Manager.

[Shindig]

Man, I don't know what's weirder. Chelsea's form or Watford cementing a top four spot.

[Spikey M]

Chelsea have a murderer on the books and he’s still not the biggest cunt at the club. That’s some feat.

[igor_balis]

watford will still win i reckon

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

watford will still win i reckon

I blame you for this.

[igor_balis]

watford will still win i reckon

oops

[Adramelch]

The battle for 4th between Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Watford and Burnley is well on its way I see.

[Danny]

Martial is either getting sent off or hooked at half time.

[randomlegend]

Christ that defending :D

[Danny]

Getting bummed by Huddersfield. Christ.

Lindelof :face:

[Magic]

Hahahaha. Embarrassment. That will be their cup final forever more. Even trumping beating us.

[Giggles]

I'd switched it off and all.

[Pleb]

I see the sacked one is on form then.

[randomlegend]

Well that was a penalty.

EDIT: Lol that was absolutely blatant.

[Shindig]

Sunderland winning handsomely. Good. I'd hate to see them in League One.

[Magic]

Sunderland winning handsomely. Good. I'd hate to see them in League One.

2-3 now.

[Shindig]

Cabaye's lucky to stay on. Kicked out at Joselu whilst on a yellow.

[randomlegend]

That was fantastic from Lukaku.

[Shindig]

Well, I jinxed that. Sorry, mackems.

[Giggles]

That Brentford D.Bentley who scored the OG isn't David is it?

[Shindig]

Thanks, Agent Pierre.

[randomlegend]

We were really shit today. So toothless.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That Brentford D.Bentley who scored the OG isn't David is it?

Daniel, their keeper.

David retired a few years back. He owns a restaurant in Marbella now, the chavvy bastard.

[ScousePig]

Sunderland winning handsomely. Good. I'd hate to see them in League One.

We are hopeless, but it's good to see Grabban playing ahead of Vaughan, and Watmore back and looking a threat.

Grayson, though. Clueless.

[Reg]

Valencia look a good team. I'd never heard of Guedes, and have just found out he's only twenty, but he had a great game.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwGze6FthtM

[Magic]

Napoli really are shit hot. Inter are back to peak Mourinho under Spalleti.

[Spikey M]

That Boufal goal was unreal. Causing a worse crash than Magic in the process n’all.

[Baz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41695593

Everything that is wrong with football, and this is all our fault.Lads, this is absolutely POPPIN’ OFF on the Twitter:

921371549973864448

#SomehowAboutLiverpool :harold:

[Lewis]

Hahahaha. Embarrassment. That will be their cup final forever more. Even trumping beating us.

I was thinking that this morning. Absolutely classic dropped points bollocks.

[Giggles]

How does Mark Hughes always get such a free pass from pressure?

[Giggles]

Lads, this is absolutely POPPIN’ OFF on the Twitter:

921371549973864448

#SomehowAboutLiverpool :harold:

Runcorn would need to get over themselves, almost as much as Liverpool do.

[phonics]

How does Mark Hughes always get such a free pass from pressure?

Because literally no one cares about Stoke.

[Andy]

That Boufal goal was unreal. Causing a worse crash than Magic in the process n’all.

About time we did something decent at home.

Crazy to think Boufal keeps getting benched when he's most likely to do something.

[Ian]

Who?

Went and saw West Didsbury & Chorlton get smaahed 3-0 in the pissing rain at home to West Auckland.

Highlight of the game was the WA goalie saying to his own defender, who was sitting down pretending to be injured, "Get up ye soft cunt it's raining!"

[Jimmy Floyd]

Every time I've seen Boufal he's been 'most likely to' dribble down a blind alley and skew it out for a goal kick. Managers bench those people for a reason, the same reason CEOs hate uncertainty.

[phonics]

Someone needs to pull the quotes from the Everton fan with the child. I'm on mobile. Literally every line out of this idiots mouth is peak idiot. From 'it's Evertons fault I was allowed close enough to punch the guy' to 'I live with my Mum, I have no idea why social services want to talk to me' to 'Cantona kung fu kicked someone and they say I'm bad?'

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arsenal :harold:

Classic Rooney.

Xhaka is shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lacazette should get a ban for that.

Little shit.

[Lewis]

Wayne Rooney will still be scoring against Arsenal when he's dead.

[Kikó]

Went and saw West Didsbury & Chorlton get smaahed 3-0 in the pissing rain at home to West Auckland.

Highlight of the game was the WA goalie saying to his own defender, who was sitting down pretending to be injured, "Get up ye soft cunt it's raining!"

I used to play against West didsbury when I was in Manchester. They've really come on as a club since then and it's a lovely set up. There second team got us a result which meant we won the league.

[Gray Fox]

Anyone know where Andy Robertson is?

Expect another fisting here.

[-james-]

That Frank Dr Boer and Craig Shakespeare got the sack but Ronald Koeman and Slavan Bilic are still in jobs is one of the stupidest things ever.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking lol.

[Gray Fox]

It's okay. I'm sure the manager will take full blame and we'll work on it for the next game.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lovren is amazing.

[Serj]

Lovren is outdoing himself today. :cab:

[John Arne]

Surely it’s time to switch Gomez to CB, and drop useless fuck Lovren.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sonaldo looks up for it today.

[John]

The sum total of defensive ability in that Liverpool back four wouldn't even make one Vertonghen.

[John Arne]

Has Countinho forgot to put his studs in? He’s on the deck every 2 minutes.

[Boydy]

Klopp out.

[John]

What the Dickens is Maradona doing there?

[Disco]

Watching the game.

[Boydy]

Pretty sure the co-commentator on the NBC stream I'm watching just referred to Salah as Mo Farah.

[SvN]

Liverpool are tragic at the back. They're going to get battered at some point this season, probably by City.

[Gray Fox]

That's got to be the end of Lovren.

[igor_balis]

Everton's system doesn't make any sense to me. Wayne Rooney 2k17 edition & Gylfi Sigurdsson in the same 11 is never going to work.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking hell, they're so bad.

[Boydy]

Liverpool are tragic at the back. They're going to get battered at some point this season, probably by City.

They already did.

[SvN]

I'd forgotten that game happened. I guess you could say I called it. #evictory

[Serj]

Out of that back four, Moreno has been the best defensively. That's more than just a bit worrying.

[igor_balis]

i know i'm a day late but i'd also like to make it known that i really want pulis to fuck off now

[John Arne]

I mean there's a centreback and a right back on the bench - but instead he switches Can, who has zero pace, to right back. Fucking hell.

[Boydy]

They'll probably get a pasting in the return fixture as well.

I can see this ending up a hammering too.

Edit: SvN

[John]

Lol at that advert teasing something that'll happen in the next break. Another huge step towards the program itself being a genuine inconvenience to the advertising.

[Boydy]

i know i'm a day late but i'd also like to make it known that i really want pulis to fuck off now
Manager swap?

[igor_balis]

Manager swap?

I'd gobble Mert's little turkey twizzler for that deal, buddy.

[Boydy]

I'd gobble Mert's little turkey twizzler for that deal, buddy.

Just temporary so someone can sort out Liverpool's defence.

[Lewis]

They should go for the Celtic manager.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Feathery wrists.

[Gray Fox]

Faith in Klopp severely waning here.

[Spoonsky]

Yep, this is grim.

[Mike]

We’ve been poor. We’re rubbish at scoring but have hidden it to a point this season by how good we can look going forward, right up until putting it in the net. Defensively we’re utter utter rubbish. :(

Still happy to keep Klopp in charge, he needs to buy a defence in the window though. We need someone to coach them too.

[John Arne]

4-1 down and we’re are kicking the ball out because one of there players has fucking cramp. Soppy fucking cunts.

[Giggles]

I really thought that Klopp was going to work out there, but they're absolute shite. That was wonderful.

[John]

Lol at Man City's +28 goal difference.

[Gray Fox]

I sense us trying to agree a fee to bring Keita in January and also throwing a stupid amount to get Van Dijk in.

[phonics]

It's going to be completely ignored in the battering they took but it's twice in two games that an Everton player has shoved a player already out of play into a barrier. It's so dangerous, Monreal almost went studs first into a fan because of it today.

[ScousePig]

i know i'm a day late but i'd also like to make it known that i really want pulis to fuck off now

I thought he was doing alright? Is it a common stance from West Brom fans to want him out?

[Ian]

I used to play against West didsbury when I was in Manchester. They've really come on as a club since then and it's a lovely set up. There second team got us a result which meant we won the league.

It was good. That little stand in front of the clubhouse is nicely done and the little bar is good too with a decent selection of bottle beers.

[Gray Fox]

I thought he was doing alright? Is it a common stance from West Brom fans to want him out?

I'm not quite on their home turf here, but common thought is they want him out.

[ScousePig]

Went and saw West Didsbury & Chorlton get smaahed 3-0 in the pissing rain at home to West Auckland.

Highlight of the game was the WA goalie saying to his own defender, who was sitting down pretending to be injured, "Get up ye soft cunt it's raining!"

I see that Silsden are in the league below West Didsbury, which is strange as they're just up the road from me really (it's where our cup final was last season). The only other grounds I've been to in those leagues are Cammell Laird and Atherton Leburnon Rovers.

The north east is strong for non league at the moment, so no surprise to see West Auckland winning.

[John]

Marseille coming out to pyrotechnics and Van Halen belting over the PA. This would be a bit much for a cup final or opening day, never mind an October league game.

[Shindig]

Better than having some cheerleaders and Pig Bag after every home goal, I guess.

[John]

Every time the co commentator has said he likes a player he's qualified it with 'as a footballer', like he's terrified Robot Wars will call him gay.

[Yevrah]

If he wasn't Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager would be bang in trouble now.

[Baz]

I really enjoy Gary Neville’s Soccerbox. :stamford:

[Ian]

I see that Silsden are in the league below West Didsbury, which is strange as they're just up the road from me really (it's where our cup final was last season). The only other grounds I've been to in those leagues are Cammell Laird and Atherton Leburnon Rovers.

The north east is strong for non league at the moment, so no surprise to see West Auckland winning.

I think I saw that they've been in a few of the last few Vase finals while Didsbury barely ever get out of the first round so I didn't have high hopes of seeing a home win.

[phonics]

If he wasn't Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager would be bang in trouble now.

A whole 3 points behind Chelsea and Arsenal. What a disgrace. I heard someone on 606 describe them as 'in a relegation battle' earlier. Football is fucked.

[igor_balis]

I thought he was doing alright? Is it a common stance from West Brom fans to want him out?

The football is so bad to watch, and tactics are at times incompetent. On the surface we're doing okay in the league, but we're only a few points off relegation and next four fixtures are City, Huddersfield, Chelsea and Spurs, so could easily be bottom 3 by December. Thing is, I'm happy with Pulisball against the big boys and I won't be that surprised if we get a point or two off City, Chelsea and Spurs, but I also expect us to go with 3 DMs against Huddersfield and get done 1-0 with about 35% possession.

I am aware that I leave myself open to the kind of criticism Charlton fans got when Curbishley left, or West Ham and Newcastle fans often get because they supposedly think they should be playing swashbuckling football and getting top 4 every season (they largely don't but it's fun to wind people up) but...fuck me, it's so fucking tedious. Genuinely would rather see us get relegated and have a young, forward-thinking manager playing decent stuff and build a young side than just trying to keep our heads above water every year. Cus like, what's the fucking point?

People talk about the money of the premier league and how important it is to stay up every season, but I don't give a shit because I'm not a fucking shareholder or whatever.

I think it's a somewhat unique situation at the Albion, especially for the time I started going to games. I started going regularly in 1999/00 and this was the season by season:

99/00 - avoided relegation last game of the season
00/01 - lost in play-offs
01/02 - promoted after chasing down our biggest rivals Wolves from a gap of about 12 points in March
02/03 - relegated
03/04 - promoted
04/05 - survived on the last game of the season after being bottom at Xmas (the great escape)
05/06 - relegated
06/07 - lost in playoff final (i was there)
07/08 - won the championship playing fucking ridiculously good passing football and lost in fa cup semis (i was there)
08/09 - relegated
09/10 - promoted

so during my formative decade as a West Brom fan, aged 7-17, when everything matters more anyway, fucking everything was going on. so obviously I'm a bit blinkered and the day to day slog of mid-table mediocrity and 40 POINTS!! is a bit hard to get used to anyway, let alone when we go with 3 centre backs in the back 4 and 3 defensive midfielders away at Brighton.

I could tell you in some detail about all the sides from those seasons, with the exception of 05/06 06/07 kind of time (i'd gotten really into runescape and wanking and couldn't be arsed with a season ticket, though I vaguely remember a 38 year old Kevin Campbell inexplicably leading the line).

[phonics]

Think Pulis has been a bit hard done by on the 'good football' front this season. Burke and Chadli missing all season has kind of fucked it.

[igor_balis]

Think Pulis has been a bit hard done by on the 'good football' front this season. Burke and Chadli missing all season has kind of fucked it.

Ish. Burke was never really intended for the first team I don't reckon. Had a few sub appearances earlier on, but was always intended as a fringe player. He's still going with Livermore, Barry and Krykowiak (sp) as our midfield 3 in plenty of games, which eschews the fairly typical 2DMs and a playmaker midfield 3 for 2DMs and...errr...Jake Livermore. And generally at least one centre back at full back.

It goes beyond personnel, though. Against West Ham we played Gibbs (an actual leftback!!), and a midfield 3 of Barry, Polish Greg and Morrison, and front 3 of Brunt, Phillips and Rodriguez and I was very optimistic. It was an absolutely toilet performance against one of the worst teams in the league that ended 0-0. We had 37% possession.

[Baz]

Runescape. :D

[Lofty]

A whole 3 points behind Chelsea and Arsenal. What a disgrace. I heard someone on 606 describe them as 'in a relegation battle' earlier. Football is fucked.

It’s more the fact that the defence looks as wank as the day he took over, which is a couple of years ago Now. Fundamental stuff.

[Gray Fox]

2 defensive signings in the 4 windows since he took over.

One hasn't been seen since August and the other was a freebie who looks okay. Minus maybe one quality striker, the attack is good and set. As was mentioned during the game, when Moreno is looking easily your best defender you have massive problems. All of the money should be going on defensive players. Also we're crying out for someone to replace the Lucas role that we lost.

[Guybrush]

We never replaced Mascherano. The last defensive midfielder we signed was fucking Christian Poulsen.

[ScousePig]

The football is so bad to watch, and tactics are at times incompetent. On the surface we're doing okay in the league, but we're only a few points off relegation and next four fixtures are City, Huddersfield, Chelsea and Spurs, so could easily be bottom 3 by December. Thing is, I'm happy with Pulisball against the big boys and I won't be that surprised if we get a point or two off City, Chelsea and Spurs, but I also expect us to go with 3 DMs against Huddersfield and get done 1-0 with about 35% possession.

I am aware that I leave myself open to the kind of criticism Charlton fans got when Curbishley left, or West Ham and Newcastle fans often get because they supposedly think they should be playing swashbuckling football and getting top 4 every season (they largely don't but it's fun to wind people up) but...fuck me, it's so fucking tedious. Genuinely would rather see us get relegated and have a young, forward-thinking manager playing decent stuff and build a young side than just trying to keep our heads above water every year. Cus like, what's the fucking point?

People talk about the money of the premier league and how important it is to stay up every season, but I don't give a shit because I'm not a fucking shareholder or whatever.

I think it's a somewhat unique situation at the Albion, especially for the time I started going to games. I started going regularly in 1999/00 and this was the season by season:

99/00 - avoided relegation last game of the season
00/01 - lost in play-offs
01/02 - promoted after chasing down our biggest rivals Wolves from a gap of about 12 points in March
02/03 - relegated
03/04 - promoted
04/05 - survived on the last game of the season after being bottom at Xmas (the great escape)
05/06 - relegated
06/07 - lost in playoff final (i was there)
07/08 - won the championship playing fucking ridiculously good passing football and lost in fa cup semis (i was there)
08/09 - relegated
09/10 - promoted

so during my formative decade as a West Brom fan, aged 7-17, when everything matters more anyway, fucking everything was going on. so obviously I'm a bit blinkered and the day to day slog of mid-table mediocrity and 40 POINTS!! is a bit hard to get used to anyway, let alone when we go with 3 centre backs in the back 4 and 3 defensive midfielders away at Brighton.

I could tell you in some detail about all the sides from those seasons, with the exception of 05/06 06/07 kind of time (i'd gotten really into runescape and wanking and couldn't be arsed with a season ticket, though I vaguely remember a 38 year old Kevin Campbell inexplicably leading the line).

Sunderland fans have always turned their nose up at Pulis and one or two others. There's also been the mindset that going down would allow us to get rid of the deadwood and rebuild.

In short, be careful what you wish for.

[Spoonsky]

We never replaced Mascherano. The last defensive midfielder we signed was fucking Christian Poulsen.

The best defensive midfielder in the world couldn't make our back five look good though.

[John Arne]

The best defensive midfielder in the world couldn't make our back five look good though.

Whilst I completely understand what you are saying - it would help enormously. The amount of times either Lovren or Matip have had to step out of defence to plug a gap, leaving massive space in the middle, which with full backs so high, has been a disaster.

Klopp isn't getting sacked any time soon. Despite what Yevrah "anyone else but Klopp would have been sacked by now" Harvey ( :) )thinks, we do tend to give managers time (except for Hodgson, which was probably the right decision anyway), and Klopp will be with us for a long time.

The biggest frustration for me, as already pointed out above, is the lack of defensive signing we have made in the past 4 windows. Klavan.... Robertson (played well every game, never picked) and Matip. I mean we had all summer to buy a CB, it was obvious (hindsight, perhaps) that VvD was coming - why didn't we go for someone else.. Koulibaly, Sanchez, any fucker.

[Kikó]

Sunderland fans have always turned their nose up at Pulis and one or two others. There's also been the mindset that going down would allow us to get rid of the deadwood and rebuild.

In short, be careful what you wish for.

While I understand the sentiment, one more year of van Gaal would have sent me to heroin. You want to watch and be entertained not hate the thought of the 90 minutes to come.

[Giggles]

That's absolute rock bottom right there :D

922121946925473792

[John]

Whilst I completely understand what you are saying - it would help enormously. The amount of times either Lovren or Matip have had to step out of defence to plug a gap, leaving massive space in the middle, which with full backs so high, has been a disaster.

Klopp isn't getting sacked any time soon. Despite what Yevrah "anyone else but Klopp would have been sacked by now" Harvey ( :) )thinks, we do tend to give managers time (except for Hodgson, which was probably the right decision anyway), and Klopp will be with us for a long time.

The biggest frustration for me, as already pointed out above, is the lack of defensive signing we have made in the past 4 windows. Klavan.... Robertson (played well every game, never picked) and Matip. I mean we had all summer to buy a CB, it was obvious (hindsight, perhaps) that VvD was coming - why didn't we go for someone else.. Koulibaly, Sanchez, any fucker.

You've made a howling arse of that Yev reference.

I reckon Klopp bought himself a bit of latitude on the defensive shambles with the summer long pursuit of Van Dijk. They'd identified their target and gone after him with sufficient financial gusto, it just turned out that Southampton weren't the soft touch they've been the last five years.

If he doesn't get a top class central defender in by the end of January then it's time to start inventing Sun connections.

[John Arne]

You've made a howling arse of that Yev reference.

I reckon Klopp bought himself a bit of latitude on the defensive shambles with the summer long pursuit of Van Dijk. They'd identified their target and gone after him with sufficient financial gusto, it just turned out that Southampton weren't the soft touch they've been the last five years.

If he doesn't get a top class central defender in by the end of January then it's time to start inventing Sun connections.

I wasn't being entirely serious with the Yev dig - hence, the :)

But yes, if no new defenders come in January - more serious questions will start to be asked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Liverpool play like most Bundesliga sides do. In Germany there's a sort of implicit agreement that defending doesn't matter and the pitch needs to be as huge as possible (except by a few teams, such as Cologne, who play to stop goals). The problem Klopp has is that in England, everyone is far more pragmatic than he.

[ScousePig]

While I understand the sentiment, one more year of van Gaal would have sent me to heroin. You want to watch and be entertained not hate the thought of the 90 minutes to come.

Unfortunately we're both shit and terrible to watch.

[Smiffy]

Klopp should be nowhere near the sack but fuck me it's the same story over and over. Some serious spending needs to be done in January and the summer as it's groundhog Day defensively. Lovren in for much deserved stick, the useless twat.

Tottenham though...quality team. I do really like watching them as well as City.

Top four will still be a good year but we're making it harder than it needs to be. Then again we've had City, Arsenal and Spurs now, it's the stupid draws against the dross that irritates me more.

[Mazuuurk]

By the looks of it so far, City has this in the bag. They just are a class above everyone else at the moment and their somewhat shaky defence seems like it's not a big issue anymore since they score about 6 goals per game.

It also feels like a lot of their players have taken another sort of maturity-step now. Kevin de Bruyne is some sort of Football Genius at the moment and Silva is much more mature as a "deeper" central midfielder than I'd have expected. Even Sterling is making all the right decisions and playing some good, simple football.

Jesus is maybe the most mature 19-year-old striker I've ever seen, and Aguero is back to 3-seasons-ago form.


United/Spurs should end up in any order after that depending on who stays fit the most of Kane and Lukaku, and after that it sort of seems like the 4th spot is up for grabs between whoever manages to fuck up the least out of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Right now I think Chelsea will have it but who knows. Kante being out seems to majorly fuck that team up.

[phonics]

They haven't even reached the 10 games where they were on 30 points last year...

There's so much of this season to go and everyone's treating it like we're 3 weeks from May.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Give it another 2 wins and we'll all move on to 'are City the best team ever', with the universal conclusion being 'absolutely nailed on'.

[Smiffy]

By the looks of it so far, City has this in the bag. They just are a class above everyone else at the moment and their somewhat shaky defence seems like it's not a big issue anymore since they score about 6 goals per game.

It also feels like a lot of their players have taken another sort of maturity-step now. Kevin de Bruyne is some sort of Football Genius at the moment and Silva is much more mature as a "deeper" central midfielder than I'd have expected. Even Sterling is making all the right decisions and playing some good, simple football.

Jesus is maybe the most mature 19-year-old striker I've ever seen, and Aguero is back to 3-seasons-ago form.


United/Spurs should end up in any order after that depending on who stays fit the most of Kane and Lukaku, and after that it sort of seems like the 4th spot is up for grabs between whoever manages to fuck up the least out of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Right now I think Chelsea will have it but who knows. Kante being out seems to majorly fuck that team up.

Man City will drop points and like other teams will have a run of poor form. It's spoke as though they will blitz all sorts of records when simply put they've just hit the ground running like a couple of seasons ago. It's by no means a formality from here on in. I think the top six will be relatively close tbh. Swings and roundabouts init.

[phonics]

Give it another 2 wins and we'll all move on to 'are City the best team ever', with the universal conclusion being 'absolutely nailed on'.

Pep was asked if they can go the season unbeaten after the game.

[Mazuuurk]

That's all fair, but I feel like City is a much better team this year than last year, form or not. It's like a bunch of their players have matured into Peps system during the last year.

[Spikey M]

Isn’t ‘Pep’s system’ just chucking hundreds of millions of pounds at the areas you are shit in?

[Mazuuurk]

Well to me it seems like he has a few principles:

- Max 2-4 players to do anything with defence
- Don't dribble with the ball
- Keep the ball and do short passes all the time

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've come to the balanced conclusion with 'Pep' that his football is very good, but you do need a full team of completely elite (and, ahem, exceptionally fit) players to play that football well.

[Giggles]

He's a chancer.

[Giggles]

Is Koeman gone?

[Disco]

Beeb says yes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Beeb minutes earlier had a piece up saying 'Koeman to take charge of Everton on Wednesday'.

Moyes back please.

[Giggles]

Moyes then.

[phonics]

Koeman getting the sack for losing to us :drool:

Shove it up your arse Ronald.

[Weaver]

David Unsworth the favourite, with Moyes and Dyche at 4/1, Allardyce at 8/1 and Coleman at 10/1.

David Wagner at 18/1 could be a good shout.

[Pen]

Just clocked that Enrico Chiesas son was voted 10th at that Golden boy thing. Despite having not seen him play I hope United sign him.

[Mazuuurk]

1 Kylian Mbappé (PSG, on loan from Monaco)


lol

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sean Dyche among the favourites? I'd pay to see that.

[SincereTheRebel]

Sean Dyche among the favourites? I'd pay to see that.

Stone Cold stays at burnley.

[ScousePig]

I've come to the balanced conclusion with 'Pep' that his football is very good, but you do need a full team of completely elite (and, ahem, exceptionally fit) players to play that football well.

Someone on the Sunderland forum asked if he could do the business for England, and the consensus was no because he wouldn't have access to the same calibre of player, and possibly more importantly he wouldn't have the time to implement his 'philosophies' with them with the occasional international get together.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He'd do about as well as Mister Capello, I'd have thought.

[Smiffy]

England should do Lillshalle(?) again.

You never had it so good than under Sven. A little more luck in shootouts then you might not still be waiting for success at international level. That said, quarters is a fair return given the teams that knocked em out. Again always on pens. It's not an English thing, it's just a coin toss at that point, I don't think phycology comes into it unless players know what's in store should they miss during a shootout. Players get hung out to dry as has been shown too often.

[Smiffy]

He'd do about as well as Mister Capello, I'd have thought.

He had zero plan whatsoever. England should do what they are good at (not much) but bringing Premier League pace into it would help.

Square pegs in round holes = England. It's not about having the eleven best players, it's more having eleven players who compliment eachother. Think Leicester's title win.

[-james-]

Everton hiring a long ball merchant in the hope of getting this squad to win games would be pretty lol

[Spikey M]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41728826

:harold:

[phonics]

Everton hiring a long ball merchant in the hope of getting this squad to win games would be pretty lol

TBF to this new owner, going from one defensive dour manager to another is surprisingly ideologically consistent.

[Lewis]

Ryan Giggs wants it. I wouldn't mind a crack at it as well if they're looking beyond actual football managers.

[Raoul Duke]

Just clocked that Enrico Chiesas son was voted 10th at that Golden boy thing. Despite having not seen him play I hope United sign him.

He's boss on FIFA. I've got him, Simeone and Hagi's sons all donning it for me at Fiorentina :cool:

[Baz]

Did Khedira really score a hat trick? :cab:

[Spikey M]

Ryan Giggs wants it. I wouldn't mind a crack at it as well if they're looking beyond actual football managers.

He did some work experience at United, remember?

On a serious note - I’d love for a proper club to just give a fan a go at it. Obviously a relatively informed fan, rather than a reactionary fucktard, although that would be fun too.

[Pepe]

Donald Trump should do it.

[Ian]

He did some work experience at United, remember?

On a serious note - I’d love for a proper club to just give a fan a go at it. Obviously a relatively informed fan, rather than a reactionary fucktard, although that would be fun too.

Everton should give it to that guy they've just banned.

He says he's not a fucking dickhead, and why would he lie?

[Giggles]

Everton should give it to that guy they've just banned.

He says he's not a fucking dickhead, and why would he lie?

His spiel about the whole thing was so ridiculous it was hilarious.

[John]

If he spent his entire tenure with an increasingly large child hanging off his shoulder I'd be all for that. The visual alone would justify it.

[Spikey M]

Everton should give it to that guy they've just banned.

He says he's not a fucking dickhead, and why would he lie?

How much worse could he do? Fuck it. Give him the job.

[Smiffy]

Ryan Giggs wants it. I wouldn't mind a crack at it as well if they're looking beyond actual football managers.

No matter where he goes he's going to fail. Same goes for Scholes who is equally as shifty. If you want it bad enough then start down the leagues, stop looking for a handout, I say.

It will be Gary Neville all over. I anticipate Carragher going the same route if he finally gets into management. It's easy to have an opinion when your neck isn't on the line. At least Gerrard is earning his opportunity by starting somewhere other than in front of a camera.

[Shindig]

Moyes returns.

[phonics]

Yeah I bet Steven Gerrard putting the cones out for 17 year olds must be a tough job.

[phonics]

Meanwhile, baeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DM2GG96W4AESrBU.jpg:large

[Smiffy]

Yeah I bet Steven Gerrard putting the cones out for 17 year olds must be a tough job.

You have to start somewhere. He turned down MK and at least he's making an effort to learn the ropes instead of being handed a gig based on his name. It's far more than putting cones out too as you're fully aware.

[phonics]

You have to start somewhere. He turned down MK and at least he's making an effort to learn the ropes instead of being handed a gig based on his name. It's far more than putting cones out too as you're fully aware.

He's working at Liverpool. It's the very definition of being handed a gig based on his name.

[phonics]

Giroud looks like such shit with the beard. Come back to the shaven side.

[Lewis]

He's working at Liverpool. It's the very definition of being handed a gig based on his name.

I bet coaching the youth team is a great job to keep yourself busy. Then again, talking phoned-in shit on BT for about four million quid a year must be an even better part-time doss.

[phonics]

I bet coaching the youth team is a great job to keep yourself busy. Then again, talking phoned-in shit on BT for about four million quid a year must be an even better part-time doss.

Yeah but then you have to spend at least 45 minutes of your week sat listening to Robbie Savage and considering how much you're probable wealth is at that point, is it worth it?

[Max Power]

Everton have a clear path to take Dyche as we look to be appointing Mr. Charisma Claude Puel. Bit of a strange one but his career pre-Saints was more impressive than I thought and although it was fairly dull 8th and a League Cup final wasn't bad going for them. All a bit meh but when you see Giggseh, Pards and Chris fucking Coleman heavily linked I'll take it.

[Pen]

He's boss on FIFA. I've got him, Simeone and Hagi's sons all donning it for me at Fiorentina :cool:
I didn’t even know they had kids playing too. I wonder if you could make a decent XI soon out of former greats kids. Rivaldo and Bebeto have their boys playing too.

[Smiffy]

He's working at Liverpool. It's the very definition of being handed a gig based on his name.

You can't have it both ways, kid.

[Shindig]

I didn’t even know they had kids playing too. I wonder if you could make a decent XI soon out of former greats kids. Rivaldo and Bebeto have their boys playing too.

They're all bloody forwards, man. I forget where Maldini's kid plays.

[ScousePig]

He did some work experience at United, remember?

On a serious note - I’d love for a proper club to just give a fan a go at it. Obviously a relatively informed fan, rather than a reactionary fucktard, although that would be fun too.

So long as they've proven themselves on Football Manager first.

[Giggles]

Give Yev the job.

[ScousePig]

Nah, give it to a PROPER FOOTBALL BLOKE like Smiffy or Mellin.

[phonics]

922565304307167232

[Shindig]

Give Yev the job.

Post-match Yevrage on a weekly basis would be television gold.

[Lewis]

A TTH FORUMBALL committee with a few chosen front men/patsies would work. I'm compromised in Liverpool, and there is a whiff of Paul Jewell about Harvey Yevrah, so we might as well go down the skinny jeans route and give it James.

[Smiffy]

Nah, give it to a PROPER FOOTBALL BLOKE like Smiffy or Mellin.

Give it to Indoctrin. "Ref, ref, stop the game. We're starting again mate!"

[Shindig]

I mean, if we want results, we go big and tempt Guido from the Benelux.

[Smiffy]

Brexit might throw a spanner in the works there for Guido and his merry band of Asians.

[Danny]

I didn’t even know they had kids playing too. I wonder if you could make a decent XI soon out of former greats kids. Rivaldo and Bebeto have their boys playing too.

Kluivert and Schmeichel too

[Magic]

Klivey's kid is shit hot.

[Spikey M]

Give Yev the job.

Assistant manager broom :drool:

[Mazuuurk]

Wait, so does this mean noone cares about Ballon D'Or anymore or?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's a pointless exercise until Ronaldo and Messi fuck off.

[Mazuuurk]

Agreed. But which one is the PRESTIGIOUS one now?

[phonics]

Neither, it's an individual award in a team sport.

[phonics]

My favourite thing about this is the city of the player who didn't win's newspapers the next day.

Some salty catalans today:


‘It would be spectacular to ask William Shakespeare who is The Best, whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. That is the question. If we ask the soccer family of the world who is the best, simply ‘The Best’, surely Lionel Messi would always win, until he retires, even a little later.’


‘But I have the feeling that more and more things are going on in voting, that there are more vested interests, from commercial firms to the mass media, and that the criteria that decides the balance in favour of one or another name varies according to the year… the best is Leo and that’s it. But that would be too boring and the machine must be fed.’


‘Cristiano won The Best yesterday. And in December he will surely win the Ballon d’Or. And thus, the greatest injustice in the history of football will be consummated.’


‘The Portuguese will have more individual prizes than Messi, when nobody in their right mind can deny the Argentine has been, is and will be, the best player of all time. Matching Cristiano to Messi in Ballon d’Ors (five each) is an unprecedented aberration that should embarrass the lords of FIFA, UEFA and France Football. And to all those who vote in these type of awards.’

[Jimmy Floyd]

When will they realise that it is completely irrelevant and does not matter?

[Smiffy]

It doesn't matter to you but clearly it matters to Cristiano (probably Messi too who's much slyer than he comes across).

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't really get it, if they want to dick-measure they can compare goal stats or trophies or endorsements or six packs or, indeed, actual penis length. Why does it need a random annual award with no set criteria?

[Ian]

What are their expected goal numbers, though?

[Smiffy]

Recognition. Sponsors. Self advertisement. Money.

It's a bullshit award where they get their egos massaged. Personally I couldn't give a shit either but then I don't devote my life to being the best in my chosen field. These two do. Plus they can hardly come out and say "I'm not attending as it's a bullshit award".

We've been spoilt with both players but neither will be fully appreciated until they've long retired.

Messi > Ronaldo for me by a big margin.

[phonics]

I understand why football players care. They're all raging egomaniacs, it's part of the reason they get to the level they do.

Why anyone else does though? No idea.

[Reg]

A lot of players/coaches voting for Modric. http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11095929/who-did-cristiano-ronaldo-and-lionel-messi-vote-for-in-the-best-fifa-mens-player-award

Not sure whether Southgate's votes are some sort of statement about "team over individuals" or him trying to get the Real Madrid job.

[Mazuuurk]

Neither, it's an individual award in a team sport.

Yeah ok, Marx.

[Mazuuurk]

I love that Nepal and Teipei both voted for Zlatan as the first, but our own fucking captain didn't :harold:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm not sure you're allowed to vote for your own countrymen. Or at least there's no other explanation for Southgate not going with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kyle Walker.

[Jimmy Floyd]

922565304307167232

Is a reasonable explanation for this character not that he is a paid Mendes sock puppet?

[phonics]

I went to check his Twitter feed to see if he'd responded to the thousands of people lolling at him.

First tweet?

922702658414227462

even Dicko is piling in and he comes across as a thoroughly polite man

921854901092868097

[Jimmy Floyd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41733364

What are the qualifications here, the fact that he's played football before? The fact that he's been on the telly on Saturday primetime? Using those criteria we can draw up a shortlist of him, Boris Johnson, Dale Winton, and Trojan from Gladiators.

[phonics]

Considering Phil Neville has thrown his hat into the ring and Unsworth has been managing the U23s for years I feel that's a bit harsh.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yeah so when I linked that, the title was 'Phil Neville wants Everton job' and it was all about Phil Neville. BBC BACKTRACKING and RUNNING SCARED from my incisive commentary, it seems.

They've put 'Carabou Cup' in the text of the same article. Standards have slipped horribly since they moved it all up north.

[Magic]

Duncan Castles. :D

[Lewis]

Alex Tuanzebe starts amidst some proper rotation. He really must have been SEETHING with Saturday.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That defence is stunning.

[Reg]

3-4-1-2, pretty defensive lineup from United.

[Ian]

Lindelof looking assured there.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a lovely touch by Rashford.

[Lewis]

Right. Everyone back. Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic on.

[Ian]

I think the signing of big Victor was basically an elaborate ruse to make Smalling and Jones look better.

[Giggles]

Games like this are Lingards level.

[Lewis]

I think the signing of big Victor was basically an elaborate ruse to make Smalling and Jones look better.

I like the theory that, rather than maybe just being a bit crap (or at least a massive fanny), not being an automatic starter has ruined his confidence. Even if that was true, does a centre back need to feel at the absolute top of his game to head a ball?

[Raoul Duke]

I think it's official that Luke Shaw is dead now. Watch him sign for Spurs (when we sign Danny Rose for £11 trillion) and go on to become ace.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lingard loves the cups and Wembley so much.

[Lewis]

How does he score so many quite good goals?

[Ian]

Even if he couldn't do it in these games I'd keep him on the payroll forever for scoring the winner against Pardew's dancing.

[Lewis]

Tuanzebe is a beast, probably a midfielder really, and somehow an England player. Wahey.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He doesn't even look that fat anymore.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

32 Akpom
43 Da Silva
50 Iliev
62 Nketiah
63 Osei-Tutu
65 Sheaf
69 Willock

What a bench that is.

[Ian]

That guy who's scored for Arsenal was born more recently than Wenger got the Arsenal job.

Good work, OptaJoe.

[Lewis]

Another way of putting it is that an eighteen year old will have only ever known Theo Walcott to be a waste of space.

[Ian]

Leon Britton wants to give up on that hair.

EDIT: Hah, yes, that's spot on Lewis.