May football: THE RUN-IN!

[Serj]

Jesus Christ Ajax. I'm at a wedding in the Netherlands on the day of the final and was counting on them to make it so that a screen would be put up there.

They completely threw this away.

[Lewis]

Liverpool and Spurs final is genuinely appalling for humanity. I might have to support the scousers. Jesus Christ.

Steady on.

[Magic]

Now all we need is a replica scum chelscum shitfest final decided on a massive mistake in extra time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Steady on.

You should easily support Spurs, but I'm unable to.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You should easily support Spurs, but I'm unable to.

Just claim you're doing it for the Koreans?

[Bam]

I've got my scouse wig and tash on order.

[Bernanke]

"Ah yes. Exactly who we thought would be scoring game winning goals in the Semis. Lucas Moura and Divok Origi."

:D

[Waffdon]

It really is a tragic final for normal folk. I don’t know a single Spurs fan so it’s not a hard choice.

[Lewis]

You should easily support Spurs, but I'm unable to.

Anyone else and you wouldn't back Tottenham, because the game requires them to be a no mark team. In this case though...

[mugbull]

I love the tears :happycry:

[Mike]

Has Kane got his hatrick match ball? (Heck yes I’ve made last years joke)

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I love the tears :happycry:


I just want this season to be over and restart


You don't get to celebrate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Anyone else and you wouldn't back Tottenham, because the game requires them to be a no mark team. In this case though...

I think you have to be from the London area / support one of the other London club to know the abject horror that would be produced by Spurs winning the European Cup. Bamster knows.

Liverpool winning it I have a coping mechanism which is that I find Klopp charming and it's happened before. Less so for the league though.

[Yevrah]

I find all English finals a bit dull, but it has a chance of being a decent game so hey ho.

[Kikó]

I'm very happy to support Spurs in the final.

But I'm going to be in a place with no television or internet connection. For 6 months.

[mugbull]

Anyone else and you wouldn't back Tottenham, because the game requires them to be a no mark team. In this case though...

Keep at it, yung retard

[Waffdon]

I'm very happy to support Spurs in the final.

But I'm going to be in a place with no television or internet connection. For 6 months.

What have you done?

[Boydy]

What have you done?

Insider trading.

[Kikó]

I'm moving to Basra until the Liverpool / City season of doom has passed.

[Lewis]

I think you have to be from the London area / support one of the other London club to know the abject horror that would be produced by Spurs winning the European Cup. Bamster knows.

Liverpool winning it I have a coping mechanism which is that I find Klopp charming and it's happened before. Less so for the league though.

That is a very rational argument, but principles. Hopefully the ground catches fire.

[Giggles]

Spurs still have a massive mental block with Liverpool don't they? So you'd imagine this result is music to the latter's ears.

[-james-]

Two highly likeable sides in the final. It'll be a much duller match than if it were Ajax though.

[mugbull]

You don't get to celebrate.

Nah I get to do whatever I want

[mugbull]

That was still a weak performance by us. Definitely Ajax losing rather than us winning. Dele is still a complete joke and should be shipped out to United or some other mickey mouse club that loves to overpay. Sissoko is overtaking Son in my mental POTS running and was pretty good today. Llorente was frustrating as shit but ultimately necessary. Son had an off game but was still useful.

Lloris though. Absolute legend.

[randomlegend]

If Tottenham and Man City manage to hand Liverpool a double I'm leaving the country.

[Mike]

Imagine not liking football though.

[Gray Fox]

City will hold up their end of the bargain.

The CL final could go either way. Both teams should have won the away games in the league by several goals.

[Shindig]

If Tottenham and Man City manage to hand Liverpool a double I'm leaving the country.

Like the NHS hasn't chained you to these shores already. Where you gonna go? Canada?

[Smjffy]

I would have rather had Ajax given I believe Spurs are due one over us, unless the Lovren shambles was 'that'.

Surely we can't lose four European finals in a row?

[randomlegend]

Like the NHS hasn't chained you to these shores already. Where you gonna go? Canada?

In a year I can go be a doctor where I like. At least 10 people I know from med school have gone to Australia already.

EDIT: I won't be going anywhere but yeah.

[Lewis]

lol Australia doesn't even have an NHS what mugs.

[randomlegend]

From a selfish point of view, the NHS isn't good for doctors.

EDIT: You know what it's not the thread for it, well done #ajaxbottlejobs #coys etc.

[Lewis]

Or patients. Makes you wonder who it does work for.

[mugbull]

Do a lot of British doctors come to the States? Or is that really hard? Presumably would be the top destination given they pay docs like minor CEOs here

[randomlegend]

Do a lot of British doctors come to the States? Or is that really hard? Presumably would be the top destination given they pay docs like minor CEOs here

It's not a first choice for doctors at my sort of stage, unless they came just came here to train and always planned to go back. Firstly because yes, it is really hard to get in, and secondly because the working conditions are shocking by all accounts. I would imagine once you get to consultant level it's more attractive.

[randomlegend]

Or patients. Makes you wonder who it does work for.

It is good for patients.

[randomlegend]

Also apparently Utd are appointing Darren Fletcher as DoF.

[Lewis]

I bet that was a rigourous interview process. They probably asked everyone to draw Alex Ferguson from memory.

[Gray Fox]

3 weeks to the final seems like ages away.

Will 'arry Kane be fit?

[mugbull]

He sprinted onto the pitch after the final whistle. Not taking it easy, as ever

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Can we go back to the NHS/crap doctors.

[7om]

I just can't bring myself to support Liverpool in any capacity, so I'm backing Spurs.

[Spoonsky]

I find myself really disappointed that Ajax bottled it. That was a wonderful team and aside from one shite half they deserved to be in the final.

[Shindig]

I just can't bring myself to support Liverpool in any capacity, so I'm backing Spurs.

What's wrong with just staying neutral? Two English clubs (and plenty of English players on display), a year out from England's World Cup efforts. Enjoy this weird timeline.

[Baz]

^ Spoken like a supporter of a rubbish team.

[Giggles]

I've got to have some Spurs shit left somewhere in the house. Have to break it out for this one.

[Magic]

He sprinted onto the pitch after the final whistle. Not taking it easy, as ever

He looked like a mongol getting 30 minutes of golden time in the secure hospital garden.

[7om]

What's wrong with just staying neutral? Two English clubs (and plenty of English players on display), a year out from England's World Cup efforts. Enjoy this weird timeline.

I support Birmingham City. If I don't cheer on some other team I'd probably quit life.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Neutrality is both impossible and very boring. I couldn't watch sport if I wasn't rooting for (or against) someone, even just while it was on.

[Ian]

The more time you've spent watching the more you build up your own set of irrational preferences anyway.

Of a Spurs / Liverpool final I'll want Spurs to win but I won't actually care once the match is done anyway.

The Premier League is a trickier one.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Take, say, New Zealand v Sri Lanka at cricket. Two more pleasant, inoffensive nations you could not find, each liberally sprinkled with enjoyable talent to watch, but for the duration of a World Cup game between them I will turn one into my favourites and the other into Nazi Germany/Mordor. It's just how it is.

[Boydy]

Or patients. Makes you wonder who it does work for.
LeeCovFox.

[Browning]

Zavvi emailed their entire subscribers list to tell them they won a VIP trip to the CL Final... this is going to be fun.

[Baz]

Neutrality is both impossible and very boring. I couldn't watch sport if I wasn't rooting for (or against) someone, even just while it was on.

This is also true of gameshows.

[SvN]

Zavvi emailed their entire subscribers list to tell them they won a VIP trip to the CL Final... this is going to be fun.

It's hilarious. So many people are ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED by what is clearly an innocent mistake. Here's one amazing quote:


One disgruntled fan wrote on Facebook: " I was so excited just the thought of a holiday, being a full time carer for my disabled mum, moneys always tight so last holiday I had was about 15 years ago.

√ Skint
√ Disabled mum
√ Full time carer
√ No holiday for 15 years

[Ian]

The good news is she'd be guaranteed to get on the X Factor.

[Cheddar]

I’d happily take Spurs over Ajax. Cue Harry Kane coming rushing himself back early and the team suffering the consequences.

[Spikey M]

Kane Is always shit for 4 or 5 games after coming back from injury. Spurs are probably better off with him not being an option.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He will be absolutely fuming that they've done it without him and his shaving ads.

[Shindig]

It'll be Harry Kane and Mo Salah having a proper shit-off. Some spectacles are worth witnessing, lads.

[Manc]

Salah to exercise demons and deliver a monumental performance.

[Giggles]

Belgium are shatting on us.

[phonics]

Robbie Savages microphone has broken so we're down to only having one commentator. Feels well Eurosport :cool:

[Offshore Toon]

I've switched over to the Chelsea match because Robbie Savage's mic started working.

[SincereTheRebel]

Thats some finish from Pierre. 1-1. Out of nothing that goal

[phonics]

In an amazing tactical revolution, Arsenal have created a system where they don't have enough men in the middle or on the wings.

And as I was typing, in a summary of this entire season, one of our strikers has bailed us out with a not even half chance.

[phonics]

Not sure there's many better out there than Lacazette at getting a ball out from underneath his feet and absolutely belting it past the keeper from close range.

[phonics]

Ultimate shithousery from Cech, Sokratis goes down under a challenge from behind and he walks over and starts picking at the hole that Sokratis has clearly cut into his socks before the match to imply the guy went in studs up.

[Waffdon]

Kovacic is utterly dreadful.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We might as well bring Barkley on for him asap as the only way we're getting through this is with 2+ random goals.

[phonics]

Lacazette and Aubameyang have done more defensive work than our wingbacks.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a shocking tackle by Athpillykweta.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Barkley for Loftus Cheek is mental. He's like a chain smoking Theresa May.

[phonics]

This is just mean now. They're not even trying to attack let alone score. This keeper is crap.

[phonics]

Maitland-Niles managing to get him sent off after the final whistle in a match we won by 4 goals would have been peak, peak Arsenal shooting themselves in the foot

[Waffdon]

Sarri really is absolutely clueless yet they’ve somehow finished 3rd or 4th, should have won the League Cup final and could fluke through here tonight. I don’t understand

[phonics]

It's almost like he has the 3rd or 4th best squad in the league.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Managers are only worth 5-10 points in either direction, for a top club anyway. It's more the experience of watching the team that they can make or break. And it's in cups where you really want a good in game manager, which is Sarri's weakest area by far.

[phonics]

It's almost like he has the 3rd or 4th best squad in the league.

This is a lie actually, we probably *just about* have a better squad than Chelsea but they've got Kante where we've got Xhaka so that counts triple.

[Waffdon]

It's almost like he has the 3rd or 4th best squad in the league.

Or Hazard. He’s been involved in 50% of their league goals which is just stupid.

[phonics]

Yeah but I think Aubameyang + Lacazette is better than him and whatever cohorts they surround him with each week.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Has Sarri ever changed his formation?

[phonics]

Formations don't matter, this isn't FM. Chelsea, City and Liverpool all play 4-3-3 but none of them in the same way.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Formations don't matter, this isn't FM. Chelsea, City and Liverpool all play 4-3-3 but none of them in the same way.

You're a visionary.

[Waffdon]

Formations don't matter, this isn't FM. Chelsea, City and Liverpool all play 4-3-3 but none of them in the same way.

Only Chelsea have never swayed from changing it about a bit. Other two have.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The problem we had all season was a static midfield with no goals or threat in it. Loftus-Cheek has assisted this in the latter weeks, but even he's a bit of a cripple and not really the complete answer. I don't fully blame Sarri as he has a dreadfully-assembled squad (many of them panic buys at various points), but he hasn't ever adapted to anything, clearly doesn't like England and wants the sack.

As such, everything good we've done all year has been the result of individual brilliance going outside the dull format, usually from Hazard, but also remarkably often from Kanté and occasionally Pedro.

I wouldn't sack him, just because it's getting boring sacking people.

[phonics]

I don't fully blame Sarri as he has a dreadfully-assembled squad (many of them panic buys at various points), but he hasn't ever adapted to anything, clearly doesn't like England and wants the sack.

I don't think he wants the sack, I think his inability to speak to the press like a media controlled robot makes him come across like he's sick of it all. Whereas I think he's just a bit forthright and straight, more like a dutchman than an italian.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It might sound trivial but from observing him I think he has really been wound up by the inability to smoke on the touchline. He always looks on edge.

I quite enjoy his media work tbh, no bullshit whatsoever.

[phonics]

It might sound trivial but from observing him I think he has really been wound up by the inability to smoke on the touchline. He always looks on edge.

I quite enjoy his media work tbh, no bullshit whatsoever.

As a smoker, while I can imagine this is true I can't seem to find any pictures or video of him smoking while a game is going on. Closest I can find is him lighting up between the dressing room and the tunnel in a Juve v Napoli game. It seems to be something that's being massively overplayed by the media and let's be honest, is having absolutely no bearing on how Chelsea play.

[phonics]

Man that's such a tough decision for the ref, I've only seen it once but that's a goal IMO. Keeper doesn't have control of it.

[Shindig]

I don't think he wants the sack, I think his inability to speak to the press like a media controlled robot makes him come across like he's sick of it all. Whereas I think he's just a bit forthright and straight, more like a dutchman than an italian.

That's the banker in him, probably.

[SincereTheRebel]

Sarri always seems fucking furious and higuian is a mess.

[Waffdon]

This has been a right chore to watch. Frankfurt to hit the top corner every time

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have the radio for this and Guillem Balague thinks it was a foul, so it was definitely a goal.

[phonics]

That's the banker in him, probably.

I'm not sure telling the truth is a skill you learn in the world of Italian finance .

[John]

I've never been more sure of anything than I was Azpilicueta was missing that.

[phonics]

You think you've seen everything in football after this week and then a keeper decides not to move and saves the penalty.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

So are England now Kings of Europe?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You think you've seen everything in football after this week and then a keeper decides not to move and saves the penalty.

Genuinely thought for a split second that it was going to go right through his legs which would have been amazing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Massive bottle job by the Reich there. Make sure to pick up your litter on the way out like the wholesome friendly-fun-fans you are.

[Giggles]

So are England now Kings of Europe?

A definite theme anyway.

[SincereTheRebel]

Pussyhole higuain isnt part of the penalty five.

[phonics]

Remember about 2 years ago when England didn't get any teams past the quarters and it was pronounced that English football was dead?

[phonics]

https://i.imgur.com/jaLDlnt.png
https://i.imgur.com/YrBmzsa.png

[SincereTheRebel]

So

[Waffdon]

Chelsea always have their defenders taking penalties in shoot outs. Pedro would have missed, but what’s Higuain’s excuse

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chelsea v Arsenal in Baku, an Arsenal fan I know was looking at travel options including a flight to Tbilisi and a 13 hour train from there, or a flight to Turkmenistan and a 17 hour ferry back across the Caspian Sea.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chelsea always have their defenders taking penalties in shoot outs. Pedro would have missed, but what’s Higuain’s excuse

Why did he even come on if he wasn't going to take one?

[phonics]

So

The constant short-termism of the media is fucking dumb and leads to literally every team being labelled 'in crisis' despite clubs with 'deep-rooted isssues' finishing third and being in 2 finals.

[phonics]

Why did he even come on if he wasn't going to take one?

Say what you like about Kim Kallstrom but at least he took a penno.

[Spikey M]

#Brexit mate

[phonics]

#Brexit mate

Please no. I've always been one of those 'you can't remove politics from sport' people but I think Theresa May invoking Liverpools 'togetherness and fight back in Europe' followed up by people with #FBPE in their display name tweeting "JURGEN KLOPP IS AN IMMIGRANT" changed my mind.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method5/crank2019.html

:drool:

[phonics]

https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method5/crank2019.html

:drool:

Shame all that time learning how it works won't matter anymore.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/sports/champions-league-europe-restructuring.html


Officials from the domestic leagues were shown the proposal for restructured European competitions this week. The new tournaments would, starting in 2024, allow the top 21 teams in a 32-team Champions League to qualify automatically for the next season’s event, effectively guaranteeing them annual participation and tens of millions of dollars more in broadcasting revenue than their domestic rivals. Those rivals would most likely be unable to match the rich clubs’ spending power, and would find it prohibitively difficult to play their way into the Champions League on the field.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea v Arsenal in Baku, an Arsenal fan I know was looking at travel options including a flight to Tbilisi and a 13 hour train from there, or a flight to Turkmenistan and a 17 hour ferry back across the Caspian Sea.

Direct flights from Liverpool to Madrid are £700+ on EasyJet hahahah. It’s a joke.

[Spikey M]

Please no. I've always been one of those 'you can't remove politics from sport' people but I think Theresa May invoking Liverpools 'togetherness and fight back in Europe' followed up by people with #FBPE in their display name tweeting "JURGEN KLOPP IS AN IMMIGRANT" changed my mind.

Brexit means European domination

[SincereTheRebel]

Yeah but I think Aubameyang + Lacazette is better than him and whatever cohorts they surround him with each week.

Disagree. Hazard is better than them both. He is miles better on the ball. You want Laca abd Auba on the end of things while you want hazard to start shit. Different type of players but Hazard is the better player .

[Jimmy Floyd]

Shame all that time learning how it works won't matter anymore.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/sports/champions-league-europe-restructuring.html

I genuinely don't think that will happen, I can't think of any more direct way of harming football at its very core.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Direct flights from Liverpool to Madrid are £700+ on EasyJet hahahah. It’s a joke.

If it's Madrid then I would simply drive there if I could get the requisite days off work. Baku, there's no way out really unless you have personal friends in the Iranian navy.

[phonics]

Disagree. Hazard is better than them both. He is miles better on the ball. You want Laca abd Auba on the end of things while you want hazard to start shit. Different type of players but Hazard is the better player .

I said that the combined output of both outweighs Hazard and the wasters they put around him. Not that either of them are better than Hazard.

[phonics]

Direct flights from Liverpool to Madrid are £700+ on EasyJet hahahah. It’s a joke.

https://i.imgur.com/2KBSHaI.png

[Lewis]

Liverpool got us chucked out of Europe indefinitely, so they're better than Theresa May.

[Magic]

Lol 3rd and Europa Cup winners. Sarri. :cool:

[Waffdon]

Arsenal will win unless Hazard plans on going out in style. He’s been a bit shit recently.

[7om]

The constant short-termism of the media is fucking dumb and leads to literally every team being labelled 'in crisis' despite clubs with 'deep-rooted isssues' finishing third and being in 2 finals.

I hear water is wet as well.

[Shindig]

The constant short-termism of the media is fucking dumb and leads to literally every team being labelled 'in crisis' despite clubs with 'deep-rooted isssues' finishing third and being in 2 finals.

Football is short-termism. On the flights, Baku doesn't seem as bad as reported. From London, you can land in Istanbul and then fly on to Baku. For the scousers, just train it down to Heathrow and cut Easyjet out of it for half the price.

[phonics]

Football is short-termism. On the flights, Baku doesn't seem as bad as reported. From London, you can land in Istanbul and then fly on to Baku. For the scousers, just train it down to Heathrow and cut Easyjet out of it for half the price.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6L_s5iUIAAfb2N.jpg

Also they're only giving out 6,000 tickets per team in a 67 thousand seater stadium.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is that an official gooner press release? It's almost like they want to keep numbers down.

[phonics]

Yeah it's from the supporters liason team.

[John Arne]

I had no idea that Markle was mixed race.

[Giggles]

News to me too.

[SvN]

I also didn't know until I heard Danny Baker had been sacked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This clip doing the rounds of Geoff Boycott slating Man Utd and the management live on MUTV, as the corporate fluff presenter shits his pants, is quality. Do they not know who he is?

[Ian]

Is he a United fan??

Also that story put me onto this:
https://metro.co.uk/2019/05/09/manchester-united-squad-turn-against-one-another-after-being-forced-into-25-pay-cut-9445838/

Sanchez's paycut. :drool:

[Manc]

That makes the downturn in form even more bizarre.

[Giggles]

This clip doing the rounds of Geoff Boycott slating Man Utd and the management live on MUTV, as the corporate fluff presenter shits his pants, is quality. Do they not know who he is?

I read a very misleading headline for that story yesterday and thought I'd only seen a bit of the video when he'd said fuck all really.

[Ian]

That makes the downturn in form even more bizarre.

I mean it wouldn't surprise me if the players were oblivious but you'd have thought their agents would have been going "Erm, guys..."

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is he a United fan??

Yep, like the true born Yorkshireman he is.

[Lewis]

Speaking of Azerbaijan, I saw the Euro 2020 calendar today, and which absolute idiot gave that the go-ahead?

[phonics]

Looks like Mkhitaryan won't be going due to them being at war with Armenia or whatever. Just an excellent choice of venue.

[SincereTheRebel]

Speaking of Azerbaijan, I saw the Euro 2020 calendar today, and which absolute idiot gave that the go-ahead?

Its across multipe counrtires so its not as bad as it could have been.

[Shindig]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6L_s5iUIAAfb2N.jpg

Also they're only giving out 6,000 tickets per team in a 67 thousand seater stadium.

That's genuinely shit. 50,000 'friends of UEFA' or some daft North Korean scenario where they invite thousands of locals to fill seats.

[Giggles]

These shouldn't be picked til the finals are set.

[phonics]

UEFA are saying the reason that the clubs got so few tickets is because Baku airport couldn't handle more tourists than that. And it's been confirmed that UEFA can't ensure our 200 grand a week midfielder won't be arrested upon arriving in the country.

Excellent choice for a final, presumably they expected an Azerbaijani team to make it to the final to lighten the travel load.

[igor_balis]

As soon as I think I've mastered the requisite amount of cognitive dissonance to enjoy football within the corrupt world of the Premier League, UEFA and FIFA, something else comes along to annoy me again. I almost want it to go full EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE just so I can finally sack it off, and get well into Belgian arthouse cinema or postmodern literature or something.

[Ian]

UEFA are saying the reason that the clubs got so few tickets is because Baku airport couldn't handle more tourists than that. And it's been confirmed that UEFA can't ensure our 200 grand a week midfielder won't be arrested upon arriving in the country.

Excellent choice for a final, presumably they expected an Azerbaijani team to make it to the final to lighten the travel load.

An interesting choice of lie on their behalf, to be fair.

[Offshore Toon]

As soon as I think I've mastered the requisite amount of cognitive dissonance to enjoy football within the corrupt world of the Premier League, UEFA and FIFA, something else comes along to annoy me again. I almost want it to go full EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE just so I can finally sack it off, and get well into Belgian arthouse cinema or postmodern literature or something.
I can relate to this. Tottenham's comeback annoyed me because I could really do without every Champions League game being unmissable.

[randomlegend]

United apparently signing Daniel James from Swansea. Any Swansea fans, he any good?

[Lewis]

It's a sop to the fans - YOUTH, PACE, WINGERS - before wasting loads of money on better-known whoppers.

[Baz]

United apparently signing Daniel James from Swansea. Any Swansea fans, he any good?

He was really good against Man City in the cup. Probably why they've gone for him.

[Lewis]

Speaking of which, can Paulo Dybala put a shift in on the right? Because I can do without another four years of watching a number ten bumble around being useless.

[SincereTheRebel]

Summer transfer thread.

[mugbull]

To get the ball rolling, I would love Donny van de Beek

[SincereTheRebel]

Wan-Bissaka looks like a good player also.

[Shindig]

I just want Rafa to stay on. 10 days of waiting which probably means Mike Ashley will fuck him off.

[randomlegend]

Speaking of which, can Paulo Dybala put a shift in on the right? Because I can do without another four years of watching a number ten bumble around being useless.

He's been playing there for Juve to accommodate Ronaldo and been absolute shit compared to last season, apparently.

[-james-]

1126902416664858624


Even by Croatian footballer standards, this seems a bit much.

[Lewis]

I lolled out loud at 'dwarves, blacks or obese people'.

[phonics]

What an absolutely mental thing to say in an interview setting.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Reads like an old interview to me, although given most of Europe still seems to throw tantrums about black players being on the pitch I think they'd really struggle with gays.

[mugbull]

It's from 7 years ago but it's definitely one of the funnier things I've seen in a minute

[Giggles]

Whatever about the racism and homophobia, there's no accounting for that level of stupidity.

[phonics]

Thinking about it, the two players who have been accused of having 'poor character' and 'laziness' by 'dressing room sources' are Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti. Coincidence I'm sure.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Maurizio Sarri's tactics are a lot more explicable if you look at it through the lens of him thinking black players are only good for running and kicking people. There's a lot of it about.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

At least he respects me.

[Kikó]

This clip doing the rounds of Geoff Boycott slating Man Utd and the management live on MUTV, as the corporate fluff presenter shits his pants, is quality. Do they not know who he is?

I know Mark interviewing him and he probably would agree with him off camera.

[SincereTheRebel]

I lolled out loud at 'dwarves, blacks or obese people'.

Me too. I dont think those three main words have any been invovled in the same sentance before .

[Pen]

Hopefully there’s an obese gay black dwarf somewhere ho will be Barcelonas next manager.

[Spikey M]

1126902416664858624


Even by Croatian footballer standards, this seems a bit much.

Fucking hell. :lol:

[Baz]

If they’re the four main discriminated groups, TTH does quite well.

We just need a dwarf to complete the set.

Incoming “how tall are you?” thread to find and crown the smallest memb- er, poster, as our resident dwarf. Maybe that old FM database has the answer.

[Shindig]

Hopefully there’s an obese gay black dwarf somewhere ho will be Barcelonas next manager.

I don't think Croatia's had a black international since Eduardo da Silva.

[Giggles]

So this is a thing now?


1127136776114638848

[Lewis]

It shouldn't be. If you love it that much, mate...

[Lewis]

One of the few footballers I follow on the Twitter is Antonio Valencia, and he has been conducting his own personal farewell tour for about three months now. That's the way you do it.

[Yevrah]

Where's he going?

[Lewis]

City for a hundred million.

[mugbull]

One of the few footballers I follow on the Twitter is Antonio Valencia, and he has been conducting his own personal farewell tour for about three months now. That's the way you do it.

“On the twitter”. So special. Forgot to surround it with quotes, you re

[SincereTheRebel]

There are a lot of ‘senior’ players leaving the likes of man utd and arsenal this summer. Its goning to be interesting who replaces them.

[SvN]

It's been said for about 4 years now, but we really need a massive clear out. Even if it means sacrificing next year - it's not like we're going to be any good anyway. We may as well clear out everyone shit and just start again with the few players that are worth keeping.

[Lewis]

“On the twitter”. So special. Forgot to surround it with quotes, you re

Twitter needs capitalising, Big Man.

[SincereTheRebel]

It's been said for about 4 years now, but we really need a massive clear out. Even if it means sacrificing next year - it's not like we're going to be any good anyway. We may as well clear out everyone shit and just start again with the few players that are worth keeping.

But you are doing that as far as im aware
Valencia
Herrera
Sanchez
Smalling
Jones
Mata
Fellani

Who else is missing? At least half the list will be gone.

[Lewis]

In an ideal world you would just keep about seven of them and the rest can leave.

[randomlegend]

But you are doing that as far as im aware
Valencia
Herrera
Sanchez
Smalling
Jones
Mata
Fellani

Who else is missing? At least half the list will be gone.

Smalling and Jones both just got new contracts.

[Lewis]

You would like to think that that was to keep them and get a transfer fee out of them. At least one of them (Phil Jones) has to go, if only as a purely symbolic move.

[SincereTheRebel]

You have to recycle. Cut them off and bring in new players. Maybe, Sanchez has something left but given his age and other players in his posistion. Sell him to PSG or Inter.

[SvN]

But you are doing that as far as im aware
Valencia
Herrera
Sanchez
Smalling
Jones
Mata
Fellani

Who else is missing? At least half the list will be gone.

4 of those are still with us, and while there are rumours of their exits, that's all they are right now.


Jones
Smalling
Sanchez
Matic
Young
Martial
Valencia
Bailly
Rojo
De Gea
Darmian


All need to go. De Gea is dependant on whether he's actually going to sign a new contract or not and get his head right. And Pogba can fuck off as well unless he's going to start doing something.

[SincereTheRebel]

I can see young staying. Forgot rojo still played for them. None of the names mentioned offer anything for me when ive watched man utd besides de gea, young and matic. Rest of them are shit and not good enough to wear the shirt.

The days are gone when you could play the darren fletcher under fergie and he would dominate the game against fabregas and co.

[randomlegend]

Most goals and assists in the squad from centre midfield, needs to do something.

[SvN]

You think he's had a good season? His stats are padded with penalties (8 of them). He's been anonymous in more than 50% of the games this season.

[randomlegend]

You think he's had a good season? His stats are padded with penalties (7 of them). He's been anonymous in more than 50% of the games this season.

I think he's CLEARLY our best player (what with De Gea going to shit) and gets scapegoated beyond belief for not solo carrying games when the entire rest of the team are playing terribly. The amount of times he picks the ball up in midfield, turns someone, gets his head up and there's just nothing on is incredible. The amount of chances he creates that the forwards botch similarly so.

What do you want from a centre midfield player in those circumstances? Pick the ball up from the defence and dribble through the entire opposition team to score himself? Surround him with a functioning team - in particular give him some movement and quality in front of him - and he's amazing.

[SvN]

You're right, his is our best player. I don't think I'm scapegoating by asking that our best player doesn't go missing in such a large proportion of games and let his head drop when things aren't going well.

His poor performances aren't just in games where the team are playing badly. Even during Ole's run of wins he had games where he was anonymous, so I'm not buying that he's this faultless player who only has poor games when those around him aren't making runs for him.

[Lewis]

I would keep Nemanja Matic. He was one of the better players during that brief revival period, so he is no more finished than any of them really, and he seems like one of the non-wankers in the DRESSING ROOM.

[SvN]

I'm on the fence with him, really. He's getting on and this season (other than a purple patch of around 10 games) he's been reminiscent of his last season at Chelsea.

[randomlegend]

You're right, his is our best player. I don't think I'm scapegoating by asking that our best player doesn't go missing in such a large proportion of games and let his head drop when things aren't going well.

His poor performances aren't just in games where the team are playing badly. Even during Ole's run of wins he had games where he was anonymous, so I'm not buying that he's this faultless player who only has poor games when those around him aren't making runs for him.

Of course he's not 'faultless', and of course he himself has bad games, but there are a LOT of times where he's criticised for 'going missing' where there's just nothing going on around him at all.

EDIT: I'd keep Matic, he still performs very well when he's not knackered, but he's past being able to play 50 games a year.

[SvN]

He's been here three seasons now, and despite being pretty good, I think you're kidding yourself if you think he's lived up to expectations. He doesn't control games and he lacks the discipline to play in a deeper role.

If he needs to be surrounded by brilliant players to get the best out of him, then we're probably better off moving him on as that's not going to happen anytime soon.

[randomlegend]

He's been here three seasons now, and despite being pretty good, I think you're kidding yourself if you think he's lived up to expectations. He doesn't control games and he lacks the discipline to play in a deeper role.

If he needs to be surrounded by brilliant players to get the best out of him, then we're probably better off moving him on as that's not going to happen anytime soon.

The players don't need to be brilliant, just not utterly pointless like ours have been in a lot of the losses this season. I don't know how any player would be expected to live up to the kind of expectations Pogba had on him given the teams level in the last 3 years.

EDIT: End of the day I'm clearly in the minority on Pogba, but I firmly believe if we let him go then within three months of next season starting we'd be massively regretting it.

[SvN]

It's all conjecture, but I think if you put someone like say, De Bruyne in our side, you'd notice a big difference.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Pogba is staying:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48235395

[SvN]

As if that would matter.

[randomlegend]

That's not going to stop a move (or stop Raiola getting paid) let's be honest.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why would it not? FIFA are a fair and upstanding federation who would not allow anyone to circumvent their rules/bans.

[Shindig]

The airport being a stickler with Baku is laughable when 85,000 attended the Grand Prix.

[Disco]

It makes even less sense than that, why would the ticket allocation affect how many people travel to the game?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a lovely strike by Hourihane.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've barely watched any EFL this year so it's nice to see that Gibbs is still shit.

[Magic]

I hope WBA bin it because how they treated Clarke, but I fucking hate Villa.

[igor_balis]

We've deserved that for the abject defensive bullshit we've been playing all game. I know if we steal a 1-0 away win, the manager's a genius but we haven't so he can fuck off.

[Giggles]

Is that Alex McLeish managing Villa again?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gayle :harold:

Maybe next year, Igor.

[igor_balis]

Gayle :harold:

Maybe next year, Igor.

If we go up we'll get absolutely tonked, our team is basically like a championship version of utd, in desperate need of a total rebuild. Relying on old man Morrison off the bench sez it all. Our midfield from 2008 that cost us about ten quid could pass this lot off the park.

[Magic]

Hahahahaa fuck off Richard Keogh you cunt and Lampard.

[Magic]

:harold:

[Clunge]

villa Villa VILLA VILLA Villa villa

:beer:.

[Gray Fox]

https://i.gyazo.com/3ecc420e43e5b3a84ad66616bfdfe0fb.png

:D

[Mike]

Today’s the day!

[Giggles]

Today’s the day!


It sure is.


1127470001961799681

[Baz]

C’mon Duffy lad.

[Giggles]

Missed this earlier in the week :D


1126245376422502405

[Smjffy]

Man City to draw...
And us to follow suit.

:uhoh: I'm excited for nothing.

[SvN]

I do fancy Wolves to get something today. I've been saying it for months. But City will smash Brighton, much like Chelsea destroyed Wigan in 2010.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I went to that Wigan game and remember absolutely shitting myself having a beer on the concourse beforehand, convinced we were going to fuck it up. Then after about 40 seconds it became clear Martinez had set them up to be completely wide open and the nerves disappeared in an instant.

[Pleb]

The only way this tops 2012 is for Brighton to lol their way to a one nil finish while Wolves get their asses handed to them by Liverpool somehow.

I can't see any of that happening so City has got this wrapped up.

[SincereTheRebel]

Brighton have kept the grass short and watered for a reason

[SincereTheRebel]

Currently in The Raven ready to riot.

[Shindig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAZK5PpOZOQ

Just setting the mood, guys.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCu5YbUN4mY

[Jimmy Floyd]

94/95 had the best finish. Blackburn needed to beat Liverpool to win the league, and lost, but United were held by West Ham so they won it anyway.

[phonics]

Obligatory 89 mention.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Three years before football was first played, I find that unlikely.

[Shindig]

I feel like '89 gets bonus points for being on Liverpool's watch at Anfield. Entirely within their hands. Although I forgot how there was just seconds between the United result and City's winner.

[phonics]

And it being THAT Liverpool.

[SincereTheRebel]

Watching back that Aguero clip and some observations.

3:22 QPR kicking the ball back to Man City for no reason after Dzeko scored

4:30 Balotelli assisting Aguero while lying down on his back

:drool:

[Shindig]

Aye, I hated that restart from QPR. That and Paddy Kenny's entire second half.

[Lewis]

Mason Greenwood starts. :cool:

[phonics]

Arsenal have put out a team of everybody who isn't playing in the final and Aubameyang, who has presumably refused to be dropped as he's going for the Golden Boot.

Don't think we're going to get that 9 goal swing.

[phonics]

Arsenal have put out a team of everybody who isn't playing in the final and Aubameyang, who has presumably refused to be dropped as he's going for the Golden Boot.

Don't think we're going to get that 9 goal swing.

Aubameyang is ridiculously up for it. Hit the crossbar and had a chance from wide parried out after 6 minutes.

[Boydy]

No one cares about Arsenal today.

[Shindig]

Perez is having the form of his life.

[Byron]

No one cares about Arsenal today.

Just today?

[Mike]

Mane, obvs.

[randomlegend]

That is not a penalty.

[Vercetti]

Brighton need to do right by the country, here.

Bunch of clogging shitehawks.

[Ian]

Well then.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:uhoh:

Fucking Brighton.

[Vercetti]

That's not what I meant.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's giddy at Anfield.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

'Mon then.

[Boydy]

Come on Brighton ffs.

City will probably just be angry now and score about 8.

[Waffdon]

Pep really is a right cunt

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why are Brighton booing Kyle Walker? Did he used to play for Worthing or something?

[Gray Fox]

Why are Brighton booing Kyle Walker? Did he used to play for Worthing or something?

Should have been sent off in the FA cup semi-final.


This atmosphere is very strange.