September football: It never ends, does it?

[Waffdon]

Peak football twitter giving him abuse.

[Pen]

Is this the last year smaller leagues teams will be allowed in the Europa League? I'm not sure of your coefficient, maybe it's high enough, but I think that's us done.

Shit, I’m not sure. We are just above the smallest leagues/countries but hadn’t even thought about that. What is the cut off point?

[Pen]

Having read about the new structure I’m not sure, but isn’t it basically just chopping the Europa League to a two tier competition?

Also fuck me our league coefficient is shit.

[Giggles]

My eyes glazed over a bit reading this but it looks like it definitely lands both of our teams in it anyway (2nd place downwards at least).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021–22_UEFA_Europa_Conference_League

[Pen]

Oh yeah, they’ve trimmed the Europa League qualification by quite a bit. Seems proper shit, but at the same time it would be nice to see our clubs play clubs from different countries more than once a decade after the qualification rounds.

If it works and it’ll turn out as a some kind of shit Champions League for leagues like ours I’d quite like that. I’d rather watch that than the actual Champions League.

[Trancemeister]

Brighton XI: Ryan, Lamptey, White, Webster, Dunk, Connolly, Maupay, Trossard, Alzate, Lallana, March.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Pogba, Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford, Martial.

[Don]

Connolly ahead of Janahbakhsh :******) I wish I could dislike the cunts but as it is, hopefully they should seriously pile the pressure on Ole.

[randomlegend]

Garner starting for Watford. He's very hyped so hopefully he does well

[Ian]

Ah, no subs for our front three. Excellent.

Can't wait for this, it's definitely not going to be another fucking waste of two hours.

[randomlegend]

I don't think so. That's our strongest team and other than when they were all dead on their feet at the end of last season it's been very good.

[-james-]

Brighton are getting humped today, sadly.

[-james-]

Or not lol

[Lewis]

This is end of days Jose Mourinho stuff. Either they're all still knackered or they don't do anything in training.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We're so shit.

[Ian]

I'll need to conduct further study but the build up to that disallowed goal may suggest there's some correlation between "actually fucking trying" and "things happening."

Will report back with my findings.

[Waffdon]

Fernandes complaining about that :lol:

Horrible cunt

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was nice by Maupay though.

[Lewis]

Right, I'm off to shop.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A nicely worked free kick there.

[Ian]

Tucked away like a cheeky bribe.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Our midfielders are great at tracking back and defending in our box.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Although that's not a penalty for me.

[Waffdon]

He’s not given a free kick for the tug on the shirt so how’s it not a penalty? He runs into the back of him. It’s either a foul on Pogba or against

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rashford really needs to look across the line.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well that was brilliant.

[SvN]

I thought he'd fucked that. Brilliant play.

[Waffdon]

That’s a great goal, but his finishing really is shite. That’s going wide or straight at the keeper without the deflection.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Woodwork > Solly March.

[Trancemeister]

That's the 5th time I think Brighton hits the post.

[Ian]

We're using a season's worth of luck here just to try and survive fucking Brighton.

[Waffdon]

That would have been a lovely goal too. I can’t tell if they look decent going forward or if Man Utd are a mess

[Trancemeister]

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Mitchell, Sakho, Kouyaté, J Ward; Eze, McArthur, McCarthy, Townsend; Zaha, Ayew.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Keane, Mina, Coleman; Allan, Gomes, Doucouré; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez.

[SvN]

We have been so poor again. It's the worst I've seen AWB play, they've got a total free reign down the left.

[Ian]

That would have been a lovely goal too. I can’t tell if they look decent going forward or if Man Utd are a mess

Both.

We've been shit. It's impressive that we can be so hateful even when we're winning.

[Ian]

Still, at least we look to be digging in. We're really good at that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:face:

We're a shambles.

[Trancemeister]

So deserved.

[phonics]

Fucking hell. I open up BBC Sport to see 'Brighton hit woodwork for fourth time' and 'Brighton 1-2 United' :moop:

[Waffdon]

The absolute state of them today. Brighton have had half the left side to themselves because they’ve been scared of Lamptey

[Ian]

£140m(?) of centre-halves on the pitch and we still can't do shit in the middle.

We're lucky even to be getting a draw from this.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Always a smart idea to leave someone completely unmarked, especially when you're trying to protect a lead.

[Waffdon]

£140m of centre-halves and we still can't do shit in the middle.

We're lucky even to be getting a draw from this.

Your right back has been an absolute mess all day

[Gray Fox]

Woodwork > Solly March.

:eyemouth:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a penalty.

[Waffdon]

He blew for full time didn’t he? :D

[Giggles]

Can you go back after the final whistle has blown?

[Trancemeister]

They're getting a penalty aren't they

[Ian]

Your right back has been an absolute mess all day

He has. I'd agree with SVN that I don't remember him looking so bad.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Can you go back after the final whistle has blown?

Seems you can :eyemouth:

[Giggles]

Is the game not over? Hopefully not heard the last of this.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We didn't deserve a point but I'll take it.

Immense penalty from Fernandes.

[Gray Fox]

A penalty being given to United after the full time whistle has gone is going to send Twitter into meltdown.

[SvN]

lol :D

[Waffdon]

Man Utd getting a penalty overturned and getting one after the final whistle. That’s got to be a first.

[Giggles]

Another reason VAR needs to go. If you can review after the final whistle then why can’t you bring two teams back out a couple of days later for something? Huge can of worms opened there.

[Luca]

Gahahahahahaha.

And yeah, as long as the action in question doesn’t happen after the final whistle (obviously) it can be looked at, per the rules.

[Ian]

We didn't deserve a draw there let alone that win. If I was on the Brighton side of that on FM I'd be finding Miles Jacobson and burning his fucking house down.

Still, a shame that Fernandes didn't run past Maupay doing his crying eyes celebration back at him.

[Giggles]

That’s some soft punditry on BT.

”Great game innit, innit yeah. Fabulous yeah innit. Premier league mate, entertainment, innit” etc.

[Waffdon]

Hope the fans never go back. Games have been brilliant

[Gray Fox]

This has happened at half-time in a German game to my memory. Teams were both in the changing rooms and the ref had to trot them out for a penalty to be taken. So there is some precedent there.

[Pen]

Man Utd getting a penalty overturned and getting one after the final whistle. That’s got to be a first.

:D

That’s going to send some people into a full meltdown.

[Lewis]

Right, I'm off to shop.

I got some ice pops and some chocolate.

[Giggles]

I want some biscuits.

[Lewis]

I got some of those as well. Milka ones. :drool:

[randomlegend]

I don't think so. That's our strongest team and other than when they were all dead on their feet at the end of last season it's been very good.

I was not correct

[Lewis]

I questioned the Paulp Ogba/Nuno Nernandes midfield last year, saying I wanted to see it against somebody decent; but it turns out that you only need normal fitness to steamroller it, so they either need to swap roles, because only one of them is willing to run around and hold their position, or one needs leaving out.

[randomlegend]

Pogba is clearly not fit after having covid

[Giggles]

He was a lazy useless twat long before he got that.

[Lewis]

Well then he wants leaving out, and if they do want to bring him back everyone needs to stop being a racist and realise he's a number ten.

[Ian]

I was not correct

It was somehow way better than I anticipated and also exactly as bad.


I got some of those as well. Milka ones. :drool:

I got some McVities "VIBs" the other day. Hadn't had them before. They're alright.

[Giggles]

I fancy some of those Viennese ones.

[Lewis]

I got some McVities "VIBs" the other day. Hadn't had them before. They're alright.

I'm not a fan of this caramel layering with the chocolate. It stops you breaking them cleanly, and it significantly reduces their ability to soak milk in.

If Nernandes had had that penalty saved would the final whistle have held, making it effectively a shoot-out kick, or would they have allowed time for a rebound, seeing as there was a couple of seconds between the handball and the whistle being blown originally?

[Ian]

I don't find Digestive-types as good for milk-dipping anyway so I dunno that I've noticed much difference. My bigger issues with these specific ones is I think they could have leaned into it a bit more with the orange.

As for the penalty / reboudn thing.... I assume play has to go dead again from there.... so if I'm right I guess in theory you could have that situation where the other team counter-attacks and scores?

That sounds both too lol to happen and exactly lol enough for VAR.

[Trancemeister]

West Brom XI: Johnstone, O'Shea, Bartley, Ajayi, Furlong, Livermore, Sawyers, Townsend, Pereira, Diangana, Robinson.

Chelsea XI: Caballero, James, Christensen, Thiago Silva, Alonso, Kante, Kovacic, Mount, Havertz, Abraham, Werner.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bring back Kepa.

[Giggles]

And there was me just about to say Robinson as a main striker was madness.

[Waffdon]

Marcos Alonso :D

Stick to drink driving, mate. Lampard deserves the sack for playing him in a back four.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thiago Silva :harold:

[Waffdon]

Offft.

Chelsea and Man Utd going for the biggest mongs defensively again. Think the former have it sewn up

[phonics]

How long will Jimmy remain on first name terms with Frank at this rate?

[Trancemeister]

Embarrising

[Gray Fox]

Get Frank a new deal immediately.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What scenes.

[Giggles]

What the fuck is that keeper at?

[-james-]

Club Knowers. :drool:

[Waffdon]

He won’t be on the coach home at this rate.

Chelsea seem to get absolutely pumped 2/3 times a year by mediocre teams

[Shindig]

The state of this league. Everton's winning it.

[niko_cee]

Good job they spent all that money on attackers and decided to stick with/create this comedy back 5.

James was so lazy getting out on that corner to play everyone onside.

[niko_cee]

23% possession, 3 shots, 3 shots on target, 3-0.

:drool:

[igor_balis]

Wot

[Raoul Duke]

Enjoyed Thiago Silva giving it large the other day about his experience meaning he could handle the league, then getting completely fisted by some West Brom chancer

[niko_cee]

Hopefully second half is the Havertz show.

As he was beating men whilst running back towards his own goal earlier (somewhat inexplicably) I was fearing it might be almost all over for him.

[niko_cee]

West Brom imploding from here would be pretty lol.

I don't know if it's provable with actual facts, but it feels like 'bigger' teams are overturning deficits more frequently in the no fan era, particularly away from home.

[Trancemeister]

Burnley XI: Pope, Bardsley, Long, Dunne, Taylor, Brownhill, Stephens, Westwood, McNeil, Vydra, Wood.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Bertrand, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo, Armstrong, Adams, Ings

[Waffdon]

Bringing Giroud on to clutter up the box even more makes zero sense, especially when Hudson-Odoi looked like the only person willing to do anything

[Luca]

All set up for a 4-3 Chelsea win, surely.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking West Brom.

[Waffdon]

That will be the norm for Chelsea games. Especially when Pulisic and Zyiech are back fit. Over 4.5 every game

[Giggles]

West Brom should be disbanded the gutless cretins.

[phonics]

My Dad's never going to talk to me again. Texted him the score at 3-0 and he called me a jinx.

[Ian]

I have no idea who this Burnley defender Jimmy Dunne is but can confirm that is the correct name for a centre-half.

[Giggles]

He’s one of our lot.

[niko_cee]

Glad that Havertz handball didn't chalk off the equaliser as that was a terrible rule, but it's just another can of worms. Define 'immediacy'.

The penalties that have been getting given as well undo any of the good that removing the above said rule has done.

Is there anyway to put VAR back in its box? Like all sports, football doesn't stand up to forensic scrutiny, and the false belief that there can always be a right decision just leads to far greater iniquity and a sense of injustice when shit still goes against you even though it isn't supposed to be able to. And even if it doesn't, it still ruins the spectacle, which is sort of paramount in sport.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Missed the game in its entirety earlier so went to check the score just now.

Just another quiet night in at the library... NOT!

[Manc]

Big fan of Allan tucking in his shirt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Should always look respectable.

[Waffdon]

Big fan of Allan tucking in his shirt.

It usually looks awful but it just suits him. Some plur.

[Baz]

VAR is the worst. Not helped by the eerie relative silence with the lack of crowd, but everytime a goal goes in I just have no emotion beyond “is that gonna be disallowed?” I’ve felt it since it was first introduced but honestly expected it to be much better by now but it’s just getting more and more frequent, taking longer, and now has the added caveat of awarding incorrect decisions, because there’s no way some of the recent handball decisions have been either consistent or logical.

Considering how excellently goal line technology was introduced, I can’t believe how bad VAR is in comparison.

[Kikó]

It's what the fans wanted though! Football is so much better now.

[niko_cee]

If the last 30 years of life have taught us anything, it's that invariably people don't really know what they want, and more often than not the thing they think they want is actually diametrically opposed to their best interests/what they really want.

Decisions are 86% better though!

Jimmy would trace it back to Blair, focus groups and the Ladbrooke Grove rail disaster, but it predates those.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Football is just another platform for small men to scream into the night sky. VAR, lack of VAR, the media's agenda against [my team], the manager's got to go: all are little more than outlets for the pent-up seething rage of emasculated post-industrial Britain.

If you watch games back from the 80s and earlier, the stakes always seem far less.

[Shindig]

In the 80's the fans were literally fighting amongst themselves.

[Trancemeister]

Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Basham, Robinson, Ampadu, Baldock, Lundstram, Berge, Osborn, Stevens, Burke, McGoldrick

Leeds XI: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Helder Costa, Roberts, Klich, Harrison, Bamford

[Waffdon]

That save from the Leeds keeper was actually fucking brilliant. Lundstram hit it quite well, too.

[randomlegend]

Well then he wants leaving out, and if they do want to bring him back everyone needs to stop being a racist and realise he's a number ten.

Pogba's best position is on the left of a midfield 3. What we should be playing is Matic as an out and out holding midfielder and Pogba and Fernandes in front as 8s, Pogba on the left and Fernandes on the right. It puts them all in their best positions and Van Der Beek is ready made to slot in for either Pogba or Fernandes.

Pogba shouldn't be starting at the moment though I agree; I'm about his biggest fangirl but he was AWFUL yesterday. He should have a few games coming on as a sub whilst he recovers and regains match fitness.

I like Ole but I think come the end of this season he may have served his purpose and a better tactical manager should come in to take what is a very talented team forwards.

[Waffdon]

Burke/McGoldrick must have to be up there for one of the worst strike pairings in PL history

[igor_balis]

I put a fiver on the draw and the loss when chelsea brought it back to 3-1, i have been a wba fan too long.

[Smjffy]

Hopeful of staying up or anticipating the inevitable?

[-james-]

Burke/McGoldrick must have to be up there for one of the worst strike pairings in PL history
Burke fits the Sheffield United system pretty well, I think he's looked good for them so far. You lot think every Scottish player in the prem is rubbish because everyone looks fucking wank playing for Scotland.

[Spammer]

Burke/McGoldrick must have to be up there for one of the worst strike pairings in PL history

Yeah we need a fucking striker. Sharp and McBurnie on now, which doesn't inspire any more confidence.

Very little service in fairness

[-james-]

This has been a good watch. Spurs - Newcastle on next is likely to be the worst ever.

[Shindig]

We'll get destroyed.

[Bob Sacamano]

This has been a cracking 0-0.

Will be gutted when Billy Sharp inevitably scores

[igor_balis]

Hopeful of staying up or anticipating the inevitable?

Latter. Our squad is just too shit. Player for player we're arguably worse than when we failed to get promoted in 18/19.

I'm so unbelievably detached from it all, though it's probably a good thing. 10 years ago, I'd have been miserable all week if we drew 3-3 after being 3-0 up at half time.

[igor_balis]

ACTUALLY, shit, just remembered. That pretty much DID happen ten years ago.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9391009.stm

When the 3rd goal went in I angrily punched my bedroom wall, and my Polish housemate posted "hey u ok in there??" on my facebook wall.

[Bob Sacamano]

Lord Bamford :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bamford doesn't sound like a footballer.

[Spammer]

Relegation dogfight nailed on for THE MIGHTY BLADES

[Waffdon]

Burke fits the Sheffield United system pretty well, I think he's looked good for them so far. You lot think every Scottish player in the prem is rubbish because everyone looks fucking wank playing for Scotland.

Mate, he’s been awful ever since Leipzig. He couldn’t hack it for Celtic in a farmers league. Pipe down.

[Kikó]

Pogba's best position is on the left of a midfield 3. What we should be playing is Matic as an out and out holding midfielder and Pogba and Fernandes in front as 8s, Pogba on the left and Fernandes on the right. It puts them all in their best positions and Van Der Beek is ready made to slot in for either Pogba or Fernandes.

Pogba shouldn't be starting at the moment though I agree; I'm about his biggest fangirl but he was AWFUL yesterday. He should have a few games coming on as a sub whilst he recovers and regains match fitness.

I like Ole but I think come the end of this season he may have served his purpose and a better tactical manager should come in to take what is a very talented team forwards.

You'll realise one day that he's one of the shittest "good" players ever.

[Smjffy]

Latter. Our squad is just too shit. Player for player we're arguably worse than when we failed to get promoted in 18/19.

I'm so unbelievably detached from it all, though it's probably a good thing. 10 years ago, I'd have been miserable all week if we drew 3-3 after being 3-0 up at half time.

Winston Reid was all that stuck out. He never went anywhere.

[Gray Fox]

Alisson and Thiago doubtful for the Arsenal game. :uhoh:

[Lewis]

Pogba's best position is on the left of a midfield 3. What we should be playing is Matic as an out and out holding midfielder and Pogba and Fernandes in front as 8s, Pogba on the left and Fernandes on the right. It puts them all in their best positions and Van Der Beek is ready made to slot in for either Pogba or Fernandes.

Pogba shouldn't be starting at the moment though I agree; I'm about his biggest fangirl but he was AWFUL yesterday. He should have a few games coming on as a sub whilst he recovers and regains match fitness.

I like Ole but I think come the end of this season he may have served his purpose and a better tactical manager should come in to take what is a very talented team forwards.

That might be his best position in a dominant side and/or in a nonce league, but the evidence here is that he just gets runover without the ball, and that the other 'eight' is going to spend half of his time covering in defence. With that in mind, he might as well start there.

[igor_balis]

Yeah, Pogba clearly needs to be the most advanced of a midfield 3 in this division. Genuinely, the one exception would be if Utd signed Kante to partner him further back.

[igor_balis]

Unless Ole fancies sticking him on the wing like Rafa did to Gerrard.

[igor_balis]

Winston Reid was all that stuck out. He never went anywhere.

:confused:

[Lewis]

Unless Ole fancies sticking him on the wing like Rafa did to Gerrard.

He's the obvious comparison, and it took ten years for somebody to just shove him behind the striker and say do what you want because Proper Football Culture thought he was Bryan Robson.

[igor_balis]

He's the obvious comparison, and it took ten years for somebody to just shove him behind the striker and say do what you want because Proper Football Culture thought he was Bryan Robson.

Yeah I was gonna say something along those lines - they're actually quite similar players. You can fool yourself into thinking they SHOULD be quite balanced, box-to-box dominating CMs, but really they offer fuck all defensively, and should be given a free role to walk around pinging 30 yarders and hollywood diagonals. The one thing stopping people just accepting they're number 10s is that they're actually quite big.

What does Pogba's physique actually offer to his game?

[Trancemeister]

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Garcia, Ake, Mendy, Rodrigo, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden

Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Amartey, Soyuncu, Evans, Justin, Mendy, Tielemans, Praet, Barnes, Vardy

[Lewis]

He is seriously quick when he gets going, which would be quite useful in a counter-attacking side if he wasn't lolloping about in his own half.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mourinho :harold:

[Waffdon]

That’s three penalties in a week for some wanker handball rule lmao

[niko_cee]

Yeah, that's the worst of the lot. What the fuck are they playing at?

[Shindig]

Fucking sneaked that. :D

[niko_cee]

I really don't get this new handball rule. Everyone hated the strict liability interpretation being used for disallowing goals last season, so they did away with it, only to replace it with a very similar, albeit slight nuanced version, for penalties. Mad.

[Gray Fox]

So if I get it right... If the ball now hits an arm, below the sleeve line, whilst the arm isn't in the 'natural silhouette' it's an automatic penalty? Regardless of circumstance?

[Spikey M]

Football is dead.

[niko_cee]

So if I get it right... If the ball now hits an arm, below the sleeve line, whilst the arm isn't in the 'natural silhouette' it's an automatic penalty? Regardless of circumstance?

That seems to be the idea, although I'm not sure if the elbow is the cut off or the upper arm can also do you.

BBC reporting Kane sent off at the end although I don't think he was.

[Smjffy]

That’s three penalties in a week for some wanker handball rule lmao

Such a bullshit rule too. VAR is shit.

[Trancemeister]

Mahrez couldn't hit that any sweeter

[Smjffy]

Nice.

How long is Laporte out for?

[niko_cee]

Not long I don't think, isn't he just getting over covid?

[Smjffy]

I only read he was injured so assumed it was a repeat but meh. I feel so behind on the football. I only discovered Havertz had gone to Chelsea when doing my FF.

[niko_cee]

Probably best giving it a miss, football's (going to be) shit this year.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Vardy :cool:

[niko_cee]

This game is messing with my mind. I really thought that was City scoring. I think it's the Leicester kit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Clumsy from Petr Garcia.

[Lewis]

I don't see a lot wrong with that Newcastle penalty. If that isn't a handball worthy of the name then there is absolutely no reason to control your arms at all in the box.

[Shindig]

I watched the Sky highlights and it sounded like Carragher or somebody was turning the air blue at the decision.

[John Arne]

Pep spending a gazillion pound on defenders and still starting a defence including Walker, Mendy and Garcia is something special.

[Lewis]

I watched the Sky highlights and it sounded like Carragher or somebody was turning the air blue at the decision.

All the 'How is he meant to jump with his arms down?' makes no sense to me. The same way you're meant to block a cross/shot with your arms down or even behind your back, when it would be much more 'natural' not to.

EDIT: I think it might be that without VAR the referee just waves play on rather than cause any last-minute controversy, and everyone is happy because 'they even out over the season'. But now you can't shirk those decisions (same with never getting penalties at certain grounds etc.), so it all seems a lot more ridiculous than it actually is.

[Waffdon]

:drool:

Get him sacked

[Trancemeister]

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio.

Wolves XI: Patricio, Saiss, Boly, Coady, Semedo, Vinagre, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Neto, Jimenez.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well Ruben Dias for £40-50m seems to be a go for Man City. Might need to spend some more though.

[Lofty]

Some fucker in my Last Man Standing was on nights before the pick deadline and failed to make a selection, so we gave him the highest places league team he had yet to pick, Leicester. Not only has he won the money, he is a City fan :D

[Trancemeister]

Wolves could almost field an all portuguese XI.

[niko_cee]

Shit's going off all over the shop this weekend. I see the mighty Bayern took an absolute shoeing from Hoffenheim. Hopefully the yellow submarine can torpedo Barcelona later.

[Giggles]

Wolves could almost field an all portuguese XI.


What happens when a no deal “kick out forrins” goes ahead?

[niko_cee]

Not that it's going to work like that for a number of reasons, but earning double the national average wage in a week probably gets you quite a few points in the POINTS BASED SYSTEM.

[Waffdon]

The free kick given that led to Newcastle’s penalty is somehow worse than the penalty call itself

[Manc]

Napoli's front four is tremendous. Currently 14/1 to win the Europa.

[niko_cee]

Sounds like there's some quality seethe emanating from MCFCHQ tonight.

[Don]

Ya, hopefully they smash what now looks an increasingly average Juve team this year. And I called it last year but Atletico's year surely. A 20 minute Suarez cameo saw an assist and 2 goals :drool:

[Don]

That Newcastle game :D fucking end it all after we retake our perch in a canter.

[Don]

Jenas was giving the big brexit "we shouldn't be following the international authorities, they're ruining our game" bollocks whilst this article seems to suggest it's actually the FA's fault.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/handball-law-new-rule-premier-league-2020-21-ifab-b625917.html%3famp

More importantly, all of it sounds like retarded shit, FA or Ifab.

[Manc]

Rip up the rule book and start again.

[Ian]

'The opposition did nothing' - Man City's Rodri says five-goal Leicester were 'lucky'

Rodri: Man City midfielder says 'football has not been fair with us' after Leicester loss

"We did a lot of good things to win the game. A team like Leicester comes here and plays with 11 guys behind the ball.

"I am young and try to learn every game, but games like this - where the opposition do nothing - you are a bit confused. It's not the way I like to play."

Get it in my veins.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:harold:

He's on the ropes.

[John Arne]

We battered Nam Dinh 5-1 yesterday. Nam Dinh subbed their keeper off in the 40th minute for a young rookie - poor lad made a few ricks. Propelled us up to 3rd, with 1 game left before the completely unnecessary league split. Crappy attendance, though - which was strange for a Saturday night.

https://gyazo.com/cfdceb589547598f64d26b4c2773b637.jpeg

[Jimmy Floyd]

The whingeing about bus parking is ok when the opposition haven't scored cinco goles, señor.

[John Arne]

The whingeing about bus parking is ok when the opposition haven't scored cinco goles, señor.

Exactly.
Also, I only watched the first half, but Leicester weren't exactly parking the bus, anyway.

[Don]

Late fitness tests required for Allisson and Thiago. Don't mind the former too much as that will only decide the result of the match but the latter hurts given it's essentially the sole reason I, and others watch Liverpool games now.

[Baz]

What bollocks

[Waffdon]

Did they move the games forward 15 mins to enable pubs to show the full game? :D

Swear they were 18.00 and 20.15 every other week

[Baz]

Looks like it. :harold:

Hope there’s a major stoppage from a Leno nose break.

[Danny]

1310572928803667968

[Don]

What about hospital admissions?

[Waffdon]

1310515755100798977

baguette Batistuta :lol:

[niko_cee]

The league probably needs Arteta Crab Ball to yield some sort of positive result tonight, but I have my doubts.

At least Piers Morgan hasn't tweeted about him having Klopp's number.

[phonics]

Just me or does it feel like there's an insanely high amount of goals in the first 5 minutes?

[thommo]

There is when we play because we're fucking atrocious at the back. Conceded inside 8 minutes in all 3 of our opening games.

[igor_balis]

Yeah, us and fulham are gonna struggle to get 40 points combined.

[Lewis]

I bet these staggered start times survive the pandemic.

[Baz]

Moreso Fulham.

[Mellberg]

Record set last season for fouls on Grealish looks on to be broken this year. Teams can't handle him at all.

[thommo]

Helps that he tumbles to the ground whenever someone gets within 3 feet.

[Mellberg]

:lol:

Sound.

[thommo]

No doubt he's targeted more for fouls as he's the main man, but about 3 today have just been him falling to the floor. Irritating to say the least.

[niko_cee]

I bet these staggered start times survive the pandemic.

I said this at the outset.

It's early and all, so still time for a Tony Pulis miracle, but Fulham look a bit doomed really.

The being fouled stats are almost entirely meaningless, even for stats.

[phonics]

I bet these staggered start times survive the pandemic.

Not a chance, BT/Sky don't want to pay for Palace v Norwich let alone tell advertisers how wildly they're being overcharged for it.

People talk about buying some sort of GamePass similar to the MLB/NFL but I can only think of WWE revealing that they actually lost money centralizing the rights to themselves and selling direct to the audience instead of fleecing PPV providers.

It's like how Universal told the Cinemas to fuck off at the start of the pandemic, saw the numbers they got and apologised a week later. That's the old trick of capitalism at the end of the day, being less efficient is more profitable.

[igor_balis]

Tbh in the era of streaming, torrents etc its amazing how profitable the sports and entertainment etc industries still are.

[Lewis]

The broadcast deal is up for negotiation next year, and, unless everything is exactly how it was before, the choice will be 1) staggered kick offs; or 2) significantly less money. The big clubs will still sell out regardless, and the smaller clubs will need the money, so everybody will swallow it.

[Waffdon]

Fulham conceded about 80 when they were last up and I swear their defence and midfield is literally the same. What on earth is the point. Scott Parker will be lucky to last longer than 6 weeks

[Don]

Joe Bryan is a fucking stunning player. Imagine him and Lamptey marauding down either flank and you could probably make it happen for under a Ben Chilwell.

Can we please post the Parker post-match interview asap please, I don't get that shit on my streams and as one of the greatest emotive speakers of nothingness, he really is tremendous value.

[phonics]

Very cool that you can elbow your opponent in the face now.

[Waffdon]

Joe Bryan is a fucking stunning player. Imagine him and Lamptey marauding down either flank and you could probably make it happen for under a Ben Chilwell.

Can we please post the Parker post-match interview asap please, I don't get that shit on my streams and as one of the greatest emotive speakers of nothingness, he really is tremendous value.

His post conference after the play off final is absolutely tremendous

[Gray Fox]

What a mess. If we could stop gifting Arsenal the first goal all the time, that'd be great.

[phonics]

That’s why ‘look at the stats’ people are taking wank. No statistical formula in the world can account for that.

[Gray Fox]

Okay, this is better.

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54330002

I expect some Mags in that batch. Our academy's knackered.

[Waffdon]

David Luiz is just awful.

[Don]

You could tell Robbo was on the bags tonight after that 3rd minute elbow. But if ever an elbow was justified...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ei8S3wBWkAAL8se?format=jpg&name=large

Chuck Minnie and Jones on, the season is wrapped up.

[Waffdon]

Aaron Hickey starting for Bologna tonight. Scotland must have the best three left backs at one minute in the history of football.

[phonics]

Bellerin is wildly out of position a lot in this game. He's watching the ball not the pitch.

[phonics]

How long did Tierney just hold onto the ball for a throw-in there?

It's got to be dealt with, it's absurd.

[phonics]

That Lacazette attempt :D

[phonics]

That Lacazette attempt :D

Even worse.

[Gray Fox]

Would it kill Wijnaldum to try a forward pass?

[Waffdon]

Why are arsenal even bothering with this short kick off? It’s pointless when you have players incapable

[Waffdon]

And how is Saka not starting ahead of shite like Maitland-Niles and Willian

[phonics]

And how is Saka not starting ahead of shite like Maitland-Niles and Willian

For all the talk, Arteta is a very old school manager. He goes with experience 99% of the time.

[phonics]

That Leno pass was so risky there was an audible groan and there's nobody in the stadium.

[Lofty]

There's a lot of issues in this team, some of which will be solved by picking other players in the squad (when fit) but the biggest issue to my eyes is the lack of creative silk in the middle of the park when Arsenal did break. A lot of the time the ball ended up pinging about between the likes of Xhaka, Elneny and whoever had come in from wide. One high ball over the top at the end and it's the most dangerous they looked all night, tells you everything.

[Don]

Why are arsenal even bothering with this short kick off? It’s pointless when you have players incapable

It's risky but at least their last two goals against us have come from them and inviting the press before breaking it so it's actually commendable.

Diogo Jota :drool:

With Grujic, Brewster, Shaq, Ox, Origi and Wilson all largely not required, you wonder what other clubs are doing not just lining up at the door waiting for our scraps.

[Manc]

You'd imagine Arteta will be pleading for Aouar after that performance.

[Waffdon]

There's a lot of issues in this team, some of which will be solved by picking other players in the squad (when fit) but the biggest issue to my eyes is the lack of creative silk in the middle of the park when Arsenal did break. A lot of the time the ball ended up pinging about between the likes of Xhaka, Elneny and whoever had come in from wide. One high ball over the top at the end and it's the most dangerous they looked all night, tells you everything.

Your whole right side pass the ball backwards and your midfield sideways. Saka should be starting every game for one.

[Lofty]

I would prefer Saka to play and would happily let Bellerin go for the right money since we can keep utility man AMN then. But yeah I think we need to just spunk the cash on a creative midfielder rather than fannying around lowballing bids until someone with an attractive offer rolls up.

[Don]

Klopp going at Roy Keane :drool:

1310670821183172613?s=20

[Mazuuurk]

Passing out the back looked fucking awful for Arsenal but I was thinking what's the alternative? Chuck if forward so Mr Virgil can scoop it down and put the pressure on again?

Basically Liverpool are just too good. Felt like they could have easily kicked in a few extra gears if necessary as well.

Arsenal now have so many mediocre - but perhaps not terrible - players, especially defenders. Like the kind that might look pretty good for a team that had some defensive organisation like Burnley or something and then get bought by Man Utd for 60M.

[Gray Fox]

Passing it out from the back is the way to beat the press. If you beat that, you'll find yourself 3 v 4 or something similar in Liverpools final third. Booting it long is only going to see Van Dijk clear it up and send it back the other way.

It doesn't always work. Take City for example, when they play Liverpool the game tends to be one sided either way. If City beat the press, they win 4-0. If not, Liverpool tend to win by a similar score. And there aren't many teams, if any, who have as technically gifted players as City.

Arsenal should have at least been at 2-2 there, but Lacazette needs slapping into next week. Once they missed that big chance, it felt like that was it really. They're getting more organised. This time last year a 4-0 loss would have been a good ebening.

[phonics]

Arsenal being slagged off for passing out from the back when we’ve beaten Liverpool, Chelsea, City and United more times in the last year than we had the previous 5.

You take the risk because the advantage when it works is worth it.

[Luca]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54318880

Klopp sure likes to piss and moan.

[niko_cee]

That was hilarious. Keane backed down like a bitch.

[Shindig]

Should've pointed out his managerial record whilst he was at it.

[Waffdon]

Tottenham playing Thursday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in September is peak Covid.

I’m assuming they paid off Leyton Orient to catch covid so they didn’t play Tuesday and got a bye instead

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've spoken to a source in the Maccabi Haifa camp and he described the mood there as 'fucking buzzing mate'.

[Mellberg]

https://www.whoscored.com/Statistics

Villa are officially the fourth best team in Europe and I won't hear any different :cool:

[Don]

Cue some stats bashing because people group these cockmunchers along with credible stats.

[Pepe]

Same as with the ITKs.

[Giggles]

I know he's not Pele or anything but surely there should be a place for Obafemi among that.


1310917430332588033

[Waffdon]

Thiago has tested positive for the rona. Hopefully he’s infected half the squad and they all have to self isolate for this weekend

[Luca]

If he's positive and no one else in the dressing room is, should they open the pubs?

[Luca]

Also, what does this mean for Jurgen's Jolly Asthmatics?

[Don]

Werner operating deep :****) Gwan Jose's boys.

[Raoul Duke]

Not sure Spurs have touched the ball in this first 10 mins here

[Jimmy Floyd]

Expecting a full thesis from you Taz on the progressive 'mandingo' distribution in this XI, with the new triangle of destiny at the back, and Masey Mount and Werner in the wide roles.

[Waffdon]

Werner operating deep :****) Gwan Jose's boys.

He’s playing where he played so much for Leipzig tbf.

Some finish

[Luca]

Reguilon would shine Luke Shaw's boots. Ole's at the fucking wheel.

[Lewis]

What because he can't bend down to do them himself?

[Don]

Expecting a full thesis from you Taz on the progressive 'mandingo' distribution in this XI, with the new triangle of destiny at the back, and Masey Mount and Werner in the wide roles.

I just want to know if there's been a genuinely good African, heck black goalkeeper before or not. All that's coming to mind beside Shaka are Kameni (clown) and Enyeama (possibly not clown).