Oktoberballfest: Woops, forgot about this

[Spikey M]

He was kind of right.

[Waffdon]

Terry and Carvalho conceded 15 goals in 2004/05 with 7 being penalties. Can’t believe Van Dijk has ever been compared to the former

[Dquincy]

We've lost to 2nd in the league. So, not too bad really.

[niko_cee]

I can only assume that Liverpool's high line is some sort of long form gambit to get everyone else to adopt it as a way of playing (and then ruthlessly exploit it with pace over the top), much in the same way that Pepball has basically broken football by destroying the received wisdom on not being a dick with the ball in your own penalty area.

That was a funny game though. Football is broken, and flicking between it and the NFL, not just our type of football it seems.

[Lewis]

lol at the Sky Sports gimp having to apologise for the 'stereotyping of the latin culture'. Hopefully Sir Graeme Souness has a properly researched rebuttal planned for the next match.

[Shindig]

Just caught up with today's goals. That fucking head tennis for the Spurs equaliser is a fucking car crash. I love the quick thinking for their second. Liverpool's first was a gift but Adrian couldn't do much with 3 of them. Still, shocking stuff from a side that are usually better at getting back. I hope Martial's red gets overturned because that was some bullshit. Lamela swinging his arm is a dismissal and Tony's response is nowt.

[Waffdon]

Allison out for four to six weeks. Things you love to see.

[niko_cee]

“Yesterday an incident in training, very unlucky – two players clash with each other, one gets up, one doesn’t. The one who didn’t get up was Ali,”

Who the fuck crashed into him? Neil Ruddock?

[Mellberg]

Good result, but a bit disappointed we didn't score 10 today.

[Gray Fox]

“Yesterday an incident in training, very unlucky – two players clash with each other, one gets up, one doesn’t. The one who didn’t get up was Ali,”

Who the fuck crashed into him? Neil Ruddock?

It was clearly Adrian.

I'd rather resign Andy Lonergan and put him in.

[Manc]

Is Klopp aware that TAA doesn't have recovery pace?

[Gray Fox]

The ridiculous high line needs to do one. How many teams have to play inside Trent and Brain Dead with great success for this to be noticed?

[phonics]

The ridiculous high line needs to do one. How many teams have to play inside Trent and Brain Dead with great success for this to be noticed?

The point is to harass the passer doing so that it’s a easy recovery far from goal. If it doesn’t happen, that happens.

[Gray Fox]

I miss The Giraffe.

[Giggles]

How was Villas 4th not offside?

[Spikey M]

Because it's funny.

And because the player receiving the ball wasn't offside (assuming the 4th was the freekick?)

[niko_cee]

Yeah, Mings didn't get close enough to it to really be interfering (not that I think you can be in that situation without touching it). Runners from deep (and second balls at set pieces) have long been an issue for Liverpool under Klopp but they seemed to have dialed it up to 11 this season with the line they are holding. In the VAR age I'm not really sure what they are hoping to achieve, the flag never goes up.

Hopefully Villa's approach to the game will serve as an example to others. On another day it could have gone the other way (Villa's 'keeping fuck-up being punished, Firmino being able to finish etc) but surely it's better to die trying rather than serve up the sort of meek surrender wank Chelsea and Arsenal rolled out against Liverpool in their two previous games.

[Kikó]

The greatest defender that ever lived conceding 7 must put a dent in the narrative. Probably something to do with Gomez.

[niko_cee]

Gomez was pretty poor. He's always had a bit of misjudgment in him, but since things got back under way post-lockdown it seems to be much more of an issue. I don't know if it actually goes back to that spat he had with Sterling whenever that was. If Matip can ever be fit again I think he'll be first choice alongside Van Dijk.

[Spikey M]

Van Dijk looked pretty poor too, it wasn't all Gomez.

[niko_cee]

Well, no one's going to be looking great in that type of performance, it was a fairly shit effort across the board but I think I'd give Van Dijk the benefit of the doubt and stick with him going forward.

Makes the Everton game fascinating now. Every ounce of Ancelotti's being will urge him to go down the tried and trusted sit and frustrate approach he's successfully employed with Napoli (and Everton) against Liverpool before, but surely, and this is becoming a bit of a recurring theme, but this is the time to go for it? How many times have they not had a better chance to beat Liverpool? It seems that one gets rolled out every year for the Goodison fixture.

[Mazuuurk]

It's a little too early to say much about this but it's always felt a bit like at some point the Liverpool team just has to get a bit tired from it all. So many games, such high energy.

[niko_cee]

The caffeine has worn off.

They threw in a worse performance against Watford last season, so it's not like it's entirely unheard of. The somewhat freakish nature of the scoreline just makes it seem worse.

[Gray Fox]

Everyone decided to have their worst game in a Liverpool shirt at once really.

Adrian setting the tone early didn't help, but Van Dijk, Gomez and Trent were shite. Robertson didn't do too much wrong comparatively. The midfield offered nothing. Same with Firmino, who really doesn't look right in the side at the moment. Salah maybe the only one to come out of that with any kind of dignity intact.

3 deflected goals doesn't help anyone, but the defending on the others was god awful, especially that free kick. They're all just jogging as the Villa players queue at the back post to put it in.

[Spikey M]

It's a little too early to say much about this but it's always felt a bit like at some point the Liverpool team just has to get a bit tired from it all. So many games, such high energy.

It happened with Pochettino at Spurs. There's only so long the same message can be sent to the same group of players. Eventually the enthusiasm wanes, and when your game relies so heavily on pressing that is a major problem.

[Smjffy]

It's a little too early to say much about this but it's always felt a bit like at some point the Liverpool team just has to get a bit tired from it all. So many games, such high energy.

Far too early to say anything or to even react tbh especially when you've just had over two years with barely a defeat in sight. The wheels aren't coming off in any way shape or form, we were just very poor and Villa were very good (aided by deflections) but nothing to worry about in my mind.

[Smjffy]

It happened with Pochettino at Spurs. There's only so long the same message can be sent to the same group of players. Eventually the enthusiasm wanes, and when your game relies so heavily on pressing that is a major problem.

Less so when that message is winning you the games biggest prizes and Poch's biggest problem was the lack of investment to build on what he'd done, we've just grabbed Jota and the Bayern fella. If we can get a keeper before the window closes then we'll be fine. The kneejerk reactions is funny. We'll go and slap Everton then all will be back to normal.

[Don]

Was a little busy so couldn't post last night so just to catch up:

Gahahhaha fucking have that Kiko, RL, Mahow and every other buttmuncher. Fucking 6-1 :D YOU'RE SHIT.

[phonics]

Arsenal have sacked Gunnersaurus. I'm devastated.

[randomlegend]

Was a little busy so couldn't post last night so just to catch up:

Gahahhaha fucking have that Kiko, RL, Mahow and every other buttmuncher. Fucking 6-1 :D YOU'RE SHIT.

Let us know when you get to the Liverpool highlights on your MOTD rerun.

[Spikey M]

Arsenal have sacked Gunnersaurus. I'm devastated.

They did it for 'cost cutting reasons'. How much can the fucker earn? He must be on about 3 minutes of Ozils wage a year.

I know on-field and off-field staff are prioritised differently, but that can't make any discernable difference to anything.

[phonics]

They did it for 'cost cutting reasons'. How much can the fucker earn? He must be on about 3 minutes of Ozils wage a year.

I know on-field and off-field staff are prioritised differently, but that can't make any discernable difference to anything.

We signed him onto a bumper contract the year RvP left. He'd received a big money offer from Qatar to be the 2022 mascot and the fanbase couldn't take 2 such losses in one year.

[Mellberg]

Should've signed Grealish.

Posted this before we kicked off last night :cool:

5 goals he was involved in. Kid's a fucking G.

[Spikey M]

We signed him onto a bumper contract the year RvP left. He'd received a big money offer from Qatar to be the 2022 mascot and the fanbase couldn't take 2 such losses in one year.

You could have got Boiler Man with the proceeds and still had enough left over for the rights to Sandstorm at halftime.

https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/08/05/11/west-brom-mascot-boiler-man.jpg

[niko_cee]

Juve aren't releasing any players due to 2 non-playing staff testing positive? How is this being allowed, and how isn't every club in on it?

[Shindig]

I will never get tired of seeing pictures of Boiler Man. He brightens any day.

[Dquincy]

It happened with Pochettino at Spurs. There's only so long the same message can be sent to the same group of players. Eventually the enthusiasm wanes, and when your game relies so heavily on pressing that is a major problem.
Valid point. Didn't this happen with Klopp's Dortmund...

Also, surely motivation and enthusiasm from the players is going to be less once you've won the title. Harder to retain a title for this reason.

[Giggles]

They have the advantage of there being no team remotely fit to stop them though.

[niko_cee]

Didn't Klopp's Dortumnd team just have all of it's best players ruthlessly harvested from it, mainly by their main domestic rival?

[Don]

Shaqiri down with Corona too. Thiago's distribution :drool:

[John Arne]

I'm off to Hanoi this weekend for the Hanoi v HCMCFC game. Should be decent. /KeepItInTheWorldFootballThread

[Jimmy Floyd]

Didn't Klopp's Dortumnd team just have all of it's best players ruthlessly harvested from it, mainly by their main domestic rival?

And most of them (other than Lewandowski, who didn't have to press so much) went on to flop or at least mildly disappoint.

Get the deerstalkers out.

[Lofty]

They did it for 'cost cutting reasons'. How much can the fucker earn? He must be on about 3 minutes of Ozils wage a year.

I know on-field and off-field staff are prioritised differently, but that can't make any discernable difference to anything.

In an ultimate troll move Özil is offering to pay his salary to stay on :D

[Spikey M]

Ya Gunnersaurus Ya.

[Giggles]

That’s some fall for Hughton. He didn’t even do that terrible at Brighton.

[niko_cee]

Not really. Battling out of the Championship is his thing. He'll have them up in a few years.

[Don]

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Iranian keeper shitting on latest Man Utd wasteman.

[John Arne]

Iranian keeper shitting on latest Man Utd wasteman.

He's good, but he's no Alireza Beiranvand.

[Giggles]

Player missed penalty. End of days stuff.

[Don]

What's the latest from the Donegal Potato Weekly? I hear they're closing pubs and anouncing managers over there :alan:

[Disco]

It comes out monthly so you have a wait a few weeks.

[-james-]

England u21 are losing to Andorra at half time. Basically the equivalent of a Spanish fourth division side beating Fulham.

[Manc]

Bellingham on the bench. :harold:

[Waffdon]

Won’t be long until clubs stop letting all their players going on International duty

[Don]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54446356

We're going to have the whole season chalked off thanks to this shit.

[-james-]

England u21 are losing to Andorra at half time. Basically the equivalent of a Spanish fourth division side beating Fulham.

3-3 :lol:

[Ian]

If it means all the national teams end up drafting in their coaches to play in actual games then I'm all in favour.

Chris Powell and Sir Waistcoat in defence. :drool:

[Luca]

Shovkovskiy :drool:

He was pretty good back in the mid-2000s FM days IIRC.

[Lewis]

Surely nobody decent gets under-21 games these days. It's not 1998.

[Ian]

Well, how else to prove you're better than Kyle Walker?

[Lewis]

You could earn a professional contract.

[Waffdon]

3-3 :lol:

Happens when they have Aidy Boothroyd as their manager.

[Dquincy]

Player missed penalty. End of days stuff.

How long have you been a man utd fan?

[Gray Fox]

He's on the Totteringham pain train, if memory serves?

[John Arne]

Love to see Finland having a Robert Taylor and Daniel O'Shaughnessy in the team.

[Giggles]

He's on the Totteringham pain train, if memory serves?

I’m on no train only the painful one in my own domestic league. That said, I don’t think I’ve watched as much EPL as I have lately but that’s mainly because it just always seems to be on now.

[phonics]

Sums him up his career well over the last couple of years. Absolute banter boy at this point.

https://i.imgur.com/8jsmp9T.png

[Spikey M]

Who was the last player to fall off this hard? Torres? But even he had an injury you can blame.

[Manc]

Is he not a victim of the system? Where can you possibly play a 10 in a 3-4-3?

[Spikey M]

If he was the Ozil of 5 years ago you would find a way.

[Lofty]

Arteta wont be playing a 3-4-3 for long but I think it is his unwillingness to track back and tackle combined with a lot of off the pitch stuff like his Germany career, Fortnite addiction and stuff like the club not backing him when he condemned China over the Uighurs etc. Emery did say he was told not to play him but blamed it on his English.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fortnite addiction? Jesus wept.

[Giggles]

An addiction to a video game is one of those things where you just need to give yourself a good shake and cop the fuck on.

[Spikey M]

Especially Fortnite. It should have a Noncelock to keep anyone over 12 away.

[Disco]

Fortnites hook is essentially (by which I mean actually and incontrovertibly) gambling so he's addicted to that rather than lolvideogameshurrdurr.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Whenever I've seen a clip it just looks like a bog standard shooter of the type we had 20+ years ago so I thought there must be something evil going on.

[Manc]

Is Aguero still live streaming?

[Spikey M]

I thought it was just a shit COD with stupid dances?

[randomlegend]

I thought it was just a shit COD with stupid dances?

It's infested with loot box nonsense as I understand.

[Giggles]

That midfield won’t create much.


1314258877563785219

[Baz]

David James was addicted to his Playstation, wasn’t he? May have even been specifically Tomb Raider. Around the time he had blue hair.

[Giggles]

Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly late exclusions from the squad altogether, not even on the bench :sherlock:


Edit - and now the FAI announce another backroom member has tested positive.

[Spikey M]

I've no issue with adults playing computer games, it should just be age appropriate. Fortnite seems like a kids game to me, as does FIFA now it's decended into all that Ultimate Team bollocks.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is 'loot box' what the kids now do in games which we used to do in the form of trading cards, yo-yos etc?

[Disco]

They're more akin to packets of football stickers.

[Shindig]

Nah, football stickers are physical and nobody can take those away from you.

[Spikey M]

Your school must have had shit bullies.

[-james-]

Video game addiction is more real than any physical addiction I've experienced. With drugs, cigarettes etc. you're very aware that the thing is bad for you. Games are always available and quite pleasantly come to dominate your thoughts.

[Lewis]

My school banned Pokemon cards because people were having them stolen and getting into fights over them, so then when someone had their entire collection (of which they were rightly proud) stolen they just lolled at him and said you should have left it at home son.

[Shindig]

Otherwise known as the Tetris Effect.

[Manc]

Saka and Grealish start. :drool:

[Foe]

Fucking football stickers are not just for kids.

One of my best Tth moments sending stickers to sincere.

Also sent baz a fernando Torres or something I think.

[Giggles]

Isn’t FIFA just an adult version of stickers these days?

[Spikey M]

Fucking football stickers are not just for kids.

One of my best Tth moments sending stickers to sincere.

Also sent baz a fernando Torres or something I think.

True. They're for nonces too.

[Spikey M]

Isn’t FIFA just an adult version of stickers these days?

Yep. It's not been worth buying for years.

[Foe]

True. They're for nonces too.

Exactly. Thank you.

[Baz]

Also sent baz a fernando Torres or something I think.Yes! :D

I was trying to do a 'get Torres every year forever' thing and then he went rubbish and moved to Chelsea, so i stopped.

[Giggles]

Our white kit is so much better than that weird shade of green one.

[Pen]

Love to see Finland having a Robert Taylor and Daniel O'Shaughnessy in the team.

Robert Taylor’s dad came to play in Finland in the eighties and settled here. O’Shaughnessy really isn’t good enough for any national team in the World, but Taylor looked really promising in his debut. I have tickets for both our upcoming games too. Will be nice to see Finland back in the Olympic stadium even if they on let eight thousand fans in.

[Giggles]

Taylor looked good in Dublin.

[Giggles]

We look like a championship outfit, and I mean that as a compliment compared to the utter tripe of the past number of years.

[CJay]

We look like a championship outfit, and I mean that as a compliment compared to the utter tripe of the past number of years.

Just no goals in this team though. The football is definitely more pleasing on the eye, but we feel less likely to score now than ever before. Probably a personnel thing as much as anything.

There’s been some lovely surging build up from the back.

[Pen]

Would kind of like to see your lot play Northern Ireland in a one of game for a place in Euros.

Giggles. It was his proper debut against you in Dublin.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Southgate's reluctance to pick Grealish a couple of squads ago (or was it last squad) should have seen him not only sacked, but possibly killed.

[Giggles]

Just no goals in this team though. The football is definitely more pleasing on the eye, but we feel less likely to score now than ever before. Probably a personnel thing as much as anything.

There’s been some lovely surging build up from the back.

Yeah we really need one of those young attackers at least to make good. It’s going to be 1-0 best case scenario in a lot of games.


Would kind of like to see your lot play Northern Ireland in a one of game for a place in Euros.

Giggles. It was his proper debut against you in Dublin.

Where does he play club?

NI would beat us fairly handily at this stage so that might be the main high point of losing tonight.

[Bob Sacamano]

Flicking between Ni, ROI and the Scots has been dreadful.

I hope they all lose on penalties

[randomlegend]

Eric Bailly injured again lol

[Giggles]

Flicking between Ni, ROI and the Scots has been dreadful.

I hope they all lose on penalties

I’d take that.

[Bob Sacamano]

I’d take that.

Just you guys then

[CJay]

Wow that was disappointing. Browne was nailed on to miss - complete waster of a player in high pressure games.

Northern Ireland should do Slovakia quite handily I think. They were very poor tonight.

[phonics]

That's kind of the perfect loss for Kenny though. He played his game and they did well but it didn't come off and went out on pens. It's alot harder for the people still angry about Mick not carrying on to attack him.

[Waffdon]

Scotland have far too many lefties in their side. Poor Robertson and McGinn go from being one of their teams best players to utter shite for Scotland.

Doesn’t help it’s the most unbalanced team in history.

[Giggles]

Just you guys then

That’ll do too. The home hosting of games won’t happen this time round anyway.

[Giggles]

Wow that was disappointing. Browne was nailed on to miss - complete waster of a player in high pressure games.

Northern Ireland should do Slovakia quite handily I think. They were very poor tonight.

Hopefully Slovakia will have a few back for it that they were missing tonight.

[Giggles]

That's kind of the perfect loss for Kenny though. He played his game and they did well but it didn't come off and went out on pens. It's alot harder for the people still angry about Mick not carrying on to attack him.

That’s exactly what people are doing. The general consensus on Twitter is that ‘sorry Ireland lose again and kenny is out of his depth’. The lad presenting the soccer in rte is going to town on him and reminiscing about the good old days of McCarthy.

[Shindig]

They need to stop thinking new management will magically bring the next Robbie Keane or Damien Duff. Ireland just doesn't make them like they used to.

[phonics]

You've got to love having such a strong agenda that visible proof against said agenda is proof you're right.

[Giggles]

You've got to love having such a strong agenda that visible proof against said agenda is proof you're right.

The good old days is how they ended up away in a playoff for this in the first place.

[phonics]

1314317295305531398

[-james-]

Pub kicked us out after extra time in Scotland game. Left tellies on so we could watch penalties through the window. Good laugh.

[Shindig]

That's class. :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Scotland have far too many lefties in their side. Poor Robertson and McGinn go from being one of their teams best players to utter shite for Scotland.

Doesn’t help it’s the most unbalanced team in history.

The Tierney/Robertson thing is a shitter. I'd just try to play them both at left back - one bombs forward on the overlap to try and get in behind, and then the other bombs even harder outside him, flying straight to the by-line like a Dundonian to a divorce court. The opposition right-back ends up hallucinating milk-pale figures all night and trying to wash the blood off his hands.

Then obviously you leave out the striker and just hope for own goals.

[Bob Sacamano]

Surely UEFA realises that 2021 isn't going to have fans? It'll be a bubble in Germany

[Jimmy Floyd]

They somehow caused Covid with their stupid fucking format.

[Bob Sacamano]

They somehow caused Covid with their stupid fucking format.
Or alternatively they host it in Azerbaijan with full capacity

[Pen]

Surely UEFA realises that 2021 isn't going to have fans? It'll be a bubble in Germany

Don’t :(

I need to have hope.

[Pen]

Or alternatively they host it in Azerbaijan with full capacity

Much better. All hail the Azeri dictator.

[John Arne]

I didn't watch the game - were England B pretty good, or Wales B that bad.... or both.

Also, read a match report this morning that said Gomez is struggling to find his form of a few years - I'm gonna say, Gomez has never been a top-level defender. His ability seems to have been inflated by just playing alongside van Dijk, and not being Lovren. He's no Matip.

[niko_cee]

He tried to play offside once where the rest of the defence was going the other way, but overall he didn't look and worse than the other two central defenders, who probably had more dangerously retarded moments.

You can say he benefits from playing next to Van Dijk, but that's a bit of a curse too as it's never Van Dijk's fault (even when it is) and 99% of opponents will focus their energies on you rather than him.

England B were alright, clinical when the chances arose. Grealish just trolled Wales by getting his arse in between the ball and their players all night and falling over. He was probably the stand out performer.

[Waffdon]

Can’t believe Giggles’ boys bottled the penalty shoot out for Ireland/Norn Ireland.

[Giggles]

Doing our bit for the Covid.

[Mellberg]

How to win the Euros:

Pope
Alexander-Arnold
Gomez
Maguire
Chilwell
Henderson
Winks
Grealish
Rashford
Sterling
Kane

Subs:
Henderson
Trippier
Dier/Rice
Foden
Sancho
Greenwood
Calvert-Lewin

Dier and Rice pip Coady as they can play centre half and centre mid. Trippier and Trent interchangeable as the former looks better internationally. Job done. Let's celebrate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I just fear that with Grealish they are always going to gravitate back to Foden because he plays for a top club and was the anointed schoolboy player, and that seems to be how England operates on a deep psychological basis, and has done my whole life really.

[Waffdon]

Declan Rice should be starting every game for England.

[Mellberg]

Next to zero chance Grealish starts in big games with Southgate (and 90% of England managers) in charge. He needs to drop in a Liverpool performance to force his hand. Won't play him at 10 and won't be first choice out wide. It's a shame and a waste, but their loss.

[Mellberg]

Declan Rice should be starting every game for England.

Problem is he's up against Henderson, rather than Winks. Both have been better for England than him anyway. Trippier should probably be in the XI until TAA puts in some performances actually. Switch them.

[Waffdon]

Henderson plays to the right of a midfield for Liverpool usually, no? Rice sitting, Henderson to the right and then one of your creative players from the left side.

Winks shouldn’t be near International football never mind a top half PL side.

Rice, Henderson, Foden; Grealish, Kane, Sancho

Rashford or Sterling for Foden if need be. Will never happen though. Sterling will start every game, as will Trippier/Walker if not both. Pickford too.

[Ian]

Who do Liverpool normally have beside Henderson?

You're right though that Sterling is going nowhere regardless of how he actually performs for England. He now merely tends to be average rather than the spineless bottler he used to be whenever he got the ball in a key position for England so maybe Waistcoat thinks of that as an upward trend.

[Manc]

A team with Maguire and Winks wouldn't get out of the group.

[Giggles]

Maguire shouldn’t be anywhere near a squad that has aspirations of winning anything.

[Mellberg]

England sit deep defensively. Maguire will be fine. Stick him on the halfway line and he's shit. Winks is just a solid ball player and works hard off the ball. Probably the main weak link, but he's about 10 trillion times better than Rice on the ball and Henderson's in for the graft. Need a balanced midfield. Maybe fast track Bellingham :cab:

[Spikey M]

Maguire shouldn’t be anywhere near a squad that has aspirations of winning anything.

He won the league with Leicester. He's solid enough if you just want a moving wall for attackers to bounce off. It's when you want him to run that the problems creep in.

[Kikó]

1314539500228489217?s=20

Can't wait to spend £15 on United/Newcastle.

[Spikey M]

What a con.

[-james-]

Is that £15 per game? Surely fucking not.

[Ian]

What a bargain.

[Kikó]

5 games have been selected for PPV.

1314551452241666048?s=19

[phonics]

How season ticket holders aren't getting the games for free blows my mind.

Also, it costs 8 quid for a pint over here and we pay 3 pound a game for our PPV's not 15.

[Dave.]

England sit deep defensively. Maguire will be fine. Stick him on the halfway line and he's shit. Winks is just a solid ball player and works hard off the ball. Probably the main weak link, but he's about 10 trillion times better than Rice on the ball and Henderson's in for the graft. Need a balanced midfield. Maybe fast track Bellingham :cab:

Rice and Henderson in midfield with Grealish as number 10. Sorted.

[Giggles]

Rice and Henderson in midfield with Grealish as number 10. Sorted.

What could have been (except Henderson).

[Baz]

Just clocked Conor Coady scored for England. That's awesome.

[niko_cee]

The PPV thing is pretty lol, but it bringing back Saturday 3pm kick-offs is an undoubted boon. Nobody in their right mind wants to watch most of the games anyway.

[Manc]

He won the league with Leicester.

Nope.

[Don]

I saw the headline and thought 'nice, can not bother with dodgy streams' but £15? Did I read that correctly? Fucking hell:D

[randomlegend]

I very rarely struggle to find a stream that's 1080p and completely lag free. Maybe have to refresh a couple of times a game.

[Spikey M]

Nope.

Ok, so I've fact checked it and you are right, but at the same time he is 100% in my memory as being part of that team so the facts can do one.

[Ian]

I'm struggling to decide how big a game United or England would need to be in before I'd even consider spending £15 to watch it.

Not one either are going to be in any time soon, certainly.

[Baz]

I very rarely struggle to find a stream that's 1080p and completely lag free. Maybe have to refresh a couple of times a game.

Yeah that give me reddit (http://givemereddit.stream) website is perfect.

[Spikey M]

I'm struggling to decide how big a game United or England would need to be in before I'd even consider spending £15 to watch it.

Not one either are going to be in any time soon, certainly.

We're pretty much in Southend United in the Champions League Final territory for me.

[niko_cee]

Any game you'd be willing to spend that on watching you'd just go out somewhere to see anyway, wouldn't you?

Is it £15 per game then, or is that for access to the PPV channel(s)? A latter day Premier League Plus or whatever it was called.

[Ian]

Most of the pubs near me are tips so that isn't necessarily a more appealing option.

[Giggles]

It might be shite but I’ll stick to €55 for every game for a season.

[Kikó]

How season ticket holders aren't getting the games for free blows my mind.

Also, it costs 8 quid for a pint over here and we pay 3 pound a game for our PPV's not 15.

Well United haven't charged anyone for STs yet this year but I guess those that have, should.

[niko_cee]

Is the PPV money then pooled or is it going to be allocated on a per team basis? Goodbye collective bargaining if it's the latter.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Any game you'd be willing to spend that on watching you'd just go out somewhere to see anyway, wouldn't you?

Is it £15 per game then, or is that for access to the PPV channel(s)? A latter day Premier League Plus or whatever it was called.

£15 a game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If my team was in the throat of a title chase or something I'd consider paying £10 for a big game on pay per view (once, not every week), but fifteen somehow psychologically goes over the edge into 'fuck right off'.

[phonics]

If my team was in the throat of a title chase or something I'd consider paying £10 for a big game on pay per view (once, not every week), but fifteen somehow psychologically goes over the edge into 'fuck right off'.

To put it in perspective, a Sky Sports subscription is 30 quid a month with significantly more than 2 games.

[Mellberg]

Just got the pub, have four pints and a laugh and save a few quid on top. Outrageous pricing. Would never pay it.

[Baz]

Just got the pub, have four pints and a laugh and save a few quid on top. Outrageous pricing. Would never pay it.Gotta have decent mates for that though.

Besides, they’re closing.

[Spikey M]

To put it in perspective, a Sky Sports subscription is 30 quid a month with significantly more than 2 games.

And considering they have been hand-picked for TV, they should be better or atleast 'bigger' games.

Who the fuck is paying £15 for Fulham vs West Brom? :happycry:

[Baz]

Thommo and Igor

[Mellberg]

Gotta have decent mates for that though.

Besides, they’re closing.

Hesgoal it is then.

Villa now top of the whoscored European table so far this season. I'm gonna savour that before we turn back to shit :thbup:

[Gray Fox]

How long before Fulham v Burnley is SUPER SUNDAY and Liverpool v United is moved to PPV?

[niko_cee]

Quite soon if someone doesn't figure out a way for the world to live with covid.

In fact, how do the tv picks work? It's probably within the broadcast rights holder's power to set that up now.

[Gray Fox]

They already have Octobers games chosen, but November they could start fucking people over.

[Shindig]

Does any of the PPV money go back to the clubs? They must be haemorrhaging money on gate receipts.

[niko_cee]

They already have Octobers games chosen, but November they could start fucking people over.

Just in time for City v Liverpool.

[Giggles]

That price should be just the push everyone needs to cancel Sky and BT and throw the whole thing into turmoil.

[niko_cee]

The only hope is for there to be some absolutely stinking PPV buys. I'm looking at Sheff Utd v Fulham to pull in sub 100.

[Foe]

Bad day at the office, Waff.

Losing at home to the blue toon...

[Giggles]

I know there’s no fans getting in, but are Spain playing this Swiss game in a training ground?

[Giggles]

Wouldn’t be soccer here without a shitshow.


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[Don]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54499998

18 team prem, no EFL Cup, no community shield....fuckin let's 'ave it :drool:

[Giggles]

Would be the top 6 sorted from here on then, which is mainly what this is. These clubs don’t come up with plans like this for anyone else’s benefit.

[Lewis]

What is the 'special status'? It can't be that special if it applies to West Ham and Everton.

[Giggles]

What is the 'special status'? It can't be that special if it applies to West Ham and Everton.

Southampton too.

Means if 6 of the 9 vote for something then it’s passed from what I’ve read.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Isn't that just a massive ransom demand?

Liverpool and Man U with the American owners always desperate for the WWE reforms.

[Giggles]

Isn't that just a massive ransom demand?

Liverpool and Man U with the American owners always desperate for the WWE reforms.

They’re painting it as being the saviours of the game in England too. Small enough bit of cash for the power they’re buying.

[Giggles]

The most interesting game about this Ireland Wales game is that I can’t unsee Tom Kerridge every time Danny Gabbidon talks.

[Don]

I'd love to join the hipsters at pissing and moaning about it but what exactly are the 6 going to vote for? A £10 release clause on Jack Grealish? Shut the fuck up and swallow that Glazer dick, it's a great scheme.

[Kikó]

Not really surprised you like it considering you don't really understand football beyond stats and xG. Money grabbing and an obvious attempt at fucking the game even more.

[Manc]

Adopting the German model. Wunderbar.

[Don]

Woah woah woah, don't make it personal mate, all I'm saying is those changes are positives that need to happen and that you're a dirty fucking emotional cunt and I'll slit your throat if you ever question my understanding of the sport. I read Fever Pitch, mate, we're basically brothers.

[Bob Sacamano]

3 right backs :drool:

[John Arne]

That looks like a very plodding midfield. Why does Gareth hate Grealish so much?

[John Arne]

Also, what the fuck does Pickford have to do to get dropped? This is the perfect time to bring in a new number 1 - rather than waiting for the actual Euros.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think there's a lot between the three keepers. I'd have Henderson but there's not a lot in it and Pickford was a key man in the semi-final run in 2018.

[niko_cee]

He was shit in the World Cup as well, if that's what makes him a key man.

That said, I'm not convinced the other two are actually all that much better. Henderson probably is the best, but he's no longer playing for his club which is a bit of a problem.

What the fuck is this line-up with Alexander-Arnold, Trippier and Walker? Is Trippier being bunted out to left wingback? Not convinced you get the best out of Alexander-Arnold in such a system either.

[phonics]

Get Maitland Niles out there and we can have a defense made of right backs.

[Spikey M]

He was shit in the World Cup as well, if that's what makes him a key man.

That said, I'm not convinced the other two are actually all that much better. Henderson probably is the best, but he's no longer playing for his club which is a bit of a problem.

What the fuck is this line-up with Alexander-Arnold, Trippier and Walker? Is Trippier being bunted out to left wingback? Not convinced you get the best out of Alexander-Arnold in such a system either.

Walker occasionally plays at Centre Back for City doesn't he?

[Waffdon]

Why’s he let it play out and then stick his flag up if there’s no VAR? :lol:

[Danny]

Dier :face:

[niko_cee]

Dunno, but he did it in the three for England didn't he? Back three of Walker, Maguire and Dier is all time levels of bad in international football though.

[mo]

Dier and Maguire must share a brain cell.

[Spikey M]

Dunno, but he did it in the three for England didn't he? Back three of Walker, Maguire and Dier is all time levels of bad in international football though.

There's atleast one clanger in the cards, that's for sure.

Edit: I appear to be too late.

[Don]

Looking at this fucking clueless lot against a genius tactical mind like Bobby Martinez who has drilled his only marginally superior players into a fucking sexy pass and move side :drool:

Romelu embarrassing a chav with a double-digit body fat % in the clearest depiction of ebony donnage possible :drool:

Mason Mount and his shuttle runs as he bags another international cap as a glorified training cone :drool:

[Don]

17:50
England 1-1 Belgium


Rob Green

Former West Ham and England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

The combinations of play and the patterns that Belgium do, they go forward in pockets of twos and threes and they can link up.

England at times are looking for Marcus Rashford in behind and he's on his own, or Mason Mount picks up the ball but has two players around him. If they can find those combinations and link-ups I think they'll get a better foothold in the game.

Yeah, if they can get a pig to sniff outthose combinations in the second half England could really start to control this match.

[Spikey M]

Southgate gas been living off our fluke World Cup run for years now. He's useless.

[randomlegend]

I've just seen the lineup :D

What a cunt Southgate is.

[John Arne]

Reece James looks like a fat Chinese baby.

[Kikó]

Southgate dons the doubters again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mason Mount could beat everyone in Belgium on his own. All 11 million of them.

[Shindig]

I'll reiterate: This is the most exciting time to be an England fan.

[Don]

I don't know who stands to lose most out of this match, Grealish, England fans, Chelsea fans or xG dons.

[Yevrah]

Roberto Martinez.

[Giggles]

You’d swear you lost reading most of this. Straighten up cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You’d swear you lost reading most of this. Straighten up cunts.

Prem big club fans want England to lose as there's greater outrage/rivalry bollocks to gain from that. It's largely the fans of clubs who never win anything who genuinely want the best for the team.

Even middle sized club fans largely see it as a vehicle to air their petty grievances about the recognition/non-recognition on a national level of their favourite regional heroes.

[Manc]

You have to feel for KDB. His career could and should have been so much more.

[Giggles]

You have to feel for KDB. His career could and should have been so much more.

Born in the wrong country to ever have international success and has medals from winning the top top league in the world. He hasn’t been too short of expectations. Move on and win a CL in the next few years and he’s sorted. Plus he’s made a fortune.

[Pen]

Wouldn’t be soccer here without a shitshow.


1315244159612137478

Has it been leaked who are the players who will be out due to this?

[Pen]

Was great to be at the game today. The renovations made looked good and it was the first time I’ve seen us win at our “Wembley”. Previously discussed Robert Taylor with his first for Finland too.

[Giggles]

Has it been leaked who are the players who will be out due to this?

A few went out injured so it’s not clear who exactly yet but I think the squad for your game will be the same as the one today plus Darren O’Shea and Jason Knight up from the U21’s.

[Pen]

So no actual starters missing?

Edit: actually that’s not at all the same team you had against us.

[Giggles]

So no actual starters missing?

Edit: actually that’s not at all the same team you had against us.

Connolly, McGoldrick, Egan, and McCarthy would have probably started against you out of who’s missing. Out of the replacements, Long might be able to play after going off today but if not then O’Shea will probably partner Duffy at the back.

The 4 of them would be big losses. Normally not Connolly but McClean is out now too after the red today.

[Giggles]

1315373480821624835

[Pen]

Thanks for that 👍

Both players are back at their clubs - Brighton for Connolly and Norwich for Idah - and the Football Association of Ireland's interim chief executive Gary Owens says Kenny could yet recall them for Wednesday's Nations League game against Finland, in Oslo.

But come on.

[Giggles]

Thanks for that 

Both players are back at their clubs - Brighton for Connolly and Norwich for Idah - and the Football Association of Ireland's interim chief executive Gary Owens says Kenny could yet recall them for Wednesday's Nations League game against Finland, in Oslo.

But come on.

It’s Joe.ie. Just be glad they spelled Finland correctly.

[niko_cee]

Problem with that England performance is that we need those opposition brain explosions and fortunate deflections when it actually matters, not in a jumped up friendly. There's definitely the making of an exciting side in the England set-up somewhere.

If we're going back to 5 at the back then Trippier should probably play as the wingback on the right, but we also need to find replacements for Dier and Walker, at the very least, in the back 3. Shame back 5 doesn't actually work for any of our good players, but maybe that's the perennial problem with England and we should go down the system route.

[Manc]

Phillips and Rice as a double pivot would work wonders.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I liked Phillips when he came on. I've no idea about Rice. People wet their pants about him but he looks absolute toilet so much of the time. I think if Henderson and Alexander-Arnold are going to play you just have to use them on that right flank in the same way Liverpool do, otherwise other options are better.

5-3-2, 2 DMs, it ain't gonna to be pretty but who knows.

[Baz]

How was Hendo? Hopefully fully fit for Everton.

[Don]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkFCEViXkAYw0AA?format=jpg&name=large

Ali Dia with white privelege.

[mugbull]

My favorite part about Haaland is how he loves to just rifle shots in. I feel like shooting to the low corner has become way more common recently, probably because its a statistically more likely shot to score, but fuck if I don’t love a striker blasting it top corner at every opportunity :drool:

[niko_cee]

Erlingol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Erling Braut Haaland? More like Erling Braut Goalland.

[Giggles]

Thanks for that 

Both players are back at their clubs - Brighton for Connolly and Norwich for Idah - and the Football Association of Ireland's interim chief executive Gary Owens says Kenny could yet recall them for Wednesday's Nations League game against Finland, in Oslo.

But come on.

Few more now, but nobody that will see any action bar another covid scare.


1315402841192837122

[Spikey M]

I don't really understand how these Internationals have gone ahead. Mental.

[Giggles]

Because it's the only proper one.

[niko_cee]

So what's the evil empire angle to these proposed reforms of English football?

Fewer games is hardly money-making. Giving away a quarter of the tv money seems substantially more than the current parachute payment regime. Minor tinkerage with the relegation mechanism (given how shit teams that win the play-offs often are this mightn't be the worst idea) doesn't really seem relevant to the big boys. Are they proposing an uneven split of the top division tv pool? Yeah, it probably shits on the likes of Burnley, but it probably ensures the likes of Bury would still exist had it been the model sooner, and the current set-up is bad from the perspective of THE PYRAMID.

Not a massive fan of consigning the Rumbelows to the dustbin of history, but, at the same time, it's not the end of the world is it?

[Ian]

It's probably on balance a bad thing but if it means I have to watch United less then let's get it done.

[Spikey M]

Presumably it's to pave the way for more European games, mid season friendlies in America and, well, you get the picture.

[niko_cee]

£415m+ a season to the football league (as opposed to the £120m they get at the moment) is probably worth that, no?

A few extra European games and a winter break where teams can fuck off for some warm weather bullshit matches? It's not really the end of days.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fewer games in this context means a loss of 4 games vs Burnley and Watford, which they are gagging to replace with 4 games against Barcelona and/or each other, especially once you have also abolished the League Cup.

[niko_cee]

The voting thing sounds a bit dodge, granted.

If European Football is going to move to a different model (and it's not like any of these league structures have been unaltered for millennia, be they domestic or continental) then whatever. We've had more European games in the past with the 2 group stages, haven't we? As mentioned upthread, isn't this more analogous to the German model? Those relentless capitalist pigdogs.

The distortion between the Premier League and the rest of the football pyramid that has been cultivated for the past 30 years is the actual scandal, and if there has to be some sort of quid pro quo to try and redress some of that I'm not sure I see it as being a necessarily bad thing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The voting thing is the problem for me because it entrenches de jure the idea that some clubs are above others. This can be de facto but never de jure. What if one of the nine, or even the six, was relegated?

[Kikó]

I'm sure our benevolent American overlords will be satisfied by this change and won't then push the envelope to further distort the EPL into a secondary league behind the European Super League and/or franchising teams.

You can send more money down into the leagues below without such a blatant power grab.

[Ian]

Wasn't there a situation in South America recently-ish with some big club (River Plate?) being saved from relegation by all sorts of admin gymnastics?

You'd end up with that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Argentina relegates teams based on a three year rolling average in order to prevent the big sides from going down, but River did still manage to go down at one point.

[Kikó]

They did implement the 3 year average after that relegation mind.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not according to Tiger Tim Vickery: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2010/09/why_the_argentine_rollercoaste.html

I can't even begin to imagine how corrupt it all is down there.