December football: Who's most out of place?

[Mellberg]

Dawson taking Che Adams' head off is a good one. No red either. Well played, sir.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Surely by that logic it wouldn't work against Liverpool and City too.

Liverpool and City don't throw waves of players at you like Leeds do (and therefore don't have the same defensive vulnerabilities ready to exploit). They both move it quickly but there is much more precision and craft and ability to finish chances, so trying to block them defending deep is no madder than going at them and leaving big gaps to make their life easier. I say this in a nice way as I love watching Leeds, but they are basically throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks. I haven't watched every game so I don't know how teams like Burnley fielded it, but I can't see how a low block and zero ambition would get you your 0-0 or your nicked 1-0 unless you got unbelievably lucky.

The Leeds weaknesses are a) criminal wastefulness in front of goal, and b) complete inability to defend against teams who fight fire with fire. Chelsea, United and actually Palace games (big up Roy) examples of this.

[Giggles]

Why are they all not on anyway?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've never seen this BT Soccer Saturday thing before. Fucking hell Tim Sherwood comes across as a know-nothing prick.

Also, is that the first successful use of the arm to stop a ball on the line by Burnley there (with the new interpretation)? Looked quite upper arm-ish to me.

I've been watching it and it's amazing that he's able to make Savage look good.

[niko_cee]

His musings on Kyle Walker-Peters were really off I thought. Pretty much amounted to 'never thought he would amount to much so fair play he's dropped down a level to get some game time', when he was probably better than any of the rightbacks at Spurs when he left (and has obviously been better than the two they have now for a while).

[Don]

Next 2 hours gonna be pretty grim seeing the Utd fans cream themselves over beating one of the worst sides in the league.

[Lewis]

Wolves are right game-raising fisherman bastards for United. A win will be MASSIVE mate.

[Spammer]

THE MIGHTY BLADES :cool:

[Don]

Ole being emboldened enough to field Pogba + 4 attackers against us is quite the sight though :drool:

[Ian]

Wolves are right game-raising fisherman bastards for United. A win will be MASSIVE mate.

While this is true it's at Old Trafford so they shouldn't need to raise their game much on current form.

[Raoul Duke]

Cavani's sexy locks (or a spammy Rashford dive/Bruno pen combo) will see us prevail. Wolves deserve bad mojo for fielding a goalie with number 11. Absolute hate crime, that

[Waffdon]

Rashford crying on the floor looking for a foul again there after he fannies out of a challenge

[Raoul Duke]

Wolves are the ones rolling around on the floor every five minutes

[Ian]

Yeah but Waff doesn't dislike them.

(Telles did a prime example as well.)

[Don]

Rashford's two diving instances in this game have been embarrassing tbf. My man literally left the ball and begged the contact that never came.

[Waffdon]

Wolves are the ones rolling around on the floor every five minutes

I’m continuing my point from the other day. He’s the biggest diver/play actor by a long shot at the minute.

[Lewis]

He's become accustomed to undeserved sympathy.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck VAR.

[Giggles]

If neither of those was hand ball, how are they not the last to play it back?

[Kikó]

Wolves v Man United is just constant shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sir Marcus :cool:

[Danny]

1-0 Rashnaldo

[Ian]

The jam. :drool:

[Danny]

You have to feel for Saiss. He has been a rock.

[Kikó]

That's the type of game potential challengers win etc.

[SincereTheRebel]

I still don't understand in my 30 years, how players consistently turn their back to the ball when a shot comes in

[Giggles]

I still don't understand in my 30 years, how players consistently turn their back to the ball when a shot comes in

They’re soft cunts.

[Ian]

Imagine how many points we'd have if we weren't a bit shit.

[Luca]

Another Nuno Nernandes assist for RL to lord over Taz. :rasta:

[Giggles]

Another Nuno Nernandes assist for RL to lord over Taz. :rasta:

Is it not Bruno?

[Lewis]

Eric Bailly was class, and I'm sure he did a Ronaldo chop on the edge of their box.

[Don]

Another GOAL CONTRIBUTION :drool:

[Luca]

Another GOAL CONTRIBUTION :drool:

He’s on the ropes :drool:

[randomlegend]

Another Nuno Nernandes assist for RL to lord over Taz. :rasta:

1344039428877135875

[randomlegend]

Lol that we will go second if we win our two games in hand. Unless Villa win their THREE games in hand. How has that happened?


You really must stop reading into the table with 'if we put a 3 game-run together we'll win the CL lulz'. The 2 superior sides have started slowly and everyone else is seprated by whatever mood Stockley Park are in on said given day. That's why the table is congested. If it gives you lols you'll shit yourself of laughter when you get relegated to the Champ in 5 years time.

:happycry:

[Giggles]

Man Utd being 2nd is just further evidence that Liverpool will walk it.

[Don]

:happycry:

:happycry:-ing to prove my exact point :D

You're not finishing top 2.

[Lewis]

Top one chief.

[randomlegend]

:happycry:-ing to prove my exact point :D

You're not finishing top 2.

I assumed you were trying to say it's pointless to think about "if we win our games in hand" as we won't win them. Apologies. Your posts are garbled nonsense so the meaning often gets a bit lost.

[Don]

Apology accepted, you runt.

[Manc]

That Craig Dawson effort must be the most reckless foul ever to not receive a caution.

[Dquincy]

Imagine how many points we'd have if we weren't a bit shit.

And imagine if your auntie had bollocks...

[Luca]

And imagine if your auntie had bollocks...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-RfHC91Ewc

[Dquincy]

She's so tidy. :drool:

[niko_cee]

Lots of folk getting reeled in here.

On the ropes terriroty.

Anyway, in other news I see Big Sam is so worried about catching covid that he thinks we should all have a little break whilst he can sort his shit show of a team out, I'm sorry, I mean, to help with the national effort. If he was that worried why did he take a job which apparently exposes him to some elevated risk (as if) only weeks ago?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Because they blew so much time on the international breaks, I don't think they have time for that without running into Euro 2020.

[Manc]

She's so tidy. :drool:

Your Auntie? Weird bloke.

[Giggles]

Lots of folk getting reeled in here.

On the ropes terriroty.

Anyway, in other news I see Big Sam is so worried about catching covid that he thinks we should all have a little break whilst he can sort his shit show of a team out, I'm sorry, I mean, to help with the national effort. If he was that worried why did he take a job which apparently exposes him to some elevated risk (as if) only weeks ago?

Not wearing a mask like a chin strap might help too.

[niko_cee]

Because they blew so much time on the international breaks, I don't think they have time for that without running into Euro 2020.

Yeah, I don't think it's a goer due to the International schedule. Probably more likely into void the league territory, which Sam would obviously be all over as well. What was agreed about that way back when?

[Manc]

They should move the Euros to the winter as a trial run for Qatar.

[Don]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/30/leeds-united-criticised-for-tweet-mocking-amazon-pundit-karen-carney

Inject it into me INTRAVENOUSLY :drool: fucking dirty clueless bitch.

[Giggles]

Where’s the bit where they said she hasn’t a clue because she has tits?

[Jimmy Floyd]

She's normally a pretty good pundit on the radio, at least as a co-commentator, probably knows how to rile what is the second or third tetchiest fanbase in the country.

[Luca]

She makes a fair enough (as in, perhaps not true but surely not ridiculous) point and they've engaged in a bit of (shit) banter. What's the issue?

EDIT: The chairman is actually the one who has had a mare here. "I consider that comment completely unnecessary and disrespectful to our Club" - alright, mate.

[Lewis]

You would normally come down on the get over it love side of things, but lol at a club seething about tiny bits of punditry. Get back to the lower divisions if you're going to carry on like that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Football fandom (at least online) has now moved on to thousands of people genuinely believing that 'the establishment' is out to get their club, and it's only amplified as you move further down the divisions.

[Yevrah]

1344179499433340928

This is a quite brilliant response.

Make the internet read only, make it read only now.

[Manc]

Slow news day.

[Kikó]

Isn't twitter read only when you set the right settings anyway?

[thommo]

Leeds have been remarkably petty on Twitter for the last few years, so this is nothing new. I'm sure I read something that the social media manager at Leeds keeps a list of people, clubs, pundits, etc. who have said something critical so he can bring it out whenever they win against their team. Incredibly small-time.

[niko_cee]

Isn't being 'incredibly small time' essentially what twitter is for?

The sort of comment she's come out with is in the same bracket as that caffeine idiot and Waff and his constant PED shit. It ought to be challenged as it sews seeds even if that is not the intention by the pundit.

[Don]

Was literally going to say what Niko said. People are on Twitter for the same reasons me, Giggles and RL converse on here.

[Baz]

it sews seedsMust have a steady hand. :henn0rz:

[Lewis]

Leeds have been remarkably petty on Twitter for the last few years, so this is nothing new. I'm sure I read something that the social media manager at Leeds keeps a list of people, clubs, pundits, etc. who have said something critical so he can bring it out whenever they win against their team. Incredibly small-time.

When they went back for a go at Pizza Hut (lol) after promotion the Premier League should have put them on a final warning.

[niko_cee]

Spurs game gone.

[thommo]

Isn't being 'incredibly small time' essentially what twitter is for?

The sort of comment she's come out with is in the same bracket as that caffeine idiot and Waff and his constant PED shit. It ought to be challenged as it sews seeds even if that is not the intention by the pundit.

How is her comment even that bad? I think she's wrong as Leeds would have won the title without the break, but the fact of the matter is that Bielsa's teams don't historically finish seasons well. They ended up taking 22 points from the final 9 games after the break, so it's not beyond the realms of punditry to link the two and say the break helped the team recuperate and regain fitness and push on after they returned.

Most of Twitter is undoubtedly petty and shit, but it's a bit fucking weird for a Premier League club to be as petty and unfunny as they are on social media.

[niko_cee]

If the quotes are accurate she said "I actually think they got promoted because of Covid" and no matter how you go on to try to qualify that it's a pretty daft thing to say for a number of reasons, not least the idea that a global health disaster would be viewed through the prism of who it may or may not have advantaged in the world of professional football.

I understand you can make a case for what she's said, I just think there are probably more significant reasons to steer clear of saying such a thing.

[Don]

Brentford - Bournemouth is a quality watch in case any one wanted a sneak peak at 2 of the 3 for next season.

[phonics]

Santos coming out and saying ‘actually Messi didn’t break Pele’s record because we’ve been through the archives and found another 448 goals he scored’ might be the most pathetically small time thing I’ve ever heard.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Leeds account's actions are about 'reach' or engagement stats or whatever, nothing more. Likes above replacement.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Santos coming out and saying ‘actually Messi didn’t break Pele’s record because we’ve been through the archives and found another 448 goals he scored’ might be the most pathetically small time thing I’ve ever heard.

And also serves to highlight the pointlessness of finding ever more imaginary records for Messi to break.

[Ian]

Just waiting for Messi to go full Romario and start including ones he's scored past his kids in the garden, in his dreams, etc.

[Shindig]

"Add those to the ones he scored in training and that comes to ..."

[niko_cee]

Thiago back in the squad for Liverpool tonight.

Should have probably just signed him in January for half the money.

[Don]

He may have broke the league record for passes in his first 45 minutes but I fear he lacks the goal contribution to really be top-tier.

[Shindig]

It's kind of terrifying at least six of our first team wound up with Covid. Allan's so knackered he's back in France recovering. Dummett and Hendrick are on the sick list at the minute. I give us no chance tonight but at least Wilson's back and Shelvey might be available to launch a hopeful long ball somewhere near him.

[Don]

Why are we playing in black and white?

[Manc]

Positive start from Newcastle. I wonder if the WBA result broke the spell.

[Don]

The only thing breaking is my heart, having to watch Nat Phillips and James Milner occupy the same side of the pitch. Salah and TAA may as well have a lie down.

[Don]

Get some fucking Xerdan on for Milner, you useless cunt.

[CJay]

The 7-0 aside I don’t think our front 3 has played well together all season. All of them hopeless so far tonight. Klopp is becoming incredibly reserved with his substitutions too. The game is crying out for a change in midfield.

[Don]

Best player to have ever graced the league is giving you all 20 minutes of his time. Be grateful.

[Luke Emia]

The 7-0 aside I don’t think our front 3 has played well together all season. All of them hopeless so far tonight. Klopp is becoming incredibly reserved with his substitutions too. The game is crying out for a change in midfield.

Something needs to be done with Salah he is far too greedy at times. It genuinely seems like he never wants to pass to Mane either.

[Luke Emia]

There is a massive issue with the midfield as well. The balance is all off since Fabinho has been shunted to centre-half.

[Manc]

Phillips. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Best player to have ever graced the league is giving you all 20 minutes of his time. Be grateful.

How do you see this game ending?

[Lewis]

Liverpool BOTTLING this title race.

[Luca]

The 1-0 Liverpool must be free money.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Top of the league if we win our game in hand by 9 goals :drool:

[Luca]

Shame that Thiago couldn't come up with a GOAL CONTRIBUTION.

[Lewis]

A bit of pressure from Ole Gunnar Binman and the boys and their luck has suddenly shit out.

[Manc]

Out of ideas.

[Lewis]

Jurgen 'Jurgen Klopp' Klopp will be writing a list of 'fachts' as we speak.

[Luca]

The 1-0 Liverpool must be free money.

Last season that goal line clearance by (Schar?) would have gone in off Mane's arse.

[Don]

Big doubts over his goal contribution potential but gave us the solidity to secure our top spot :cool:

Let's not kid around, the lad's genius was clear in his first 15 minutes for about 3 months, they fucking collapsed at the sight of him nevermind some of those passes (and headers). We'll sign a CB and play with 11 players for rest of season too.

Fucking bedwetters doubting Salah and Mane :D

[Shindig]

I'll take that point. Sounds like put up more of a fight which is all I can ask for at the minute.

[Lewis]

They should have signed Timo Werner when they had the chance to freshen it up.

[Spoonsky]

We're so shit right now.

The front 3 are fine, they have off days but until Jota's back there's nothing much to do about it. But the midfield is really baffling. For being a brilliant manager Klopp is god-awful at making substitutions too.

Thiago is fantastic.

[Jimmy Floyd]

GPG is now down to 2.78 (was running at over 3 for quite some time). Think the drugs have worn off most teams.

[-james-]

1344057700863397888

Surely a small sample size didn't lead people to dream up elaborate narratives and reasonings.

[phonics]

James this is once again not the fact I was talking about.

[randomlegend]

Big doubts over his goal contribution potential but gave us the solidity to secure our top spot :cool:

Let's not kid around, the lad's genius was clear in his first 15 minutes for about 3 months, they fucking collapsed at the sight of him nevermind some of those passes (and headers). We'll sign a CB and play with 11 players for rest of season too.

Fucking bedwetters doubting Salah and Mane :D

https://i.redd.it/e886xl3g2b861.png

[Don]

Imagine the trophy haul those Goal Contributions must have got him.

[Raoul Duke]

Weird, can't see Pogba on that table? :sherlock:

[Giggles]

Only by 12 points then.

[Giggles]

https://i.redd.it/e886xl3g2b861.png


Number whatever you like, but the cunt’s not fit to pull Cantona’s wire.

[Kikó]

He's pretty good and could be as influential as cantona but this obsession with his stats at the moment is Taz-like. Proof is in the final trophy haul.

[niko_cee]

It feels like what was a pretty woeful season across the board has taken a turn for the worse in the last week or so. So many eye-bleedingly bad games. Watching all this no possession all out defence wank (which seems to be De Rigueur for almost half the league now), suddenly the way teams set-up in the way back when, before even the time before football, with all the 2-3-5 madness and whatnot, when football was presumably meant primarily as entertainment, sort of makes more sense.

Makes Leeds'/Biesla's stand against the immediacy of modern life and all that all the more refreshing.

[Ian]

There's too much at stake for some teams now and too many wankers at work "optimising" tactics with cardio being nearly as important as being good and possession bores like Guardiola having ruined everybody's perception of what entertaining football looks like. Barcelona and Spain going from playing fast, exciting football where the amount of possession they had seemed as much a result of their superior technique to teams where possession was the endgame a prime example. But it's okay because chin-stroking twats got to compare it to an art form and called it 'fascinating.'

When discussing Big Sam getting West Brom to bore a point out against Liverpool they had a chat on Football Weekly about fixing the issue with bonus points for goals or winning margins or some such, an idea I already hate in rugby and don't want in football.

[Shindig]

Changing point systems like that forces a change of philosophy that just isn't sport.

[Ian]

It's bollocks.

I get the thinking, that we all want more games to be entertaining and whatnot but it's also just putting the notion of what good football is into law, helps the rich teams stay where they are (as if they need more help) and you'd end up with situations sometimes where teams win less games but finish higher than their better organised, lower-scoring peers which is sort-of okay if it's just midtable Premier League millions. But if it effects a qualifying spot then it's unacceptable. Like the points for the Six Nations basically has to acknowledge that this possibility is fucking nonsense by having a rule that means a grand slam winner gets five extra points because otherwise you could have had a grand slam winner not top the table.

[niko_cee]

There's no solution to it, it's just a consequence of professionalism and the business-ification of sport, and from an increasingly casual observer's viewpoint, it's a bit shit. I didn't particularly mean it as a criticism of the way teams now approach the game, which is understandable for the most part, just more that it made me think about why football was so different in the past. The primacy of it being entertaining has clearly gone.

Rule changes have happened, 3 points for a win and all that. I don't know that increasing the bonus for a win over a draw would make much material difference though, as teams would still cling on and hope to sneak a win. Any sort of points for goals Amsterdam Tournament style would be a terrible idea.

[niko_cee]

And actually thinking about it, it's probably a more modern phenomenon than I'm giving it credit for - as you say probably from the advent of prozone and all that shit. During lockdown 1 I re-watched the first Liverpool 4-3-Newcastle game, and whilst that one is perhaps a bit of an outlier, it was harum scarum from the first minute, barely a pass across the back four, just get it, go forward, lose it, rinse and repeat for 95 minutes and it was quite captivating.

[CJay]

Proper punishments for deliberate and cynical attack-ending fouls would go some way to changing things. Sin bins are the way to go. I’m so tired of seeing players get rugby tackled around the waist after getting goal-side of a midfielder. Every team does it and it’s just a nonsense that it only gets punished by a harmless yellow.

[randomlegend]

It should be a yellow for the first time in a game a team does it and a red for the second, regardless of which individual player does it.

[Ian]

And actually thinking about it, it's probably a more modern phenomenon than I'm giving it credit for - as you say probably from the advent of prozone and all that shit. During lockdown 1 I re-watched the first Liverpool 4-3-Newcastle game, and whilst that one is perhaps a bit of an outlier, it was harum scarum from the first minute, barely a pass across the back four, just get it, go forward, lose it, rinse and repeat for 95 minutes and it was quite captivating.

When the Cov City Youtube page showed the 3-2 win over Arsenal from the 90s I watched and while it wasn't played at quite the pace of that Liverpool game it was a similar feeling. Much more open, none of the endless pissing about you get today, etc. It was genuinely a lot of fun whereas now if I devote my full attention to a football match it tends to bore me. I think it's why I like big tournaments so much because even a shit game has stakes and tension.

[Jimmy Floyd]

'Shape' is king. I can't remember which game it was I had on the other day and one team were a goal down going into injury time, but their attacks had zero urgency because as a starting point every single time they had to get into 'shape', knock it back to the goalkeeper and then have the centre half stand on the ball for thirty seconds shouting and waving his arms. There doesn't seem to be any scope for individual spontaneity beyond maybe one designated maverick per team and the managers don't really like them either.

Bielsa obviously is the messiah in this regard, and he obviously frustrates many given some of the coverage.

[Ian]

beyond maybe one designated maverick per team and the managers don't really like them either.

I've waffled about this before and I'll do it again: it's very much a thing in my mind that every Premier League team, no matter how dire a relegation battle there were in, used to have at least one of these.

Benito Carbone certainly wasn't getting into anybody's teams for his Herculean workrate.

[Mellberg]

Benito :drool:

Had him and Merson in the same side. Very good to watch (probably conceded a lot too). 3-2 vs Leeds Carbone hattrick lives long in the memory.

[Kikó]

It's just a few shit games which football always throws about. We're a week or two away from United 6-2 v Leeds and some other random high scoring games. It happens at all levels, sometimes it's fucking shit.

[Lewis]

We've all been right into football for twenty years. The only thing we haven't seen is England winning something. How is Bayern Munich winning another Champions' League meant to be exciting?

[niko_cee]

'Shape' is king. I can't remember which game it was I had on the other day and one team were a goal down going into injury time, but their attacks had zero urgency because as a starting point every single time they had to get into 'shape', knock it back to the goalkeeper and then have the centre half stand on the ball for thirty seconds shouting and waving his arms.

Sounds like Brighton.


It's just a few shit games which football always throws about. We're a week or two away from United 6-2 v Leeds and some other random high scoring games. It happens at all levels, sometimes it's fucking shit.

Leeds are obviously outliers here. We're also a few days out from a dreadful United game (although, in fairness United have probably been just about the best team to watch this season, even though half of their games have been dire, other than Leeds).

There are obviously a lot of factors at play, not least getting older and just not being as interested as days of yore, but for me football has become very much a click through to the result thing, which sort of defeats the whole point of it. I think no fans, and not having actually been to a game for ages, either makes it awful or just shines a light on how shit it is much of the time.

[Don]

You can thank the analytical statistic-led approach to understanding the game for much of the complaints. Everything is boring when it's stripped to cold hard data which, unfortunately, it can.

[Kikó]

Leeds are obviously outliers here. We're also a few days out from a dreadful United game (although, in fairness United have probably been just about the best team to watch this season, even though half of their games have been dire, other than Leeds).

There are obviously a lot of factors at play, not least getting older and just not being as interested as days of yore, but for me football has become very much a click through to the result thing, which sort of defeats the whole point of it. I think no fans, and not having actually been to a game for ages, either makes it awful or just shines a light on how shit it is much of the time.

This is definitely it for me. I'd have loved to have plotted how to get to Leipzig/Istanbul/Paris for the Champions League (and whoever we get in the Europa) and the same for some of the away fixtures in the UK. But this is just boring shit - even with United being decent at the moment. Without being able to go, it must feel like how fans in China feel, something to do but no real connection or lived experience.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You can thank the analytical statistic-led approach to understanding the game for much of the complaints. Everything is boring when it's stripped to cold hard data which, unfortunately, it can.

Being a baseball 'fan' (which is about 10 or more years ahead of any other sport in the analytics narrative) I can see this - the future is optimised, which leads to everyone complaining that all the fun has been removed. The next phase for football is the role of the 'manager' being reduced to that of a mere stuffed tracksuit as the 'front office' takes over.

[niko_cee]

Is the stuffed tracksuit an extension of the binman narrative?

Haven't United been sort of run by the 'front office' since Fergie left?

And furthermore, do 'analytics' actually work above a certain level or do they depend on a level playing field to be anything other than a way for crapper teams to outperform their equally shit peers? Are they not more of a route to interminable mediocrity?

[Don]

https://assets.manutd.com/AssetPicker/images/0/0/13/207/905167/GettyImages-8844768721587486803629.jpg

1 year contract extension. Great bit of business by the FO.

[Don]

God I can't get enough of that pic :D

[Giggles]

He turned out to be some waste of space for all the shaping he did.

[Lewis]

Arsenal are still seething about that to this day.

[niko_cee]

Remember when we nearly won the World Cup with him and 'Dele' as what was apparently a midfield? :happycry:

[Kikó]

Lingard was great in 2017 (?) with some big goals. Shame he's such an unlikeable twat.

[Ian]

Remember when we nearly won the World Cup with him and 'Dele' as what was apparently a midfield? :happycry:

The amazing thing about that is looking at those line-ups compared to the plethora of centre-halves and defensive mids Waistcoat insists on now.

[niko_cee]

Cavani banned for three games for his indiscretion.

lol

Why does he get three when Bernardo Silva got one?

[Lewis]

'Dele' only got one game as well. They're obviously making an example out of the big club.

[niko_cee]

They probably just conclude that Uruguayans are inherently racist.

[randomlegend]

It's because the rules changed in the meantime to make it a minimum 3 game ban.

It's still absolute nonsense though. Bunch of old white men telling every culture on earth what is offensive.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He shouldn't have done it on a global forum for millions to see that are from all different cultures.

He could have sent his friend a message privately.

[Shindig]

"Don't worry about it, homeboy. I'll be offended for you."

There's too much of that going on.

[niko_cee]

Tommy Docherty has gone and died.

Dunno why but I find him being 92 quite surprising.

[SincereTheRebel]

Are those Bruno stats further proof that a major signing arriving in Janaury is clearly an advantage.

[randomlegend]

He shouldn't have done it on a global forum for millions to see that are from all different cultures.

He could have sent his friend a message privately.

What a load of shit. I'm sure there are English words which sounds like a slur in another language. Are English footballers to be banned from using those words? Should they be forced to learn what those words are in case they use them?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And yet there are so many footballers (and other public figures) that manage to not use those words.

[niko_cee]

This has taken a strange twist.

Those words?

I've no idea about the niceties of modern social media society, but, if, say Paul Pogba was internet buds with an old school gangster rap person (I have no idea if they use twitter) would he be able to use the nuclear word in an exchange with them?

[Kikó]

He's an idiot for using the word and the punishment is justified. Don't use it on social media - it's not necessary.

Sad about the Doc. The 70s United under him sounded brilliant - I recommend reading the "Red Army Years" by Richard Kurt if you want a feel for it.

[Lewis]

Maikol Negro having to do a 'Memphis' with his shirt number to avoid routine bans.

[randomlegend]

There's a Chinese filler word which sounds like nigger (I believe it means "that" or "that one" but is often used like we would use um). Should Chinese players not be allowed to say it on social media?

[Offshore Toon]

I think that depends on if there's an old school gangster rap person on the opposition team or not.

[Shindig]

How old school are we talking? Public Enemy or "My name is blank and I'm here to say I'm about to rap in a major way"?

[Lewis]

If a player posted a video with rap music in the background would they be responsible for any language that slips through?

[Giggles]

In this fucking world we live in now? Of course.

[bruhnaldo]

I posted a meme once in which the person in the meme used “nigga” and got infraction points on this very website.

[Giggles]

I posted a meme once in which the person in the meme used “nigga” and got infraction points on this very website.

Ital or phonics must have been on duty that day.

[Kikó]

There's a Chinese filler word which sounds like nigger (I believe it means "that" or "that one" but is often used like we would use um). Should Chinese players not be allowed to say it on social media?

What a stupid fucking argument.

As if there's going to be a good Chinese player.

[Shindig]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Lei

The Wu Banger.

[John Arne]

RL is right - Who sets the rules? Kiko? From now on if you play in England you can only use words that Kiko has approved and everybody has to abide by his understanding and use of the word in question. No context, no cultural background, no nuance.

Đụ má mày, lợn trắng.

[Luca]

I mean, there's a big difference between a word that sounds like an unsavoury word, and an unsavoury word that is kosher in certain contexts. But FWIW I think 3 games and a fine is heavy-handed given the context here.

[Baz]

Bunch of old white men telling every culture on earth what is offensive.Replace offensive with lots of other things, and that’s life.

[niko_cee]

I think that depends on if there's an old school gangster rap person on the opposition team or not.

:D

Crapauconut.

I realise that doesn't really work, but I don't know if the coconut concept has an inverse.

[Kikó]

I mean, there's a big difference between a word that sounds like an unsavoury word, and an unsavoury word that is kosher in certain contexts. But FWIW I think 3 games and a fine is heavy-handed given the context here.

I agree with the first bit. The word used here is unfortunately too close to something like "darky" which is a complete no no. It's obviously not the same as using a word that sounds like another but means something different.

The obvious answer is text your mate or create a private Instagram account.