April football: Is it COMING HOME?

[Ian]

Obviously the Euros are ages away yet but seeing as we're all presumably desperately sad the international break is over and there was some chat about England's qualities, or lack thereof, last night let's have a premature poll about how apparent odds-on favourites England are going to do at the tournament.

Beyond that, you know the drill. Lots of teams playing lots of other teams this month, European knockout games which I imagine people are interested in, that sort of thing.

The best thing about this four day weekend is that United/Brighton isn't going to be the last part of the weekend. Cheers, Jesus!

[niko_cee]

Ramos is out of both legs of the Liverpool game.

I have absolutely no idea if this is a good or a bad thing.

[Shindig]

Maximum Alan and Callum Wilson are back in training. Except them to be late substitutes in a game that's already gone from us.

[Lofty]

Aubameyang's hair is something.

[Don]

We may well dick Real so hard it puts Haaland, Mbappe and the rest of them off contemplating such a move even if they somehow found the money.

[niko_cee]

Oh well, guess there's always next year.

[Waffdon]

Jorginho got Silva booked both times with two hospital passes. They should go on to win this

[Reg]

I see Thiago Silva's got sent off. Has he been much good generally?

[Waffdon]

Jorginho again :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see Thiago Silva's got sent off. Has he been much good generally?

Been injured for ages. He was good before that.

[Waffdon]

Sticking with 5 at the back with Jorginho and Alonso in your team with ten men was never going to work. This could and should be 5 or 6 if they really want

[Manc]

Big Sam donning the German scientist. Feels good.

[Waffdon]

The last two goals from West Brom have been incredible

I think Chelsea get beat at least once a year by a big score line against some bottom end team

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hopefully this is the last time we are daft enough to start without Mount.

[phonics]

I’ve never seen Brazil 1970 but a couple of the goals West Brom scored looked like what i imagine it to.

[niko_cee]

Nice to see Chelsea bring the lols before the usual interminable shitstorm that is the weekend football hits.

[Magic]

Raph. :drool:

[niko_cee]

West Brom sticking 8 past Chelsea over the two league games is also a bit :cab:. That 3-3 seems as if it was an age ago.

[Mellberg]

Lille winning at PSG could be a big deal. As far as French football can be anyway. Mon.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

PSG losing at home to Lille who are now 3 points ahead of them :drool:

[Lewis]

If/when Smallpockets is available in the summer United should get him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Aubmeyang's hair :harold:

[phonics]

Ceballos is an absolute joke. The definition of a fraud.

[Jimmy Floyd]

His future career path is Villarreal, Leganés, some team in Mexico, Al-Sadd, and finally Rayo Vallecano.

[phonics]

1378460674817413123

While this is a bad stat finding out that xG, the Dani Ceballos of footballing statistics, is only based off 7 years worth of data was nice.

[-james-]

You can build a pretty dece model off a couple seasons data. I don't think you get much more granularity by going back further.

The guy that runs that account is an absolute charlatan. I bought his first book a few years ago because he'd had an entry level job at SmartOdds and I thought I might learn something but it was just him repeating the same basic insights and referring to people like Peter Bloom for about 200 pages. I'm fairly sure most of his amazon reviews are fake and "our records" are definitely not his.

[Don]

FYI, Fabinho is the best midfielder in the world.

[-james-]

150k twitter followers lol. Man is doing it right.

[Shindig]

AM Peacock: Looks like Bruce has another excuse to be kept on now. Sigh.

Bruce has done alright. He's had to abandon that defensive trench he dug earlier in the season, but now he's setting the side up right.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can understand wanting Bruce (or any manager) out, but wanting your team to lose in order to make that happen seems a weird state of affairs. There are some teams that don't come back from relegation for decades or at all.

[Lewis]

Big Sam pulling off a GREAT ESCAPE at the expense of Newcastle would be nice. Give him the England job off the back of it as well.

[Lewis]

It would be worth United's season spluttering into the toilet from here if it got a proper manager brought in. Relegation though lol you don't want that.

[Shindig]

I can understand wanting Bruce (or any manager) out, but wanting your team to lose in order to make that happen seems a weird state of affairs. There are some teams that don't come back from relegation for decades or at all.

Aye, you just have to look at Sunderland or even how long it took Leeds to return. And wanting Bruce out doesn't lead to a better manager coming in. You get another cheap option with a meagre transfer budget and no scope beyond, "Mr. Ashley wants to stay in the Premiership. Ta." There's even a thick as pig shit conspiracy going around youtube that Mike Ashley wants the club relegated for erm ... I guess, parachute money!? Even though staying in the Premiership is clearly more lucrative.

[Spikey M]

Mourinho now saying he's the manager he's always been, it's just that the players are shit (which they are, but still...).

The same way his exits always start. He'll be gone by the summer.

Was always destined to failure. A truly bizarre coming together.

[Shindig]

Well, that's a bugger. :(

EDIT: Heh. Capitulation. :D


To glorify in the point won though is to fall into Bruce's (clap)trap - on chances, it's another two points lost. Nah. Do one.

[Mellberg]

We are definitely a one man team...and his name is Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan.

[thommo]

Feel a little sick after that. Complete capitulation in a game we looked so comfortable in.

[Mellberg]

Yeah, sickener for Fulham. We did it away to Burnley a few months back and still can't get my head around how.

[thommo]

Parker just seemed too passive in the subs. If we're going to sit back to hold on, bring on the subs and do it. Our midfield looked leggy and you brought on all 3 subs and kept the ball up our end.

Just need to stay within 3 pts of Newcastle to at least give us a chance on the last day.

[Shindig]

Wolves next weekend is doable for your lot. Same could be said for us and Burnley but Chris Wood's bound to give us bother.

[Lewis]

In a world where Sir Alex Ferguson never retires Danny Welbeck has five-hundred appearances and about eighty goals.

[Lewis]

1378781960814870530

I didn't realise it was that crap. Not even four a year.

[Raoul Duke]

1378781960814870530

I didn't realise it was that crap. Not even four a year.

I wonder how much money he's made per goal. Heroic stuff

[Lewis]

This is really bad. What are they even trying to do?

[Raoul Duke]

Get a penalty for Bruno's XG

[Gray Fox]

You surely know the script by now? Awful first half like this, then United win 3-1.

[Lewis]

Everyone looks too knackered for comebacks now.

[Pen]

We are definitely a one man team...and his name is Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan.

Well it’s good it’s a proper Brummie leading the lot 👍

[Lewis]

You joke...

[Spikey M]

I can't work out which way he meant that. :D

[Lewis]

That time he randomly went off and called AE the bad word should have made the archive.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mace :cool:

[Lewis]

Bruno Fernandes pre-assist suck it up lads.

[Mellberg]

If you fancy feeling old: Villa - Fulham was the first league game where every player was born after the Prem was started.

[phonics]

If you fancy feeling old: Villa - Fulham was the first league game where every player was born after the Prem was started.

It's when the majority of the players being born this Millenium is when I'll just Logans Run myself.

[Pen]

I can't work out which way he meant that. :D

It was a joke on how that probably could be quite a common name in Birmingham.

[Reg]

I thought we were alright yesterday but was pretty unfussed about giving the lead away and losing. I would ordinarily be pretty pumped for a Brighton-United game. Crowds coming back is going to be brilliant.

[Bob Sacamano]

Rapinoe is banging them in for Barnsley

[Don]

Rapinoe :D

[Shindig]

<looks at scoresheet> :D Crude but effective.

[Baz]

:D

Kevin Campbell’s son, Tyrese Campbell, looks a bit of a don. Stoke are useless without him.

[Baz]

Free sticker book: https://www.panini.co.uk/shp_gbr_en/euro2020-freesample
SincereTheRebel Foe

[SincereTheRebel]

Pretty poor season for Wolves all around. Jimenez getting his wig split didnt help either. It was always going to be diffuclt without him.

[Shindig]

Oh, Gateshead ...


Gateshead Football Club can confirm it has been sanctioned by the National League following a breach of rule 8.39.
Following the hearing, the Independent Panel has opted to fine the club a total of £1400 along with a suspended two-point deduction, the latter of which is to be applied following any further breach of rule 8.39 during the 2021/22 season.


Gateshead Football Club was not aware of any prior convictions of any person or persons associated with Monkeyfist Hair when entering into the sleeve sponsorship deal ahead of the 20/21 season.

[Foe]

Free sticker book: https://www.panini.co.uk/shp_gbr_en/euro2020-freesample
SincereTheRebel Foe

Saw that a few days ago but opted against it.

Maturity. :cool:

Might do the virtual version instead.

[Shindig]

I treat Ultimate Team / MyClub as a sticker album.

[Don]

Naby in place of Thiago is a cheeky cheeky move :drool:

[Manc]

Nrg.

[Raoul Duke]

Who's this 50 year old pub team player Liverpool have in defence? Is he the Chairman's son or something?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liverpool :harold:

[Waffdon]

That was a clear penalty on Benzema

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:harold:

[Lewis]

Gary Neville at home pissing himself.

[Lofty]

How much did Taz lump on this triumphant scouse performance?

[Spikey M]

I reckon there's a living to be made just backing the opposite of whatever Taz says.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Should have put it all on Finau.

Sir Henry Winter has described a refereeing performance in the City game as 'very weird', which means the guy's definitely on the take.

[Waffdon]

That referee blowing the whistle before Bellingham putting it in the net so VAR didn’t overturn it is bribery level of stuff

[Spoonsky]

Naby in place of Thiago is a cheeky cheeky move :drool:

Cheekily stupid. As though he's not good enough to start in the PL but now he's suddenly going to dominate the best midfield in football. :D

It's just way too slow from Liverpool, you're never going to beat Real Madrid in a midfield chess match. And their heads have gone after that second goal. Hopefully 15 minutes of breathing and visualization exercises can turn things around.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1379519969478709251

Ref blowing his whistle too early so this couldn't be reviewed...

[phonics]

Should have put it all on Finau.

Sir Henry Winter has described a refereeing performance in the City game as 'very weird', which means the guy's definitely on the take.

I’ll never forget this moment. Such obvious corruption. https://youtu.be/fWnsrTx9Y6E

[Jimmy Floyd]

I’ll never forget this moment. Such obvious corruption. https://youtu.be/fWnsrTx9Y6E

Barcelona that era used to get literally everything their way. Conspiracies aside, I think the refs were just in awe of them.

[Mellberg]

England's Trent Alexander-Arnold playing himself into the Euros squad.

That Bellingham decision is either corrupt or on levels of incompetence worthy of dismissal. Just wait you twat.

[Lewis]

Jose Mourinho blaming UNICEF and saying he didn't want to live in such a bent world that year was the promo of the decade.

[Foe]

England's Trent Alexander-Arnold playing himself into the Euros squad.

That Bellingham decision is either corrupt or on levels of incompetence worthy of dismissal. Just wait you twat.

Var should’ve intervened and given belligham a pen/foul then surely? Clear and obvious error.

It’s clearly not a foul by Bellingham, he’s either fouled, or he’s scores. It’s mental that they just let it go through. The right outcome there was goal, or at the very least goal scoring opportunity, for Dortmund.

Errors will always exist in football, which is why they’re wasting their time pissing about with margins on offsides if they can’t fix simple errors like this one. Get the main things right.

[Waffdon]

Allison deserves to concede that for that moustache alone

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

4 figures down the shitter, Taz?

[Spoonsky]

Steve McManaman is such an abysmal commentator.

[phonics]

Var should’ve intervened and given belligham a pen/foul then surely? Clear and obvious error.

It’s clearly not a foul by Bellingham, he’s either fouled, or he’s scores. It’s mental that they just let it go through. The right outcome there was goal, or at the very least goal scoring opportunity, for Dortmund.

Errors will always exist in football, which is why they’re wasting their time pissing about with margins on offsides if they can’t fix simple errors like this one. Get the main things right.

Ref whistled so it couldn’t be reviewed or something.

[Jimmy Floyd]

McManaman is unlistenably bad. Bring back Andy Townsend asap from whichever middle eastern hole he is no doubt in.

[Mellberg]

Townsend was on a Villa game the other week. Hasn't lost his touch the magnificent bastard.

[Mellberg]

Liverpool need a goal here. They're not good enough to turn these kinds of results at Anfield at the minute.

Edit: Fucker from the Guardian mbm making the same observation at the same time. Job please.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I say 'Not for me, Clive' and its cousins possibly daily. Might be the most influential dispenser of English since Shakespeare.

[Lewis]

Tren Talexanderarnold.

[Foe]

Goal couldn’t be given, but ederson kicked belligham before the whistle so why didn’t they step in for that?

It’s incompetent refereeing all around, in the quarter final. Mental.

[Luke Emia]

Liverpool need a goal here. They're not good enough to turn these kinds of results at Anfield at the minute.

Good of TAA to pack in one of his retard appearances tonight after being very good for the past few weeks. The defence tonight shows the problem at centre half as well you will get away with it against shite but not against more intelligent strikers.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The City choke is on :drool:

[Mellberg]

I say 'Not for me, Clive' and its cousins possibly daily. Might be the most influential dispenser of English since Shakespeare.

:D I use it too.

That and "That'll do, pig". So Andy Townsend and Babe. Culturally enlightened.

Karma in the City game.

[Mellberg]

Norwich as good as certain. Watford about 90%. Boring hell. Please not Reading as well ffs.

[Manc]

Mane is done.

[Spoonsky]

One of those games where you need every player to be on, and Mane and Trent have turned in awful performances. And the less spoken of poor Keita the better.

Open the Kop.

[Spoonsky]

Luka Modric is 35 :|

[Don]

That Thiago-Bobby gamble didn't pay off but Real are still limited so we should have this in the second leg, just a damn shame it'll be in an empty Anfield.

[CJay]

When was the last time Mané played well? He can’t seem to do anything right any more.

[phonics]

The media just gets dumber and dumber in need of a narrative. I've just seen a piece describing tonight as 'Klopps worst 45 minutes in Europe' like they didn't go on to lose a Europa League final despite being 3-0 up at half time.

[Lewis]

1379548985376055304

Fucking hell. Even the birds are lolling at him. Carragher at 1:27 as well. :lol:

[phonics]

If two people arguing for multiple minutes on a refereeing decision they agree with each other on instead of talking about the football doesn't sum up modern punditry...

[CJay]

The media just gets dumber and dumber in need of a narrative. I've just seen a piece describing tonight as 'Klopps worst 45 minutes in Europe' like they didn't go on to lose a Europa League final despite being 3-0 up at half time.

Eh?

Research on that one please.

[Spoonsky]

I think he's mentally combined the Dortmund semifinal and the loss to Sevilla in the final.

[Mellberg]

Phonics, I didn't watch the game and don't know the score, but that definitely didn't happen.

[niko_cee]

Perhaps he was counting that goal Lovren(?) had most unfairly disallowed?

Twice.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The linesman got Haaland's autograph in the tunnel last night, which on its own should be enough for the match to be replayed.

[SincereTheRebel]

The linesman got Haaland's autograph in the tunnel last night, which on its own should be enough for the match to be replayed.

Yeah, defiantly some funny business going on there

[John Arne]

This is mental. 11yr old playing in the Liberian 4th division...

1379732486142369793

He's probably 36.

[Lewis]

That's a much better pitch/stadium than I would have imagined the Liberian fourth division had.

[Shindig]

He'll have a bright future ahead of him until someone kicks his head clean off with a clearance.

[Waffdon]

Kante being benched in a quarter final in favour of Jorginho is a disgrace

[Waffdon]

Mount looks a far better player going forward than he did under Lampard.

Why is the keeper going with his feet :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why is the keeper going with his feet :D

On the rear view replay you can see he ballsed his initial footwork up, had all his weight on the left and then nowhere to go.

Beautiful goal all the same.

[Don]

Gazza losing it at Mount doubters on BT. I feel so attacked. Listen you cunts, some no-mark Nigerian diving in like he's playing the African CL doesn't change the fact Mount ain't a top class player.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Curtis Jones has posters of of our Mase in his room.

[Waffdon]

Tuchel is a more defensive manager than Mourinho. What the fuck is that team other there at the minute :sick:

[Reg]

That Bayern PSG game was fun. Partly thanks to commentator Paul (Dempsey?) being so excited he could barely control his voice. But largely because Bayern's way of playing still seems to be LET'S RUN, which means goals at both ends.

The draw was really a bugger for Man City.

Bayern / Paris vs Man. City / Dortmund
Real Madrid / Liverpool vs Porto / Chelsea

The bolded three are surely the strongest three teams.

[Waffdon]

That midfield 3 of Madrid will have the easiest game of their life against ‘Jovacic’

[niko_cee]

Chelsea will lol their way past Madrid. They just seem the sort of team to come out of nuggety unfancied situations, basically as a wider embodiment of Olivier Giroud's career. Liverpool with all the history between the two and the fact that Chelsea might be fancied would probably be a bigger challenge.

[Shindig]

There is something to Tuchel's boys strolling to a couple of 70% possession 0-0's and squeaking through on penalties.

[John Arne]

:d

1380086765067833345

[Offshore Toon]

Chelsea shitting it up to beat PSG in the final is the best possible outcome here. Tuchel absolutely donning Qatar.

[Baz]

Paul Gascoigne seems to be donning the Italian I’m A Celeb. Was off it for a bit cos he dislocated his shoulder but back now with an arm brace on and looking well. He’s made friends with Totti’s wife. :)

[Yevrah]

This may be the daftest question I've ever asked, but does he speak any Italian?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I wondered the same thing. The answer is no.

[Spikey M]

How does that work then? Because I'm assuming nobody over there speaks Coked up Geordie.

[Lewis]

The last picture I saw of Paul Gascoigne he looked like he had died and nobody had told him. How is he in any sort of state to be doing that?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNqRXb4IyJE

Seems he can talk some, broken, Italian.

[Baz]

The last picture I saw of Paul Gascoigne he looked like he had died and nobody had told him. How is he in any sort of state to be doing that?Does look lots better now.

I proper love him.

[Shindig]

That video's Julio Geordio as owt.

"Incredible, y'knaw?" :D

[ScousePig]

Quick rant about the utter incompetent EFL that nobody else will care about.

Today Peterborough have signed Stoke goalkeeper Josef Bursik on an emergency loan, after their first choice goalkeeper Christy Pym was injured on Monday. Bursik is highly rated and many Stoke fans apparently think he should be their number one. All fine, apart from the fact Peterborough already have another two professional goalkeepers, both fit, one of whom is their 25 year old back up. Not to mention this Stoke lad has already made a number of appearances for both Stoke and Doncaster this season, yet will be allowed to play for a third club. Utterly bizarre.

From the poor handling of the Covid situation, to public apologies about refereeing incompetence, to the wage cap debacle, and then little things like this, it really has been an eye opener at just how badly things are run at this level.

[Shindig]

Well, fingers crossed you go up this year.

[Lewis]

'Christy Pym' sounds like a fake name.

[ScousePig]

Well, fingers crossed you go up this year.

This is our best chance. We ballsed up the first season and lost in the play-off final, then last season Covid put a stop to things but we were hardly looking likely. Since Lee Johnson came in we've been transformed, however our recent performances have cast some doubt over whether we'll make the top two. We won't win the play-offs if that's where we end up again.

It's a real name Lewis, but he didn't look like a real keeper on Monday. His replacement Lev Yashin on the other hand...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rashford has a nagging ankle injury so clearly he must start every game...

[Shindig]

For the kids.

[mo]

Quick rant about the utter incompetent EFL that nobody else will care about.

Today Peterborough have signed Stoke goalkeeper Josef Bursik on an emergency loan, after their first choice goalkeeper Christy Pym was injured on Monday. Bursik is highly rated and many Stoke fans apparently think he should be their number one. All fine, apart from the fact Peterborough already have another two professional goalkeepers, both fit, one of whom is their 25 year old back up. Not to mention this Stoke lad has already made a number of appearances for both Stoke and Doncaster this season, yet will be allowed to play for a third club. Utterly bizarre.

From the poor handling of the Covid situation, to public apologies about refereeing incompetence, to the wage cap debacle, and then little things like this, it really has been an eye opener at just how badly things are run at this level.

They were also trying to sign Luke Steele (as were Swindon at the time) but neither move happened because he'd already played for a third club (what sounded like a Sunday League team). One rule for one, etc.

Fully expecting to be chucked out the league with this FA charge we're facing now. Occurs to me that this may somewhat tarnish Gareth Barry's legacy somewhat as well.

[ScousePig]

It's disappointing to see what has happened to Swindon this season under Sheridactyl. There's a good Swindon fan on our board who was raving about you last season under Wellens, and now it's all gone to pot.

[ScousePig]

Also, with talk about financials, supposedly six Championship clubs are under transfer embargos and Coventry are close to administration.

In better news, I've renewed my season ticket and kept the same seat as pre-Covid. Something the old owners actually managed to get right.

[ScousePig]

https://twitter.com/bbcoxfordsport/status/1380158490128310284?s=19

In further other news, Oxford manager Karl Robinson has announced that he will 'take to the stands' whenever iconic referee Trevor Kettle officiates an Oxford match. This comes after Kettle sent Robinson off in a game against us recently when temperatures reached boiling point.

I mean, if you weren't part of it you'd think it was hilarious.

*If someone could sort the twitter link I would be grateful.

Oh, and this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56620143

Allegations were later dropped.

[randomlegend]

That was brilliant from Rashford.

[Don]

That fat prick Karl lives a few doors down from me and we cross patgs daily on our walks/runs. I've yet to come up with anything witty to shout at him so I'm thinking of presenting him with a dossier on his team at some point as my 'in' to the industry, AVB style.

"Conclusion: your team is too white for lower league Brexitball"

[ScousePig]

That fat prick Karl lives a few doors down from me and we cross patgs daily on our walks/runs. I've yet to come up with anything witty to shout at him so I'm thinking of presenting him with a dossier on his team at some point as my 'in' to the industry, AVB style.

"Conclusion: your team is too white for lower league Brexitball"

He's a gobshite who struts around the technical area. He's not the most offensive in the league mind; he's in good company with the likes of Steve Evans and Joey Barton.

[ScousePig]

This was my recent review of our game with them if it helps at all Taz.

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/mackday-meldrew-oxford-united.1546620/

It's mostly about us.

[Lewis]

This referee is blowing for everything like it's 2003.

[Ian]

Top diving from Fernandes there.

[randomlegend]

The ref is appalling.

[Spikey M]

1380263658790518799?s=19

[Ian]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/08/bigger-more-diverse-european-super-league-can-enrich-football-philipp-lahm

You wouldn't have thought somebody who spent almost all of his career at Bayern would be this naive about what's driving the Champions League reforms.

[thommo]

For once, we've benefited from an absolute shocker from VAR. There's no way that Wolves goal should have been disallowed.

Need to actually take advantage of this situation and get a fucking win now.

[Shindig]

Sunday can't come soon enough after that.

[thommo]

Feels like that's the final nail in the coffin. Still have Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal to play away and we've played 2 more than everyone else. Absolutely gutting losing it so late on to that fraud.

[-james-]

Two minutes silence. :lol:

[Magic]

Disgusting.

[Alex]

Disgusting.

Piss take. He won the ball, what do they expect him to do with his legs after? Dematerialise into thin air?

[Magic]

Lesforehead and duck lips two dirty bastards emphasising the letter of the law...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Get fucked City.

[Alex]

Yes lads. Fucking yes.

[Magic]

:henn0rz:

[Reg]

Nice win that.

Pundits talking about Stones' lack of pace on that second goal - surely being aware of the runner before the pass is more important. He just wanders into a useless position, blind to the side where Dallas is coming from.

I think England might need three centre backs...

Anyway well done Leeds. A lovely addition to the Prem.

[Ian]

The title chase is ON.

And will then be OFF again once Jose bores us to death tomorrow.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ollie Watkins has made Liverpool his bitch.

[Don]

That VAR decision :happycry:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Barkley is horrendous when you give him time on the ball.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If Barkley had just shot instead of trying to take 5 minutes to decide what to do Liverpool don't win.

[Don]

Mane is like me, physical dons absolutely ruined by COVID. Bench him for Wednesday, same XI as today but Thiago in place of Milner.

[Spoonsky]

That is immense from the young man. :drool:

[niko_cee]

I've no idea where 'Trent' should actually play but it's becoming increasingly clear that it probably shouldn't be in defence.

That was an awful game though, typifying everything bad about both covid and VAR era football.

[Shindig]

Piss take. He won the ball, what do they expect him to do with his legs after? Dematerialise into thin air?

Intent doesn't matter with dangerous play. It looks about right to me.

[Magic]

Ah, thanks for that clarity man who is scared of his own shadow.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Havertz was unreal for us vs Palace. If he plays like that he's going to be world class.

[SincereTheRebel]

33 minutes into el Classico and it's Real 2-0 Barca. Dembele has had about 10 fresh air shots and fallen over. In typical Barca fashion, they have 10 outfield players inside the Madrid final third and every time Madrid clear the ball, it's Vinicius junior burning down the left. Creating chance after chance. It should be 5-0.

[Bob Sacamano]

Remember when everyone used to pretend to care about El Classico in this country? Didn't even know it was on.

[Manc]

In fairness it was peak entertainment when Mourinho was in Madrid.

[Magic]

Revista de La Liga. :drool:

[Waffdon]

Havertz was unreal for us vs Palace. If he plays like that he's going to be world class.

That front 3 should be the go to. Either that or Hudson Odoi further up.

[Mellberg]

La Liga's standards have obviously gone off a cliff, but that is some title race they have cooking. Might have to pretend to be interested for a few weeks.

[SincereTheRebel]

Lille are three points clear in France and inter are eight ahead in Italia. All leagues have been one-sided over the past ten years. Covid balance.

[niko_cee]

Not really applying to England though.

[Kikó]

Wait until we win later and put the pressure on city.

[Manc]

Wins for West Ham & Spurs would be beautiful.

[Kikó]

Lille are three points clear in France and inter are eight ahead in Italia. All leagues have been one-sided over the past ten years. Covid balance.

Sporting are about to win their first League in twenty years as well in Portugal.

[Shindig]

Add Rangers winning to the surprise pile as well.

[-james-]

The writing has been on the wall in Scotland for a while. Rangers were the better side for a lot of last season as well.

[Shindig]

I didn't see them being this comfortable, though.

Not big on that formation Bruce has went for. Five at the back and Joelinton in a front two. I think he does better out wide.

[Waffdon]

Wins for West Ham & Spurs would be beautiful.

Eh? Surely as a Liverpool fan you want the opposite?

[niko_cee]

Presumably talking in terms of EXCITEMENT.

United are gone but Leicester probably still have it in them to blow up again like they did last season.

[Waffdon]

Liverpool have the easier run in, only Man Utd away looks somewhat tough. Leicester still have to play West Ham, Chelsea and Man Utd. Think Chelsea have the same but Man City instead of Utd.

Liverpool and West Ham to finish 3rd and 4th

[Gray Fox]

Eh? Surely as a Liverpool fan you want the opposite?

Liverpool need more than just Chelsea to go up against for the top 4. If Leicester lose they're only 4 points ahead of us and they still have United, Chelsea and Spurs to play. Plus Rodgers tends not to do well under pressure.

Everyone has a very similar goal difference too, so it could quite literally come down to the odd goal.

[Don]

We're cruising it which is a shame as would have been cool to finish outside top 4 and still qualify for CL again.

Newcastle relegation battle coming down to their last 2 games against Sheff Utd and Fulham :drool: They're down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're more than safe now. Fulham's mistake has been an utter refusal to score goals.

[Shindig]

It's a dead rubber now. The big players have come back, Bruce has got us organised for some key games as well. Even if we held station until the Fulham game, it would've required us to shit the bed against a long buried Sheff Utd with a caretaker in change.

[Offshore Toon]

It's a dead rubber now. The big players have come back, Bruce has got us organised for some key games as well. Even if we held station until the Fulham game, it would've required us to shit the bed against a long buried Sheff Utd with a caretaker in change.
You talk as if shitting the bed against Sheff Utd isn't the most likely scenario.

Think we're safe now, anyway. Means nothing without a change of ownership though.

[Shindig]

I can't see us losing both of the last two. Not if there's something to play for.

[Kikó]

We're cruising it which is a shame as would have been cool to finish outside top 4 and still qualify for CL again.

Newcastle relegation battle coming down to their last 2 games against Sheff Utd and Fulham :drool: They're down.

How are you doing this?

[-james-]

Newcastle still need another win I think and I'm not sure where it comes from, looking at upcoming fixtures. Fulham should pick up a couple between now and the last day.

[Don]

Lingard, jesus :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Newcastle are not going to lose six in a row any more than Fulham are going to win one of their 4 remaining away games (3 of which are at Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal) having scored 0.75 goals per game for 32 games.

[Shindig]

They need two wins. :D And goal difference is only 3 goals out.

Fulham's run-in
Arsenal
Chelsea
Burnley
Southampton
Man Utd
Newcastle

They've lost their last 4 matches to an aggregate of 2-9. Bobby Decorator Reid has 5 Premier League goals all season. Lookman has 4 with Mitrovic bagging 2. I've been generous and given them two games they could potentially win. Bear in mind they need 2 more than Newcastle.

Newcastle's run-in
West Ham
Liverpool
Arsenal
Leicester
Man City
Sheff Utd
Fulham

Newcastle have lost 1 in their last six, scoring 8 and conceding 8. Wilson's scored 10 this season, Almiron has 4, Saint Maximin has 3. We'll get something from the last two matches. Crucially, I don't think we need to.

[Waffdon]

Christ, Leicester really are bottling it. Liverpool should make top four with their fixtures. West Ham or Chelsea for fourth

[SincereTheRebel]

Lingard, jesus :D

Lingardinho.

[Manc]

Scotty Parker to hang himself on the eve of the last day.

[Spikey M]

Christ, Leicester really are bottling it. Liverpool should make top four with their fixtures. West Ham or Chelsea for fourth

:nono:

[-james-]

Perfectly plausible that Newcastle lose their next five games and Fulham get 5 or 6 points from their's. It's a tall order but Fulham are definitely not the 18th best side in the league at the moment.

[SincereTheRebel]

Lille are three points clear in France and inter are eight ahead in Italia. All leagues have been one-sided over the past ten years. Covid balance.


Sporting are about to win their first League in twenty years as well in Portugal.


Add Rangers winning to the surprise pile as well.

A.Madrid could win a title too. They have a game in hand and level all points with R.Madrid.

[Waffdon]

Turn the game on and Rashford is on the floor crying again. Every single time :D

[Bob Sacamano]

1 in 18 for Vardy, he might be finished

[Lewis]

Paulp Ogba retiring that defender.

[Lewis]

I would like to retract my previous VAR praise.

[mugbull]

If that’s intentional - which obviously it was - then it has to be a 2nd yellow

[mugbull]

Thanks for backing me up, Sky Sports

[Gray Fox]

That makes no sense.

[Kikó]

VAR is a load of shit.

[mugbull]

United fans on here being impartial again :happycry:

[Don]

Utd in the mud, Bruno losing his head, Jose the architect. Fucking INJECT IT INTO ME INTRAVENOUSLY.

[Kikó]

Oh yes, sorry I was a big fan of VAR before today.

[Don]

Roy Keane is a bit harsh on Son there, the slightest flick on the eye is probably more painful than his Haaland challenge.

[Lewis]

A normal eye maybe.

[Don]

Fs :D

[Spikey M]

It's cute that nobody had shit to say when Lamela got sent off for the same thing against Arsenal.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ric Flair would have been proud of that eye gauge.

[Lewis]

Fred scoring is a sort of revenge.

[Ian]

Another top, top dive from Fernandes there.

[Waffdon]

Both goals from Man Utd have been class. Cavani is so good

[Lewis]

The pre-assist again. :drool:

[Ian]

And a top, top pre-goal-contribution.

[Ian]

I was halfway through saying "he should have passed it inside there" when he thumped it in.

[Shindig]

I'm beginning to think I should never count the Binman out.

[Kikó]

Great win that - 2nd place is pretty close to being secured. Could end up being a reasonable season.

[Lewis]

Paulp Ogba makes so much happen around the box. He is a number ten.

[niko_cee]

It’s a compliment to me in the way we start matches, the way we are organised. Then what happens during matches to lose points from winning positions is one of the situations I am not comfortable with talking to the media anymore.

:happycry:

[Danny]

https://streamable.com/mndzqj

"Games gone". My binman.

[Shindig]

I reckon if you stare at Ole long enough, he'll morph into Mark Hughes.

[Lewis]

He seemed to be cultivating a bit of a bald patch today that I haven't noticed. It must have been the stress of the title challenge.

[randomlegend]

Anyone who thinks that was a foul by McTominay is dangerously retarded.

[mugbull]

I’m not one with rulebook so i don’t know if it was a foul or not, but it was 100% intentional

[Spikey M]

It's ridiculous. It was a dive. There's no way it hurt.

But....

It was a foul. Thems the rules.

[Lewis]

I'm very, very surprised after the comments that Ole made on Sonny, you don't ask me about it. Because, if it's telling me that player A, B or C from another club was my son and I wouldn't give him dinner tonight, what would be the reaction to that? It’s very, very sad that you don’t ask me about that. It's sad that you don't have the moral honesty to treat me the same way as you treat others. In relation to Sonny, I just want to say that Sonny is very lucky that his father is a better person than Ole. I am a father. I think as a father you always have to feed your kids. Doesn't matter what they do. If you have to steal to feed your kids, you steal. I'm very, very disappointed. We have a saying in Portugal, bread is bread and cheese is cheese.

It's a tragedy that he didn't win titles with United.

[Manc]

but it was 100% intentional

This. Top work from the ref imo.

[Don]

Any more details on this 'house party' of Perez's that Maddison, Hamza, Barnes and Morgan were at? Was it a proper house party with hookers and shit or is Maddison's international career destroyed because 5 geezers who spend 40 hours a week with each other and shower together decided to play some poker outside of work hours?

[randomlegend]

It's ridiculous. It was a dive. There's no way it hurt.

But....

It was a foul. Thems the rules.

Son was trying to foul him and got brushed on the face when McTominay tried to push Son's arm away. It's not a foul in a million years.

[Spikey M]

Son was trying to foul him and got brushed on the face when McTominay tried to push Son's arm away. It's not a foul in a million years.

Intentionally swinging an arm and hitting someone in the face is a foul. In this instance it's ridiculous, but by the letter of the law it's a foul and VAR got it right.

[Ian]

Fernandes goes down for similar levels of contact about three times a game.

[Don]

Yeah but Son isn't a filthy diving gyppo.

[Baz]

I've no idea where 'Trent' should actually play but it's becoming increasingly clear that it probably shouldn't be in defence.

That was an awful game though, typifying everything bad about both covid and VAR era football.
Based on that goal alone, he should replace Mane.

Unfortunately that means playing Neco “worse than me at football” Williams at right back, and I’d rather actually have a chance of winning.