May football: Southend United relegated (nearly)

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The story is only half right and from 2019.

1178254406661234688

The club also went under last year due to not paying salaries.

Oh and the owner of Zibo Cuju has actually played for the club this year. I do not know if he has an overweight son who also plays though.

[Shindig]

I like how he's pointing everywhere like he's directing traffic. And some of his touches look strangely arrogant. When's the last time there was a nonchalant fatty in the game?

[Ian]

Luke Shaw. :cool:

[niko_cee]

Dias getting the footballer writers award just confirms what a truly awful season this has been.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57182285

River Plate had to play midfielder Enzo Perez in goal because of a coronavirus outbreak but still beat Independiente Santa Fe 2-1 in the Copa Libertadores.

The Argentine side had 20 players test positive for Covid-19 and, along with injuries, went into the Group D game in Buenos Aires with just 11 players.

Four River Plate keepers were impacted and a request to register their fifth and sixth keepers was rejected.

Perez, 35, was chosen to play in goal and helped his side to victory.

:cool:

He was also awarded the MOTM.

No idea why they weren't allowed to register their 5th or 6th choice keepers though.

[mo]

I like how he's pointing everywhere like he's directing traffic. And some of his touches look strangely arrogant. When's the last time there was a nonchalant fatty in the game?

Steve McNulty.

[Manc]

Why is everyone trying to convince me Tryone Mings is a solid defender? Fuck off.

[Gray Fox]

Nuno Santo leaving Wolves on Sunday. The Wolves fans around me are furious and they all reckon he's off to Spurs.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, there must be more to it than 'mutual consent', unless Wolves have had enough of being a top flight club.

[Lewis]

He's had three years and spent a lot of money, so you can see why they might want to freshen things up if they look less likely than ever to be threatening the so-called 'Big Six'.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mourinho would have been such a perfect fit there, and is such a dreadful fit at Roma.

[Shindig]

I genuinely don't know if Mourinho could do a decent job anywhere. Maybe Bayern Munich. As for Wolves, they're not really pushed on and they've struggled to replace Jota. I don't think Nuno will do that much at Spurs, either. It's Spurs.

[Don]

I rate Levy's footballing mind but that's all gone if he doesn't go for Potter.

[Spikey M]

Sacking Mourinho to get Nuno would make no sense what so ever. It really should be Potter.

[Luke Emia]

I see FIFA are looking into the possibility of a World Cup every 2 years. I know the Super League was a crock of shit but if it’s not one load of corrupt individuals trying to shoehorn more games into the calendar it’s another.

[Lewis]

Daniel Levy has just spent a billion quid on a stadium so that he can pretend to run a big club. He isn't going to hand it over to somebody called 'Graham Potter'.

[Don]

Barca signing Aguero and Depay on frees is fun. Thought they might slip into real Arsenal mediocrity but Depay in particular should give them a few more years of relevance.

[Shindig]

Daniel Levy has just spent a billion quid on a stadium so that he can pretend to run a big club. He isn't going to hand it over to somebody called 'Graham Potter'.

"And if you look over here, Graham, you'll see our cheese bar."

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see FIFA are looking into the possibility of a World Cup every 2 years. I know the Super League was a crock of shit but if it’s not one load of corrupt individuals trying to shoehorn more games into the calendar it’s another.

What it is is an arms race by the competing trio of FIFA, UEFA and the Big Clubs to have control over the golden goose. The Big Clubs made a serious tactical (and probably strategic) error with the super league announcement, and you can expect FIFa and UEFA to surge into the gap that has created.

[Lewis]

If 'LvG' had done another year Memphis Depay would be a club legend and Marcus Rashford would be at Blackburn.

[niko_cee]

I rate Levy's footballing mind but that's all gone if he doesn't go for Potter.

Please god yes.

[SincereTheRebel]

Nuno brought in the best years at Wolves. They do need a refresh but I thought maybe one more season. I don't want to see any of the Gerrard or Lampard type characters. Talk of some next Portuguese don getting the job. Pulling the same stunt twice, I don't like it. What's Rafa up to these days?

[Shindig]

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-rafa-benitez-wolves-20651493

I'm going to come right out and say it: Deifying Rafa is one of the stupidest fucking things wor fanbase has ever fucking done. He worked very well under the circumstances but the same can be argued for Steve Bruce.

[Don]

Mon the bees.

[-james-]

That Bournemouth goal. :harold:

[Don]

Toney is a top WUM, shouldn't have been booked. Gonna be a red here at some point.

[-james-]

This is amazing.

[Don]

It really doesn't get better than this :drool:

[niko_cee]

Definitely all aboard the Brentford v Barnsley final, which pretty much assures the exact opposite outcome.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lewandowski > Gerd Muller :cool:

[SincereTheRebel]

A.Madrid are about to kick off two points clear of R.Madrid. Valladolid is still fighting for survival.

[SincereTheRebel]

Lewandowski > Gerd Muller :cool:

It should be two Ballon d'Or in a row for him. Covid scammed him last year.

[SincereTheRebel]

A.Madrid are about to kick off two points clear of R.Madrid. Valladolid is still fighting for survival.

and A.Madrid have gone 1-0 down.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

and A.Madrid have gone 1-0 down.

Fat Ronaldo apparently has offered each player 150k if they beat Atletico.

[SincereTheRebel]

R.Madrid have gone 1-0 down at home to Villareal

[SincereTheRebel]

Both Madrids are losing at halftime.

[SincereTheRebel]

A.Madrid have just made it 1-1 with a some Dinho movement on the edge of the box.

Benzema had a goal wiped out for Madrid. They are still losing 1-0

1396153846905384967

[Gray Fox]

Both Madrid sides won.

Barcelona looking right mugs for letting Suarez go.

[SincereTheRebel]

French league tomorrow with either Lille, PSG and possible Monaco if they win by about 25 goals.

[Don]

The banter if either of these teams make it into the prem. They'll be down by November.

[Spoonsky]

Relegation scenes at the bottom of Ligue 1. :drool:

13th through 18th all still in it.

[Baz]

Ashley Young scored for Inter today. I forgot he exists.

[randomlegend]

Wolves should do us about 4-0.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Elanga :cool:

[randomlegend]

What a cross from James on his weaker foot.

[Lewis]

Doniel James. No need for a right-sided forward now. Spend the ninety million on Declan Rice.

[Waffdon]

Kovacic and Jorginho are such an awful pairing. If Kante doesn’t start next week, City will win by about 5.

[Shindig]

Willock will not have it this good at Arsenal. :(

[Waffdon]

Jorginho :lol:

He’ll somehow start in the Champions League Final, the absolute melt. Chelsea bottling two finals and top four would be some laugh. Tuchel out the door by time Euros finish.

[Boydy]

What's the rule these days for if Chelsea finish 5th but win the Champions League?

[Lewis]

I would like to retract my Daniel James praise.

[randomlegend]

Doniel James. No need for a right-sided forward now. Spend the ninety million on Declan Rice.

Lol that finish.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What's the rule these days for if Chelsea finish 5th but win the Champions League?

They both get in.

[Lewis]

I've just clocked Everton in tenth. A few mug punters fancied them at the start of the season didn't they, as if you can just stop being Everton because you sign a big name player.

[randomlegend]

Hope Hannibal gets on. Kid is absolute class.

[Spoonsky]

Chelsea and Leicester competing to throw this away.

[Waffdon]

The ball hits Mings’ hand which stops the ball going in the net. How isn’t that a penalty

[igor_balis]

fouls like that winks one have to be a red IMO

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just look at that hair :drool:

[Gray Fox]

Oh Brendan. Not again.

[Lewis]

The Big Four is back and BIGGER THAN EVER.

[randomlegend]

Hope Hannibal gets on. Kid is absolute class.

He's so good.

[Lewis]

Have Leicester really BOTTLED IT/faded? They have a thirteen man squad.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That is an all time bottle job by Leicester. Also secures Tottenham's passage into the Conference League so what's not to like.

And Sutton United going up, what a day.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Have Leicester really BOTTLED IT/faded? They have a thirteen man squad.

Within that match, it's a bottle job. All season, obviously they were doing well to be in that position in the first place.

[Spoonsky]

Third place never in doubt.

[Don]

Wanking over 'Hannibal' :D he's Angel Gomes with bigger hair, get back on the Pellistiri bandwagon son.

[Spoonsky]

Fucking hell, Schmeichel really punched it into his own net.

[phonics]

4th gets knocked out.

[Shindig]

12th is Steve Bruce's highest Premier League finish for a decade. He has only finished as high as 10th in his career.

[Lewis]

I've heard more about Noel Gallagher and Manchester City this week than Sergio Aguero, which, once again, is every reason why they're a nothing enterprise.

[randomlegend]

Wanking over 'Hannibal' :D he's Angel Gomes with bigger hair, get back on the Pellistiri bandwagon son.

He's already better than Thiago.

[phonics]

Steve Bruce spends all year getting slagged off and finishes better than ‘Rafa’ ever did.

[Gray Fox]

David Moyes' West 'am United only 1 point off Leicester in the end. And above the other 2 shithouse London clubs. Very underrated job.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know if manager of the year has already been sorted, but Moyes should be it. Many had them to go down.

Must be their first London silver medal for years.

[phonics]

Absolutely pathetic league. 6 points of CL despite being absolute trash all year.

[Shindig]

I don't know if manager of the year has already been sorted, but Moyes should be it. Many had them to go down.

Must be their first London silver medal for years.

I'd have him for it as well. Maybe an outside shot at Bielsa or Dean Smith.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6xlHcFW4AM2N6p?format=jpg

:lol:

[Offshore Toon]

After finishing above Wolves, I'm expecting the pundits and papers to link Bruce to the Tottenham job. He could replicate Harry Redknapp's success.

[Shindig]

Honestly, someone giving Bruce a big job would warm my heart.

[randomlegend]

Maddison is meant to be a proper twat.

[Lewis]

He looks like he is. Stephen Ireland's regen.

[Raoul Duke]

Wonder if he has a big pink car

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lille 45 minutes away from a league title.

[Manc]

Napoli. :facepalm:

[SincereTheRebel]

One job

[SincereTheRebel]

Lille are champs

[Don]

Klopp is manager of the year, rest assured. That achuevement is outrageous and will only be appreciated next season when we don't play with 9 every game.

[niko_cee]

Schmeichel (still can't spell that name) had a bit of a stinker.

That 3rd goal isn't handball now? He did sort of appear to control it with his hand, hardly incidental contact.

[Guybrush]

That 3rd goal isn't handball now? He did sort of appear to control it with his hand, hardly incidental contact.

That confused me as well. I don't like the rule but I thought attacking players touching the ball with a hand meant the goal was ruled out, incidental or not.

[Shindig]

Newcastle's fans are right to expect more but this centres more on owner Mike Ashley than Bruce and in his defence they looked a much more purposeful side when Callum Wilson and Alain Saint-Maximin were fit.

No, it's Bruce getting most of it. Fuck our fanbase.


To be content with that upturn though is to fall into the usual unrealistic expectations trap. How high could we have finished if we'd not had our own personal mid-season break and attempted to play games without actually attacking? Injuries and the effects of the pandemic this season weren't unique to this club, no matter what you might hear in the media.

Yeah, how high could we have hit if two Covid outbreaks hadn't hit the club? One of which kept Saint Maximin out of action for 2 months? We had maybe six of our first team out at one point. We're not a big squad so that absolutely knackered us. Joyless old cunts.

[Waffdon]

That confused me as well. I don't like the rule but I thought attacking players touching the ball with a hand meant the goal was ruled out, incidental or not.

Commentators said it was because it wasn’t immediately before the goal (it was). If Kane scored it would have been disallowed but because there was technically another phase before he passes it, the goal stood

[Waffdon]

That Spain squad looks average as fuck. Laporte switching from being French to Spanish the only saving grace.

There’s one Brighton player in the squad and zero Real Madrid players

[Ian]

Just looked at the squad and my main takeaway is that I'd have had Busquets as a good bit older than 32.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Full respect to Aymeric Laporte, he's put a lot of grind into creating the illusion that he isn't French, and now he finally has his reward.

(He's 100% French).

[Lewis]

I can't remember a country having depth like the French do now. Recent winners of things have tended to either have ten very good players (Germany, Italy) or half a team of exceptional ones (France [1998], Brazil, Spain), but their second string could worry the semi-finals, and the bums they leave at home would still be a handy side.

[Lewis]

Going through these old squads and 1998 looks to have been the most open tournament. Argentina, Brazil, France, Holland, and Italy all had the personnel to win it, and when they did meet they all seem to have been close games. They still had the players for 2002 as well but only Brazil managed not to be shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Does treating your immigrants like shit lead to excellent football talent production? I think it's certainly worth looking into.

[Baz]

Going through these old squads and 1998 looks to have been the most open tournament. Argentina, Brazil, France, Holland, and Italy all had the personnel to win it, and when they did meet they all seem to have been close games. They still had the players for 2002 as well but only Brazil managed not to be shit.Cos Ronaldo was three times better than anyone else, so when he wasn’t vibrating in 2002, Brazil were the best.

[Waffdon]

You’re better off finishing 2nd in Scotland/England’s group. Winner faces the 2nd out of Germany, France and Portugal whereas the runner up faces the runner up from Spain, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden.

I didn’t even realise teams can qualify from 3rd place into the knockouts. What a shambles, as is Scotland having two games at their own stadium and England having all 3 at their own place

[Jimmy Floyd]

Brazil's run in 2002 was: China, Costa Rica, Turkey, (a shit) Belgium, Trevor Sinclair, Turkey again, and finally a very pedestrian German side who had had a piss easy run themselves. Of all World Cup wins this was possibly the biggest second-gear crowning.

Argentina should have been favourites for that on paper but chose our favourite maverick coach to send them to a group stage exit; Italy should have been up there too, but made a complete mess of the group and then suffered from a severe dose of entitlement vs South Korea (and a bit of shit reffing, but in their case that is very overplayed because of said entitlement, the real shit reffing was in Korea v Spain).

Holland definitely had the players too, but forgot to qualify.

[niko_cee]

Commentators said it was because it wasn’t immediately before the goal (it was). If Kane scored it would have been disallowed but because there was technically another phase before he passes it, the goal stood

I assumed it was related to that Firmino one (against Spurs) which sort of changed the rules (and the ludicrous Matt Cash one soon thereafter) where if the ball is considered to have deflected into the hand/arm from you playing the ball it isn't handball - but it just seemed even accounting for that that Kane did sort of use his hand to control it. lol if it was for lack of proximity to the goal/some phase of play wank.

[Gray Fox]

It seems the Konate deal is done. Liverpool making the Champions League places more than made up the cost of the transfer too. A deal for Kabak is now likely off too. We've Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez, Konate and Phillips ahead of him with Fabinho able to step in.

A lot of talk about Bissouma being the Wijnaldum replacement but I expect to see a decent spending spree.

[Offshore Toon]

No, it's Bruce getting most of it. Fuck our fanbase.



Yeah, how high could we have hit if two Covid outbreaks hadn't hit the club? One of which kept Saint Maximin out of action for 2 months? We had maybe six of our first team out at one point. We're not a big squad so that absolutely knackered us. Joyless old cunts.
Bruce got shit for putting together some utterly hopeless displays and without ASM bossing it or Willock gannin radge it's a very different story.

Sometimes a team performs well despite the tactics, and I think this is a good example. Why are you so big on him?

[Kikó]

Sounds like good players win games from that summary Offy.

[Shindig]

I've seen too many mag managers blow hot and cold before him. Pardew had the same bother. He'd get us to Europe and then spend 13 games without a win. It's not a problem exclusive to Bruce. Benitez went 10 games without a win at the start of 2018-9. In that run we had some big hitters but we also stunk up the joint against Brighton, Cardiff and Southampton (no shots on target). When we finally did get a win, we rode our luck against Watford. At the time, Joselu was our top scorer with 2.

Until we get actual squad depth, in talent as well as raw numbers, this will not change.

[Waffdon]

This should be named the Unai Emery trophy if Villarreal win this tonight.

[Lewis]

Daniel James masterclass off the bench. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why has he dropped Fred and moved Pogba back to CDM/CM when Pogba has looked his best on the left?

[Shindig]

Owen Hargreaves is completely German now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

God I hate watching Rashford play football. He looks like he's despising every minute. Stick to feeding kids, mate.

[Waffdon]

Why has he dropped Fred and moved Pogba back to CDM/CM when Pogba has looked his best on the left?

Probably because Fred is horrendous

[Ian]

At least he does look like he's enjoyed it if he scores a goal, usually, which puts him several levels of cheeriness above Martial.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lindelof is not a footballer.

[Ian]

United? Conceding from a set piece? No, that scarcely seems possible.

[Don]

Man Utd's options off the bench are so tragic :D

This Yeremy Pino kid is hot shit.

Edit: Gahahaha

[Shindig]

Whoop. Just step up and play them offside, silly.

[Waffdon]

10/3 for Man Utd is generous considering their record away from home when losing

[Pleb]

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/bernabeu-stadium-fire-real-madrid-b1854543.html

[Lewis]

Let's never hear any Harry Maguire criticism ever again.

[Gray Fox]

The old United losing in the first half routine. I look forward to stories of their 3-1 win.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I love the look of this Villarreal side. Especially the centre half pairing. Phwoar.

I swear Unai Emery and/or Carlos Bacca have been winning the Europa League for about a decade straight.

[Waffdon]

I love the look of this Villarreal side. Especially the centre half pairing. Phwoar.

I swear Unai Emery and/or Carlos Bacca have been winning the Europa League for about a decade straight.

Emery won 3 in a row for Sevilla and then lost to Eden Hazard in 2018. It’s some record.

[Don]

I wouldn't write off the Man Utd season if they lose here as ultimately, they are without their first choice CB and captain for 1 game.

:********)

[Shindig]

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/bernabeu-stadium-fire-real-madrid-b1854543.html

Insurance scam.

[Kikó]

Too slow and too cautious so far.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Did VAR even look at that STONEWALL penalty?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Don Cavani trying to save Ole's job.

[Waffdon]

Fernandes nailed on to score a penalty to seal the game when at 2-1.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

ffs Rashford.

[Waffdon]

Fernandes looked about 5 foot offside

[Gray Fox]

Villarreal refusing to play corners into the box is confusing considering Uniteds weakness to them and they got their first goal from doing that.

[Manc]

United have got to be one of the most physical sides in Europe.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck VAR.

[Waffdon]

Both these teams don’t deserve to be in the CL next year and should stay here. Absolutely dreadful sides.

[Manc]

Who have Villarreal beaten to get here? Such a nothing outfit.

[Ian]

Get Sheringham on.

[Lewis]

Daniel James masterclass off the bench. :cool:

Staring him in the face the silly cunt.

[Pleb]

Doing this with no subs.

My body is ready.

[Gray Fox]

Who have Villarreal beaten to get here? Such a nothing outfit.

RB Salzburg, Dynamo Kiev, Dinamo Zagreb and Arsenal. So no one really.

[Kikó]

Both these teams don’t deserve to be in the CL next year and should stay here. Absolutely dreadful sides.

Happy with that. Best tournament going.

[Yevrah]

This has been so bad.

[Spoonsky]

Alberto Moreno :D

He already won one Europa League for Unai Emery single-handedly, why not another?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The good thing about the Europa League is you get different teams in it each time, which was the even greater glory of the Cup Winners' Cup.

[Don]

Loving Villarreal's troll possession tactics. Making the cunts run as much as possible and that Norwegian cunt is sat there playing with his mushroom still.

[Lewis]

Taking Greenwood off instead of Rashford is such shit non-management.

[Manc]

God I hate watching Rashford play football. He looks like he's despising every minute. Stick to feeding kids, mate.

Petulance personified.

[Waffdon]

:drool: when Southgate plays Rashford-Kane-Sterling.

Rashford goes down injured every game

[Don]

Trashford protecting the brand.

Imagine if a penalty miss by the Portuguese tramp was to lose it for them :drool:

[Waffdon]

Trashford protecting the brand.

Imagine if a penalty miss by the Portuguese tramp was to lose it for them :drool:

That’s him scoring the winning penalty nailed on then

[Lewis]

Here we go. The English Gareth Bale.

[Don]

Jesus, James on for Pogba :D

[Manc]

Tuanzebe coming straight from a Blacked production.

[Lewis]

Other than last ten minutes sort of stuff when the game is already won, has he ever taken Rashford off?

[Baz]

Has “Donny” been caught fingering Solskjaer’s missus or something?

[Waffdon]

Surely you keep pogba on over James for a penalty lol

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

James is 100% going to miss a penalty (if he takes one).

[randomlegend]

They've played about 4 minutes of this half of extra-time so far. Should have been about 10 added on.

[Shindig]

One for the err ... purists.

[Waffdon]

Mata is shite at penalties so I wouldn’t be bringing him on to take one

[Don]

A shagged out McTominay and AWB are better than you lads. Now go out there and win me a trophy.

[Lewis]

I would sack him regardless of how the penalty lottery turns out. This has been like a showcase game of exactly why he isn't good enough.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Solshire bringing on loads of left footers before a penalty shootout, no ta.

[CJay]

They've played about 4 minutes of this half of extra-time so far. Should have been about 10 added on.

You want to watch more of this? :cab: United have settled for the shootout.

[randomlegend]

Said nothing about what I wanted.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I would sack him regardless of how the penalty lottery turns out. This has been like a showcase game of exactly why he isn't good enough.

100%.

[Jimmy Floyd]

How are Villarreal both kicking first and kicking down their own end? Is Bruno Fernandes an idiot?

[randomlegend]

Mata is shite at penalties so I wouldn’t be bringing him on to take one

lol

[randomlegend]

That second Villareal penalty is dreadful. De Gea looks wank at penalties.

[Lewis]

Hasn't he saved one ever (in the 8-2 over Arsenal)?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The last pen he saved in the Premiership was in 2014.

[Lewis]

Let Eric Bailly take one.

[mo]

De Gea seems to keep his head rigidly still as he dives, which must be contributing to it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

De Gea is not saving one. We'll lose.

[randomlegend]

This is Afcon stuff so far.

[randomlegend]

ERersdfsdfsdlk

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking hell, that penalty.

[Shindig]

Release me from this torment.

[randomlegend]

Fucking hell...

[randomlegend]

Lindelof to fuck it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well Lindelof can do one thing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's some pen from Rulli.

[randomlegend]

De Gea had zero belief he was going to score there.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

De Gea :face:

He fucking hates penalties.

[mo]

So yeah, De Gea definitely shit at pens.

[Shindig]

Sell that man.

[Lewis]

You could see that with his long run-up. What does he need that for when he can't even find people with kicks?

[Pleb]

Well that's Spain's Conference League spot YEETED

[phonics]

Unai Emery in the Europa League is an absolutely phenomenal record.

[Jimmy Floyd]

De Gea deserved that for his pathetic efforts at trying to save the 11 he faced. Other keeps was unlucky with 4 of his.

[Baz]

Alisson scores headers and de Gea can’t even score pens

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He needs to go.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Alisson scores headers and de Gea can’t even score pens

He also can't save penalties.

[phonics]

You gave him 300k a week. He’s not going anywhere.

[Manc]

Tears from the gyppo. :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You gave him 300k a week. He’s not going anywhere.

Ole needs to go.

[Raoul Duke]

Should have just wellied it

[Don]

I thought he was meant to be good with his feet :happycry:

Absolutely hate to see RL, Kiko, Mahow and the rest of the merry men in the mud. PM me if you need to talk lads.

[Gray Fox]

Bad Ebening.

[Waffdon]

Both them goalkeepers were pathetic. Limp wrists galore

[Don]

Great scenes with the Villarreal fans and players.

[Spoonsky]

How are Villarreal both kicking first and kicking down their own end? Is Bruno Fernandes an idiot?

ThatÂ’s a good point. :D

Brilliant penalties there. ThereÂ’s nothing like a marathon shootout. The keeperÂ’s was so good as well.

[phonics]

Bruno won the toss and asked them to shoot first in the worst mathematical probability choice of all time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought it must have been. I'm not expecting O'Fernandes to be a Professor of Probabilities, but is there not someone on the staff (the manager, for example) who can tell him you should always kick first?

[Lewis]

It was so de Gea could look what trying to save penalties looks like.

[phonics]

I thought it must have been. I'm not expecting O'Fernandes to be a Professor of Probabilities, but is there not someone on the staff (the manager, for example) who can tell him you should always kick first?

You'd think them changing the way penalty kicks worked half way through to fix kicking first winning during your professional career might ring a bell.

I still remember when they changed the throw-in rule so the keeper couldn't pick it up when I was in youth football.

[Don]

Why is Trashford talking like that Steve McClaren interview?

[Manc]

Bizarre interview from Rashford. Did he
not realise he was speaking to a fellow Englishman?

[phonics]

Not to get serious but the reaction to this is exactly why football punditry, football coverage and everything that surrounds it is nonsense and should be ignored.

If United had won a penalty shootout 12-11, Ole is a good manager who won the Europa League and finished second, maybe they could have a title run next year. But Because his goalkeeper missed a penalty, he should be sacked.

[Don]

Intelligent analysis had him as a fraud long ago so at least the coin landed on the right side.

[Lewis]

Ideal time to bump the pre-season prediction thread (https://www.thethirdhalf.co.uk/showthread.php?2761-Predict-the-PL-20-21). I even got Everton right. :cool:

[Lewis]

1397693999872421888

The most conclusive proof yet that a woman runs his account. Grow up son. I bet Don Cavani isn't at home bealing over people calling him Rocky Dennis.

[Spoonsky]

I find it mental that any modern footballer still reads their social media comments and messages. It must be strictly terrible for their well-being, not to mention their performance.

The predictions thread is good. Great debate on Leeds halfway down.

[phonics]

This acknowledging racism exists on social media has gone too far. At this point it’s just edgelords looking for a retweet.

[Lofty]

Not to get serious but the reaction to this is exactly why football punditry, football coverage and everything that surrounds it is nonsense and should be ignored.

If United had won a penalty shootout 12-11, Ole is a good manager who won the Europa League and finished second, maybe they could have a title run next year. But Because his goalkeeper missed a penalty, he should be sacked.

I think there would have been a lot of questions for all the celebrating. United should have dispatched these cunts within 90 minutes and landed me £140. That United team should be skullfucking the likes of Villareal every time, no excuses. Ole is piss poor at reading tactics and adapting though. Like when he beat RB Leipzig with a rip roaring all out attack peformance then sat on the sidelines looking like a confused dog the next game when the same tactic didn't work against an Arsenal team playing a deep block counter.

[Kikó]

I think Lofty summed it up with the line about Ole's reading of tactics but also more on trusting players to change a game when they might not be the stellar player. It leads to players like Mata and van der Beek barely being used and/or well out of form when they are put on.

Last night was massively disappointing because we had an opportunity to win the game but decided we wanted to wait until pens or hope for some magic from someone still on the pitch. But they were all dead on their feet for ET. Trashford was awful and he played the full game.

[niko_cee]

United's approach for years has been to wait for someone to do something magic (or, you know, get gifted a penalty). Those are the players they have, loads of 'on their day' match-winner types. When they have an off day, it's all a bit wank. Rashford, Martial, Pogba, all very hot and cold.

[Kikó]

We've been able to create more opportunities to be 'gifted a penalty' which is down to a better style of play. The problem last night was a lack of rotation when players like Rashford are clearly carrying injuries (Winter says he has a shoulder and ankle injury) plus his baffling subs.

[Shindig]

What was interesting last night was how they couldn't keep the pressure up. They came out swinging in the second half then settled into being stifled by a compact Villarreal. Sometimes you need guile to unlock that and United just didn't have the movement, especially down the middle. Life's so much easier if all you have to worry about is Luke Shaw crossing one in.

[Kikó]

Which he didn't do either as I think his form went off a cliff the last few weeks. Ah well, better season than last but still not good enough.

[Kikó]

1397711537591230465?s=20

Classic Binman move.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He really has had an amazing 'rise without trace' career, even going back to his playing days.

[Yevrah]

I have to admire it really. Never has there been a manager linked to so many top jobs (with seemingly a realistic chance of getting them) with as little substance as Martinez has.

[Yevrah]

On the Twitter thing, I don't get why they use it. It strikes me if you're Rashford as the online equivalent of hanging out at BNP meetings.

He won school dinners, get off it and use a much less hateful platform if you need a dialogue with fans, or whatever.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Footballers' social media presence isn't even done for personal enjoyment, it's all about their public profile, marketability etc. It is much more valuable for Rashford to get a billion likes when 'he' complains about 70 racist messages than it is for him to get off twitter and not see (or his 'people' not see) the racist messages.

This is why the 'social media boycott' the other week was such a load of nonsense, they are all going to come straight back on social media, no matter how much abuse they receive, because they need it to sell trainers. If they really thought it was all so disgraceful they would just leave, and deny the social media companies concerned their traffic forever.

[Yevrah]

Yeah, you've nailed that.

A cynical commercial exploitation of racist abuse is not cool.

[Don]

The lol was them airing this hollywood budget POS multiple times last night:


https://youtu.be/ha-LDKmIgsQ

[Yevrah]

I saw that and had no idea what they were trying to achieve.

If you are the subject of abuse online presumably that's a horrific reminder and if you're an online abuse champion, presumably it's pretty lol.

[Kikó]

Online abuse champion ? Paging Baz

[niko_cee]

Is the term not Online Abuse Badboy?

[Baz]

As a victim of it myself, I’ve been a champion for as long as I can remember.

[Lewis]

I'm not entirely sure that racial abuse aimed at someone who earns in a day what the likely perpetrator does in a year is that big a problem (except maybe for the power dynamics, 'reverse racism' arguments).

[Jimmy Floyd]

I saw that Naomi Osaka is now refusing to do press due to her 'mental health'. Sports stars are disappearing up their own arses into a PR dystopia and it's happening pretty quickly.

[Baz]

I should probably stop DMing her.

[Lewis]

Half black, half Asian. It must be hard not to beat herself up all the time.

[Baz]

Anyone else watched that Leigh-Ann Pinnock (Little Mix) programme about racism? Could have at least got someone to present it who had actual opinions beforehand. She’s lovely though.

[Don]

Got some fucking tennis slag complaining about post defeat interviews being detrimental for her mental health so she's stopped carrying out media duties. We're about 10 years away from becoming computers if we let these soft shites grow.

Edit: Jimmy has it covered.

[Lofty]

They can all stop doing their media duties if they want, I'm sure they'll be happy with the reduced salaries reflected by the inferior media product subscriptions on offer etc.

[Shindig]

"In absence of a Roger Federer interview, here's last years ... I mean 2019's."

[Lewis]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/28/manchester-city-and-chelsea-continue-to-learn-the-lessons-of-sacchis-revolution

There is something weird about this article that I can't quite identify other than it being written by a German. Cheers, Phil?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It reads like Uefa-wank, i.e. something translated into and back out of 14 different languages, and finally voiced over in a dark room in Geneva.

[Pleb]

In before City MELTDOWN

[Shindig]

Tone. :cool:

[Don]

Bees up Fulham down, Bees up Fulham down...

Shoulda been having the time of my life tonight in a packed Wembley. Robbed by the fatties.

[niko_cee]

That's a rather unfortunate/bizarre red card right there.

[-james-]

Brentford. :cool:

[SincereTheRebel]

Have they ever been in the top division in english football?

[Gray Fox]

There was no football before 1992 remember.

First time since before the war I believe.

[Queenslander]

Ange Postecoglou to manage Celtic on the cards according to our media.