August football: Club football is BACK!

[Dquincy]

HT: Liverpool (1.09xG) 1-0 (0.17xG) Burnley

About right.

[niko_cee]

Quite impressed with Elliot. Carries the ball so well and can spot a pass. Not sure if he's got the defensive game to play there against better teams yet but he can probably learn that. Hopefully he gets plenty more game time.

Burnley looked alright sadly, as with 0 points from two games you start to hope that this might finally be the year they fuck of out of the league.

Late flags for obvious offsides really can fuck off.

[Spikey M]

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[Spammer]

THE MIGHTY BLADES haven't even scored yet this season. We've actually looked ok today though. Doubt we'll be getting relegated but there's no chance we'll be pushing for promotion on this showing

[Kikó]

My mate did that with his city shirt years ago when he got Weah on the back but instead tried to iron it off and burnt a massive hole in the back.

[randomlegend]

Christ, poor old Norwich have a rough welcome to the league with Liverpool then City.

Leicester next as well.

Least they've got a bit of respite with Arsenal after that :baz:

[Shindig]

We've not started so hot. It's going to be last season again but this time the fans are there to boo.

[Spammer]

THE MIGHTY BLADES have now scored as we grabbed an equaliser after 93 mins but then Huddersfield grabbed a second a minute later :lol:

[Waffdon]

Duffy playing even with injuries in funny. Absolutely tragic for Celtic last season.

[Waffdon]

Should have put money on him scoring first. Sheeeesh :D

[randomlegend]

Chong doing well on loan at Birmingham is quite the surprise. He's always looked talented but massively lightweight, I thought he'd just get completely bullied in the Championship.

[Don]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EM9UMzFXUAEMhTW.jpg

Scored a brace today against Charlton. Averaging a goal every 101 minutes. He's 17. I assume years old as opposed to inches but who knows. Kwadwo Baah, remember the name.

On the bench for Watford, head of recruitment is pure banter, basically subcribed to my posts.

[Manc]

Are Watford still under the Pozzo regime?

[Shindig]

Man, VAR didn't half shit on our chips today. Cracking finish from Ings, though. Lascelles was unlucky with the penalty call. I haven't seen Murphy's one but I'm told he went down easy.

[niko_cee]

Quality to be back in a full (ish) stadium, and a good performance.

Watford were fairly tragic. Sarr can stay there for another season, complete nothing performance from him. No idea why they didn't stick him on the other side against Gross/Webster. Was dreading things when I saw the Lallana/Mac Allister/Gross axis of immobility named but however they were meant to be playing it seemed to work. Bissouma the stand out player by an absolute mile. He's come on so much since I last saw him (couldn't really bring myself to watch much lockdown Brighton - my Brighton contacts tell me he was like that last season). Definitely ready for bigger and better things.

[niko_cee]

Also, lol at the 'covid protocols'. There were stricter measure in place for the Getafe friendly. No ID check, no vaccination check, no masks, didn't even get frisked for the first time ever, I'm not surprised but I wish they'd just tell you rather than making you bring all that shit along.

[Reg]

They didn't check IDs?

Yeah Bissouma was excellent. That tackle he slid around the side for was ridiculous, even got a goal contribution for the second.

Gross was right wingback, as is his custom these days. He's an odd wingback but thanks to his technique and expert dummy-then-usually-dummy-again-then-maybe-another-then-cross that no defender in the league can stop, I don't think we miss Lamptey as badly as we could've done.

I'm not sure when I'll go again. Must've been class being back and feeling the atmosphere. Personally not been to any big events yet, seems a bit of a jump atm.


Duffy playing even with injuries in funny. Absolutely tragic for Celtic last season.
Great goal. Should've been off for a horror 'tackle', got away with a yellow. (VAR checked it but yeah close to full force studs in the back of your leg is just part of the game mate.)

[wullie]

First game we were 1-0 down to Forest at half time and scored the winner in the 96th minute, today we were 1-0 down to Reading at half-time and scored the winner 98 minutes in. As great as it's been if we're going to win games I'd like one to be a nice comfortable lead as my nerves can't keep this up.

[niko_cee]

Great goal. Should've been off for a horror 'tackle', got away with a yellow. (VAR checked it but yeah close to full force studs in the back of your leg is just part of the game mate.)

It's funny because it didn't look that bad IRL, more that he'd gone to ground way to early and the forward had almost backed into him to win the foul.

Anyway, that's all part of 'letting the game flow' now isn't it? I see Klopp was moaning about it, but then Burnley seem to have had some sort of pre-season briefing that if anyone is in between them and the ball then they are fair game to be biffed out of the way in whatever means is most expedient.

[Lewis]

Chong doing well on loan at Birmingham is quite the surprise. He's always looked talented but massively lightweight, I thought he'd just get completely bullied in the Championship.

Ethan Laird doing the business as well. 'LvG' would have made/ruined these kids by now.

[randomlegend]

Ethan Laird doing the business as well. 'LvG' would have made/ruined these kids by now.

I think Laird's always been doing well but Chong looked like a child in his few senior appearances. I guess he's talented enough that it doesn't matter at that level, but he was wank in his loan spell to Germany last year so I thought he was a lost cause. Maybe "very good for the Championship but not quite good enough for the Premiership" is just his level.

[Lewis]

He's worth keeping for the Asian market.

[phonics]

Love it.

1429053168374140933

One day some ex-Liverpool player will have the balls to point out the load of absolute shit that ynwa stuff is and Twitter will implode. Karius technically isn’t walking alone but that’s because can’t go to Anfield without a security detail.

[Manc]

Some hit by Ings. He's the English Di Natale.

[phonics]

Some hit by Ings. He's the English Di Natale.

He's 29?

[Queenslander]

That St Mirren goal keeper had an absolute shocker against Celtic.

[Kikó]

Also, lol at the 'covid protocols'. There were stricter measure in place for the Getafe friendly. No ID check, no vaccination check, no masks, didn't even get frisked for the first time ever, I'm not surprised but I wish they'd just tell you rather than making you bring all that shit along.

They check ID?

[niko_cee]

You're told to bring along proof of vaccination and proof of who you are to match to the vaccination and ticket [theoretically the government rules from the end of September for mass gatherings but clearly not going to happen]. They don't check anything.

[Giggles]

Was Connolly shit again when he came on?

[niko_cee]

Apart from missing what looked like a sitter [haven't seen any decent angle replays] he was alright. Ran hard as usual, held the ball pretty well, was a decent outlet as Watford were pressing and Brighton more on the back foot in the second half. He probably needs to go on loan down a level though to get used to scoring goals professionally.

[Giggles]

I probably retain too much hope for him with him being in and around a premier league squad, but he’s always been a waste of a position for us any time I’ve seen him. For a lad that dashes around a lot with lots of bluster, he’s very lazy at making actually real runs too.
Hopefully this off-season has improved him a bit but it’s looking more and more like he just got really lucky that day agains Spurs.

[Andy]

First game for two years today at St Mary's. Not expecting much from the game but looking forward to a day out.

[Manc]

He's 29?

In terms of his finishing ability and the variety to his goals.

[Andy]

He's very good off the ball as well, he led the press for us and really organised the front four with and without the ball.

Should do well at Villa once they start to click.

[Spikey M]

Yes but he's 29 so don't compare him to another player you slag.

[Kikó]

Even the names are different. Stupid fucker.

[Lewis]

Those shorts ruin what could be a good United kit.

[Ian]

Thank goodness we needlessly started Matic for both the "solidity" and all the help he's going to be unpicking this defence.

Fred's been balls too.

[Lewis]

Ole Gunnar Binman fell into a good system last week, and he has to fuck about with it. Get Anthony Martial sold at half time.

[Ian]

This line up is like he challenged himself to pick the least inspiring possible line up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Greenwood is so damn good.

[Ian]

is Martial actually on the pitch?

[Lewis]

Get on that pre-assist boys.

[randomlegend]

Rashford's got a job on winning the left wing spot back from Pogba.

(He'll actually be straight back in with Pogba back to being relatively useless in the double pivot).

[Lewis]

Yeah his handlers will post three pages missives about life on the bench until the club gives in.

[Lewis]

Matic is done. If Mourinho wants to redeem himself he will make a bid for him.

[Ian]

We've bought Sancho, they said.

He'll add width to the team, they said.

Ah, Ole's subbed him to play left wing two weeks in a fucking row.

I assume his failure to win us the game from there will see him scrubbing boots with Donny soon.

[Ian]

Oh, he's appeared on the right again. Has OGB masterminded one of these fluid forward lines I've heard so much about???

[randomlegend]

The midfield were absolutely awful.

[Lewis]

New manager please Glazers.

[Kikó]

Pretty average throughout. Matic and Fred was awful last year and is still obviously awful this year. AWB went back to good at tackling, shit at the rest. Pogba was largely brilliant, Greenwood needs to play central.

Martial needs the bin.

[Dquincy]

1429460424148328450

Lol

[Manc]

Tierney miles out of position for that goal. Shocking.

[Kikó]

Lukaku needs to score against the good teams as well.

[Yevrah]

It wasn't until now when I had a good look at his Wiki page did I realise just how much of a binman Mikel Arteta is. Roberto Martinez is probably impressed.

[Manc]

Tierney miles out of position for that goal. Shocking.

And again. He needs to be hooked.

[Foe]

It wasn't until now when I had a good look at his Wiki page did I realise just how much of a binman Mikel Arteta is. Roberto Martinez is probably impressed.

I was actually trying to dig out his stats. He must be well behind Emery now surely. They’re just so average.

[Don]

Mad to see Utd flop in that game and so early in the season, especially with playmaker Sancho slaying those low blocks.

[Luke Emia]

Arsenal are unbelievably bad. I don’t think they have a player in their team who would get in the Liverpool team.

[Baz]

Excited to see Chelsea and Liverpool annihilate everyone.

[Don]

VvD against Lukaku needs a belt for the victor, fucking hell.

[Manc]

I'd sack Arteta tonight.

[Spikey M]

I'd extend his contract.

[Ian]

How did my man Pablo Mari get on?

[Lofty]

He was the young white girl in that porn meme today.

[phonics]

"Arsenal with half their team out with Covid lose to the Champions League winners who just spent what Arsenal have on 5 players on 1 striker"

SACK THE MANAGER HE'S FUCKING SHIT.

[Lofty]

Half the team out with covid or not there is no way Arsenal should be meekly getting a colonoscopy at home from Chelsea with the side they put out, it's on the manager. 36% possession is outrageous as the home side. When he first got the job he would have played 4-5-1 counter attack and it wouldn't have been pretty but it would have made sense, today the only surprise was Chelsea not being 5-0 up by halftime.

[phonics]

Half the team out with covid or not there is no way Arsenal should be meekly getting a colonoscopy at home from Chelsea with the side they put out, it's on the manager. 36% possession is outrageous as the home side. When he first got the job he would have played 4-5-1 counter attack and it wouldn't have been pretty but it would have made sense, today the only surprise was Chelsea not being 5-0 up by halftime.

Didn’t we beat them last year twice with similar possession stats?

And no shit, Chelsea are a good team. 9/25 players have had Covid within the last week.

Are people going to chimp out to us losing to Man City as well?

[Spikey M]

:drool:

[Luke Emia]

Didn’t we beat them last year twice with similar possession stats?

And no shit, Chelsea are a good team. 9/25 players have had Covid within the last week.

Are people going to chimp out to us losing to Man City as well?

Who’s missing?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You alright, hon?

[Lofty]

The bonus about City is they will get to 3-0 and stop because Pep will take pity on his mate.

[phonics]

You alright, hon?

I'm the one saying it's not that big a deal, so yeah I'm fine?

[phonics]

Who’s missing?

The CB, the CM, both ST's and then they also won't tell us all the other players but as I said. It's 9/25 now.

[Foe]

You could’ve played those 9 alongside the 11 on the pitch today and I’m still not sure they’d have won.

I’d if was a one off it would be fine, but it’s been about 2 years of mediocrity. At some point it’ll either have to click, or he (or edu, perhaps both) are done.

What’s an acceptable position/points total after 19 games? 7-11th and 27-30 points?

[Luke Emia]

The CB, the CM, both ST's and then they also won't tell us all the other players but as I said. It's 9/25 now.

The centre-back got molested last week on his debut I don’t think he’d of handled Lukaku any better today. Partay would be in the team for sure but I doubt he improves things that much. The strikers one has been garbage for a year and the other one is very meh. Those four don’t make up for the keeper, the other centre-half that’s not good enough, the right back, Xhaka or Pepe as well as the terrible game plan from the manager.

[Shindig]

I'll give Arteta credit for landing them silverware but I don't think he has a good league campaign in him.

[phonics]

The centre-back got molested last week on his debut I don’t think he’d of handled Lukaku any better today. Partay would be in the team for sure but I doubt he improves things that much. The strikers one has been garbage for a year and the other one is very meh. Those four don’t make up for the keeper, the other centre-half that’s not good enough, the right back, Xhaka or Pepe as well as the terrible game plan from the manager.

So what you're saying is that the players are all fucking awful but it's the managers fault he's not beating the team that won the Champions League last year and bought Lukaku?

You can't have both.

[Lewis]

Arteta isn't the man to take Arsenal forward, but, at the same time, they don't have any good players. They're where United were five years ago, but they can't spend their way out of the hole so fuck knows. It's a seven year re-build and hoping you get lucky with a manager/superstar like Tottenham did for a bit.

[Luke Emia]

Arteta isn't the man to take Arsenal forward, but, at the same time, they don't have any good players. They're where United were five years ago, but they can't spend their way out of the hole so fuck knows. It's a seven year re-build and hoping you get lucky with a manager/superstar like Tottenham did for a bit.

They have spent a lot of money though since 2019. They have just bought absolute dross.

[phonics]

A lot longer than that.

[niko_cee]

It's not a super long term rebuild necessarily, things can turn quite quickly, but you probably need an actual manager rather than a complete novice with very little meaningful experience. What exactly is Arteta getting the players/team to buy into? He's wildly under-qualified for the role and he's probably not the next 'Pep'.

[Lewis]

Yeah, so did/have United, but they can buy established players, pay big wages, and beat other clubs to them if necessary. If Arsenal were in for somebody that another Big Club wanted they would have no chance.

[Spikey M]

Arteta isn't the man to take Arsenal forward, but, at the same time, they don't have any good players. They're where United were five years ago, but they can't spend their way out of the hole so fuck knows. It's a seven year re-build and hoping you get lucky with a manager/superstar like Tottenham did for a bit.

Spurs did it with Modric, Bale and Kane. Absolute flukes but they'd have no less trophies if they hadn't happened.

[Lewis]

They won a place in the 'Big Six', which is worth far more to them than an FA Cup or whatever.

[Don]

Potter will fix Arsenal real good, dw.

[Dquincy]

Not sure if it's a myth, but it always seems Arsenal constantly have players injured more so thanother clubs, which adds to the fire of them being a soft push over team. They just seem a bit tragic.

That Partey fella has been injured more than he's been fit whilst at Arsenal. Pepe seems a waste of 80 odd million; he'll give you a good game every 5 or 10 games.

People have called Arsenal soft for years, but they never seem to buy physical dominant players to address the issue.

[Raoul Duke]

Crying about Arteta whilst Conte is on the dole :rolleyes:

[Lewis]

I would love Conte at United. Jesse Lingard at right wing-back, Martial getting the Gianluca Pessotto treatment. Title time.

[Luca]

Push him out of a window?

[Luke Emia]

So what you're saying is that the players are all fucking awful but it's the managers fault he's not beating the team that won the Champions League last year and bought Lukaku?

You can't have both.

I’m not saying you should beat them. But, I do think as an absolute minimum Arsenal should be able to play Chelsea at home and make them break into more than 2nd gear. Which today they didn’t, the game was there today for Chelsea to score 4 or 5 if they wanted to.

That’s Arsenal’s biggest issue right now they are fast slipping into being Everton and the money they do seem to be spending just seems to be being wasted on shite.

[Lewis]

OUT the fucking window, bald head first.

[Lewis]

1429540416899092482

'Hold me back!'

[Spikey M]

Nice hair m8.

[phonics]

I’m not saying you should beat them. But, I do think as an absolute minimum Arsenal should be able to play Chelsea at home and make them break into more than 2nd gear. Which today they didn’t, the game was there today for Chelsea to score 4 or 5 if they wanted to.

That’s Arsenal’s biggest issue right now they are fast slipping into being Everton and the money they do seem to be spending just seems to be being wasted on shite.

They beat them twice last year. So were the players better then?

My issue is more that I hate watching us play than the results. We’re so boring. I much preferred the days of 5’5 ballers. I said from the jump that getting rid of Wenger would be the downfall of it all.

[Spikey M]

Ings was 28.

[niko_cee]

You're right to say that to focus exclusively on results today (or next week) is a bit daft, but, at the same time, Arsenal as a club seem to be mired in a state of endless torpor and it doesn't really look like the current heirarchy, be that ownership, recruitment mob or manager are all that likely to get them out of it.

How many times have Arsenal actually played well under Arteta in his time there? Most of their better results seem to have been smash and grab robberies.

[Waffdon]

1429540416899092482

'Hold me back!'

Check the substitute at the right side giving a fan a haymaker around 30 seconds in :lol:

[Manc]

Traore looking super swole. Is it too late for him to switch sports?

[phonics]

You're right to say that to focus exclusively on results today (or next week) is a bit daft, but, at the same time, Arsenal as a club seem to be mired in a state of endless torpor and it doesn't really look like the current heirarchy, be that ownership, recruitment mob or manager are all that likely to get them out of it.

How many times have Arsenal actually played well under Arteta in his time there? Most of their better results seem to have been smash and grab robberies.

To break it down you have to start at the final year of Wenger and how those errors have then been compounded by further errors and a bit of bad luck here and there.

The Ozil contract
The Sanchez transfer
Signing Lacazette and then signing Aubameyang 6 months later
Too many Pires’ not enough Vieras.

All of this was caused by internal factions warring at the club. Then Wenger leaves and Gazidis has won the civil war.

But then once the dust has settled on that, the people Gazidis brings in don’t get on and instead of sorting it out takes a life changing amount of money to go fuck up AC Milan instead.

One of the Gazidis goons wins the new civil war outing the guy he was supposed to work with. Now running the show tries to fix the Sanchez problem by buying Pepe for loads of money.

It doesn’t work but Arsenal still have the talent to run it close, getting to the EL final and only just missing out on the Champions League by a point despite being a shambles at points.

It turns out that most of the Pepe money was bribes so the final member of the Gazidis project chooses to resign before the police show up.

So now it’s nearly 2 years later and everything is still fucked, there’s absolutely no-one running the joint. So you do what you can and then a global pandemic happens and shuts the entire world down and now it’s 4 years later and your wage budget is increasing faster than you can sell players despite those players performing worse on the pitch than ever before.

So you can’t fix it because you have to tell Sead Kolasinac that you don’t want to pay him 150 grand a week to get relegated with Schalke because he’ll beat you up.

It’s a mess.

[Manc]

I'm not sure what's stranger, United's blue & yellow kit or Ralph Hassenhuttl donning a waistcoat.

[Danny]

1429563750760296455

[niko_cee]

That United kit is pretty awful, although not a patch on that Spurs thing.

lol if that's true about Shaqiri.

[Lewis]

Why couldn't they 'openly talk' about it before?

[John Arne]

Bit of a scuffle in the Nice-Marseille match.

I see Guendouzi is still a colossal prick. When will players learn that threatening to fight 5,000 hooligans probably isn't a good idea...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mTUvO_hAzc&ab_channel=beINSPORTSUSA

[SincereTheRebel]

Wolves have lost both games, but they played really well in both. Traore is even bigger now and has a new set of gnashers. Trincao looks good on the ball but he has the strength of cereal box.

[Spikey M]

1429503697931939846?s=19

[Manc]

Arteta is 39.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://barnetfc.com/a-message-from-our-chairman

One of the all time great club statements.

[randomlegend]

Wait, people accumulated holiday while they were on furlough? What kind of bullshit is that?

[Spikey M]

I remember that triggering a mega-seethe at the time.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/holiday-entitlement-and-pay-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Mental. What a fucking life that mob have had for the last couple of years. :happycry:

[Don]

https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11669/12388859/trent-alexander-arnolds-vision-coach-dr-daniel-laby-on-the-liverpool-players-improvement

Interesting glimpse into the future.

[Lofty]

No wind in Barrow tonight, unprecedented.

[Don]

https://i.ibb.co/2KnksVG/IMG-20210824-WA0049.jpg

Ghoddos meeting his hero.

[Lewis]

Stewarding on the side respect the grindset.

[Manc]

Has anyone got the email for MI6?

[Ian]

I think you just PM Bamster.

[Shindig]

"But if I don't take the flag to games, how will they now I'm from Iran? I CAN'T JUST TURN AN ITALIAN ONE ON ITS SIDE!"

[niko_cee]

Fatwa incoming.

[Pepe]

https://i.ibb.co/2KnksVG/IMG-20210824-WA0049.jpg

Ghoddos meeting his hero.

Is that Taz hugging some girl footballer? Need more context.

[Manc]

That Arsenal back line is revolting.

[Lofty]

I think Tavares looks promising to be honest.

[Shindig]

I'd like to apologise on behalf of my people for that useless waste of a Carabao Cup tie.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why are the Prem teams all absolutely smashing the lower league teams in this? Are the latter not bothering, or is the gulf just becoming stupid?

[Shindig]

I'm going to blame the North/South format.

[Gray Fox]

I can't wait to see Liverpool draw United or Chelsea away here while City get the lowest possible ranked team at home.

[Shindig]

If they're sticking with regional tat, you'll get Everton.

[Gray Fox]

Oh look, City with a terrifying draw of Wycombe at home. Put this cup in the bin.

[phonics]

Oh look, City with a terrifying draw of Wycombe at home. Put this cup in the bin.

Hot take: The League Cup is routinely better than the FA cup.

[Lewis]

The finals used to be better almost every year, but we've had some decent FA Cup finals during the City making it shit era.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Away goals ride-or-dies crying salt tears about Monaco being eliminated is an interesting twitter that I didn't expect to pop up.

And the League Cup is never better than the FA Cup, obviously. The FA Cup is magic unless all you watch of it is Arsenal reserves v Luton. 4Qual to round three and then quarter-finals to final are always class, it's just the February bit that drags out a bit as the mid table Prem sides with cynical managers gradually get knocked out.

[Shindig]

Terry McDermott's just been diagnosed with dementia. :(

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/IwIoRwcuwLw

What a man. :wub:

'Nah, all good' is pure ocker.

Such a good mentor for Kyogo in regards to the racism stuff. He would have copped a barrage of racist abuse growing up in Melbourne(or anywhere back in white trash Australia) in the 70s playing wogball.

[John Arne]

https://youtu.be/IwIoRwcuwLw

What a man. :wub:

'Nah, all good' is pure ocker.

Such a good mentor for Kyogo in regards to the racism stuff. He would have copped a barrage of racist abuse growing up in Melbourne(or anywhere back in white trash Australia) in the 70s playing wogball.

I love the answer to the journo suggesting that qualifying for the group stage of the Europa would be good for his own coaching development.. "Er, yeah y'know... I coached in a World Cup, I've had some pretty big games".

[Waffdon]

Man City to draw Shakhtar once again?

[niko_cee]

City and PSG. :drool:

United getting their obligatory bye but they'll probably fuck it up somehow.

[Waffdon]

That pot 2 being stacked has put a couple decent teams against each other. PSG getting knocked out :drool:

[Luke Emia]

Mendy!! Fucking hell he’s been remanded as well.

[randomlegend]

How can you end up with a group with City, PSG and Leipzig as well as a group with Lille, Sevilla and Salzburg.

United's group isn't the worst but it's hardly a "bye". Villarreal and Atalanta are good sides.

[niko_cee]

'Atleti' and Porto, think I might steer clear of watching most of the group this season then, unless they implement this new 'let things go' refereeing style in Europe as well, in which case those two ties could be full on hilarious.

[niko_cee]

United's group isn't the worst but it's hardly a "bye". Villarreal and Atalanta are good sides.

I was only saying that after they got the pot 1 gift, but overall that's a pretty easy group.

Problem with stacked groups is there are going to be dangerous sides coming second so the value of winning the group is not what it once was.

Pot 1 letting the side down for Liverpool's Champions of Europe group. Has that ever happened (all 4 teams being previous winners)?

[niko_cee]

Also, Leipzig must be thinking there's come sort of conspiracy against them, which there probably is.

[randomlegend]

Liverpool probably have the hardest group of the top teams.

[niko_cee]

It's moot. Milan and Porto are probably wank, and Atleti are fairly toilet most of the time as well. An interesting group, certainly if one was a travelling fan. In this day and age probably preferable to the upstart minnow teams who are likely better than the illustrious names who have fallen on hard times.

[Gray Fox]

I have a feeling Porto will have the hardest time in our group. Not seen anything of Milan for 5+ years really so no idea what to make of them. As usual, win your 3 home games and nick one away and you're golden.

[Manc]

Just the four counts of rape for Monsieur Mendy.

[-james-]

lol Joe Hart.

[Lewis]

If United don't win their group with a game to go he wants sacking.

[Kikó]

It's moot. Milan and Porto are probably wank, and Atleti are fairly toilet most of the time as well. An interesting group, certainly if one was a travelling fan. In this day and age probably preferable to the upstart minnow teams who are likely better than the illustrious names who have fallen on hard times.

If you can actually travel without the covid obligations.

Would fancy a trip to Atalanta and Young Boys (oi oi etc) though. I'm sure we will find a way to struggle through the group.

[niko_cee]

Yeah yeah, more hypothetical. All pretty decent places to go, even if they aren't 'unusual'.

In terms of that group I reckon the match order is the most important thing. Worst case scenario is to get one of Milan or Porto away first, then A. Madrid at home I reckon. Best would be Porto (H), Milan (A) then a Madrid double header.

[Shindig]

Switzerland's on the green list now. Informal drinks at Phonic's place.

[niko_cee]

BYO crowbar.

[Shindig]

I almost added that sentence. :D

[niko_cee]

Yeah yeah, more hypothetical. All pretty decent places to go, even if they aren't 'unusual'.

In terms of that group I reckon the match order is the most important thing. Worst case scenario is to get one of Milan or Porto away first, then A. Madrid at home I reckon. Best would be Porto (H), Milan (A) then a Madrid double header.

Pretty much nailed the preferred option.

[Dquincy]

I can't get used to Klopp without his spectacles. It's unnerving watching his press conferences.

[Pen]

Pretty much nailed the preferred option.

Isn’t it always so that the top seeds play each other on match days 3 and 4.

[Queenslander]

Will Ange FC qualify from their group of death?

It looks like a cracker of a group.

[Waffdon]

Doubtful with their defence. Should be plenty goals though

[Queenslander]

Sounds good to me.

[niko_cee]

Isn’t it always so that the top seeds play each other on match days 3 and 4.

Don't think so, but mind blown if so. Barcelona v Bayern week 1 says no, sadly.

[Spikey M]

1431307922089328640?s=19

[phonics]

Yeah I'm sure the professional social media person is devastated by the retweets he's getting.

[SincereTheRebel]

Watching the Dortmund game last night. It was 0-0 at half time and they won 3-2 with a last-minute Haaland goal. It should be mandatory at all stadiums. They have to have those nets that make "that" sound when the ball goes in.

https://youtu.be/KGlwB0G3oWo

[Yevrah]

Love the way Haaland absolutely roofed that. :drool:

[Spikey M]

Yeah I'm sure the professional social media person is devastated by the retweets he's getting.

Thank you for explaining that people use social media to get attention.

[phonics]

You guys being able to see the Official Bundesliga clip but I can't despite living within walking distance of Germany is just a perfect summary of why internet rights are so fucked.

[SincereTheRebel]

Did the crowbar bandit take your router?

[Raoul Duke]

I can see it in the Netherlands. Should have joined the EU, m8.

Banging finish from Haaland. Tiny angle to get it into

[Offshore Toon]

Wow, what an incredible goal! That has to be one of the best finishes ever. Jesus, I'll never forget that one.

[Kikó]

So lucky to have seen that. It looks a bit like Jack Torrence strangely.

[Disco]

I'd walk to Germany to see that again.

[Manc]

More impressive than the finish was the save beforehand.

[Offshore Toon]

The whole scene was fantastic. Very Tarantino at points.

[-james-]

1431542490159591425

[Boydy]

Arsenal are going to get absolutely slaughtered here.

[Offshore Toon]

What's the best streaming site about at the moment?

[Boydy]

What's the best streaming site about at the moment?

PMed you.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cedric having no idea if he should go with his head or his leg for the second goal so deciding to try both was brilliant.

[Ian]

PMed you.

Can you also PM me? Don't usually need one but I did one day recently and all the ones I found were complete turd.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Don't forget to PM Bamster too.

[Gray Fox]

4 fullbacks in that Arsenal 'defence.' Arteta has been playing too much FIFA.

Kolasinac both still being there and being about 7 years younger than I thought he was, are todays surprises.

[Boydy]

Tbf it's probably not the best place for streams but it seems to work reasonably reliably for me.

[Luke Emia]

4 fullbacks in that Arsenal 'defence.' Arteta has been playing too much FIFA.

Kolasinac both still being there and being about 7 years younger than I thought he was, are todays surprises.

Him going from being bombed out to being in the starting line up today(not just on the bench) has amazed me. Arsenal are fucking awful there is nothing more to be said about them beyond that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Xhaka :lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arsenal fans leaving already :lol:

[Gray Fox]

Surely that's Arteta gone now?

There is no plan. He's no discipline in his players. Things are getting worse, not better. And as a club, going from having Xhaka with one foot out the door, to a 3 year contract extension is madness.

[Mellberg]

How many more do Arsenal need to concede to go below a Norwich side who have lost 5-0 and 3-0?

[Ian]

If you go in with both feet off the floor, you're going to get sent off.

Time and time again, he lets his team down when he's supposed to be leader. It's a joke. He's an absolute embarrassment to Arsenal right now.

Beckford getting stuck into Xhaka on 5 Live.

[Boydy]

How many more do Arsenal need to concede to go below a Norwich side who have lost 5-0 and 3-0?

Two more.

[Mellberg]

Two more.

That's getting the MELLBERG GUARANTEE.

[Disco]

Footybite is the best place for streams, it's where all the Reddit lot went.

[Shindig]

Well, I bet Vieira wishes he waited a few months. Binman in waiting.

[Gray Fox]

Even Big Sam couldn't sort this shite out.

[Lofty]

That's getting the MELLBERG GUARANTEE.

Got to hope Pep has mercy on his mate.

[Waffdon]

That Xhaka red card really is a joke. Couldn’t have won the ball any cleaner. Was also nowhere near the City player

[Spikey M]

1431598681153851395?s=19

[Lewis]

1431578342893948928

:lol:

[randomlegend]

Surely that's Arteta gone now?

There is no plan. He's no discipline in his players. Things are getting worse, not better. And as a club, going from having Xhaka with one foot out the door, to a 3 year contract extension is madness.

And the highest (or second maybe after Ronaldo) spending team in the world this transfer window.

[-james-]

It will be lol if they sack Arteta after this, I don't think they will.

Not like they're getting relegated. Let him have a go in the easier games with an actual defence available.

[Spikey M]

Bottom of the league. Lol.

[Spikey M]

1431601748741742596?s=19

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Buying Saliba for £27m, not registering him in squads so he has to play for the U23s before getting constantly loaned out.

Great business when your defence is a mess.

[Lofty]

Almost like the executive structure is a shambles mismanaged by a disinterested owner.

[Spikey M]

Are we allowed to say Arsenal are shit yet James?

[Dquincy]

1431307922089328640?s=19

The vid is 3 years old.

[Spikey M]

So's your wife.

[Dquincy]

:D

Just adding context sweetheart.

[Dquincy]

I think Arteta will be safe in his job unless it looks like relegation is truly looking like a reality.

You could say this is all part of the journey, but renewing Xhaka for 3 more years seems a bit mental.

[Giggles]

I don’t follow all that closely, but was Xhaka ever much good?

[Dquincy]

Aside from the odd decent long range screamer, he's been shit or average at best.

[Gray Fox]

Big call for Klopp to put Harvey Elliott in such a big game when the likes of Keita and Thiago are fit and available.

Big test for Van Dijks fitness today. He's looked not quite in sync yet so far.

[Waffdon]

Why do they keep saying ‘Lukaku vs Van Dijk’? Surely Lukaku just goes up against Matip. Not like Van Dijk will follow him about.

Salah should run riot against Alonso. Surprised Werner isn’t playing as he’d get in behind with ease

[Shindig]

Annoying. Conceding a penalty every game this season. Could've and should've snatched that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/654064837432967198/881185123482075146/Screenshot_4.png

Good showing from Arsenal.

[Gray Fox]

One thing to watch. Unlike last season, where Trent would bomb on wide down the wing, Elliott seems to pull wide and Trent now makes a lot of runs into more central areas.

We scored last week from it.

[Waffdon]

Playing Alonso and Jorginho against Liverpool who will Press the fuck out of you doesn’t make much sense. The latter has had a mare

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That is a glorious header.

[Gray Fox]

Can't do much about that tbf.

[Gray Fox]

Chelsea as in the CL final have the tactics spot on here. Liverpool can get at this 5-2-3, but it means opening ourselves up too much and losing to some counters.

[Boydy]

1431614541130080257

:D

Top trolling

[Spikey M]

Beautiful. :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ref is on the take.

[Waffdon]

Alonso knocking the ball out of Mendy’s hands. He’s an absolute mong :lol:

[Gray Fox]

That's 100% a penalty but that can't be a red surely.

[Luca]

That’s an awful call. Not so much the penalty, which is fair enough, but in no world is that cynical and deliberate.

[John Arne]

Deffo a pen, never a red.

[Boydy]

Red card seems really harsh for that.

[Gray Fox]

This ref has been shite all game tbf.

I can't understand how that's a red. He's not meant any part of it.

[Spoonsky]

Hadn't FIFA changed the rule so that it can't be a red card if it's also a penalty?

Harvey Elliott is class.

[Spoonsky]

Also, Anthony Taylor looked at one freeze frame for one second before making the call. :D

[Gray Fox]

Double jeopardy rule doesn't apply to clear denial of a goal scoring opportunity.

That's for if someone makes genuine attempt to play the ball.

[Waffdon]

I’d be lumping on Liverpool -1. They’ll score a few here

[Serj]

That’s an awful call. Not so much the penalty, which is fair enough, but in no world is that cynical and deliberate.

I don't think the call is the problem, rather the rules. From the FA homepage:


Where a player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a handball offence the player is sent off wherever the offence occurs.

As soon as he decided to give the penalty, he had to send him off.

[Pepe]

Fuck that red card.

[Gray Fox]

Is suspect Thiago will be on soon for a holding player.

[Luca]

I don't think the call is the problem, rather the rules. From the FA homepage:



As soon as he decided to give the penalty, he had to send him off.

There we are. That explains Taylor's immediate reaction to the freeze frame. Shit rule.

[Ian]

Didn't they change it so professional fouls don't get punished with both a penalty and a red if that situation arises? Why did they not have the same apply with that?

[Luca]

Liverpool have been dogshit this second half.

[Waffdon]

I’d be lumping on Liverpool -1. They’ll score a few here

Never mind. Apparently Liverpool are bang average. Mane looks completely meh these days.

How Fabinho didn’t get booked I don’t know

[Gray Fox]

Draw is fair. Defended very well, though we seemed to run out of steam after about 65 mins.

[Shindig]

Man, that penalty against Lascelles was the correct call but just barely. Saint Maximin won't be a Newcastle player next season. :(

[Giggles]

The pessimistic downtrodden Liverpool fan act has grown exponentially since they won the league. You’d think they were still playing Andy Carroll instead of a team of superstars.

[Spoonsky]

We are so bad at breaking down a bank of defenders. Just totally lose inspiration.

That shot by Salah was :D

[Gray Fox]

That's the situation you want Firmino over Jota, who offered quite little. I still think he works better off the left.

Some good positives though. The main midfield is back up and running. Elliott looks great. Van Dijk looked a lot better today. Perhaps some more minutes under the belt for the players will have it click more as we go.

[Reg]

Elliot does look good, but his drifting wide and A-A's drifting central means you lose the latter's crossing. Neither he or Salah stayed wide enough, agreed with Neville that it contributed to Chelsea being fairly comfortable defending.

'Trent' is class wherever he is, and the logic in having him being able to act as more of a midfielder, and maybe prevent counters more often too, is reasonable - but if you had both Robertson's* and his crosses it wouldn't have been surprising to see another goal or two today.

*So many in the magical corridor of uncertainty, Shearer would love him.

[Giggles]

God love you all.

“We haven’t signed mbappe, everything and everyone is shit”

[Spikey M]

1431679497263276045?s=19

[Pen]

That’s brilliant 😂

[phonics]

Slept through the City game knowing it was going to be a blowout. Best decision I've ever made.

[Dquincy]

Slept through the City game knowing it was going to be a blowout. Best decision I've ever made.
But how did you feel when you saw the result? Really sad, probably.