October football: The Sack Race

[Jimmy Floyd]

Conte's agent is driving the rumours and his sister-in-law is actually a columnist at The Independent which is a big help. Utd directors held a meeting with Ole at an undisclosed Costa late last night and it seems like he might take charge of the Spurs game but Pellistri has been leaking the dressing room discontent to the media after him and Cavani's late night FIFA games.

What coffee did Joel Glazer get? I reckon Mocha with extra chocolate sprinkles.

Ole had a coop of tea, obviously. Proper Manchester.

[Lewis]

I like the idea of Joel Glazer having to make the decision from Florida because, what do you know, the people who gave him a new deal months ago based on absolutely nothing all back him. Isn't he supposed to have stopped two managers from binning Martial? Turn it around Joel lad.

[Ian]

The new deal was madness. Not like anybody was gonna fucking poach him off us.

[Lewis]

They might if he turns it around beating Tottenham.

[Yevrah]

Do they actually pay him £200k p/w as well?

[SvN]

I heard it was A MILLION pounds per week.

[Ian]

Whatever it is it's too much.

[Don]

It's actually £185k with £14k of performance bonuses and a £999 Vitality health insurance plan along with free use of on-site gym during off-peak hours.

[Dquincy]

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Poor OGB. :(

[Offshore Toon]

I wonder how many players have suggested bringing Steve Bruce in.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Matty Cash is now Polish :drool:

[Bam]

You mean Matty Cash has decided he has no chance of getting in the England side.

[Don]

No, he means Matty Cash has had enough of being associated with dirty good-for-nothing gammons #weareallmatty

[Bam]

Gammons?

[Giggles]

Thinking the Polish aren’t good for nothing gammons :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thinking the Polish aren’t good for nothing gammons :D

Simmer down mashed potato.

[Kikó]

Isn't that a polish delicacy?

[Shindig]

Matty Cash is now Polish :drool:

Matej Cazyzsh.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Isn't that a polish delicacy?

Mash?

What they call mash is just crushed potatoes with no milk, cream or butter.

[Kikó]

It was a (bad) joke.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Matej Cazyzsh.

It would be Maciej.

[Shindig]

Whatever. Just don't call him by his slave name.

[Giggles]

There should never be anything other than salt and white pepper in mash anyway. Fuck that wallpaper paste that chefs churn up.

[Lewis]

Eric Bailly being the first one to break ranks and question him only adds to that guy's legend.

[Lofty]

Oh, really? Perhaps not a huge surprise given he's in favour of starving the kids for on-field misdemeanours.

Not as bad as those three but he continually played a striker on a rape charge in Norway apparently.

[randomlegend]

There should never be anything other than salt and white pepper in mash anyway. Fuck that wallpaper paste that chefs churn up.

Mash should be 50% butter.

[Shindig]

It's mash, not mush.

[niko_cee]

Not as bad as those three but he continually played a striker on a rape charge in Norway apparently.

Somehow about Brighton, but the omerta around Bissouma from all and sundry is interesting. Best player, on the bench, never gets on and nothing is mentioned. Next bail hearing on Nov 4th apparently.

[phonics]

Nketiah doing excellent work, following it up with a great touch and then almost shinning it wide from 0.5 yards out.

[niko_cee]

Jesus, what a pen from Smallbone. There have been some properly bad pens in league cup shoot-outs this year.

[Waffdon]

Mason Mount must have missed about 75% of his penalties. (Yes I’m counting the one before the retake, tried his best to miss that too)

Walcott was never scoring either

[Shindig]

Mackems on a cup run. If it botches their league form, I might start feeling sad for them.

[Luca]

Would love some maciej potatoes right now.

[Boydy]

Thought Baz would be all over this:

1453252180593545228

[Ian]

That's Baz's 4am Christmas morning post ruined. :(

[Shindig]

Just once I'd like to see one without the pensive looks to camera and crying.

[Lofty]

What's worse, Mahow missing Ronaldo's first goal back for United or Baz missing this?

[Lewis]

Did anyone who knew or had ever seen that lad think otherwise?

[niko_cee]

Fairly unfortunate image of the bloke in the purple, unless he's the one coming out.

[Don]

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That rule Niko has been bleeding about on multiple occasions about when the defender makes a play for the ball is dogshit but if the replies are correct here and this is also offside, the game has gone/was never there.

Could a side theoretically employ a sweeper that stands behind the keeper and yet does not affect the point at which the attacking team is deemed to be offside?

[Jimmy Floyd]

That should be ruled onside. The offside law does not treat the goalkeeper differently to anyone else.

[Don]

That was my understanding otherwise, you could really game it.

[niko_cee]

That should be onside, I think, but the interesting thing would be if the 'keeper was further forward than the guy in the middle, and, bear with me here, the shot is blocked by the guy on the line, the chap in the middle would then be allowed to tap it in legally, whereas if the 'keeper is in the position on the line and saves it the tap-in would be disallowed, as the intentional play of the ball bullshit doesn't apply to goalies making saves (I don't know if it doesn't apply to them generally ).

[phonics]

I thought the entire rule was just 2 opponents need to be in front of the ball?

[Adramelch]

A player is in an offside position if:
any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half (excluding the halfway line) and
any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent

The hands and arms of all players, including the goalkeepers, are not considered. For the purposes of determining offside, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit.

A player is not in an offside position if level with the:
second-last opponent or
last two opponents.

That's from the UEFA laws of the game. It's second-last opponent with no mention of it being a goalkeeper, so under no circumstance should that be an offside.

[Adramelch]

It might be a misunderstanding as this is the original ball:

https://i.gyazo.com/5966a6258b95d2e5abe3808921225982.jpg

It could be that the linesman thought that was offside. It still isn't by the looks of it, but it'd make a lot more sense.

[Giggles]

It’s all been changed so many times now I’ve given up caring about knowing and just take whatever the officials decide.

[Manc]

Sheep.

[niko_cee]

Falcao rolling back the years.

[Baz]

Thought Baz would be all over this:

1453252180593545228

Nobody has ever heard of him and now people only do cos he’s claiming to be the first gay footballer. Get outta town, nobody cares just like nobody cares if their neighbour dies but posts tributes on Facebook on the anniversary of their favourite dead singers death.

He’s a no mark and him coming out publically has literally achieved zero other than made people perhaps check his attributes out on FM. If he’s even on it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You are thick as shit.

[niko_cee]

Hang on a second, this is Coutinho's 100th Barcelona appearance.

Show me the sweet sweet appearance related bonus. That must be him fully paid for now, well, theoretically.

:drool:

[Lewis]

It does give some indication as to why a more notable player might think twice about coming out, with every club that had never heard of him falling over themselves to get in on the congratulations. I bet the treatment of the penalty-missing England Lions pushed a number of them to the back of the closet as well, lest they ever be clapped off the pitch for liking arse.

[Giggles]

Surely he’s important in the sense of helping open the door for others to follow.

[Gray Fox]

Baz is just angry he didn't get to out him, himself.

[Don]

This kid playing upfront for us would be out sniffing glue on a street corner if he was white, working-class and with a normal haircut. Get the fuck off the pitch, lad.

[Baz]

Baz is just angry he didn't get to out him, himself.Honestly not bothered. Doubt I'll ever think about him again.

[ScousePig]

With regards the two stills from our game on the previous page, there was an offside in the build up, however it appears the linesman just got it wrong and he flagged the first video shown as offside.

You'd need to watch the video rather than just looking at a still though, as it happens quickly and is a slightly more understandable mistake.

[Kikó]

Dylan Levitt and the Cameroonian Fuchs are quality in the Dundee United midfield.

Lol at Bayern as well.

[randomlegend]

Juventus doing well.

[Gray Fox]

Cracking finish from Origi.

[Smjffy]

Origi. :cool:

[Manc]

Juventus doing well.

One for the spreadsheet.

[Gray Fox]

David Moyes’ West ‘am dumping City out too.

[Giggles]

I’m sure that’s ‘Pep’ for the chop then.

[randomlegend]

One for the spreadsheet.

Perhaps James can tell us what GoalImpact have to say about it.

[Smjffy]

David Moyes’ West ‘am dumping City out too.

2016...that's quite impressive tbf.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I didn't realise City had won five of the last six League Cups, and there are still plebs who say this is a better comp than the FA Cup?

[Don]

The audacity of RL to even log in to his account let alone post in a football thread :D

[Dquincy]

Honestly not bothered. Doubt I'll ever think about him again.

Why do you hate gay people so much?

[Dark Soldier]

Koeman gone, what a shock.

[phonics]

Baz proving exactly how spot on my Reply to his original thread was.

The amount of people who think they aren’t homophobes and then say loads of weird shit about gay people is a great sign of how little people understand about their own thoughts.

[randomlegend]

Koeman gone, what a shock.

Xavi to take over. Lol.

[niko_cee]

Solskjaer's defining moment in football came at the Nou Camp didn't it? And they pretty much pioneered the binman. Maybe he could take over on an interim basis . . .

[randomlegend]

Wait, what, I assumed the Bayern team who got thumped 5-0 by Monchengladbach was their kids but it was literally their best team.

[Dquincy]

James would have known it was the first team. Just saying.

[Lofty]

I didn't realise City had won five of the last six League Cups, and there are still plebs who say this is a better comp than the FA Cup?

Also it only qualifies you for Europa Conference now not Europa League so even shit house outfits like Arsenal, desperate to suckle at the cash laden european teat again, aren't arsed about trying to win it.

[Kikó]

Xavi to take over. Lol.

He's been donning it with Al Sadd. Can't ask for better credentials and he's got the Barcelona DNA.

[Dquincy]

1453426267772968960

Jorge Campos at his peak. Always struck me how short he was for a Gk.

[Ian]

Didn't Xavi turn the Barcelona job down once because it was an absolute shitshow? What's changed?

[Gray Fox]

I think it was more that a fella in Qatar was willing to pay him a lot more to go manage there.

[randomlegend]

Didn't Xavi turn the Barcelona job down once because it was an absolute shitshow? What's changed?

I thought he turned it down because he wanted to get some managerial experience first, which he presumably now feels he's done sufficiently with Al Sadd.

[randomlegend]

Never mind, didn't realise he'd turned it down again more recently.

[Manc]

Miles off the pace atm.

[Don]

Man is well and truly shook by the events of the last few weeks. It's a sorry sight.

[phonics]

James Horncastle is such a Conte-apologist. ‘He was never sacked’. Yeah because he’s quit every time the jobs not been ‘you have more money and better players than everyone else in the league’.

[phonics]

Also finding out Saul Niguez played for a Chelsea today was a real turn up for the books. Remember when they were trying to get 100 million for him?

[Lewis]

If Conte comes and wins the league with Matteo Darmian it will erase the last decade of wank like the end of Jumanji.

[phonics]

I keep having to pause this Horncastle podcast because I keep getting triggered. Both manages to say ‘he had to play David Luiz’ and also that anything David Luiz did good that season was because of Conte.

[Smjffy]

Also finding out Saul Niguez played for a Chelsea today was a real turn up for the books. Remember when they were trying to get 100 million for him?

Where were you this summer, Phonics? It was a big story on deadline day I believe.

The turn up for me in recent days was your own William Saliba. I don't follow midtable teams much obviously but I didn't realise a) he cost so much and b) hasn't been touched.

[Smjffy]

If Conte comes and wins the league with Matteo Darmian it will erase the last decade of wank like the end of Jumanji.

Aren't Inter obliged to sign Darmian after his loan?

[Ian]

To be fair I now remember the signing but had subsequently forgotten he was there.

[phonics]

Where were you this summer, Phonics? It was a big story on deadline day I believe.

The turn up for me in recent days was your own William Saliba. I don't follow midtable teams much obviously but I didn't realise a) he cost so much and b) hasn't been touched.

Arteta’s hatred of young players is his biggest flaw imo. His mission to destroy Gabriel Martinelli’s career is almost enough to make me Arteta out.

[Lewis]

Aren't Inter obliged to sign Darmian after his loan?

They need to back the manager and buy him out of both contracts.

[Manc]

The turn up for me in recent days was your own William Saliba. I don't follow midtable teams much.

:cool:

[Smjffy]

1453622134371192834

:cool: Must be the surname.

[-james-]

Xavi at Barcelona is going to be such a hilarious shit show.

[Don]

His Qatari side seem to have broken the match engine so there could be some substance to him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Baghdad Bounedjah is a cheat code, no way he does anything at Barcelona unless he brings the great man with him.

[-james-]

His Qatari side seem to have broken the match engine so there could be some substance to him.

Not sure it's that deep when you look at Al Sadd the season before he was appointed (+78 GD over 22 games) under the mighty Jesualdo Ferreira.

[Don]

Ah, hadn't seen that, just thought he'd taken a side from 3rd to complete dominance. If he had anything about him he wouldn't have gone there in the first place too so yeah, will be good lols.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He was there as part of a deep state deal with the Qataris to bring their World Cup side up to standard, iirc. Their national manager is also a Barcelona plant. I guess when they won the bid in 2010/11 Barcelona must have seemed like the pinnacle of human civilisation.

[John Arne]

This kid Lorenzo Lucca looks a bit special. 6'7", aged 21 and already banged in 6 in 8 for Pisa in Serie B this season, having hit 14 in 30 for Palermo last season.

[John Arne]

Mikey Mouse Cup quarters....

Spuds v West Ham
Arsenal v Sunderland
Brentford v Chelsea
Liverpool v Leicester

[Don]

Good to see any street footballer like Pogb/Ndombele in the shape of Soumare. Even European gammons can't coach the flair out of these dons :cool:

[Boydy]

What's all this poppy stuff at the Leicester Arsenal game? Isn't Remembrance Sunday luke two weeks away?

[Ian]

It's never too early for an excuse to bang on about the war.

[mo]

It's never too early for an excuse to bang on about the war.

I don't think any excuse is ever needed. As a nation, we're bloody obsessed with it.

[Lewis]

We are right to bang on about the wars, but the weirdos busting them out weeks in advance need telling. It was traditionally the week leading up to the Sunday service, but a 'remembrance period' seems to have become a thing in recent years, which obviously leads to an arms race of people wanting to get in there first.

[thommo]

Probably Leicester's last home game before the 11th. They've done the same at Fulham today as we don't have a home game until after the international break.

[Don]

Odegaard watch update:

:rasta:

[Lofty]

This Turkish guy who wants to buy Hull said it's his dream for the entire staff and squad to be Turkish, sounds problematic

[Shindig]

Sounds like something Mert would do.

[Lewis]

This Turkish guy who wants to buy Hull said it's his dream for the entire staff and squad to be Turkish, sounds problematic

Doubly so given that the very small number of non-white people in Hull is mostly Kurds.

[-james-]

Interested to see how this Brighton line up plays out. Looks like a 5-4-1 with four defensive midfielders.

[phonics]

Relegation candidates Arsenal appear to be in 5th. What a feel good story for the league.

[Yevrah]

Cracking win for them.

[Waffdon]

Leicester will be lucky to finish in the top half with their defence

[Manc]

Zaha causing mayhem in the City ranks.

[Don]

Zaha trolling these cunts hard. 2nd half should be a fiesty affair.

[Gray Fox]

The return of the defensive wobble.

All of the top 3 faultering.

[John Arne]

We are really missing Fabinho. Absolutely no defense from the midfield 3.

[Gray Fox]

Being forced into a not ideal midfield 3 hasn’t been great but Jota should be on immediately.

[Shindig]

Another uncharacteristic collapse from wor lot. Down.

[Don]

You can't expect to take 3 points against a Potter side with The Ox in your midfield tbf.

AWB and Shaw instead of Rashford and Sancho makes that XI look :sick:

[Lewis]

The ideal scenario is lose today, sack him, the players get it together to keep the Champions' League alive, and then the new manager comes in and calls Luke Shaw a pig. What we'll get is a comfortable 3-0 today and then back to bollocks in the week.

[Waffdon]

Wan Bissaka as a wing back :sick:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shaw and Maguire still playing to make sure the Binman loses again :drool:

[-james-]

That was incredible from Keane. I wonder if they told him to do the impression.

[Lewis]

The dramatic pause before 'Team Rashford' as well.

[Waffdon]

i can see Maguire trying to do too much and make a howler

[Smjffy]

2-0 up should have been three points in the bag but Brighton were pretty darn good and well deserving of their point, you could argue all three on another day. It is what it is, we'll hit top gear at the right time. You've just got to stay up there for now. #championshipexperience

[Smjffy]

i can see Maguire trying to do too much and make a howler

Is starting the game considered too much? He's a useless defender.

[Shindig]

Is he in Steven Taylor territory where he's kept on because he decent on attacking corners?

[Jimmy Floyd]

What a day. We always lose at Newcastle, so the title is ours.

[Waffdon]

What a man

[igor_balis]

i'd started to take the schadenfreude i got watching utd for granted, so i'm annoyed spurs are too rubbish to take advantage their crapnes

[Kikó]

Decent first half (albeit v spurs). More fluidity and cavani grafts up top. Really nice goal as well.

[Giggles]

His bacon is saved again.

[John Arne]

How shit does Fred have to be before he get dropped or subbed?

[Manc]

Ndombele would dance his way through United at will. Nuno is rank.

[Danny]

The problem is dropped for who.

[Waffdon]

That little chip over the keeper :drool:

[Giggles]

How have spurs ended up with so many awful players a few years removed from being half decent? Is it a stadium crippling thing?

[Danny]

He might have stumbled upon something here.

[Shindig]

Nuno's really being found out by this job, isn't he?

[Waffdon]

He might have stumbled upon something here.

City next week. Easy 3 points

[Danny]

City next week. Easy 3 points

Always. Somehow. Pep keeping him in the job.

That comment was more directed at Ronaldo and Cavani looking like they work well together. In theory you could use them in a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 with them interchanging between ST and wide. Ronaldo loves to drift and Cavani always works his bollocks off and would be central when Ronaldo isnt.

Pretty sure he did it with Ibra at PSG too.

[Manc]

That's a red.

[Giggles]

Maguire on the ball always looks like a 50 year old wearing shoes and jeans would.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ronaldo saves him again.

[Manc]

What we'll get is a comfortable 3-0 today and then back to bollocks in the week.

:cool:

[-james-]

What we'll get is a comfortable 3-0 today and then back to bollocks in the week.

:cool:

[-james-]

:moop:

[Don]

Emerson and Romero watch update:

:happycry:

[Lewis]

Fuck off.

[Lewis]

All the goals were great as well. They might go on a 3-5-2 mad one now like Chelsea 2017 and win the title.

[Yevrah]

That was a pretty good and competent looking performance.

[Don]

It was a shit-off between two properly shit sides.

[Lewis]

Two shit sides on a Jose Mourinho comedown.

[Waffdon]

How are Man City still nearly evens to win the league?

[Don]

It's cause a Salah injury would really harm us.

[Foe]

Salah and mane are off to afcon so jota and firminho need to hold the line.

Chelsea lose mendy though, so agent kepa in goal keeps it interesting.

[Gray Fox]

Add in the fact that any of those 3 teams could go in a 10+ game winning run. Makes a 3/5 point gap with 28 games to go not such a thing.

[Adramelch]

And they've also already had both Liverpool/Chelsea away.

[phonics]

Just seen we’re playing 3 games in November and 8 in December. Nice.

[Waffdon]

And they've also already had both Liverpool/Chelsea away.

Which they didn’t lose in so that doesn’t exactly bode well. They’ll be 8 points behind next week

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59104630

Give the job to Kammy.

[Don]

Aluko siblings pls. Or Sodje.

[Baz]

Just let Fenners do it. His impression is spot on.

[Lewis]

The sad little studio they have them in now probably sealed the deal. Proper decline stuff.

[Dquincy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59104630

Give the job to Kammy.

Nah, Kammy is more of an impact sub. Need someone more consistent.

Have heard people speculate Jeff is leaving because his mates (Le Tiss, Phil Thompson, etc) were all forced off the show. Some saying that the replacements are shit.

I used to enjoy it when I was younger, but not watched in years.

I guess a new younger crowd may be the way forward.

[igor_balis]

I think the problem with Soccer Saturday, especially these days with all the dodgy streams, is who is it for?

Whenever I cared about football I'd, in order of preference:

go to wba games
watch wba games on the telly
watch wba games on a dodgy stream
listen to wba games on local radio
maybe watch soccer saturday

that, and that it's shit.

[Baz]

Is the soccer Saturday drinking game still a thing?

[Waffdon]

I think the problem with Soccer Saturday, especially these days with all the dodgy streams, is who is it for?

Whenever I cared about football I'd, in order of preference:

go to wba games
watch wba games on the telly
watch wba games on a dodgy stream
listen to wba games on local radio
maybe watch soccer saturday

that, and that it's shit.

Makes the 12 fold btts accas exciting when in the pub

[Lewis]

I think the problem with Soccer Saturday, especially these days with all the dodgy streams, is who is it for?

Whenever I cared about football I'd, in order of preference:

go to wba games
watch wba games on the telly
watch wba games on a dodgy stream
listen to wba games on local radio
maybe watch soccer saturday

that, and that it's shit.

It is a bit of a legacy thing isn't it. When Sky Sports News was free/streaming was still niche and shit it must have been on [in the background] in half the houses in the country.

[Yevrah]

I've watched it a bit this season when the 12:30 game looks like a snoozefest and the replacements are indeed crap. Clinton Morrison can barely string a sentence together. Which wouldn't be too bad if there was enough there to know what he's getting at, like with Paul Merson, but there isn't.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They changed the lineup because there must be some rule against having five white men on the box now. Can't be any other reason for it.

[-james-]

The BT Sport version, starring Robbie Savage and Peter Walton, is better. Grim

[Dquincy]

I also think the spreading out of the premier league games over the weekend hasn't helped Soccer Saturday. It used to be all matches at 3pm apart from one on super Sunday and maybe Monday night. Whereas now there are some weekends where only three games. And not as many give a cap about the lower leagues.

[niko_cee]

Was Lineker right in saying that had Salah tapped that disallowed Mané goal in then it would have stood? Does that handball only count if it directly puts it into the net? I know we've been through the ringer with handballs but that still seems a bit :cab: if true.

[Ian]

I also think the spreading out of the premier league games over the weekend hasn't helped Soccer Saturday. It used to be all matches at 3pm apart from one on super Sunday and maybe Monday night. Whereas now there are some weekends where only three games. And not as many give a cap about the lower leagues.

We must be talking at least a decade since this was the case.

Pretty sure when I moved into my flat in 2011 it was already Saturday lunchtime game, two SUPER SUNDAY games and a Monday night game plus occasional extra Sunday games being moved for stuff. I might be wrong but I feel like it's been 6 games tops on the 3pm slot for a long time.

And let's be honest, Soccer Saturday was always shit. It was just something useful to have on in the background if you were playing FM or doing something about the house.

Surely nobody was actually sitting and watching it as if Le Tissier and Nicholas are appointment telly?

[Dquincy]

Fair point. The past 10 years have flown by sadly.

In the pre-twitter and streaming days, soccer Saturday was essential viewing for the armchair football fan.

Over the years I feel like the stages were:

* Teletext football updates (I remember waiting in anticipation for the page to update with score updates)
* Soccer Saturday
* Twitter/football apps/streams

I found all three enjoyable over the years.

I feel old :(

[Dquincy]

One of the best.

1454721168079040515

[Baz]

I watched MOTD without knowing any of the results (besides Liverpool obv) for the first time in ages and it really is the difference between being gripped and scrolling on my phone.

[Lofty]

Soccer Saturday had some good moments in it's heyday but how many people here actually saw Nicholas or Thompson play? Maybe the rise of the Carraghers and Nevilles got some gears turning in the execs minds. I don't watch it now anyway.

[Andy]

They all seem to struggle with the pace of it now, stumbling over every other word and not really explaining what's going on. I think they should have phased out the old guard one by one to make it more of a transition rather than dumping a load of new guys in at once.

If the 3pm blackout gets lifted and they can start going to the ground to show clips of goals and penalties as they're taken etc then I think the show would be popular again.

Possibly they could work with the fantasy game and live stream tweets etc to get the youngsters more involved.

As a concept it's barely changed for 15 years. The world moves on and Sky Sports hasn't kept up.

[Dquincy]

That last comment is bang on.

If you watch that conception of the premier league thing on iplayer, it really does show Sky failing as a company until their punt on broadcasting the Premier league turned out to be a gold mine.

[Yevrah]

Watching them commentate on games was always dull, but I used to genuinely enjoy the couple of hours before where they'd talk about each team.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sky Sports in general has been quietly losing pace / not improving for a number of years now. It used to feel like they were always expanding at the cutting edge but since the football rights value went mental they've been clinging on just to keep affording them. BT is no better, mind.

[Ian]

They all seem to struggle with the pace of it now, stumbling over every other word and not really explaining what's going on. I think they should have phased out the old guard one by one to make it more of a transition rather than dumping a load of new guys in at once.

Part of this is they don't look for people with the actual skills for the job. Just "which ex-Premier League player have we heard of who needs the money?" I've said this before regarding the studio punditry but there absolutely must be much better options out there with ex pros who are actually engaging and have a more interesting approach if they bothered their arse to try and find them.

[Yevrah]

Match of the Day is the absolute worst for that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They pick the pundits to be cheap, obvs. Do you even see Alex Scott on things anymore? Her fee's probably gone up.

[Lewis]

Alex Scott is on everything. Wasn't Thierry Henry on about five million a year at Sky? He was crap as well. The 'star' pundits won't be cheap, and Sky Sports do about as good a job as you could with football now. BBC/ITV (and what I've seen of BT) coverage is appalling in comparison.

[-james-]

Seeing Anton Ferdinand being booked more than once had my head spinning. He can't form sentences.

[Lewis]

Replacing Graeme Souness will be Sky's biggest test. He is obviously Liverpool, but 1) not Scouse; 2) not especially revered by Liverpool fans for various lol reasons; and 3) an Old School geezer and legend. If Newcastle become decent and a regular Super Sunday fixture over the coming years I wouldn't be surprised to see Alan Shearer make the move across for some HEATED Roy Keane content.

[Shindig]

Alex Scott is on everything.

Yeah, if anything, she's too big for just the football stuff. A breakout star like Jermaine Jenas.

As a license payer, I'm confused by these sentences.

[Manc]

Football's "characters" tend to be thicker than pig shit.

[randomlegend]

Juventus are doing well.

[Waffdon]

Kenny McLean over Billy Gilmour :sick:

[-james-]

Juventus are doing well.

Are these updates an attempt to dunk on me? Because fucking hell, if so .

[Jimmy Floyd]

Norwich-Leeds is a painful watch. The latter have an absolutely frightful squad, one that they don't seem to have built on in any meaningful way. Do they not have any money? I know Bielsa doesn't care and just works with what he has, but the DoF has to help him out surely.

[randomlegend]

Are these updates an attempt to dunk on me? Because fucking hell, if so .

:happycry:

[-james-]

They've spent £150 million since they came up. I suppose that's not that great a figure, especially when you consider half of that was on Rodrigo, Helder Costa and Dan James.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just take the L, James.

You're getting embarrassed mate.

[Waffdon]

No Mings and a sexy front 3 for Villa. They might actually win today

[Gray Fox]

Replacing Graeme Souness will be Sky's biggest test. He is obviously Liverpool, but 1) not Scouse; 2) not especially revered by Liverpool fans for various lol reasons; and 3) an Old School geezer and legend. If Newcastle become decent and a regular Super Sunday fixture over the coming years I wouldn't be surprised to see Alan Shearer make the move across for some HEATED Roy Keane content.

It's at the point now where most people who are watching him are too young to have seen him play, but are maybe just old enough to have seen his fucking awful attempt to manage the club. I'm sure he turned down Cantona because he wasn't good enough for him.

The tirade against Pogba has been impressive though.

[Lofty]

Aguero has a heart problem apparently, the facebook scientists are all claiming it is due to the vaccine.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Lovely Thuram goal from Ben Johnson there. Villa are shite.

[Kikó]

Aguero has a heart problem apparently, the facebook scientists are all claiming it is due to the vaccine.

It could be due to him having covid.

[randomlegend]

Well all the reports say he has had it previously, including as a child. Most likely thing is he's prone to bouts of SVT which is pretty benign usually (although not ideal for a professional athlete), but obviously impossible to know without all the details.

Given vaccines stimulate an immune/inflammatory response it's probably possible that one could trigger SVT in someone who is prone in the few days after it's given, which is not the same as it being the "cause".

[Waffdon]

West Ham to be above title winners Liverpool this time next week with David Moyes at the helm. Scotland really are the greatest country on earth for producing managers.

[Don]

Basmati boy is the real deal isn't he? Urgh, a more unlikeable character you'd struggle to find.

[Waffdon]

Both centre halves could have went off for Villa there. That would have been funny

[Don]

On topic of pundits who know their shit and can don the gig, Chris Wilder is on MOTD2. The audacity of him being out of a managerial job.

[Shindig]

We need him.

[phonics]

It went well the last time he was manager under a Saudi owner.

[Shindig]

He is the owner of Sheffield United, Beerschot, Kerala United, Al-Hilal United and La Berrichonne de Châteauroux.

He sure put them on the map.

[Dquincy]

https://media3.giphy.com/media/3orif2UdD7sLaHpQ3e/200w.gif?cid=82a1493blm64m7emuv99b0beos0vp45xlxc3j vwjxpedlre4&rid=200w.gif&ct=g

[Baz]

Villa being completely rubbish really highlights how bloody good Jack Grealish is.

[igor_balis]

https://media3.giphy.com/media/3orif2UdD7sLaHpQ3e/200w.gif?cid=82a1493blm64m7emuv99b0beos0vp45xlxc3j vwjxpedlre4&rid=200w.gif&ct=g

Thatsthejoke.jpg

[Dquincy]

Thatsthejoke.jpg
I know. It was obvious.