October football: The Sack Race

[Ian]

It's October, which means we've had more than enough time to start thinking about who's going to get sacked, unfairly or otherwise.

Watford have had their manager for the better part of a year which must be making their trigger finger itchy. Ole Gunnar Binman is asleep at the week, one eye on Jurgen Klopp's press conferences, the other on the Google results for 'how to manage good?' Mikel Arteta is THE NEXT ARSENE WENGER but still, let's give him a chance. And surely Wolves are going to notice sooner or later that they've employed something called a Bruno Lage???

Still, in the event that October isn't just a massive spate of sackings there will also be some football matches to endure if that's your sort of thing.

October 3rd - Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Perfect if you want to jump to ludicrous conclusions about what's going to happen in 7 months time.
October 4th - LA Galaxy vs. Los Angeles Football Club: Nothing like a derby day!!!
October 9th - Andorra vs. England: For fuck's sake is it internationals again already?

There are obviously lots of other games on too but I think those are the obvious highlights of the month and I don't want you getting too excited.

[Giggles]

Another confusing and muddled squad for us.


1443541892134735874

[Ian]

Being reminded that Will Keane exists and learning that he's 28. :sick:

Seems to have been doing... alright for Wigan?

[Giggles]

Been better with Robbie.

[Browning]

Parrott though :cool:

[Raoul Duke]

Nuno seems the most at-risk manager after getting fisted by Mikey Arteta's 1-game Invincibles. Well, outside of Ronald Koeman

[niko_cee]

Are unvaccinated players exempt from having to go on international duty to red zone regions then? Could be some serious 4D chess on the go if that's the case. Looking at the arrangements they've come up with I don't see why a club would release their Brazilian players. They already won't be able to play in the first game after the international break, so the 5 day rule would probably have no impact, and this bespoke arrangements set-up reeks of the genius of 'hotel quarantine'.

[Baz]

I’m at a bloody wedding on Sunday. Hopefully the bar has a telly with the football on.

[Dquincy]

1443856089188032513

Nice.

[Giggles]

Wasn’t that his debut?

[Dquincy]

Don't think so, but could be wrong. He was so good. Especially as he doesn't seem the sort that would work hard at training.

[Ian]

There's a clip of him in his early Barcelona days where he's casually driving towards about three defenders who were hoping to hang up on him and he did what can best be described as A Thing, or maybe a short series of very quick mini-Things, and suddenly he's the other side of them heading toward goal with three of them all look as if they've genuinely got no idea what just happened. Great player.

[Danny]

Always loved this angle of it


https://youtu.be/VEiMWZEns1s

[Raoul Duke]

This is the one:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH_gBJT9bAg

[niko_cee]

Is he still in some Paraguayan(?) prison at the moment?

[Yevrah]

Benitez vs. the Binman could be quite lol worthy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It really was a pleasure to turn on my TV at noon on a Saturday, jobs done for the day, to be greeted by the portly grin of Sir Rafa Benitez, offering both Everton's team selection and a range of dry sherries and nibbles ahead of his lunchtime trip to Old Trafford. Felt like I was back in the happier times of 2006.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Martial should have buried that.

[randomlegend]

Think we've been pretty good so far and should be ahead.

Referee handled that load of nonsense really well.

[Don]

Everton have shat all over you at your own ground. How Ole is still in a job is incredible.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a cracking finish though.

[randomlegend]

Everton have shat all over you at your own ground. How Ole is still in a job is incredible.

Covid still affecting your eyes and brain as well as your nose and tongue :console:

[Lewis]

First day of my 'find something else to do' policy and Anthony Martial scores. I'll stay away from now on.

[randomlegend]

1444275151844020228

#Fernandestats

[Jimmy Floyd]

Rondon looks well off the pace. But for that think they might have scored, United look vulnerable defensively. Good going forward though.

Pickford's save from Cavani was superb.

[Dquincy]

Ah, more useless twitter stats.

[Don]

Covid still affecting your eyes and brain as well as your nose and tongue :console:

xG: 0.43-0.56

Poor guy, maybe the 4th jab will fix ya.

[randomlegend]

Rondon looks well off the pace. But for that think they might have scored, United look vulnerable defensively. Good going forward though.

Pickford's save from Cavani was superb.

Yeah we are noticeably shakier without Maguire. It's fortunate De Gea has chosen to remember how to be a goalkeeper recently though.

[randomlegend]

xG: 0.43-0.56

Poor guy, maybe the 4th jab will fix ya.

Goals 1-0

[Lewis]

Yeah we are noticeably shakier without Maguire. It's fortunate De Gea has chosen to remember how to be a goalkeeper recently though.

He looks happy to be hugging his line again instead of being indecisive worrying about whoever was partnering Maguire.

[Lewis]

Does Ronaldo have his own face on his shin pads?

[Lewis]

https://i.imgur.com/xgI8B4a.png

Not just his own face, but his own face in the style of artwork on lorries and fairground rides.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jadons Ancho in the England squad ahead of Bellingham and Greenwood, lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Beautiful counter-attacking goal. Doucouré is streets ahead of anything United have in midfield.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fred is a twat.

[Don]

Andros with the celebration :rasta:

What's the goal count, RL?

[Waffdon]

Beautiful counter-attacking goal. Doucouré is streets ahead of anything United have in midfield.

He’s so good. Gray looks like an absolute bargain as well

[Yevrah]

I don't know why Luke Shaw went sprinting towards the ball then.

[Ian]

One good thing about putting yourself through United games is that at this point it's impossible to be unpleasantly surprised when that sort of thing happens.

[Lewis]

Was that Greenwood jogging after Fred?

[Don]

The hair :D

Doucoure might not be in 20 yards of space at any one point now at least.

[niko_cee]

Doucouré is streets ahead of anything United have in midfield.

I'm surprised he didn't seem to have the best season at Everton last year as I thought he was going to be a mega signing for them, but perhaps I just didn't watch that many of their games, or he#s more well suited to Rafaball.

[Waffdon]

Sancho looks great, doesn’t he? All them big signings just to not sign someone in the two positions they need

[Don]

Sancho looks great, doesn’t he? All them big signings just to not sign someone in the two positions they need

One of the world's best prospects.

[Yevrah]

Sancho looks great, doesn’t he? All them big signings just to not sign someone in the two positions they need

I've watched most of Utd's games so far this season and he really has offered absolutely nothing so far.

I can see why Southgate didn't trust him now.

[Ian]

To be fair Sancho was theoretically filling a need, Binman just doesn't let him do it because he's a cretin.

[Spikey M]

Can't wait for Sancho to replace Zaha at Palace.

[Ian]

I've watched most of Utd's games so far this season and he really has offered absolutely nothing so far.

I can see why Southgate didn't trust him now.

He trusted him well enough for umpteen qualifiers and then cited "experience" and binned him for somebody with even less. Who knows how the Wheel of Waistcoat turns.

[Ian]

Can't wait for Sancho to replace Zaha at Palace.

Zaha coming the other way for £90m then being played in defensive midfield, presumably.

[Yevrah]

I would love to see an overlay of this season's 'penalty box penetrations' vs. last for him.

[niko_cee]

I can see why Southgate didn't trust him now.

Apart from putting him on pens in the final. :face:

[Jimmy Floyd]

A classy touch by Pogba to braid the Everton colours into his hair for the occasion. #respect

[Yevrah]

That has got to be offside and the young un has shit the bed there.

[Don]

Dat defending :D :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

No idea why Tom Davies didn't take the shot.

[Waffdon]

I don’t blame Davies there, always works in Fifa and never offside.

[Yevrah]

Sancho. :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

When United are leading a game towards the end, do their fans shout defend, defend, defend-defend-defend? I hope so, they might not know what to do otherwise.

[Ian]

When United are leading a game towards the end, do their fans shout defend, defend, defend-defend-defend? I hope so, they might not know what to do otherwise.

It'd be more guidance than they get from the manager.

[Waffdon]

Man Utd had such an easy start to the season as well. Had them at least a few points clear. Now their fixtures start to get a tough. 0-0’s galore incoming

[Lewis]

It's the exact same shit every single week. It's worse than when they were bollocks, because this squad could do something.

[Raoul Duke]

Another great performance from Donny van de Bench

[Dquincy]

Andros with the celebration :rasta:

What's the goal count, RL?

:D

[randomlegend]

#Oleout

[Don]

Poor kid had to let that '2-1' drafted post go to waste without even seeing the light of day :*)

[Ian]

It's the exact same shit every single week.

Yep. Today was a bit better in the first half but then Ole made the changes to make sure we reverted to the norm.

Maybe if the Glazers give him a few more decades he might figure something out because two seasons worth of games doesn't appear to have been enough.

[Yevrah]

In a throw back to the 2000's, he needs more TIME.


He doesn't.

[Lewis]

I wonder whether crowds returning has smoked him out a bit more now that things are back to normal intensity levels. You can't just grope your way back into games and count on late defensive lapses.

[Lewis]

TIME - Told Immediately: Mate, Enough

[Jimmy Floyd]

Alex Ferguson taught us that the Manchester United Manager needs at least five years before you can really judge him.

[Yevrah]

What a lovely interview from Andros Townsend this is. Seems like a quality fella.

[thommo]

Coventry utterly bossed us that second half, they looked very good.

Even without the penalty earned from a shocking dive, they would have battered us. That's a big wake up call - 3 losses from the first 11 is not promotion material. Hopefully we can improve over the international break.

[Don]

Not looked at the data but is Coventry just fluking it? Gyokeres looked crap for Brighton and there's nothing in their entire squad.

[Ian]

Also Ronaldo looks a bit less effective in games where goalkeepers selfishly don't roll them along the line for him to tap in.

[thommo]

They seem very well coached. Pressed us well without over-committing and constantly overloaded our full backs all game long. Gyokeres seemed to just have great positioning all the time, especially for his 2nd goal, and he could have had a hat trick if not for a class save.

[Yevrah]

This stuff about Ronaldo being 36 therefore you have to rest him is absolute nonsense.

[niko_cee]

Not looked at the data but is Coventry just fluking it? Gyokeres looked crap for Brighton and there's nothing in their entire squad.

Gyokeres was good for Brighton U23s.

[Waffdon]

Apparently Timo Werner has had 16 goes ruled out since last season :lol:

[Waffdon]

Dylan Levitt is class by the way. He’ll solve Man Utd’s midfield problems

[Kikó]

Bad tackle by Ward Prowse. Rightly a red.

[Shindig]

Bruce is done.

[Gray Fox]

Bruce is done.

How far will you have to fall before Ashley pulls the trigger?

[Shindig]

He'll pull it now if another manager is keen. I don't think Bruce's contract is long-term.

[phonics]

I don’t think Thomas Partey has had a shot on target in his Arsenal career and how he’s taking 35 yard free kicks.

[wullie]

Six wins out of six home games so far, half of them after being behind at half-time. Combine that with the free fourth shirt that celebrates the iconic architecture of the Coventry Building Society Arena, season ticket has been a bit of a bargain so far

[Shindig]

Just when Sunderland seem to have cracked it, they get destroyed by Pompey. :D

[phonics]

This match is absolute trash. Think Brighton just got their first shot in target having had about 16.

[phonics]

This match has been god awful and yet somehow feels our best performance at Brighton away since they got promoted.

[Gray Fox]

Has Arteta TURNED THE CORNER?

[Andy]

Bad tackle by Ward Prowse. Rightly a red.

I think he knew this was his only chance of getting some sort of rest.

[phonics]

Has Arteta TURNED THE CORNER?

I’ve said since day 1 that Arteta is 1000x the manager Emery ever was.

If he starts playing Martinelli he can have a Pardew esque 10 year deal.

[Jimmy Floyd]

With Emery I'm willing to subscribe to the theory that his methods only work in Spanish. There's no way you can win as many trophies as he has while being useless.

[phonics]

I think it’s 50/50. that was a factor because the amount of times 90% of the team looked like they had no idea what they were doing whereas his English speaking set piece coach had us as the best in the league on that front was glaring.

I think also he works better as an underdog. You shouldn’t be adapting your game plan to some team that hasn’t won in 8 games. It didn’t matter who we were playing below us, it always felt like an even game.

[Baz]

Does Ronaldo have his own face on his shin pads?

I have a T-shirt with my own face on.

[Ian]

Xisco wins the race.

Never change, Watford.

[Gray Fox]

Clever from Watford. They get to try the new manager bounce now and again in February when they sack the next binman.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Watford fans always agree with the sackings, too. I think people are just bloodthirsty.

[Yevrah]

No respect for TIME these days. :yev:

[Pepe]

PSG lol.

[Yevrah]

They could really do with making a move to join the Premier League.

[Ian]

We might be able to find room for them in the conference.

[Shindig]

Wait. Fuck off. Seriously? 14th for a newly promoted club isn't good enough?

Jesus wept.

[Ian]

He'd been there 10 months. A Ferguson-esque reign at Watford.

[Giggles]

Long shot, but anywhere I can see Swedish soccer?

[igor_balis]

Sweden

[Giggles]

Zany.

[Bernanke]

Long shot, but anywhere I can see Swedish soccer?

https://poscitech.com/aik-vs-djurgarden/?sport=soccer

Derby is here if that's what you were looking for.

[Danny]

Long shot, but anywhere I can see Swedish soccer?

https://redi1.soccerstreams.net/

It lists the Allsvenskan but not sure how the links will work out.

[Giggles]

That's the one cheers fellas.

[Don]

18th on xPTS, 14th in the table. Besides their relentless pursuit of BLM talent, yet more evidence that Watford know what they're doing.

[John Arne]

Pretty sure Lo Celso and Lamela is the same person.

[Giggles]

Should be in the squad. Kenny keeps on about players needing to play.


1444664584535740417

[randomlegend]

https://i.imgur.com/uy60I8P.png

PSG lost 2-0 to Rennes with this line-up.

[Waffdon]

They’re not going to win every game

[Jimmy Floyd]

That team really lacks a soul. The Real Madrid galactico teams always had four or five with the club running in their blood, that PSG side is just a sticker album.

[Boydy]

Switched on at five to four expecting the game being just about to start. I've only now realised it's half four. :mad:

[Giggles]

#prayforboydy

[Don]

Jota over Bobby isn't ideal but the opening 15 minute onslaught should hopefully see us run away with it.

[Boydy]

#prayforboydy
I just don't get why they had to push 4pm games on sunday to 4:30pm.

[Don]

I don't think anyone cares, lad. Have a wank in the spare time.

[mo]

Quality bit of analysis on Bristol Rovers' current plight

1444395400715284484

[Gray Fox]

What a very odd opening half hour. Very passive and allowing City to play. Every ball forward is long too, not a lot of build up going on.

[Waffdon]

I’m not sure if it was in the box but how on earth isn’t that foul? Because he tried to stay up? :lol:

[John Arne]

That's a pen/free kick. That said, it was also a freekick for Liverpool about 5 seconds before that.

[Lewis]

'Your fucking fault you bald-headed cunt. Fucking lumbered us with a load of fucking shit.'

:lol:

[Bernanke]

https://www.reddit.com/r/rsoccermirrors/comments/q0j33s/sampdoria_3_2_udinese_antonio_candreva_great_goal/

Pure filth. :drool:

[Giggles]

“We’re so bad, City will walk all over us”

…..

Liverpool win 3-1.

[Yevrah]

Bizarre first half.

The crowd were deafening (annoying) and Liverpool didn't turn up, but that brilliant moron will regret not buying a striker this season I fancy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If any City players could kick with their outside foot, they would be 3-0 up.

[niko_cee]

Should probably shift Robertson to the right and get Tsimikas on for the second half.

[niko_cee]

Also, is City's team the most expensive [in terms of transfer fees] ever fielded in the league? Only Foden and Jesus not in the £50m+ club? Although I guess they might have fielded Sterling and Mahrez instead of those two this season (or even Torres) which would scotch that thought.

[Waffdon]

Should probably shift Robertson to the right and get Tsimikas on for the second half.

After watching him play there in person and for Scotland, that would be a terrible idea

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.reddit.com/r/rsoccermirrors/comments/q0j33s/sampdoria_3_2_udinese_antonio_candreva_great_goal/

Pure filth. :drool:

That is some hit.

[niko_cee]

After watching him play there in person and for Scotland, that would be a terrible idea

:D

My logic was that he'd done it for Scotland, but he always looks shit for Scotland so probably couldn't be any worse than seeing Milner getting felt up (and sent off) for another 45 minutes or whatever.

[Yevrah]

And there it is. Buy a striker you idiot.

[Waffdon]

Salah is so good.

Not sure what Dias is doing trying to match Mane’s run

[Jimmy Floyd]

99 PL goals for Mané seems a lot of goals. I need to have a look at goals scored by current players.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There you go. Outside foot. Just fucking kick the ball and you'll score.

[Waffdon]

Feels like Foden scores at Anfield every year

[Waffdon]

How is that not a second booking :D

He should have 3 yellows and counting so far. Looked like Silva nearly snapped his neck when falling there

[Waffdon]

He’s probably a bigger legend than Steven Gerrard

[Yevrah]

That is glorious.

[John Arne]

https://gyazo.com/8109197e0765c5a3a4c0a05c3e5c420b.gif

[Jimmy Floyd]

I am totally with Pep giving it large there. Fuck the scousers.

[Bernanke]

That goal is insane.

[Lewis]

Ederson should have saved that.

[Lewis]

The best ball-kicker in the business.

[Waffdon]

Unless Liverpool score a winner, that’s the title race between Chelsea and City I reckon since Liverpool lose half their forward line in January. Chelsea have an easy run of games now as do City somewhat (Ole will probably beat them again, mind)

[Jimmy Floyd]

Joint Man of the Match, fuck off Neville.

[Waffdon]

Sterling didn’t look like he wanted to even attempt going through on goal there

[Lewis]

Unless Liverpool score a winner, that’s the title race between Chelsea and City I reckon since Liverpool lose half their forward line in January. Chelsea have an easy run of games now as do City somewhat (Ole will probably beat them again, mind)

I was looking at the fixtures yesterday and it's all set up for him to lose the next five and then beat City (maybe get a result at Chelsea) to save his job until the summer.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think we have a relentless ten wins on the trot type run in us, so we'll need the other two to be shittish to win the league.

[Giggles]

Joint Man of the Match, fuck off Neville.

That sort of thinking should be outlawed.

[Don]

Unless Liverpool score a winner, that’s the title race between Chelsea and City I reckon since Liverpool lose half their forward line in January. Chelsea have an easy run of games now as do City somewhat (Ole will probably beat them again, mind)

Lolololol.

We miss Mane, Mo and Keita for Palace and Bees and that's it. It's happening again and it's beautiful.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lolololol.

We miss Mane, Mo and Keita for Palace and Bees and that's it. It's happening again and it's beautiful.

Eat a pube sandwich when you fail to win it.

[Yevrah]

Micah Richards, that time in a job interview when you're asked why.

[Don]

Man begging for the shaft whilst he knows RL has a reservation VIP booking on it for the next 10 months. Smart.

[randomlegend]

They’re not going to win every game

Zero shots on target :happycry:

[Waffdon]

Cool

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just watched the end of Florence-Naples, looks like the bald dome of Luciano Spalletti is shining its way to a very strong tilt at the title with the latter. I hadn't heard of him for, what, a decade?

[Yevrah]

Without looking, he's been stealing a living in China, hasn't he?

[Waffdon]

Scotland and England could do with sharing full backs. England give Scotland a couple of right backs and we give them a left back. Aaron Hickey ripping up Serie A at 19 and Josh Doig will be in the English PL within a year

We’re going to have 4 quality left backs making up a back four at this rate

[randomlegend]

Without looking, he's been stealing a living in China, hasn't he?

5 years at Zenit, but otherwise been in Italy. He had been out of management for 2 years though. after being sacked by Inter.

[Spikey M]

1444139212262023177?s=19

[phonics]

Scotland and England could do with sharing full backs. England give Scotland a couple of right backs and we give them a left back. Aaron Hickey ripping up Serie A at 19 and Josh Doig will be in the English PL within a year

We’re going to have 4 quality left backs making up a back four at this rate

If it helps, Tierney looks half the player he did last year.

[Lewis]

Luke Shaw has dropped right off (back) so we could swap him for somebody.

[Lewis]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58781738

Korean dog eating has declined rapidly since United started that song, so be careful what you wish for. When they had to stop singing about Romelu Lukaku having a massive cock his early form went to shit and never recovered.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It seems weird that the Lukaku cock chant was only about 4 years ago. If it happened now there would be stadium bans for some of Manchester's top working class wits.

[phonics]

Is the BBC website a lot more global than I think? It seems weird that the top story is ‘Bayern, PSG, Ajax, Barca all lost’ than Man City 2-2 Liverpool.

[Giggles]

There are versions based on where you're viewing from I think.

[Spikey M]

There are. I remember it being full of lols when I was on holiday in Spain as Catalonia tried to hold that ILLEGAL referendum.

[Giggles]

NFL.com does this too and it's a pain in the hole. You see the proper site for a split second before it redirects to some dumbed down 'UK' version that's 90% an ad for Gamepass.

[Lofty]

There are versions based on where you're viewing from I think.

Pidgin BBC is the best: https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/sport-58697469

[Jimmy Floyd]

On Friday, di Petrol Retailers Association say fuel supply still be "big problem" for south-east England - and "if anything e don worse".

[Spikey M]

:D

[Giggles]

It looks like Ulster Scots.

[Shindig]

"Topics Wey Dem Resemble" always gets me.

[Spikey M]

It looks like Ulster Scots.

I can understand the Pidgin stuff so it has any of that Scots bollocks beat. I deny ken wit bawbag tawk Scots.

[Don]

Jesus lads, it's the Nations League semis in 2 days time and final in only 6 days time. What an occasion.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was wondering the other day: "What if there was some kind of competition or tournament to determine Europe's best national side?" and all of a sudden here one is. UEFA trailblazers in all things.

[Waffdon]

I can understand the Pidgin stuff so it has any of that Scots bollocks beat. I deny ken wit bawbag tawk Scots.

Kiko’s father in law speaks like that

[wullie]

When the international break comes about I very briefly miss being in league one where life carried on as normal, but having a look at the fixtures for Saturday most of them are postponed because of callups. International football's gone to the dogs

[Waffdon]

Maxime Biamou. Any good, wullie?

[wullie]

He's not the most technically brilliant or prolific but everyone absolutely fell in love with him a little bit all the same and there was a real sadness about him being let go. He's great playing alongside someone and works ridiculously hard and while he won't score a shitload of goals he did have a habit of scoring belters. If he hasn't tried an acrobatic volley at least once, he hasn't played

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R5UChuA3XI

[niko_cee]

The more I see everyone going on about that Rodri tackle the more I wonder why on earth Fabinho didn't just hit it first time.

[Reg]

That was a great game between Liverpool and City yesterday. One of the best goals (Salah's) I've seen in a long time. On today's Totally Football pod they were wondering if it was one of the Premier League era's best.

Also seen mention of Salah now being one of the Premier League greats? Maybe depends on how highly you value longevity, but this is his 5th season and it's only really the very rare players who excel for longer than that (Giggs, Lampard, etc.) and he's played and scored with almost freakish consistency.

[Boydy]

Sounds like a thread, Reg.

[randomlegend]

New contract for Mike "Mike "knows the club" Phelan" Phelan.

Lewis

[SincereTheRebel]

Salah has little competition for that RW position in the league. Would probably put Ronaldo on the left? I can't think of anyone else from the natural RW position that comes close.

[Shindig]

Ranieri's the new Watford manager. Six months, tops.

[Baz]

That Florian Wirtz for Leverkusen is a bit of a baller isn’t he.

Sign him up, Jurg.

[Don]

Aryan German playmaker. Do you people not learn from the lessons I, and indeed time, continue to dish out?

[Offshore Toon]

Certain outlets are talking very promisingly about the takeover, with The Times saying within 24 hours. The piracy thing was a big issue, but there's still the whole 'a country can't own a football club thing,' unless they've sorted that in the meantime.

[randomlegend]

Sounds like it's done.

You think you're owned by the biggest cunt possible and then you get taken over by Saudi Arabia. At least the money will be flowing

[Shindig]

I completely forgot about the piracy stuff. :D

[Spikey M]

1445722939022659587?t=cU8a7w9b8sxadmQInnAUhw&s=19

:happycry:

[Yevrah]

They must be the worst run entity in existence.

[Ian]

It'd be amazing if they ended up relegated or something.

[mo]

Fuck em.

[Spikey M]

Liquidated Super League with Bury, Wigan and Derby.

They may need to relocate to Rochdale of something.

[Pepe]

Don't the big Spanish teams have some sort of public ownership thing going? Might explain why they are so fucking useless.

[phonics]

I saw something about how ‘we should feel so bad about a once great club has fallen to’

I’ve loved every second of that cheaty scummy clubs misery. Mes que un bunch of cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What have they even fallen to? Lost a few games? The horror.

[Pepe]

They have definitely been much worse before. Their finances are shit? Who cares?

[Giggles]

Smuggest club ever. It’s great to see.

[mo]

A demotion or two would be nice. Be a good FM save that.

[phonics]

Bissouma under investigation for sexual assault.

[Baz]

Sorba Thomas' story (https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/sorba-thomas-non-league-wales-25146546) is a good one. Hope he makes it to the Premier League.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sir Henry Winter finishing his twitter list of advice to the Saudis with 'Enjoy it. Great fans and city.' is the most Sir Henry Winter thing that he has ever done.

[Offshore Toon]

I'm getting a bit carried away planning a long overdue trip to St James'. Time for bed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://serving.photos.photobox.com/14029541b198c228b18202823efd333d09a30cb05ebc8a8f45 d39d7dfe34ce7679f3d95f.jpg

Please never stop, Sir Henry. Please keep being you.

[Waffdon]

Liquidated Super League with Bury, Wigan and Derby.

They may need to relocate to Rochdale of something.

Wigan are minted now

[Lewis]

Has anyone in a worthwhile position to do so ever raised human rights with City, Arsenal, the FA etc.? They all whine about Qatar, but that is a FIFA thing and it's easy to have a go at FIFA. Not so easy to have a go at the people who control your press access.

[Don]

I said it before and I'll say it again, it's fantastic to have an added passion to see Newcastle lose. They should be going down this year but hopefully I'll get a chance to go and shout abuse at them at Brentford this year.

[Ian]

https://serving.photos.photobox.com/14029541b198c228b18202823efd333d09a30cb05ebc8a8f45 d39d7dfe34ce7679f3d95f.jpg

Please never stop, Sir Henry. Please keep being you.

I'm trying to figure out precisely how he's not understood Liew's post there.

[Offshore Toon]

We're going to need a couple of 'can you separate the football team from the owner?' threads. Lofty Spikey M

[Spikey M]

No. You can't. Now jog on Osama BinMan Jersey.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If there's one thing I'll never tire of, it's (club's fans) telling (all other fans) that they don't understand their club, as if they aren't just the same institution followed by the same slavish idiots copy-pasted all over the country in different colour schemes.

'There's a media agenda against Chesterfield, and if you can't see that, you must be as biased as the rest of them.'

[SvN]

When I used to take betting a bit more seriously, I'd regularly check in on the online forums of smaller clubs to get team news, etc. It was hilarious how many of them - probably 80%ish - had threads about the media/referee bias against them.

[Spikey M]

Do Sky Sports have a single pundit that didn't play for Liverpool, Man Utd or Arsenal?

They had Le Tissier but the lure of being a full time mong on Twitter was too strong for him.

[niko_cee]

If you go into their Soccer Saturday panels then probably (where I guess Le Tiss was found) - Matt Murray? Does he ever get into the studio other than on lower league weekends?

[Ian]

The bits I've had the misfortune to see of BT panels of Scholes and Hargreaves might be some of the most football broadcasting ever allowed onto the airwaves. They're not even entertainingly thick, just dull as dishwater.

Do BT have one good pundit?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I say this quite often but culturally English football is all about those three red teams, the others are just convenient opposition ultimately. There's far more mileage in having washed up players from those three on pundit panels than there is in having good pundits. It's all part of the narrative.

When those teams don't win, the story is them being shit, rather than about someone else being good.

[niko_cee]

Didn't BT unearth Sutton?

[Spikey M]

When those teams don't win, the story is them being shit, rather than about someone else being good.

And there in lays the source of the complex. I don't think it's entirely imaginary.

Spurs fans are one of the main culprits of that line of thinking, but when they're playing one of the big 4 and the panel is made up entirely of ex-players from their opponent it does make it understandable.

The build up is heavily weighted towards United / Liverpool / Arsenal (because they bring the most viewers), if they win it's about how shit their opponent was (rather than how good Spurs were) and if they lose it's smug grins all round.

I don't necessarily think it's bias on Sky's behalf, they're just getting in the pundits they think their core viewers want to see, but if you're a fan of one of the 17 other clubs in the league (especially if you support a rival club) I can easily see why they think the media is against them.

[Reg]

Do BT have one good pundit?
I think Rio Ferdinand is quite good now.

They also have AC Jimbo's podcast mates on the Italian and European stuff.

[Ian]

I think he's fine but he never actually says anything that makes you go "Hm, good point." He just appears to have an actual personality, such as it is, which marks him out.

[igor_balis]

When I used to take betting a bit more seriously, I'd regularly check in on the online forums of smaller clubs to get team news, etc. It was hilarious how many of them - probably 80%ish - had threads about the media/referee bias against them.

My dad's mate who went to the Albion with us would, without fail, ask my dad who the referee was.

"It's [ref's name]"

"FUCK sake, he fucking hates the Albion".

[Yevrah]

That Winter exchange is perfect, just perfect.

He's like a highbrow Madeley.

[Andy]

My dad's mate who went to the Albion with us would, without fail, ask my dad who the referee was.

"It's [ref's name]"

"FUCK sake, he fucking hates the Albion".

This is all just part of the match day experience.

Also it covers all clubs across the country. The bigger clubs (Liverpool, United) are some of the worse.

[SvN]

When United were winning everything, I used to look at other fanbases and laugh how mental they all were. The last 7 years have made me realise that United's fanbase is probably one of the worst out there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The modern day internet United fan combines blinkeredness and a sense of entitlement in a way that truly grates.

Arsenal fans online are really bizarre, particularly when it comes to messianic complexes about the next youth player through (currently it's Charlie Patiño. Give the boy a chance, he's 17 ffs). Chelsea fans seem to be full of wrong uns. Scousers are scousers. Spurs are just obsessed with Arsenal, the bigger picture doesn't seem to matter to them at all.

City and Newcastle basically have the same fanbase, the main purpose of which is to defend their club against the imagined scorn of others vis a vis middle eastern state ownership.

[Waffdon]

Newcastle :cool:

I really hope they do one up on City and start buying everyone.

[mo]

The modern day internet United fan combines blinkeredness and a sense of entitlement in a way that truly grates.

Arsenal fans online are really bizarre, particularly when it comes to messianic complexes about the next youth player through (currently it's Charlie Patiño. Give the boy a chance, he's 17 ffs). Chelsea fans seem to be full of wrong uns. Scousers are scousers. Spurs are just obsessed with Arsenal, the bigger picture doesn't seem to matter to them at all.

City and Newcastle basically have the same fanbase, the main purpose of which is to defend their club against the imagined scorn of others vis a vis middle eastern state ownership.

Speaking of entitlement...

1445873952761389059

:happycry:

[Disco]

Football as a whole thinks it's far more important than it really is so is it any wonder that some of the fans are the same way?

[John Arne]

China v Vietnam just about to kick off in Asian World Cup qualifying. Could be tasty. Unfortunately, being played in the UAE :face:

Liverpool born Tyias Browning starts for China, as does Brazilian... sorry, Chinese striker Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso. Alan "Ai Lan" Carvalho on the bench.

[Shindig]

Speaking of entitlement...

1445873952761389059

:happycry:

Howay. We've spent our entire history in the top two divisions. Four fifths of that in the top flight. That's not torture.

[Offshore Toon]

Are there any other Newcastle fans here anymore apart from Shindig (who was an Ashley/Bruce advocate last I saw)?

Hard not to be excited but we'll see what happens. For now, I'm just going to celebrate Ashley being gone but I look forward to smashing everyone in the near future. :huhu:

[Shindig]

I was a Bruce advocate because he was under Ashley's thumb, to be honest. I have no idea how he gets on with a Saudi warchest. Ashley went from being fiscally responsible (compared to Freddie's debt) to downright refusal to spend.

[John Arne]

China v Vietnam just about to kick off in Asian World Cup qualifying. Could be tasty. Unfortunately, being played in the UAE :face:

Liverpool born Tyias Browning starts for China, as does Brazilian... sorry, Chinese striker Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso. Alan "Ai Lan" Carvalho on the bench.

90th minute equalizer, having been 2-0 with 10 mins to play :drool:

https://gyazo.com/ba4b4eaef7663d37df585a0083574c23.gif

EDIT: China with a 95th minute winner :(

[niko_cee]

The woman fronting the Newcastle takeover seems to have spent the hiatus between the first bid and now having way too much plastic surgery.

Ashley [more than] doubling his money, having probably stripped millions out in the meantime, the guy's an absolute genius, somehow.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The woman fronting the Newcastle takeover seems to have spent the hiatus between the first bid and now having way too much plastic surgery.

When in Rome.

[Yevrah]

So are these Saudis of the spunking money variety and is that their plan with Newcastle?

[Disco]

Does that technically count as a face covering?

[Raoul Duke]

So are these Saudis of the spunking money variety and is that their plan with Newcastle?

Also sawing up journalists, so it's not all banter. Howay the hacksaws?

[Offshore Toon]

I was a Bruce advocate because he was under Ashley's thumb, to be honest. I have no idea how he gets on with a Saudi warchest. Ashley went from being fiscally responsible (compared to Freddie's debt) to downright refusal to spend.
To accumulate a warchest you usually need to have some brains about you, and for that reason Bruce will never be allowed anywhere near one. The first job is to replace him.

[Yevrah]

In all this I'd forgotten that Steve Bruce is at the helm. :D

[Giggles]

Loving the pearl clutching shit when so many scumbags already own clubs. I hope they clean up.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think MBS's goons owning a club is quantifiably worse than the various shades of shyster who currently own clubs. Even the City ones.

[Lewis]

Mark Hughes getting to spend City's money on a load of crap was good at the time.