December Football: Oh Christ

[Baz]

Rafa :clap:

[phonics]

Super Demarai Goes Ballistic, Arsenal Are Atrocious

[Waffdon]

Ben White against Richarlison was such a miss match. He should stick to Ibiza

[niko_cee]

I see Operation 6 Points went well for Arsenal over the last 2 games.

[phonics]

I need to remember I’ll never be happy ever again.

[Don]

Gray 1 bonus point on fpl? Fuck off.

I'd lol and say Tavares has no top-level career and is another useless BLM fullback to go with the rest but that erratic distribution reminds me of myself at RB so GWAN NUNO, lad :happycry:

[Lofty]

A joint effort between Aubameyang being lol, some really poor individual performances (Partey a massive problem) and Arteta not getting a grip on things. Both games we have ended up with a lead only to immediately hand momentum to the other team and just hope we can see it out when it is obvious we are in no shape to do that at the moment. Why the fuck Eddie 'leaving on a free in the summer wont sign a contract' Nketiah is suddenly seen as a game changing sub having not kicked a ball in the league before last week is anyone's guess.

[phonics]

A joint effort between Aubameyang being lol, some really poor individual performances (Partey a massive problem) and Arteta not getting a grip on things. Both games we have ended up with a lead only to immediately hand momentum to the other team and just hope we can see it out when it is obvious we are in no shape to do that at the moment. Why the fuck Eddie 'leaving on a free in the summer wont sign a contract' Nketiah is suddenly seen as a game changing sub having not kicked a ball in the league before last week is anyone's guess.

Nketiahs fee isn’t free. Goes to a tribunal. More games he plays the more money we get from whoever signs him. Arteta thought the game was won. No idea why however.

[Mellberg]

Man Utd - Villa, FA Cup 3rd Round. Does this tie come round every few years or is it just me?

It was four times in seven years, but it's not happened in ten years or so. Also drew the lucky loser the year they bailed for the World Club Cup.

[Mellberg]

Everton tried to stage a walk out in the 27th minute for 27 years without a trophy? :harold:

[Lofty]

Nketiahs fee isn’t free. Goes to a tribunal. More games he plays the more money we get from whoever signs him. Arteta thought the game was won. No idea why however.

If that is the reason he is playing then we are properly fucked as an organisation, the lad is wank. If he wasn't he would be a regular starter.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was reading something about the Plymouth manager being hired by Preston, and was shocked to discover that the latter club are run by, wait for it, Peter Ridsdale.

What on earth's going on there? Like appointing Gary Glitter as a live-in nanny.

[Ian]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59568637

For fuck's sake, Ralf, call it a "no brainer."

Also I just sort of assumed any sporting organisation with as much money swilling about as United would have a sports psychologist anyway.

[Pepe]

If only psychology was not a complete bollocks field.

[Pepe]

But if Ralf thinks it is useful, then bring it on.

[Ian]

I don't much care whether it's a waste of time or money or what, I just hate to see a pun go unused.

[Waffdon]

Kyle Walker getting a red card in a dead rubber for randomly kicking someone in the back of the legs is peak Kyle Walker. Proper dumb cunt.

[Pepe]

I don't much care whether it's a waste of time or money or what, I just hate to see a pun go unused.


Foreigners...

[Lewis]

I would give 'Ralf' the three years now, with absolute control over everything.

[niko_cee]

Fucking hell Acey Meelan are bad. Serie A is fully done.

[Waffdon]

This Porto/Atletico game :drool:

The commentator on BT is fuming hahahahah

[niko_cee]

Liverpool have made their point now. They need to chuck a few in to fuck Simeone's boys over.

How much did Chelsea get for Tomori again? That contacts book is just endless.

[niko_cee]

Just reading about RB Salzburg in that BBC Sport bit about them, my mind has been somewhat blown by the fact that Brighton paid a lot of actual money for Enoch Mwepu. I sort of assumed he'd turned up for nothing/from some sort of loan/feeder situation. £20m? :cab:

Yes, yes, £20m is the new tree fitty etc.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59576387

Spurs are rife with the Rona.

[Spikey M]

1468594241366642690?t=NjJflaHbdfZnOjWi5_9S2Q&s=19

[Shindig]

Pad the squad out with grey names.

[Gray Fox]

Benfica are on their way to town to smash them.

[niko_cee]

Putting my faith in the Conte revolution in fantasy terms has been quite testing. First the snow, now covid, when the players get on the pitch they're actually not bad but for fuck's sake. Give me names. I don't want this vague '10 players' shit. No one gives a fuck if half of their no mark players aren't available. Oh noes! 'Dele' [is he still doing that?] has covid. :yawn:

[Waffdon]

Chelsea must be the worst team decent team for the month of December. They have a meltdown every year.

Not surprising considering the starting 11, mind. An absolute mess

[Giggles]

Matt Doherty might get a game. Though they’d probably play a greyed out player instead.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Suspect this might be the only outing for the Barkley-James midfield pivot.

[Waffdon]

Saul and Sarr down the left side of the defence too :D

[Manc]

A real lack of jeopardy this week. The group stage needs to go in the bin.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hudson-Odoi is another one of these modern players. Managers love him due to his running, but when it comes to kicking the ball he is not a top division level player.

[Danny]

This United team is something special.

1468652882174136320

Matic CB?

[Shindig]

I'd be starting wor Shola.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kepa with the save of the season there, I think.

Malang Sarr's last game for Chelsea, this. Not good enough.

[randomlegend]

This United team is something special.

1468652882174136320

Matic CB?

Mata in the pivot :drool:

[niko_cee]

Second in the group is the big brain move for Chelsea anyway. With all the other English sides 1 seeds they only really need to avoid Bayern, whereas there will be 'dangerous floaters' in the unseeded teams [PSG, 'Atleti'].

[Lewis]

Mata in the pivot :drool:

Giving more time to youngsters in two games than Ole Gunnar Binman did in years. :happycry:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Havertz is ten times the player Lukaku is. Completely different proposition as a team as soon as that change was made. He actually links up really well with Thicko Timo, too.

[randomlegend]

I wavered for a moment at the start of the season, but I'll be collecting my W on Lukaku.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Presumably he (Romelu) can still finish and that, but in a proper league you can't have static centre forwards in this day and age. It's even more tragic when he tries running back (usually after giving the ball away) and you can do a 5 second countdown until he either gives the foul away or runs out of puff.

[Boydy]

What game is actually worth watching tonight? Bayern Barca? Atalanta Villareal?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Barcelona have to win, don't they? That one stands out, but any Atalanta game is value for your time.

[Waffdon]

Second in the group is the big brain move for Chelsea anyway. With all the other English sides 1 seeds they only really need to avoid Bayern, whereas there will be 'dangerous floaters' in the unseeded teams [PSG, 'Atleti'].

Real Madrid are starting to look alright again. That might be because Vini Jnr and Benzema are proper dons though

[mo]

Has Ragnick got two keepers on the bench? Heaton and Kovar? :cab:

[Waffdon]

I think it’s mandatory in Europe

[Boydy]

Barcelona have to win, don't they? That one stands out, but any Atalanta game is value for your time.

I think they're okay if Benfica don't win.

Just realised it's in an empty stadium.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Robbie Savage's son is on the bench too.

[Boydy]

Fucking Steve McManaman on co-commentary as well.

Atalatna kick off delayed because of snow.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Greenwood is an absolute beast.

[randomlegend]

So good.

[niko_cee]

Presumably he (Romelu) can still finish and that, but in a proper league you can't have static centre forwards in this day and age. It's even more tragic when he tries running back (usually after giving the ball away) and you can do a 5 second countdown until he either gives the foul away or runs out of puff.

As per my comments last night, one has to exercise extreme caution when buying out of Italy as the standard of football appears to be in ruins.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking Steve McManaman on co-commentary as well.

Atalatna kick off delayed because of snow.

And now it's OFF.

[Danny]

Chance for Savage's kid to play more games for United than his dad tonight.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As per my comments last night, one has to exercise extreme caution when buying out of Italy as the standard of football appears to be in ruins.

I've started watching a fair bit of it this season and it's technically fine, but the pressing and so on is light years behind England.

[niko_cee]

I'm not watching the Bayern game, but the BBC team thing leads me to believe they are playing Musiala as some sort of central/defensive midfielder. Is that right? Isn't he more of a flighty winger?

[Don]

Think Muller with a tan. No physical attributes whatsoever.

[Manc]

The Europa League is shaping up nicely.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Steve McManaman has just questioned whether Bayern could beat 'the English sides'. Who is it that enjoys listening to him?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Donny back to the bench.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Barca :wave:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rangnick even giving minutes to the third choice keeper, Heaton.

[Ian]

I assume he's just heard Savage is a cunt and thought it'd be a laugh for even the goalie to get a go ahead of Savage Jr.

[Danny]

Bringing on Zidane and the Welsh Zidane

[Ian]

I love that when he asked Savage how he felt the first thing he said was "What a day for me."

[Baz]

Quite like the Rio and Hargreaves studio chats.

[Adramelch]

Second in the group is the big brain move for Chelsea anyway. With all the other English sides 1 seeds they only really need to avoid Bayern, whereas there will be 'dangerous floaters' in the unseeded teams [PSG, 'Atleti'].

Not sure on that to be honest. I can see the logic if they get Lille, but that's about it.

1st: PSG, Atletico, Benfica, Sporting, Atalanta/Villareal, Inter, Salzburg
2nd: Bayern, Real, Ajax, Lille

[Manc]

City nailed on to draw Salzburg.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We'd have a 30-40% chance of beating Bayern and a 75+% chance of beating the others. It's no biggie.

[Giggles]

Why have they let spurs off?

[Spikey M]

Match is cancelled. Probably the next couple of Premier League games too. No idea if they forfeit the games or rearrange though.

[Giggles]

If they’d 10 injuries would they not just have to get on with it?

[Adramelch]

I am with you on that in general, but one thing that has to be considered is that some corona players might well be asymptomatic but they are not allowed from the association to play. Would be kinda unfair to punish the team for that.

[Mellberg]

Trying to remember what happened with us. Think a league game might've been delayed, but we definitely had to play a team of teenagers in the cup.

[Shindig]

Yeah, you've got restrictions on registered players so it's not like they can pad the squad out with reserves, either. The Premier League games might be a different story. Or the same, given that the Premier League asks for a 25-man squad.

Our games went ahead, although the training ground was shut. I think we lost 5-7 first team players.

[Spikey M]

I suppose the problem with making teams forfeit is that it makes them more likely to break rules and field asymptomatic caases.

[-james-]

Trying to remember what happened with us. Think a league game might've been delayed, but we definitely had to play a team of teenagers in the cup.

Ridiculous sums lost on that cup game. Liverpool 1 - 1 Solihull U18s at half time iirc.

[niko_cee]

Presumably it comes down to whether the club asks to have a game rearranged [also presuming no Premier League club would make such a request for a domestic cup game].

Spurs already have that Burnley game to catch up so if they miss a few more they;re going to have a big problem.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should take the cricket approach. If the game's off, the game's off. Point each.

[Shindig]

Or, as a much cooler option: You field what you can and the opposition matches it. So if you get a repeat of that Benfica situation, you tell Benfica to drop players until both sides have equal numbers.

5 a side on a full pitch. :cool:

[Foe]

Or akin to the ice hockey model where you pull someone out the stands.

[Mellberg]

Ridiculous sums lost on that cup game. Liverpool 1 - 1 Solihull U18s at half time iirc.

That the half time bet you were talking about the other day? It was daft though. Don't think any of them have played in the first team since. Was the age level below those coming through at the moment.

[Mellberg]

Newcastle caught the Rona too didn't they? What happened with them?

[Shindig]

We played our games. We weren't knackered enough not to name a squad. Our main problem was it took months for some players to get back to fitness. Namely Darlow and Saint Maximin.

[Adramelch]

Our main problem was it took months for some players to get back to fitness.

Still a work in progress that one.

[-james-]

That the half time bet you were talking about the other day? It was daft though. Don't think any of them have played in the first team since. Was the age level below those coming through at the moment.

Nah. I can't remember the specifics but must have been on half time result, handicaps from -2 and up etc. Salah, Mane and co starting. Already counting winnings at a goal up after five minutes.

[Shindig]

Still a work in progress that one.

Would it interest you to know Leicester have about 5 players sick with it ahead of Sunday's game? What goes around ... erm ... goes around. :D

[-james-]

Nah. I can't remember the specifics but must have been on half time result, handicaps from -2 and up etc. Salah, Mane and co starting. Already counting winnings at a goal up after five minutes.

Not even my worst Villa related betting memory.

Brighton Championship outright 16/17 pre-season at 14/1. Seven points clear of Newcastle with three games to play. Lose to Norwich and Bristol City, but go a goal up at Villa who get a man sent off on the final day, before Jack Grealish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZikfGgqqGB8) pops up and curls one through David Stockdale's legs in the 89th minute.

I might have posted this before, it still haunts me in my sleep.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Should have cashed out in November.

[Shindig]

I feel for you. It felt like robbery when we won that title.

[Lofty]

Aubameyang apparently ill for tomorrow's game.

[niko_cee]

They should take the cricket approach. If the game's off, the game's off. Point each.

Sounds like this might be happening [with the wafer game].

:sherlock:

[Gray Fox]

Apparently Aubameyang skipped training during the week to get a tattoo instead. So Arteta has dropped him completely.

[Spikey M]

Lol.

[Giggles]

What a waste of space he turned out to be.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59620193

Tottenham's postponed Europa Conference League game with Rennes will not be rescheduled, says Uefa.

Spurs announced on Wednesday that the group match - due to be played on Thursday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - could not take place following 13 coronavirus cases at the club.

The result of the match will now be decided by the Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body next week.

[Gray Fox]

This is really quite strange.

[Yevrah]

Presumably Tottenham didn't want to reschedule and Rennes will be given the win, which makes one wonder why they bothered accepting the invite in the first place.

[Spikey M]

From what I've read it's the other way around. Rennes are group winners no matter what happens and understandably don't fancy exposing themselves to a squad riddled with Covid.

[Yevrah]

Ah, Tottenham win it is then.

[Spikey M]

Not so sure on that. It sounds like Spurs had enough players to put 11 men on the pitch and Vitesse aren't taking it lying down.

Spurs will argue that they were being cautious and were right to do so as they had more positives after the game was cancelled.

It will be interesting to what happens.

[Giggles]

There’s absolutely no way Spurs should get anything when they were the reason it didn’t go ahead.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should just chuck Spurs out, I'm sure no tears will be shed on all sides.

[Gray Fox]

Referee seemingly forgetting the petty fouls directive today and allowing Villa to waste time at will. You love to see it.

[Ian]

Has he mistaken them for Man City?

[Mellberg]

Hoping we have another second half improvement, but Liverpool are playing very well. Can see why they're in such good form. Would take 1-0 Gerrard 90+3.

[Gray Fox]

Also I can't fathom why Arsenal ever let Martinez go. They've ended up alright in the end with Ramsdale, but this lad's top quality.

[Baz]

Referee seemingly forgetting the petty fouls directive today and allowing Villa to waste time at will. You love to see it.

Time wasting from the 46th minute. GG Stevie :harold:

[Gray Fox]

Very clumsy from Mings after Villa and he himself had been excellent.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Rudiger's ability to start a massive fight in pretty much every game he plays is unparallelled.

[John Arne]

Rudiger is such a tool.

[Lewis]

Liverpool turning Steven Gerrard coming back into some major emotional event merits a points deduction.

[Mellberg]

Think we were great defensively for an hour and pretty good in general after going behind. Liverpool should win the league. Think they're better than City, who I keep reading were at there best against us, but Liverpool feel like they're harder to get at and can score more goals.

[Don]

How's Bielsa doing that with the shite at his disposal? Mad. Chelsea are gonna get ruined if Kante and Kova don't return soon.

[John Arne]

Liverpool turning Steven Gerrard coming back into some major emotional event merits a points deduction.

It was media who did that. The commentator nearly fucking jizzed himself. The fans just gave him a decent round of applause.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/re4ev3/stevies_post_match_reply_when_owen_asked_him_how/

:lol:

[Ian]

This has been reet poo.

[Lewis]

The attack is falling over itself a bit, and Ronaldo is having an off day, but the fact that they aren't being run through and passed around at will is something.

[Shindig]

You expected that from Norwich?

[Waffdon]

This is one of the most pathetic performances I’ve ever seen in Ronaldo so far. :D

Goal in bound

[Lewis]

I would expect it from any team with a basic level of fitness over the past two years.

[Ian]

Yeah they've definitely got a better idea of how to not just instantly concede chances under any sort of pressure but yeah, the attack still doesn't know what to do with itself and some of the decision making has been crap.

I know there's every chance he just hoofs one in but Ronaldo has been a waste of space today. He's still like a man down half the time whether his marks will admit to it or not. Is Cavani dead or what?

[Lewis]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Jadons Ancho go up front when Paulp Ogba returns. I think this system can work with Ronaldo as long as he keeps doing Ronaldo things, but Rashford is too thick and lazy to be the link/support man.

[Ian]

Told you all Ronaldo was great #CR74life.

Take it away, Mahow.

[Giggles]

You’ve all pulled off a mighty Taz there.

[niko_cee]

lol at that penalty, clever by Ronaldo though, he just launched himself into the arm.

[Waffdon]

Aye, he was the only player getting that penalty with his scream.

[Ian]

You’ve all pulled off a mighty Taz there.

Indeed, but then this is basically every Ronaldo performance this season. He may score, he may score two, but he still spends the rest of the time mooching about doing not much (and not being backed up by a team capable of providing the service for a striker who wants to just stand around and kick it in) so you either point out the obvious and risk him scoring and "proving you wrong" or say nothing.

[randomlegend]

Ronaldo's been rubbish but at least you can bet your house on him putting a chance/penalty away if it falls to him.

Rashford on the other hand has been completely and utterly useless.

This has been a crap performance, but it was always going to take more than 1 or 2 games to sort this team out, particularly the dysfunctional attack.

[Ian]

Good timing, RL. :D

[Lewis]

I thought 'Makelele roll neck' was a decent effort.

[Danny]

RL has actually Taz'd that.

Hanley injuring himself was lol at the time but seems like it might quite bad.

[Lewis]

Rashford genuinely hasn't improved in two years. Is he still half-injured or is this the finished product?

[Shindig]

Too much time spent erm ... campaigning.

[Yevrah]

As I've maintained for a while, he's not good enough for Man Utd.

[niko_cee]

Would that have been offside had the [offside] Norwich player bundled that header in or would the United flick-on have 'reset' things?

[Waffdon]

Not sure. Depends if they deemed him to deliberately head it there I think

[niko_cee]

I believe by the bullshit rule the player would just have to be deemed to have intentionally played the ball, not intentionally played the ball where it went [because these things usually come about when the defender makes a massive mistake in attempting a clearance]. Would have been an interesting one. I mean, he was clearly off when the freekick was taken.

[Kikó]

Rashford was better second half so maybe he's just not match fit yet. Another clean sheet so take that, move on.

[randomlegend]

Good timing, RL. :D

If it was 0-0 (or Rashford hadn't put it behind him) he'd have scored.

[randomlegend]

Rashford genuinely hasn't improved in two years. Is he still half-injured or is this the finished product?

He's gone backwards, not just not improved. He should be behind Greenwood and Sancho in the pecking order.

The McFred midfield just aren't good enough passing forwards to make this team genuinely successful, although once Rangnick gets the forwards moving properly it'll make it easier for them.

[Ian]

There was a point where Fred had the ball in space with a line of Norwich players in front of him, the four United attackers behind them and literally not one of them tried to move and help him find a gap to move it forward, just ambling about.

They need a kick up the arse.

[Kikó]

I thought Fred was our best player tbh.

[randomlegend]

I thought Fred was our best player tbh.

Yeah I think he's good, but he needs someone alongside him with better forward passing than McTominay but who also offers more defensively than Pogba i.e. nothing.

[Baz]

What you saying is you need carrick back

[Ian]

Alan Smith, clearly. The new Roy Keane.

[randomlegend]

What you saying is you need carrick back

Prolly, yeah.

[Giggles]

I hear he’s free.

[Ian]

He'd need Ole's permission first.

[Baz]

I love how few people have voted in the poll.

[Boydy]

I love how few people have voted in the poll.

Probably because you can't see them on mobile.

[niko_cee]

Didn't see the City one but don't really get most of the penalty pissing and moaning from yesterdays games. Most decisions seemed fairly spot on. Chelsea's winner was fairly funny, but only because how massively stupid it was for Klich to do what he did.

[Andy]

Yeah I think he's good, but he needs someone alongside him with better forward passing than McTominay but who also offers more defensively than Pogba i.e. nothing.

After watching three years of this style of 4222 with Hassenhuttl it's hard to judge the two in midfield as they have to do so much. They always look poor and stretched and its only when someone drops out of the midfield you realise how good they are. United gave the benefit of decent 10s rather than Redmond and Walcott so should get the system working a lot better than us. Pogba should play as one of the wide tens not in the pivot.

At times we have Romeu dropping in between the center backs and JWP ends up having to do all the midfield work himself as the two 10s are all over the place.

[Reg]

He's said Pogba will play as one of the two deeper midfielders, which seems a mistake.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This system is not new but is basically what Brazil won the World Cup with in 1970. Really not convinced Pogba is a Gerson, and he's definitely not a Clodoaldo.

[randomlegend]

After watching three years of this style of 4222 with Hassenhuttl it's hard to judge the two in midfield as they have to do so much. They always look poor and stretched and its only when someone drops out of the midfield you realise how good they are. United gave the benefit of decent 10s rather than Redmond and Walcott so should get the system working a lot better than us. Pogba should play as one of the wide tens not in the pivot.

At times we have Romeu dropping in between the center backs and JWP ends up having to do all the midfield work himself as the two 10s are all over the place.

Yeah I agree Pogba should play as one of the 10s. Theoretically him and Fernandes should be absolutely disgusting as the two 10s in this system, but somehow theory never plays into practice with Pogba. Maybe, MAYBE, we can get away with him as one of the deeper two against weaker teams but probably not.


He just needs to go really.

[randomlegend]

This system is not new but is basically what Brazil won the World Cup with in 1970. Really not convinced Pogba is a Gerson, and he's definitely not a Clodoaldo.

Don't think anyone was claiming he'd invented a new formation.

I'm still on board with Lewis' theory that Pogba has spent most of his career being played out of position (he's a 10) because he's big, strong and black.

[Kikó]

Pogba needs to play for another club.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm still on board with Lewis' theory that Pogba has spent most of his career being played out of position (he's a 10) because he's big, strong and black.

Yes, agree. Same thing applies to everyone screaming for Kanté to play in 'the holding role' as if he's Amdy Faye.

Pogba at his best reminds me of a more skilful, less rumbustuous Steven Gerrard.

[Giggles]

Yes, agree. Same thing applies to everyone screaming for Kanté to play in 'the holding role' as if he's Amdy Faye.

Pogba at his best reminds me of a more skilful, less rumbustuous Steven Gerrard.

He’s about a tenth the player Gerrard was.

[niko_cee]

Rumbustuous is a rather excellent word, even if google disputes it's existence.

An interesting comparison. I suppose both need to have a team built around them to 'get the best out of them' [to the detriment of the team] but Gerrard probably had the ability to carry said handicapped side to a greater extent. Pogba needs a stellar supporting cast [a la France] to do most of/all the heavy-lifting. Old fashioned luxury 10 is probably closer, ie completely redundant in modern football.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've put a U too many in there apparently. Oh well, I'm sticking to mine, and therefore adjusting the definition to read 'like Steven Gerrard'.

rumbustious
/rʌmˈbʌstʃəs,rʌmˈbʌstɪəs/

adjectiveINFORMAL•BRITISH
boisterous or unruly.
"rumbustious football fans"

[niko_cee]

Rum-bust-you-us reads a lot better than rum-busty-us so I'm with you.

[Yevrah]

Rambunctious? Also an excellent word.

[Ian]

He's said Pogba will play as one of the two deeper midfielders, which seems a mistake.

You'd have thought the last however many years have proven that he's just not good there. But hey, I'm not a highly paid football manager so what do I know.

[Manc]

How did the board become so United centric?

[Lewis]

GS stopped posting.

[Giggles]

Liverpool finally won the league and their supporters are only interested in the misery.

[Don]

The utd lot were hiding in shit like NFL threads pretending the sport didn't exist.

[Shindig]

Speaking of things not existing, I've just seen the Leicester result. Normal service resumed, lads. :D

[Waffdon]

Man Utd/PSG
Man City/Villarreal
Chelsea/Lille
Liverpool/Salzburg

Not sure the big teams in England could have got an easier draw if they tried.

[Gray Fox]

PSG v Manchester UFC
Chelsea v Lille
Villarreal v Manchester City
RB Salzburg v Liverpool.

Tasty.

[niko_cee]

:D

Snide.

[Don]

Looks like they put the Man Utd ball in the wrong pot and not able to be drawn against Atletico. Did seem odd when they drew it against Villarreal in the first instance, those clashes are usually prevented beforehand. Vaccines got everyone's heads fucked.

[Giggles]

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[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon they have to redraw it.

See you in Munich.

[Yevrah]

That's another thing UEFA and FIFA could do to sex things up a bit, fix the draws. PSG and Man Utd would be box office and look, there it is/was.

[-james-]

Rangers - Dortmund is a cracker of a tie in Europa League. In fact most of them are better than the Champions League ones. I'll save the Conference Leagues takes for next season.

[Giggles]

Cracker of a tie, or just because one of the teams is local? There's surely a huge imbalance between an SPL side and Dortmund.

[randomlegend]

Inb4 we draw PSG again.

[-james-]

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:lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol. Pin that up on the Benfica dressing room wall.

Why are sporting authorities so terminally useless at the moment?

[Spikey M]

:D

What a couple of days it's been for sport.

[-james-]

Cracker of a tie, or just because one of the teams is local? There's surely a huge imbalance between an SPL side and Dortmund.

Yeah there probably is, especially post-Gerrard. It's just got the feel of a right ding-dong.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's been voided.

[Spikey M]

Hopefully this time we end up with Man Utd vs Man City and they all just go home for the day.

[Don]

Lol at all the Messi-Rapist FIX conspiracy theorists. Until it happens again ofc :baz:

[Ian]

Man, it's like the InterTTH Consolation Knockouts draw all over again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Redraw is at 2pm.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Complete redraw too, Real Madrid have not gotten their wish :(

[Giggles]

Hoefully they get Benfica again and lose.

[Ian]

I assume City just didn't get the draw they paid for?

[Waffdon]

Why would Real Madrid create a fuss over getting Benfica? Is that not the easiest possible draw?

Hopefully we get something along the lines of Man Utd/Inter, PSG/Liverpool, Chelsea/Bayern and Man City/Atletico. That would be lovely, sedin

[Boydy]

What went wrong with the first draw?

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Real Madrid now get Chelsea or PSG hopefully they sue and CAS has to take on 500 more staff to cope with demand.

[Giggles]

Why would Real Madrid create a fuss over getting Benfica? Is that not the easiest possible draw?

Hopefully we get something along the lines of Man Utd/Inter, PSG/Liverpool, Chelsea/Bayern and Man City/Atletico. That would be lovely, sedin

That's why they created the fuss. They wanted to keep their draw with Benfica.

[Waffdon]

Yeah, I read that tweet completely wrong. Ooops.

A pissed Rod Stewart managed to do a Scottish Cup draw perfectly fine. Get him flown in

[John Arne]

In similar news, someone messaged me that Indonesia were going to beat Lao 5-1 about 20 minutes before kick off.

Unfortunately, I read the message 1hr after the game. It finished 5-1 :face:

[Mike]

I wonder what will go wrong this time.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What went wrong with the first draw?

They drew United against Villarreal which can't happen then left the United ball out of the pot until the end so United could only get PSG.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liverpool were also included as a potential opponent for "Atleti".

[Giggles]

Benfica will like that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Real Madrid will be SEETHING.

[Adramelch]

Real going from Benfica to PSG is delightful after their seethe.

[Mike]

Amazing :D

[Waffdon]

Abramovich definitely paid Arshavin to pick Lille twice.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently they've fucked it again, UEFA said Liverpool can't play Villarreal...

It's coming from Michael Owen so probably bollocks.

[Giggles]

Apparently they've fucked it again, UEFA said Liverpool can't play Villarreal...

It's coming from Michael Owen so probably bollocks.

Are they not playing Inter Milan?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Are they not playing Inter Milan?

They are but in the draw before they said Liverpool can't be drawn against Villarreal so they have to play Juventus.

Michael Owen was wrong though (surprise) because other options in the draw meant Villarreal had to play Juventus.

[Yevrah]

Paris St-Germain v Real Madrid

:D

[Mellberg]

Karma dusting itself off and going after Franco FC. You love to see it.

[Manc]

Some filthy ties in the Europa league.

[Adramelch]

They are but in the draw before they said Liverpool can't be drawn against Villarreal so they have to play Juventus.

Michael Owen was wrong though (surprise) because other options in the draw meant Villarreal had to play Juventus.

Inter couldn't play Juventus or Real so they had to be drawn against Liverpool. And then Villareal couldn't be drawn against Real so they had to play Juventus.

[niko_cee]

United appear to be next on the covid merry go round. Hopefully Liverpool time their spike of infections to coincide with the Afcon.

[Yevrah]

I'd be going ham on the Christmas parties were I running Liverpool.

[Gray Fox]

Went out after the draw and missed all of this redraw stuff.

Can we do another one and have Salzburg back?

[niko_cee]

I prefer this one as Madrid getting PSG is more lol. Bayern the actual winners, well, other than Chelsea and the warm Lille ball.

[Danny]

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[Queenslander]

In similar news, someone messaged me that Indonesia were going to beat Lao 5-1 about 20 minutes before kick off.

Unfortunately, I read the message 1hr after the game. It finished 5-1 :face:

Oof. Feel free to share anymore pre game tips if you can...

[Lofty]

Aubameyang stripped of captaincy and not playing West Ham.

[-james-]

About half of the clubs in the Premier League appear to have a covid outbreak at the moment. Can't be long before crowds are gone.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Crowds make no difference to anything. It's just player unavailability.

[Spikey M]

It's probably a superspreading nightclub sloot they've been passing around.

[-james-]

I know, but there's a lot of talk about SAFETY and how it's BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL. I reckon we might get a knee jerk reaction in the next week or two.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Surely football itself won't vote crowds out. Even for the big boys, there's too much money in it. For the less than big boys, it's life or death.

I can see our favourite high pressing managers starting up their annual winter break chat with renewed vigour.

[SincereTheRebel]

Aubameyang stripped of captaincy and not playing West Ham.

They seem to have had a captain issue for many years now. It will be interesting to see the average time for the Arsenal armband compared to other clubs. It sounds like it would be really short.

[Foe]

Anyone but xhaka.

Give it to Andre Santos.

[Waffdon]

Leeds’ start here :sick:

This could be 8 or 9 if City really wanted to.

[Baz]

If (when?) City get Haaland, everyone else might as well give up.

[randomlegend]

My takeaways at half time at the Norwich game:

Covid security is non-existent.

Norwich are rubbish (which puts into even greater perspective how bad United were at the weekend). They have the same issue the teams I played for as a kid did which is everyone runs away from the person with the ball.

Max Aarons is way too good to be playing at this level of club.

Brandon Williams looks about as self-assured as one of the Fritzl kids any time he gets the ball; he's clearly not United quality but you'd at least hope coming through that level of academy he'd have a bit more about him.

[Magic]

Leeds’ start here :sick:

This could be 8 or 9 if City really wanted to.

I said ten after the first goal.

[Waffdon]

7 (seven). A few more in the last 10 mins would be funny.

[randomlegend]

We're sat just down from a lad who clearly fancied himself as a manager.

The highlight was "I don't understand why he doesn't just being them in and tell them all to FUCKING PLAY BETTER" :D

[Ian]

I mean Dean Smith shouldn't rule that out until he's tried it.

[phonics]

I can get free tickets to the Arsenal and dont for the specific reason of having to listen to those exact people.

[Yevrah]

I mean Dean Smith shouldn't rule that out until he's tried it.

OGB got three years out of it...

[Ian]

Nah, he'd have ASKED them to and finished with "or not, y'know, whatever makes you happy, lads!"

[Yevrah]

Fair point. :D

[randomlegend]

I can get free tickets to the Arsenal and dont for the specific reason of having to listen to those exact people.

I'd go just TO listen to them.

[Gray Fox]

AFCON looks like it may be getting shelved indefinitely.

[Manc]

What on earth is the FIFA Arab Cup?

[John Arne]

What on earth is the FIFA Arab Cup?

Is that the one where they only pick domestic-based players?

[Jimmy Floyd]

What on earth is the FIFA Arab Cup?

Another political land-grab. The way things are going in the FIFA-UEFA wars, there'll probably a UEFA White Man Shield by next year.

[Spikey M]

Mark Noble might finally get his chance.

[SincereTheRebel]

Tony Hibbert with the armband.

[Don]

Gammons quaking in their boots that other confederations might want to increase competitive match-time for their teams to better prepare themselves for the WC.

[Manc]

:yawn:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd be willing to bet that no non-European side (including South America) wins the World Cup this century.

Obviously you'll have to wait a while for payout.