Football in January 2022

[Spikey M]

Go on Mellers.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Queirozball and Egypt's centuries of national seethe, a match made in the fire pits of hell.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a finish that is.

Made sweeter with the Egyptian seethe over a non foul.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck VAR.

That wasn't a foul.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That was a bullshit decision, nothing in it, 60/40 call on a minor foul some time before a briilliant goal means that the brilliance is cancelled out in favour of defenders falling over. The very worst of VAR in its full glory.

[-james-]

Benitez gone apparently. Pretty funny that it's not a week since he forced Lucas Digne out.

[Shindig]

It's going to be weird looking back on his career as a whole.

[Lewis]

Wayne 'Manager of the Year' Rooney surely isn't walking out of his miracle effort mid-season.

[phonics]

Wayne 'Manager of the Year' Rooney surely isn't walking out of his miracle effort mid-season.

Duncan Ferguson so Wayne can save Derby first.


Benitez gone apparently. Pretty funny that it's not a week since he forced Lucas Digne out.

Hilarious. Just glad he's proved who the better manager is between him and Steve Bruce.

[Giggles]

Can Derby even stay up? Are they due any more deductions?

[Giggles]

Barnsley must be dogshit.

[Shindig]

Without the deduction, they'd be 10th. They can make that gap up.

[Giggles]

Is the waster owner gone now?

[Lewis]

Get a load of Tommy Tuchel moaning about Lukaku losing the ball and missing their biggest chance. Did he sign him off a YouTube compilation?

[CJay]

He did look really bad on MOTD tonight.

Hard to believe Ziyech started today. He seems like a total waste of space. He’s Mahrez without an ounce of end product.

[CJay]

Also - the Ramsey fella for Villa is top class.

[Manc]

Balance like a peak Deli.

[Waffdon]

He did look really bad on MOTD tonight.

Hard to believe Ziyech started today. He seems like a total waste of space. He’s Mahrez without an ounce of end product.

He couldn’t have picked a worse front 3 for playing City. He donned them 3 times in a row last year playing Havertz through the middle and Werner running in behind Walker for fun. I can see why Ziyech started to an extent as he scored twice against them in the wins last year but Ziyech/Lukaku is a massive no.

I’m pretty sure Lukaku was a ‘board signing’. He couldn’t be further from the type of player Tuchel likes. He’ll be gone in the summer no doubt.

[phonics]

I'm not saying that racism is rampant across managers or anything but it's wild the amount of managers who have had control of Lukaku and seen Andy Carroll rather than Andy Cole is absurd.

[Lewis]

'Had control of'? Looks like Andy Cole? Jesus alright mate.

[phonics]

Trying too hard.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not sure Lukaku was the problem today. Obviously people like him as the story because he's been in the news and is the star striker. The problem was the manager inexplicably selected Moroccan and American dweebs who fucked up every counter attack because they have the composure of a choc ice in a blast furnace, while Mason Mount and Kai Havertz sat on the bench.

Then he brought on Callum Hudson-Odoi who is like the above dweebs fucked and had the child tutored by Malouda and Kalou.

[Waffdon]

The win percentage with Havertz through the middle must be huge compared to when he’s not. It’s not like he scores or assists much at all but everyone looks like footballers again when they’re playing around him

[phonics]

On that theme. It's funny that 3 of 4 of the major teams have a soft spot for Yossi Benayoun

[Kikó]

Nice tattoo Jimmy.

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[Baz]

Also - the Ramsey fella for Villa is top class.

Aye. Only 20. Get involved, Jurg.

[niko_cee]

Whilst I sort of agree with Spurs' crying about their game being off if not directly caused by covid tests, in this statement:


"The original intention of the guidance was to deal with player availability directly affected by Covid cases, resulting in depleted squads that when taken together with injuries would result in the club being unable to field a team.

"We do not believe it was the intent to deal with player availability unrelated to Covid.

Doesn't the bolded bit directly conflict with the follow-up statement? Surely 'taken together with injuries' are considerations unrelated to covid? Or is the AFCON the curveball here because Arsenal have a few players away at that?

[Spikey M]

It's too vague to say. I'd say that Covid should be the principle cause of the problem for it to apply. In this case, it's barely a problem for them at all. Their main problem is that they were too thick to not send players out on loan when they were already struggling for numbers.

It is what it is anyway, they're not the first and they won't be the last to take the piss. More concerning is the precedent they're setting. They may as well just arrange a winter break for during AFCON now.

[niko_cee]

That's fair if it's just one covid case, 4 AFCONs and 3 or 4 other injuries, but where is the limit with covid cases? Does it need to be 3, 4? It's very clearly not 10 or whatever would be needed to actually be unable to put a full squad out, and hasn't been at any point.

[Spikey M]

They shouldn't have gone down this road to begin with really. Play the youth team or forfeit the game. It's harsh, but it would affect all clubs at one point or another. All this bollocks is just causing headaches.

[SincereTheRebel]

Teams pay 50+ players a salary. Put a player from the reservers in there. If there are not any available, start looking at the women's teams and give them a shirt to play. It really isnt that hard.

[Spikey M]

Get a few fans on like Harchester United did.

[-james-]

Another couple of hamstrings done in for Leeds. :happycry:

[Alex]

It's never ending. I would be seriously investigating the possibility of some sort of voodoo hex being placed on us at this point.

[Shindig]

We went through something like that under Sounness and Saunders. It was either the state of the training pitches or the training itself that popped hamstrings like bubble wrap.

[niko_cee]

Looks like we're well into the [now annual?] post-Christmas goal gloom.

:moop:

[Luke Emia]

Sir Rafa has been sacked. Looks like the granny shagger could be the next cab off the rank for them.

[Gray Fox]

He did his duty well.


Looks like we're well into the [now annual?] post-Christmas goal gloom.

:moop:

Seems Klopps Liverpool team goes very flat in January. Likely all of the PRESSING catching up to them from earlier in the year.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This game is a great example of why Leeds will stay up easily. No matter how vulnerable they look in a game, there's always a goal in them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yet again VAR's main function is to aggressively disallow goals that would have stood for 100+ years until we started using VAR.

[Dave.]

Disgraceful decision to disallow that goal. Complete lack of common sense. Do the people in charge of VAR actually understand football?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Doesn't matter, once you surrender the soul of the game to the finer points of the rulebook then you have to start disallowing everything and giving penalties for everything.

[Kikó]

It is offside though isn't it? Unfortunate but he's in the wrong place.

Just save from the Leeds keeper as well.

[Foe]

Yeah, the linesman would’ve given that off if he’d realised it hit Rodrigo. Shots hitting players form the same team on the line isn’t a new thing.

It’s unfortunate, but he’s offside. The goal would’ve gone to him, whilst blatantly offside. You can’t just ignore it.

[Kikó]

That miss at the end!

[Dave.]

It is offside though isn't it? Unfortunate but he's in the wrong place.

Just save from the Leeds keeper as well.

Not offside for me. The ball is going in anyway and he doesn't obstruct an opposition player from preventing the goal. If a team playing against Sunderland had such a goal disallowed, it would still be disgraceful and I would think we would have been extremely lucky. I don't particularly like Leeds but glad they won in the end.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Tunisia are not fucking around today.

[Yevrah]

Rafa will not be winning the league with Everton.

[Lewis]

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:happycry:

[Mellberg]

Aye. Only 20. Get involved, Jurg.

100m is the going rate for Villa academy players if you fancy it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Everton fans have the same problem that Newcastle fans have, which is that they are attached to an institution that is of huge (often overwhelmingly huge) significance in their home city, but is not relevant at all to the wider world. As such the club finds itself clawing at thin air, and lacks the clout and strength to deliver on what the people need it to be. The only way out is what may or may not happen to Newcastle, i.e. forcing your way via outside finances into outside relevance.

London teams don't suffer from this at all - you could disband Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, any or all of them, and the city would shrug its shoulders and carry on as before. Even in Birmingham, I don't think 'the Villa' looms quite as large.

[Mellberg]

Interesting point. Agree on Newcastle especially. The city is populated only by topless bald men with Brown Ale tattoos. Probably less so in Liverpool, as they have music and a few boats.

Birmingham is just an industrial wasteland (with some shopping centres) full of people too wrecked to care about the football or too Asian to watch anything other than cricket. You can see it in City's attendances. Generally well supported as a ratio, but pull in about 20k. Welfare only stretches so far.

[Magic]

It is offside though isn't it? Unfortunate but he's in the wrong place.

Just save from the Leeds keeper as well.

These are the dweebs that are advocating vaxx passes as well. Truly the scourge of the earth.

[Kikó]

Who are you talking to?

[Boydy]

1482780253730885639
Dunno who this guy is but Martinez back to Everton? Lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is Belgium manager (in this era) the easiest job in football? Team picks itself and despite its abundant talent, there is no real expectation of winning anything.

[-james-]

1482780253730885639
Dunno who this guy is but Martinez back to Everton? Lol.

Wasn't this the exact reaction to Moyes getting reappointed at West Ham?

[Lofty]

Am I correct for winding up my Liverpool supporting friends for booking a cheapo Sun holiday?

[Manc]

Seems like every team that plays Marseille goes down to ten men.

[Manc]

Am I correct for winding up my Liverpool supporting friends for booking a cheapo Sun holiday?

You desperately need a new social circle.

[Magic]

Who are you talking to?

:D

Your persistent melt downs are really amazing.

[Baz]

Pretty sure Bailey Akehurst hasn’t been in the squad since I bought a Gillingham shirt. :moop:

[Adramelch]

Wasn't he signed by Liverpool though?

[Gray Fox]

1482844340322025479

[Don]

That's brilliant, look at his wobbly limbs :D

[Spikey M]

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[Waffdon]

Was about to post that. The least surprising thing ever. He was on a podcast not that long ago (could have been November when the above happened) saying he was previously in prison but he’s a changed man. :D

[Lewis]

He's only human after all.

[niko_cee]

Are Burnley operating under the hypothesis that if they just get every game called off then the season will never be completed and they can avoid being relegated?

[Don]

Cornet is currently worth about 6 Salahs to them tbf. And rumours of them chasing Benteke and Origi. Welcome to the party, Sean.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Aboubakar is too good.

[CJay]

The folks in charge just need to say after this gameweek postponements are no longer on the table. It’s totally absurd. Burnley will be 6 games behind West Ham by the time they play their next game.

[Waffdon]

To be fair to Burnley, they only asked for the weekend game to be postponed and tomorrows (which isn’t a shock as only a couple days later). Every other game called off was due to whoever they were playing. They’ve only got 10 players in training and unlike Arsenal didn’t have a choice in the matter of sending their player to another club

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That finish from Garry Rodrigues :drool:

https://streamja.com/59nWg

[niko_cee]

Why am I only now discovering that Rafa Benitez has his own website (http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/)?

Is that normal? If I delve down this rabbithole will I find every manager has his own brand awareness project on the go?

I love that the headline pic of him appears to be him on a massive NO DOG FOULING sign as the sea comes in. The inevitability of the tide being a metaphor for something or other no doubt.

[Ian]

Weird that he doesn't have anything from Fergie in his 'Opinion' section.

[Gray Fox]

That's because with him he only likes to talk about the facts.

[Lewis]

That was the end of him wasn't it. He wasn't even SEETHING when he did it, but enough people said he was/were told by Sir Alex Ferguson to say he was that it ended up being true.

[Lofty]

To be fair to Burnley, they only asked for the weekend game to be postponed and tomorrows (which isn’t a shock as only a couple days later). Every other game called off was due to whoever they were playing. They’ve only got 10 players in training and unlike Arsenal didn’t have a choice in the matter of sending their player to another club

There is a rumour that clause was only active this summer.

[Luca]

He was most definitely seething - if not when he delivered the FAHCTS, certainly when he angrily fired them off into a collection of 12-point font bullets on a folded 8.5x11 and brought them to the press conference. :D

[Waffdon]

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1483441709656821761

Can’t knock his commitment to Arsenal. The comments are great

[niko_cee]

Senegal top their group with 1 goal from 3 games? :cab:

Guess they're going for the growing into the tournament route.

[Waffdon]

Mourinho at Everton would be beautiful. So much seethe to go around for all.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Comoros :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And again. Ghana on the ropes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Ayew red card was so much of a shambles that I can't believe the Algerian VAR will ever be allowed to set foot on a football pitch again.

[Don]

Lamptey on peak form here :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Can't see Comoros hanging on from here now :(

[Jimmy Floyd]

Get Involved
#bbcfootball or text to 81111

Erik: That's what you call against the run of play. Lucky Chelsea.

Arjun Singh: What a goal from Ziyech. That left foot must have a phoenix feather for a core like Harry Potter’s wand.

Only one of these people is enjoying his night.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Ghanaian keeper is horseshit though.

[mo]

That's League Two for you.

[thommo]

17 goals in our last 2 and a half games. That's more than Barnsley have managed all season.

[Don]

Geezer's rotating Maupay and Trossard with horseshit backups as if he's working with an elite squad. The swagger is unreal.

[phonics]

Time to loan out Thomas Partey so we never have to play a game again.

[phonics]

Geezer's rotating Maupay and Trossard with horseshit backups as if he's working with an elite squad. The swagger is unreal.

Danny Wellbeck is elite.

[Don]

Cucurella is the best LB in the league and quite possibly the world.

[Waffdon]

Lamptey on peak form here :drool:

If he was up against Alonso then that’s not much of a compliment

[Reg]

They’re massively missing Chilwell and James.

But fantastic from us, maybe a win might’ve felt a little too much but we were the better team.

[Shindig]

Gateshead smash Telford 4-1 to go top.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They’re massively missing Chilwell and James.

But fantastic from us, maybe a win might’ve felt a little too much but we were the better team.

Chilwell was our best player this season and the shite run began in the next game after the brilliant performance (smacking Juventus) in which he was injured.

[John Arne]

I've just seen a photo of Wayne Rooney for the first time in a while. Poor bloke looks about 50 :D

[Kikó]

It's the fags and booze that does it.

[Manc]

He would be mad to leave Derby at this point. The Everton job has Frank written all over it imo.

[John Arne]

I enjoyed this.

https://gyazo.com/8ac412a3e2c05537f66dd1b1c1c6a8f3.jpeg

[Baz]

Lampard now and then Rooney can get them promoted.

[Jimmy Floyd]

History shows that we are not in fact too good to hire Frank Lampard.

[Spikey M]

Mourinho would never go to Spurs.

[Don]

He gets the Chelsea and Everton gigs b2b whilst Patrick Vieira slogs away for 8 years for a taste of EPL action. Gammons gotta gammon.

[Manc]

Is Tommy Tuchel on the ropes?

[Spikey M]

He gets the Chelsea and Everton gigs b2b whilst Patrick Vieira slogs away for 8 years for a taste of EPL action. Gammons gotta gammon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60051928

:rasta:

[Adramelch]

I've just seen a photo of Wayne Rooney for the first time in a while. Poor bloke looks about 50 :D

To be fair he's always looked like 10-15 years older than he actually is.

[Reg]

Is Tommy Tuchel on the ropes?
I think he's just unusually honest for a manager.

[Luke Emia]

Is Tommy Tuchel on the ropes?

I think pretty much every podcast which has someone who has knowledge of his time in Germany and France says that he has a shelf-life with a club because of his intensity. He fell out with a few at Dortmund by all accounts and although PSG is a basket case it doesn't sound like he really helped himself there either.

[Gray Fox]

An unnamed Arsenal player is under investigation over suspicious betting patterns surrounding a yellow card of theirs.

[Baz]

If it’s Xhaka he must have made a killing.

[Manc]

I'd put good money on Gabriel.

[Raoul Duke]

Clearly it's going to be Kolasinac

[-james-]

Apparently it's Xhaka and was done with no subtlety whatsoever for 7 figures.

[-james-]

Time wasting in the 86th minute vs Leeds in December I think

[Shindig]

Crazy Albanians. I bet Wedge was involved.

[niko_cee]

Surely the Granit Xhaka to be booked market isn't one particularly worth fixing?

[Baz]

Surely the Granit Xhaka to be booked market isn't one particularly worth fixing?

Played the long game hasn’t he. Got booked most matches in his career, all on purpose, so when he did his dodgy one nobody batted an eyelid.

[niko_cee]

Indeed. So are we to presume that 'suspicious betting patterns' is actually just code for 'someone put a big bet on and won and we'd rather not pay please?' as I believe is the M.O. of BIG GAMBLING generally?

[Waffdon]

He should have been booked earlier in the match too. Bet he was fuming the referee made him time waste instead

[Spoonsky]

How do they even catch that?

[Lofty]

1472286408870182917

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:D

He should have been sent off earlier:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQI6BLpHDco

[Waffdon]

Swear Man Utd are wearing Southampton’s old away kit at a glance.

[-james-]

Indeed. So are we to presume that 'suspicious betting patterns' is actually just code for 'someone put a big bet on and won and we'd rather not pay please?' as I believe is the M.O. of BIG GAMBLING generally?

Certain dodgy bets are very easy to spot and this one seems incredibly blatant. Presumably some dodgy fucker has told him nobody would know. They probably executed it on a smaller scale prior to this to ensure he was reliable and then went all in for a big pay day.

[Waffdon]

Any other Brentford player fancy passing their shots into De Gea’s feet?

[Lewis]

If 'Ralf' really got on his PowerPoint and told the United board that three of Ole Gunnar Binman's back four are shit then he deserves a five year deal.

[Ian]

This has been fucking shit.

I particularly liked the bit where Dalot was being left to mark three men on the counter while his team mates casually jogged back.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mohammad Amir got 5 years ban for a Xhaka type offence (and some custodial time, iirc). Let's see how the land lies in football.

[Waffdon]

That Spurs midfield 3 isn’t half depressing. Harry Winks lives for the sacking of managers. Only time he seems to play is at the start of their tenure. Nothing player

[Disco]

Scamming a bookie is almost a public service, he should be applauded for channeling his cuntery into something worthwhile.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He almost certainly didn't mean that first touch.

[Lewis]

Was Anthony Elanga ever HYPED as a youth player? I don't remember his name coming up much like how everybody knew Greenwood was going to make the first team, but he looks quite good and quite mature as well (probably about thirty though isn't he).

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Brentford are shit.

[Danny]

Bruno with the FIFA sweat assist

[Gray Fox]

I admire both teams commitment to playing without any midfielders.

[Waffdon]

Bergwijn has scored in the 96th and 97th minute to put Spurs 3-2 up. Leicester are a mess

He was booked in the 95th minute and ran into the crowd after he scored his 2nd. Ref bottled sending him off

[Gray Fox]

Ronaldo SEETHING at being denied the chance to take his shirt off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ronaldo seething :harold:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Feed the kids and he will score.

[Gray Fox]

Ronaldo going to be in floods of tears here. Pathetic.

[phonics]

Refreshing BBC support and seeing that Spurs result was devastating.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fernandes should be dropped for that.

[Kikó]

United first half yesterday was one of the worst. Completely outplayed and made Brentford look like Barcelona. Whatever was said at half time obviously worked and the goals transformed us. The second goal is a classic counter.

I thought Ragnick did well with Ronaldo. He needs to be protected at his age and coming back from injury. No issue with Ronaldo being annoyed, it's the sign of his character that he just wants to play and could probably sniff a goal was coming. If we can combine the second half with villa first and put it into one game then we might have a chance.

[Waffdon]

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30 point deduction immediately.

[niko_cee]

It's alright mate, Chelsea aren't at that much risk of ballsing up being in the top 4. You'd probably be better off asking for them to be thrown out of the competition said testing/postponement pertained too anyway, so your boys could have a clearer path to winning it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sorry to interrupt these excellent conspiracy theories but I've just been linked on twitter to David Stockdale's website. https://www.davidstockdale13.co.uk/

[Spikey M]

:D fucking hell. That's a 50 point deduction for Droitwich Spa.

[Ian]

That's a lot of effort gone into that site when simply the text 'is a wanker' would have achieved the same thing.

[niko_cee]

I knew there would be a rabbithole with this personal website thing.

"The Businessman" section/cigar pic. :D

30 to 40 properties with a combined value of £4-5m is just advertising the fact that he's a slum landlord [unless they're all OOP NORTH I guess].

[Ian]

'I'm such a philanthropist I contribute to making the housing market impossible for poorer people. Ka-ching!"

[Reg]

Sorry to interrupt these excellent conspiracy theories but I've just been linked on twitter to David Stockdale's website. https://www.davidstockdale13.co.uk/
:D Jeez, that is awful. He always seemed a bit of a plum when he was interviewed at Brighton.

[Ben]

My work's firewall is blocking it, and it's usually very lax. Says a lot.

[SvN]

I'm not sure what my favourite part of that is, but the chess photo is up there.

[niko_cee]

I've got 2 pawns, you've got my bishop, touche.

[niko_cee]

Also, MDB13 sounds a lot like that massive Malaysian fraud thing.

[CJay]

What's the deal for the Algeria match this afternoon? Win and they're through or dependent on other results?

[Ben]

Unless I'm reading it wrong, only Sierra Leone can topple them, so it's win and they're through I think.

[thommo]

Fucking hell, that Stockdale webpage is hilarious. :D

He always came across as a bit of a melon at Fulham, constantly responding to criticism on Twitter and getting in long-drawn out arguments with various fans. That website is very on-brand.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What's the deal for the Algeria match this afternoon? Win and they're through or dependent on other results?

Win and they're through. 4 points does it. Draw sends them out, though.

[CJay]

Couldn't we have a weird three way tie between Ivory Coast, E. Guinea, and Algeria? All on 4 points, 0 goal difference, each having beat one of the other two.

[Don]

Hopefully Guinea or Sierra Leone top the group for my king Quieroz.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Couldn't we have a weird three way tie between Ivory Coast, E. Guinea, and Algeria? All on 4 points, 0 goal difference, each having beat one of the other two.

Yeah but third goes through as one of the best third places.

[CJay]

Aurier to be sent off. 12 minutes in and he's talking furiously with the ref and getting himself booked for nothing.

Algeria desperate for a red card too, so it's bound to happen eventually. There's already been 3 pretend elbow injuries.

[Manc]

Algeria on the ropes.

[CJay]

Up there with France 2002 for 'most disjointed defending champion'. Haven't offered anything across 2 and a half matches.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The seethe from Algeria is going to be something else in the second half.

[Don]

Chuck Slimani on and load that box with aerial balls and that defence and keeper will crumble.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Surprised it's taken them this long to dive.

[Manc]

Mahrez to sky it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:harold:

[Don]

Comoros qualify. Let the tournament begin properly on Sunday.

[Gray Fox]

Kaide Gordon starting over Minamino is a big kick up the ass for the latter.

[Manc]

Awful game.

[Gray Fox]

A great run but how's that trickled in?

[Waffdon]

Ramsdale :D

Horrific goalkeeper

[phonics]

Maybe the slowest goal of all time.

[phonics]

Is this the one with the stupid rule that away goals don’t count but they do after extra time?

[Ben]

No extra time or away goals anymore I believe.

[Manc]

Matip wants hooking.

[Spoonsky]

I fucking love Curtis Jones.

[Gray Fox]

Give Matips head a wobble and tell Curtis to pass the fucking ball and send them back out.

The game seems to be passing Gordon by unfortunately. I do hope the HT change is Minamino on for him and not Milner.

[Spoonsky]

Matip off :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ablie Jallow has got a cracking left foot.

[Spoonsky]

Was he pleading the linesman to flag there after he missed? So weak.

[Manc]

Some miss that. I'll never get over professional footballers leaning back when they shoot. That and shit corner deliveres.

[Boydy]

Fuck me, how do Arsenal fans watch this shit?

[Manc]

TF is wrong with Mini-Me in front of goal?

[Baz]

TF is wrong with Mini-Me in front of goal?

He is rubbish.

[Waffdon]

He looks about 4 yards onside. Why are they even checking

[Gray Fox]

Outstanding ball, control and finish.

[Manc]

Touch of class from Jota.

[Spoonsky]

VAR :wub:

Alexander-Arnold's passing is just out of this world in every match.

[Spoonsky]

Weird day for Partey.

[niko_cee]

Partey, dear god.

:D

Sorry, I mean, "Thomas".

[Manc]

That'll be another application heading to the FA.

[Spoonsky]

Great win that. Feels like ages since Liverpool have played in a Wembley final.

[Gray Fox]

Alexander-Arnold's passing is just out of this world in every match.

I saw him recently perfectly summed up. He's the best player in the world that plays right-back, but he is not the best right-back in the world.

[CJay]

Arsenal are really good at passing the ball around between defence and midfield, but not much else. They desperately need a good striker.

[niko_cee]

Alexander-Arnold looks a bit of a unit these days.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Arsenal are really good at passing the ball around between defence and midfield, but not much else. They desperately need a good striker.

I'm pretty sure that's all 'coaching' now is. All the kids coming up as forwards are about pressing from the front, rather than goalscoring.

[Don]

1484165269773864969

:rasta:

[Ben]

1484304335190499329

:lol:

[Reg]

Those Frankie Lamps transitions are a joy.

Are Algeria really bad? Ivory Coast very good?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Algeria were on a 30+ match unbeaten run coming in, so fuck knows what they were playing at. Ivory Coast are ok but no better.

[Gray Fox]

Who is next in at Watford then?

[Shindig]

Steve Bruce. I'll be right eventually.

[Waffdon]

Algeria were on a 30+ match unbeaten run coming in, so fuck knows what they were playing at. Ivory Coast are ok but no better.

I know it doesn’t always correlate but the Ivory Coast’s midfield personnel wise if filthy

[Jimmy Floyd]

We (England) have just announced a Wembley friendly against them, which is quite random and fun by international friendly standards.

[phonics]

I’m absolutely shocked that a team that underperformed in the first half is performing better in the second half. This has never happened ever. I’m struggling to understand how a team wasn’t absolute dogshit all year like it hasn’t happened literally ever year since the sport began.

[CJay]

Ok…

[Reg]

I know it doesn’t always correlate but the Ivory Coast’s midfield personnel wise if filthy
Speaking as someone who hasn’t caught any of the group stage, them and Senegal look comfortably the best teams on paper.

[Don]

Has Dunc dropped the 2 new boys from the squad? Patterson's gammon ways will save him but spare a thought for the poor Ukranian kid :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Craig Pawson is having such a bad game here. Such a cowardly decision-maker.

[Gray Fox]

Still, the Goodison SEETHE is beginning to build nicely.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Decent throw to hit two Villa players with one bottle.

[Jimmy Floyd]

And then it pops off with a bottle thrown at Villa players. I think they need to be kept from watching any more live football up there for a few weeks, for their own good.

[Kikó]

Thought it was a proper thick celebration at first as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Deserved goal for Villa, too. Everton not a serious side at all, but Villa have the makings of a pretty decent side there. Maybe one more prolific attacker and keep everyone fit, they'll be close to top 6/8.

Oh and a centre back.

[Gray Fox]

They need to shut that club down for the good of the fans(and visiting players) health.

Would be interesting to see what would go down now if Digne can't continue.

[Ben]

Ridiculous from Everton fans but Matty Cash needs to give his head a wobble turning round to the stands and giving it the big one. He does realise he's at Goodison Park right?

[Don]

1 behind closed door game as punishment and I'd love to see what brave soul would dare throw another projectile for the next decade.

Also, Stevie's swagger is unreal, he was always too professional as a player to let it out fully.

[Don]

Throwing on some mixed-race 18 year-old rugby player Brit in place of €25m African Gbamin. Proper 'Big Dunc' narrative.

[niko_cee]

'BVB' would want £100m for this Johnson kid at Forest.

[John Arne]

Defending in the Bundesliga really is trash. Check the Hoffenheim defender just casually leave Haaland 4 yards from goal.

https://gyazo.com/20df7e97f3dbc04cd06113d0aec48b5c.gif

[Gray Fox]

It seems like defending as an art form has died off significantly, since the invention of BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL by the Spaniards 2008-12.

[John Arne]

I've never really appreciated just how slow Harry Maguire is.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Taking players off the pitch and delaying a game by 16 minutes because of a drone, pathetic.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The drone could have a camera and livestream the game. Got to protect the rights holders.

[Shindig]

Just leave it until half time and then have members of the crowd take shots at it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Are these muscle injuries everywhere really 'bad luck' or is it that players are being asked to do far too much running nowadays?

[John Arne]

How has Fernandes not been booked for that dive?

[Lewis]

This has been a good performance across most of the pitch, so it might be alright once 'Ralf' works out how to deal with teams that don't pitch their defensive line forty yards out. As is it they just bang their head against a brick wall once they get into threatening positions.

[randomlegend]

That's getting ruled out.

EDIT: Surprised at that, Cavani looked offside.

[Danny]

That looked off to me. Looks like we got those Roy Carroll lines going on.

[John Arne]

Hold on.... that was offside, surely??

[Lewis]

Didn't they change it so that noses and fingers aren't offsides now? It might have got deleted last year. Lovely goal though.

[John Arne]

https://gyazo.com/55509c9c94538474396e38b52cf76d5a.jpeg

[Gray Fox]

Personally if it gets to the point where you need to start getting the lines out, just give the goal.

[Kikó]

Good performance and the semblance of some sort of game plan. Looks like they are starting to build some sort of confidence.

[Shindig]

Level-ish?

[SvN]

I think the perspective makes it look off, but is probably just onside. Compare how close Cavani's shoulder is to the line in the grass to the defender's foot. It's a tight one.

[John Arne]

Personally if it gets to the point where you need to start getting the lines out, just give the goal.

Aye, close enough just to be given.

[Shindig]

Our run coming up: Everton, Villa, West Ham, Brentford and Brighton. I assume there's an international break coming up so we can't sneak one of our games in hand back in the schedule.

[Ben]

Personally if it gets to the point where you need to start getting the lines out, just give the goal.

They set a stupid precedent by ruling out goals a millimetre offside that Moyes will be understandably furious at this. But you're right, if it's not clear to the naked eye, goal.

[Giggles]

He’s not offside going by the photo above once you see the mower lines.