Football in January 2022

[Ian]

Gosh, the year now has a 2 at the end of it!

I feel revitalised and like my love of football has been entirely rekindled. Enthusiasm!

What are you most looking forward to in football this month / year?

We do, of course, have a positively sizzling line-up of games to kick off the new year with a BANG!

12:30 - Arsenal v Man City - BT Sport
17:30 - Glentoran v Larne - BBC iPlayer / BBC Sport Website
17:30 - Crystal Palace v West Ham United - Sky Sports

I mean okay there are only three games but two of those feature some of England's finest football teams and Arsenal so that's like four games by the standards of ordinary football!

[Jimmy Floyd]

T minus 8 days until Cameroon and Burkina Faso kick off the best event of the year.

[Ian]

I opened the thread fully planning to mention AFCON but it turns out I'm a massive racist and entirely forgot.

My ignorance of African football probably would have been worse though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Arsenal players and fans are having a laugh saying that's not a penalty. Silva running onto the ball, shirt pulled back, obvious penalty. Also a straight red in my world.

[Waffdon]

Silva dives and is falling down from said dive when his shirt is pulled. Should have been a booking for Bernardo Silva

[Pepe]

This VAR shit is some nonsense.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Good to see you've started the new year blindfolded.

Gabriel should be sold for those two yellows, and every Arsenal fan applauding him off should have their season ticket cancelled.

[Pepe]

Martinelol.

[Waffdon]

Good to see you've started the new year blindfolded.

Gabriel should be sold for those two yellows, and every Arsenal fan applauding him off should have their season ticket cancelled.

What? Xhaka doesn’t even touch him and he’s falling to the floor before his shirt his touched. I don’t understand how you can’t see that.

[Pepe]

Worst part is that he had dribbled past his man and was in a good position to cross, but it is more lucrative to dive than to keep playing.

[Don]

He dived cause the ball was overran but good to see shirt pulls be punished regardless. And that favela cunt :D

[Dquincy]

Arsenal should have had a penalty in the first half. Not sure how VAR managed to get that wrong.

[John Arne]

Martin Keown is thick as shit.

[Pepe]

Arsenal should have had a penalty in the first half. Not sure how VAR managed to get that wrong.

Because many calls are judgment calls, and VAR just adds an extra layer of judgment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol. England's champions march on.

[Waffdon]

Rodri running right up to the Arsenal fans there :lol:

[Pepe]

:harold:

[Don]

Rodri running right up to the Arsenal fans there :lol:

Need more of this in the game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Adebayor's one (with the same clubs, actually) was an all time great moment.

[phonics]

Hope he gets a nice holiday in Dubai for that. Absolute joke.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Abu Dhabi, not Dubai. Get your Emirates right.

[Pepe]

Hope he gets a nice holiday in Dubai for that. Absolute joke.

Are you talking about Martinelli for missing an open goal, or about Gabriel, for that incredible display of wits?

[phonics]

Are you talking about Martinelli for missing an open goal, or about Gabriel, for that incredible display of wits?

Maybe if the ref wasn’t standing in the fucking way for no reason he might have scored.

[Mellberg]

Arsenal have completely done that to themselves. Xhaka dry humping Silva in the penalty area is only going one way and a brainless red. The winner felt inevitable even with City not putting much together.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Poor old Peter Walton is drowning on BT. Think I just saw the back of his notes and it gave away the date and time for the next PGMOL anti-Arsenal conspiratorial get-together.

Sir Henry Winter giving it 'the standard of officials is not good enough' can get to fuck though, classic Sir Henry room-reading bullshit. Does he think there are better ones hiding in the lower leagues? Or does he think giving them dog's abuse every time they get anything wrong is going to improve the (perceived) situation?

[Mellberg]

There's a good photo of Rodri on the Guardian sports section with his tits out. Compare and contrast with the Adebayor celebration where the Arsenal end is a cacophony of rage. A decades worth of being slowly dismantled and brought back into the pack later and they don't look angry, just empty behind the eyes and utterly broken. United supporters are currently going through the same process, but not at such an advanced stage.

Not that I'm enjoying it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

T minus 8 days until Cameroon and Burkina Faso kick off the best event of the year.

I want at least one penalty shootout with 20+ penalties in the tournament, at least 3 keeper fuck-ups a game and some glorious shithousery from "those" teams.

[Don]

Another vaccine death in the crowd :nono:

[Shindig]

Hearts have gone.

[Waffdon]

1477289319559794694

I really hope that’s true :lol:

[Dave.]

Poor old Peter Walton is drowning on BT. Think I just saw the back of his notes and it gave away the date and time for the next PGMOL anti-Arsenal conspiratorial get-together.

Sir Henry Winter giving it 'the standard of officials is not good enough' can get to fuck though, classic Sir Henry room-reading bullshit. Does he think there are better ones hiding in the lower leagues? Or does he think giving them dog's abuse every time they get anything wrong is going to improve the (perceived) situation?

I can assure you that your presumptions about the referees in the lower leagues are correct. The standard of refereeing here is far worse than in the Premier League. We had a Premier League referee for our match against Doncaster the other day and the difference between him and the refs we usually have was remarkable.

[ScousePig]

I can assure you that your presumptions about the referees in the lower leagues are correct. The standard of refereeing here is far worse than in the Premier League. We had a Premier League referee for our match against Doncaster the other day and the difference between him and the refs we usually have was remarkable.

Bobby Madley. He's reffed us a couple of times since his return and he's pretty good. Whilst the officiating in League One is pretty poor, people go way over the top and many Sunderland fans have their minds made up before the game has even kicked off.

[John Arne]

I just watched the Arsenal - Man City highlights on the official Arsenal channel.... They are as bad as the old fan TV lot :D

"Oh here we go, refs been waiting for that, off you go".

[Gray Fox]

Lukaku left out of the Chelsea squad today.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The people of Benelux find it so, so hard to keep their traps shut. Completely unable to mask what they're really thinking. Like the opposite of Brits.

[Lewis]

Turns out he was the bad influence all along, and the Paulp Ogba redemption arc is in motion.

[Pepe]

That #10 from Getafe is a tidy player.

[Pepe]

I thought that there was someone called Assad playing for Madrid. Just realized that they are talking about Eden Hazard.

[Baz]

Rafa :harold:

[Gray Fox]

Matip missing for today being the 3rd name with Alisson and Firmino being confirmed too.

It's going to be a big job getting anything today with several first teamers missing as well as Klopp himself.

[Lewis]

1477611559501414403

I love stupid videos like that.

[Waffdon]

Matip missing for today being the 3rd name with Alisson and Firmino being confirmed too.

It's going to be a big job getting anything today with several first teamers missing as well as Klopp himself.

Mane and Salah up against Azpilicueta and Alonso should be a right laugh

[Don]

The dickhead has gone Milner ahead of Keita, hope he dies from Omi.

[Gray Fox]

Two goalkeepers on the bench and Milner in over Naby. Lovely.

[Waffdon]

Has Klopp ever lost at Stamford Bridge in the league? Jordan Henderson’s yearly wonder strike today

[Lewis]

'Rafa' is as past it as Jose Mourinho, except he'll just bounce between bollocks jobs whilst Mourinho probably has a few glamour postings and the national job left in him. Are any of that mid-2000s 4-5-1 defensive shit generation still doing anything useful? Didier Deschamps has (albeit completely in spite of himself) probably had the last laugh on Mourinho after losing that 2004 Chelsea Job in the Bank ladder final.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tuchel has such Seb Vettel energy.

'Big match of football. Big, big match of football.'

[Alex]

Big three points for Leeds. It was a bit of a timely vindication of the Bielsa system too, which has seen us take some absolute beatings recently. But we stuck to it there even when 2-1 up with them throwing every attacking option at us for the equaliser, and we went back down their end and added a third. I obviously realise there's a big difference between doing it against Burnley and doing it against a top end side, but still.

Also, Stuart Dallas is legitimately right up there with the best signings the club has ever made in its history at this point. His contribution for the club, and the value for money, with that lad is absolutely off the charts.

[igor_balis]

1477611559501414403

I love stupid videos like that.

hahaha, me too

[Jimmy Floyd]

Big three points for Leeds. It was a bit of a timely vindication of the Bielsa system too, which has seen us take some absolute beatings recently. But we stuck to it there even when 2-1 up with them throwing every attacking option at us for the equaliser, and we went back down their end and added a third. I obviously realise there's a big difference between doing it against Burnley and doing it against a top end side, but still.

Also, Stuart Dallas is legitimately right up there with the best signings the club has ever made in its history at this point. His contribution for the club, and the value for money, with that lad is absolutely off the charts.

The reaction to getting beat by City, Arsenal etc was ludicrous. You have terrible players and a weak squad, that's going to happen with this system - but it's also the system that allows you to beat the shit and therefore stay up.

When he leaves and you hire Bob Tactics in his place, you're going to need a serious squad overhaul or go down.

[Lewis]

Leeds will be better off hiring Big Sam when he does. Keep the big list of 'Bielsa disciple' foreign idiots in the drawer.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Pulisic :lol:

[Gray Fox]

Some shambolic defending by both on show already.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chalobah channelling his inner Phil Jones.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is there time for Sierra Leone to call him up for the Afcon ffs.

Pulisic has dodgy eyes. I reckon he touches women inappropriately.

[Alex]

The reaction to getting beat by City, Arsenal etc was ludicrous. You have terrible players and a weak squad, that's going to happen with this system - but it's also the system that allows you to beat the shit and therefore stay up.

When he leaves and you hire Bob Tactics in his place, you're going to need a serious squad overhaul or go down.

Whenever he ends up leaving we're absolutely fucked Jim. He pretty much is Leeds United at this point. I know that sounds like hyperbole but it's mostly true. It's his team and what he gets out of the players is mind blowing. You do get the odd dickhead piping up when we have a bad run but generally speaking he's effectively deified in Leeds and the surrounding area at this point.

If we did get relegated my main concern would be that it would cause him to leave. Because then it would be back to the wilderness. I mean he's not a young guy so I accept that this can't go on forever. Our best bet would be replacing him with one of his disciples. The problem being most of them ply their trade at levels that far exceed our pulling power.

[Waffdon]

Is there time for Sierra Leone to call him up for the Afcon ffs.

Pulisic has dodgy eyes. I reckon he touches women inappropriately.

I’m jealous of how quickly his beard grows. Definitely has a want about him.

I’m shocked how open this game is

[Waffdon]

How is that a yellow never mind a free kick?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I kind of assumed that Bielsa would go at the end of this season. He is such a one-off that I assume money is not a motivating factor for him at all, although I dunno, maybe it is. I'm not sure what more there is for him to do unless there's a large investment in much better and well-scouted players that could get you to the European level.

[Gray Fox]

Mo :wub:

[Mike]

Mo Salah….:hail:

[Waffdon]

Klopp owns Stamford Bridge.

Marcus Alonso ��

[Jimmy Floyd]

Once again the imprecision of what we do up front is so costly. Starts many an opposition move. Obviously having an inflatable unicorn at left back doesn't help either.

[Lewis]

1476830890110210056

Mr Small-Steps Man.

[Alex]

I kind of assumed that Bielsa would go at the end of this season. He is such a one-off that I assume money is not a motivating factor for him at all, although I dunno, maybe it is. I'm not sure what more there is for him to do unless there's a large investment in much better and well-scouted players that could get you to the European level.

No, I don't think money is much of a factor for him at all. He apparently paid the "Spy-gate" fine out of his own pocket, which was a couple of hundred grand I think. The club would obviously have covered that.

He lives (or at least did) in a little flat he rents above a shop in Wetherby so he can walk the training ground. People always used to see him in coffee shops or doing his shopping at the Morrisons. Although you don't see that as much over the last year or so, so maybe he has got himself some fancier, Premier League digs. But I would be surprised. He doesn't strike me as a money orientated person at all.

I think the chairman would happily nail him down to a very lucrative, multi-year deal but he never signs for more than a year at a time, and he never renews until the end of the season either.

The key question, like you say, is what is the "next step" for him with us. It's a strange one because he never even seems bothered about signing new players either. He's more about "what can I get out of what I have here". I guess you need to keep him interested enough to feel like there is more he can do. You have to look to the chairman and the director of football to invest and give him more to work with in that respect.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a strike by Kovacic.

[Ian]

What a fucking goal that is.

[Boydy]

Fucking hell, what a goal.

[-james-]

Leeds squad is bad but it's not like they've not spent money, they just have the worst recruitment bods in the league. What was it, about 100 million on Junior Firpo, Rodrigo, Dan James and Helder Costa?

[Shindig]

1476830890110210056

Mr Small-Steps Man.

I'd book him for that.

[Gray Fox]

Those goals are always beautiful. Just a shame it was against us.

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol. Get fucked, scousers.

Scintillating game. We're every bit a match for Liverpool except in the finishing department.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck the Scouse pricks.

[Manc]

I'm not sure this Irish lad knows the dimensions of his goal.

[John Arne]

Are Neville's screeching and sex noises usually this pronounced? Very annoying.

[-james-]

Are Neville's screeching and sex noises usually this pronounced? Very annoying.

He's absolute box office. Generational pundit.

[Gray Fox]

We've been largely terrible in that half. Our goals a result of COUNTER PRESS. Crazy game.

[Waffdon]

I'm not sure this Irish lad knows the dimensions of his goal.

I honestly thought he was German.

Great game. Unfortunately the worst referee in England will send someone off and ruin it

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's absolute box office. Generational pundit.

During that Mason Mount DID HE KICK HIM??? VAR check I was convinced that the VAR was just listening to Gary and going with the strength of his 'ooooooh' for any potential red card. I'm fairly sure nothing actually occurred at all. We're all in some kind of life-imitates-Neville circular reality.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Anyway, Salah's getting another two here and we'll probably gift them another one somewhere, so I'm looking at six as a potential clubhouse target for the victory and their left back and Combine Harvester are seemingly dead set on helping us out.

[Lewis]

I kind of assumed that Bielsa would go at the end of this season. He is such a one-off that I assume money is not a motivating factor for him at all, although I dunno, maybe it is. I'm not sure what more there is for him to do unless there's a large investment in much better and well-scouted players that could get you to the European level.


No, I don't think money is much of a factor for him at all. He apparently paid the "Spy-gate" fine out of his own pocket, which was a couple of hundred grand I think. The club would obviously have covered that.

He lives (or at least did) in a little flat he rents above a shop in Wetherby so he can walk the training ground. People always used to see him in coffee shops or doing his shopping at the Morrisons. Although you don't see that as much over the last year or so, so maybe he has got himself some fancier, Premier League digs. But I would be surprised. He doesn't strike me as a money orientated person at all.

I think the chairman would happily nail him down to a very lucrative, multi-year deal but he never signs for more than a year at a time, and he never renews until the end of the season either.

The key question, like you say, is what is the "next step" for him with us. It's a strange one because he never even seems bothered about signing new players either. He's more about "what can I get out of what I have here". I guess you need to keep him interested enough to feel like there is more he can do. You have to look to the chairman and the director of football to invest and give him more to work with in that respect.

This is like that Ayrton Senna documentary. He would manage for free but minimum wage rules and... :happycry:

[igor_balis]

This game man

[Gray Fox]

This is proper football.

[Boydy]

Get up Konate, you big fanny.

[Manc]

Anthony Taylor desperate for a Chelsea winner.

[Boydy]

Did Tuchel have sweat patches on his coat there?

[Waffdon]

Mental how Liverpool are 3rd.

[Gray Fox]

Fantastic game. No surprise both teams out of puff for that final 10 mins really.

Unfortunately again the story for both of these two. Too many draws will stop them beating the relentless money machine.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mental how Liverpool are 3rd.

They'll finish second.

[Waffdon]

Depends on who goes further in CL I think. But yeah, I can imagine Chelsea scrapping over the 4th trophy whilst winning an FA Cup or League Cup

[Guybrush]

Azpilicueta can fuck right off. Mané clearly puts his arms up to leverage himself for the header and only catches that arsehole because he doesn't jump.

[niko_cee]

As with every season the only thing to play for is to be the one that screws City over in the Champions League, and these tow are the best bet. Them wasting their good form now [as they often do] bodes well for that. As was the case when Liverpool went unstoppable and then meffed up at the first opportunity in knock-out football.

[Gray Fox]

Depends on who goes further in CL I think. But yeah, I can imagine Chelsea scrapping over the 4th trophy whilst winning an FA Cup or League Cup

This has seen a bit of talk about this among Liverpool fans this week.

Liverpool tend to go all out for league and CL and ignore the cups. In seasons like this where City are already long gone, why not take a proper run at a cup?

[Waffdon]

Yeah I seen Carragher’s piece on it which made a lot of sense. The Lukaku drama is the norm for Chelsea and even then they’ll still win trophies during this. Be it an FA Cup or Europa League.

[niko_cee]

The league cup semi is probably a better metric for 'taking it seriously' than the FA Cup. The first few rounds in that are always a lottery of not drawing Chelsea [always happens] and hoping your youth team can mook their way past whoever they are playing.

When's Harvey Elliot likely to be back? Never?

[Gray Fox]

He’s due to start training fully with the first team this coming week.

Current hope is to have him properly available by the end of the month.

[Giggles]

Was Kelleher the best thing ever or the worst thing ever today?

[Gray Fox]

He was very good. Could do nothing really about either goal. Showed safe hands and distribution otherwise.

[Guybrush]

Was Kelleher the best thing ever or the worst thing ever today?

Did well. Couldn't really fault him for the goals. Players don't seem to trust him, though, which invites pressure sometimes.

[Giggles]

Still reckon he’s our best chance for a keeper once Bazunu inevitably disappears. Obviously needs to move but these few cameos for Liverpool will hopefully mean he goes to a somewhat high level.

[Baz]

Was Kelleher the best thing ever or the worst thing ever today?I thought he was outstanding. Usually is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He was good at reacting but I fancied us rotten when he had the ball at his feet.

[Pen]

I thought that there was someone called Assad playing for Madrid. Just realized that they are talking about Eden Hazard.

Imagine how the Egyptians felt after the election.

[Waffdon]

Did they really trial safe standing at a Liverpool game?

[Shindig]

At Stamford Bridge, yes.

[niko_cee]

With all the pissing and moaning about Mane (how do you do an accent on a phone?) leading with his arm into Azpilicueta I feel we've lost sight of what a proper red card elbow looks like. See Leonardo in '94 or any of Dennis Bergkamp' s various efforts over the years. Not any vague contact with the face when challenging for the ball in the air.

[niko_cee]

Also that Kovacic goal possibly rates as even more galling than the Mwepu one in the "well, he'll never do that again" stakes.

[Boydy]

With all the pissing and moaning about Mane (how do you do an accent on a phone?) leading with his arm into Azpilicueta I feel we've lost sight of what a proper red card elbow looks like. See Leonardo in '94 or any of Dennis Bergkamp' s various efforts over the years. Not any vague contact with the face when challenging for the ball in the air.

Hold the key for little bit and the accent options should pop up.

[Waffdon]

Kovacic will only ever score great goals so I’m not sure about that. Probably the most aesthetically pleasing player to watch in England with Bernardo Silva just behind him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Also that Kovacic goal possibly rates as even more galling than the Mwepu one in the "well, he'll never do that again" stakes.

It was bizarre. Didn't seem to use his left leg at all in the whole movement. Bit of a 1000/1 shot to end up postage stamp unsaveable.

I didn't think the Mané thing was a red, but even if it was, no ref in the world will ever give one after 6 seconds.

[Pepe]

Marco Antonio Rodriguez would. He lived for that kind of shit.

[Waffdon]

I really hope Phil Jones plays today.

[Dquincy]

Extract from Calton Palmer's autobiography. Always thought he was an odd chap.

1477723844450340871

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've got Reading v Derby on, and the former have gone with a truly visionary front three of John Swift, Alen Halilovic, and Andy Carroll. Just another phase in the life of Berkshire's most powerful football dynasty.

[Shindig]

Gateshead lost to Blyth yesterday so I'm questioning my entire belief structure.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I mis-spoke - Swift's coming from midfield and they have Junior Hoilett up front, and Baba Rahman marauding from the left side (obviously). It's like being in a 2013 theme park.

[Waffdon]

Even more so when Colin Kazim-Richards and Ravel Morrison come off the bench for Derby to win the game

I’ve just clocked the centre halves on show too :D

[Danny]

Croatian Messi playing for Reading too

[Giggles]

Are Knight and Ebosele playing?

[Waffdon]

Jagielka, Curtis Davies and Scott Dann

[Lewis]

1477928889091596288

Proper shot/chaser stuff that. :cab:

[Kikó]

Heather is a fucking dick clearly.

Phil Jones is back.

[Waffdon]

1477928889091596288

Proper shot/chaser stuff that. :cab:

I love how the nonce in the video thinks you can’t be racist or snort coke if you sit down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

'Small women/people' is a phrase for the ages.

[Pepe]

Can't the small people (:harold:) just go to the seating areas?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I stood in the Griffin Park home end for a Championship game no more than 3 years ago. As far as I'm aware all these no standing rules only apply to top flight football. Do they imagine that people turn into coke-snorting racist missile-throwing menaces as soon as their team gains top flight promotion?

[Jimmy Floyd]

People still can't say 'Rangnick'. What is wrong with them? It's almost as bad as the many who pronounce 'Trippier' as if his first name is Jean-Claude.

[Giggles]

People still can't say 'Rangnick'. What is wrong with them? It's almost as bad as the many who pronounce 'Trippier' as if his first name is Jean-Claude.

Has anyone asked him how he says it?

Rangnick, not Tripper. I presume the latter has an R because he’s English, or more of an Ah seeing as you don’t do the letter R anyway.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's only one way to say it.

Mugabe has just demanded that Scott McTominay add goals to his reservoir. Maybe he'd be better suited to managing the water supply.

[Lewis]

Raphael Varane/Phil Jones making their two hundredth appearance together in the multiverse. Ashley Young probably still at left-back, but Adnan Januzaj is the best player in the country because that tart never moaned about her Nando's.

[Giggles]

There’s always a ‘two world wars and one world cup’ pronunciation and a correct pronunciation for all these foreign types. And that just makes other ones get added on too.

[Pepe]

Trying to pronounce foreign names properly is wankery of the highest order. Just call me 'hoe say,' I don't give a fuck that you spent a semester in Sevilla.

[Pepe]

Yo-see is criminal though.

[Lewis]

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

'That's Hoe-say Ma-derro...'

[Jimmy Floyd]

One of the dart throwers in that final promo looks like the other one's embarrassing divorced dad.

[Giggles]

One of the dart throwers in that final promo looks like the other one's embarrassing divorced dad.

You’d wonder how nobody has ever had a word with Wright by now. When he hit 35 would have been a good time, let alone at 50+

[Ian]

FEC. :drool:

[Giggles]

You’d imagine Jones couldn’t be any worse than Maguire.

[Don]

I stood in the Griffin Park home end for a Championship game no more than 3 years ago. As far as I'm aware all these no standing rules only apply to top flight football. Do they imagine that people turn into coke-snorting racist missile-throwing menaces as soon as their team gains top flight promotion?

Pretty sure Griffin Park was an outlier and why I warmed to the club. Other clubs tell you to sit down so that the RLs of this world can watch their football.

[Pepe]

What happened to the ripped black guy Wolves used to play?

[Giggles]

Nelson Semedo won two Ballon Dors in my last proper FM save. Bit of a mark against the realism.

[Andy]

What happened to the ripped black guy Wolves used to play?

Traore, he's on the bench. He's quick and that's it, zero end product.

[-james-]

I love the Ruben Neves the long range shot specialist narrative. He has 1 goal from 200 such open play attempts in the premier league.

[Lewis]

What happened to the ripped black guy Wolves used to play?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u7MUIhTcyE

[CJay]

Cavani is essentially playing as a third midfielder here. Bizarre stuff.

[Pepe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u7MUIhTcyE

That's the one. :lol:

[Waffdon]

Podence is a shimmy inside and blast the ball off the defender in front of him merchant

[Don]

You gotta wonder what cultural difference makes Sancho so potent against German football defenders, there doesn't even look like potential of him beating a man outside of the jokensliga.

[Waffdon]

The defenders in Germany have an agreement to not drop below the half way line

[ScousePig]

Gateshead lost to Blyth yesterday so I'm questioning my entire belief structure.

https://youtu.be/lBMsITM2RQM

[ScousePig]

Pretty sure Griffin Park was an outlier and why I warmed to the club. Other clubs tell you to sit down so that the RLs of this world can watch their football.

It's extremely rare to be asked to sit down during an away game.

[Shindig]

https://youtu.be/lBMsITM2RQM

Yeah, I kind of hate him. Every video he's struggling for stuff to say so he repeats himself to death. "Angel of the North, yeah? I'm in Gateshead which is where the Angel of the North is. The Angel of the North is on their badge which is a famous UK landmark here in Gateshead. And there's a football pitch right here ... by the Angel of the North because today we're in Gateshead. I'm so excited." <20 more minutes of video remain>

[Lewis]

Phil Jones has actually been good.

[-james-]

I'm sure that United have some good players, but every one of them has been fucking dreadful here.

[-james-]

AWB is pure :happycry:

[Lewis]

How was he even taken on as a professional footballer before they accidentally discovered he could tackle?

[Jimmy Floyd]

C-ron will win this 1-0, and maybe Wolves will start their first ever shooting practice at training tomorrow.

[Waffdon]

Has Pedro Neto died?

[Ian]

Scintillating stuff, this. I love watching United.

[Ian]

That had been coming for about 80 minutes.

[Yevrah]

Can't wait to see what Rangnick does upstairs over the next two years. :drool:

[Waffdon]

:lol:

At least Ole played entertaining football every now and then

[Don]

But it was a really smart appointment. This guy taught Klopp and Tuchel.

God, you fuckin love it.

[Shindig]

Carrick would've won this.

[Don]

Has he got some yank Ted Lasso wanker advising him as his number 2 too? :D

[Baz]

:lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can't wait to see what Rangnick does upstairs over the next two years. :drool:

Can you coax board room furniture into a high press?

[Don]

They're doing their own rondo in the Man Utd corner on the 90th min with 5 players :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Please don't let Ronaldo take this.

[randomlegend]

https://brobible.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/istock-153696622.jpg?resize=768,512

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nothing like a scenesy away win at a big ground by a smaller club. Those Wolves fans are loving life.

[Kikó]

Bring back ole.

[Ian]

:lol:

At least Ole played entertaining football every now and then

About two years ago, yes.

I'm not defending this, to be clear. It's been total turd.

[Giggles]

Someone post that video of him talking philosophy again quick.

[Gray Fox]

Varane immediately on the phone to his agent after the game.

[Kikó]

Varane has played like wank most of the season so good luck to him if he did.

We're desperate for two actually good centre midfielders.

[Raoul Duke]

Matic and JLingz...?

[-james-]

At least they didn't sign Ben White.

[Waffdon]

1478091125957316615

[Ian]

We don't by have that level of confidence.

[SincereTheRebel]

I dont watch Man Utd too often but they played really shit. How long has FEC been back for? Last tme i saw him playing, it was in the nineties with Gary Pallilstar and Henning Berg and them.

[Shindig]

It was his first appearance in over 2 years. Or his first start in that time.

[Kikó]

It was great to see him play. It's been a rotten time for him with injuries and actually played with more composure than Maguire.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought he played pretty well, got slightly unlucky with the goal. The bigger defensive issue was down the flanks, Semedo and the Brazilian on the other side (or I presume he's Brazilian) were frolicking like newborn lambs, the full backs were completely exposed.

[Giggles]

Is £100m not very low for a top flight English club?

[Gray Fox]

Apparently multiple more COVID cases at Liverpool to the point the training ground has shut. Arsenal game is in doubt.

Knowing the EFL though I reckon they'll say tough shit. Turn up with what you have.

EDIT: Strong rumours we have no goalkeepers available for the game. James Milners time to shine once more.

[randomlegend]

It was great to see him play. It's been a rotten time for him with injuries and actually played with more composure than Maguire.

He was genuinely excellent.

[Shindig]

Is £100m not very low for a top flight English club?

Yeah, that surprises me. They've always struck me as a decently run club of late so maybe they've got some problems?

EDIT: Ah, they're majority shareholders. £100m could cover the share price to get a majority stake.

[Giggles]

That makes more sense.

[phonics]

We're not having our schedule fucked up because Klopp cant stop spitting on everyone. Arsenal 3 - 0 Liverpool and see you at Anfield for the second leg mate, cheers.

[Gray Fox]

Official postponement request is in. The EFL have never shown willingness to budge before so I expect this is a get fucked situation.

[niko_cee]

Literally the only week in the calendar you probably wouldn't want called off [in normal circumstances] so I assume everyone must have covid, or, more likely, too many of the back-ups have it.

I'm sure there must be some youth players they can be mandated to play.

[Gray Fox]

Well the reckoning is that there are currently no goalkeepers eligible to play. All training has been cancelled too.

I'd suggest this also probably knocks the weekend game against Strawberry FC on the head as well.

[Shindig]

Yeah, I don't think they're limited by squad registrations like they would be in Europe or the Premier League.

[phonics]

Sounds like a forfeit to me.

[Pepe]

You wouldn't say 'oh, we have no fullbacks,' you would just stick whoever is available in there. Why would goalkeepers be any different? I am with phonics on this one. Play it or forfeit.

[niko_cee]

The only reason they have two legs is for the sweet sweet tv money so a forfeit sounds like it might be somehow self-defeating. They'd have to scrap the next one as well in all likelihood. Also, have a bit of confidence in Mikel Arteta's Resurgent Arsenal.

Anyway, if it's a goalkeeper thing, they have a day or so to sort out an EMERGENCY LOAN. Where's Andy Lonergan these days?

[niko_cee]

You wouldn't say 'oh, we have no fullbacks,' you would just stick whoever is available in there. Why would goalkeepers be any different? I am with phonics on this one. Play it or forfeit.

'Specialist position', innit.

Gets you all sorts of dispensation from things. Christ knows how many must be down with it, the U23s/U18s must have some available surely.

[Gray Fox]

After their cunt move over the Villa game the other year the EFL are 100% telling us to piss off.

[niko_cee]

Well, they'd probably be within their rights to point out that the first team don't seem to have been available for a league cup game for about 10 years.

[Giggles]

That’s a bit of a :cab: one. Have they no stadiums of their own out there John Arne?


https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/321630

[thommo]

1478449765608218631

:cab:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Make Klopp play in goal and keep the match on.

[Gray Fox]

We do actually have one goalkeeper that doesn't have the 'rona by all accounts...

[Waffdon]

1478449765608218631

:cab:

Abramovich has a gun to his head

[Manc]

Is this takeover likely to see Southampton go the other way?

[Lofty]

Isn't there precedent for covid cases where both Liverpool played against a team of Villa 12 year olds and Spurs got a bye when their opponents couldn't field a team.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/rvzme6/jack_wilshere_advert_trying_to_get_him_a_new_club/

I’ll admit I enjoyed that more than I should have.

[phonics]

We’re sending AMN off to Jose so I’m hoping for a return to 2014 when Arsenal were 4th with Jacky Wilshere running tings.

[ScousePig]

You wouldn't say 'oh, we have no fullbacks,' you would just stick whoever is available in there. Why would goalkeepers be any different? I am with phonics on this one. Play it or forfeit.

A side in League One (I think it was Lincoln) only had one 'senior' goalkeeper on their books last season (their second choice keeper was a youngish lad with only a few appearances). The senior keeper got injured a few days before playing us in the playoffs and they were allowed to bring in a really highly rated Championship goalkeeper from Stoke. It was also the third time he'd played against us that season, for three different sides.

'Tinpot' doesn't quite cover it.

[Lewis]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/rvzme6/jack_wilshere_advert_trying_to_get_him_a_new_club/

I’ll admit I enjoyed that more than I should have.

I always wonder whether people do these sort of things reluctantly. He's a thirty year old who wants to salvage something out of his career, which is a serious thing; but if he said as much and did so seriously people would take the piss, so it's easier to try to be ironic about it lest anyone think you're at a bit of a low ebb.

That said, surely he could have found a club by now? Is he just hanging on for a Premiership club in London?

[Boydy]

1478476197151584263

Has he lost the dressing room already?

[Lewis]

United don't have enough Character for a Dressing Room. They have lower case changing facilities, and Luke Shaw probably turns up with his kit under his clothes so nobody sees him change.

Still fresh.

[John Arne]

That’s a bit of a :cab: one. Have they no stadiums of their own out there John Arne?


https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/321630

Thailand have some cracking stadiums, and some not to cracking.

I imagine this is a case of a TV produce googling "stadium". To be fair, it does kinda dies look like a SEA stadium... Covered long sides, open ends, next to a river.

[Mellberg]

Liverpool can have Akos Onodi on emergency loan if they like. Game should absolutely be played.

[Andy]

Is this takeover likely to see Southampton go the other way?

What do you mean by the other way?

I don't think anything will change, possibly a small bit of extra investment and hopefully our big covid loan will be paid off. We are set up to be self sustainable and we have put a big emphasis on signing young players we can sell for big fees later on. This is what Hassenhuttl wants as he thinks youngsters are more likely to buy into his system and philosophy. I think they like the idea that the squad is constantly getting 2-4 out each summer and keeping things fresh.

[Lofty]

I always wonder whether people do these sort of things reluctantly. He's a thirty year old who wants to salvage something out of his career, which is a serious thing; but if he said as much and did so seriously people would take the piss, so it's easier to try to be ironic about it lest anyone think you're at a bit of a low ebb.

That said, surely he could have found a club by now? Is he just hanging on for a Premiership club in London?

Unwilling to take a step down in terms of quality, whatever bar he deems beneath him I don't know.

[SincereTheRebel]

Yeah, clearly he feels he is worth more than clubs are willing to over.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There aren't many London clubs in the sweet spot. Fulham and Palace are probably a bit too good to want him, while no one else (QPR/Millwall) would be able to pay his no doubt inflated wage demands.

[niko_cee]

Is his problem that being so brittle he really can't drop down the leagues as he'll just get battered/insta-injured anywhere south of elite level?

[niko_cee]

Liverpool can have Akos Onodi on emergency loan if they like. Game should absolutely be played.

Seeing as we're probably going to be paying the youth team can we borrow Gerrard back, assuming he's out of covid isolation?

[Ian]

1478092269811027969

Dunno what's better, the state of the tackle or that the fella on the receiving end just gets up to join in the argument rather than doing the death throes a Premier League player would be pretending to be going through.

[Raoul Duke]

Wilshere should have ridden the gravy train to China/Saudi etc.

[phonics]

Awesome, now we have an away game 3 days before the North London Derby because Liverpool went round licking doorknobs.

Also we’ve been charged for bringing the game into disrepute. Have ordered my Tin foil hat off Amazon Prime.

[Adramelch]

Dunno what's better, the state of the tackle or that the fella on the receiving end just gets up to join in the argument rather than doing the death throes a Premier League player would be pretending to be going through.

The "I slipped because the ground is in such a bad condition" defense is what does it for me.

[Lofty]

Allowing Liverpool to call the game off is a joke given prior decisions.

[Waffdon]

The least surprising decision ever.

[Mellberg]

:harold:

[Don]

What previous decisions? Newcastle were calling games off because they wanted an extra day in the sauna and they wanted Mbappe to appear in more games. Stfu and drink it in, we'll field our reserves when it does go ahead regardless.

[Giggles]

They'd have been happier with the justice ammo from it going ahead.

[phonics]

https://i.imgur.com/sFOFIV0.png

lol.

[Waffdon]

What previous decisions? Newcastle were calling games off because they wanted an extra day in the sauna and they wanted Mbappe to appear in more games. Stfu and drink it in, we'll field our reserves when it does go ahead regardless.

That’s the league. Teams had to forfeit earlier in the year. Aston Villa had to play a youth team last year in the FA Cup against Liverpool due to covid.

[CJay]

That’s the league. Teams had to forfeit earlier in the year. Aston Villa had to play a youth team last year in the FA Cup against Liverpool due to covid.

Liverpool were forced to fulfil a League Cup fixture against Villa in 2019 whilst our squad was off playing matches in another continent.

[Waffdon]

Your point…?

[phonics]

Liverpool were forced to fulfil a League Cup fixture against Villa in 2019 whilst our squad was off playing matches in another continent.

So why can’t you play this one then? They managed to play two games on the same day and now so many door knobs have been licked its become impossible to play one?

[Baz]

So why can’t you play this one then? They managed to play two games on the same day and now so many door knobs have been licked its become impossible to play one?
I agree.

[CJay]

Your point…?

That we've been forced to play ties in crap circumstances before, so there must be some valid reason that the EFL have agreed to the request rather than telling us to put out our newgens. Or maybe because it's a semi they don't want to potentially devalue it at this stage. Who knows.

[niko_cee]

Did Villa ask for the cup game to be postponed last season?

Had this been 1 leg it probably would have been forfeit, but, as I said, too much TV gravy train to bin 2 matches. Anyone who thought the same rules would apply to a 3rd round tie for who gives a fuck athletic are out of their mind. Seems to be mostly Arsenal fans greeting about having to face Liverpool's U23 side rather than the under 12s (obviously having grown accustomed to such opposition against Leeds).

[Dquincy]

Liv v Arse postponed.

Sensible.

[phonics]

Breaking news.

[Dquincy]

Fuck off.

[Gray Fox]

The youth teams game has also been cancelled as there's COVID there too, which might be why they weren't told to suck it up and play the kids.

[Baz]

Liverpool have appointed Jurgen Klopp

[Gray Fox]

Liverpool have appointed Jurgen Klopp

What for? Brendan just needs more time to get Benteke scoring.

[Waffdon]

This could be a cracking game.

Chelsea playing 4 at the back for the 1st time in a year by the looks of it. Tangana and Sarr could give a few goals away by themselves

[Jimmy Floyd]

Spurs. Surely enough is enough at this point. It's a club that just should not exist.

[Waffdon]

2-0 Tangana so far :lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's got to have money on Chelsea.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kepa's laid the blues as always, but the power of Spurs is unstoppable.

[Spoonsky]

Home and away cup ties are so good. Much better than the FA Cup semifinals being held at Wembley.