Marsch football

[Don]

Yeah Felix is ready now to do major damage, I pray he stays away from EPL.

[Boydy]

I don't think he's been a great fit at Atletico, and while it wouldn't be cheap, it wouldn't cost 126m euros. Why wouldn't he go to Arsenal?

I'm not saying it's likely, but it would be worth a go because he's exactly what they need. Maybe settle for Haaland if Atleti won't budge.

Haaland to Arsenal? Stop trolling.

[randomlegend]

Why wouldn't he go to Arsenal?


:lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol:

[Waffdon]

I misread that and thought you were on about Tomiyasu, Ramsdale and Odegaard :moop:

The Joao Felix thing was a bit lol but he was apparently linked with a move to Arsenal as his time at Atleti has been seen as a flop move. Coutinho went to Barca for a king's ransom and is currently on loan at Villa after all.

Felix’s only 22 and has about a 15 year contract tho. Properly weird move in the first place for both parties, mind

[Giggles]

Haaland to Arsenal? Stop trolling.

Maybe De Bruyne or Maradona if those don’t work out.

[-james-]

:lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol::lol: :lol:

It's very possible Atletico aren't in the Champions League next season. It would be a question of who else wanted him and could guarantee minutes if they wanted/needed to get rid.

[Kikó]

Maguire is laughably shit/out of form (based on your viewpoint).

[Luke Emia]

Fred has probably been United’s best player the last few times I’ve seen them. I mean he’s obviously not good enough to play for a team who want to challenge for big competitions but he’s not quite as useless as I thought he was.

[Gray Fox]

Maguire is laughably shit/out of form (based on your viewpoint).

Do you think maybe he's being asked to do too much? He's come from a Leicester team who really didn't expect to have too much of the ball and were good at soaking it up and hitting the counter. From that straight into a club who is expected to challenge on all fronts for a big outlay. Now he's expected to be far more expansive with the ball and captain the club as well.

Maybe there's too much on his plate.

[randomlegend]

It's very possible Atletico aren't in the Champions League next season. It would be a question of who else wanted him and could guarantee minutes if they wanted/needed to get rid.

Every good club in Europe would be after him if he's available, are you retarded? There's also less than a zero percent chance they sell him.

[Boydy]

Ronaldo and Maguire banging heads. :D

[phonics]

Every good club in Europe would be after him if he's available, are you retarded? There's also less than a zero percent chance they sell him.

https://i.imgur.com/AaIBIO2.png

[Lewis]

Do you think maybe he's being asked to do too much? He's come from a Leicester team who really didn't expect to have too much of the ball and were good at soaking it up and hitting the counter. From that straight into a club who is expected to challenge on all fronts for a big outlay. Now he's expected to be far more expansive with the ball and captain the club as well.

Maybe there's too much on his plate.

He's very good at defending a small space with not much behind him. Beyond that...

[-james-]

Every good club in Europe would be after him if he's available, are you retarded? There's also less than a zero percent chance they sell him.

All I said was that they should go for him, I'm not sure why you're so triggered.

He's only played about 50% of minutes he's been available for in the league this season and is presumably on massive wages. Doesn't seem implausible.

[randomlegend]

https://i.imgur.com/AaIBIO2.png

Yes, 4th, where I said they'd finish.

[Don]

Jesus, RL on a mission to make the most out of the handicapped football takes he has :D

[phonics]

Yes, 4th, where I said they'd finish.

You said they wouldn’t even get 4th because they’d lost Ronaldo. You have awful takes all the time. You have absolutely no right to be r-wording others.

[Lewis]

I bet I could name about ten players - probably with an average age of about thirty-eight - in that entire Serie A top four. I bet it's never been shitter than it is now.

[randomlegend]

You said they wouldn’t even get 4th because they’d lost Ronaldo. You have awful takes all the time. You have absolutely no right to be r-wording others.


Juventus will finish about 4th, Ronaldo will score a hat load and Mason Greenwood will continue to well outperform his xG. You can stick all that in a spreadsheet.

No I didn't.

[Kikó]

Do you think maybe he's being asked to do too much? He's come from a Leicester team who really didn't expect to have too much of the ball and were good at soaking it up and hitting the counter. From that straight into a club who is expected to challenge on all fronts for a big outlay. Now he's expected to be far more expansive with the ball and captain the club as well.

Maybe there's too much on his plate.

Probably but that doesn't really explain his inability to defend (similar to Lewis point).

[randomlegend]

Admittedly the Greenwood take is looking unlikely.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I watch a fair bit of Serie A, it's nowhere near the PL in terms of quality, and Juve may well win it from here.

Napoli would be winning it fairly comfortably without a fair bit of injury bad luck.

[phonics]

Well he certainly outperformed his xGf so you can claim that one.

[randomlegend]

This referee is appalling.

[phonics]

Juan Mata still plays for United? That’s a turn up for the books.

[Spoonsky]

Rashford is a broken player.

[Lewis]

Well he certainly outperformed his xGf so you can claim that one.

Wahey.

[Giggles]

These are masters. There’s barely been any play for 15 minutes.

[randomlegend]

Alright this ref is not just bad he's actually cheating.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's looked perfectly decent to me. I thought the commentators were frustrated about United losing.

[-james-]

The Juve argument was spawned to argue that signing Ronaldo (& Varane) would be game changing for United. Varane being miles better business than Ben White is looking pretty special too.

[Kikó]

This referee is on the take bad tonight. Really fucking awful.

[Mellberg]

Simeone saving a sub for the 93rd min just to really take the piss :D

[randomlegend]

The Juve argument was spawned to argue that signing Ronaldo (& Varane) would be game changing for United. Varane being miles better business than Ben White is looking pretty special too.

No it wasn't. I said about 20 times that I didn't think Ronaldo was the right signing.

My argument was simply that he wasn't "the problem" at Juve.

[Lewis]

It must be great supporting a team that wins like they do. Were Jose Mourinho's Porto worse? He certainly did his job better.

[Manc]

Simeone. :drool:

[Lewis]

I think the best thing to do now is just tank the season and miss out on the lesser competitions.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is Owen Hargreaves SEETHING or just wrong?

[Waffdon]

Beautiful. Just waiting on RL to call another person a retard to top it off.

[phonics]

Owen Hargreaves is properly one of the worst pundits in the game.

[Kikó]

I think the best thing to do now is just tank the season and miss out on the lesser competitions.

It's all about the Europa conference.

[Lewis]

How low do you have to finish to avoid any midweek commitments?

[CJay]

The final frontline of 35yo Cavani (2 goals this season), 37yo Ronaldo, and Rashford (5 goals), supported by Juan Mata (158 minutes all season) was painful to watch. In fact they still had Telles taking the set pieces, so you wonder what Mata’s purpose actually was. Incredible how a club of United’s size can let their squad decay like that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

8th, unless an upset wins the cup.

[randomlegend]

8th, unless an upset wins the cup.

Doable.

[Lewis]

Juan Mata neatly sums up eight years of United sucking shit at recruitment. He has wasted his peak years there the poor bastard, and he hasn't even been particularly well paid for it either.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mata was utterly immense for us in the Three Amigos year (I can't even remember who the other two amigos were, Hazard and someone?) before Mourinho came and ruined him. Never been anywhere near that for United.

The Three Amigos just make me think more favourably of the Useless Brothers, easily my favourite attacking combination of the era.

[Adramelch]

Oscar?

[CJay]

Marko Marin, I assume.

[niko_cee]

Kalou and someone (Malouda)?

[Waffdon]

https://youtu.be/Rmo4LoIWLEk

Oscar :drool:

[phonics]

Mata was utterly immense for us in the Three Amigos year (I can't even remember who the other two amigos were, Hazard and someone?) before Mourinho came and ruined him. Never been anywhere near that for United.

The Three Amigos just make me think more favourably of the Useless Brothers, easily my favourite attacking combination of the era.

Fabregas no?

[Queenslander]

The Socceroos have called up a 34 year old Uruguayan striker for the next two games.

Grim.

[Kikó]

Mata has been consistently baffling for me. I think he's absolutely brilliant on and off the ball and the kind of player who can unlock tough teams if we're on top. But he's never getting a sniff. I understand he's not fast enough to start games but he's been criminally underused.

I think the forward line has been exposed from being relatively strong to well .. Relying on Ronaldo. Cavani doesn't really play (and is old), Rashford can't really play (pace?), Marital has been binned, and Greenwood is in the nick. In hindsight, we shouldn't have let Marital go out on loan.

[Ian]

Would he have been anything more than another shit, lazy option?

[niko_cee]

Didn't see it but there are few things worse that getting one-nil'd by 'Atleti'.

On the subject of Maguire, he's just one of those that maybe doesn't adapt to 'top team football' all that well. I remember watching him several times for Leicester against Brighton and he was an absolute colossus. But they sat deep and he wasn't expected to be faffing around with the ball at the back. He's better for England [although maybe not much] because they tend to sit quite deep and the standard of international football is miles below elite club football, at least in terms of 'co-ordinated play' [which as an aside is why the likes of Pogba are better in an international setting - their individual ability shines though more on a stage where there is less system-based play].

In a similar vein I was thinking about the divergent paths Henderson and Ramsdale have taken in the last few seasons. Henderson superb for Sheffield United, a major factor in them staying up, but can't get a foot in the door at United and whenever he does he's not all that impressive. Ramsdale, on the other hand, was absolutely terrible for Sheffield United. Mistakes all over the place, real howlers, looked an absolute muppet for the most part. Put him in a better team, with different expectations in terms of what he does [ie more of the sweeper keeper shit I guess] and all of a sudden he's vying to be England's No.1 [admittedly a low bar]. Some players obviously just fit better than others do in given situations.

[Kikó]

Would he have been anything more than another shit, lazy option?

Probably but you know he always had that short hot spell in him.

[Ian]

I think if we were relying on the possibility that Martial might decide to try for a fortnight I'd rather we just finish 10th.

[Lewis]

1504124255335817218
1504151388221227012

Officially reached the Arsenal stage. :o

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think Team Rashford has done him many long term favours by writing all his press releases in someone else's voice. Making him out to be something he's not just leaves him wide open to being called a fraud and creates unrealistic expectations for him to live up to the sainthood. Oh well, I'm sure they're taking their cut so that's the main thing.

[Lewis]

'Come over here and say it to my face'. You seen yourself lad? He clearly does give the fan[s] the middle finger as he walks off as well, so why even put something out?

[Kikó]

It would be much better if he said "some sad bastards were stood outside abusing me and honestly, I wanted to take his head off. I was out of order but there you go".

[Don]

They're doing Odegaard reels on SS as if he's gonna get more than 10 touches, all of which sideways.

[Giggles]

There’s fuck all accountability at the levels of delusion those cunts have reached now though. Not at that money.

[Gray Fox]

I can't remember Arsenal being in this good of form anytime we have faced them. Salah only fit for the bench too.

[Giggles]

It would be much better if he said "some sad bastards were stood outside abusing me and honestly, I wanted to take his head off. I was out of order but there you go".

Actually I missed this but it’s 100% right. Humans (if they still are).

[Giggles]

I can't remember Arsenal being in this good of form anytime we have faced them. Salah only fit for the bench too.

You have to be the most pessimisticly boring fanbase of all time since you won the league.

Aw were fucked. Lol. 4-0 :rolleyes:

[Luke Emia]

I’ve not been nervous for a game for a very long time. But this is properly shit or bust you feel.

[Giggles]

Yeah and you’ll win and it’ll be ‘oh my days’ and on to next week.

[Lewis]

This is why I appreciate Taz. You might say broken clock, but his approach works at the minute.

[Luke Emia]

I think in fairness 2014 and the subsequent shit show from Brenton afterwards mentally scarred a lot of Liverpool fans.

[Giggles]

I’d rather his mental gammon gammon gammon wankery than this pessimistic shite when you’re the best team in the league.

[Gray Fox]

I get it can be effective, but there's a bit too much long ball in this so far. You've Thiago in the team for likely 60 mins. Use him.

[Manc]

Ronald McDonald's boys looking a little flat.

[Giggles]

You’ve the best squad and first team in the league and will win the league, so I’d settle the kettle and just enjoy the ride. Player minutes wouldn’t be high on the agenda, they’ll all get a medal.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're doing a sterling job trying to lose to Sochaux, or Nantes or whoever this is.

[Gray Fox]

You set that up beautifully.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I take that back, Pooless Sick has just surged past the youthful legs of Jose Fonte to get us back on top.

[Manc]

Miles off it. Jota needs to be hooked.

[Spoonsky]

Allison has been brilliant lately. But we are getting run off the park here.

[Boydy]

Miles off it. Jota needs to be hooked.
Well played.

[Gray Fox]

That just can't go in at this level I'm afraid.

[Spoonsky]

Jota :cool: Loves the Emirates.

[Manc]

Well played.

:hat:

[Spoonsky]

Didn't see it but there are few things worse that getting one-nil'd by 'Atleti'.

On the subject of Maguire, he's just one of those that maybe doesn't adapt to 'top team football' all that well. I remember watching him several times for Leicester against Brighton and he was an absolute colossus. But they sat deep and he wasn't expected to be faffing around with the ball at the back. He's better for England [although maybe not much] because they tend to sit quite deep and the standard of international football is miles below elite club football, at least in terms of 'co-ordinated play' [which as an aside is why the likes of Pogba are better in an international setting - their individual ability shines though more on a stage where there is less system-based play].

In a similar vein I was thinking about the divergent paths Henderson and Ramsdale have taken in the last few seasons. Henderson superb for Sheffield United, a major factor in them staying up, but can't get a foot in the door at United and whenever he does he's not all that impressive. Ramsdale, on the other hand, was absolutely terrible for Sheffield United. Mistakes all over the place, real howlers, looked an absolute muppet for the most part. Put him in a better team, with different expectations in terms of what he does [ie more of the sweeper keeper shit I guess] and all of a sudden he's vying to be England's No.1 [admittedly a low bar]. Some players obviously just fit better than others do in given situations.

This is the kind of stealthy jinx we needed. (Team effort with Manc.)

[Waffdon]

Arsenal getting pumped by the first decent team they face again :lol:

[Ben]

Ruthless.

[phonics]

Pumped?

[Baz]

Pumped?
Shagged.

[Spoonsky]

Few more pleasurable sights in football than Juventus losing.

[Luke Emia]

Who are City getting in the Champions League then Villarreal or Benfica?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Legendary round for the Spanish sides. 3x Spain, 3x England, Bayern and Benfica. Plus ça change.

[Lofty]

Not sure why that studs up lunge was ignored by sky and the ref despite the home crowd and team going mad.

[Gray Fox]

Thiago does love a blood rushing to the head kind of tackle like that. Looked naughty at first watch.

[phonics]

Tight game. Their finishing was better than ours. Shame that.

[randomlegend]

Juventus getting railed at home by Villareal. Great team.

[Don]

No shame in getting done by that Emery side, quality team.

[wullie]

Just come back from being mauled by the tigers who started timewasting from their third minute goal which seemed unnecessary as we weren't scoring if we were given four hours. On the plus side it was pissing it down and freezing so I lost all feeling in my toes for a while. Worst performance of the season, nicest away kit by miles.

[Lewis]

If Paulp Ogba expects anyone to believe he 'rushed' back to his burgled house I've got a five year contract to sell him.

[Kikó]

You’ve the best squad and first team in the league and will win the league, so I’d settle the kettle and just enjoy the ride. Player minutes wouldn’t be high on the agenda, they’ll all get a medal.

I don't think there's much difference between city and Liverpool. They're both excellent footballing sides annoyingly.

[Giggles]

I thought Villarreal had been relegated.

[Ben]

Just had a look at them. They're 7th but with a GD of +22 and a really good defence. That xG bollocks will be having an aneurysm.

[Don]

https://understat.com/league/La_liga/2021

4th on xPTS.

[Giggles]

I think I'm thinking of Deportivo.

[niko_cee]

This is the kind of stealthy jinx we needed. (Team effort with Manc.)

:cool:

Playing the long game.

[Waffdon]

1504399445731037185

Ian Wright really is the bollocks

[Lofty]

Arsenal getting pumped by the first decent team they face again :lol:

Wouldn't say potential champions are just a 'decent team', Wolves were looking like a decent team when Arsenal beat them home and away.

[-james-]

Not many teams make Liverpool look as poor as they did in the first half last night. You'd have to be willingly blind to not see that Arsenal have levelled up this season. Mainly just need a zippy forward that can score lots of goals. Perhaps someone from Portugal.

[-james-]

England squad announcement this afternoon, frothing going to be at an all time high when Conor Coady and Anthony Gordon once again get overlooked for Maguire and Rashford.

[Manc]

Anthony Gordon. :happycry:

[-james-]

Brandon Williams too.

[Luke Emia]

Not many teams make Liverpool look as poor as they did in the first half last night. You'd have to be willingly blind to not see that Arsenal have levelled up this season. Mainly just need a zippy forward that can score lots of goals. Perhaps someone from Portugal.

Arsenal did ok and are better than they were but the only real chance they had last night was the Thiago backpass. They had a couple of dangerous situations but never really created anything. Liverpool were poor in the first half but never really looked in any danger and realistically only had to play 10 minutes and then just lock the game down again.

[Ben]

Brandon Williams too.

:D

[Gray Fox]

Arsenal just needed someone other that Martinez to step up last night. Unfortunately for them Robertson is probably the best left back in the world and he covered Saka well. Lacazette wasn’t getting much change from Matip and Virgil.

You can definitely see the improvement in that first 50 mins. Though once Liverpool scored they took over for long enough to put the game away. I suppose that’s the difference.

[Don]

They don't have any game changers and the manager/system isn't good enough to make up for that. It's wall-to-wall flakey midgets in that attack with no real supply. Klopp would have made wine out of a front 3 of Saka-Laca/ESR-Martinelli but instead legoman is clueless once it goes beyond how to beat the opposition press.

[Manc]

Rashford dropped. Can't wait for the statement.

[niko_cee]

No Sancho either?

[-james-]

Smith-Rowe over Sancho is pretty whacky.

[Ian]

Sancho's England trajectory has just been weird under Southgate.

Played loads of games while pissing it against Bundesliga teams. All of a sudden wasn't 'experienced enough' for the Euros and so was dropped for Saka because he had the vital experience of playing against Watford or whatever, is now on good form in England and is dropped from the squad altogether?

Alright.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How has Jadons Ancho been dropped?

Also, lol at Maguire still being picked.

[Manc]

Sancho needs to get involved in the leadership group.

[Don]

By Sancho good form I presume we are talking about his shape-up and his recent appearance on MOTD-X where he spat 16 fire bars alongside Stormzy?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Based on recent track record I'm willing to go with 'Gareth' if he mysteriously leaves out a Man U forward.

[Spoonsky]

Everton are so shaky. Level of anxiety in the stadium is sky-high too, which doesn't seem to be helping.

[Lewis]

I work with an Evertonian, and he seethes about pretty much everything in life except Everton, which he just rolls his eyes and lols about. Work that one out.

[Manc]

Some basement creature has tied himself to the post by the neck.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://i.imgur.com/8XuoNYl.jpg

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

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

:lol:

[Spoonsky]

The URL doesn't even work.

[Lofty]

Amateur hour from the Goodison stewards, did they not see it tried last night?

[Manc]

Horrendous challenge from Allan.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The URL doesn't even work.

Yes it does.

It leads to their Facebook page.

[Lewis]

Those are proper sex offender glasses.

[Spoonsky]

Not for me chief. Maybe it's geo-limited?

[Magic]

Fucking hell.

[Waffdon]

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

:lol:

It’s always the ones you least expect. Jesus Christ

[Jimmy Floyd]

It'd take me about ten minutes to get a cable tie into that position. Proper wrong un to have those co-ordination skills.

[Lewis]

Those are proper sex offender glasses.

'Jeffrey Dahmer' trending. :lol:

[Luca]

The URL doesn't even work.

How’d you get out of police custody so quickly?

[John Arne]

Sancho has 3 or 4 good games and suddenly every one thinks he should be in the England squad :D

Might as well call up James Milner, too.

[Ben]

Surely alarm bells should have been ringing when that lad walked through the turnstile. He doesn't even know what a football is.

[Kikó]

Sancho played pretty well for a few years at Dortmund as well.

[Luke Emia]

Surprises me that Rashford has even been dropped. As for Sancho on balance he should be in there in all honesty he looks like United's best attacker whenever I see them.

[niko_cee]

If Liverpool and City are drawn together in the European Cup will they end up playing each other three times in the space of a week?

[Yevrah]

Sancho has 3 or 4 good games and suddenly every one thinks he should be in the England squad :D

Might as well call up James Milner, too.

Quite.

Sancho has been anonymous for most of the season and Gareth has barely relied on him thus far anyway.

As for Rashford, well, I'll chalk that one down as another TTH win.

[Manc]

If Liverpool and City are drawn together in the European Cup will they end up playing each other three times in the space of a week?

Four games in twelve days is still on the cards.

[CJay]

Benfica in the quarter finals is a dream draw.

[Kikó]

You'll smash them by 4 minimum.

[Ben]

I thought it was City who got all the easy draws?

[niko_cee]

Aye, pretty much a dream draw, particularly if the yellow submarine can torpedo Bismark Munich.

[niko_cee]

I thought it was City who got all the easy draws?

Liverpool have a strong tradition of drawing Portuguese teams in quarter finals it would seem.

[CJay]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4778418.stm

16 years since they easily dumped us out as holders. Although they seemingly had a stronger team back then.

[Luke Emia]

Lovely old fucking job right there City facing Athletico in a shit off a few days before the game at the Etihad couldn't really ask for much more. Hopefully Alexander Arnold isn't as dead as is being made out on the BBC.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea/Liverpool final it is as it will be in the FA Cup. City in the mud

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was hoping for Liverpool, not because we'd win, but because I know we can cover the fuel bill.

Might have to get the ferry to Santander.

[Manc]

Have they always drawn the quarters and semis together?

[Waffdon]

Yep. Well, for the last 10 years or so anyway.

[CJay]

Lovely old fucking job right there City facing Athletico in a shit off a few days before the game at the Etihad couldn't really ask for much more. Hopefully Alexander Arnold isn't as dead as is being made out on the BBC.

I can see City dispatching them pretty easily. They aren't a great side and City will press and dominate them into submission.

Glad we don't have to play them again at least.

[Luke Emia]

I can see City dispatching them pretty easily. They aren't a great side and City will press and dominate them into submission.

Glad we don't have to play them again at least.

Maybe so. But out of all the draws you would want them to have they are going to have to work hard for 90 minutes to beat them. At no point will Madrid roll over even if they aren't the team they were a few years ago.

[Waffdon]

1504582707354824705

That might be the best one yet

[SvN]

He must be doing it on purpose by now :D

[Don]

TAA is the one player we don't have a suitable backup for ffs. Get Hendo to do a Stevie G captain's shift there for a few games.

[Giggles]

Obafemi not in that squad is ridiculous. I’d take it that he’s as good as gone.

Dunne and Ebosele should be there too. Scott fucking Hogan :face:

1504801368485384193

[Pen]

Who’s the Keane upfront?

[Giggles]

Who’s the Keane upfront?

Will. Michael Keane’s brother that plays for Wigan.

[Pen]

Was hoping he’d be Roys or Robbies son.

[Giggles]

Would be some contribution from Robbie for all the free money at least.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Has Parrott come good yet? I remember managing Bottom Ireland on FM 19 and he was brilliant.

[-james-]

Pretty much the only established names in that Ireland squad are all the wrong side of thirty. Looking pretty grim.

[Giggles]

I think he’s improved a bit by all accounts but probably a case of finding his level. He doesn’t seem to have the work ethic to make it any higher.

There’s a Dons fan here I meant to ask about him. Who’s that?

[Giggles]

Pretty much the only established names in that Ireland squad are all the wrong side of thirty. Looking pretty grim.

From the board contrarian when it comes to soccer, this post has given me the most hope of anything.

[-james-]

I think you'll find I've quietly been collecting :evictory:s for a while now.

[Giggles]

Signatures?

Cullen is our most established player at club level anyway.

[Boydy]

Spreadsheets

[-james-]

I've just never used that emoticon before and I wanted to get it out.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What is football, the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in a population of 5 million? That puts them on New Zealand level. They just had a golden period in the 90s with all those passport players.

[Giggles]

It’s the biggest sport in terms of participation but they thought the contracting out of player development to the UK was going to last forever. The 1990’s were the worst thing ever happened here for things currently as unrealistic expectations still haven’t subsided. Qualifying for every 4th or 5th tournament would be realistic but hopefully we’ll see things improve domestically along with more of your better talents heading for mainland Europe instead of the UK.

[niko_cee]

The idea of 'mainland Europe' proving a more fertile breeding ground for talented Irish footballers [than the UK] strikes me as a sojourn into the realm of wishful thinking.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The UK (meaning the Premier League) was a much better breeding ground 30 years ago as it wasn't as strong, and Irish players (and Scots, etc) could get lots of football. Nowadays that league is Italy or Germany.

[niko_cee]

Or The Championship.

Try and sign this kid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Scott_(footballer,_born_2003)) up Giggles. I'm pretty sure we're allowed to declare for any of the home nations including The Republic of Ireland [and this is the Irish Channel Island apparently - Jersey being the scotch one]. He's supposed to be very good.

[Giggles]

The idea of 'mainland Europe' proving a more fertile breeding ground for talented Irish footballers [than the UK] strikes me as a sojourn into the realm of wishful thinking.

Players can go at 16 as opposed to the 18 they need to be since Brexit. Stand down.

[niko_cee]

Sounds like a death knell if you believe in 'elite development pathways' [meh] but probably actually better for the national league as I would imagine more players would stay within the system for longer.

[Giggles]

If there was a national league that was even 10% fit for purpose (that the years of neglect coming to roost now). But it’s UK at 18 or Europe younger, they’re the only two options.

[-james-]

I don't think much talent goes begging these days. If you're at an English club and good enough you'll either get minutes, or get sold to Italy, Germany or the Championship before being bought back for treble the price.

[ScousePig]

Has Parrott come good yet? I remember managing Bottom Ireland on FM 19 and he was brilliant.

He seems to have been decent enough in League One without setting the world alight. MK Dons are a good footballing side with a good young manager.

[Magic]

:harold:

[Waffdon]

There’s got to be some match fixing going on when that Leeds 2nd goal. Wits the goalie daeing Tam

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[Ben]

Cya Burnley :drool:

[Alex]

Big old three points that. Fucking hell.

[-james-]

Jesse Marsch is a bit of a legend. Shudder to think how many motivational speaking workshops he's attended though.

[Mellberg]

Nice to see someone do to Wolves what they did to us earlier in the season. Bit of poetic justice there for them being complete cunts about it.

[-james-]

Just looking at the England u21 squad and this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etienne_Green) is genuinely unbelievable.

[niko_cee]

Why?

[Spikey M]

We need to nobble the Pope to see if we can gain him Saint status.

[-james-]

Why?

An Englishman from Colchester is called Etienne Green and plays for St. Etienne (who play in green).

[Disco]

Nominative determinism at work, just ask Wolfgang Wolf.

[phonics]

McGinn coming out of nowhere and bowling over Lacazette isn't a yellow card?

Saka bleeding out his ankle as well. Just bring Pepe on no need to risk it.

[phonics]

With all this standing in front of a free kick thing. Can you not just boot it into them and get an automatic yellow?

[randomlegend]

With all this standing in front of a free kick thing. Can you not just boot it into them and get an automatic yellow?

Happens semi-regularly.

[phonics]

There's some blonde villa coach that has the hair of a norse god.

[Baz]

Jonathan Woodgate is Smjffy

[Lofty]

Lol @ Ashley Young being the latest 'Arsenal celebrated like they'd won the league' melt.

[Gray Fox]

I see Stevie is on the verge of throwing some players under the bus. He did it in his early Rangers days and it seemed to turn the tide slowly into his favour. I'm not so sure it'll be working here.

[John Arne]

An Englishman from Colchester is called Etienne Green and plays for St. Etienne (who play in green).

I think one of his parents is a huge St. Etienne fan and named him accordingly. The green appears to be a nice coincidence.

[SincereTheRebel]

Doing for my first look of the season across the top league tables across Europe and I've came across a team I've never noticed before who are bottom and playing Juventus today. Salernitana. Gattuso used to play for them for a season and Ribery, who I thought retired is currently with them now. Its there first season in Serie A since 1999.

[Kikó]

They also have Diego Costa.

Actually it fell through https://www.google.com/amp/s/football-italia.net/reports-diego-costa-will-not-join-salernitana/amp/

[Manc]

That Palace front four is a thing of beauty.

[Raoul Duke]

I'm beginning to think Lampard might not be a very good manager...

[Waffdon]

Everton’s squad is absolutely horrendous but bringing in someone who is utterly dreadful at setting his team up to defend when the team is already a joke defensively was never ending well

[Clunge]

Doing for my first look of the season across the top league tables across Europe and I've came across a team I've never noticed before who are bottom and playing Juventus today. Salernitana. Gattuso used to play for them for a season and Ribery, who I thought retired is currently with them now. Its there first season in Serie A since 1999.
They had Di Vaio in the late-90s who went on to be a pretty decent player. Legend of CM9798 iirc.

[Luke Emia]

Yeah if Frank can’t finish the job this season hopefully he can get it done next year and get them relegated.

[Yevrah]

I'm beginning to think Lampard might not be a very good manager...

A bit harsh, he's not had a chance to get to 1,000 games yet.

[Panda Bear]

A bit harsh, he's not had a chance to get to 1,000 games yet.If Lampard doesn't realize he's shit at setting up defence, then he's in trouble.

If Lampard realizes he's shit at setting up defence but has too big an ego to let someone else take care of it, then he's in trouble.

I don't know which is worse at this level.

[Don]

Hold tight my 'Super Frank has been hard done by Chelsea, he blooded Tammy and Mason and this German clown doesn't know the game' gammon crew.

[Gray Fox]

Jota looked off there but I'll take it.

[niko_cee]

Aye, no idea how that wasn't offside. Can't wait to see 'the lines'.

[Kikó]

Why are both Madrid and Barcelona in away kits.

[niko_cee]

Did Frank sort of lose it in the aftermath of that result today or are the quotes misleading?

Shame we didn't draw Palace really. That 1990 semi is one of my earliest proper memories of football.

[Waffdon]

Real Madrid are nothing without Benzema. Barcelona are absolutely pumping them.

[niko_cee]

I see their formation is listed by the BBC live text thing as 4-2-4-0. Not sure I've ever seen that before [in terms of the specific emphasis on them not having a forward]. I can recall a dreadful game against Boro years ago where Liverpool played 4-6-0 but I have no idea if it was billed as such.

[Lofty]

Phil Brown new Barrow manager :drool:

[Giggles]

The sportswashing begins. I wish we had fuck all to do with this but there’s one of your own running the FAI now.


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[Jimmy Floyd]

Should be a great month for footie in the British and Irish Isles.

[Giggles]

That’s the attitude I expected. It’s only a thing when browns are doing it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's a festival of football. Slovakia v the Luhansk Republic will happen in your Aviva Stadium (renamed Ireland Park for commercial reasons during the tournament) and no one will mention Eamonn de Valera even once. It's a win-win.

[Giggles]

Christ, lets go jingo to avoid anything else. In a way I thought better of you and yet I still didn’t really.

[Ben]

Just invade the North. I'm on board with a united Ireland. :thbup:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm sure Giggles would too.

Get whole Ireland back as part of the Union.

[Lewis]

Why are we even involving Ireland? We don't need to.

[Don]

They've got a couple of dons signing with Udinese and their lot aren't empowered/arrogant enough yet to waste away their natural gift so it's wise to keep them on your side.

[Giggles]

Why are we even involving Ireland? We don't need to.

Exactly.

[Giggles]

They've got a couple of dons signing with Udinese and their lot aren't empowered/arrogant enough yet to waste away their natural gift so it's wise to keep them on your side.

Rooney was saying today that it will be tough for Ebosele "moving to a foreign country". I'm sure he's used to it by now.

[niko_cee]

On the subject of Rooney, I only became aware today that I witnessed his international debut, the 3-1 defeat to Australia at Upton Park, which seemed, at the time, the absolute nadir of English sport. The foolishness of youth.

[Spoonsky]

What’s the real nadir? Iceland? 2008?

[Lewis]

With the benefit of hindsight the Iceland defeat was embarrassing because of the occasion rather than the actual gulf in quality. That England team had about three good players, and two of them were out of form. 2008 qualifying was worse because we had a quality side. Everyone remembers the Croatia defeats but we lost out by drawing with Israel and Macedonia.

[niko_cee]

What’s the real nadir? Iceland? 2008?

I honestly don't know/too many to count/it's probably still to come.

Iceland was pretty bad.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The nadir of English football was the 0-0 draw with Algeria - combination of drab/ineffectual play, unlikeable players and utter toxicity on and off the pitch.

The Hodgson teams you at least felt something was maybe brewing for the future, even if it was quite well hidden at times.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I had the Algeria game [aka Yevmageddon] in mind as one of the options.

Southgate pissing this generation of players up against an 8-at-the-back wall is one to keep an eye on.

[niko_cee]

Also, lol at there being no trains from the north west on the day of the City/Liverpool semi.

[Yevrah]

For me I don't think the Algeria performance will ever be topped (bottomed?) as it was the one that finally saw me lose all hope of us ever winning anything.

Nice to see people are more and more getting wise to Southgate though.

[Spikey M]

Why are we even involving Ireland? We don't need to.

It's nice to have the whole of the British Isles involved.

[Shindig]

I'm still broadly with him. We could win something under him and very nearly did. Like all England managers, there's always some what-the-fuckery along the way. We wouldn't be talking about finals under Sam Allardyce as he 5-3-2's our way into a Quarter Final defeat.

God knows when the wheels truly fall off, though.

[Ben]

Also, lol at there being no trains from the north west on the day of the City/Liverpool semi.

And of course the FA will do nothing about it because Wembley is life.

[Spoonsky]

With the benefit of hindsight the Iceland defeat was embarrassing because of the occasion rather than the actual gulf in quality. That England team had about three good players, and two of them were out of form. 2008 qualifying was worse because we had a quality side. Everyone remembers the Croatia defeats but we lost out by drawing with Israel and Macedonia.

Isn't the fact that there wasn't a gulf in quality (with a nation of 350,000 people) exactly what makes it so bad?

On the other hand I don't think anything England do will compare to missing out on the World Cup because of losing to Trinidad & Tobago on the final day.

[Lewis]

Yeah that is a point, and maybe it is a nadir of the actual sport (of 'English sport' must be those lean cricket years or every pre-Lottery Olympics). I read it as the pits of the football team.

[niko_cee]

The English sport angle was more a reference to the fact that Australia had pretty much stomped us at every sport we both played since pretty much forever and then the chance to play the one we were actually a lot better at came along and they took the fucking piss in that as well.

Balance restored when we won the rugby world cup later that same year and then 2005 sorted everything through the medium of cricket.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Australia should beat us at cricket, rugby league and pretty much anything other than soccer and rugby union. They have massive weather and lifestyle advantages.

Rugby union is probably our most underachieving sport given how much resource goes into it. Football, ok we haven't won much but our pitches are bogs for half the year and we have no space in most of the country.

[Lewis]

This used to be where ItalAussie popped up to give it 'Mate we're only a small country mate...' like they don't do anything other than sit and seethe about sport down there.

[Luca]

This used to be where ItalAussie popped up to give it 'Mate we're only a small country mate...' like they don't do anything other than sit and seethe about sport down there .

This is scarily accurate.

[Giggles]

It's nice to have the whole of the British Isles involved.

You don’t even need the other three involved, let alone us.