April FOOLSball more like

[niko_cee]

The signing of Pogba was probably one of the most damaging things they've done. It's hindsight and all, but Fergie had his number, and bringing him in for newly minted Mourinho [also clearly a terrible plan] was just insane.

[randomlegend]

Fergie absolutely wanted to keep Pogba. He just wasn't prepared to give him the money and assurances he was asking for (which he felt were being driven by Raiola who he hates).

[Lewis]

They should actually flush a dozen players out this summer. If they have to finish ninth next year with an eighteen year old bench then so be it. If they want a 'cultural reset' as Neville calls it, and break the back of all the wank and cliquey bullshit, then it needs to be done ruthlessly.

[niko_cee]

Not giving in to his dickhead agent [who is an extension of his own dickhead personality] is why he was right about him. He's not a player you can trust.

[randomlegend]

They need to completely change their mentality as an organisation, and that won't happen under current ownership.

This has hopefully already changed. Woodward has gone and the guy who's replaced him seems set on sticking to the commercial side, whilst the new DoF (John Murtough) along with a few other PROPER FOOTBALL PEOPLE are taking over the football side of things.

The new manager appointment and this summer window will be the first real test of whether things have really changed.

We absolutely do need a massive clear out.

Maguire is going to be a huge problem; he's not the terrible player he's made out to be but he can't play in a team that wants to play a high line and press which is basically mandatory to be a top team nowadays it seems. He's good for England and was good for Leicester because he doesn't/didn't have to deal with that. But nobody will take him off our hands for anything close to what we paid for him and I doubt the Glazers will sign off on making a huge loss to get rid.

[Don]

Lads, no one cares about some mid-table delusional shit, take it to redcafe. Tomorrow we're being treated to an event. I haven't been this excited about a league game since those peak El Classicos. We're fucking 3.5 to win too, this is what we live for.

[Yevrah]

3.5? Fuck me, that's massive.

[Baz]

2.6 is the biggest I’ve seen. Unless he means Brentford?

[niko_cee]

3.7 on the betfair exchange.

[Ben]

3.5 on Bet365.

[randomlegend]

Lads, no one cares about some mid-table delusional shit, take it to redcafe. Tomorrow we're being treated to an event. I haven't been this excited about a league game since those peak El Classicos. We're fucking 3.5 to win too, this is what we live for.

We put up with 20 years of it from Liverpool fans, you're not even halfway through your quota.

[Don]

Load up boys and I'll meet you on here for the ride tomorrow. Any price greater than evens for the greatest ever side to play the game to win a game (let alone such an important one) is some opportunity.

[Giggles]

What’s 3.5 in real money? 9/4 or something?

[Ben]

5/2.

[Lofty]

Why the fuck Arteta played Xhaka at LB instead of going 5 at the back I'll never know. Great doomspiral to end the season before Newcastle bully the fuck out of us in the summer when we desperately need to sign quality reinforcements :moop:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1512892543196880897

:lol:

[Lewis]

It was some kid apparently. :lol:

[mo]

Austistic teenager. Either way what a cuntish thing to do (I'm aware it pales in comparison to some of his other behaviour)

[Yevrah]

I guess he's gutted at not winning the FA Cup.

[Spikey M]

Once he's retired and not being protected there's going to be some seriously bad shit coming out about him. I'm talking Skeletor level shenanigans.

[Baz]

Worse than the rape?

[Spikey M]

Probably.

[Manc]

Chelsea should have had double figures yesterday. Hasenhuttl is some chancer.

[Gray Fox]

Surprised he's gone for Jota rather than reverting to his standard XI for big games.

City have done relatively well sussing Liverpool out in more recent games. They seem to draw our team all the way over to our left and then hit quick passes to get at Trent on the other side.
I think it all depends on how City approach the game. If they go in looking to just not lose, they could become unstuck. But they've got a good recent record against us and must know a win for them puts the title to bed.

[Don]

They got no pace which is our weakspot so all good, barring any red cards we got this.

[Gray Fox]

Massive results for Brentford and Burnley too. The former now safe and it really doesn't look good for the latter now. Their run in is easier than Evertons but you're suddenly needing 2-3 wins to stay up from there.

[Shindig]

Aye, I think Frank can muster another win out of them. The bottom three might be settled now. Unless Norwich go on a proper tear. :drool:

[Smjffy]

:cool: I can't shake the foolish thought that we're actually going to slap City.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Got a nice half-pint of Budweiser (the king of beers), sat on the sofa and looking forward to a feast of top notch footie action.

[Gray Fox]

Tense 0-0 or 1-0 written all over this. Far too many expecting City to be swept aside for some reason.

[Manc]

Let's have it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Already annoyed by the City kit. White shorts and/or socks, you fucks.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Super Frankie Lampard! Great goal.

[Yevrah]

Quite pleased I didn't lump on the 3.5 now.

[Gray Fox]

I’m sure in the reverse fixture he scored a deflected goal off Matip as well.

[Lewis]

The extra effort the City fans go to create an atmosphere for Liverpool (waiting for the bus, bringing flares) always makes me lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I swear Ederson and Allison are always circus clowns in this fixture.

[Yevrah]

And now I wish I'd got on the 7.0 (or whatever) at 0-1.

[Gray Fox]

This slow tapping the ball around the back will give me a heart attack.

[Shindig]

Gateshead won 4-3 against Chester to keep the pressure on leaders Brackley. Two big games over Easter, including a match against Darlo.

[Ben]

City should be four up at this point but their composure has been shite. Liverpool are 7/2 in play, I'm thinking I should lump on it. Wouldn't surprise me at all for Liverpool to nick it.

[Manc]

The bed is full of shit.

[Luke Emia]

Fabinho has been awful. Need to get to half-time still in it.

[Gray Fox]

Someone tell the team in red the league is at stake here.

[Ben]

Has Salah just downed tools until the new contract is signed?

[Boydy]

Liverpool really don't look like a team challenging for the league today. Fucking shite.

[Gray Fox]

Very much brings back memories of the first half of the reverse game. Liverpool didnt turn up there but then come out firing in the 2nd half.

On this viewing I'd replace the entire front 3 at half time. Mane and Salah havent done a thing today and Jota fluffed his chance straight at Ederson. Should be about 4-1 to City here.

[Luke Emia]

At the minute it’s the wrong team. Should be Firminio for Jota in these games that also gives mor options off the bench if you do need to chase the game later.

Maybe Keita instead of Thiago as well for legs.

[Smjffy]

Man City should be out of sight whilst we've been pretty shit from the get go. We're not helping ourselves either though, architects of our own impending downfall if it remains as is.

[Gray Fox]

Look what happens when you confidently pass the ball forwards.

[Gray Fox]

My eyes do not see how that is offside, lines or no.

[wullie]

We completed the double over Fulham today, which means they should be relegated by about February next season

[phonics]

It's so dumb that leaning is a part of offside.

[Jimmy Floyd]

City much the superior team, should have won it by four.

[Lewis]

lol at that 'Madchester' City merchandise 'Pep' is wearing.

[Baz]

Coutinho to score a 93rd minute worldie on the final day of the season to win Liverpool the league then?

[Gray Fox]

Can't be too unhappy with that. We only really played for maybe 20 minutes in the whole game and somehow didn't get battered.

Absolutely mental game. Kevin De Bruyne is really indescribable how good he is.

[Smjffy]

We got away with it for sure. Just got to keep the pressure on now and hope someone (Gerrard/Coutinho/Ings) does us a favour.

[niko_cee]

Graham Potter's got this.

Both sides just need to worry about winning their own games. It could easily go the same way it did a few years ago [with both winning all of their games], Liverpool's fixtures look harder, but at this stage of the season appearances can be deceptive.

[Manc]

Woy could do a job on Pep. Wouldn't be the first time.

[Kikó]

Went to Frankfurt - Freiburg yesterday. Great atmosphere but tempered by the 17 year old sat next to me spitting and smoking for 90 minutes. Yes this might be the oldest old man post ever but it was fucking rank.

They lost 2-1.

[niko_cee]

Read that as tempted at first.

[Kikó]

Giggity.

[niko_cee]

I'm glad there seems to have been a fair bit of backlash against that end of the game handshake thing yesterday. Jurgen did himself a bit of a disservice going with it. Should have given 'Pep' whatever the equivalent of cabbage hand would be in that situation.

[niko_cee]

To my extremely untrained eye both Loftus-Cheek and Werner starting for Chelsea is a bit :cab:.

[Spikey M]

Read that as tempted at first.

:D

[Manc]

Glenn Hoddle is peak co-commentary.

[Gray Fox]

Bayern struggling big time. Villarreal just seem like Atletico 2.0. Would much rather face Bayern based on this viewing.

[Waffdon]

You would beat Villarreal about 7-0 on aggregate.

[Don]

Werner looks sharp af. Such a wasted career to not work under Klopp.

[Waffdon]

He needs to go back to Germany and score 25 goals until he loses his pace. He makes so many runs but doesn’t rarely get the pass

[Gray Fox]

Why are large parts of the lower stands covered off in Madrid?

[Waffdon]

Think it’s still under construction

[Spoonsky]

Chelsea are on a mission here.

I think in a tie like this the lack of away goals is a good thing. No reason for Madrid to be still 'ahead' in this situation.

[Spoonsky]

Few more dislikeable players than Casemiro.

[Waffdon]

How does he always manage to score :lol:

[niko_cee]

Beautiful.

:drool:

[Manc]

Killer touch.

[Lewis]

Handball.

[niko_cee]

Sad.

[Spoonsky]

Finish of his lifetime and disallowed for a random little bounce. :D

[Spoonsky]

It's a funny aspect of VAR that a disallowed goal can actually provide an emotional bounce for the other side.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Timo Werner saved up his entire life's composure to date for that moment.

What a guy.

[Waffdon]

This about the time Benzema gets a goal or two from nowhere to save Madrid again

[Ben]

Chelsea have been absolutely tremendous.

[Spoonsky]

That's a fantastic goal.

[Yevrah]

Cracking game this.

[Waffdon]

That’s came from Kante giving the ball away for the 20th time tonight and Mendy not being able to kick a football properly

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mendy's rabbit-in-headlights distribution is to blame for about 70% of the goals we concede.

[CJay]

This is a classic game.

[Bernanke]

That Modric pass for the goal is absurd.

[Manc]

Madrid playing without a natural central defender. Can't see that being an issue.

[Gray Fox]

Bayern absolutely ruined on the counter at the death.

[niko_cee]

My stream of this Chelsea game has gone to bits. Anyone got anything decent?

The Yellow Submarine. :cool:

[Baz]

:cool:

[SvN]

My stream of this Chelsea game has gone to bits. Anyone got anything decent?

The Yellow Submarine. :cool:

http://1stream.top/soccer/MjIyNjcwOTM3?sport=soccer

[Manc]

Good ebening.

[niko_cee]

Think it might be more my horror internet connection. :(

Fucking UK full fibre virgin wank.

[Ben]

That ball from Modric is obscene.

[Serj]

Villarreal :D Legends.

[Gray Fox]

Bad ebening for Bayern.

[Lewis]

Was that Bayern manager wearing cream jeans? The waxworks have obviously lost their grip.

[Bernanke]

That ball from Modric is obscene.

Genuinely one of the best assists I've ever seen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Benz :cool:

[Waffdon]

Kante again there. His drop off in performance this year has been immense

[phonics]

Can Lukaku not play or is Rudiger up front a better option at this point?

[Gray Fox]

Injured I believe.

[Waffdon]

Has there ever been a good bald referee?

[Ian]

Uriah Rennie, obviously. Sometimes he went entire games without dishing out a red card.

[Gray Fox]

That one that denied Chelsea all of the blatant penalties against Barcelona was great.

[Shindig]

Has there ever been a good bald referee?

Pierluigi Colina.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jorginho :harold:

Best in the World indeed.

[-james-]

City or Liverpool will make absolute mincemeat of Real.

[Waffdon]

City would but Vini Jnr will have a field day against Alexander Arnold once again

[Don]

Serious conversation needs to be had bout Modric being in the greatest ever conversation. That assist alone should be enough but he seems to do it in every big game ffs.

[niko_cee]

Great bit of possession at the back there by Chelsea as time expired.

They're such a weird team. Not sure they really need a manager, just stick a random assortment of players on the pitch and let them get on with it seems to work reasonably well for them.

[CJay]

Chelsea really botched that. Havertz and Jorginho missing two great chances at the death. Pulisic’s sole contribution was to kill every attack.

An utterly absorbing game.

[-james-]

City would but Vini Jnr will have a field day against Alexander Arnold once again

I think that logic only works if they're using attempted dribbles instead of goals to decide things.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah Chelsea got the chances you'd want. Just unlucky that Rudiger slipped and their big one fell to that Italian penalty merchant.

[Spoonsky]

Serious conversation needs to be had bout Modric being in the greatest ever conversation. That assist alone should be enough but he seems to do it in every big game ffs.

Yeah he is unreal. This Real Madrid team is strangely likeable, although I'd still love Liverpool to beat them in the final.

[CJay]

Serious conversation needs to be had bout Modric being in the greatest ever conversation. That assist alone should be enough but he seems to do it in every big game ffs.

Wouldn’t he be considered one of the best midfielders in history? Hard to see who he’d be compared too, other than Iniesta. He’ll have everyone else on trophies, longevity and international contribution.

[Manc]

I'd love to see Valverde at Liverpool. Unreal engine.

[niko_cee]

Wait, Villarreal has two shots on target across both legs of the tie? :harold:

Modric seems to get a free pass quite often to put in any number of bad challenges without being booked.

Chelsea's corners were horrific. Why don't they let James take them? He must be the best crosser of a ball in the team.

[Waffdon]

I think that logic only works if they're using attempted dribbles instead of goals to decide things.

It wasn’t pretty when they played last year against each other. Liverpool are due another 7-2 off Aston Villa type score line with that high line they play.

[Waffdon]

Wait, Villarreal has two shots on target across both legs of the tie? :harold:

Modric seems to get a free pass quite often to put in any number of bad challenges without being booked.

Chelsea's corners were horrific. Why don't they let James take them? He must be the best crosser of a ball in the team.

Not having Alonso in the box is even more odd. I don’t think Madrid had a single player above 6ft other than Courtois in extra time whereas Chelsea had half their team that size.

[Spoonsky]

It wasn’t pretty when they played last year against each other. Liverpool are due another 7-2 off Aston Villa type score line with that high line they play.

Against a centerback pairing of Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak.

[niko_cee]

Nah, 'Virgil' played in that one. It was Adrian monging things up.

The deflected goals though were something else.

[Waffdon]

Joel Matip can hold his hand again and it won’t stop him from being utterly pathetic at defending

[Spoonsky]

Also, the CL knockout rounds are really the peak of the sport, aren't they? Almost year in year out it feels like, apart from the pandemic year. It seems (if they haven't changed it again) that the shit new format they're bringing in leaves the knockouts unchanged, which is kind of a silver lining amidst all of UEFA's fuckery.

[Spoonsky]

Nah, 'Virgil' played in that one. It was Adrian monging things up.

The deflected goals though were something else.

Pretty sure he's talking about RM not Atletico.

EDIT: Or you're talking about Aston Villa, aren't you. I was responding about the Real Madrid game the same year.

[niko_cee]

Ah right, I thought he was talking about the Villa game.

The Real game last year was just a bit of a mess. The team seemed to come good after it. I wouldn't particularly fear playing them, but rather think City will wreck them.

[Don]

Waff coming out with some shit there :D

[Shindig]

I dunno, the Champions League's always got the hint of a crap shoot about it.

[Manc]

Joe Cole is a surprisingly sound pundit.

[Spoonsky]

I liked when he said "At this point it's about heart, not tactics" while the camera pans to Tuchel huddling his players all around a little tactics board.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The good ebening over in Munich somewhat softens the blow.

[Ben]

Is Nagelsmann a bit of a fraud then?

[niko_cee]

I thought their line-ups in both of the knock-out rounds, particularly at home, had a bit of a champ manager feel to them. Just spamming attackers, no balance.

They've also bought quite heavily into [the false economy of] speedsters, probably as a result of their domestic situation.

Or maybe Villarreal are just really good.

[Gray Fox]

Bayerns setup was all wrong last night.

Wingers/Forwards wide on their wrong foot only works against the low block if the full backs can get up to offer width and that wasn't happening. They had a bit of luck in getting their goal but then not long after that reverted back to what wasn't working before.

Nagelsmann is in for the big challenge next year though. If Lewandowski is off, their usual avenue of just getting Dortmunds best player in needs to happen. Unfortunately for them(and the Premier League) he looks like he's off to City. There's also suggestion Muller might go too.

Villarreal are very well set up and excellent at game management. You just have to try and be the one that scores first.

[Adramelch]

They are an Emery team after all.

[niko_cee]

Playing the B-team in a European Cup semi-final. :happycry:

[Waffdon]

Makes sense to.

Liverpool are going to have the easiest CL win of all time when Atletico beat City tonight and Real in a few weeks. Would be:

Inter - 2nd in Serie A
Benfica - 3rd in Portugal
Villarreal - 7th in La Liga
Atletico - 4th in La Liga

Offft

[Shindig]

The seethe when Real Madrid and Villareal line up at Wembley. :D

[Gray Fox]

Waff is just trying to engineer a curse.

Suspect Liverpool will start to run out a bit of puff soon after a long stretch of 3 games a week. You can already see it a bit with Salah fading. Even so I'm surprised to see this level of rotation.

[-james-]

Very shrewd to put out a b team. Still 1/100 to qualify.

[Ben]

Suspect Liverpool will start to run out a bit of puff soon after a long stretch of 3 games a week. You can already see it a bit with Salah fading. Even so I'm surprised to see this level of rotation.

I feel it's a bit of a sulk over the contract situation rather than outright fatigue.

[niko_cee]

Makes sense to.

Liverpool are going to have the easiest CL win of all time when Atletico beat City tonight and Real in a few weeks. Would be:

Inter - 2nd in Serie A
Benfica - 3rd in Portugal
Villarreal - 7th in La Liga
Atletico - 4th in La Liga

Offft

Liverpool are more likely to go out tonight than 'Atleti' getting to the final.

[Ben]

Well they've decided if they're not going through than neither are half the City team. :D

[niko_cee]

Not sure the trigger happy lino in the Liverpool game has got the memo about 'letting play develop'.

[Ben]

I'm OK with that. Letting play develop borders on ridiculous more often than not.

[Gray Fox]

Could have done without that.

[niko_cee]

I'm OK with that. Letting play develop borders on ridiculous more often than not.

Aye, but he looked wrong both times he instaflagged Nunez early on.

[Don]

Some big ol' gaps in that City defence at times Atleti failed to capitalise on. Hopefully they grab 1 and shit their way to a victory on pens.

[Gray Fox]

That'll do Pig.

[randomlegend]

Fernandinho not getting booked for that :D

[Gray Fox]

We’ve let this fade away into nothing too early here. Need to wake up.

This Nunez lad will end up a big star for whoever signs him.

[Baz]

How’s that been given?

[niko_cee]

Nunez is top class.

[niko_cee]

How’s that been given?

I reckon it might have been Konate playing him on, although it looked [miles] off.

You take a 'bad one' at 6-3 up every day of the week.

[randomlegend]

Nunez is top class.

The Benfica lot reckon he's a proper donkey.

Massively outperforming his xG and Chelsea interested so I reckon he's nailed on to get a big move and fail. Probably to United.

[Waffdon]

How has Felipe been sent off but it’s a Man City throw in? :lol:

[Manc]

Never a red.

[randomlegend]

Because he was booked for the follow-through, at which point the ball was already out of play.

[Ben]

Atlético are just chaos. Savic sticks a nut on someone and stays on. :lol:

[Ben]

Never a red.

It was for the kick out on the follow through, not the challenge.

[randomlegend]

This is absolutely retarded from Atletico, they looked like scoring and then they've just taken all the momentum out of the game.

[-james-]

Atletico goal would be absolute scenes here.

[niko_cee]

The Benfica lot reckon he's a proper donkey.

Massively outperforming his xG and Chelsea interested so I reckon he's nailed on to get a big move and fail. Probably to United.

Is that an /r/benfica hot take?

[Gray Fox]

He looked top notch today. Built very well, finished everything that came his way too.

[Ben]

What is going on here? :D

[-james-]

Ref's blown about five minutes early there.

[niko_cee]

Fair play to City for giving Simeone's cunts a full dose of their own medicine.

[Ben]

Oblak is the only one with a bit of class.

[Waffdon]

Man City’s kit really is disgusting.

[niko_cee]

Aye, something ought to be done about it.

[Gray Fox]

Sounds like it's all kicking off in the tunnel.

[Baz]

Savic would absolutely batter Grealish, surely.

[Manc]

Alice band in bits apparently.

[Spoonsky]

Liverpool have a habit of these odd almost-collapses at Anfield in the champions league. Roma a few years ago and Milan this year. That Darwin is some finisher (apologies to “the Benfica lot”).

Just lovely to see Atletico get a taste of their own medicine.

[-james-]

The pearl clutching over the last 20 minutes of the City game is pretty lol. I doubt I'd have glanced up from my phone if no heads had been lost.

[Jimmy Floyd]

One day Simeone will be confined to a street corner in Rosario, selling lucky heather, and the world will be a better place.

[Waffdon]

The pearl clutching over the last 20 minutes of the City game is pretty lol. I doubt I'd have glanced up from my phone if no heads had been lost.

Yep. I’m not sure why the commentators get so appalled by Simeone and his team when 90% of people watching would want their team to care as much as his teams do to try and win.

[Ben]

Savic would absolutely batter Grealish, surely.

When they were giving it handbags in the corner, the camera clearly picked up Grealish saying "you're a cunt" to Savic. If he registered that then poor Jack was fucked.

[Gray Fox]

Apparently the Barcelona fans give no shits for the Europa League and so all sold their tickets to Frankfurt fans. It's pretty much like a home game for Frankfurt.

[Manc]

More than a club.

[Ian]

They're far enough behind in the league they may as well be all in on the Wafer a bash, the massive tarts.

[niko_cee]

Aye, seeded spot for next season's Champions League isn't to be sniffed at. Look where it's got Villarreal.

[Giggles]

How does it work that they wouldn’t have a seeded spot regardless?

[niko_cee]

Need to win your league to be a top seed, or win one of the two main cups. I guess they'd probably be in Pot 2 anyway so, yeah, perhaps no great difference.

[niko_cee]

Also, after reading the thing on the BBC about James Tavernier earlier, is it going too far to see him as some sort of latter day Koeman-esque figure? His 'goal involvement' record is mental.

[Waffdon]

Looking at the teams left, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rangers actually win the whole thing. Hopefully a repeat of Manchester and they start battering the fuck out of each other in a losing final.

[Lewis]

The taxpayers should spring for a special platinum trophy for the Jubilee year.

[niko_cee]

Have they drawn the semis for this already?

Can it be Rangers v West Ham final?

[Waffdon]

Also, after reading the thing on the BBC about James Tavernier earlier, is it going too far to see him as some sort of latter day Koeman-esque figure? His 'goal involvement' record is mental.

About 40 of them are penalties tbf

[niko_cee]

About 40 of them are penalties tbf

39, but 40 non-penalties.

How many defenders score 40 goals in a career?

Koeman did 99 pens in 253 goals according to google [or actually 103 scored, 6 misses, with 4 of those coming in an 8 month period in 88/89] :cab:

[Giggles]

Need to win your league to be a top seed, or win one of the two main cups. I guess they'd probably be in Pot 2 anyway so, yeah, perhaps no great difference.

Surprised by that given how uefa normally operate. I would have thought big league trumped all.

[Gray Fox]

Looks like the VAR and refs comms system has failed here.

[Gray Fox]

Wonderful scenes in Barcelona.

[Ian]

Wonderful scenes in Barcelona.

:drool:

Get fucked, dickheads.

[phonics]

West Ham and Frankfurt results are proper '25th season of a Football Manager 2018 game' vibes.

[Gray Fox]

Commentator reckons there's 30k Frankfurt fans in the Spotify Nou Camp.

[Lewis]

lol in the what? How did I miss that?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is David Moyes the best British manager working today?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

No, the answer is Steve Bruce.

[Baz]

Have they drawn the semis for this already?

Can it be Rangers v West Ham final?Can it?

[Gray Fox]

West Ham v Frankfurt in the next round. So yes.

[Kikó]

No, the answer is Steve Bruce.

Working, dickhead.

Frankfurt 🤤

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Working, dickhead.

Frankfurt ��

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/steve-bruce-appointed-albion-manager

Nonce.

[Kikó]

Oh fuck. I stand corrected.

Jimmy can fuck off then.

[Boydy]

Is David Moyes the best British manager working today?

Man United should hire him.

[Adramelch]

Surprised by that given how uefa normally operate. I would have thought big league trumped all.

It's a more recent thing, like in the last 5-6 years or so. I think it was mostly done for the Europa League slot, so that teams have an incentive and they just went the whole way with the concept.

EDIT: Nevermind, it seems it was the other way around, as it started from the league winners and then it was expanded to also include the Europa League winner.

[Smjffy]

Unsure if popular or unpopular opinion (suppose depends on who you support?) but I find it a little difficult not to be happy for David Moyes. He looked like a goner once upon a time, a relic, a bust, damaged goods whatever but the job he has done with West Ham.....I can't think of too many managers in the Premier League who have transformed an entire club on the way he has. West Ham missed a trick by not adding to squad in the last transfer window but gaining Champions League football vis Europa League doesn't look quite so far fetched given the clubs that remain.

Moyes aside, it's quite feasible that all three European trophies could end up England this season. I'd rather the European Cup ended up in Spain if not Liverpool, mind. Hell, I'd rather an all Spanish final as opposed to Man City claiming it for the first time.

[Spoonsky]

https://www.si.com/soccer/manchestercity/news/atletico-madrid-president-hits-out-at-defensive-manchester-city-after-champions-league-tie#gid=ci029ead7050002650&pid=imago1011288107h


“Manchester City played pre-history, defending themselves, put a wall in front of their goal,” he told Radio MARCA.

“Everyone has seen it. Manchester City was a completely defensive team. Yesterday, it was shown that everyone has their own pre-history."

Definition of :harold:

[Ben]

Spotify Nou Camp.

Oh dear. :D

[Ben]

Just watched the West Ham highlights. Commentator with an absolute gem: "Ballon Dawson" :D

[Kikó]

The greatest man alive.

1514895051863646209?t=d37LxG0jVaVfMf_NeufLIw&s=19

[Ian]

Spikey M

[Lewis]

Introducing rugby-style, vaguely-homoerotic 'accountability' culture into football can only improve things.

'Erm, yeah, you know, erm, we have to, erm, execute better, and, erm, front up...'

[Jimmy Floyd]

'Rugby culture' to me is thirty naked men, who are all Chris Robshaw, saying to each other 'We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and admit we've not been good enough' while chugging pints of their own bodily fluids.

Not sure enough footballers are manly men to the extent required, even the ones photographed with a broom.

[Spikey M]

Spikey M

Sweeper, Sweeper, Legend. :cool:

[Luke Emia]

Dyche is gone. seems a strange time to do it in terms of if you have seen it through this far surely you may as well see it till the end of the season anyway as at this point you are probably getting relegated no matter what you do. Hopefully they bring in Big Sam to see if he can send super Frank down.

[John Arne]

PROTEST AT MAN UTD TRAINING GROUND

This sounds juicy, I thought.

"2 banners and around 30 protestors turned up".

:D Useless.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/apr/15/manchester-united-fans-hold-anti-glazer-protest-at-training-ground

[Boydy]

What are they protesting?

[John Arne]

Glazers.

[Lewis]

Yet more anti-Semitism unleashed by Jeremy Corbyn.

[Kikó]

Shame I'm too late to use the "your mum" joke but just know I would have.

[Lewis]

'Rugby culture' to me is thirty naked men, who are all Chris Robshaw, saying to each other 'We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and admit we've not been good enough' while chugging pints of their own bodily fluids.

Not sure enough footballers are manly men to the extent required, even the ones photographed with a broom.

There were people chucking their pints around in the stands today, and, as suspected, you could see them saving the last bits to do so. Football is therefore right to not allow it.

[niko_cee]

I enjoyed a scene from France the other day, think it might have been at Le Pen HQ when the first round results came in, where there were some suitably loutish looking suits chucking their wine into the air and bouncing around in celebration.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There were people chucking their pints around in the stands today, and, as suspected, you could see them saving the last bits to do so. Football is therefore right to not allow it.

Is league the same as union in this respect? I always wondered whether it was a public school wanker thing with union, but I don't think it actually is.

[Lewis]

Pints in the stands or chucking them about? I assumed chucking them about started with the 2018 World Cup fan park wankers.

[niko_cee]

I always thought/found league to be more of a [cocaine fuelled] LADS!LADS!LADS! type culture than the "we like to drinking with dickhead" drinking song union culture.

But I'm talking more about the protagonists here than the fans of the professional game.

[phonics]

Southampton at the weekend and I see they haven’t won a game in months so along come Arsenal to gift Ralph 3 points

[Andy]

Southampton at the weekend and I see they haven’t won a game in months so along come Arsenal to gift Ralph 3 points

It's not quute that bad we were at our best in January and February with a tough run and then one point from 4 games against Newcastle, Norwich, Leeds and Watford.

We are stupidly inconsistent, I couldn't call the game at all this weekend. Could win it comfortably or could lose by 6 again.

[Lofty]

Phil Brown's relegation battling Barrow AFC walloping top of the league Forest Green 4-0, Good Friday indeed :drool:

[phonics]

It's not quute that bad we were at our best in January and February with a tough run and then one point from 4 games against Newcastle, Norwich, Leeds and Watford.

We are stupidly inconsistent, I couldn't call the game at all this weekend. Could win it comfortably or could lose by 6 again.

Arsenal can't score 1 let alone 6 so sounds like a comfortable win. We're terrible at St. Mary's as well. Cursed ground.

[Shindig]

Gateshead back on top after hammering Guiseley 6-0. Brackley dropped points at Leamington.

[Giggles]

West Ham v Rangers would be some bloodbath.

[Ian]

West Ham v Rangers would be some bloodbath.

The Gammon Bowl.

Don't envy the good people of Seville if they have to host that.

[Giggles]

If there was a way nobody would make it home then Britain would be ten-fold better for it.

[Lewis]

The Gazza documentary is worth a watch if only for all of the old archive footage. The press come out of it looking scummier than ever, although it is a bit soft on him as a result, since it tries to make out he was a decent-if-simple lad ruined by press attention rather than somebody more than capable of being a cunt. The real - not villains as such, but idiots - of the piece are the two clowns he had as agents during his peak years. I know nobody had the modern Super Agent equivalent back then, but these blokes come across as being absolute rank amateurs, and probably at the root of much of his issues at the time.

[niko_cee]

What do you mean? Eric "Monster Monster" Hall surely the original media super agent.

His many bellied mate probably didn't help much.

[Manc]

Any team news?

[randomlegend]

Any team news?

Alejandro Garnacho is in the United squad :thbup:

[Waffdon]

The kits in the Spurs/Brighton game are brutal for a colour blind mong like myself

[Gray Fox]

Any team news?

Liverpool: Alisson, Trent, Konate, Virgil, Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago, Keita, Salah, Diaz, Mane

Subs: Kelleher, Matip, Gomez, Milner, Tsimikas, Jota, Firmino, Henderson, Jones.

No sign of City yet but they may not have Walker or De Bruyne if you believe Guardiola.

[Giggles]

Who was it said Brighton wouldn’t win another game this season?

[igor_balis]

Lovely finish that

[John Arne]

Guangzhou have just sacked one of their players who kicked an opponent in the head yesterday.

1515221114636718084

[Don]

Imagine Potter being available for the price of a Pellistri and you go and appoint another useless foreign bum again. The man is one of the few managers capable of instilling a philosophy and playing style.

[Gray Fox]

Man City: Steffen, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Jesus, Sterling

Subs: Ederson, Dias, Gundogan, Laporte, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Delap, Lavia

No Kyle Walker could help us a lot.