August football: This was nearly called "Ballgust"

[Waffdon]

Properly easy run of games coming up too. See how they do once Euro games start up and get an injury or two

[Waffdon]

Conor Gallagher in a midfield 2 is a brutal watch.

[Gray Fox]

Fucking hell Mendy :D

[Waffdon]

Mendy :lol: :lol: :lol:

His first season masked over how average a goalkeeper he is

[Gray Fox]

That was never a free kick leading to the goal there, but Chelsea now ON THE ROPES.

[7om]

Lol fuck off Chelsea.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea get absolutely battered by some relegation side every single year. Nice to see them get it in early this year.

[Gray Fox]

A proper lack of desire and heads have gone performance from Chelsea there.

[phonics]

End the season now.

[Alex]

A cracking result and performance, that. We bossed it. We've bought so well in the summer. Well, the just is still out on Kristensen. But Adams, Roca and (especially) Aaronson all look fantastic signings. We got some glimpses of what Sinisterra might offer once he gets more game time too. The sudden emergence of Rodrigo as a legitimate and actual goalscoring threat feels like a new signing too.

[7om]

A cracking result and performance, that. We bossed it. We've bought so well in the summer. Well, the just is still out on Kristensen. But Adams, Roca and (especially) Aaronson all look fantastic signings. We got some glimpses of what Sinisterra might offer once he gets more game time too. The sudden emergence of Rodrigo as a legitimate and actual goalscoring threat feels like a new signing too.

What was the consensus when Bielsa was sacked? You lot were getting battered each week but it seemed like he still had cult hero status.

[Alex]

What was the consensus when Bielsa was sacked? You lot were getting battered each week but it seemed like he still had cult hero status.

Yeah, you're not wrong. The overwhelming consensus when it happened (and I was very much in this camp myself) was that sacking him was an absolute outrage.

[Shindig]

This is all going to plan. :moop:

[Gray Fox]

That City defence looking a shambles here.

[Waffdon]

Such a beautiful finish, that.

Eddie Howe might actually be legitimately good lol

[Gray Fox]

Referee really doesn't like Newcastle winning this.

[Waffdon]

It’s definitely a penalty. Absolutely wiped him out.

[Giggles]

Liverpool will have won the league now. The same as City had won it last weekend. The biggest thing I fucking hate about it all now - are they all that hard up?

[Waffdon]

Arsenal’s winning it bruv

[Kikó]

United are back when they beat Liverpool tomorrow.

[Shindig]

Here is your Gateshead update. 3 draws from 4. Their first defeat coming yesterday. Things are tight at the bottom. Old boy Macauley Langstaff has scored 4 so far for Notts County and it's clear we really, really miss those goals.

Straight back down.

[Gray Fox]

I do adore watching players like Saint-Maximin.
There really aren’t enough like him about any more.

[Gray Fox]

No keeper alive is saving that.

[Waffdon]

Newcastle are winning the league now. What a hit son

[Offshore Toon]

This is wild. If Wilson stays fit, we're gonna be a problem.

[Waffdon]

I’ve just clocked your bench. Surely you’ll be trying to bring in another attacker at least. This starting XI is pretty tasty though, especially with the best B2B midfielder in world football in Joelinton

[Kikó]

Eddie Howe is great

[Gray Fox]

City are still going to win this aren't they...

The pace and power from Haaland is ridiculous.

[Offshore Toon]

Somebody to start in place of Almiron, who could also step in to cover Wilson, would be ideal, but I'm not that worried. I love Almiron and I'd be happy to see him given chance to develop. Same with Fraser. If we're gonna reach the top, I'd like as slow a process as possible. Supporting a 'big'/successful club never looked much fun to me, outside of actually winning trophies.

[Waffdon]

I couldn’t even play the through balls De Bruyne plays on FIFA. He’s just ridiculous

[Shindig]

Ban Waff from the thread. :moop:

[Waffdon]

Go start replying to more YouTube videos creepy boi

[Gray Fox]

Ref must have money on City.

[mo]

Just once I'd like a ref to go 'yeah I've looked at it, and guess what, I was right' when asked to review one of their decisions.

[Waffdon]

I was about to ask if there has been a rule change to give reds for that as there were 2 reds in Scotland yesterday for the exact same challenge

I can see why he gave a red. It originally looked like he went flying through the air and hit him high up

[Foe]

Yeah the Lund storm one.

The guy Harry Wilson got a red for wales for similar, but he knew it was a free yellow and basically just booted the man.

It’s like an orange card, I wouldn’t mind them as a red if the players actually knew it was as it would stop all this tactic fouling stuff with no intention to play the ball.

[Manc]

Sociedad v Barca on itv4. Do they have rights for the season?

[Spoonsky]

A cracking result and performance, that. We bossed it. We've bought so well in the summer. Well, the just is still out on Kristensen. But Adams, Roca and (especially) Aaronson all look fantastic signings. We got some glimpses of what Sinisterra might offer once he gets more game time too. The sudden emergence of Rodrigo as a legitimate and actual goalscoring threat feels like a new signing too.

Not sure how you'll feel about this, but you've got an army of Soccer Yanks behind you this season.

[Manc]

Only just clocked Newcastle 3-3 City. What a result for our Arab brothers.

[Alex]

Not sure how you'll feel about this, but you've got an army of Soccer Yanks behind you this season.

I've noticed! It's nice, really. It makes match day Twitter a lot more entertaining too.

1561346516991754240

:D

[randomlegend]

Only just clocked Newcastle 3-3 City. What a result for our Arab brothers.

They absolutely deserved it as well. If ASM had someone to pass to up front they'd have won

[Don]

Wilson is an elite striker. I pray Southgate doesn't manage to get a clue and call him up for WC.

Chelsea on the other hand relying on flake merchants to get goals continues to undo an otherwise very strong side.

[Waffdon]

Wilson is an elite striker. I pray Southgate doesn't manage to get a clue and call him up for WC.

Chelsea on the other hand relying on flake merchants to get goals continues to undo an otherwise very strong side.

Yesterday wasn’t really anything to do with the forward line. They just got obliterated through the midfield. They need a proper ‘DM’ or at least someone that can play in a double pivot. No idea why they changed the 352 that played so well against Spurs. If they bring in Aubameyang and nobody in midfield they’ll not finish top 5.

[Gray Fox]

Word on the street is Maguire is benched for tonight. Varane and the midget to start.

[Offshore Toon]

Wilson's finishing is genuinely world class and he's good enough at everything else to be a CL level striker. It's just those damn injuries.

[randomlegend]

Maybe I'm wrong then, but it looked like Newcastle should've scored about 6 off the chances Saint-Maximin was creating.

[-james-]

Haaland could easily have had a hat trick. 1.4 xG90 over his first three games, he's going to do Messi 2013 numbers.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Word on the street is Maguire is benched for tonight. Varane and the midget to start.
Assuming it's not postponed.

#FuckTheGlazers.

[Manc]

They absolutely deserved it as well. If ASM had someone to pass to up front they'd have won

Not quite what I was getting it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Erling Haaland's face could turn a good man straight.

[Gray Fox]

Assuming it's not postponed.

#FuckTheGlazers.

On this point I expect an FSG protest to kick up again soon. Klopp was actually asked the right question this time in "Do you want a new midfielder, but just don't have the money?" and his response was basically yes. And so the net spend brigade are out again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Vis a vis these protests going on ahead of tonight's North West Classic, I've seen a video going around of a banner that says 'We Want Our Club Back' with Jim Ratcliffe's face on it.

Howling with derision for these people.

[Alex]

"We back our club BACK to be owned by a different billionaire!"

[Boydy]

What's the point of wanting the Glazers out any more? They've spent loads, haven't they?

[randomlegend]

What's the point of wanting the Glazers out any more? They've spent loads, haven't they?

Because they refuse to cede control of footballing matters over to people who actually know about football.

They've also not invested in things like maintaining the infrastructure of the club. Old Trafford is bordering on falling to bits.

[randomlegend]

Vis a vis these protests going on ahead of tonight's North West Classic, I've seen a video going around of a banner that says 'We Want Our Club Back' with Jim Ratcliffe's face on it.

Howling with derision for these people.


"We back our club BACK to be owned by a different billionaire!"

As opposed to what? I'm sure they'd leap at the chance for something like the German model but that's entirely unrealistic. All you can hope for is someone to take it over who actually gives a shit.

[niko_cee]

United fans just want their club to be the richest most dominant club in England like wot they've been used to [although not of late] and it just isn't happening. Even if they get the ideal billionaire the football landscape is so different now that they are unlikely to ever get to where they were [as is the case with all dominant teams]. Maybe they can sneak a title here or there, or maybe they're in for a prolonged period in the hinterland [like Liverpool, Inter etc]. The difficulty they have is what is their ideology? There's all the Busby Babes/Newton Heath/FCUM shite, but in reality their credo is being a corporate behemoth, which is a tricky thing to rally around.

[randomlegend]

All wrong.

[Shindig]

I don't think the anti-Glazer sentiment has ever really gone away, to be fair.

[Lewis]

Whatever the Glazers have 'spent' is matched by what they have stripped out of the club.

[niko_cee]

'The Glazers' must be, at worst, the second most successful owners in terms of trophies delivered under their ownership in United's history. BOOOOO!

[Jimmy Floyd]

United fans are no different to any other fans: they want to Win Everything Now, the most obvious short-term routes to which are either Sack The Manager, or Buy Expensive Players.

Roman Abramovich, a murderous oligarch with direct personal links to Putin, is the most popular recent owner with his own fans, because he provided a regular dopamine hit on all three counts. The least popular recent owner is Mike Ashley, who showed no interest in any of them. The Glazers aren't far behind him. As soon as Liverpool stop WEN, perhaps even for a couple of months, FSG will be next in the firing line thanks to their lack of BEP (STM comes later). The Saudis and the Emiratis? Come on in.

This is what football fandom is about in the twenty-first century, and is why Jim Ratcliffe iconography is far more honest than 'We Want Our Club Back'. They don't want it back, they just want it to Win Everything Now.


INEOS is a global chemical company.
Our products touch every aspect of modern day life.

[Lewis]

The Glazers were unpopular when they were Winning Everything Now.

[Yevrah]

Whatever the Glazers have 'spent' is matched by what they have stripped out of the club.

It isn't, but perhaps a better way to look at it is that the club would have generated the funds that have been spent on players no matter who was in charge.

[Yevrah]

Watching Jim's increasing realisation that football fans are mostly entitled morons has been a joy, I must say.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Glazers were unpopular when they were Winning Everything Now.

Fergie era is different because he basically guaranteed that. His supposed 'down years' like 2004-06 were nothing compared to basically any of the last ten.

[Gray Fox]

Fabinho benched. Goe Jomez is in. Not a Naby Keita in sight.

EDIT: Liverpools bench is horrific.

[Don]

Elanga and still that shambolic midfield from their past game, the rape is very much on. Could be the day Harvey lad arrives on the mainstream gammon media channels.

[Waffdon]

Holy fuck, both then midfield 3’s are disgustingly bad.

[Spikey M]

As much as I can't stand our Scouse friends, my love of a good shambles see's me offering my full support tonight. Maximum pain please lads, La. #YNWA #JFT~97

[Yevrah]

I too am on the lol train, with the roflcopter primed.

[7om]

I want Liverpool to win 6-0. Just for the Roy Keane aftermath.

[Waffdon]

Any result would cause some tears id imagine. A Man Utd win would actually be quite lol

[Gray Fox]

United loss will be all the Glazers fault and a Liverpool loss will see the FSG shit kick up again.

Win-win for the neutral.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Has there ever been a Dutchman that speaks worse English than ten Hag? Martin Jol comes to mind (god I loved his vibe).

[Giggles]

This should such a walloping :drool:

[Gray Fox]

"We want Glazers out" as they parade yet another £60m signing in front of the crowd.

[Spikey M]

Has there ever been a Dutchman that speaks worse English than ten Hag? Martin Jol comes to mind (god I loved his vibe).

Steve McClaren.

[Yevrah]

Has there ever been a Dutchman that speaks worse English than ten Hag? Martin Jol comes to mind (god I loved his vibe).

I thought exactly the same when watching his interview.

[Lewis]

"We want Glazers out" as they parade yet another £60m signing in front of the crowd.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO55BazkiZ4

[Offshore Toon]

Most posters on here must be purposefully thick when it comes to commenting on other clubs. You're all supposed to be intelligent.

[Giggles]

Could they not do Neville at Old Trafford and Carragher at Anfield?

[Waffdon]

The gaps in Liverpool’s defence this season :drool:

Always comes down Alexander Arnold’s side as well

[Jimmy Floyd]

'Virgil' moves like a paddle steamer these days.

[Waffdon]

That’s sexy as fuck :drool:

[Yevrah]

That was absolute class.

[phonics]

How does the goalkeeper get sent for dinner with 3 men in front of him.

[Giggles]

That was calm as fuck.

[Waffdon]

That was like Sterling for Liverpool back in the day when he dummies the whole defence.

Absolute lolz at ‘Trent’ again though.

[Giggles]

What was van Dijk at there? Surely you make some attempt to close him down rather than just stand there with hiding your hands.

[Ben]

Neville :D

[Waffdon]

What was van Dijk at there? Surely you make some attempt to close him down rather than just stand there with hiding your hands.

He tries to defend based on his aura. It’s annoyingly works a lot as people seem to be shit scared of him.

[Ben]

Nice to see Rashford making an effort.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This United lineup feels a bit like when Arteta got rid of Aubameyang last season and started playing everything through Saka and Smith-Rowe.

Ronaldo should just be sacked. Never mind trying to sell him.

[Lewis]

Rashford is on the BENCH if they sign another forward so he will be on one until they don't.

[Mike]

Who knew Mane was the player who held our defence together.

[Waffdon]

What on earth was Fernandes attempting there :D

[Ian]

He must have money on it being even at half time.

[Lewis]

Lisandro Martinez is a beast.

[Shindig]

I'm surprised Liverpool haven't been going nuts over the summer to pad their bench out. I don't see much on there to really turn a game.

[Ian]

What is van Dijk on today?

[niko_cee]

It's Harry Maguire in disguise.

[Gray Fox]

Van Dijk and Trent have money on United today it seems. Now 14 games since Liverpool lead a game at half time. These powers of recovery will eventually run out.

I think the only saviour may be that this effort United are putting in surely will tell late in the game.

[Don]

I'm surprised Liverpool haven't been going nuts over the summer to pad their bench out. I don't see much on there to really turn a game.

We're missing 8 first-teamers.

The Trent and VVD criticism is great lols.

[Kikó]

United fans just want their club to be the richest most dominant club in England like wot they've been used to [although not of late] and it just isn't happening. Even if they get the ideal billionaire the football landscape is so different now that they are unlikely to ever get to where they were [as is the case with all dominant teams]. Maybe they can sneak a title here or there, or maybe they're in for a prolonged period in the hinterland [like Liverpool, Inter etc]. The difficulty they have is what is their ideology? There's all the Busby Babes/Newton Heath/FCUM shite, but in reality their credo is being a corporate behemoth, which is a tricky thing to rally around.

Funny, I thought you actually knew something about football.

Decent enough half, Liverpool have grown into the game as the half went on. Dalot has been good and competitive with Diaz, Varane is a severe upgrade on Maguire, Rashford has looked alive. I think Eriksen holds the key to keeping the ball better and potentially bringing Sancho and Elanga more into the game.

[Giggles]

Van Dijk and Trent have money on United today it seems. Now 14 games since Liverpool lead a game at half time. These powers of recovery will eventually run out.

I think the only saviour may be that this effort United are putting in surely will tell late in the game.

They’ve already started to run out of puff.

[Spikey M]

Lol

[Yevrah]

That was also lovely.

[Spoonsky]

Is Fabinho injured or what? This is so bad.

[7om]

Am I missing something because Rashford looked offside on VAR?

[Lewis]

Anthony Martial has Answered His Critics (me).

[Waffdon]

That was such an odd but good finish. Liverpool in the mud.

https://youtu.be/ToQ0n3itoII

[Ian]

Another nice goal. Rashford when he has no time or options once again being a much better finisher. Bring on the shot clock.


Am I missing something because Rashford looked offside on VAR?

Commentators on Sky thought it'd be off but then the line showed his foot was level with somebody's head I think? Which seems deeply lol but possibly how it's meant to actually work? I don't even pretend to know any more.

[Yevrah]

Am I missing something because Rashford looked offside on VAR?

I hate VAR and don't want offsides where centimetres are involved, so whatever, but it did look like the line they drew wasn't actually reflecting reality.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You know who Harvey Elliott reminds me of? Mason Mount. Going to be some player.

[Waffdon]

Am I missing something because Rashford looked offside on VAR?

Think the ‘lines’ are different. Probably played on by an armpit

[Spoonsky]

Leaving Milner on instead of moving Henderson forward. :D

[Gray Fox]

Bringing on a DM at 2-0 down. Outstanding.

Can't wait for Carvalho in the 85th minute.

[Ian]

"Bobby Clark" is such a FM regen name.

[Gray Fox]

Son of Lee Clark. If you wanted to feel old.

[Lewis]

Another nice goal. Rashford when he has no time or options once again being a much better finisher. Bring on the shot clock.

Monday Night Football should do twenty minutes on this and have me on to discuss it.

[CJay]

We aren’t really in a position to complain about injuries when three of our injured players are Matip, Chamberlain and Keita. Add Thiago to that list too. It’d be hard to reel off the names of four more injury-prone players than those four

Firmino is done at this level. Can still come on and be near and tidy, but has no serious attacking contribution to make at the highest level.

[Ben]

Did Carragher just say “Martin Rashford”? :D

[CJay]

Did Carragher just say “Martin Rashford”? :D

“Martin, Rashford” I thought. Poor sentence structure at least.

[7om]

Liverpool have jogged around the pitch all game. Man Utd have just wanted it more.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know how anyone puts up with Bruno Fernandes. He isn't even that good a player.

[Ben]

Bruno Fernandes is a proper tit.

[Spoonsky]

Bruno’s such a rat cunt. Mon the equalizer.

Really good from Carvalho there.

[Boydy]

If Salah had decked him there and got sent off I wouldn't even have cared.

[Ian]

Bruno Fernandes is a proper tit.

He really is. That was embarrassing.

[Lewis]

Five substitutes is a disgrace.

[Lewis]

That will be Varane out until the day before World Cup.

[Spoonsky]

Malacia, whoever he is, has been class all game.

[7om]

Alexander-Arnold has been horrendous tonight. He can’t complete a pass to save his life.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The ref directive not to book anyone ever is disastrous. Might as well be watching the dying minutes of Lanús 1-0 Banfield here for all the fucking around.

[Spoonsky]

That was shit. This season is starting to have a 20-21 feel to it already.

[Luca]

That was excellent.

[Ian]

Get fucked, Liverpool.

[Lewis]

That feels like United's best performance since that pre-lockdown win over City. What a run that must be.

[Gray Fox]

A first league defeat of the calendar year in August is not a bad record. However this is quickly trending in the wrong direction. The absence of a ball playing midfielder besides Elliott is astounding.

[Don]

If Fabinho was fit to start I want that nazi cunt waterboarded. I thought our favela cunts were annoying for being shit but Martinez and Bruno really peak it with that favela cuntery.

[SvN]

Liverpool were dreadful, I thought. I can't see them getting close to City this season. They'll be battling for top 4 based on the last few games.

It was nice to see the United players give a shit. Let's see if it continues.

[CJay]

We’re playing ‘end of an era’ football in my opinion. Klopp goes on sabbatical at the end of the season. Quote me on it.

Whatever Trent thinks he is, or is being told to do, it’s wrong. Looks more suspect defensively than ever, which is only fine if he can match that offensively.

[SvN]

If Fabinho was fit to start I want that nazi cunt waterboarded. I thought our favela cunts were annoying for being shit but Martinez and Bruno really peak it with that favela cuntery.

How much did you lose?

[Kikó]

Gammon gammon gammon.

Great win, best we've performed since Leeds opener of last season. Actually saw workrate and plans in set play positions. Long way to go but that was encouraging.

Liverpool look like a team at the end of their cycle tonight. Feel a few of those players need refreshing or challenged.

[Don]

9 first teamers out and the heathens are back in their masses to criticise proven world class players. Suck me beautiful come xmas and beyond.

[Gray Fox]

We’re playing ‘end of an era’ football in my opinion. Klopp goes on sabbatical at the end of the season. Quote me on it.

Whatever Trent thinks he is, or is being told to do, it’s wrong. Looks more suspect defensively than ever, which is only fine if he can match that offensively.

He seems to be following this new trend of moving inside like an inverted wing back when he goes forwards and it's sucking the width away from that right side and leaving it completely open for pretty much everything United had planned.

[Ian]

I love that ten Hag's accent is so heavy none of them noticed he swore until the producer presumably shrieked it in the presenter's ear.

[Manc]

Glazers IN.

[phonics]

Lol at Taz trying to use Oxlade Chamberlain being injured, which he has been for all but 6 months of his entire career as part of his injury stat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

When I was learning German at school, they had some silly German student bloke in for a bit to do 'conversation practice' with us, and instead of doing that he used to just talk to us (16 year olds) in his crap English and ended every sentence with '...and all that fucking shit, yeah!'. I've always had Klopp down as his dad/uncle, but maybe the Dutch do it as well. Keane's face was lol.

[phonics]

I definitely fill my french with swear words and slang as filler while I’m thinking of the correct form.

[Lewis]

I had a Czech housemate who used to swear like that, so Germans and German affiliates.

[Waffdon]

Van Dijk providing some great memes tonight. He does look like he’s about to start belting out Wonderwall

[Don]

Lol at Taz trying to use Oxlade Chamberlain being injured, which he has been for all but 6 months of his entire career as part of his injury stat.

Rebrand it as missing 6 players who would go straight into every XI outside of City. And 1 £100m spastic to boot.

[Spoonsky]

He seems to be following this new trend of moving inside like an inverted wing back when he goes forwards and it's sucking the width away from that right side and leaving it completely open for pretty much everything United had planned.

This is something that’s puzzled me for at least a year. You, I, and every other Liverpool fan I’ve spoken to can see pretty clearly that it’s detrimental for the the exact reasons you mentioned. Yet Klopp and co. seem happy to tolerate it, if they’re not actively encourage it. I just… don’t get it.

[Manc]

TAA is one of the best playmakers on the planet. He is not and never will be a defender.

[phonics]

Rebrand it as missing 6 players who would go straight into every XI outside of City. And 1 £100m spastic to boot.

Name them. Because I’m reading Naby Keita who has been dogshit for his entire tenure and a sub goalkeeper and a sub left back as part of this 6.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liverpool :lol:

Get fucked.

[Lewis]

Livershit. lollerpool. Magic what were the others?

[Lewis]

Liverplop.

[Shindig]

Underdeliverpool. That's one.

[Baz]

So bad tonight. So so bad.

[igor_balis]

Honestly, people accusing UTD fans of being ungrateful or whatever re: the glazers is one of the absolute worst dumdum takes I've ever read on this forum, and I include half of you putting Baz and a Brummy convict in charge of your pension funds.

It sort of reminds me of when people said stuff like "the problem with Newcastle fans is that they think they should be playing swashbuckling football and getting top 4 every season!!" when a series of shit managers were playing abject football week after week, or when non West Brom fans told me I should be grateful for the mighty Tony Pulis getting us 40 points by April every season with Chrissy Brunt at left back and 6'2'' centre backs in the other 9 outfield positions.

It's this bizarre black and white thinking which pollutes #discourse but I thought you lot wouldn't be retarded enough to fall for it. Wah wah I support a midtable side, what have utd fans got to complain about...err, dickheads asset stripping and mismanaging their club for 10 years lol? It's all relative, I'm a (n admittedly lapsed) west brom fan, and we're a shite midtable championship team at best, but I'm not gonna say it makes utd fans pathetic for somehow not wanting their club to be horribly run. It's a bit like when morons say "but what about starving kids in Africa?" when anyone expresses some kind of interest in a slightly less important news story.

[igor_balis]

Good game though, like.

[Don]

Big man's out here telling us what discourse should look like.

[John Arne]

2pts from 3 games :drool:

I even had to scroll down on the league table to find us.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've just seen that Klopp thinks they should have won :harold:

[Gray Fox]

I mean the pitch looked terribly dry.

[phonics]

I cant wait for the inevtiable sweeping reactions based on this game that don't apply at all.

[Spikey M]

#SomehowAboutWestBrom

[Lofty]

The main reaction is Liverpool better hope the World Cup break makes this season an outlier because as it stands they are haemorraghing so many points they are ruling themselves out of contention, based on recent points totals needed to win the league.

[igor_balis]

#SomehowAboutWestBrom

You can suck Lee Hughes' murderous ginger balls mate.

[Kikó]

Igor 😎

[Ian]

Chrissy Brunt at left back and 6'2'' centre backs in the other 9 outfield positions.

The glory days. :drool:

[Manc]

It's an incredibly naive take imo.

Let's imagine some net spend king becomes owner of United. He implements a recognisable and working structure from top to bottom and invests in the facilities. United get back on track, but cannot or choose not to match the spending power of the Oil States and don't compete for a single honor over the next decade. The tears would be as tantalizing as they are today. THIS IS MANCHESTER UNITED. THIS IS WINNING.

[Kikó]

What a lovely story.

[Luke Emia]

For all the shit Van Dijk is getting for the goal last night Gomez was horrendous all night and does look finished at the top top level as a centre half.

The midfield is a massive problem at the minute but when you choose to go with a midfield seven that includes Keita, Thiago & Oxlade-Chamberlain what do you expect? The same issue happened last year where they were all out at the same time and that cost us 6/7 points at Christmas yet we haven't learnt from it again.

United were very good in their set up and what they did last night but unless Ronaldo is out of the door in the next week there is going to be the mother of all blow-ups if he isn't playing and I'm sure the leaks will start pretty quickly if Maguire and Shaw are not in the startling XI either even if all of those calls are correct.

[Kikó]

I'm pretty sure he's going to offload Ronaldo and replace him with one or both of the Dutch players (quelle surprise). The Maguire to Chelsea rumour wouldn't surprise me but Varane is consistently injured so selling him might not be the best idea.

[Guybrush]

For all the shit Van Dijk is getting for the goal last night Gomez was horrendous all night and does look finished at the top top level as a centre half.


I thought Gomez was OK. First time starting with Van Dijk in nearly two years and he was only just back from injury himself.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I cant wait for the inevtiable sweeping reactions based on this game that don't apply at all.

It was absolutely prime Lars Sivertsen Take territory. 'I've been saying for weeks that there's a lot to like about this Man Utd side. Even in the 4-0 defeat to Brentford, you could see the way they...'

[John Arne]

It was absolutely prime Lars Sivertsen Take territory. 'I've been saying for weeks that there's a lot to like about this Man Utd side. Even in the 4-0 defeat to Brentford, you could see the way they...'

These podcast journo's are the worst. I think it's Daniel Storey who is forever giving it "I thought that might happen", yet the bloke never says it before the event. Nobody can predict the future, but I can't stand those 'after-eventers' claiming to be some football sage.

[Shindig]

Well, United have Southampton and Leicester up next. That'll probably wind up a couple of draws.

[Spikey M]

The solution is to put TAA right of the midfield three and sign a competent defender.

I'm struggling to understand what has changed there. He's always been a bit of a bombscare defensively, it's why Waistcoat has never given him a look in for England, but Liverpool have always gotten away with it. Teams managing to exploit this seems to be a pretty recent development. What changed?

Were Liverpool just too good for it to matter before?

[randomlegend]

I'm pretty sure he's going to offload Ronaldo and replace him with one or both of the Dutch players (quelle surprise). The Maguire to Chelsea rumour wouldn't surprise me but Varane is consistently injured so selling him might not be the best idea.

Lindelof is better than Maguire anyway, although if we did let Maguire go then fourth choice would be like...Phil Jones now Bailey is off.

[Luke Emia]

I'm struggling to understand what has changed there. He's always been a bit of a bombscare defensively, it's why Waistcoat has never given him a look in for England, but Liverpool have always gotten away with it. Teams managing to exploit this seems to be a pretty recent development. What changed?

Were Liverpool just too good for it to matter before?

The problem comes when Henderson doesn't play on the right of the midfield three as he does the shuttling and helps create an overload on the right-hand side but he also does a lot of the defensive donkey work for him.

[Kikó]

Lindelof is better than Maguire anyway, although if we did let Maguire go then fourth choice would be like...Phil Jones now Bailey is off.

True, I'd forgotten about the shaking Swede. It's probably worth getting rid if he's going to be an arse (don't know if he would be). Shaw should be fucked off asap as well.

[Manc]

Were Liverpool just too good for it to matter before?

Yes. I was going to post a long speel about intelligent pressing, the physicality of Konate and Salah's XG, but fuck that.

[Mazuuurk]

Wrong fred

[John Arne]

Lindelof is better than Maguire anyway, although if we did let Maguire go then fourth choice would be like...Phil Jones now Bailey is off.

Ronaldo off to LAFC, surely....

[Danny]

Didnt we cover this before? Ronaldo and America dont mix. Cant think why :uhoh:

[John Arne]

Didnt we cover this before? Ronaldo and America dont mix. Cant think why :uhoh:

I read after that all charges were dropped already.

[Magic]

Livershit. lollerpool. Magic what were the others?

Livershit was my go to choice. Cess.

[Spikey M]

LiVARpool.

[Offshore Toon]

If I supported them I'd be going all in on good club, m.A.A.n city.

[Mazuuurk]

There's nothing worse than coming up with a good pun that you can't find any use for.

[niko_cee]

Warren Aspinall coating off Forest Green's vegan pies was top tier co-commentary.

Brighton's pies are [among] the best to be fair.

[Waffdon]

Rangers and Celtic both in the CL Group Stages for the first time in at least a decade I’d imagine. Hearts guaranteed group stages in one of the other two as well.

Maybe Gerrard is a fraud after all

[Lewis]

Rangers. :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd love to draw them. Would be the greatest love-in of all time.

[Waffdon]

Yaya Toure sounds like a bit of a retard doing this CL draw

[Jimmy Floyd]

Eff Say Leeverpool.

Nice to get Meelan, don't think we've played them since oh Dennis Wise, with five minutes to go, in the San Siro (2000).

[Waffdon]

He didn’t even bother trying to pronounce Eintracht.

[Waffdon]

I swear Liverpool play the same teams every year in the Group Stages

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think that Porto/Atletico/Leverkusen group has happened a few times before as well.

[Waffdon]

Porto/Atletico has definitely happened as well as Real Madrid and Shakhtar

Inter always get the ‘group of death’ :lol:

[Waffdon]

Decent draw for Celtic. They should win both home games against the two lesser sides

[Manc]

That Spurs group can't be real.

[Waffdon]

Porto get a Europa League group stage draw every year

[CJay]

How did Dortmund get allocated directly to Group G as if that was their only option, then have Bayer Leverkusen come out right after them? Surely Dortmund should have had their group drawn. Or am I missing something?

[CJay]

Anyway, delighted with that group for Liverpool. Hard to beat an all-British clash.

[CJay]

A bit of digging gives this answer


"In addition, UEFA pairs together certain clubs from the same nation to ensure they don't play at the same time. As such, when any of the below teams are drawn into groups A-D, their paired team will automatically be assigned to groups E-H:

Real Madrid and Barcelona
Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig
Manchester City and Liverpool
AC Milan and Napoli
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille
FC Porto and Benfica
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur
Juventus and Inter Milan
Atletico Madrid and Sevilla"

[Giggles]

You really need to hand in that passport.

[niko_cee]

I swear Liverpool play the same teams every year in the Group Stages

Aye, feels like Napoli happens all the time, although maybe more in the wafer cup. Had Ajax too recently. Spurs have lucked out with that group, although I suppose you could see it as a group where anyone could qualify. Good to see Barcelona getting another shithouse group.

[Giggles]

Barcelonas is paid for, though they probably won’t pay it anyway.

[CJay]

You really need to hand in that passport.

Celebrated Rangers winning last night too. 🥲

[Giggles]

Actually just burn it.

[Guybrush]

Aye, feels like Napoli happens all the time, although maybe more in the wafer cup. Had Ajax too recently. Spurs have lucked out with that group, although I suppose you could see it as a group where anyone could qualify. Good to see Barcelona getting another shithouse group.

It's the third time we've drawn Napoli in the CL group stage in the last 5 seasons.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is this all getting done before the copa del mundo, or do they come back in January?

[Shindig]

Group stage ends before Qataramania, I think.

[CJay]

Actually just burn it.

It’s expired anyway so that would be a good enough use for it actually.

Enjoyed a good lol at Linfield tonight though. 1-0 up on 118 minutes, they squander a 4-on-1 with a tame shot straight at the keeper. The Latvians go straight up the pitch and a Linfield defender slices it in off his own bar, Linfield miss their first two penalties in the shootout and now they’re out. Absolutely awful. 😁

[ScousePig]

Just as things were finally looking up for Sunderland, we're seemingly about to lose our manager to Stoke City.

We beat them last week and their ground was as flat as a fart.

[Luke Emia]

Has something happened in the background because that seems a weird move on his behalf?

[ScousePig]

He'll probably claim that he hasn't been 'backed' - this seems to be the issue that's been bubbling under for a little while. Whether that's a fair criticism of the club is debatable.

He's been on some sort of 12 month rolling contract here and rumours suggest he'll get paid a lot more at Stoke, and supposedly his family are settled in the north west so they're a better fit.

[Dave.]

He'll probably claim that he hasn't been 'backed' - this seems to be the issue that's been bubbling under for a little while. Whether that's a fair criticism of the club is debatable.

He's been on some sort of 12 month rolling contract here and rumours suggest he'll get paid a lot more at Stoke, and supposedly his family are settled in the north west so they're a better fit.

He has been backed. We have the third biggest net spend in The Championship this season with more players due to come in. However, I don't think he had the control over transfers he wanted.

Neil leaving is due to three things:

- Money
- More control over transfers
- Family

It's sad that he's leaving (although I have one source - but it's only one out of dozens - saying that he's gone to Stoke to negotiate a contract and has actually turned them down) and we need to get the next managerial appointment correct. My instinct says that current favourite Sean Dyche is not a good fit for the job but he might be able to adapt according to circumstances and play a different type of football to what he did at Burnley.

[ScousePig]

He has been backed. We have the third biggest net spend in The Championship this season with more players due to come in. However, I don't think he had the control over transfers he wanted.

Neil leaving is due to three things:

- Money
- More control over transfers
- Family

It's sad that he's leaving (although I have one source - but it's only one out of dozens - saying that he's gone to Stoke to negotiate a contract and has actually turned them down) and we need to get the next managerial appointment correct. My instinct says that current favourite Sean Dyche is not a good fit for the job but he might be able to adapt according to circumstances and play a different type of football to what he did at Burnley.

Not having control over the transfers would be part of the backing.

I think Lee Johnson was a Speakmann choice, whereas Alex Neil wasn't. They're the antithesis of each other in terms of style, so I wouldn't be surprised to see us go after one of Ryan Lowe, Russell Martin, Liam Manning or Kieron McKenna. How many of those are realistic I don't really know.

I actually think Dyche might be more of a fit than people think. He's pragmatic like Alex Neil, and I've been reading a management book where he features a fair bit and I think he's more progressive and open to a 'model' like ours than people think.

[Dave.]

Not having control over the transfers would be part of the backing.

I think Lee Johnson was a Speakmann choice, whereas Alex Neil wasn't. They're the antithesis of each other in terms of style, so I wouldn't be surprised to see us go after one of Ryan Lowe, Russell Martin, Liam Manning or Kieron McKenna. How many of those are realistic I don't really know.

I actually think Dyche might be more of a fit than people think. He's pragmatic like Alex Neil, and I've been reading a management book where he features a fair bit and I think he's more progressive and open to a 'model' like ours than people think.

Russell Martin has been mentioned as a replacement in some quarters and might be worth a small punt for the betting man.

You could be right about Dyche. I had a feeling he would be more pragmatic than portrayed in the mainstream media.

[niko_cee]

I know Sunderland are massive and all, but Dyche is probably better off hanging around for the Everton job which will no doubt become open fairly soon.

[Dave.]

I know Sunderland are massive and all, but Dyche is probably better off hanging around for the Everton job which will no doubt become open fairly soon.

We are MASSIVE. Get it right!:lol:

Dyche is the current favourite but if we can't stop Alex Neil from leaving then we are unlikely to attract Sean Dyche so I see us looking elsewhere.

[ScousePig]

I don't think Dyche is unrealistic on either end of the spectrum, but who knows.

There might be a bit of shitstorm tomorrow.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't see Dyche getting a top flight job (not sexy enough), so Sunderland isn't a bad opportunity.

[Shindig]

I also don't know why he'd entertain the idea of managing this Everton.

[Giggles]

Are Sunderland in the Championship now?

[Dave.]

Are Sunderland in the Championship now?

Yep.

[Lofty]

Lol at that triple block.

[randomlegend]

Elanga is such a nothing player. Get Antony in.

[randomlegend]

Class goal.

[-james-]

I'm enjoying Ronaldo's put-on celebration whenever United score with him on the bench.

[Waffdon]

That Lavia bloke is lovely to watch. He’ll be off for £40m+ in a year or two unless City have a buy back

[Gray Fox]

Have they played Rugby on this recently or something?

[John Arne]

Have they played Rugby on this recently or something?

Apparently the pitch has a "disease".

Urgh.

[Lewis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVllZ6y0V3U

[Gray Fox]

Firmino starting over the lively looking Carvalho is a surprise. Hoping we get the chance to put the latter on very early in the second half.

[Waffdon]

McTominay getting away with handling the ball 3 times was something else.

[Waffdon]

That Bournemouth team should be illegal. How the fuck did they finish 2nd last year.

And that Man City bench hasn’t half taken me by surprise. It’s literally just their academy team. I can’t even think of anyone missing from their starting XI either

[Giggles]

Evan Ferguson :cool:

[Boydy]

What a goal by Elliott.

Right thread this time.

[Spoonsky]

Why are all the streams fucking shit this morning.

[Waffdon]

They’ve done a massive clamp down on PL streams.

Palace 2-0 up at City. They love it there

[randomlegend]

I don't have much trouble finding working streams on footybite. Sometimes you have to refresh a couple of times during a game or switch between two streams, but it's fine.

I've also got acestream downloaded and use this:

https://acestreamsearch.net/en/

to find a stream. It's a terrible search function though; you have to know which TV channel it's on and search the EXACT channel name or it doesn't find it. Did that for today's United game and it worked for the full match.