Football Thread: September Edition

[Waffdon]

Man Utd/Leeds, Chelsea/Liverpool and Palace/Brighton all postponed this weekend. No idea why a game in Manchester has been cancelled never mind the Brighton game on the Saturday.

Brentford/Spurs goes ahead though lol

[randomlegend]

So fucking stupid.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Not a fucking clue why Brighton/Palace and United/Leeds have been postponed.

[Luca]

Two more weeks to implement #tenhagball with the new joiners and fixture congestion for newly-unmedicated Liverpool in the new year? Thank you Lizzie. :drool:

(In reality this is an awful decision, for which players and fans will suffer)

[Gray Fox]

The absolute earliest dates given to reschedule these games is in mid/late January.

[niko_cee]

Not a fucking clue why Brighton/Palace and United/Leeds have been postponed.

Brighton/Palace was already off due to train strikes.

Going to be an epic ballache on the fantasy football front.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Brighton/Palace was already off due to train strikes.

Going to be an epic ballache on the fantasy football front.

Haven't the strikes been cancelled out of RESPECT?

[-james-]

Haven't the strikes been cancelled out of RESPECT?

I reckon un-postponing it would have induced even more fan seethe.

[Waffdon]

1569367640308862976

That’ll go down well

[Ben]

Is that a wind up? :D

[Raoul Duke]

It's Liverpool. It never is

[Gray Fox]

Worry not lads. We’re booing the fuck out of her tomorrow.

[Giggles]

The whole room looks like CGI, like if he was in a more modern version of Knightmare.

[niko_cee]

Not sure all in black really works as a look for these purposes, for men at least.

[Shindig]

He looks like he's dressed to kill her.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The shirt should be white, ffs.

[randomlegend]

https://www.reddit.com/talk/f873a02c-7cf1-465e-a5c8-a90db2e0317b?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=reddevils&utm_content=t1_io5yyvt

AMA with James Ducker about United which was done on Reddit. Genuinely good for anyone interested in United.

[Don]

Not that they'll start together but Kudus, Brobbey and Bergwijn is a front 3 as good as they come outside of the elite. Matip and Thiago back should mean we retain control and avoid a problematic draw/defeat but Im expecting goals galore.

[randomlegend]

Getting the excuses in early.

[Manc]

Marcus Edwards putting Tottenham to the sword would be poetry.

[CJay]

This Sporting side are very tidy and pleasing on the eye.

[Don]

I thought he was just an Aaron Lennon regen but he looks like he has an end product. Dortmund need to move quick, he looks better than Sancho.

[Manc]

Not a clue who Arthur Gomes is, but he's just ended Emerson Royal's career.

[Don]

That was a tasty finish to the game.

[niko_cee]

Weren't you tipping Spurs earlier?

Hopefully Gomez's omission restores some sort of order at the back.

It's a bit sad what's happened to him since Raheem Sterling beat him up on International duty. I guess that's not the sort of thing you come back from as a centre-half.

[Giggles]

Weren't you tipping Spurs earlier?



Looking at the result he very likely was.

[Waffdon]

Bottle job from the Scousers

[Gray Fox]

Trent allowing that pass behind him. Please buy some competition for him.

[Manc]

First ball in behind Trent and it results in a goal. I for one am shocked.

[Giggles]

Van Dijk might as well not be there with this hands behind the back thing.

[Waffdon]

Trent allowing that pass behind him. Please buy some competition for him.

Where’s Ramsay? Injured?

[Waffdon]

Swear Elliot was wearing black boots in the first half.

[Lewis]

'Trent' defending like a spastic undermines the idea that he will coast into midfield a bit. He would just be jogging around like Paulp Ogba.

[Gray Fox]

Where’s Ramsay? Injured?

Injured in pre season.

[randomlegend]

Bayern donning Barca is satisfying.

Is Kounde actually right-back? What were they doing spending €65m on him to play him out of position? Mongs.

[Boydy]

https://youtu.be/NdCxHJIYz8I

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

"Atleti" :harold:

[Waffdon]

Bayern donning Barca is satisfying.

Is Kounde actually right-back? What were they doing spending €65m on him to play him out of position? Mongs.

Centre half but think France play him right back too.

Ajax have lost every header from a corner so that was coming

[Giggles]

McClean undoing years of good work in one evening :nono:

What was the point all them other times before then?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Club Brugge dominating the Champions League is what I'm here for.

[randomlegend]

Centre half but think France play him right back too.

Ajax have lost every header from a corner so that was coming

Who's right back? Araujo or Christensen?

[Don]

Absolutely smashed these fucks with Matip and Thiago back as expected and some cunts are gonna keep mouthing off that we're struggling.

[Waffdon]

Who's right back? Araujo or Christensen?

Oh I miss read. He played right back but is a centre half.

[Don]

1569633017689145346

:cool:

[Queenslander]

We are entering the Sudanese Australian era of Australian Football. :drool:

Bloke is 17.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXxAyRo6Kr8

[Kikó]

He looks at least 60.

[Pen]

The one on the left?

[Waffdon]

Todd Boehly trying to buy a Portuguese club to have as a sister club to Chelsea. Does this guy have a day off

[Ian]

He also wants a North vs South Premier League all star game apparently.

To raise money for the football pyramid supposedly, but given he praised Chelsea's academy because of Mo Salah who even knows if he knows what the pyramid is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That whole quote from him about the All Star Game, specifically the fact that it begins 'There's a lot that the Pre-meeeer League can learn from American sports', made me want to dissolve and return as a sea coral.

[randomlegend]

Would probably improve your views on football to be fair.

[Lewis]

The All Star game should be played on racial lines. Paul Ince coaching his team filled with pace and power, Mellin coaching our more intelligent and technical lads. Sell it all round the world.

[niko_cee]

England v a Best of the Rest.

It's a shame they have Potter as, going off his comments and the way Chelsea seem to be going about things, Boehly sounds like he'd be quite apt to lead them to ruin.

[Waffdon]

It’s the complete opposite, if anything. The majority of what he’s done so far has been really good and going off of reports by Matt Law etc, bringing in that Salzburg director (what a talent recruitment he’s got against his name, offft) - for helping with that Sister club shenanigans - he’s clearly not finished yet. French media reporting he’s bringing in Luis Campos with a budget of €300m for the next two windows as well.

Abramovich was tame compared to this loon.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's clearly trying to put together an MLB style front office. The hesitation I always have with this sort of thing (despite being very pro-statistics in general) is that football isn't really as measurable as other sports, or if it is then we're a long way from being able to master it, so your head coach and your man management at a lower level will end up having a much larger impact on results than your front office will have. Not the case in baseball, which is like a factory production line of a sport.

My other hesitation is that those MLB teams (many of which fail miserably despite their state of the art analytics departments) are propped up by the fact that MLB is a closed league, which... yeah.

[niko_cee]

It’s the complete opposite, if anything. The majority of what he’s done so far has been really good and going off of reports by Matt Law etc, bringing in that Salzburg director (what a talent recruitment he’s got against his name, offft) - for helping with that Sister club shenanigans - he’s clearly not finished yet. French media reporting he’s bringing in Luis Campos with a budget of €300m for the next two windows as well.

Abramovich was tame compared to this loon.

All well and good but:

1 - the idea that recruitment is driven by single individuals is mental, but seems to be a popular theme

2 - furthermore, footballers, as a commodity, are, by and large, as much a product of their environment as they are some nascent talent to be spotted and hoarded, without the ability to develop the players [ie play them] you can farm as many as you want but it probably won't work any better or worse than whatever they have done previously [always seemed pretty good by just buying everyone, I guess until City muscled in] leading to,

3 - the 'City model' is actually the death of football and should be categorically outlawed in any serious footballing nation. Fine you can have you shitty US or Australian league clubs, but please, why destroy whatever it was that FC Girona [or whoever] once were? Also applies to the RB clubs, and whatever it is Bloom and the Brentford guy are variously up to with their European shenanigans. At most you should only be able to send Ronnie Wallwork to wherever it was in Belgium to ruin their prospects.

4 - by what metric is the geezer in charge of recruitment at PSG any good at his job?

[Waffdon]

He was in charge of the recruitment when Monaco got to the semi finals of the CL and won the league (Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Fabinho etc) and then moved to Lille and they won the league under his recruitment too. Doesn’t look too bad ‘on paper’ but who knows.

Mudryk looks shit hot every time he’s on the tele. Get him signed, Arsenal.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The transfers-are-an-end-in-themselves mentality is so toxic. It's all about coaching and player development. If Pulisic doesn't perform, does that mean whoever 'recruited' him did a bad job? Not necessarily. It's far more down to him and his coaches.

[Waffdon]

That’s true. But then you want someone capable of bringing good players in. Can’t be having another 2017/18 transfer window (the worst in football history).

[Don]

You had the best coach in the game working under one of the finest recruitment models in the game only redtricted by its financial resources. You've essentially got the same just without the restriction. Chelsea are onto a seriously good thing.

[Waffdon]

We’ll see how good #PotterBall is because he’s got Silva/Azpilicueta in a back four with Jorginho in front of them :sick:

[niko_cee]

Be ready for a lot of sideways passing and painfully slow build-up play.

[-james-]

Shakhtar coach is wish.com Jürgen Klopp

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Maccabi Haifa :cool:

[-james-]

Sterling and Aubameyang in Chelsea shirts looks so wrong.

[Raoul Duke]

We’ll see how good #PotterBall is because he’s got Silva/Azpilicueta in a back four with Jorginho in front of them :sick:

I'm pretty sure Chelsea coaches live and die based on whether Kante is fit or crippled

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Hey Jude :cool:

[Manc]

I'm pretty sure Chelsea coaches live and die based on whether Kante is fit or crippled

Kante is a myth.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Surely that penalty re-take can't be due toMcGregor being off the line because the rebound was scored.

[Don]

Surely that penalty re-take can't be due toMcGregor being off the line because the rebound was scored.

Politano intruding in the box before it was kicked so ot went back to earlier offence of shagger being off his line.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Politano intruding in the box before it was kicked so ot went back to earlier offence of shagger being off his line.

That makes a lot more sense.

[Waffdon]

Kante is a myth.

Not in that CL winning run. Best performance in a semi final and final back to back.

Chelsea just look the same. Utterly guff with no creative spark whatsoever.

[Raoul Duke]

Why is the Spanish fraud in goal for Chelsea?

[Manc]

Dortmund keeper is on the take.

[Giggles]

Haaland :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That is ludicrous from Haaland.

[niko_cee]

Napoli must be setting records for the number of penalties a team has taken in consecutive champions league games.

Only saw bits of the first half but it looked like Rangers were all over them.

Also, I see Raheem is now going to be the designated Solly March. Not sure whether to sympathise or not.

[John Arne]

Lovely celebration :D

1570170286040911876

[Baz]

Some suggested lineups in this Twitter thread:

1570100524560556035

[Ben]

Get to fuck Yank.

[Shindig]

Fulham have confirmed that 700 seats in the upper tier of their new Riverside Stand will be brought into use when Newcastle visit Craven Cottage next month.

They are now on general sale to home fans only at the eye-watering price of £90 for adults and £60 for juniors.

Bloody hell. :D

[-james-]

Some suggested lineups in this Twitter thread:

1570100524560556035

Travers
Hickey - Thiago Silva - Salisu - Zinchenko
Mac Allister - Soucek
Kulusevski - Odegaard - Zaha
Mitrovic

Haaland
Guedes - Maddison - Salah
Joelinton - Eriksen
Digne - Dias - Llorente - Patterson
Henderson

North mogs.

[Giggles]

Any suggested team so far has only cemented the fact that it's a shite idea.

[Lewis]

I could get interested in Proper North vs Cushty South, but they would draw some non-existent boundary that gives us Wolves and Nottingham and them Leicester and [The] Villa, and then it doesn't mean anything.

[randomlegend]

1570434767513964546

Full strength team, as it should be after losing the first game.

Be nice if we could give them a smashing...

[Ian]

Would be quite fun if the first choice XI with Ronaldo subbed in were total dogshit, the big sulky twat.

[Ben]

Are these the geezers who won in the Bernabeu?

[-james-]

1570434767513964546

Full strength team, as it should be after losing the first game.

Be nice if we could give them a smashing...

Probably more to do with them not having another game this month, no?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jadons Ancho :cool:

[randomlegend]

Ronaldo dreadful again so far.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ronaldo dreadful again so far.

He's fucking back now you cunt.

Ronaldo 2-0.

[Don]

This Antony lad is tragic. No pace, no passing, no nothing.

[Ben]

So something then.

[randomlegend]

Taz guaranteeing he'll be world class.

Thanks Mr Taz :cool:

[Giggles]

Taz guaranteeing he'll be world class.

Thanks Mr Taz :cool:

Maybe he'll be as bad as the Haaland lad he was slating a while back. Whatever happened him?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Guys don't question Taz's football knowledge, he clearly knows a lot.

[Don]

One at a time please, there's enough shaft to go round.

[niko_cee]

The BBC's North v South North team is predictably lol [all City and Liverpool players]. Would probably be just as good if it was just City.

5 Arsenal players in the South team [and all London]. RIP in pieces.

[randomlegend]

Few more goals would've been nice but can't complain too much about a solid 2-0 away win in Europe.

[Giggles]

I have no idea who Silkeborgs are but they had West Ham clinging on for dear life there. Maybe the latter had the kids out.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I have no idea who Silkeborgs are but they had West Ham clinging on for dear life there. Maybe the latter had the kids out.

Taz had money on West Ham to win by 2 or more.

[Don]

Proper mad shit, West Ham should have ran away with it.

[Giggles]

Just watching a Europa league highlights show here. They really just need to cut this down to 16 teams from the start instead of all this shite in it.

There’s probably 16 teams in the champions league that don’t belong there that could bump it up to 32 anyway.

[Yevrah]

"Thursday nights are Europa nights" is a work of art though.

[Waffdon]

Mason Greenwood back soon? Should be fun.

[Shindig]

Mendy beat one of his rape charges the other day. Just the seven left.

[randomlegend]

Mason Greenwood back soon? Should be fun.

You weren't taken in by him being "included in the squad list" were you?

[Ian]

Also United have a strict one suspected sex offender per starting XI policy so he can't now play until Ronaldo's gone anyway

[Danny]

You weren't taken in by him being "included in the squad list" were you?

I saw some stuff on twitter about charges being dropped but it was one of those nothing United news accounts so I didn’t give it a second thought.

[Don]

Stevie's job on the line and Bailey in my team but 3 fpl players in Forest game and Forest XI looks tasty af. First weekend of having a dodgy firestick too, what a time to be alive.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Forest with a collapse.

Taz's powers are incredible.

[thommo]

Forest were pretty dire. Really good comeback and a deserved win - puts us on 11 points from 7 matches. Not going to get ahead of myself but it's been a very solid start.

[Baz]

Palhinha’s quality, you were right.

[thommo]

Genuinely can't believe we've got him. 5 year contract too so when he inevitably moves on (I imagine the big teams are sniffing around at the end of the season), we can at least get a good fee.

[Don]

That Southampton game was fucking brutal. Wolves could do the dirty on City today :drool:

[Clunge]

One of the worst games I've ever endured as a Villa fan. But results like that turn round a crap situation.

[Lofty]

Big fan of someone screaming 'shut the fuck up!' During the minute's silence there :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A fisting could be on the cards.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why are they backing off Haaland that much?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a nasty little challenge.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fc2yQnYXgAAAFHW?format=jpg

Pretty funny that he's trying to argue with the ref about the decision.

[Waffdon]

Just the 10 Portuguese on the field by my count. Just needing Semedo on for Jonny for a full XI worthy.

[Don]

This game has gone wild, neither team playing it safe.

[Giggles]

Just seen a clip of Collins there now :drool:

[Clunge]

Cantona-esque.

[randomlegend]

Wolves could do the dirty on City today :drool:

https://www.meme-arsenal.com/memes/22e322bb440458cd682f62f144423630.jpg

[Don]

The seethe is too strong with you and webcam boy. Tone it down.

[Gray Fox]

Big respect to the Dundee United fans today.

[Waffdon]

Beautiful

[niko_cee]

1 win in 7 is going to get Eddie Howe a one-way ticket to the Saudi embassy.

[Shindig]

We can't put chances away.

[Don]

It's a real shame Danny Ward is only Wales' number 2.

[Shindig]

Son's back :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Rodgers surely goes tonight?

[Jimmy Floyd]

At the final whistle. Make the caretaker do the post match handshake.

[Max Power]

Shouldn’t let the vile little goblin on the coach home.

[Manc]

Goblin? He dragged you to FA Cup. Show some respect.

[Max Power]

Goblin? He dragged you to FA Cup. Show some respect.

Kelechi Iheancho dragged us there and he doesn’t get a shout. The guy is a self serving idiot who is paid more than any player who he has rode to his seemingly high reputation. I hate him and we are getting relegated with him in charge.

[Gray Fox]

That’s the most correct description of Brendan Rodgers I’ve seen in a while.

He’s all about himself. He’s the reason Sterling and Gerrard left Liverpool while he was here and the latter he will never be forgiven for.

His teams play lots of pretty little passes in and around the midfield but there’s almost never any substance to it.

He was handed a young and talented Liverpool team here and proceeded to replace good players with some crap(Borini, Lambert and Balotelli was our strike force some two years after Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling). He seems to have done the same with that Leicester team.
He’s not a good man manager either.

[Boydy]

He can't organise a defence either.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Get Fat Sam in.

[Mike]

I said it at the time, we got second place and a title challenge despite him rather than because of him.

[-james-]

Kelechi Iheancho dragged us there and he doesn’t get a shout. The guy is a self serving idiot who is paid more than any player who he has rode to his seemingly high reputation. I hate him and we are getting relegated with him in charge.

I'm no Rodgers superfan, and it's probably time for him to go, but this seems a touch unfair. Leicester are in way better nick than when he took over. You were a couple of games off top four two seasons running ffs.

The powers that be not reinforcing the back five this window continues to look baffling.

[Offshore Toon]

Surprisingly it isn't working out for Steve Bruce at West Brom, so I think Leicester should try to prise him away.

[Don]

Apparently the King Power group's financial struggles due to COVID may have had something to do with it but their playsrs are still far better than what they're doing currently.

Bergkamp lite has been replaced by malnourished Rui Costa lite. Mon the bees.

[Don]

15 year-old on Arsenal bench. Looks 25.

[Waffdon]

Born in 2007. Fucking hell :lol:

[Spikey M]

Arsenal being good is really starting to piss me off.

[niko_cee]

They've managed to get their annual dressing down off City postponed as well so could last a while longer [in fairness they got fucked last season in the home game].

[Don]

Jesus, he looks the business, the skinny fuck.

[Don]

Deulofeu is draggin the Watford all-stars to a title challenge this season. That Nigerian full-back Spurs have signed from them is a monster too.

[Waffdon]

1571477374172073985

Magnificently done

[Shindig]

Is that Ange trying to dial back his clapping? :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1571477374172073985

Magnificently done

:D

[niko_cee]

And thus begins the curse of QE2.

[Shindig]

She pops out of the coffin at 6:30am tomorrow morning. The last two knocks will be from her on the coffin lid and she'll be a thousand times more powerful.

[Boydy]

1571482228122853376

God, I feel old.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

She pops out of the coffin at 6:30am tomorrow morning. The last two knocks will be from her on the coffin lid and she'll be a thousand times more powerful.

https://c.tenor.com/Kx6YKn0LBAoAAAAd/wwe-coffin.gif

[Spikey M]

1571477374172073985

Magnificently done

That is top tier shithousery :D

[niko_cee]

This Everton game is absolutely horrific.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This Everton game is absolutely horrific.

Thanks for gifting us a goal in the game.

[niko_cee]

Aye, good goal too. Classic Maupay. Categorically not 'a player who knows where the goal is' or whatever Martin Tyler said, but rather a scorer of occasional spectacular goals.

[Gray Fox]

This Everton game is absolutely horrific.

Can you mention how bad West 'am are and that they're never going to score?

[niko_cee]

I've already queue'd up a Maupay hat-trick if they do get one back [which they won't], apologies.

Sorry, 'cued'. The Queue has melted my brain.

[mo]

Aye, good goal too. Classic Maupay. Categorically not 'a player who knows where the goal is' or whatever Martin Tyler said, but rather a scorer of occasional spectacular goals.

For whatever reason, and I'm sure wullie can corroborate this, I recall Gordon Strachan saying this about Darren Huckerby at Coventry. "Not a great goalscorer, but a scorer of great goals".

[Waffdon]

Nathan Patterson looks fucking class. Can Scotland start spreading their great young players into other positions that aren’t at full back

[Jimmy Floyd]

You need to Gareth Bale one of them to become a winger.

[Waffdon]

Calvin Ramsay is the only one capable of that but he’s not even played for Liverpool yet.

[-james-]

1571571342654193664

I had never heard of this man a week ago.

[Giggles]

It was four minutes ago for me.

[Don]

Trackig De Zerbi-ball :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Based on that tweet alone, very Dr Nick vibes.

[wullie]

For whatever reason, and I'm sure wullie can corroborate this, I recall Gordon Strachan saying this about Darren Huckerby at Coventry. "Not a great goalscorer, but a scorer of great goals".

Sounds about right, his record with us wasn't spectacular numbers-wise but he scored some crackers including the winner against Man Utd (https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/570902) which was enough to make him a hero if it was the only goal he ever scored.

[mo]

1571425794483781635

Love how distraught his mum is.

[Shindig]

Okay, that's better than Marquez binning it on his first race after surgery. :D

[Lewis]

Killed himself in the changing room.

[Kikó]

Sounds about right, his record with us wasn't spectacular numbers-wise but he scored some crackers including the winner against Man Utd (https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/570902) which was enough to make him a hero if it was the only goal he ever scored.

Good enough reason to post this again

https://youtu.be/-B6ucoSoIy4

[Shindig]

MLS Newcomer of the Year 2008. :cool:

[Manc]

1571571342654193664

I had never heard of this man a week ago.

I consider you a hipster no longer.

[niko_cee]

I was hoping he might bring David Neres with him but it seems he's gone to Benfica after an impressive spell at Shakhtar.

Seems like a good player to have been repeatedly sold for relatively paltry amounts.

[John Arne]

:)

1571918789310128129

[Pen]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4749944/mls-investigating-alleged-racial-slur-during-inter-miami-dc-united-match?platform=amp

This was reported in Finnish papers today too and it caught my eye. What I found interesting was that Rooney subbed the accused Greek striker as Inter Miami players apparently refused to continue the game with him on the pitch. Is that a first time that kind of ”incident” (I say incident as the league hasn’t ruled in it yet) has been dealt in this way. Phil Neville was the other manager btw.

[Baz]

Miami defender DeAndre Yedlin later said on a postgame videoconference that the players informed Neville they wouldn't continue unless something was done about Fountas. Rooney soon made the decision to sub out Fountas.

Not sure who the biggest pussy is here. :harold:

[Pen]

I thought it was handled pretty well on the spot. Interesting thing will be what happens if the league doesn’t find Fountas guilty.

[Waffdon]

1572329219190919169

The chaotic years live on. What a club

[Don]

The South Korean target ain't great but they do boast a fantastically tight minge so fairplay.

[Manc]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/21/harry-kane-anti-discrimination-armband-fa-qatar-world-cup-plan

Top tier delusion.

[Don]

Kane on our national coverage:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTU5xbirT0qTp1yU2MMSAtQRBWkiNO-IpAJ8A&usqp=CAU

[Giggles]

What a hero he is. If only everyone could be brave enough to take such a big stand.

[Yevrah]

It's an absolute fucking disgrace, the FA and these cunts are taking the complete piss if they think that piece of shit logo is any sort of stand.

The only actual stand would be to withdraw, nothing else has any impact whatsoever. And even that has little impact on Qatar, it wouldn't change what they get up to, but it would make FIFA think twice about pulling that sort of shit again.

[Yevrah]

But in news that does make me happy, I've today booked two weeks off from 18th November through to 5th December, so I get to be a massive hypocrite and watch all of the group phase. :drool:

[Boydy]

If we don't all die in a nuclear war before then.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All the rainbow armbands do is rile up muzzers and foaming old cunts. The best protest would be for Kane to kiss Iran's captain at the toss.

[Yevrah]

Ok, that would be a brilliant stand. Someone with a Twitter account make it go viral.

[randomlegend]

1572880885124243456
Lewis

[Ben]

:lol:

[Giggles]

I'd really hope an attack of Wright, Smallbone, Connolly, and Ferguson should unlock enough to see it out tonight.

[Don]

Queiroz-ball is fucking back as if he hasn't missed a beat. 1-0 against Uruguay. We're gonna win the fucking group :drool:

[-james-]

1573361647703715843

Let's go Hazza.

[Giggles]

That's why Southgate will never lead you to anything.

[Giggles]

Also who the fuck are Tomori and Bowen?

[-james-]

Drop Maguire if he's wank tonight, but starting him tonight seems the right move.

[Giggles]

Nah, England are automatic qualifiers for everything and only need to think about the big games and not the piddly token shit like friendlies and qualifiers. Even if he performed tonight he's proven time and time that he can't do big games so he should be cut loose permanently. The last thing you want is some useless cunt looking like a world beater aganst Slovenia (or someone like Norwich in Man Utd's case) and then melt into shite when the big daddy balls day comes along.

[phonics]

TBH I don't think he's that bad for International football where a high-line doesn't exist.

[-james-]

I'm all for sticking Trent in midfield for a laugh a year out from a tournament, but after the June lolfest, imminent relegation and being two games out from the World Cup, it makes sense to give your best guess at the starting XI a run-out, and he's definitely in that based on recent history.

[-james-]

On Bowen, the idea of taking him seems a bit lol. In the squad because he had a three month hot patch last season and just seems like the sort of bloke prime for national ridicule after a 1-0 defeat to Taz's lot.

[Giggles]

He just sounds like he should be slumming it with Wales.

[Yevrah]

To be fair to waistcoat and Maguire aside, that's actually a decent line up.

[niko_cee]

To be fair to waistcoat and Maguire aside, that's actually a decent line up.

In what terms? Presumably not footballing. Our defensive options should be a source of deep national shame.

[-james-]

In what terms? Presumably not footballing. Our defensive options should be a source of deep national shame.

Elsewhere Alex Telles starts for a full strength Brazil tonight.

[-james-]

James, Walker and Stones probably start for any team on the planet.

[Yevrah]

In what terms? Presumably not footballing. Our defensive options should be a source of deep national shame.

In the sense that he's playing Bellingham, Foden and Sterling.

[Giggles]

Stones wouldn’t start for Sweden.

[Yevrah]

Not that it matters anyway, given Waistcoat's not capable of structuring a cohesive attacking side.

[thommo]

Stones wouldn’t start for Sweden.

Sweden, who start Victor Lindelof (their captain, no less) and A. N. Other at centre-back?

[randomlegend]

Wait, the retard is playing Saka left wing back? :D

He really is the biggest fraud going.

[Yevrah]

405 minutes since we scored from open play. :sick:

[Giggles]

Sweden, who start Victor Lindelof (their captain, no less) and A. N. Other at centre-back?

He wouldn’t have near the profile he has now just due to the fact he’s English and has English player tax. He’d be playing in Sweden or Portugal or somewhere like that.

[randomlegend]

That Italy team looks rancid on paper. Is that the best they can put out or are they missing players?

[niko_cee]

Is Phil Foden actually any better than, say, Joe Cole was? He seems to have very little impact on most of the games I see him play [admittedly I avoid watching City like the plague for the most part].

[Lewis]

Victor Lindelof is as good/crap as John Stones. He just hasn't had the good fortune to play in a team where he only has to make three blocks a month.

[Baz]

Is Phil Foden actually any better than, say, Joe Cole was? He seems to have very little impact on most of the games I see him play [admittedly I avoid watching City like the plague for the most part].I think he's very good. Possibly even underrated.

[phonics]

This match is worse than a Sven era friendly.

[randomlegend]

That defending is laughable :D

Giving him five yards to set himself and shoot inside the box.

[Yevrah]

Indeed. It's so so bad.

EDIT: The whole thing, not just that dreadful goal.

[Waffdon]

Scotland replacing England in the most important tournament known to man. Class.

[-james-]

Yeah this has been rancid. Just wrap Bellingham in cotton wool and we'll be fine though.

[phonics]

Who is the defender that keeps booting it 70 yards every time he receives a pass?

[niko_cee]

That defending is laughable :D

Giving him five yards to set himself and shoot inside the box.

Mate, Kyle Walker walks into ANY TEAM IN WORLD FOOTBALL.

Goal down, get stripped off fatty.

:face:

[niko_cee]

Yeah this has been rancid. Just wrap Bellingham in cotton wool and we'll be fine though.

I appreciate he's a good player, but, how? Fine in what sense?

[Yevrah]

On all available evidence we're going to stink the fuck out of the World Cup, Capello style.

[randomlegend]

We'll probably somehow shit our way to the semis playing the worst football in history where we'll lose to the first decent team we play and then give Southgate a Knighthood.

[Yevrah]

I mean, it should be impossible not to get out of that group and then we could shit our way past someone in the last 16 (draw pending), but I agree, face anyone genuinely good (as has always been the case under this chancer's tenure, but never more so than now) and we're going home.

[-james-]

Mate, Kyle Walker walks into ANY TEAM IN WORLD FOOTBALL.

Goal down, get stripped off fatty.

:face:

The defence has never been the issue until recently was more my point I suppose. Pretty impenetrable at the last two tournaments.



I mean, it should be impossible not to get out of that group and then we could shit our way past someone in the last 16 (draw pending), but I agree, face anyone genuinely good (as has always been the case under this chancer's tenure, but never more so than now) and we're going home.

I'm pretty sure this was your exact line pre-Euros and pre-Euros knockouts. I, for one, am here for the stink out.

[Yevrah]

I'm pretty sure this was your exact line pre-Euros and pre-Euros knockouts. I, for one, am here for the stink out.

It was. I also said before the final that he should be let go whether we won or lost.

[phonics]

We’re not winning it but when was the last time the team that played the best football even got to a final. Don’t try Spain 2008 me because that was genuinely the most boring team to ever win a final and it still took a 121st minute winner.

International football is the most ‘who makes the least mistakes’ football. It’s always fucking boring. This Brazil team looks awesome which makes them destined for a second round knockout to like Switzerland.

[Yevrah]

The Euros last year.

And I'm not expecting us to play the best football, just something that's enjoyable to watch. I'd take winning something in lieu of that, but he's clearly not going to pull that off either, so what's the point?

[phonics]

That Italy team spent the entire time sitting deep and scoring on the break?

[Yevrah]

That Italy team spent the entire time sitting deep and scoring on the break?

So? They were good to watch and accepted as the best team at the tournament almost all the way through.

And I'm not even sure what we're about to get into an argument about. You just watched that performance, right? It was horrific.

[randomlegend]

That Italy team spent the entire time sitting deep and scoring on the break?

Nothing wrong with that if it's what your squad is set up for and is effective. Counterattacking football can be great to watch.

England have a seriously talented squad (they do) and Southgate sets us up to play like he's managing Moldova trying to nick a point against Pele's Brazil.

[-james-]

It was. I also said before the final that he should be let go whether we won or lost.

The problem is, who are you having replace him? It's a pretty rancid job to be taking when you could just wait for the next Premier League vacancy to appear. I'm largely pro-Southgate because there has generally been buy-in and stability and that's half the battle when you've got a talented squad.

It's not like international football is ever high quality, but this is surely going to be the worst tournament in memory. Distinct aura of half of them being more arsed about next week's visit of Brentford tonight, and it's hard to imagine them not having their employers breathing down their next when they're in Qatar.

[phonics]

So? They were good to watch and accepted as the best team at the tournament almost all the way through.

And I'm not even sure what we're about to get into an argument about. You just watched that performance, right? It was horrific.

Please stop moving the goalposts. I said play the best football. Not who is the best team. They weren’t good to watch. You just didn’t have a personal investment in them. Italy played exactly the same way a few months later and didn’t even qualify for the fucking tournament. England won every qualifier.

I agree it’s poor. I’m just saying that all international football is appalling and it’s just about not conceding and taking your chances a la late 2000s champions league football.

[phonics]

Nothing wrong with that if it's what your squad is set up for and is effective. Counterattacking football can be great to watch.

England have a seriously talented squad (they do) and Southgate sets us up to play like he's managing Moldova trying to nick a point against Pele's Brazil.

There is nothing to gain in international football playing like you are 70s Brazil. There is everything to gain in playing like you are Moldova.

[Yevrah]

Please stop moving the goalposts. I said play the best football. Not who is the best team. They weren’t good to watch. You just didn’t have a personal investment in them. Italy played exactly the same way a few months later and didn’t even qualify for the fucking tournament. England won every qualifier.

Apologies for moving the goalposts, but they were the best team to watch as well as the best. In any case and like I said, I'm not expecting us to be the best to watch, just better than it's been for most of the time he's been in charge and certainly much better than the absolute shite he's served up this year. Even James is wobbling now, which should tell you all you need to know about how bad this is.

[randomlegend]

There is nothing to gain in international football playing like you are 70s Brazil. There is everything to gain in playing like you are Moldova.

This is wrong.

You probably won't get optimum results going out and trying to Total Football it. But the kind of football Southgate is playing does not get the best performances or results out of this squad either. There is a balance to be struck, and this ain't it.

[7om]

We should get Sean Dyche in now and go 4-4-2 hard Brexit in Qatar

[Yevrah]

There is nothing to gain in international football playing like you are 70s Brazil. There is everything to gain in playing like you are Moldova.

Only up to a certain point, as the last two tournaments have shown. While we have good players, they're not individually good enough to carry us through games against the best sides if we set up like this.

[randomlegend]

Only up to a certain point, as the last two tournaments have shown. While we have good players, they're not individually good enough to carry us through games against the best sides if we set up like this.

The way Southgate sets us up actively works against the good players being able to carry us.

EDIT: That comes across like I'm trying to disagree with you but I'm not, just labouring that point.

[Lewis]

That England kit is honking. It has early exit written all over it.

[Yevrah]

And that's without even addressing the elephant in the room that the solidity that Southgate instilled that led us to a semi and final seems to have fucked off to the pub.