October Football: Derbies 'n' stuff

[Manc]

Don must be conflicted watching Brobbey.

[CJay]

This should have been the 4-3-3 with Harvey in midfield and Carvalho left but he can’t really be dropping Firmino right now.

Henderson and Fabinho are the big problem. Henderson is done at the top level and Fabinho seems to be going through his occasional phases where he can’t do anything right.

Joe Gomez is such a liability as well.

[Gray Fox]

Darwin Nunez... I can't.

[Raoul Duke]

Darwin Nunez... I can't.

Unbelievable miss :D

[Manc]

Brainless.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:lol:

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63401193

I don't know what else he could've said, really. Short of going, "Look, don't do anything stupid that could get you locked up." that seems an okay response.

[Don]

We should really work on a £100m bid for Bassey. £120m + Gomez would be the dream obvs.

[Gray Fox]

1585358768535179267

I still dont know how.

[Don]

Think of the xG :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Ignore previous posting. This lad's the best there's ever been.

[Don]

Too right, fucking world class header and from his own work too. Absolute monster.

[CJay]

Classic Klopp-era group stage game, tbf.

[Don]

Clean sheet away to this Ajax is no mean feat. Especially with Gomez starting. Trent looking supreme, front 3 doing front 3 things. All so predictable :drool:

[niko_cee]

Having only just come in to see the score this thread does seem to have followed the classic Giggles narrative arc. Liverpool so so shit, oh, what's the score, 3-0 away in Europe . . .

[Giggles]

:nodd: like clockwork.

[CJay]

Crazy ending in Madrid. Penalty given to Atletico after the full time whistle. Carrasco misses and the rebound is headed against the bar and then the second rebound hits Carrasco on the line and goes over the bar.

BT Goals Show is top, top programming.

[Yevrah]

Another utterly ludicrous VAR decision, this time in the Spurs game.

[CJay]

Another utterly ludicrous VAR decision, this time in the Spurs game.

Yep - considering how VAR in the champions league generally seems less interventionist I don’t know how they’ve come to a definitive conclusion on that one.

[Spikey M]

I don't even understand how it was offside. Even if Kane was marginally past the defender, the ball is travelling backwards/sideways until the defender touches it.

[niko_cee]

Not seen it but wasn't there one last season [or in the earlier VAR times] when Wolves got done for a weird one at a corner where the ball was played back or something, but someone ran from an offside position and touched it and it turned out that the ball going backwards wasn't actually part of the rule? Being behind the ball is a get out, but being in an offside position when the ball is played holds regardless of the direction of the ball?

[Spikey M]

Surely not? I can remember a fair few goals where 2 attackers broke the offside trap and one has cut the ball back for the other with no defender in sight.

[niko_cee]

The other attacker would have been behind the ball when it was played, which is not offside.

It's actually quite hard to be ahead of the ball, have it be played backwards and end up getting it.

[Bernanke]

Yeah this is a very weird case, but by the book if the defender touch is judged as a deflection and not a new play, then it is actually offside.

Ball direction has nothing to do with it, only if the receiver is ahead or behind it when played.

[niko_cee]

Think that last bit should read 'in an offside position' rather than ahead/behind [I made the same mistake] but yeah, direction ball is played not an issue.


A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play

[John Arne]

What on earth is going on here? Was this the actual image they put on TV?

https://gyazo.com/937c489a01764b14886720f4a7421071.jpeg

[Gray Fox]

So from what I gather the blue line is the ball and the argument is that the defender did not intentionally play the ball and it was a deflection, therefore it goes back to when Emerson plays it as if it was a pass. Kane is then adjudged to be offside based on his knee/shoulder being the red line.

The confusion is that the ball initially travels backwards, which as we've found out, in this case did not matter.

[John Arne]

2 Chonburi players have been suspended after a slight issue.

They got pissed out their face, drove home, crashed and killed someone and injured another.

[Baz]

I don't understand the Kane drama. He is offside. :cab:

[niko_cee]

Surely the drama is the denial [rightly or wrongly] of a last minute match winning goal after 10 minutes of review, literally destroying the game as an entertaining spectacle.

[Yevrah]

Quite. VAR doesn’t exist, that goal is given and not a single complaint is made.

[Baz]

I thought we’d come to terms with VAR being the worst thing to happen in football since Hillsborough. My mistake.

[mo]

Surely the drama is the denial [rightly or wrongly] of a last minute match winning goal after 10 minutes of review, literally destroying the game as an entertaining spectacle.

Just watched the Atletico incident and one of the youtube comments was 'this is why we love the game'. VAR is a disease. Give me crappy league two refs any day.

[Gray Fox]

The point I keep coming back to is that, if you have to get the lines out, just give the goal.

[Ben]

I want to agree but once you start involving technology, you have to be 100% correct with things that aren't subjective and according to the law you're offside whether it's an inch or a mile. They fucked the game by extending it beyond goal line decisions and there's no going back. Game is gone.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's Spurs, fuck them.

[Offshore Toon]

It's really not that bad. People that complain are probably just used to having decisions go their way or had no stake to begin with. Working towards a fair system is worthwhile.

[Spikey M]

It's just an incredibly niche offside because it looked like a cutback, but wasn't. That said, fairness that comes at the expense of 5 minutes reviewing freezeframes from different angles and more lines than a Westminster toiletseat is a step to far.

Having the ref go over to the sidelines to review his decision with the aid of a few replays would be fine.

[Adramelch]

I also don't understand why all we get is the lowest resolution image you're likely to find. That in itself created a lot more drama.

[randomlegend]

Garnacho starting :drool:

[Giggles]

How is cronaldo starting for Utd this evening? I thought he fucked off? That’s all anyone needs to know about the manager and his standing right there.

[randomlegend]

How is cronaldo starting for Utd this evening? I thought he fucked off?

He got kicked out of the squad for a bit as punishment for stropping off the other week. He's now served his punishment.

It's not ideal that he's back in the team but with Martial perpetually injured, we literally only have Rashford (who isn't convincingly a centre forward) and Ronaldo for that spot.

[Giggles]

He got kicked out of the squad for a bit as punishment for stropping off the other week. He's now served his punishment.

It's not ideal that he's back in the team but with Martial perpetually injured, we literally only have Rashford (who isn't convincingly a centre forward) and Ronaldo for that spot.

If the manager was supported then he should be with the kids til he’s gone. Big call by the owners to undermine the sporting side.

[niko_cee]

Might as well get the stroppy cunt to do something for his half million a week.

[Giggles]

I’d get some youngster in the reserves to break his leg.

[randomlegend]

If the manager was supported then he should be with the kids til he’s gone. Big call by the owners to undermine the sporting side.

Nah, it's all been very clearly Ten Hag's decisions.

[Spikey M]

Pablo Mari has been stabbed in Italy. (https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12731733/pablo-mari-arsenal-defender-taken-to-hospital-after-being-stabbed-in-shopping-centre-attack-in-italy)

[randomlegend]

Antony doing his spin then passing it directly off the pitch :drool:

I love him so much.

[Lewis]

United's best player since Nani.

[randomlegend]

Literally all Ronaldo cares about is getting his goal. He's unbearable.

[Boydy]

Literally all Ronaldo cares about is getting his goal. He's unbearable.

He's got to keep Mahow in posts.

[Lewis]

Why is Rashford so skinny? Get some school dinners down him.

[randomlegend]

Dunno but he's starting to look vaguely like a football player again so let's leave him to whatever he's doing.

We are starting to look like a half decent team, but I miss having a player like young Rooney in games like that who'd just destroy them on his own.

[Lewis]

Tony Martial.

[Don]

1585718338281525254

Gahahahaha. Take note of the score and minute. £82m.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Worth every fucking penny.

[Ben]

Imagine how much he'd have cost if he came with a brain and a right foot?

[Kikó]

Imagine making such a big deal over nothing in a nothing game. (Not Ben)

[Luke Emia]

Imagine making such a big deal over nothing in a nothing game. (Not Ben)

Got to have the drama. The way it was set up there I was expecting him to have pissed a little two yard pass out of play, the actual pass wasn't far from coming off and was a lot more difficult than it looked. He still looks like a tit for doing it though but it's not that bad.

[Shindig]

Plus he must've been dizzy.

[niko_cee]

Has Antony been any good? I suppose the one positive thing that comes from the constant noise of the Ronaldo show is that there isn't much media scrutiny of anyone else.

[Ben]

He looks to be very talented but still raw in my opinion. Lovely left foot but refer to my previous post for downsides. I think any other club would have topped out at £50m in the bidding.

[Gray Fox]

I do not believe for one second that Gabriel can understand a word Jordan Henderson says.

This was actually incredibly accurate.

[Luca]

Paul’s Choles et al just sound a bit sad. Joga bonito baby :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was a lovely free kick.

[John Arne]

Musiala choosing the Germans over us is going to hurt for the next 10 years or so. Such a great player.

[-james-]

Kaoru Mitoma is an absolute baller.

[niko_cee]

Should have been at this game but have to get a flight home this evening. :moop:

[John Arne]

Refs in Germany just as bad as here. Ref is 5 yards away, didn't give it - it then took VAR about 2 mins...

https://gyazo.com/5810ba43810c202ba4f7726e9c520e8c.gif

[Waffdon]

Potter continuing to go with a back 3 is absolutely hilarious. 4 games in a row they’ve been battered from the get go in the league and todays the first time someone has actually put their chances away.

Two seasons running Reece James (something about Reece James) has got injured in October and the performances goes to shit

[-james-]

Agent Potter. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chelsea :harold:

[Waffdon]

Agent Potter. :cool:

Playing Raheem Sterling as a wing back continually whilst being molested instead of just going with a back 4 would make you assume so. Sterling is genuinely a horrific footballer. Lived off scoring a tap in at the back post for years.

[Giggles]

Bollocks he’s horrific. He’s no wing back though.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Almiron is in tremendous form.

[SincereTheRebel]

Diego Costa dropping headbutts on gingers and he sees a red card. Didn't take long.

[Kikó]

Bollocks he’s horrific. He’s no wing back though.

Yep totally this. He's a very good player.

The Frankfurt Dortmund game has been electric so far.

[Shindig]

It's getting surreal for us. :D I know the money's been a big help but some of the guys that are starring (Almiron, Murphy, Joelinton) were looking pretty ordinary in seasons past. I'm just enjoying the ride.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Bayern fans were all walking through the tube with faces like slapped arses, so I checked the score. They won 6-2. What a life it must be supporting them.

I'm a Spurs fan, great win today.

[Kikó]

It's getting surreal for us. :D I know the money's been a big help but some of the guys that are starring (Almiron, Murphy, Joelinton) were looking pretty ordinary in seasons past. I'm just enjoying the ride.

It's a real fairytale story.

[Giggles]

In fairness it hasn’t been a massive splurge or anything mad like that, even with the money. Howe has done a great job.

[Don]

Look at our team ffs, double-figures is definitely on from the clips of Leeds' defending I've seen recently.

[Ben]

Great vision from Gomez to see that.

[Yevrah]

Newcastle massively ahead of schedule it seems and look a proper team now.

[Gray Fox]

Great vision from Gomez to see that.

Goe Jomez in full force yet again.

[randomlegend]

Nunez :lol:

The Andy Carroll comparisons were too harsh on the Englishman.

[wullie]

Lost at home to Blackpool today as the entire squad have the massive squits, and Tuesday's home game at Blackburn is currently being played fuck knows where because the company that owns the stadium goes into administration on Monday and it could all be boarded up and emptied unless a buyer is ready to pounce. Another very normal week.

[Kikó]

In fairness it hasn’t been a massive splurge or anything mad like that, even with the money. Howe has done a great job.

I think he's a good manager but still, fuck the Saudis.

[Gray Fox]

I'll be very surprised if Jomez and Fabinho come back out for the 2nd half.

Fabinho especially feels like I'm watching that bit in Space Jam when the players talents have been taken away by the aliens.

[Boydy]

I think he's a good manager but still, fuck the Saudis.
Really torn between wanting to see Eddie Howe do well and "fuck the Saudis".

[Luke Emia]

Turned this on at half time don’t think I’ve seen us put five passes together in a move yet.

[Offshore Toon]

It's getting surreal for us. :D I know the money's been a big help but some of the guys that are starring (Almiron, Murphy, Joelinton) were looking pretty ordinary in seasons past. I'm just enjoying the ride.
At least you're not sucking off Bruce anymore.

[Boydy]

Look at our team ffs, double-figures is definitely on from the clips of Leeds' defending I've seen recently.

He did this on purpose to fuck over those of us who went for Liverpool in the Last Man Standing.

[Shindig]

At least you're not sucking off Bruce anymore.

Aye. I thought it was a sideways step when he went but I cannot argue with the best defence in the league.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Any ability Bamford has has now long gone.

[Lewis]

Really torn between wanting to see Eddie Howe do well and "fuck the Saudis".

Oooh, tough one that. Newcastle really deserve it as well.

[Offshore Toon]

Aye. I thought it was a sideways step when he went but I cannot argue with the best defence in the league.
It's alright, you're forgiven.

The board's Bruce saga made it abundantly clear that I'm the only authority on here when it comes to Newcastle United, so that's one positive out of it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liverpool :lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bamford's shocking first touch helping Leeds there.

[randomlegend]

Look at our team ffs, double-figures is definitely on from the clips of Leeds' defending I've seen recently.

:lol:

[Magic]

:lol:

[-james-]

VVD moving like QPR era Rio Ferdinand

[Don]

Brutal. Have to keep sight of the key things tho, the nazi will behead Gomez and Darwin's xG :drool: Top 4 and CL win still fine.

[Waffdon]

VVD record is finally over. Thank fuck for that.

[Giggles]

Please tell me he’s still doing the hands behind the back thing.

[Luke Emia]

Please tell me he’s still doing the hands behind the back thing.

He’s not made a challenge since the end of last season. I’m 100% convinced he’s scared of getting injured before the World Cup.

[SvN]

Klopp won't be manager at the start of next season. The parallels between this and his last season with Dortmund are striking. His style doesn't have longevity.

[Spikey M]

Didn't he nearly get Dortmund relegated? Give him time.

[Yevrah]

Indeed. If anyone deserves time, it's Klopp.

[Luke Emia]

Klopp won't be manager at the start of next season. The parallels between this and his last season with Dortmund are striking. His style doesn't have longevity.

It’s not that, the team hasn’t been refreshed enough over the last 3 or 4 years and it’s starting to tell. The midfield needs major work and isn’t working correctly the problem with Klopp teams is that if one part isn’t 100% on it they look terrible and at the minute the midfield just isn’t functioning correctly. Then couple that with the fact that Joe Gomez is seemingly doing his best to give every team we play at the minute a one goal start and we have problems.

[Lewis]

Liverpool relied on their midfield out running everybody (which also covered the defence) and their front three all being exceptional. Their midfield is either old or not inclined to run itself to death, and they don't have three world class forwards anymore. It's not his style as such.

[phonics]

Didn't he nearly get Dortmund relegated? Give him time.

Nearly got Dortmund relegated by finishing 7th.

[Luke Emia]

And on Klopp I think if they sacked him without backing him properly and giving him the time to change the team there would be absolute uproar. If we finished outside the top four this season and were crap next season as well I’d still let him start the following season.

He’s the best manager the club have had in my lifetime and as soon as he is gone I can guarantee we will be back to where we were for the previous 20 years.

[randomlegend]

Klopp won't be manager at the start of next season. The parallels between this and his last season with Dortmund are striking. His style doesn't have longevity.

Their recruitment is the problem. Well, by that I mean they've regressed to the mean in terms of hit rate and don't spend enough to get away with it. A massively high proportion of their big signings in the transition period when Klopp came in paid off big time. They are now in a position where they need to rebuild and they are spaffing 100m up the wall on dross like Nunez whilst filling their midfield squad chasm with fucking Arthur on loan.

You can get away with some duffers if you spend like Barcelona, but they don't (and seemingly won't).

I genuinely think they will fade to perennial 4th/5th for the foreseeable future.

[Boydy]

Don't they have one of the oldest squads in the league now? Pretty sure I heard some commentator say that the other week.

It's shit to watch at the minute but Klopp should probably still have the job for as long as he wants. And the backing to refresh/strengthen the squad where it's needed.

[Spikey M]

Nearly got Dortmund relegated by finishing 7th.

I was going to explain that "I was nodding to them being near the bottom of the league mid-season and that I wasn't being entirely serious", but instead I'll just cut to the chase and ask if you're OK? Because you appear to have rewound 9 months to the Switzerland Phonics that constantly didn't know what was going on.

[Luke Emia]

Their recruitment is the problem. Well, by that I mean they've regressed to the mean in terms of hit rate and don't spend enough to get away with it. A massively high proportion of their big signings in the transition period when Klopp came in paid off big time. They are now in a position where they need to rebuild and they are spaffing 100m up the wall on dross like Nunez whilst filling their midfield squad chasm with fucking Arthur on loan.

You can get away with some duffers if you spend like Barcelona, but they don't (and seemingly won't).

I genuinely think they will fade to perennial 4th/5th for the foreseeable future.

This is it. Regardless of taking the piss out of net spend look at Liverpools since he took over and it will tell you the job he has done. He hasn’t ever been allowed to splurge apart from Van Dijk, Fabinho and Allison and that was only because Barca overpaid for Coutinho.

Even in 2019/20 the back up strikers were Origi and Shaqiri and beyond that there wasn’t much. We just got lucky with injuries that season which meant they weren’t needed as much.

[Boydy]

To be fair to Leeds, Meslier was class tonight.

[SvN]

This is it. Regardless of taking the piss out of net spend look at Liverpools since he took over and it will tell you the job he has done. He hasn’t ever been allowed to splurge apart from Van Dijk, Fabinho and Allison and that was only because Barca overpaid for Coutinho.

Even in 2019/20 the back up strikers were Origi and Shaqiri and beyond that there wasn’t much. We just got lucky with injuries that season which meant they weren’t needed as much.

Hasn't been allowed to splurge? He just spent £100m on the Uruguayan Andy Carroll.

[Gray Fox]

A few factors are coming together at once here. Injuries for one, have forced some players into the team that have no right to be there. I'm looking at you Goe Jomez. What also doesn't help is when he has the game of him life against Man City, then a mere week or two later he's full on bombscare. It has also forced some players to play every single minute/game, when they really need dropping due to form or fitness(Van Dijk, Fabinho, Trent, Henderson etc).

A lot of players are hitting their bad patch at the same time too.

Add in a newly purchased forward who at best can be considered a "raw talent" right now. He's not adapting in the best way, but they've spunked £60-80m on him depending on who you believe, so he must play.
A new system was created to get something good out of both him and Salah at the same time, but immediately Diaz and Jota are injured, so now there is no player other than Carvalho who can play from the left. This system now is quite off balance, as was seen tonight.

The owners have been somewhat frugal since they came in too. They've done fantastic work off the pitch. Half a new stadium, new training ground, massively increased sponsorships and the genius Nike deal. This is where all of the money Liverpool have earned in prizes/Europe participation and TV money has gone. It means it was done without taking out a big fuck off loan once or twice.
However, this has left them in a firm sell to buy mode for most of their seasons here, with a couple of slight exceptions. They also seem to have this idea that they can pre-plan transfers windows in advance. For example Luis Diaz was planned to be bought in the summer window just gone, the previous summer. Spurs made a move for him and suddenly the money is there to do it in January after all.
This is going to have to change and more risk is going to have to come into it. I believe the same idea was thought of Bellingham, but is he fuck coming to us now.

There is also evidently some burn out from being so close but so far from perfection last year. Both physical and mental.

What I will say though is it's been a long long time since I saw the ball just being hopelessly hoofed into the box at the end of a game to try and get something.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Don't they have one of the oldest squads in the league now? Pretty sure I heard some commentator say that the other week.

It's shit to watch at the minute but Klopp should probably still have the job for as long as he wants. And the backing to refresh/strengthen the squad where it's needed.

Only Fulham (Tim Ream really helping here) and West Ham have older squads. Spurs and Newcastle are tied with Liverpool.

[Luke Emia]

Hasn't been allowed to splurge? He just spent £100m on the Uruguayan Andy Carroll.

But then look at who left in the summer and the incoming fees also we only bought one player in 2021 and no one in 2019. The fees roughly balance out every year on spending versus incomings without even taking into account the savings on wages this summer from Mane, Minamino and Origi going. The owners have never and will never do what United have done in the last few years and unless every transfer comes off(which they haven’t in the past couple of years) this is where you end up.

[Alex]

To be fair to Leeds, Meslier was class tonight.

He's our most valuable asset by far.

I went into that just hoping we didn't lose by more than three or four, so obviously am delighted with the outcome. Hopefully we rally from here.

[-james-]

The gambling markets still have Liverpool as the second best team in the league (slightly ahead of Arsenal and miles behind City) and they're rarely wrong. It has been a very sudden drop off which is the sort of thing they can fail to capture so we'll see.

[Don]

The gambling markets still have Liverpool as the second best team in the league (slightly ahead of Arsenal and miles behind City) and they're rarely wrong. It has been a very sudden drop off which is the sort of thing they can fail to capture so we'll see.

I wouldn't be so sure, the big hitters of the football analysis community in this thread seem to have lost confidence in us. Just as they did after every poor result this season :happycry:

[randomlegend]

I wouldn't be so sure, the big hitters of the football analysis community in this thread seem to have lost confidence in us. Just as they did after every poor result this season :happycry:

Yeah and you're 9th.

[Don]

Tell the bookies, lad.

[Kikó]

Klopp won't be manager at the start of next season. The parallels between this and his last season with Dortmund are striking. His style doesn't have longevity.

7 years is pretty long in football terms.

[Shindig]

They're still creating plenty but it's telling just how poor that defence is dealing with pressure. Going back to the keeper isn't always going to work but that's Gomez's first idea. And Alisson looks like he's called for it.

[thommo]

Only Fulham (Tim Ream really helping here) and West Ham have older squads. Spurs and Newcastle are tied with Liverpool.

Don't forget the best winger in SW6, Willian. Rolling back the years despite upping our average age.

[niko_cee]

Liverpool also seem to be walking into superkeeper efforts quite a lot this season, added to their own profligacy and continual defensive rickets it's a bit of a heady combination. The intensity of the schedule hasn't helped, but that seems to be affecting most teams [who at the moment look like the walking dead] so I reckon there is quite a bit in struggling against teams who have had the 'full week' to prepare etc. Other than City everyone just has to get to the World Cup [also agree that maybe players are protecting themselves with this on the horizon] and see where they can go in the new year. This season was always going to be a complete mess.

[phonics]

Do Forest not have a sponsor this year?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Do Forest not have a sponsor this year?

They don't.

The owner was holding out for £10m a season for a sponsor.

[Ben]

Good to see him hold true to the Greek stereotype of financial savvy.

“If I’m not getting £10m, I’ll go without.”

Makes the kit look great though.

[niko_cee]

Now to just float the team out into the Adriatic and sink it for the insurance monies . . .

[Lewis]

This West Ham kit is honking. They look like a bottom half Spanish team.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rashford :cool:

[Waffdon]

That defending from Kehrer is hilarious. Completely oblivious to the fact someone could be behind him

[phonics]

Who’s that on the panel and why won’t he take his hat off.

[Don]

It's Louis Saha trying his best to look like his namesake involved in the Mendy trial.

[Kikó]

Roy Keane.

[phonics]

I’m working so it’s not had my full attention but this is the most boring game of all time right?

[Offshore Toon]

I’m working so it’s not had my full attention but this is the most boring game of all time right?
Yeah, it's been so bad that it makes a salty potato seem interesting.

[Waffdon]

This has the feels of the Leicester title winning season. Not very many teams looking great at all whilst Leicester keep plucking away. Replace Leicester with The Arsenal. Title winners confirmed.

[Danny]

I’m working so it’s not had my full attention but this is the most boring game of all time right?

Newcastle rocking up to OT a few week back and time wasting from the start was worse

[Jimmy Floyd]

Man City are winning it by 12+ surely.

[Don]

Utd are so shit, some of you soft shites come out and make some claims about finishing ahead of us so I can lol my erection away in the coming months.

[Lewis]

Yeah, it's been so bad that it makes a salty potato seem interesting.

Thought this was a Roy Keane reference until I opened the other thread.

[Kikó]

Good win. United look like they're set to comfortably finish above Liverpool.

[randomlegend]

Utd are so shit, some of you soft shites come out and make some claims about finishing ahead of us so I can lol my erection away in the coming months.

Nobody cares about you or your shit team.

[Don]

Yeah, I have a semi now, keep it coming.

[randomlegend]

https://i.redd.it/dkuo80rugfx91.jpg

Haaloland.

[Manc]

He's no Cenk Tosun.

[Giggles]

I’ve looked at it 3 times now and I can’t see his name.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That took me far too long...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I’ve looked at it 3 times now and I can’t see his name.

Top right corner of the image, not the graph...

I scanned each name about 5 times until I finally realised.

[Giggles]

Ah. Jaysus.

[niko_cee]

He's done well to get 38 90s in.

[-james-]

Lopetegui to Wolves, apparently. I can't remember if he's a fraud or not.

[-james-]

http://clubelo.com/Lopetegui

Clubelo says... probably?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Spurs in the mud :drool:

[Yevrah]

More ludicrously long VAR pauses at Anfield.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

VAR taking far too long in the Liverpool game.

[Giggles]

It could be seen in about 5 seconds that was offside.

[Kikó]

Var is shit.

Frankfurt though 👀

[Waffdon]

Marseille fancy having any ex PL jailbaits in their squad at all

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Marseille fucked off down the plughole that they should have been sent down when Monsieur Tapie was bribing refs in the 90s, and stayed there, it would be to everyone's benefit.

[SincereTheRebel]

Marseille should be 2-1 up. Kolasanic missed a back oost header from 6 yards

[Waffdon]

Four ex Arsenal players alone never mind the others.

Liverpool definitely drawing Porto or Frankfurt.

[Yevrah]

What a fucking hit by Hojberg and to top the group too.

[Waffdon]

This Spurs side sliming their way into the last 16 is really a war crime. Horrendous team.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Spurs/Chelsea quarter final I reckon, just to get my March off to a superlative start.

[Waffdon]

That Spurs goal doesn’t half cock Liverpool up actually. Now they can only draw Bayern/Madrid/Porto/PSG

[niko_cee]

Like you said, Porto will do nicely.

[Don]

Nunez :happycry: The geezer is ridiculous, think he may be physically superior to Mane too.

The kids look good too. Osimhen won't ever be physically so dominated again. Kvaradona played like Jones vs Leeds but they won't say anything cause he isn't a Scouse gammon fuck with a ketwig. Top work all-round.

[Gray Fox]

That Spurs goal doesn’t half cock Liverpool up actually. Now they can only draw Bayern/Madrid/Porto/PSG

Benfica and Leipzig too, no?

[Waffdon]

Well, yeah but Madrid aren't losing to Celtic and I highly doubt PSG are to that Juventus side.

[wullie]

Looks like Mike Ashley's buying our stadium, I assume that's shit.

[Waffdon]

Graham Potter obviously scared of the sack already. In what is the most meaningless match (guaranteed 1st) of the season, he's went full starting XI resting 1 or 2 max with Arsenal at the weekend. What a gimp.

(may or may not have stuck a tenner on Zagreb thinking Chelsea would be playing a bunch of yoofs and reserves.)

[Jimmy Floyd]

If the owners sacked Potter any time soon it would just demonstrate them to be utterly clueless know-nothings, which it's possible they are, but why be so obvious about it.

[niko_cee]

Potter also an absolute master of taking Arsenal down with Brighton, so you'd think that would translate across with Chelsea's general hoodoo over them as well.

Just treading water anyway until he gets some proper Potterballers in [read however many of the Brighton squad you can afford]. Poor Billy Gilmour must wish he'd insisted on some sort of buyback clause.

[niko_cee]

Also, what's going on with all the penalties in the Celtic game?

[-james-]

Graham Potter obviously scared of the sack already. In what is the most meaningless match (guaranteed 1st) of the season, he's went full starting XI resting 1 or 2 max with Arsenal at the weekend. What a gimp.

(may or may not have stuck a tenner on Zagreb thinking Chelsea would be playing a bunch of yoofs and reserves.)

Why would he rest? You might as well run your players into the ground before they fuck off for a month. In the current Chelsea context it makes sense as well because he clearly hasn't figured out the best setup.

I had completely forgotten they'd bought Zakaria.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chelsea :harold:

[Waffdon]

They have injuries galore in defence and half their midfield have been playing through injuries. Makes absolutely no sense to play a full strength team in a game that means nothing.

Thankfully half of Chelsea’s team are utter toilet so 10/1 is looking great value.

And there’s another defensive injury :lol:

[Adramelch]

If Benfica grab one more goal in the dying minutes of this game, they will be perfectly tied with PSG. In which case I think Benfica would be top based on their away goals throughout the group stage.

EDIT: And they just did.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Benfica :cool:

[Waffdon]

Ben Chilwell pulled his hammy now. I think all but Chalobah out of all Chelsea’s senior defenders have been injured at one point. Proper Liverpool from the other year vibes.

[Gray Fox]

Do they have a Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips?

[Don]

Chilwell is nice. Son is awful (except for this weekend obvs).

[Jimmy Floyd]

They will go down like flies in the next few weeks of club games. Team Qatar are resting up in luxury hotels, nothing more strenuous than a prozzie in a niqab every few days. It's coming home.