Football! But in May!!

[niko_cee]

Yeah, they'll be fine, but they'll probably just be stuck around where they are rather than being able to have a proper run at being actually good. Until it then goes tits up in a few years.

Their system is better than their players though, so maybe they can Atalanta it up a bit.

[Don]

The system seems to rely heavily on Mac Allister and Caicedo being press-resistant and capable of breaking lines with their passing. Now I'm not saying Milner and some Syrian refugee aren't going to be able to replace them but watching De Zerbi-ball next season should be very lol.

[niko_cee]

Gilmour and Moder (has he ever recovered? ) will replace them seemlessly.

[Lewis]

Are Brighton ever liable to produce their own players? The area strikes me as a proper sporting death zone, even more so than the other South coast teams, unless they can nibble a few South London county lines types away from their pretend rivals.

[niko_cee]

March, Dunk, they've had a few others come through and do well elsewhere [Gyokeres].

I think the problem is that there isn't much football between the south coast and south London. If you look at the lower leagues, you have teams at levels 7-9 along the coast, and then you have them around the edge of south London, so the catchment isn't that big and I guess all the best players gravitate towards the London clubs. The commuter land between the two is, as you say, a bit of a death zone [other than all the Chelsea kids at Whitgift].

Of course, all of Brighton's potential midfield issues will be solved when they sign Alex Scott in the summer.

[Waffdon]

Gilmour and Moder (has he ever recovered? ) will replace them seemlessly.

6-0 Wolves, 1-0 v Man Utd and today with Gilmour in the line up. The prodigy is back.

Also, why do Sky - even after 9pm - get so offended by players swearing where they have to apologise? Same with when the mic picks up crowd noise and the commentators apologise for it like something terrible has happened

[phonics]

Because the law says they have to.

[Shindig]

I can see Brighton giving us some bother on Thursday.

[Giggles]

Would be more worried about Evan Ferguson. He looks like an absolute monster. Poor bastard needs to hope he has some dodgy gran so he doesn’t need to play for ireland

His mother is English and he's already had his first cap. Keep up.

[Lewis]

He looks very Irish, so when you say 'English', do you mean actually English and not just Irish but from Belfast or somewhere?

[Boydy]

The big Irish head is passed down on the father's side.

[Waffdon]

His mother is English and he's already had his first cap. Keep up.

Hasn’t played a competitive game, has he?

[Lewis]

The big Irish head is passed down on the father's side.

Leo Varadkar. It must just be something in the water.

[Baz]

He is class that Ferguson tbf.

[Giggles]

Hasn’t played a competitive game, has he?

One, against France. Though one isn't enough these days under the new rules, there's no doubt about him.

[Giggles]

He looks very Irish, so when you say 'English', do you mean actually English and not just Irish but from Belfast or somewhere?

Actual 'innit blud' English.

[Giggles]

Leo Varadkar. It must just be something in the water.

Hes more British than Ferguson's mother.

[Gray Fox]

Barcelona won the league in local rivals Espanyols' stadium and started their celebrations. Their fans didn't like it so invaded the pitch and the Barcelona players shat themselves and ran away.

1657852157016657920

[Shindig]

I don't know what Barca expected to be honest.

[Waffdon]

Barcelona won the league in local rivals Espanyols' stadium and started their celebrations. Their fans didn't like it so invaded the pitch and the Barcelona players shat themselves and ran away.

1657852157016657920

Souness would have planted a flag in front of them

[randomlegend]

Barcelona won the league in local rivals Espanyols' stadium and started their celebrations. Their fans didn't like it so invaded the pitch and the Barcelona players shat themselves and ran away.

What else are they going to do, go to war with the 100+ people who've made it onto the pitch?

[Lewis]

'Pol Ballus' bealing into his big girl's blouse.

[Waffdon]

1658011148686336000

Defo Phonics FT account

[Yevrah]

I thought points accrued this season being enough to win the league in previous years was a bad enough argument but bringing in points totals from leagues in other countries is a whole new level.

As for Arsenal's form, it's now so shit that one wonders how they'll do next season.

[Don]

Regression to the mean is a beautiful thing. Poor Leicester.

https://understat.com/league/EPL

[Lofty]

This one did make me lol:

https://i.ibb.co/tQrQQrt/FB-IMG-1684148180150.jpg

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's a solid top four season for the Arsenal FC. Top four footy, back in the red third of north London.

[phonics]

Neville’s angry because he said City would win the league by 15 points and United would finish second and got bantered for it.

Now that United are 20 points behind, he’s changed his tune but apparently it’s Arsenal fans that have moved the goalposts.

[Ben]

Nice bit of mental gymnastics there.

[Waffdon]

Neville’s angry because he said City would win the league by 15 points and United would finish second and got bantered for it.

Now that United are 20 points behind, he’s changed his tune but apparently it’s Arsenal fans that have moved the goalposts.
Neville got lolled at for saying Arsenal might not have the bottle and he’s been proven right. Arsenal have bottled it well and truly.

[Kikó]

Arsenal haven't really bottled it. City are just relentless and much better than every team in the league.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think most fans, particularly of the big clubs, have yet processed how easily City are going to win everything for the next 5 or so years and how little relevance their clubs have except for filling out the CL semi-finals or quarter-finals.

I'd almost rather support Forest or something as at least you have progress to aim for.

[Waffdon]

Arsenal haven't really bottled it. City are just relentless and much better than every team in the league.

Drawing 3 games in a row (having been 2-0 up in 2 of them and 2 of the 3 games being against bottom 5 teams) followed by rolling over to City is definitely a bottle crash. And then obviously yesterday was the cream

[phonics]

Except if you gave us those wins and City win their game in hand we still lose despite that meaning we’d won 13 of the last 14.

It’s not a bottle job, they’re just ludicrously good and a better team.

[niko_cee]

I don't think most fans, particularly of the big clubs, have yet processed how easily City are going to win everything for the next 5 or so years and how little relevance their clubs have except for filling out the CL semi-finals or quarter-finals.

I'd almost rather support Forest or something as at least you have progress to aim for.

Not really sure this is the case. Whenever any team is particularly ascendant people can never see beyond their complete domination of everything, and that rarely turns out to be the case. Other teams will get their act together, Haaland or De Bruyne could get seriously injured etc.

Somewhat agree on point 2 though. So long as 90 points plus is the threshold to win the league it is far preferable following a mid-tier club without the weekly trauma of ABSOLUTELY HAVING TO WIN EVERY GAME lest the season be written off as a failure less than halfway through it.

[Gray Fox]

Regression to the mean is a beautiful thing. Poor Leicester.

https://understat.com/league/EPL

Interesting looking at that table. Liverpool have been better than I've experienced it at home, whereas it suggests away from home they've suffered from both not taking chances and opponents taking more than their fair share.

As for Arsenal, unfortunately they're up against the team that has moved the goalposts on the pitch as much as they have off it. Previously a team getting to high 80's in points would be winning the league. Now you're needing to aim for 95 points or so to be in with a chance. Even then we've seen higher than that not be good enough.

To have won the league in the past 7 years instead of the winner, your points required would have been 94, 101, 99, 100, 87, 94 and looking like 95 again this year. There's no shame in losing to these as they're not human and also don't exactly play by the same rules as the rest, but unfortunately the house always wins.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not really sure this is the case. Whenever any team is particularly ascendant people can never see beyond their complete domination of everything, and that rarely turns out to be the case. Other teams will get their act together, Haaland or De Bruyne could get seriously injured etc.

Somewhat agree on point 2 though. So long as 90 points plus is the threshold to win the league it is far preferable following a mid-tier club without the weekly trauma of ABSOLUTELY HAVING TO WIN EVERY GAME lest the season be written off as a failure less than halfway through it.

The last six PL seasons have comprised three easy City wins, and three seasons where they were meaningfully challenged by Liverpool (of which two were still won by City). It's gone.

[Spikey M]

It’s not a bottle job

https://i.ibb.co/LnwKBhq/Screenshot-20230515-171404-Samsung-Internet.jpg

I just wish I could actually bottle it. :happycry:

[phonics]

City are a better team than us. Change all non City games to a win. They’re still a point behind. The youngest team in the league isn’t as good as Man City. Absolute bottle job.

[niko_cee]

The last six PL seasons have comprised three easy City wins, and three seasons where they were meaningfully challenged by Liverpool (of which two were still won by City). It's gone.

It's alright, Saudi, Qatar and Clearlake Capital will save the day.

Pep will fuck off eventually and then there will be space for everyone else.

United enjoyed similar periods of dominance, so it's not a new thing.

[niko_cee]

And, you know, it's all coming out in the FFP wash anyway.

[niko_cee]

1654098721632669697?t=c3VJFiMWESM5rzHub5b7hg&s=19

5* manager Owen Coyle roaring back in focus. seniorguvnor playing the long game.

All rather gone to shit for SG, JG, OC, the football intelegensia, just everyone since this post.

[Shindig]

City are a better team than us. Change all non City games to a win. They’re still a point behind. The youngest team in the league isn’t as good as Man City. Absolute bottle job.

I mean, you should be beating Southampton and West Ham on paper. I'm with you, though. City always had that game in hand and wins over those two (combined with a point against Brighton) would've still seen you second best.

[phonics]

In a perfect world yes. The fact that we were ever in the position to lose it by a point rather than 9 or so hasn’t killed me life it has some others. I factored in 2 losses and Man City dropping 1 as my positive vision board. It didn’t happen. C’est la vie.

[Max Power]

Gonna be an absolute massacre tonight

[Don]

Yep although where a wild Jonny Evans has appeared from I don't know. Newcastle and West Ham are do-able now at least.

[Pleb]

Trent is having an identity crisis with his position here.

[Gray Fox]

Ask RL about it. He'll be delighted to give you a detailed breakdown.

[Luke Emia]

Champions League looks done. So let’s do the decent thing here and lose to stick Everton in the shit.

[Manc]

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Article/Cardiff-city-reclame-110-m-et-8364-au-fc-nantes-dans-l-affaire-sala/1396747

Hopefully this brings some sort of curse upon the club.

[Waffdon]

Barnes gets taken out on the break and it’s not given as a yellow. Tragic.

[phonics]

Linking an article in french thats also behind a paywall might be the worst post that this forums ever committed.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've gotten past the paywall (thanks bypass) but my French is shit.

[Ben]

I want to like Faes because of his hair but he’s a huge liability.

[phonics]

I've gotten past the paywall (thanks bypass) but my French is shit.

Copy paste please?

[Waffdon]

I want to like Faes because of his hair but he’s a huge liability.

Yeah, he’s properly tragic. I can’t see Leicester staying up. Their defence and keeper are just so bad

[Baz]

Baller :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Copy paste please?

Cardiff City réclame 110 M€ au FC Nantes dans l'affaire Sala

INFO L'ÉQUIPE. Cardiff City a saisi le Tribunal de commerce de Nantes, le 12 mai, dans l'affaire Sala. Le club gallois réclame près de 110 M€ au FCN au titre d'indemnisation des « préjudices subis » après le décès accidentel de l'attaquant argentin.

Il l'avait annoncé et il l'a fait, sans ambages. Le club de Cardiff City, en litige depuis quatre ans avec le FC Nantes au sujet du transfert et du décès accidentel d'Emiliano Sala, a entamé ses poursuites au civil en France, après avoir été débouté de tous ses recours en Suisse. Selon nos informations, le club gallois a déposé vendredi dernier (via ses avocats français, Mes Olivier Loizon et Laure-Anne Montigny, du cabinet parisien Viguié Schmidt & associés) une assignation auprès du Tribunal de commerce de Nantes, visant à condamner principalement « la société FC Nantes à verser la somme, à parfaire, de 100 millions d'euros avec intérêts au taux légal, à compter du jugement, au titre des pertes de revenus subies » par Cardiff, après la disparition prématurée de l'attaquant argentin, qui n'a jamais pu évoluer sous le maillot des Bluebirds. L'assignation à comparaître est fixée au 22 juin prochain.

[Boydy]

My phone offered to translate the article for me. Also didn't get a paywall.

[Ben]

Basically Cardiff want €110m off Nantes for reasons either my French ability can’t deduce or are incredibly spurious.

[niko_cee]

That's a mental decision, even if it's 'right'.

[Shindig]

Even without knowledge of French, that headline says it all. Cardiff reclaiming 110m Euros from the Sala purchase is incredibly cunty. He was a £15m deal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Basically Cardiff want €110m off Nantes for reasons either my French ability can’t deduce or are incredibly spurious.

Yeah that's what I got.

I did hear that they wanted payment for "damages" but lol at 110m Euros being the number.

[Shindig]

Oooh, could be a collapse on.

[Ben]

You’ve got to fancy Dyche to steal a result somewhere, so this Leicester team are gone I feel. Horrendous.

[Luke Emia]

Fuck sake.

[Waffdon]

Letting someone like Curtis Jones score twice again you sums this Leicester defence up. Bloody hell

[Gray Fox]

Where the fuck has this Curtis Jones been hiding?

Leicester heads look to have gone already.

[Manc]

You can why Carsley has been playing him as a nine.

[phonics]

Lol so reading it, Cardiff are asking for the transfer fee, every penny they would have paid for his 5 year contract AND the money they would have received for his inevitable transfer to a top 6 club when he succeeded because it's impossible to prove that he wouldn't have achieved that. Using the fact that the transfer fee and his contract had extra payment stipulations built in if he had been the second coming of Kevin Phillips 30 goal season as proof that all sides believed that these goals were certainties.

[phonics]

It's funny how often it happens in Football where a teams biggest strength suddenly becomes their biggest weakness. The year they won the league was powered by Kante and Mahrez and Vardy but at it's core was Morgan and Huth heading/clearing away anything that came near the box. Nowadays their set-piece defence is so poor I believe it's set league records and they can't defend crosses from wide areas.

[Don]

Luis Diaz playing like the favela cunt he is. Get Jota on and let's chase down Newcastle's GD.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a hit that was.

[Gray Fox]

Can we please talk about Trent some more?

[Boydy]

Van Dijk just fucking BONKING him on the head.

[Luke Emia]

Can we please talk about Trent some more?

I’m sure we will do when Wan Bissaka is in the next England squad ahead of him.

[Gray Fox]

No self respecting Liverpool fan gives a fuck about England.

[Luke Emia]

No self respecting Liverpool fan gives a fuck about England.

I was more making the point that Sir Gareth would rather pick anyone than get him in the team.

[Boydy]

Tried to find some old post I remember where I said Bodgers was shit and someone (turned out to be Kiko) said he wasn't but the quote didn't work right and I can't be fucked using the shitty search function again so just take this as me informing you of the :evictory:

[Manc]

Top four is well and truly on. I can see Fulham causing United problems, likewise Brighton at Newcastle.

[Waffdon]

Both play Chelsea though so you’re kind of fucked

[Gray Fox]

Neither are dropping points in two games, but it is good to see us playing properly to end the season. At least with 5th we'd avoid some qualifying shitfest.

[Lewis]

No self respecting Liverpool fan gives a fuck about England.

Surely this is only actual Liverpudlians? Not even being from there but having a massive chip on your shoulder purely through the football team would be proper nonce behaviour.

[Lofty]

Ironically the actual Liverpudlians I know think the city is a shithole and moved away as soon as they could, it's the adoptive ones who give it 'the best place in the world!' Schtick.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Lol so reading it, Cardiff are asking for the transfer fee, every penny they would have paid for his 5 year contract AND the money they would have received for his inevitable transfer to a top 6 club when he succeeded because it's impossible to prove that he wouldn't have achieved that. Using the fact that the transfer fee and his contract had extra payment stipulations built in if he had been the second coming of Kevin Phillips 30 goal season as proof that all sides believed that these goals were certainties.

I don't get how it's Nantes's fault that he got on a dodgy plane. Either way, it must be one of the most undignified sagas in a very undignified sport.

[Kikó]

Tried to find some old post I remember where I said Bodgers was shit and someone (turned out to be Kiko) said he wasn't but the quote didn't work right and I can't be fucked using the shitty search function again so just take this as me informing you of the :evictory:

He's not shit though is he*? He definitely has a shelf life and limitations (like transfers) but he can do a decent job for a period.


*From fans of Steve Bruce: 1000 game manager

[Jimmy Floyd]

He came 2nd in the FA Carling Premiership and won the Scottish League, I reckon he's good at football managing.

[niko_cee]

Not sure how Dean Smith continuing to take Leicester down and making them look even worse in the process is necessarily a poor reflection on Bodgers.

They've just underinvested in the playing squad/been unlucky that some of their transfers have been whack, loads of their players have got injured, some star performers have seemingly gone to shit [what has happened to Ndidi?]. Strikes me that the new owners aren't really committed to it like the old man was.

[Luke Emia]

He came 2nd in the FA Carling Premiership and won the Scottish League, I reckon he's good at football managing.

He's ok. He came second in the league but he also had the best player I have ever seen play for the club in his team. He then got a bit big for his own boots and went to shit, Celtic you can't argue with what he did and if he had taken the hit in the pocket last year and walked away from Leicester you would have said he had done an excellent job.

But, I would say that this season there were a lot of the excuses from his last 12 months at Liverpool it was always someone else's fault other than his own. Completely forgetting that a lot of the signings have been his own even if they haven't spent as much money as they had done in the past.

[Baz]

I mean the man deserves a knighthood, but preferring Benteke over Firmino is close to unforgiveable.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's ok. He came second in the league but he also had the best player I have ever seen play for the club in his team. He then got a bit big for his own boots and went to shit, Celtic you can't argue with what he did and if he had taken the hit in the pocket last year and walked away from Leicester you would have said he had done an excellent job.

But, I would say that this season there were a lot of the excuses from his last 12 months at Liverpool it was always someone else's fault other than his own. Completely forgetting that a lot of the signings have been his own even if they haven't spent as much money as they had done in the past.

I know but on this basis the only good football managers are Pep and Klopp. In fact hundreds can do the job well, many very well.

If I took charge of Celtic I reckon they'd get relegated.

[Boydy]

Suarez took Liverpool to second and I could win the Scottish league with Celtic. Or at least the years he was there and won it - Rangers weren't even second those years.

[-james-]

I think most level headed Celtic fans will tell you that Rodgers was the best coach in recent years (until Ange) - though that says more about the quality of the managers before him than anything - and an absolute whopper of a bloke.

[Kikó]

I know but on this basis the only good football managers are Pep and Klopp. In fact hundreds can do the job well, many very well.

If I took charge of Celtic I reckon they'd get relegated.

Welcome to the Steve Bruce Managerial Defence Brigade.

[Max Power]

Rodgers is good for the first 18-24 months when most players seem to buy his bullshit but it wears off quicker than most.

Worse is when the board buy the bullshit and allow him to back the back room and recruitment team with his own useless mates and also give him a massive new contract on top.

Worse still is when you don’t recognise that he’s alienated half the squad, any existing staff members, fans and keep him in position whilst performances and results nosedive and his answer is to take no personal responsibility whatsoever and simply say that the squad is rubbish or it’s too hot.

[Luke Emia]

I know but on this basis the only good football managers are Pep and Klopp. In fact hundreds can do the job well, many very well.

If I took charge of Celtic I reckon they'd get relegated.

I think he is a good manager. But, he does have some fairly obvious flaws. Set pieces is a recurring one as well. We had problems with them and so did Leicester. I think he very much has a shelf-life he will give you a good 2-2.5 years but then it does seem to start going backwards and he can't seem to reverse it. But, your team will play good football during that period and there will be improvement he's nothing like Steve Bruce.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Welcome to the Steve Bruce Managerial Defence Brigade.

I miss Steve Bruce. Nowadays all the managers in the Championship are identikit slim cokeheads with crew cuts, beards and quarterzips, getting sacked, going on 10 game winning runs and getting linked with Rangers, it's all too highly charged. In Bruce's heyday you knew where you were. Two similar sides would play adequate football. The game would finish 1-1, or sometimes 2-1 or 0-3. You'd get a pint on the way home. Great days.

[John Arne]

Holy shit. SEA Games final... Looks like the ref blows the full time whistle, Indonesia staff run into the pitch to celebrate, ref says get off, a few seconds left.

Thailand immediately score in the 98th minute to equalise.

Mental.

Could kick off big time.


https://www.youtube.com/live/txHRss3vfp

Edit: how do you embed the video?

[John Arne]

Indonesia score in the first minute of extra time and both benches go at it.

Proper fighting :drool:

[John Arne]

Three red cards, and we still have 20 minutes left.

https://gyazo.com/d21836f7313b97e2bb18af5c7bfd5a35.gif

[John Arne]

A 4th goal for Indonesia and a 3rd red card for Thailand :drool:

Edit: A 5th for Indonesia, and the ref blows up. FT 5-2, and 4 or 5 red cards in the end.

[Adramelch]

Not the best hit, but big save from Onana nevertheless.

[Ben]

The atmosphere is amazing but the standard is so poor.

[Gray Fox]

Whichever one of these makes it is getting humped by 4 or 5, by City.

[Waffdon]

As if Pep isn’t bottling another CL.

[Adramelch]

Those last 3 minutes of the half perfectly sum Milan up. They are two goals down in the tie and they are passing it between the defenders with no idea how to get the ball forward.

[-james-]

Luton :cool:

[Ben]

Proper shite this.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've switched over to Luton/Sunderland.

Milan derby is wank.

[CJay]

Inter at least have the squad to make something of the final. A goalscorer, a towering striker, industrious midfield, dangerous attacking wing backs. Milan are just hopeless.

[Shindig]

Kenilworth Road world tour.

[Don]

Those Indonesia scenes :D

1658531053672226830

[niko_cee]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jim-ratcliffe-closing-in-on-manchester-united-takeover-f8sx6h73g

Looks like Ratcliffe is moving ahead in this race.

Of all the people who could possibly own United, he seems about one of the least worst.

The Sheikh's back with a BLOCKBUSTER offer apparently, so don't go counting those chickens.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Very shrewd businessman, the Sheikh. Knows a good deal when he sees one.

[randomlegend]

The Sheikh's back with a BLOCKBUSTER offer apparently, so don't go counting those chickens.

Still values the shares lower than Sir Jim lad's bid so can't see it being accepted, especially since Ratcliffe is allowing Joel and Avram to remain symbolically involved for the next few years.

[Lewis]

If the Glazers think there is value to be had in holding on, why don't they just raise the funding themselves?

[randomlegend]

I can't pretend I understand all the in-and-outs, but most of them want to sell up and only a couple want to stay on. I guess they can't afford to buy out the others? There has been talk they might want to just raise investment but it's never seemed like it's truly likely to happen.

[Ian]

Also presumably this way they'd just keep getting Some Money for their involvement in the club without having to actually do any work?

[-james-]

Sounds like Bob Sanchez has been Trossarded.

[Lofty]

Toney banned for 8 months.

[Gray Fox]

Ivan Toney suspended for 8 months. Book thrown.

[Waffdon]

It better be some proper bets and not him backing Haaland or himself for the golden boot.

I’d be buying him for a reduced fee if I was in charge of a club. Proper player and improves most teams.

[niko_cee]

Wouldn't be the first striker transferred whilst serving a length ban.

Money on Brentford to go down next season.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ironic really.

My Brentford ITK told me at the weekend they'd get good money for him this summer regardless of ban.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

At least he'll be free to make lots of bets for 8 months.

[Baz]

Serves him right, the clown.

[Waffdon]

If you’re going to play deep and with little ball playing Kroos is utterly pointless. Just play Tchouameni over him.

[SincereTheRebel]

Kross still wearing those boots from the '98 world cup

[Gray Fox]

Courtois in CL final mode again.

[Lewis]

That was David Seaman-like.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea going from Cech and Courtois fighting for a place in the last 10 years to Mendy and Kepa out shitting each other will never not be funny.

Courtois in the CL is just ridiculous

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This is their year isn't it? :(

[Adramelch]

Great goal that.

[Gray Fox]

Hopefully turkey have another earthquake when they're out there or something.

[Waffdon]

Get Rudiger on for Kroos and move Camavinga into midfield and Alaba left back or just take Kroos off. He’s absolutely pointless

[Jimmy Floyd]

Verstappen to score the second.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ugh.

There's no chance they bottle the final to Inter.

[Don]

Both those goals seemed to come as a result of Camavinga's ill discipline, get your best midfielder into midfield and and bring the other African lad on, this white privelege midfield of OAPs is not on it today. The comeback would be peak lol here.

[Ben]

I’m with Taz. Not playing Camavinga and Tchouameni in midfield is pretty criminal. Valverde isn’t as good as either of them and Kroos and Modric are completely nullified in this tactic. Maybe they’ll open up second half.

[phonics]

Not watching as I just got in but I saw this on the Beeb.

https://i.imgur.com/lE4l6m5.png

This is who Arsenal are being accused of BOTTLING the league to?

[Gray Fox]

It's fine, we put up 97 points and still lost out and we were BOTTLERS too.

[Waffdon]

Probably didn’t blow a 2-0 lead in two games running or drop points to the worst team in about 10 years to play in the league. OR get battered 0-3 at home by a team Everton stuck 5 past the week prior.

[phonics]

Probably didn’t blow a 2-0 lead in two games running or drop points to the worst team in about 10 years to play in the league. OR get battered 0-3 at home by a team Everton stuck 5 past the week prior.

If 3 of those things don't happen and one does we'd still be a point behind them lol.

[phonics]

Probably didn’t blow a 2-0 lead in two games running or drop points to the worst team in about 10 years to play in the league. OR get battered 0-3 at home by a team Everton stuck 5 past the week prior.

If 3 of those things don't happen and one does we'd still be a point behind them lol. Or if 2 of those draws are wins and the Brighton loss is a win we're equal on points and still 20 goals behind on goal difference. It's almost like this team are really, really good. I said it after 4-5 minutes in the City game, they're a visible level above even good teams.

[CJay]

Hope Inter can manage to suffocate them in the final.

[Raoul Duke]

Somehow about Arsenal.

City bumming Real 4-0 in the semis is game over. Inter will get pulverised in the final

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Luton or Coventry in the Premiership next season is class.

[Gray Fox]

Would love to see Coventry up. They've had some shit years recently so they could really use the prem money. Might even be able to buy/build a new stadium.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd love to see Luton do it, just to see what luminaries they can somehow convince to play for them with all that dough. The Coventry thing I've seen Wullie do on FM.

[wullie]

I think it's clear to everyone which was the better semi-final performance by a team in sky blue tonight.

[Don]

Which is the bigger shithole? It's some contest.

[Shindig]

It's been a good set of play-off qualifiers, to be honest. Sunderland making it on their first season back, Boro looking relatively handy and then you've got Luton and Coventry in. A real batch of feel good stories.

[Ian]

I think it's clear to everyone which was the better semi-final performance by a team in sky blue tonight.

:cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Which is the bigger shithole? It's some contest.

Always Luton.

[phonics]

Imagine the money the inevitable gear seller who lives in one of those Luton stadium flats will make from away days in the PL. I always thought the rough reputation of London was a bit overplayed compared to the stereotype but even the 'normal' people I've met from Luton had a vibe of 'say one wrong word and I'll get someone called Spikey Tone to stand outside your window as the nearby lampost light reflects off the meat cleaver he's holding' to them.

Meanwhile the Richard Keys based Coventry content we'd get is hard to root against. Probably an overplayed joke but can we get Darren Huckerby involved somehow so I can feel young again?

[wullie]

https://i.imgur.com/gjizJ7g.png

Accrington Stanley, it could have been you

[Raoul Duke]

Who are they?

[niko_cee]

Exactly.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Which is the bigger shithole? It's some contest.

Luton by miles.

[Lewis]

How is Luton meant to sustain a Premiership football team?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It isn't. But that's the beauty of sport.

[-james-]

Ah yes, spending about ten quid on transfers just to pocket the TV money so you have a half decent shot at popping back up again in a year or two. The beautiful game.

[niko_cee]

Isn't that every team outside of the 'top whatever' [7]?

If it's beauty or purity that you want then there can't be many top level sports still going that are amenable.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The beauty of sport is that things that shouldn't happen do happen. Anything that wouldn't be approved by management accountants - like an organisation as lean and unfashionable as Luton Town getting to occupy one of the 20 coveted spots at the top table for at least a season - is beautiful.

[Yevrah]

Just watched the highlights. 4-0 and Haaland missed three sitters. Fuck me.

If Pep can be arsed to hang around there's a serious chance this side could eclipse his Barca team for the best side in my football watching lifetime.

[Yevrah]

The beauty of sport is that things that shouldn't happen do happen. Anything that wouldn't be approved by management accountants - like an organisation as lean and unfashionable as Luton Town getting to occupy one of the 20 coveted spots at the top table for at least a season - is beautiful.

Why is your business letting Management Accountants be gate keepers of their activities?

[John Arne]

https://youtu.be/bzaXXr13hMI

[Kikó]

Fuck city, the dirty cheating cunts.

[CJay]

Just watched the highlights. 4-0 and Haaland missed three sitters. Fuck me.

If Pep can be arsed to hang around there's a serious chance this side could eclipse his Barca team for the best side in my football watching lifetime.

The way they pressed Real and defended with speed and courage last night was very reminiscent of some of that Barca’s team’s best performances. City don’t have the same artistry going forward, but as a unit I think they’re on par now.

[CJay]

Fuck city, the dirty cheating cunts.

Also this, however. Everything they achieve should come with an asterisk. When is this investigation going to be complete? It’s basically gone unmentioned since news first broke.

[niko_cee]

It will take years.

I'm no fan of City but it was good to see Real's shit on a stick football get the comeuppance it has been due for about 5 years. Zero attacking intent. Only sad thing was that they didn't have enough hotheads to lose the plot when it was clear the jig was up. Thought Carvajal might have had some potential, but sadly not. Went with a whimper.

[Giggles]

This is all definitely making City more appealing :drool:

[Yevrah]

Also this, however. Everything they achieve should come with an asterisk. When is this investigation going to be complete? It’s basically gone unmentioned since news first broke.

Nothing will come of it - It'll get buried in legal challenge until the end of time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Speak of the devil.

https://twitter.com/TimesSport/status/1659189927915974656

What a bunch of pussies.

[niko_cee]

Rashford and Trippier being among the player of the year nominations is a bit :cab:.

Does every team that is considered to have done alright need representation?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yes, or else their twitter army will cause reputational damage.

[Offshore Toon]

Trippier is pretty average on the pitch imo.

[Kikó]

Rashford has had a very good season, what are you on about?

[igor_balis]

Man City fans who see themselves as some kinda renegade anti-establishment club are fucking losers.

[niko_cee]

Callum Wilson has more league goals than him [wtf?].

Just seems he was shit hot for about 2 months after the World Cup, but pretty average for the rest of it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Man City fans who see themselves as some kinda renegade anti-establishment club are fucking losers.

I think literally every fanbase now sees themselves as this.

[randomlegend]

Callum Wilson has more league goals than him [wtf?].

Just seems he was shit hot for about 2 months after the World Cup, but pretty average for the rest of it.

Well you generally expect centre forwards to outscore wingers, defensive false nines aside.

[Danny]

1658514715314618378

[niko_cee]

Well you generally expect centre forwards to outscore wingers, defensive false nines aside.

Well, ok, Salah has more goals and assists despite being wank for most of the year in a fairly dreadful side.

[igor_balis]

yeah that's pretty good tbf

[phonics]

yeah that's pretty good tbf

That Photo I got my Dad arrived today btw. He loved it. Cheers.

[Gray Fox]

Brighton really struggling in the middle without Mac Allister. They also look like a team that's had to play many games in a short space of time.

[Waffdon]

That Newcastle teams just towers over them which doesn’t help. They must have the tallest team with absolute ease. They’ve got 3 blokes at 6ft4 or taller and Joelinton/Schar can’t be far off 6ft2/3 either. Then you’ve got Pope in goal who is also a fkn giant.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Play offs are a funny thing. I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility Wednesday win the second leg 5-0.

They've started well...

[Kikó]

Callum Wilson has more league goals than him [wtf?].

Just seems he was shit hot for about 2 months after the World Cup, but pretty average for the rest of it.

He's quietly gone about that- I'm surprised by how good Wilson's goal scoring record has been.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I was shocked, having not really been paying much attention to the scorer charts really. Kane very low key to 27 as well, although he does seem to score 1 every week regardless of how shit Spurs are.

[Gray Fox]

Great from Gilmour for the goal.

[Waffdon]

Great from Gilmour for the goal.

He really is back. :drool:

Keeps getting subbed off though for some stupid reason.

[Gray Fox]

This commitment to playing out the back like this at all costs is admirable.

A shame to see the Newcastle time wasting has already begun.

[Waffdon]

Brighton without Colwill carrying the defence :sick:

[Offshore Toon]

Fucking lol.

[Shindig]

Well, this was surprisingly comfortable. :D

[Offshore Toon]

Has it been picked up on yet that De Zerbi looks like Gnasher from Dennis the Menace?

[mo]

They've started well...

3-0 now. It's set up well for maximum drama.

[Lewis]

Has it been picked up on yet that De Zerbi looks like Gnasher from Dennis the Menace?

He looks like he was a massive dance act for six months in 2002.

[phonics]

He has big Chico Time backup dancer energy.

[Lewis]

Robert Jr. Downy.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

3-0 now. It's set up well for maximum drama.

4-0 at the death.

Playoffs :cool:

[Waffdon]

Peak Mourinho :drool:

[mo]

I re-watched the Swindon v Sheff Utd 5-5 last night as there was a clip on Sky. This is up there with that in terms of drama.

[Max Power]

Play-offs are unrivalled entertainment

[Waffdon]

Scenes when Peterborough win on penalties

[mo]

10 years since that Watford/Leicester game too, saw that clip doing the rounds recently. Great when it goes in your favour.

[Adramelch]

Great header from Lamela in the Sevilla-Juventus game.

[Lewis]

Peak Mourinho :drool:

Football 'eritage. He is not one of the bottle.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Are Peterborough still run by Barry Fry? Going back to Darren Ferguson for a 5th spell in charge hints that they are.

[Lofty]

Still a director.

[Lewis]

Is Ron Atkinson still there undermining Steve Bleasdale?

[Waffdon]

Scenes when Peterborough win on penalties

Mon

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Loving the wanker chants right into the microphone.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a penalty to end it.

[Waffdon]

That was a bit anti climatic. Serves them right for letting two lefties step up and take your first two penalties.

[Lewis]

'Hillsborough holds its breath'. :o

[Waffdon]

Not seen a collapse like that since…never mind.

1659305943799152641

Some of them West Ham players looked right up for a scrap there. Honestly thought Jarrod Bowen took a swing at Antonio at first but then realised he was throwing something at the fans

[Jimmy Floyd]

I enjoyed that Barry Bannan interview. Sticking it not only to 'the doubters' but also directly to his own club's fans (who all sound like utter morons) and seemingly his own mates as well for sending him 'negative texts'. Loved it.

[Ian]

I enjoyed that Barry Bannan interview. Sticking it not only to 'the doubters' but also directly to his own club's fans (who all sound like utter morons) and seemingly his own mates as well for sending him 'negative texts'. Loved it.

Yeah I saw this and also really enjoyed him giving their own fans a get it up ye.

[igor_balis]

That Photo I got my Dad arrived today btw. He loved it. Cheers.

sound, you owe me a fiver, tell him that's the standard rate, weird stuff he can negotiate with me

[niko_cee]

lol at the AZ 'ultras' piling into the West Ham family section. Proper hard man stuff. Not that they traveled much but I assume the 1980s reaction to that would have had the town of Alkmaar razed to the ground by the ICF.

Good luck policing the final. Tiny stadium, stag do capital of Europe, 2 teams that haven't seen European success in most of the fanbases' lifetimes, what could possibly go wrong?

#todayIfeelstabbedintheass [or is that just a Roma thing?]

[Waffdon]

lol at the AZ 'ultras' piling into the West Ham family section. Proper hard man stuff. Not that they traveled much but I assume the 1980s reaction to that would have had the town of Alkmaar razed to the ground by the ICF.

Good luck policing the final. Tiny stadium, stag do capital of Europe, 2 teams that haven't seen European success in most of the fanbases' lifetimes, what could possibly go wrong?

#todayIfeelstabbedintheass [or is that just a Roma thing?]

They’re still seething after being embarrassed by middle aged fat Dundonians last August. Last night looked more embarrassing though, the stupid cunts were getting sorted by one bloke at the top of the stairs

[Alex]

1659471863720886272

Big Sam tackles the issues. Here not just to save Leeds, but to save us all.

[Alex]

To fair, and I do appreciate Sam's concerns, but if we could give an AI some sort of very rudimentary robotic body I would take it up front over Patrick Bamford.

[Ian]

To fair, and I do appreciate Sam's concerns, but if we could give an AI some sort of very rudimentary robotic body I would take it up front over Patrick Bamford.

:D

Excellent.

[phonics]

Devestating news that Jake Humphrey’s has performed his last BT Show. Devestating.

[Yevrah]

That is excellent news.

[Spikey M]

They should sit Michael Owen off screen typing everything that happens into Chat GPT and let Alexa present it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is he now focusing his entire working life on High Performance?

[Ian]

Now all BT need to do is change every single other thing about their Premier League and Champions League coverage and it might be tolerable.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If we're not going to allow the poetic commentators of old, who shut up occasionally and had a sense of timing (Martin Tyler the last of these but definitely past his best), I'd rather just have silence. 'Fletch' is absolutely intolerable and I watch all their stuff on mute.

[Boydy]

The co-commentators are dreadful. McManaman and Owen both make me want to burst my own eardrums.

[Offshore Toon]

Whoever was commentating for our game last night was atrocious.

[Don]

The EFL playoff commentators were nice. It can be done right when their employment isn't done on the basis of inclusivity or an old boy network of shit footballers.

[Boydy]

1659512881916923904

[Don]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/19/roberto-firmino-admits-tears-will-flow-after-emotional-anfield-farewell

We've replaced him almost perfectly to a point we won't miss him as a team but fuck me is it still sad. I can't recall my feelings for Xabi at the time so it might be Macmanaman that last hurt me like this.

[-james-]

Whoever was commentating for our game last night was atrocious.

Seb Hutchinson. I prefer not to speak.

[Adramelch]

I've only watched a couple of BT streams and McManaman is reason enough for me to not watch the game at all.

[John Arne]

I'm fortunate enough to not get many BT Sport streams, but every game McManaman gest absolutely slated online, as does the awful Michael Owen, which begs that question, why did BT keep employing these people?

[niko_cee]

Presumably no one gives a fuck about the opinions of people who complain about commentators online.

[Giggles]

Once it's not Gerry Armstrong then I'm happy. Ray Houghton is fairly shite too.

[niko_cee]

I understand the sentiment, but question the timing on Spurs revealing a massive Harry "he's one of our own" Kane mural.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a lovely hit from Kane.

Will he still be one of their own when he leaves?

[Shindig]

Presumably no one gives a fuck about the opinions of people who complain about commentators online.

Or they care very much and continue to employ them for the engagement.

[Lewis]

I've always thought it was weird how strikers like Harry Kane, who can put the ball exactly where they want them when finishing in open play, are never on free-kicks.

[niko_cee]

Big rebuild for the Spuds when he goes, and surely he will. This lot are going nowhere.

[niko_cee]

Mason out?

[-james-]

Brighton should have 6th place secured tomorrow. :cool: