Football! But in May!!

[Ian]

Yes that's right it's all coming to a SCINTILLATING conclusion as Man City gear up to close out another entirely sterile title win, probably another FA Cup win (though that's next month) and hopefully get lolled out of the Champions League.... though if they do that'll just mean Real are likely to win it again.

Exciting stuff! The top four might already look like how it's going to finish unless United totally beef it (not impossible) so I guess it's down to the relegation battle to provide the entertainment. Yay.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Championship playoff battle is more interesting than anything in the top flight.

[Spikey M]

Outside chance Chelsea will be playing in it next year too.

[Waffdon]

Pretty sure that’s impossible now Nottingham Forrest and Leeds have shit the bed. Still, would be funny to see Chelsea finish 15th or 16th. They’re definitely not getting another point this season

[Yevrah]

A mate and I were curious to see how long it would take Frank Lampard to drop below a 50% win ratio with Chelsea when he came back, but he managed that as quickly as he could, so I've got nothing now.

[Shindig]

How about Chelsea gets no further points this season and then a points deduction for being in some breach of Premier League FFP? That would possibly sneak them in.

[Waffdon]

They haven’t breached anything though

[-james-]

I never pay much attention to the Championship until around this time every year. Those are some 1988 ass looking play-offs.

[Shindig]

I know that, I'm just delving into the realm of complete fantasy.

Anyway, Gateshead's FA Trophy final against Halifax Town in on the 21st. 11th vs 14th in the National League. They played out a goalless draw in their last meeting. So ... errr... expect some of the same.

[Magic]

Can't believe Heckaday will be lolling at us on the way up. :happycry:

[Gray Fox]

Big game today.

If Everton go down they're immediately fucked. They'd be demanded to pay £150m back on a loan upon relegation and it'd put their shiny new half built stadium in doubt. Not even like they could sell many players off to cover it because they have no one of note really.

[Lewis]

Everton or Leicester going down would be decent. Forest are harmless so I don't care, Leeds would be lol for obvious reasons but also harmless. Probably Everton because of the chaos it would cause and because I thought I would never live to see the day.

[SincereTheRebel]

If Luton come up, that fantastic Sunday league ground they have with be banned?

[Shindig]

I think they'll be okay. All the Premier League care about is whether it's all seater.

[Ben]

They have to spend about ~£10m on it to meet certain standards but if they do, they'll be allowed.

[Giggles]

They have grass now I presume. I still remember them some time around the early 90’s with the green concrete.

[randomlegend]

Big game today.

If Everton go down they're immediately fucked. They'd be demanded to pay £150m back on a loan upon relegation and it'd put their shiny new half built stadium in doubt. Not even like they could sell many players off to cover it because they have no one of note really.

I've just had a look and christ their squad really is absolutely rancid. Their most valuable asset must be "England number 1" Jordan Pickford and who the fuck is going to buy him? Calvert-Lewin the other one but he has scored 6 in 30 over the past 2 seasons.

[Spikey M]

If Leeds do go down they are in big trouble. They owe 20 million or something for that lol Augustin "signing".

[Shindig]

I've just had a look and christ their squad really is absolutely rancid. Their most valuable asset but be "England number 1" Jordan Pickford and who the fuck is going to buy him?

Spurs. Maybe Sunderland if they fancy getting one of their own back.

[Spikey M]

Pretty sure that’s impossible now Nottingham Forrest and Leeds have shit the bed. Still, would be funny to see Chelsea finish 15th or 16th. They’re definitely not getting another point this season

Shame. Lampard relegating 2 teams in one season would have been incredible.

[-james-]

The current Everton team would probably be the best Championship team ever. They'll sell half the squad and still be favourites to win it unless Leicester go down as well.

[niko_cee]

Forest and Leeds are going to end up going down with Southampton, which is the worst outcome currently available sadly.

[Giggles]

Leeds gone would never be a bad outcome.

[Gray Fox]

https://i.gyazo.com/6c07443985942f0308c3979a874f0f73.png

Leeds: Man City(a), Newcastle(h), West Ham(a), Spurs(h)

Forest: Southampton(h), Chelsea(a), Arsenal(h), Palace(a)

Leicester: Everton(h), Fulham(a), Liverpool(h), Newcastle(a), West Ham(h)

Everton: Leicester(a), Brighton(a), Man City(h), Wolves(a), Bournemouth(h)

Southampton: Forest(a), Fulham(h), Brighton(a), Liverpool(h)

From the looks of it, all teams involved will be against someone with nothing to play for in the last game. Forest being the only one away from home.

Even Southampton have a chance with 3 teams in such a position, though Brighton my be dependant on how close to Europa League they are. They should have 6th at least secured by then but who knows.
Evertons next 3 are scary for them, but their final two games are extremely winnable. I think they'll just scrape through.

You'd suggest if Leicester are going to pull clear it will be in their next 3.

[Waffdon]

Dyche needs sacked if he starts a midfield 3 of Doucoure, Onana and Gueye once again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If we have anything about us we'll let Forest win 4-0 at the Bridge. We don't have anything about us, so we'll probably win 3-0 and declare ourselves to be BACK.

[wullie]

Anything but a Blackburn win here is the dream result, it would mean that avoiding defeat at Boro and not having to rely on other results would confirm a playoff spot almost exactly 5 years after we squeaked into the L2 equivalent. We've only really had one normal season in the last 10 years but this has the potential to be the weirdest of the lot

[Gray Fox]

Everton digging themselves out of it here. Good start from them.

[Lewis]

If Everton don't go this year then they never will ever. Twenty-five years overdue and still thieving a living.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They're done.

[Baz]

Leicester’s XI better in every position by a wide margin, and I’m including Daniel Iverson in that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How was Danny Ward starting ahead of this guy?

[Baz]

Ouch. Coleman is done now, surely.

[Gray Fox]

That's a dislocated knee or ACL for Coleman.

[Manc]

Coleman. :sick:

[Waffdon]

Probably for the best - can’t believe he and Keane have both been starting every week. Best full back, centre half, centre mid and winger all on the bench :D

[Ben]

Dyche is the type of person to not start Patterson because he's a right-back wearing 3.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh dear.

[Ben]

Pickford. :D

[Lewis]

If Leicester stay up I hope they wheel that gimpy little Jamie Vardy lookalike out. It's been too long.

[Lofty]

My bet aside surely Vardy is the best penalty taker they have?

[Magic]

Horrible club. Be great to see them languish.

[Baz]

Horrible club. Be great to see them languish.

Why do you support them then?

[Jimmy Floyd]

No chance they're going. The city of Liverpool couldn't function.

[Gray Fox]

The missed penalty looking huge now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mongford came out to play there.

[Waffdon]

Big Sam to Leeds. :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bielsa to Allardyce in 12 months, what a journey.

[Alex]

Perhaps the most damning indictment of our current situation is that this is preferable to me to carrying on how we are for the rest of the season. Obviously it's laughable but I would prefer this. That's how much of a state we've ended up in.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They couldn't have hired him yesterday?

What a May football thread it would have been had it been dedicated to Big Sam.

[Don]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/65443980

Strange content.

[niko_cee]

Has Tielemans been missing penalties for Leicester? The only explanation of that Maddison penalty is he was trying to miss it so he can get out of there when they get relegated.

[Waffdon]

He’s definitely missed at least one this season. Sky zoomed in on Pickford’s bottle which had the stats for him, Maddison and Vardy on it. Majority of Maddison’s were down the middle and 100% of Tielemans were to the keepers right.

[Gray Fox]

People need to go back to the days of Shearer when taking them. I'm sure almost all of his went to the 'keepers right, but he leathered fuck out of them so they had almost no chance.

[Lofty]

Why have they been starting Ienacho over Vardy anyway, Vardy breaking the offside trap for his goal still looked spritely for his age. Surely in this situation you throw your lot in with the most legendary player in the club's history.

[Ben]

Haaland seems to be like that. Small sample size so far but the keepers seem to always go the right way on his but don't stop it because he laces it right into the corner. Van Nistelrooy sticks out as someone who was really great at doing that too.

[mo]

The fabled 'brains behind Lampard at Derby', Jody Morris, leaves Swindon Town after 4 wins in 18, taking us from play offs to mid table. I perhaps would have been happy to give him the summer and a transfer window, but also not devastated that the morose little gimp has shuffled off.

Back to the warm bosom of Chelsea's youth set up for him and Ed Brand I expect.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Lampard was the brains behind Lampard at Derby. He'd probably do well in that kind of job again tbh, won't take one though.

Jody Morris has always just been a lippy little prick who is Lampard's mate.

[niko_cee]

Surely Mount was the brains behind Lampard at Derby, although fair play to Frank for picking him out of relative obscurity to front the operation.

[niko_cee]

Also:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65453756

:harold:

[Luke Emia]

Haaland seems to be like that. Small sample size so far but the keepers seem to always go the right way on his but don't stop it because he laces it right into the corner. Van Nistelrooy sticks out as someone who was really great at doing that too.

Aye, Salah's best run of taking them seemed to coincide with him just lacing them as well. Get it in the corner with enough pace and it's pretty much impossible to stop them.

[Luke Emia]

Also:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65453756

:harold:

When are people in sport going to get it that unfortunately at the minute women's football is just not as marketable as men's football? This constant of trying to ram it down my throat on the BBC and SKY is insufferable it's not like other women's sports are shoved down my throat in the same manner and I expect sports coverage to be aimed on the amount of people who are actually interested in it not just because everything should be 50/50. Sport as entertainment just doesn't work like that.

[phonics]

Shoved down your throat :D

[Magic]

Bielsa to Allardyce in 12 months, what a journey.

Isn't it just. The scenes when he keeps us up with horrific football though. :drool:

[Ian]

Shoved down your throat :D

That's twice in about three days somebody on TTH has worded it that way about something that's very easy not to engage with.

[Ben]

That was me, making a point about the snooker that coverage pre-final was abysmal both on TV and the website. Contrast that to the WSL which is everywhere on both, despite having a third of the viewership of the snooker.

I don't really care one way or the other, but highlighted my point well that clearly number of eyes on the product doesn't matter all that much.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The only way it's 'shoved down your throat' is by it appearing among the headlines on BBC Sport website, which is probably fair enough in most cases as it is a pretty popular sport. I doubt it's much different to men's rugby league or something like that in terms of attendance and viewership (though it would be interesting to see the stats).

Otherwise you can just not watch the broadcasts if you aren't interested in it, the same as I don't watch WWE or Antiques Roadshow despite Sky and the Beeb shoving them down my throat.

[John Arne]

Just seen the video of Klopp running into the face of the 4th official after our winner.

He's such a cunt sometimes. I only watched the first half, but I doubt the 4th official did anything noteworthy to deserve that.

Genuinely hope he gets a 3 game ban or something. Yes, refs are twats, but they are essential to our game, and if we let managers and players continue to treat them as they do, they'll be no refs left soon. Either that or one of the refs needs to be fucking smack him and teach him a lesson.

[Luke Emia]

Bad choice of words but in the article it tells you that for the mens World Cup they made between $100-$200 million. For the women's they are offering $1-$10 million my point being that trying to compare mens and women's football is like trying to compare two different sports. Or perhaps County Championship Cricket and the IPL yes technically they are the same game but the viewership and thus how much companies are willing to pay to broadcast it are not really comparable at all.

To me it's lazy journalism to compare the two world cups surely a good comparison would be the women's Euro's or Champions League figures to give what the potential baseline for the women's world cup could be.

[phonics]

Why give a fuck either way is more my point? Who cares what gets paid to who?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Genuinely hope he gets a 3 game ban or something. Yes, refs are twats, but they are essential to our game, and if we let managers and players continue to treat them as they do, they'll be no refs left soon. Either that or one of the refs needs to be fucking smack him and teach him a lesson.

I think people just need to scream at referees for emotional reasons. When robot refs come in and get every decision right, it will be such a fucking bad sport. Will probably actually kill its popularity.

Every other sport (with the possible exception of rugby league which is just full of pie-eating lippy shits) doesn't have the same relationship with officials, as there's a sort of binding contract that you need to respect the officials to have a game. Football lacks this, which makes me think that football sees itself more as an arm of society than as a sport.

[Yevrah]

The only way it's 'shoved down your throat' is by it appearing among the headlines on BBC Sport website, which is probably fair enough in most cases as it is a pretty popular sport. I doubt it's much different to men's rugby league or something like that in terms of attendance and viewership (though it would be interesting to see the stats).

Otherwise you can just not watch the broadcasts if you aren't interested in it, the same as I don't watch WWE or Antiques Roadshow despite Sky and the Beeb shoving them down my throat.

All of the coverage is fine, apart from when it comes to the football section of the BBC website, where I simply shouldn't have to be looking for what Premier League matches are on as they're hidden behind WSL or WCL matches.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's more of a problem with the BBC website being a disastrous mess and the content populated by northern 22 year olds hired for their cheapness.

[Jimmy Floyd]

On another note, I thought this magnificent - https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/may/02/sordid-saga-of-manchester-uniteds-sale-looks-like-a-kind-of-football-endgame?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other - by Jonathan Liew on United.

Particularly this summation of what being a football fan apparently is now:


“We want our club back,” read the many protest banners billowing across Manchester on Sunday afternoon as United fans carried out their latest protest. “Full sale only”, was another common refrain: a rejection of Ratcliffe’s (rumoured) plan to buy only a majority stake in the club. The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted the slight inconsistency in the messaging. The only bidders currently offering a “full sale” are the Qataris: those famous delegators of power, men of the people. Alas, were you to put the phrase “50+1” to Sheikh Jassim, he would probably ask what Alejandro Garnacho’s shirt number has to do with any of this.

It’s hard to pin too much blame on United fans here. Like many of us in this deeply corrupted sport they are not simply powerless but so deeply embedded in the transfer-industrial complex that they are essentially participants. In the same way that voters are drawn to billionaire politicians because of the fantasy that they are somehow incorruptible, there is a strand of fan that actively craves the illiberal state benefactor on the basis that they will be unencumbered by outdated impulses like turning a profit. Debase us. Sportswash us. But do sign us Victor Osimhen while you’re at it.

[Ben]

I've been wondering the same since all this sale talk kicked off. But it'll be justified by the United fans as the horse already having bolted and this is the only way to compete.

[Kikó]

I've given up. Apparently it's more desirable to have a murderous nation state own us and have the chance to buy all the big players than have any moral conditions. The move from the glazers takeover/FC United birth to fully embracing a Qatar takeover is indicative on how fucked football is.

As undesirable as it is to have the glazers hang around, it's much more preferable than the alternative.

[igor_balis]

That's more of a problem with the BBC website being a disastrous mess and the content populated by northern 22 year olds hired for their cheapness.

Yeah the BBC website is rage inducing. I don't even mind them doing it on the cheap per se, but I wish they could just do it slightly less on the cheap.

I ain't got no MBA, and have a very limited understanding of how organisations are run, but at pretty much every large organisation I've worked at, there always seems to be this obsession with throwing the budget at the more shiny, exciting and senior level stuff, whilst trying to make savings by cutting the more boring, procedural stuff to the point where it barely functions.

I know saying something like "just pay Gary Linekar 100 grand less, and employ a few more people to write on the BBC website" sounds like the most brain-dead naive GIVE NURSES FOOTBALLERS WAGES nonsense ever, but then I see the number of typos and factual errors on even the incredibly high traffic live football updates and front page news articles, and I'm not entirely convinced it's that much more complex than that.

It also reminds me of how mindlessly rigid assigned budgets are. At the previous place I worked (the one I chose to leave, not the one I got sacked from), I found out they'd had some low level admin job that they couldn't fill for months, and it turns out they'd only listed it on the specialist charity jobs site (where people aren't going to be looking for data entry jobs), cus the "budget didn't allow" for them to pay the £500 or whatever to list it on monster etc. Around that same time the IT manager was telling his staff that they had £50k left to spend before the end of the financial year, and was asking if they fancied getting random software they didn't need, cus might as well right.

[Ian]

On another note, I thought this magnificent - https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/may/02/sordid-saga-of-manchester-uniteds-sale-looks-like-a-kind-of-football-endgame?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other - by Jonathan Liew on United.

Particularly this summation of what being a football fan apparently is now:

Yeah it was really good as Liew always is. And he's right.

[Manc]

Allardyce to blow the title race wide open on Saturday.

[Don]

Not sure why I'm bothering to stay up till 3.45am for this Arsenal game but I am so bring on the lols as they smash Lamps.

[Yevrah]

What tactical abomination has the dreadful one opted for tonight then?

[Waffdon]

Starting at least 4 players that won’t be there next season. He really is a bit shit

[Luke Emia]

I've given up. Apparently it's more desirable to have a murderous nation state own us and have the chance to buy all the big players than have any moral conditions. The move from the glazers takeover/FC United birth to fully embracing a Qatar takeover is indicative on how fucked football is.

As undesirable as it is to have the glazers hang around, it's much more preferable than the alternative.

It’s everywhere though. Every Liverpool fan who I go watch us with would happily take Qatar or Saudi. When I said I at the minimum I wouldn’t go to matches any more and definitely couldn’t enjoy it in the way I have done before they all looked at me like I had two heads.

I think it’s hard to say you could 100% detach yourself from something you have enjoyed for 30 odd years and I don’t know exactly how I would handle the whole situation but they wouldn’t get another penny of my money and I think more than likely I’d also get rid of all the tv packages on that basis as well because that money would also indirectly go to the club.

[Gray Fox]

Morality and things with a lot of money in it do not tend to mix. Unfortunately football is at that point now where you're having to choose, or facing that choice pretty soon.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea might go about -10 in GD in this match and Man City away in a few weeks. Do well to keep todays score under 4 anyway.

[Yevrah]

Morality and things with a lot of money in it do not tend to mix. Unfortunately football is at that point now where you're having to choose, or facing that choice pretty soon.

It reached that point ages ago. The trick it's pulled to convince people it hasn't is a quite brilliant one.

[Waffdon]

He’s got them set up as if they’re Burton Albion and even then they’re still wide open. What an absolute mess

[niko_cee]

Kepa is just so shit, why does he start for them?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Because Mendy is shitter.

[randomlegend]

Isn't Kepa one of the best keepers on the league this season if you believe the STATS MATE?

[Gray Fox]

Messi SUSPENDED by PSG for taking an unsanctioned trip to Saudi.

[Waffdon]

Isn't Kepa one of the best keepers on the league this season if you believe the STATS MATE?

No

[Waffdon]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This could be a battering.

[Yevrah]

Mark Selby losing and Frank Lampard getting battered in consecutive days. I'm not sure life gets any better.

[7om]

Someone euthanise Chelsea. This is horrifying.

[Magic]

Frank. :harold:

[Manc]

Isn't Kepa one of the best keepers on the league this season if you believe the STATS MATE?

Only Leno & Alisson rank above him in the Premier League.

Presumably this ends 3-3.

[Waffdon]

You’d think after 5 defeats in a row he’d realise not to play the players that don’t care and won’t be here lol. He’s so bad

[7om]

Frank Lampard needs to fuck off abroad like Yev on one of his journeyman saves. Maybe MLS or something because his reputation here can’t be any more shit.

[Waffdon]

He’s got Kante playing as some sort of second striker and Madueke trying to tuck in and cover for him. An utter mess

[Lewis]

United have never been this bad. How have they managed it?

[Magic]

He's got the MEDIA BACKING required to walk in top flight jobs for years to come.

[Gray Fox]

You can hear it. "This isn't Franks fault."

[niko_cee]

They've still got Potter under contract right? Can they not just say come back Graham, all is forgiven, have another go in the summer with an actual pre-season rather than appointing 'Poch' who will clearly be another catastrophe?

[Don]

That first half from Sterling on an individual level was incredible but even so, it pales into absolute insignificance to the team. The fat greasy gammon is working wonders.

[Waffdon]

I said Cucurella was the worst signing but Sterling isn’t far behind. Tuchel’s signings have been properly tragic.

[randomlegend]

No

https://www.football365.com/news/feature-premier-league-goalkeepers-ranked-psxg-liverpool-alisson-man-utd-de-gea

[Waffdon]

He’s been shite. Concedes from outside of the box every other week. Not his fault he’s tiny I suppose.

Kovacic and Sterling still on the pitch. Lolz

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thiago Silva :cool:

What a don.

[Waffdon]

Arsenal fans booing Mudryk :D

A midfield 3 of Kovacic, Kante and Gallagher. Bloody hell. No positional awareness in that midfield whatsoever. Press, press, press

[Kikó]

It’s everywhere though. Every Liverpool fan who I go watch us with would happily take Qatar or Saudi. When I said I at the minimum I wouldn’t go to matches any more and definitely couldn’t enjoy it in the way I have done before they all looked at me like I had two heads.

I think it’s hard to say you could 100% detach yourself from something you have enjoyed for 30 odd years and I don’t know exactly how I would handle the whole situation but they wouldn’t get another penny of my money and I think more than likely I’d also get rid of all the tv packages on that basis as well because that money would also indirectly go to the club.

There's fuck all morality in the game of being the best at football. Community is dead.

[Manc]

There's no place for sentiment when billions are being tossed about.

[Waffdon]

As if the starting line up wasn’t bad enough with players who won’t be there next season, he’s now brought on a bloke who is only at the club because of a faulty printer

[Lewis]

There's fuck all morality in the game of being the best at football. Community is dead.

Maybe Yevrah was right all along just supporting Sky.

[Yevrah]

Maybe Yevrah was right all along just supporting Sky.

It was amusing to watch the Super League toys out of the pram on here, as if the game at the top level (and some below) hadn't gone to hell in a handcart years ago. It's been an entertainment business, with profit or self relevance being the driver for decades now.

[Lewis]

I think the main Super League complaint - on The Third Half dot com at least - was that it would have been shit and having Tottenham involved was lol, rather than people suddenly realising that the game was gone.

[Yevrah]

Fair enough, but even that was misguided, you've seen the new format for the Champions League, right?

[-james-]

Whisper it but Chelsea will be fine whoever they appoint and easily finish top 6 next season.

[Lewis]

Fair enough, but even that was misguided, you've seen the new format for the Champions League, right?

Yeah it looks crap. Bring back the second group stage.

[Waffdon]

Whisper it but Chelsea will be fine whoever they appoint and easily finish top 6 next season.

Not really sure it should be much of a surprise. 1 game a week and half the mongs offloaded. Poch will have some fun, especially when he signs an actual striker and DM.

[Ben]

Yeah it looks crap. Bring back the second group stage.

The second group stage was banging.

[niko_cee]

Whisper it but Chelsea will be fine whoever they appoint and easily finish top 6 next season.

This encompasses all outcomes between winning the league [nope] and sacking the manager after 20 games if they are 6th or whatever and have lost 3 games in a row [more likely].

[John Arne]

Stephen Ireland, the best there was.

1653455765393293333

[Giggles]

He must be on his 6th granny at this stage.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Whisper it but Chelsea will be fine whoever they appoint and easily finish top 6 next season.

We've scored 31 goals this season and those in the top six have scored ~60, where is the doubled attacking output coming from?

[Kikó]

Lukaku.

[Ben]

Allardyce confirmed.

To be assisted by Karl Robinson because Sammy Lee is on jury service. :D

[-james-]

We've scored 31 goals this season and those in the top six have scored ~60, where is the doubled attacking output coming from?

Brighton will jump 30+ goals this season, if they can do it on the wage bill of a singular Baba Rahman then I think you'll be alright.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I am champing at the bit for next August's prediction thread to predict us for a 16th place finish. We're going to see that gleaming mean of yours and walk into a lamp post.

[Alex]

I'm watching Big Sam's press conference and I won't lie, it's top level. A direct quote - "There's nobody ahead of me in footballing terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta". :cool:

I know it's a ridiculous situation but my absolute apathy for the last four games of the seem has disappeared completely. I still fully expect us to go down but I'm definitely very interested to see what happens again at least.

[Yevrah]

Big Sam being back is brilliant.

[Baz]

Just realised Warrington Town got promoted (https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/23493246.warrington-town-promoted-beating-bamber-bridge/) to National League North so will be playable on FM24 without addons.


Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored the 90th-minute winning goal in the Northern Premier League play-off final against Bamber Bridge to win 1-0.

Bet the place went mental!

Obviously would much rather it was FC St. Helens (or St. Helens Town) but nice to have a proper local team fairly high up the leagues, that isn’t Southport.

[Lewis]

At least it was Warrington Town's year.

[Mike]

:D
I get that reference!

[Waffdon]

I don’t even think there was even any contact for that Liverpool penalty that was given. Klopp and his crying doing wonders.

[thommo]

Must not mention the 'vendetta', must not mention the 'vendetta'......

[Gray Fox]

Trent again the best player on the pitch in this new role, but again asking Konate to play two positions at once has left us quite light at the back at times.

It's been quite entertaining for what is essentially a pointless game.

[Baz]

Who could we sign that could play Konates role well?

[Manc]

Carles Puyol.

[Gray Fox]

Who could we sign that could play Konates role well?

You either have to commit to playing him as a midfielder and sign a right back, or get a midfielder in who can do the legwork Henderson used to, to cover him.

[Baz]

Timber time :cool:

https://media.tenor.com/PXX5OK_tqqkAAAAC/kesha-im-yelling-timber.gif

[Gray Fox]

Isn't he also another centre back?

[Waffdon]

I really hope Liverpool continue this set up with Alexander Arnold next year. They’ll get utterly embarrassed by decent teams (though probably will score a few themselves).

Watching him since half time has been hilarious. Well done mate, you can switch the ball well.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

35 in 31 for Haaland to break the Premiership record.

Bonkers.

[Gray Fox]

I really hope Liverpool continue this set up with Alexander Arnold next year. They’ll get utterly embarrassed by decent teams (though probably will score a few themselves).

Watching him since half time has been hilarious. Well done mate, you can switch the ball well.

You could see it in the Spurs game. They went 3-0 down but soon realised they could get joy down our right over and over.

It's why I say I hope this isn't it. I hope there's a plan to either get him proper cover or get a right back in.

[niko_cee]

Spurs have been punting the ball over the top of the right back position for about 4 years against Liverpool [and many other teams have been late adopters to the tactic], so probably not something directly related to this new in-out fullback business which seems to be in vogue.

[Waffdon]

Well, yeah, people have always targeted him because he’s just a bit shit defending his goal. He barely even bothers to cover the right hand side now though.

I’m sure it’s just an experimental thing since these games are pretty pointless now until the end of the year.

[SincereTheRebel]

He should really be playing as a CM

[Don]

He's very much a Pirlo regen now. If we source another Robbo-style pacey RB, we'll be tasty af, otherwise, get Trent back into RB and just make the midfield function and it'll be fine. Gakpo in the central role ensures success next season either way.

[Kikó]

1654098721632669697?t=c3VJFiMWESM5rzHub5b7hg&s=19

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

[Waffdon]

They’ve properly shit the bed since January. They’re also bankrolled by dodgy millionaires trying to launder their drug money so I’m not really sure they’re overachieving or anything like that.

[Waffdon]

They’re also building ‘lesser Hampden’ which isn’t even suitable for the top league so they’ve made a massive cunt up there.

[Lofty]

No Pascal Gross tonight?

[Ben]

Why has Caicedo got a body cam on? What the fuck is happening?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mitoma should have buried that.

[Waffdon]

Rashford’s first touch rivals that of Lukaku.

[Gray Fox]

The Brighton tactic of getting their CB to stand on the ball is great.

If there's no pass on the CB will stop the ball dead, which essentially tells the team tor reset their movement. Usually a few seconds later there's a line splitting pass played and they move the ball really well.

[Waffdon]

Rashford’s first touch rivals that of Lukaku.

He also goes down rolling about with an injury every single game without fail. He must be a properly massive pussy

[niko_cee]

Could do with the VAR being empowered to tell the ref to book Rashford there.

[Lewis]

Rashford has forgotten about the shot clock today.

[Waffdon]

Done well to somehow get away with no red card there

[niko_cee]

Get him off the pitch, this lot are a disgrace.

[Waffdon]

Now a yellow for Antony kicking someone because he’s a manlet. Christ.

And Dunk gets a yellow for pushing Antony who then does likewise. Makes sense

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1654221969414340610

:lol:

Antony would get murdered.

[Lewis]

I love Antony. Proper bog rat.

[Ben]

Dreadful player.

[Lewis]

Luke Shaw is a pudding.

[Waffdon]

Some penalty

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was looking at the Man U fixtures just now to see if they still have to play Liverpool again (sadly not) and whilst doing so found that on 26 July they are playing Wrexham at 2.30am, in San Diego California. Game properly gone now.

[niko_cee]

Wrexham's a classic pre-season starter, albeit not traditionally in San Diego.

[Waffdon]

Man Utd have lost 7 and drawn 1 against the top 9 away from home this year in 8 games. Sitting deep and trying to nail it over the defenders head for Rashford to run onto must not really work against okay teams.

[Manc]

Messi abandoning PSG is quite amusing. Hopefully they completely collapse. Winner of Lens v Marseille on Saturday evening to take the title.

[Don]

Sign the fake Argie Scottish twat, solid and tidy enough and gave Bruno and Antony the fucking talkin the two gyppos deserve. That fat pudding giving away the last minute pen too, inject it.

[Kikó]

Favela gammon favella gammon.

The team have reverted back into only being able to play well for a half at most. The obvious thing is we create chances and fail to take them leading to pressure later. The lack of goalscorers is the thing that needs fixing next season, it can't just be rashford.

[Raoul Duke]

Martial has reverted back to full comatose mode and looks like he is on some kind of horse tranquilliser every time he steps on the pitch. Have to get rid of him in the summer

[niko_cee]

Untied look very 2005-2010 Mourinho-era vintage football to me. Very negative and reliant on a [too] small number of attacking players to do anything positive. Maybe that's a personnel issue, but it looks like more than that to me. I'm also not convinced that the rat alliance of Antony/Fernandes/Garnacho is ever going to be a really winning combination in English football.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They can take Joao Felix off our hands and complete the full rodent population, albeit this one's on heavy sedatives.

[Don]

It warms the heart to look through the Utd squad and see not a single player who you can confidently say is good enough for a side wanting to win things. And yet almost every single one has serious question marks about their discipline, temperament and general mentality thanks to being afforded to embrace their favela spine by a weak and incompetent manager. Absolutely love it.

[Kikó]

Is garnacho really a "rat"? Not sure he's done much to earn that accolade.

[niko_cee]

If he isn't yet, he will be with the 'senior pros' he has around him.

[Waffdon]

I didn’t realise he was only 18. Got a kid on the way as well. Hope it doesn’t get his looks

[Ben]

He's got the dive and roll around schtick nailed down very well for a 18 year old, I'll give him that.

[Magic]

2-1 win tomorrow to help Arsenal win the league.

[phonics]

Sadly even with a Big Sam favour, we fucked it so badly against Liverpool West Ham and Southampton that it’s still require a result for Brighton or Brentford.

Fun fact, the only two teams we haven’t recorded a win against this year sit in 1st and 20th.

[phonics]

Sadly even with a Big Sam favour, we fucked it so badly against Liverpool West Ham and Southampton that it’s still require a result for Brighton or Brentford.

Fun fact, the only two teams we haven’t recorded a win against this year sit in 1st and 20th.

[randomlegend]

Favela gammon favella gammon.

The team have reverted back into only being able to play well for a half at most. The obvious thing is we create chances and fail to take them leading to pressure later. The lack of goalscorers is the thing that needs fixing next season, it can't just be rashford.

The issue (no striker aside) remains that everyone not in the first 11 is pretty much rubbish. By this point in the season the good players are knackered from playing every game. Rotating doesn't work because then you've got Fred playing and not rotating doesn't work because Rashford and Bruno start dying.

[Lewis]

Is garnacho really a "rat"? Not sure he's done much to earn that accolade.

He does seem like a bit of a rat.

[Bam]

Fun fact, the only two teams we haven’t recorded a win against this year sit in 1st and 20th.

Gee whizz, that really is a fun fact.

[Spikey M]

Golly.

[Bam]

Golly.


Racist. :|

[Spikey M]

Fuck.

phonics

[Bam]

You own that pub in Grays, don't you. :sherlock:

[Waffdon]

I see that new EFL tv deal is going down well with fans. There are 552 matches in each league every season. 328 of those are being televised in the Championship and can’t be played on a Saturday at 3pm.

That’s gonna fuck over my BTTS long shots on a Saturday at 3pm

[Baz]

Why have I only just seen this? :lol:

1654391097135693824

[niko_cee]

:D

Tremendous.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see that new EFL tv deal is going down well with fans. There are 552 matches in each league every season. 328 of those are being televised in the Championship and can’t be played on a Saturday at 3pm.

That’s gonna fuck over my BTTS long shots on a Saturday at 3pm

It's a mess. Mass lunchtime kickoffs are the death of football culture, especially down there. £400 million extra cash though to buy world class star players with. Messi, all those lads.

[-james-]

Presumably coronation related but the schedule for this run of games is quite deranged

https://i.imgur.com/Lul0ZnJ.png

[Gray Fox]

An evening game at Anfield and they want the national anthem played before kick off.

I wonder how that's going to go? :p

[Jimmy Floyd]

Anything that keeps us off the TV is a good schedule.

[Mike]

An evening game at Anfield and they want the national anthem played before kick off.

I wonder how that's going to go? :p

My very royal loving and patriotic mother in law is down, I look forward to her upset at the booing.

[Waffdon]

How are they getting away with showing a game at 3pm on a Saturday? What a shambles.

[Ben]

Coronation probably.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's smallprint which suspends the blackout if Big Sam personally authorises it.

[Baz]

I believe the wording is special dispensation.

[Don]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/06/serbias-filip-mladenovic-given-three-month-ban-for-polish-cup-final-attacks

Was expecting some proper Eastern European rough-housing (see Zenit vs Spartak brawl of last week) and instead I got...

1653872000413102082

:lol:

[Manc]

Meslier dropped. :drool:

[Magic]

"hard to beat"

"Back to basics"

Same old shite.

[Manc]

Bamford shouldn't be anywhere near this level.

[Gray Fox]

Gakpo, Nunez, Jota and Salah all starting. All out attack it is then.

Unless something catastrophic happens in Manchester it's still almost a pointless game but should be fun.

[Don]

The Kante performance here was awful but Havertz was ridiculous, absolutely nothing even attempted, man just got it and made safe 3 yard backpasses at his peak. Felix benched for these clowns is terrorism.

[Gray Fox]

Anthem getting the respect it deserves.

[Baz]

Anthem getting the respect it deserves.

1654886090338103297

:drool:

[Spikey M]

Such a weird city.

[Waffdon]

Great guys.

[John Arne]

All of the female BBC commentators are fucking awful. Shrill and/or boring narrative crap.

#Sexist

[Spikey M]

I'll take any of them over Jenas.

[Lewis]

Such a weird city.

That amount of scorn is usually reserved for witnesses to kids being murdered.

[Don]

Some of the 1-touch passing and Pirlo doing his thing :drool:

Brentford trying their best to turn this into an NFL match.

[Gray Fox]

Great first 20 mins or so but then every 30 seconds there was a free kick.

[Don]

The Brentford fairytale is over, get these diving shithouses into the champ ffs.

6 game winning streak, think only Arsenal and City can match that feat this season :huhu:

[Manc]

Seko Fofana is some don.

[Waffdon]

Shocked Chelsea won a game when not playing guys that won’t be there next season. Well, that and playing better when Badiashile is on the pitch. Some plur

[Lofty]

If Holding and Kiwior start today could be a Spursy opening 20 minutes.

[Gray Fox]

Notts County would have had enough points to have gone up in all 43 previous seasons of this league.

They're about to get dumped out in the play off semi final.

[Waffdon]

That was always gonna happen after all the crying about only 2 teams being relegated from League 2 (which seems fuck all tbf)

[Baz]

The kickoff times for todays Premier League games are a travesty.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Notts County would have had enough points to have gone up in all 43 previous seasons of this league.

They're about to get dumped out in the play off semi final.

Just saved themselves and sent it to extra time.

[Manc]

Boreham Wood denied a stonewall penalty at the death.

[Gray Fox]

Probably should have been one given at both ends after the 97th minute equaliser. Mental stuff.

[randomlegend]

The kickoff times for todays Premier League games are a travesty.

7pm on Sunday is not a normal kickoff time right?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Boreham Wood denied a stonewall penalty at the death.

Notts County also denied a stonewall penalty just before too.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Boreham Wood keeper has fucked it at the death.

[Adramelch]

That was always gonna happen after all the crying about only 2 teams being relegated from League 2 (which seems fuck all tbf)

It's rather odd, League 1 has four relegation spots, National League also has four and League 2 randomly has two.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It was one until relatively recently and zero (election) before that - in theory it's the division between professional and semi-pro/amateur ranks so those above have (again in theory) proved they are sustainable at that level. I would reduce it to one again and then have a playoff between 23rd and 2nd for the last spot. Would stop a load of shark businessmen bankrupting non-league teams trying to get promoted.

[phonics]

If this is a penalty I have officially just given up on the handball rule as a concept.

[Gray Fox]

Arsenal a bit of a mess. Penalty rightly overturned though.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a lovely finish.

[Gray Fox]

As I said. Arsenal well on top here.

[Waffdon]

How has Pope not got anywhere near that? It wasn’t exactly in the corner or a strike with a huge amounts of power

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lukaku-esque first touch from Murphy there.

[niko_cee]

Against the run of play should be the strap line for Arsenal's season.

[Waffdon]

The size difference in these teams is properly mental. Shame Newcastle have every hit every corner or free kick so far

[Magic]

If Arsenal win the league Arteta reaches Klopp levels of dislikeable.

[Manc]

Quite a few Newcastle players should be in the book. Ref doesn't seem interested.

[phonics]

This Newcastle team complaining about timewasting :D

Half of them should be a on a yellow as well. What a bunch of dirty little scrotes.

[Waffdon]

I presume Newcastle weren’t booing their plays at half time lol

[phonics]

What are they booing about? They're lucky not to be 2-3 down and still have 11 men on the pitch.

[Shindig]

Football fans will boo anything that goes against them. Even a standard VAR overturn.

[Waffdon]

What are they booing about? They're lucky not to be 2-3 down and still have 11 men on the pitch.

Eh? How are they lucky to have 11 men on the pitch :lol: