October football: VARy bad decisions

[Shindig]

Probably more to do with playing two games a week.

[niko_cee]

It's yet another my team = ok, other team = bad. If Klopp or whoever is managing Man Utd these days did it then would be a different story. No matter what the original story was.

I was more thinking it would leave you open to bealing from the other side tomorrow should you have chosen to field a player who really ought to have been ineligible, and as it turns out apparently is [?].

[Baz]

Where can I watch St Pats vs Shamrock Rovers Giggles

Been given a tip to bet on Mason Melia to score. Lads only 16 but got the swagger of Giroud.

[Ben]

Haven't you got a firestick? RTE2.

[Baz]

Yep, sorted. Cmon the reds.

[Giggles]

Good lads, I completely forgot it was on the telly. They show fuck all games on TV here unless it's Man Utd, Liverpool, or Rangers.

[Giggles]

Though why would you watch a game just for a bet? Surely if it wins it wins and you just check after.

[Baz]

Though why would you watch a game just for a bet? Surely if it wins it wins and you just check after.I’m kidding nobody, I don’t get to watch TV cos my children are nocturnal

[Giggles]

If you're streaming you could do better than this shite.

[Ian]

Though why would you watch a game just for a bet? Surely if it wins it wins and you just check after.

Sama used to watch ridiculous shit in the name of bets. Bless him. RIP, Sama.

(He's not actually dead, I don't think. Though he did get right into going to Norwich United games so who knows.)

[Boydy]

Speaking of the dead (to us), I saw via Facebook that JordInc's a father now.

[Giggles]

Sama used to watch ridiculous shit in the name of bets. Bless him. RIP, Sama.

(He's not actually dead, I don't think. Though he did get right into going to Norwich United games so who knows.)

If he's to witness Adam Idah on a weekly basis then maybe he's done the job. He near drives me to it when it's only 4 times a year.

[Giggles]

Speaking of the dead (to us), I saw via Facebook that JordInc's a father now.

Is jordinc not James?

[Boydy]

Is jordinc not James?
No.

[Jimmy Floyd]

During half time in CP-TH I switched to another channel where it was Bochum v Mainz, the summariser for which had a very out of place South African accent. Sure enough it was Sean Dundee, as I live and breathe.

[Offshore Toon]

James is diljeet.

[Lewis]

JorDinc.

[Offshore Toon]

Saint also took English lessons and now posts as Yevrah.

[Baz]

Would be nice to get a few old heads back for a reunion thread wouldn’t it.

[Offshore Toon]

We could definitely do with some of the characters back. Banning anyone was daft as the lunatics made this place.

[Don]

No Enzo no party, surely.

[Waffdon]

These South Americans and having babies so young needs to stop. Now I’m forced to watch Gallagher play deep again.

Chelsea now just a right back away from a full XI worth of injuries/absentees.

Bettinelli; [blank - but probs James in week], Fofana, Chalobah, Chilwell; Lavia, Fernandez, Chukwuemeka; Nkunku, Mudryk, Broja

[Jimmy Floyd]

The starting XI today is just awful. Come on Poch, work your magic.

[Waffdon]

If Sterling could kick a ball properly he’d be an all timer.

[Baz]

Spurs winning the league managed by an Australian is in theory one of the worst possible outcomes for sport, but it's just so likeable. I'm sorry.”This.”

Romero and Van de Ven are absolutely quality at the back too.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Palmer is such a joy to watch. He has so much time.

[Magic]

What a first half. Should finish 8. :drool:

[John Arne]

Madueke is useless.

[Waffdon]

That was absolutely amazing defending. Bloody hell.

[John Arne]

Palmer is such a joy to watch. He has so much time.

Aye, he looks so good.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We could play until 6pm and not score. Players just aren't of the required standard unfortunately. Can't blame them, nothing they can do about it.

[Waffdon]

I’ve watched this exact game about 20 times since Tuchel came in. Chelsea’s home record in the past two years has to be in the bottom three

[John Arne]

Looked offside.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't remember being as forlorn as when watching this game and looking over the squad. We're looking at years and years of this to come. This is baseball tanking in an open league.

It's just not a squad that has been put together to play football together. When analytics turns ugly.

[Waffdon]

Losing at home to Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Brentford without scoring is some effort.

Looking forward to ruining Spurs’ title chances next week before back to the same old.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We have far more chance against teams that attack us than teams that sit in low blocks. The only times we looked dangerous were in the first half when Hickey went on a couple of adventures and we counter-attacked into the resultant space, one of which saw Madueke hit the bar. If you just defend in a deep block we won't ever score unless via fuck ups.

At home to shite is default 0-1.

[niko_cee]

That Arsenal XI looks a bit pants.

[Waffdon]

No respect whatsoever with that team :D

Should score about 8

[niko_cee]

”This.”

Romero and Van de Ven are absolutely quality at the back too.

It's a nice idea, well, actually it isn't, but, thankfully, it isn't happening. Spurs have been egregiously lucky on numerous occasions this season. Beating Palace 2-1 with 1 shot on target sums it up. Robbing Sheffield Utd blind with two goals deep into added time, needing a last kick of the game OG to beat 9 man Liverpool. It'll run out. Spawning so may wins puts them in a good position for the top 4/5 though, which is good for keeping the shit on a stick brigade [United and Chelsea] at bay.

[John Arne]

Kicking off in Munich by the looks of it.

https://gyazo.com/6295e10503270e0cf0d41812cc3729ab.jpeg

[Gray Fox]

Angeball working is going to cause an issue for one of the Uniteds you feel.

Assuming the first 8 games are a good barometer, Arsenal, Liverpool, City and Spurs should be comfortably clear of the rest. Newcastle are feeling the effects of a lack of great depth now. 2 games a week, injuries and bans mounting. United are going to need to start getting results away at the sides mentioned in order to keep pace, unless they can click into a better way of playing.

[Alex]

What a first half. Should finish 8. :drool:

I was thinking the same. We took the foot off the pedal big time after the break but who cares I suppose, it was a cracking first half.

Summerville is the absolute lad. One of the very best players in this league. He terrifies defences when he runs at them. I'm a bit apprehensive for the inevitable January interest.

[Spikey M]

Spurs will get sunk by their complete lack of depth in defence and midfield. A couple of injuries there and they're straight back to Dier and Skipp.

[John Arne]

1-0, Kane.

[Ian]

Spurs will get sunk by their complete lack of depth in defence and midfield. A couple of injuries there and they're straight back to Dier and Skipp.

Has anybody made a joke yet about an Australian managing a player whose name is nearly Skippy? If not I'll get to workshopping it.

[Adramelch]

Newcastle are feeling the effects of a lack of great depth now. 2 games a week, injuries and bans mounting.

I'm not sure that's what we're seeing so far if I'm honest. All the games they've lost in the league were way before Champions League started. And on top of that, losses away to Brighton and City, at home to Liverpool and a draw at West Ham are on brand for them. Sure, the extra games will have an effect overall on their season, but I feel they've been exactly how they were in the second half of last season so far.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Has anybody made a joke yet about an Australian managing a player whose name is nearly Skippy? If not I'll get to workshopping it.

I always felt Skippy should have been called 'Skippo' if the show was to achieve a grittier, more realistic representation of Australian society.

[John Arne]

Kane lobs the keeper from the halfway line to make it 5-0

https://gyazo.com/0af612552bc52b25554d99d7635379d2.giff

[niko_cee]

Non serious league.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fair play, that is mint. Good to see even the goalkeepers play a high line over there.

Also a great effort by Darmstaft to see Kimmich sent off in the first five minutes, and then be down to nine themselves before half time.

[John Arne]

They can't mark for shit. 7 goals in 24 minutes for Bayern.

https://gyazo.com/bc5d10cb8d569d97699f9ba5e563e2b2.jpeg

[niko_cee]

and apart from the goal the Blades shape and organisation has been good

Igniting the imaginations in a thousand back gardens all across the land.

[niko_cee]

There really are some absolutely brutal teams in the league this year.

Everton might be wise to try and take that point deduction asap.

[Gray Fox]

I'm not sure that's what we're seeing so far if I'm honest. All the games they've lost in the league were way before Champions League started. And on top of that, losses away to Brighton and City, at home to Liverpool and a draw at West Ham are on brand for them. Sure, the extra games will have an effect overall on their season, but I feel they've been exactly how they were in the second half of last season so far.

I didn't realise they were that long ago. I feel like they're still good enough for 5th. The big push for the teams in Europe is from now til new year. If they can cope with that they'll be grand.

[John Arne]

Kane hattrick, 8-0.

[Lewis]

He scored from his own half. He's having a right laugh over there.

[Kikó]

You'd never see an 8-0 in the Barclays.

[niko_cee]

Are these collectively the worst three promoted teams ever?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Possibly, and the teams that went down last year were very good as well. Leicester are miles better than Burnley.

[John Arne]

Bellingham :drool:

https://gyazo.com/237c3d95baa4d75e77aa97111bd50c73.gif

[Waffdon]

Bellingham is literally the most complete player I’ve ever seen

[Kikó]

He's the new Steven Gerrard with intelligence.

[niko_cee]

And playing for a good team.

gif probably doesn't do the shot justice, but that looks like a poor effort by the 'keeper.

[Don]

Spending about 5 mins trying to judge whether an offside call is offside or not even after they've drawn the lines on it in Bournemouth. I'd suspect both these managers' jobs might rest on this and crowd has lost all interest. Gotta love how the technology is simply not there for this.

Disallowed. Iraola lives.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sheffield United will make a real assault on that Derby record I think. Can't see where 10 points are coming from.

[Waffdon]

Sheffield United will make a real assault on that Derby record I think. Can't see where 10 points are coming from.

16th Dec.

[Don]

Bellingham with another tap-in. Are they just not familiar with midfield runners or something in Spain? This is ridiculous.

[niko_cee]

Have Real got some sort of Diablo/uber2 tactic on the go?

[John Arne]

The spic commentator having a pop at Vini Jr for daring to applaud as he walked off. Racist cunts. He also spent the entire first half describing how Gavi had Bellingham in his pocket :D

A better angle of the Kane lob...

1718281469901111786

And Bellingham's first

1718292689014157588

[niko_cee]

I assumed the goalie must have given the ball away 'playing out from the back' to have been in such a dreadful position, but no.

[Waffdon]

That’s gotta be at least the 5th stoppage time winner for Bellingham this season

[niko_cee]

Fitness advantage.

How is Tebas dealing with City Football Group being second in the league over there?

[Gray Fox]

The English Dom Szoboszlai is coming along nicely.

Maybe Brum had a point.

[Shindig]

Rob Elliot's still waiting for his first win as Gateshead boss. Thumped 4-0 by Fylde. Meanwhile Mike Williamson keeps his 100% league record going with MK Dons. If we were still under Mike Ashley's iron grip, he'd be our next binman.

[Adramelch]

13 goals in 13 games for Bellingham. Absurd.

[niko_cee]

This Newcastle kit is crimous.

[Manc]

Southgate should be locked up if he doesn't take England to the final next summer.

[niko_cee]

Absolutely never a penalty. Just end the sport.

[Waffdon]

Yep. He stops himself and kicks the floor. They clearly knew it wasn’t a penalty either with how long they were looking at it.

[niko_cee]

It's just another example of the Harry Kane / Anthony Gordon throw yourself into contact special. Hwang [was it?] fully stopped himself and Schar was two feet planted and going down 'anticipating contact' before there was any fleeting touch.

[niko_cee]

Shay Given and the woman in the studio shilling hard for the Saudis.

[Waffdon]

She did say it wasn’t a penalty but Shay Given’s reasoning made me vomit in my mouth.

[Yevrah]

Kane ripping up the Bundesliga, Bellingham looking like a once in a generation talent and a supporting cast of quality back in the Premier League, there's no hiding place for Sir Gareth anymore, is there?

[niko_cee]

Our best hope would be if those two above start unexpectedly turning out at centre half for their clubs.

[Yevrah]

Our best hope would be if those two above start unexpectedly turning out at centre half for their clubs.

:D

In terms of the Euros it's genuinely really only France that should be beating us now and even then only if they play well (they didn't to beat us last time), so we're properly in Martinez and Belgium territory if anything else happens.

[niko_cee]

Anthony Taylor's family in the embassy obviously, or I guess more likely he has a lucrative gig lined up midweek out there.

[Waffdon]

I do wonder what club Pedro Neto would be playing for if he didn’t do his knee and ankle in back to back years.

Looks back to his best this year.

[Waffdon]

Gary O’Neil has turned Hwang into a right don

[Kikó]

Wolves have been really good in the second half.

[niko_cee]

I do wonder what club Pedro Neto would be playing for if he didn’t do his knee and ankle in back to back years.


Liverpool.

Probably be brought on board when Salah goes.

[Waffdon]

Commentators and personnel in general make it out as if Newcastle are the only team ever to play in European football.

[niko_cee]

And he's dead again.

[Gray Fox]

I do wonder what club Pedro Neto would be playing for if he didn’t do his knee and ankle in back to back years.

Looks back to his best this year.

All on you that one.

[Waffdon]

I do wonder what club Pedro Neto would be playing for if he didn’t do his knee and ankle in back to back years.

Looks back to his best this year.

That’s an incredible jinx. For anyone not watching he’s just pulled his hamstring in whilst running at goal :lol:

[Shindig]

It's all a bit condescending, really. We have a right to occasionally be good at things without Sky Sports pinning our homework on the fridge.

[niko_cee]

Not being injured really is the most underrated thing in football.

[Waffdon]

Not being injured really is the most underrated thing in football.

Yep. Definitely isn’t down to luck either, I don’t think.

Well, muscle injuries anyway. Probably a bit unlucky if your leg gets snapped

[Gray Fox]

Not being injured really is the most underrated thing in football.

This is what amazes me about Salah.

With PRESSING and running yourself into the ground being the core of the modern game, I can remember him being out for maybe about 2 weeks of his entire Liverpool career(the Barcelona comeback week-ish).

[niko_cee]

Yeah, and that was concussion wasn't it? And he must have played 50+ games a year for what, 6 years? Madness.

Edit: 305 games in 6 seasons, only one season under 50 games. I bet he played quite a lot of those 90 minutes as well.

[Gray Fox]

It's crazy. He may be creeping into his 30's now, but things like that should be considered when the Public Investment Fund comes calling in June.

[niko_cee]

Fairly astonishing that that level of contact is apparently completely fine.

Ruling on the field stands can get to fuck.

[niko_cee]

You have to be some proper proper football man to, when asked for your player of the match, caveat your selection with "he hasn't been the best player on the pitch out there".

[phonics]

Was looking at the fixtures and it’s so absurd that most teams are looking at playing 3 games in November and 7 in December.

[niko_cee]

League games. Also League Cup and Europe, and presumably an international break still in there somewhere.

[Waffdon]

The December fixtures are stupid. Chelsea who aren’t in Europe play 3 times in 6 days and that’s before the madness between Xmas and NY.

[Jimmy Floyd]

December massively favours the top teams, although oddly they are also the ones who always cry about it.

Only way around it is to cut the league to 16 or 18 teams.

[Gray Fox]

I think an 18 team league would be perfect. However the EFL teams would kick off at only having two teams going up.

[niko_cee]

Perhaps, but looking at Liverpool's fixtures, they have 6 in November, with an international break, and 7 [maybe 8] in December. That might be slightly skewed by the Newcastle game being on New Years Day - has that been moved back for TV?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think an 18 team league would be perfect. However the EFL teams would kick off at only having two teams going up.

You'd lose 74 matches going to an 18 team league. Would be suicide for those on the gravy train.

[Gray Fox]

Exactly why it'll never happen. It'd probably help cutting two of the also rans from the competition though.

[Raoul Duke]

I don't know why UEFA/FIFA doesn't standardise the league formats across competitions. Probably too sensible

[niko_cee]

That sounds a terrible idea.

[Shindig]

I often wonder how Scotland would manage with a 20 team league. Any league where you play each other more than twice feels a bit small time.

[Adramelch]

I don't know why UEFA/FIFA doesn't standardise the league formats across competitions. Probably too sensible

Most minor nations couldn't support that.

[Don]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/important-information-fans-attending-matches-anfield-0

We better cover Anfield like Celtic Park tomorrow.

[Shindig]

With a challenge like that I expect, "Up the Ticketless IRA."

[Don]

Whoever gets Branthwaite is fucking laughing, already England's best CB, if he was mixed race he'd be playing CL football by now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Onana, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Evans, Amrabat, McTominay, Eriksen, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund.

That defence :drool:

[Kikó]

Could be anything today. 4-5 easy for city.

[Jimmy Floyd]

City lineup looks unbelievably attacking.

[Lewis]

I reckon watching United is about as bad as it's been at the moment. Under 'LvG' and Mourinho, and even Ole Gunnar Binman for a brief period, you could tell (delude) yourself that another transfer window or two and once a few players get better... Now there are no grounds for any sort of optimism.

[Kikó]

Generally agree, this season has been the pits. The lack of control in every game is depressing but trying to rationalize it by saying most of the team have been injured for large parts of the season. Any team would struggle having to play their second or third choice defence.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What's the excuse for the midfield?

[7om]

Who’s this commentator on Sky Sports and why does he have to speak every sentence like a fucking poem.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Peter Drury, and because he's Peter Drury.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Onana :cool:

[Kikó]

What's the excuse for the midfield?

Mount.

[Gray Fox]

Match fixing levels of bad for the Forest keeper on the 3rd goal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a pen for me.

[randomlegend]

That's a pen for me.

It is, but it happens literally every game on free-kicks and corners and VAR never gets involved.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's one of those where it is a pen, but Rodri has successfullly Stuart Broaded it by protesting enough to get the VAR to look at it, as you'd never get it otherwise.

[Luke Emia]

It's one of those where it is a pen, but Rodri has successfullly Stuart Broaded it by protesting enough to get the VAR to look at it, as you'd never get it otherwise.

Yep, I have no issue with it being given but to stop it happening you’d had 5 penalties a match for a few weeks. It would soon stop it.

[niko_cee]

Total bullshit pen. Look at the level of contact allowed in the Wolves game yesterday.

[Gray Fox]

I really dislike seeing that given as a pen.

Everyone is just going to be throwing themselves over in the box for the rest of this game now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I also don't think they'd have looked at it if it was, say, Josip Gvardiol giving the protest. Rodri is a player with credibility and cachet, these things matter.

How has Onana managed three bookings this season? What a fanny he is.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He loves timewasting.

[Kikó]

Great to see var with another wonderful contribution.

[niko_cee]

More contact by Stones on Hojlund going through than there was for the penalty.

[Danny]

They decide to clamp down on that type of defending every couple of years. It lasts a few weeks before there's been too many penalties and it goes back to normal.

[Ben]

I thought they were going to allow a lot more contact this season? If Rodri doesn’t roll around like a big doyle then it doesn’t even get looked at. They need to start penalising play acting, even when there is (minimal) contact.

[Kikó]

Yeah but MICHEAL OLIVER has spotted a great injustice and we need VAR to decide.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Foden :harold:

[Don]

Crying about a pen after they have 12.4% possession and 0.003 xG in the game to prolong egghead's reign :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Onana has his confidence back.

[Don]

It was headed straight at him but if it leads to Garnacho posting a few gorilla emojis and prolong that career too, we are here for it.

[Waffdon]

Onana has his confidence back.

Did you not see him flapping earlier in the half from Foden’s header? :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

This is the first half of United I've properly watched this season and my findings are that Onana is a complete joke. Awful temperament, fannies about, you need him out of goal, flying save or not. Their only route to goal is by firing it up the middle for McTominay and Hojlund, which is fair enough as a tactic but it's mid-table stuff.

[niko_cee]

Getting fucked over by VAR aside, United have looked dreadful. No idea what their plan in this is.

[Kikó]

Stay in the game and hope for something to fall to a player to scrape a lucky goal is basically our tactics all season.

[niko_cee]

Never fear, Mason Mount is on to save the day.

[John Arne]

Did Foden just get away with squaring up to the lino?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Someone tell Gary that he took Amrabat off because he's a juiced-up Arab steamhead on a yellow card.

[Ben]

Antony. :D

[7om]

United are a truly pathetic team. They need a mass clear out of all the crap players they’ve accumulated.

[niko_cee]

That was brutal.

[Yevrah]

It was like watching Man City beat a mid-table team, which is what Man Utd are at the moment.

[Don]

Today, I feel a Cityzen.

That fucking Woman Abuser III is without doubt the greatest individual entertainer operating in the league :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

They have many problems, but one of them is that they/we all misjudged Ten Hag as some kind of genius when he's actually thick as two short planks. That's the veil put upon you if you succeed with certain clubs. If he'd made that CL semi with Feyenoord he'd never have come near the PL. Ajax, let's find you a crown.

[Yevrah]

He does seem to have brought a load of shit in from the Dutch league, which would suggest a serious lack of judgement when it comes to the ability required to play at the top level of the English Premier League not sponsored by Barclays.

[Ian]

Being a scout for United must be the easiest job going, the cunts are stealing a living if they exist at all. Just a series of managers either signing players they already know or the club signing the most famous available player for a given position of need. They find absolutely nobody.

[Adramelch]

They found Mount and Jonny Evans.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm sure the scouts find plenty of people. It's who the club signs that is the issue.

[Lewis]

It's never been entirely clear who makes what decisions on recruitment. There was that weird shit about one of the Glazers blocking Anthony Martial leaving, but then we never heard anything like that again when it clearly implied that they were having a bigger input than they would like to admit.

[Kikó]

The club has a terrible scouting structure that's leading to each manager bringing in players they know in some way or the CEOs pet project. The problem seems to be more with the loyalty to Rashford, Fernandes and McTomminay rather then the new players.

And again, this is the second or third choice defence playing week in week out.

[Don]

Also doesn't help that the fans know nothing about the game.

[ScousePig]

Being a scout for United must be the easiest job going, the cunts are stealing a living if they exist at all. Just a series of managers either signing players they already know or the club signing the most famous available player for a given position of need. They find absolutely nobody.

I was listening to the Guardian football weekly the other month, and one of the blokes (Barney Ronay I think) was accosted by one of Man United's recruit team at an event because he'd criticised them. Apparently the bloke (I'm sure he was one of the top dogs) was adamant that the recruitment had been top class and couldn't understand why Ronay had been critical.

[Waffdon]

1718710371886711260

Marseille gotta be one of the biggest shitholes.

[niko_cee]

Passionate fanbase.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I fucking love Marseille. They should probably be closed down, but what a mad town and club.

[phonics]

Saw this earlier and got a chuckle. Proper commentator beef.

1718647221816549702

[Danny]

One of the subtweets seems to point to that shite sky had on before the game

Though he isn’t wrong if it’s about Drury either. He has his moments but it’s tiring.

[Jimmy Floyd]

No way Clive would be bitching at Drury. They're peas in a pod. Drury's style isn't urban poet either, just straight lyricism.

Clive the better commentator though.

[Don]

1718646876915032372

:D

Irrespective of TAKTIK, I'm really not sure he could ever be a successful manager in England when he sounds like such a virgin mong. It really was clear from day 1.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was thinking earlier: for a Dutchman, he speaks atrocious English.

[Ben]

I was thinking earlier: for a Dutchman, he speaks atrocious English.

I work with a Dutch fella and this was brought up when Man Utd appointed him. He said everyone in the Netherlands that speaks worse English than him is at least ten years older. Reckons it's almost impossible to be that bad given their exposure to the language, which is probably a big exaggeration but you get the point.

[Boydy]

1718744351663108342

:sherlock:

[Waffdon]

They’ve been on tv for about 80% of all their games this season.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67262447

Is his Mum still on hunger strike?

[Shindig]

She packed that in as soon as her diabetes kicked off.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67232561

Do you think he'll keep winning it after he's retired? I don't see why not.

[John Arne]

Just noticed that Pepe Reina is still keeping the bench warm for Villareal, aged 41. What a second half to his career he has had, since leaving Liverpool: Napoli -> Bayern Munich -> Napoli -> AC Milan -> Villa (lol) -> Lazio -> Villareal.

[John Arne]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67232561

Do you think he'll keep winning it after he's retired? I don't see why not.

He's basically won it for 3 goals in a World Cup (let's ignore the 4 pens) against Mexico, Australia and France. Does seem a bit silly given the 2023 club form of the likes of Mbappe, Haaland had Craig Dawson.

[Baz]

Well it’s McTominay’s from next year onwards, so eight is his lot.

[Yevrah]

He's basically won it for 3 goals in a World Cup (let's ignore the 4 pens) against Mexico, Australia and France. Does seem a bit silly given the 2023 club form of the likes of Mbappe, Haaland had Craig Dawson.

He was instrumental in his team winning the World Cup and a World Cup (rightly) trumps all. Ronaldo would swap a shit load of his club medals to have won one.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's one of the great underplayed hilarities of this century's football that Portugal won their only ever major title as soon as Ronaldo limped off injured, and the winner was scored by a lumbering shithouse striker who only scored once more for Portugal after that.

[Waffdon]

He was instrumental in his team winning the World Cup and a World Cup (rightly) trumps all. Ronaldo would swap a shit load of his club medals to have won one.

Haaland won his team a treble. He should have obviously won it.

[Baz]

I think the spectacle of the World Cup, particularly with the final being so bloody good, played it's part.

[niko_cee]

The woman they had on the Monday night club was insufferable on the topic of Messi winning the golden ball.

The World Cup does tend to be a bit of a trump card sadly, back to the days of Cannavaro winning it. 2014s best German still seething no doubt.

Haaland will probably have to decamp to Spain before having a shot at winning it, and even then he'll be playing catch up to Mbappe and Bellingham.

Oh, I see Messi got it in 2010. Guess the primacy of the World Cup was on hiatus then too.

Until he retires he'll be getting a disproportionately massive share of the votes.

[Lewis]

The World Cup always heavily sways these things, but they usually have elite things going on either side of it, like Fabio Cannavaro won ('won') the league with Juventus prior to the 2006 World Cup and then got a big move to Real Madrid (where he was admittedly terrible). Mooching about France and then the McDonald's league is a new one.

[Lewis]

Wesley Sneijder was ROBBED in 2010. The best player in a treble-winning team, the best player in Holland's shithouse final run, the best player on United's transfer longlist.

[niko_cee]

Neom 2034.

:sick:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Here was the full ranking, fascinating stuff, I'm not sure if you have to vote from a pre-approved list or what but some of these are amusing.

1 Lionel Messi
2 Erling Haaland
3 Kylian Mbappe
4 Kevin De Bruyne
5 Rodri
6 Vinicius Junior
7 Julian Alvarez
8 Victor Osimhen
9 Bernardo Silva
10 Luka Modric
11 Mo Salah
12 Robert Lewandowski
13 Yassine Bounou
14 Ilkay Gundogan
15 Emiliano Martinez
16 Karim Benzema
17 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
18 Jude Bellingham (!)
19 Harry Kane
20 Lautaro Martinez
21 Antoine Griezmann
22 Kim Min-Jae
23 Andre Onana (!)
24 Bukayo Saka
25 Josko Gvardiol
26 Jamal Musiala
27 Nicolo Barella
28= Randal Kolo Muani
28= Martin Odegaard
30 Ruben Dias

[Yevrah]

Haaland won his team a treble. He should have obviously won it.

A World Cup trumps a treble I'm afraid.

[Yevrah]

And to clarify, I'm not saying you just give it to the best player in that year's World Cup automatically as that doesn't work if nobody performs exceptionally, but Messi did and he's a worthy winner as a result.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Here was the full ranking, fascinating stuff, I'm not sure if you have to vote from a pre-approved list or what but some of these are amusing.

1 Lionel Messi
2 Erling Haaland
3 Kylian Mbappe
4 Kevin De Bruyne
5 Rodri
6 Vinicius Junior
7 Julian Alvarez
8 Victor Osimhen
9 Bernardo Silva
10 Luka Modric
11 Mo Salah
12 Robert Lewandowski
13 Yassine Bounou
14 Ilkay Gundogan
15 Emiliano Martinez
16 Karim Benzema
17 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
18 Jude Bellingham (!)
19 Harry Kane
20 Lautaro Martinez
21 Antoine Griezmann
22 Kim Min-Jae
23 Andre Onana (!)
24 Bukayo Saka
25 Josko Gvardiol
26 Jamal Musiala
27 Nicolo Barella
28= Randal Kolo Muani
28= Martin Odegaard
30 Ruben Dias

It is indeed a list, those are the entire 30 nominees.

[Gray Fox]

Julian Alvarez the 7th best player in the entire world? What?

'arry Kane should easily be top 10 on any such list. Haaland should be winning it but unfortunately for him he's Norwegian.

[thommo]

Alvarez in 7th is something. He's a very good player but to have him that high is laughable.

[wullie]

Lost to West Brom last night, right load of shit. Three defeats in a row now and the home record gone. We can't be trusted with actual money to spend

[Jimmy Floyd]

Other than getting sent home from the World Cup for being a twat, what did Andre Onana do to merit inclusion on the list?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Helped Inter get to the CL final...

[niko_cee]

Mo Salah chugging along in 11th place on the back of what exactly? Modric one place above also a bit :cab:

[phonics]

Got no opinion on this new QPR manager except that I have an overwhelming feeling that he got hired because he looks quite similar to Pochetino.

[igor_balis]

Foreign weirdos taking individual awards like that seriously make me proud to be English.

[niko_cee]

Big fan of the wahey from the Bournemouth fans as Nunez miscontrolled the ball seconds before smashing it in from 30 yards.

[thommo]

Might have to make the trip to Everton for the quarter finals. First time we've reached this stage in the League Cup since 2004. :cab:

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67313204

Mint. I have no doubt he's probably due another 8 months.

[Ben]

You know what, I think all these recent bans are ridiculous given most players are forced to adorn betting company names all over their kits.

[Magic]

Could be 4-0 either way this. Excited.

[niko_cee]

'mon Horsham.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leicester's Ghanaian vibesman Fatawu is unreal. Haven't seen such pure Africana on these shores since the days of Arouna Koné.

[niko_cee]

Toto Wolff now in the United ownership mix. With Brailsford already on board, I assume, there's definite scenes potential one way or the other.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Brailsford is a bit alarm bells, surely. Can they get Clive Woodward in to complete the trifecta?

[Manc]

Leicester's Ghanaian vibesman Fatawu is unreal. Haven't seen such pure Africana on these shores since the days of Arouna Koné.

His effort off the bar was ridiculous.

[Magic]

I am amazed Byram hasn't been sent off yet.