November Football: sponsored by Saudi 2034

[Yevrah]

Pretty sure you were one of those saying I was a lunatic saying he should leave when I did. If you weren't apologies, either way, I've obviously pushed your buttons, again. Doesn't take much, does it?

[niko_cee]

:D

Not just me that thought there was a bit of a massive and unexpected overreaction there then.

[Waffdon]

This place gets weirder by the day. I need some sort of active beef schematic.

SvN, Phonics and RL love a random meltdown directed towards someone every now and then.

[Yevrah]

This place gets weirder by the day. I need some sort of active beef schematic.

The beef with SvN has been brewing under the surface for ages. He really doesn't like me, I'm not sure why. Also not sure why he thinks my take on ten Hag's situation is wildly wrong either. Maybe he doesn't and just chose to wade in with a random insult as that's just the way he rolls.

[Spikey M]

The best SvN seethe of all time was when he insisted that Indians dip their Samosas in Ketchup because the British-Indians he went to school with did.

[Magic]

Did he not sack someone as well for the most minute thing?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's Zeitgeist, autumn 2023. If your team loses, you have a massive double-down seethe, completely lose every shred of maturity, and call everyone a cunt. You should have seen what I had planned for Monday, never saw the light of day.

[Spikey M]

As has been covered by esteemed journalists the world over. Spurs won, really. Let's go.

[SvN]

All I did was call Yevrah a retard - and let's be honest, he is.

[Giggles]

This place is always better with beef.

[Lewis]

Speaking of seething, I'm in bits about them canning Caramac. That Milkybar Gold isn't the same, and the less said about Cadbury Caramilk the better.

[Yevrah]

All I did was call Yevrah a retard - and let's be honest, he is.

Hmmm, an ever so slight backtrack there, but no explanation as to why I'm a retard or seem to bother you at every turn. If you're gonna have at it, at least do it properly.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Speaking of seething, I'm in bits about them canning Caramac. That Milkybar Gold isn't the same, and the less said about Cadbury Caramilk the better.

I found this very strange from a business perspective. Cadbury goes big on introducing the caramel bar and its spin-offs, and then Caramac gets canned. Do the public just buy any old shit in a Cadbury wrapper, rendering the Caramac helpless to resist? Like grey squirrels and red squirrels.

[Lewis]

You barely see Caramac anywhere, and Nestle have recently rolled it into 'Gold' Munchies and Smarties buttons, so it might be a work to get sad cases starting petitions and then they'll re-launch it.

[SvN]

I was on the verge of being annoyed about this earlier, then realised I hadn't bought a Caramac in about 10 years. I suspect the same is true for a lot of the outraged Twitter dweebs.

[Dark Soldier]

They're absolute next level when stoned. Alongside Curly-Wurlys.

Also Rashford's brother been arrested on charges of domestic violence apparently. Cracking night for the man.

[John Arne]

Hojlund has a good finish in him, but my god his first touch almost Lukaku levels. A big lol at Garnacho giving it the sush gesture after the 3rd man utd goal, come on mate, you've been there long enough.

[Don]

Bruno was giving it large too. The mental side of the sport is almost as big as the technical/physical and unfortunately, you're simply set up to fail when you install someone as mentally pathetic as Bruno captain.

[Baz]

I feel like you only see Caramac’s in a three-pack nowadays, and usually only in corner shops.

[Kikó]

Good news for united is Rashford is banned for the final two games in the group.

[Giggles]

The days of the caramac kitkat were the peak.

[Ben]

I too, am seething. About Caramac, not Man Utd.

I will have to get my fix from McVitie's Gold bars. Milkybar Gold is wank.

[randomlegend]

Caramac is rank.

[Spikey M]

Oh hello, Captain Truffles has got something to say.

[Dark Soldier]

If it was 95% cocoa from the depths of the Amazon he'd be stuffing bars up his arse.

[randomlegend]

I like all sorts of crap chocolate. Caramac is just horrible.

DS you do somewhat miss out on the selling point of chocolate if you're boofing it.

[Waffdon]

1722669711651979730

Of course he was bored. :D

[niko_cee]

Tsimikas is such a liability.

Assume that must have taken a slight deflection otherwise Kweeveen's been up to his old being shit tricks again as well.

[Gray Fox]

He's picking a bad time to have a run of poor form.

The best DM in the world is struggling as well. Perhaps the reduced playing time is an issue. I'd be surprised if he and Scottish Messi reappear in the 2nd half.

[Adramelch]

It never ceases to amaze me how shit Ajax is this season.

[Don]

Jesus, we are fucking useless tonight.

[niko_cee]

Cracking finish.

[Gray Fox]

You can always lose games but the disappointing thing here is it just looks like the other team want it more. Probably understandable considering the state of the group, but frustrating still.

[Gray Fox]

That is such a very strange own goal.

[Don]

Gahahahaha, put that down to our formerly fat Polish friend.

[Don]

I'm feeling that burn baby.

[niko_cee]

The relentlessness of European football is absolutely wrecking Brighton's squad.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think any of us are quite prepared for how relentless it will be next year. Our friend the Swiss System features the usual six games in the autumn, then two games in two weeks late January to finish it off, then an extra two-legged knockout round for teams finishing 9th-24th in said System. So if you came 9th and then made the final, you'd play 17 CL games as opposed to the current 13. And will this very same format be replicated in the Europa and Conference Leagues? Why, of course it will.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gahahahaha, put that down to our formerly fat Polish friend.

Don't worry, I'm still fat.

[Waffdon]

I think it’ll be better. Teams will be able to half arse it if they wish since it’s harder to not get a play off place.

[Shindig]

Would squad selections allow for clubs to play their reserves in Europe? I know that kinda can happen with dead rubbers but I want to see a proper third string scenario.

[Gray Fox]

VAR shambles once more.

[Lewis]

I too, am seething. About Caramac, not Man Utd.

I will have to get my fix from McVitie's Gold bars. Milkybar Gold is wank.

This (https://groceries.asda.com/product/sharing-chocolate-bars/asda-extra-special-blonde-chocolate/1000349324187) is the best bet for a replacement.

[Lewis]

I feel like you only see Caramac’s in a three-pack nowadays, and usually only in corner shops.

The only reliable suppliers are Iceland and Home Bargains. Tragic.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think it’ll be better. Teams will be able to half arse it if they wish since it’s harder to not get a play off place.

So you think loads of half-arsed games with nothing riding on them are better than fewer games with lots riding on them? You must be loving the cricket World Cup.

[Gray Fox]

Unless you're say Man City or one of the absolute no-hopers at the bottom of the group, you're going to need to be putting a strong team out for at least 7 of your 8 games, if not all of them. Almost all teams will have something to play for in the final game.

From limited FM experience the new format is actually quite good. It also does the correct thing in not allowing you to drop down into another competition once you're out of your own.

[niko_cee]

Didn't see the disallowed goal, but, given they had to change the stupid handball rule to make it not handball it it hits a legal body part and then an arm, if the beeb's write-up is correct:


Alexis Mac Allister chested the ball onto his arm earlier in the move

Isn't that not handball?

Obviously the above interpretation opens up all sorts of ways to cheat by controlling it with your arm as the old chest arm grab type thing then becomes a permissible thing, but, you know, they changed the rule.

Good to get VAR shithousing out of the way in meaningless games though, if it all evens itself out.

[phonics]

Think the UEFA interpretation of handball is different from the PL one. It's a great system.

[niko_cee]

I thought our European betters were the ones getting it right though. Have I been misled?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The most random of all thoughts, but: no one says 'striker' anymore, do they?

[niko_cee]

Maybe it's one of those thing like having to say 'the football club'.

Plays badly with the domestic violence focus groups, and has thus been subsumed within the great everything is a number movement.

[John Arne]

Under 17 World Cup kicks off today. More in the spoiler.

The Groups

https://gyazo.com/07b98ca4d3f32979f4b7fa5c630c6455.jpeg

https://gyazo.com/980dc5b72360f6e2a1d02202df51b32d.jpeg


England Squad

https://gyazo.com/079a2ba5097cd8e71fdea77c474a00bd.jpeg


England Fixtures

https://gyazo.com/18f6c89eca562ef29f0ce82167439320.jpeg


England v New Caledonia should be a laugh.

[-james-]

lol at "Ted Curd"

[John Arne]

If his nickname isn't 'Lem' then I give up.

[Ben]

I actually had to Google if Hashtag United is genuine.

[John Arne]

Love this. Indirect so the keeper just let's it right in.

1722846082848235539

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ted Curd is Chelsea isn't he? If we're loaning national level 17 year olds to Hashtag United then the club really is going down the sink.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ted Curd is Chelsea isn't he? If we're loaning national level 17 year olds to Hashtag United then the club really is going down the sink.

Curd is Hashtag men’s first Premier League loanee and continues to train with Chelsea’s first team alongside his time at Hashtag. “What makes it even better is that he actually asked to come to us,” Carmichael-Brown said. “He was being sent out to another team at the equivalent level and he said: ‘Well, if I’m being sent out to that level, I’d rather go to Hashtag’ because he’s grown up watching the [YouTube] videos.

Seems Curd has awful taste.

[Waffdon]

Ted Curd is Chelsea isn't he? If we're loaning national level 17 year olds to Hashtag United then the club really is going down the sink.

He’s 17. Non league loans are very normal for young goalkeepers.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Aldershot or Woking, yeah. Not some bunch of jokers from the world wide web.

[Baz]

Whatever his intention, it's clearly working if he's gone to the U17 World Cup.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pleased to see 'Esquerdinha' in the Brazil squad trying to bring back proper Brazilian names. This Gabriel Jesus bollocks has been going on for too long now.

[wullie]

Is Hashtag United an actual team in the league system? I thought it was Youtube pricks doing low-rent Soccer Aid stuff with Hollyoaks actors and that kind of thing.

[Gray Fox]

They are and they're now in the same level as my local side. One below the NL North/South I believe.

Got funded by the big money the youtube channel brought in early. I suspect they struggle once they go up a level or two more because then you need to invest it all over again.

[Baz]

Is Hashtag United an actual team in the league system? I thought it was Youtube pricks doing low-rent Soccer Aid stuff with Hollyoaks actors and that kind of thing.

That’s Sidemen I think?

I don’t really know. Instagram makes me feel a year older every day.

[Waffdon]

The FIFA Playa.

[Manc]

Chelsea and City really are lightyears ahead of everyone (in england) when it comes to youth development.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not sure it's in-house player development so much as it is having ruthlessly strong recruitment networks in the north and south respectively. City and Chelsea alumni seem to populate half the lower leagues now. Chelsea is also ideally situated to hoover up talent not only from London but all the southern counties, something Arsenal/Spurs do not enjoy.

[niko_cee]

You have to laugh at the BBC puff piece on how 'tiny' Girona have made it to the top of La Liga.

Let me think.

Obviously complete coincidence that those two have been able to pour limitless funds into 'youth development', aka hoovering up all the players and giving their parents jobs and the kids scholarships to Whitgift/the northern equivalent of Whitgift.

[Waffdon]

Not sure it's in-house player development so much as it is having ruthlessly strong recruitment networks in the north and south respectively. City and Chelsea alumni seem to populate half the lower leagues now. Chelsea is also ideally situated to hoover up talent not only from London but all the southern counties, something Arsenal/Spurs do not enjoy.

They also have a pact not to go after the same youth players which doesn’t sound v legal.

Man City have the best recruitment these days with Chelsea not far behind but the latter still produce a fair amount of players from primary school ages.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's probably the best thing for the national game as well. lol

I'm sure if a certain brand of person took over the FA they'd bring in/bring back some rule about having to stay within 500 yards of your house until the age of 34, so that the big clubs don't have an unfair advantage and lawn bowls becomes the national sport.

[Don]

You have to laugh at the BBC puff piece on how 'tiny' Girona have made it to the top of La Liga.

Let me think.



It's certainly not just a case of Arab money being poured into them. One of the best run clubs in the world now.

[phonics]

I wonder what paid for these excellent club administrators.

[niko_cee]

It's Pep's brother and players loaned to them from all over the network. Has nothing to do with Arabs or Man City. Nothing at all.

Obviously it's not exclusively a money driven for on the pitch success thing [ie benefactor Sheikh owner], but it is a massive factor that they are within the City Football Group. If you were being really cynical then it's probably just an FFP laundromat which is overperforming slightly in actual football, rather than just the business of football.

[Baz]

Reckon if you somehow had 1 billion quid and was like lol I’m gonna invest in the local team at level 10 in the pyramid, you could get them into the Championship in like 15 years, and have plenty money left?

[niko_cee]

I reckon it would be surprisingly difficult in the UK. There are a lot of structural obstructions, not least perhaps there is a reason why various teams inhabit wherever they are within the pyramid. Grounds at that level would also become a major headache if you wanted to get to a seriously good level, and improvement is rarely as easy as pressing a button in a computer game.

Bankrolling is probably more feasible at established 'fallen' clubs, as is being tried at Wrexham for example, but then the starting point is higher and it becomes much harder to money your way through the system. They seem to be doing alright though.

[Waffdon]

It's Pep's brother and players loaned to them from all over the network. Has nothing to do with Arabs or Man City. Nothing at all.

Obviously it's not exclusively a money driven for on the pitch success thing [ie benefactor Sheikh owner], but it is a massive factor that they are within the City Football Group. If you were being really cynical then it's probably just an FFP laundromat which is overperforming slightly in actual football, rather than just the business of football.

They’ve got more players on loan from Barcelona than anyone in the football network from what I can see.

Still impressive nonetheless. Daley Blind and Eric Garcia back 2 with fucking Gazzaniga in goal :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

You'd definitely need an 'untapped market' to get a club to the top. Your village team wouldn't be able to do it no matter how much money you had.

I've always thought south east London would be a good one. Bromley or some club like that.

[Gray Fox]

Grounds at that level would also become a major headache if you wanted to get to a seriously good level, and improvement is rarely as easy as pressing a button in a computer game.

My local side has very much had this screw them. They at one point got up to the dizzy heights of the National League and started to get attendances in the thousands regularly. They decided to upgrade the "Shed end" behind one of the goals and found a way to install a modular 2000 seater stand into the existing structure. They got it done in '07, only just stayed up that season and then went down the next. They then removed what was installed because it wasn't needed with only 600odd total going to games.
The whole thing cost just under £200k and nearly ended the club at the end of it.

[Adramelch]

Berlin always struck me as an untapped market in that sense. Maybe not to the same extent now that Union have a decent side, but still, they haven't had a properly successful team since the early 80s.

[Shindig]

You'd definitely need an 'untapped market' to get a club to the top. Your village team wouldn't be able to do it no matter how much money you had.

I've always thought south east London would be a good one. Bromley or some club like that.

Just take the CM logic of old. Pillage Scandinavia for all it's worth. Olivier Bernard's tenure at Durham City sounds like an ominous warning:


In 2013 the club was purchased by former Premier League player Olivier Bernard, with a stated aim of making them a talent development club for local professional teams.[13] After finishing in the bottom three in 2015–16, the club were relegated to Division Two.[3]

Durham continued to struggle, winning only one game in four years between April 2019 to May 2023, resulting in them being labelled "England's worst football club".[14] The 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons were not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and club avoided relegation.[15] However, in 2021–22 they finished bottom of Division Two and were relegated to Division One of the Wearside League.[16] The following season saw them finish bottom of Division One, resulting in relegation to the second tier of the Wearside League (renamed Division One for the 2023–24 season).

Bugger.

[niko_cee]

I've always thought south east London would be a good one. Bromley or some club like that.

Wasn't it sort of tried with Ebbsfleet [Gravesend]?

It's just such a difficult market to muscle into.

Everything is already sewn up, so the existing and bigger clubs have better academies and facilities and established relationships that you have to some how break into. That makes it hard to go down the youth investment route, so you have to do it with journeymen cloggers, but at very low level that is hard as it isn't really professional even where it claims to be. Each tier ends up presenting entirely different problems so whilst I guess unlimited money, which a billion quid would as good as be, would help, it would hardly be the guarantor of success that you might imagine it would be.

FCUM have probably had one of the better goes at it and where are they? Tier 7? Guernsey powered through to tier 8 but that was the limit and they've been scrapping to stay there ever since.

Actually, I suppose AFC Wimbledon are probably the best example of what is possible, but they have an entirely different story.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Salford seem to have levelled out at League Two. There's a 'proper club' line somewhere in the middle of League One that is hard to breach with money alone. Obviously yer Bournemouths have done it.

[Gray Fox]

FCUM are in the same tier as Hashtag United IIRC.

[Shindig]

FC United got to the National League North. Salford City turning up probably killed their momentum a little.

[niko_cee]

Powering through tiers 10 to 7 is the easy bit, you just need the odd player who is miles above the standard.

That quickly peters out as an option though.

[Shindig]

Just the one Chelsea product at Gateshead. 34 year-old Carl Magnay. And even he played youth football in the North-East. Looking at our squad, it's very, very local. Not as many ex-Mags as I expected and currently none are on loan to us. We do have Simon Grayson's son, though. That's got to count for something.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have, somehow, been to Gateshead once and you wouldn't believe how far it is to the next place. Like, fucking sixty miles. If they ever do anything it will be on the strength of iron-hewn north east toil alone.

[Shindig]

No wonder your Spain trips take forever with that sense of direction.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://gcdnb.pbrd.co/images/pzOW70ONQ4rM.png?o=1

What the fuck is all that? Hours and hours of nothing.

[Kikó]

FCUM aren't actually rich despite having a good following and were terribly run in the first few years. I think they've hit almost their ceiling at least until they clear some debts. They sign players based on the history and the atmosphere but lots of clubs at the same level can completely outspend them.

[niko_cee]

This game seems to be the story of Spurs' season. Look pretty rubbish, but score with their only shot on target and have the other team be rather profligate. I think they've also manged 2 goals from 1 shot on target in another game, which was a good effort.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yeah, this Wolves effort is making me yearn for clinical Monday-night Chelsea.

[phonics]

The best thing about the 7 subs rule is a small injury crisis introduces you to 3 players you've never heard of and Mohammed Elneny gets an appearance fee whether you're winning or losing by 5 goals.

[Waffdon]

What a fucking goal that was. Now get another.

[phonics]

lol

[Don]

How tf have they been playing all these street footballers ahead of that actual quality technician? His CV is bigger than the club ffs.

[phonics]

You'd be annoyed as a Spurs fan but flying up the league if games are based on moral victories must be a real confidence booster, mate.

[Don]

Waff, get the bags, Ill get the brasses.

[niko_cee]

:happycry:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Local baggage giving Ben Davies man of the match was a good harbinger of doom.

[SincereTheRebel]

Wolves :cool:

[phonics]

mate.

[Waffdon]

Just a North London thing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Spurs reverting to type.

[phonics]

Just a North London thing.

Must be miserable to jump on a bandwagon only for that team to revert to their average league position prior to the mafia oligarch owner.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I always (having not played football as an adult) find it amazing that pros in post-match interview are always still violently out of breath 5+ minutes after the final whistle. They must all be absolutely running on fumes for the last 20 minutes with the amount of running/pressing they are made to do now.

[Spikey M]

Hardly surprising now they're back to Dier and Davies in defence. League 1 level defenders.

[Luke Emia]

It is the history of the Tottenham.

[phonics]

https://i.imgur.com/78XbKng.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-qQadOWYAAlMM3.jpg

Good process mate.

[Waffdon]

Must be miserable to jump on a bandwagon only for that team to revert to their average league position prior to the mafia oligarch owner.

Chelsea have been a shambles since the old guard and somewhat Hazard left. And have still won more trophies than Arsenal in their best period in 20 years :lol:

Not on the same level, pal.

[Spikey M]

Why are people from distant third world countries always so into their teams local rivalries?

[Gray Fox]

But importantly, were Spurs brave?

[randomlegend]

Luton seem to be under the impression it's still 1997 with how much respect they're giving us. Quite nostalgic to see.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1723267822095131002

:lol:

[SincereTheRebel]

I thought Wolves would be down this season, but all the home games ive watched. They have been great. Good job Luton and Sheffield are hopeless.

[John Arne]

Kane with another brace before half time. Bundesweaker.

[Shindig]

Man, our bench looks .... youthful.

[Gray Fox]

Table now looking very grim reading for those bottom 4.

[randomlegend]

Mason Mount is so painfully pointless.

[Don]

Just 6 more games for Egghead to survive before we face them :drool:

[Shindig]

It's grim for us to be this knackered in November.

[Kikó]

Worst team in premier League history sat in 6th above media darlings Newcastle.

[Don]

England's BLM heavy side beat New Caledonia 10-0 in their group stage opener in U17 World Cup. Anyone know the other game in the group?

[Don]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YA3iHbQS4Y

Get a load of Senegal's 15 year-old number 10 :D

[Bernanke]

Table now looking very grim reading for those bottom 4.

Hey, it's not "bottom 3", so they all still got a chance.

Well, maybe not Burnley.

[Gray Fox]

At the minute it looks like it might come down to who gets battered less between Luton and Bournemouth.

I believe before this round of fixtures, this was both the highest points total a top 4 has had after this many games and also the fewest points by a bottom 4 in the PL era. Everton will be desperate to take that 12 point deduction this season.

[Ben]

Bournemouth are miles better than Luton. Although that’s a low bar admittedly. They’ve got decent players whereas Luton need to play a back five just to plug the gaping hole they’ve had in the middle of their defence for the last couple of years. They did really well to get promoted despite that. The three that came up will be the three that go down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought Burnley would be a lot better than they are. You can see from what Leicester have been up to how big the gulf is post mega TV deal.

[Adramelch]

Leicester are level with Ipswich though, it has to be said. It's not like they've been running away with it (although I get your point).

[Waffdon]

Both of Ole’s assistants at Man Utd doing well. Should have given them more time. Kieran McKenna done brilliant at Ipswich for a couple seasons now and Carrick last season. Impressive turnaround for the latter too this season as they had a horrendous start

[Gray Fox]

Another youth on the bench that meets Tazs' approval.

That bench is starting to look very young all over though. Injuries mounting up. One of those games you hope you're 3-0 up and able to rest the starters late on, but with Brentford I'm not so sure. They always seem to play well against us and have been doing very well away from home against the big teams. And also Man United.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think a lot of benches up and down the league are very young at the moment to be honest. The muscle injuries are everywhere.

Countdown until Klopp and Guardiola start moaning to be able to have 30 man squads.

[John Arne]

It would be great if we stopped passing the ball back to Alisson when there are 2 Brentford players 2 ft away from him.

[Gray Fox]

That Darwin no-goal must have been about a big toes worth of offside.

[John Arne]

The guy playing on the left for Brentford needs to sort himself out. Acts like a tough guy at every possible opportunity, whilst wearing an alice band.

The Darwin offside... It looked offside when they drew the lines, but we didn't actually get a straight across view. The replays were all off centre.

[John Arne]

How can the ref get that Matip decision so wrong. He was 5 metres away. Not even a foul, let alone a yellow.

[Gray Fox]

First time I've heard chants calling out the ref by name too. Fuck off Tierney indeed.

Lovely goal that though.

[Gray Fox]

Salah unopposed nodding in a header at the back post after all the Brentford players stopped because they thought the ball was out.

[Waffdon]

Poch got to be conjuring up a Tuchel esque low block if he’s sticking with this Disasi-Silva duo. Should be fun

[Ben]

Is “low block” just the cool modern term for parking the bus? If so, yes.

[Waffdon]

Get with the times, Benjamin.

[Waffdon]

Taylor absolutely fucking hates Chelsea :lol:

Absolute cunt

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sadly that wasn't good refereeing.

[Waffdon]

Haaland fouls him first and Doku shoves Caicedo into James. Was always going to happen after Taylor got given the game

[Don]

The afro gyppo is a right cheating cunt so this is a good result, regardless of the actual offence. The game needs to be cleaned up like Gotham.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Haaland fouls him first and Doku shoves Caicedo into James. Was always going to happen after Taylor got given the game

Do you seriously think Anthony Taylor has an agenda against Chelsea FC?

It's just a bad call like any other.

[Waffdon]

I just don’t think he should have been given another big game after being demoted and making another high profile mistake in said game. He’s absolutely terrible.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's the second best after Oliver.

I'm loving Poch's work. The results will take time I think but you can see he's coaching and improving this team.

[Waffdon]

Cucurella is struggling but the poor guy is up against 2 or 3 different City players whilst Sterling walks back sticking his fat ass out.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I worry about Pep. He doesn't ever, at a single time whilst marshalling the world's best club team, look like he's enjoying himself.

3-5 defeat coming up.

[Waffdon]

Jackson telling Sterling to shush the City fans :lol:

[Ben]

Jackson telling Sterling to wind up the City fans. :D

Big fan of his shithousery, even if he is scrap.

[Waffdon]

I do wish James had Gallagher’s fitness regime. Not a player on his level.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jackson is well on his way to becoming a cult hero. Is shit, knows it, and fucking loves it.

[Manc]

Imagine this Raheem Sterling for England. We'd win the fecking lot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Imagine this Raheem Sterling for England. We'd win the fecking lot.

Southgate would have to pick him in the squad first.

That was such a well-worked set piece by citeh.

[Waffdon]

Thiago Silva standing in no man’s lands yet again. Get him aff. Haaland is going to score 2 or 3 on the break if it stays this open and he’s up against the comedy duo

[Ben]

Is Gvardiol is an actual left back or is this just Pep being Pep?

[Waffdon]

Centre half but he’s played left back for Leipzig and Croatia

[niko_cee]

He isn't.

Have City had a left back under Pep's watch. Mendy?

[Gray Fox]

Cancelo was pretty shit hot there for about a year but then Guardiola decided he didn't like him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Zinchenko.

Micah Richards can fuck off. Incidentally, starting Doku in this game was complacent from the pepster and Grealish will no doubt be on soon.

[Waffdon]

SILVA again. He is a fraud. City have a throw in at their own corner flag and he’s just standing there instead of going back into defence. Fuck me. How do people rate him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Wind your neck in. If Thiago Silva wasn't out there our central defence would be a bunch of children with about 10 serious games between them.

[7om]

Hahaha I genuinely love Jackson. He’s absolute trash but he makes it work.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Four goals in two since Alan Shearer's hit piece on him, all tap-ins into an empty net from three yards out. The king.

[Waffdon]

Wind your neck in. If Thiago Silva wasn't out there our central defence would be a bunch of children with about 10 serious games between them.

Badiashile was one of the only decent players for Chelsea last season. Reece James is the best player at the club. Disasi was Monaco’s captain and is capped for one of the most stacked National Teams in the world.

[Waffdon]

Oshimen and Nkunku in this team is going to be an unreal sight

[Waffdon]

Good job, Thiago, Son.

[Ben]

Waff currently burning effigies of Silva.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We've played our best game of the season by a mile tonight and scored three goals, but it literally doesn't matter when you play this lot. They just find a way. Absolute lol at anyone thinking they aren't winning the next 3-4 leagues and CLs (CLs a bit less certain but surely at least two of the next four).

[Ben]

Chelsea have gone from being an absolute snooze fest to box office in the space of a week. Add to that shithouse Jackson and I’m a fan.

[Waffdon]

Just stick it down the middle.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea have gone from being an absolute snooze fest to box office in the space of a week. Add to that shithouse Jackson and I’m a fan.

Just don’t watch them at home to bottom half sides

[Waffdon]

Still wouldn’t be shocked if Haaland popped up with a winner

[7om]

Jackson on 7 bookings already this season :drool:

[Manc]

Mental challenge from Sterling.

[Shindig]

If Villa tenuously being in a title race doesn't bring Mellin back, nothing will.

[Waffdon]

Of course Taylor allows City one extra counter attack but not Chelsea. Gwan Poch, lad.

Shambles that Chelsea are still on 16 points. Should have been on much more than that. Should be 7 points 10 points v Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and City but alas

[Giggles]

Someone needs to have a word with Carragher to shut the fuck up with the moaning and groaning.

[Waffdon]

Someone needs to have a word with Carragher to shut the fuck up with the moaning and groaning.

He never used to do it. Was a Neville thing that’s now caught on

[Jimmy Floyd]

Have to say I'm a big fan of Sturridge's punditry. Talks really fluently and comes across as actually enjoying the game.

[Manc]

Who are you and what have you done with Floyd?

[Don]

Nkunku back soon and within touching distance of top 4, Chelsea are in a good spot.

Our injuries aren't looking great and I'm fearing for Doku vs us but if we get a result, it's on in a very big way.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're 10 points from the top four and can only play when gifted space in behind, it'll be a couple of years before we're back to CL level. Good manager though.

[randomlegend]

Looking like Ratcliffe's minority stake in United is finally going to be OFFICIAL next week, with him taking over football matters.

[Spikey M]

Of course Taylor allows City one extra counter attack but not Chelsea. Gwan Poch, lad.

Shambles that Chelsea are still on 16 points. Should have been on much more than that. Should be 7 points 10 points v Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and City but alas

This is exactly what Poch did at Spurs, no? Regularly beat City, United, etc. But constant clangers against your Burnleys and Newcastles (of old).

[Waffdon]

Maybe but Chelsea have been rotten against teams that sit in against them for a while now. Since Lampard left the first time actually. He beat the shit constantly but was found out against decent sides.

[SincereTheRebel]

https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1723801265631539383?t=9w1EYNXzbuDN1Uq-NM9Psg&s=19

Goal

[Don]

https://understat.com/league/EPL

Utd 11th on xPTS :D Fulham need to pull something big out in Jan or they could get dragged into it with the 3 promoted sides.

[Dark Soldier]

Also top on form over the last 5, those goals for and against love it

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/formtabelle/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/2023

[Giggles]

I'd love to know where about 35k of them are on Friday evenings.


1723767615401701598

[Waffdon]

https://understat.com/league/EPL

Utd 11th on xPTS :D Fulham need to pull something big out in Jan or they could get dragged into it with the 3 promoted sides.

Liverpool being bailed out by Allison and dodgy finishing for about the 4th year running.

[niko_cee]

That's a bit like saying City are being bailed out by having the best forward in the league scoring loads of goals.

Liverpool having the joint best defensive record in the league is a bit :cab: mind.

Quite surprised Endo didn't get his marching orders for that tackle yesterday in the current zeitgiest. Not quite sure what the mitigation was other than them being unable to freeze frame it in a really nasty way as it was a bit of a tangle of legs.

Not seen the Brighton one back, although their VAR guy in the stands seemed to think it wouldn't be getting overturned. Shame as the twat was literally about to be subbed off. He also thought it should have been a penalty for handball early in the second half, but the winds obviously weren't blowing on that one. Sheffield United were absolute wank, Brighton paid the price for not being 3 up in the first 15 minutes and then just coasted from there to their own sort of downfall. A familiar tale.

[Luke Emia]

Liverpool being bailed out by Allison and dodgy finishing for about the 4th year running.

Having a good keeper is part of the game?

[John Arne]

Check out Bayern Munich being bailed out by Kane scoring so many goals. #Frauds.

[Baz]

Aston Villa top 4 would be fine by me. Emery. :cool:

Also really shines a light on how far Gerrard should ever be away from the Liverpool staff.

[niko_cee]

Probably getting the bullet from his Saudi team shortly seeing as they're languishing in 7th, assuming they weren't wank before being brought into the PIF fold.

[Ben]

Looks like they've always been wank and they aren't even one of the PIF teams.

[Gray Fox]

Quite surprised Endo didn't get his marching orders for that tackle yesterday in the current zeitgiest. Not quite sure what the mitigation was other than them being unable to freeze frame it in a really nasty way as it was a bit of a tangle of legs.

Forrin' commentary I was watching with said they believed it was because he goes in to side foot the ball, both get to the ball and then deflect off into what happens. No idea how it's different to the Curtis Jones one, but here we are.

[Gray Fox]

Also really shines a light on how far Gerrard should ever be away from the Liverpool staff.

Xabi Alonso though. Now that would be wonderful.

[niko_cee]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2023/11/13/33b01b49-9d6b-4f02-88a0-ff6450baa681.jpg

Is that Ken Bates in the foreground?

[niko_cee]

Forrin' commentary I was watching with said they believed it was because he goes in to side foot the ball, both get to the ball and then deflect off into what happens. No idea how it's different to the Curtis Jones one, but here we are.

Yeah, it's weird.

I reckon if it gets given as a red there's no way it gets overturned, and yet it can also exist not even as a foul.

The ones where you are off your feet lunging after a bad touch always strike me as being way worse, and more conventional red card territory than the Jones/Rashford type ones. In the ground it looked like the Brighton one yesterday was similar to those over the ball trying to protect it ones, going off the reaction of the Sheffield Utd players/the guy who got fouled at least, which was negligible, although I've not seen it back since.

[Waffdon]

1724050531969073167

Chelsea really do have the streets in Africa and France. Or just black people in general.

[phonics]

Listening to a podcast and Bournemouth came up. Made me google what Jordan Ibe was up to. He's in the Conference. Must be one of the worst uses of 15 million quid there's ever been.

[Don]

Men's Mental Health, mate.

[Don]

Iran U17 vs Jamaica U17 is showing live on FIFA site. 1-0 Iran lead.

[Boydy]

1724132498962010205

[Ben]

His interview on Undr the Cosh was brilliant. He really told all about his drinking and gambling, and is one of the very few players I've heard openly admit his salary which was refreshing.

[niko_cee]

Iran U17 vs Jamaica U17 is showing live on FIFA site. 1-0 Iran lead.

Chelsea and City youth to the rescue.


Chelsea youngster Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny - yes, that is all one person - pulls England level with a fine low finish from the edge of the area.

:cab:

[Don]

That City boy Ndala looked a class above.

[Don]

Good little piece on JWP by Liew in Guardian.

The lols that he doesn't get into the XI let alone the squad ahead of the likes of Phillips and Hendo for a side so reliant on set-pieces :D

[Shindig]

Slough Town coming back from two goals down like it's nowt. :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Grimsby v Slough over two matches is basically the best this island has to offer.

[Shindig]

You can stop now, Grimsby. I think they've learned their lesson.

[randomlegend]

Ratcliffe's first move made and it's binning off Richard Arnold

[phonics]

At least the injury concerns at United will be over with the cycling bloke taking over as DoF.

[phonics]

I'd gotten over the whole Newcastle thing and now it's started up all over again.

They literally don't know what the rules are.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-_F0-CWMAAzuKi.jpg

[niko_cee]

:D

Good process.

You could also argue that Gordon's left foot looks like it must be ahead of the ball, unless he's got them both planted together, which, knowing him can't be entirely ruled out.

[Pen]

I'd gotten over the whole Newcastle thing and now it's started up all over again.

They literally don't know what the rules are.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-_F0-CWMAAzuKi.jpg

Tbf. That does continue with them acknowledging that he's lower than the keeper and start talking about where the ball is. They can't rule it out because he might be off. I saw that video today and while VAR is completely shit and makes football worse with it existence that decision was made correctly. How they don't have every possible angle is beyond me with the million cameras there, but that's another thing.

[SvN]

I did like how the other guy had to remind him that the keeper was out.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They will do that as standard any time the keeper's out. Gooners just looking for something to whinge about as always.

[phonics]

Sounds like Everton are about to get docked 12 points. It must be shit to look at what City and Chelsea got up to and get fucked because you couldn’t afford their lawyers.

[Spikey M]

That is pretty ridiculous, but you have to look on the brightside, we might actually manage to flush them this season.

[niko_cee]

This is the worst season for that to happen in terms of getting rid, the bottom 3 are that bad.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That is pretty ridiculous, but you have to look on the brightside, we might actually manage to flush them this season.

Not a chance. The bottom 3 are too shit.

[Spikey M]

They would be bottom and 25 points from safety. We're around a third of the way through the season and they have so far managed 14 points. You never know.

[niko_cee]

Are any of the bottom 3 going to break 30 points though? I suppose it might be touch and go, but in any other season it would be a sure thing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It would at least jazz things up a bit and fire up the trio to sort their lives out (I actually think Luton are pretty good for what they are).

[niko_cee]

Chelsea might end up in the mix as well if they get a point off for every dodgy Cypriot beneficial ownership concealment vehicle they've used over the years.

Would be fascinating if anyone could ever truly blow the lid off all of what really goes on in terms of 'remuneration' with some clubs.

[Don]

I actually have begun to respect Luton and Burnley for doing what they're doing. Sheff Utd are a bit more manic in their plan but all three should be in fine position next season regardless of what league they start in.

[Adramelch]

They would be bottom and 25 points from safety. We're around a third of the way through the season and they have so far managed 14 points. You never know.

Or in a different way of looking at things, they would be 4 points away from 17th, which is nothing given how shit the bottom three/four are.

[Spikey M]

I've completely fucked that up by looking at the wrong column for points. They'd easily stay up. Fuck sake.

[Baz]

My blue nosed father in law is hoping it happens this season “cos they’ll still finish above that bottom 4,” so I’m hoping more than ever that they go down.

[randomlegend]

The ref in this FA cup tie on BBC two has just given a penalty for a foul a good two yards outside the box. Keeper should have probably been sent off though.

Great entertainment.

[niko_cee]

I know it's a very outdated view, but why is there so much interest in the boss of the Chelsea Women's team?

Heard a good soundbite the other day from someone who used to support Chelsea 'back in the day' [read: Abramovich having the most money years] but now only follows the womens team because presumably they deliver the level of money driven dominance he was after.

[phonics]

I've completely fucked that up by looking at the wrong column for points. They'd easily stay up. Fuck sake.

Just to quantify how massive of a miscalculation this one was. The worst record that the club in 19th could have for your statement to be true at this point would be Played 12, Won 6, Drawn 6, 0 Losses.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chelsea is in the sweet spot for women's football. Most of its catchment area (esp where the women actually play) votes Lib Dem, and also women's football is a highly middle class game compared to the men's, which makes it attractive to the rugby crowd. Can't see northern dads dragging their daughters to Old Trafford when there are dishes to be done.

[Waffdon]

Middle class Erin Cuthbert fae Irvine.

[Waffdon]

Speaking of woman’s football. This was given as a penalty in the 80th minute:

https://i.ibb.co/2dpWxhG/IMG-5716.png

And this was ruled out for offside with the last kick of the ball :lol:

https://i.ibb.co/KFKFTVy/IMG-5715.png

[Manc]

You fucking love Chelsea.

[Waffdon]

Sam Kerr would bag 20 a season in the men’s team

[Jimmy Floyd]

30 a season if John Terry was still playing.

[Lofty]

They will do that as standard any time the keeper's out. Gooners just looking for something to whinge about as always.

The Bruno assault on Jorginho was by far the biggest VAR error on the night, the audio has leaked:

'He puts his arm up. There’s a glancing blow from the side, but for me it’s not used as a weapon.'

The rulebook:

A player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.

[niko_cee]

Surely the terms 'deliberately' and 'not used as a weapon' :sick: are the central features there. Apparently he was just the right side of snide in their eyes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just found this graphic on twitter, shat myself laughing.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-_a5kKWcAAX4gT?format=jpg&name=large

[Kikó]

Strong vibes of this

https://twitter.com/R_o_M/status/1213186794067578880/photo/1

[Offshore Toon]

It's such a tiny margin of error to still be angry about ffs. :D

Of all the fuck ups to go over the top about, this will just make people think VAR isn't that disastrous.

[Spikey M]

I honestly think my mental health would be in bits if I had to support Liverpool or Arsenal. The victim complex must weigh so heavy.