November football: relentless excitement

[Waffdon]

Arsenal always seem to play Chelsea after a terrible run and then turn their season around. This will be fun. Gabriel and Saliba to both score

[Ben]

Shenanigans afoot with Oliver as ref.

[Waffdon]

Sanchez to give a penalty away and an Arsenal red card to keep in line with the season so far

[niko_cee]

Not much to like about Forest so good to see Newcastle ahead.

[Shindig]

Binman Nistelrooy. > Rube Namorim.

[Waffdon]

Spursy.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1855640934878232807

Bald Fraud getting cooked by Ruud.

[Gray Fox]

All set up nicely for Ru Benamorim to come in and impart HIS VISION and immediately bring on a losing streak.

[Waffdon]

This feels like a huge game. Don’t think Chelsea have won a game this important since 2021. Paying for the Tuchelban style football.

[Gray Fox]

A draw seems fair and should be awarded immediately.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It isn't a huge game for us. Maybe for Arsenal, if they're still labouring under the impression that they can be football league champions.

[Manc]

This has the potential to get tasty.

[Waffdon]

Gusto having another absolute mare with his final ball or decision.

[Waffdon]

Referee got away with one there. Blew his whistle after it was taken

[Ben]

And Neto got booked for picking him up on it. Like I said earlier, guaranteed to be controversy with these referees who like to be the talking point.

[Gray Fox]

This is simmering along nicely.

The key problem with the referees is that their boss always comes out actually and says "actually, we are right." and provides some bollocks to accompany why they are so right.
Being booked for swearing at the ref is one thing, but for rightly pointing out their mistake just undermines the whole thing.

[Ben]

Malo Gusto looks like Hassan out of Ali G. I can't take him seriously.

[Waffdon]

:D now that you mention it

Palmer barely had a touch of the ball so is doing the Cronaldo thing he does of being selfish. Get James on at right back, Palmer in front of him and Nkunku off Jackson. We’ll probably get Enzo Fernandez though

[Luke Emia]

I thought Arsenal were going to be creating chances left, right and centre with Odergaard back?

Brilliant…

[Waffdon]

Two very negative managers playing for a draw so far

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Neville came so hard that his voice went after the goal.

[Gray Fox]

It's like watching Stoke 2024 but with better players.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I thought Arsenal were going to be creating chances left, right and centre with Odergaard back?

Nice jinx.

[Waffdon]

I thought Arsenal were going to be creating chances left, right and centre with Odergaard back?

Brilliant…

Nice one.

Maybe the media will finally realise what an absolute bum this manager is. So fucking bad

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think they should sack both him and also the next manager, to save time. Move straight on to the one after that.

[Luke Emia]

Both teams have been piss-poor. Chelsea were decent the other week at Anfield but they have been garbage in the last two league games.

[Waffdon]

I think they should sack both him and also the next manager, to save time. Move straight on to the one after that.

They should stick by him, it’s just annoying listening to people think he’s doing a good job. He’s been horrendous in any big game. Negative and tries to do cool tactical things and in turn just looks like a fucking mong

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ten Hag is free, Waff.

[Manc]

Levi Colwill is basically Goe Jomez.

[Gray Fox]

Don't you insult Joe Gomez like that.

[Waffdon]

Nkunku still on the bench again.:D

This fkn guy

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should stick by him, it’s just annoying listening to people think he’s doing a good job. He’s been horrendous in any big game. Negative and tries to do cool tactical things and in turn just looks like a fucking mong

I just think it's a team of 8th place level players + Cole Palmer, and he's got them playing reasonably enterprising stuff. This game isn't terribly important, it's much more key to deliver consistent results against the trash.

What a hit son.

[phonics]

That’s truly poor defending.

[Waffdon]

There’s Saka going down for his customary injury.

I’m not sure Mudryk has touched the ball. Utterly pointless substitution

[Waffdon]

I just think it's a team of 8th place level players + Cole Palmer, and he's got them playing reasonably enterprising stuff. This game isn't terribly important, it's much more key to deliver consistent results against the trash.

What a hit son.

It’s obviously hugely important

[Jimmy Floyd]

Important for what? If we lose we'll still be around the same teams that we'll be around if we win. Arsenal will finish above us unless they have a complete mare. If we get 1 or 3 points it's a decent result but not season-defining.

[Waffdon]

Havertz :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Score draw. I'm riven with anger and disgust.

[Waffdon]

The 4th 1-1 draw in the league already this season. Somehow 3rd but should have far more points.

You’d hope the international break sees off the Madueke/Gusto experiment

[niko_cee]

“They destroy every team that comes here in every way, but I thought we were superb. We were very unlucky. We have dominated one of the best teams in Europe but we don’t get the results. That is what is missing."

:happycry:

Is Arteta going mad?

Chelsea at home in the league this season, played 6, won 2 . . .

[phonics]

Cole Palmer driving every free kick into the wall while the commentators came themselves was quite a strange look.

[Spoonsky]

Top of the Serie A table is fun.

[Ben]

If you thought VAR in the Premier League was corrupt, the disallowed goal for Lewandowski is a beauty. They've literally edited a random foot on the image to make him offside. Referee apologising profusely to Flick at half time.

[randomlegend]

It's not edited, the semi-automatic tech just misinterpreted the image and "thought" the defender's foot was Lewandowski's. The fact it wasn't overridden by the VAR official is laughable, obviously.

[Trancemeister]

1855968991119872392

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8y6zqjgdyo

He's been suspended and is currently under investigation.

RIP.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon referees should go on strike. So what if he doesn't like Liverpool? Everyone involved in football will have certain teams they don't like.

[niko_cee]

:D

What an idiot, but yeah, let's not pretend they won't have opinions on anything. Has this been AI vetted?

Here we go:

1855983140319199704

Regards from the deep end.

[Lofty]

Anyone checked on RAWK?

[Ben]

I don't see the issue? Klopp is a cunt.

[Luke Emia]

I don't see the issue? Klopp is a cunt.

Obviously I fucking love him. But, I can totally get why fans of other clubs would dislike him. I'm more surprised it's not Paul Tierney because he seemed to have a real thing for him.

[Waffdon]

It’s also from Covid ball times.

Was expecting a lot worse from the video

[niko_cee]

He's denying it anyway and saying it is FAKE NEWS.

[Kikó]

He's having a chat with a mate while off his tits. Let it be.

[Shindig]

To have those opinions is not the problem. To express them in view of a camera is asking for bother.

[Gray Fox]

I don't see the issue? Klopp is a cunt.

Well yes, but he's our cunt.

I assume there's now a full breakdown of all decisions ever made against us by him, well underway. Maybe even the corner flag picture CLUB STATEMENT.

[randomlegend]

He's denying it anyway and saying it is FAKE NEWS.

He's already recanted this.

R Ubenamorim has binned off Ruud, which is probably the right decision.

Also got rid of that goalkeeping coach who'd been employed for about 2 weeks by Ajax when Ten Hag poached him at the start of this season. RIP.

[Manc]

Eight players have withdrawn from the England squad. It's coming home.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1856010847060898031

:lol:

[Dark Soldier]

R Ubenamorim

Fuck is this you gimp trying to raise the dead or summat

[Dquincy]

:D

What an idiot, but yeah, let's not pretend they won't have opinions on anything. Has this been AI vetted?

Here we go:

1855983140319199704

Regards from the deep end.

Football fans are the worst.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdd456rzg75o

Lineker leaving MOTD.

[Boydy]

1855997535896142171

[Jimmy Floyd]

The enunciation of 'Winnersh' in that Brent clip/meme has probably made me laugh on 300 separate occasions in my life. Doesn't quite make up for the junk Gervais has been making for the last 15 years but it's close.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdd456rzg75o

Lineker leaving MOTD.

I see that as soon as the news came out, Henry Winter ENDORSED Mark Chapman which surely gives his campaign the big mo. I however will be donating to the Alex Scott campaign in the hope that she destroys football from the inside.

[Shindig]

Meanwhile Lineker winds up doing Newsnight or something.

[Lofty]

Will Alex Scott do it in her knickers if Arsenal ever win the league again? Could swing it.

[Lofty]

London footballer in his 30s questioned over rape again :eyemouth:

[igor_balis]

The enunciation of 'Winnersh' in that Brent clip/meme has probably made me laugh on 300 separate occasions in my life. Doesn't quite make up for the junk Gervais has been making for the last 15 years but it's close.

I know people cite trump voters and vaccine conspiracy type people as examples of people lacking critical thinking and intelligence, but the popularity of After Life is my personal pet favourite for this.

Especially as seemingly fairly coherent and normal people seem to like it, including parents of friends and colleagues and stuff. I know there's no accounting for taste, and i probably would have forgotten about it had it not been for all the comments along the lines of "well as someone who has experienced losing a close relative/gone through depression it really is the most accurate portrayal/really helped me" and suggestions that you need a certain level of emotional maturity or whatever to understand the deep meaning.

I mean, sorry to judge how people get over grief and stuff, but I always just think what the bloody hell are you on about? Rickys stand-in wish fulfilment character goes around winning arguments like he's in a fake Reddit story where everyone claps, calls people cunts as one dimensional supporting characters go oh you are so brave/wise/kind as fix you by Coldplay players in the background.

Absolutely bizarre. And I'm not one of those people who only likes Seinfeld no hugging no learning type comedies - I've plenty of time for the heartstring-pulling you get from dramedies like only fools and horses and stuff like that, it's just clearly fucking rotten and makes me think a lot of people really will like any old shit.

[Boydy]

Mrs Brown's Boys is popular. A lot of people really do like any old shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have no problem with Mrs Brown's Boys, it's a broad comedy, sells itself as a broad comedy, so if you like broad comedy you can watch it and if you don't then you don't have to.

After life is more dishonest because it's selling itself as profound and moving whereas actually it's a knobhead wanking himself off.

[niko_cee]

With Crisps leaving the show maybe it is now time for the national broadcaster to reflect on whether it needs to be bidding for the rights to terrestrial Premier League highlights. Bring back the tactics truck!

[Waffdon]

London footballer in his 30s questioned over rape again :eyemouth:

I wonder who that will be

[SvN]

I know people cite trump voters and vaccine conspiracy type people as examples of people lacking critical thinking and intelligence, but the popularity of After Life is my personal pet favourite for this.

Especially as seemingly fairly coherent and normal people seem to like it, including parents of friends and colleagues and stuff. I know there's no accounting for taste, and i probably would have forgotten about it had it not been for all the comments along the lines of "well as someone who has experienced losing a close relative/gone through depression it really is the most accurate portrayal/really helped me" and suggestions that you need a certain level of emotional maturity or whatever to understand the deep meaning.

I mean, sorry to judge how people get over grief and stuff, but I always just think what the bloody hell are you on about? Rickys stand-in wish fulfilment character goes around winning arguments like he's in a fake Reddit story where everyone claps, calls people cunts as one dimensional supporting characters go oh you are so brave/wise/kind as fix you by Coldplay players in the background.

Absolutely bizarre. And I'm not one of those people who only likes Seinfeld no hugging no learning type comedies - I've plenty of time for the heartstring-pulling you get from dramedies like only fools and horses and stuff like that, it's just clearly fucking rotten and makes me think a lot of people really will like any old shit.

But have you seen the bit where he says "Cunt"? Absolute genius.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I wonder who that will be

Probably Cole Palmer and the police are just guessing the age from the description.

[niko_cee]

I assume there's now a full breakdown of all decisions ever made against us by him, well underway. Maybe even the corner flag picture CLUB STATEMENT.

Of course.

Per the BBC:


Coote’s previous decisions when in charge of Liverpool games are already being scrutinised. He was on video assistant referee duty for the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Virgil van Dijk sustained a season-ending knee injury after a reckless challenge in the area by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, with no penalty being awarded. Jordan Henderson had an stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside.

He was performing the same role in December 2023 when a clear handball from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard – later acknowledged as a mistake by Webb – escaped punishment in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

That second one is/was a bit :face:

Should be said, that interpretation was a bit the style of the time though. Pretty sure Brighton or maybe Spurs got away with one where the VAR agonised over whether an arm was in a natural position whilst falling, overlooking the fact that the defender had pretty much just made a full length diving save.

On the plus side, think he's only ever been involved in 1 defeat for Liverpool, which was a pretty legit 3-1 loss to Arsenal [Arsenal's highest ever xG under Arteta of something, like 3.5, per phonics].

Did think when I saw the list of games he'd reffed on some clickbait site that it was a bit odd that he went three years after that Everton game without being involved in another Liverpool game.

[Waffdon]

Probably Cole Palmer and the police are just guessing the age from the description.

I’d be surprised if it’s the 31 year old rapist kicking a ball about for Arsenal tbqh

[Danny]

Coote partial to the sniff and young boys apparently.

[Magic]

Someone wants him gone, 100%.

[Lofty]

It really is a turbo charged descent to the job centre.

[niko_cee]

Someone wants him gone, 100%.

Yeah, I was thinking to myself who's he crossed.

[Danny]

1856815595502653672

[niko_cee]

In less exciting news I see Captain Fanspastic has been chucking handgrenades into the ENGLAND CAMP moaning about player withdrawals. Has it not been ever thus? And also, aren't most of those withdrawals genuinely injured? Furthermore players like Grealish who have been out for ages, often injured on international duty, and then immediately get called up again once approaching fitness is something that should happen less - cf Odegaard - always a bit of a pisstake when that happens. Feels like some sort of Southgate Deep State play.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The international break moaning has hit fever pitch again. The international breaks have been exactly the same for the entire time I've been watching football - certainly this century - so I want to know what has changed that people moan about them more. Back then the breaks were often to play friendlies against Norway or whatever, this time at least there's some competitive context and this Greece game is pretty big.

Is it the growth of the Premier League as a PRODUCT that means people can't go without their fix of it? I mean, I know I can.

[Waffdon]

Has there always been an international break 3 times in 3 months? I highly doubt it.

International football is utter drivel and nothing will change it. Not helped by the fact it’s spread over 5 nights

[Waffdon]

Scousers on Twitter taking the moral high ground over marching powder has been some terrific reading

[Jimmy Floyd]

Has there always been an international break 3 times in 3 months? I highly doubt it.

There has been all my life. Maybe occasionally the November one has been midweek? The playoffs to get into major tournaments always used to be in this slot.

[Ben]

Fair play to Kane for calling out all the soft shites dropping out with injuries. They'll all be fit for their clubs next weekend I expect.

[Waffdon]

That’s the whole point

The club employ them and should be the ones looking after their fitness.

[John Arne]

International football, big tournaments aside, is fucking shite.

[Dan]

wullie

Thoughts on the stuff that’s come out about Robins/Viveash from the AGM?

[Ben]

France vs. Israel tonight could get spicy. Off the field of course.

[Baz]

Seen people on Twitter suggest Darwin does the Robbie Fowler line sniffing celebration next time he scores.

[Gray Fox]

I'm sure people in February will be very confused.

[Giggles]

The international windows are the best part of the calendar.

[Kikó]

I'm sure people in February will be very confused.

Arf!

[Manc]

We really need to bin our national anthem.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I sense that you're not doing your share in the bid to send him victorious.

Luckily Noni Madueke is, what a rise for the young man.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This is a quality game btw. Loads on it, spice, bite, thousands of seething wankers in the stands throwing olives and feta at each other. Proper game. Fuck club football.

[wullie]

wullie

Thoughts on the stuff that’s come out about Robins/Viveash from the AGM?

Hard to say really. I'm glad that there's been some explanation rather than radio silence so people feel ready to move on and I credit the owner for not hiding, but at the same time he came out all guns blazing and threw Robins under the bus a bit, making him sound like his own worst enemy and a man completely exposed without a no. 2.

Robins ending the best few years I remember with little more than disappearing in the middle of the night doesn't sit well with me and I don't buy the idea that every potential applicant for the assistant role wanted to be manager.

On the plus side, Lampard's gone from heavy odds-on favourite to currently just ahead of Lee Carsley and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. It'll probably still be Lampard but I remember when Russell Slade was the best choice.

[niko_cee]

Walker must be one of the worst on the ball footballers to have ever persisted at such a high level. He's like the fullback equivalent of Sylvan Wiltord.

[randomlegend]

This is a quality game btw. Loads on it, spice, bite, thousands of seething wankers in the stands throwing olives and feta at each other. Proper game. Fuck club football.

It's absolutely dreary, and that's against a backdrop of watching Ten Hag's tricky reds for the last however long it was.

[Gray Fox]

Walker must be one of the worst on the ball footballers to have ever persisted at such a high level. He's like the fullback equivalent of Sylvan Wiltord.

English Emmanuel Eboue. Though that is probably being unkind to Eboue.

[niko_cee]

Why are the Nations League Play-Offs considered a 'calendar inconvenience'? Presumably they have to happen in an international window, what else are they going to be doing, playing some pointless highest bidder friendly? Oh, I see.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We've been superb in this game. Room for a few more statues on the plane home I hope.

[niko_cee]

Jones loves that flick. Definitely not the first time he's done it.

[John Arne]

6 minutes added by the ref, and Qatar score in the 12th....

https://gyazo.com/0dacd956798934ab111ef19a9ee345ea.jpeg

[Giggles]

Finland should have walked that last night, we were dire and lucky as fuck. I don't even think I'll turn the telly on this Sunday.

[Gray Fox]

Lyon provisionally kicked out of Ligue 1 over financial difficulties.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cherki and Orban to United please.

[Shindig]

Discount strikers, please.

[Magic]

I thought Croatia were absolutely smashing us, couldn't believe they hadn't scored...then realised the stream kept resetting itself from 6 minutes back to 1 minute and playing the same 5 minutes of the game. :moop:

[SvN]

NPC behaviour

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How long until you realised?

[Kikó]

It has been mostly Croatia outplaying Scotland so the first five minutes are representative. The former have managed to be down to ten men though so maybe the second half will be competitive.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Good Black Mirror episode in that. Scotlland fan watches his team play turgid shite on loop for 35 years and then... realises that nothing was unusual about his experience at all! Jeepers, what a twist, and funny too.

[Magic]

How long until you realised?

25 minutes. Although I was only half watching it.

[niko_cee]

So was Doak good then or is the BBC getting carried away?

[Kikó]

He had a very nice stepover and turn of pace. Looked a bit of a nightmare for the full back.

[Gray Fox]

He is now the Scottish Messi and will remain so, until he's suddenly 25 and in League 1. Then everyone will say "remember him?"

[Ben]

He's been good for us in the Championship but his end product still needs a lot of work.

[Lofty]

https://talksport.com/football/2270407/david-coote-premier-league-referee-drug-party-tottenham-man-city/

[-james-]

"Drugs party". :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can only hear that phrase in a Dutch accent.

[Giggles]

The tabloids are definitely going to have him found swinging any day now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The tabloids are definitely going to have him found swinging any day now.

This is what I was thinking. Why are people going so hard after a football referee?

[Magic]

People hate referees. It's a bandwagon.

[Jimmy Floyd]

PGMOL should absolutely go on strike. It would be fascinating to see what would happen. Probably the PL would start paying huge pound sterling for foreign referees to come over, which would royally piss off other leagues. Maybe they'd have to fly in a boatload of American ones when MLS is out of season.

[Gray Fox]

Back in 2010 the Scots had theirs go on strike. They flew them in from such footballing nations as Luxembourg and Israel. No fixtures were missed.

Not so sure an Israeli ref would be so welcomed under current circumstances though.

[randomlegend]

People hate refs partly because they all believe their team is specifically aggrieved by them, but it's also because they come across as a cabal of weapons grade bellends.

Every single time they release VAR audio it's fucking painful to listen to. Half of them clearly also have enormous egos and love the opportunity to make the game about them.

[Magic]

Back in 2010 the Scots had theirs go on strike. They flew them in from such footballing nations as Luxembourg and Israel. No fixtures were missed.

Not so sure an Israeli ref would be so welcomed under current circumstances though.

I think you'll find most football fans hate brown people.

[Jimmy Floyd]

People hate refs partly because they all believe their team is specifically aggrieved by them, but it's also because they come across as a cabal of weapons grade bellends.

Every single time they release VAR audio it's fucking painful to listen to. Half of them clearly also have enormous egos and love the opportunity to make the game about them.

What can anyone do about it? Appoint only humble people to the top divisions?

[Manc]

I work with a fella who refs in the national league. Main character energy.

[Shindig]

Is there much of a former player to referee pipeline?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The referee is the only person in the stadium who is apparently not allowed to have main character energy, but also the person who needs it the most. Solve that riddle.

[randomlegend]

The referee is the only person in the stadium who is apparently not allowed to have main character energy, but also the person who needs it the most. Solve that riddle.

It's not a riddle because they are the person who needs to have it the least.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Have you seen football? Try managing that for 90 minutes as a shrinking violet. The first sign of weakness and 40,000 people are all over you. You need unbelievable self-confidence to even think about doing it.

[randomlegend]

You can be firm and confident in your ability to do something without desperately wanting to be the centre of attention.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Dragged through the press for any little thing you get wrong, tens of thousands calling you a cunt in the stands, Bruno Fernandes screaming in your face every thirty seconds with a six figure per week salary behind him compared to your relative pittance. I'm sorry, you need a massive ego to even have a chance of being successful at that. All the refs who have no egotistical edge will get sifted out much further down the system because they just won't be able to cope with the pressure put on them.

[Pepe]

With Jimmy on this one. You can say 'the should be this and that' all you want, but the kind of person willing to take what they take every time they do their job, even in the most casual of leagues, is very special indeed.

[Pepe]

Does anyone remember that Japanese ref in that one World Cup who would just smile at all the players shouting at him? Everyone was jizzing all over him but then he ended up bottling it in his last appearance iirc.

[Kikó]

I'm with Jimmy as well. My problem with current refs is more that they have introduced VAR which adds another subjective mind onto a game which overrides the guy on the pitch. The game needs them and until they completely automate officiating, you have to deal with the different personalities.

[Lofty]

The NFL refs went on strike a few years back and the replacement refs were gloriously incompetent :drool:

This was the best incident: https://youtu.be/atnqy1NdHXU?si=MjxyVar-tQqJeRTo

:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck the Cowboys.

He knew what he was doing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Roy Krishna scored his 44th goal for Fiji this morning. Sorry, I just had to tell someone.

[Giggles]

That's a whole lot of defenders.

1858176043061858534

[Jimmy Floyd]

First the Irish go all 'MNT' on us, now they are walking out in rubbish tracksuits with IRELAND FOOTBALL written on them, as if it's some US college with DUKE BASKETBALL or whatever. Has some genius in Dublin decided that there's a huge export market for Irish soccer paraphernalia in the US? I think they may be disappointed.

[Giggles]

First the Irish go all 'MNT' on us, now they are walking out in rubbish tracksuits with IRELAND FOOTBALL written on them, as if it's some US college with DUKE BASKETBALL or whatever. Has some genius in Dublin decided that there's a huge export market for Irish soccer paraphernalia in the US? I think they may be disappointed.

The FAI are idiots. They're using Castore and hadn't a proper sponsor for 2 years.

[niko_cee]

Harry Kane seems extra tragic these days.

[John Arne]

Just had a quick wiki of this McGuiness fella at the back. Not only was he not born in Ireland, his father (who he "qualifies" though) was born in Top Ireland. Looks a tidy player.

Giggles How do Ireland fans feel about Northerners just randomly deciding to play for south? I imagine they don't give a shit?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Harry Kane seems extra tragic these days.

Better than a goal a game in the German federal league this year (and last year). Questions need to be asked. He plays like the Tirpitz heading back to port.

[John Arne]

Most of the teams in ze Bundesliga still play the laughable high line...

[Jimmy Floyd]

That Scales has been a disaster waiting to happen all game. Really let down his colleagues who have done brilliantly. Nowhere near good enough.

[John Arne]

Fantastic pass from Kane. The yellow did feel a little harsh, I guess make a challenge like that in the box, it's a yellow every time.

[John Arne]

Gordon has deserved that, he's been super positive.

[Manc]

Humiliation incoming.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Remarkable how quickly this has turned from a tricky fixture to Conor Gallagher having a rabona shot from 25 yards out.

[Spikey M]

I still don't really understand what this Nations League stuff is. Is it basically just the same as pre-season friendlies becoming The Audi Cup and similar?

[Waffdon]

I still don't really understand what this Nations League stuff is. Is it basically just the same as pre-season friendlies becoming The Audi Cup and similar?

It’s good for the lesser nations as gets you into play offs. Properly pointless for teams who are guaranteed to qualify

[John Arne]

Weird pronunciation of Moran by the commentator.

[Shindig]

It’s good for the lesser nations as gets you into play offs. Properly pointless for teams who are guaranteed to qualify

Yeah, although it does get nations of a similar level playing each other more frequently. In that sense, it can at least appear more competitive.

[Giggles]

Just had a quick wiki of this McGuiness fella at the back. Not only was he not born in Ireland, his father (who he "qualifies" though) was born in Top Ireland. Looks a tidy player.

Giggles How do Ireland fans feel about Northerners just randomly deciding to play for south? I imagine they don't give a shit?

I wouldn't let them, mainly because I don't think anyone in NI should be automatically entitled to our passport, but the Nordies treated catholic players like dirt for decades so it had to come home to roost on them some way.

[Giggles]

Weird pronunciation of Moran by the commentator.

Was he doing it like the old Liverpool player Ronnie's name? The English commentators used to always incorrectly do Kevin Moran the same way too.

[Giggles]

I'd have probably taken 5-0 before it but it was bad going after what was a half decent first half. That said, there will be many fan meltdowns this evening calling for the managers head because so many of them still think it's 1994.

[niko_cee]

Is the way Moran is said as in Ronnie Moran not right then? What is it then? Murun? Mow-Ran? Davis?

[Giggles]

The second one.

[Danny]

1858226341759299741

[wullie]

First the Irish go all 'MNT' on us, now they are walking out in rubbish tracksuits with IRELAND FOOTBALL written on them, as if it's some US college with DUKE BASKETBALL or whatever. Has some genius in Dublin decided that there's a huge export market for Irish soccer paraphernalia in the US? I think they may be disappointed.


Enough of this, just go and buy your Ireland Men's Hype Kit before they sell out

https://shop.irelandfootball.ie/collections/ireland-mens-hype-kit

[John Arne]

Haaland moved to 6th in the highest international goals ratio leaderboard following his hattrick last night.

https://gyazo.com/f9a7bd520419678b7fd0abadae8589a5.jpeg

[Magic]

Incredible they include people with under 10 caps in that.

[John Arne]

Agreed. There should be a minimum.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Remarkable that Norway have continued to be shit and achieved terrible results throughout that time, especially as they also have Odegaard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Nando Co :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Reminds me of the FM screenshots from like 2035 where Haaland has over a goal per game even way past 100 caps.

[niko_cee]

That Spurs guy has been banned for 7 games for saying all Korean people look the same.

[Jimmy Floyd]

South Americans being baffled by European taboos on racist jokes will never not be funny.

[niko_cee]

In July, Chelsea midfielder Fernandez posted a video that the French Football Federation said included an alleged "racist and discriminatory" chant.

The 23-year-old's French team-mate Wesley Fofana posted an image of the video on Instagram and labelled it as "uninhibited racism".

Defender Fofana later said Fernandez is "not racist" - and added has accepted an apology from the Argentina midfielder.

The incident is considered part of Fifa and CONMEBOL's remit as it happened at the Copa America, not the FA's.

That effectively means Fernandez has avoided the FA's six to 12-match ban that it stipulates for discriminatory behaviour or language.

Although it was in June, the Bentancur incident occurred on his own time, and that is under the FA's jurisdiction because he’s a participant in English football.

:lol:

Seems a bit of an arbitrary differentiation there.

Get your racism in whilst on international duty? Is that the main takeaway?

[Manc]

That Spurs guy has been banned for 7 games for saying all Korean people look the same.

He's not wrong.

[John Arne]

It's so weird that a player has a contract with a club, was in a other country, yet the FA decide they have jurisdiction.

Also, to some white people all Koreans do look similar, in the same way that most south east Asians say all whiteys look the same. Unless it's is said with absolute malice and genuine discrimination, it's barely offensive.

[niko_cee]

Ah, so that's (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5yx9g2307eo) why they appointed Wazza.

Someone needs to stop this.

[Waffdon]

:lol:

Seems a bit of an arbitrary differentiation there.

Get your racism in whilst on international duty? Is that the main takeaway?

Casually forgetting Alexis MacAllistair was there next to him on the bus singing his heart out too. And however many other Argie PL players were on the bus :lol:

[niko_cee]

It was just a quote from the BBC, not something I penned myself with my rabid anti-Chelsea agenda. Just seemed a weird dichotomy. Racism on team bus ok, racism on tv show [?] not ok. I guess you could make a public/private argument to that effect.

[niko_cee]

In other footballing news why is it so difficult for modern sculptors to make statues of people look anything like them? Are all of the statues of the past equally as bad, but we just don't have the first hand experience to realise that Bill Shankly didn't look anything like that statue of him?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/c36e/live/592697a0-a5c0-11ef-929f-b36e67dbcb4c.jpg

I can't tell which one is the real Kane.

[Shindig]

That's a T-1000.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ah, so that's (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5yx9g2307eo) why they appointed Wazza.

Someone needs to stop this.

Who is going to watch a documentary about Plymouth finishing 18th in the Championship with a stinking scouse gypo at the helm? At least with the Wrexham one there is/was some dramatic momentum.

[Luke Emia]

I had just come in here to say those statue makers have done a brilliant job of capturing just how gormless looking Harry Kane is.

[Manc]

It looks like a David Squires character.

[Waffdon]

Doak and Gilmour look so out of place in a Scotland shirt

[niko_cee]

On the quantity of football front John McGinn going past Ally McCoist for international goals makes me think there either must be a lot more international football these days, or it must be of much lower quality. Or was he just another Hansen-esque victim of selection policy up there?

[Waffdon]

Mcginn just stat pads in all these qualifiers and nation league games

[Ben]

San Marino :cool:

[-james-]

Mcginn just stat pads in all these qualifiers and nation league games

Scotland would still be Western Armenia if he hadn't.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think McCoist didn't always play. He was definitely benched at Italia 90.

[niko_cee]

Two Brians and a Jeremy getting the business done for Spain tonight, more FM made real.

[John Arne]

Indonesia beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in World Cup Quali thanks to 2 goals from Oxford United's Marselino Ferdinan :drool:

Take that, Hervé.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're 4 games without a goal now, be pretty hilarious if they failed to qualify.

[-james-]

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist usually, but the odds for them to beat Bahrain in the last-but-one match of that group should really be 1.00000000000001

[Jimmy Floyd]

Slow afternoon at work so decided to do a dive into how Russia are getting on. Since the invasion (Feb 2022) they have played friendlies against the following teams: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Iraq, the Egypt under 23s (no win from two games against them), Qatar, Cameroon, Kenya, Cuba, Serbia, Belarus, Vietnam, and most recently on Friday an 11-0 victory over Brunei, in which they somehow managed to have 10 different scorers, must be some kind of record.

This afternoon they take on Syria.

[niko_cee]

Is this (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce8d48n2p8ro) a low point for sports journalism?

[Bernanke]

Gyökeres. :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've recently become obsessed by Refinement Culture (https://lindynewsletter.beehiiv.com/p/refinement-culture) and I suppose the British sports journalism version of it is every sports editor barking at his reporters to write Manchester United content every day, no matter what it is, because it'll suck in the clicks.

[niko_cee]

Oh god Pep's never going to leave.

Faint hopes on the disciplinary commission dashed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sir Henry's just put up an article entitled 'Pep Guardiola, his vision and his impact'. How terrifyingly bored would you have to be to click on and read an article with that title? It's so same-old.

[Lofty]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86q7z1yp9eo

[Pepe]

The allegations include:
A "football mad" brother and sister who used their Christmas money to pay towards sessions that did not take place
Children as young as seven left feeling rejected and "not good enough" when sessions did not happen
Volunteers at a grassroots football team were "heartbroken" at telling 40-plus children they would not get the coaching from a former Wales international they had expected

Get over yourselves.

[niko_cee]

They were probably less gutted than they would have been had she turned up to one of the training sessions as "one of Wales' top footballers".

[Jimmy Floyd]

The first thing you have to know about grassroots coaching is that with anyone who's a 'name' ex pro, you have to assume they're a charlatan who only wants the cash. These guys (and girls it seems) are generally not committed people at all, they tend to be very lazy and lack focus and professionalism. It's the people who have worked at being coaches who are good and deliver a professional job and results. Parents are too stupid to know this of course and will happily stump up big cash to put their child into the presence (or lack of it) of the famous name.

[niko_cee]

I see that as soon as the news came out, Henry Winter ENDORSED Mark Chapman which surely gives his campaign the big mo. I however will be donating to the Alex Scott campaign in the hope that she destroys football from the inside.

Chappers not happy with alleged requirement to job share with a woman [Kelly Sommers] and so the field has opened up for, I shit you not, Roman Kemp to step into the breach apparently

Yeah, RIP, etc.

Again HMRC looms large in the ins and outs of football though:


Gary Lineker is set to make a major tax saving after putting his TV film production company into liquidation last week.

Goalhanger Films, which is co-owned by Lineker and former ITV controller Tony Pastor, has appointed a voluntary liquidator despite being a solvent company. The firm’s most recently published accounts show net assets of over £440,000.

Pastor said the film production company was being “mothballed”, with the business increasingly focussing on Goalhanger Podcasts.

The sister company was originally a smaller sideline to Goalhanger Films, but has outgrown it due to the huge success of The Rest Is History and The Rest Is Politics, and more recently The Rest is Football, which is presented by Lineker.

The decision to liquidate Goalhanger Films comes ahead of tax changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month.

Following the Budget, business owners will be liable for a higher rate of capital gains tax from April, when it rises from 10 per cent to 14 per cent before increasing to 18 per cent the following year.

It's the 10 year rule all over again, I've no idea how liquidating a company saves you CGT but whatever. Ah, ok, he pays 10% on whatever he gets out of the liquidation [ie it has assets etc] instead of the higher rate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They clearly haven't got the memo about the end of the woke era. Suppose the viewing figures will have to ram it down their throats.

[Luke Emia]

I see the world’s best right back is injured again.

[Waffdon]

I see the world’s best right back is injured again.

Quite the obsession but I’m glad you agree

[Gray Fox]

Well yes, he did have to come off against Brighton. Luckily we have Bradley though.

[niko_cee]

Poor not that old Reece is basically a write-off at this point, isn't he?


James has suffered his eighth hamstring injury in four years, according to Transfermarkt data.

He has suffered a further half dozen injuries to his knee, thigh and ankle - as well as an absence with illness.

:cab:

Chelsea don't play Liverpool until the 3rd of May, so that's probably him out until then.

[Gray Fox]

Was it Waff who said he keeps putting off having a surgery to fix it properly?

[niko_cee]

No, they did that last year and he's done it twice since coming back.

Must be at that Robben stage where he's never actually going to be 'fully fit' so will just have to deal with it or not.

[Waffdon]

Yeah he had the surgery finally last winter.

I think it’s just precautionary this time around and they’re just too shit scared to risk anything. I’ll blame the weather. I bet he’d be less injury prone in Spain.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Some people just aren't built to play 50 games of association football a year, he's one. More than a few 'top' players have been.

[Waffdon]

He can barely play 10 tbf.

45 league games for Wigan in midfield destroyed him

[niko_cee]

Think that article said the most he's done in a row for Chelsea is something like 6.


Since breaking into Chelsea's senior squad in the 2019-20 season, James's best run of matches is six achieved in May 2021.

His most league starts in a single season is 25 matches while last season he played just 482 minutes in total because of injury and two red cards.

:cab:

[Gray Fox]

The vote on amendments to the APT rules happened today. This is a motion on the back of the tribunal findings last month where Man City tried to claim total victory but actually won very little. The Premier League took its amendments to a league vote instead.

Vote passed 16-4. The 4 nays were Man City, Aston Villa, Newcastle and and Notts Forest.

[Manc]

Three Arabs and a maniac. Makes you think.

[Gray Fox]

Its quite simple for them really. They need these rules gone(or modified to suit them) so they can spend at will to make up the gap, or in the City case, extend the gap at the top.

[Ben]

Are Villa like Newcastle in that if it weren't for the rules they could spend their way to the top? Their ownership situation completely passed me by.

[Luke Emia]

I believe so Villa's owner is Egypt's richest man or something similar.

I really do think in the end here City could end up blowing the whole thing up, they very much seem to be in a position where they want whatever rules they have to just basically suit them. The APT thing being a fairly good barometer of that in knowing that most likely on the open market they wouldn't get the same in terms of sponsorship of say Man Utd so being able to write whatever cheque they want whenever United announce a new noodle company is what they have done for the last 15 years and this puts a stop to that in some ways/makes it more difficult.

[Waffdon]

I’m a bit surprised Everton and Chelsea didn’t side with them over the PL. they usually do.

[Luke Emia]

Everton are about to be taken over don't forget and I think their approach is much more 'Moneyball' than just inflating income to get what they want judging by what they have done at Roma.

[Gray Fox]

I believe so Villa's owner is Egypt's richest man or something similar.

I really do think in the end here City could end up blowing the whole thing up, they very much seem to be in a position where they want whatever rules they have to just basically suit them. The APT thing being a fairly good barometer of that in knowing that most likely on the open market they wouldn't get the same in terms of sponsorship of say Man Utd so being able to write whatever cheque they want whenever United announce a new noodle company is what they have done for the last 15 years and this puts a stop to that in some ways/makes it more difficult.

Lets also not forget they very publicly got annoyed that things like this are decided on majority votes. Not afraid of openly playing their cards.

It is indeed interesting that Chelsea and Everton fell in line. Haven't quite gone as far as giving evidence in defence of the Premier League, as some of the other big boys did, but no need to remove the party whip now.

[niko_cee]

The Everton and Chelsea ownership, in the long term, want a franchise style super league and a seat at that top table, you don't get that by falling out with the 'big names' of the game who do all the heavy lifting in terms of global reach.

Not sure which competing worldview is worse for the game really. Probably not City's.

[Shindig]

A Super League with Everton in it doesn't sound super.

[Gray Fox]

But they've built a great looking Tesco.

[Ben]

I think it looks great. I'll definitely be looking for an excuse to go. I was hoping they'd get relegated so I can go next year but that's unlikely now.

[Gray Fox]

The Everton relegation window has passed us by once more. If they'd had anyone non-Bournemouth to play at home the other year they'd have been toast.

It's a shame they've ended up moving and I think to some degree they will come to regret it. They do at least get points for it not being a soulless bowl type.

[Shindig]

Even in the rough start they had, Everton had no problem scoring goals.

[Waffdon]

The start of a big test for the worst of the bald managers today. Chelsea have a pretty favourably run until February so there’s not really an excuse not to go on some sort of decent run. Think the only two ‘big’ teams they have are Villa at home and Spurs away from home.

I predict lots of draws

[John Arne]

Is this Chelsea kit white or really light pink?

Chelsea started well.

[Waffdon]

Jackson turning into a don in front of goal. What a geezer

[John Arne]

Faes terrible.

[John Arne]

That's close to being a red and 0-6 incoming.

[Waffdon]

That’s just a red card from Ndidi. Jumps down his Achilles like it was nothing

[Waffdon]

Leicester going for the break their bones approach. Christ

[John Arne]

I like Vardy as much as the next guy, but he really offers Leicester absolutely nothing as a lone striker.

Leicester seem to not have a game plan at all.

[Waffdon]

Shame that’s probably offside because that was a stunning goal

[John Arne]

"Enzo" completely invisible again, even when Chelsea dominating.

[niko_cee]

Feels like a lot of Chelsea games this season have followed the pattern of them absolutely bossing things, somehow only being 1-up at half time and then getting skanked in the second half.

[Waffdon]

Maybe a little bit. Definitely far too many 1-1s which looks absolutely on at the minute.

Caicedo red card incoming. Idk why they play him after international games, he’s always so poor.

[Gray Fox]

"Enzo" completely invisible again, even when Chelsea dominating.

Top assist work.

[John Arne]

"Skipp" completely invisible again, even when Leicester dominating.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a lot of seething going on.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea will never get a clean sheet again.

Never a penalty mind. Tripped himself up