November football: relentless excitement

[Jimmy Floyd]

Another provincial outpost conquered despite the efforts of our appalling centre back squadron. Leicester not a good side at all unfortunately.

[Waffdon]

Another provincial outpost conquered despite the efforts of our appalling centre back squadron. Leicester not a good side at all unfortunately.

Chelsea winning a game in November away from home at 12.30 after an international break cannot be sniffed at. Bad enough winning at one of the scenarios

[Magic]

The SPL kick off times... :cab:

[phonics]

Saka is quite good.

[niko_cee]

Regardless of the merits of that Leicester penalty this:


Madley did not give it initially as he thought the Leicester player was offside - but VAR ruled he was onside.

Can't be right, can it? Is that something the ref should be taking into consideration when making a decision as to whether something is a foul or not, given the 'higher threshold for intervention' that apparently exists with VAR now?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know, but if you accept that the foul was worthy of a penalty, then it was probably a good and relatively rare example of 'common sense' being used to achieve the right outcome.

[Magic]

Lol that wasn't a yellow card...

[Waffdon]

Liverpool are gonna win this title by spring like they did the other year. City’s defence is complete bobbins and no Rodri in midfield makes the midfield look very average for their standards.

[phonics]

Nwaneri is quite good.

[Waffdon]

Liverpool are gonna win this title by spring like they did the other year. City’s defence is complete bobbins and no Rodri in midfield makes the midfield look very average for their standards.

Liverpool away soon as well. Lolz.

[Gray Fox]

There's gonna be some serious Spursing of this and City will still win. Stick a fiver on it.

[Waffdon]

Bookies think so. 5/6 for spurs still

[Gray Fox]

There's a lot of time for just the way we play, mate, yet.

[Waffdon]

Cunha would be a perfect signing for any of this big guns in the league. If he leaves wolves I think they get relegated

[Gray Fox]

Injury prone though right? Perfect for a team in dark blue.

[Spikey M]

https://i.ibb.co/hFq9mRM/20241123-183041.jpg (https://ibb.co/LdGRZzP)

Such a weird club :D

[Shindig]

Investigate City for match fixing at this rate.

[Waffdon]

Man City are so odd for having Spurs of all teams be their bogey side

[Gray Fox]

I do hope everyone in sky blue is staying humble.

[randomlegend]

City going to live to regret giving Pep that contract extension if this is anything to go by.

Washed up.

[randomlegend]

Walker getting absolutely donned by fucking Timo Werner :D

[niko_cee]

:lol:

[Luke Emia]

City going to live to regret giving Pep that contract extension if this is anything to go by.

Washed up.

Bald fraud.

[niko_cee]

Maybe there can only ever be one good bald manager in the league at any given time?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Losing 4-0 at home to Spurs as reigning champions should be an auto-sack. Sorry Pep, sorry Abu Dhabi, I know the timing's not great.

[randomlegend]

Ru Benamorim breaking Pep before he even takes over United was some going.

[Spikey M]

More 4d mastery from Pep. They can't deduct points if you don't have any.

https://i.ibb.co/x698JVK/4a5001b7beea096457f480c8808572428b-09-roll-safe-rsquare-w400.webp

[Waffdon]

That Chelsea home record is still going strong. Same with their 15 goals conceded in an entire season.

Probably two of the only records that won’t get beaten any time soon if at all

[Jimmy Floyd]

I remember sitting through this game (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4234724.stm) when I was about 17 and went to quite a lot of games on my cheapo junior/student membership, and thinking this is the absolute best and worst that football can possibly be, simultaneously.


Chelsea passed and probed through the remainder of the opening half, with Gallas drilling a shot wide from distance and Didier Drogba getting close to a couple of teasing crosses.

Anderlecht continued to make life hard for Chelsea after the break, maintaining a well-organised defensive formation.

This kind of football isn't ever coming back after the optimisation era happened. The optimisation era dictates that football is about pressing the ball with lung power because the upside of winning the ball from a press is so great and all you've lost doing it is oxygen. Winning football of that era was you don't push for upside, you eliminate downside; you play as a collective and you strangle the opposition like a python. Today it's expendable green mambas in the grass, going for the kill. Do I miss it? Yes and no. It's best when there's variety. Arteta's Arsenal are horribly unlikeable to the neutral but they're giving variety so I salute them.

Is Slot's Liverpool more of a hybrid, or a circumspect take on press-ball? Too early to say, probably.

[phonics]

This kind of thing is why I think the analytics nerds can be widely ignored. It simply can’t factor in mentals.

That Chelsea home record Waff mentions is a great example. The moment they lost one I think they lost another couple in a short span after. Teams have turned up to City already beaten for years. Tottenham can do this to City because they always do this to City. It’s not style of play or quality, it’s belief.

The gap between players at this level is so minute that belief you will win switches that 5% talent differential to the other side.

[phonics]

Is Slot's Liverpool more of a hybrid, or a circumspect take on press-ball? Too early to say, probably.

Applying my above post to this, I think it doesn’t matter because the low pressure situation they’ve accidentally found themselves in mixed with their immense amount of experience allows them to be in control for controls sake and balls to the wall attack when they need to because they have nothing to fear from losing because there’s no pressure on them to win.

[John Arne]

Porro not celebrating against a team he played exactly ZERO games for :D In fact, he didn't even spend anytime in Manchester, it was a purely an paperwork signing.

[igor_balis]

Stuff happening while the TV coverage is still fannying around with replays happens far too often, sky just completely missed Liverpool's goal FFS.

[Waffdon]

That is one of the more embarrassing goals you’ll see for a while. Why would you not at least try buy players who can play out from the back if you’re that obsessed with this philosophy.

[igor_balis]

Porro not celebrating against a team he played exactly ZERO games for :D In fact, he didn't even spend anytime in Manchester, it was a purely an paperwork signing.

I feel like fifteen years ago, people universally hated the non-celebrations but it's so normalised that I think the younguns these days genuinely think it would be great disrespect to celebrate.

[Waffdon]

That freeze frame was clearly outside of the box.

Dibling is far too good for Southampton even at 18. Could have been playing for Maresca’s bald army if he didn’t get homesick living an hour away from home, the massive melt

[John Arne]

Hmmm.. deffo outside the box, that apparently "carried on inside the box".

I was gonna complain that the VARs taking too long and it's obviously not a pen...

Harsh.

[Gray Fox]

Konate needs hooking at the break. Bradley not looking too hot either.

Both teams look best when the other has the ball right now which is just fucking stupid.

[Waffdon]

That Kanu wannabe doing a no look pass was hilarious

[niko_cee]

Good feet for a big man. :cool:

No look pass at the end as well.

[John Arne]

Aye, not seen Bradley this ropey before.

[John Arne]

Our refs and VARs aren't corrupt, they are just useless.

1860696220437532850

[niko_cee]

I don't really mind the 'not enough to overturn it' evidence point, but I'm not sure about this idea that if the defender's foot is on the line then his whole body is considered in the box. Seems that might be a bit of a ropey concept.

Although that freeze frame makes it look like a red card in bound for the attacker.

Lallana also pretty lucky. He goes for that tackle last season when it was all about finding the worst possible moment to stop the video.

[Gray Fox]

I will say in both of those images the foul hasnt happened yet. When the contact is made, both Robertsons left foot and the attackers right foot are just about touching the line. It's very fine margins stuff, but I can see why it stands.

[Gray Fox]

Interesting to see if this continues the SlotBall trend of a 1 shit half/1 great half combo. It's like he uses the first half to suss the other team out, adjusts and then we take over.
About nobody looks on it today though so we'll see.

[Gray Fox]

Come on lads for fucks sake.

[Magic]

Sorry it's my fault. Brought Sala in as captain in my FF team.

[John Arne]

Well, that should probably have been a pen. Kelleher comes out, misses the ball and wipes out Armstrong.

[Gray Fox]

Keeper has money on Liverpool here.

[Magic]

:drool:

[John Arne]

Criminal that Salah's highest ever Balon D'or is fifth.

[Danny]

Leicester have sacked Cooper

[Magic]

Hilarious. Bog eyed troll.

[John Arne]

We have that strange situation now whereby Southampton benefit from their own time wasting. Time to make a change and only add on minutes that the winning team have wasted. #Wenger

[Magic]

In other news, Meslier is proving again to be a joke of a goalkeeper. We'd be better just fielding 11 outfield players and having fresh air in goal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We're fucking back baby.

[Magic]

So are we. My Jewish prince with a double.

[Shindig]

Let's see how long the honeymoon lasts.

[Waffdon]

Rashford playing good football under a new manager. Wonder how long he’ll last before sacking it in again

[Kikó]

None of United's attacking players were doing well under ten hag to be fair. The goal difference tells it's own story.

[Magic]

LOL Swansea didn't even finish their shit "who are ya" chant and we're in front again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Onana :cool:

[niko_cee]

What a sitter. Needed to show composure and just roll it in/open his body up.

[niko_cee]

Woof.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a finish from Mazraoui...

[Magic]

:harold:

[niko_cee]

That's another blinding save.

[Spoonsky]

You'd be furious if you're City / another one of the TITLE CHALLENGERS and you watch Liverpool play like shit and concede twice only for Southampton to literally hand them three goals on a silver platter for the lols.

[niko_cee]

You'd be furious if you hadn't watched any of Southampton, who have been doing as much all season.

[Shindig]

Yep. They're always there for the taking. Plus Liverpool having been digging themselves out of those situations for years.

[niko_cee]

United look much better without Casemiro and Eriksen on the pitch.

Not really a fan of 3/5 at the back, but you'd have to imagine whatever Amorim's masterplan is it will be better without having to have those two anchor the midfield. Maybe 'Mase' can finally show his worth.

[Kikó]

Mase can play any position but best to keep him to the bench so we can laugh at zirkzee.

[niko_cee]

Zirkzee's future's as some sort of modern age Fellaini, surely.

I do find it odd that he is being linked with non-dreadful, champions league teams for a potential move in January.

[Spikey M]

1860426743255040159?t=YhTk_mI08YaGrGkRMn7hyg&s=19

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

My local team finally makes it big. That 'stadium' is a fucking eyesore about 2km from my house with a large gypsy encampment on the waste ground behind it.

[phonics]

My local team finally makes it big. That 'stadium' is a fucking eyesore about 2km from my house with a large gypsy encampment on the waste ground behind it.

People can tell me to 'Support Your Local Team' all they like. I've just checked and since 1911, my local have either been promoted or relegated a grand total of 9 times. Woking is already a horrible shithole and now I'm supposed to dedicate my time to century long low-tier mediocrity because it's 'the right thing to do'. Fuck off.

[niko_cee]

Russell Martin's on the phone to that keeper as we speak.

[Baz]

Can Liverpool strike gold twice? Like, they’ve replaced Klopp and have the league and Europe sewn up before December. Can they replace Salah next year with someone on par? Cos he’s basically said he’s gone in Summer.

[niko_cee]

Whatever is, or isn't, going on behind the scenes there seems odd.

Ultimate test for THE DATA if they let him and Van Dijk walk because they'll be too old in 18 months time.

My inkling is still that they'll both stay. Who knows on Trent, think he'll go in the ultimate indictment of operation best mates with Jude. More chance of a golden ball at Madrid.

[Luke Emia]

Salah especially I just don't understand. His numbers so far this year are incredible give him 3 years if you must and if he's shit then flog him to Saudi in 2. It doesn't even seem like he's that keen on going to somewhere at Saudi at the minute, so are you going to potentially let him go to a big club for 2 years and rip it up somewhere else while you sign the new Nicolas Pepe for eleventy billion quid? That's where the data could be off you aren't replacing his output for anything less than £60/70 million and even then I think you would be quite lucky to. You only have to look at what someone like Diaz cost - he's a decent player but he's nowhere near Salah in terms of his stats.

[John Arne]

Salah stays, Trent and v.Dijk leave would be my guess.

[niko_cee]

Of the three I would have Van Dijk as the least likely to leave, unless THE FOOTBALL CLUB point blank don't want him to stay, which would be odd.

[John Arne]

Son being older than Kane has shocked me to the core.

[Gray Fox]

Of the three I would have Van Dijk as the least likely to leave, unless THE FOOTBALL CLUB point blank don't want him to stay, which would be odd.

Agree with this. He's still got a few years left at the top in him and reckon he would only move to a worse team than us on leaving. Same kind of story for Salah I think. I also think the club knows this and is playing the game against them. I do not believe there has been no offer at all, just that the offer is probably not up to scratch.

Trent another story. Madrid have a spot essentially waiting for him to walk into and that team should be set in every position for some near 10 years. Also only just reaching his prime. That said the relative chaos at Madrid currently and Liverpool coming into a great winning run, probably helps our cause.

[Waffdon]

If he wants to go to Madrid, Liverpool being top of the league won’t stop that lol

[Lofty]

The biggest issue is these players already won top prizes under Klopp, they have nothing left to prove and don't owe any loyalty to the club especially now he's gone. Unless you're Stevie G/a born and bred Scouser where Liverpool is the centre of the earth most people would prefer to go and play in the sun. I live in the north west, the sun is lucky to come out more than 30 days a year here.

[Gray Fox]

The biggest issue is these players already won top prizes under Klopp, they have nothing left to prove and don't owe any loyalty to the club especially now he's gone. Unless you're Stevie G/a born and bred Scouser where Liverpool is the centre of the earth most people would prefer to go and play in the sun. I live in the north west, the sun is lucky to come out more than 30 days a year here.

Which is why I think it's actually a choice rather than the easy option of Madrid.

[Waffdon]

Gerrard isn’t a particularly good choice. He wanted that Chelsea blood money and his son rocks about in Chelsea tops

[Jimmy Floyd]

Trent is a sociopath, he'll go to Real Madrid without even blinking.

[randomlegend]

Gerrard only stayed because he got threatened by some gangsters or something, didn't he?

[niko_cee]

He's probably at the right age to go in terms of family etc, assuming he isn't a Foden with a fully grown family by now. Not sure how you go to Madrid for nothing and still sell it as leaving on good terms, but weirdly I think them winning the league this year would offer a better out for anyone wanting to go, go out on a high and all that.

He'll be looking hopeless in midfield in 12 moths when Carvajal is straight back in at right back.

Is Ancelotti leaving at the end of the year, with Alonso likely to replace him? Could see that turning into an absolute shit show in standard Real style, they always seem to fare better under more pragmatic coaches.

On the other two, I think the strangest thing about them, and players over 30 in general, is that in the age of THE DATA, that that appears to be one of the few vestiges of received wisdom that still holds. I can only assume it is where said data collides with the accounts department, as it is clear that with modern conditioning etc that sports people are able to maintain their levels of performance far further into 'old age' these days, so it must be all down to amortisation and 'resale value'. Good times.

[niko_cee]

Bellingham moaning about a media pile on and being made a scapegoat after the Euros is pretty lol. How soft are modern footballers?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's always quite jarring how keen the very famous are to complain about media pile ons. It's a bit like how it's only the very rich who complain about tax. Something that only really irritates you because of your massive fame/wealth, and is completely unrelatable to 99% of people, and yet they always feel the need to get the message out there about how terribly unfair it all is.

[Waffdon]

City now blowing a 3 goal lead at home to feyenoord :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gahahahahahahahahahahaahahaha.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

"Manchester City have conceded two or more goals in six successive matches in all competitions for the first time since May 1963 – during a season in which they were relegated from the top-flight."

:drool:

[Spikey M]

1861536510136266882?t=e4KGRZNMhzgyuQhrew4nvw&s=19

Jesus

[Lewis]

I know Rodri is out, but these City teams that are falling to bits surely have enough good players in them to not be doing so. The line up they put out against Tottenham was better in about eight positions, and yet they got bummed to bits.

[Shindig]

It's very suspicious.

[niko_cee]

Fine margins at the top.

Either that or 8 years of good luck is balancing itself out in a very short window.

Liverpool had a similar thing when they lost was it 7 in a row at home or something against absolute shite for the most part? Looked like they'd all collectively entirely forgotten how to play football. Think they then when on to clock up another 90 point season the following year.

Have to admit I wasn't expecting the news to be recounting an epic Feyenoord comeback when I zoned out at 3-0.

[Gray Fox]

Liverpool had a similar thing when they lost was it 7 in a row at home or something against absolute shite for the most part? Looked like they'd all collectively entirely forgotten how to play football. Think they then when on to clock up another 90 point season the following year.

This was when we had the CB choices of Ozan Kabak, Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams and sometimes Fabinho.

[niko_cee]

Aye, but they were losing most of the games 1-0 with all of the good attackers still largely available.

Ah, Kabak. Christ.

Phillips is still collecting his £3m a year on the back of that period.

[Lofty]

I know Rodri is out, but these City teams that are falling to bits surely have enough good players in them to not be doing so. The line up they put out against Tottenham was better in about eight positions, and yet they got bummed to bits.

The spurs one is even more suspicious as when you watch the goals back the entire defence makes basic errors/can't be arsed which is the antithesis of a Pep team.

[Lofty]

Old Davey Coote accused of betting corruption now due to an alleged message exchange about a yellow card prior to a game in which said player was then booked.

[Luke Emia]

This was when we had the CB choices of Ozan Kabak, Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams and sometimes Fabinho.

That was Klopp just being stubborn though more than anything. He kept playing Henderson and Fabinho at the back which fucked the balance of the midfield and stopped us scoring in a lot of that run. Once he realised and put them back in midfield and just selected the spastics at the back we went on a decent run again.

[Manc]

No Vinicius or Rodrygo for Madrid tonight. Very strong argument for Slott to rest some players given the MASSIVE game at the weekend.

[niko_cee]

Having not seen much of Real, doesn't having a few players out actually help in that they will now be playing Mbappe in his preferred position?

No one's getting 'rested'. Diaz and MacAllister will come back in I would guess, there will therefore be some rotation, but start Salah, smash their back doors in and keep rolling. Winning would mean they can pretty much sack off the remaining Champions League games and still likely qualify in the top 8 [they will also likely win those other games with weakened sides as they are all against dross].

[AJ23]

The off field drama with FFP can't be helping Man City either.

I think the loss of Rodri was just the straw that broke the camel's back of putting pressure on the club. If you've ever watched Rodri live, his presence is not overrated. Tall, massive back and shoulders. Usually the sharpest and strongest player on the pitch, anticipating each pass and making it look easy. Protects the ball like it's a special Christmas gift. Midfielders around him look like U14 players, and he's simply a natural leader like Roy Keane was.

[niko_cee]

"massive back and shoulders"

:D

Surely they're missing Dias as much as anyone, although he has seemed less good than his first season colossus status in more recent times. Persistently refusing to ever have a left back also not helpful.

[Lofty]

The smile Pep did when he said 'I want to harm myself'

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think we're just seeing why Rodri's winning the balloon of gold was absolutely justified.

[Dan]

Power just went out at Fratton Park :cool:

[niko_cee]

This game seems to be fitting the mould of all the Liverpool versus Real Madrid games of recent times.

[Boydy]

That Conor Bradley tackle on Mbappé. :drool:

[Dan]

Power just went out at Fratton Park :cool:

It’s off. Lights came back on about 20mins ago & they came out to warm up, but it got called off anyway.

[Mike]

That Conor Bradley tackle on Mbappé. :drool:

Was top! Shame his shot didn’t rocket into the top corner.

[Baz]

McCoist bumming Bradley must do Robertson’s head in (presuming he watches the game back) when the latter has been fantastic this game.

Darwin his usual self.

[Luke Emia]

Didn’t think we’d ever score past the big cunt. I know he’s a great keeper but he really does seem to turn into an FM super keeper every time we play them.

[Boydy]

McCoist bumming Bradley must do Robertson’s head in (presuming he watches the game back) when the latter has been fantastic this game.


Nice jinx, dickhead.

[Bernanke]

Mbappe. :lol:

[Baz]

Kylolian
Bellolngham

[Bernanke]

Salolah.

[Waffdon]

Surely to god the wheels come off this Liverpool team at some point. 2020 vibes :sick:

[AJ23]

So only Nottingham Forest have beaten Liverpool this season.

Man City haven’t won in 6 games.

What a crazy season.

[niko_cee]

It's alright, we're got nuclear holocaust on the menu to fuck things up this time.

[niko_cee]

Real in 24th and PSG in the fuck off home zone.

:drool:

Maybe they should make it so if you finish in the bottom bit you get 'relegated' and aren't allowed in next year. Extra games issue aside, this new format is really so much better.

[Shindig]

Van Nistelrooy in at Leicester. :drool:

[Waffdon]

Villa getting done out of a late winner there. They’ve not won in a fair while.

[phonics]

But I was told Emery was the greatest manager ever and Arsenal treated him poorly.

[Gray Fox]

If we win on Sunday, I'll be checking what the current situation of new infectious diseases is, in China.

[SvN]

Fuck me, I can't take this anymore. Are there any group of individuals on the planet more insufferable than Liverpool fans?

[AJ23]

Fuck me, I can't take this anymore. Are there any group of individuals on the planet more insufferable than Liverpool fans?

Americans?

[niko_cee]

Bald United fans.

[Waffdon]

But I was told Emery was the greatest manager ever and Arsenal treated him poorly.

He finished 4th with gimps like Tielemans, Cash, Digne and Carlos starting every other week. I’m not sure he’s the guy to critique

[wullie]

Frank Lampard current bookies favourite, shoot me in the head someone



1862075374970327528

[Waffdon]

Super Frank :cool:

Wouldn’t be shocked if Chelsea use Coventry as a feeder club ala Tomori and Mount with Derby now

[wullie]

We previously had a pipeline to former Chelsea youth players with Adi Viveash, he was let go in the summer but the guy who replaced Viveash in the Chelsea setup has now come along with Lampard. We must have signed at least two players with Chelsea academy experience each season for the last 7 years, at least that streak will continue

[Ben]

Maybe we will now finally get a win over Coventry. Although we don't play you again until the final day so he could well be gone by then.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The widespread desire to see Lampard fail is a curious thing. Even Gerrard I don't think attracts the same hatred although his record is far worse. Is Frank seen as too middle class?

[wullie]

Due to the time it took to appoint him I've gone from not wanting him at all to being happy we've finally confirmed what everyone knew weeks ago and excitedly waiting for his first joke but no, serious point interview with the club.

[niko_cee]

The widespread desire to see Lampard fail is a curious thing. Even Gerrard I don't think attracts the same hatred although his record is far worse. Is Frank seen as too middle class?

Son of an ex-pro, nephew of the manager that gave him his big break, 'Arry nailed it in that press conference years ago, there's always been a feeling of the silver spoon with Lampard, obviously unfairly in a playing football context and managerially he seems to get more grief than he really probably deserves. Doesn't help himself mind, never comes across as particularly humble. Take all that shit with Bielsa, for example.

[Lofty]

Van Nistelrooy new Leicester manager apparently.

[Manc]

Lazy appointment.

[Raoul Duke]

Wondergoal in the Utd game just there

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chelsea twitter account has given it all caps WHAT A PERFORMANCE regarding tonight's 2-0 win at Heidenheim. I think this is the moment I finally decouple from football.

[Waffdon]

When you take into account Disasi, Dewsbury-Hall, Casadei, Guiu and Mudryk all playing it was probably deserving of the caps. Proper brutal performance.

Hopefully maresca has the balls to play the far more talented academy players in the last two games

[Luke Emia]

Fucking lol.

[Danny]

We look shite but that’s a lovely finish from Hojlund

[niko_cee]

Rangers laying the smack down on Ineos France, what's going on there?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just turned the Spurs-Roma game on to find Claudio Ranieri apparently up to his neck in a third spell at the latter, stalking Mourinho's scent like a geriatric lynx. What a man.

And Mats Hummels has just grabbed a late equaliser for him. People just turn up anywhere these days.

[Waffdon]

Rangers laying the smack down on Ineos France, what's going on there?

Rangers randomly being good in Europe every year will never make sense

[Waffdon]

Due to the time it took to appoint him I've gone from not wanting him at all to being happy we've finally confirmed what everyone knew weeks ago and excitedly waiting for his first joke but no, serious point interview with the club.

1862206299368223146


He’ll never disappoint

[Lewis]

Frank Lampard is possibly a bit unfortunate to be the current face of lazy appointments made on name recognition, like Bryan Robson for people under fifty, but he is the face of it, so people want him to fail because of that rather than any specific dislike for him personally.

[Manc]

My lazy appointment jibe was aimed at RVN. I don't really rate Lampard, but he does have experience within the championship.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ruud is a far lazier appointment than Lampard. Some guy who won 1 and drew 1 as caretaker at M.United a few weeks back and punched the air a lot and apparently this made him a top contender for high level managerial posts.

[randomlegend]

Won 3.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm living my truth.

[AJ23]

Lampard's had one decent season in his managerial career, based on bringing Premier League players in on loan at Derby.

He flopped at Chelsea and Everton. Also looked like a twat in lockdown giving it large to Klopp.

If you're comparing to other ex-England stars, he's worse than Gerrard because Stevie has actually won something as a manager. But no-one compares to The Erminator Wayne Rooney. You might as well call him the new Alan Pardew. How he keeps getting jobs is beyond me.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He had a good 1.5 years at Chelsea too. Notably getting us 4th while under a transfer embargo.

His weakness was tactical, which I'm not sure is as big a thing in the second tier. He was a good motivator especially of young players.

He's far from the world's greatest coach but there are far worse out there.

[Giggles]

All this talk of Rovers being the first domestic side to make European knockouts needs to have an asterisk on it given the standard of the competition they're in.

[AJ23]

A transfer embargo at one of the top 6 clubs is hardly going to hinder when you've already got most of the world's top players at your disposal, plus sparkling youth talent to fall back on.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's certainly one way to describe Ross Barkley and Tammy Abraham.

[AJ23]

And the others? Thiago Silva, Azpilicueta and Rudiger. N'golo Kante. Kovacic, and Jorginho.

A solid experienced spine that played a huge part in winning the Champions League the same season Lampard departed.

Champions League winning team. Poor guy had to deal with scraps.

[Kikó]

I had a lovely evening at Old Trafford last night. The atmosphere is absolutely fucked.

[Waffdon]

Lampard did have Chelsea top in the season he left around November but then Chelsea had their notorious winter dive bomb and they never recovered. His first season was excellent blooding in a lot of academy players and no Eden Hazard.

He did well enough at Derby (let’s not pretend that squad was better than Leeds, Villa or even Brentford’s.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I had a lovely evening at Old Trafford last night. The atmosphere is absolutely fucked.

Fucked in what way?

[Kikó]

It's non existent. There's not even a new manager buzz you'd expect, they've absolutely carved out the people who used to be the ones who would be providing the atmosphere.

[Giggles]

It was dead 10 years ago.

[Kikó]

Probably but I think it feels worse every time I go.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The club (and clubs like it) treats fans like customers, so customers is what they are. Waiting to be served up a product. The thing that baffles me is why attendance is still so high.

[AJ23]

Man United supporting friend of mine hasn't watched Man United or followed football since around 2015.

He continually tells me football is shit. 'It's not the same anymore. Ruined by money'. He won't watch it to save his life. I do sort of agree.

However I suspect his view is more because his team isn't winning much anymore.

A lot of the feel good factor that the fans have comes from a good ownership / strong manager partnership. Every successful team has this combination. Right now, United's ownership seems uninspiring and miserable. No wonder the rest follows.

[Luke Emia]

Aye, if I want to go to the City game on Sunday I can do. If I'm willing to pay £600 for a ticket via the club and actually now on the website it helpfully shows you if the ticket is hospitality, season ticket or just a standard ticket so you can see in the parts of the ground which bits are full of hospitality supporters. The thing is that by having these fans in they dilute the atmosphere which although it always sounds weird can make a difference. That's the bit these owners don't necessarily get the thing you are selling is getting diluted by cramming more and more daytrippers in.

[niko_cee]

Did I read it was now £66 a ticket minimum no juniors no concessions etc at OT now?

I don't know what season ticket prices are like, but presumably attendances remain high because people with season tickets fear giving them up so just suck up the increase, and the rest of the stadium can be filled with day trippers.

Season tickets at Brighton seem to have about tripled since the Amex opened, and maybe doubled since they made it into the Premier League, but then the team/product is at least three and two times better than it was then, respectively. Think there's even a waiting list now. :sick:

[Kikó]

I think season tickets have remained relatively low and will probably get hammered in the summer. The club have been using returned tickets to package them up into £4-600 "executive" tickets where you get to have a meal and some drinks beforehand at the cricket club or nearby. They clearly make loads from just selling the same seat again with a huge markup it's no surprise they would want to reduce season tickets.

[niko_cee]

How has Mitoma missed that? Would have been a top tier quality/comedy goal.

[niko_cee]

This is quality, they have no idea here.

He has tried to kick it, so that is sort of interfering with play, even though it has no bearing on anything. Such a stupid rule/interpretation/whatever it is given the old in out that is fine at set pieces.

[Manc]

That is some miss from the Wealdstone fella.

[Waffdon]

1-1 after 10 mins. Frankie Lamps is back

[Luke Emia]

Happy birthday Barcelolona

[Waffdon]

Arsenal and their corners :sick:

[Gray Fox]

Saturday Night Football immediately ruined. Paella Pulis strikes again.

[Waffdon]

20 goals since last season in the league alone from corners is hilarious

[phonics]

Is it just me getting old or is 98% of throwins in the Premier League foul throws?

[niko_cee]

That has almost always been the case, which makes it extra lol when one gets called.

[Luke Emia]

Without being an idiot surely the answer is just to go man to man with them rather than giving space to attack the corners by going zonal.

[phonics]

I would have put my life on Saka scoring that.

[phonics]

Without being an idiot surely the answer is just to go man to man with them rather than giving space to attack the corners by going zonal.

That was man to man. They load it up with so many players that Gabriel could just run away and lost Antonio.

[phonics]

Martin Odegoddamnhesgood.

[Luke Emia]

Yeah he was man to man but they are also pissing about with zonal marking just go full man to man.

West Ham are fucking dross.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Had to turn it off, such a dull game.

[phonics]

Had to turn it off, such a dull game.

Sorry we're not losing. Cry more.

[Danny]

Had to turn it off, such a dull game.

4 goals since I turned it on 10 mins ago :lol:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sorry we're not losing. Cry more.

How the fuck did West Ham score 2?

They could barely get out of their own box unless they just booted it aimlessly into the Arsenal half.

I guess you can all thank me for the flurry of goals.

[phonics]

How the fuck did West Ham score 2?

No idea, I went for a fag at 3-0 and I came back 4 minutes later to see Paqueta whipping a free kick into the back of the net and it was 4-2.

[niko_cee]

Thought Palace had lost and was going to lol at the xG [2.30 v 0.02] but I guess a 1-1 out of that is still pretty :cab:.

[Shindig]

I believe we had one shot on target all game.

[niko_cee]

What a start. :lol:

[randomlegend]

Martin Odegoddamnhesgood.

Taz trying to persist with the narrative Odegaard was shit was one of his weirder obsessions.

[AJ23]

Opposition teams must love going to West Ham. Wide open pitch. Atmosphere about as intimidating as being met in a dark alleyway by the Wealdstone Raider.

[Baz]

The league could be decided today.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I see it's Brighton's turn to have inexplicably appeared in 3rd. Bit of a strange season so far.

[randomlegend]

Where are people finding their streams nowadays? Footybite seems to be going to shit.

[Waffdon]

Jackson is too good :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Where are people finding their streams nowadays? Footybite seems to be going to shit.

soccer-100.com

[randomlegend]

soccer-100.com

Cheers.

Zirkzee looking better this game now he's being played a bit deeper in his actual position. He has good vision.

Amorim clearly auditioning everyone with all these changes. Guess we'll see whatever he feels is his best 11 against Arsenal.

[randomlegend]

Mazraoui (if he has somehow moved beyond his injury woes) is an incredible signing by the way. He has been absolutely fantastic in every position he's played. For £12m he's one of the best signings we've made in about 10 years.

[John Arne]

Martinez :D

I don't know why, but it really bugs me watching Cucurella mess with his hair literally every 30 seconds. Wear a fucking bobble.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sir Marcus :cool:

[Waffdon]

:drool:

Enzo fernandes been quality since getting dropped

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We are so fucking back.

[John Arne]

:drool:

Enzo fernandes been quality since getting dropped

Yeah, I thought he was a bit of a passenger last few games, but he's been excellent today. Palmer looking uncharacteristically sloppy.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arsenal are going to get fucking battered.

[randomlegend]

Cheers.

Zirkzee looking better this game now he's being played a bit deeper in his actual position. He has good vision.

Amorim clearly auditioning everyone with all these changes. Guess we'll see whatever he feels is his best 11 against Arsenal.

Lovely pass from him for the third goal.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea could probably do with a third goal before the inevitably concede. Don’t really do clean sheets

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why do footballers still dive in the age of VAR? All you achieve is making yourself look like an embarrassing twat.

[randomlegend]

Why do footballers still dive in the age of VAR? All you achieve is making yourself look like an embarrassing twat.

Because the people on VAR are completely incompetent and there's a good chance it'll still go in your favour.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Amorim :drool:

A statue should be built.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Amad Diallo has really come alive in the system.

[John Arne]

We really need to stop this habit of stopping play for non head injuries. Villa have milked an injury 2 or 3 times already to have play stopped, only for the player to immediately get up.

[Waffdon]

Chelsea could probably do with a third goal before the inevitably concede. Don’t really do clean sheets

[Jimmy Floyd]

Villa have looked very flat in this game. Clear strategic error from them in making the Champions League. They should try and finish 8th every year to save energy for their league matches.

[Danny]

Chelsea could probably do with a third goal before the inevitably concede. Don’t really do clean sheets

[Waffdon]

Been quiet for a few games but the boy is back :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

The way narratives work in football nowadays baffles me. Does he have to score in every game or else he's 'out of form'?

[Waffdon]

The way narratives work in football nowadays baffles me. Does he have to score in every game or else he's 'out of form'?

Mahow thinks so

[Lofty]

Wasn't Bin Bag also good at beating the dross emphatically then shitting the bed the next match? Everton on a run of 5 bad games now.

As for the league being decided, anything other than a cricket score is not good enough from Liverpool against this iteration of City. Bit weird that the same problem as last season persists with them routinely coughing up early goals before coming back to win: was called unsustainable under Klopp but Slot doing it has him anointed king of the baldies.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nice performance, that. If we can get over the hump of the next month of quick fixtures without self-destructing I think we'll probably be set fair for the top 4/5. Reasonably big if but the squad depth is already showing itself to be extremely important.

[niko_cee]

Don't think Liverpool have had that many comeback wins this season.

Haven't they been behind for something like 90 minutes across all games so far or something stupid? Probably less.

Feels results have gone about as badly as imaginable so far this weekend [not that it really matters] so fully expecting some sort of City crab mode result, but hopefully not and they serve themselves up for a battering. Seems to have been being said for a while, but this does feel like a pivotal week in the season. 3 wins and it's off into the sunset, 4 points or fewer and everything's back on I guess.

[Gray Fox]

I dont think we've played anyone who can keep the ball off us like a City probably can, so far this season. A win would obviously be great, but it's still the first day of December regardless of what happens.

Dropping Ederson is a strange one.

[Gray Fox]

This has been electric.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mahow thinks so

He had been missing in all your matches against BIG TEAMS.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What does 'missing' mean?

[John Arne]

We are having good success with corners, then suddenly switch to short corners??

[Gray Fox]

Very good opening 25-30. Then the sit-offishness has crept in. I suspect City will click into gear at some point, so a 2nd goal early in the half would be lovely.

[Gray Fox]

I'd assumed he's not playing them out of injury/fitness, but is he seriously keeping KDB, Doku and Grealish there out of choice?

[John Arne]

Once again the ref stood right in the middle of the pitch constantly getting in the way.

[Dark Soldier]

Just highlights how shit Klopp was really when a bald fraud can come in from the Dutch league and outperform him with ease.

[niko_cee]

:lol:

'Pep' is such a twat.

[Gray Fox]

:lol:

'Pep' is such a twat.

It's not currently all about him and he hates it. Those clips of the docuseries are seriously cringe inducing.

[niko_cee]

He's so obviously been near the top of the terrible humans in football chart for so long I really hope this and/or them erasing all of his City work breaks him.

Opposite end of the spectrum is Mourinho, would be amazing if he comes back and takes the House of Saud to glory.

[-james-]

What makes Pep a terrible human?

[niko_cee]

I'm sure he isn't, there's just something about him. Smarmy, overdog, thin-skinned, just never comes across as in any way likeable, or like a normal person.

[niko_cee]

I would be fascinated to get some sort of analysis of their player minutes this season. He's always been a very keen minute manager [mentioned it today], probably ahead of the game in that regard, but it has always been built on having a much stronger squad than anyone else - so he has been able to rotate through the autumn and reap the rewards in the spring. There was something on the beeb the other day about City losing their golden touch in the transfer market, whether selling people like Alvarez was a mistake etc, but I wonder whether that is just a reality of having to operate within a set of rules that perhaps were not really a concern in the past. Or did they just get lucky when their attempts to sign Maguire, Fred and any number of other useless shitheads [there is at least one big one I am forgetting] went south, and now they haven't been so lucky with Phillips and a few of their other recent big money acquisitions, and all of a sudden the squad is a bit, well, normal.

[Shindig]

I also just don't know how Pep handles adversity. He's never had a run like this as manager. It's a complete unknown to him.

[igor_balis]

Sometimes I convince myself Pep really is one of the greatest managers of all time, then sometimes I think he's a total fraud who's just had the best players at every team he's been at. Still not sure really.

[randomlegend]

xG on fraud watch again this weekend. Apparently we somehow only had 0.79 despite two tap-ins.

[niko_cee]

Understat had you at 1.76.

Were both the tap in Zirkzee? Maybe there was some sort of xAdjustment.

[Luke Emia]

Wonder what will happen when I we play someone decent.

In all seriousness though get out of the other side of this week with the gap roughly similar to what it is now and it is going to take something big like a pandemic to fuck it.

[Gray Fox]

It's still very early to be seriously looking that far down the line but I feel we're now hitting the point where the Slot style is creeping in that bit more. You can see it there now instead of the flashes of the earlier games.

What is becoming more clear to see is just how good Van Dijk is when we're not playing that suicidal high line. Trent is also looking vastly improved defensively. Konate looked amazing before he picked up his knock. Gomez last night just as good when he had to come in. It's the vast improvements in defence that impress me. Only 1 goal conceded in the CL too with having played away at Milan and Leipzig, while also playing Leverkusen and Madrid at home.

[Baz]

What was the logic behind Quansah going right back? Was it cos Gomez was doing so well in the middle?