February Football: High Lines Stagger On

[Danny]

Darren Pratley still going. Fair play.

[niko_cee]

These League One jobbers have run City pretty ragged.

Think the problems there run a little deeper than just missing Rodri.

[John Arne]

Darren Pratley still going. Fair play.

Played in the prem for Bolton, which I'm guessing was around 1895.

[Gray Fox]

These League One jobbers have run City pretty ragged.

Think the problems there run a little deeper than just missing Rodri.

Also doesn't help that the newly in replacement, crocked what looked like his lower back inside the first half.

[Danny]

Played in the prem for Bolton, which I'm guessing was around 1895.

:D

I had to go check when they said his name. Feel like he was a good prospect back on like FM 05.

[Waffdon]

Just got lobbed from 50 yards by a league one jobber?

So would every other keeper. No keeper is standing any differently - it was just a lovely hit

[Manc]

Jim just hates Argies. As any good patriot should.

[Shindig]

Well, this match took off. :D Osula looks fun.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What a hit, son.

[Shindig]

Absurd.

[Waffdon]

Robert Sanchez instantly recalled to the staring line up. What is wrong with these fuckers

[wullie]

We conceded a penalty after 20 seconds today. I feel that my praising Lampard's recent defensive record has caused the defence to immediately and violently shit themselves over the last two games.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Another goalkeeper for the firing squad. Must be the worst ever era for the position.

[Waffdon]

I’m curious what Sanchez has up his sleeve for us. He gave Brighton their two goals earlier in season

[Waffdon]

Should be another goal fest. A bunch of very average or terrible defenders on the pitch

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1888294323625549974

Wow.

[Waffdon]

These Chelsea mangers and making caicedo play midfield on his own is getting out of hand. There is no one near him at all times

[Jimmy Floyd]

We should beat them six or seven with this centre back pair on.

It's strange that all these high lines are played everywhere and basically only Micky van de Ven is capable of playing centre back in any such setup.

[niko_cee]

This Chelsea team are an absolute rabble. Is Sancho on loan or did they buy him? Send him back if you can, and as for Nkunku they'll be lucky to get sixty pence for him nevermind sixty million, absolute shite.

Shame Verbruggen Sanchezed one in.

[Waffdon]

Nkunku will be the best player in Germany if he goes back. Maresca only ever plays him as a striker and it sucks badly

[niko_cee]

Also agree on Caicedo, having him do all the work is mad. Does Palmer usually play in this ten role or off the left? He's been quiet as well.

[Waffdon]

That goal sums up this game. Two horrendous teams with equally bad managers. Utter dog shit. Chelsea are definitely back to being a middle of the pack team. After spending 1 billion. Think of all the players they could have bought and they decided to spend it all on children

[Jimmy Floyd]

A lot of this comes from the fact that the centre backs are both Championship cloggers and yet the team is set up as if they are Baresi and Beckenbauer. Applies to Brighton's too.

Neto countless free runs at a hapless Lamptey and delivers nothing.

[Waffdon]

Also agree on Caicedo, having him do all the work is mad. Does Palmer usually play in this ten role or off the left? He's been quiet as well.

Manager has done his best to nullify him for the last few months having him play centrally but in the left channel.

Don’t know how you hire 3 absolute bum managers in a row.

[Waffdon]

A lot of this comes from the fact that the centre backs are both Championship cloggers. Applies to Brighton's too.

Even Colwill has turned into an absolute retard too. It must be due to playing with an absolute clown behind you

[Magic]

Rutter. :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

This second half performance should be the end of a few players. Sancho shouldn't represent the club again other than at U23 level.

[Waffdon]

The longer palmer plays with these lose the worse he’ll get. He needs to beg for a move asap

[Jimmy Floyd]

89 minutes, 2-1 down in a cup tie, a centre half stands over a goal kick and gets closed down because there isn't a high press coming and he doesn't know what to do. How have we gone from Terry and Carvalho to this.

[Waffdon]

Brighton took 7 last week and were also the worst side Chelsea have faced all season and this is what the manager has served up. Definitely finishing between 8th and 10th. Imagine getting rid of 5/6 players and not replacing them as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sancho's on £350,000 per week. A grade II listed house in York, every week.

[Shindig]

I hope you never run out of these comparisons. :D

[SvN]

It's funny that the doom mongering United fans use Sancho as an example of someone who has excelled since leaving. I see Antony got his second consecutive MOTM today, so he'll be next.

[niko_cee]

By far the biggest away contingent I've seen at Brighton, they had the whole south stand and a bit of the east, and being a bunch of cunts I was expecting a lot of noise but they must have been among the quietest away fans I've seen. I assume they've just been broken by the absolute dreck Baldie and Co have them serving up and/or the drugs dogs were working overtime in the queue to get in.

Brighton much the better side, and Brighton are pretty shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If you forget Palmer, there's basically nothing to support. 15-20 useless trading pieces who will be somewhere else within two years and replaced by equally useless clones. I might as well just cheer on the boot in Monopoly.

[Danny]

It's funny that the doom mongering United fans use Sancho as an example of someone who has excelled since leaving. I see Antony got his second consecutive MOTM today, so he'll be next.

Apparently those are fan voted. So it’s certainly just a banter vote.

Sancho is just a waster. Really wanted him to work at United but he just has no interest in trying after a couple of month. Chelsea need to do what we couldn’t and convince him Saudi is the way.

[Kikó]

Chelsea have an obligation to buy unless they finish below 14th. Best bit of business we've done in ages

[AJ23]

Sancho just plays fifa all day and all night.

Fucking great career if you can get it.

[niko_cee]

Chelsea have an obligation to buy unless they finish below 14th. Best bit of business we've done in ages

United cleverly packing out the bottom half of the table to thwart Chelsea from finishing down there.

[Kikó]

United cleverly packing out the bottom half of the table to thwart Chelsea from finishing down there.

4D checkers.

[niko_cee]

Two horrendous teams with equally bad managers.

Think this is a bit harsh on Hurzeler. He's definitely in the modern ilk, and extremely naive at times, but up until getting brained by Forest they looked like they were adapting their style of play a bit - although somewhat ironically that was in a period where they didn't get many wins which is maybe what triggered the return to just the way we play mate style rubbish against Forest. I think, like other managers who insist on this style of play, he can point to the fact that he doesn't really have the players for it in quite a few positions and as we all know there is no scope for adjusting the ideology.

Maresca didn't look like he had much of a clue on the touchline.

I do wonder if it isn't some national conspiracy to reduce future pension deficits. The average age of a match goer at Brighton must be approaching if not exceeding retirement age. That must be more and more common acorss the game seeing as that generation are the only ones who can afford it. All this fannying around at the back can't be doing anything for those ageing hearts. Blood pressure through the roof.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think the Premier League business model (high ticket prices / Sky subscriptions) is in real trouble long term. Middle class Gen Z aren't going to have anything to do with either of those things. Working class gen Z might but the prices will have to come down.

I remain amazed that crowds in general are as high as they are, especially when about 60% of those people spend the whole time furious and want the manager sacked. Maybe that's what it is, an outlet for general frustration.

[Luke Emia]

On the SKY model I don’t thing the PL cares, they have realised now the big growth is from the overseas revenue and that can get much bigger over the next few years so that continues to give them the ‘growth’ they need for the next 10 years or so.

Realistically they don’t need the UK income to grow just remain steady.

[Spikey M]

My son is fairly unique in liking football in his year group, and that's only because I take him to every home game at Southend. If it were up to TV alone I doubt he would be. The odd FA Cup game on terrestrial tv isn't enough of a hook.

[niko_cee]

Working class gen Z might but the prices will have to come down.


On the Sky subscription front don't all working class gen Z types have IPTV or whatever it is called?

I think the only thing that could break it is if they introduce proper spending controls on the top teams and they are therefore less able to acquire and hoard world talent. Real Madrid alone present a bit of an existential threat, as a significant number of young adults seem to maintain the infantile obsession with star names that everyone has as a kid but historically you tended to grow out of as you become an actual fan. The Messi Ronaldo Media Industrial Complex.

[Shindig]

Local radio was how I followed stuff as a kid. Nowadays, it's BBC updates and the odd game on TV.

[Jimmy Floyd]

On the Sky subscription front don't all working class gen Z types have IPTV or whatever it is called?

I think the only thing that could break it is if they introduce proper spending controls on the top teams and they are therefore less able to acquire and hoard world talent. Real Madrid alone present a bit of an existential threat, as a significant number of young adults seem to maintain the infantile obsession with star names that everyone has as a kid but historically you tended to grow out of as you become an actual fan. The Messi Ronaldo Media Industrial Complex.

Next five years yeah, but in twenty years how are they filling the grounds at these prices? Like you say, the average age now must be pushing 55. I could see a future where the overseas TV deal / Asian gambling subsidises lower ticket prices here.

A colleague of mine was telling me that his ten year old exclusively knows football through Messi-Ronaldo Youtube, which is enough for him to want all the Ronaldo merch in existence. Has never watched a TV game of football let alone a live one.

[niko_cee]

Maybe, but then weirdly price sensitivity isn't so much of an issue. Tickets for cup games are considerably cheaper than tickets for league games and attendances do not reflect this differential - as you have pointed out in earlier rounds. I can't see the attendance from last night online, are they making this harder to find or something? I bet the game on Friday night has a bigger attendance despite prices probably being two to three times higher for pretty much exactly the same game, if anything a less important game.

A lot of kids there last night which is probably a function of the pricing [my nephew went with his season ticket holder grandad], which is good, but also the fact that you can get seats next to each other for cup games which you basically can't for league games.

Maybe the plan is just for the baby boomers to live forever with a reasonably limitless supply of cash to pour into the 'matchday experience'.

At least until it can be NFL-ized.

[niko_cee]

Just looking at Maresa's comments after the game, is he nuts?


We started very good, the first half the only shot we conceded on goal was their goal. We controlled, created some chances. And the second half it was more the same.

That was a match that only he was watching.

I suppose, in isolation some of those statements [2 and 4] are true and if you reverse 1 and 3 it's bang on.

Stared poorly, conceded from only shot on target against, displayed no real control and created very few chances, second half was more of the same.

[Jimmy Floyd]

First half I thought both teams were shite. Second half, Brighton improved (Rutter the best player on the park) and Chelsea got immeasurably worse.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Maybe, but then weirdly price sensitivity isn't so much of an issue. Tickets for cup games are considerably cheaper than tickets for league games and attendances do not reflect this differential - as you have pointed out in earlier rounds. I can't see the attendance from last night online, are they making this harder to find or something? I bet the game on Friday night has a bigger attendance despite prices probably being two to three times higher for pretty much exactly the same game, if anything a less important game.

A lot of kids there last night which is probably a function of the pricing [my nephew went with his season ticket holder grandad], which is good, but also the fact that you can get seats next to each other for cup games which you basically can't for league games.

Maybe the plan is just for the baby boomers to live forever with a reasonably limitless supply of cash to pour into the 'matchday experience'.

At least until it can be NFL-ized.

The lack of price sensitivity is the big puzzle for me. Are people that indelibly wedded to attending league soccer that they will basically unhitch it from their personal finances and the entire rest of their life? Maybe they are, I don't know. For me it's the reason I don't go to Chelsea anymore, having gone a lot when I was young enough to qualify for the various discounts, because I can't dump £120 on a day out 15 times a year - or rather I can, but in my judgement it's a poor use of that £120, so I'll put it into the mortgage or the car or something else. Obviously other people don't make those calculations. Or they're just doing well enough not to worry.

[niko_cee]

Becoming a season ticket holder just becomes a lifelong commitment, be it out of habit, FOMO, the perception of scarcity, they've got you and both sides secretly know it. Keeping people on waiting lists for years so they can build up a bit of money and a lot of fear is probably quite a clever loyalty programme.

[Lewis]

Aren't NFL tickets hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Even accounting for them being a first world country there is plenty of scope to rip fans off yet.

[niko_cee]

Plymouth doggedly refusing to either press the ball, or fuck around with it in their own defensive third. A conundrum for the modern football method. Not sure this is a game for Chiesa.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Aren't NFL tickets hundreds and hundreds of pounds? Even accounting for them being a first world country there is plenty of scope to rip fans off yet.

I can see why people watch that at home with WINGS and DOGS and incredibly watered-down BEER etc, as it's kind of made for that. Why you'd pay hundreds of dollars to go to a minus 10 degrees Pittsburgh megadrome and sit around for hours in between plays/drives, I have no idea. People call baseball and cricket boring but at least they're in the summer.

[niko_cee]

Got to do something with your giant Ds and picket fence signage.

[Luke Emia]

Looking at the bench there we could be fucked.

[niko_cee]

Big Darwin or bust really. Probably needs Jones as well to do something in midfield.

Chiesa is useless. Hopefully they can makeweight him to some Serie A mugs in the summer.

[Kikó]

3-1 Liverpool without question.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The biggest surprise currently is that the sun's out down there. Haven't seen that in months.

[Kikó]

Rooney was stood in front of it LMAO.

Giggles

[niko_cee]

9 minutes? :happycry:

[Mike]

Could play another 90 and I doubt we’d score.

[Jimmy Floyd]

For the 'neutral' it feels as if Liverpool have had about 3 hours at this.

[niko_cee]

Must feel like days for any Pilgrims out there.

I'll Take Plymouth at the Amex in the next round please.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chiesa can join Sancho on the useless cunt list. Fortunately he's only paid £120,000 for a week's work. Barely even two sets of school fees for a year.

[Magic]

He's rotten isn't he?

[Kikó]

Great result for Wayne Rooney's Plymouth.

[Shindig]

FA Cup blown WIDE OPEN.

[Danny]

Thought O'Alisson was going to score that

[niko_cee]

Chiesa can join Sancho on the useless cunt list. Fortunately he's only paid £120,000 for a week's work. Barely even two sets of school fees for a year.

I was going to come on and say I reckon he's worse than Alberto Aquilani was. Just a completely pointless player. He seemed to be playing as an extra 'insert position here' for most of that half, getting in the way of the actual person playing said position.

[Gray Fox]

A shame the young lads wont get a game now with that.

So close to a classic keeper late equaliser there at the end too.

[Lofty]

Becoming a season ticket holder just becomes a lifelong commitment, be it out of habit, FOMO, the perception of scarcity, they've got you and both sides secretly know it. Keeping people on waiting lists for years so they can build up a bit of money and a lot of fear is probably quite a clever loyalty programme.

I thought the new breed of owners like Boehly want season ticket holders to fuck off so they can scalp all those seats for a fortune to tourists?

[Luke Emia]

I was going to come on and say I reckon he's worse than Alberto Aquilani was. Just a completely pointless player. He seemed to be playing as an extra 'insert position here' for most of that half, getting in the way of the actual person playing said position.

You can only think the logic was that get him in to play the minutes like today(not realising he’d be so shite). I think the only positive about him is that they didn’t pay a lot of money for him so they should get their money back at the end of the season selling him to FC Fusilli.

Not the worst loss in the world based on getting a couple of breaks in March and probably not giving anyone who’s going to start on Wednesday any minutes so should help with the fixture congestion and I won’t give a toss about it if we win the league as I’m sure many won’t.

[Giggles]

Rooney was stood in front of it LMAO.

Giggles

What?

[Mike]

He's rotten isn't he?

He plays like he’s in a ‘legends’ game, can see he had some skill once but it’s all gone

[niko_cee]

Yeah, he's obviously got a good touch, it's just he plays like a late 90s Matt Le Tissier in mobility terms. Or actually, probably more like a 2025 Le Tiss.

[Gray Fox]

He needs that season of fitness in him after injuries. Sadly we can't offer him that here really.

[Pepe]

I can see why people watch that at home with WINGS and DOGS and incredibly watered-down BEER etc, as it's kind of made for that. Why you'd pay hundreds of dollars to go to a minus 10 degrees Pittsburgh megadrome and sit around for hours in between plays/drives, I have no idea. People call baseball and cricket boring but at least they're in the summer.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/krcgtv.com/amp/news/local/dozens-of-chiefs-fans-at-frigid-playoff-game-lost-fingers-toes-to-cold-hospital-confirms


Some of the people who attended the near-record cold Kansas City Chiefs playoff game in January had to undergo amputations after suffering frostbite, a Missouri hospital said Friday.

:harold:

[-james-]

Rangers :lol:

[Yevrah]

That's a proper FM fucking right there.

[niko_cee]

Bye Ange.

[Shindig]

Oof. Pack your bags, Angie.

[Spikey M]

Is Kinsky this generations fake footballer? He's awful. Just play one of the youth team keepers.

[Waffdon]

Rangers :lol:

The penalty the referee awarded in the 95th minute was money in hand stuff. A joke of a call

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Scottish Cup must take a serious financial hit if one of the arsecheek brothers don't make the final. I'd be fixing it if I were them. The draw too.

[Luke Emia]

Sir Marcus is on. Watch the Villa press fall to pieces.

[Yevrah]

Traditional Villa is about his level (ironic given their level is above Man Utd's now) so I'd expect him to do alright for them if he stops being a twat.

[Ben]

I imagine United fans are seething after seeing Rashford put more effort into the last ten minutes than he has the previous two years.

[Shindig]

He'll probably pull a Lingard and squander his good efforts for a second shot at United.

[randomlegend]

I imagine United fans are seething after seeing Rashford put more effort into the last ten minutes than he has the previous two years.

Personally I'm way, way past caring. Didn't even occur to me he played for them when I saw Villa were playing.

[Yevrah]

Replacing watching UTD burn with watching the US burn doesn't sound like a good swap.

[randomlegend]

I am perfectly capable of watching both burn, thank you very much.

I still watch United, I just can't bring myself to care about a player like Rashford who has behaved like they don't care for the last two years.

[AJ23]

Arne Slot finding out about the spirit of the FA Cup. Teams who see you as their cup final, who up their intensity levels.

If you drop your intensity levels and play kids and reverses, you get what you deserve.

Arrogant Arne van Gerwen.

[niko_cee]

The side was definitely light a couple of proper senior players. The midfield wasn't up to the task and when faced with a low block like that you're better off getting down in the trenches and fighting them on their own terms - get it out wide and bomb crosses in - don't look for non-existent space or have some numpty like Chiesa who wants 15 minutes on the ball every time he touches it. Unfortunately nobody in modern football is able to beat a man and put a cross in as everything is inverted. He should have started Nunez and Jones, but I suppose they will say they were right if they get a result on Wednesday [they weren't]. Come up short there and maybe you've just manufactured yourself an unneeded mini crisis as they have a pretty intense few weeks in the league coming up.

Good for the magic of the cup.

[niko_cee]

Newcastle away, bleh.

[Shindig]

It's a banana skin.

[Lewis]

Opening up nice for United to burgle another one. :cool:

[Shindig]

The booing during the bus parade. :drool:

[niko_cee]

Going off the BBC team sheet, what on earth is that Madrid back four?

[Luke Emia]

City might be winning but they look a shadow of the team they were. Madrid just have that classic problem they had in the early 2000’s of trying to squeeze too many very good attacking players in their team and ending up massively unbalanced because of it.

You’d have to say as well both of these teams are lucky they aren’t running into someone like PSG because they’d run all over them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I hope City smash them. Ludicrous people.

[Luke Emia]

I hope City beat them on the basis of if everyone is fit I think Madrid are a better team than them and I feel like they have a hex over us in games that matter and they’d beat us whereas I’d be more confident that we’d beat City.

I hope City get what’s coming to them and they end up back in Division 3 like in 1999 but that doesn’t seem likely.

[niko_cee]

That looked a pretty lol decision at first but it probably is a penalty.

[Waffdon]

City might be winning but they look a shadow of the team they were. Madrid just have that classic problem they had in the early 2000’s of trying to squeeze too many very good attacking players in their team and ending up massively unbalanced because of it.

You’d have to say as well both of these teams are lucky they aren’t running into someone like PSG because they’d run all over them.

Think they’re more unbalanced because they have no fit defenders and thus have two centre mids back there

[Waffdon]

Then city fans barely cheered that goal going in

[niko_cee]

One more for Haaland here and then get in a few Madrid faces and this could be tasty.

[Luke Emia]

Think they’re more unbalanced because they have no fit defenders and thus have two centre mids back there

Yeah that plays a big part in it. But I do feel they look better when one of Vini Jr or Mbappe isn’t in the team. Which sounds ridiculous but just means they don’t have two players trying to do basically the same thing.

If their defence was fit you’d really fancy them to win the whole thing. It’s just if they are still in it by the time they start getting some of those defenders back.

[niko_cee]

Seems Ederson isn't much better than the other idiot they've got. What's gone on with those two? Sure they were top 2 in the league in some opinions not long ago.

[randomlegend]

City not being able to beat them at home when they're having to play that back line is pathetic.

[randomlegend]

:lol:

Get fucked City.

[niko_cee]

City are just rank bad.

Madrid are egregiously lucky as a side though. Hopefully someone like Inter or, dare I say it, Arsenal shiteball them out of it.

[Bernanke]

Hahahahhah

[Luke Emia]

How have City sold all these youngsters and ended up with Rico Lewis in the team?

[niko_cee]

Should have sold Ederson to Saudi whenever that was a likely thing.

[Danny]

RIP Agueros bollocks

[Magic]

:harold:

[Gray Fox]

Havertz with the sudden and season ending injury in the Dubai training camp.

Phonics might need his boots ready at this rate.

[Waffdon]

They might win the league now

[niko_cee]

Have they poached Micky Ven de Ven's fitness coach or something?

[Luke Emia]

Maybe stick one of the 7 foot tall defenders up top as a target man. Failing that they could always stick a 31 year old male from London up there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think they should be allowed to make an emergency signing, but they have to be from League Two or below, and they have to start every game for the rest of the season.

[niko_cee]

At what point are emergency signings allowed? It's basically never unless it's for goalkeeper isn't it? Unless you are Barcelona that is. What's Dani Olmo up to?

I believe Diego Costa is a free agent (https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=Sturm&spielerposition_id=alle&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show).

And 31 year old Saido Berahino. Shocked he's only 31.

[Danny]

https://youtube.com/shorts/XC7JCPaacOw?si=2sDcvkp8icIBMwFc

Compared to this


https://i.imgur.com/h6Rvh0d.gif


:lol:



(how do we link shorts ffs)

[niko_cee]

Looks febrile at Goodison.

Bring on the seethe. :yn:

[Jimmy Floyd]

The PL should deduct them 10 points every year for the good of the product.

[Gray Fox]

Looks febrile at Goodison.

Bring on the seethe. :yn:

Their fan site released a thing on twitter calling for a barrage of noise throughout the entire game that will not stop. They also want to "boo, but make it an aggressive boo" whenever Liverpool have the ball. As if they know anything else.


This is the start of what I see as the make or break two-ish weeks for Liverpools title challenge. They have Everton, Wolves(h), Villa and City(a) and then Newcastle(h). All in the league and all in the next two-ish week window.
It's why he rested everyone against Plymouth. If they come out of that with 4+ wins I see it as one hand on the title.

Also a shame to see the end of Goodison. The new ground is badly needed, but I think they will come to regret not finding a way to redevelop.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's also a make or break two-ish weeks for how many days February will have. It looks like 28 at the moment but let's wait and find out.

[Waffdon]

Make or break :lol:

If Liverpool don’t win it will be the most embarrassing throw in a long long time

[Gray Fox]

You say this like I haven't seen Liverpool throw away "top at Christmas" 4/5 times in my life already.

[Gray Fox]

Teams dont do that enough from free kicks. Well worked.

[Gray Fox]

He was such a bargain signing considering.

[niko_cee]

Aren't there several versions of the MacAllister fee, one of which goes up to seventy-odd million?

Still class at that price.

[Gray Fox]

Aren't there several versions of the MacAllister fee, one of which goes up to seventy-odd million?

Still class at that price.

Indeed. Anywhere from 35-70 it seems. Inverting the 3 in midfield seems to suit him better. Sharing the defensive work with Gravenberch is brining the best of both of them.

[Waffdon]

Ndiaye going off injured probably ruins this game now

[Gray Fox]

I see Michael Oliver has decided he wants to be part of proceedings.

[Mike]

He must have a bet on the number of bookings.

[Gray Fox]

Very odd first half that. Seems to be a game both just dont want to lose, rather than going for the win.

I suspect the game will be won/lost by Trent coming on. It's far too ploddy and all he does is knock balls forwards as quick as he can. I lost count of the amount of times a Liverpool attacker was stood free either side of the CBs in acres of space, only for no pass to come.

Liverpool also absolutely crying out for a #9 type here. Beto is doing it well for them and bringing them into the game. We've just got nothing in the middle up there.

[Luke Emia]

Yeah he needs to stop with this thing of Diaz through the centre against teams from the lower half of the league it just doesn’t work. With two big old centre halves you really do need to just bang Nunez up there.

How that wasn’t a second booking for Gana is unbelievable as well. Imagine if that was Arsenal, there’d be a massive meltdown.

[niko_cee]

An Arsenal fan would probably say he'd have got a straight red if he played for them, in fairness.

[Gray Fox]

I feel both fullbacks need replacing here.

[Luke Emia]

Bradley caused that by getting himself a stupid booking in the first half.

[Waffdon]

How more obvious do you want a handball?

[Gray Fox]

This is some honking performance. From the men in red and in yellow.

[niko_cee]

David Coote must be on VAR.

[Gray Fox]

They just cannot cope with Beto in any way at all.

[John Arne]

Gone are days of full backs stopping the cross coming in. I'm looking at you Trent.

[phonics]

I see Michael Oliver has decided he wants to be part of proceedings.

Stop trying to destroy grassroots football.

[Waffdon]

Excited at the incoming Salah penalty

Or that. The luckiest man in football

[Gray Fox]

What in the black magic fuckery is this.

[Mike]

We really do need to get him signed up for another few years.

[John Arne]

97+....

[Lewis]

Has it been revised upwards?

[Dquincy]

Glad he rested those players on Saturday.

[Serj]

Bit of a shove on Konate there, but still, brainless defending. Sweet connection from Tarkowski.

[Gray Fox]

Heads have well and truly gone.

[John Arne]

Did Slot get a yellow or red at the end there?

[Gray Fox]

Looked like a red to me.

He's definitely called Oliver out over this shambles.

[Dquincy]

Everton were the better team for large parts of this match. A draw is a more than fair result.

[Lewis]

David Moyes. :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Everton were the better team for large parts of this match. A draw is a more than fair result.

They deserve a win tbh.

The referee was clueless at everything throughout.

[John Arne]

Looked like a red to me.

He's definitely called Oliver out over this shambles.

As much as the ref is a turd, our inability to defend from wide is the biggest shambles.

[Manc]

Football, bloody hell.

[Dquincy]

Title is Arsenal's to lose now.

[Gray Fox]

David Moyes is criminally underrated btw.

Save for about 10 minutes worth of the game, shut us down and caused us grief with a squad far inferior.

[Shindig]

We've got City, Forest and Liverpool coming up this month. Kingmakers.

[Lofty]

Title is Arsenal's to lose now.

Liverpool could lose another 4 and Arsenal won't catch them. More likely to drop out of the top 4 the rate of these injuries.

[Waffdon]

Utterly bonkers that Liverpool team have only lost once. The fuck has happened to our beautiful game

[niko_cee]

They've been 'just doing enough' all season and getting away with it. There being no real rivals helps as they've probably got about the same points as last season at this point.

Diaz as 'the nine' really needs doing away with.

[AJ23]

Pep looking like Keegan when Ferguson rattled him.

‘I’d love it. I’d love it’. Lashing out at fans.

Guy is gone. Mentally. Retire.

115 charges incoming. That club is done.

[Gray Fox]

It's a shame the rules dictate Slot couldn't do any press last night. I'd love to know what he's said to get himself immediately sent off because he's usually quite calm.

The days of old FSG would have me thinking today we would see an OFFICIAL CLUB STATEMENT being released. Though with the Wolves game right up next, he should have a presser due up very soon anyway.

[niko_cee]

2 game ban for Slot.

Hopefully he roles out a Rafa Fachts style press conference for the next game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They got a solid point away to a local rival, I don't see the need for drama.

[Luke Emia]

When you look at it in the cold light of day it's a decent point and on the balance of play probably a fair result. But, I think you can look at 3/4 pivotal moments in the match which you would call 50/50 and they all went against Liverpool.

The first goal was not a foul and was a dive for the free-kick. However, you still should defend that better.
Gueye was already on a booking and hauled back Gakpo based on other decisions in the match that should have been another booking and a sending off.
Salah was fouled in injury time on the edge of the Everton box and inexplicably he's just not given a free-kick. If it's given that probably takes the sting out of the rest of the game.
Possible foul on Konate, again anywhere else on the pitch, with no goal being scored and based on what he gives throughout the match he probably gives that as a foul. But the rest of the defending at that point in the match is unacceptable so it doesn't fall solely on the referee.

It did feel like Everton were dishing it out throughout the match without incurring free-kicks whereas if a player in red so much as breathed on an Everton player they went down and a foul was given. But, being honest I'm not exactly impartial here. You could also say similar to the Gueye situation Bradley was very lucky to still be on the pitch, but his yellow was not long after the Gueye incident and did seem to be a result of frustration with how the game was being officiated. Liverpool weren't good enough for a win though in reality and I've said it a great many times before there is no big PGMOL conspiracy the referee's are just not good enough.

[niko_cee]

The days of old FSG would have me thinking today we would see an OFFICIAL CLUB STATEMENT being released.

Nearly (https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/joint-liverpool-fc-and-everton-fc-statement)

[Waffdon]

When you look at it in the cold light of day it's a decent point and on the balance of play probably a fair result. But, I think you can look at 3/4 pivotal moments in the match which you would call 50/50 and they all went against Liverpool.

The first goal was not a foul and was a dive for the free-kick. However, you still should defend that better.
Gueye was already on a booking and hauled back Gakpo based on other decisions in the match that should have been another booking and a sending off.
Salah was fouled in injury time on the edge of the Everton box and inexplicably he's just not given a free-kick. If it's given that probably takes the sting out of the rest of the game.
Possible foul on Konate, again anywhere else on the pitch, with no goal being scored and based on what he gives throughout the match he probably gives that as a foul. But the rest of the defending at that point in the match is unacceptable so it doesn't fall solely on the referee.

It did feel like Everton were dishing it out throughout the match without incurring free-kicks whereas if a player in red so much as breathed on an Everton player they went down and a foul was given. But, being honest I'm not exactly impartial here. You could also say similar to the Gueye situation Bradley was very lucky to still be on the pitch, but his yellow was not long after the Gueye incident and did seem to be a result of frustration with how the game was being officiated. Liverpool weren't good enough for a win though in reality and I've said it a great many times before there is no big PGMOL conspiracy the referee's are just not good enough.

Crying in a game where Everton didn’t get a stonewall penalty is some effort

[Ben]

Liverpool also benefitted from a lot of things down at Bournemouth a week or so ago. If the referee spots the foul on Kluivert in the buildup to the (very fortuitous itself) penalty then Liverpool probably lose that game. They got battered.

Take the rough with the smooth.

[Gray Fox]

We're on to Cincinnati.

[Luke Emia]

Liverpool also benefitted from a lot of things down at Bournemouth a week or so ago. If the referee spots the foul on Kluivert in the buildup to the (very fortuitous itself) penalty then Liverpool probably lose that game. They got battered.

Take the rough with the smooth.

Oh definitely and when I'm saying the balance of play I'm also saying that's probably based on the fact that Everton were the slightly better team and could of shaded it overall. Konate handball again in the Champions League it gets given, but under the Premier League made up rules it isn't a penalty. I think the worst decision from the Everton viewpoint is that Bradley probably should have been sent off, in the same manner as Gueye should have been.

[Manc]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwy855222pjo

This passed me by.

[Pepe]

Get them some LV print uniforms.

[Gray Fox]

Well that's an FM save ruined.

[SincereTheRebel]

All things consider. Paris has a population of 10m with one major football team. Its about time they had some competition, not that it matters

[Jimmy Floyd]

The French hate football. One of life's great injustices that they are very good at it thanks to immigrants they have mistreated.

[igor_balis]

Been having a shit fantasy season, but managed to win £10 for best score of the game week in my 32 team league. Lovely 147 maxi thanks to triple captaining Salah (beat two other Salah triplers on 145 thanks to Neco Williams mainly)

[Dquincy]

Liverpool also benefitted from a lot of things down at Bournemouth a week or so ago. If the referee spots the foul on Kluivert in the buildup to the (very fortuitous itself) penalty then Liverpool probably lose that game. They got battered.

Take the rough with the smooth.

This. Every club benefits and suffers from supposedly unfair and incorrect decisions over the course of a season. It's just a shame that Arsenal fans (hello my friend, Phonics) are the most prissy about it.

[Gray Fox]

Oliver was indeed laughably bad. Missed a penalty to Everton, missed Bradley and Gueye getting probably deserved 2nd yellows. Missed the foul on Salah in injury time and at several points just ignored players with supposed head injuries. Then immediately gives a straight red for daring to be critical of him.

The good refereeing performances happen and you will never remember who did the game, but he clearly decided yesterday he wanted to be one of the stars of the show.

[Shindig]

The League Cup Final is set for a 4:30pm kick-off. I can confirm I will be a ticketless mag.

[Lofty]

Refereeing decisions are always bad. Liverpool just had a rare instance this season playing badly and being punished for it, usually they get away with it.

Arsenal have the opposite problem where too many times they have dominated the game only for the opposition to score a worldy with their first attack.

Like the Newcastle game, sometimes the ball is an inch wide and sometimes the ball is an inch inside the post.

[niko_cee]

That's the second 90 minutes plus centre half 'worldy' against Liverpool in the derby so you can keep your complaints about other teams scoring them against Arsenal.

[phonics]

Wasn’t the jagielka one about a decade ago?

[niko_cee]

It's still too many.

[phonics]

It's still too many.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgKLfAYrZI

Shove it.

[niko_cee]

:D

In other unlikely football news there is a campaign to make Tommy Burns a saint. I really hope at least one of the miracles he's credited with is football related. That Mellor goal would surely qualify as one for him. Chalk another one up against Oympiakos, how many do you need, two or three? Saint Neil, there can't be many of those.

[Kikó]

I think the common theme is Michael Oliver is dreadful.

[phonics]

I think the common theme is Michael Oliver is dreadful.

You can’t say that you’re destroying grass roots football.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's not a chance in hell I'm watching us play Brighton away again. Only just scrubbed the last of the tzatziki off the wall from last week.

[Waffdon]

No fit senior striker at the club until April. Get ready.

(A good manager would integrate one of your very talented academy strikers)

[Jimmy Floyd]

At least we have the better keeper in this time.

[Giggles]

No fit senior striker at the club until April. Get ready.

(A good manager would integrate one of your very talented academy strikers)

Your?

[Gray Fox]

Distancing himself as they slide down the table.

[Giggles]

Distancing himself as they slide down the table.

As quickly as he became a shrieking superfan.

[Giggles]

Big new LOI TV deal, season starts tonight, and every stream dies. All 150 of us are distraught.

[Waffdon]

Your?

I wasn’t referring to Jimmy I was referring to the managers academy players

Superfan status is still intact

[niko_cee]

If Nkunku isn't a striker, I always thought that's what he was from the little I've seen of him, a 'finisher' fox-in-the-box type, then what is he? A wide forward?

[Waffdon]

Big new LOI TV deal, season starts tonight, and every stream dies. All 150 of us are distraught.

Some effort from Shamrock Rovers. 16 year old schoolboy getting the winner and back to school this morning

[Waffdon]

If Nkunku isn't a striker, I always thought that's what he was from the little I've seen of him, a 'finisher' fox-in-the-box type, then what is he? A wide forward?

Scored most his goals playing in everyone’s favourite ‘10’ position off a big lump of a target man. That or off the left hand side. He’d get away playing as a striker in Germany but not in England where pressing the ball is just standard practice

[Waffdon]

Look at Gusto running down the touch line like he did all of last season. Maresca refuses to play him like that though and has him playing ‘inverted’. Modern football bollocks

[niko_cee]

Webster is so bad.

[Giggles]

Some effort from Shamrock Rovers. 16 year old schoolboy getting the winner and back to school this morning

Be swallowed up and spat out soon enough.

[Manc]

That Chelsea kit is an abomination.

[Waffdon]

The injuries stayed away most of the season outside of the 3 regulars but they seem to be creeping up now

[Gray Fox]

"England Boss Thomas Tuchel" still doesn't quite feel right.

[Giggles]

"England Boss Thomas Tuchel" still doesn't quite feel right.

Shouldn't happen with any country.

[Waffdon]

That’s an outrageous touch but how many times is this utter mongo going to have his centre halves defending 1v1 on the half way line

[Jimmy Floyd]

14 days of high lines staggering on and it feels like about a year's worth.

[Waffdon]

Lamptey is a dog shit defender but Neto has made him look like maldini the last week

[phonics]

How have Chelsea spent 100 million quid more on goalkeepers than Arteta has spent on forwards in 5 years and they're all shit?

[niko_cee]

Can we play you every week?

[Waffdon]

I’m not being funny but how is that not offside? Colwill has to play the ball otherwise welbeck has a tap in?

Regardless, this Brighton team are so bang average and they’ve walked over Chelsea two weeks running. They lost 7-0 the other week ffs

[phonics]

That Mitoma goal is good but it's going to get wanked over an obscene amount considering how poor it is from Chelsea. The defender puts zero physical pressure on him, gets turned and then the goalkeeper gets beat while sighted by a ball he can get a hand to.

[niko_cee]

Bet Caicedo's well chuffed he strapped himself to this sinking ship for the rest of his career.

[phonics]

I’m not being funny but how is that not offside? Colwill has to play the ball otherwise welbeck has a tap in?

One of the dumbest ongoing rules imo. I understand why it exists because it's to prevent a player being punished for offside when the defender makes a catastrophic fuck up but then he's trying to play the ball specifically because that players there it doesn't make much sense.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, it's a stupid rule. The defensive mistake only ever occurs due to the offensive pressure the offside player exerts.

[Luke Emia]

You have to wonder how long this experiment lasts in terms of players like Palmer and Caicedo. All well and good having an eleven year contract but if R Madrid etcetera come knocking on the door for you then surely you are still going to want the move and not just be pissing around in the Conference League for the next 10 years.

[phonics]

Yeah I think it should be treated like the keepers line of sight thing but at the same time the idea of introducing more grey areas to this collective bunch of incompetents does push me towards the 'fuck it who cares' side of the argument.

[-james-]

Chelsea have been the ~fourth best team all season. Funny seeing the random number generator swing the narrative back and forth between CONFERENCE LEAGUE BANTER ERA and TITLE CHALLENGERS.

[phonics]

I just checked the table and this has to be up there for one of the most absurd I've ever seen. Chelsea are rubbish, have won 1 in 5 and sit in 4th. West Ham and Tottenham have a goal difference of TWENTY EIGHT and are on the same amount of points as an Everton team that have scored as many goals as matches they've played. Southampton have won 2 games all year and only require 1 win in the next 14 not to be the worst Premier League team of all time. It's a joke of a season.

[Luke Emia]

I’m not sure they are though, basically they had a 2 month or so spell where they won all the games they would be expected to win. Outside of that they have been fairly mediocre and the trend at the minute definitely seems to be downward.

[Waffdon]

You have to wonder how long this experiment lasts in terms of players like Palmer and Caicedo. All well and good having an eleven year contract but if R Madrid etcetera come knocking on the door for you then surely you are still going to want the move and not just be pissing around in the Conference League for the next 10 years.

When Madrid come knocking regardless if you’re winning the league every year or not

[phonics]

We’ve only got 3 attackers but if they want they can have Sterling back. Maybe he can play in goal. Can’t be any worse than the other lot.

[Waffdon]

I’m not sure they are though, basically they had a 2 month or so spell where they won all the games they would be expected to win. Outside of that they have been fairly mediocre and the trend at the minute definitely seems to be downward.

I mean, yeah and no. They would have went top a couple days before Christmas for a day or two if they beat Everton. Now about 20 points behind. Seen it coming a mile off after the Brentford win when the players were holding on and it was another game where the manager refused to make a sub. It happened for about 4 consecutive weeks and to nobodies surprise the gas fell out the tank.

He has no plan b and comes across as a proper loser in the media. If Chelsea won today, CL would have been fairly easy to secure. Man City/newcastle/forest all play each other over the next few weeks and in general have a horrible runs of games.

[Luke Emia]

Since that Brentford game they’ve beaten Wolves and West Ham, both at home. They’ve had a kind run of fixtures and completely shit the bed. No Jackson now for a while as well you could easily see them falling another 3 or 4 places before the end of the season.

Also I was being kind with 2 months it was 4 very winnable games in a row they won which got them in the ball park.

[Luke Emia]

When Madrid come knocking regardless if you’re winning the league every year or not

True. I just fail to see how just having a player tied up on a long-term contract is going to keep them at the club if the club isn’t progressing especially, when they could walk into any team in the league/Europe.

[phonics]

I mean, yeah and no. They would have went top a couple days before Christmas for a day or two if they beat Everton. Now about 20 points behind. Seen it coming a mile off after the Brentford win when the players were holding on and it was another game where the manager refused to make a sub. It happened for about 4 consecutive weeks and to nobodies surprise the gas fell out the tank

This is an outmoded way of thinking. Liverpool don't have 12 players that have over 1000 minutes and Chelsea have a seperate squad for cup competitions. It's not fatigue.

[niko_cee]

'Enzo' is such an embarrassment.

[Luke Emia]

I assume some of it is teams working out his tactics as well. It seemed to happen a bit towards the end of last season with Leicester but they just had better players than everyone else in the league.

[phonics]

Cole Palmer not being allowed to average a penalty a game is another hindrance.

[niko_cee]

What's happened to Mudryk? Has he been sent to the front line?

[Waffdon]

Cole Palmer not being allowed to average a penalty a game is another hindrance.

Chelsea are better than they were last season when he got all the penalties so fuck knows what this means

[Waffdon]

What's happened to Mudryk? Has he been sent to the front line?

Done a Pogba

[Dquincy]

I just checked the table and this has to be up there for one of the most absurd I've ever seen. Chelsea are rubbish, have won 1 in 5 and sit in 4th. West Ham and Tottenham have a goal difference of TWENTY EIGHT and are on the same amount of points as an Everton team that have scored as many goals as matches they've played. Southampton have won 2 games all year and only require 1 win in the next 14 not to be the worst Premier League team of all time. It's a joke of a season.

It's not clear if you're happy about this or not. Personally, give me this every time over a team romping away with the league ala Man City in previous years.

[Luke Emia]

What's happened to Mudryk? Has he been sent to the front line?

I suspect young Mudryk may find himself in a bit of a hole with Chelsea’s lawyers for the remaining years of his contract once the second drug test result is confirmed.

[niko_cee]

Ah yeah, forgot they'd sabotaged a doping test to get rid of him.

:cool:

Didn't think Chelsea would turn up more of a mess than last weekend, but fair play.

[Waffdon]

Levi Colwill 2021-23 what a player. Where did it all go wrong

[niko_cee]

Fucking hell, Caicedo for 'KDH', that's a white flag if I ever saw one.

[Waffdon]

It’s alright, more teenagers join up in the summer to bring the average age down further.

Clearlake doing a better job running Strasbourg after 1 season is quite funny.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Brighton looked just as daft in the Stamford Bridge game as we do here. Playing football this way leads to multiple embarrassments among the good results because there's no safety net and no compromise.

[niko_cee]

Aye, but you could at least attribute that to something. Chelsea just look generally bereft. Even the early season 'excitement' has gone.

There's definitely something in the contrast between the season up to November and the season thereafter for a lot of teams/players. You can blag the first ten games or so but after that there is a sorting.

[Giggles]

Big new LOI TV deal, season starts tonight, and every stream dies. All 150 of us are distraught.

PT 2. If it wasn't a shitshow we wouldn't love it as much.

1890512745969197164