February Football: High Lines Stagger On

[John Arne]

This Obi-Martin striker for Man Utd looks a helluva talent. Arsenal losing him for nowt is gonna end up looking bad.

[Danny]

Interested to see how he steps up when he doesnt have the physical edge in 95% of games. Every time I see a clip of him, he seems to be battering kids.

[Ben]

Burnley have just drawn 0-0 for the 11th time in the league this season. That must be some kind of record.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As of right now, Bournemouth are in a Champions League place.

[Shindig]

City picked a fine time to get their shit together. :moop:

[John Arne]

Marmoush :drool:

[Adramelch]

That first touch from Mitoma yesterday for his goal was sublime.

[John Arne]

Newcastle still relying on Dan Burn is not a good look for them. He seem like a great character, but average centre half.

[Shindig]

We've not got many alternatives, to be fair.

[John Arne]

Bellingham given a straight red for back chatting whilst black, something very much frowned upon in La Liga.

1890793233308938527

[Waffdon]

Super Frank :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Amad potentially out for the season for United.

Them v Spurs is going to be some game.

[niko_cee]

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

I see he's at the Bayern game today, obviously to run the rule over H. Kane.

:happycry:

[Danny]

Eric Dier.

[randomlegend]

Amad out for the rest of the season, we might actually get relegated :D

[niko_cee]

Zero percent chance sadly. Probably have enough points already.

[Waffdon]

David Moyes eh, what a bloke

[Jimmy Floyd]

What Man U would give to be seventh now with the solid Scot at the helm.

[-james-]

Burnley have just drawn 0-0 for the 11th time in the league this season. That must be some kind of record.

No league goals conceded since before Christmas, and only 9 conceded all season after 33 games. :cab:

[Magic]

And the absolute worst football you'll ever see.

[Dquincy]

What Man U would give to be seventh now with the solid Scot at the helm.

Same could be said for West Ham.

[niko_cee]

What Man U would give to be seventh now with the solid Scot at the helm.

There's definitely some weird balance in the universe when ten years plus down the line he's managing Everton and they are above United in the table.

[Kikó]

What Man U would give to be seventh now with the solid Scot at the helm.

Funnily enough, I think the West Ham Euro win was the final thing to help him relax as a manager. He'd be a solid pair of hands now, ten years ago he was scared to death.

[Yevrah]

10 years ago you weren’t a lower to mid table club.

[Shindig]

Anyone would be scared to death following Ferguson.

[Gray Fox]

I see we've defrosted Jota for this one. Nunez still not getting a start. Couldn't really be more obvious about his summer plans here.

Hopefully Jota can last longer than 60 minutes.

[Gray Fox]

While a weird way to bundle it into the net, that goal is exactly why he'll want a forward in the summer.

Jota dropping deep to get the ball onto a wide player in dangerous player is something none of the others can offer. Just Jota is almost never fit enough to play a run of games.

[John Arne]

This ref is carrying a bit of timber.

[Gray Fox]

This is one of those make up performances from the ref, from midweeks nonsense.

I don't think that should be a penalty.

[John Arne]

Wolves players need to stop talking shit to the ref. Must be infuriating if you're a fan. That said, stonewall yellow for Konate.

[Ben]

Nah it’s not a penalty. Carragher is right that as soon as the keeper comes out and makes any contact then it’s an automatic penalty, which is a nonsense rule in my book. Diaz had booted it into the Kop before contact.

[Gray Fox]

This is some make up card from Howard Webb and co.

[Ben]

Why is Slot not in the stands?

[Gray Fox]

He got charged late because of awaiting the REFEREE REPORT.

Wont be seen until early next week.

[Ben]

‘Trent’ has completely checked out hasn’t he.

[Gray Fox]

Seems so.

Someone really needs to sign this Cunha lad up.

[Ben]

Yeah surely he’s gone in the summer.

[Waffdon]

I can’t tell if he’s one of them players who just look better and is suited to being in a bottom end team. A bit like your international dons who seemed to just play well at major tournaments (Shaqiri, Hamez, Vargas, Honda etc)

[Waffdon]

Am I imaging something or did wolves just not given the most obvious corner of all time? The ball looked about 6 yards over the line and a goal kick wasn’t even given

[Gray Fox]

Looked well over to me, but the lino wasnt in line with it so he's had a guess there. As I say, this is a sorry and a bunch of flowers in the post from the referees union.

Another game v Wolves, Ait Nouri has shut Salah down.

[Ben]

I can’t tell if he’s one of them players who just look better and is suited to being in a bottom end team. A bit like your international dons who seemed to just play well at major tournaments (Shaqiri, Hamez, Vargas, Honda etc)

I’m not sure he’s Liverpool level but he certainly belongs at a team with a chance of playing European football.

[Dark Soldier]

That United bench hahaha

[Ben]

Ange should be sacked if they don’t win this.

[Gray Fox]

You had that in 4 words to be fair.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That United bench hahaha

It looks like the U18 teamsheet.

[Waffdon]

Not a bad thing, best team in the country by a mile atm

[Ben]

At least he’s got the right and left backs playing on the correct side of the pitch today. He’s learning.

[Kikó]

Onana failing at basic goal keeping again.

[Ben]

A total shit-off this game. :D

Casemiro number 1 so far.

[-james-]

United u18's top goalscorer, James Scanlon, who has 10 in 11 in the league, has 10 caps for the Gibraltar senior team. Be funny if he ends up actually being good.

[Dquincy]

I see Antony has hit form since leaving Man Utd. :harold:

[igor_balis]

Shouldn't happen with any country.

I think I actually kinda agree.

[Jimmy Floyd]

For sub 50 in the world I'm cool with it, for England it's absolutely embarrassing. Also very lazy on the part of the FA.

[Shindig]

I'd cut them some slack if they put the feelers out to the English managers but I don't think they even contacted Howe, Potter and the usual suspects. Carsley was maybe their only binman of concern.

[John Arne]

Ranieri donning it at Roma is nice to see.

[John Arne]

We have 5 Premier League games in 15 days, and then 1 in 33 days following.

[Waffdon]

What do you want to happen? You can’t play one weekend because you’re in a cup final and have CL knockout games either side of it and then it’s international week

[John Arne]

It was an observation. I wasn't complaining, you fucking melt.

[Waffdon]

Kiddie fiddler

[Lofty]

This Obi-Martin striker for Man Utd looks a helluva talent. Arsenal losing him for nowt is gonna end up looking bad.

He might reach the dizzy heights of Folarin Balogun or Eddie Nketiah, who both donned youth level.

[Waffdon]

I’ve seen him a few times but it’s hard to gauge how good he is because he completely dwarfs the centre halves he’s up against majority of the time. The Man Utd 18s side is just physically dominant in general

[Jimmy Floyd]

What you have to remember with age group sport is that it's a single cohort and anything could happen to any of them. Imagine a Premier League of 26 year olds only, god knows what it would look like.

[Gray Fox]

Villa and City away before Newcastle at home. Id be happy with two wins from that, if I were looking in a vacuum.
It has felt very stuttery the past few weeks though.

I suspect both teams will be about level points by the time of that game against Arsenal at Anfield.

[Giggles]

Liverpool fans, tell me about James Norris.

[Gray Fox]

Liverpool fans, tell me about James Norris.

Played the back end of last season on loan at Tranmere in L2. Over there is more his level. Got some hype when he was young, including turning out for England u16s quite often.

[Luke Emia]

Turns out the FA are letting Tommy Tuchel work from home. Now without wanting to get all Giggles on the situation that is taking the piss.

[Giggles]

Turns out the FA are letting Tommy Tuchel work from home. Now without wanting to get all Giggles on the situation that is taking the piss.

We let our last chief executive and current manager do the same. Nice to know we're not the only jokeshop at least.

[Giggles]

Played the back end of last season on loan at Tranmere in L2. Over there is more his level. Got some hype when he was young, including turning out for England u16s quite often.

If he got much time for Tranmere then over here is way below his level. Happy days.

[Foe]

If ever there was a work from home job, I would imagine it’s international football management.

What would he be doing in the office exactly?

[Giggles]

Maybe it's different for England due to the profile, but ours needs to be watching actual players play in actual games. Apparently he's picking them based on some scouting/stats based software.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's because he's the national team manager and he should get his arse to games. He is also allowed to see his children, however, so 'Mostly goes to games but occasionally doesn't' seems a good balance.

[Magic]

What a result. :drool:

[Lofty]

I’ve seen him a few times but it’s hard to gauge how good he is because he completely dwarfs the centre halves he’s up against majority of the time. The Man Utd 18s side is just physically dominant in general

Yes this is it, I live round the corner from the Lancashire FA and they used to host PL2 games, which was nice as it was a couple of quid in abd you could stand with a pint and watch. I saw the liked of Balogun and Smith Rowe play in these games. Balogun got a hat trick of penalties, though I don't think any of them would have passed the smell test in the Barclays. He scored a lot from open play too, and the fan base screamed for him to play.

Lo and behold he got his chance when Brentford were promoted and there was an injury crisis, that faithful first game of the season. First couple of minutes it was obvious he was nowhere near stepping up to play against seasoned Championship defenders who just swatted him away like a nuisance insect.

[Ben]

Maybe it's different for England due to the profile, but ours needs to be watching actual players play in actual games. Apparently he's picking them based on some scouting/stats based software.

To be fair he seems to be popping up at a lot of games. So if he's at home on a Monday then so what.

[Manc]

Presumably he has a TV.

[Gray Fox]

To open it up for full matches next season, Everton did a test event of holding an u18s game against Wigan with 10k fans in attendance. They lost and the lad who scored the first goal there is a Liverpool fan who gave the fans the "6 times" gesture. Lovely stuff.

More seriously though the stadium does look quite impressive. The main feature of it is the "blue wall." They've made a quite steeply angled stand there and if they can get over seething themselves to death it'll be great for them. It is a bit of a shame they've had to move in the end, but it becomes more understandable seeing the new one.

[Giggles]

Yeah it's a fine looking spot. I love that big steep single stand.

[Manc]

Does 14,000 people consitue a wall?

[Luke Emia]

Italian football in the mud tonight.

Also have they given an XS(Expected Seethe) yet for that new Everton stadium? Or is that what the test events are for?

[Giggles]

I will never understand how a club as unsuccessful as Everton live rent free in so many heads.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just pressed play on the highlights of Milan-Feyenoord to find Joao Felix gurning out at me from the tunnel. Nice one, champ.

Feyenoord had 10 players out or something. Milan should be shut down.

[Raoul Duke]

Hernandez diving like a fanny and getting sent off was good though

[phonics]

1) Liverpool fans trying to make a joke about self-entitled fandoms...

2) To answer Giggles question, my Dad whos a West Brom fan also dislikes Everton and I've never quite understood it so I try to pull on the strings every once in a while. My main hypothesis is that at least during my lifetime, they're never midtable. For every 2 years of being good they have 8 years of being just not shit enough to get relegated and fans of clubs like his think 'Fucking bastards, how do you keep getting away with it'.

[Shindig]

Ooh, Celtic are giving this a shot.

[phonics]

If the result stays the same can I hear all the people moaning about the death of the away goals rule apologise?

[phonics]

I saw that this means we play Feyenoord who I was surprised to find out we've never played or the winner of PSV/Juventus. I thought I'd check out previous results and this popped up and I lol'd

https://i.imgur.com/QHJ4mO1.png

Good times.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have Bayern/Celtic on with no commentary. So refreshing. In the absence of proper wordsmiths like Barry Davies, no commentary is far better than commentary. Somewhat like being at the game.

[Luke Emia]

He’s not dead yet is he? They should just wheel him out now and again. So much better than Motson, I know it’s nostalgia but him and Brackley were top class.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Not unrelated, can I take this opportunity to reiterate what a bunch of fannies 'ultras' sections are. Absolutely kills the rhythmic sounds of the game. Bayern attacking for a winner, ball into the box, crowd just singing the same old droning chant and big flags waving at the same pace as if it was being passed around at the back. Fuck off and take your denim onesies with you.

[Ben]

I've been to about a dozen grounds in Germany and Bayern's atmosphere was noticeably shite. Granted they were playing a collection of binmen that day so not a lot to get up for, but they still stood out as bobbins compared to the rest.

[Dan]

1891967958005538974

Incredible stuff from the skipper

[niko_cee]

Maybe the Everton stuff is inspired by a lifetime of Stuart Hall wamping on about the school of science. Unsurprisingly turned out a right wrong 'un. Watched a bit of the Celtic game earlier, fair play to them, Bayern appeared to be playing some fairly suicidal shite, quelle surprise.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bayern incredibly lucky there. Deserved fuck all and one of the best saves of the season led to it.

Kompany is dreadful.

[phonics]

Call me an MSM Elitist but Atalanta vs Brugge playing out a 5-2 on aggregate game is the best argument against the new format.

That is a UEFA Cup match-up + scoreline.

[Jimmy Floyd]

No commentary loses its lustre when it's a load of smug sausage munchers gloating over the tannoy about it being FC Bayern Munchen EINS Celtic NULL. Wonder if they do that in the mid-season friendlies they win 34-0 against park teams.

[Gray Fox]

My dislike for Everton comes from growing up there and seeing the change in the fanbase.

Started as your typical big brother, little brother type rivalry. You'd want the other to win until it got to against you. But over time it has changed. Especially since Everton consistently toy with the idea of going down, only to exist on for many more years in 14th. Now they have fully fallen into the trap that a lot of modern football fans seem to be falling into. They care more about Liverpool losing than they do about Everton winning. This just amps up the bitterness of it all and then leads to a negative feedback loop of even more enjoyment of Liverpool not winning.

[Luke Emia]

My dislike for Everton comes from growing up there and seeing the change in the fanbase.

Started as your typical big brother, little brother type rivalry. You'd want the other to win until it got to against you. But over time it has changed. Especially since Everton consistently toy with the idea of going down, only to exist on for many more years in 14th. Now they have fully fallen into the trap that a lot of modern football fans seem to be falling into. They care more about Liverpool losing than they do about Everton winning. This just amps up the bitterness of it all and then leads to a negative feedback loop of even more enjoyment of Liverpool not winning.

Nailed it. There never used to be much malice in the derby but it’s turned proper nasty the last 10 years or so.

[Waffdon]

Imagine hating your local rivals. Weird concept

[Jimmy Floyd]

There is way, way, way more anger, bitterness and voiced frustration among all football fans today than there was when I was growing up. Applies to every club, not just Everton. Not sure where it has all come from, but I think it's undeniable.

My best theory is it's been caused by the Sky 'football is extremely important and serious' culture shift, but I don't know really.

[Gray Fox]

Agreed. I do think Sky have the biggest role in it too. They probably spend a total of 12+ hours of peoples weekends with a panel show/SUPER SUNDAY/MNF on talking about how important it all is and how thing x is a disgrace to club y that it has happened.
For example I can't tell you enough about how sick to death I am of hearing Jamie Carragher talk about Mo Salah.

I still enjoy the football but I certainly feel much more disconnected from it now. Because my postcode no longer begins with L, I have to buy a membership to the club site, to then be in the privileged position of being able to apply into the ballot, for any potential leftover tickets against the team of my choosing. This after all the L postcodes are given theirs, so there may be none left. Only then will I be lucky enough to be able to hand them some £60+ for a ticket.

[phonics]

There is way, way, way more anger, bitterness and voiced frustration among all football fans today than there was when I was growing up. Applies to every club, not just Everton. Not sure where it has all come from, but I think it's undeniable.

My best theory is it's been caused by the Sky 'football is extremely important and serious' culture shift, but I don't know really.

My Dad agrees with you on both points. He says when he was going home and away following the Baggies that rivalries only mattered when the teams actually played each other. There wasn't a 'lol you lost to Palace last weekend' when going into work, laughing at each others misfortune or seething at their success. But obviously when it was head to head there was still bragging rights.

Although whether his apathy towards rival teams success was somewhat fueled by him having access to a t-shirt press in the late 70s/early 80s during Villas peak and him making a mint outside of Villa Park selling shirts with the League Table printed on the day they won the league. That was the day he found out that the League Table is actually copyrighted material and you can't print it without a license.

[phonics]

I still enjoy the football but I certainly feel much more disconnected from it now. Because my postcode no longer begins with L, I have to buy a membership to the club site, to then be in the privileged position of being able to apply into the ballot, for any potential leftover tickets against the team of my choosing. This after all the L postcodes are given theirs, so there may be none left. Only then will I be lucky enough to be able to hand them some £60+ for a ticket.

My perspective on this is slightly different, I became an Arsenal fan in 96 because everyone on my estate supported Arsenal and we were the only family with Sky so everyone would bundle into our living room to watch the matches. But that was when I was obsessed with football generally, a mixture of Championship Manager, FIFA and just playing it in the playground during breaktimes mixed with the fact that the majority of televised football was on terrestrial TV meant that I can still remember where I was when Zola scored against Stuttgart in in the Cup Winners Cup. I moved abroad in 2000 and a dodgy Sky Box with Sky Sports included cost about 190 quid a month so that wasn't happening so I kind of just moved on.

Then about 2004ish, Sopcast came around where you could watch a 240p stream in Chinese and the shouts of Bergkampuh and Fabregassu were the first time I had a connection to home in half a decade. It was a pain in the arse to find, buffered constantly and, as I mentioned, in Mandarin. So slowly but surely the only football I ingested was Arsenal matches. Years of that formulated into what I am now, I wouldn't say I'm a football fan that supports Arsenal I'd say I'm an Arsenal fan, they just happen to play football. In that 20 years I'd say I've probably not watched about as many Arsenal matches as I've physically attended. Somewhere in the 30s.

[Ben]

There is way, way, way more anger, bitterness and voiced frustration among all football fans today than there was when I was growing up. Applies to every club, not just Everton. Not sure where it has all come from, but I think it's undeniable.

My best theory is it's been caused by the Sky 'football is extremely important and serious' culture shift, but I don't know really.

I less blame Sky, more social media. It's not just in football, it's everyday life that everyone thinks they have to like or hate everyone/thing (Trump is a great example). Not having an opinion is just not an option anymore.

[Lofty]

I'd say it's both, I also agree with a theory my Scouse friend proposed that the further away from Anfield a Liverpool fan hails from the more deranged and rabid they are.

Also I think it is easier to be irked for rival fans to be irked by these 'plastics' when they give hot takes or goad their local rivals. I saw one yesterday where Paddy Power or whoever posted something about the new Everton ground, a guy was in the comments mocking Everton and was immediately being pulled for being a Liverpool fan from Somerset.

All these interactions didn't exist years ago, and even stuff like the endless coverage. Football is now a product, every drop of analysis possible must be milked and searingly hot takes fired at every opportunity. Just look at stuff like the suggestion teams and fans shouldn't celebrate results, celebrating anything less than a trophy win is pathetic and tinpot despite the fact recently unless your team hails from Manchester or Liverpool the chances of your team winning a trophy are slim.

[Jimmy Floyd]

When you think back to coverage from my childhood, Jimmy Hill and Trevor Brooking and people like that, it all had a sense of perspective. Carragher and Neville are all deadly serious opinion. Also doesn't help that the football industry has grown up to completely dwarf other sports and frankly other weekend activities, in a sort of kickball-industrial complex, which is inevitably going to fuel a sense of its own massive importance.

[Lofty]

I suppose the greatest example of where it all went wrong is Arsenal Fan TV.

[niko_cee]

lol at Gasperini going full Trump on Lookman's penalty taking pedigree. Embarrassing stuff.


"Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen,"

Fact check: Lookman's record for Atalanta is now four out of five and in his professional career 4 out of 6.

[Mike]

. Because my postcode no longer begins with L, I have to buy a membership to the club site, to then be in the privileged position of being able to apply into the ballot, for any potential leftover tickets against the team of my choosing. This after all the L postcodes are given theirs, so there may be none left. Only then will I be lucky enough to be able to hand them some £60+ for a ticket.

I’ve left my address on the site as my L postcode one and I’ve still had ticked for one game in 3 years. Such a pain.

[Ben]

£15m to sack Ten Hag. :lol:

I look forward to seeing the figure for Shamorim.

[Jimmy Floyd]

WFH? What The Fuss? Working from Heim is not a crime. There seems a mild fuss over Thomas Tuchel’s preparations for his first England squad, that he’s not at every game he can be. A storm in a Tommy T cup.

Sir Henry has finally lost it I think. Sad day.

[Gray Fox]

Not another performance like against Wolves please.

[Luke Emia]

I’m of the understanding that Sir Henry is no longer working for a newspaper no? Where is he putting his musings?

[randomlegend]

I’m of the understanding that Sir Henry is no longer working for a newspaper no? Where is he putting his musings?

Nowhere, Jim's got his and Dominic Cumming's phones bugged so he's got something to masturbate to.

[Gray Fox]

It's not a red card but that's silly from Disasi to give the referee the chance there.

[Gray Fox]

Top assist from Garcia.

[Waffdon]

Of course Salah scared another open goal tap in. I’m utterly sick of this deviant. Luckiest footballer in the world.

[Gray Fox]

Villa sending every attack up their left. Almost like we have a weakness there or something.

[Ben]

What is wrong with De Bruyne this time? Pep is such a fucking weirdo. They simply don’t win without him on the pitch yet he gets benched anyway in the biggest game of their season.

[Waffdon]

That Villa front 4 might score 5 or 6 against Chelsea on Saturday if they’re up for it. Every single one of them (barring maybe Asensio) is an absolute athlete which bodes well

[Waffdon]

What is wrong with De Bruyne this time? Pep is such a fucking weirdo. They simply don’t win without him on the pitch yet he gets benched anyway in the biggest game of their season.

Eh? He’s fallen off a cliff this year. Completely lost his legs

[Gray Fox]

Watkins with pretty much one chance, one goal. Jota has been in the position he squared it to Salah from about 5 times and wasted almost every one.

He may regret not swapping Nunez out for a new centre forward.

[Waffdon]

Could be another long few years for European teams. Looks like this front 3 is fully clicking these days. Looool. Madrid are just different gravy

[Ben]

They lose a lot less when he starts. Fair enough rest him against Southampton et al but this is where they need him. He’s still up the top of their assists and they need someone to create goals here. Nobody else on the pitch looks capable.

[Gray Fox]

No idea how we're top of the league playing like this so often.

[Gray Fox]

Insert breaking bad gif.

[Waffdon]

‘Another goal involvement from mo Salah’ as be passes 2 yards to a bloke scoring from a massive deflection from 18 yards. FML

[Gray Fox]

Villa look absolutely goosed. Dead on their feet.

[Luke Emia]

‘Another goal involvement from mo Salah’ as be passes 2 yards to a bloke scoring from a massive deflection from 18 yards. FML

This is a very weird hill to be dying on when he’s been comfortably the best player in the league this season so far.

[Gray Fox]

That Nunez miss will resurrect Baz from his chicken pox death.

[Shindig]

Being in the right place that many times has to transcend luck.

[Luke Emia]

That Nunez miss will resurrect Baz from his chicken pox death.

He’s fucking useless. If we had anything up top we’d have the league sewn up by now.

[randomlegend]

Does Nunez still pass the eye test, lads?

[randomlegend]

Man City :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Crisis club Liverpool slump to an eight-point lead.

[Manc]

Slot got those substitutions very wrong. Trent was cooking and Jota looked lively.

[Spoonsky]

Yes he did. Though Bradley played well and his ball for that Darwin chance was superb. I think I’d like to see Darwin never play for this club again, can we have Divock Origi back please?

[Clunge]

We were excellent tonight. And we've still got shitloads of players to come back to fitness. Love love love seeing Jacob Ramsey back, and Rogers is a machine. Malen looking super lively too.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah Villa played well. Took 10-15 mins or so but they really figured out getting through the press then and were good value for the lead. Both teams looked dead on their feet about 80 mins in and I think bringing Nunez on just killed the ability to sustain attacks.

Jota was much busier but both ended up spurning massive chances. Defence is suddenly a little bit leaky. If we can win away at City and then at home to Newcastle, I'll be quite happy with how this period has gone.

[Manc]

Football Italia firmly in the mud.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The most overrated football nation in the world has another blinder. Think the last two days all but guarantees England's 5th CL place.

[phonics]

Feyenoord or PSV for us it is. 18 matches played for us to do traditional group stage tie in the round of 16. Great stuff.

[AJ23]

Counting down the days until Pep calls it a day.

Snapping at journalists and kids on the street. Nothing to win. 115 charges. Kevin Keegan reincarnated.

So sad. Such a great club that tried to do things the right way.

[Shindig]

Keegan only snapped once. Pep's been like this for months.

[AJ23]

Keegan only snapped once. Pep's been like this for months.

True. His marriage failing on top is seeing him cracking like humpty dumpty. It's a lot to deal with.

[niko_cee]

Does Nunez still pass the eye test, lads?

That he seems to have got progressively worse is unfortunate. I don't see much of Uruguay but when I do it seems the same with them. It must go beyond confidence, maybe he just can't be coached and attempts to do so, as is required in modern shape and structure football, are harmful / counterproductive. I don't think he's as bad as he seems to have become, but maybe Portuguese football is his level.

The BBC had a thing about him and whilst not great his 'numbers' weren't necessarily as bad as you would imagine, although obviously still fairly bad.

Shame. Everyone wants a talismanic 'nine' but there are vanishingly few these days and trying to buy them is a mugs game.

[niko_cee]

What has happened to all the other European competitions? Don't they also have bloated new formats?

[Gray Fox]

I just think he has no composure at all. Gets that tunnel vision. You can see it in him. When he gets the ball he has already decided what he wants to do. If he wants to cut in onto his right and shoot, he's going to ignore everything and do it.

He did go through a phase of setting Salah up for a fair few goals, but even that has dried up. I thought the Brentford winner might have spurred him on, but that the manager immediately dropped him back to the bench says a lot. Speaking of, he is the first real example of Slot calling a player of his out. I did notice it myself too. Once he missed that sitter he started sulking about the pitch.

It's annoying because he has everything else. He's the perfect size you'd want and has pace to burn. Doesn't seem to get injured much. Has that trait of the ball always seeming to find him too. He even usually has the work rate unquestionably.

I've been noticing him be very rarely played even when rotation is needed, but this just puts the stamp on the summer transfer really. I'd be surprised if he's in the squad for City.

[Luke Emia]

I lost my patience with him at the Palace home game last season he was diabolical and he hasn’t been any better in my eyes in the games I have been to this season - Don’t worry lads I’m at Southampton at home in a couple of weeks so that will see them reach the magic 12 points.

But since probably last March he has stopped doing the things he was good and couldn’t knock him for. Always getting into positions to score, being a general nuisance and always working hard. If he’s not doing those things(which he isn’t at the minute) he’s fucking useless and yes he seems to have turned into a sulky teenager whenever he does get on the pitch but his performances over the past getting on for 3 seasons don’t warrant him starting.

[Shindig]

Its a bit like Joelinton when he used to see the whites of the goalpost. Blood goes straight to his head and he POWERS IT TO HEAVEN.

[phonics]

I've just found out Zaha is playing in the MLS this week.

Unai Emergy tried to give Saka to Palace in return for him.

[niko_cee]

What has happened to all the other European competitions? Don't they also have bloated new formats?

I see that the answer to this is that they have been chugging along in the background with absolutely zero coverage here presumably because all the British teams are in the next round already.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Betis or Copenhagen. We're going out in the sixteens.

[Waffdon]

Betis or Copenhagen. We're going out in the sixteens.

I did lol at that, hardest game of the whole competition could potentially be the last 16 game

[Manc]

Betis are currently 8th in the donkey league. I'm sure London Blue will manage.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Looking through the squads of the teams left in the Conference League gives me such a hankering to play FM again. Whenever I actually have such a hankering and load it up, I then remember that it's like running a small business in terms of time commitment and close it again.

Such a great competition. Borac Banja Luka in the last 16.

[Ben]

Betis are currently 8th in the donkey league. I'm sure London Blue will manage.

Antony on fire though. I wouldn't be counting my chickens just yet if I was Chelsea.

[Luke Emia]

Good job we won the group stage. I suppose the only benefit could be if you get knocked out at that stage you will be one game a week for the rest of the season.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Villa for the urn.

[Manc]

Madrid having to best City & Atleti just to reach the quarter finals.

[Ben]

Madrid having to best City & Atleti just to reach the quarter finals.

Shit for them but great for the new format. This is exactly what should be happening if you fuck around in the group stage and finish 17th or whatever it was.

[phonics]

I wanted the other side of the bracket. Ah well. We weren't winning it anyway.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Copenhagen. We're back in the game.

UEFA Cup draw is so uninspiring. Surely a matter of time before the Conference replaces it as the second-tier comp, even with its third-tier qualifiers.

[Waffdon]

Some properly good away trips to make up for the hilarious standard on that side of the draw

[Giggles]

:cool:

1893033268242440585

[Yevrah]

Man Utd getting rinsed here.

[Shindig]

Everton sneaking into Europe at this rate.

[Danny]

Top work

[Yevrah]

Man Utd actually looking half decent now. Been an enjoyable game.

[Shindig]

The post code might change but the seethe will remain the same.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We're beyond a joke now.

Why were we sitting so deep and inviting pressure in injury time?

[Lewis]

That's a dive but a very clever one.

[Yevrah]

VAR is so shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Dive for me on replay.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Young probably gets to that if he doesn't dive.

[Yevrah]

Where are you watching this Mahow? Somewhere hot while enjoying a cold beer? You lucky bastard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Where are you watching this Mahow? Somewhere hot while enjoying a cold beer? You lucky bastard.

I don't drink so no beer and the weather has been pretty shit today.

It's been pissing it down for the vast majority.

I'm currently in my hotel room after having eaten dinner.

[Danny]

It’s going to get overlooked but Onana yet again pushing it right back out into a dangerous area

[Yevrah]

I don't drink so no beer and the weather has been pretty shit today.

It's been pissing it down for the vast majority.

I'm currently in my hotel room after having eaten dinner.

Well, that's disappointing.

[Spoonsky]

Can’t blame Craig Pawson for being reluctant to receive death threats here.

[Shindig]

How can the same shit happen to the same lad twice? :D

[Gray Fox]

I still feel like West Ham will need a 2nd to win this.

[Lofty]

Really? The against the wiles of Raheem Sterling?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Arsenal now only marginally title favourites I would say.

[Spoonsky]

Raya :D

[Gray Fox]

Really? The against the wiles of Raheem Sterling?

I didnt see the sharp looking YUTE also went off injured too.

[SincereTheRebel]

Big win for Wolves. Bournemouth down to 10 mn didn't help them. Reckless challenge, lad came straight over the top of ball after 20 minutes. You can view it here (https://streamin.me/v/db00f339)

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's someone on the bench for us called Shumaira Mheuka. Think he played for my master league team on PES 3.

[Lofty]

Arsenal now only marginally title favourites I would say.

Liverpool could lose their next 5 there's no danger Arsenal are catching them.

[Gray Fox]

This could well turn into a mega bottle-off between the two.

[Waffdon]

Reece James in CM? RIP those hammies

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't believe Sky were talking up the idea of a back five. Clearly they haven't met One Plan Enzo.

Exclaimed 'Goal!' when that went in, like someone from an advert. Utterly ashamed of myself.

[Waffdon]

I gave Pochettino a hard time - and rightly so - but my fucking god he worked wonders into making Gusto look like a competent player. He literally cannot do anything

[Waffdon]

Ahhh, Jadon Sancho. I’m sure he’s the exact player you want in this period of the game.

Just use your academy ffs

[Gray Fox]

Point at Villa Park aint looking so bad now.

[Ben]

Seemingly none of Chelsea’s seven goalkeepers have hands.

[Waffdon]

Point at Villa Park aint looking so bad now.

Comparing yourself to Chelsea is a choice

£1b+ spent to not own a competent goalkeeper or defender and hire 3 clowns in a row. My fucking god

[Ben]

Did I just hear right that Maresca made Sanchez shave his head? :D

I know his hairline is suspect but still lol.

[Gray Fox]

I was more taking into context the full days goings on.

[wullie]

We've now won 7 of the last 8 games, including our first win over Preston today since 2007 and our first win at Swansea since 1950. If Lampard is a big fraud he's doing a cracking impression of a competent manager at the moment.

[Dquincy]

This could well turn into a mega bottle-off between the two.

...for Man City to win every remaining match and take their umpteenth title.

[niko_cee]

If they larrup City tomorrow can we give up the shtick?

It's not going to be a 90 point season, realistically 7 wins from here probably wins it for Liverpool, assuming they don't lose the other 5. Arsenal need 10 wins from 12 to get to 83 points.

[Dquincy]

No shtick here. Just PTSD.

I'm not writing City off for this title yet.

[niko_cee]

83 is also the absolute maximum City can get to.

7 wins from 12.

[Clunge]

Jorgensen :D. Haven't Chelsea spent about £300m on 'keepers over the past 5/6 years? Is he really the best of the crowd?

[Gray Fox]

No shtick here. Just PTSD.

This is where I'm at.

Interestingly Liverpool have not won at Man City in the league in now 10 years. To put it into perspective, that was when Firmino scored his first league goal for the club and I believe the only players in the squad now, that were even here then is Gomez and Trent on youth contracts.

The thing that tends to cut out momentum is teams that pack out the centre of the pitch, but not necessarily in a low block. This teams main idea is a risky ball through into Gravenberch or Mac Allister on a half turn, to spring them free onto the defence. If you cut that out it tends to take them a while to work it out. I don't really think City have the players to do this, so I expect this will be a more fun game. Liverpool also leaky at the back right now so high scoring draw for me.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jorgensen :D. Haven't Chelsea spent about £300m on 'keepers over the past 5/6 years? Is he really the best of the crowd?

Are there any good keepers in the world under 30? I'm not sure there are. Position has completely changed and I'm not sure anyone has caught up with it.

Jorgensen is better than Sanchez, comfortably.

[niko_cee]

Kweev'll see you right next season.

[niko_cee]

Comparing yourself to Chelsea is a choice


Woah woah woah, let's not be having to dig up this little beauty from the Klopp announcement fallout.


Liverpool back to irrelevancy :drool:

No other manager is getting a tune out of that squad of players the way Klopp does. SCENES

:drool:

[Manc]

Whisper it quietly, but both Petrovic and Kepa are having legit seasons.

[Shindig]

Looks like Juventus are getting buyer's remorse on Lloyd Kelly. :D

[Boydy]

Where's the best place for streams these days?

[Magic]

Iptv.

[Boydy]

You know that's not what I meant, dickhead.

[Shindig]

I wouldn't back us to beat an egg at the minute.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Watching Lewis Hall and Livramento makes me properly seethe every time. Sold this pair to boost PSR so that you could sign a lorryload of complete mercenary wank from abroad. Rinse and repeat, what's the point of even being a supporter.

[Waffdon]

Hudson Odoi for £3m as well

[Gray Fox]

I wouldn't back us to beat an egg at the minute.

Fully scrambled them today.

[randomlegend]

Where's the best place for streams these days?

Nowhere as far as I can tell, they're all shit.

[Luke Emia]

Where's the best place for streams these days?

PM Bam.

[Luke Emia]

Hudson Odoi for £3m as well

To be fair he probably needed the move. He’s obviously a good player, maybe not absolute top level but something wasn’t working for him there anymore.

The Hall sale looks more mental every time I see him play. He’s come on leaps and bounds over the last year or so and looks to have a bit of everything about him.

[Gray Fox]

Is Haaland injured or is this just Guardiola proving another point?

[niko_cee]

He's injured isn't he?

Didn't play against Madrid either.

[Shindig]

That was more tense than it needed to be.

[niko_cee]

Liverpool's XI looks a little funky as well.

BBC have Jones wide left.

[Gray Fox]

It'll be Diaz through the middle with Jones and Szoboszlai interchanging between the #10 and left positions, I think.

I suspect City play much better without Haaland but score less through the middle. With the Arsenal result yesterday I see this as something of a free hit. Anything that isn't a loss is a bonus so go for it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

To be fair he probably needed the move. He’s obviously a good player, maybe not absolute top level but something wasn’t working for him there anymore.

The Hall sale looks more mental every time I see him play. He’s come on leaps and bounds over the last year or so and looks to have a bit of everything about him.

Hall could have been fully formed Roberto Carlos and they would still have sold him. In fact it would have been even more certain.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This game is a very low standard compared to the last 6-7 years of such fixtures.

[Gray Fox]

Both teams are being quite passive off the ball and it's strange to see.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's that beaming Egyptian smile again. There's that beaming Egyptian smile again.

[Gray Fox]

Thats a well worked corner, deflection aside.

[Luke Emia]

Salah scoring a nothing goal in a nothing game again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Marmoush scores and smiles is he going to call it a 'glowing Egyptian grin'? There can't be much left in the locker.

Maybe a 'shining Egyptian smirk' for the third.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jeremy Doku is like Jeremy Corbyn. Pinned to the left, lots of fancy ideas, absolutely no ability to deliver.

[Waffdon]

Another fluke involving Salah. Get this guy tested. Incredible luck

[niko_cee]

:D

I was going to say someone welfare check on Waff after that goal.

[Ben]

Pep kicking off with Marmoush, his one player who actually looks like a footballer currently.

[Gray Fox]

Jeremy Doku is like Jeremy Corbyn. Pinned to the left, lots of fancy ideas, absolutely no ability to deliver.

Does this make Trent the Tory party? Trying to be on the right but with no clue on what to do.

[Gray Fox]

I think The Song is going to make it's appearance tonight.

[Ben]

A huge Rodri sized hole in front of the back four for that goal there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Peter Drury thinking that Doku is a 'consistent threat' just sums both of them up.

[igor_balis]

Does this make Trent the Tory party? Trying to be on the right but with no clue on what to do.

Trent is more like our Jimmy. Top quality, always delivers, and well respected. Yet with a strong sense that he's not quite where he should be. Plenty of people who think he probably doesn't belong on the right, and in many ways suspect he isn't, fully.

[Gray Fox]

Much better than I can do. Fair play.

Very odd to find us 2-0 up without really doing anything. City just look terrified to play.

[Spoonsky]

Another lucky goal and assist for Salah. One lucky goal away from becoming Liverpool’s third all time goal scorer.

Szobo’s been brilliant, it’s nice to see after the months of unfulfilled potential.

[Gray Fox]

Signings from Germany tend to go the same way. They have that winter break there which aids their stupid football that outlaws defending.

No surprise that both he and Gravenberch came over and started well, but faded away after the turn of the year last time. He could still do with scoring a few more but hard to argue his improvement.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It will be a sad few years as Tommy Titbags makes this Rick O'Lewis bloke an England starter. Splendid athlete, not a footballer.

[Shindig]

I've no idea what Pope's positioning was for Forest's opener.

[Yevrah]

Not sure I can recall a Guardiola team being this lifeless.

[Yevrah]

Nice to see a goal chalked off for his left arm being offside.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I always said that football 1885-2020 was awful because goals like that kept being given. Thankfully these days that's been put right and we have a much better sport.

[Yevrah]

I always said that football 1885-2020 was awful because goals like that kept being given. Thankfully these days that's been put right and we have a much better sport.

I cannot fathom how no-one in charge has realised that now we can pretty much get offsides 'correct' to the mm, that it might be an idea to change the wording/approach of the rule itself. Say what you want about American sports, but were a similar thing in the NBA Adam Silver would have pushed off whoever was fellating him and been on the blower to get that shit sorted out in time for the return from the next ad break. We've had it in football for four years now and nothing.