April Football: Just 71 Days to the Club World Cup

[Gray Fox]

This Saka lad looks decent. Can't believe Arsenal haven't played him more this season.

[Magic]

Hahahaha yasss.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Proper mong.

[Gray Fox]

Get fucked Madrid.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's going to miss.

[Ben]

Madrid's complex is something else. The way they carry on is nothing short of pathetic.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gahahahahahahahahahaha.

[Magic]

Oh my fucking lord. :D

[Gray Fox]

This Saka lad looks decent. Can't believe Arsenal haven't played him more this season.


Get fucked Madrid.

Sorry lads.

[Ben]

That was lol though.

[Luke Emia]

Saka - Mentality Midget.

[Magic]

Ngl kinda want Madrid to win now for super salty lols.

[Lewis]

That was never a penalty and lmao.

[Dquincy]

If Arsenal lose this now. :D

[randomlegend]

That's a war crime of a penalty.

[Gray Fox]

That's even worse.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

lol, that's never a penalty.

[Magic]

Plz plz plz score a Panenka.

[randomlegend]

Unreal dive :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

VAR dead or asleep?

[Danny]

This is weird. It cant be English refs.

[Magic]

Lol. Boo.

[Gray Fox]

How did that take 5 minutes?

[Ben]

Barclays VAR.

[Gray Fox]

Ref is gagging to give everything. Watch this Madrid diving get turned up to 11.

[Bernanke]

That was farcical.

[Lofty]

I reckon Arsenal lose this due to comical pens but sneak through.

[Bernanke]

Real are looking piss poor.

[Lewis]

Madrid look like a high class version of Ole Gunnar Binman United.

[Bernanke]

Why is Mbappe sitting deep whipping cross after cross.

[Shindig]

I'd like to think this is a ploy to keep Eddie Howe in hospital with a heart attack.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ref clearly is on the overs.

[Magic]

They're going to simp 5th if they get to the final and bottle that too.

[Shindig]

Awww, I thought this was Harry Kane's year. :(

[Dquincy]

Whilst clearly a decent team, Madrid aren't what they used to be are they. Lacking that aura of making a team shit their pants.

Also amusing seeing Bellingham getting frustrated.

[Gray Fox]

Playing long balls and crossing on sight is a very odd gameplan for Madrid against this Arsenal team.

[Magic]

Here comes the bottle job.

[Danny]

Please

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

lol.

[Dquincy]

:lol: Was coming on here to say that was a lovely Arsenal goal, and then they go do that.

[Gray Fox]

lol at this crybaby thinking he deserves the golden ball.

[Gray Fox]

Emphatic :cool:

[niko_cee]

Did they get the little white hankies out?

Good riddance. Hope their domestic season falls apart too.

[Shindig]

Eze's penalty miss is quite amazing. All that time to think of something else and his brain just melts. :D

[Waffdon]

Emphatic :cool:

:sick:

[Shindig]

I think that's a really strong semi-final line-up. I can't pick a winner.

[-james-]

PSG for me Clive.

[Bernanke]

Got a sneaky Inter feeling.

[AJ23]

Ancelotti had Everton at the top of the table in lockdown. Now he's lost so badly to Arsenal in the QF of a Champions League final.

Great manager, but that must be devastating to him.

[AJ23]

Also, it's clear to see the top 3 will be Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle on current form.

4th and 5th is up for grabs. City, Forest, Villa and Chelsea.

[Kikó]

I wonder if Carlo will continue on after this season. Great result for Arteta though, he could set himself up to take over at Real.

[Lofty]

Surely not as a former Barca boy.

[Ben]

He wouldn't last two minutes there. Can you imagine all the prima donnas listening to Arteta's manlet sidekick trying to tell them how to line up at corners so they can overcome Alaves 1-0?

[Kikó]

Yeah, actually would struggle to see him fit there. The only other place I can imagine him is at city.

[Mike]

Big Virg all signed up.

[Lofty]

Hasn't his aura left the building?

[niko_cee]

He's still fairly irreplaceable even if he's on the downhill slope.

[Gray Fox]

Still first name on the team sheet and deservingly so. Has more of a mistake in him now than when he first arrived but is still impossible to replace right now.

[Baz]

He's still fairly irreplaceable even if he's on the downhill slope.

Dean Huijsen.

[niko_cee]

He can replace Konate who'll be off for nothing next year.

Liverpool probably need another centre half.

[Waffdon]

1912926192891564287



3-0 up and at home to some absolute diddies and you play this team. Academy players all around the club should refuse to sign any contract. What a disgrace

[Waffdon]

He’s genuinely made Reece James 3rd choice right back and 3rd choice option in CM. Starts both conference league games and will not play a minute in the PL games.

[Gray Fox]

He can replace Konate who'll be off for nothing next year.

Liverpool probably need another centre half.

Yeah I don't think Liverpool fans have realised just how lucky they are he can play every minute of every game. Joe Gomez is alright for a short run, but beyond that, Quansah? I think whoever pays £20-40m for him this summer might regret that decision.

After Trent, I've got Quansah, Endo, Nunez, Diaz and Tsimikas as nailed on leavers.

To me that would leave us needing a starting LB(Kerkez seems a shoe in), another first team CB. A RB, though if we want a backup to Bradley or a starter to replace him is unclear. Bajcetic should cover Endo going out. Potentially a forward type winger. And lastly an actual centre forward.

Assuming they buy in first teamers in all of those positions, it could be quite the expensive summer. I note that in VVDs contract promo, he has been told by the club it will be a BIG summer. Maybe they're putting hands in pockets.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We're winning the bastard cup.

[randomlegend]

Maybe I'm wrong but it genuinely feels like it's been months since we scored just a normal, well-worked, open play goal.

They were go.

[Gray Fox]

It's likely been gone over to death already, but would United/Spurs(lol) winning this add a 6th CL place for England or would 5th place be in the mud?

[Waffdon]

There would be 6 teams in the CL.

[Ben]

Man Utd shithousing their way to this trophy and qualifying for the Champions League would be genuinely hilarious.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That would have been incredible had it gone in.

[randomlegend]

Fuck, that would've been goal of the decade.

[Shindig]

Okay, straw pole (lol, I meant poll) time: What would be the funnier outcome? United or Spurs in the Champions League?

[Gray Fox]

The caveat we need to know for that is, does Ange keep his job if he wins this?

If so, Spurs.

[niko_cee]

Are the semis for this already drawn? United v Spurs final would be hilarious. Haven't Spurs pants-downed them twice this season? Nailed on bottle job, or could Spurs AND Newcastle both win a trophy in the same season?

Tebas will lose his mind if The Premier League has six entrants into the Champions League. Make it so. [/Picard]

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Are the semis for this already drawn? United v Spurs final would be hilarious. Haven't Spurs pants-downed them twice this season? Nailed on bottle job, or could Spurs AND Newcastle both win a trophy in the same season?

Yes and that final is ON.

[Shindig]

That's a Faustian gamble I'd watch play out. Lifetime Spurs manager.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yoro with a cracking Phil Jones impersonation.

[Dquincy]

Yeah I don't think Liverpool fans have realised just how lucky they are he can play every minute of every game. Joe Gomez is alright for a short run, but beyond that, Quansah? I think whoever pays £20-40m for him this summer might regret that decision.

After Trent, I've got Quansah, Endo, Nunez, Diaz and Tsimikas as nailed on leavers.

To me that would leave us needing a starting LB(Kerkez seems a shoe in), another first team CB. A RB, though if we want a backup to Bradley or a starter to replace him is unclear. Bajcetic should cover Endo going out. Potentially a forward type winger. And lastly an actual centre forward.

Assuming they buy in first teamers in all of those positions, it could be quite the expensive summer. I note that in VVDs contract promo, he has been told by the club it will be a BIG summer. Maybe they're putting hands in pockets.

Not sure on Endo and Diaz leaving. Think they'll stay. Would love to see Nunez move on.

And whilst it's good news re VVD and Salah, replacements are still needed for them on the short term due to their age.

Re Bajcetic, is he any good, and where is he?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We've been so shit the last 10-15 minutes.

[Gray Fox]

Not sure on Endo and Diaz leaving. Think they'll stay. Would love to see Nunez move on.

And whilst it's good news re VVD and Salah, replacements are still needed for them on the short term due to their age.

Re Bajcetic, is he any good, and where is he?

I think this is a 2 year cushion to find the right players to replace. I could even see VVD staying longer to transition into a coach.

As for Bajcetic, I've no idea. He originally went to Salzburg to play with Pep. But it caused a revolt that he kept picking his Liverpool boys and he got sacked when results didnt go his way. So they cut that loan short and he's at Las Palmas.

[Dquincy]

We've been so shit the last 10-15 minutes.

Replace "minutes" with "years",

[Gray Fox]

Oh dear, oh dear.

[Magic]

:D

Hahahahahahaaaaaa.

[Dark Soldier]

Never wanted the trophy anyway, concentrating on the league.

[Shindig]

Time to predict the tabloid headlines. I'm going with Lyon-gone.

[Gray Fox]

Which member(s) of the ground, canteen or stadium staff are getting laid off to cover this then?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You stupid fat fuck.

[Waffdon]

The first time Chelsea have ever lost at home in Europe outside of the Champions League. Enzo Maresca.

[Bam]

Yes and that final is ON.

:harold:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:harold:

I meant in terms of the draw.

[Gray Fox]

Oh hello.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That should have been another pen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's such a class finish.

[Gray Fox]

This has been very entertaining to the neutral.

[Magic]

What's happening lol.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Holy fucking shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:harold:

:harold:

[Gray Fox]

Lay offs avoided for another week.

This is madness.

[Shindig]

French surrender. :D

[Magic]

What's happening at Lazio as well, Jesus Christ.

[niko_cee]

Vive la France

[Gray Fox]

Absolute cinema.

[Gray Fox]

Maguire genuinely looks far more competent as a centre forward than the other actual forwards they have.

[Manc]

Football, bloody hell.

[Trancemeister]

Bring it Chelsea.

[igor_balis]

That united game was quality, I love when it's just total chaos like that.

[Kikó]

Last night was ridiculous. I did not see any hope at 4-2. Football, what a game.

[Luke Emia]

Mad from United because that first 20 minutes or so of extra-time then it was almost as if a switch flicked in their head realised Lyon only had ten men and weren’t very good and just went for their throat.

[Luke Emia]

Oh and Ferdinand is insufferable as a commentator.

[niko_cee]

lol at the reports that loads of people left at 4-2 to Lyon.

:face:

[niko_cee]

I also rather assumed United were going to play the odd named Scandis due to them being the last 2 games listed [I thought they were listed in 'bracket' order] but I see that isn't the case.

Final at the San Mames as well. Yikes. Probably better to try and get Bilbao out of the way over two legs I guess.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Very funny that Bodo and/or Glimt beat Lazio on penalties.

Spurs v United final would be hilarious. Sorry, Tottenham v United. I'm fighting The Man.

[Dan]

Pompey & Norwich doing their best to match the United/Lyon game this afternoon. Think that pretty much does the job, but could be confirmed on Monday.

Watford had two lads sent off today & they’ll hopefully be on holiday now, so fingers crossed we can get it done & relax for the final two games.

[Shindig]

Gateshead's play-off hopes took another dent after a routine 3-1 loss to York. 3 points ahead of the rest with 4 games left. Monday sees them travel to Hartlepool.

Also, Burnley's hopes of being the best defence in English history is gone. On the cusp of going up but I sense the Premier League might make that lot look ordinary.

[Magic]

Ordinary? They're the worst football team I've ever seen. Absolute garbage. Torture ball.

[Gray Fox]

Took my youngers to the Stoke game today. Highlight of the game being the Wednesday keeper routinely catching a long throw, before hammering it into the arse of a Stoke player trying to play a quick kick up and the ball falling back into his own net.

[Danny]

Took my youngers to the Stoke game today. Highlight of the game being the Wednesday keeper routinely catching a long throw, before hammering it into the arse of a Stoke player trying to play a quick kick up and the ball falling back into his own net.

:D

https://streamin.me/v/0fb73c33

[Jimmy Floyd]

Glad to see long throws back in vogue at the 365. Football eritage.

[Gray Fox]

The lad was struggling to get it into the box most times. They did however take several short corners and I couldn't believe my eyes.

The keeper had a right whinge at the ref after he did it, but even if the Stoke lad doesn't jump he's hitting him square in the back with it. No sympathy from me.

[Manc]

Please tell me the Newcastle badge isn't genuine.

[Shindig]

The weird all-black one? I don't like it.

[Gray Fox]

Well that certainly livens up the top 5 fight.

[Shindig]

Yep. This was the match I feared the most but we've got Ipswich next.

[Clunge]

Phwoaarrrrr.

[Shindig]

It's also took us out of the title race. Gosh darn you, Villains.

[Waffdon]

Man City, Newcastle and Villa it is.

I’m not even sure maresca is going to get near Pochettino’s points total and that tit conceded 2+ goals a game on average and had a genuine injury crisis 90% of the season

[Shindig]

I'm green with envy over your Conference League run. Seriously, I'd love us to be in that. A European trophy we could actually win.

[Waffdon]

It’s a shame he’ll lose the final as would have been quite nice to be the only team to hold every possible trophy and complete the set

[Gray Fox]

I'm green with envy over your Conference League run. Seriously, I'd love us to be in that. A European trophy we could actually win.

I reckon Newcastle would have a good shot at the Europa League, should they miss the top 5.

[Waffdon]

Nice to see Potter continue to prove how utterly useless he is as a manager

[AJ23]

Nice to see Potter continue to prove how utterly useless he is as a manager

Could never understand why West Ham fans gave Moyes such a hard time. Mental really. He delivered them their first European trophy since 1965 but it still wasn't enough.

You get what you deserve when you think the grass is greener.

[Kikó]

I reckon Newcastle would have a good shot at the Europa League, should they miss the top 5.

Especially in it's current format without the drop downs. The corpse of Eddie Howe should be winning it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It would be better not to win the Conference League so we can get back into it next season.

[Dan]

Chelsea will be fine, especially if they end up playing Fiorentina, who are destined to complete a hat trick of European final defeats.

[Waffdon]

This Chelsea side are completely broken. Manager has lost the dressing room and the only surprise is that it took this long

[Jimmy Floyd]

Some stretch calling that mess a dressing room. More of a waiting room.

[phonics]

Think it'd be about 6-0 if Saka could hit the target.

[Gray Fox]

If 8th is going to be enough to get you some kind of European football, Brighton have picked a bad time to shit the bed.

[Waffdon]

Only side in the league not to win away from home in 2025. Looking like another without a goal. He genuinely should never get another job in management

[Waffdon]

It’s funny because you can pinpoint when it all went to shit. He started playing palmer down the left channel in December and he’s scored once since then and looked very ordinary. It would be like moving Salah to the left and telling him to create

[Gray Fox]

At least you've got a nice easy run in.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only side in the league not to win away from home in 2025. Looking like another without a goal. He genuinely should never get another job in management

He is, as we all said at the time, just another shit Guardiola clone. Complete one trick pony, and that trick is having a fresh squad in September. We should hire the guy in the other dugout.

[Jimmy Floyd]

And for all that we're still 16 points ahead of the Manchester United club and 17 of Haringey Totspurs.

[Magic]

Wolves who were absolutely going down quite a bit in to the season. Crazy.

[Gray Fox]

4 more years for Maresca.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why only 4? Let's make it 8. Genius manager.

[Waffdon]

That’s a ridiculous goal from start to finish

[Gray Fox]

Forest suddenly outside of the top 5. How's your bottle lads?

Utterly pointless game of Barclays coming up from Leicester. Hopefully there's a few goals to look at.

[Manc]

Man Red is now level on points with Merseyside Blue.

[Waffdon]

Cobham saving another Chelsea manager. Be sold in the summer

[Jimmy Floyd]

Think that probably wraps up top seven, which will in turn force them to sign more shite players from Ligue 2 and Brazil in the summer to replace the homegrown ones they'll sell.

[SincereTheRebel]

Checking the table and Wolves, Everton, Man Utd and Spurs all with 38 points with 33 games gone is a brilliant.

[SincereTheRebel]

Slapping Man Red up quick. One of my friends has a shared season ticket with Man Utd. First time he has held one. Out of all the homes games he has been too, i have been keeping track. He has seen them win four times including cup games

[Shindig]

It's must be annoying as a Wolves fan to see them get their act together way too late in a season.

[Magic]

They only beat another relegation rival.

[Shindig]

On second thought, their last five wins have been the teams around them. What a rotten league. :D

[SincereTheRebel]

It's must be annoying as a Wolves fan to see them get their act together way too late in a season.

I thought this would be relegation for them and if it wasnt for the promoted teams being so bad, it could have been different. Those two January signings in Munetsi and Agbadou have been great. The form they are in, is based on teams in the bottom half. But still...

[Shindig]

Cunha and Strand Larsen have goals in them. Sometimes.

[Manc]

It had to be him.

[Gray Fox]

Thats a very passionate celebration too.

[Dquincy]

For anyone who likes stats. A sky sports piece on how bad Man Utd's season has been this year under Amorin. The question, is he turning an oil tanker or is he actually making them worse?

https://www.skysports.com/share/13352668

[Magic]

:drool:

Now let's see how the worst game in the world pans out at dinner time.

[Ben]

Stoke are bobbins. This could be a massacre.

[Magic]

Lol. Scored 2 more since that post.

[Shindig]

Spikey, start getting your hopes up. Gateshead are 2-1 down at Hartlepool.

[Magic]

Anyone watching the turdball derby? No?

[Magic]

That's us up as it stands. :happycry:

[wullie]

We lost 3-1 at Plymouth, but thankfully both Middlesbrough and Bristol decided to join us by also losing so nobody gained ground. When we've been that shit and still somehow got away with it, could be our year.

[Gray Fox]

Can the Premier League do some kind of vote to stop these two coming up? Give us a Bristol v Coventry play off final please.

[Ben]

Having Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United all come straight back up, to likely all go straight back down again, should raise some huge questions that the authorities will need to address rather quickly. The disparity is ridiculous and only getting bigger.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They'll answer it by having a breakaway 18 team league and play the opening round in Dallas.

[niko_cee]

I'm not sure we'll necessarily see a more feckless promoted trio than we've had this season.

At least 1 to stay up next season.

Whilst likely an uphill struggle, an 'ideology' like Burnley's is more likely to succeed than the just the way we play mate shite that we've had this year.

[Magic]

Having Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United all come straight back up, to likely all go straight back down again, should raise some huge questions that the authorities will need to address rather quickly. The disparity is ridiculous and only getting bigger.

In fairness I'm not sure we will and I'm sure Churnley could shit out enough 0-0 draws to just stay up. Whoever else comes up though, Jesus. Will be worse than Southampton.

[Shindig]

I think two of the sides were just playing for the parachute payments this season. Leicester were just massive disappointments.

[Magic]

Getting tasty at Turf Moor.

[niko_cee]

Not sure if the deflection's made Vicario look a bit of a mug there or if he really should have saved it. I think the latter maybe.

[Waffdon]

Another fluke helping out Forest. They’ve been ridiculously lucky all season. XG have them in 14th ffs

[Gray Fox]

To think, Ange was giving it the big 'un after they won their Europa tie.

[niko_cee]

If [when] Chelsea win the Conference League, does the league get another European place?

[Shindig]

Only if they miss out on a Europa League spot.

[Waffdon]

If [when] Chelsea win the Conference League, does the league get another European place?

https://t.co/83awhMEHYH

[niko_cee]

Confusing.

Didn't realise winning the league cup dumped you into the conference.

All aboard Chelsea 8th by the looks of it.

[Manc]

If Leeds had beaten Southampton in the play-off final last season, Spurs and United could legitimately be in a relegation battle.

[Magic]

They will be next year. :)

[niko_cee]

Someone's set the 'VAR hub' at Stockley Park on fire. :drool:

[niko_cee]

This Tottenham side is laughably bad.

[Alex]

Magic, thank fuck that is out of the way. I couldn't have done with another week of fixating on it.

It's weird, the last time it happened it was just complete adulation. This time, as much as I'm aware it makes me sound like a completely entitled tosser, it's more just a sort of relief that they have managed to successfully achieve the minimum I expected of them.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the summer. Despite being, on our day, comfortably the best team in that division (I think) there is a shit load of work to do on that squad to make it Premier League worthy I think.

Bamford will be rubbing his hands together, back on that 70 grand a week (or whatever the fuck we gave him) Premier League money for the last year of his contract. Who knows, maybe he will lead the line, we'll qualify for Europe and he'll fire England to World Cup glory the following summer.

[Magic]

I think double relegation, -25, Krasner Co, Bates, Cellini, Radz, Steve Evans, Steve Hockaday, Eunan O Kane, fuck it's too late but I could take PARAGRAPHS on why last time will never be beaten in terms of joy.

[Magic]

Dave Hockaday. Paul Heckaday.

[AJ23]

Another fluke helping out Forest. They’ve been ridiculously lucky all season. XG have them in 14th ffs

You make your own luck by being hard to beat. Something Spurs could learn a lesson from.

But just remember, with Sky Sports and Fifa kids it's all about xG. Spurs win that cup, at least.

For the others at the top, it's about the aG (actual games won).

[igor_balis]

Love this, has layers. IYKYK

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHs4gjVKnux/?igsh=ajM1YnlsaWVzM3Nv

[SincereTheRebel]

Checking out that leeds team, I can see that Gnonto is still playing for them. Didnt he cry when they got relegated but they managed to keep hold of him.

[randomlegend]

Cunha to United is looking pretty ON.

[Magic]

Checking out that leeds team, I can see that Gnonto is still playing for them. Didnt he cry when they got relegated but they managed to keep hold of him.

Yeah, he's nowhere near the supposed £30m that was offered for him. He's a good player but incredibly inconsistent and shite at decision making.

[niko_cee]

Cunha to United is looking pretty ON.

The thing about that BBC puff piece (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cz01p51mz8xo) that struck me was it suggested he would play as one of the two tens or whatever they are, which is all well and good but don't United also need a striker [$$$$] apparently a goalkeeper and probably a midfielder? That could be costly on top of £60m for Cunha.

I wonder if his madman reputation, or his character generally if it is known, will deter the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, who you would think he could do a job for and who should both be in the market for a centre forward.

I see Nunez has been banished for clause related reasons, in addition to being shit related reasons. lol

[randomlegend]

He'll play as the left 10 as he has for Wolves in the same formation.

We're reportedly going to also trigger Delap's release clause. Because dumping the responsibility of being our only useful striker on a young player making the step up has worked so well before.

[-james-]

Liam Delolp

[Dquincy]

Having Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United all come straight back up, to likely all go straight back down again, should raise some huge questions that the authorities will need to address rather quickly. The disparity is ridiculous and only getting bigger.
In the last 5 years, 15 teams have been promoted from the Championship, of which 8 went back down the following year.

That's not a terrible return at all. Especially when you look at the likes of Forest and Bournemouth.

[niko_cee]

I've only been dipping in and out of this, but Villa's playing out from the back has been horrific.

[Dquincy]

1914425011135222039

Maguire and Saka. :D

[Waffdon]

City have scored a lot of late goals this season to gain points which makes it all a bit mental that they’ve only just got past the 60 point barrier.

Aston Villa have single handedly made the top 5 more open with their wins over Forest and Newcastle but that could be the dagger for them as their GD is so bad compared to everyone else

[Manc]

Have you run that through AI?

[Waffdon]

:D

Rumbled

[Boydy]

1914622655551922298

Game's gone.

[Ben]

Obsession with stats is why no player has got any football intelligence anymore. Just the ethos burned into them and they freeze when something doesn't go as expected.

Imagine Okocha not knowing what to do with the ball because the opposition had decided to abandon the high press on him.

[Magic]

This is why I adore Marc Marquez. In such a data driven world he's so unique and good that his data is essentially useless and doesn't make sense to anyone.

Please football be like this. Make it not make sense.

[randomlegend]

I mean we just had 20 years of Messi and Ronaldo "not making sense", no?

[Magic]

I mean we just had 20 years of Messi and Ronaldo "not making sense", no?

I said football not aliens. These guys are generational exceptions to the rule which absolutely sucks.

[randomlegend]

I said football not aliens. These guys are generational exceptions to the rule which absolutely sucks.

Perhaps I'm completely getting the wrong end of the stick here, but I had no idea who Marc Marquez is so I googled and he appears to be a MotoGP rider who is smashing everyone.

Is he not basically to MotoGP what Messi and Ronaldo were to football for the last 20 years?

[Magic]

Yes, that's the right end of the stick.

What I'm saying is DATA is dictating behavior not just of individuals but teams, against intuition, feel etc. And the only way to go against it is to be a once in a generation monster.

That's not right.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What we're missing out on in this era is precisely the Jay Jay Okocha type people who are not the best player in history, and also not in any way optimised footballers, but bring huge joy to everyone.

I can barely think of a single example from the current game. That lad at Newcastle was one (Saint-Maximin) and he got binned off rapidly and is now stinking out Turkey or Saudi Arabia or something, probably within a 'system'.

[Gray Fox]

Eze is probably the highest profile I can think of that has not been forced into playing The System.

[Waffdon]

Eden Hazard :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Cole Palmer has shown signs of being one and his dip in form since Christmas is basically a result of a systems manager wanting him to operate within a system.

[niko_cee]

Maybe PSG can flip the script if they win the Champions League, although more likely we'll be treated to an Arsenal Inter deathfest final.

[SincereTheRebel]

Adama before ham strings of ham collapsed.

[Ben]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgm843zwj08o

Surely this will be entertaining.

[niko_cee]

Are Brazil the biggest victims of the systemball era? They appear to have completely lost that thing that made them so unique / good. Imagine remaking the airport ad now.

[Magic]

Are Brazil the biggest victims of the systemball era? They appear to have completely lost that thing that made them so unique / good. Imagine remaking the airport ad now.

It'd be 45 minutes of the most efficient way through baggage checks backed up by real-time graphs.

[Magic]

What we're missing out on in this era is precisely the Jay Jay Okocha type people who are not the best player in history, and also not in any way optimised footballers, but bring huge joy to everyone.

I can barely think of a single example from the current game. That lad at Newcastle was one (Saint-Maximin) and he got binned off rapidly and is now stinking out Turkey or Saudi Arabia or something, probably within a 'system'.

The most hilariously ironic thing is he did it under the guise of the original terrorball king.

[Pepe]

That is why Cuauhtemoc Blanco will always be my GOAT. He moved everywhere on the front in a true 'free role,' spraying through balls every ten seconds. Was so good to watch in a way that Haaland or whoever the modern striker is running fast and pressing all day just isn't.

[Pepe]

Nowadays he would be told that his through balls only have a 12.1674% success rate and therefore should pass it back to the keeper instead.

[Kikó]

Blanco's xG was terrible. Bad bad player.

[niko_cee]

I think there's definitely a bit of rose tinted revisionism going on, which I fully support.

Football is probably 'objectively' better / more exciting / whatever now than it has ever been, but all that tells you is that objective methods aren't necessarily applicable to fan experience in the same way they are to analytics or whatever it is that drives the modern game.

Zidane always trikes me as the man standing against the modern understanding of football. I bet his 'stats' were shite.

[Ben]

Better? Probably, yes.

More exciting? Fuck, no.

[niko_cee]

Better? Probably, yes.

More exciting? Fuck, no.

Whilst I agree, you also have to admit that things like Champions League knock out games have become much more likely to be belters than they used to be. Two 5-4s or whatever it was last week, for example.

I think a lot of it, in the league in particular, is a manifestation of what OG stats wankers the Reason England Lose book people said in that people think they want an even playing field but really they crave a rigid hierarchy - a world where everyone beats Man United has lost all meaning for an entire generation of fans.

[Pepe]

Definitely rose tinted glasses for me. The late nineties early 2000s Mexican league was mainly terrible games of people barely moving and failing to string three passes together. Yet in that sea of shite, there was a uniqueness to certain players/teams that felt special.

[Ben]

The Champions League knockouts are the best of the best teams, where you're most likely to get a stat buster. Cristiano Ronaldo for instance makes xG look stupid. He scored far more goals than the computer said he should.

Week-to-week Premier League is utterly dull. Goals don't necessarily correlate to excitement. Brentford and Brighton are two teams that leap to my mind when I think of what is making football robotic. Yes, they score goals, but you can see goals at any level. On the other hand you've got Nottingham Forest, who people say are long ball, but they aren't, they just don't commit to every trope that has been born out of data. xG saying they should be bottom half says more about xG as a concept than it does Forest.

[niko_cee]

I've been watching Brighton for nigh on 20 years now and can assure you that whilst they are now frustrating to watch from time to time, they are considerably better both in terms of results and entertainment provided than they have ever been, which is what makes their hysterical fans chanting that the manager doesn't know what he is doing and that Bloom needs to go all the more lolworthy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's much like say Formula 1 in that the cars now are undoubtedly 'better' than the ones in the 90s, but it's worse to watch them race. The interests of business and the interests of fans stand at complete opposites when it comes to sport.

Fans want flawed geniuses, business wants reliable and predictable revenue-generating machines.

[Magic]

The Champions League knockouts are the best of the best teams, where you're most likely to get a stat buster. Cristiano Ronaldo for instance makes xG look stupid. He scored far more goals than the computer said he should.

Week-to-week Premier League is utterly dull. Goals don't necessarily correlate to excitement. Brentford and Brighton are two teams that leap to my mind when I think of what is making football robotic. Yes, they score goals, but you can see goals at any level. On the other hand you've got Nottingham Forest, who people say are long ball, but they aren't, they just don't commit to every trope that has been born out of data. xG saying they should be bottom half says more about xG as a concept than it does Forest.

This in an absolute nutshell. In fact aren't the CL games the most exciting they've ever been?

[John Arne]

I don't think I've ever seen a keeper crash into the outside of the their net attempting a save.

:D

1914952550291280150

[Ben]

:D

[SvN]

That's really tickled me :D

[randomlegend]

Wimmin

[niko_cee]

The best bit about the last one [aside from obvious match fixing] is that the forward completely shanks it and almost misses.

Unbelievably if you go into the thread there are even more absurd ones.

[Gray Fox]

Real Madrid have gone full tin foil hat ahead of the Copa del Rey final.

They don't like the referee chosen for it and wanted him removed. Yesterday on their official TV channel they showed a video package of all mistakes made by said referee in his career.
Today they're demanding he and the VAR is changed for the final or they wont play it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Call their bluff please. Football would be better without them.

[Yevrah]

I swear until relatively recently Madrid had a bit of class about them but over the last few years they've turned into properly pathetic cunts. Am I right, and if so, what's been the catalyst for it?

[Manc]

Uncle Flo.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I swear until relatively recently Madrid had a bit of class about them but over the last few years they've turned into properly pathetic cunts. Am I right, and if so, what's been the catalyst for it?

They discussed this exact point this week on 'Libero' podcast and the answer they came up with was Mourinho.

[niko_cee]

Real Madrid never had any class about them. They were just thankfully irrelevant for 15 years around the formative years for football.

They are, and always have been, the absolute worst of everything.

[AJ23]

There's hardly any mavericks anymore. It's what I used to enjoy about football in the past. Cantona. Baggio. Le Tissier. Gazza. Zola. Maradona. Going further back, George Best, Stan Bowles, Rodney Marsh.

Now it's all data driven and ironically enough everything is more rigid based on that. Overanalysed nonsense. Tika-taka and playing out from the back. If you don't play that way, you get criticised. Even though you lose playing that way like Southampton, who don't have the players to carry it out.

I look at football from 20 years ago and it's unrecognisable to what today's football is. That's why I'm happy with what Forest are doing which is being brave and going against the grain.

Sticking 2 fingers up to the establishment and finding a different way to win.

[John Arne]

Al Hilal just beat Gwangju 7-0 in the Champions League quarter final :face:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sounds like Gwangju need to start playing out from the back.

[Lofty]

You jest but I have seen local Sunday league teams doing it as I walk my dog, it is a disease.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I watch a lot of quite poor Sunday League stuff from my balcony, and in these parts at least there is still no answer to the long straight ball. Each team usually has one bloke in the middle who looks like he has played a bit and can knock it about even on the crapper iterations of the pitch, but if you just twat it over his head and have a bent linesman at that end of the pitch then you have nothing to worry about. They probably should have tried that against Xavi, come to think of it.

[Waffdon]

You guessed it, Maresca refuses to play Reece James yet again and instead opts to play his best midfielder there. I hate this guy

[niko_cee]

instead opts to play his best midfielder there

Bet he's delighted his superstar advisers got him that 8 year deal on comparatively shit wages.

[Waffdon]

Boyhood club init.

Lavia is just a stupidly good player. Shame that like Fofana and James he’s made of cardboard.