April Football: Just 71 Days to the Club World Cup

[Waffdon]

Pickford makes a couple of unreal saves a game.

[Gray Fox]

Anything other than a Hull win at the bottom of the Championship today sets the final day up for some top notch drama.

It does look like Coventry may have fucked it though.

[wullie]

Brad Collins does it again. The only surprise is that he had a good 90 minutes first.

[Shindig]

Wasn't expecting Ipswich to be this difficult a fixture. :moop:

[niko_cee]

Konsa outrageously lucky to get away with that. Never a foul.

[Shindig]

"STICK TO THE PLAN!" bellowing out of one of the Palace lads :D Ten Hag has ruined that phrase for me.

[niko_cee]

Had a post all cued up about five minutes ago saying how I'd never really thought of Mateta as much more than a lunk, but he's much better than that.

Subconscious jinx.

[Shindig]

Still prefer that to Eze's daft effort against us.

That might actually be game. Villa look shook.

[Clunge]

We've been shite. Way too careless all game.

[Shindig]

Gateshead lost another game today, Spikey's lads are in a play-off spot.

[Waffdon]

Graham potter :chortle:

[niko_cee]

Somebody fetch the white handkerchiefs.

:drool:

[niko_cee]

Rudiger facing a lengthy ban for throwing an ice cube at the ref. :lol:

Vasquez and Bellingham also sent off for being dickheads. They're such an entitled bunch of cunts. Being there is going to ruin Bellingham as a player unless he can somehow reign in his inner twat. You can already see it has changed the way he plays / acts for England.

[John Arne]

It looks like Bellingham spat at the ref, which if he did, deserves a minimum 5 game ban. The dirty cunt.

[Manc]

Why did they move today's FA Cup semi-final ahead 45 minutes so that it coincides precisely with Liverpool against Spurs?

[Spikey M]

Because nobody needs to watch Liverpool make Ange cry.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That flick by Evanilson was brilliant.

[Waffdon]

Getting sent off for slipping is amazing

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thought he was offside live. Which would be pretty apt for Hojlund.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Streak is dead :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

"I don't think any body should criticise City for not selling out their allocation"

:harold:

[Kikó]

Getting sent off for slipping is amazing

Has everyone had a collective head loss? It's a straight red.

[Gray Fox]

That's not supposed to happen.

[Serj]

Why is Diaz even marking him? Reminiscent of Mac Allister vs Burn against Newcastle.

[Gray Fox]

What a bargain this lad is.

[Shindig]

Forest look like they haven't turned up yet.

[John Arne]

Nice goal, shame about the t-shirt.

[Gray Fox]

I know that we know this, but Spurs are honking.

[Waffdon]

"I don't think any body should criticise City for not selling out their allocation"

:harold:

He’s not wrong. Semi finals should not be held at Wembley. City have been there about 30 times in the last 15 years

[Waffdon]

Has everyone had a collective head loss? It's a straight red.

Is this Lewis or Kiko

[Kikó]

Red army!

[Shindig]

He’s not wrong. Semi finals should not be held at Wembley. City have been there about 30 times in the last 15 years

I agree. Slap it in a neutral league ground like the good old days.

[niko_cee]

Surely they've paid Wembley off by now, wasn't that the original excuse?

[niko_cee]

It's obviously not the same state of affairs, but the trying to get Salah a goal thing is reminiscent of the dying days of Fernando Torres.

[Waffdon]

Hopefully the start of Forest’s downfall now. Disgusting anti football brigade

[niko_cee]

Cut to the sporting director in the crowd, I mean, I'm sure he does a good job and all but surely his input into this has been absolutely minimal? Was he even part of the appointment of Slot? I assumed it was just for a bit of decolletage.

[Manc]

The tits on the woman behind Richard Hughes. Stupendous.

[niko_cee]

You can't play football like this Spurs.

[Manc]

Bodo and/or Glimt are 10/1 to defeat this mob on Thursday.

[Gray Fox]

Cut to the sporting director in the crowd, I mean, I'm sure he does a good job and all but surely his input into this has been absolutely minimal? Was he even part of the appointment of Slot? I assumed it was just for a bit of decolletage.

He appointed Slot, signed Chiesa and renewed the two deals recently.

Nothing other than that.

[Shindig]

Hopefully the start of Forest’s downfall now. Disgusting anti football brigade

Buying Anderson back when they need to balance PSR. :drool:

[John Arne]

That Salah selfie happened to have been a Google Pixel... official sponsor of Liverpool Football Club :sherlock:

[Magic]

How have Spurts got a positive goal difference?

[John Arne]

Hold on... no trophy today? Is that normal?

[Gray Fox]

You get the trophy on your final home game of the season, or if you win it after, whichever away game you have.

[niko_cee]

Really? Surely it should have been on a helicopter? When are they going to get it? Please say at Stamford Bridge or at home to Arsenal. Bleh.

[John Arne]

Palace at home last day.

[niko_cee]

Oh Darwin. :face:

He'll be mega wherever he goes [unless it's Saudi which I guess it probably will be]. Liverpool / having to pass the ball to Salah has broken him.

[John Arne]

That'll do. Alisson, Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Salah immense all season.

[Gray Fox]

One kiss is all it takes.

[Manc]

Federico Chiesa, Premier League winner.

[niko_cee]

They should never have done away with the rule you had to play however many games it was.

[Gray Fox]

Didn't Arsenal have to hurriedly sub on Tony Adams at the end of games in the early 00's for a medal?

[Shindig]

33 Premier League minutes is a bit sad. I like him but I don't know how he can break into this side.

[Gray Fox]

Get Klopp back for the final home game and have him present the medals. Someone cutting giant onions.

[Guybrush]

Chiesa only needs one more appearance.

Walking down to Anfield now. Champions!

[niko_cee]

Has everyone had a collective head loss? It's a straight red.

This is just wrong.

Not at all dangerous. The slip isn't completely exculpatory, but the pace it all happens at and the nature of the contact makes it not at all dangerous. Maybe if the high foot makes contact [probably not] or moreso if the left one goes into a standing foot, which it didn't, but it can be a difficult situation if you start making outcome based decisions, I guess. Harsh one to be upgrading when Tarkowski style challenges have been waved through.

[Kikó]

I guess the answer is yes. Collective head loss.

[niko_cee]

Freeze frame folly.

[Ben]

I guess the answer is yes. Collective head loss.

No way you'd be saying this if it wasn't against your beloved United.

[niko_cee]

The Adams one was more borderline.

[Kikó]

It's a blatant red.

[randomlegend]

Some ruined childhoods really coming out here.

[Luke Emia]

Standard borderline red for me Clive. If it had been given as a red no way was it getting overturned, I personally thought it was a red when I saw it as slipping is no defence as we have been told on numerous occasions but you will see worse challenges go unpunished through a season and plenty of challenges which aren't as bad get given as reds too.

All we can really hope for is that this decision doesn't make too much difference in the chase for 13th, as this positive result has enabled Manchester Red to to gain a slight advantage on their nearest rivals.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You're a moron if you can't see what the decision should have been (I've not seen it, so I'm excused).

[Kikó]

I can understand the argument he slipped and there's no intent but unfortunately he nearly took his knee and ankle out. I don't really see why it's so controversial.

I also didn't really see any issue with the first tackle. It's a proper football tackle.

[niko_cee]

Far more likely to do damage to someone going in with that level of force than at zero miles an hour and 'nearly' taking out various body parts.

Just felt a bit like the ones we were getting around the Jones one last season, where if you could pause the image in a bad way you were getting done [and you can freeze that one to make it look like he's about to kill him], but I thought things had moved on from that, particularly with the elusive 'high bar'.


“Reckless” means that the player has acted with complete disregard to the
danger to, or consequences for, his opponent.
• A player who plays in a reckless manner must be cautioned
“Using excessive force” means that the player has far exceeded the necessary
use of force and is in danger of injuring his opponent.
• A player who uses excessive force must be sent off

Reckless for me and I don't think it meets the serious foul play add-on as that also requires "excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent"

[Spikey M]

Someone put a video up so I can make the final decision and put this to bed.

[niko_cee]

Dunno how to link to the clip, but the MotD2 discussion of it is in here (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/afc-bournemouth).

[Spikey M]

1916500036738863214?t=syF1GL7omVsLmD_OPQWu1w&s=19

Yellow at worst

[SincereTheRebel]

Man tackled him using his batty crease

[Manc]

VAR intervention is completely unnecessary.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You could argue it either way. Probably looks much worse in slow motion / freeze frame than it actually was.

[randomlegend]

Looked much worse at full speed actually

[niko_cee]

Somewhat inspired by a curiosity as to how City and Liverpool compare over the last 7 seasons [599 v 588] I came across this site (https://footballrates.com/).

I've no idea how accurate it is. Liverpool just 8 points back from United on the all time table (https://footballrates.com/alltimetable), although seem to have more wins, more draws and fewer losses from fewer games played, so I guess the two points for a win era may be having an impact there. Comfortably in front on the all time top-division table (https://footballrates.com/alltimetable-topflight). They define this century as having started on 1/1/2001, is that normal? Did we all get the millennium wrong?

[John Arne]

Did we have a predictions thread? We be amusing to see how wrong we all were.

[Disco]

Yes everyone did get the millennium wrong.

[Shindig]

Yeah, I found that out yesterday. Consider that the first year of history counts as 01/01/01. It makes 100% sense and I feel stupider for knowing.

[niko_cee]

First year of history might be a bit strong, but I assume there was no year 0 and we went from 1BC to 1AD. Feels like some sort of clerical error.

I see if you want to make a similar sort of error in your own life you can buy a £150 Liverpool CHAMPIONS! replica kit (https://store.liverpoolfc.com/lfc-nike-mens-24-25-home-match-jersey/group-plcitl-30/patch-14538--OS-PLPAT--ADULT--NRFR-14551--OS-14531--OS-PLW25INSIG). Crazy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We got the millennium right. We read left to right and the left number changed on 1 Jan 2000. Who cares if there was a year 0 or not.

[John Arne]

If there was no Jan 1st '0 - 31st Dec '0, then 1/1/2000 would have been 1,999 years, no?

[Shindig]

Hmmm ... that Liverpool replica kit or £150 for tickets to our pre-season Japan games ....

[Jimmy Floyd]

If there was no Jan 1st '0 - 31st Dec '0, then 1/1/2000 would have been 1,999 years, no?

Close enough.

[Yevrah]

God, this brings back memories of all the dribblesome bores at the time who would continually point out that we had the year wrong.

[John Arne]

Y2K :drool:

[Gray Fox]

I see if you want to make a similar sort of error in your own life you can buy a £150 Liverpool CHAMPIONS! replica kit (https://store.liverpoolfc.com/lfc-nike-mens-24-25-home-match-jersey/group-plcitl-30/patch-14538--OS-PLPAT--ADULT--NRFR-14551--OS-14531--OS-PLW25INSIG). Crazy.

Luckily my mate in China can get me one for a tenth of the price.

[Mike]

Yeah £12 on DHGate, went up yesterday.

[Gray Fox]

Also turns out I was a smart lad and booked up all of the bank holidays, so I have the parade off. It is in half term though, so trying to wrangle it kid free is the next issue.

[Pepe]

God, this brings back memories of all the dribblesome bores at the time who would continually point out that we had the year wrong.

My father would tell anyone that would listen that the whole 'when does it really start' discussion was manufactured by big tourism so that they could sell you new millennium cruises two years in a row.

Mathematical pedantry aside, it makes more sense to celebrate in 2000.

[Magic]

I broke my IPTV so will miss the game tonight. Fucking cunt.

[niko_cee]

What kind of savage doesn't have Amazon Prime in this day and age?

[Shindig]

<puts hand up>

Watching footy is low on my priorities, to be honest. Free to air stuff or youtube is enough for me. And I barely use Amazon for purchases.

[Waffdon]

Just create an Amazon account and use the trial and cancel after the match

[Pepe]

They show football in Amazon? Didn't know that.

[Luke Emia]

I know it’s midweek, but it’s 15 minutes before kick off on their biggest game of the season and there’s no cunt in the ground.

[phonics]

I hate Trossard upfront. Never works. Would have preferred Timber on the left and Skelly in midfield.

[Manc]

A minute's silence for the Pope. Game's gone.

[phonics]

bet UEFA were pumped that Rangers got knocked out last round.

[phonics]

That’s not fun.

[Lewis]

That was the sort of deceptively good goal that English teams used to concede twenty-five years ago.

[phonics]

How has their best player got 5 yards of space there.

[Luke Emia]

Mentality Midgets.

[Luke Emia]

In all seriousness though and I say it every time I see him but what fucking player Kvaratskehlia is.

As for Arsenal a lot of people have been harping back to beating them earlier in the season but he makes a massive difference to them.

[phonics]

In all seriousness though and I say it every time I see him but what fucking player Kvaratskehlia is.

As for Arsenal a lot of people have been harping back to beating them earlier in the season but he makes a massive difference to them.

We’ve been crying out for a left winger and seeing the transfer fee and the dad being the agent I can only presume a mighty bung got the deal over the line.

[niko_cee]

Superb save, not sure how the follow up has stayed out.

[phonics]

Superb save, not sure how the follow up has stayed out.

Was offside.

These guys are better than us. Not even sure what they can do to switch it up either.

[randomlegend]

Arsenal are always such a bunch of cheating, detestable cunts.

Going down screaming and grabbing his knee there :D

[phonics]

That Saka foul is a disgrace.

[phonics]

Martinellis finishing. Similarly disgraceful.

[Ben]

Martinelli is so overrated. He must score there.

[phonics]

I’m not sure what the thought is from the outside vis a vis ratedness. Imo he’s a better version of Adama Traore.

[niko_cee]

This is what football is all about. Agonizing waits. Looked off to me.

[Magic]

Is it a shite game lads. Please.

[Waffdon]

This is what football is all about. Agonizing waits. Looked off to me.

Not sure what the delay was. He always looked off and that automated shot had him a good half yard

Would have been the most Arsenal goal ever, the disgusting bastards

[phonics]

When step 1 is to be massively offside you’d think step 2 would be to make sure you’re onside.

[Waffdon]

That’s a stunning save. He’s decided he’s not going to be an absolute mong the last couple games it seems

[phonics]

It’s not that great a save. Have we considered maybe aiming above the floor?

[Manc]

Mikel Merino has an extraordinarily long neck.

[Ben]

Martinelli, in addition to being shite, is such a fanny. Completely bottled that interception on Doué that he was huge favourite to win. Arteta needs to get him off.

[niko_cee]

At first I thought it was standard Wafflez hyperbole, but this Doué lad is pretty special.

[phonics]

Martinelli, in addition to being shite, is such a fanny. Completely bottled that interception on Doué that he was huge favourite to win. Arteta needs to get him off.

Sadly think he got Oxlade Chamberlained on that front. Did his knee in a 50/50 and was out for 4 months and first game back was out for 6 more off another 50/50.

[Waffdon]

Barcola still an absolute fanny in front of goal then

[Bernanke]

Modern football can be so dull.

[Yevrah]

Proper dogshit performance from Arsenal this. Really disappointing.

[Waffdon]

wtf was that finish :D

[randomlegend]

More diving from Arsenal, straight after one of their players is bitching on the floor for the ref rightly playing their advantage. Insufferable.

[Waffdon]

:cool:

[Magic]

Modern football can be so dull.

Praise be.

[Manc]

Arsenal players endlessly trying to gee up the crowd, whilst simultaneously doing nothing to gee them up.

[Lofty]

Martinelli is so overrated. He must score there.

Never seen anyone rate him to be honest, most Arsenal discourse on him is about replacing him.

Exceptionally lucky to still be 1-0, could have been 3 or 4. Going to have to properly turn up in Paris though.

[Ben]

Never seen anyone rate him to be honest, most Arsenal discourse on him is about replacing him.

That's good to know. I just assumed he was rated in some circles due to TV commentators endlessly bigging him up. Last night was particularly egregious given he was so shite and Nwaneri was sat on the bench.

[Lofty]

Yes the general feeling amongst fans I've seen is he's probably past the window of 'might come good consistently' and we need to cut our losses. Trossard probably go in the summer too, he is either spectacular or wank, no inbetween. In FM terms they either play a 9 or a 5, I'd rather have someone there just putting a solid 7 every game.

That whole wing has been an issue for a while, if it isn't consistency it's injuries. The subs were annoying last night, I appreciate the bench wasn't great but still. I also think if they don't sign at least one star up front this summer Saliba will be off.

[Shindig]

Would they consider Jamie Vardy?

[Baz]

Would they consider Jamie Vardy?

I presume he's already got a Wrexham shirt.

[Gray Fox]

I guess it wasn't a red card for Evanilson after all.

[Kikó]

I don't think he deserved a three match ban but it was a red.

[Ben]

Another VAR intervention shown up as incorrect. I’m surprised they didn’t uphold it just to prop up their stats.

After all, Kiko had told us it was a nailed on red, so there couldn’t have been a whole lot of outrage had it not been overturned.