April Football: Just 71 Days to the Club World Cup

[Jimmy Floyd]

Eight teams remain in the various European competitions; one team remains in the Premier League title race, but many more will vie for fourth place glory, fifth place triumph, sixth place nirvana and the eternal fame that will come with top seven status.

Relegation is sorted. Southampton, Ipswich and another team that escapes me are soon to fuck off and die until the year after.

Promotion? Sheffield United look to be soaring back. Faltering Leeds take on spluttering Burnley to join them.

In the FA Cup, Nottingham Forest take on Manchester City for a place in the final, while Aston Villa do the same against Crystal Palace.

Other footballs will no doubt be kicked worldwide. Of particular note, Spain has a decent title race going, as does Italy, though in Wales it looks as though The New Saints may have seen off Penybont.

Semi-automated offsides are coming to the Premier League, you can imagine my excitement at the idea of a laser ruling on where people are standing on some grass. Perhaps this is the boon that football needs.

Discuss your April soccer action here.

[John Arne]

£10 that Al-Nassr replace Club Leon in the Club World Cup.

[Pepe]

What's going on with Leon?

[John Arne]

I believe they got kicked out for multi club ownership

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/04/club-leon-pachuca-get-hearing-date-in-appeal-over-club-world-cup-ouster

[Pepe]

I see. Yes that's been a thing in Mexico for a long time.

[Ben]

Are the proper clubs going to take the Club World Cup seriously now or is it still Mickey Mouse?

[John Arne]

They've thrown so much prize money at it, the bean countries want them to take it seriously.

[Gray Fox]

It'll be interesting to see how clubs view the competition if the money in it stays as is, or increases.

[Waffdon]

Every club will absolutely take it seriously. It’s free money by just being there never mind winning a few games

[Lofty]

Just like the horse racing and golf over there, you can call it mickey mouse but mickey's gold plated.

[Pleb]

Fuck all that.

Have you seen the state of the National League South particularly the TITLE RACE?

[Shindig]

Four horse race :cool:

At least the FIFA Club Cup has a proper format now. The chance for smaller clubs to upset the apple cart is ... at least more likely than those times where the European sides get byes.

[Spikey M]

1908126563532480806?t=Y98HuLoE_D34qJeZMi9gDA&s=19

It's just the way we're shit mate.

[Waffdon]

Just like the horse racing and golf over there, you can call it mickey mouse but mickey's gold plated.

It’s a far bigger upgrade than the usual Club World Cup.

[phonics]

It’s so Spurs that the only silverware they won in 25 years was also the 3rd worst season they had in that time. Even when they win they’re a joke.

[phonics]

I was trying to find arsenals ppg and ended up on transfermarkt. The year George Graham won the title with Arsenal they scored 74 goals and conceded 18 :D

[Gray Fox]

He just doesn't see how that was clear and obvious, mate.

[Gray Fox]

It’s a far bigger upgrade than the usual Club World Cup.

Quite. It will be quite the advantage to the clubs that can get into it every year.

[niko_cee]

Will it though? Financial muscle is not what it once was, and those serial attendees are fine extorting money out of their own leagues generally.

Will be equally interesting to see if Pep and whoever is in charge of Chelsea next February are crying into their cornflakes about not having had a pre-season and player burnout.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Part of me thinks we should go to a baseball-style schedule with 3-4 league games a week every week. Either the game slows down and becomes much more skill-based as a result, and/or you have to utilise your squad far more and actually play all those stockpiled players (obviously we're regulating for a maximum squad size).

[niko_cee]

More like baseball.

Not something that should ever be said of any sport. Even lawn bowls.

[Jimmy Floyd]

More like baseball is pretty much the journey of every sport over the last 10 years, except of course baseball, which is becoming more like cricket.

[Gray Fox]

Will it though? Financial muscle is not what it once was, and those serial attendees are fine extorting money out of their own leagues generally.

Will be equally interesting to see if Pep and whoever is in charge of Chelsea next February are crying into their cornflakes about not having had a pre-season and player burnout.

Well the idea is spending is based on earnings right? If this competition pays you in another £60m for basically just turn up then that's another good player you can buy without having to sell.

[niko_cee]

It's another player you can buy.

Whether they are good or not, well, ask Todd Boehly.

Are they tethering to turnover or the turnover of the lowest club turnover in the league in the new system? Presumably the former, but I'm not sure money is as all powerful as it has been.

[Pepe]

Part of me thinks we should go to a baseball-style schedule with 3-4 league games a week every week. Either the game slows down and becomes much more skill-based as a result, and/or you have to utilise your squad far more and actually play all those stockpiled players (obviously we're regulating for a maximum squad size).

162 games per season in the MLB. Imagine the money football teams could make.

[niko_cee]

The mass deaths from all those pies and pints [never mind all the tension] would make covid look like a mild cold.

[Gray Fox]

It's another player you can buy.

Whether they are good or not, well, ask Todd Boehly.

Are they tethering to turnover or the turnover of the lowest club turnover in the league in the new system? Presumably the former, but I'm not sure money is as all powerful as it has been.

Newcastle as an example has almost a bottomless pit at its disposal, but can't use it unless they start cracking that top 4(5), right? Or are things drastically changing there?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Man Utd v Norwich for the 9th time that season, both teams with 3rd choice XIs out, attendance 98,000. Unsinkable.

[niko_cee]

Newcastle as an example has almost a bottomless pit at its disposal, but can't use it unless they start cracking that top 4(5), right? Or are things drastically changing there?

My point is more that as you dilute the pool of who has unlimited resources, the power of those resources diminish significantly.

Abramovich Chelsea could bowl in and paint the town red [blue?], it took City much longer, and a conspiracy of ineptitude from United and Chelsea [their major financial rivals] was needed to usher in their dominant era, now if you add Newcastle into the mix you have at least 4 mega money clubs, I still include United in this, with two probably better football teams at the moment in Liverpool and Arsenal not far off, albeit with lesser resources, and then there are the rest of the league who have more money than all but the elite of Europe. The Premier League is too competitive financially for financial muscle to be as powerful as it once was. So this arrangement will do very nicely for Real and Bayern and all of the other dominant teams who have to worry less about their domestic standing, but whilst it will aid City and Chelsea, it is by no means a magic bullet.

As to the actual financial rules, no one has any idea about them, do they? The premier league can't do APTs, I was reading the other day that UEFA may take a much dimmer view of the Chelsea BlueCo sales of the hotels and the women's team.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Everyone has enough money now that it's much more important what you spend the money on. Liverpool are the only club that have consistently understood recruitment over the last decade or so. Everyone else has spent far too much money on players who are much too far away from being the finished article.

It won't make any difference to get £50 million extra from the Infantino Shield. It'll still be of maximum efficiency for Newcastle to sell Lewis Miley whether they have fifty quid in the bank or fifty billion.

[Shindig]

Newcastle as an example has almost a bottomless pit at its disposal, but can't use it unless they start cracking that top 4(5), right? Or are things drastically changing there?

From our financial report in March:


"Newcastle United increased its latest reported revenue to £320.3million (from £250.3million in 2022/23), reflecting 90% and 32% increases in commercial and matchday revenues respectively."

So, number go up. It also mentions the player sales which (I believe) do not include Minteh and Anderson's sales. They were concluded on 1st July 2024 which will be covered in next year's report. God knows how much the cup win brought in but maybe the mad scenes on TV gave us some visibility. Plus having the women's side play the occasional game at St. James gets some extra matchday revenue. Again, that's probably small potatoes.

I think the really big clubs make their bread from being a global brand. We're not there yet. We might never get there without regular European football.

[niko_cee]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgpx32emreo

:happycry:

Suspended one match ban? How long for? Arsenal need to find a way for them to violate the rules of decent conduct again [donning a Real Madrid shirt obviously qualifies as this off that bat].

[Magic]

That's a proper Rwanda '94 picture.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That or he's just finished a slap-up dinner with Barbecue Cherizier.

Suspended for a year, so if Mbappé violates the rules of decency in next year's group stage clash with Forest he'll have to serve a one match suspension in the subsequent trip to FC Zurich.

[John Arne]

This Iroegbunam fella has the worst touch for an BPLEPL player I've seen for some time.

[Gray Fox]

This recent trend of the hand over the mouth while talking to your opponent is a bug bear of mine.

[Magic]

We are on the cusp of the most awesome bottle job.

[Gray Fox]

I was told the other day that 12 of the matchday squad for Everton from the Liverpool game are out of contract in the summer and that's without the almost inevitable Branthwaite saga.

They look bad enough already.

[Danny]

Looking at transfermarkt its not that bad.

https://www.transfermarkt.us/fc-everton/vertragsende/verein/29

[Danny]

On first viewing I thought Skelly had a handful of his shirt. Holy fuck thats a joke.

[randomlegend]

United u18s are something else. Just beaten Leeds 13-1.

[Luke Emia]

More good work from the ‘Mentality Midgets’. 11 points to go.

[Gray Fox]

Absolute shitshow from Darren England there.

[Lofty]

Blowing FT then deciding it was a free kick is AFCON level reffing.

[Ben]

We are on the cusp of the most awesome bottle job.

What is going on?

[Magic]

What is going on?

Well, it all started with the "we'll beat Reading's record" mentality after the Blunts and Blunderland victories.

[Gray Fox]

More good work from the ‘Mentality Midgets’. 11 points to go.

To be fair to them, Arsenal didn't do anything wrong today. Were winning and then Everton were given a penalty for I still have no idea what.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Palace had 3 points from the first 6, and then on for 40 from the next 24. They'd be right in the CL shakeup if not for that start.

[Kikó]

Phonics rage intensifies.

[Shindig]

Carl Magnay has called on Gateshead to bring some clarity to the club’s situation as speculation over a proposed takeover by a consortium led by former Everton and Sunderland striker Victor Anichebe continues.

Hmmm ....

[Waffdon]

Maresca playing a second string team in the league :sick:

[Jimmy Floyd]

That is a bit of a puzzle. Magnificent though the slaying of Legia Warsaw and consequent Conference League glory would be, I'm not sure it would be better than 4th/5th. Maybe Trendline Todd or Baghdad Bob have told him he's fired and he doesn't care about next season.

[Waffdon]

Caicedo carry job will be needed again.

Cannot comprehend how gusto and sancho are two of the players to survive.

[Waffdon]

He’s playing Reece James left back again. Anywhere but a right back. He has to be an undercover agent

[Waffdon]

This Nkunku performance :|

If he survives the half, it will be tragic

[Magic]

It's a shame Arsenal couldn't pip the victims. Useless cunts.

[Dquincy]

Liverpool look awful, it's like teams have figured out how to play their system. Mistakes at the back and very little creativity going forwards. The latter is more worrying, teams seem to be able to break up our play and isolate Salah relatively easily.

[wullie]

Our game against Burnley was a bit mad*. Best defence in the world couldn't hold out five minutes against the mighty Haji Wright and a pair of officials who ignored that he was about three yards offside, then to balance it up they gave every other decision to Burnley for the rest of the game.

30 seconds into the second half Liam Kitching and Brad Collins both dithered over a simple ball to gift them a winner which meant 45 minutes of relentless timewasting to the point that wor Frank got a red card after full time for giving the referee what seemed a very mild earful.


*incredibly shit and frustrating

[Gray Fox]

Some tactical shifts towards us have happened but the arsenal result yesterday has put us firmly on the beach.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The league was done about a month ago anyway.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was listening to the new 'Libero' podcast yesterday (which I really like btw, familiar lineups of journos wibble on freeform about the bigger picture in a Sunday Supplement type format but not as restricted), and someone on there was arguing that Liverpool's supremacy, as well as from the obvious sources, has been shaped by Slot being the only manager to understand that you can't operate at 100% the whole time or everyone will get injured, and there have to be down games or periods of games where less energy is expended. I haven't watched loads of Liverpool but it sounded fairly spot on to me.

[Gray Fox]

I was listening to the new 'Libero' podcast yesterday (which I really like btw, familiar lineups of journos wibble on freeform about the bigger picture in a Sunday Supplement type format but not as restricted), and someone on there was arguing that Liverpool's supremacy, as well as from the obvious sources, has been shaped by Slot being the only manager to understand that you can't operate at 100% the whole time or everyone will get injured, and there have to be down games or periods of games where less energy is expended. I haven't watched loads of Liverpool but it sounded fairly spot on to me.

There is something in this. The Arsenal injury list for example is not pure bad luck. There is bad preparation and minute management in there too.


Also, Bradley immediately making us look better going forwards.

[Waffdon]

3 goals in the last 8 away games in the league. The most boring and negative manager in the league. If you want to improve your defence, request a home game against Enzo Maresca.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Respect the point.

[Manc]

Title race blown wide open.

[Pleb]

:D

[Gray Fox]

Harvey Elliott providing more good play in about 15 minutes than Salah in 90. I dont know what he has to do.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is this the least consequential Manchstuhderbeh this century? Maybe they should add a bet to make it interesting, like, I dunno, Gary Neville's life.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Clumsy from Dias.

[7om]

Someone explain Dorgu to me. He looks like he has no clue what he’s doing.

[randomlegend]

You don't seem to need any explanation.

[randomlegend]

This game is abysmal.

[Gray Fox]

The Gary Neville Podcast is going to have to go some to make any content out of this game.

[randomlegend]

City are absolutely honking, we were by far the better team and we're awful.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I haven't watched too much football this season but that's easily the worst match I've seen thus far.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The league is properly petering out. Seven games still to drag ourselves through, or you lot can anyway, I'm off to the cricket season in a couple of weekends.

[Kikó]

Classic game of Barclays.

[Yevrah]

The league is properly petering out. Seven games still to drag ourselves through, or you lot can anyway, I'm off to the cricket season in a couple of weekends.

From a neutral perspective, I think it might be the worst season I can recall.

[wullie]

Get watching the Championship, every position is up for grabs still apart from Sunderland seemingly having fourth sewn up since Christmas.

[Waffdon]

Blue Co have accidentally created a monster with Strasbourg. An even younger team than Chelsea and after a shaky start they’re 1 point off 2nd in Ligue 1. They’ll have to step down/do more dodgy dealings IF both make CL

[Shindig]

I can't be all gloomy about a season where the big hitters are coming to the end of the road. You just know someone's going to breach FSR for a title push next season. The points deduction is 2026/7's problem.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I suspect the City verdicts will blow everything to pieces anyway - either they get off and the Premier League and its various rules will have lost all credibility, or they get punished to moderate severity or worse and I imagine they will either just ignore the verdicts or try to leave the league, or something equally middle fingery.

[Giggles]

I suspect the City verdicts will blow everything to pieces anyway - either they get off and the Premier League and its various rules will have lost all credibility, or they get punished to moderate severity or worse and I imagine they will either just ignore the verdicts or try to leave the league, or something equally middle fingery.

Probably needs it at this stage.

[AJ23]

How many will Newcastle score tonight?

[Ben]

This season we've got 2 of the top 4 or 5 most incompetent Premier League teams we've ever had.

What's the old saying? The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

At least the previous iterations of shite would recognise that fact and play accordingly, mustering 30 odd points in the process of going down. This bottom three would only just scrape 10th if you added all their points together.

[Lofty]

Basically Kompany playing expansive relegation football and getting the Bayern job has broke all their brains, look at Dyche crying.

[Magic]

This season we've got 2 of the top 4 or 5 most incompetent Premier League teams we've ever had.

What's the old saying? The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

At least the previous iterations of shite would recognise that fact and play accordingly, mustering 30 odd points in the process of going down. This bottom three would only just scrape 10th if you added all their points together.

I remember it well. The live relegation battle on sky sports news. All trying to get 35 points. What have we become.

[Gray Fox]

As if things weren't desperate enough for this season, the BBC have this morning posted a percentage breakdown of where each manager likes to stand in the technical area during games.

Just do a gentlemans agreement to end it now and all go home happy.

[John Arne]

Really? Like a technical area heat map? Fascinating stuff :D

[Ben]

Data has gone crazy. There's literally no point to that article.

[Gray Fox]

Really? Like a technical area heat map? Fascinating stuff :D

1909522960794447956

THE DATA, gone mad.

[Yevrah]

Kill me now.

[Pepe]

New managers will have to optimize their standing routines if they want a shot at a big job.

[Lofty]

This is possibly the best bit of being in a Champions League knock out glamour tie, the build up on a beautiful day, before the crushing inevitability lands.

[Yevrah]

This seemingly never-ending Jude Bellingham puff piece has left a small amount of vomit in my mouth.

[niko_cee]

How was that 'penalty' checked for so long?

Shame that chance fell to Partey. Tabloid headlines as yet unrealised (Partey Time, not something rapey).

[niko_cee]

Can Liverpool emergency loan Arsenal Nunez? It's painful watching Merino carthorsing around for them. The ref in this has definitely got dodgy decision in favour of Madrid written all over him.

[Bernanke]

Saka is tragic anytime I see him.

[Lofty]

The guy who has served up the best two chances Arsenal have had cooking their fullback on his first start in months?

[Bernanke]

Yeah him.

[Yevrah]

Saka is great.

[niko_cee]

Good to see Kompany's mob losing. I assume it was his idea for them to wear beige at home

[Luke Emia]

Can Liverpool emergency loan Arsenal Nunez? It's painful watching Merino carthorsing around for them. The ref in this has definitely got dodgy decision in favour of Madrid written all over him.

You want to see us win the league as quick as possible as well? A lot of things Arsenal need that useless fuck is not it.

[niko_cee]

Timber dropping the shoulder there to open up the back pass, rather than take the ball forward sums modern football up.

Saka looks rusty / not match fit but is still Arsenal's biggest threat.

[Yevrah]

This game is arse, but it's setting things up nicely for the second leg.

[niko_cee]

You want to see us win the league as quick as possible as well? A lot of things Arsenal need that useless fuck is not it.

:yawn:

[Waffdon]

Arsenal winning the CL is one of the things I’m not sure I’d recover from

[Yevrah]

Ok, that was luverly.

[niko_cee]

Choke 'em out lads.

1-0, 0-0.

[Yevrah]

Ok, this is obscene.

[niko_cee]

Lordy.

You could see the confidence he had from having scored the first.

Fully deserved.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jesus fuck Declan.

[Yevrah]

Why always me eh Jude?

[Waffdon]

For fuck sake

[Lewis]

I think he should have saved the first one.

[niko_cee]

:lol:

Amazing.

[Yevrah]

3 of the classiest goals in a single second half you could ever wish to see.

[niko_cee]

Thought VAR was going to chop that one off.

Good potential for some epic toys out of the pram from Madrid.

[niko_cee]

Very few things more satisfying than seeing Real Madrid get trolleyed.

[Yevrah]

Well, that was delightful, particularly against that incredibly precious bunch.

[phonics]

I think Rice has done himself in. Will sum up the season.

[Yevrah]

Is that the biggest win by an English team against them? I'm struggling to recall another? Man City maybe, but beyond that?

[niko_cee]

Liverpool did them 5-0 (1-0, 4-0) on aggregate back in the halcyon days of Alvaro Arbeloa.

[Magic]

We've won despite 2 perfect disallowed goals and also Burnley drew and Blunts lost at home lol. Hope after all.

[Gray Fox]

I mentioned that this Arsenal guise play exactly the right way to win the UCL and it seems it is coming to pass.

Would be good to see them win it. Their European record is quite the oddity in comparison to the rest of their trophy cabinet.

[Waffdon]

Get a grip. Them never winning a European title is hilarious and will hopefully never change

[phonics]

Arsenal winning the CL is one of the things I’m not sure I’d recover from

Imagine being this level of Dundee.

[Magic]

Just seen those free kicks. Damn.

[AJ23]

That's the 5th Champions League spot wrapped up for the Premier League.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The balloon of gold lobbying lawyers will have a hard job now.

[niko_cee]

All about the club world cup mate, and failing that, the equivalent of the vanorama wherever why flog him to in the summer.

[Ben]

Just seen those free kicks. Damn.

Hell of a game to be fair. Which was unexpected.

[Danny]

Twitter I know but :lol:

1909944544726036685

[Magic]

What game tonight lads?

[Raoul Duke]

Gotta be PSG vs Villa.

The other game seems a bit of a foregone conclusion

[Mike]

Apparently Salah and VVD have both agreed to two year deals.

[Shindig]

He might as well stay there until he breaks Rush's record. He's only <checks notes> 96 goals away. He might hit that before he's 40.

[Gray Fox]

I expect it will be made clear in statements or some such that these will be their final deals and they'll be leaving at the end of them.

I reckon the formal Trent announcement will come just before this so the good news softens the blow.

[niko_cee]

Good 15 minutes of shithousing from Villa. One sixth of the way there.

[Clunge]

This is a hard watch. I could watch Martinez's shithousery all night though :D.

[niko_cee]

:cool:

PSG are a bit build up for show scoring for dough, to borrow the parlance of another sport

[Manc]

Prince William. :drool:

[Clunge]

That was utterly sublime. McGinn interception, Rashford perfect through ball for Tielemans, inch-perfect cross, lofted finish from the angle by Rogers. World class.

[niko_cee]

Take it back.

He nearly did that against Liverpool.

[Clunge]

Tbf, that was utterly class by Doue too. Can't do much about that.

[niko_cee]

Looked like he totally shanked it / cut across it on the replay. Blame the ball.

[Ben]

On the subject of Virg and Mo. Their performances last night were quite alarming; I'm wondering if the contract extensions were completed during the international break.

https://www.skysports.com/football/video/30998/13345364/liverpool-closing-in-on-mo-salah-deal-but-real-madrid-confident-of-trent-alexander-arnold-move

Nailed it.

[niko_cee]

Disasi. :lol:

That was a costly yellow cash picked up.

[Ben]

PSG are a lovely team to watch. They'd walk the Premier League.

[niko_cee]

It doesn't work like that, they wouldn't. As wouldn't Bayern, or Inter or whoever else.

Is Rashford getting picked ahead of Watkins? He's been awful.

[Luke Emia]

PSG are a lovely team to watch. They'd walk the Premier League.

They are the best team Liverpool have played by a mile. I was listening to a podcast today and saying Arsenal could beat PSG easily pointing out they beat them well earlier in the season. Conveniently forgetting that they have signed one of the best wingers in the world since then and have improved massively since the end of last year.

[niko_cee]

Bit of a killer that goal.

[Clunge]

Suckerpunch. 3-1 is going to be tough to overturn.

[Lofty]

I actually don't think that result is the end of the world for Villa because Emery loves to sit on a slim lead forever in these cups so at least now they will have to go for it at Villa Park.

[Waffdon]

I think Emery of all people is absolutely not the person to diss in European knock out games lol

[Lofty]

Hardly dissing him, he got knocked out by United trying the same thing a few years ago and when he did get to a final with Arsenal it was a drybumming. Sitting on a 1 goal lead over 2 legs is a dangerous game, I don't think if Villa won 1-0 tonight they would have been able to sit in for a goalless draw next week but that is absolutely what he would have aimed for.

[John Arne]

Just seen the lineups from last night. Did Emery overthink it and just try too hard to be different? Dropping Watkins and Asensio (and Onana to a lesser extent) seems like a bonkers decision.

[Ben]

Dropping Asensio did seem odd to me. But if they don't concede that injury time goal then 2-1 down going into the home leg isn't a horrendous situation to be in.

[Waffdon]

Maresca benched half his team at the weekend to keep them all still on the bench aside from Palmer in this game. The bloke is insane

[Shindig]

This cup run is powered by Waff's seethe.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Onana proving Matic right.

[Kikó]

He's absolutely toilet. He needs releasing on a free.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Leny Yoro :cool:

Lovely header.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Good to see that Lacazette is still wank.

[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.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Garnacho is a fucking twat.

[randomlegend]

That rabona pass from Fernandes was obscene.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He loves this competition.

[randomlegend]

Fucking Onana man :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I can't with him any more.

[Manc]

Mentality midgets.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1910216567117271496

:lol:

[John Arne]

Salah has extended. Decent.


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

2 down, 1 to go, although it sounds like van Dijk is also going to sign on shortly.

[Gray Fox]

I am told Virgil has signed and they're currently getting the photos/announcement ready.

[Gray Fox]

If any 2 of Newcastle, Chelsea or Villa have a strong run in, City could be fucked.

[Waffdon]

Villa still have to play Man City and Newcastle but I think how well they do is determined by the PSG game. Newcastle in theory have the hardest schedule left to be played since they’re away to Brighton, Villa and Arsenal as well as playing Palace and Chelsea. Think city and Newcastle trip themselves over the line. Chelsea need to win at least one away game and I can’t see that happening (unless Forest are guaranteed 3rd/4th by last game of season)

[Waffdon]

If any 2 of Newcastle, Chelsea or Villa have a strong run in, City could be fucked.

Good job kopite

[Gray Fox]

Might be a moot point at this rate.

[Shindig]

Yeah, our run in is sketchy. Everyone bar Ipswich could be a potential slip. But then again, our results sheet is littered with unexpected wins and terrible, terrible defeats.

[Magic]

Blunts bottling it is tremendous. :drool:

[Gray Fox]

This Kevin fella seems alright.

[Magic]

Blunts bottling it is tremendous. :drool:

:harold:

[Manc]

Hide the sandwiches.

[Shindig]

At this rate, someone could snatch 2nd.

[niko_cee]

Of little consequence, other than the all important prize money.

Another game where Arsenal racked up sub 1 xG. They desperately need to win the European Cup and then buy an attacker.

I see the beeb have fifth place locked in, where does that leave the rest of the places - 6th theoretically wafer and then 7th conference, which could slip to 9th if the FA Cup winners finish higher in the league than that? Would like to see Brighton back in Europe.

[Shindig]

I think that's the gist of it. I believe we can get a 6th CL spot if Man Utd win the Europa League. 7 if Villa win the Champions League and miss out on a top 5 finish.

[Gray Fox]

Arsenal have bigger fish to fry now. They did look like a team that had given a lot into a game in midweek.

They should just use the league games to ease Saka back to fully fit for the CL. He could make that difference to them winning it or not.

[niko_cee]

This Kevin fella seems alright.

What on earth was the wall / goalkeeper effort up to with that freekick?

[Danny]

1911054395862573285

These trends are usually a bit shit but this one cracked me up.

[Ben]

My cricket club are doing it in a “guess the cricketer” thing on Instagram. I branded it pathetic but it came across a bit old man yelling at clouds.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c77nvz7r0vmo

Onana DROPPED.

[Shindig]

It's all adding up to a shock United win. Unless Tindall turns out to be a secret genius.

[Magic]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c77nvz7r0vmo

Onana DROPPED.

It works. The impact a shite, untrustworthy goalkeeper has on the whole team is fucking wild. More so than any other player. Because what's the point in working really hard knowing it's going to get chucked away by something totally stupid.

We've been much better since dropping Smeslier.

Edit: p.s hope it doesn't work for you.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bayindir is wank so it wont work for us.

[Giggles]

Out of the squad altogether is quite the jump.

[Magic]

Bayindir is wank so it wont work for us.

Darlow doesn't exactly inspire confidence either but he doesn't do insane shit or make totally idiotic mistakes and that alone makes a massive difference.

Edit: apart from once yesterday but he got away with it.

[Manc]

Onana is an egomaniac. Just look at his Cameroonian exploits.

[John Arne]

The links to Zion Suzuki are quite bizarre, given that he is very Onana-like with somewhat regular gaffs.

[Kikó]

Rumours Thomas 'Tom 'Heaton is starting today as well.

[wullie]

Our almighty surge into the playoff positions coincided with Brad Collins being dropped after being responsible for all of Portsmouth's goals in a 4-1 defeat, then proper goalkeeper Oliver Dovin came in and we were a lot more settled. He's fucked his ACL so Collins came back in and this happened in his first game back

1908508928175939767

[Shindig]

Keepers. They're an absurd breed.

[Magic]

Why are they like this? Like the Labour party. All that have to do is not to do insane, stupid shit and yet...

[Gray Fox]

This is all set for a terrible game of Barclays with nothing at stake.

Robertson dumped to the bench and Nunez jettisoned from the entire squad in favour of a 3rd goalkeeper on the bench.

[niko_cee]

The 'Darwin' experiment is clearly very much over. I'm sure that'll make the Saudis gag to pay over the odds for the big lummox.

[John Arne]

Could've swore I just saw Ward-Prowse intentionally grab the ball with both hands and not get booked.

[Gray Fox]

He's ruined that left back 2 or 3 times in the last few minutes and that was glorious.

[Gray Fox]

I can hear the furious typing of Waff from here.

[John Arne]

Can we get Endo on the pitch pronto, please.

[Gray Fox]

This has been so very bad.

[John Arne]

West Ham should be furious that McAllister got away with that foul.

[Gray Fox]

Now why have they had to wait to concede to actually have a go? Baffling.

[Gray Fox]

West Ham should be furious that McAllister got away with that foul.

Absolutely. VAR should be able to go and chalk that off, but here we are.

[Shindig]

Gateshead appear to have sorted out their form a little. Two wins on the bounce have given them a six point buffer in the play-off race. 4 games to go.

[John Arne]

Straight red for Mbappe, and very well deserved, too.

1911432991076761843

[SincereTheRebel]

Four prem league wins in a row for Wolves. First time ever.

[Kikó]

Man united finishing 17th and qualifying for the CL :drool:

[Danny]

Didnt think Garnacho had an intelligent side footed finish in his locker.

[igor_balis]

Out of the squad altogether is quite the jump.

To be fair I think it's almost more embarrassing for a dropped keeper to have to sit on the bench, probably better for all concerned that he's kept totally out of the limelight , rather than constantly having the camera pointed at him, the poor useless bastard.

[Magic]

Loooool. Must be the coaching.

[Manc]

Anthony Gordon looking like your Nan.

[Shindig]

He's got Baz's problem of having a mop of hair far too big for his head.

[igor_balis]

He looks a bit like Mae Martin.

[Gray Fox]

Newcastle getting top 5 this season could be the springboard they need to become a permanent fixture of the top 4/5, rather than relying on a bad season from one or several of the above.

The likes of your Isak, Tonali and Livramento would likely be top targets for some of the big boys if they dont. I can't see any moving if they do, unless a Barcelona/Madrid come in.

[igor_balis]

Are Forrest gonna bottle it?

[Gray Fox]

Their GD is going to work against them I reckon. It's that tight, it could come down to an extra goal here or there in a win/loss.

[Shindig]

The Run Ins

Forest
Spurs (a)
Brentford (h)
Palace (a)
Leicester (h)
West Ham (a)
Chelsea (h)

Newcastle
Palace (h)
Villa (a)
Ipswich (h)
Brighton (a)
Chelsea (h)
Arsenal (a)
Everton (h)

Massive City
Everton (a)
Villa (h)
Wolves (h)
Southampton (a)
Bournemouth (h)
Fulham (a)

Aston Villa
Newcastle (h)
Man City (a)
Fulham (h)
Bournemouth (a)
Spurs (h)
Man Utd (a)

Chelsea
Fulham (a)
Everton (h)
Liverpool (h)
Newcastle (a)
Man Utd (h)
Forest (a)

Everyone's going to drop points in that lot.

[Waffdon]

Newcastle and Man City absolutely piss it now

[Gray Fox]

It was the battle of the potential Liverpool LB signings tonight. Not the greatest game but I feel like Kerkez is an absolute shoe-in. Robinson has been better but age and price are likely both higher for him.

[phonics]

If I was FSG and I'd surrendered to Michael Edwards whims to the point I'd promised to buy him another football club to keep him busy because I thought he was a data driven scout and he came to me with two left backs in in the same league that were also owned by billionaires. I think I'd be hovering over the mutual termination button.

[Gray Fox]

Michael Edwards hasn't been in charge of transfers for several years at this point. He's off supposedly eyeing up Malaga if you believe the latest twitter talk.

Richard Hughes is the guy in charge of signings these days.

[Jimmy Floyd]

For a holiday, or to work for the club currently placed 17th in the segunda?

[Gray Fox]

Probably holiday first, then to buy said club.

[Gray Fox]

That's probably that for this tie then.

[Shindig]

I can't believe we battered PSG last season. Almost did the double over them. Villa are just nowhere near them. I might have to revoke Luis Enrique's binman status.

[Magic]

Can't get the match anywhere, fuck Prime.

[Gray Fox]

This Adeyemi has a big feel of a Theo Walcott.

[Manc]

Surely not.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That save was banging.

Villa to win it all?

[Lewis]

I would rather win 3-2 and go out like this than on penalties to that fat wop.

[Clunge]

Donnarumma keeping PSG in this. We're rampant. My heart is going mental.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Another two massive chances.

[Ben]

Gotta be an all-time HT team talk from Emery.

[Clunge]

Fuufufukcfkkfkfkckkk.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a block that was.

[niko_cee]

So unlucky to have that blocked. Best volley he'll ever hit.

[Spoonsky]

Would have been an all timer that one.

[Clunge]

Tiote vs Arsenal vibes that Maatsen shot. GAH. So close.

[Lewis]

Imagine if Arsenal stuff this. The 'Mentality Midgets' lols would echo through eternity.

[Gray Fox]

If Arsenal do not go through tonight Arteta should be sacked tomorrow.

I think they're fine though.

[niko_cee]

Newcastle turning up the heat in the Top 5 race. :cool: