[FOOTBALL] Weekend Fixtures (6th/7th February 2016)

[Max Power]

Ten man Valencia have a goal chalked off for offside. Poor Gary

[Giggles]

Back to Sky.

[ScousePig]

I've read a lot about how Borthwick-Jackson runs like a mong, so I'm looking out for that.

If Sralex had a problem with Henderson and his 'gait', he'll be having kittens over Borthwick-Jackson.

[Magic]

Still 0-1?

[Smiffy]

Painful.

[Toby]

Miazga might get a run out sooner than planned of that's as bad as it looked.

[simon]

That looked horrid.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lingard :drool:

What a beast he is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All United deserve, we have been rank bad.

[Toby]

That'll be that then. Great finish.

[Lewis]

Jesse Lingard looks like Alice the Goon, and he'll probably start for England in the summer with all our other favoured options dead or religious.

[Kikó]

Lovely finish.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pedro needs to be humanely euthanised. His Barcelona career perhaps football's greatest ever long con.

[Max Power]

Martin Tyler at his cringy best today.

"Sprawling Smalling!"
"Best shooting since Jesse James!!"

[Lee]

That Jesse James comment was so crowbarred in as well. Twat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was going to say, Sky should employ someone just to sit behind him and taser him when they reckon a pun is coming.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Depay is monumentally useless for about 90% of the time.

[Ian]

We were asking for that. Pathetic.

[Lee]

12 points ahead of 5th now. :cool:

[Magic]

Lol @ pretending you'd settle for fourth.

[Lee]

Are you mental I'd be fucking delighted with 4th.

[SvN]

Depay's fault that, the abysmal twat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Major burglary getting a point there although we did have a few openings. Depay is of an insufficient standard to play for a club like United.

30 points!

[John Arne]

The ref should have added another 30 seconds for the Herrera sub, really.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

4 v 2, Depay gives the ball away and Chelsea go straight down the other end and equalise.

[Reg]

Pedro needs to be humanely euthanised. His Barcelona career perhaps football's greatest ever long con.
He was properly good for Barcelona.

[Toby]

Ah well. I expected nil nil I'm the run up so that'll do. The Watford result is the shitter - I'd predicted when Smiffy was suggesting the past three games might be a tough run that they would get seven points. Still to lose since Hiddink came in which sadly represents good progress.

[SvN]

4 v 2, Depay gives the ball away and Chelsea go straight down the other end and equalise.

Hopefully that will see him never kick a ball for us again and be sold in the summer for about £8million. What a disaster he's been.

[randomlegend]

That was actually a pretty decent game. Lingard is my man :cool:

[Jeet]

That's the 4th place trophy wrapped up. Time to give Wenger a new contract.

[Magic]

Fucking hell Costa justifying his transfer for me in injury time. :D

[simon]

Geoff Shreeves bringing the pain once again. :D

[Kikó]

Decent performance but subs made a negative impact again for united. It's better but fourth is gone.

[Giggles]

Decent performance but subs made a negative impact again for united. It's better but fourth is gone.

With Spurs and Leicester sitting in the top four, it's not gone for anyone right down to Liverpool.

[Giggles]

Neville gone then?

[Davgooner]

He's better than Zidane.

Wondered what we'd end up with today given the shite number of tickets on offer. Not too bad in the end, and a nice few renditions of Viva Lazio in the second half.

[Reg]

With Spurs and Leicester sitting in the top four, it's not gone for anyone right down to Liverpool.
No chance Leicester are dropping out of the top four.

[Davgooner]

That's the 4th place trophy wrapped up. Time to give Wenger a new contract.

Reckon he's gone at the end of the season whatever the result this season. Possibly one more year if they want to wait on a few managers becoming available.

[ScousePig]

Lol @ pretending you'd settle for fourth.

Remember last month when you were going to be amazed if Leicester managed more than 10 points for the rest of the season?

They've got 13 already.

[CJay]

Remember last month when you were going to be amazed if Leicester managed more than 10 points for the rest of the season?

They've got 13 already.

:D

Forgot about that. Wasn't he then giving it large after they drew 1-1 with Villa?

[ScousePig]

:D

Forgot about that. Wasn't he then giving it large after they drew 1-1 with Villa?

I mean nobody believed what he was saying would actually happen, but they'd surpassed it by the start of fucking February (less than a month after he proclaimed it).

[Magic]

One of those, lads. Even the best have them from time to time. Chelsea still looking good for finishing ahead of them, though.

:eyemouth:

[Jimmy Floyd]

He was properly good for Barcelona.

321 games and 99 goals, or so they say, but based on his performances for us I think quite a few of them were probably scored by somebody on the grassy knoll, or 'mes que un knoll' as it's known in those parts.

[SvN]

I know Cleverley has been doing quite well this season, but....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/everton/12145449/Roberto-Martinez-hails-Evertons-sensational-Tom-Cleverley.html


'He is one of the most sensational players you are going to see in Premier League history', says manager

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Martinez seems to have been smoking something very good in 2016.

[SincereTheRebel]

Pedro is a good player, but he needs that bacrlona love. There was a discussion a few years ago about him being shit anywhere else put barcelona. As soon as the betting line opens, pedro will be moving back to barcelona in the summer. I truly believe that.

[Magic]

Paul Clement has just been sacked. :|

[Giggles]

Who's he?

[Byron]

Derby manager.

[Giggles]

I had actually forgot McClaren wasn't there when I read that first.

[Toby]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35525846

Scottish FA actually managing to fuck up a cup draw and having to start over again.

[Magic]

Celtic fans must be in uproar at being drawn against a stronger team second time round. Waffdon

:harold:

[Waffdon]

Delighted, lad.

Probably mthe favourite away day now. Scottish cup away day to top it off :drool:

[John]

They're a shambles. I'm hearing Andy Halliday might end up with a two game ban off the back of it.

[Toby]

There's not much point being so bitter when nobody on this board cares enough about Scottish football to really have an opinion on that incident.

[Waffdon]

They're a shambles. I'm hearing Andy Halliday might end up with a two game ban off the back of it.

Got yer home draw though, sir. The home:away draws since you boys reformed must be some reading

[niko_cee]

Seems an odd decision to sack Clement, although Derby are making a bit of a habit of looking the business before promptly turning to shit. Actually, thinking about it, it's a farcical decision.

[Max Power]

Apparently his football wasn't adhering to the 'Derby County way'.

Any ideas?

[Reg]

Winless in seven (in the league) would make a better reason.

"The Derby Way" sounds silly but Swansea are comparable in size, history etc and everybody accepts now that they have a way.

Clement is meant to be a very good coach so if he agreed to the "way" then you'd think he would be able to follow it. I haven't seen enough of them to judge.

[John]

There's not much point being so bitter when nobody on this board cares enough about Scottish football to really have an opinion on that incident.

That post was a joke.

The one the other day about Vardy being cautioned was genuine though, not because I'm bitter about what happened to Halliday, but because I genuinely think he'd have been slammed for it. Everything to do with football in this country is an absolute shambles at the moment, nicely summed up tonight by an inability to correctly do a fucking cup draw.

[Max Power]

Winless in seven (in the league) would make a better reason.

"The Derby Way" sounds silly but Swansea are comparable in size, history etc and everybody accepts now that they have a way.

Clement is meant to be a very good coach so if he agreed to the "way" then you'd think he would be able to follow it. I haven't seen enough of them to judge.

What is the Swansea way?

[Reg]

Short passing, safe possession.

They still do that, I assume. They certainly did for a good six or so years.

[Max Power]

They certainly appointed similar style managers for a bit but I assume that's out the window now with Guidolin.

It's absolute wank in most instances though. Just say you sacked him because you weren't happy with results. You've spent £30m and the early signs are you're gonna bottle promotion again so you've sacked your inexperienced manager.

[Reg]

I would think that's the real reason. With the silly TV money (even sillier) now in the PL, it might turn out to be a cruel but good decision if they go up.

[Lee]

Winless in seven (in the league) would make a better reason.

"The Derby Way" sounds silly but Swansea are comparable in size, history etc and everybody accepts now that they have a way.

Clement is meant to be a very good coach so if he agreed to the "way" then you'd think he would be able to follow it. I haven't seen enough of them to judge.

Derby and Swansea are definitely not comparable in size and history. Derby are a much, much more prestigious club.
I'm a bit surprised to see he has been sacked, he is doing an okay job.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Owners don't understand how hard a league the Championship is. They've all got pound signs for eyes looking upwards.

[Magic]

It is such a shit league, filled with plodders like us that don't understand or employ proper tactics. That makes it difficult to beat the shit. We ended Derby's run and they haven't won since.

[Mellberg]

Sounds awesome. Can't wait.

[Lee]

I loved Championship football. Obviously things are great now for different reasons but for supporters it's better down there. Easy to get away tickets, better (more interesting) places to visit, more home games, more midweek evening games.

If I were watching for the quality of football or tactical ability of coaches I'd have given up years ago.

[Giggles]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/09/premier-league-visual-identity-2016-17-season?CMP=share_btn_tw


http://i.imgur.com/gloYYqZ.png

[Jimmy Floyd]

“We are very pleased with the outcome: a visual identity which is relevant, modern and flexible that will help us celebrate everyone that makes the Premier League. We look forward to sharing more details of our new positioning in the coming months.”

What is it about any conceivable logo that determines its relevance or irrelevance?

[Giggles]

I didn't get to read through fully. Is that the logo or is that 4 alternate logos?

EDIT: Ah I see now.

http://www.the42.ie/new-premier-league-logo-2592857-Feb2016/

[Toby]

Why are those Premier League logos placed asymmetrically on an old Windows logo?

[Giggles]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/mauricio-pochettino-to-manchester-united-tottenham-manager-rivals-jose-mourinho-for-united-job-a6862306.html

Poor Jose.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Smallpockets would better suit The United Way, I fancy.

Mourinho should go to PSG, bide his time, have a run at winning the Champions League with them and then wait for the next decent job to come up or for football to trend back towards limited full backs and touchline bans.

[Giggles]

He seems to be doing a decent job at Spurs and you could see him as a long term thing at Utd rather than a 2-3 year thing like Moruinho would be. Though I think they'd be better with the latter for a couple of years and see then if the Tottenham thing has fell flat or not. They're always going to be able to get him then if they want him.

[Max Power]

Mourinho would descend further into madness at PSG I fear. Who's he gonna fight with? They'd win the league by Feb and he keep going to Man City games to stalk Guardiola.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon Guardiola going to manzhshtsiteh will put ynytid even further off Mourinho because of that contrast. A more turgid style with worse players in such a RIVALRY is no good for their position in the Vietnamese cheesy snack market.

Porto are having a mare at the moment...

[phonics]

697012474680369152

[Toby]

How have they calculated that "match price" to make Arsenal's lower than several others? Surely having the most expensive season ticket means they cost the most per match as well?

Ah, includes cup games.

[phonics]

Includes Cup matches and our Carling Cup games are 15 quid.

[Toby]

It's for 26 games.

[Weaver]

A new badge has been announced for the Premier League this morning:

696981422687453184

[Davgooner]

Lol.

"Also, we're going to up next season's ST price slightly because you get to watch Barcelona in a couple of weeks."

[John Arne]

How does that work? Do they just set the price at the beginning of the season and it's hit and miss regards the cup run, or it the next seasons ST adjusted to make it back?

[Toby]

That video looks like they've just copied Android's adverts.

[Davgooner]

How does that work? Do they just set the price at the beginning of the season and it's hit and miss regards the cup run, or it the next seasons ST adjusted to make it back?

You get refunded for games which aren't used.

[Reg]

Derby and Swansea are definitely not comparable in size and history. Derby are a much, much more prestigious club.
I'm a bit surprised to see he has been sacked, he is doing an okay job.
Well I should have said "recent history, current size". It's not really relevant what happened when Clough was there; more important is what they've done in the last decade or so.

[Giggles]

More I see it the more I like it, it's clean. Black or dark blue would have done though.

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/pic-if-you-thought-the-new-premier-league-logo-was-bad-the-shoulder-patches-are-far-worse/63640


697015935253790722

[Toby]

I lolled at the head of design saying the process had been to "make something that works for an app icon and worry about the rest later". I saw Creative Review post about it on Twitter and assumed it was them slating it, but it was an actual quote they seemed sort of impressed with.

It does actually look fine when not weirdly cropped as in Guardian image upthread.

[Giggles]

Still seems strange not having a main sponsor but I presume they'll just have multiple partners like the NFL does.

[Disco]

It'll be for some horrific reason like 'Brand Clarity'. Actually it's because they have a crap-ton of cash and want all the reflected glory for themselves.

Also lol at the guy who said it's lost its grandeur, get a fucking life mate it's a logo that everyone will forget about by tomorrow (sorry phonics but it's true).

[Jimmy Floyd]

You'd think the trend will swing back away from 'minimalism' and icon-friendly images when the graphic designers realise that anyone with Photoshop and an hour on their hands could design the same stuff for a gazillionth of the price.

[randomlegend]

Di Maria scored two absolute peaches for PSG at the weekend. We really should have handled him better. Mahow can suck my nuts, he's a great player.

[John Arne]

The lion looks like Cornelius from Planet of the Apes.

[niko_cee]

So Clement was sacked for wanting to be promoted this season and for having a too short-term view of how progress should be made? Erm, ok.

[Spoonsky]

I like that new logo, and I like the fact that they're not replacing "Barclays" with anything in the name.

[Lewis]

Is the league not getting another sponsor? Even if you refused to sell it to Arabs they could surely get a monstrous deal these days, and whilst people might applaud the PURITY of not doing so they could give it all away to local football if they wanted to get into gestures.