Feb Footy: Southend United and football's demise

“I'd rather take a cheese grater to my cock [than watch Southend] at the moment.” - Spikey M, 05/01/2020.

Australia is ablaze, China’s insistence on eating bat arseholes has doomed us all and Jim Davidson has unveiled a portrait of “Mr Brexit.” But it’s not just everything else that’s catastrophically shit, football is too! And I can think of no better way to illustrate this than the state of Southend United.

How many managers have these cunts had?
The number of managers Southend United have had since Sky invented the sport in 1992 is a microcosm of the state of football as a whole. Any sense of permanence or stability is a myth as a series of men named Barry, Colin and Steve come and go. 20 managerial appointments in 28 years is typical of football in the 21st century, though with crowd trouble and racism on the resurgence perhaps the wider football community should take a page out of Southend’s book with their appointment of minority candidates such as Sol Campbell, Chris Powell and of course Phil Brown.

Which bastards are funding all this?
Why, the betting firms of course. If they’re making all the money off people’s weakness and probably involved in all sorts of corruption then of course Southend should get their slice of that delicious pie. It’s fine, because Paddy Power do loads of banter so they must be top lads. Southend being reduced to this having spent the last few years displaying the names of the Amy May Trust and Prostate Cancer UK can is, like so much at Southend United, a reflection of bigger clubs like Barcelona. If Barca, Mate have gone from having no shirt sponsor blighting their sacred shirt to taking that sweet Japanese tech money via Unicef and human rights abusers what choice do Southend have if they want to stay afloat?

So which bellend owns this rabble, anyway?
Well according to Wikipedia it’s Ron Martin who has (genuine Wikipedia quote here) “the most magnificent head of hair out of all 92 professional club chairmen” so he must be alright. But even a barnet as lustrous as his can’t hide the fact that an increasing number of football clubs are owned by, if not actual dictators, massive bellends.

With all this money swilling about they must be doing alright though, surely?
Wrong! They have suffered repeated financial difficulties and recently had to pay players directly from the owner’s pocket. With a handful of rich clubs setting the terms and throttling progress elsewhere Southend are just one club that perfectly displays the financial inequality that’s making life so difficult for many teams. Do you stay sustainable and settle for disappointment or push your financial boundaries and risk both the winding up of the club and your chairman not having enough money to adequately care for his magnificent hair*?

* I still haven’t Googled him, I’m just assuming Wikipedia isn’t lying to me.

So just how much does it cost me to go and watch this shower of shite? According to the most recent stats currently available (BBC’s 2017 Price of Football survey) a Southend ticket is between £22 and £25, by the time you factor in a programme to give you something to read instead of looking at the pitch and enough pies to take your mind off the fact that you’ve willingly chosen to attend a Southend match I estimate that a parent and two children going to the game would need to spend in the region of £350 every Saturday. And this isn’t even that bad! It merely holds up a mirror to the spiralling costs being forced onto fans who want to go and watch their beloved team of indifferent millionaires every week.

In Conclusion? If this detailed thesis hasn’t proven to you that football is a load of old bollocks and you should just stay at home watching Netflix then nothing will. Come on, sheeple!

Back by popular demand, the month’s big fixtures!

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Saturday 1st February - Southend United vs. Lincoln City - 15:00

Saturday 8th February - Blackpool vs. Southend United - 15:00

Tuesday 11th February - Peterborough United vs. Southend United - 19:45

Saturday 15th February - Southend United vs. Coventry City - 15:00

Tuesday 18th February - Southend United vs. Gillingham - 19:45

Saturday 22nd February - Southend United vs. Burton Albion - 15:00

Saturday 29th February - Oxford United vs. Southend United - 15:00

I've all but given up on football at this point. I think VAR being a shower of shite was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Then you have clubs like Bury going under while we allow clubs like Man City to go mental spending tens of millions on squad players. It's just wrong.

Birmingham are a total laughing stock now. The ownership are so incompetant it's actually quite mesmerising watching it all happen. The result is I have absolutely no interest in the sport whatsoever any more.

Im in manchester red for the wolves game. Im struggling to think of any man utd fans on TTH that I may recognise by face. If I do see you, it's onsight.

Fantastic stuff Ian. To address the main theme of your thesis: it is a very nice head of hair indeed. So nice, that Ron Martin and Gordon Ramsey actually have a time share on it.

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https://www.echo-news.co.uk/resource...es/1925421.jpg

Of course it often comes down to choosing between bathing it in Treseme or paying the tax man, but it's the FA's fault if you really think about it.

Kepa benched for Chelsea.

:happycry:

This is usually when you find out why the likes of Penis Horseman are second choice.

On another note, I'm currently in a mystery location full of Liverpool fans (Sandbach services on the M6) and they really are disgusting animals. One of them just gobbed in the middle of the floor.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

This is usually when you find out why the likes of Penis Horseman are second choice.

On another note, I'm currently in a mystery location full of Liverpool fans (Sandbach services on the M6) and they really are disgusting animals. One of them just gobbed in the middle of the floor.

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They are leaving it late to get to Southampton in less than 3hrs. Also, Sandbach was my local services, and is one of those service stations with a "secret exit" #TrueFacts. I guess you are on the southbound side?

I'm on the northbound side so I can only imagine that the 20 grown adults and about 10 kids in Mo Salah shirts are very lost indeed.

The secret exit must be very secret or else everyone in this dung hole would surely be making a beeline for it.

Tammy Abraham is shit.

BT too scared to call that a dive.

He hit his knee, but was offside anyway. No idea why Chelsea refuse to put Reece James on every set piece

Mason Mount needs punted back to the championship

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Im in manchester red for the wolves game. Im struggling to think of any man utd fans on TTH that I may recognise by face. If I do see you, it's onsight.

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You might see Manc Sean if Lewis hasn't murdered him.

Caballero :harold:

Chelsea are dying to give everyone below them a chance to steal 4th. If this sticks though you'd imagine that's the top 3 sorted.

And that's a quality header.

The idea that Kepa is shit is the biggest myth going, and I don't just say that because of his dreamy eyes.

Does that Europa Cup 2.0 style competition come in next season?

UEFA Conference League. The jewel in the crown.

Watford v Everton team news
Watford (4-2-3-1) Foster; Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Masina; Chalobah, Capoue; Pereyra, Doucoure, Deulofeu; Deeney.
Everton (4-4-2) Pickford; Sidibe, Mina, Holgate, Digne; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Delph, Iwobi; Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Newcastle v Norwich team news
Newcastle (3-4-2-1) Dubravka; Fernandez, Lascelles, Clark; Yedlin, Bentaleb, Hayden, Ritchie; Almiron, Saint-Maximin; Joelinton.
Norwich (4-2-3-1) Krul; Byram, Hanley, Zimmermann, Aarons; Tettey, McLean; Rupp, Duda, Cantwell; Pukki.

Liverpool v Southampton team news
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Southampton (4-2-2-2) McCarthy; Ward-Prowse, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand; Romeu, Hojbjerg; Djenepo, Redmond; Long, Ings.

Crystal Palace v Sheffield United team news
Crystal Palace (4-3-2-1) Guaita; Ward, Cahill, Tomkins, van Aanholt; McArthur, Milivojevic, McArthy; Ayew, Zaha; Benteke.
Sheffield United (3-5-2) Henderson; Basham, Egan, O’Connell; Baldock, Norwood, Berge, Fleck, Stevens; Sharp, McBurnie.

Bournemouth v Aston Villa team news
Bournemouth (4-3-3) Ramsdale; Smith, Francis, Ake, Rico; Gosling, Lerma, Billing; H Wilson, C Wilson, Fraser.
Aston Villa (3-4-2-1) Reina; Konsa, Mings, Hause; Guilbert, Nakamba, Luiz, Targett; El Ghazi, Grealish; Samatta.

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid team news
Real Madrid (4-1-4-1) Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Casemiro; Valverde, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Benzema.
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2) Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Felipe, Lodi; Correa, Thomas, Llorente, Saúl; Vitolo y Morata.

Looks as if its 2021. Arsenal fans have plenty of time to prepare.


As for today, I see Southampton have gone for Shane Long. I feel like he always scores against Liverpool without actually having seen any stats to back this up.

American pundits staring right down the camera when talking really is disconcerting. Talk to each other, weirdos.

Haaland again.

I'm going to rue saying he won't amount to much, aren't I?

Liverpool looking shaky at the back in the 5 mins I have been watching. Southampton just making shit decisions and not finishing well enough.

Southampton should be 4 up here. Luckily Redmond can't shoot and Alisson is quality.

Potter's wankball is taking Brighton down.

Hard to pick three teams likely to finish below them in the league.

Thank fuck for Alisson so far.

Southampton impressive, but sloppy passing has seen us try to set them up 3/4 times. Upsetting the midfield 3 by bringing Fabinho back in seems to have backfired. Ox on the left isn't really offering anything.

Sancho now has 12 goals and 12 assists this season, highest in the Bundesliga.

I've not seen any of today, but going off his past two appearances, Fabinho should be nowhere near the first team at the moment. Henderson is going great guns in there.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Thank fuck for Alisson so far.

Southampton impressive, but sloppy passing has seen us try to set them up 3/4 times. Upsetting the midfield 3 by bringing Fabinho back in seems to have backfired. Ox on the left isn't really offering anything.

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Nice assist.

Haaland again :drool:

And the Ox :drool:

Southampton definitely should have had a pen then :/

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Originally Posted by Danny

Nice assist.

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Okay let me try another one.

That Wijnaldum doesn't score enough goals for me...

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Southampton definitely should have had a pen then :/

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I didnt think it was a pen and I want you to lose every week :lol:

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Originally Posted by Danny

I didnt think it was a pen and I want you to lose every week :lol:

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:D I'll have to see it again. The initial challenge was good, but then I thought Fabinho caught him again...

I just saw another angle where he might have done actually. I honestly think it would have been soft.

Here you go...

https://gyazo.com/f7094ed1203444adad86b91e33667ced.gif

Also, can we sack Southgate for not persuading Haaland to play for England... #Brexit

On that angle I think I am with you. And as Henderson just scored I am turning this off.

Hard to tell whether he's down due to the contact or lost his footing. Could've went either way.

We're gonna win the league.

Lovely stuff.

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:happycry:

Everton with the proper FM'ing of Watford there.

I dunno how such a tepid 0-0 found us moving up to 10th.

Our Super Cup match against Hanoi has been postponed due to Coronavirus.

Liverpool: 100 points out of the last 102 available taken.

Thank christ West Ham are equal parts awful and generous. Hopefully they can continue to tank in their up coming 'hard run'. Some winnable games coming up for Brighton, but they usually only amplify the disappointment levels when they don't go the right way. Oh to win a 6-pointer.

So do we give Henderson the Player of the Season award now or must we wait for May?

Let's see what Nuno Nernandes can do with his fitness advantage first.

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Haaland again :drool:

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He also won a penalty too.

Smiffy's opinion is looking very Angelsaintesque.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuno starts.

Luke Shaw and 'Andreas' starting :sick:

Southend with their first home win of the season today. Well in @Ian. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Southend with their first home win of the season today. Well in @Ian. :cool:

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If I've saved Southend then the OP would suggest I'm also going to save football as a whole.

Am I just paying more attention to him or is 'Andreas' getting worse?

I've still no idea what he's supposed to be good at.

Similarly, is Fred actually getting better or is he merely the only one who goes with a bit of purpose?

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Originally Posted by Ian

I've still no idea what he's supposed to be good at.

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It’s not soccer anyway.

This is a poor game.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Similarly, is Fred actually getting better or is he merely the only one who goes with a bit of purpose?

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I think he actually is.... provided he doesn't touch the ball within 20 yards of the opposing goal.

Why are liverpool fans everywhere so giddy today? I know they’ve a lot to crow about this season but it was Southampton. Did they break some record or all but seal the league?

They've probably broken some sort of record. Another one seems to go every week at the moment.

I think 22 points is the most a team has ever been ahead in the league or something, maybe. Also equaled City's run of 20 home wins and off in pursuit of Shankly's record.

22 points is a record league lead.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

They've probably broken some sort of record. Another one seems to go every week at the moment.

I think 22 points is the most a team has ever been ahead in the league or something, maybe. Also equaled City's run of 20 home wins and off in pursuit of Shankly's record.

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That makes sense.

And because it's finally sunk in. Even for the most pessimistic of Liverpool fans.

Jesus, it should have been fairly obvious when it was clear there was no challenger. Even the ones they threw away were because another team could muster some wins, but this has been a cert for months.

Personally, as someone who despises every molecule associated with the club, them running away with it is easily the most tolerable way of them doing it, which was surprising to me. Plus them doing it by winning every game being out the window is a massive relief.

There's been a real reluctance to accept that even if they weren't completely steamrollering it and had had a wobble that there's simply nobody in the league this season capable of stringing results together over a lengthy period of time.

No more United games for two weeks. :drool:

Who was the mong at the end? Number 20 I think.

Dalot I believe.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Dalot I believe.

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He bad.

Wan-Bissaka slide tackle accuracy is 100%

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Jesus, it should have been fairly obvious when it was clear there was no challenger. Even the ones they threw away were because another team could muster some wins, but this has been a cert for months.

Personally, as someone who despises every molecule associated with the club, them running away with it is easily the most tolerable way of them doing it, which was surprising to me. Plus them doing it by winning every game being out the window is a massive relief.

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They're still well on course for the most impressive league season ever, and most impressive by a country mile.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

They're still well on course for the most impressive league season ever, and most impressive by a country mile.

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That’s true, they’re making hay. But a 100% season would be unheard of for anyone.

The main reason I’ve always had a soft spot for Liverpool is because all the spastics on TTH hated them so much

Mourinho and his bus would be a welcome sight tomorrow tbh.

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Originally Posted by mugbull

The main reason I’ve always had a soft spot for Liverpool is because all the spastics on TTH hated them so much

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Theres this big thing that when we win the league the fans will be awful. In truth we'll celebrate the day we win it, then have a parade around the city at some point to celebrate again, like very club does. Then it'll be all focused on winning the CL again. ;)

EDIT:
Also, Danny Ings is still rightfully loved at Anfield.

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Who would sign Andreas if he was on a free?

I landed at a second division Spanish team.

He's shite, at United and looking to be moved on, so a deal to Inter Milan seems nailed on.

He's got a move to Turkey written all over him.

If West Ham go this year they won't be back. Fingers crossed.

On the scale of 1-10 on the 'new managment regime' I think Mezut Ozil playing a game north of the Watford Gap and trying to win the occasional header scores a 17.

There's no stadium that does manufactured grievances better than Turf Moor.

I posted this and then saw Nick Miller has handily made a list.

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Arsenal fans, in the past, were serial offenders for the booing of high balls, one of the worst modern fan behaviours (up there with the 'ah your shit' after a goalkick routine) so nickmiller79 can get fucked with that critique.

That period where they SEETHED themselves to death over all things Stoke could be seen as having foreshadowed the referendum result.

I keep wondering if anyone's going to make a break from the mid-table stalemate but I could probably only see Southampton carrying anything close to form.

Sheffield United for 4th, and Chris Wilder for manager of the year after Klopp wins every single manager of the month award.

Ah, just seen he didn't get October. Presumably that was the month Liverpool drew a game.

Most Arsenal players are also a bunch of petulent, play-acting, faux macho knobheads. Similar to Real and Barca, in that respect.

These are all perfectly reasonable points. To you all I say, "Booooo".

If Arsenal don't win today isn't that one win in eight league games for Arteta?

Is Dani Ceballos still alive?

Wikipedia still talks about him in the present tense.

WengerIn

45 seconds before they got to boo. Poor from the Burnley fans.

Burnley are clearly going to get skanked here, they've missed an inexplicable number of chances.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Theres this big thing that when we win the league the fans will be awful. In truth we'll celebrate the day we win it, then have a parade around the city at some point to celebrate again, like very club does. Then it'll be all focused on winning the CL again. ;)

EDIT:
Also, Danny Ings is still rightfully loved at Anfield.

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Yeah not like the fanbase unironically dined out on the 2005 champions league win for ages. You might be one of the more measured ones but Liverpool seem to have an abundance of annoyingly loud tit fans.

Arsenal in dire need of the winter break I think, get the new players involved and a proper crack at the pre-season Arteta never had. Even if they don't win or even lose here can't deny the peformances arent much improved.

Apparently Watford's Joao Pedro is a nonce: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...ating-21414368

Did I just see the Arsenal assistant manger with a pair of sunglasses clipped onto the front of his t-shirt?

THIRTEEN draws.

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Did I just see the Arsenal assistant manger with a pair of sunglasses clipped onto the front of his t-shirt?

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Yeah, I was wondering what was going on there as well.

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Originally Posted by phonics

THIRTEEN draws.

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Its not that bad.

:D

https://youtu.be/IPVYpFuENE8

Is footybite down for others too? Any alternatives?

Found something

That's a red, surely?

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Originally Posted by phonics

THIRTEEN draws.

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always drives me nuts cause I always imagine "if only we found what 5-6 goals out of all these draws we'd win the fuckin league!" (though that wouldn't be the case this season, mind).

If you split them half and half, they'd be third.

That VAR delay is insane. What if City had scored in the interim? Would it have been disallowed in favour of them having a penalty?

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

That VAR delay is insane. What if City had scored in the interim? Would it have been disallowed in favour of them having a penalty?

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Yeah this is the absolute worst use of VAR i’ve ever seen. Fucking hell

I'm confused how football works tbh

I mean Lloris has certainly fouled Sterling right?

All worth it for that Mike Dean yellow card walkabout. Shame he didn't end it at Sterling, having already bypassed him on the outbound leg.

And no, that was the most looking for it of Harry Kane specials on the part of Sterling. Never a penalty. He was on his way down before what little contact there was.

Lloris well off his line as well. :harold:

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Originally Posted by mugbull

Yeah this is the absolute worst use of VAR I’ve ever seen. Fucking hell

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In the Spanish second divison today with girona vs fuenlabrada

67 - sends off player A for a high boot
69 - goes to VAR
70 - referee overturns decision
71 - had to wait for player A to come back on as he went down the tunnel
72 - player A gets sent off again as he came on and went head2head with opponent players

:cab:

If you split Liverpool into 2 teams of 'Liverpool Home' and 'Liverpool Away' then Liverpool Home would be in 5th with 12 games in hand.

Madness.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

If you split Liverpool into 2 teams of 'Liverpool Home' and 'Liverpool Away' then Liverpool Home would be in 5th with 12 games in hand.

Madness.

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Have to be the best team in the modern era (since sky invented the game).

City must be approaching some sort of record on the missed penalties front, although I keep thinking Sterling missed that one against Wolves which didn't count.

City :harold:

What the fuck is Lloris doing though?

I never want this season to end.

Lol

Harry Winks has started to grow on me these past few months

I suspect Mourinho will absolutely be loving this.

Might as well take what he can get these days.

Do City know that they are 2-0 down? Passing around at the back when you are 4-0 is fine - but when you need a goal - perhaps play it forward once in a while.

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Quality.

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Uche :D

Every time I've seen that Cancelo he's been dire.

Fifty Five Million quid. I have to assume there was something incredibly dodgy about where that money ended up going.

I just saw that Angelino who they let go on a free and bought back a year later for 16 million is now at Leipzig on loan. Another eyebrow raiser.

Also if Liverpool win the next 6 games running, they'll win the league at Goodison park, with a trip to the Emptihad just after to receive the guard of honour.

It's like a Liverpool fan has written this story at this point.

By the way, is this year the best argument against a 'league where anyone can beat anyone' is a good thing. Everyone just looks distinctly mediocre.

The more the way things are falling the more I’m happy Liverpool are winning this.

Now when you say everyone...

The xG on the two City-Spurs games this season must be something else.

Liverpool should stick in a bid for Laporte in the summer.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Now when you say everyone...

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You spent months fretting about every game saying you didn’t look good in the last one.

I like to think I've turned the corner. Full on enjoyment mode now.

Can't wait for the next 2-3 months where they wax poetic about the days they didn't think all of this could really be possible.

Wax lyrical?

Maybe not.

It is odd watching games from a non-terrified perspective. It is obviously a good thing, but there is something in the dread.

Just lose one game please. It's all I ask. Just one.

Maybe they'll lose to Arsenal towards the end of the season.

You'd have to think that if they go far into the Champions League then they'll rotate heavily. That's the main reason City racked up their mammoth points total that season, they had nothing better to do.

They will lose one later on when they start resting people for the Champions League. Unless they prioritise their league record over a seventh cup, which would be mental.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

The xG on the two City-Spurs games this season must be something else.

Liverpool should stick in a bid for Laporte in the summer.

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City took over 30 shots in the Spurs area and scored twice, Spurs took 3 in the City area and scored four.

Won't see many bigger statistical anomalies than the second best team in the league winning it by twenty points.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Wax lyrical?

Maybe not.

It is odd watching games from a non-terrified perspective. It is obviously a good thing, but there is something in the dread.

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It’s the not having to flinch whenever someone has a shot that gets me, gotten so used to duff keepers recently that it’s refreshing.

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Its not that bad.

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I want 19.

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

:D

https://youtu.be/IPVYpFuENE8

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The fucking state of him.

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Originally Posted by -james-

City took over 30 shots in the Spurs area and scored twice, Spurs took 3 in the City area and scored four.

Won't see many bigger statistical anomalies than the second best team in the league winning it by twenty points.

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Almost as if statistical analysis doesn't really provide much useful insight.

On the xG thing, I am still fascinated by it. Is the player who has the chance factored into the equation? I assume it should be, but then you're just delving even further into the realms of the subjective, which kind of undermines the whole idea of the thing.

My earlier penalty pondering led me to this website and, I don't know how accurate all that is, but up until the turn of the millennium there look like there were about 5 missed penalties in the whole league per season on average. Even accounting for the fact that there are now more penalties the conversion rate seems to have tanked. Is that the 'keeper being allowed to move on his line, is it stats men predicting which way to dive (although the misses have gone up exponentially as well), is it modern players being gutless wankers? From 2005 onwards it's mental.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

That period where they SEETHED themselves to death over all things Stoke could be seen as having foreshadowed the referendum result.

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Tbf stoke fans booing Aaron Ramsey for having his leg broken by ryan shawcross is still my personal favourite of this genre.

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Originally Posted by phonics

Just lose one game please. It's all I ask. Just one.

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Won thirty-seven, dropped points to a toilet United. :harold:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

My earlier penalty pondering led me to this website and, I don't know how accurate all that is, but up until the turn of the millennium there look like there were about 5 missed penalties in the whole league per season on average. Even accounting for the fact that there are now more penalties the conversion rate seems to have tanked. Is that the 'keeper being allowed to move on his line, is it stats men predicting which way to dive (although the misses have gone up exponentially as well), is it modern players being gutless wankers? From 2005 onwards it's mental.

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I think the general standard of goalkeeping has improved. Obviously the top dogs are a cut above, but those playing for lower sides are at least in my mind, better than their counterparts of near 20 years ago.

Also helping is the fact that all of the takers penalties are able to be seen on demand, so a keeper could spend a session or two brushing up on their opponent before a game comes up.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

My earlier penalty pondering led me to this website and, I don't know how accurate all that is, but up until the turn of the millennium there look like there were about 5 missed penalties in the whole league per season on average. Even accounting for the fact that there are now more penalties the conversion rate seems to have tanked. Is that the 'keeper being allowed to move on his line, is it stats men predicting which way to dive (although the misses have gone up exponentially as well), is it modern players being gutless wankers? From 2005 onwards it's mental.

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It's younger Millennials/the Gen Z generation, they're mostly soft as shit. Also explains why there are so few leaders these days and why Mourinho's ability to manage has fallen off a cliff.

I came up with this theory in the pub while pissed last week and I'm sticking to it.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

It's younger Millennials/the Gen Z generation, they're mostly soft as shit. Also explains why there are so few leaders these days and why Mourinho's ability to manage has fallen off a cliff.

I came up with this theory in the pub while pissed last week and I'm sticking to it.

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Are you still pissed?

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Are you still pissed?

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Happy to take constructive criticism as to why it's wrong.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Almost as if statistical analysis doesn't really provide much useful insight.

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The point of statistics isn't to mirror reality. The insight in this instance is basically that City would more often than not win the league if you ran this season again.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

On the xG thing, I am still fascinated by it. Is the player who has the chance factored into the equation? I assume it should be, but then you're just delving even further into the realms of the subjective, which kind of undermines the whole idea of the thing.

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It is generally not. There are very few players who over or underperform xG by more than 20% so the effect isn't huge. Teams with better players do generally outperform their xG though, similarly Allison has meant Liverpool have absolutely beasted their xG against this season.

It really is just a more rigorous version of "City were unlucky today, on another day they score those chances and win".

He says, pleading with the bailiffs as they empty his flat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfB4KXGJegU

The retraction at he start of this is something else.

Oh and Sir Henry Winter's on it too.

Without about as much objectivity and proof as Yevrah, I claim that Gen Z are the greatest leaders out of any generation in history.

Conversion ranked has tanked because keepers have gotten better

Jesus, it just goes on and on.

:D

What the hell was said? Was that mook even chairing it? I thought I saw a bit of it and it had the lady presenter.

The one who chaired it is mysteriously off this week.

And it wasn't that bad, just very stupid. Using phrases like "everyone's got their fingers in the till" was daft.

I think Jonny Liew was on the last one, which normally increases the libel percentage by about four million.

Yeah, he was the one saying fingers had been in tills. The moron.

Daniel made his debut this weekend playing 1 minute in a 1-1 draw.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51350804

That Sky apology thing got me to thinking about Gary Neville getting all chippy when the sky presenter bod gave it the 'those are Gary's views' corporate line earlier in the season. Was that after the alleged racism at the Spurs-Chelsea game? Which apparently never happened. They should make Nevile do a montage apology for that seeing as presenterman was apparently right to try and be somewhat equivocal.

Very encouraging play from the youth team so far. I suspect Shrewsbury will pick them off on the counter with wiser heads, but good to see the effort.

Half expected him to miss that. :D

Shrewsbury with more fouls on Curtis Jones than shots. Pretty dominant from the youngsters so far and the visitors have started getting rougher with them.

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:drool:

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:drool: :drool:

The first one goes to absolutely nobody and the second one he goes down way too easily and clutches his untouched face.

And in those 2 clips he's still done more than half the Arsenal team this year.

Third one will be a screamer into the top corner. Or at least we can only hope.

Very good effort in the first half but we need to create a little more. Fully anticipating Shrewsbury to nick one but so far so good.

Nothing like SkIllz that end up in lost possession.

He'll be at Charlton by the time he's 23 and in non-league by 25.

LiVARpool rides again.

How was that Shrewsbury goal offside? Isn't the guy at the bottom playing him on?

This game misses Joelinton.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

How was that Shrewsbury goal offside? Isn't the guy at the bottom playing him on?

---

The lad who finishes it has his fingertips in front of the last defender when the first shot goes in.

EDIT: I didn't even see the defender below them. How have they missed that?

Remember when we disrespected the cup by winning! Easy that. :lol:

Fuck this Earth.

:D Fucking boss!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

The lad who finishes it has his fingertips in front of the last defender when the first shot goes in.

EDIT: I didn't even see the defender below them. How have they missed that?

---

Apparently it's something in the build up, but fuck knows what. It must go back to before when that replay starts as there's nothing ostensibly wrong with all that. The guy who eventually scores is offside when the first ball is played down the line, but there are several intervening events before he touches it so it can't be that, can it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

Fuck this Earth.

---

Heard Kelly’s was a peach.

They were both good strikes. As soon as Joelinton went off, we had nothing to aim for. Nobody wanted to take that role up.

Absolutely amazing. The kids took Shrewsbury head on and didn't flinch. Every one of them ran themselves into the ground.

Curtis Jones is going to be a star.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Absolutely amazing. The kids took Shrewsbury head on and didn't flinch. Every one of them ran themselves into the ground.

Curtis Jones is going to be a star.

---

Everyone including....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Van Der Berg really is a terrible player, youngster or not. .

---

JA, your doubts should be firmly erased my friend. :cool:

Well done on a truly ridiculous over-reaction. It's a bottom half League 1 team at home :cab:

That Van Den Berg lad cost more than their record signing.

Phew. Atsu made a big difference. Fully expect the baggies to turn us over but we're there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Absolutely amazing. The kids took Shrewsbury head on and didn't flinch. Every one of them ran themselves into the ground.

Curtis Jones is going to be a star.

---

You've won 1-0 on an own goal after a legit goal was seemingly incorrectly ruled out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

You've won 1-0 on an own goal after a legit goal was seemingly incorrectly ruled out.

---

LiVARpool init.

https://i.ibb.co/XyG048j/EP9vgr-MX0-AMqwrl.jpg

I'd be astonished if these Liverpool youths don't win a joint, 11-way Ballon D'or inside five years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Absolutely amazing. The kids took Shrewsbury head on and didn't flinch.

---

Today Shrewsbury; tomorrow Ludlow. Soon, all of Shropshire shall be theirs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Well done on a truly ridiculous over-reaction. It's a bottom half League 1 team at home :cab:

---

It doesn't matter how you try and present it. Youngest team in our entire history playing perhaps the biggest match of their career thus far against a team who supposedly felt cheated whilst knowing the entire planet seemingly wanted you to lose.

It's more the manner in which they went about it that was impressive. Our playing style is instilled throughout every age group and it showed.

Is it too early for knighthoods?

EDIT: For him as well, why not.

What is it with Newcastle fans and dicks, Shinners?

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Am I missing something, or did once again the commentators call 'Neco' 'Nico'? Surely it's pronounced Neck-o, no?

I mean some of them are still pronouncing Solskjaer wrong after two decades so let's not get our hopes up about them correcting their error.

Wow what a historic achievement from the mighty liverpool youngsters, actually feel humbled to be alive for an event of that magnitude.

Is the demise of the cup in part due to the BBC consistently selecting shit games?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

It doesn't matter how you try and present it. Youngest team in our entire history playing perhaps the biggest match of their career thus far against a team who supposedly felt cheated whilst knowing the entire planet seemingly wanted you to lose.

It's more the manner in which they went about it that was impressive. Our playing style is instilled throughout every age group and it showed.

---

Lmao fuckin hell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Is the demise of the cup in part due to the BBC consistently selecting shit games?

---

I would say it is entirely due to the cup representing a much lesser % of the total money available in football. I honestly don't think there is a single other reason except for that.

It's just dawned on me we've went to the Sixth Round in my football watching life than I ever realised. For me, it's not the money that's devalued the FA Cup but the way it's presented. Wembley semi-finals are dumb, playing the final on an evening instead of a sunny May afternoon, etc. And terrestrial TV doesn't devote three hours worth of build up to it any more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

Lmao fuckin hell.

---

You disagree where?

It was the youngster Liverpool side in history.
It was the biggest match of their careers to date (most, at least, perhaps not those that beat Everton)
Shrewsbury did feel 'cheated'.
Everyone was hoping Liverpool would lose because disrespect etc yaddy yaddah
The manner they went about the victory was indeed impressive
It was the same style of play we see from the first team, perhaps without the CB's spraying long direct balls up top.

:sorry:

Letting Arsenal and Tottenham play that semi at Wembley in 1991 was the beginning of the end.

(Though really it’s the money).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

It's just dawned on me we've went to the Sixth Round in my football watching life than I ever realised. For me, it's not the money that's devalued the FA Cup but the way it's presented. Wembley semi-finals are dumb, playing the final on an evening instead of a sunny May afternoon, etc. And terrestrial TV doesn't devote three hours worth of build up to it any more.

---

I don't think it's even that. Those older than ourselves it would be more tradition, those around our age it was the next viable trophy after the league and those younger, it's just a shitty domestic cup and most have seen European glory before FA Cup glory. Unless you support Arsenal, of course.

Plenty of little things have devalued the FA Cup but none of them would matter in the slightest if you got a giant heap of cash for winning it.

Qualifying for Europe used to be that pot of gold.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

Qualifying for Europe used to be that pot of gold.

---

Which begs the question, when the Europa Conference starts, just how much of a back seat will FA Cup taken?

And the league for that matter. "No, you finish 8th, our squad won't cope, no you, no, you."

I know why it would never happen, and the fair arguments against it, but I'd love the 4th champs league spot to go to the fa cup winners.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by igor_balis

I know why it would never happen, and the fair arguments against it, but I'd love the 4th champs league spot to go to the fa cup winners.

---

It wouldn't really change anything though, would it? Wigan and Portsmouth are the only two who would have competed. I might be wrong but haven't the winners always been or ended up in the Champions League anyway? At least in the last 15-20 years.

But like the Europa League it would put a different light on the FA Cup, plus give whoever the odd out of the Top 6 even more incentive, especially if they've had a really bad season leading up to January for example.

CL: Top 3, FA Cup winner (Top 4 if FA Cup winner is 1-3)
EL: FA Cup finalist, League cup winner, 5th place

:D?

I mean, do we have issues with the top teams winning cup competitions or .... Say what you want about Man City but their impact on the Premier League made the cups more valuable for the rest of the top sides. Hell, the losing finalists haven't always been top sides themselves. Watford, Villa, Palace, Stoke, Portsmouth, Hull all in the last decade.

It makes total sporting sense, in 4-qualifier countries, for the 4th spot to go to the cup winners. It would even make some more money overall by introducing the climactic jeopardy of win-or-bust football.

The reason it will never happen is that the top clubs wouldn't want to risk losing that revenue to Watford or whoever based on the results of one game. For the top 6/7, it's a better percentage to come top 4 than it is to win the cup.

Most of the 'top clubs' aren't going to finish in the top 4 so maybe now's the time to strike that deal.

That needs to happen. It's worked wonders for the Europa League.

The Premier League would block it in a heartbeat.

Would it not also effect the countries four spots when the likes of Watford, Villa, Palace, Stoke, Portsmouth, Hull etc get knocked out at the first hurdle each year?

You've got a European Cup winner in that list kidda.

Think of the Goals, Skills & Assists Neymar or Bayern Munich could stick on Watford in the group stage. That would easily double the broadcast revenues.

Some Newcastle fan has been banned for life for getting his knob out and helicoptering it at opposition fans.

Meanwhile a Bournemouth fan has been banned for 3 years or racist chanting.

I honestly don't see the problem with dicks/tits/vag/whatever in a non-sexual context. Get over yourselves.

Winner of the Copa Del Rey for the Champions League?

Quality from Walcott and Bernard.

Commentators absolute indignation that loan players aren't allowed to play against their parent clubs always a surprises me - seems somewhat logical to me.

If it wasn't a rule clubs would put it in the contract anyway, wouldn't they?

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Strange. Even stranger because they all either hit the woodwork or are blazed wildly over. It's like the definition of insanity in penalty shootout form.

I see little arms was up to his old tricks again today. And by old tricks I mean being shite.

Crewe with a 98th minute winner :D

Did I just hear on the news that Everton are edging towards the CL places? I thought they were heading for relegation last time I noticed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

If I've saved Southend then the OP would suggest I'm also going to save football as a whole.

---

Annnnnd we're shit again.

RIP football.

Well I'm even so far so let's not jump to any conclusions.

Leverkusen-Dortmund is a cracking game. Currently 2-3.
http://60fps.live/bayer-leverkusen-v...urce=footybite

EDIT: VAR overruled. 2-2

I've been watching for 5 minutes and both sides have breached suicidally high lines to get through on the goalkeeper.

Havertz misses a sitter and Dortmund go up the other end and score.

:cab:

Yup, defending has been awful by both. Agadou is a proper bombscare. Think both teams have hit the post twice each.

What on Earth is this game?

Man, the Pearson train's derailed.

Achraf Hakimi is such a good player. Shame he belongs to Real Madrid.

Verona beat Juve 2-1 which means inter can go top if they beat AC later.

Looking at West Brom trying to take that corner, it should have been called off too.

Fuck we really need a player like Molumby to kick on.

:/

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Werner's just missed an absolute sitter against The Gestapo.

Deary me.

I love whoever's doing co-comms alongside, I think, Derek Rae. Has to be the most German person going. There is no nuance.

Edit: apparently it's Jens Lehmann.

Ashley Young starting at fullback in the land of catenaccio and all that jazz is heart warming stuff.

lol at Inter

And I see things are going well for the Barca Binman on his old stomping ground.

Buggering my bet up the pair of them!

Things are looking up then.

Cracking hit by Brozovic.

Very up.

Ridiculous header. 3-2' inter

Mental game. Until he popped up with an assist for the second I had no idea Sanchez was playing, and now he's off to be replaced by Eriksen.

Sanchez always looks strange to me and I don't know why. My mom always used to tell me never to trust a man who does not have any hair on his face. Maybe that's the reason...

Why don't Barcelona just get a proper manager in? Arsene Wenger would probably win the Champions' League with that lot.

Most things there seemed to be based around presidential politics. Thank God we don't have that. Chopper Harris running a populist campaign against the ghost of Matthew Harding every three years.

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I'm checking betting markets for that one.

"And Ken Bates returned from Mount Mason with these ten commandments ...."

Lyon have pulled 2 goals back and are losing 3-2. Barca and Betis have both gone down to 10 men wkity 10 minutes left. Goals or all the place

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Joaquin is playing for Betis as the number 17 and the captain's armband.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Very up.

---

Had £2 on four games, cashed out for £147! Most I’ve ever won! Was too much of a wimp to hold on

Meet Yangon defender Ernest Aboubacar. 27 years old.

https://gyazo.com/85ad547db41b115bc07acb3aadc58476.jpeg

:D

What happened that Lazio player who was 14, but look 42? I read all these stories about youth players who are older than they claim. But surely if they were older, it would clearly show in there age group and development.

Edit: Joseph Minala 23 currently on loan at Bari doing fuck all.

I see City's game is back on next week, ruining both their winter break (lol) and the chances of a sneaky fantasy football double gameweek (not lol).

:D After waiting what feels like 10 years to finally launch, Inter Miami may have to now drop the 'Inter'.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ami-mls-soccer

AC Miami

There's nothing cringier than American teams trying to sound European. 'Real Salt Lake', do me a favour. Call them the Reno Screeching Burger Stompers and get on with it. Authenticity >>>

Let's not forget Sporting Kansas City. At least the San Jose Earthquakes have the right idea.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thommo

At least the San Jose Earthquakes have the right idea.

---

It’s a hilarious name. Someone should found a Canberra Wildfires

Beckham should have just used Miami Fusion II.

Miami Vice FC.

Quote:

---

Inter Miami (for now, anyway) are scheduled to play the first home game in club history on 14 March against LA Galaxy after opening with back-to-back road matches at LAFC and DC United

---

:sick:

MLS have had a shitty week, what with Nashville also having big stadiums issues. They were only awarded a franchise due to building a soccer specific stadium - and now they can't get permission to build it.

Everyone's favroite Orlando City Soccer Club enjoyed a 1:0 victory in preseason against Thierry Henry's Montreal Impact last Saturday though :drool:

American rugby league teams have the best names. They've tried to copy Australian and English teams, who themselves tried to copy American teams decades ago, so you end up with some right twice translated bollocks.

Rangers shit the bed again after beating Celtic at New Year. What a sight.

We've been dreadful since coming back from Dubai.

Good to see Gerrard outing himself as shite before anyone started getting ideas of him replacing Klopp further down the line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Good to see Gerrard outing himself as shite before anyone started getting ideas of him replacing Klopp further down the line.

---

He's done nothing of the sort. He'll be a brilliant manager in three or four years, once he's got enough experience under his belt to change the game with subs and switch to plans B and C. He might not be the next Liverpool manager, but he'll definitely manage them at some point.

You'll have to forgive me. I saw the title had been bottled and assumed it was him.

Do you get the feeling he'll stick around until he gets it right there?

I would imagine so, unless an offer from the Premier League comes in.

I'm not sure they're BOTTLING it anyway. A ropey run of form but the competition is a tram who always win the league by a country mile so while that's who you have to beat not being as good as them is not necessarily shameful.

That said Gerrard seems to think they're BOTTLING it and and he's more of an expert on the matter than me.

Sky Sports did a poll for a combined Liverpool 2020 and Man United 1999 side.

Quote:

---

Combined XI: Schmeichel, Alexander-Arnold, Stam, Van Dijk, Robertson; Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs; Salah, Mane

Subs: Alisson, G Neville, Henderson, Firmino, Cole

https://www.skysports.com/football/n...20-combined-xi

---

I would probably pop Cole or Yorke in ahead of Mane to head in the dozens of stupidly accurate crosses from Alexander-Arnold and Beckham.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reg

Sky Sports did a poll for a combined Liverpool 2020 and Man United 1999 side.



I would probably pop Cole or Yorke in ahead of Mane to head in the dozens of stupidly accurate crosses from Alexander-Arnold and Beckham.

---

I’d choose Mané over Salah every day of the week. Not even close.

United should have both of the full-backs, and it should be Mane and Firmino up front.

*Generic Manchester United 1999 would lose 8-0 to Liverpool 2020 post*

Feels like Wolves have a goal disallowed every week through VAR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Feels like Wolves have a goal disallowed every week through VAR

---

It really is getting go levels now

Good to have Liverpool back today.

Danny Ings:D

Good goal from him to make up for it though, and that's a cracker from Vydra.

Klopps sides have seemed to always struggled in windy weather. Interested to see if this carries on today.

We're not bad at this football game you know.

Fitting that it was 25 years ago when you'll probably get to do the same again this year (though most likely against the Germans this time).


https://www.balls.ie/football/lansdo...ad-riot-359144

Wrecked Matt Le Tissier's England career that game.

Shame they didn't manage to kill Terry Venables in all the rioting, the massive twat.

lol if you think that's happening again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Wrecked Matt Le Tissier's England career that game.

Shame they didn't manage to kill Terry Venables in all the rioting, the massive twat.

lol if you think that's happening again.

---

England v Germany in Dublin? There aren't enough lols that you think it won't. Hopefully we'll have some sort of backup crew like the time the orange tried to march in it.

I had thought England played all their games at home, but I see the last 16 and QFs would be at other locations.

There are probably as many pissed up English folk in Dublin tonight as there would be for a game there, and I'm not sure it's much of a combat 18 crowd anymore, even if they do manage to herd their worst behaviour together.

Did England B play Ireland (B?) at some point around that time? That's another odd game that sticks in the memory.

There was one in Liverpool but it was a year or two earlier.

What the fuck is Alderweireld playing at today

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mugbull

What the fuck is Alderweireld playing at today

---

Great finish at the other end though. Both defences piss poor, as has been some of the finishing.

What a shocking mistake from the Villa defender. Son scores in the 93rd. Reina has to do better than that though.

Villa's defending was completely all over the place in the bits I saw, they did well not to concede several more.

That's a huge three points for Tottenham tbf but Villa were the architects of their own downfall. You can't see too many proper winnable games in their next few fixtures. Southampton (a), Leicester (a), Chelsea (h), Newcastle (a), Wolves (h), Liverpool (a), Man United (h). Perhaps four points at a push?

Quite a few of the teams down there seem to have horror runs of games at the moment.

Only team that is horrid to face is Liverpool in this league

Watching Arsenal against Newcastle is some seriously tough viewing. 0-0 on the cards?

Yeah, let's right this one off. :moop:

If Spurs somehow miss out on 5th then I'd love for us to sign Son. Seems a very Klopp player.

He'd cost more than Mbappe with Levi doing the negotiating.

I don't think I've seen a more talented Asian player, to be fair.

I was reading earlier about some record Cronaldo was in danger of breaking for consecutive goals in Serie A, then I see he didn't feature at all today. Did Sarri just leave him out?

:D

Think it was Batistuta's record so glad it still stands. Bet there's some seethe going on there if he was left out.

Ashley Young terrorising Serie A. :roflol:

So, Marega of Porto was racially abused in a game tonight. He decided to walk off the pitch. The rest of his teammates instead of showing support, shouted at him and tried dragging him back when he was trying to leave the pitch.

Took him a couple of minutes to get off as he was obviously emotional. Soon as he left the game continued as if nothing had happened.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

I was reading earlier about some record Cronaldo was in danger of breaking for consecutive goals in Serie A, then I see he didn't feature at all today. Did Sarri just leave him out?

:D

Think it was Batistuta's record so glad it still stands. Bet there's some seethe going on there if he was left out.

---

I don't even think it's all that impressive given the amount of penalties involved.

Apparently he asked to be rested anyway, boo.

Got a lot of time for Lazio after watching that game. What a bunch of misfits on a mission, manager included. I'm quite enjoying these Serie A Sunday evenings, having probably not watched a game from Italy for about 10 years.

Cursory lol at Real Madrid, City really ought to absolutely spanner them whenever the play.

Celtic done them home and away with a virtually full strength team. Scotland’s back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

I don't think I've seen a more talented Asian player, to be fair.

---

Please

https://www.abc.net.au/news/image/91...x2-700x467.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_...er_of_the_Year

In footballing terms, Australia is not Asia. They just play against Asians.

I’m hoping he did that deliberately and isn’t that thick.

This is Sincere. He'll think about it, decide he wasn't being thick and then call me a pussy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

That's a huge three points for Tottenham tbf but Villa were the architects of their own downfall. You can't see too many proper winnable games in their next few fixtures. Southampton (a), Leicester (a), Chelsea (h), Newcastle (a), Wolves (h), Liverpool (a), Man United (h). Perhaps four points at a push?

---

Agreed. Think we might struggle and four is about right. I'd say one against Chelsea and three against Liverpool.

The opposite, surely.
In the footballing terms, Australia definitely is Asia (the link you posted even has an Australian winner).

The question is whether Australians should be considered when generally discussing 'Asian footballers'. I think they should be now, but can understand the reluctance when discussing historical figures.

Interested to hear @Queenslander thoughts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

This is Sincere. He'll think about it, decide he wasn't being thick and then call me a pussy.

---

100% asian. 100% pussy.

He’s Australian so he’s not Asian. Where he plays doesn’t come into it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

He’s Australian so he’s not Asian. Where he plays doesn’t come into it.

---

Should Irish players therefore be considered foreigners in the Premier League? :D
I get your point, but I think It's a little more nuanced within the context of football. Just look at the likes of Guyana, Suriname, Israel and Kazakhstan.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Should Irish players therefore be considered foreigners in the Premier League? :D
I get your point, but I think It's a little more nuanced within the context of football. Just look at the likes of Guyana, Suriname, Israel and Kazakhstan.

---

Of course they should.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Here is the Porto racism incident mentioned above. Otavio and Henriques should feel fucking ashamed of themselves. Disgraceful teammates.

View Tweet

---

What were those thick cunts of team mates at? He should have decked 3 or 4 of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

What were those thick cunts of team mates at? He should have decked 3 or 4 of them.

---

Yup - awful behaviour. Excuses already coming out. "They were trying to calm him down so he didn't get a second yellow card". "They didn't want the racists to win".
Imagine being racially abused in a bar, and when attempting to leave, your "mates" start screaming at you and dragging back into the bar to finish your pint.

The twat with the man bun especially needs a good slap. Absolute madness though, he clearly wanted off and all of them pulling and dragging out of him, even one of them making the ’loopy’ sign.
Like you say, how they try paint this should be laughable.

That Son goal was just sickening. No one to blame but ourselves, but still, absolutely gut-wrenching after such a brilliant game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

I’m hoping he did that deliberately and isn’t that thick.

---

Plus....
https://www.lfchistory.net/images/pr...yer_kewell.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

The opposite, surely.
In the footballing terms, Australia definitely is Asia (the link you posted even has an Australian winner).

The question is whether Australians should be considered when generally discussing 'Asian footballers'. I think they should be now, but can understand the reluctance when discussing historical figures.

Interested to hear @Queenslander thoughts.

---

We are definitely asian when it comes to football. I would consider the current under 23s to be Asian footballers.

It is hard to get across how big the Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai communities are down here especially during the world cup and asian cup years. The sub continent blokes dont like football.

Since when is a nationality "when it comes to football" a thing?

And more importantly does United being European "when it comes to football" mean I can ignore a lot of the Brexit bollocks? Because if the made-up hogwash isn't going to work in my favour then I'm not interested.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

Since when is a nationality "when it comes to football" a thing?

And more importantly does United being European "when it comes to football" mean I can ignore a lot of the Brexit bollocks? Because if the made-up hogwash isn't going to work in my favour then I'm not interested.

---

I guess when a country like Australia changes Confederation halfway through their existence.
It may be different for Queenslander, but for me, Australia is basically Asia anyway - it doesn't feel like a seperate continent - and feels more contected to East Asia than countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia.

I see what I have done. :moop:

We are an Asian country if I was to attempt to explain my opinion to an American or European.

You're not, on any level.

As a European I can tell you that shit does not need explaining. Australasia is its own continent, not Asia.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

He’s Australian so he’s not Asian. Where he plays doesn’t come into it.

---

His country play in asian football tournaments. In the scope of this conversation, Cahil is up there as one of the best asian players to ever do it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

His country play in asian football tournaments. In the scope of this conversation, Cahil is up there as one of the best asian players to ever do it.

---

Australia also take part in Eurovision, but it doesn't mean they're European. Cahill is not an Asian footballer.

They've got one of those pick a combined side things on the BBC website for United and Chelsea. Really highlights how few decent players both have got. Think I ended up with some weird 3-3-3-1 formation as otherwise you're essentially having to commit to one of their leftbacks, all of whom are dreadful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thommo

Australia also take part in Eurovision, but it doesn't mean they're European. Cahill is not an Asian footballer.

---

If Australia take part in Eurovision and do well. Then Australia are one of the best eurovision players.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

They've got one of those pick a combined side things on the BBC website for United and Chelsea. Really highlights how few decent players both have got. Think I ended up with some weird 3-3-3-1 formation as otherwise you're essentially having to commit to one of their leftbacks, all of whom are dreadful.

---

I think that's unfair to Williams. He'll be starting ahead of fatboy every game next season.

He should be doing this season, but...

As if to prove my point the final analysis has an ageing centre-half turned rightback there. Williams would have been a better shout. Also lol at Abraham getting in.

Barcelona have been given permission from La Liga to sign a striker, despite the league being outside of the transfer window, due to the injury to Dembele. What a joke league.

Never noticed how much Tim Cahill and Alexis Sanchez lookalike.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Please

https://www.abc.net.au/news/image/91...x2-700x467.jpg

---

https://s.hs-data.com/bilder/spieler/gross/50628.jpg

https://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/files/2015/02/RIQUELME.jpg

I don't see it at all. That's just racist.

I've missed something here because I'm not sure why you've posted either of them.

Pedro-Batshuayi-Willian is as good as it gets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Pedro-Batshuayi-Willian is as good as it gets.

---

At what?

I’ll leave that to you to decide. Not sure scoring goals would be the appropriate answer though

I've just noticed that we have the same amount of points as Man Utd and Chelsea combined.

:D I’d missed this. He must have been out the day they were handing out brain cells.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020...k-lads-remark/

“Speaking on BBC Radio Derby's Sportscene Podcast, Ramage said:

Quote:

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When I look over and I look at certain players, their body language, their stance, the way they act, you just feel, 'whoa, hold on a minute - he needs pulling down a peg or two'. So I'd probably say that about all the young black lads.

---

"

View Tweet

Lol

Yeah, you'd think whoever else was presenting/producing when he said that would have been on him fairly quickly to 'clarify' what he meant, so presumably those people hate him and just let his media career quietly slide down the shitter. What a div.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51537554

Heh. I hope it's true.

Kante hasn’t half turned injury prone.

Maguire :lol:

Son's red card count in the past year would have gone from 3 to 0 if we had had these VAR judges at our games

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Yeah, you'd think whoever else was presenting/producing when he said that would have been on him fairly quickly to 'clarify' what he meant, so presumably those people hate him and just let his media career quietly slide down the shitter. What a div.

---

I thought this because, it being a podcast and all meant it went through an editing process but looking at how local that production is, I doubt the kid putting it together even listened while editing.

That’s as clear as a red you can get.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mugbull

Son's red card count in the past year would have gone from 3 to 0 if we had had these VAR judges at our games

---

He broke a blokes leg and won on appeal. Please don't try the woe is me shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

That’s as clear as a red you can get.

---

Yeah, really not getting how that wasn't deemed sufficiently dangerous. :cab:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51537554

Heh. I hope it's true.

---

Barcelona's brand = Messi. If Bartomeu doesn't realise that then they deserve to lose him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

He broke a blokes leg and won on appeal. Please don't try the woe is me shit.

---

He didn't break Andre Gomes's leg, lolwut

I've missed Bailly, what a man.

Sorry. Multiple fractured ankle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Sorry. Multiple fractured ankle.

---

:D

Go watch a replay of the incident again and then have a sleep

Was it Taylor who gave a foul against Chelsea when the Spurs 'keeper karate kicked someone? Booking Willian for that was laughable. A foul as clear as day.

This game is definitely in the so bad it's good bracket.

Lovely header and a surprisingly decent cross by AWB.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Pedro-Batshuayi-Willian is as good as it gets.

---

I was wondering why Chelsea went and bought Ziyech the other day (thinking they had quite a few attacking midgets) but now I get it.

I love how Pedro slows to a standstill every time he gets the ball, patiently waiting for the galloping Azpilicueta to slowly overlap for a terrible left footed cross.

Fair play to Martial - didn't think he had that in him.

Batshuayi is fucking tragic. Would score 40 in the Championship but just not good enough for serious football.

Bossed it in Germany . . .

Every time you see that Maguire one it becomes more inexplicable how he stayed on the pitch.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Batshuayi is fucking tragic. Would score 40 in the Championship but just not good enough for serious football.

---

Lampard being anti-Giroud is proof that he's a bad manager.

Just checked and it seems the only trophy Lampard won after Giroud joined the league was a Europa League Trophy. Man is jealous of big Oliviers trophy cabinet.

Fred pushes Azpilicueta as much as he then pushes Williams there. VAR's having a bit of a shocker tonight.

That's a terrible decision. A clear push from Fred led to Azpilicueta doing that.

Fred pushes him into him.

VAR on the payroll tonight

I'm not watching the game but I'm glad 'physical contact in football hasn't made sense for years' viewpoint is coming to the fore.

Regardless of the decisions, Chelsea will struggle to get top 7 at this point.

Super Frankie Binman's pulling a reverse Sarri this season.

Please. Fred tickled his back at best.

Aye, just like Maguire tickled Batshuayi's balls in the first half.

:D

Fucking hell United haven't half been lucky tonight.

Thought that was nasty and Maguire got away with one, tbf.

That 'wall' looked fairly inexplicable and was.

Maguire's explanation of the ball kick is amazing.

Both VARs were right. Fuck off.

Red card was bollocks mind.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Both VARs were right. Fuck off.

---

You’ve visited Fife too much. Making you go crazy, my guy

Two hands into Williams and a snide offside. What's the issue?

VAR still crap but at least it was quickly crap.

Azpilicueta only put his hands out to "stop himself falling into Williams".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Maguire's explanation of the ball kick is amazing.

---

"I studs firsted him in the balls to stop him from falling over. If anything, it was for his own safety."

I know he can't admit to it otherwise the charge is in the post but really? Do you think they have a PFA lawyer on hand for those sorts of situations?

lol a goal off a corner. Chelsea want folding letting one of them in.

They let a lot of them in apparently. 1 in every 8 they face (or maybe 11), which seems mental either way.

1 in 120 for Liverpool.

Somehow about Liverpool...

I haven’t been around here for a while, but I’d like to register my (rather vanilla, I suppose) view that Andreas Pereira is likely the least gifted United player I’ve seen in years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

lol a goal off a corner. Chelsea want folding letting one of them in.

---

Was checking something and found out that United have conceded the second least goals from 'Open Play' and the (joint)third most goals from set pieces. Get Tony Pulis in and you lot are golden.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

They let a lot of them in apparently. 1 in every 8 they face (or maybe 11), which seems mental either way.

1 in 120 for Liverpool.

---

The average is 1 in 14 so it's not that wild. They're actually the 9th worst team at conceding from set plays (I can't find specifically corners). Villa have conceded almost double.

While looking for the stuff above I also came across a 'Goals against according to minutes' table which is quite amusing just to look at Villa. They're tight for the first fifteen minutes of games, get distracted and fall apart but regroup for injury time, and then repeat that for the second half.

Meanwhile Wolves concede a quarter of all their goals in the first fifteen minutes and barely let one past them in the second half.

This Carragher-Keane combined XI is comedy gold.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Was checking something and found out that United have conceded the second least goals from 'Open Play' and the (joint)third most goals from set pieces. Get Tony Pulis in and you lot are golden.

---

That sort of thing adds weight to the good set-up shit players argument.

Although United is a hard game for us because they are perfectly suited to playing against us, and although the officiating was an Ovrebo-level farce, this is the point where our shite squad is catching up with us a bit. We have done the season the wrong way round as if we'd been 8th all year and were now storming through then everyone would be really positive, even though we'll end up on the same points total we were always going to.

4th still could be achieved because none of the others are much better and we burgled a few results early.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

We have done the season the wrong way round as if we'd been 8th all year and were now storming through then everyone would be really positive, even though we'll end up on the same points total we were always going to.

---

This is me, I started looking up what our next 8 games were and building points tables going into the international break.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

We have done the season the wrong way round as if we'd been 8th all year and were now storming through then everyone would be really positive, even though we'll end up on the same points total we were always going to.

---

In other circles this is what gave rise to the phenomenon sometimes referred to as 'the graph'.

Son played the full 90 with a broken arm. Legend. He's out for some time now though so maybe it wasn't worth it

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Although United is a hard game for us because they are perfectly suited to playing against us, and although the officiating was an Ovrebo-level farce, this is the point where our shite squad is catching up with us a bit. We have done the season the wrong way round as if we'd been 8th all year and were now storming through then everyone would be really positive, even though we'll end up on the same points total we were always going to.

4th still could be achieved because none of the others are much better and we burgled a few results early.

---

I think both teams were pretty poor and offered very little in the first half but at the same time I think Chelsea were unfortunate at times, Willian getting booked for diving when it was a foul, probably just outside the box but still. Maguire not getting his marching orders as there's no difference in what he did and what Son did except a great deal more pain but the biggest issue for Chelsea was starting Batshuayi which ironically, I loaded up Livescore just to copy and paste his name and it turns out the Somali translation for Batshuay is insane which is quite apt. Insane that he's considered a top flight footballer.

I still think you'll get 4th/5th as Man United are unlikely to string a run together, Arsenal have won just once in God knows how long and Tottenham's task just got a little harder due to Son being injured. Bizarre stat though, Spurs have taken more points than anyone else bar ourselves since Mourinho took over. :cab: Bonkers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

This Carragher-Keane combined XI is comedy gold.

---

How Carragher is still on tv after spitting on underage girls, i dont know.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

Bizarre stat though, Spurs have taken more points than anyone else bar ourselves since Mourinho took over. :cab: Bonkers.

---

Aren't they level with City having played a game more? But yeah, everyone's been shit since whenever that happened. Well, more shit.

Have they played anyone apart from City that's above 15th in that time?

They lost to Liverpool.

And to United maybe?

Yep. Beat City and Wolves, the next highest position team that they've beaten in that time is Brighton in 15th.

On tonight's football, I may be slightly over-confident but I have a hunch we're going to brush Atletico aside instead of the anticipated low scoring match. It's really weird watching Liverpool and wondering where the next defeat is going to come from as I can say without much bias that we're truly a step above most sides at this moment in time. I'm all for an unbeaten season but given it's been so long I don't care all that much although I do think we should put some serious effort into chasing the treble as I think that would cement our current status as the best in the world. Three European Cup finals in three seasons...four out of five if you include the Europa League is some really good going no matter which club achieves it.

If I was to reflect a little further then I do sort of see how annoying I must have been over the years thinking this season would be our year etc as quite frankly we piss on every single side we've had since I've supported them. I would like to think it's over now but until these five league games are completed then I'm going to keep a low profile. :D

'Atleti' seem pretty shit, but then so are Napoli and their snidey defensive shite seems to be quite effective against Liverpool.

Fair but then I think if we met Napoli now as opposed to in the group stages then we'd have rinsed them. For all the praise we've got, I don't think we've even been 'that' good with the exception of a few games. Leicester at the end of December was probably the first match in which it all came together whereas our fixtures in January could have seen a few dropped points on another day. It makes a mockery of the whole weak league narrative given there's been a number of teams who have run us close. I'm still surprised that Napoli decided to get rid of Carlos and replace him with the fraud that is Gattuso.

Atletico have won less than half their league games this year, they're not very good.

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Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Origi, Matip.

Most predictable line-up in world football.

They couldn't have made it more obvious.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Yep. Beat City and Wolves, the next highest position team that they've beaten in that time is Brighton in 15th.

---

You seem to be getting jealous again tonight. Had a chance to look at Son's "leg breaker" by the way?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

You seem to be getting jealous again tonight. Had a chance to look at Son's "leg breaker" by the way?

---

There's a number of Everton fans on Twitter calling it karma....:cab: I mean, the video footage is as clear as day that it was from the collision with the ever useless Aurier.

Champions league knock-outs baby. :swing:

PSG and Dortmund sound like goals galore. 4 goals a game in recent games

:rave:

Liverpool need to win this in order to distract them from their unbeaten season attempt. I'm not having this.

All of this "lol Atletico are shit" in the build up proven wrong inside a few minutes, even if it was sloppy.

An away goal and a draw/1 goal deficit wouldn't be too bad from here.

Thorgen Hazard makes off season I can’t be bothered Eden Hazard look like prime Eden Hazard.

Is Salah totally incapable of standing his man up and going past him (or at least trying to)? He just doesn’t seem to do it anymore.

The one team you don’t want to allow to fart in a scrappy 4th minute goal is Atletico. This is going to be a long dull night by the looks of it.

How on earth does Danny Mills get paid to be a commentator? Absolute fucking dross - he must just flog himself out for a bargain price.

This now shows perhaps the one weakness in this lineup in that there's no real creative type in the middle. I see why we score more with the Ox there.

Neymar is so much better than everyone on this pitch. It’s such a shame he’s a cunt. He should be Michael Jordan level.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Neymar is so much better than everyone on this pitch. It’s such a shame he’s a cunt. He should be Michael Jordan level.

---

Isn't Neymar one of the best, most popular, most recognizable, highest-earning players in football?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

most popular

---

I'd debate that heavily.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Isn't Neymar one of the best, most popular, most recognizable, highest-earning players in football?

---

So is Steph Curry in Basketball. Doesn't make him Jordan.

He's been terrible since I posted that. M'Bappe has been truly anonymous though.

That black Dortmund defender is humungous

The left back? He’s hilarious. Can’t pass a ball 5 yards but who cares.

The fake aggression that dominates Spanish football really is the worst. One minute bumping chests and squaring up, the next rolling around holding their face. Cunts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

So is Steph Curry in Basketball. Doesn't make him Jordan.

He's been terrible since I posted that. M'Bappe has been truly anonymous though.

---

That would make Jordan, Messi or Ronaldo?

Surely Jordan is Pele?

Hazard is shit. This is either the greatest collection of over rated players there’s ever been or everyone is playing awful.

Yellow card for that? Even the ref is having a mare.

Biggest surprise of the day is finding out that Emre Can is 26. Thought he was in prime fatherhood age around 32

Probably best to get out of this with a 1-0 and risk a Benfica ambush at home, this ref has red cards written all over him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

That would make Jordan, Messi or Ronaldo?

---

Think the existence of the other one means neither of them are Jordan. Closest I can think is probably pre-knee injury Ronaldo.

All set up for Lord Origi to save the day later.

Seem to have stopped Atletico getting much more than a long ball over the full backs to now. Ball needs to move quicker into the final third though. A bit ponderous and allowing them to reset for now.

I sense a goal, even if it comes in defeat is vital tonight.

In the other game PSG look a bit crap but Dortmund need to make something of these breaks/chances they're getting.

They spent 25 million on Hazard? Theo Walcott is a superior player. Fuck me.

Dortmund almost pulled off an absolutely sick trick set-piece and Sancho passed it to the wrong player.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

That black Dortmund defender is humungous

---

Ok I’m convinced they’ve just flown him over from the NBA all star weekend. He can’t kick a football. It’s genuinely like putting me out there.

Neymar is such a snide little cunt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

That black Dortmund defender is humungous

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Zagadou?

He still an absolute bomb scare? Think he was PSG youth and given a chance because he’s a monster.

This match has done more reputational damage to literally every other team in their respective leagues than I thought possible. Both these teams look like trash. Emre Can looks fast.

edit: @Foe, yes that bloke. Terrible player.

The ref in the Liverpool game just stopped the game (mid-play) due to a fairly run of the mill ankle knock :/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Think the existence of the other one means neither of them are Jordan. Closest I can think is probably pre-knee injury Ronaldo.

---

How could Neymar possibly 'be Jordan' while both of those exist if one of them existing means the other one can't be?

Haland does it again.

What a don.

A truly awful goal for an awful game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John

How could Neymar possibly 'be Jordan' while both of those exist if one of them existing means the other one can't be?

---

Because the other two are in their mid 30s?

Veratti is brilliant

Zagadou was all over the place.

I also now have the Agadoo song stuck in my head thanks to him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Because the other two are in their mid 30s?

---

Neymar isn't far off thirty himself. By the time they're both out of his way he'll be well over thirty himself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Foe

Zagadou?

He still an absolute bomb scare? Think he was PSG youth and given a chance because he’s a monster.

---

He just missed a sliding tackle that gifted psg a goal

Haaland's looking like I do after finishing an HIIT session

Haland :drool:

Absolute fucking thunderbolt.

Is it Keown commentating on the PSG game? I think he's just had a live psychotic episode.

That's a missile.

Well then.

Is there anything better in football than when you can hear the ball hit the net like that?

Marco Verratti is the real wasted talent at PSG

I don't think I'm being biased when saying the ref in our game has been fucking awful. He's fallen for everything, and given free kicks when ball has clearly been won.

Just need to get the fuck out of there and hope you get that Turkish nutter to ref the second leg.

Owen Hargreaves just said that Dortmund deserve more :cab:

Atletico present a strong argument for single-legged knockout games. No one should have to watch them play their team twice in a short space of time. :moop:

We were slow and terrible, as we generally are in Europe, actually. Hopefully Mané will be back at his best for the 2nd keg

1-0 may not be horrible in the grand scheme. No away goal I feel will be crucial.

Didn't understand taking Mane and/or Salah off. Wijnaldum killed every attack he got involved in and passing was far too slow.

Referee just seemed to give the free kick to whoever fell on the floor.

Mané was clearly going to get sent off the next time one of them went down holding their face.

Maybe he's not fully fit yet either.

Pompey :cool:

Utterly fucking terrible for 80mins but somehow pulled it out of the bag in stoppage time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CJay

Atletico present a strong argument for single-legged knockout games. No one should have to watch them play their team twice in a short space of time. :moop:

We were slow and terrible, as we generally are in Europe, actually. Hopefully Mané will be back at his best for the 2nd keg

---

Us losing a Europa League Semi-Final at home 1-0 to an Atletico who were down to 10 men after 8 minutes might have been the most depressing match I've watched.

Hope I'm not about to torpedo Dortmund's campaign by being the first person in the world to point out this rules infringement, but how is Erling Haaland not cup tied for this?

I thought we were pretty poor throughout tbh and the stop start nature of the game killed any chance of getting into our stride. Origi coming on for Mane was as pointless as Mane going off, Atleticos goal was fortunate at best and I think only one real chance fell to both teams. Salahs head and Morata(?) slipping.

Another night at Anfield it is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Hope I'm not about to torpedo Dortmund's campaign by being the first person in the world to point out this rules infringement, but how is Erling Haaland not cup tied for this?

---

No longer a thing. They removed that limitation this season.

You can now play for a different team in the knockout stages. Same from Europa League to Champions League.

Because Salzburg aren't in the competition any more.

Europa to CL I can understand, but playing for two different teams in the same cup is absolute bullshit. He was well aware during the group stage that he would be transferred to Dortmund so could have done whatever in order to influence the competition in their favour rather than Salzburg's.

Biggest example of that although not as influential was Minamino. We knocked them out of our group and then he went directly to us. Makes you wonder about the tepid nature of the final game over there.

Quote:

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45.01 As of the round of 16, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition. Such registration must be completed by 3 February 2020 (24:00 CET) at the latest. This deadline cannot be extended.

45.02 Any or all of the players from the above quota of three may have been fielded for another club in the qualifying phase, play-offs or group stage of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League.

---

Does this mean he could have been eligible even if Salzburg had qualified?

Yes.

Dortmund finishing the game with three English-born strikers.

Reyna the other one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYJWkDFzEXA

At 0:48 :pards:

Banger.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Hope I'm not about to torpedo Dortmund's campaign by being the first person in the world to point out this rules infringement, but how is Erling Haaland not cup tied for this?

---

Makes no sense as to why Chelsea didn’t buy Zyiech in January now

Ajax just didn't want to sell him then.

I thought it made less sense to buy him in February than to just wait for the summer, but maybe they figure he might not fancy it if they finish 8th.

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Didn't realise he was that quick.

He looks like Usain Bolt in the way he moves.

Some guy in the comments is saying that Sky Italia clocked him doing 60m in 6.64 seconds.

The World Record at that distance is 6.34 at altitude, 6.39 not at altitude.

Bolt's 60m time during his World Record run was 6.31.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

On tonight's football, I may be slightly over-confident but I have a hunch we're going to brush Atletico aside instead of the anticipated low scoring match. It's really weird watching Liverpool and wondering where the next defeat is going to come from as I can say without much bias that we're truly a step above most sides at this moment in time. I'm all for an unbeaten season but given it's been so long I don't care all that much although I do think we should put some serious effort into chasing the treble as I think that would cement our current status as the best in the world. Three European Cup finals in three seasons...four out of five if you include the Europa League is some really good going no matter which club achieves it.

If I was to reflect a little further then I do sort of see how annoying I must have been over the years thinking this season would be our year etc as quite frankly we piss on every single side we've had since I've supported them. I would like to think it's over now but until these five league games are completed then I'm going to keep a low profile. :D

---

Top few lines make for a good post-match read.

Not sure why that moron Klopp didn't use the greatest weapon at his disposal, the greatest side in the country who recently completed football's greatest ever achievement: The youth side that beat Shrewsbury.

No wonder they lost.

Methinks too much is being made of the 'Anfield factor' for the second leg, you can tell Athletico really got under their skin with their miserable football. Just need to fluke one in (as they did) to break the game open but it's going to be another eye-bleeder in all likelihood. Probably need Chamberlain and/or Keita to provide more of a midfield goal threat if they're going to have 70% of the ball again. At least they should probably be back in rhythm when the next game comes around.

Is there still time for the wheels to come off? :drool:

That was a first leg? What are the obituaries for then? Liverpool will put at least 3 on them at home.

They aren't half at some high and mighty moaning today though. You'd think when they win most games so easily that Klopp wouldn't get stroppy when someone doesn't lie down for them.

What is it with British commentators not being able to spend 1 minute to research how to pronounce names. Whore-land?? WHORE-LAND?

I fail to see how Wenger's new Offiside will fix anything.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...var-calls-ifab

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wenger

“There is room to change the rule and not say that a part of a player’s nose is offside, so you are offside because you can score with that. Instead, you will be not be offside if any part of the body that can score a goal is in line with the last defender, even if other parts of the attacker’s body are in front.

“That will sort it out and you will no longer have decisions about millimetres and a fraction of the attacker being in front of the defensive line.”

---

They will still measure it using the exactly the same system - but rather than measure the furthest forward part of both players, it's going to be the furthest back of the attacker, and the furthest forward of the defender. This is going to solve nothing.

It also means that this would be onside...

https://gyazo.com/89be580dc2d26499948df1d630d87f54.jpeg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

What is it with British commentators not being able to spend 1 minute to research how to pronounce names. Whore-land?? WHORE-LAND?

---

It's more like Hall-and, which I'm almost certain is the correct way to pronounce that name.

I like to think commentators do pronounce player names correctly. It annoys me when players are in sit-down interviews and reports don't ask them how to pronounce their own name

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John

It's more like Hall-and, which I'm almost certain is the correct way to pronounce that name.

---

I was going from this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wwRouchWAA&t=53s The commentators from last night (not sure if it was BT, Sky or US) were butchering it. Har-land is about right.

The correct way is Hau-land, as in 'caught'. They've been saying it correctly since his dad was around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The correct way is Hau-land, as in 'caught'. They've been saying it correctly since his dad was around.

---

I mean, I posted a video where the man himself pronounces it, so I'm well aware of how it is supposed to be pronounced.
Also, "They have been saying it correctly" - could it be that I was listening to different commentators than you - what a bizarre assertion to make. I was literally watching highlights this morning and they butchered it - you think I just made it up??

TTH is weird sometimes.

He said the Norwegian pronunciation which is the correct way, sounds like how I would say Holland

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mellberg

Top few lines make for a good post-match read.

---

Meh, it is what it is. I'd still fancy our chances on the return fixture but in all honesty anything else besides the league is merely a bonus.

Treble or KLOPP OUT.

I don’t even watch football these days and could see that Atletico was a bad draw. Horrible team to play.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

I mean, I posted a video where the man himself pronounces it, so I'm well aware of how it is supposed to be pronounced.
Also, "They have been saying it correctly" - could it be that I was listening to different commentators than you - what a bizarre assertion to make. I was literally watching highlights this morning and they butchered it - you think I just made it up??

---

I just don't get the need to care whether their pronunciation is spot on as long as we know who they're talking about. I probably say 'Sanders' differently to you and we're from the same country.

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Is there literally anything this man won't moan or cry about. I don't think there's a more 'woe is me' manager out there. Maybe Conte.

Every manager says the same.

It's, literally, where the phrase 'park the bus' came from, and Herr Klopp didn't coin that one.

There are a lot of people who would have you believe that Uncle Jurgen isn't as much of a whiny bitch as other managers, though.

Quite. The mans not lost like 2 games all season and has cried off in a huff multiple times. It's pathetic.

Imagine being happy losing games.

Atletico were shithouses but that's to be expected, I just assumed that given a lot of the old guard had gone that it wouldn't be quite so effective but they clearly got into a few of the players heads, Trent had one of his worst games to date, Origi replacing Mane was needed due to them targeting Sadio but then we'd have been better served risking it given how little Divock did and how sloppy/lethargic he was when he was on. I think it's just a bit galling to watch so naturally it sucks when a team defend for the entire match, drop like flies and roll around as though they've been snipered.

Someone in this thread mentioned it, the Spanish are good at beating their chests and going all out war then rolling around like pussies but then it was nothing compared to when Porto played Celtic a good number of years ago, that was next level stuff. I'd be just as confident going into the 2nd leg as I was the 1st, hopefully a different result obviously. :moop:

My only issue with teams like Atletico is that they normally each have a certain famous defender who the referee allows to get away with any fouls, in the same way that most referees give a foul for any contact on certain famous number tens. Roberto Ayala/Valencia was the most egregious example I can remember but it's quite widespread.

It felt like Montero used to get away with a lot even though I'm sure he had records for the amount of cards he picked up.

The Simeone model moves away from the designed shit concept and simply spreads the same workload through the whole team. Well, most of it. I'm not sure what Thomas Lemar brings to the table.

£63M he cost according to transfermarkt. Surely not? Monaco must be one of the most profitable clubs going.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

It felt like Montero used to get away with a lot even though I'm sure he had records for the amount of cards he picked up.

---

If you went through the genre list there would be a lot of Uruguayan flags peppered up and down it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51554031

Quote:

---

His latest goals - one a tap-in and the second a thumping strike from 20 yards - mean he has reached double figures in the Champions League four games faster than any other player in the competition's history, and is the only teenager to reach double figures in a single season.

---

Mental.

He’s going to be at Dortmund for about 5 minutes at this rate.

Wish we could've got him ffs

Think of it this way, you've only missed out on about five minutes of him.

You're seemingly forgetting that Dortmund attack...

I still don't see him sustaining these numbers tbh.

I'd rather have 5 minutes with Alex Scott than 5 minutes with Theresa May, though.

Why are they calling him Angelinho?

That's his name

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

That's his name

---

No, it's Angelino.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Why are they calling him Angelinho?

---

Football shirts don't have the squiggly line on top. He does.

Spurs getting absolute battered as usual so I expect they'll nick a goal in a moment.

That’s a fairly ropey looking team they have out. Who’s the dutch sounding lad?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Football shirts don't have the squiggly line on top. He does.

---

Yeah but, based on my little Spanish knowledge, it puts more of a y sound on the n.

So it should be more Angelinyo.

But considering they're not bothering to go full on Spanish with the proper G sound why try and put an inflection on the N when pronouncing his name?

Angeliño/Angelinho would be said the same in English. It's not all or nothing, you have a stab and get close enough while not putting on a cod accent that jars with '...overhits the cross and that will be a goal kick'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faJkVf6Jzok

I think the only thing to do now is write a strongly worded email to BT demanding that Jenas and Fletcher be sacked.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Yeah but, based on my little Spanish knowledge, it puts more of a y sound on the n.

So it should be more Angelinyo.

But considering they're not bothering to go full on Spanish with the proper G sound why try and put an inflection on the N when pronouncing his name?

---

I'm not watching. Are they saying Ho? Because if so they're very dumb. If they're saying Angelinyo then that's fine. It's the same as saying Yooventus not Yoovayntoos.

Did Dortmund play Spurs off the pitch in the first half of the last 16 last year before getting spannered in the second half? Leipzig may come to rue their profligacy.

Atalanta :cool:

Being a Valencia fan must be so annoying. Outside of those Benitez years you're just a constant failure machine.

In fact the Brazilian 'nh' and Spanish 'ñ' use the same IPA character, so they're pronounced the same. Any difference is down to regional dialect.

Same as gn in French (Serge so-called Guh-nabry can do one, I still call him Nyabry).

Just clocked that Leipzig have got former Liverpool youth bod Peter Gulacsi in goal. I had no idea.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Just clocked that Leipzig have got former Liverpool youth bod Peter Gulacsi in goal. I had no idea.

---

It's been a good period for Liverpool nobody Goalkeepers. Isn't some former Liverpool playing goals for Inter or someone at the moment?

Dunno, but Luis Alberto is donning it at Lazio and has been for some time, somehow.

Probably just shows that it's not so much the talent of a player that makes the difference as it is the environment/situation they are dropped into as to whether they succeed or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Dunno, but Luis Alberto is donning it at Lazio and has been for some time, somehow.

Probably just shows that it's not so much the talent of a player that makes the difference as it is the environment/situation they are dropped into as to whether they succeed or not.

---

I clocked Suso put in a performance for Sevilla only a few days ago. A goal and an assist. :cool:

I'm mildly impressed Tamas Kadar is playing for Dynamo Kiev. Haris Vuckic is doing decent at Twente.

I found out last night that Phil Foden has a one year old child. His missus obviously knows her way around life.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Methinks too much is being made of the 'Anfield factor' for the second leg

---

All I've seen today is quotes from player or manager about how tough it's going to be for them to come to Anfield.

They're no Barcelona and thus will happily sit back and hold their lead for the full 90 if needs be. They also have the perfect manager for the task ahead.

The only thing Liverpool might get is a more favourable referee. Though I suspect 3 goals will be needed to go through.

Aye. I don't think they'll manage it, and could easily see it being 2-0, but I think the hyperbole about the special European nights is best left to Clive Tyldsley or whoever.

I'm glad we've spent the better part of a billion quid on this team in the last decade to see Luke Shaw looking like our best creative outlet.

That was nice by Tony.

He's done A Thing for two consecutive games, he must be exhausted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Does this mean he could have been eligible even if Salzburg had qualified?

---

Considering Fernandes just came on, yes.

Christ I love watching United.

I wonder if I'll enjoy a game this decade.

Yo

https://streamable.com/03eiv?utm_sou...tm_name=iossmf

:D

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Allan Nyom is a legendary footballer.

Hagi for Rangers looks class. Celtic win their home game and Rangers hold on and am fairly sure Scotland go back to two CL places

The celebrations after that third goal too :drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Hagi for Rangers looks class. Celtic win their home game and Rangers hold on and am fairly sure Scotland go back to two CL places

---

The maths is a bit complex but I reckon unless APOEL somehow turn around a 0-3 deficit at Basel in their second leg, you've got it done tonight.

Yeah, it looks secured already as they’ve jumped ahead of Czech Republic. I was just banking on two victories after the group stages. Looks like they’ll jump ahead of Denmark too if Celtic win next week.

Scotland have more points than Netherlands and France at present this year lol

We haven't been that good so I hadn't noticed but we've kept 5 clean sheets in 9 games. To put it in perspective, we had 8 total last year.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Yeah, it looks secured already as they’ve jumped ahead of Czech Republic. I was just banking on two victories after the group stages. Looks like they’ll jump ahead of Denmark too if Celtic win next week.

Scotland have more points than Netherlands and France at present this year lol

---

France will be done after this Champions League round. What a disgraceful country.

Portugal are due to go above them in 2 years, will that end the 'Europe's Top 5 Leagues mate' bullshit?

Daniel Carriço (of Sporting and Sevilla ‘fame’) just completed a transfer to...Wuhan Zall. I wonder how those negotiations went.

On another note, I’m so pleased we saved 50 quid on Bruno Fernandes by not buying him last summer. That decision has really paid off.

Lads. Should I cancel the trip to Espanyol and save my coins for the next round? Im that confident wolves cant throws a 4-0 1st leg win out the window. Need to decide by Sunday...

Yessir

I have a few buyers and i can come out of this with some profit.

Hope they lose :D

I'm off to Singapore next for the massive game between Hougang Utd and Ho Chi Minh City in the AFC Cup. Expecting a crowd of 500 or 600.

https://youtu.be/VTm0cZgA27o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

I have a few buyers and i can come out of this with some profit.

---

I mean it's an away day to Barcelona with a comfortable 4:0 lead... you could likely really just enjoy yourself knowing that even if you somehow fail to beat the 20th placed team in La Liga you'll be comfortably moving on to the next round.

Though for me away days are usually excursions to visit a city with the football match being the bow on top, so.

Looking at other results, idk... I'd rather go to Spain than Turkey or Germany.

I hear what you're saying. But im only interested in away days for the game itself. Ive been to turkey, Top Ireland and Italy. I don't mind skipping Spain and gamble on the next round

Somewhere mad like Denmark or Romania would be nuts.

Then again you could end up drawing one of the Glasgow boys.

Smash up High New Zealand then. Easy work.

Games have been picked for tv. Arsenal have played more games on Monday than Saturday at this point. I hate Monday games.

Gayle and Muto are apparently fit. It'll make no difference but Joelinton can't keep doing this for another 13 games. Palace will coast it.

I mean come on ffs

https://i.imgur.com/98gm3Nr.png

Surprised Wolves and the Champions' League teams aren't further up that list. Almost as if they anticipate one club to go further than the other.

Barcelona Trip sold. Onto the next round lads.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Games have been picked for tv. Arsenal have played more games on Monday than Saturday at this point. I hate Monday games.

---

That Monday night game for Liverpool at Brighton has me seething my bits off. I'm in town for two weeks and literally go back 15 minutes before kick-off. It was the only time they could have moved it to that I would have missed it. :mad:

Hopefully Liverpool make the FA Cup semis as that would have had it postponed anyway.

I see United are busy trying to piggyback on the Jurgen Klopp PR machine.

Spurs to not lose today at evens seems a tad generous

And Chelsea have put out maybe the slowest team in Premier League history. Lump on

Five-at-the-back fest with the worst attacking players ever lined up in a Premier League game, should be a corker.

Alonso will probably get a hat trick tbf

The highest league scorer this season in the two XIs is I think Mason Mount (5).

Alonso really does haunt Arsenal and Tottenham.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Five-at-the-back fest with the worst attacking players ever lined up in a Premier League game, should be a corker.

---

Oh I dunno, I think Billy Davies' Derby might have been so bad they brought down the attacking quality average to be worst-ever levels.

"It wasn't a VAR error, it was a human error."

:lol: FUCK. OFF.

How did Le Celso stay on the pitch?

https://streamable.com/s/u4i6h/vcvrkk

Human error, mate. The all seeing, all knowing VARbot is not responsible.

Jesus Christ. Did VAR review it? Any yellow?

I think someone would have to murder another player and be caught disposing of the body to be sent off at Chelsea. Even then, possibly a yellow.

We are very bollocks. We could easily shit ourselves out of this league.

Norwich are nearly gonners and Villa have a fixture list full of nope. West Ham also have a tough next 4/5.

You only need a couple of wins to stay above those 3 so you should be fine from here.

I don't see where the goals are going to come from. I know that's been us all season but this is crunch time.

That was a big win. If we can stop being shit even for half of the remaining games we may well still get fourth. Not sure who the threat is. United? lol

I fancy Man City to get 6 or 7 here.

Edersons got to go there.

Not even a foul. lol fuck this.

Didn't he sort of make contact with the ball?

'Keeper's always going to get all sorts of leeway there, I think he'd have to have made no contact with the ball whatsoever for it even to be debatable, and even then it'd be 50/50.

Obviously the other way round the forward gets sent off more often (leading with a part of the body he can play the ball with).

https://i.gyazo.com/3d79cf3bfe23e1f9...09833d8825.png

If by ball you mean his eyeball then yes.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

https://i.gyazo.com/3d79cf3bfe23e1f9...09833d8825.png

If by ball you mean his eyeball then yes.

---

That’s why you can’t go by a cherry picked still shot from just after him getting the ball.

Ah well then I stand corrected. They didn't show that angle live on my Yankee stream and I turned off at HT. The pic was the first image I saw of it after.

That said, I'm not really sure how the 'keeper is exempt from the modern interpretations on endangering opponents etc as, at the very least, you'd have to say that leading with your fists at full pelt into an opponent's head is somewhat reckless and really quite dangerous. If Iheanacho goes for it with his foot and gets the ball and then Ederson he probably gets sent off.

Levante 1-0 Real Madrid

lol

Seems Darren Randolph has been a very bad boy, and by all accounts Middlesbrough aren’t going to come out of it looking great either.
Would also explain him being “injured” for months at the end of Boro but played straight away for West Ham.

What's he meant to have done?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

What's he meant to have done?

---

Knocked the fuck out of his ex and the club knew about it. Fair bit of stuff on Twitter but you know yourself as far as that goes. Heard a few rumblings last week at the Shels match that something was coming about a current international.

So...

Lingard and Pereira both dropped from the squad today apparently. Angel Gomes in (which lines up with the ITKs saying he's decided to sign a new contract).

The fall of Lingard is heart warming.

I pay three different companies so that I can watch live premier league football, there are two 2pm kick off games today and neither is on telly. They can fuck off.

Like the look of the Utd line-up, nice to see James get a chance to play in his natural position. Would have liked Gomes to make the bench, still think he's got something about him.

Cant be taking penalties like that. My heart cant take it

Top dive that.

Good work not signing him in the summer though.

He dives like another tasty signing we once made from Sporting :drool:

Fred got some shit from the commentators for giving the ball away in the first half but he didn't half receive some hospital passes.

Its right based on the letter of the law but thats a joke.

I think that's fair.

It's what we all wanted init.

Thats disgusting.

Obscene finish.

I don't have an issue with the new handball rule. You shouldn't get an advantage from playing the ball with your hand even if it's non-deliberate.

Take a sport like tennis, if you come to the net and the opponent smashes the ball into your chest and it trickles back over the net, you still lose the point even if you didn't mean to play it with your body. I don't see how the new handball rule is really any different.

That's brilliant from Greenwood.

Martial and Greenwood's were both lovely finishes.

This Everton match is huge. Get a win here and it's a series of bottom 5 teams over the next several weeks.

Late to the party but it's nice to get confirmation on my Giroud is Chelsea's best striker theory.

edit: Just seen the team and Saka has been dropped and Nketiah is back in :cab:

Saka isnt a natural LB is he? How is Ozil still in the team. Hasnt he been lingard shit for some time now?

Norwich has been awful. Wolves have been cruising the whole game. Doherty should have had a hat-trick by now.

Lol that was some truly awful defending.

Spending £40m on Iwobi is the worst business a club has ever and will ever do. Pathetic player

Academy product to academy product. Fair play. Think that’s 10 assists for Saka and he hasn’t even started the majority of games.

Not to jinx anything but is Arteta a really good manager or is Emery really fucking shit?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

edit: Just seen the team and Saka has been dropped and Nketiah is back in :cab:

---

Try criticising someone else.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Academy product to academy product. Fair play. Think that’s 10 assists for Saka and he hasn’t even started the majority of games.

---

He’s started more than he’s not by a fair bit. He’s still great though, especially the fact he’s clearly out of position

Leno :lol:

Luiz just pissing around so deep is tremendous as well.

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Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Not to jinx anything but is Arteta a really good manager or is Emery really fucking shit?

---

Arteta has won 2 of 8 EPL games - that's pretty much the same record as Emery this season. Football-wise, you do seem to be playing a lot more decent football, though.

Arsenal look tired.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

He’s started more than he’s not by a fair bit. He’s still great though, especially the fact he’s clearly out of position

---

Maitland niles converted to a full back too. Basically if you’re a relatively talented winger, you’re getting shunted to full back or wing back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Arteta has won 2 of 8 EPL games - that's pretty much the same record as Emery this season. Football-wise, you do seem to be playing a lot more decent football, though.

---

The difference is under Arteta we have ran out some low scoring bore draws rather than getting arse fucked by relegation fodder and having to claw back a hatful to take a point.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Arsenal look tired.

---

Aubamayang absolutely blowing his way through the interview to the point he was struggling to speak English at the end of it.

Rotation for the Europa/FA Cup week needed imo.

If we were going to lose a league game this season then I think I'd rather it be against someone other than West Ham given how poor they are, especially after the shit I've given winner winner David Moyes since his return.

I have a hunch we're going to make a number of changes.

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I wonder if he'll make it?

I was wondering why Adam Johnson was trending, seems some Bradford lad just got sacked for noncing but then to my surprise, Mario Balotelli too?

Probably not.

@ Jones, not noncing

I think the end of this season could be crucial to whether he makes it or not. We're likely to have 5/6 meaningless games you could slot him into to see how he does.

Beyond that, with likely transfer activity in the summer bringing in an attacker/midfielder, it'll be tough for him to break in. I think he'll at least be a decent Prem player, but not quite sure how high that ceiling is.

Both keepers should be saving their respective shots there I think.

Liverpool just looking to cruise through this by the looks of it. No real urgency in anything.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

especially after the shit I've given winner winner David Moyes since his return.

---

I shouldn't worry, I don't think he cares what you think.

:rosebud:

Liverpool losing to this complete dross is amazing.

I wonder is it lost on Klopp how awful we've been since returning from the winter break?

Not to West Ham. Anyone but West Ham.

Fucking hell.

If Fabianski makes 2 decent saves tonight they're 2-0 up.

We've been disgraceful.

Was just about to slag off Salah. He contributes so little to our attacking play. Have to go on and win this now.

What a mad team. Level on wins with Arsenal's Invincibles.

That's the unbeaten season confirmed. If they can beat David Moyes's West Ham, they can beat anyone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CJay

I wonder is it lost on Klopp how awful we've been since returning from the winter break?

---

I was thinking the same thing but then we haven't even been 'that' good all season bar a couple of games. Even at 2-1 I fancied we'd come back, if anything West Ham scored too early although I thought when we got our first we'd run up a cricket score.

Four more games! Come on!

As much as I’d like them to lose one; not West fucking Ham.

It'll do I guess. West Ham back through the basement please.

:jayjay:

Fulltime at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Hougang United 2-3 Ho Chi Minh City FC.

Despite the scoreline, a fairly comfortable win. We were 3-0 up until about the 70th minute. They climbed back into, but we were probably the better team.

https://gyazo.com/ab500e0b6d8e712333e17aee51153f51.jpeg

Attendance was actually 840. We were all sat this side.

Nice dude. Orlando City's first game is Saturday :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Fulltime at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Hougang United 2-3 Ho Chi Minh City FC.

Despite the scoreline, a fairly comfortable win. We were 3-0 up until about the 70th minute. They climbed back into, but we were probably the better team.

https://gyazo.com/ab500e0b6d8e712333e17aee51153f51.jpeg

Attendance was actually 840. We were all sat this side.

---

Ive added the statdium to the list. Ive got four stadiums from this area. Have you been to more?

Jalan Besar Stadium
Thong Nhat Stadium
San Van Dong Hoa Xuan
Hang Day Stadium

https://www.footballgroundmap.com/gr...um/young-lions

I gotta find a new stadium to hit this year to add to dee list :drool:

Spurs stadium needs a visit.

That is one hell of a crowd John Arne. Is everyone quarantined?

Napoli going full shithouse from minute 1. No Koulibaly (is he injured?) feels like it'll be important. Other game's not much better either at the moment.

Cracking hit but it feels like either someone should have blocked that or the 'keeper should have at least moved.

Thiago with only 35 caps for Spain. Mind boggling.

David Moyes would have made him a regular.

Chelsea really could do with a whole new back line in the summer

They need pretty much a whole new everything. Manager included.

Lewandowski really is the best striker in the world. As if that hadn't already been obvious

Bayern clearly taking the piss now bringing Coutinho on.

Davies is a Bale regen :happycry:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/footb...-double-denim/

:gs:

Definitely going out out in double denim. So are Chelsea for that matter.

Alonso :lol:

That red card is a bit mental. This ref has been a fucking nightmare. Liverpool are dead in the water if he's in charge for the return leg against Athletico.

The photographer casually flipping the TV camera the bird :lol:

I didn't realise Yogi Love's bum boy was in charge of Bayern

@Jimmy Floyd what has happened to Pulisic?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

@Jimmy Floyd what has happened to Pulisic?

---

Dunno, he seems to have borked his thigh/arse and has disappeared off the face of the earth. A shame as he was doing very well.

Is The Operation being taken more literally now?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Ive added the statdium to the list. Ive got four stadiums from this area. Have you been to more?

Jalan Besar Stadium
Thong Nhat Stadium
San Van Dong Hoa Xuan
Hang Day Stadium

https://www.footballgroundmap.com/gr...um/young-lions

---

Add Chang Arena, Buriram, Thailand and Quan Khu 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

Lol at Messi only scoring 4 in his last 21 away CL knockout games. Ronaldo could never.

Gerrard is just replicating his playing performance by doing nothing in the league and overachieving in Europe.

First Nketiah and now bombing out Augustin, Bielsa really isn't a fan of blacks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Gerrard is just replicating his playing performance by doing nothing in the league and overachieving in Europe.

---

Rangers started in the 1st Qualifying Round - as much as it’s funny watching them collapse in the league again, that’s some effort. Rangers/Celtic Quarter Final, I can feel it in my bones. Hopefully it eclipses Manchester ‘08 if we get that lucky.

City are going to win this tie by at least 3 goals.

BT must have the worst co-commentators around. Robbie Savage last night on the Napoli - Barcelona game and Steve McManaman tonight.

:sick:

I think the BT coverage, when I see it, is consistently the worst football coverage I've ever had the misfortune to experience. I reckon Channel 5 with Colin whatsisface back in the day was better.

lol at Isco scoring after McManamon has been moaning all game about how Bale should have started over him.

yessss lemme get that Eder Miltao upgrade baby let's gooooooooooooooo

And the Bale wankathon starts again from 'Steve'.

He's going to cream himself now that Bale he is about to come on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

yessss lemme get that Eder Miltao upgrade baby let's gooooooooooooooo

---

You jinxed it you fuck.

Man what the fuck

Fucking lol.

Well that's just fucking great

Now we get to hear about how City railed against the fuckin establishment.

I enjoyed that, De Bruyne's such a brilliant player. And I'll never fail to enjoy misfortune for Sergio Ramos.

Got to love a Ramos red.

Klich racking up his 83rd consecutive league appearance for Leeds tonight. Genetics.

Conor Scofield Coady is on 100.

I’ve done an update comparison thingy for that “the internet predicts the premier league” idea I had.

That's a point, Lawro must be absolutely cleaning up with his predictions this year.

I imagine Lawro's Liverpool are currently on a 6 year unbeaten streak.

Just checked:

Quote:

---

It was actually the sixth last game of the 2015/16 Premier League season when Mark Lawrenson last forecast a PL defeat for Liverpool.

---

:D

The Premier League Hall of Fame is the worst idea I've heard for a while. The thing our sports have over America is not taking ourselves seriously, until these goons came along.

These things are about as good as they are exclusive, and they inevitably go down the WWE route of letting every ex-nobody in several times. Watch out for the 2030 ceremony with Anton Ferdinand, Collapsed Lung, that half a retard physio at Chelsea, and the Class of 92 (all on their third entry - first as individuals, then as 'The Class of 92', and now as club owners).

Nicky Butt being the X-Pac of the group.

This Istanbul Basaksehir team ate quite something with Demba Ba, Gael Clichy, Martin Skrtl and Robinho on the bench. They seem to be top of their league too.

Turkish Football :sick:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

Nicky Butt being the X-Pac of the group.

---

Terry Cooke as Rick Rude?

Is there a Football League Hall of Fame or is that more of an actual museum? That's how it should be run, really. A building that acquires football memorabilia and potentially out of work footballers like Peter Beardsley.

Lily Parr repping St Helens :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The Premier League Hall of Fame is the worst idea I've heard for a while. The thing our sports have over America is not taking ourselves seriously, until these goons came along.

---

Shit idea and if the first two aren't Shearer and Henry then it's already going to be a joke. Fans vote someone in too so I fully anticipate a few flops to get in as is the British way.

If it's a fans' vote then if fans know what they're doing they should vote in the likes of Samassi Abou, Denis Stracqualursi etc in a boaty mcboatface kind of way.

lol at that handball. Do it with a few minutes to go mate, but fucking hell.

That's an absolutely mental handball, what's he thinking :D

I don't think the whole 'clear goal-scoring opportunity' thing really applies there.

He's going to miss that penalty when it matters the most.

Great save tbh.

Also, Bruno is going to look like a right twat when he misses a penalty.

That was quality.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Great save tbh.

Also, Bruno is going to look like a right twat when he misses a penalty.

---

He's got a 91% success rate across his career, with 21 from 23.

That pass from Bruno gets better the more you watch it.

He's brilliant.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Great save tbh.

Also, Bruno is going to look like a right twat when he misses a penalty.

---

Been watching too many Jorginho videos

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

He's brilliant.

---

Fitness Advantage.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Been watching too many Jorginho videos

---

The Sporting fans reckon he's done it for years.

Fred putting away two cutbacks is a sight for the ages.

If this lot are bad enough to let Chong get an assist they might as well fold.

Arsenal deserves to go out here. Its extra time and they look wasted.

Auba has just scored a bicycle kick with 8 minutes left

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Not to jinx anything but is Arteta a really good manager or is Emery really fucking shit?

---

Still going with this?

Olympiakos :cool:

I love Arsenal's defence.

How has he missed that?

Arsenal was embarrassing.

Well that's a dreadful shame.

The draw is opening up very nicely for Wolves.

Is it already set as I thought the draw is tomorrow?

This Bruno lad is not half bad, eh?

Let's just stick with Fernandes ok?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Still going with this?

Olympiakos :cool:

---

Just 6 wins from 13, and a much worse win percentage than Emery (55% to 46%)

Just seen that a Copenhagen player has been charged with assault on a police officer from last night. What a fucking power trip that must be. It wouldn't happen if the twats weren't 6 deep in front of the away end, waiting to grab and push any player that dares come near that corner.

https://streamja.com/9Xa3

What a fucking idiot. Deserves whatever he gets.

Wolfsburg vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Rangers vs Leverkusen
Olympiacos vs Wolves
İstanbul Başakşehir vs Copenhagen
LASK vs Manchester United
Frankfurt/Salzburg vs Basel
Sevilla vs Roma
Internazionale vs Getafe

Would have preferred an easier draw for Rangers. Wolfsburg should be good if they bother though.

LASK will be far better than people are assuming.

They're playing United so they'll certainly look it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The thing our sports have over America is not taking ourselves seriously

---

lol come on my man

Nobody's ever won the FA Cup and called themselves the champions of the world, mate.

Case closed.

The NFL banning banterific celebrations and the MLB not allowing people to celebrate homeruns proves Jimmy right.

Host competitions that feature the undisputed pinnacle of that sports' talent and you can do just that.

I'm sure you have a world championship of darts or some bullshit.

Which features people from around the World.

I'm not saying we don't take our sports overtly serious but I'm not sure a country where a bunch of people have died because they take sports too seriously should be throwing stones that's all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Which features people from around the World.

---

So do ours, thank you for walking right into that one.

Yes. It features players from around the world representing themselves, not just American teams.

EDIT: Mahow beat me to it, and is not wrong.

Pepe's answer is better if you're insisting on something less facetious though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

So do ours, thank you for walking right into that one.

---

Yes but they represent their own countries not AMERICA.

The hoops ya'll jump through to act like our football, baseball, and basketball teams do not participate in the obvious pinnacle of their sport worldwide with people from all over the world participating in them should be it's own sport that you could then claim to be world champion of.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Yes but they represent their own countries not AMERICA.

---

Who the fuck is representing America??????????????????????????????????? lmfao

Do the darts people even "represent" their countries? It's not the fuckin Olympics lmfao

You are right. They represent the Tulsa ThunderFreedomz.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

Who the fuck is representing America??????????????????????????????????? lmfao

---

Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, New York Jets etc etc.

All American 'Franchises' supposedly competing to be the WORLD'S best.

Host a World Championship with a team from America, Germany, UK etc etc.

At last the Little League World Series gets it somewhat right.

Tulsa ThunderFreedomz could easily become the Oklahoma LightinngFlagPrides next week.

The local is only consequential to people who live in that town. There's plenty of people here who cheer for an NFL team that have nothing to do with that city.

Any human who wants to play American Football comes to America to play it. Same for the NBA Finals or World Series. Made up of many international players who work their entire life to get to the pinnacle of their sports that just so happen to be in America.

Any "argument" against this is obtuse at best.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

At last the Little League World Series gets it somewhat right.

---

Taiwan owning it :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

I'm not saying we don't take our sports overtly serious but I'm not sure a country where a bunch of people have died because they take sports too seriously should be throwing stones that's all.

---

Big difference between taking sport seriously and taking yourself seriously.

Being a golf fan I get the full cross-cultural exposure and your 'Mr Palmer' shit really does take the biscuit. As for the Hall(s) of Fame mattering, lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

Tulsa ThunderFreedomz could easily become the Oklahoma LightinngFlagPrides next week.

The local is only consequential to people who live in that town. There's plenty of people here who cheer for an NFL team that have nothing to do with that city.

Any human who wants to play American Football comes to America to play it. Same for the NBA Finals or World Series. Made up of many international players who work their entire life to get to the pinnacle of their sports that just so happen to be in America.

Any "argument" against this is obtuse at best.

---

I like the NBA, but it still riles me when the winners are called the 'World Champions'.. Same with NFL... that's not being obtuse, that's just obvious. The USA are the Basketball World Champions, but that's because they won the FIBA World Cup, not the NBA Finals.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

Any human who wants to play American Football comes to America to play it.

---

Lofty disagrees.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

I like the NBA, but it still riles me when the winners are called the 'World Champions'..

---

Do the best players in the world play in the NBA? Yes.

Say less!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Lofty disagrees.

---

Lofty has ambition to play at the pinnacle of American football? I guess not.

Does that make Spain the World Champions in football?

EDIT: Or England, or wherever the top, TOP, players hang nowadays.

Also, taking this discussion too seriously is strong evidence of taking your sports too seriously.

https://i.imgur.com/e0HjzLY.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

Do the best players in the world play in the NBA? Yes.

Say less!

---

Delete your account.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Also, taking this discussion too seriously is strong evidence of taking your sports too seriously.

---

:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

The hoops ya'll jump through to act like our football, baseball, and basketball teams do not participate in the obvious pinnacle of their sport worldwide

---

They obviously do, but "world champions" is still incorrect.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Big difference between taking sport seriously and taking yourself seriously.

---

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9P7hWkCMAIWefU.jpg

Well this guy does both and there's plenty like him, papa.

Admittedly if someone can find a way to infect Jim Nantz with coronavirus that will solve about 60% of US sport's pomposity problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

They obviously do, but "world champions" is still incorrect.

---

If all of the best people in the world take part in in a competition.... the winners of that competition would be the best of the best people in the world, would they not?

You're acting like if we moved the Jacksonville Jaguars to London and called them the London Jaguars we'd have more of a right to do so, despite nothing else about the team changing other than location.

Not the players, coaches, nothing different at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Admittedly if someone can find a way to infect Jim Nantz with coronavirus that will solve about 60% of US sport's pomposity problem.

---

Fuck Jim Nantz forever my boy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Admittedly if someone can find a way to infect Jim Nantz with coronavirus that will solve about 60% of US sport's pomposity problem.

---

Can he also pass that on to Joe Buck and Troy Aikman?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Does that make Spain the World Champions in football?

EDIT: Or England, or wherever the top, TOP, players hang nowadays.

---

You could make reasonable arguments that many of the world's top players play in different leagues.

You can't do that in any of our sports.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Also, taking this discussion too seriously is strong evidence of taking your sports too seriously.

---

Again, always said we do, but the argument is that the English somehow don't.

Focus, Pep.

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Jim Nantz are all the fuckin devil.

Are the winners of the Champions League called the World Champions? No, they are not. Because that would be stupid.

They are at the moment.

:henn0rz:

Shiiiii, I've been done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Are the winners of the Champions League called the World Champions? No, they are not. Because that would be stupid.

---

.... because there's already a Club World Cup? I agree entirely.

Again, you're talking about a sport where many top players go to several different leagues around the world to ply their trade.

Top players come to the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB because they are already the pinnacle of the sport.

It really isn't a difficult concept but, you know..

I can’t believe Bruh is struggling with such a simple concept.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

.... because there's already a Club World Cup? I agree entirely.

Again, you're talking about a sport where many top players go to several different leagues around the world to ply their trade.

Top players come to the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB because they are already the pinnacle of the sport.

It really isn't a difficult concept but, you know..

---

But how do you know that the very best are plying their trade in those?

Kapernick is better than most backup QBs in the NFL, there are probably some in the XFL who would do a better job than some in the NFL and there might even be some playing in Germany.

Don't forget that players like Kurt Warner, James Harrison, Dante Hall, Vinatieiri (and a number of other kickers) weren't deemed good enough for the league so had to play in NFL Europe to earn a spot into the league.

That’s some stretch. It’s a team sport and there’s not one team outside the NFL would beat one of them with a hundred goes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

That’s some stretch. It’s a team sport and there’s not one team outside the NFL would beat one of them with a hundred goes.

---

I agree but he's saying that because the very best players play in the NFL (and those other leagues/sports) that makes whoever wins the Championship game the best in the world.

There are plenty of players in the NFL that scouts have missed wildly on and as such you can't claim with certainty that the very best X amount of players in the World are currently playing in the league.

We take sport far more seriously than the Americans. They probably care more about the RESULT across the board, but we've got tens of thousands of cranks and nonces keeping grassroots sport ticking over before you even get to the background permaseethe that accompanies all of our top level sport. Even the cricket and rugby dickheads who like to pretend it's not about the result basically treat that as the win.

Do you also go balls deep into the U-10 leagues?

That's just their equivalent of the maniacs who support lower league sides.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Do you also go balls deep into the U-10 leagues?

---

Based on recent arrests some certainly did.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

That’s some stretch. It’s a team sport and there’s not one team outside the NFL would beat one of them with a hundred goes.

---

One of the guys who I played with played in a GB Lions team that played a game against a combined US Army/Airforce team and the Yanks had to retire after taking too many injuries... teams like the Manchester Titans train excessively already just to play in the top BritBall division as amateurs, obviously an NFL team would crush them but the difference is the difference between mens and womens football in the UK: one example has an entire infrastructure from child to professional in place and the other is trying to attract players who are usually novice adults when they start.

I'd say the best gridiron team in the UK/France/Germany respectively is probably as good as a High School football team in America. But give them 15 years and multi million dollar professional contracts and you would see a rapid improvement. There have been enough scandals as it is with ex college players who didnt make the grade being offered lodging and jobs to come and play for britball teams in the current format!

But the point they're making that you aren't grasping Bruh is it is worthless calling yourselves world champions of a sport only your country play professionally. You can't be world champions if there is no/little risk of outside competition. I could declare myself world champion of wanking myself off, unless I can attract an international pool of contenders to also wank me off it is a bit tin pot.

Even for the World Series to have any clout, they'd need maybe Cuban and Japanese teams to take part. When it comes to sport, Americans seem more focused on pushing their own invented sports (basketball, baseball) or tweaking Rugby into American football.

Think chelsea have lost every game to a team on a losing streak this year. Lampard has been clueless against non London teams

He's no Ole.

Horrifying day for Brighton so far.

Only consolation is that they were this bad last season, bottoming out with a back-to-back home defeats to Bournemouth (0-5) and Cardiff (0-2) around Easter time, and they still managed to stay up, somehow. Much less confident this time round. Watford getting something against Liverpool later would really be the icing on a particularly shit cake.

Luckily I'm a Leeds fan (hence the username) and we won 4-0 earlier to maintain the advantage so up the white rose boys.

In shocking news, Naby Keita is injured. Joe Gomez has a knock too, so in comes Lovren ahead of Matip which is a bit odd. It's like he wants to give Watford more chances.

Expected Burnley to turn us over but we looked a lot more lively today.

Bundesliga news time.

Bayern were playing away at Hoffenheim and the away fans brought out some banners late in the 2nd half that were insulting towards the owner of Hoffenheim, Dietmar Hopp.
The Bayern players went to plead with the fans to take the banners down but they refused, so the last 10 minutes of the game saw both teams just kicking the ball to each other.

Let's never hear about the superiority of German football ever again.

Just swap ends, lads.

Looks like Deulofeu just blew his knee out.

Lovren is infuriating to watch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Looks like Deulofeu just blew his knee out.

---

Absolutely horrible to watch. Brutal.

Lovren needs shooting on the field immediately.

Totally deserve this Watford. Liverpool haven't really turned up in the first 60.

This has been coming for several games. I don't know if it's the bollocks invincibles talk but something hasn't been right.

Hopefully this is a wake up call for Atletico.

You love to see it.

Proper kick up the ass, this.

Hopefully not a kick up the arse for Tuesday.

I wasn't even watching as I expected a routine 1-0 Liverpool win.

lol at this.

Is this where we Liverpool it and lose the title? :drool:

No. You've won the league.

Well until Corona cancels it.

Called it earlier, nightmare day for Brighton. Thank Christ for Marcos Alonso.

Good guys Liverpool just wanted to spice up the relegation battle, honest.

:moop:

Leave it Dejan Lovren to ruin a year-long unbeaten run.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Well until Corona cancels it.

---

I'm telling you now, if that actually happens then I'm finding a new sport.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

:moop:

Leave it Dejan Lovren to ruin a year-long unbeaten run.

---

Gotta find a scapegoat somewhere but in truth it's been coming for a few weeks. Not a 3-0 defeat but a defeat all the same.

It should be met with a shrug of the shoulders but fully anticipating what's about to follow on social media/press etc.

The slip of all slips is on. :drool:

:drool:

@Josh and I have been rioting.

View Tweet

It's funny because it's true.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

I'm telling you now, if that actually happens then I'm finding a new sport.

---

Think I'd take approx 500k British fatalities for those kind of lulz.

I'd do a Kenny Dalglish and go to every funeral.

Al0n to the football thread. I repeat, Al0n to the football thread.

Known in these parts as 'Casualty 97'.

I've just come across Gavin Peacock's twitter feed. That's my childhood ruined.

Just seen the score. What happened? Lovren?

Do they show Arsenal players popping corks like they do in the NFL with the Dolphins?

Didn't turn up. Lovren was the worst of a poor bunch today. Whether it was complacency or tiredness, just looked flat. Watford wanted it more and should have won by more than 3.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luca

:drool:

@Josh and I have been rioting.

---

What a day. Perfect victory and sleeping on the sofa for a few nights as I went out with @Luca and came home too drunk to do our evening plans.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Just seen the score. What happened? Lovren?

Do they show Arsenal players popping corks like they do in the NFL with the Dolphins?

---

Gary Neville popped one on twitter.

Football Twitter has been incredible this past day. Need Atletico to finish them off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lofty

Gary Neville popped one on twitter.

---

:D I thought that was a joke when I seen it earlier. The sad cunt.

It took the Man cunt, 8 seconds to remove the cork from a bottle. Pussy.