December Football

Let's just do a thread for the whole month because the board is dead and I can't see there being someone to make a fresh thread every two days.



05 December Burnley - Liverpool
05 December Fulham - Leicester City
05 December Wolverhampton Wanderers - Chelsea
05 December Everton - Newcastle United
05 December Manchester United - Arsenal
05 December Tottenham Hotspur - Southampton
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08 December AFC Bournemouth - Liverpool
08 December Arsenal - Huddersfield Town
08 December Burnley - Brighton & Hove Albion
08 December Cardiff City - Southampton
08 December Manchester United - Fulham
08 December West Ham United - Crystal Palace
08 December Chelsea - Manchester City
08 December Leicester City - Tottenham Hotspur
09 December Newcastle United - Wolverhampton Wanderers
10 December Everton - Watford
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15 December Manchester City - Everton
15 December Crystal Palace - Leicester City
15 December Huddersfield Town - Newcastle United
15 December Tottenham Hotspur - Burnley
15 December Watford - Cardiff City
15 December Wolverhampton Wanderers - AFC Bournemouth
15 December Fulham - West Ham United
16 December Brighton & Hove Albion - Chelsea
16 December Southampton - Arsenal
16 December Liverpool - Manchester United
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21 December Wolverhampton Wanderers - Liverpool
22 December Arsenal - Burnley
22 December AFC Bournemouth - Brighton & Hove Albion
22 December Chelsea - Leicester City
22 December Huddersfield Town - Southampton
22 December Manchester City - Crystal Palace
22 December Newcastle United - Fulham
22 December West Ham United - Watford
22 December Cardiff City - Manchester United
23 December Everton - Tottenham Hotspur
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26 December Fulham - Wolverhampton Wanderers
26 December Burnley - Everton
26 December Crystal Palace - Cardiff City
26 December Leicester City - Manchester City
26 December Liverpool - Newcastle United
26 December Manchester United - Huddersfield Town
26 December Tottenham Hotspur - AFC Bournemouth
26 December Brighton & Hove Albion - Arsenal
26 December Watford - Chelsea
27 December Southampton - West Ham United
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29 December Brighton & Hove Albion - Everton
29 December Fulham - Huddersfield Town
29 December Leicester City - Cardiff City
29 December Tottenham Hotspur - Wolverhampton Wanderers
29 December Watford - Newcastle United
29 December Liverpool - Arsenal
30 December Crystal Palace - Chelsea
30 December Burnley - West Ham United
30 December Southampton - Manchester City
30 December Manchester United - AFC Bournemouth
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01 January Everton - Leicester City
01 January Arsenal - Fulham
01 January Cardiff City - Tottenham Hotspur
02 January AFC Bournemouth - Watford
02 January Chelsea - Southampton
02 January Huddersfield Town - Burnley
02 January West Ham United - Brighton & Hove Albion
02 January Wolverhampton Wanderers - Crystal Palace
02 January Newcastle United - Manchester United
03 January Manchester City - Liverpool

There's January football in there. But you called the thread December football.

What is wrong with you?

Complete overhaul for Liverpool much vaunted, but misfiring, front three.

Can't see this ending all that well.

We are going to get a thundercunting from City at the weekend. They will have to play very poorly not to hit five or six. Our back of midfield and centre backs basically don't exist against teams with pace and guile, and Sarri is incapable of changing even a single thing about how we play.

Also, forshame on you for omitting the World Club Cup or whatever it is called these days, where, as the local paper informed me this morning, Guernsey FC's all time leading goalscorer (Ross Allen) might be getting a game for the Wellington mob.

The threat title was crying out to be 'Festivr Football', especially with January included.

After 5 just wasn't enough against Southampton I hope to see more central midfielders in our formation today. Maybe 8, with Shaw and Young on the flanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

We are going to get a thundercunting from City at the weekend. They will have to play very poorly not to hit five or six. Our back of midfield and centre backs basically don't exist against teams with pace and guile, and Sarri is incapable of changing even a single thing about how we play.

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Pretty sure he’s just going to have Fabregas in the middle being an even bigger slouch than Jorginho. Poor Kante.

Darmian, how wonderful.

Doesn't matter, Bailly is BACK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46451720

Oh, the takeover talks are real.

5 at the back again. Kill me.

A good few years ago I’d have contemplated watching United-Arsenal over Burnley-Liverpool but there’s not a cat in hells chance nowadays. I’d rather watch my daughter play with a broken lightbulb than watch United.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SvN

5 at the back again. Kill me.

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At least its five defenders this time. Well, four and Darmian.

It'll be nice to see the specialists fail at defending instead of makeshifts.

Salah on the bench and no Mane at all for Liverpool

Darmian's a good defender, isn't he.

Savage is either on the sauce or he's attempting satire.

De Gea :cab:

:face:

How do Iwobi and Holding let that trickle to Tony?

As if Arsenal were actually going to go in to half time a goal up.

There is an obvious lack of QUALITY, but United look to have some sort of idea and structure here for once, so maybe Paulp Ogba can follow his mate out the door.

What the fuck is this game.

Everything about Marcos Rojo ought to make him Jose Mourinho's favourite player, but then you remember he is a mental.

Sokratis :lol:

Or even Kolasinac.

Sarri will be gone by March, bloke doesn't have a clue.

Well, I'd take a point from that, given how poor we were on Saturday. No ground lost to the bottom three.

Sarriball mate Sarriball.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Sarriball mate Sarriball.

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I saw a prominent person on Chelsea Twitter the other day decry the lack of 'young Registas' available for us to sign around Europe, nearly punched myself in the face.

The worst 2-2 ever?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I saw a prominent person on Chelsea Twitter the other day decry the lack of 'young Registas' available for us to sign around Europe, nearly punched myself in the face.

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Remain means Remain.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Sarri will be gone by March, bloke doesn't have a clue.

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He'd make the team so much better if he just let Kante play deep.

The position he's a world beater in.

He's been questioned on this numerous times, and he just has tantrums and says you need someone with 'technical ability' to play centrally (by which he means slow and white). I don't know if he's just arrived on a time-travelling Lambretta from the midst of the 1981/82 Serie A season, but I'm pretty sure that physically dynamic players with some defensive capability have been known to play at the back of midfield.

Hazard has seriously papered over the cracks, but we're still on course to finish 6th even with him.

Wolves pulling it out when they needed it most.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

The worst 2-2 ever?

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It was fucking quality.

What's the score with that Lascazette business? Is he not allowed to do that? Burnley guy against Liverpool can kick it out of "arguably" the goalkeepers two hands but you can't do head it out of one? They didn't address it on MotD so I assume it is 100% not allowed nowadays, which is, by the way, a travesty. What's the world coming to?

You cant take it off the keeper when he has control of the ball or impede him in throwing or kicking it. Thanks to Thierry Henry we now know control extends all the way to getting rid of the ball.

Playground rules say one hand is not control but they don't carry on to the serious stuff. They Burnley goal would have been an interesting case for VAR to look at.

I've just been roped in (by an old family friend who won a charity auction to this effect) to have dinner with Norman Hunter and Ron 'Chopper' Harris. I don't know if I should be delighted or terrified at this prospect.

Didnt you say you're an umpire? Those type of diner events sounds perfect for you lad. Eating prawn sandwiches with a team full of weirdo's. Boring as fuck.

Perceptive as always, Sincere.

I also hadn't noticed that almost the whole round of Ligue 1 has been cancelled. lol at the French.

There will come a point (fairly early on if you're anything like me) when it just turns into a dinner with two old men who need the money.

In my mind this is Jimmy, his mate, and those two around a cosy bistro table, an that's how it's going to stay.

Inter and Juventus on at the moment for those inclined

Watching West Brom, Harvey Barnes looks way too good for this league, both in terms of electric physicality and finesse. Will be around the England squad by the next tournament.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Watching West Brom, Harvey Barnes looks way too good for this league, both in terms of electric physicality and finesse. Will be around the England squad by the next tournament.

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My Dad refuses to rate any of the youth players (I know this ones on loan) after Chelsea and Tottenham stole the last group and never played them. Izzy Brown, the highest rated of them, left a month after making his debut at West Brom and becoming the second youngest player to ever play a Premier League match. Izzy Brown is still only 21 and on his 5th loan spell in as many years. Having only made over 15 appearances in a season twice (4 years ago).

United should be winning those home games against shit teams, but that Cardiff away is a late kick-off, which means them and their assembled crowd of retards being UP FOR IT and getting at least a draw (then losing their next ten), and 'Rafa' is probably already planning an ambush. The less said about Liverpool the better. If the club suddenly reversed its approach towards the immediacy of modern life then matey could find himself in a bit of trouble.

United is a weird one. At the start of last season they looked and felt ready to at least mix it with 'Pep' and his possession-having acolytes, and now here they are, after not really losing anyone, slotting in behind Eddie Howe's AFC Bournemouth as we enter December.

It is an odd one, hence the weekly NARRATIVE switches between only needing a bit more QUALITY in key areas to needing ten new players, and it all being on the manager to him doing his best between Chris Smalling and a clueless board. I'm not even sure where I stand at this exact moment in time.

One thing I definitely feel with United right now - which I can't explain very well - is that I'm not sure how good most of the players in the team actually are.

Yeah, we know what Fellaini can and cannot do, pretty much, and some others like Mata, Young, Matic, Smalling probably. And De Gea is just outstanding regardless.

But the others you have an idea, but I just can't tell if "this is it, they aren't actually that good" or they have much more to give - Pogba (great for France), Martial (who comes and goes but constantly seems underrated), Lindelöf (great for Sweden), Rashford (I dunno, poor mans Owen?), Bailly, Matic (is he just past it? he looked like signing of the season last year), Fred (wait, he's started like 4 games)...

United have got as much chance of getting a good result against Liverpool as they have of beating any of the other assembled crap they have to face in the next few weeks.

Grind it out, hope Liverpool freeze as they have become prone to in the fixture, and have one of their 1 in 10 spaztards turn up for the day.

On the flipside, Mitrovic and co could cause all sorts of havoc tomorrow.

Quality handball effort from Jay 'not a racist, honest' Rodriguez there, think he managed to get both arms in on the act.

United are shit and full of lazy turds. The coaching is clearly abysmal but most of them have zero professional pride.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mazuuurk

One thing I definitely feel with United right now - which I can't explain very well - is that I'm not sure how good most of the players in the team actually are.

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Apparently I agree with you:

WDYTOE - Man United

David de Gea - Outstanding human, prone to silly error once every 5 matches.
Victor Lindelöf - Inconsistent as fuck, looks lost a majority of the time for the club but makes a nice tackle every now and then that makes you think "oh wait maybe he's finally coming good?"
Eric Bailly - Seems to be hurt more than not. An absolute fucking madman which at times is awesome but at others fucks us up entirely.
Phil Jones - Bless his heart
Paul Pogba - Needs to move on. It's just not going to happen at United, is it? At least we tried.
Alexis Sánchez - I've maintained he's been shit for years and nothing is going to change that fact.
Juan Mata - Should be playing for Valencia again let's be real.
Romelu Lukaku - What's happened to you, son? At the World Cup all I could think of was thank fuck we've already spent millions on this lad he'd be worth 10x that now.
Marcus Rashford - The flashes of brilliance come and go. I don't really know what to think anymore. Was surprised he was given the #10 tbqh.
Anthony Martial - I fucking love Anthony Martial and can't say a bad word about him.
Chris Smalling - My boy you try so so so hard but it's time to fuck off to West Ham or something.
Lee Grant - Enjoy your wages, papa.
Jesse Lingard - Never understood the hype but love the little fucker anyways. Used to bemoan he only scored 1 in every 30 appearances and then he said "no really, watch how I only score 1 in 26" just to piss me off. Sweet dance moves though.
Andreas Pereira - Who fucking knows? I've never seen it but apparently it exists. It being immense talent.
Marcos Rojo - Psycho like Bailly but 10x less talented. Not a bad squad player I reckon.
Fred - See Andreas Pereira.
Ashley Young - Greatest crosser of a football of his generation. Stand up individual. Should've been knighted but Harry Kane can't score sitters in the World Cup the fucking prick.
Diogo Dalot - Too early to tell but did well in the couple appearances I've seen.
Ander Herrera - Great rotational player. Has a nice eye for a slick pass every now and then.
Sergio Romero - lol ok
Luke Shaw - Love the lad. Hopefully he keeps progressing.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah - Nah.
Antonio Valencia(c) - Probably should've moved on by now tbh but he's a good rotational player to have when fit.
Marouane Fellaini - One of the greatest midfielders of all time if you really think about it.
Nemanja Matić - His debut was amazing and then it's been basically shit ever since.
Matteo Darmian - Why are you still here lad?
Axel Tuanzebe - Who knows?
Scott McTominay - I really have no idea what he does well.
Joel Castro Pereira - I like this guy but anyways who really cares


If you actually read any of this thanks for helping me kill my last 15 minutes at work xx

Something like that. You want to sympathise with Mourinho, because he is still a massive legend, but doing things like playing Scott McTominay in defence to prove some sort of point, or setting up with six defenders because two attackers are out, robs him of any potential goodwill. 'LvG' used similar circumstances to bring the likes of Marcus Rashford through. If you knew your defensive options were toilet why not keep Axel Tuanzebe around as a project?

Rodriquez :happycry:

Watch Too good to go down on BT, https://youtu.be/nBM_bzgw6QE

Now I think about it, wasting so much of their budget on Sanchez was the mistake. I have no idea why they had to do that. It seems to stand completely against the moneywank way that Ed Woodward seems to do the rest of his business as well.

I think the answer is they've got a massive complex about Manchester City being the city's leading club now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

United should be winning those home games against shit teams, but that Cardiff away is a late kick-off, which means them and their assembled crowd of retards being UP FOR IT and getting at least a draw (then losing their next ten), and 'Rafa' is probably already planning an ambush. The less said about Liverpool the better. If the club suddenly reversed its approach towards the immediacy of modern life then matey could find himself in a bit of trouble.

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Even at Arsene's lowest ebb when fans were refusing to show up having paid for the tickets in their tens of thousands, those that did bother to show up saw 21 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses. The sheer amount of draws is just a disgrace and that's the manager.

When you have a shit (whether through quality or tactics) defense the best form of it is attack where you've got a couple of hundred quid invested in just two of them. You've got 8 creative/attacking players that individually would all be parts of almost every other squad at their level or dragging a smaller team up the table.

The problem you arrive at is that Mourinho is known for showing you how to prevent mistakes and breakdowns in play, not attack, so you just get 6 players forming a low block out of possession and standing idle about their positions when in possession so Pogba ends up dribbling into the opposition man or it gets pinged forward.

Not to suck Unai Emery off but the big difference between the time we shall refer to as 'Wengers Brown Period' and now is that when playing around the d of the penalty area, they still switch it round side to side and I want to die at the pointlessness of it but now each time one player receives the ball, 3 sprint into a new position at the same time and eventually it ends up in a ball across the 6 yard box and a tap-in. We stopped scoring cutbacks for years and I always wondered why the opposition was in position for them. Now I see it's because they only had to cover one type of runner.

But yeah at the end of the day it's also a bit of what Kiko says a la lazy turds and a Harry Redknapp tactics talk to "fucking run around a bit".

I think United are lowest in the league in sprints per match and distance covered.

That is a bit telling that one, since, defensive structure or not, even he can't be sending the side out with instructions to just amble around like wankers.

I think weirdly everything being so bollocks this season gives him a better case for more TIME than if they had just bored their way into second or third again, since it has lifted the stone and revealed all the shambolic goings on that you never heard about last season.

It's rip the plaster off time.

For absolutely years before Mourinho was appointed I (wrongly, as it turned out) said they would never appoint him in a million years, for the simple reason that they are just too big for him. That isn't to say he isn't one of the best managers of all time, because he is, but he's a guerrilla manager. He's like one of those charismatic revolutionary leaders of the past. He needs to be the biggest show in town and he needs to mould his players completely around the fact that he is the biggest show in town. It's no coincidence that he then falls to bits once he has shoved his initial bayonet into the bourgeoisie, because people then want to live happily ever after, and how can you live happily ever after with Che Guevara as mayor?

It's no good him being at a club, like Real Madrid or Manchester United, where he is not bigger than the club. Chelsea 1 was so perfect for him because the club hadn't won the title for 50 years, a perfect nemesis in Wenger was there to be shot at, and so he had complete freedom (helped by cash) to shape this immense team. Porto was the same, albeit he probably did the best job of all there because he had to build himself up as well.

At modern United - let's call it post-Ferguson United - he is not the biggest thing at the club because the biggest thing at United is money and marketing. Football exists to serve those things (not so at City - football exists only to serve itself at the glory of Abu Dhabi) and I imagine they are keeping him around at the moment because he's a famous name and he keeps them talked about. If it was David Moyes producing the same results he would be out. They probably look around, think 'hey, there's no one as big as Jose on the market' and say whatever, we'll come 4th or 6th and try again next year. The problem is that it won't get better next year, not only because City will probably now win 5-7 in a row easily, but because Mourinho won't change. He is what he is. He'd be awesome if he went somewhere like West Ham and got given no cash. Wolves would be amazing with him, a whole Brexit-voting, shithole city rallying behind him, and dirty money on top of that. He'd probably come as close to City there as he would with United.

I've done a lot of reading into Clough recently and there are so many parallels it's almost spooky. I suppose the main difference was that Clough had been a good player and so didn't harbour the complete resentment against the universe that Mourinho does.

As for United's side, they really should cut ties and find their Klopp, someone of a lesser existing stature who fits in with the ethos of the club and can grow back with them. I don't know who that is but he's out there somewhere. This won't happen because the Woodward club exists only as a brand, and Woodward himself strikes me as a man on an ego trip.

If Smallpockets is available then fine, chuck him; but otherwise they might as well just install the Director of Football (or whatever they call them now) that they need anyway and let the two of them burn through a load more cash.

They have been owned by Americans for over a decade, if they were going to have a GM they would have hired one by now. Woodward is playing at being one.

The Glazers are probably the root of it all, actually, because they don't provide any meaningful leadership, nor does Woodward, and so all the extra-curriculars that Ferguson used to bring off the pitch (never mind on it) have just melted away.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Wolves would be amazing with him, a whole Brexit-voting, shithole city rallying behind him, and dirty money on top of that.

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Better check your tone lad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The Glazers are probably the root of it all, actually, because they don't provide any meaningful leadership, nor does Woodward, and so all the extra-curriculars that Ferguson used to bring off the pitch (never mind on it) have just melted away.

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Ding ding.

Ultimately it's Ferguson's fault for losing his focus and falling into an argument over a horse.

Liked your post about Mourinho. The team are protected by the brand (of likes and shares) so in the summer when Mourinho tried to be the boss, Woodward should have either backed him or sacked him. His genius was improving Mourinho's contract and then undermining him.

The players not running is a complete disgrace and there's nothing likeable about any of them.

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Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Better check your tone lad.

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Have you seen Wolves Twitter? It's amazing, they make Mendes out to be a benevolent messiah.

Super James Milner is playing right back this week. He’s amazing.

I would have agreed with you, but Klopp repeatedly called him 'Milly' in pre match interview and that has ruined both their legacies.

Salah is just messing about on his third. What a player!

Top!

Cheers, Mourinho. Keep Fulham down there.

Persebaya Surabaya fans lighting it up this evening...

View Tweet

Dalot is brilliant, he'll be one of the best full-backs of the next 10 years.

Mourinho freezing Paulp Ogba out and saving the season would be pretty hilarious.

Sancho scores again in the Revierderby

https://gyazo.com/1996bd1a4398554c7d5f2b4c0047c91e.gif

Revierderby mate.

cut and paste mate

I'm sure I spend my whole life looking at videos of various Premier League princes across the water scoring in ever more prestigious German derbies. Imagine the sort of damage Theo Walcott would have wreaked on a loan spell at Stuttgart in 05/06.

997 minutes.

One vaguely decent showing at the World Cup and suddenly we're exporting total football to continent.

Terrible refereeing is back it seems. Neither a penalty against Herrera, nor a second yellow for Anguissa.

Aye, we should've shifted Rolando Aarons to Schalke.

I'm an Arsenal winner away from my biggest accumulator for years coming in, so no doubt they've all been on the laughing gas at half time.

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Dalot is brilliant, he'll be one of the best full-backs of the next 10 years.

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I would like to see him hold up the play a bit more and start kicking it straight into the first man.

if it makes you feel any better he has given it away a few times when trying to pass inside?

Rashford has a very good game today. Needs to finish other chance he had though.

Fulham are genuinely fucking awful, Sessegnon should get out ASAP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I'm an Arsenal winner away from my biggest accumulator for years coming in, so no doubt they've all been on the laughing gas at half time.

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Go on then. How much?

I was waiting on Arsenal too. Norwich nearly fucked me, but they redeemed themselves. I won £260ish.

Sheffield Wednesday dicked me over by failing to beat Rotherham. Useless wankers.

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Originally Posted by Boydy

Sheffield Wednesday dicked me over by failing to beat Rotherham. Useless wankers.

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Richie 'Richard' Towell :cool:

Warnock keeping a side up might split the universe in two.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danny

Go on then. How much?

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Five hundred, although there was a subplot in which Norwich fucked it by dropping a last minute equaliser, only to unfuck it again via Teemu Pukki deep in added on time. I'll be sending 50% of the winnings to Pen.

Like SvN then, but probably with a more irresponsible stake.

Pukki bring great this season has been superb for our national team. Would love to see Norwich come up so we could have a player in the Premier league again.

Not the foggiest how we've mugged them off there, but regardless, stick it up your jumper 'Pep'.

In reference to the BT Sport debate, in which Robbie Savage appears to have cursed them, I reckon a few previous title winners - namely Ronaldo-led United and the first Mourinho Chelsea team, but also the Arsenal Invincibles - would munch this City team eight times out of ten. I think even the Liverpool side that went close in 2009 would do them most weeks as well. City are ace, but every 'Pep' team is getatable if you can defend and have an outlet. None of those were.

Pep has been able to walk his way to titles by consistently beating the shitters and binmen of the league he's in. For example it doesn't matter if Dortmund would have beaten him in Germany as he'd just win the next 10 games anyway. That, he is very good at.

City are quite reliant on their old guard, particularly Aguero and Fernandinho. They really miss actual forwards when they don't play any, which makes Pep's initial anti-Aguero witch-hunt all the more lol. Shame he didn't succeed really.

They can weather virtually every other absence fairly seamlessly, but they're so much sharper and more of a threat with Aguero in the side. Jesus never seems to have taken off despite obviously being quite good.

Lol. City are so much better than every Manchester United team there ever was.

https://www.dreamteamfc.com/c/wp-con...nited_1998.jpg

Who's between Sheringham and Irwin? Blomqvist (as I don't see Giggs)?

That's who I reckon as well. I just picked a side from the treble season but not the whole squad. There's no Cole in that picture either.

I think I voted for the Invincible Arsenal team in the BBC vote on the matter but that 98/99 United side was pretty decent as well.

Current City are the closest to CM-style perfection though.

It just heightens the importance of a manager and a focal point on the pitch, really. Real minus Zidane and Ronaldo, PSG with their expensive ensemble cast being undone by mercenary managers, Barca losing the engine room of Xavi and Iniesta, etc.

United 1998/99 would more than likely be given the runaround, since they were hardly the most sophisticated side (not that anybody was back then), but the 2007/08 team would defend them to death and then run them over.

Can't wait for SUPER SUNDAY today.

Noticed that ross barkley has removed his arm tattoos. I seem to picture him with a large neck tattoo but I cant find any evidence of it.

Toggle Spoiler

http://beta.ems.ladbiblegroup.com/s3...7e6771ed23.png

Yeah, I remember reading about it a few months ago. Apparently he's been covering them up for years because he was so embarrassed by them.

Sounds like the right thing to do.

Dimitar Berbatov is on Goals on Sunday and is wonderfully entertaining. He said earlier that Guendouzi 'pissed him off' due to being good at 19, and the presenters had to jump in apologising for foul language. Ofcom can fuck right off, such a load of shit.

I wouldn't say Guendouzi is good. He just seems completely average to me. He does nothing great. He is just Wilshere with locks.

He's playing regularly for one of the top Premier League clubs, I'd say he's quite good.

Berbatoss. :cool:

They would have won the 2011/12 title had he not been weirdly sidelined for Danny fucking Welbeck.

Sterlings made a statement about the racist stuff yesterday and The Sun have cropped out about 3/4s of it that talks about the media's role in it all.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Dimitar Berbatov is on Goals on Sunday and is wonderfully entertaining. He said earlier that Guendouzi 'pissed him off' due to being good at 19, and the presenters had to jump in apologising for foul language. Ofcom can fuck right off, such a load of shit.

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I twitter searched this for a clip and I did not know there are scores of people VERY ANGRY at goals on sunday all the time. Like one of every team accusing them of bias.

Football twitter is absolutely septic. Worse than politics twitter. Fans of every club (right down to tiny tinpot teams in League Two) think there is a massive media conspiracy against them. They always support the club propaganda unit against journalists (no matter what).

'Same old, same old: there's one rule for Swindon Town, one rule for everyone else :rolleyes:'

I think the worst club twitters I have seen are Leeds (vile people), Wolves, and probably Brentford (smug cunts on the horrendous losing run they so richly deserve).

I'm so glad I grew out of that. Until I was about 16 I was similarly convinced the media/referees/whoever were out to get West Brom, then realised nobody gives a fuck about West Brom.

Well, that's kinda shit. With a full squad, we probably go on to win that.

Doherty is the best right wing back that ever lived.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Football twitter is absolutely septic. Worse than politics twitter. Fans of every club (right down to tiny tinpot teams in League Two) think there is a massive media conspiracy against them. They always support the club propaganda unit against journalists (no matter what).

'Same old, same old: there's one rule for Swindon Town, one rule for everyone else :rolleyes:'

I think the worst club twitters I have seen are Leeds (vile people), Wolves, and probably Brentford (smug cunts on the horrendous losing run they so richly deserve).

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The worst are Liverpool and Arsenal by a comfortable margin.

Liverpool Twitted invented the victim complex and taught it to the rest of them. Arsenal Twitter is bi-polar. All of them.

Someone I went to uni with was absolutely 100% adamant that the FA, and by extension the refs, had an agenda against Villa. If you queried it, he'd speak to you as if you were a total mentalist for not agreeing with him.

Watching a Villa match in the same room as him was a nightmare. Every decision or goal that went against them was "absolutely ridiculous". If a replay showed it to be right, then the argument would change to "What about 6 weeks ago when we didn't get a similar decision?". I haven't spoken to him in about 5 years, so I've no idea if being relegated has made him worse or made him chill out a bit.

Chelsea Twitter is probably the worst these days. The Arsenal lot are finally happy; United are resigned to just talking Dave Gayer up and moaning; City Twitter is staffed entirely by thirteen year olds and 'Pep' fan accounts; and the Scousers bring too much of their general insufferableness into it to condemn them merely on football grounds. Meanwhile, the Chelsea accounts all seem to operate from the same script, presumably because they're all the work of a particular sort of identikit tosser called Rich/Will/Sam.

I’m watching the ‘Copa’ and the 5 minutes of extra time I’ve seen means I’m going to declare River the better team.

I posted that before they scored.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Chelsea Twitter is probably the worst these days. The Arsenal lot are finally happy; United are resigned to just talking Dave Gayer up and moaning; City Twitter is staffed entirely by thirteen year olds and 'Pep' fan accounts; and the Scousers bring too much of their general insufferableness into it to condemn them merely on football grounds. Meanwhile, the Chelsea accounts all seem to operate from the same script, presumably because they're all the work of a particular sort of identikit tosser called Rich/Will/Sam.

---

I find Chelsea twitter to be full of straight up weirdos. It's a bit like Arsenal Twitter circa 2010, but with fewer ethnic minorities.

They seem to have declared victory on the Eden Hazard issue, so they've all moved on to a concerted effort to boast the best 'keeper in the league. Speaking of which, I like the style of this Boca maniac between the sticks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

I’m watching the ‘Copa’ and the 5 minutes of extra time I’ve seen means I’m going to declare River the better team.

---

The extra player helps.

Our keeper (he has no name) is quite fun but he isn't better than De Gea.

The Hazard issue remains but Kanté signing a five year deal was a pleasant surprise. I thought twatalona would be in for him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Our keeper (he has no name) is quite fun but he isn't better than De Gea.

The Hazard issue remains but Kanté signing a five year deal was a pleasant surprise. I thought twatalona would be in for him.

---

Top man Kante wouldn't accept their tax arrangements.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Disco

The extra player helps.

---

And they still nearly made me look like a dick when they suddenly let Boca back into it and they hit the post.

Kante is a mug. When he ends up kipping on floors like Emmanuel Eboue he deserves no sympathy whatsoever.

Are you serious?

The theory goes we're overpaying to nail down our players because we (and Manchester City) have hefty transfer bans incoming.

That'd be great. It's a shame neither side has a monopoly on young talent to fall back on.

Chelsea have 813 players out on loan. Surely the next John Terry is on their books somewhere..

I always used to think Sterling was a massive little twat before but I like him more and more as he seems to mature.

Fair play to him for calling the media on their shit. It's ridiculous the way he is portrayed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Fair play to him for calling the media on their shit. It's ridiculous the way he is portrayed.

---

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DuCYizkW4AA2thQ.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtjvNANXQAEiYtn.jpg

Same bloke less than a week apart. Incredible.

I keep reading that this is "normal" and "it never disappeared"... if that's the case (it may well be), why wasn't Martin Samuel writing about it last week?

I'll never understand how people can generate so much hatred over a game of football.

Raheeeeeeem!

Bloody love that little rascal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Disco

I'll never understand how people can generate so much hatred over a game of football.

---

Football just seems to have a natural culture of violent aggression. You can see it at any level of the game. Look what we all subject referees to just for making a vague attempt to do their job.

I've always thought it's because it's a working class game and often all people have in their lives, but there are other working class games which seem to manage ok.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DuCYizkW4AA2thQ.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtjvNANXQAEiYtn.jpg

Same bloke less than a week apart. Incredible.

---

Huh?

It seems like a bit of a non sequitur to me. The media bullshit around him can still be bullshit without necessarily being to blame for that bloke there showing himself up. Something tells me he is not a particularly well-adjusted individual away from the sidelines.

If he didn't read the Daily Sun he would be a nobel laureate and UN peace ambassador. The press has corrupted his views.

False start in the Everton game. This already feels like a refereeing performance worth watching.

Good call.

Another officiating horror show which only hastens the approach of the VARpocalypse. Offside goal, probably should have sent Mina off at the end there. Oh dear.

That one's on me Everton, forgot to move Foster off the bench for my fantasy team.

Kabisele must have had a fairly big lay on his own team tonight.

What a div.

For all the promise Everton have apparently been showing this season they weren't half dreadful tonight, and, I assume, probably the other night as well.

I expect to see a ten minute emergency broadcast of this Sky Sports racism debate across all available channels. Hopefully Richard Keys and Andy Gray have a crack at calling him a soft cunt who should go home if he has a problem.

Gary Neville was well and truly disappearing down the rabbit hole at points during his monologue.

Racist abuse, Brexit, did he get the rise of Trump in there?

Gary Neville monologues are the low point of current national life.

He very probably started it all himself with the dismissive tone he took towards foreign muck displacing good, honest bread and butter in ordinary, decent restaurants.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Gary Neville monologues are the low point of current national life.

---

Steady on. James O'Brien.

James O'Brien is at least honest about his motives. Gary Neville is just this twat writ massive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

James O'Brien is at least honest about his motives. Gary Neville is just this twat writ massive.

---

fixed:

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

Oh yeah, Andy Tate has done a Christmas song.

All set for a big night at Anfield :cool2:

There was a difficult choice to be made between the Liverpool and Barcelona games until the commentators were displayed and the latter had Robbie Savage.

Noted FM hero Carles Aleña started for Barcelona though.

Not convinced Salah tried to score that one, reckon that was a botched cross.

I can see this being 2-0 in the last 10 minutes with subs being sent on to shut up shop.

Great first 45 though. Salah is mugging off their left-back all over the place.

Mo Salah doesn’t botch!

Is 2-1 loss good enough for Napoli on head to head, or any win will do for Liverpool?

2-1 is good enough for Napoli as the head to head counts away goals.

Is Mo Salah BACK?

I think Liverpool need 1-0 or if Napoli score, then a win by two to go through.

Very much into, if Napoli score, we're fucked territory now.

What's Napolis obsession with having Premier League rejects in goal by the way?

Getting a bit scary this

Mane has his shoes on the wrong feet

Never in doubt!

Whatever Alisson is on fucking triple it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Whatever Alisson is on fucking triple it.

---

It was miss rather than a great save, despite the commentary team jizzing over their microphones. It was right at him.

Plus he's a grown man with acne.

Oh fuck yes. Had to miss the last half hour of the Spurs game due to work but just came back and i'm fucking cumming

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

It was miss rather than a great save, despite the commentary team jizzing over their microphones. It was right at him.

---

Agreed. He did about as well as any keeper can do in those situations I suppose, as in come out quick and get as close as possible to the striker. But at the end of the day Milik or whoever it was botched it really, he did a bad touch at first I think and should have been able to get a bit more angle on the shot really.

It seems so weird today that at one point in time, Milner was basically playing as some sort of Winger for Man City.

Whether the striker should do better or not, Allison has been the absolute difference in Liverpool's defensive output (and therefore team progress) this season, as Carragher tried to point out on Monday Night Football in between Gary Neville's state of the nation segments. He's made three or four match-winning/saving saves in the last week alone. I was a massive sceptic about spending all that money on him, but he's probably repaid at least half of it tonight. He's been immense.

I've always thought teams underspend on goalkeepers, especially when compared to flighty wingers and the like. A good keeper as opposed to Mignolet must be worth 8-10 league points in the average season.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Whether the striker should do better or not, Allison has been the absolute difference in Liverpool's defensive output (and therefore team progress) this season, as Carragher tried to point out on Monday Night Football in between Gary Neville's state of the nation segments. He's made three or four match-winning/saving saves in the last week alone. I was a massive sceptic about spending all that money on him, but he's probably repaid at least half of it tonight. He's been immense.

---

Thought Van Dijk was brilliant tonight and in general. To me the difference between the first and second half of last season was much more dramatic than between last season and now. Allison is great but I thought we were quite solid defensively ever since Van Dijk came in, which people forget because of Karius-gate.

I think the biggest change with the keeper is I now have confidence we can keep a clean sheet against anyone. Last season we’d have won last night but it would have been a 5-3. Now we can win 1-0 and not have to worry about it.

Yeah having a goalkeeper is a lot better than just sticking a barber in net.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mazuuurk

It seems so weird today that at one point in time, Milner was basically playing as some sort of Winger for Man City.

---

City didn't play to his strengths whatsoever. He played in centre mid for Villa and was an absolute sensation.

My abiding memory of Ye Olde Milner(e) is him being hooked for Wright-Phillips against the USA in 2010 for being a walking red card after about half an hour.

Glad both English teams went through last night. Might actually get a Europa win.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Glad both English teams went through last night. Might actually get a Europa win.

---

Your mad as fuck, dont lie.

I'm far more annoyed at headlines like this to describe a 1-1 draw versus a second string Barcelona

https://i.imgur.com/A0WFVFB.png

A second string barcelona team is still levels above any tottenham team in histyory lad.

In relation to last nights results, who the fuck is the Napoli number 99? That is the second time I've seen him miss a one-on-one oppournunty that should have been scored in the last minute. Donnarumma made a super save against him last season fro point blank range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Xe3NhETZs

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

A second string barcelona team is still levels above any tottenham team in histyory lad.

---

:D

Damn, tell me more

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

In relation to last nights results, who the fuck is the Napoli number 99? That is the second time I've seen him miss a one-on-one oppournunty that should have been scored in the last minute. Donnarumma made a super save against him last season fro point blank range.

vid

---

That came to my mind too. Donnarumma's is a legitimately incredible save though. That probably won Juve the title last year.

That went well.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ur-months.html

Real Madrid - CSKA 0-3 :eek:

How crap a team have they put out for that to be happening?

Left Ronaldo out.

Why am I even watching this? Watching United is unbearable enough when the result supposedly matters.

Well Juventus are now losing so a win would put us top and get an 'easier' tie.

That free kick by Sane :drool:

I think I should just copy and paste this on a weekly basis but United are detestable. Some absolute turds in that team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

That free kick by Sane :drool:

---

He got a bit of luck from the shittest wall ever assembled.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I think I should just copy and paste this on a weekly basis but United are detestable. Some absolute turds in that team.

---

This is honestly the worst Utd performance I've ever seen. Mourinho is the problem - I guarantee these players suddenly look 100x better under a progressive manager.

They're all lazy fuckers and I'm not sure how much a new manager can teach them in terms of running. Mourinho needs to go obviously but the club is broken.

Also if he's going to treat this game as pointless - which he clearly has - why not at least give Garner or Greenwood a run out instead of subbing on FUCKING ASHLEY YOUNG.

I hate Mourinho.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

They're all lazy fuckers and I'm not sure how much a new manager can teach them in terms of running. Mourinho needs to go obviously but the club is broken.

---

I simply don't believe it. I don't think Mourinho is coaching them to press like the other top teams are doing. He wants them to sit in, because that's how his teams have always done it.

Edit: calling us a top team lololol

I refuse to believe they're all constant shit but they've been awful for nearly 7 years so can't really be too hopeful.

Good goal rashford.

And once again when we are down and actually start attacking we look quite good. It's so frustrating.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I think I should just copy and paste this on a weekly basis but United are detestable. Some absolute turds in that team.

---

It's literally unbearable to watch.

This is all nicely leading towards an expertly managed 0-0 or 0-1 at Anfield and he keeps the job.

I actually don't mind being shit. I just can't stand that we are bad because we are so poor in each game because they put in the bare minimum each time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

This is all nicely leading towards an expertly managed 0-0 or 0-1 at Anfield and he keeps the job.

---

Lol no. 4-0 on Saturday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I refuse to believe they're all constant shit but they've been awful for nearly 7 years so can't really be too hopeful.

Good goal rashford.

---

I still think the managers are to blame. They've all - in their own special ways - been completely terrible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I actually don't mind being shit. I just can't stand that we are bad because we are so poor in each game because they put in the bare minimum each time.

---

This is exactly it.

I could deal with it if it seemed like they TRIED.

Can we all take a minute to lol at Juventus.

Losing 2-1 to Young Boys with this squad:

Szczesny
Cuadrado
Rugani
Bonucci
De Sciglio
Pjanic
Bentancur
Bernardeschi
Douglas Costa
Mandzukic
Cristiano Ronaldo

I'm telling you there is massive scope for 'LvG' revisionism when you consider the absolute shit he had to work with. Mourinho would have melted down on the spot if he had had to field some of the makeshift sides that he did.

Out of the three LvG had the most potential to succeed given the time and investment, IMO.

Then again it was him who binned the Kroos deal after Moyes agreed it so maybe he is just as big a retard as the other two.

It was HORRIBLE under van Gaal. Stop imagining something that wasn't there.

At least his post match was interesting.

Yeah, it goes a bit 'Rafa' at Liverpool once you factor transfers in; but, like 'Rafa' at Liverpool, he probably had to spread what was available a bit more thinly than Mourinho has had to, so it was always going to be a bit hit and miss.

Didn't he have the best record in the league in big games or something seriously lol like that? I don't think it's that wild to think that if he had been given three-hundred million to reinforce the squad with QUALITY after his FA Cup win that things might look a bit better than they do now.

I vaguely remember van Gael nailing it again at the rest of the top-whatever but shitting it against the... well.... shit.

Man management is a huge part of it rather than just whether the money has been spent well. You look at Klopp at Liverpool, and I'm not saying he's perfect, but they clearly all want to play for him. That sort of thing can make transfers look good.

Man utd have won trophies under mourinho. Liverpool have won fuck all under klopp

Yeah but it's been absolute torture. Even the Europa run was complete bollocks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Yeah but it's been absolute torture. Even the Europa run was complete bollocks.

---

And still you won. Klopp and liverpool are cetified losers and fail at the final hurdle multipe times.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

He got a bit of luck from the shittest wall ever assembled.

---

:confused: I didn’t see McTominay crouched behind it.

Oh no, my trophy wins aren't exciting enough.

I've always thought that is such a weird way of judging success. The only competitions that really matter if you win (as an English team) are the Premier League and Champs league, with the FA Cup a distant 3rd. The League Cup isn't too much more relevant than the International Champions Cup they play over in the States in the off-season.

And as for the posterity argument, I guarantee more people will remember this Liverpool side - even if they win nothing - than the United side winning Europa or some other big team winning the FA Cup

Says the Spurs fan.

I wouldn't give a shit if we won the Carabao Competition.

Klopp is currently on course to record the most points that Liverpool have ever amassed in the top division, and yet still probably won't win the thing.

Whereas a minor Cup win would make him a success.

Hmmm.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

The League Cup isn't too much more relevant than the International Champions Cup they play over in the States in the off-season.

---

:cab:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Disco

Oh no, my trophy wins aren't exciting enough.

---

This is coming from Man Utd fans. This is crazy.

I enjoyed going to Wembley, Stockholm and Skopje but that doesn't mean the football wasn't anything but turd and laboured. You have to be able to enjoy it and not despise everyone involved.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

I've always thought that is such a weird way of judging success. The only competitions that really matter if you win (as an English team) are the Premier League and Champs league, with the FA Cup a distant 3rd. The League Cup isn't too much more relevant than the International Champions Cup they play over in the States in the off-season.

And as for the posterity argument, I guarantee more people will remember this Liverpool side - even if they win nothing - than the United side winning Europa or some other big team winning the FA Cup

---

Losers will always say winning isn't important.

If you're a recent PL follower from abroad, you'll buy into the idea that having buzz around your team is the main goal, as that's what the PL markets globally. Us native fans have been brought up wanting to see our teams win trophies. If you're a fan and you think the FA/League Cups and even Europa League don't matter, then what are you really supporting a team for? To see their bank balance and social media footprint gradually consolidate? Madness.

Aye, even with daft things like the Intertoto, if you're in a match to win it, you're in a match to progress further into something else. And the alternative is not winning it. Hell, I'll celebrate our reserves winning the Checkatrade if it came around.

I remember chelski one year printed those shirts that had the under 19s league title and the premier league title as a double team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

If you're a recent PL follower from abroad, you'll buy into the idea that having buzz around your team is the main goal, as that's what the PL markets globally. Us native fans have been brought up wanting to see our teams win trophies. If you're a fan and you think the FA/League Cups and even Europa League don't matter, then what are you really supporting a team for? To see their bank balance and social media footprint gradually consolidate? Madness.

---

Competition saturation, there are 2 important competitions. You can’t have 5 or 6 of them, there’s just no way. Lol @ the bank balance thing too

There is merit in the position that winning things is a good metric of success (obviously) and any trophy is better than no trophies (obviously) but it doesn't follow that trophies are the only metric of success, and that you need to win them to avoid being judged a 'failure'.

It depends, surely, on what the people paying you your millions expect. Do Liverpool EXPECT trophies from his current contract?

Mourinho is probably a failure officially but if the training shirt sponsorships keep rolling in who knows if they actually care.

Celtic :cool:

£300m deal agreed in principle. Kenyon's lot are going for it in installments. :uhoh:

small team fans bitterly mocking the big boys for being unsatisfied with their moderate success has always annoyed me. everything is relative. i'm a west brom fan who's experienced nowt but years of yo-yoing, except for a few years of mid-table mediocrity, yet i was always empathetic with arsenal fans bemoaning years of failure for example.

if you can see how your team is being mis-managed it's fucking well annoying regardless of your place in the pyramid. i remember moaning about post-dan ashworth transfer policy and how we were pissing away a decade of shrewd management and my cov supporting mate piped up and sarcastically said "YEAH, must be shit finishing 16th in the prem every season", and i had to say YEAH IT IS, i know your club is in a worse place, but that's not the fucking point.

i also think people are too quick to assume rival fans have delusions of grandeur, just cus it fits an easy NARRATIVE. i think you'd have to be a bit special to think the majority of west ham and newcastle fans genuinely think their teams "deserve" to be finishing top-4 every season playing swashbuckling, attacking football.

I'm so glad the Europa League group stage is over, just the worst. We've had a couple of non-league FA Cup opponents recently that put together a stronger opposition. It was nice to see that Saka kid though just because he seems like a nice boy.

I've just seen Olympiakos knocked out Milan last night.

And they got done for FFP as well. About time they were given that annual CL spot they are owed.

I'm getting soccer withdrawals since the internationals. Is there anything on tonight?

West Brom are on tonight.

I'd rather the withdrawals tbh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

West Brom are on tonight.

---

He's after soccer.

And like clockwork I've just found Glenavon v Coleraine live on BBC2. Shit football fix sorted.

Well I just learned that Gareth Barry is still a thing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

It depends, surely, on what the people paying you your millions expect. Do Liverpool EXPECT trophies from his current contract?

Mourinho is probably a failure officially but if the training shirt sponsorships keep rolling in who knows if they actually care.

---

Here is the incredibly petty hill I will die on:

I'm not living through 9 years of 'Arsenal haven't won a trophy in...' and Arsene Wenger being called a fraud only for Spurs to turn up and get patted on the head because they spend less money and use more youth players than their peers.

Yeah but Arsenal started the decade several tiers above Spurs, and now they're on the same level. It's obvious why one has been a success story while the other has been more or less a failure

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

Yeah but Arsenal started the decade several tiers above Spurs, and now they're on the same level. It's obvious why one has been a success story while the other has been more or less a failure

---

Spurs were literally not one iota relevant in the 9 years I'm addressing. Maybe the last one or two when 'Arry turned up but I'm talking the post invincibles to post Van Persie era.

In the past couple of years phonics has single handedly made Spurs the bigger club with his small time complex. An Arsenal fan should never even consider Spurs relevant enough to obsess about.

Liverpool-United on Sunday #mourinhoout

It's going to be completely tragic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Spurs were literally not one iota relevant in the 9 years I'm addressing. Maybe the last one or two when 'Arry turned up but I'm talking the post invincibles to post Van Persie era.

---

Ok, but they're being lauded now...

YES Jesus, a nice finish, not quite Inzaghi but a rare sighting of a poacher's pleasing slot.

Pickford jumped out of the way, the hobbit.

ANOTHER Man City home game.

That first City goal was an absolute shambles. Awful pass from Pickford to put Mina under pressure in a stupid part of the pitch. Awful from Mina to ineptly punt it 30 yards, then not get out and botch the offside trap. And then Pickford shows Jesus the near post and he just rolls it in. Brave on the ball.

Conceding two midget headers wasn't much better, either.

Mina's performance in general needed a restraining order.

Marco Silva is a moaning little twerp, isn't he? Like Mark Hughes but with lego hair.

There are people, who are not deemed mentally unwell, that follow Burnley up and down the country to watch that shit. Worse than West Brom. Horrible.

I think if I lived in Burnley I'd find any excuse to travel to other places.

Fair point.

They all still enjoy chipping away at the big boys. When that becomes boring there will be a call for 'progressive football'. That's when they'll go full Stoke and get relegated.

Fuck possession, six points clear.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mellberg

They all still enjoy chipping away at the big boys. When that becomes boring there will be a call for 'progressive football'. That's when they'll go full Stoke and get relegated.

---

Or full on Villa, its all the same. Tin pot clubs.

Woof.

I'd take that as the scoreline.

I think United will play their awful football and nick a goal at the end today :(

I hope I'm wrong. Our defensive injury list is a worry too.

John O'Shea on the bench.

Today is going to be nothing but pain.

Nah, Fellaini will come on and you'll scrap away a 1-0.

So Southamption just walked out to this anthem for the Arsenal game.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKSJN3WWR3E

That Hazard pass :drool:

Danny Ings :drool:

Sian Massey really is a quality lino.

That United team fucking hell. Roy Keane though. :cool:

We're going to get felt up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

That United team fucking hell. Roy Keane though. :cool:

---

View Tweet

Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Clyne, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Lallana, Henderson, Shaqiri, Sturridge.

Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Dalot, Smalling, Lindelof, Darmian; Herrera, Matic; Young, Lingard, Rashford; Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Bailly, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Valencia, Fellaini.

Arselol :harold:

Having Roy Keane on really does make Neville look like the superficial pontificating twat he is.

Sky has a weak dressing room and a lack of characters.

Fulham next weekend before Liverpool, Watford and Man Utd. Oof.

That Man Utd defence is awful. Not one of those players is good enough to get into anyside in the top 10. No wonder De Gea has has been Man Utd best player since Alex left.

Five at the back would be fine with Pogba and Martial in the front three. Still, Mourinho hates these and I’m confident in one more shithousing performance

The fuck is this?

https://gyazo.com/65f38a77470c7882fea29b1f35352387.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

That Man Utd defence is awful. Not one of those players is good enough to get into anyside in the top 10. No wonder De Gea has has been Man Utd best player since Alex left.

---

Let's not over exaggerate. Smalling is a good option for a team 5-10. Lindelof is improving and Dalot is a highly rated youth full back.

The team is terrible though so it'll be seen to.

Hilarious, 'Keeper Watch' goalkeeping from the Arsenal man for Southampton's winner there.

That keeper is a classic example of when Arsenal fans think because somebody is from the *insert trendy league here* he must be good. Their leagues have just as many shit wankers as our leagues do.

Southampton coming out to Hate Me Now has done wonders. I'd like to see other teams walk out to lesser known hip hop bangers as a source of motivation.

I can't help but feel this game is the banana skin.

HERE. WE. GO. :drool:

Should be a landslide, lads.

Good stuff from Sky there, sticking a French flag in front of Eric Bailly.

Smalling has bailed the madman.

Bailly to get sent off or something.

Having a swing at but not touching the ball seems a bit subjective to be the basis of an offside call. Especially when you get absolutely nowhere near it. Gesturing towards it might as well count.

i'm afraid this first 24 has been Liverpool returning to their f***ing perch.

just before that goal, did Gary asked Phil to pull out?

This is so poor. How Mourinho isn't out of a job I do not have a clue.

There's about six in this for Liverpool if they keep it up. Just complete dominance.

Hahahahahhaahha

Jesus. South American keepers till I die.

Keeper Watch still happening then :D

Alisson :D

:D

Of course.

Roy Keane on Alisson there, 'He should be catching that with his eyes shut.'

Yep, Roy, that's precisely what he did.

Fellaini on for Dalot aaaahhhhhhh make it stop

Signing of the season!

De Gea :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pleb

De Gea :D

---

?

He punched the post.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

?

---

Massive error from him failing to use mind control to send it over the bar (made the same howler on the first goal).

Think I'd have burned a stadium down by this point if I were him.

:cool2:

Mourinho Out please you fannies.

He's still shit.

Get the fuck in!

I should stop speaking on players turning their back on the ball. It appeaers to be normal tactics now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John

Hilarious, 'Keeper Watch' goalkeeping from the Arsenal man for Southampton's winner there.

---

I think this is harsh. He's the only Arsenal player with a chance to get to the ball, Austin is completely open at the back post and is going to score 9 times out of 10 from there, yes the 'keeper botches it and makes it a 99.9%er but I think he has to take the chance that he can either get a finger on it, or put Austin off. Did make him look a div though.

United are beyond bad.

The highlight of the match was the United Twitter account reporting 'another deflected goal' as if they don't really count.

Keane is probably going to have a MELTDOWN over this.

:jayjay:

I wonder if Roy's brushing up his application.

I hope we sack him today. He's absolutely gone.

If they were going to be that shit they could have at least had the decency to long term injure half of those scum cunts.

Ajax won eight nil today, with Daley Blind getting a hat trick from centre back. Their centre forward did not score.

They blew their chance to sack him while the good managers were moving around last summer. There isn't even a flavour of the month at the moment *checks who is in charge of Dortmund*

61 year old grey haired Swiss Lucien Favre, no chance that will shift any likes or shares.

They'll take Pochettino.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I hope we sack him today. He's absolutely gone.

---

We won't.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

They'll take Pochettino.

---

How does anyone go in and work with that shower of wasters though? Did you see that video of Pogba and Lingard the other day? The two cunts should be on the training ground working and hanging their heads in shame, let alone shaping around a dressing room.

He brings half the Spurs team with him.

Although holding out for the Real job next summer is probably a better bet. Getting United back to their expected level is going to be a hell of a struggle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

How does anyone go in and work with that shower of wasters though? Did you see that video of Pogba and Lingard the other day? The two cunts should be on the training ground working and hanging their heads in shame, let alone shaping around a dressing room.

---

Sounds like you’d be as useful around the place as Mourinho.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Sounds like you’d be as useful around the place as Mourinho.

---

And as useful as about half the squad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by giggles

if they were going to be that shit they could have at least had the decency to long term injure half of those scum cunts.

---

hahaha

Surprised Smiffy hasn't made an appearance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

How does anyone go in and work with that shower of wasters though? Did you see that video of Pogba and Lingard the other day? The two cunts should be on the training ground working and hanging their heads in shame, let alone shaping around a dressing room.

---

While they are detestable, they're clearly not being coached. Get Weng in until the end of the season.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

The highlight of the match was the United Twitter account reporting 'another deflected goal' as if they don't really count.

---

Correction:

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Imagine letting United score past you. Klopp out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

The highlight of the match was the United Twitter account reporting 'another deflected goal' as if they don't really count.

---

The same mindset that has fans talking about hitting the post and making it sound like it should count for half a goal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Correction:

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---

That has made my weekend, quality.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Surprised Smiffy hasn't made an appearance.

---

I've been waiting months for someone to change my email address as I can't log in otherwise.

As for today, it's just three points. We face our direct rivals on the 3rd January.

Having a breakdown to the point you try to get the police involved only to come back because Liverpool won a match. Jaysus.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Correction:

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:D

That is incredible.

I was back about two months ago you plank but I couldn't reactivate account due to email being wrong.

This place doesn't offer much these days tbh. Just a bunch of bored individuals going around in circles discussing the same shit they discussed a decade ago.

Move on.

Yet here you are, within half an hour of your name being mentioned for the first time in ages.

Liverpool v Man United. The thread had potential.

We've always been a bunch of bored individuals going round in circles.

Isn't that the same of 'real life' friendships of any real length too? Try finding new material when you've known anyone 10+ years.

"Errrrr, so, what do you prefer; Bratwurst or Frankfurter?"

Andy Robertson is the best left back in the world by the way

He's the best at running in a determined-looking fashion. Not sure his delivery or defending are the best.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Isn't that the same of 'real life' friendships of any real length too? Try finding new material when you've known anyone 10+ years.

"Errrrr, so, what do you prefer; Bratwurst or Frankfurter?"

---

Frankfurter

Got to Brotwurst?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

He's the best at running in a determined-looking fashion. Not sure his delivery or defending are the best.

---

His delivery is spot on. Well, just not from corners. That was dreadful.

They mentioned it on commentary but I'd love to know the statistics (either globally or in any given league) about success from inswinging vs outswinging corners.

Currywursts are pretty shit too. Not sure why that's seen as a must do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

How does anyone go in and work with that shower of wasters though? Did you see that video of Pogba and Lingard the other day? The two cunts should be on the training ground working and hanging their heads in shame, let alone shaping around a dressing room.

---

As is always the case in these situations it's the manager's fault if the players are serving up shit on the pitch.

If it isn't, what's the point in having one?

Peak Mourinho would have struggled to get anything out of Lukaku today I reckon and at some point the player has to take responsibility. Pogba another. I have no sympathy for Mourinho though given he's moaning about his own signings more or less.

United isn't about today anyway, galling for them to be pushed aside by us but their problems are deep rooted and purely internal.

The reason they look so awful is because they're being chronically mismanaged.

It’s brilliant. I hope he has a job for life.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

The reason they look so awful is because they're being chronically mismanaged.

---

The club is completely rotten to the core.

Lukaku being allowed to be horrendously overweight is just a symptom of the mismanagement.

Champiosn League draw

Liverpool vs Bayern Munich
Ajax vs Real Madrid
Roma vs Porto
Lyon vs Barcelona
Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund
Manchester United vs PSG
Atletico Madrid vs Juventus
Schalke vs Manchester City

PSG knocking us out :drool:

Probably the best time to be facing Munich. Not a bad draw tbh.

February is a long time away in football terms. Hopefully we can at least be competitive, because if the game were to happen this week we'd be annihilated.

Hopefully Giggs will have us roaring by then

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Champiosn League draw

Liverpool
Ajax
Roma
Barcelona
Tottenham
PSG
Atletico Madrid
Manchester City

---

That's my reckoning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

February is a long time away in football terms. Hopefully we can at least be competitive, because if the game were to happen this week we'd be annihilated.

---

I'm not being dickish but this week? You've looked like you can be turned over by almost every team you've faced since day one.

The only thing that'll change that is big changes in January but there's been nothing to suggest he's going to be entrusted with more money. Rightly so too though. You can't throw bad money after bad money.

Would you not be happier to start from scratch? I'd turf Mourinho out and at least 3/4 of the squad at the same time.

Europa League draw

Viktoria Plzen vs Dinamo Zagreb
Club Brugge vs FC Salzburg
Rapid Vienna vs Inter Milan
Slavia Prague vs Genk
FC Krasnodar vs Bayer Leverkusen
FC Zurich vs Napoli
Malmo vs CHELSEA
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Eintracht Frankfurt
CELTIC vs Valencia
Rennes vs Real Betis
Olympiacos vs Dynamo Kiev
Lazio vs Sevilla
Fenerbahce vs Zenit St Petersburg
Sporting Lisbon vs Villarreal
BATE Borisov vs ARSENAL
Galatasaray vs Benfica

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Hindsight is wonderful but I bet you would have jumped at the chance to take him if he was to be Wenger's replacement at the time.

It's not just Mourinho fucking over Manchester United.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

Hindsight is wonderful but I bet you would have jumped at the chance to take him if he was to be Wenger's replacement at the time.

It's not just Mourinho fucking over Manchester United.

---

You think I would have jumped at the chance to take Mourinho 6 months ago? The continued mental breakdowns are clearly affecting your understanding of time. Please fuck back off to your hole.

I wouldn't have taken Mourinho 3 years ago. At absolute best he will win you a couple of trophies for a couple of years before leaving the club in ruins afterwards.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

You think I would have jumped at the chance to take Mourinho 6 months ago? The continued mental breakdowns are clearly affecting your understanding of time. Please fuck back off to your hole.

---

You're an unhappy individual, aren't you, Phonics. Is your life really that sad that you have to get personal for no reason whatsoever? It's pathetic and says more about you than it does myself.

Moving on. Perhaps the timing of six months is off but if offered Mourinho before he went to United given Wenger's displays too then of course you would have taken him as he's a winner. Might not be at the moment as the game in the Premier League has too much for him to overcome but you can't dispute what he's won in the game.

Really though the guy needs a long break.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

I wouldn't have taken Mourinho 3 years ago. At absolute best he will win you a couple of trophies for a couple of years before leaving the club in ruins afterwards.

---

Which clubs has he actually ruined. Don't just spout it, other than United which isn't just him, which club did he 'ruin'?

Chelsea? Inter? Madrid? Porto? His spiel seems to get old after a while but I'd dispute the fact he leaves clubs in a worse shape than when he left. He left Inter as treble winners, he left Chelsea after winning a title, he left Madrid in the same manner, no?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

You're an unhappy individual, aren't you, Phonics. Is your life really that sad that you have to get personal for no reason whatsoever? It's pathetic and says more about you than it does myself.

---

You tried to get a member of this board sacked from their real life job and threatened to report this place to the police during your last breakdown. You turn up and don't even apologise for it. You can get absolutely fucked. You are total scum. I'd rather have Harold back than you.

:michael jackson popcorn:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

You tried to get a member of this board sacked from their real life job and threatened to report this place to the police during your last breakdown. You turn up and don't even apologise for it. You can get absolutely fucked. You are total scum. I'd rather have Harold back than you.

---

And your proof of this? You seem to have more of an issue than the person involved at the time, something we both talked about to one another like adults. Getting someone sacked when it was me who got dismissed? Learn your facts.

Why should this place be any different to any other forms of social media? If I believed someone was interfering in my personal life as I did at the time given how open and honest I had been over the years and the moderating team refused to do anything then why shouldn't i pursue something? Not that the police ever got called but still. It was me who lost my job all.

You hold the keys, do as you please. Your words fall on deaf ears.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smjffy

Why should this place be any different to any other forms of social media?

---

It's not. Hence why I get to call you a prick.

And I have every right to ignore you and apologize to the only person it concerned at the time which I did. IE, Giggles.

I won't sink to your level. I'm better than that.

What did you expect the moderating team to do, out of interest?

Delete all my history as I asked repeatedly so there wouldn't be a trail of my openness. It wasnt a big ask but it is what it is.

In hindsight it did me a huge favour by ensuring a career change and I've not looked back since.

I clearly could have dealt with it better at the time but I didn't so I won't dwell on it. Shit happens.

You got sacked because you had drugs in your bag, no?

Damn this TTH for putting them there.

No, I got sacked because someone made an anonymous call to CIW (health inspectors) the exact same time me and Giggles were going at it. Someone claimed I had been seen smoking on the way to work which was never the case but naturally it being in my system meant I was screwed.

It could have been anyone and obviously someone on here had past form for interfering with people's lives. That's when the fun stopped and it became a genuine issue. Giggles had a few issues himself I believe which made him out two and two together but we spoke about it and that was that.

So Giggles needs to plant some weed in Mourinho's bootbag.

I never did anything to Smiffy and, after we spoke about it, I'm happy that he never did anything to me either. Like he said, we cleared it up ourselves at the time and that's all I know about the whole thing and it's all I want to know.

Aww. :wub:

While all of this is happening Mourinho is still not sacked :moop:

And Harold is still not unbanned. :moop:

Giggles saying he didn't do anything is exactly what he'd say if he did something...

:sherlock:

https://i.imgur.com/BI5Vx4b.gif

Certainly explains being fired.

Why do you keep leaving then coming back?

FWIW I’ve no recollection of what you’re on about and haven’t done anything.

It was probably Henry.

Nah, it was Bazza.

Pm Bam to find out who it was.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20150106045221

There's no smoke without fire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bam

Why do you keep leaving then coming back?

---

I was posting as recently as two months ago...

Whatever.
Hi Smiff :wave:

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View Tweet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

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Blue font colour ftw.

It's black on my phone :(

What is the obsession with not putting the ball in the quadrant for corners in modern football? It must make absolutely no difference whether the ball is 5cm either way but they're always at it. Liverpool were dreadful for it at the weekend and I just don't get it (City ave just done one there). I wonder if that sort of madness will survive the onset of VAR. Could a goal from a corner be disallowed if , on review, the ball wasn't in the quadrant (touching the line) as in a front-foot no-ball in cricket?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

What is the obsession with not putting the ball in the quadrant for corners in modern football? It must make absolutely no difference whether the ball is 5cm either way but they're always at it. Liverpool were dreadful for it at the weekend and I just don't get it (City ave just done one there). I wonder if that sort of madness will survive the onset of VAR. Could a goal from a corner be disallowed if , on review, the ball wasn't in the quadrant (touching the line) as in a front-foot no-ball in cricket?

---

Yes. Its marginal gains stuff.

Yeah, but marginal gains are meant to make a difference. I refuse to believe the ball thing does. They don't get it any further out from the goal line, or closer to the goal than they could legally as they always do it at the midpoint. It's psychological shite at best.

Soccer players are thick as mince though so they probably don't realise.

Raheem Sterling setting anti-racism back forty years there.

That's a special effort from Leicester. Three of the worst penalties you are ever likely to see (outside of Raheem's effort).

Maddinson in particular televised which way he was going so clearly even I knew where he was going, then he dribbles it that way to boot.

Stuttered run-ups also going right out of fashion.

lol I just noticed River lost their world semi-final to Al-Forty Lashes. Without looking, I predict that nerd football twitter will be in floods of tears over that.

Burton into the pot semis as well, wouldn't mind us drawing and losing to them.

Not enough micro-steps.

Fuck knows what a long-haired Turkish centre-half was doing with a double stutter. Mate, just put your foot through it. You're a centre-half, that's what you're meant to do.

Gundogan's was poor as well, but the 'keeper botched it.

Keep dreaming Jimmy, City will get Burton.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Yeah, but marginal gains are meant to make a difference. I refuse to believe the ball thing does. They don't get it any further out from the goal line, or closer to the goal than they could legally as they always do it at the midpoint. It's psychological shite at best.

---

Your final line is correct. If being outside the quadrant is considered an advantage (because otherwise why would you have the quadrant) why would you try to be inside it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Not enough micro-steps.

Fuck knows what a long-haired Turkish centre-half was doing with a double stutter. Mate, just put your foot through it. You're a centre-half, that's what you're meant to do.

Gundogan's was poor as well, but the 'keeper botched it.

Keep dreaming Jimmy, City will get Burton.

---

He looked a bit Team America.

Shoutout to Ryan Babel who has decided to celebrate his birthday by quoting all the people who said he would be shit at Besiktas.

View Tweet

I agree it's a pretty weird choice, but he'll probably do fine in the same way I'd do fine as Man Utd on Football Manager.

The Napoli owner,

“Sarri was against all, put the posters on the street, then managed to be loved even by the most extreme fans,” he told Corriere dello Mezzogiorno.


“He is an individualist, one who worked on the fields and on the ground, in the middle of the stones and suffered because he was exonerated after six games.


“Then he had the ride from C to A and when we lost 4-2 against him, I thought he was the right one.


”Sarri seemed a mild person, I discovered that he was too dissatisfied with his past. For a communist, basing everything on money god led to a syndrome of unbearability. I told him, ‘But who do we buy?’, And he said he did not want to know anything about it. I found him out of sight, his wife could not come to the stands.”

Even when translated into English, Italian is just a load of gibberish.

Ozil nowhere to be seen again. Man I would love to get 350k a week to stay at home.

I was reading online that whenever there is a push on rainbow laces/armbands etc. He is nowhere to be seen. Not sure how true that is though.

I didn't check back beyond the last two years but he has definitely missed the last two rainbow laces games with unexplained short-term 'illness', or maybe it was a back tweak this year.

Massive respect for standing by his beliefs.

By hiding behind fake illnesses.

That's the dumbest conspiracy theory I've heard in quite some time. Well done.

Willian is fucking horrendous. Plays in every game as well. Ruins every attack.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Willian is fucking horrendous. Plays in every game as well. Ruins every attack.

---

You spelt Iwobi wrong.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

That's the dumbest conspiracy theory I've heard in quite some time. Well done.

---

Is it really that mental to think a devout Muslim might avoid supporting gays?

Touché. At least he’s not doing that stupid stop-start sprint every time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John

Is it really that mental to think a devout Muslim might avoid supporting gays?

---

Considering he was out with an 'illness' once after being out in Berlin at his mates birthday in a gay bar not long before a match. Yeah kind of.

It also doesn't explain the other countless examples of him being 'ill' when the campaigns not going on. Safer to just assume he's a homophobe because he's a bloody muzza though.

I can't work out who has the most punchable face, "Dele" or "JLingz".

Has been Lingard since he started appearing at the end of that JD Sports ad which exclusively features mixed race people. No black, no white, just mixed race. They must perform unbelievable feats on quant marketing surveys of 18-30 consumers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vercetti

I can't work out who has the most punchable face, "Dele" or "JLingz".

---

100% Alli but I don’t mind them both. (Lingards a local lad)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Keep dreaming Jimmy, City will get Burton.

---

Told you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Ozil nowhere to be seen again. Man I would love to get 350k a week to stay at home.

---

Also being a third choice goalkeeper is the best job in the world

C

Damn just realized that the Caramel Cup's very own North London Derby was today. Good win I guess.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Told you.

---

This draw is awful, I still have PTSD from 2002, a memorable game in which the ref sent off Hasselbaink for being black.

He’s still not learned his lesson.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John

Is it really that mental to think a devout Muslim might avoid supporting gays?

---

No, that's bullshit. He's Turkish, they're all very partial bit of bum love

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bam

No, that's bullshit. He's Turkish, they're all very partial bit of bum love

---

:D

Correction: Turkish-German. Which means he also likes being shat on.

Fucking rave party at Molineux. Cafe del mar :rave:

Sancho on one of those runs where absolutely everything goes in.

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I'm on the Sancho train but that should never get to the keeper let alone past him.

Alisson is boss.

A few mistakes can be forgiven, that man will win Klopp a league title.

This Sancho kid came out of nowhere to me? I hadn't even heard of him before this season I don't think.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bruhnaldo

This Sancho kid came out of nowhere to me? I hadn't even heard of him before this season I don't think.

---

Tends to be that way with 18-year olds.

Well usually the name rings a bell from various youth tournaments or whatever but that's fair.

That was a cracking ball in by Salah.

Man City at home to absolute shite once again. Same with Arsenal. Shambles.

I checked the fixtures and City in the second half still have to go away to pretty much every team below 6th. They seem to have played them all at the murder stadium already.

Aubameyang is a right don.

Burnley tried to kick the shit out of us and instead of capitulating we kicked them back which was nice.

To this day it's hilarious how much of a moral journey Arsenal fans go on when they play teams like Burnley and Stoke. The Brexit vote hasn't helped either.

Thats a lovely finish from Schlupp, however knowing how bad he is I cant help but think it was a cross.

Edit: Holy fucking shit Andros Townsend.

Fucking hell what a goal that is from Towsend.

https://streamja.com/LoPv

Christ

Liquid football.

Ah for fuck sake. This is all just lining up.

Play that one out from the back.

Chelsea game stats are saying 75% possession in 45 minutes and 0 shots on target, anyone would think we need a functioning centre forward.

Townsend :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Chelsea game stats are saying 75% possession in 45 minutes and 0 shots on target, anyone would think we need a functioning centre forward.

---

Or a decent winger.

We have three decent wingers, these are the games when Diego Costa would pick the ball up and bury one for a 1-0 in 2016/17.

Absolutely bang average in comparison to any other top team. ‘CHO’ should be playing if anything

That Townsend goal is the best one here for years.

Liverpool will win the league easily this year.

Don't say that.

Just get used to it now and it'll make it easier. 😪

I reckon http://www.haveliverpoolwonthepremierleagueyet.com would get some traffic if they manage it.

City all over the place here. Walker got the ball there for me but being reckless I see why its given.

Roy Hodgson is my spirit animal.

https://gyazo.com/e82d314e50bb27349c7445668a25535a.gif

Goal pie all over his face.

Pedro is putting in the worst performance of the decade here.

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We are playing like late Wenger Arsenal this season. Load of absolute meaningless toss.

4-4 fucking 2.

I was hoping to see Matic dropped. Maybe the first home game.

In better news.

:cool:

https://i.postimg.cc/NjfG0QZF/oba.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

In better news.

:cool:

https://i.postimg.cc/NjfG0QZF/oba.jpg

---

Man like Obafemi.

He's our youngest ever PL scorer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Andy

Man like Obafemi.

He's our youngest ever PL scorer.

---

Ours too.

A completely empty Hull ground has just seen Wilfried Bony RIFLE one in after three minutes. Love the Championship.

Could see United winning the league from here.

Still far from perfect in terms of execution, but the difference in intent between this and under Jose is astonishing.

It's noticeably less gopping to watch as well.

Let's fucking go bananas here lads.

A bit on the live text said that Cardiff couldn't get near the ball which, even against a shit team, is literally the opposite of how we looked previously.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

A bit on the live text said that Cardiff couldn't get near the ball which, even against a shit team, is literally the opposite of how we looked previously.

---

It is literally the opposite to a Mourinho performance. Pressing when we lose the ball, attacking intent in possession, moving the ball quickly, players expressing themselves. It's like watching a different team.

Nowt really to say about today. One man up top versus five defenders. At least it's a point over Burnley but we have a big Christmas coming up.

Surely a shoulder...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Surely a shoulder...

---

Yeah looked harsh to me tbh.

That goal was beautiful.

What a fucking goal.

Give Ole a permanent contract right now.

One touch fast football. Hold me ffs

Mourinho blaming the players for not being good enough :harold:

Cunt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

What a fucking goal.

Give Ole a permanent contract right now.

---

:harold:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dino

:harold:

---

I'm not serious mate...

I thought the penalty was harsh. Looked like his shoulder to me.

Great first half for us. Still a few sloppy passes from Lingard and Pogba, but our mentality seems a million miles ahead of where it's been in pretty much every other game this season.

You didn’t get the memo? If we win Ole is the best, if we lose it’s Mouronho/Carricks fault!

Would love to have seen Lukaku kill that third goal in the womb.

Does this mean that the players weren't trying in the first 17 games or is it Mourinho's fault for telling them not to try?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Does this mean that the players weren't trying in the first 17 games or is it Mourinho's fault for telling them not to try?

---

It's Mourinho's fault for coaching them to play a cowardly style and giving them no freedom to attack.

City dropping points was unexpected. I had that down to happen with a draw against Everton but you'll take what help you can get.

Lindelof is having fun tonight.

He's constantly marauding forward.

Lovely ball by Pogba.

First time we've hit 5 in a Premiership match since Fergie's last match at 5-5.

Yeah, and who was there that day... Mike Phelan. :lewis:

Der, der, der, der... Michael Phelan.

:rave:

Did Pogba look like a hundred million quid? Or even 20 million? Baby steps.

He got three very good assists.

That was enjoyable. Keep it up.

I see strong nose scored his goal.

The Virgil Van Dijk song is boss.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46662963

Quote:

---

"What's really important is to get the Manchester United culture back and the identity back.

"I would like to see someone who has played there and can bring some of that Sir Alex mentality back to the whole of the football club.

---

:drool:

The delusion in these people.

Sean Dyche crying is top top content.

It is incredible.

If it was that easy to recreate the Ferguson magic then we'd have 20+ managers who played under him ripping it up the world over. Instead, they've all been bang average at best.

It all flows from the total and utter myth of the Anfield 'boot room' of course. The cosy nonsense of the boot room actually laid the foundations for 25 years of failure at Anfield rather than being the cause of anything good. It's like the football version of Brexiteers wanting blue passports.

You have to look outside the firmament and freshen it up.

Who has been the best over their career, Steve Bruce? There is a study to be done into those mentored by the likes of Ferguson, Brian Clough, Bobby Robson, etc. using all of the historical belief systems/strategic cultures literature. Is there a tier of immortals above the common Proper Football Men? Maybe just 'Football Men', whose properness is so obvious that it need not be qualified.

If Solksjaer does well over the next six months I genuinely think he should be given a proper crack at the job. He seems like he actually has a bit about him.

I'll be honest that I don't know much detail about Pep before he took the Barca job, but his situation then is not a million miles from Solkjaers right? He's done alright.

Schmeichel as DoF is mong-talk though :D

You need three things from the people running a football team:

1. Directing the strategy & recruitment
2. Managing the players (emotionally)
3. Setting the team up tactically and adapting in-game

To win stuff you need to be brilliant at two of these and can be ok at one. Most 'modern' setups have the club doing 1 and a very dispensable coach doing 2 and 3.

Mourinho, in his prime, was amazing at 2 and 3, always quite ropey at 1. Now he seems to have completely lost 2, and even 3 is under question.

Ferguson was brilliant at 1 and 2, and ok at 3. Since he left United have completely neglected 1, or had Ed Woodward playing at doing it, which is even worse.

If they move to the typical model then Solskjaer I would back to do 2 pretty well. 3 time will tell, and then they need to sort 1 out upstairs.

Yeah I'd go with that.

Despite the approach being a disaster, I don't actually think that at this point the outcome of our recruitment is all that bad. There's a load of shite bloating the squad but the bones of a very good team are there, many of them young too.

I think they need to avoid the temptation to make him the permanent manager however well he does.

Why?

There is definitely a difference between being a breath of fresh air ('Glad that the beatings have stopped', as David Haig said in that thing) and having the vision to replicate that over multiple seasons.

This is why Chelsea sack their managers year after year, it's much easier to inject yourself with a short term hit than attempt to be perennially successful.

Of course, but if not given the chance you can't know.

Appointing the caretaker never goes well.

It smells of 'King Kenny' coming back.

Very clinical from Villa. Think we can score though.

Well anyway, this is a conversation for 4 months time, not after one game. Let's wait and see.

Holy shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Well anyway, this is a conversation for 4 months time, not after one game. Let's wait and see.

---

You either believe in a manager's ability to do a job, or you don't. You can't wait and see, as half a season, or whatever it is, with the bus already having been largely crashed, isn't going to tell you anything - in many ways it's a worst-case scenario a la Dalglish at Liverpool (ie he does well and you have to give him the job despite it not really being your original plan). That said, I very much think the Glazers would hope he does well enough to justify a longer go as it gets pressure away from them and is a cheap option (why he has been appointed in the first place). Is Solskjaer a manager/coach of sufficient ability to take the team forward? Creating a positive atmosphere and 'letting the players play' isn't going to cut it in the long term and I, personally, don't think he is (you can fantasize about him being Pep all you like, where are Xavi, Iniesta and Messi?).

The problem is United want mutually exclusive things from their next manager. To get them back to where they belong to be instantly, and to undertake the necessary wholesale changes that actually requires. Will whoever is the manager next season keep his job if they finish 5th/don't qualify for the Champions League? If the answer is no then Pochettino is the best option, as he both improves United, and cripples a rival, and even then, Chelsea and Arsenal will be a year further into their rejuvenation processes.

He was appointed because he is the biggest fan favourite who is a) qualified on a coaching badge level; and b) not a gobshite with his own agenda.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46630511

Johansson says technically he could be cloned, but a section of the DNA is removed to prevent "illicit or illegal behaviour".

"It is not 100% me; it is 99%. That 1% is very important for my own sake and protects my copyright to the DNA," says the former Bayern Munich, Blackburn and Leicester defender.

Pickford and Zouma :cab:

Cracking finish by Son too, I thought he had put it wide.

That was all on Pickford, his decision making really is atrocious.

Yeah, thought it was more of a joint effort live but it was clearly all Pickford.

Fuck knows what he was doing the mong.

He should have done better with the second too although the third is all on his defenders being on their heels.

That Everton goal woke them up apparently.

He had a free shot at Alli just then with the flag up as well, horrible little shit is Pickford. So reminiscent of the young Joe Hart in many ways.

I’m looking forward to Dominic Calvert-Lewin exploding with rage in the 2nd half

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

He had a free shot at Alli just then with the flag up as well, horrible little shit is Pickford. So reminiscent of the young Joe Hart in many ways.

---

I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't mind a free shot at Alli tbh.

That was a cracking shot by Eriksen.

Such control.

Not even goal of the week, unlucky bru.

How did Lloris not save that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I think they need to avoid the temptation to make him the permanent manager however well he does.

---

Nail on head with this.

Spurs are bang in the title race. Best side in the country over the last 6-8 weeks.

No one named 'Oliver Skipp' can make it as a professional footballer.

Sissoko will end up at a top club soon, surely? At this point he is Kante-for-Leicester levels of importance.

He's crap, it's just when you don't have to play Eric Dier you look a bit more dynamic.

Sissoko is absolutely enormous. Far better than Winks is in that midfield, especially when you’re playing Everton away who aren’t that good but play full blitz anyway

View Tweet

That's quality.

Hasselbaink would have put it in the top corner. Not impressed.

Reminds me of the penalties you'd have to take during the 5-a-side tournaments they'd have in then summer.

Keeper almost had that. I wouldn't risk that ever again.

Nice to see Wolves not bothering to give Fulham a dicking.

At least Ranieri has managed to organise them a bit, but Fulham have so many duds on the pitch. Andre Schurrle looks like he's never played football before and Denis Odoi is having an actual laugh at this level.

Stuck a tenner on Wolves just before kick-off so of course this is how it's going. :moop:

My boy Sess. :cool:

EDIT: hold on boyd!

Manchester United Starting XI vs Huddersfield: De Gea, Dalot, Jones, Lindelof, Shaw, Fred, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Rashford, Lingard

Martial out with food poisoning. Gomes on the bench :drool:

That was on for free and all. Only copped now it's over.

I have now made Poggers my fantasy captain, so the narrative had better well hold up.

Wonder what Sean Dyches excuse for conceding after 2 minutes will be. Probably the refs fault I’m sure.

The difference again between this and a Mourinho performance is absolutely insane.

Three nil down now. I wonder what message this is sending to children.

Amazing how they have gone from being immense at the back last year to 19th tighest this year.

Liverpool need six to reach 45 goals for, meaning they’d be halfway towards me winning my “liverpool And city to score 90+ goals” bet.

City were already on 50 before today.

Lindelof has been brilliant in these two games.

Scoring from a corner seems as miraculous as scoring a decent team goal.

This "Pep" cunt is a fucking fraud.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Amazing how they have gone from being immense at the back last year to 19th tighest this year.

---

When your entire tactic is ‘let the other team have an immense amount of shots and have the keeper stop the ones that don’t get blocked’ it would be an idea to not have Joe Hart as the keeper.

Spurs 3-0 Kyle Walker-Peters 3 assists

What is Fred supposed to be good at?

I think he is meant to be good sitting in front of the defence and getting it moving, but to the side he seems to get drawn out of position a lot.

I've just seen Everton's second.

Absolutely shocking from Joe Hart.

As long as Burnley stay down there. Liverpool have us sewn up.

De Gea :drool:

De Gea, holy fuck.

Without getting too carried away by United being a bit quicker and more attacking, and against rubbish sides at that, Mourinho was moaning about having to coach 'LvG' habits out of them for about eighteen months wasn't he?

Moaning about the last regime is always political. I can't think of a time when it wasn't.

That was lovely.

Pogba 3 assists and a goal and the best player in both games since Mourinho left.

Whoever could've guessed.

Hope Gomes gets on.

Another goal for Pogba :)

That finish :drool:

Mourinho signings doing the business.

Angel Gomes :cool:

You gotta beat the shit

Signing of the season at it again at Anfield.

Guardiola needs the sack. Obligatory fixture congestion whinge on the way.

'Mon Spurs to win it all then.

Could do with a comedy Phil Jones mistake here, because any half-decent run of form will inevitably result in twats like him getting new contracts.

If Tottenham won the league and then lost their manager their new stadium would just vanish.

Leeds have just taken the absolute fucking piss, winning 3-2 after conceding a 90th minute goal to go 2-1 down. Bielsa and his bucket for PM.

I do hope City don't run away with it...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

'Mon Spurs to win it all then.

---

Steven Gerrard on Ice couldn't slip enough for this to happen

Wonderful assist from Lichtsteiner.

This game is being played at a pace so slow I think both sides had a very nice Christmas.

Ozil off at half time, must have realised where he is.

Arsenal now have a midfield, so are just a defence away from being vaguely decent.

Anyone would think Sean Dyche had knifed Phonics' cat, rather than just called out a few plebs for diving.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vercetti

Anyone would think Sean Dyche had knifed Phonics' cat, rather than just called out a few plebs for diving.

---

Nah. Mark Hughes and Mourinho got sacked so he’s just moved up to number 1 in the excuse for why it’s not his fault charts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Ozil off at half time, must have realised where he is.

Arsenal now have a midfield, so are just a defence away from being vaguely decent.

---

Get Maitland-Niles in over Guendouzi.

A back three featuring a 35 year old right back and Xhaka doesn’t seem very solid.

As if people are moaning that Arsenal don't want to sink £60/70 million into Aaron Ramsey. I'm sure they could get a similar player for 5-10 million if they looked hard enough.

Worth noting that Spurs lose Son to the Asia cup in January.

Remove Hazard and Chelsea would have a Top 12 at best frontline. The biggest hardcarry over the last 3/4 years.

Since Suarez.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Worth noting that Spurs lose Son to the Asia cup in January.

---

Also worth noting that Poch-era Spurs always have a good mid-season. The wheels will come off in April. Problem is, will Liverpool's too?

What has happened to City? Are patches like this Endemic to Bald Pep? They did this last season around the knock out stages of the Champions League. Properly shit timing this time too.

I wonder about Liverpool if they lose Salah for a decent stint. I think they're better equipped to deal with that than they were last season. It'll be interesting to see how Spurs and Liverpool cope with the pressure.

It could be the most beautiful and tragic bottle off in history.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Remove Hazard and Chelsea would have a Top 12 at best frontline. The biggest hardcarry over the last 3/4 years.

---

The biggest one man team ever was mid 2000s Togo / Adebayor, but we must be pushing top five at least.

Our midfield is an absolute mess. Jorginho is like watching a car crash in (very) slow motion, Kanté is being told to win the ball ten yards further up the pitch from where the oppo ever have it, and when Willian gets the ball in a dangerous area you might as well just start whistling 'The Cheese Stands Alone' as 'Omar comin'!' echoes around the stadium, such are the blind alleys he creates for himself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Also worth noting that Poch-era Spurs always have a good mid-season. The wheels will come off in April. Problem is, will Liverpool's too?

---

Liverpools wheels are meant to have come off last month, no? I'm not going to assume anything until we're at least ten points clear with three games to go.

Liverpool seem to have hit the form they hit in the second half of last season, only they're about 20 points better off, relative to City, than they were last time. Next weekend is a proper decider, and City appear to have precisely 0 fullbacks remaining.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Leeds have just taken the absolute fucking piss, winning 3-2 after conceding a 90th minute goal to go 2-1 down. Bielsa and his bucket for PM.

---

:drool:

Phil Neville banging on about the Man Utd culture on MotD again.

Really thought I'd come in here to see Phonics wanking himself silly over Guendouzi, or whatever he is called.

Torreira really is comically small. Such a little rat in the classic Uruguayan sense as well (so bound to be a fan favourite). Not sure about the midfield of him, Guendouzi and Xhaka. Pretty stodgy. Xhaka does take nice corners though. Well, at least until the last few he hit.

No idea what Aubameyang does for 99% of the game, but he could have had a hattrick but for some excellent saves from Ryan, who is going to be missed.

Emery's halftime changes really didn't work. Even though Ozil was largely anonymous in the first half they were absolute bilge in the second half and Brighton really ought to have won with the chances Propper and March had. Andone should have been on way earlier and hopefully he starts against Everton, with Arsenal's defence towards the end someone with a bit of pace over the top could have murdered them. Someone needs to have a word with Lichsteiner about his boots.

Seeing big Jurgen score a goal in the flesh though, a rare privilege.

Yeah for all his previous "supersubbing" this season, Emery seemed absolutely clueless yesterday. I'd really like him to explain the thinking behind the subs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

I wonder about Liverpool if they lose Salah for a decent stint. I think they're better equipped to deal with that than they were last season. It'll be interesting to see how Spurs and Liverpool cope with the pressure.

---

There is no pressure on Liverpool. The title race is already over.

I saw the bbc website had a breakdown of 'remaining important games' (all of them) and Chelsea (h) in mid-April really jumped out at me.

:uhoh:

Every team is vulnerable to losing a key player. Salah (or Van Dijk/Allison) for Liverpool, Kane for Spurs, Aguero (or apparently Fernandinho) for City, Hazard for Chelsea. I don't think injuries will be decisive unless someone gets a bad one. Liverpool would probably fare worse without either of those defensive players than without Salah.

If van Dijk goes down, Gomez has it covered.
If Salah dies, we’ve got Shaqiri.
If Alisson gets injured, congrats Pep.

I don’t think anyone being injured would really hurt Liverpool dramatically other than maybe Van Dijk. They’re covered in the forward areas. The league should be over but Champions League football May be the worlds saving grace

League should be over? :-D Get outta it.

Kane out injured would suck but it wouldn’t be as bad as Eriksen out

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Really thought I'd come in here to see Phonics wanking himself silly over Guendouzi, or whatever he is called.

Torreira really is comically small. Such a little rat in the classic Uruguayan sense as well (so bound to be a fan favourite). Not sure about the midfield of him, Guendouzi and Xhaka. Pretty stodgy. Xhaka does take nice corners though. Well, at least until the last few he hit.

No idea what Aubameyang does for 99% of the game, but he could have had a hattrick but for some excellent saves from Ryan, who is going to be missed.

Emery's halftime changes really didn't work. Even though Ozil was largely anonymous in the first half they were absolute bilge in the second half and Brighton really ought to have won with the chances Propper and March had. Andone should have been on way earlier and hopefully he starts against Everton, with Arsenal's defence towards the end someone with a bit of pace over the top could have murdered them. Someone needs to have a word with Lichsteiner about his boots.

Seeing big Jurgen score a goal in the flesh though, a rare privilege.

---

What can I say, I’m an enigma. Hoping we can have more than one centre back involved by the time Liverpool rolls around. Doubt it though.

I also have no idea what Aubameyang does.

It's a strange thing being top 6 neutral. I've long been a Liverpool sympathiser but now that they've gone favourites I think I'd quite enjoy seeing them buckle.

I'm trying to think whether Liverpool or Spurs winning the league would be worse. I think probably Liverpool but for a supporter of one of the other London teams, it's a close run thing.

Wouldn't count out City yet but Spurs aren't even in the equation.

Liverpool will win the league and we will delete this board.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

What can I say, I’m an enigma. Hoping we can have more than one centre back involved by the time Liverpool rolls around. Doubt it though.

I also have no idea what Aubameyang does.

---

One thing I did notice in the game yesterday is he does find random wide positions a lot. Like he goes really far out left or right, he seems to be much more mobile than Lacazette for instance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Liverpool will win the league and we will delete this board.

---

+1

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Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Magic

:drool:

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It really is all set up for Hull to do us over and have Adkins bust out a limerick in the post match interview.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

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Most combined goals and assists of any midfielder in Europe this season.

Form of his life. Can't knock it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Most combined goals and assists of any midfielder in Europe this season.

---

Fantasy football disagrees.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Fantasy football disagrees.

---

I saw it on facebook mate, it's definitely true.

Actually says centre midfielder.

Nice one.

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That's incredible.

In Italy, of course.

Milan will not be signing Gary Cahill after Arsenal have apparently beaten them to the punch :cab:

Do we need a January transfer thread?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Do we need a January transfer thread?

---

Yeah.

Expect a big “marquee signing” from at least two of the top six.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Do we need a January transfer thread?

---

I think there is one. Search on mobile is bad.

Southgate gets an OBE :cool:

We have a bus named after him up here. Brilliant.

Celtic’s line up looks pretty shoddy but I still have faith in the tinky Tim’s.

Rangers look easily the better side so far.

Who is going to tell Scott Brown he is shite?

https://i.gyazo.com/ca34790070b6b9ca...48fbed908a.png

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Rangers look easily the better side so far.

Who is going to tell Scott Brown he is shite?

---

Celtic can just buy the league now after a disgraceful Summer transfer window thankfully

Absolute shambles at Fulham today. This game wouldn't look out of place in League 2 or the Conference. We can't string 3 passes together against Huddersfield, and they aren't much better.

It's frustrating to see - yes, we are doing better with regards to the defence, but it's a shame after 2 seasons of really nice attacking, passing football in the Championship to be playing the way we are.

Rangers. :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thommo

Absolute shambles at Fulham today. This game wouldn't look out of place in League 2 or the Conference. We can't string 3 passes together against Huddersfield, and they aren't much better.

It's frustrating to see - yes, we are doing better with regards to the defence, but it's a shame after 2 seasons of really nice attacking, passing football in the Championship to be playing the way we are.

---

Much as I love Ranieri, I don't think you should have sacked Jokanovic. You've started every season atrociously under him (god knows why) but it always came together in the second half.

The Premier League is toxic now though, lose 2 games and you're a dead man walking.

I was caught in two minds at the time of the sacking. We'd just muffed up two big games away at Cardiff and Huddersfield, and we really looked devoid of ideas. But, as you say, both seasons in the Championship, we had fairly incredible runs in the 2nd half of the season, and we played lovely stuff, which was enjoyable to watch.

Claudio is a lovely guy, and has got the defence performing better, but at a big cost to our attacking production. We're playing 5 at the back today, and Callum Chambers in front of the centre backs - against the bottom club. Even if we do manage to stay up, I can't imagine it will be a joy to go and watch us play anymore.

Yes Wolves!

Nice to see Tottenham never change anyway.

"Title challengers? What? Fuuuuuuuck".

Though shame on anyone that ever thought they were in it. I've barely watched a premier league game this season but I know that lot well enough to know they will never contend.

I do love it, it's like when Lee Westwood sniffs a Sunday lead in a major.

Opportunity missed. We could be right back in the dogfight.

Lol at Leicester beating Chelsea and City and then losing at home to Cardiff.

lol also at Hull beating Leeds.

“It’s the history of the Tottenham”

Iwobi is a bad pick. Funny to see Ramsey back out on the right wing 2 years after Wenger getting cussed out for the same thing.

first time in a while i’m hoping for an Arsenal win, but i’d still have a great time if they embarrass themselves

They brought it on themselves with the tweet they did for Maitland-Niles scoring.

What even just happened?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Iwobi is a bad pick. Funny to see Ramsey back out on the right wing 2 years after Wenger getting cussed out for the same thing.

---

Wrong.

Arsenal are still a mess

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

first time in a while i’m hoping for an Arsenal win, but i’d still have a great time if they embarrass themselves

---

This game is a total win-win

I should have said I don’t rate Leno as well. Didn’t cover all the jinxes.

Such pathetic defending.

What’s the point in having a goalkeeper that doesn’t save shots?

I know it’s completely pointless wondering about it but should Mane even be on the pitch? If you can’t ‘raise your hands’ at players without risking a red card how can you put two hands on the guys throat?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

I know it’s completely pointless wondering about it but should Mane even be on the pitch? If you can’t ‘raise your hands’ at players without risking a red card how can you put two hands on the guys throat?

---

Yeah especially when headbutts are auto reds no matter how lame they are

Sokratis shat himself there.

Another dive. Stupid challenge though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Another dive. Stupid challenge though.

---

:happycry:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Another dive. Stupid challenge though.

---

Hahahahahaha

This is one of those pathetic losses where literally everything they do goes in. This is an 8-2. I knew we’d lose but it’s even worse than I expected. Torreira has been atrocious. Lichtsteiner is showing his years and the keeper haa only saved one shot that was directly at him.

What's Sokratis even complaining about there?

This has been some great television. What i would give for a few more Pool goals in the 2nd half

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

What's Sokratis even complaining about there?

---

That professional athletes legs don’t buckle under them from basic contact.

:cool:

Arsenal are bad at defending

I almost let myself get worried by Spurs and the thought they could overturn us(they still might). But my god has there ever been a team anywhere that fold so massively when there is even the half chance of them doing something?

Boss this!
And 8-2 Phonics? We don’t let two in over a month let alone a match ;) :lol:

My only hope is that this goes full Sevilla but they could actually defend rather than spending their time throwing custard pies at each other.

Phonics is having a mare.

There’s a guy wearing an arsenal shirt that says ‘Alli’ on the back which confuses me until I saw a custom number on it. An unfortunate surname in the circumstance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Phonics is having a mare.

---

In what sense? It’s a stupid challenge to make because it gives the ref no option. It’s still not enough to actually cause a player to go down.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Another dive. Stupid challenge though.

---

Stonewall.

So I was on the train home reading my book (because I'm cool) and then one of a trio of drunken Rangers fans on their way back from the Old Firm game asks me, "How's yer book, big yin?"

I'll spare you the blow-by-blow but other than me quelling the urge to say "Good until about 3 seconds ago, douchebag" here are the highlights:

- Discussing the book I'm reading (it's a fantasy novel, which is relevant to a later part of the story.)

- The above led onto one of the three (I forget his name) telling me that you're as well reading fantasy books because THE WORLD IS ALL LIES anyway.

- This caused the three to have a brief discussion between the three of what they can and / or do read, and one saying he asked for a David Icke book for Christmas. I asked if he literally believes all of Icke's conspiracies including the bit about lizards. "Weeeeeeeeell...... no' lit'rally, but it's mostly true."

At this point, having had a lovely chat about lizards, the Matrix and 9/11, one of them thrusts a bottle of Buckfast at me and says, "Want a drink, Gandalf?"

I couldn't think of a better thread for this and it involves football fans so whatever.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

"Want a drink, Gandalf?"

---

:lol:

You had a swig right?

I mean I'm lacking the beard so the line was a bit wasted but it was appreciated all the same.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike

You had a swig right?

---

Of Buckfast? No. I've not tried it yet in my 15 years up here and I'm prepared to hold out for longer.

I tried a pizza crunch for the first time this year, that'll do me for the next little while.

Scottish buckfast isn't bad at all. Never ever drink the Irish stuff though.

They're different?

I didn't know it was even drunk in Ireland.

That's soft but Kolasinac is such a fucking idiot. He really needs to cut out the diving as well, he's terrible at it.

Has Jurgen been training them on diving or something?

How does the ref literally see one player strangle another but that’s a penalty.

I think "if some idiot puts their hands on you in the area you fall over" is professional footballer 101 these days.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Scottish buckfast isn't bad at all. Never ever drink the Irish stuff though.

---

This is wrong. Scottish buckfast is definitely bad.

5-1 isn’t a flattering scoreline anyway, Arsenal haven’t been in it since minute 12

Lads, we're talking about Bucky here. Wind it in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boydy

They're different?

---

Yeah I remember having to bring bottles down from Armagh to mates back home. I did it the opposite way too for a couple of lads in work and they never asked again. It's like treacle compared to your stuff, and that's sweet and thick enough to begin with.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Has Jurgen been training them on diving or something?

---

:D

lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

I didn't know it was even drunk in Ireland.

---

Wouldn't be near as popular here as with our northern cousins. Here it's more of a thing that you drink beside a stream when you're 16 to get fucked up as quickly and cheaply as possible. Up there you'd regularly see people get a glass in the pub and it's easily the night out pre drink of choice.

Then again it really is shit here so consumption might be more similar if it wasn't

Waiting for the Phonics opinion on that Lacazette dive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Yeah I remember having to bring bottles down from Armagh to mates back home. I did it the opposite way too for a couple of lads in work and they never asked again. It's like treacle compared to your stuff, and that's sweet and thick enough to begin with.

---

So is the Northern Irish one the same as the Scottish one and it's the (southern) Irish one that's different?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boydy

So is the Northern Irish one the same as the Scottish one and it's the (southern) Irish one that's different?

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Yeah, because it's differing regulations between Ireland and the UK on what can go in it (caffeine content, etc).

That one was actually a dive. Phonics, take notes

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Yeah, because it's differing regulations between Ireland and the UK on what can go in it (caffeine content, etc).

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I see. In that case, the UK one is rank. Never tried the Irish one.

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Originally Posted by Boydy

I see. In that case, the UK one is rank. Never tried the Irish one.

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It's ranker.

Buckfast is great. It all comes from Devon, doesn't it? How does Ireland end up with a different product?

J Chester: Two pens not given for Arsenal. Two dives given for Liverpool, one possible offside goal, untold amounts of dives an fouls given in favour of Liverpool. This isn't right, this is just outrageously poor officiating.

Alright Phonics...

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Originally Posted by dino

Buckfast is great. It all comes from Devon, doesn't it?

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Yep, originally anyway. Seen signs for the abbey heading down through Devon in the summer, had meant to go visit.
I think it's made in a factory now somewhere there but I'm not sure where.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

J Chester: Two pens not given for Arsenal. Two dives given for Liverpool, one possible offside goal, untold amounts of dives an fouls given in favour of Liverpool. This isn't right, this is just outrageously poor officiating.

Alright Phonics...

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Mantralux will be along shortly to adjust the result accordingly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Waiting for the Phonics opinion on that Lacazette dive.

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Lol thank god I had to leave for a family event at 7.

Liverpool are not only winning the league but doing so with easily a record margin and record points total. Unquestionably this country's finest ever club side.

Jan 3rd is MASSIVE. Liverpool get a result and I think they’ll win the title.

This is the best I’ve ever seen Liverpool play though.

Does 'Pep' have any sort of history of responding to adversity within a season? I can't think that he does, his sides are usually either 30 points clear or just crumble to dust / 3rd.

Brilliant performance, brilliant result. On to City.

Still not going to get carried away as hard as it is. Please let this be the year.

Liverpool are, absolutely disgustingly good at the moment and the longer it goes on the more extreme the bottle job would need to be. I can't see past them winning it and I am going to have to give up on football.

As if Webly says 'douchebag' irl like some teenage girl. :o

Alpine Klopp to do a job tommorrow.

Anyway, other Big Jurgen (he's probably not actually as big) keeps on rolling with a SECOND league goal. Holy smokes.

Everton were absolutely dreadful, epitomised by Richarlison, the moaning, injury feigning twat. Such a dull and ponderous side and really makes you wonder just how bad Burnley must be to have taken a pasting off them. Probably showed Brighton too much respect in going with 5 defenders and 2 midfield cloggers, they looked much better as a back 4 with Sigurdsson on the pitch.

Jacques Santini was apparently at Vale Park today and is linked with the Oldham job :cab: .

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Originally Posted by Lewis

As if Webly says 'douchebag' irl like some teenage girl. :o

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I don't say anything untoward to groups of people on the train, teenage girl-y or otherwise.

Only just seen this lol load of whining shit from 'Poch' yesterday:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...tle-race-like/

Wolves obviously didn't get the memo.

Alonso booked for kicking the ball away because his mate gave him a shit pass. Even for him that is retarded.

Poor Eden Hazard :(

Get Emerson and Kovacic on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Only just seen this lol load of whining shit from 'Poch' yesterday:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...tle-race-like/

Wolves obviously didn't get the memo.

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It's a bit rich talking about professionalism when the response to the comments was to get every player booked, get fined and fuck up a 2 goal advantage.

That was a genuinely eye-bleeding 45 minutes. Sarri is a terrible coach. He has no plan B whatsoever and no ability to adapt within a game.

Kante’s smile :wub:

N'golo and his inside forward runs saving the day, it's almost laughable.

Zaha == Trippie Redd

Chelsea need a left footed player desperately in midfield.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Chelsea need a left footed player desperately in midfield.

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Everything points to Pulisic at the moment so we can celebrate another midget cutting in on his right.

Also lol at us selling Callum Hudson-Odoi to Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich, ffs. It's like selling your first born to the Waffen SS.

He’s an upgrade at least. Poor Giroud - two cracking finishes.

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Originally Posted by mugbull

Zaha == Trippie Redd

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I think that’s a reference that is lost on this board.

Has David Silva dyed his hair?

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Originally Posted by dino

Has David Silva dyed his hair?

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I think he might have had a transplant/weave, which in spite of Lewis's bizarre phobia are the worst things a man can do. Vanity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baz

I think that’s a reference that is lost on this board.

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Not on u though bud :charm:

Poor old Zinchenko coming a cropper but staying true to the principles of the reverse rábbito position, this is my philosophy.

City absolutely robbing this (Binchenko gave away a clear pen) but thank the lord they are. I was beginning to think Liverpool were going to go in with a 9/10 point lead.

Still hoping for a 3-3.

On a serious note, this Southampton fella has already made Mark Hughes look as shit as Mark Hughes is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I think he might have had a transplant/weave, which in spite of Lewis's bizarre phobia are the worst things a man can do. Vanity.

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If you are young and have the money it makes sense, but these geezers having them in middle age should let it go.

Just seen the Chelsea score. If you were going by JF here you'd think they went down 3-0.

It was an awful game/performance but luckily a) Palace are shit and b) football is just about finding one finish during the 90, which the little scamp did.

It feels weird to be looking forward to watching routine United games again. The big games were exciting under 'LvG', and briefly under Mourinho, but fucking hell week-to-week I have barely been arsed in years.

All this mythical shite about 'The United Way' is all getting a bit West Ham. They won titles by grinding it the fuck out, not being the Harlem Globetrotters.

A nice trade-off, if Smallpockets BOTTLES IT, would be to keep Ole Gunnar Binman in position but flush every other legacy appointment/association out. David Beckham can still come to games, because he had a go elsewhere, but Ryan Giggs and that get eternal stadium bans.

Rashford captain. :cool:

Bloody hell nice assist.

Rashford :drool:

There goes classic Manchester United again, kicking the ball into the goal. The magic of Old Trafford.

Those Special Domestic Afternoons at Old Trafford.

Shitty old Pogba with 3 goals and 3 assists in 2 games and 15 minutes since Mourinho left.

Who are you arguing with? Giggles? Nice.

Pogba's ability has never been in question, his being a fairweather, lazy turncoat wanker has.

Can't imagine anything worse than a stable and successful Manchester United again

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Pogba's ability has never been in question, his being a fairweather, lazy turncoat wanker has.

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Except his attitude had never been in question under anyone except Mourinho, a man who's fallen out with star players at every club he's ever managed. Wonder who's likely to be to blame.

Him and all the other fannies.

This is the third successive game against a side who have spent a good portion of my lifetime in the fourth tier, let's see if he is still doing silly dances if and when the serious games come around.

Ed Woodward's hair job has really bedded in.

2-0 Pogba

Allez.

The seethe he causes is great

That looked like a clear red card.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

That looked like a clear red card.

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Young's one? Stupid tackle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Young's one? Stupid tackle.

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Cheers, Jeff.

Delightful cross by Martial.

What a cross from Martial.

Sexual. So annoying seeing these cunts play like this again.

Who is David Brooks (Bournemouth #20) and why does he seem awesome?

Boo. Shit defending. Mourinho was right.

Bailly :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Bailly :D

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Absolute maniac.

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Seethe on noobs.