November football: The Sack Race

I know the season started late but we must be due a sacking soon, surely?

Poll to come with the most likely managers to get the chop first, per Oddschecker.

From the United perspective Solskjaer's in a weird position. Champions League has been brilliant so far but the league position is only misleading in as much as we were really fucking lucky to get those three points off Brighton. Plus, y'know, we've been absolute fucking turd. With two of our three league games in November looking eminently lose-able away at Everton and Southampton I wonder how itchy United's trigger finger will get and whether they're already considering the alternatives. It would be fun if we somehow won the Champions League and got relegated though so I'm crossing my fingers for that.

Yeah, the Champions League will keep Ole at the wheel for a while.

Lampard stays for being a propa lejund.

It should be Parker, but I'm not sure he can really be blamed for this. Fulham just aren't a Premier League team. I have no idea how they got promoted alongside Leeds. Completely different levels.

I vote Dyche.

They've stuck by Dyche a lot so over the years so I can only see him resigning. I can see Parker going in a hasty "Well, someone else is available." gamble.

Steve Bruce for the United job. Eek.

My sources suggest that Billic will be gone before Lockdown ends.

Stick your house on it.

Seven points should already be enough to stay up, looking at the bottom four.

Lampard isn't going anywhere, even if we tank (which we won't). Fulham's problem is not Parker, but the absolute Walter Mitty melt who is their 'sporting director'. Parker is probably the reason they're up in the first place.

I could see Solskjaer getting the bullet soonish if the soy sauce sponsors start cutting their fees.

Parker better stick it out, purely for the entertainment of hearing him talk on MOTD.

Also, I realise 89% of his game is about winning fouls but Harry Kane is a massive diving cunt.

Klopp.

Worst defence in the league is simply unforgivable with or without VVD as can be shown by our poor league position. The Man City match is going to be 10-9.

As everyone's second favourite and most pleasing on-the-eye club, I'm sure I speak for us all when I say I am buzzing to watch Bielsa don the shit out of Rodgers with Pablo Hernandez running riot.

Out of the bottom three.
:rave:

I've not followed Leicester very closely but that line up seems odd.

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Originally Posted by Bob Sacamano

I've not followed Leicester very closely but that line up seems odd.

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Entire first choice back four (+ Ndidi) out injured.

Urgh. We've looked awful in this so far. Wasteful in possession and poor at the back.

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Originally Posted by -james-

Leicester have so many players who are indistinguishable from a distance. Praet, Castagne, Vardy, Barnes, Albrighton all look like the same guy.

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Add Luke Thomas to this. It's basically a bunch of clones and the black guy.

Leicester are this week's "Could they? They actually could you know".

Surely we all know that City will win it by 12 points.

I do jinx Leeds nicely every time I stroke my �� at them on here. They look dodgy af at the back against the directness of the Leicester 2 but they've crafted a few openings so 3-2 incoming.

That Hernandez effort was a thing of immense beauty.

We've come to life now, finally! Hopefully not too late.

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Originally Posted by Don

That Hernandez effort was a thing of immense beauty.

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He's always got that in the locker. I've felt bad for the lad recently as the Premier League has transformed him from some sort of demigod figure last season to looking a bit old and tired all of a sudden (he is thirty five, to be fair) so it's good to see glimpses of the old magic still.

Oh dear.

Leicester starting the season well again I see. Decent to be fair with that non existent defence.

Rodgers really showing his pragmatic side this season, good to see. Getting big results whilst also in Europe and carrying injuries.

Giggseh arrested for battering his missus (so they say).

The firebreak obviously already showing results.

We could finish 20th and I'd back Wilder. I'd also let him see out next season in the Championship, and only then consider sacking him if we don't look like going anywhere fast.

Who else we gonna get? Big Sam? Mark Hughes? Fuck that. Big Sam might keep us up but Wilder is a big part of the identity of the club. He's earned enough credit to take us down if that's what happens.

lol at Atletico drawing with Lokomotiv.

Anyone got a link for Liverpool with crowd noise? Can't stand this shit without it.

Payet with a horrendous penalty there.

Ajax with an indirect free kick goal from inside the box :drool:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Bbc reporting 45 million for Jota. Lol.

That's Jordan Ibe, Solanke to Bournmouth levels of shit.

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That's the first one I saw on the search but rest assured, he's not alone :happycry:

That first touch was disgusting.

What a wonderful signing Jota has been.

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Originally Posted by phonics

I don’t rate Jota one bit so I hope it goes through. And Sarr, lol.

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Actually turns out it might largely just be phonics posts.

https://streamja.com/akzEJ

The assist from Barella :drool:

Just been informed Utd's latest generational African talent who sits on Atalanta's bench cost the same. Make it make sense :happycry:

Jota's shite.

:happycry:

Just hand us the treble already.

At least Atalanta are keeping their high scoring games going

He's started better than Salah did. Firmino might be starting on the bench for the foreseeable.

Bayern are really struggling against Salzburg.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Giggseh arrested for battering his missus (so they say).

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If the picture going round Whatsapp etc is legit he is going to lose more than the Wales job.

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Originally Posted by Spoonsky

He's started better than Salah did. Firmino might be starting on the bench for the foreseeable.

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Good. He’s been poor for over a year now. Needs a good kick up his arse.

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Originally Posted by Lofty

If the picture going round Whatsapp etc is legit he is going to lose more than the Wales job.

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Tease.

'Ryan Giggs, who is actually mixed race, is accused of...'

"Ryan Giggs, who cannot be named for legal reasons ..."

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Originally Posted by Manc

Tease.

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https://i.ibb.co/0FncrQT/IMG-20201103-WA0018.jpg

Nicky Butt will take the years.

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Originally Posted by Lofty

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.ibb.co/0FncrQT/IMG-20201103-WA0018.jpg

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/744993...melissa-gentz/

Nope.

Should have known it was dodgy, it was forwarded by a scouser.

You really can see the effects of the age of misinformation recently. This gaff used to stand for something.

He’s basically been suspended by Wales already so he’s done something anyway.

Better to do it that way (regardless of his guilt) than the Liverpool route.

Forgot we were getting to see Rafael tonight. :drool:

Finally something to look forward to in a United game.

The defending. :drool:

That's got to be classed as gross misconduct by Ole, surely.

What the fuck was that shit?

"what the fuck was that shit?"

What's YOUR shit?

Are this a new club to Europe or is it one of those official uefa names and we know them as fenerbahce or something normally?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/El_6trQW...g&name=900x900

Ole out.

These absolute rotters must have done something unsporting like watching literally any of our games and realised we're only good at one thing.

Didn't spot it was Mert in goal. :drool:

That's a good header.

Demba Ba :drool:

The players have quit.

you misspelt shit.

United getting owned by Demba Ba and Martin Skrtel. :cool:

Poch with a timely appearance on MNF. Pull the trigger.

You can tell you're watching a top, top team when for the second game in a row they're shunting Maguire forward as a makeshift target man.

That would have been some own goal.

The average position map does a great job of showing that there aren't any tactics in the non-big games. There is a case for playing literally anybody as a right-sided forward just to stretch the pitch.

I think that's the worst performance I've ever seen.

Total shite

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Originally Posted by Lewis

The average position map does a great job of showing that there aren't any tactics in the non-big games. There is a case for playing literally anybody as a right-sided forward just to stretch the pitch.

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We barely even tried to do anything down the right at all. We spent what felt like about 17 hours in that match waiting for Luke Shaw to create something from the left.

Worst post-Moyes performance.

Dire Maria having a penalty saved :drool:

Surely he can't make it to 10pm.

Sevilla losing 2-0 to Krasnodar at home, lol.

The handball rule is so shit

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Surely he can't make it to 10pm.

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After the Everton game at the weekend just before an international break seems good timing.

Don't English teams usually struggle away to Hasan Sas et al?

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Originally Posted by Don

After the Everton game at the weekend just before an international break seems good timing.

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And then he’ll beat Everton and prolong it another few months.

We can but dream.

Just as Frank Lampard cements his position as the premier coaching talent of his generation too. lol at the guardianistas bracketing those two a month ago.

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Originally Posted by SvN

Worst post-Moyes performance.

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I don't know if we've looked as consistently bad at any point since Ferguson left as we have this season either. Sure, PSG and Leipzig were great but as good as we were looked they were also morons who played to what very few strengths we had, we've been fucking diabolical in most of the other games, including not trying to beat Chelsea and somehow winning against Brighton who should've spanked us.

When I consider how much they battered us, it's odd to see them so shy in front of goal. It's like Ole's on willing to back a sure bet instead of properly setting out how he wants a side to play.

I can only assume Fergie had a word with Bruce before the game.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Just as Frank Lampard cements his position as the premier coaching talent of his generation too. lol at the guardianistas bracketing those two a month ago.

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His two cheapest signings from Ligue 1 are about to save his career. 6 clean sheets in all of Mendy’s league and CL games.

Just as well he has Claude and Big Pete on board really to find these guys, proper Bayern-style old boys' network developing.

The Chelsea fixture run they've had with the help of their Europa League group has really blessed Lampard and Mendy's short-term career. They'll both have had bloodied anuses come Xmas.

What's the point in calling up Slabhead (other than being shit) and Reece James when they're both suspended for the "competitive" game?

So they can play in the other games?

Why are we playing the Irish republic as well as the Europa League? Seems absolutely bonkers in the current circumstances.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

So they can play in the other games?

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There's only 1 other game, a friendly against Ireland.

You know what Slabhead and James can do so plug someone else in to give them some time and get them adjusted into the team before the Nation League game.

Actually Slabhead is available for the second Nations League game.

Winks :happycry:
No Barnes yet Tammy :happycry:
No me yet Mount :happycry:

PPV games are being scrapped from next week. Surprised it took this long

First they came for the clubs and I did not speak out. Then they came for Brighton-Burnley at 17:30 on a Friday for £15 and...

Dundalk didn’t do too badly there. On another night they’d have scored that one at 2-2 and who knows?

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Originally Posted by Don

First they came for the clubs and I did not speak out. Then they came for Brighton-Burnley at 17:30 on a Friday for £15 and...

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Watch the dirty fuckers try and frame it as some bollocks covid support we are the people move.

Well done to everyone for not buying that shit.

In all fairness it did raise serious money for food banks. They should dine out on that :D

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54816131

You're never going to be allowed into the Proper Football Man community with that attitude, Marco.

How very Dutch.

Craig Gordon must be the first player to ever win a cup final and be a runner up surely? He gets a medal from Celtic if they win but obviously one too if he wins it with Hearts.

He should just stand in front of the trophy at the start and celebrate with it.

Don't you have to have played a certain number of games for the relevant team to get a medal?

I will close the door on the way out.

I was thinking it was the League Cup final they were playing as he played them for Celtic last year. Fook sake

Che Adams is one of the best signings we've made in a long time.

One of those players that always has a nack of being in the right place and the right time.

His shot leading up to the goal and the finish are both sharp af, Ings' class has rubbed off. With that physique too, christ.

And I don't like to make racial stereotypes, you know me, but Djenepo is the next Sadio (finishing as of yet undetermined but seems a real complete player).

Not that anyone would have seen what transpired earlier (thank christ) but it's getting a bit hard to see three worse teams in the division than Brighton.

Hopefully Burnley continue their woeful form, but they'll sort themselves out eventually. Same goes for Sheff Utd.

The check is complete.

:happycry:

It would be nice to see us string some results together but we have no consistency at the minute.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Not that anyone would have seen what transpired earlier (thank christ) but it's getting a bit hard to see three worse teams in the division than Brighton.

Hopefully Burnley continue their woeful form, but they'll sort themselves out eventually. Same goes for Sheff Utd.

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Your xPTS has you in mid-table and xG higher than City. The performances are quality I think and it's exciting what he's building but the recruitment has been piss poor, Dan Burn ain't a prem player ffs and Welbeck and Maupay between them aren't enough firepower. It'll turn tho, regression to the mean and all that.

Speaking of prem players, that Longstaff midfield pairing is a cracking base to build on for the 2026/27 League One promotion push.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Not that anyone would have seen what transpired earlier (thank christ) but it's getting a bit hard to see three worse teams in the division than Brighton.

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You can't have watched much of other bottom five sides. Fulham and West Brom are already entirely relegated, and the third will be Sheffield United or Burnley. Brighton will finish a comfy twelfth-ish, above Palace, Newcastle and United.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Your xPTS has you in mid-table and xG higher than City. The performances are quality I think and it's exciting what he's building but the recruitment has been piss poor, Dan Burn ain't a prem player ffs and Welbeck and Maupay between them aren't enough firepower. It'll turn tho, regression to the mean and all that.

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Unfortunately they've already blown xWins against West Brom, United and Burnley, which will be xDickings in the away games.

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Originally Posted by -james-

You can't have watched much of other bottom five sides. Fulham and West Brom are already entirely relegated, and the third will be Sheffield United or Burnley. Brighton will finish a comfy twelfth-ish, above Palace, Newcastle and United.

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I fear Burnley and Sheff Utd will sort themslves out at some point. Hopefully Burnley don't, but history suggests they tend to.

Newcastle and Palace will finish above Brighton. If United don't they'll be going down so, yeah, I like it, but I don't see it.

Agreed on West Brom and Fulham, although that's West Brom who Brighton couldn't beat, and Fulham who could move above them in the table today with a win, so it's very much in the mire.

I think for the first time ever, I want Everton to beat United.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

I fear Burnley and Sheff Utd will sort themslves out at some point. Hopefully Burnley don't, but history suggests they tend to.

Newcastle and Palace will finish above Brighton. If United don't they'll be going down so, yeah, I like it, but I don't see it.

Agreed on West Brom and Fulham, although that's West Brom who Brighton couldn't beat, and Fulham who could move above them in the table today with a win, so it's very much in the mire.

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I think when a team's issue is their finishing, it's rarely the end of the world. Eight games in, not the easiest run of games, and only really got outplayed by Everton. Largely looked pretty solid defensively. I am very unconvinced by Maupay though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Your xPTS has you in mid-table and xG higher than City. The performances are quality I think and it's exciting what he's building but the recruitment has been piss poor, Dan Burn ain't a prem player ffs and Welbeck and Maupay between them aren't enough firepower. It'll turn tho, regression to the mean and all that.

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Is that xG goals for minus against? Anyway, if we can't finish the chances...

Dan Burn's a good player but a better centre back / left back than wing back. He and the other tall defenders need to occasionally win a header at an attacking set piece though. Our lack of set piece goals for the last 3 years or so is baffling. Gross needs to be taking every one whenever he's on the pitch.

We are fantastic until about 25 yards from goal. If goals were awarded for possession and territory we would rival the best. Unfortunately we don't know how to cross, pass into the box, or shoot.

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Originally Posted by -james-

I think when a team's issue is their finishing, it's rarely the end of the world.

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Not being able to score goals absolutely is a big problem, especially when you can be relied upon to chuck one in at the other end almost every game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reg

Is that xG goals for minus against? Anyway, if we can't finish the chances...

Dan Burn's a good player but a better centre back / left back than wing back. He and the other tall defenders need to occasionally win a header at an attacking set piece though. Our lack of set piece goals for the last 3 years or so is baffling. Gross needs to be taking every one whenever he's on the pitch.

We are fantastic until about 25 yards from goal. If goals were awarded for possession and territory we would rival the best. Unfortunately we don't know how to cross, pass into the box, or shoot.

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If goals were awarded for idiotic defensive errors Brighton would be right up there too, unfortunately they are, but for the other team in most cases.

I think Potter's possession/press bullshit has worked about twice in his entire tenure - in the games away at Palace and Arsenal last season (may have been back-to-back). Towards the back end of last season it was more of a defence and counter set-up and it worked just as well as, if not better than, the 'good football approach'.

But you have Lallana and the greatest midget footballing talent I've ever witnessed so count your blessings. Goals amd points are meaningless with such an abundance of luxuries. Legit enjoy have Brighton up there with Leeds and Southampton as most entertaining footballing sides.

On the xPTS, I'm not actually sure how it's calculated, James might know:

https://understat.com/league/EPL

I'd hoped for more from Lallana but it's early days yet.

I never get the xPoints either - surely that has to be a whole number (worked out by using the xG to resolve games - ie 3pts for Brighton yesterday rather than the 1 they got)?

It's based on complete bollocks so just chuck a random number into the machine and that's your answer.

Brighton are one of those teams that look good every time I see them play but struggle with scoring goals and always seem to have a mistake in there at some point.

As long as they stay above one Sheffield United and Burnley they will be fine but they are two pretty bad problems to have.

FCUM v Doncaster is today's BBC Round 1 FA Cup choice today. Such a shame there isn't a crowd.

FCUM really is a dreadful abbreviation.

I'm never going to warm to that club name.

Who are F-CUM?

FC Ynitd o' Manc.

Really :D

Did they have a competition for the shittiest, most small time name available?

"It's gonna be great, lads. We'll use the old Newton Heath colour scheme for the scarfs and give it a name that really sticks it to the Glazers ...."

From memory they wanted to be called simply 'FC United' but there was a rule stating you had to include a geographical location in the name (how this tallies with Hashtag United I'm not quite sure).

Looking at that Utd XI, you imagine Poch announced by Wednesday.

You'd think today when his job must very much be on the line would be the time to maybe change something up, maybe give van de Beek a proper go (and not in a game he's just assuming he's gonna win like van de Beek's other starts) and see if he can make a difference. I love Juan Mata but that strikes me as a very 'safe' choice.

Still, the Maguire / Lindelof pairing will keep us right I'm sure.

Are there not a couple of clubs in the league with no geographical place in their name?

Who are you thinking of?

https://www.theguardian.com/football...betterfootball

"FC United" was rejected for being too generic.

Arsenal, Crystal Palace are both places in London (even though Arsenal are no longer located there). Not sure who else there might be.

#OleOut.

There's Port Vale, but I'm sure that references somewhere in Merseyside for some reason.

That assist from Lindelof. :drool:

That is some header though.

Yeah that's a beauty of a header. Nice of them to take a leaf out of our book on the centre half-ing front.

Are Total Network Solutions still going?

As The New Saints, yes.

Fernandes is very good.

I must say it's jolly decent of Everton to have played entirely to our few strengths since going a goal up. If they'd just shut up shop we'd currently still be a goal down, playing 60 yard backpasses to Spanish Dave.

Decent enough cup tie between Bradford and Tonbridge Angels on BBC now. Bradford 3 up but TA doing their best.

Everton are still Everton, and the few results they've ever had over a big side have been entirely down to the Goodison Seethe, so this should always have been relatively straight-forward.

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Originally Posted by SvN

There's Port Vale, but I'm sure that references somewhere in Merseyside for some reason.

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That’s definitely one I was thinking of. I might be thinking of the old firm clubs for the others.

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Originally Posted by Shindig

"It's gonna be great, lads. We'll use the old Newton Heath colour scheme for the scarfs and give it a name that really sticks it to the Glazers ...."

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None of this actually resembles realty considering we play in red, white and black.

But surely that conversation happened, right? The back to the roots argument instead of what looks like a spiteful move.

Pickford :cab:

How is that not a penalty?

Ridiculous. Pickford at it again.

Luke Shaw looked like he pulled up before winning that corner, so that's his career set back a year.

Anthony Martial has been toilet this season. I knew he only looked good after the lockdown because everyone else was half-arsing it too.

Fred/Scott McTominay/Nuno Nernandes is the midfield (the pre-lockdown form midfield), and the others should fit around it. Paulp Ogba can come in for Nernandes, and the other bloke can apparently come in for any of them; but it needs to be that as the basis.

Everton aren't shit.

That was actually a really good performance.

The BT commentators building dogshit narratives for 90 mins was fucking unbearable. Give us the option to watch without commentators already or, allow us to commentate ourselves like some Twitch feed so I can establish myself as the leading bantertator in the sport and make my millions.

Carlo on the ropes.

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Originally Posted by Shindig

But surely that conversation happened, right? The back to the roots argument instead of what looks like a spiteful move.

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No.

The conversation was more along the game and team we support has gone, why don't we try and create our own club. They've done it and it's been an unbelievable success.

On United, Ole should just ask for us to play away all the time. Everton gonna Everton but still a good win.

Shut your fucking whining, you insufferable Norwegian cunt.

Stick your xG up your arse you cunt.

VAR with an almighty laughable decision on Bamford there. Get it out my sport ffs.

Something Redknappy about that Eze free kick.

Conceding 3 in one half to Palace :lol:

Leeds are going down

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Originally Posted by Bob Sacamano

Conceding 3 in one half to Palace :lol:

Leeds are going down

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Lol, no mate.

If Biden can win the presidency at 77, then surely Hodgson has another big job in him at a mere 73. Manchester United, perhaps.

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Originally Posted by Bob Sacamano

Conceding 3 in one half to Palace :lol:

Leeds are going down

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We've looked woeful at the back. I hate to say it, but Cooper is massively out of his depth. We need Diego Llorente to get fit and hopefully be good.

The squad size doesn't hold up well to injuries either. No offence to the lad, but it's never a good sign when you're chasing the game and your answer is to bring Tyler Roberts off the bench. The international break will be a welcome layoff for us I think.

Few nice FA Cup shocks going on today.

They've got Ashley Cole on as a pundit for the Chelsea game and asked him about Ben Chilwell. Great, I thought, one of the best ever in that position is about to enlighten me about how Chilwell plays the position, his strengths and weaknesses etc, and things that as a fan I don't understand.

Answer: 'Uhhhmm, well, he's solid innit, he's come into a team that was conceding goals, and now they're not.'

Cheers Ash.

Dembele looking shit hot for Barca. Shoulda gambled.

That’s a nice little ground that F-Cum have, puts a load of top division ones here to shame.

Nearly bankrupted the club due to horrendous mismanagement from the former CEO/Chairman Andy Walsh. Still has the club pretty delicately placed but the new people running the ship are a lot more clued up.

When I look it up on Wikipedia I see a lot less seats than it looked on TV. The cost too is why nobody here would build one anyway, most clubs aren’t even worth a quarter of the €8m.

Part of the cost was covered with government grants (as there is a community centre attached to it and a lot of regeneration in the area) and calling into the fans to invest (the community fund).

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

.
They've got Ashley Cole on as a pundit for the Chelsea game and asked him about Ben Chilwell. Great, I thought, one of the best ever in that position is about to enlighten me about how Chilwell plays the position, his strengths and weaknesses etc, and things that as a fan I don't understand.

Answer: 'Uhhhmm, well, he's solid innit, he's come into a team that was conceding goals, and now they're not.'

Cheers Ash.

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Him being a pro for 20 odd years and then doing a UEFA draw and not knowing how Espanyol was pronounced was an interesting one.

That was such a shit goal from Abraham. He really cannot strike a ball to save his life.

Ramsdale has been an absolute mess

Was up at 07:30 to watch United-Everton after a late night. Saw us concede like shit after 20m and shut it off to get more sleep.

Still stick by my decision.

Sheffield United are even worse than Burnley. A team utterly without strengths.

Kings Lynn dumped out Port Vale today in easily their biggest FA Cup win in my lifetime. Problem is there isn’t really a lot in it for the smaller clubs this year. No replays and no crowds massively impacts on the money that can be made.

Zyiech is a bit good, unsurprising. It’s a shame Pulisic will never be fully fit as Werner back through the middle and that front three lols through every defence assuming Lampard sticks with the 433 and not swarming Kante with another sitting midfielder

The 4-3-3 definitely gets the best out of us. It would be lovely if Tammy Abraham was even a little bit better, as if he could hold it up and bring the others in on a consistent basis we would be pretty unstoppable. As it is, I think when Havertz comes back I would rather move Mount further forward (with Werner to the centre) and have KH running things from deeper in the way that Mount made a pretty pale imitation of trying to do today.

Ziyech's inswingers are a proper thing of beauty.

Every club needs a Shola Ameobi. Tammy might be yours.

That Bamford thing is the logical conclusion of that stupidity they pulled with Mané. Fuck knows what happens when some Suarez-esque bastard figures out how to stop the ball on the line with the 'legal' bit of his arm. It's almost as if they have done away with the intent aspect of the law, even though they haven't.

THE MIGHTY BLADES are in a bit of trouble this season.

Lookman tries a Panenka and totally fluffs it :D

That will break Parker.

What a way to end the game.

That's broken me, let alone Parker. Sickener.

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

Amazing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spammer

THE MIGHTY BLADES are in a bit of trouble this season.

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You were such an odd team to play against. You have a midfield three that seems to stand about and do nothing (even though Berge and Norwood clearly have some quality, especially the former), and your defence is a bit of a mess, largely because there are massive gaps that appear in between them during the little peels forward. Literally the only threat you posed at any point during the game was from McGoldrick being a pain in the arse, which McBurnie also is, but even they don't have any quality really between them.

You also have a couple of genuinely appalling players in there - the left wing back I thought looked totally out of his depth (not sure if he's a regular), and Brewster looked well short of being any kind of footballer.

I think he needs to refresh the setup a bit, is he completely wedded to that system? I would think binning Norwood to the bench, putting a shit kicker behind Berge/Lundstram, and going to a more compact back four would make more sense.

No idea what Lookman's at with that penalty, but I'll take it.

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experi...198e5640a3.png

:D

Has to be intentional.

The Magic of the FA Cup is back lads.

The bollocks going on in this Torquay-Crawley game right now.

Alisson

Alexander-Arnold
Robertson
Matip
Gomez

Henderson
Wijnaldum

Firmino

Mané
Jota
Salah

CM2 Classic.

Matip is fit so we should win by about 6 goals :drool:

:drool: That line up.

I'm still anticipating a bit of a roasting though.

To clarify on the CM2 reference, I reckon my actual team would have been something along the lines of:

Code:

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      Batistuta  Ronaldo  Taylor*

                Guerrero

              Lennon Simeone

Carlos        ????    ????        Zanetti

                  ????

---

*Robert Taylor of [legendary] Brentford fame.

Centre-halves and 'keeper escaping me.

Judging by these first 5 mins someone is going to score about 7 goals.

Walker is a mess still I see.

Wee Trent just as bad as Walker defensively. Reece James the saviour England need

That was a brilliant goal from Jesus.

Absolutely ruined by Jesus there.

This 4-2-4 is brave, but I suspect will turn out to be foolish.

What a terrible penalty.

You beauty :drool:

I think he was just trying to make the decision look good.

Thiago slotting in with these 4 roaming ahead of him. Tears in my eyes.

Can Gomez and his dopey looking self not do his ACL or something?

Ah yes, it had been a whole game without an injury.

What was that waste of a freekick at the end?

That second half was a chore. Sport is on it's knees.

A half for the purists. Nervy watch but take that. You don't take Bobby off in tactical games, you Nazi chump.

Too many square pegs in round holes by the end. Hopefully these injuries are all ready to fuck off after the next international break.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I think he was just trying to make the decision look good.

---

I liked Neville's take on that - "He doesn't wanna give it, because he knows that in the real world it's not a penalty." :D

Second half was dreadful. Thought Carragher was absolutely right in saying City should have been giving it to Sterling to have a one on one v Milner whenever possible. Wasted opportunity.

Shame this season has become more grounded. More 7-2s please.

It's going to be so shit in the marathon slog to Christmas and beyond after the international break, assuming enough players return fit. Every game is going to be dying moments shit-off material.

Clear through on goal and forgetting the ball sums up how shit Arsenal have been.

:eyemouth:

Good of Leno to have an attacking of goalkeeping diarrhoea when we play Villa just to highlight what a poor decision it was to sell Martinez. Not that he was the only shit house tonight, fair play to Villa could have had another 7 tonight.

Grealish is actually at KDB levels now, what's the plan if they don't get CL football next season? Tell me he's a proper Irish lad and a Liverpool fan deep down.

Barkley's assist suggests he's now better than Rashford, Sancho and Sterling combined.

And speaking of England, TAA pulling out might mean Southgate has stumbled upon Tariq by chance, the fucking retard.

Ian Wright reckons matches involving two teams in Europe should be allowed 5 subs when facing each other but otherwise 3 subs for all other games. He reckons that would solve it.

And then he wonders why he gets racial abuse.

I reckon we're up to 150m now. We'll take Jimmy back for a year and call it 149.

Outpacing Bellerin with the ball in tow. :drool:

If Sancho is getting touted for £100m+, I'd suggest £150m is still value for the buying side. Inb4 he's benched by southgate for the stars of The Rap Game.

Fucking hell, I've just seen Lookman's pen. That is sublime :D

He'll be benched. Southgate said this week he's "working his way through the pecking order". Build your team around him, you fool.

If anything sums up our turnaround it's that we didn't keep a clean sheet away all season last year. So far this season it's 3 from 3 and one of them is top of the league.

I see the gooner nation already hates Willian. Top tip, don't give a Brazilian his last big contract.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Grealish is actually at KDB levels now, what's the plan if they don't get CL football next season? Tell me he's a proper Irish lad and a Liverpool fan deep down.

---

He would be pretty good for Liverpool, wouldn't he. :nod:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Grealish is actually at KDB levels now, what's the plan if they don't get CL football next season? Tell me he's a proper Irish lad and a Liverpool fan deep down.

Barkley's assist suggests he's now better than Rashford, Sancho and Sterling combined.

And speaking of England, TAA pulling out might mean Southgate has stumbled upon Tariq by chance, the fucking retard.

---

He’s as Irish as you.

He's Iranian Giggles. It's close though. Good lad.

Who’s the best current player that could play in every position, and if he was cloned 11 times would make the best team? Submit your answer here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...?usp=send_form

Obviously Harry Kane

I was going to say the same.

Harry Kane for me.

I suppose this is worth debating now that John O'Shea has retired.

That down syndrome lad lacks mobility. Bobby is more well-rounded.

Geremi.

My team of Sadio Manés would beat your team of Kanes. The loser has to start pronouncing their name as Mane, or Kané.

It'll be someone boring like Henderson.

Kevin Davies. The opposition would spend 90 minutes on the deck.

11 Van Dijk's would be fairly unbeatable, probably at most sports.

He said 'current player'.

Only having one leg simply makes it a fair contest.

Or, you know, harvest the knees of half of them and just have a 5-a-side team.

I appreciate the comments but if you can add them to the form (literally 2 boxes - player and his team) so they get automatically added to my spreadsheet, and thus will probably end up being used, I'd appreciate it even more. :thbup:

Fair play to whoever added The Reid. :D

I was going to go with Shola Ameobi but he's long retired. Sammy could probably do a job.

Thiago

Kimmich

https://i.redd.it/5nop3zx69ho21.jpg

A goalie who can play would probably give you a massive advantage. I’m not sure who you’d go for now but a prime Neuer maybe?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

A goalie who can play would probably give you a massive advantage. I’m not sure who you’d go for now but a prime Neuer maybe?

---

John Oshea has already been nominated.

'keepers are always slow as shit and none of them can actually play.

Stick Kyle Walker in nets.

I wish I could remember who went in goal that time Kluivert scored to beat Chelsea. It can't have been John Terry.

On a serious note, how does FM deal with keeper attributes for outfield players? Pro Evo just defaults them all to 40 (the lowest) and leaves it like that across the board.

View Tweet

https://www.theguardian.com/football...table-comments

There's something so cartoonishly predictable about sports administrators and it is so consistent across different sports. How is it that only the shittest brand of two-bit villain ends up in those roles? Is it just the person who was happy to cross the right palms with silver on the way up, and therefore has zero moral fibre?

God that's pathetic. The old boy at work said 'negro' the other day and time stood still.

Early retirement. :drool:

You'll completely understand the geezer when we're losing our jobs in our 50s for disgustingly incorrect use of pronouns in regards to whatever creatures are floating around by then.

Could do a little presentation for Rice tomorrow night as he never came back to collect his 2019 young player of the year award.

Right wing PM Scott Morrison has congratulated Biden on his win. :|

Trump TV is going to be amazing.

International pressure is one of many reasons why this apparent attempt by Trump to stay in post is not going to work on any level.

Fark wrong thread.

It is sort of about getting the sack, run with it.

Phew

Let's just carry on.

Great win for the Republicans in Carolina.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Can Gomez and his dopey looking self not do his ACL or something?

---

Looks like you've got your wish, Gomez death confirmed in England training.

People are dying. Null and void is the only way.

Leicester for the league.

Fucking hell, that is such good news. You don't get impact injuries in training (unless Raheem's stabbed him) so fingers crossed it's fucking serious.

Fabinho back anyway so it’s definitely good news assuming Matip can stay for a game a week

His misguided belief that he can make long passes results in us wasting possession half a dozen times a game. Get Nat King in who is equally shambolic but at least has the humility to recognise it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

assuming Matip can stay for a game a week

---

:roflol:

Ashley Williams is a free agent. The committee may have to disband.

Some sort of knee tendon injury, surgery, out for [a significant portion of] the season.

Second time he's had a bad one with England. He's the new Jamie Redknapp.

:joy:

So he's done his ACL twice and broken his leg and he's only 23. That's impressive. Is it the same knee as last time too?

I like this reversion to the mean, Liverpool being nearly injury-free for multiple consecutive seasons was getting annoying

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

So he's done his ACL twice and broken his leg and he's only 23. That's impressive. Is it the same knee as last time too?

---

Not ACL, no ligament damage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mugbull

I like this reversion to the mean, Liverpool being nearly injury-free for multiple consecutive seasons was getting annoying

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Also a complete myth.

No PEDs in the England camp, so his bones get all brittle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Also a complete myth.

---

Ok, let's do this for the Liverpool Best XI then

Games missed over the last 2 seasons due to injury:
Mane - 3
van Dijk - 0
Firmino - 5
Salah - 2
Henderson - 12
Wijnaldum - 0
Trent - 5
Robertson - 0

Alisson and Fabinho both had one medium-term injury that kept them out for about a dozen games.

Matip has been injured a fair bit

And Ox is Ox, I'll give you him.

With your star players you have been insanely lucky

I'm pretty sure Van Dijk has missed a game or two lately. You might have heard about it.

Yeah, which was my point in the OP. Liverpool finally feeling God’s wrath. This data was from the previous 2 seasons

The front three, and Robertson have been remarkably durable [although the greatest victory within the period came without Salah or Firmino], Van Dijk obviously pre-Pickford, every other department of the pitch has had injuries. Keita has literally never been fit, Ox has never really come back after blowing his ACL up against Roma, Allison missed a fair chunk of last season and is probably the most important player in the squad, Fabinho missed a fuckton of games as he was injured during the November-January insanity period (another player without an easy direct alternative for his DM role), Matip injured all the time, Mané has missed games (injured on Intl duty) although I think that falls outside your time parameter. So yeah, Liverpool haven't had their entire team injured for two years plus constantly, if that's the standard, but they've had enough. Not even to get into the likes of Shaqiri who's continued absence last season reeked of recreational drug misuse or something. Gomez before that when he broke his leg/foot and was out for 6 months (those 6 being within the 2 year time frame). I'm sure Henderson has been more absent than those stats suggest.

It doesn't matter, as that's why you have squads of players, but the idea that Liverpool have just coasted by playing the same XI for 2 years plus is just plain wrong. I think it is more noticeable as Klopp doesn't mix the approach up like a twat so you always pretty much know what Liverpool are going to line-up like in 9+ positions (sometimes all 11).

All he’s arguing is you’ve been lucky with Harley any injuries to your key players. Allison and maybe Fabinho are the only two. Van Dijk, both your full backs, Wijnaldun and the front 3 have barley missed any games.

Clearly the peds have worn off

Not really [re: peds] as most of the key players remain uninjured [for now]. Almost as if that's an actual quality. What do they say, the biggest predictor of injury is past injury? The current defensive 'crisis' is only really Van Dijk having been murdered, the other two [and Lovren when he was still there] were constantly injured much of the time.

Forgot about this shit tonight.

Interesting looking England team. I wish he'd fuck-off with this 3/5 at the back shit. I know it's perhaps situational but that side's getting eaten alive by anyone with a functioning midfield.

Grealish :drool:

Winks and Mount :happycry:

He needs sacking. All that attacking talent and he has the handbrake on to accomodate Michael Keane.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Winks and Mount :happycry:

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It's nice of Southgate to help the special kids from Make-A-Wish.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Interesting looking England team. I wish he'd fuck-off with this 3/5 at the back shit. I know it's perhaps situational but that side's getting eaten alive by anyone with a functioning midfield.

---

Safe enough tonight then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

He needs sacking. All that attacking talent and he has the handbrake on to accomodate Michael Keane.

---

That back three is nearly as bad as Scotland’s

Is it on the telly at all? Can’t see it listed anywhere.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

He needs sacking. All that attacking talent and he has the handbrake on to accomodate Michael Keane.

---

The way the FA are he's got at least another 4 tournaments in him.

They've probably got Aidy Boothroyd earmarked for if he loses 4-0 to Skopje in the group next summer.

Ashley Cole. :facepalm:

I check soccerway more often than I do whatsapp with my gash and I can safely say I still don't have the slightest clue what's going on with this nations league bollocks. It seems like there's about 6 different routes to qualification, with 18 finals and 2 simultaneous tournaments. Scotland have to beat Serbia to qualify but "North Macedonia" qualify after 37 year old Pandev scores and Kinkladze misses a pen.

The worst aspect of it is the bit that Macedonia have just won which is the reserved spot at the Euros for D-league teams (presumably to buy the votes of the smaller nations at election time).

It's all convoluted wank of the highest order. I didn't even know qualification for the Euros hadn't finished by the time we locked down. How in the hell not?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Is it on the telly at all? Can’t see it listed anywhere.

---

Itv over here

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

It's all convoluted wank of the highest order. I didn't even know qualification for the Euros hadn't finished by the time we locked down. How in the hell not?

---

I was about to make a smug post about how it’s really quite simple and did a quick check to make sure I was correct only to find I was completely wrong and having done the reading, am more confused than before.

It's now harder not to qualify for the Euros than it is to get there, which makes all the wank about Scotland finally making a tournament all the more lol.

Yep, it's a mess and one that goes against all logic in purposely allowing qualification spots for weaker teams. I have no motivation whatsoever to watch any of it (obviously understand if people watch their own team but I won't stand for anything beyond that).

Nations league is brilliant. Probably isn’t as good if you support a team that always qualifies, but for countries like Finland it’s great.

Decent games with something to play for and an outside chance for qualifying. I think this campaign is the only time you have a chance of qualifying from the D group, and probably purely to get votes as someone said.

I'd say it's even better for the bigger nations because they're not wasting 9 months battering the likes of Moldova.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

I was about to make a smug post about how it’s really quite simple and did a quick check to make sure I was correct only to find I was completely wrong and having done the reading, am more confused than before.

---

Haha. I thought exactly the same originally and then these playoffs came from nowhere. Jim's covered why, but without a generational change in players, North Macedonia should never be playing Georgia in a playoff to qualify. Utter nonsense.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

I'd say it's even better for the bigger nations because they're not wasting 9 months battering the likes of Moldova.

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If they weren't playing never-ending meaningless friendlies instead, I'd agree.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Yep, it's a mess and one that goes against all logic in purposely allowing qualification spots for weaker teams. I have no motivation whatsoever to watch any of it (obviously understand if people watch their own team but I won't stand for anything beyond that).

---

It's similar to when Pavel nicked my greatest 100 TV shows idea (which I'd obviously nicked from elsewhere in the first place) and completely cunted it by deliberately putting films from each decade in the same group so that some representation of that time went through.

Scotland :D

:D

What a very Scotland thing to do.

That's what you get for celebrating a 0-0 with Israel like you've just beaten West Germany 12-0 in a World Cup semi.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

What a very Scotland thing to do.

---

They’ve been decent too. Terrible substitutes though. No one left on the park to get a goal. Best hope is somehow getting to penalties.

Free header from a corner. And now all hopes pin on Ollie mcburnie up front. :(

Can they not naturalise someone like James Tavernier?

Yeah I've got the live text on for it and it all sounded like you were pretty much in control.

Woah. North Macedonia are going to the Euros.

That is so typically Scotland. Uphill now.

Looked absolutely in control with dykes up top and mcginn and jack in midfield.

Have reverted to typical Scotland since he’s come off. Horrendous subs.

I could take the Nation League bollocks, I could take desperately arranging your neighbours to bus it down to Wembley for a friendly after your intial opponents pulled out because there's a fucking pandemic going on and you stand to lose ££££ but Henderson for Pope at HT against the most toothless side in world football has sent me. I'm this close to strapping a nailbomb to myself and heading down to St George's Park.

Looks like two penalty shoot-outs coming up with a 5 minute delay between them. :drool:

What the fuck is Stuart Armstrong doing on the Scotland bench? Has he lost a limb? If so, let me ask again, what the sweet fuck is Stuart Armstrong doing on the Scotland bench?

Northern Irish hearts broken.

Has this bloke who commentates on Scotland/Scottish football for Sky (and has done for about 65 years) ever considered whether maybe he is the problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

What the fuck is Stuart Armstrong doing on the Scotland bench? Has he lost a limb? If so, let me ask again, what the sweet fuck is Stuart Armstrong doing on the Scotland bench?

---

Joke.

Losing on pens will be the most glorious failure thing ever after conceding in the 90th

Robertson to hit it over

That's a top quality penalty from McTominay.

We're out. :(

Ridiculous penalties so far.

Fulham players on penalties...

That was quite predictable.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH mon.

Tournament to get cancelled then, yeah? Because THAT would be the most Scotland thing to happen.

Good set of penalties though for the most part.

Always an absolute delight to see Serbia lose, a perennially horrible bunch of pricks.

Now I can see why Giggles hates the Slavic twats.

That was a fantastic save.

Scotland in a tournament :cool:

Actually, would that have been Serbia v Croatia in our group? Now I'm slightly regretting it.

Croatia-Scotland-Czech Republic all at Wembley has serious potential for Southgate's bloodsoaked waistcoat to be all that's left of him after a results-based lynching.

Can you not still squeeze through in 3rd these days?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

Northern Irish hearts broken.

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Tonight had to have one redeeming feature.

Now that the Irish teams are both out we should scrap the ridiculous venue system and let them co-host the whole thing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Now that the Irish teams are both out we should scrap the ridiculous venue system and let them co-host the whole thing.

---

Isn’t the shared venue thing not all but gone already?

Be an interesting 8 stadiums.

Croke Park
Lansdowne Road
Windsor Park

...

Craggy Island Stadium?

At least there would be plenty of tea on offer.

Biscuit or cake.

I've got a lot of time for 37-year-old Goran Pandev scoring the goal to take Macedonia to their first ever tournament and then breaking into tears at the final whistle. What a man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

Be an interesting 8 stadiums.

Croke Park
Lansdowne Road
Windsor Park

...

Craggy Island Stadium?

---

They'll find a way. 5 star hotel in the local village, it'll be 'grand'.

Croke Park most likely wouldn’t be available for anything like that down the road so you’d have Lansdowne, Windsor, and two rugby stadiums if they could get them. NI should do a future bid with Scotland.

Hopefully 2021 ends up in Russia or something. The seats in the Aviva are too new to risk the English over.

22 years. The in laws are delighted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

22 years. The in laws are delighted.

---

Italscotugal?

I remember their World Cup opener vs Brazil so clearly. Cesar Sampaio headed in the opener, John Collins scored a penalty for 1-1. Brazil were a bit shit and then won with the Boyd og. Tosh McKinlay came off the bench late but this did not faze Cafu.

You almost want the kung flu to linger around so none of them can travel.

I had to revisit their scores because I thought they beat Norway. Just a point and then demolished by Henri Michel's Morocco.

I was meant to be doing homework but was sat with the below book open:

Toggle Spoiler

https://productimages.worldofbooks.com/0752524186.jpg

Every team in the tournament had at least one player in there so it featured superstars such as Erik Mykland, Colin Hendry and Eric Wynalda.

Sure I had that book, Welbz.

Zamarano and Salas
Lillian Thuram
The Reggae Boyz
Cuauhtemoc Blanco's bunny hop
Ronaldo's seizure
David Batty
Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp

Class tournament.

Me too actually. Did they sell it in school or with those England coins or something?

I had that book too.

Uh, I'd also like to express my fondness for that particular book.

That book and this:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1lE-BzxynL.jpg

Were a lot of my childhood.

This one for me. Might have just been American though.

https://external-content.duckduckgo....peg&f=1&nofb=1

The best non-fiction book ever written for children is Incredible Comparisons by Russell Ash. FACT.

Not a book, but this always brings back the memories of school playground swapsies.

https://gyazo.com/d0e461636cda7b643a75281397d21d58.jpeg

Scotland did well in that shootout considering their entire team appears to be left-footed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Italscotugal?

---

I know it's incredible to comprehend but people can be born in different places.

Just like you're top/bottom irish.

All my copies of Black and White Magazine are lost to time. Or somewhere at my parents'. I want to find Football '95 which had all the Euro 96 hype that went with it. Cantona was on the cover and a smiling Kenny Dalglish.

https://productimages.worldofbooks.com/0091814073.jpg

I think I had this at home. It has my chicken shit handwriting in it as I update the scores and the scores go from the actual games to things like Man United 9 Chelsea 2.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

I know it's incredible to comprehend but people can be born in different places.

Just like you're top/bottom irish.

---

I’m what? There’s no planter blood in me.

Also, I’d be pretty certain you can only be born in one place. Did you mean something different?

I had the World Cup 98 book as well. I think my mum bought it from Sainsburys.

I reckon I might still have it in the loft.

I had the Euro 96 equivalent of that book as well, which profiled the 'star' of each team. I can remember half of them to this day. Julen Guerrero for Spain. Stoichkov for Bulgaria. Florin Radicioiu for Romania (why?). Djorkaeff for France. Shearer for England (it's easy to forget, looking back, just how massive a star Shearer was at this time. Almost bigger than the team. Had arguably waned a touch by '98 because no one cares about Newcastle). Colin Hendry for Scotland. Turkyilmaz for Switzerland.

I remember going into CM and looking up all the players I expected to be mega and I'd just not heard of them because they played in exotic foreign countries.

Turns out Eric Wynalda was not a goal machine.

Oh yeah, and because of a misprint somewhere (or maybe just me mis-reading it) I spent a good 3 or 4 years believing that the Turkey manager was called 'Faith' Terim, like a shit R&B singer, rather than the sabre-wielding patriarch he is.

I wish I still had the book so I could look through and see who the most lol inclusions were but it must be long gone. This is the sixth place I've lived since then and my parents have moved too.

On of the Ireland players who did 90 minutes last night has tested positive :D

Your man Vida for Croatia played the first half against Turkey too and was then informed at HT that he was positive as that's when their results came through.

:D

dots.

No mention of this unnamed PL player who has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and rape?

It's not the person people think it is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

It's not the person people think it is.

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Most of them?

It's a white player? :eek:

Who do people think it is, then? I assume the Twitter mob have their prime suspect.

It's Gomez innit? Fucking tendons, my arse.

Is Raheem the victim in that scenario?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

Who do people think it is, then? I assume the Twitter mob have their prime suspect.

---

Greenwood

Jordan Henderson.

I saw Willian mentioned.

Who was the wrong'un from Southampton (?) who was up to no good against a partner/former-partner recently?

Yan Valery.

My ITK sources saying the person mentioned in the Mail story is based at the other Manchester club.

I heard it was Garry Flitcroft (christ how old is that reference now).

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sp...risonment.html

"Player in his 20s"

If it is indeed City you have the following in their 20's:

Foden (20)
Ferran Torres (20)
Ruben Dias (23)
Gabriel Jesus (23)
Zinchenko (23)
Rodri (24)
Ake (25)
Sterling (25)
Stones (26)
Laporte (26)
Silva (26)
Mendy (26)
Cancelo (26)
Ederson (27)
De Bruyne (29)
Mahrez (29)
Plus a handful of other no name chumps.

My money would be on Ruben Dias.

Christ, imagine being raped by Kevin De Bruyne.

It’s definitely Benjamin Mendy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Christ, imagine being raped by Kevin De Bruyne.

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Rather him than Yaya ��

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Christ, imagine being raped by Kevin De Bruyne.

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Aren't most premier league defences familiar with this? #andygray

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Aren't most premier league defences familiar with this? #andygray

---

'And he says to De Bruyne: 'Go on, son, rape me', and Kevin says: 'Thank you very much.'

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

If it is indeed City you have the following in their 20's:

Foden (20)
Ferran Torres (20)
Ruben Dias (23)
Gabriel Jesus (23)
Zinchenko (23)
Rodri (24)
Ake (25)
Sterling (25)
Stones (26)
Laporte (26)
Silva (26)
Mendy (26)
Cancelo (26)
Ederson (27)
De Bruyne (29)
Mahrez (29)
Plus a handful of other no name chumps.

My money would be on Ruben Dias.

---

Zinchenko looks a bit rapey

Salah had tested positive for COVID. Dirty Scouse bastards. Half their team seem to have caught it all at different times

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

My ITK sources saying the person mentioned in the Mail story is based at the other Manchester club.

---

Why the coyness? Who have you heard? I'm going Ake, Stones or a complete no-hoper like Sandler.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Salah had tested positive for COVID. Dirty Scouse bastards. Half their team seem to have caught it all at different times

---

Salah, Mané, Thiago, who else? Did Keita get it on international duty? Shaqiri too?

A fairly :sherlock: number of them seem to get it during international windows.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Why the coyness? Who have you heard? I'm going Ake, Stones or a complete no-hoper like Sandler.

---

I'm a big fan of not being sued.

https://twitter.com/EgyptTodayMag/st...594109953?s=19

flol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I'm a big fan of not being sued.

---

Pussy.

He's out of Leicester, right? Fucking dirty Arab.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I'm a big fan of not being sued.

---

PM me, and I'll tell everyone.

Either that, or tell me... Does he have moustache?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Zinchenko looks a bit rapey

---

He is currently on International duty, and apparently this bloke was arrested on Wednesday.

Of the City players in their 20s not selected for duty (and thus not travelling/away from home) we have:

Mendy
Stones
Laporte

Did it say first team player? Could be a reserve or a player out on loan, I suppose.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

My ITK sources saying the person mentioned in the Mail story is based at the other Manchester club.

---

Pogba?

Phillipe Sandler and Zack Steffen are the no name 20s chumps in the first team squad.

It's going to be one of them isn't it? :(

Most of these stories with the headline "PREMIER LEAGUE STAR" are about some youth mong at a no-mark club who's come off the bench a handful of times.

It seems to be someone relatively well known.

Well that's Pellistri out the running.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Phillipe Sandler and Zack Steffen are the no name 20s chumps in the first team squad.

It's going to be one of them isn't it? :(

---

Steffen was playing for the USA last night.

Mendy or Sandler it is.

Benjamin Mendy it is then.

Congrats whoever had him in the sweepstake, please PM Bamster for your prize.

Presumably a lapse in concentration allowed the victim to escape.

I've no idea what the covid rules are now, but Salah might get away without missing any games if the requirement is still 7 day isolation and a negative test thereafter (as it was for positive cases earlier in the season) - whereas any of his 'contacts' will be stuffed for 14 days but I guess there aren't any of those who are overly relevant.

10 days I thought.

Phil Foden's in his 20s. Unlucky, Phil.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

10 days I thought.

---

Yeah, I think I was reading the project restart rules:

Quote:

---

Players are to be tested for Covid‑19 twice a week during a first stage of return, with a positive test requiring the player to isolate for seven days under Public Health England guidelines. PHE rules, however, also require that a “contact” of a known case should isolate, as someone would if they were living in the same house. That quarantine period should last for 14 days.

---

Which have probably been beefed up seeing as they were written when case numbers were pretty low. I think PHE is now 10 days.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54932314

BBC and Amazon Prime will get games now until January. PPV SCRAPPED.

Liverpool - Leicester being moved to get Salah an extra day to fix his covid test result (if it was yesterday he might just make it).

:drool:

I wonder if Fulham v Everton on BBC doing United v Liverpool numbers on Sky/BT will affect future decision making.

Of course it won't, that's why Sky never publish their numbers.

Free to air TV breathes gallons of life into any sport but the admins don't want that, they want cash right now.

It’s amazing to me that English Cricket saw the whole country give a shit about a test match for the first time since the 1900s and immediately put it behind a sky paywall never to be thing of by the public again.

Literally couldn’t name you a cricketer outside of Brian Lara and then Freddie Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson.

Every sport has done the same. Even football to some extent. No one watches the Champions League in this country.

The only sport I can think of that has outright resisted the dollar is touring cars, which enjoys a strong cult following as a result. On Sky it would be dead with everything else.

Sky Sports fucking loves Speedway, anytime I put it on at a random hour it seems there's some Speedway going on and it baffles me. As someone who has woken up at 4am in the morning to watch South Koreans play Starcraft 2 I'm not one to talk, but there's so much Speedway. Is it secretly the worlds most successful sport no-ones ever heard of?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I'm a big fan of not being sued.

---

Seems about as likely as getting sued for scrawling it on the wall of a bog in a closed down Asda.

I might have Trials down as a bigger no-name motorsport. I can name one Trials rider and that's only because of watching way too much Eurosport as a kid.

Dougie Lampkin (and the Spanish guy who was always runner up), I wonder what he's doing now.

Living on the Isle of Man which seems fitting.

Regarding the rapist. Surely they play for Chelsea and nearly thought about moving to Bayern?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Every sport has done the same. Even football to some extent. No one watches the Champions League in this country.

The only sport I can think of that has outright resisted the dollar is touring cars, which enjoys a strong cult following as a result. On Sky it would be dead with everything else.

---

We’re eventually going to lose our games the same way. They’ve already sold out some to sky.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Regarding the rapist. Surely they play for Chelsea and nearly thought about moving to Bayern?

---

He was cleared months ago.

Our Jack starting tonight according to Sky.

Be Gareth's scapegoat when they get fucked sideways.

Scotland with 8 lefties in the starting 11 :sick:

It's madness isn't it? And yet 10 out of 10 in crucial penalty shoot-outs, so maybe the ghost of Chris Waddle's 1990 effort has finally moved on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Scotland with 8 lefties in the starting 11 :sick:

---

Clarke out.

Robertson missing out due to cramp/tight hamstring? I reckon we could squeeze in another international break in December if they get their act together :happycry:

Daniel James is a scumbag, but from the team that deliberately did Coleman then couldn’t expect much better. Morals of their manager.

Should be down to 9 now. McClean or someone does that and they’re gone.

Walker playing as one of the middle three at the back again. :sick:

View Tweet

There must be others, presumably countries surrounding the big leagues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

Walker playing as one of the middle three at the back again. :sick:

---

Unpopular opinion but he's literally one of the best in Europe in that position.

Of course, I'm not having it waved in my face tonight when it's 9-0 to Bobby's Boys :drool:

That's interesting. Is the implication there that everyone half decent gets picked up by a British team at a young enough age not to have made their international debut? In that case, I can't work out whether the national team should be a bit better or a lot worse.

Were you close to getting an equalizer in the end @Giggles? Could’ve done with your lot holding Wales tonight.

Our win in Bulgaria was nervy and came with a price as our captain will miss the Wales game due to a suspension and one of our starting strikers went off injured in the first half.

Possibly one of the most dominant England performances I've ever seen. Bizarre result.

Spare a thought for Belgium. Never going to see a generation like this again and the window has probably closed now that Eden Hazard is a fat fuck.

The window to do what? 2016 was a balls up losing to Wales, but third in the World Cup was reasonable in the non-shit side of the knockouts. Nobody actually thought they would win anything.

And they narrowly lost to the eventual winners. They've probably got the Euros and another big tournament run in them. If they lost to Japan it might've been a bigger setback.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

The window to do what? 2016 was a balls up losing to Wales, but third in the World Cup was reasonable in the non-shit side of the knockouts. Nobody actually thought they would win anything.

---

You love an aftertime. If nobody thought they would do anything it's because they're managed by a bum. Could absolutely have won either of those tournaments. England are also managed by a bum but at least there's enough time to have a good few stabs at it.

Your formation's still a pile of wank, Gareth.

I still don't know what Jadon Sancho is.

I put it on and saw a Mason Mount free-kick that was truly spectacular :D

Apparently Grealish was quite good, should be a fantastic option off the bench once the JLS boys are back fit.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-y...pY5DGYg/videos

Jesus they're works of art them.

Just watched the highlights from last night. The freekick that Belgium scored from should have been a freekick to England. Rice kicks the ball away and then KDB kicks him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pen

Were you close to getting an equalizer in the end @Giggles? Could’ve done with your lot holding Wales tonight.

Our win in Bulgaria was nervy and came with a price as our captain will miss the Wales game due to a suspension and one of our starting strikers went off injured in the first half.

---

I stopped watching as there was so much other stuff on, but I'm going to hazard a guess that they never came close to scoring.

I've been searching for a post either on here, or possibly somewhere else, from I think a few years back comparing Grealish to Gazza (as every fucker is now doing it and I'd like to be smug).

There's quite a lot of gold, but this beauty is my favourite from the year we were going down:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Some clubs you could say a relegation might be good for them in the long run, but Villa are one that you'd fear may never come back.

---

:eyemouth:

We desperately needed relegation and a reboot.

Alright Smiff

:D

Get fucked. Found the post. It was only a year ago and I had a dig at Ross Barkley. Smug mode disengaged.

I once predicted Harry Kane would see his days out at Yeovil.

There's still time.

When was that? I can’t even remember when they were relegated.

Doherty and McClean down with Covid now :face:

As ropey as it normally is that’s a thin looking squad now. Sorry @Pen, that’s not beating Bulgaria.


Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).


Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Doherty and McClean down with Covid now :face:

---

Hope Doherty makes a quick recovery :D

That game doesn’t really matter for us as we’re ten points clear of you both. Would’ve needed you to hold Wales to a draw again on Sunday. Still hope Bulgaria get relegated rather than your lot.

@Giggles

Also good to see Bruhnaldo is doing well :)
https://youtu.be/-KT45yNltwM?list=PL...UpkMa5EOkqDcat

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pen

That game doesn’t really matter for us as we’re ten points clear of you both. Would’ve needed you to hold Wales to a draw again on Sunday. Still hope Bulgaria get relegated rather than your lot.

@Giggles

---

I hope we do. Might score one against the lot below. Might.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pen

Also good to see Bruhnaldo is doing well :)
https://youtu.be/-KT45yNltwM?list=PL...UpkMa5EOkqDcat

---

Love the top comment on this - 'as a white british man I finally understand what cultural appropriation is'.

So he's a Mexican manlet who started his own gang of one?

Get another hobby, mate. Or a gun.

The Grealish hype does remind me most people don't actually bother watching football that much.

The fucking scenes when they see Tariq on his debut :happycry:

Spain 4-0 Germany currently is not a great advertisement for Jonathan Wilson's thesis in this article: https://www.theguardian.com/football...less-liverpool

I believed him as well, like a stupid fuck.

Both those sides have gone to shit. International football is now just France, Belgium and Brazil and the latter two are an injury or two away from mediocrity like the rest. 2022 may well be the year for Senegal or Iran.

Probably not though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Spain 4-0 Germany currently is not a great advertisement for Jonathan Wilson's thesis in this article: https://www.theguardian.com/football...less-liverpool

I believed him as well, like a stupid fuck.

---

Somebody wrote that exact article (possibly without the Wikibashed history wank) when Bayern monstered Barcelona in 2013. Tiki-taka is fucking DEAD. The new style of footba... 'Pep' wins fifty trophies. That said, I can't explain Real Madrid and Barcelona being worse than before. Have they lost any significant players over the past few years?

I assume it isn't but I'd really like this Balotelli-to-Barnsley story to have something to it.

They had Marvin Sordell on Football Weekly and mentioned him being in the GB Olympics team. Had absolutely no recollection of this so looked it up:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_...ll_team#Squads

Did that team even seem that promising/exciting a team at the time?

Also learned that one of Jack Cork's middle names is 'Porteous.'

I was at Wembley for our glorious 3-1 victory over UAE, and to be honest I have a much better memory of Abdulrahman being great for UAE than I do of any British players.

I'd totally forgotten that we went out on penalties. Because of course we did.

I have a weirdly strong memory of that game actually, as it was I believe on a Saturday night and I was in a curry house which had a tiny TV screen broadcasting the game (South Korea was it?) when all of a sudden, Max Clifford walked in and sat down at the next table with seven of his friends. My friends shat themselves with excitement about our celebrity visitor, trying to listen in on their conversations, and I was left glumly staring at the silent TV screen and our stupid GB kit in silence.

Needless to say, the British justice system had the last laugh.

My main memory of the GB team is Sturridge missing the deciding penalty and then acting like a twat afterwards.

Abdulrahman :drool:

What a wasted career.

https://gyazo.com/66796e299c6682e0ecd44b76536ed7bb.jpeg

Didn't one-time Liverpool striker Steven Caulker play for GB?

"Caulker made his Liverpool debut on 13 January 2016 in the 3–3 draw with Arsenal at Anfield when he replaced Adam Lallana as an auxiliary striker in the 87th minute"

:drool:

EDIT: That said I assume Liverpool had some sort of injury crisis so I'm not sure what United's excuse is when we lump Mr Mykonos up there in our frequent terrible attacking performances.

Abdulrahman was mesmerising, genuinely looked like easily the best player on the park (had about 1 competent team mate unfortunately).

Sadly, as with all players from that region (and China, and arguably England), when there's an inflated amount of money paid in the local league relative to its quality, potential is never going to be fulfilled.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Spain 4-0 Germany currently is not a great advertisement for Jonathan Wilson's thesis in this article: https://www.theguardian.com/football...less-liverpool

I believed him as well, like a stupid fuck.

---

As a postscript to this, here he is this afternoon on SI: https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/11/18...y-coach-future

Quote:

---

This was a defeat that went against every trend of modern football, and that essentially means personnel must be to blame.

---

:D

These thinkpieces trying to extrapolate football results out to some broader truth really are a load of wank, he isn't the only guilty party.

There’s some lad called Marcus Harness in the squad for tonight against Bulgaria. New one on me.

Probably us too, mate.

AHHHH 2 CAN PLAY THAT GAME CAN'T THEY, YOU FUCKING SHITMUNCHER.

Jesus, I legit thought Ian alerted me to the England game yesterday and that they'dalready played, such is the brutal expanse of time.

This international window really has fucked him up. :console:

There’s some Taylor listed in the subs too :sorry:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Jesus, I legit thought Ian alerted me to the England game yesterday and that they'dalready played, such is the brutal expanse of time.

---

That's some extreme wishful thinking for a guy who doesn't even need to feel obliged to watch the game.

Just seen Morecambe are beating Man Utd U21 4-0. Everyone's favourite Uruguayan getting the 90.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Penarol's president (either him or the agent, the translation was a bit garbled) quoted saying Utd asked for Pellistri to be kept in a training bubble during negotiations so he wouldn't have to isolate as they plan to use him in the first team squad straight away

---

:happycry:

Stuck England on. Don’t understand the formation at all. Mount is basically playing like when you play FIFA as one player and put him as a centre mid but then basically go everywhere, constantly asking for the ball. Grealish is the only player to go faster than a gentle stroll so far. And Harry Kane seemingly refuses to celebrate goals that aren’t scored by him. All in all, very little to enjoy.

Mason Mount should always have the ball.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Just seen Morecambe are beating Man Utd U21 4-0. Everyone's favourite Uruguayan getting the 90.



:happycry:

---

The average age of that team is about 17.

Conor Hourihane should never see a start again. Same goes for Robbie Brady.

Posted at 21:07
'Mount adds creative element'
England 2-0 Iceland


Matthew Upson

Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Yes England would play two in central midfield but one would sit deeper and the other one would have the freedom, as opposed to two side by side, sat in front of the back three.

And I know that happens anyway with Rice and Henderson but you just feel that someone like Mason Mount in that role, it does add more of a creative element and he will go forward and will naturally take up positions that hurt the opposition.

----------

Posted at 21:13
'Mount has shown his versatility'
England 2-0 Iceland


Matthew Upson

Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Mason Mount has shown his versatility tonight. He can play slightly different roles in and around the middle of the park or just wide. Another good performance, another goal and another opportunity to hammer home to Gareth Southgate the reason he should be in the team because he keeps coming up with the good.

--------

Make it make sense :happycry:

11 hours :happycry:

Saka is horse shit :harold:

Could have done with this Iceland performance in 2016 when I was in a fanzone as it was absolutely pissing it down with rain.

That and the Algeria draw were the worst two moments I’ve had as an England fan I think.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

11 hours :happycry:

---

:D

Name a more iconic duo than your boys and 0-0s. Fucking hell.

Brady may be redeemable in some fashion but I never want to see Conor Hourihane again.

First calendar year without a win in 49 years :drool:

Ireland should fold. We really are rubbish.

The one positive note is that fella Knight looks decent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

:D

Name a more iconic duo than your boys and 0-0s. Fucking hell.

---

Find out that the previous record holder was Northern Ireland and they still have to go another year or so without a goal to break it was fun.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CJay

Ireland should fold. We really are rubbish.

The one positive note is that fella Knight looks decent.

---

Nearly did fold only for the bail out post Delaney. The pain is here now so they should just take more of it and just start going with the likes of Knight, Molumby, O’Shea, etc from here on and see who makes it.

Gutted by our early red and missed sitter at 0-0 against Wales. A win would’ve given as a much better chance of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. On the upside we’re in pot three now for the World Cup qualifying which is great.

Maguire has found his calling as an inverted wing back.

The way other results went we would actually have been a second seed for the World Cup draw with a win. That’s some indictment of soccer in Europe at the minute.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CJay

Ireland should fold. We really are rubbish.

The one positive note is that fella Knight looks decent.

---

I think the teams fine but you need that one player who can do something for the collective to break through. If I was a half decent mid table striker I would be searching for someone to fake me a passport.

Like put Calum Wilson in there or something and he’d have a road named after him within a year.

Bamford was the only one in the picture and he’s holding out for England so you wouldn’t want him about anyway even if they don’t call him up. Someone in midfield to not shit themselves every time the ball comes their general direction is badly needed too.

5 at the back also. You’ve two proper premier league standard wing backs, stop messing about playing them as full backs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

The way other results went we would actually have been a second seed for the World Cup draw with a win. That’s some indictment of soccer in Europe at the minute.

---

It takes time for rankings to change drastically. This winless year you mentioned will stick with you for a good while, but won’t instantly drop you to the depths of lower pots.

That said, I’m not entirely sure how the rankings are calculated.

Bamford :D

Lads, you need ebony blood and you have plenty of it. Also, to be so negative and toothless is a coaching problem more than a lack of talent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Bamford :D

Lads, you need ebony blood and you have plenty of it. Also, to be so negative and toothless is a coaching problem more than a lack of talent.

---

You don’t coach at international level. You have the players for a few days.

England midfielder Declan Rice on Sky Sports: "We've been best mates since we were eight years old, we've seen each other grow. When we knew we were starting tonight together it was special and to both score, our families will be bursting with pride.

"I thought I timed my run right for the goal but you never know now. When you see it hit the back of the net - I just wish there were fans in. It's special, you can't put it into words. I need to add goals to my game. The WhatsApp is going to be buzzing!"

Mason Mount: "Our families would have been here together definitely. They were here when I made my debut. We are making special memories together. It's great. For me to be on the pitch for his first goal means a lot - it came off his shoulder!

"I let him do the defensive side and linked up with the guys up front. The attack we had tonight was deadly."

Awwww.

I will not accept Mason Mount as an international footballer.

I'm truly baffled as to why everyone has a problem with him (loads of Chelsea fans do too). I think it's just that many are under the impression that a football team should be comprised of all of the most exciting available stars, whereas in fact it should be comprised of some of them combined with talented soldiers like Mount.

Mason Mount is Tom Cleverley with a posher accent.

Tom Cleverest.

Fucking Denmark look like the best draw again :face:

I'd rather see Spain.

View Tweet

How the actual fuck are England ranked 4th in the world?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

Mason Mount is Tom Cleverley with a posher accent.

---

He doesn't have a remotely posh accent, and I think people imagining that he does explains my query tbh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

How the actual fuck are England ranked 4th in the world?

---

I was wondering how we're even in the 1st pot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

How the actual fuck are England ranked 4th in the world?

---

Why not? They're pretty good and (more importantly) win nearly all their games.

Joint favs for next summer btw.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Joint favs for next summer btw.

---

Lol

Makes sense to me. Coming off the back of a world cup semi and with the most exciting group of young players in the world, just played out two pretty good matches against the other most fancied side. Home advantage. I'd say England should be clear of Belgium if anything.

We are clear of the Belgium we just lost 2-0 to? Getting to a World Cup semi is obviously good, but let's not forget that we lost to the first proper team we bumped into. It was a fluke.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Why not? They're pretty good and (more importantly) win nearly all their games.

---

Did you watch them stink the place out (twice) against a pallid Denmark side? I can accept top 10, but 4th above Spain, Germany etc is nonsense.

I don't think the 2-0 was a fair reflection of that game, Belgium's goals were a doubly deflected long range shot and a direct free kick.

Beating Colombia, Sweden and taking Croatia to extra time isn't a bad track record to take to the Euros considering the riff raff that will be present.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Did you watch them stink the place out (twice) against a pallid Denmark side? I can accept top 10, but 4th above Spain, Germany etc is nonsense.

---

I think "Spain and Germany" just sounds scary but it's not really. International football is 90% crap. France have stunk the place out in nearly every international they've played this decade.

You won't see Gareth Southgate's mighty back nine shipping six goals in a game, that's for sure.

England will draw the following group, btw:

England
Slovakia
Iceland
Slovenia
Kosovo
(Moldova)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

We are clear of the Belgium we just lost 2-0 to? Getting to a World Cup semi is obviously good, but let's not forget that we lost to the first proper team we bumped into. It was a fluke.

---

Was the 2-0 loss to Belgium not a fluke though?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Was the 2-0 loss to Belgium not a fluke though?

---

Maybe. But saying we're clear of them is ridiculous anyway. We have played them 4 times in the last 2 years and lost 3 of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Maybe. But saying we're clear of them is ridiculous anyway. We have played them 4 times in the last 2 years and lost 3 of them.

---

Opposite trajectories though. Belgium's average age in the game the other night must have been touching 30. England were favourites at an empty Wembley last month so fair to assume they would be favourites at a PACKED WEMBLEY for the final too.

England were only favourites because plebs were backing them, I imagine.

That's not how betting markets work, sadly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

He doesn't have a remotely posh accent, and I think people imagining that he does explains my query tbh.

---

I didn't say it was posh, just posher. Which it is.

In the same way that a potato is more like a jelly baby than it is like the planet Venus, I suppose.

It's at times like this I'm minded of the list of nations England have beaten in knockout football, which over the last 54 years is topped by Scandanavian teams.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

That's not how betting markets work, sadly.

---

How so? If one team is heavily backed, the odds will be shortened.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

How so? If one team is heavily backed, the odds will be shortened.

---

Recreational money is a pretty small drop in the ocean these days. Syndicates staking huge sums on the asian market are what form the price and you can expect it to be bang on at kick off. If Baz and Mahow manage to back England to the point where they're artificially short, you can be sure Tony Bloom will be there to hoover up the value on Belgium.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

You won't see Gareth Southgate's mighty back nine shipping six goals in a game, that's for sure.

---

They’re not even making it past the group stage next summer m8

This is going to be a glorious page to quote when England shit it up again.

Keep going James.

Southgate stays. So Tariq and Grealish continue to be overlooked. So no chance for England.

No team with Pickford in net will ever win anything.

The squads will be decimated come June. The winner will be the nation with the greatest depth.

Not saying England are likely to win it, that would be ridiculous, they're 5/1. I just find this fetishization of the "Lol England are terrible and we'll never win anything" quite odd. It's an inferiority complex rarely seen outside of Scotland.

It's realism. Look at out track record. We frequently get knocked out by teams we should beat and completely shit the bed when we bump into a team on our supposed level.

Anyone can win an international tournament. The best thing you can do to improve your chances is have a really good group of players, and England have that. The fact that they drew with Costa Rica seven years ago has no effect on the likelihood of an entirely different set of players winning a few games next summer.

We have crap defenders and a clueless manager. In big games, like that jammy semi-final we still should have won, that matters.

I'm not sure I even agree with the premise that we have a really good group of players. Historically we always have one part of the team that's amazing. Currently it's our attack. We remain shite the other side of the half way line.

Don't forget there is a goalkeeper who loves a fuck up.

Well find me an international side from the last half decade that's not quite flawed in some area.

Once you get to the semi finals you're only two games away and you don't even need to win them. It's anyone's game at that stage.

There are plenty of universes in which England beat Croatia, and then it's 90 minutes against France. I don't see how winning that is completely outwith the realms of probability.

I'd give us an 18% shot at winning the World Cup from pre-semi final. Based on that, off the top of my head, I'd give us a 9% shot at winning the next Euros (5% at the World Cup to account for Brazil). That would be 11/1 or so. Going to guess we're about that at the sportsbooks. Let's have a look.

5/1 :lol: Fuck off.

If you've got England 11/1 then I'd love to see the rest of your book.

My point isn't that England are going to win the Euros, are likely to win the Euros, or are a bet to win the Euros. Just that joint fav is about right, and it could feasibly happen.

They ain't in the same class as a full strength and motivated France or Belgium for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

If you've got England 11/1 then I'd love to see the rest of your book.

My point isn't that England are going to win the Euros, are likely to win the Euros, or are a bet to win the Euros. Just that joint fav is about right, and it could feasibly happen.

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My book is a lot more fractured than the actual one and I think it's a lot more wide open, except for France who with their pedigree and depth should be short price favourites regardless of their irrelevant winter performances.

It's a shame the wetwipe 24 team format basically removes it as a possibility because they're well overdue a humiliating group stage exit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

If you've got England 11/1 then I'd love to see the rest of your book.

My point isn't that England are going to win the Euros, are likely to win the Euros, or are a bet to win the Euros. Just that joint fav is about right, and it could feasibly happen.

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This is madness. I don't know how old you are, so I'm going to guess younger than me and say that one day, trust me, you'll have a horrible realisation that not only should England never be counted as one of the favourites, they actually have so little chance of actually winning something that it rounds to no chance.

Other than 1966 (a complete and utter outlier), we've never been a team that's capable of doing anything more than reaching a semi-final and only then if the draw goes our way, we have a bit of luck, or both.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest so far that this team will be any different.

You're being emotional about it Yev. Belgium have never won fuck all either, yet they're even more fancied than we are.

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Originally Posted by SvN

You're being emotional about it Yev. Belgium have never won fuck all either, yet they're even more fancied than we are.

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Are you honestly comparing the quality of our players to that of Belgium's?

Aren't all of Belgium's defenders ancient and/or a bit shit now?

Shame we went with the zero pace approach against them the other day.

Belgium have a better overall team but there isn’t a huge difference player on player. Suppose they have the best player in the world in Eden Hazard to come back.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

Are you honestly comparing the quality of our players to that of Belgium's?

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Your post basically said "We never win anything and we never will, because we're England". That's crap, and our historical failures have very llittle bearing on how we'll perform at future tournements.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SvN

Your post basically said "We never win anything and we never will, because we're England". That's crap, and our historical failures have very llittle bearing on how we'll perform at future tournements.

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The point was (and admittedly I could have been clearer) we routinely overrate the ability of English players (largely because the Premier League is so good). That's what I used to do and that's exactly what anyone thinking we should be among the favourites for anything is still doing.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

This is madness. I don't know how old you are, so I'm going to guess younger than me and say that one day, trust me, you'll have a horrible realisation that not only should England never be counted as one of the favourites, they actually have so little chance of actually winning something that it rounds to no chance.

Other than 1966 (a complete and utter outlier), we've never been a team that's capable of doing anything more than reaching a semi-final and only then if the draw goes our way, we have a bit of luck, or both.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest so far that this team will be any different.

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You grow up supporting England, get excited every two or four years because they have a "good crop of players", and you end up disappointed every time. Eventually this evolves to "we're England, we always disappoint", and each time you are proven right. Eventually you substitute the excitement that maybe this time England will win it for the satisfaction that at least you have that part of life sussed; England are shit and will never win a world cup.

Your post completely encapsulates the mindset I'm talking about. It's a completely emotional and has no grounding in logic. There's a reason that probably 99.5% of entrants to world cups are way bigger than 5/1 to win it; even if they're good/fancied, tournament football is a total crapshoot.

What is it you see in our players or manager that make you think we should be considered among the favourites?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

You grow up supporting England, get excited every two or four years because they have a "good crop of players", and you end up disappointed every time. Eventually this evolves to "we're England, we always disappoint", and each time you are proven right. Eventually you substitute the excitement that maybe this time England will win it for the satisfaction that at least you have that part of life sussed; England are shit and will never win a world cup.

Your post completely encapsulates the mindset I'm talking about. It's a completely emotional and has no grounding in logic. There's a reason that probably 99.5% of entrants to world cups are way bigger than 5/1 to win it; even if they're good/fancied, tournament football is a total crapshoot.

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Expecting a long running trend to continue is a rational position. When I say that Southend United won't make it to the Premier League I'm not being emotional.

It should probably be pointed out that the reason France, Germany and Portugal are all a bit long is they are in each other's group and so one of them has a chance to be knocked out or spat into the path of another big team in round 2, whereas we have been drawn with the more minor regions of Europe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

What is it you see in our players or manager that make you think we should be considered among the favourites?

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World cup performance where I thought they were largely good. Recent games against Belgium which were, at worst, evenly matched. Attacking options that few other sides can match. Defence not actually that bad is it? 4 goals in last 8 games against mostly decent opposition.

What European sides are good? Germany are tripe, lost 6-0 last week. France are obviously decent but consistently look absolutely terrible and are very much beatable. For Spain I challenge you to name 3 players who started for them last week.

It's not that England are incredible, it's that nobody is. Every time a tournament comes round people are reminded that the standard of international football is really bad. I think the anglocentricism that you propose overrates English players also massively overrates other national teams.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

It should probably be pointed out that the reason France, Germany and Portugal are all a bit long is they are in each other's group and so one of them has a chance to be knocked out or spat into the path of another big team in round 2, whereas we have been drawn with the more minor regions of Europe.

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This is true, but England are also on track to get one of them in the second round.

I don't think there's another international side in Europe that creates as much from open play as England.

:happycry:

What a hill to die on.

I assume you missed all the sideways passing against Belgium and the zero in the 0-2 result.

James, post some xG and I'll fucking wade in and slay these melts for you.

Is there an xC(ockups) for Pickford?

Yeah tbf that last statement is a bit outlandish but that's because Southgate is a melt. The capacity to spank the riffraff is definitely there.

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Originally Posted by -james-

Well find me an international side from the last half decade that's not quite flawed in some area.

Once you get to the semi finals you're only two games away and you don't even need to win them. It's anyone's game at that stage.

There are plenty of universes in which England beat Croatia, and then it's 90 minutes against France. I don't see how winning that is completely outwith the realms of probability.

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How come ninety-five per cent of the time the best team wins those two games rather than 'anyone'? We could have beaten Croatia. We could have beaten France. Beating Croatia and then beating France...

Are Portugal still playing defence first? I'd fancy Ronaldo, Jota, Silva, Felix & Fernandes to do the business in tight games. 14/1 is enticing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

How come ninety-five per cent of the time the best team wins those two games rather than 'anyone'? We could have beaten Croatia. We could have beaten France. Beating Croatia and then beating France...

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Because the team that wins shapes the narrative. France had the best players, but I'm not really sure they were the best team at the tournament (Brazil?). I don't think Portugal weren't the best team at Euro 2016 either.

Despite us consistently disappointing and underachieving for decades(even this is a bit overplayed imo), to extrapolate from that any kind of serious future predictions is deranged. Getting beat on penalties in major tournaments over a decade ago, seaman getting lobbed by Ronaldinho, losing against Croatia in 2008 qualifiers...it has as much relevance to our chances at the euros as Stuart Pearce throwing David James on as a striker does to man city's title ambitions this season.

Igor taking every possible opportunity to take contrarian positions in the past has no relevance to him taking this contrarian position.

It's easy to be contrarian on a forum full of divs like you MATE. Fight me.

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Historically, England's good for a Quarter final exit. The names change but we're broadly the same quality.

Didn’t fucking do much good did it? It’s the excuse to sack him now though.

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It's got to go down as one of the worst tenures in management if he's booted.

He’d have needed 10 convincing victories to win over the soccer public here anyway, where the epl is king.

I did lol at that story, and the idea of the awkward silence in the room.

'Apart from the aqueduct, sanitation, a fully professional league in which to ply our trade, a birthplace...'

Yeah it was/is all great.

On a completely unrelated note (and to make you all feel better), Sunderland lost at home to MK Dons last Saturday, and in the week prior lost to both Fleetwood and Mansfield.

And nobody will have batted an eyelid.

Do they still make the tv show?

No, it's been shelved. There were rumours I think that it might start up again, and you'd imagine it would be popular with the shit-show still in full swing.

However, it may be coming to an end. Our new owners finally look set to be announced, with Juan Sartori taking more of a leading role and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus joining him.

http://wisemensay.co.uk/a-new-dawn/

He looks old enough to be playing.

It was Alan Kelly (GK coach) and someone else that shopped Kenny to the FAI apparently. Was thinking that asthma story was a bit dodgy the other night.

Seeing Coventry-Birmingham on soccerway has got me all emotional. I won't be watching but we did it boys, we got through it all. Thanks to each and every one of you because there was some wobbles. I might wank to a pic of Wullie's avatar to celebrate tonight.

I've got the Chelsea game on talksport and the summariser is Super Schteve McClaren, who has just referred to Chelsea concentrating on 'playing that tick-tick football as they like to do'. Any ideas?

To his credit, he is the only person in the country who appears able to say 'Ziyech' properly.

Tick ting football, taz's football philosophy.

Villa Brighton has been terrific fun.

McClaren's co-commentary was a treat from start to finish (I went out on a long walk down the Thames with it soothing my ears). He really stuck to his guns with the tick-tick-tick stuff - he maxed out at five ticks, without ever explaining what he meant - and kept making sexual purring noises in the background, leading the play-by-play man to break off for Steve's thoughts, but Steve never had any thoughts, leading to an uncomfortable amount of dead air. At 1-0 up and Newcastle missing chances, he kept saying "the difference between the sides is that Chelsea have been clinical in front of goal" (we led through a Fernandez og). Steve really did sound like Twente Steve throughout, peaking when he said: "Well, as we always say in football, no two halves are ever the same." I swear literally no one in football has ever said that.

Finally he signed off by awarding the man of the match to N'Golo Kanté, who he described as the glue in the Chelsea side, also adding that "he's really added more to his game since I last watched him - he looks up and looks to play the ball forward". Presumably Steve last watched him when he was Claude Makelele.

9/10, would listen again.

Kante does look a bit good again.

Absolute farce that decision.

Why? That's what the rules say should happen.

Can someone recommend me a good GPU for less than 150 quid?

That's not even bad in the grand scheme of all recent handball decisions

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Originally Posted by igor_balis

Can someone recommend me a good GPU for less than 150 quid?

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Are you doing this on purpose?

That one was a Handball Classic wasn't it? Basically controlled it with his arm.

Spurs are so sharp on the rare occasions they get the ball, let down at times by the crass imprecision of everything Bergwijn does.

Jose Mourinho sonning Lampard to the title would be great

Ederson in no-man's land for both goals. Maybe the neck tats aren't actually making you gangsta

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Jose Mourinho sonning Lampard to the title would be great

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He's going to cut a promo for the ages.

And Kyle Walker needs to be phased out of City, England, Premier League, and eventually football

Without seeing a moment of it, lol at Spurs doing another no possession, score every shot on target job on City. When was the last time Ederson made a save against them? Feels like it might have been 3 or 4 games ago.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Without seeing a moment of it, lol at Spurs doing another no possession, score every shot on target job on City. When was the last time Ederson made a save against them? Feels like it might have been 3 or 4 games ago.

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I think I saw something like they've had 6 shots in their last few games and scored 5. City have had 52 and scored 2.

Bruno's been having tackling lessons with Pogba.

Of course that gets overturned. :D

What a pathetic system.

:harold:

He got enough of the ball to have stopped him doing anything with it.

I feel like they didn't actually show the ref the proper angle on the monitor. You can't really see it on that one. I don't understand.

People would be foaming at the mouth if we got that given as a penalty.

:harold:

You've got to love this system.

Hows he not given the foul on Gallagher beforehand again? Fuck me :D

That was such a shit penalty.

Thankfully Johnstone was miles off his line.

The most Man Utd game so far.

The longer Ole is in the better

Wow im crying

:moon:

Football is so shit now.

This is some match-fixing shit.

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

This is some match-fixing shit.

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He was meant to be the VAR official tomorrow but got changed. :happycry:

Keeper sent off mid penalty shoot out and the outfield player saves a penalty in sudden death.

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Is that Bruhnaldo's lot?

This game has been absolutely appalling.

Fernandes isn’t all that is he?

Barcelona in tenth after losing again today

Another masterclass from the Mighty Reds.

Nah we get to embarrass ourselves tomorrow.

Fulham are pathetic.

I only looked at the table yesterday when someone said United have gone above Arsenal and City, and lol out loud at that bottom four. Derby might be losing their points record at this rate.

It boggles the mind how shit we've been and we're still 8 points clear of the drop.

Fulham and penalties :harold:

Aye, they're not really profiting from the VAR penalty zeitgeist.

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A work of art.

Should've got Lookman to take it.

Would have been even funnier had it gone in and been ruled out for kicking it twice.

What on earth has happened to Sheff?

Jesus Arsenal are honking. Should be a couple down here.

Arteta has sorted them out against the decent teams but they’re right boring bastards now

Isn't this how the FA Cup game went before Arsenal skanked a couple of goals and sauntered off into the next round?

Not that I disagree on Arsenal being the worst team to watch in the league, they're horrific.

Fuck me that was idiotic.

Love to see it

This is why I drink.

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Originally Posted by Baz

Saka is horse shit :harold:

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Looks alright tonight.

Should have given that one-on-one the Calvert-Lewin first-time finish treatment.

Go home tierney you daft cunt

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Originally Posted by Manc

What on earth has happened to Sheff?

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I honestly think once we win won then we'll put a few more results together and improve...So long as we're not completely adrift at that point.

Win today and we'd be on our way. Once they scored tho, heads went down massively

You can't imagine Wilder helping matters. He was publically digging out players when you were on song.

Leighton Clarkson on the bench. :cool:

What the fuck was that :D

Lol at the media narrative that we're experiencing some sort of defensive crisis. Matip & Fabinho > Van Dijk & Gomez.

This iteration of Liverpool feels like the best yet. Absolutely ridiculous going forwards.

The season they won the Champions League was their best.

Yeah, that two year spell was mad. And they chased hard for the first year of that.

Ibrahimovic dragging Milan by the balls to top place at 39 years old is quite impressive

Zlatan's level of focus and determination is probably overlooked because of all the lol Zlatan stuff. The man's a machine.

Alan Pardew to CSKA Sofia as director of football. Get the docu cameras in there.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Alan Pardew to CSKA Sofia as director of football. Get the docu cameras in there.

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That is an outstanding move. :D

I can't decide if he must have a brilliant agent, or a terrible agent.

Still not as daft as Gullit going to Chechnya.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

That is an outstanding move. :D

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It's just perfect.

http://cska.bg/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65

https://e0.365dm.com/20/01/1600x900/...20200119223457

Here's hoping for a Lenin-esque equivalent.

A statue of Pardew, 200ft tall

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Originally Posted by phonics

Keeper sent off mid penalty shoot out and the outfield player saves a penalty in sudden death.

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I actually went to this -

Guy next to me took video of the penalty we won on hold on I’ll upload it so u can see from my perspective x

The irony of working in hospital for 5 months of COVID but only succumbing to it because I had to go to football isn’t lost on me but the scenes were so insane

It was our first ever playoff match in our 6th season, we were down to 10 men at the end of the 2nd half and entire ET

Couldn’t have been written any better

https://streamable.com/hbeu7v

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I’m holding up a scarf 3 guys to the right of the security guards on the left in the front

Nice one. But are you saying you got covid?

Just look at how many have their masks pulled down.

You can make masks compulsory to wear in sporting grounds (bar when eating/drinking) yet you'll always get people yanking them down.

The guy next to you got a bit too excited as it looks he’s only wearing a collar of somekind :D

I’m a bit surprised you’re not playing at empty stadiums though.

The almighty dollar trumps all. Baseball's the same.

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Originally Posted by Spoonsky

Nice one. But are you saying you got covid?

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I wouldn’t be surprised. No signs yet but it’s early days lol

Werner’s had three of the easiest chances the last two games and missed them all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Werner’s had three of the easiest chances the last two games and missed them all.

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I was about to post the same thing - he is a gloriously brilliant player but whatever (probably high) tally he ends up with this season it should be double.

He should probably be a goal a game man, he's that good at getting into positions.

Mount assisting CHO is the sort of thing that means they both might start on Sunday.

https://media.tenor.com/images/d9ea1...b538/tenor.gif

Zyiech will be playing and show everyone he’s the most naturally gifted player to grace the Premier League this year

No chance Callum will start. Notable that we're resting Kanté (to stick to Kane like glue) and Reece James - Mount/Kovacic will start, Ziyech will run the game and Chilwell will molest Aurier down that side for a comfortable win by three or four.

Ziyech myth still going? That's cute.

You rep Diogo Jota m8

lol at Chelsea.

Please don't embarras yourself, bro.

The sooner this Tammy, Mason, Callum triumvirate of mediocrity is outed the sooner we can all get on with our lives and this Sunday's spanking will be the start.

ffs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

lol at Chelsea.

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Eh?

That’s some header

Now here's a curious one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08jKbjsO7fU

Why does everyone in England try to rhyme it with 'door'? Do they think it's like Mordor? Just read the word out ffs.

If you wanna have a laugh, take a look at that Barca XI.

I’ll never forgive the Arsenal fan hive mind for driving Giroud out of the club for Lacazette.

There’s been so much change over the last 6 years and outside of central defence I almost think we’d be better off had we not made a transfer in that time.

Thats a funny looking penalty.

What a goal that is.

Right I don't want to gush with praise or anything but I haven't absolutely despised this so far.

Life is like a bin of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get, but you can guarantee it'll make you ill in 48 hours.

Why wouldn't Bruno take that for a chance at his hattrick?

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Originally Posted by Ian

Right I don't want to gush with praise or anything but I haven't absolutely despised this so far.

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Lets not get too excited.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Why wouldn't Bruno take that for a chance at his hattrick?

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Maybe he's realised that three is a totally bollocks number to care about and thought Sir Daniel deserved a goal.

To troll the Penandes haters like @Don.

Mason Greenwood looks faster than he did last season.

I'd quite like Cavani to get a goal here. His movement is well ahead of anyone else we play at centre-forward and yet I'm not sure we've managed to get him the ball in the box yet. It'd be nice for him to score before he wonders what the point of making all these runs is.

Should he have saved that or am I just being a dickhead?

We seem quite keen to chuck this lead.

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Originally Posted by Ian

Should he have saved that or am I just being a dickhead?

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Yeah, he was too slow getting across

Even the sprinter gets a goal.

Ponck is a fun name to say.

That first half was way more fun than United have been in months, unless I’m forgetting. Surely a bold XI to start with against most teams, but worked pretty well to get top of the group.

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Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Yeah, he was too slow getting across

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Thanks, Drapes.

Reading this:

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Former Inter Milan, Manchester City and Brazil right-back Maicon, 29, is in talks over joining Italian Serie D side Sona.

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On the BBC gossip page this morning sent my head into a bit of a spin.

Turns out he's actually 39.

That's still a young pup by Italian defender standards.

In my mind his career is very much Inter / Brazil and then disappearing forever, I always instantly forget he played for City every time I'm reminded of it.

I have him playing on the wing for Roma after his Inter career, which I think is probably a different Maicon (or just a different player). Brazilian footballers should really have an Equity-style arrangement whereby once a name is taken it can't be re-used by someone else.

Apparently he went to Roma after City so you may be onto something.

Aside from Bale making him look like Titus Bramble his career has pretty much passed me by.

https://youtu.be/JOirPSqL28w

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I have him playing on the wing for Roma after his Inter career, which I think is probably a different Maicon (or just a different player). Brazilian footballers should really have an Equity-style arrangement whereby once a name is taken it can't be re-used by someone else.

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Are you thinking of Mancini? He was at Roma, and then Inter.

Think I'll watch Inter v Real Madrid tonight, bottom two in their group.

Yep, combined the two in my mind.

There are three other Maicons around in European football, or rather two, as one of them was killed in a collision while driving home from a Ukrainian nightclub during his time at Shakhtar.

He's not quite Eder levels of shit but Origi has really gone backwards and must now be the shittest CL final goalscorer, no?

Neco Williams is fucking poison too. Fascinated to see how Rhys Williams' career develops after this season, he'd get fucked in an ordinary side yet looks quite good for us. Running his own high-street shop by 30 talking about the 6 months he was atthe pinnacle of the game :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Neco Williams is fucking poison too.

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One of the worst "prospects" we've ever had. Would honestly rather bring Jon Flanagan back.

Lol at people watching the group stage.

Noticed that Middlesbrough have somehow overnight gone from useless clod of shite last year to winning every time I see their result this year, so being pretty sure they sacked Woodgate I had to google 'Middlesbrough manager' in order to find out who might have overseen this transformation. I was guessing it would be some Spaniard or German I'd never heard of.

Ha ha ha ha. He might be one of the best managers of the last 30 years in this country, not even joking.

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Originally Posted by Manc

Lol at people watching the group stage.

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Brav, the wounds are still recovering from the international break. Obviously none of it matters but just let mans have this bit of peace.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Noticed that Middlesbrough have somehow overnight gone from useless clod of shite last year to winning every time I see their result this year, so being pretty sure they sacked Woodgate I had to google 'Middlesbrough manager' in order to find out who might have overseen this transformation. I was guessing it would be some Spaniard or German I'd never heard of.

Ha ha ha ha. He might be one of the best managers of the last 30 years in this country, not even joking.

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Warnock is probably the greatest second division manager we've ever had.

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Warnock is probably the greatest second division manager we've ever had.

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Him and Mick McCarthy. Ipswich fans hounding him out for taking them from 14th to 6th and them getting relegated a year after he left was lovely stuff.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Ipswich fans hounding him out for taking them from 14th to 6th and them getting relegated a year after he left was lovely stuff.

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While their big rivals stormed the league and got promoted to the Premier League at the same time. :drool:

It's a constant theme in modern football discourse isn't it? Struggling middle-sized to smaller club hires an old school 'dinosaur' British manager like Warnock, Pulis, McCarthy, Bruce, whoever it may be. Home fanbase loses its shit, wanting a more 'progressive' appointment and/or 'attacking football' instead, while rival fans mock them for having ideas above their station.

https://media1.tenor.com/images/a713...temid=15780988

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Him and Mick McCarthy. Ipswich fans hounding him out for taking them from 14th to 6th and them getting relegated a year after he left was lovely stuff.

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Cherry on top was him telling his own fans to fuck off when the sub he brought on scored a winner.

Alaba’s agent to talk to Chelsea in January. Fat Frank has some pulling power for a binman

His contract is up in the Summer and he's refusing to sign a new deal.

It's Marina that has the allure.

She certainly knows how to make a sale. Luiz, Costa, Morata & Oscar all north of £50m.

Does he play centre half now? I don't think I've watched Bayern for about five years.

Mainly centre half but can cover left back and midfield.

Why would he want to leave them? Agent wanting the proceeds of a move, or is he fed up with wheat beer and those massive pretzels?

They made him a contract offer with a deadline, he and his agent felt it was too low and Bayern withdrew said contract offer as the deadline passed.

Alaba and "his team" didn't realise that the contract offer would be withdrawn if they didn't accept and they're now angry.

I think the thing I read said he wanted a deal to match the top earners (which I assume means Lewandowski) and they've said no.

I've always wondered whether they're forced (or at least 'advised' by the waxworks) to do the Oktoberfest dressing up every year. It might be the main reason they've never considered hiring Jose Mourinho, who would almost certainly turn up in his normal clothes and ruin it.

Would that be the equivalent of him turning up the Munich memorial at Old Trafford in a hoodie and trainers? Presumably with a seething Beckenbauer mirroring Bobby Charlton's outrage.

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

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They're in the fourth tier and have recently signed one of Pogba's brothers and have been trying to bring in Samuel Eto'o.

Edit: Beeb says fourth tier but it seems they're actually in the third tier.

I'm sure Levante will be quaking in their boots.

He hasn't played in 3 years. :|

Unsure whether I even want to watch THE MIGHTY BLADES vs West Brom tomorrow. Dunno if I can stomach it and it'd probably just ruin my weekend if I did watch it and we lost. If I just saw the score I doubt I'd be as arsed.

I'll probably end up watching it but I've rarely thought about not watching a game when I've been able to.

Cool story bro.

You are way too wank of a poster to be cool story bro'ing anyone.

I'm going to let my imagination do the work and assume Joelinton was unplayable tonight.

He was alright everywhere except in front of goal. He can be a great link-up player, as shown in the first goal, but got nowhere near with too many chances. Saying that, he did score, so overall it must have been one of his greatest games. I also won £220 on the game so I love him now. :clap:

Yeah, his goal was a very Joelinton finish. I watched a video a few weeks back showcasing his five best Bundesliga strikes. Four of them were absolute gifts. I can't imagine what we saw in him to play him alone up top.

That Liverpool team is pretty horrific. Brighton to miss at least four glorious chances.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/En6LpydX...jpg&name=large

Horrific.

Society has let Peter Crouch get out of hand. It was fine as a flew flippant comments in press conferences, but he did a show at Alexandra Palace ffs.

And why is Jermaine Jenas on House of Cards? Are they really the best we've got? Absurdity.

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Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

Society has let Peter Crouch get out of hand.

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:D

Brighton must be a decent chance today, although they'll probably pass the ball into their own net a few times in the first 10 minutes to scotch that idea.

Maupay you useless prick.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

That Liverpool team is pretty horrific. Brighton to miss at least four glorious chances.

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There’s one at least.

Connolly is the only Brighton player to have actually threatened Liverpool, strange decision to bring him off.

Lallana :lol:

That booking on Ben White really is a joke. :D

The seethe on Twitter from Liverpool fans over VAR will be glorious :drool:

Deffo a pen, however, I didn't think you were allowed to stop in the your run up anymore?

Joke of a decision. Not a pen. Neither of the players touched the ball and they had a coming together.

Oops. Welbz did touch it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

The seethe on Twitter from Liverpool fans over VAR will be glorious :drool:

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The Liverpool subreddit is in complete meltdown in the post-match thread, if you need some further entertainment.

Another game murdered by VAR. Klopp's post-match interview was fantastic entertainment. Brighton so good :drool:

Thats the Stonewall Jackson of penalties

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Originally Posted by Don

Another game murdered by VAR. Klopp's post-match interview was fantastic entertainment. Brighton so good :drool:

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Klopp definitely has a touch of Fritzl. No idea why people find him likeable.

His ridiculous railing about fixtures is classic scouse PR tactics. Make yourself a victim from day one and make the narrative an angry one early doors so that if things go well for you, you're the great working class hero, whereas if things go off the rails, it's the filthy establishment to blame.

Quite similar to Trump, actually. Of course the reason that fixtures/recovery time are far more important to Liverpool than to any other club is because their game is based entirely on the aerobic aspect of pressing.

Lot of asthma in the squad makes it tricker too

For the first time in nearly twenty years, Swindon have beaten Oxford. All the sweeter for it being away from home (first away win of the season) and with a centre half (who scored) playing up front for 30 mins.

I don't know if there are stats available but Leeds seem to be unbelievably profligate whenever I've watched them under Bielsa. Their tee to green stuff is mesmerising but there is no one who is ruthless in front of goal.

About 50 shots in 2 games and 0 goals.

And then a basic pot shot sticks them ahead. Well deserved, though, Everton are really one-dimensional: punt it forward to Calvert-Lewin, who wins literally 100% of headers and nothing comes of any of them.

:drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I don't know if there are stats available but Leeds seem to be unbelievably profligate whenever I've watched them under Bielsa. Their tee to green stuff is mesmerising but there is no one who is ruthless in front of goal.

---

It's always like this, unfortunately. It's nice as the football we often play is, it's very frustrating to watch at times. Bamford works his bollocks off and has obviously had, relatively speaking, a good start to the season. But it's only because of the sheer number of chances we create. He, and others, are still very wasteful.

If Bielsa has arrived when we still had Chris Wood (who knew where the net was consistently) on the books and demanded we kept him we would have wrapped promotion up with months to spare in his first season in charge. It's bizarre we don't sort it with a actual, better finishing options to be honest. But you don't question Marcelo's methods.

View Tweet

Glorious.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alex

It's always like this, unfortunately. It's nice as the football we often play is, it's very frustrating to watch at times. Bamford works his bollocks off and has obviously had, relatively speaking, a good start to the season. But it's only because of the sheer number of chances we create. He, and others, are still very wasteful.

If Bielsa has arrived when we still had Chris Wood (who knew where the net was consistently) on the books and demanded we kept him we would have wrapped promotion up with months to spare in his first season in charge. It's bizarre we don't sort it with a actual, better finishing options to be honest. But you don't question Marcelo's methods.

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Today I watched you really closely and it was amazing to recognise just how good Kalvin Phillips is. He basically does midfield on his own for large chunks of the game, both with and without the ball, as the others are all engaged in these madcap triangle gallops down either flank and it all falls to him to win the ball back, close down, distribute, occasionally slow the tempo down, and amid all that his technical accuracy is sublime. If Southgate can't see these things and continues to stick Declan Rice there, he's an utter idiot.

It's such an easy team to like - every player (bar Phillips) is deeply flawed in some way and yet Bielsa has managed to spin all their strengths into this gloriously rampant expression of what it is to be greater than the sum of your parts. I'm sure in another universe Luke Ayling is chugging pointlessly up and down for Derby County or Sunderland but in this one, Bielsa has somehow transformed him into this irresistible attacking force that plays with utter confidence in ability that doesn't really belong to him.

Oh dear

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I don't know if there are stats available but Leeds seem to be unbelievably profligate whenever I've watched them under Bielsa. Their tee to green stuff is mesmerising but there is no one who is ruthless in front of goal.

---

If Erling Haaland signed for them they'd probably win the league.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Today I watched you really closely and it was amazing to recognise just how good Kalvin Phillips is. He basically does midfield on his own for large chunks of the game, both with and without the ball, as the others are all engaged in these madcap triangle gallops down either flank and it all falls to him to win the ball back, close down, distribute, occasionally slow the tempo down, and amid all that his technical accuracy is sublime. If Southgate can't see these things and continues to stick Declan Rice there, he's an utter idiot.

It's such an easy team to like - every player (bar Phillips) is deeply flawed in some way and yet Bielsa has managed to spin all their strengths into this gloriously rampant expression of what it is to be greater than the sum of your parts. I'm sure in another universe Luke Ayling is chugging pointlessly up and down for Derby County or Sunderland but in this one, Bielsa has somehow transformed him into this irresistible attacking force that plays with utter confidence in ability that doesn't really belong to him.

---

Phillips adds a ridiculous amount of value. It's no coincidence we looked a significantly worse team for the couple of games he was out injured. The defence gets found out constantly when he's not there to run interference. The role he plays, as you've rightly said, basically allows the rest of them to do their thing. He was always a very promising player but there was always a feeling of "where is the next level, though?" with him, then Bielsa arrived and helped him find it, and then some. Phillips absolutely loves him too, gave him his England shirt from his debut apparently.

Ayling is the absolute poster boy for him bringing out the best in a player who was otherwise seen as nothing. I think we only paid about half a million quid (or something) for him. He was just a lower league non-entity, and he's got him believing he's Cafu. Words can't describe how happy I will be if that lad gets an England cap at some point. :D

Klich is another good example, he was languishing out on loan looking, for all intents and purposes, like his career had completely stalled. Then Marcelo turned up (no doubt already in possession of a thousand page report on him), immediately brought him back and he's been absolutely vital and basically ever present since.

He's such a strange manager in that I honestly don't believe he actually cares about having transfer targets or anything. We obviously bring players in, and he has a say in what we're generally looking for I'm sure, but he would be just as happy to work with what he's got I think. The squad is not particularly large at all, he's totally happy just padding it out with kids who he has broken in to adhere to "the system".

He just likes to mould what he's got into something. I think that is the enjoyment he gets out of it, in a nutshell. "Here are the tools I've got to work with, this the system I want to play, how I do I fit all these pegs into the relevant holes and make it happen". I don't think a "blank cheque book" sort of situation where he's allowed to assemble a team of mega-stars would interest him at all. He wouldn't be able to break them into pieces and re-build them on the training pitch, for starters. The fitness levels he instills are mind-boggling.

Dallas too. Utility player at best before.

Dallas always had a bit about him at Brentford but as an attacking wide-man, turning him into a budget James Milner is still inspired.

Didn't watch the game or highlights yet but xG suggest Sheff Utd are on a horrendous run of luck. Unfortunately, Wilder picked the wrong fight so I now do not care for his struggles. I'd say if they keep faith they'll be safe but it's only Newcastle, Wolves or Burnley that could finish below them after the two that are down and that's some ask.

I saw Lundstram and Baldock both miss relative sitters in the bit I saw (and the West Brom goal was fairly freakish even thought they then kept trying it). Sheff Utd did seem to have a lot of chances but no one with any sort of confidence to not either knock it meekly at the 'keeper or blaze it over the bar.

Super Sunday promises much.

Both the free kick and then resulting corner were so good from Ward Prowse

:face:

He should have saved that.

Donny looks like a lost child. Plenty of goals in this yet.

The diamond is wank. It was even wank against Red Bull until we accidently scored and they inexplicably imploded.

This will finish 3-3 or something

That was lovely.

Southampton are right bottling bastards.

Don Cavani :cool:

Great run, but Vestergaard didn't half fall asleep.

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Don Cavani :cool:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

:face:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54404308

Cavani done, ffs.

Well will be when he flies over tomorrow.

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Get lost lad.

You nearly could have been shot of him if they’d lost today so maybe Mahow was right the first time.

Ralph once again not recognising when his system needs to change.

Shame Spurs missing a few heads, I would have liked to see them destroy Lampard rather than comfortably win.

Cavani is a real centre forward. Great to watch.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Shame Spurs missing a few heads, I would have liked to see them destroy Lampard rather than comfortably win.

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They’re missing one player at most, aren’t they? Only Aldeweireld is out injured and he’s not exactly as good as he was

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

They’re missing one player at most, aren’t they? Only Aldeweireld is out injured and he’s not exactly as good as he was

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Lamela. And Alderweireld is by a country mile their best defender.

Rodon looks so nervous.

Must be different from doing his usual podcast work.

Aurier has really improved. Still odds on for some dumb shit every game though

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Lamela. And Alderweireld is by a country mile their best defender.

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Lamela doesn’t get into their best XI. The only player in question is fat Steve for Bale or Lucas. Lo Celco and Ndombele will never play with each other

Wasn't an amazing half, but we look more generally menacing than at any point in the last few seasons. Chilwell will do Aurier around the back a couple more times so need to convert one of those and hope the defence holds.

Ndombele has a bit of the Paul Pogba's about him. Sensational in duels, but you never fancy him to actually do anything productive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

They’re missing one player at most, aren’t they? Only Aldeweireld is out injured and he’s not exactly as good as he was

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Toby and Doherty, especially with their replacements being liabilities.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Lamela doesn’t get into their best XI. The only player in question is fat Steve for Bale or Lucas. Lo Celco and Ndombele will never play with each other

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Lamela is an absolute cunt that loves playing against Chelsea though.

When Abraham has clumsy fucking games like this you need to cut your losses and haul him off for Giroud asap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Toby and Doherty, especially with their replacements being liabilities.

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Aurier is clearly first choice under Mourinho

Pulisic would have a field day against Aurier so no idea why he’s still got Abraham up too falling about like a giraffe

Aurier’s been better than Doherty for sure

Doherty's just been unavailable, I thought. Like fuck is Jose standing for Aurier's bollocks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

When Abraham has clumsy fucking games like this you need to cut your losses and haul him off for Giroud asap.

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:happycry:

Doherty started the first 4 or 5 games and was dropped for Serge

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Doherty's just been unavailable, I thought. Like fuck is Jose standing for Aurier's bollocks.



:happycry:

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Doherty should never have went there. Not for the type of person he his, it was completely the wrong manager.

This has been such a cute Mourinho performance. Kane and Son on the pitch merely for window dressing, defenders diving in their own box every time a cross comes in. I remember these well from the Ricky Carvalho days.

These sides are both just dreadful. Chelsea approach any 'tough' game with such an unnecessarily negative mindset and someone might as well just murder Kane to put Spurs out of their misery.

An awful game not helped by a referee blowing for a foul for everything

Phil Parkinson has been sacked (he was managing Sunderland).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mugbull

Doherty started the first 4 or 5 games and was dropped for Serge

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Doherty benched Aurier in West Brom game.

Has Doherty played much? I thought mourinho had done the “one bad game - dead to me” thing on him.

He has 6 Premier league starts to Auriers 4 according to this.

They rotate but Aurier plays against the better teams because Doherty is brainless defensively especially in a back four. The former has played the games against Chelsea, City and Man Utd so far

Buying Doherty for a back 4 is a brainless as playing him internationally as one.

They both have their pro's and spectacular cons, but that's the hallmark of Tottenham Rightbacks.

He’s no right back though. Never was and never will be, so it was complete stupidity on their part and his part to go there.

Jiminez has been ko’d. Been on the floor for about 10 minutes.

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Originally Posted by Giggles

He’s no right back though. Never was and never will be, so it was complete stupidity on their part and his part to go there.

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What actually is he though? Is he a defensive winger or an attacking wing back?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

What actually is he though? Is he a defensive winger or an attacking wing back?

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The latter. Needs to play in a 5. Has absolutely nothing to offer as a right back in a four.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

The latter. Needs to play in a 5. Has absolutely nothing to offer as a right back in a four.

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The same is probably true of Aurier and Reguilon too, but they only have one centre back of any real quality which probably forces Maureen's hand somewhat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

The same is probably true of Aurier and Reguilon too, but they only have one centre back of any real quality which probably forces Maureen's hand somewhat.

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Doherty should have known not to go near it then. It’s loads more money to sit so you could hardly blame him, but he always proclaims to want more.

How tf do you manage to be losing to a Jiminez-less Wolves? I beg they fuck him off so Arsenal can become watchable again.

This is the most enjoyable Arsenal have ever been.

Arteta has done a spectacular job with Aubamayeng. It’s almost like I’ve missed 6 months he’s had the operation and moved back or something(I imagine he will score now but the point stands he was lethal for the last three years).

https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-p...aubameyang.jpg

View Tweet

I was posting here for years saying what would happen after Wenger left and this is it. United still haven't recovered from Ferguson finishing after seven years so these had best get in for the long haul.

United are up to fifth/fourth (joint third) if they win their game in hand, which is pretty lol when they have been crap in every game except Everton away.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

United are up to fifth/fourth (joint third) if they win their game in hand, which is pretty lol when they have been crap in every game except Everton away.

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Played well yesterday, we looked poor throughout. Encouraging that we can play badly and still almost get something out of the game but it was our worst performance since Spurs.

The balance in midfield still isn't right, I think it will always be a struggle with Fernandes but there seems to be more of a plan now.

Makes a difference that we played some actual players in their positions like Telles, vdb and Cavani. The latter especially has exceptional movement and workrate. I think Henderson stepping in was a positive as well - I really hope he get's a chance.

When Cavani came on against us in that despicable 0-0, I was shitting myself constantly, not only because of his past exploits against us, but also because he just moves like a killer. There are very few in the PL who do these days, with most players it's all about percentages and what they've been coached to do for the system, which you can always defend against. With him it's pure instinctual movement.

Shame we won't see him again for a few weeks after his instagram "negrito" post.

8 game ban incoming?

It should be a stern telling off (reminding him that UK > Uruguay, therefore cannot say it anymore), and nothing more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Shame we won't see him again for a few weeks after his instagram "negrito" post.

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Has this really happened?

:D

Was just coming in to overdose on :happycry:s.

https://talksport.com/wp-content/upl...24&quality=100

Transplanting hispano race norms into an anglo BLM context is a proper recipe for disaster. Completely different historical experiences. The Liverpool mob were basically (80%) right about Suarez.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Transplanting hispano race norms into an anglo BLM context is a proper recipe for disaster. Completely different historical experiences. The Liverpool mob were basically (80%) right about Suarez.

---

Not sure I'd take it that far. There's a fair margin between calling a black opponent a Negro whilst arguing with them and calling a black team mate Negrito whist thanking them. I doubt the difference will be given a moments thought, mind. Intent doesn't matter these days.

Yeah but negrito doesn't mean Negro in the sense we understand it. It's more of an innocent physical description, like calling someone 'ginge' or whatever, rather than a vicious race attack. Pepe could probably explain better than me but when you take not terribly well educated people into another language and put them into an entirely different set of social contexts of which they know basically nothing (and are sheltered from by virtue of being pro footballers) things like this are inevitable. In the Spanish language they don't have the same flammable history around certain words that we do in English.

He should probably have been warned about this by his 'people', mind.

They should just delete their social media accounts and stop this bloody idiocy. He's fallen into the Bernardo Silva "it's a mate thing that's okay in our culture" which doesn't translate to the FA. Maybe he just wanted Christmas off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Yeah but negrito doesn't mean Negro in the sense we understand it. It's more of an innocent physical description, like calling someone 'ginge' or whatever, rather than a vicious race attack. Pepe could probably explain better than me but when you take not terribly well educated people into another language and put them into an entirely different set of social contexts of which they know basically nothing (and are sheltered from by virtue of being pro footballers) things like this are inevitable. In the Spanish language they don't have the same flammable history around certain words that we do in English.

He should probably have been warned about this by his 'people', mind.

---

Suarez didn't use the term "negrito". I have no idea how this myth still persists - even the Guardian got it wrong in their article today.

What did he say?

Negro.

That version has never made it past the scouse PR filter. I'd say negro is ruder than negrito but still not equivalent to calling someone a Negro in English, and definitely not 8 game ban territory (what did John Terry get for calling Anton Ferdinand a black cunt? Or was it never proved?)

Not sure but there's a documentary on it in case any one was looking for some BLM-related media coverage and Rio Ferdinand on their screens, two things we can all agree are in desperately short supply.

Just seen/heard the Jiminez injury from yesterday. :|

Isn't that a similar injury to the one that retired Mason?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

That version has never made it past the scouse PR filter. I'd say negro is ruder than negrito but still not equivalent to calling someone a Negro in English, and definitely not 8 game ban territory (what did John Terry get for calling Anton Ferdinand a black cunt? Or was it never proved?)

---

Terry was found not guilty in court but the FA slapped a fine on him, I think.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Not sure but there's a documentary on it in case any one was looking for some BLM-related media coverage and Rio Ferdinand on their screens, two things we can all agree are in desperately short supply.

---

I saw an advert for that. Anton remains an extremely unfortunate looking man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

Terry was found not guilty in court but the FA slapped a fine on him, I think.

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4 match ban, 220k fine.

I can't remember the timescales but if negro was 8 matches than black cunt should have been 40.

Did "Oreo" receive any punishment or did the FA bottle that one?

Edit: It was Choc Ice actually I think?

I do hope Jiménez's broken head isn't another Ryan Mason thing. Probably the player I've most enjoyed watching over the last couple of years.

Loving this Suarez revisionism.

:drool:

It's all a bit out of kilter when headcases like Luiz can basically annihilate someone with impugnity because 'he only had eyes for the ball' (Ederson is as bad in his disregard for the heads of other players, including his own team mates') whilst a little slap sees you banned for 3 games and an injudicious comment on social media perhaps even more. Someone will have to explain to me how that Luiz thing isn't recklessly and seriously endangering an opponent.

Where was the revisionism?

From what I can find, Suarez told Evra he kicked him "because you are black", he "doesn't speak to blacks" and to "bring it on blackie, blackie, blackie". If anyone can't see how that's different to what Cavani has said then they're an actual retard.

It's all over twitter. Apparently people really are unable to understand that (while both are obviously wrong) there is a big difference between a foreign language speaking white man saying 'Thank you my Negro' and 'Fuck off Negro'. Intent and context do not matter anymore.

But then I remembered I was on Twitter and that has always been the case.

Thanks, whitey.

You can't say bomb on a plane!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Thanks, whitey.

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Mixey, thx.

Supporting Liverpool really does rot your brain.

FWIW there are obvious differences, I was just amused by Jimmy's 80% right, Suarez was just a bit of a cheeky chappy line, which I'm pretty sure wasn't one taken at the time (nor should it have been).

This is what Bernardo Silva did isn't it? So he'll get a thoroughly unmerited 1 game ban and a warning as to future conduct, I would guess.

I was going by the official scouse version of events, which as with all things scouse these days is what has been upheld in the long term media.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

FWIW there are obvious differences, I was just amused by Jimmy's 80% right, Suarez was just a bit of a cheeky chappy line, which I'm pretty sure wasn't one taken at the time (nor should it have been).

This is what Bernardo Silva did isn't it? So he'll get a thoroughly unmerited 1 game ban and a warning as to future conduct, I would guess.

---

I did wonder what the hell you were driving at. That makes much more sense.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I was going by the official scouse version of events, which as with all things scouse these days is what has been upheld in the long term media.

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I read the BBC report earlier and it reads like the club drafted it.

Another dogshit VAR penalty decision. Referees literally seem to think it's a game of 'did he touch the ball?' when they get called over to the TV.

Play seemed to have gone on forever before they went back to it. Even so, I hope Leicester fans are still happy with that £60 million they got for Chilwell.

I note it took precisely 4 games for pundits to start picking out that French lad as a shit-hot prospect for Leicester before he dyed his hair white and started putting in dogshit performances. These lads need to be sent round the country's shitholes like Zouma before their mentality is straightened and they're ready.

Potentially in win and go fourth with a game in hand territory here. Batshit considering we've already lost at home to Brighton, Southampton and Leeds.

Fulham bumming Leicester is a bit :cab:.

I suppose there's still time to balls it up.

I read quite a good comment the other day about VAR and whatnot, and it made reference to the way Rugby judges offside on tv review - ie without the use of 'the lines'. The problem isn't so much the rules, or the way the rules are being applied, but the idea that there is an absolute truth to be determined by the VAR. There isn't. Whether something is a penalty or not cannot simply be reduced to contact or no contact, and the drawing of lines is an arbitrary attempt to create an absolute truth which cannot really be known (exact moment ball is played, accuracy of the placement of the line etc) and the outcome of both is game altering absurdity. Using the rugby analogy for offside, if you can't determine whether an error has been made without reference to the lines, then an error hasn't been made. In the domain of penalties you probably have to look at the wider circumstances around the contact, but then you no longer have your (illusion of) absolute truth.

That Fulham have more going on in the box than us is really depressing.

I think that's a good interpretation. Almost boils down to if you can't make a decision within 30 seconds then you're not looking at something obviously wrong. Nobody asked for stupid fucking lines and even more ridiculous decisions and yet here we are.

I’d missed that Celtic have somehow conspired to absolutely fuck the 10 in a row. Absolutely hilarious.

VAR should have just been 'stick a couple of replays on the big screen'. No lines, no 27th official.

I don't think I've seen a worse performance all year than Leicester's in this match. This formation, with Christian Fuchs as one of the three defenders, is absolute lunacy. Fuchs's presence completely shuts off the possibility of attack down that side of the pitch and also makes them ridiculously vulnerable to balls played behind him. Anguissa has completed stomped on the midfield as well.

Marine v Spurs will get the headlines, but under the radar I reckon Canvey Island/Boreham Wood vs Millwall is the scummiest FA Cup draw that could even hypothetically happen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I don't think I've seen a worse performance all year than Leicester's in this match. This formation, with Christian Fuchs as one of the three defenders, is absolute lunacy. Fuchs's presence completely shuts off the possibility of attack down that side of the pitch and also makes them ridiculously vulnerable to balls played behind him. Anguissa has completed stomped on the midfield as well.

---

Fuchs has repeatedly attempted to retire/move to New York where his family lives and they just keep on giving him contracts too good for him to say no. This is his final plea to let him go.

Michail masterclass incoming.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I don't think I've seen a worse performance all year than Leicester's in this match. This formation, with Christian Fuchs as one of the three defenders, is absolute lunacy. Fuchs's presence completely shuts off the possibility of attack down that side of the pitch and also makes them ridiculously vulnerable to balls played behind him. Anguissa has completed stomped on the midfield as well.

---

I bet they managed more shots on target than Arsenal have in their last few defeats.

Isn't Fuchs about 90 now?

So much for fourth :cab:

Liverpool at Villa Park. Strong XI from them I reckon. Likely still bleeding from the arsehole, so an opportunity to apply some stitches.

Things you love to see #9363736:

Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan missing a 3 yard sitter but guaranteed to start 38 prem games a season because he smartly got his name changed to Trèzèguet to give the westerners Euro 2000 vibes as opposed to 9/11 vibes.

The fucking original Trezeguet doesn't even have accents :D

Jahanbakhsh really needs to get that name change to Gazza.

Can't believe we're looking at zero points from this and Brighton. So many chances.

Armpit VAR. Cunts.

Ruling offside because of your arm hahahahaha

A 1min+ stoppage to rule out a last-minute equaliser due to armpit offside. Another 2 point swing. Soccerway had it at 2-2 for 5 mins after the decision.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bh-6BpHIgAEPG9C.jpg