Champions League final & Junternationals

Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Sie sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions

Une grande réunion
Eine große sportliche Veranstaltung
The main event

Ils sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die Besten
These are the champions

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions


Conference League final in Tirana is tonight (Roma vs Feyenoord).

Champions final in Paris is on Saturday (Real Madrid vs Liverpool).

What's more, we have a new Nations League campaign kicking off next week. Please feel free to familiarise yourself with the structure and draw by clicking here. England face Hungary, Germany, Italy and Hungary between the 4th and 14th.

Scotland host Ukraine in their rescheduled play-off semi-final on Wednesday, with the winner meeting Wales on Sunday. I hope they win!

'Eine grosse sportliche Veranstaltung'. Sometimes you have to admit that Goebbels did a cracking job, saddled as he was with that sodding language.

Enough about reviled German leaders, though: will Klopp be shown up again?

I don't recognise football threads posted by anyone other than Ian.

Cmon you reds

Why did they play the EL final before the ConL final?

Internationals should be a good end to the season. We currently have a friendly with Canada which is under immense political pressure to be cancelled. Oi you fucking melt, yes our government shot down the plane that had your wife and kids on it but this is bigger than that, this is about WC prep. Our participation in the Kirin Cup was cancelled by the clerics due to the alcohol sponsors whilst friendlies with Ecuador and other top nations are cancelled due to refusals to give visas and other such shite. Why we haven't arranged something with Russia I don't understand.

The Scotland v Ukraine playoff will be a very weird occasion. I think the best outcome for me would be Scotland to win in highly controversial fashion.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

I don't recognise football threads posted by anyone other than Ian.

---

I don't understand what's happening here. Do I now not do a June thread?

Why is there such a mental schedule in June for the nations league of all things?

I’m not confident but hopefully the Ukrainians are a fragile mess and roll over

Because of the World Cup in the autumn.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

I don't understand what's happening here. Do I now not do a June thread?

---

Oh come on.

Quote:

---

Poll: May the Fourthball be with you
Started by Ian, 04-05-2022 07:41 PM

---

You've built up some credit so we'll leave it at a month's suspension this time.

Look if you want to take over it's one less thing for me to forget to do.

Also I made it clear that that was obviously and intentionally a VERY CLEVER Star Wars Days tie in and I'll thank you for not questioning my integrity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

I don't recognise football threads posted by anyone other than Ian.

---

I don't even read these and I'm offended.

Looking forward to the classic end of season European Final. Roma v Feyonoord is a fine way to end the season and turn off the tv and delete social media.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

Look if you want to take over it's one less thing for me to forget to do.

Also I made it clear that that was obviously and intentionally a VERY CLEVER Star Wars Days tie in and I'll thank you for not questioning my integrity.

---

I absolutely do not. I'm not sure what I was thinking really.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

I don't understand what's happening here. Do I now not do a June thread?

---

You do a proper June thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

You do a proper June thread.

---

:D

It’s Ian’s thing. We’re all old, we need routine.

And it's not June yet. You can't have May's football in the June thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

'will Klopp be shown up again?

---

Have Liverpool actually played well in a final under him?

Good first half against Sevilla rather went to bits.

Decent against Madrid until Ramos happened and then the goalie started chucking them in.

Outplayed by Spurs for much of that game although neither side had many chances, early dodgy pen ftw.

2 penalty shoot-outs against Chelsea.

By all rights they should have been spannering all those finals, with the possible exception of the Madrid one, but even then that 'ageing' Madrid side was seen as ripe for the taking.

Perhaps it's unfair, does anyone ever play all that well in finals or is it just about getting over the line?

Nah, I thought Spurs were kinda nervy. Although I reckon Madrid's more up for the occasion. And you can extend your question to, "Have Liverpool spannered teams in March - May?"

They wrecked Roma on the way to that final, even though the end result didn't make it really look like it.

Beat Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61585290

That's a ... choice. I thought he was older than 36. I feel like he's been retired for ages.

The Spurs v Liverpool final suffered from for some reason being 3 weeks after the season finale. Both teams were not match sharp and both were playing an unfit striker. Liverpool went 1-0 up and then sat back to play on the counter. Spurs then offered very little until about the last 10 mins.

The second of the Chelsea finals was much better from Liverpool. How they didn't score 3/4 is beyond me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61585290

That's a ... choice. I thought he was older than 36. I feel like he's been retired for ages.

---

Loans ahoy. Hopefully he then gets the City gig on the back of it once Pep has finally had enough of everyone not appreciating him and this 'legendary' team he has put together.

That’s a road to nowhere. Would his stock be that low after not winning the league with Anderlecht?

I was envisioning a Lampard-Derby situation.

Burnley may be a bit fucked, but the financial advantage they hold over the rest of the Championship will still be pretty significant. Get a few bright young things from City [don;t they have a handy midfielder called Doyle or something?] in there and they'll do fine enough.

Yeah, they'll have the parachute payments and a manager with connections. Although he won't have Sean Dyche's ability to find brass in muck.

Have they not some mad loan to pay back?

Yeah, I’m not sure they’re sitting too pretty. Reckon they’ll go down again if not struggling for sure. Are they not losing a decent amount of players as well? Cornet will be gone as he’s got a cheap relegation clause

Guardian says "they have the small matter of needing to pay back “a significant proportion” of a £65m loan owner ALK Capital took out when buying the club." And isn't that on top of it having been a "we'll take on a load of debt to buy you then give you the debt you're welcome" deals?

Which is all well and good if you're able to rely on the Premier League money and wangle those sweet, sweet Official Noodle Partner deals but not so much if not.

Other than "because it might make some rich people do a frowny" is there any good reason not to just fucking ban those sorts of takeovers?

"It's the nature of the free market" but yeah, asset stripping, vulture capitalism etc does seem to be a particularly poorly conceived concept from a wider societal perspective. But then who gives a fuck about wider society eh?

It’s Burnley. Nobody gives a fuck.

Certainly not anyone concerned with running the sport anyway. Anyone outside about 6 clubs is just a hindrance.

It seems to be objectively bad for clubs so leagues / associations could surely ban it if they actually cared. Which I know they don't, obviously.

That England game in an empty Molineux is going to be a classic.

You'd have to ban the entire practice across the financial world and there's too many rich fucks making money off it to stop. Same reason Toys R Us went bust.

Did Smalling win the Europa at United? If he wins tonight and then joins real Madrid or Liverpool, he can complete the set.

I’ve just seen our squad and there’s a Hamilton in the forwards that I’ll need to look up because I haven’t a notion.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

I’ve just seen our squad and there’s a Hamilton in the forwards that I’ll need to look up because I haven’t a notion.

---

Lewis?

No, that's Giggles. It says it right there.

Jose Mourinho holding up his fingers to make it all about him. :cool:

Jose :cool:

Get Chris Smalling on the plane.

Did he do 5 fingers for his 5 European trophies as a manager, or was it 7 fingers to include those he won as an assistant coach and translator?

Roma is way more small time than I thought. Only 3 Serie A titles?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Why did they play the EL final before the ConL final?

Internationals should be a good end to the season. We currently have a friendly with Canada which is under immense political pressure to be cancelled. Oi you fucking melt, yes our government shot down the plane that had your wife and kids on it but this is bigger than that, this is about WC prep. Our participation in the Kirin Cup was cancelled by the clerics due to the alcohol sponsors whilst friendlies with Ecuador and other top nations are cancelled due to refusals to give visas and other such shite. Why we haven't arranged something with Russia I don't understand.

---

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/arti...-in-vancouver/

The western gammon used to fucking love to spout the 'politics has no place in sport' line but hy Christ has the last couple years changed that. Fond memories of our boys across the sports getting fined and samctioned for refusal to face those zionist child killers over the last few decades :happycry:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bernanke

Roma is way more small time than I thought. Only 3 Serie A titles?

---

Them and Napoli just finish second more often than not

Roma = Tottenham

Harsh on Roma.

View Tweet

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. :D

There seems to be a lot of scamming and ticket thieving going on. It could just be the normal amount amplified by social media, or...

https://i.makeagif.com/media/9-08-2019/jr5jf5.gif

Mansfield imploding in this play off game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thommo

View Tweet

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. :D

---

View Tweet

That's a version of Summer Holiday I'd probably watch.

Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Vinicius Junior, Benzema

Subs: Lunin, Marcelo, Nacho, Ceballos, Camavinga, Isco, Lucas, Hazard, Asensio, Bale, Rodrygo, Mariano

Liverpool: Alisson, Trent, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson, Diaz, Mane, Salah.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Matip, Tsimikas, Milner, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Jota, Firmino


As far as I can tell, that's full strength from both sides. I felt more confident against the Madrid of 4 years ago, I'll admit.

We've tended to start very slowly and sluggishly in recent games. Do that again here and there will be trouble. The way both are set up, I suspect whoever scores first will win.

Liverpool to win 3-1.

Too close to call. I just hope they don't bore the place to tears.

Why does Alexander Arnold only warrant first name basis? Not even a 'Mo'?

Toni Kroos starting :sick:

Two early Liverpool goals, a 3rd while Madrid chase it and get one back, and they'll add a 4th as it runs down. A very handy 4-1.

Madric always just look like a team waiting to collapse at any point, no matter how well they're playing.

The baby is bed, food is cooking, beer is poured…. I’m ready!

I see the Kopite mongs have been storming into the stadium without tickets.

What could go wrong?

Hopefully you can't kick holes in this stadium.

The game is on the BT Sport YouTube channel for free tonight, if anyone wants to put up with Michael Owen.

Michael Owen? Ffs.

At a guess, Madrid want to clogg up their right side/our left and encourage Trent to come forward, then play Vinicius in off that. I assume Liverpool wanted the pace of Konate to try and deal with that too.

I think it'll be 2-0 to whoever scores first.

Bang up for this!

Did anybody see Jake Humphreys' LinkedIn post? Fully autistic.

Still massively preferable to the main scums they get in as pundits.

My intense hatred of both sides is taking the shine off, but it does have the makings of a great final.

On balance, I think I might - and this makes me feel a bit sick - actually prefer a Liverpool win. For all the Scouse flaws, the "Spanish Giants" have always been the most entitled cunts in football. The Mbappe seethe has shown that nothing has changed in that. I want to see the tears of Spanish Children.

Why would you be following Jake Humphries on LinkedIn?

Looks like Thiago has felt something in the warmup.

Thiago on the ropes.

I've always admired Real, a proper club with fantastic morals. Let's go boys.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Looks like Thiago has felt something in the warmup.

---

He’s pathetic

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Why would you be following Jake Humphries on LinkedIn?

---

I don't know, why would you be following Jake Humphries on LinkedIn?

To get to the other side.

Liverpool end looks half empty.

They're all still stood at bus stops.

Kenny Dalgliesh’s daughter was greeting about getting into the stadium being impossible earlier or something.

Delayed by 15 mins because of the scruffy bastards :D

Kelly :wub:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

My intense hatred of both sides is taking the shine off, but it does have the makings of a great final.

On balance, I think I might - and this makes me feel a bit sick - actually prefer a Liverpool win. For all the Scouse flaws, the "Spanish Giants" have always been the most entitled cunts in football. The Mbappe seethe has shown that nothing has changed in that. I want to see the tears of Spanish Children.

---

That didn't last long.

Scouse cunts.

Hala Madrid.

French police using teargas on the Liverpool fans. Disgusting. That would never happen in Brexit Britain.

Actually I can’t think of something Boris would approve of more.

All over Twitter now. Liverpool fans are climbing the fences outside.

Hopefully this gets cancelled and they just give Real the cup. Fucking rats.

Hahaha Scouse fuckers.

Seeing as Hillsborough is basically their religion, you think they’d learn at some stage.

9:30 :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Seeing as Hillsborough is basically their religion, you think they’d learn at some stage.

---

Anniversary of Haysel yesterday too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Anniversary of Haysel yesterday too.

---

Shhhh. That one didn’t happen.

Fans of any English club (maybe not City) would do the same. Did you not see the Euros final?

I’m watching this abroad so have no idea what’s going on, but suspected Liverpool fans were at the heart of it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Shhhh. That one didn’t happen.

---

It did, it was just the stadiums fault. It fell apart for no reason.

"Why does everyone hate us la?"

Wonder why. Cunts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Fans of any English club (maybe not City) would do the same. Did you not see the Euros final?

---

To this extent? Nonsense.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Fans of any English club (maybe not City) would do the same. Did you not see the Euros final?

---

I did, but I don’t recall the kick off being delayed. Twice.

Oh 8:30 now. They just gave us the French time for some reason. :cab:

It's all on the police, obviously. Not the salt of the earth fans.

Scum club.

Our lot would give up and then trash Paris.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

I did, but I don’t recall the kick off being delayed. Twice.

---

2 stadium disasters and they still pull this shit. Even if any other team would do this - they wouldn't - this lot should know better.

RTE have the tiny violins out for the poor scousers (all with tickets naturally) all being kept out by the big French meanies. They’ll all have seen the videos too the soft cunts.

They're not filling this place in ten minutes.

Mad how there's no issues with the Real side and fans. Shocking even.

20:36? What sort of time is that?

The fuck is going on?

Mon Madrid if it ever starts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

The fuck is going on?

---

Indeed. What is it actually being delayed for? Get more people in? Worry of a turf war outside?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

The fuck is going on?

---

View Tweet

The state of Ronaldo :D

Jesus, fat Ronaldo looks fit to burst.

Did I just see Raul with a black eye?

Nadal in a suit looks like a shit Jimmy Carr waxwork.

Just start it ffs.

There's not a single person watching that wants this. Fuck off love.

Superbowl, this ain't.

If you’re gonna have this wank, why isn’t it at half time?

Phwoar.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

If you’re gonna have this wank, why isn’t it at half time?

---

It's a nice distraction from the crush outside.

I'd give anyone £500 to boot a ball off her head.

Booing :D

Let’s have it. :drool:

She looked a bit out of it too.

At last some soccer. Madrid are 7-0 in Champions League era finals. Hopefully that run ends now.

Yeah, as soon as the first goal goes in, this place gets torn up. Moody atmosphere.

What the fuck is this camera angle?

They should do the Formula 1 thing where the game has to be finished within the two hour window. Late kick-off, early finish.

Potentially 120 minutes of listening to ‘Benzimar’. Lord give me strength.

I see everyone is jumping to conclusions instead of reading actual reports of what's happened. Ah, well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Potentially 120 minutes of listening to ‘Benzimar’. Lord give me strength.

---

Humour me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Guybrush

I see everyone is jumping to conclusions instead of reading actual reports of what's happened. Ah, well.

---

The only jumping going on is ticketless fans over fences.

Thought that was going to hit TBone and go back in off his head.

Madrid have been battered literally every time Toni Kroos has started a game in the CL. No idea why they’re still using these 3 again. Get Rodrygo or Camavinga on pronto

This is VERY one sided.

Naked when Hazard comes off the bench to win it

How is that not a yellow? :D

Luis Diaz has been POCKETED so far.

Fuck sake

It wasn't a pass. Goal surely.

What a glorious mess that was.

Goal for me.

Isn't this a penalty anyway?

That's got to be a goal

Mental.

Bullshit.

Lucky sods. Not a deliberate play, whatever that means.

If he wasn’t offside when the ball came through I can’t see how it isn’t.

Utter game killing shit from var again though.

And surely it's 'deliberate' if it's played through a tackle?

Whether deliberate or not about 4 Liverpool players tripped over the ball with no one from Madrid touching it. Goal all day.

Even I think that’s a goal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

If he wasn’t offside when the ball came through I can’t see how it isn’t.

Utter game killing shit from var again though.

---

The linesman flagged it offside not VAR.

I would've given it. It's the kind of shambles you should be punished for.

Do I not understand the offside rule? Why was that supposedly offside with a defender behind Benzema?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Do I not understand the offside rule? Why was that supposedly offside with a defender behind Benzema?

---

Because there has to be 2 defensive players and he's beyond the Goalie.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Do I not understand the offside rule? Why was that supposedly offside with a defender behind Benzema?

---

Defender was acting as the keeper.

He was behind the goalkeeper

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

The linesman flagged it offside not VAR.

---

You misunderstand me. This is not a sport that should be stopped for 3 minutes while people look at video replays.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Do I not understand the offside rule? Why was that supposedly offside with a defender behind Benzema?

---

If you're behind the goalkeeper you have to be level with 2 outfield players.

'Mon now Yev...

At least Yev got his answer :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

He was behind the goalkeeper

---

Genuinely never knew that was the rule. It sounds like a very stupid one on face value.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

If you're behind the goalkeeper you have to be level with 2 outfield players.

---

Unless I’m missing something, that makes abort as much sense as not being allowed to shoot backwards in pool.

You can't be offside in your own half, too. I learned that the other day.

You always have to have 2 defenders playing you onside, it's just the keeper counts as 1 of them in 99.9% of occasions.

As for the game, Livepool clearly a superior team but fancy Real to win it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

You can't be offside in your own half, too. I learned that the other day.

---

I knew that one.

In Yev world then no-one would ever be offside. You could just stand in front of the keeper all day. That's why it's 2 players. Ignore Spikey using the world outfield. It's just 2 players.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Unless I’m missing something, that makes abort as much sense as not being allowed to shoot backwards in pool.

---

Rather than having this goalkeeper/outfield player distinction, just think of it as "you have to be covered by 2 opposition players".

2022 and people still don't understand the offside law. Outstanding effort.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

In Yev world then no-one would ever be offside. You could just stand in front of the keeper all day. That's why it's 2 players. Ignore Spikey using the world outfield. It's just 2 players.

---

Or in my World the keeper should be irrelevant and it should just be one outfield player.

Cheers for clarifying the prior explanations though Phonics and Browning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Or in my World the keeper should be irrelevant and it should just be one outfield player.

---

In which case he would be offside.it’s not like a goalie is going to get involved in playing the offside trap.

Edit: oh I see what you mean. My bad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

2022 and people still don't understand the offside law. Outstanding effort.

---

I'm actually stunned. No more football opinions from Yev or Shindig until they've got their badges or something.

The initial iteration back in the days of yore was three players even, if memory serves me well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

I'm actually stunned. No more football opinions from Yev or Shindig until they've got their badges or something.

---

To be fair, how many times does the beyond the keeper/inside your own half come up?

:D

Good shit.

Can't be offside from a goal kick (remember Klose in whatever dreadful world Cup debacle the Lampard non-goal was) either for the didn't know that rules chumps. Offside rule is a doozy when you really get into it though.

The in your own half one comes up alot. Especially if you've ever played a game of football.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

:D

Good shit.

Can't be offside from a goal kick (remember Klose in whatever dreadful world Cup debacle the Lampard non-goal was) either for the didn't know that rules chumps. Offside rule is a doozy when you really get into it though.

---

I remember not being able to pick up the ball from a throw-in sending ripples through our U-11s team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

I'm actually stunned. No more football opinions from Yev or Shindig until they've got their badges or something.

---

My bad for not knowing it but the rule is a crap one. There’s no unfair advantage been gained by Benzema there so it’s pretty dumb for that goal to be against the rules.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

You can't be offside in your own half, too. I learned that the other day.

---

Have you watched any football?

There's no unfair advantage to your foot being a mm ahead of someone elses when you're facing the other way but them's the rules.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

There's no unfair advantage to your foot being a mm ahead of someone elses when you're facing the other way but them's the rules.

---

Yeah, they need to change that too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

The in your own half one comes up alot. Especially if you've ever played a game of football.

---

https://www.givemesport.com/1804371-...still-baffling

Still makes me laugh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Have you watched any football?

---

When's the last time you saw someone score inside their own half with no defenders behind them? I didn't know it was a rule because it rarely gets triggered. Even in that Vertonghen example, there's a defender back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

When's the last time you saw someone score inside their own half with no defenders behind them? I didn't know it was a rule because it rarely gets triggered.

---

You don't have to score from in your own half. You have to receive the ball in your own half.

Yeah it actually happens somewhat often. Maybe not in actual goals, but a lot of counter attacks from corners happen that way.

Has Shindig suffered a head injury recently?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

When's the last time you saw someone score inside their own half with no defenders behind them? I didn't know it was a rule because it rarely gets triggered. Even in that Vertonghen example, there's a defender back.

---

Receiving the ball in your half and running on happens a lot in counter attacks from corners.

"Vini" :cool:

This has got a Real smash and grab written all over it.

Get in.

And there it is. :D

This Madrid team are great. They play what Ole Gunnar Binman thought he was seeing.

Was always going to happen. Liverpool have been impotent up front.

Liverpool haven’t done anything since the 30th minute. Hardly a smash and grab.

‘Trent’ :lol: awful as usual

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Receiving the ball in your half and running on happens a lot in counter attacks from corners.

---

Aye but there's usually defenders back. I never bring the offside rule (or the exception to it) into it. I've never looked at those situations and thought, "Oh, where's the flag." Anyway, I'll take the L. As will Liverpool.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

Aye but there's usually defenders back. I never bring the offside rule (or the exception to it) into it. I've never looked at those situations and thought, "Oh, where's the flag." Anyway, I'll take the L. As will Liverpool.

---

It's usually on those last minute corners where the opposition needs a goal that this particular situation occurs.

You dont have to receive the ball in your half. You have to be in your own half when the ball is played. Imagine the halfway line is the line they draw for VAR.

Pretty sure Torres in 2012 is a prime example of this discussion. 99% sure he is in his own half, behind the last outfield player but in his own half when the ball his played. He then takes his first touch in the Barcelona half IIRC after chasing down the hoof.

How come the Liverpool end of the ground doesn't have any stairwells?

Courtois is insane

Playing modern high-level football can't be enjoyable at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pepe

Playing modern high-level football can't be enjoyable at all.

---

I'd imagine the millions and millions and millions of pounds soften the blow.

Ancelotti must’ve burned 1,000 calories with how fast he’s chewing.

Just come to me that Carlo Ancelotti was managing Everton to 10th place this time last year.

Liverpool will need some kind of deflection to score here.

Why not hit that?

Alexander-Arnold is so tilted lmao.

Alexander Arnold has been horrendous.

Carvajal has been absolutely brilliant

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adramelch

Alexander Arnold has been horrendous.

---

Cross spam merchant.

I’d sub Keita immediately for that.

Courtois MOTM.

If this was a snooker match Liverpool would be cursing their run of the ball.

If they do somehow arse one in we could be in for a cracking finish.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7om

I’d sub Keita immediately for that.

---

Yeah, a disgraceful effort.

That should've been the killer.

Man I thought they had It with that counter.

That shot. :D

Courtois has won them this. Amazing display.

Benzema has been poor.

Nah, Benzema's held the ball really nicely, especially in that first half.

Fuck off Ceballos.

Ceballos looking like a competition winner when going through there.

Fucking yes.

A truly pathetic display.

Never in doubt.

Some streak from Madrid in finals this. Undertaker esque.

3 finals without a goal. Albeit tonight was more due to Courtois, but that’s still an issue.

Brilliant. :cool:

Still just the 4 trophies for King Klopp is it?

No injuries or extra time for Andrew Robertson and now primed to inflict pain on Ukrainians. Love it.

That was shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Some streak from Madrid in finals this. Undertaker esque.

---

Two attempts on goal. Football 'eritage. :cool:

Considering how much wanking on there is about the greatness of this Liverpool team, their trophy haul is pretty shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

A truly pathetic display.

---

From Livepool? Thought they were alright, just didn’t quite get the rub you sometimes need and came up against a colossus in goal.

Best team won

https://i.ibb.co/TLjYhJN/unknown.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_C...#Controversies

Woah what. :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Two attempts on goal. Football 'eritage. :cool:

---

At some point I thought that this lot were playing very un-Madrid like, but then I remembered that Ancelotti is the manager. That brand of horrible football will always be the best way to win trophies.

That was some performance from Courtois, but half of the shots were easy for him. It felt like Liverpool could have played for another 2 hours without scoring.

From what I've seen of Luis Diaz, he's just a poncey Andros Townsend isn't he? He looks good. Always looks a threat. But what does he actually do? No end product.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_C...#Controversies

Woah what. :lol:

---

:D

I enjoyed it. Madrid contained and smacked them on the counter. Liverpool looked out of ideas in the second half.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_C...#Controversies

Woah what. :lol:

---

:D

This is what media coaching has robbed us of in this country.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

That was some performance from Courtois, but half of the shots were easy for him. It felt like Liverpool could have played for another 2 hours without scoring.

From what I've seen of Luis Diaz, he's just a poncey Andros Townsend isn't he? He looks good. Always looks a threat. But what does he actually do? No end product.

---

Shoeless Jarrod Bowen.

There's something that just doesn't look right about Militao. It's like he's an NPC that accidentally ended up as the main character.

From extortion to the Ballon d'Or. What a six months for Benzema.

What in the fuck is Micheal Owen on about?

Michael Owen is obviously a tit, but Steven Gerrard shouldn't be indulging this 'best team' nonsense.

Probably another £20m for Hazard winning the Champions League. What a deal that was for him and Chelsea. He gets to stack his trophy haul without playing and Chelsea keep getting to fuck over FFP.

Michael Owen is a genuine spastic.

Making Rio Ferdinand look intelligent, here.

View Tweet

My hero

What’s this guard of honour shite? Everything has become so fucking flowery nowadays.

View Tweet

Facts.

Don Bale picking up medals while he’s a full time golfer.

Real Madrid must pay more in wages for bench warmers than the likes of Burnley and Brighton do for their whole squad.

Is that 5 champions league winner’s medals for Bale now? Unreal.

Bareth Gale and Eddie Hazard the true winners of tonight

Ceballos has 5 too I think. Proper chancer.

I find Bale hilarious. He gives absolutely no fucks except for the Welsh national team and he’s got 5 Champions League winners medals. He’s winning at life.

And when he does get the minutes, he's usually switched on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_C...#Controversies

Woah what. :lol:

---

:D

Jesus.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_C...#Controversies

Woah what. :lol:

---

He said Casillas has a tiny dick 'like a coin' and his mrs should ring him if she wants a real man :D

That's a wrestling promo. :D

Jurgen Flopp. Looked like a corpse for 90 minutes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

View Tweet

My hero

---

This is probably my favourite Ether of all time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Just come to me that Carlo Ancelotti was managing Everton to 10th place this time last year.

---

Arguably the greater achievement of the two.

View Tweet

@randrew :evictory:

Was about to go asleep and then started pissing myself laughing again at Diogo Jota coming on in the Champions League Final. The game was over when that melt walked on. Absolutely bobbins

What the sweet fuck are you on about? If anything it was the disrespect of playing that favela cunt over Bobby and that African gorilla over Matip that cost us but criticising Diogo is akin to your strange vendetta against Rudiger before he shat on your dirty face.

Ah well, the thing with being the best team in the world is, the glory can only ever be delayed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vercetti

Michael Owen is a genuine spastic.

Making Rio Ferdinand look intelligent, here.

---

He's best mates with Jake Humphreys irl so will be fully autistic also.

The great thing about Ancelotti's Madrid is that he still sets them up like a 90s/00s team. Great players who know what to do and graft without necessarily having a "defined style of play" like Guardiola or Klopp. Benzema and Modric are giants of the game.

Much as I would like to get stuck into the French authorities, literally every time Liverpool make one of these finals there are some kind of ticketing/crowd problems outside. No one else can say it so I will bravely do so.

Yeah they've just been crying on the news, one bloke said he has been to 5 finals and never seen problems like it: wasn't Istanbul bad? All I can think of is that 'Up the ticketless reds' banner, I know a lad who got into Wembley the other week without a ticket. Obviously the French aren't a soft touch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Much as I would like to get stuck into the French authorities, literally every time Liverpool make one of these finals there are some kind of ticketing/crowd problems outside. No one else can say it so I will bravely do so.

---

The lol of them calling for an investigation too. Bring it on and throw the book at them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lofty

Yeah they've just been crying on the news, one bloke said he has been to 5 finals and never seen problems like it: wasn't Istanbul bad? All I can think of is that 'Up the ticketless reds' banner, I know a lad who got into Wembley the other week without a ticket. Obviously the French aren't a soft touch.

---

Apparently Wembley is the easiest [proper] ground to bunk-in to.

The amount of people on the side of the French Police. All they know is tear gas and riot shields.

Well on the other side you’ve a bunch of scummers with form for it, so is there even a right side?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

What the sweet fuck are you on about? If anything it was the disrespect of playing that favela cunt over Bobby and that African gorilla over Matip that cost us but criticising Diogo is akin to your strange vendetta against Rudiger before he shat on your dirty face.

Ah well, the thing with being the best team in the world is, the glory can only ever be delayed.

---

Konate was absolutely brilliant. He was playing right back and centre back covering for your useless ‘Trent’.

Jota is fine for your Arsenal’s and Leicester’s but he’s not doing shit against a proper team.

He probably would have contributed more last night than Salah did- I only ever watch Liverpool when it's a big game and I'm not sure Salah has turned up for a single one of them, outside of scoring a penalty 3 years ago.

True though if Courtois’ bicep didn’t tip that shot near the end around it would have been filthy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

The amount of people on the side of the French Police. All they know is tear gas and riot shields.

---

And all we know is Liverpool fans.

In a rare moment of agreeing with phonics, the French police are absolutely useless. It's easy to just say it's a Liverpool problem and some element will be true, it reads like an under prepared, badly staffed and badly policed event.

St Petersburg wouldn't have had these troubles :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lofty

Yeah they've just been crying on the news, one bloke said he has been to 5 finals and never seen problems like it: wasn't Istanbul bad? All I can think of is that 'Up the ticketless reds' banner, I know a lad who got into Wembley the other week without a ticket. Obviously the French aren't a soft touch.

---

Istanbul was fine. It just took an absolute age to get out into the middle of nowhere where they'd built the stadium, and even longer to get back in to town at god knows what in the morning when the game finally finished. Don't recall any issues in the other three finals since either. The fake ticket thing (whether real or not) would really put me off trying to go nowadays though.

This is clearly bad policing.

View Tweet

I know Liverpool fan narrative and all, but there’s a weight of Journos and public accounts of what went on and the whole thing sounded like a shambles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

In a rare moment of agreeing with phonics, the French police are absolutely useless. It's easy to just say it's a Liverpool problem and some element will be true, it reads like an under prepared, badly staffed and badly policed event.

---

Correct. The organisation outside the ground was a total shambles. A friend of mine's husband and son were at the ground 3.5 hours before kick-off and only just got to their seats in time.

And yet the Madrid end was mysteriously fine. Have a day off you lot. The French police may overreact, but it's still a reaction to the shitty behaviour of the Liverpool fans.

View Tweet

That's an organisational issue.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

View Tweet

That's an organisational issue.

---

Were they organised into climbing fences in all the other videos?

Aye, it's probably a bit of both. Let's assume the gates at the Liverpool end were fucked. Would the police allow the Scousers to enter from the Madrid end? Probably not. Either way, there's bother.

The police will have overreacted to whatever was going on, and then that will have caused even more problems. You could see from the standing room in the Liverpool end that loads of people had got in without tickets.

I also imagine the bottleneck would have been a bit more manageable had tHe TiCkEtLeSs ReDs not turned up in their thousands.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

What the sweet fuck are you on about? If anything it was the disrespect of playing that favela cunt over Bobby and that African gorilla over Matip that cost us but criticising Diogo is akin to your strange vendetta against Rudiger before he shat on your dirty face.

Ah well, the thing with being the best team in the world is, the glory can only ever be delayed.

---

Nice to see Taz being blatantly racist as usual.

That wasn’t a fence it was a ramp to another ramp. The stadium wasn’t even in the shot.

All this rare agreeances with phonics. I’m on a roll.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

That wasn’t a fence it was a ramp to another ramp. The stadium wasn’t even in the shot.

All this rare agreeances with phonics. I’m on a roll.

---

Moving back to Britain and working in a pub must be Brexitising you.

And he's claiming benefits. I don't know what other boxes are left to tick.

View Tweet

Poor sods getting pepper sprayed :(

The Millwall fan punching the Spurs fan a couple years back was miles better.

I don't condone violence, but what do you expect in those scenarios?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

The Millwall fan punching the Spurs fan a couple years back was miles better.

I don't condone violence, but what do you expect in those scenarios?

---

To keep walking on past like the rest of them did. Doing nothing is a very easy way not to be a scumbag sometimes.

Keeping himself to himself (I.e. "doing nothing") would have prevented the punch too. There's thousands of people about and emotions are high. If you don't want any trouble in that environment, stay respectful.

The geezers throwing punches could have easily been French Liverpool fans. Or Jewish Liverpool fans. As much as they shouldn't be throwing punches, imagine the twat was juggling potatoes in Dublin and shouting "are you still hungry lads?", I dare say you'd be fine with him getting twatted by someone then.

Is the implication that he's doing a Nazi salute? I don't think he is, and I don't think the people hitting him think that either.

Speaking of which, Ralf is going

View Tweet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

The geezers throwing punches could have easily been French Liverpool fans. Or Jewish Liverpool fans. As much as they shouldn't be throwing punches, imagine the twat was juggling potatoes in Dublin and shouting "are you still hungry lads?", I dare say you'd be fine with him getting twatted by someone then.

---

I’d just be told to be ok with it by 99% of posters here. So maybe follow their own advice?

I don't think you would. If you go to someone else's country and start taking liberties a slap is pretty justified.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

I don't think you would. If you go to someone else's country and start taking liberties a slap is pretty justified.

---

Yes I would. We all know how that story goes, “oh lol you’re obsessed with us and we don’t even think about you, get over it” etc etc.

Same rules for all, so take your scolding and walk on by.

I've just spotted Channel 4 have the rights to the Nations League. Lovely jubbly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

I've just spotted Channel 4 have the rights to the Nations League. Lovely jubbly.

---

It’s on terrestrial here for the first time too.

ie: nobody must be watching.

It’s a massive step up on friendlies but still not enough to actively draw you in every match day.

I miss our annual friendly with Oman.

Plus, teams miss out on the odd big friendly they can buy with a South American team and instead have to play shite like Georgia or us or Norway.

Do professional footballers just not get any time off at all now?

What way does the World Cup work this year? Do they just stop the EPL for a month and then go straight back at it after to finish in June?

More fun post game it seems:

View Tweet

Probably The Ticketless Reds.

Paris is dicey as fuck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

Keeping himself to himself (I.e. "doing nothing") would have prevented the punch too. There's thousands of people about and emotions are high. If you don't want any trouble in that environment, stay respectful.

---

Eh, the guy's clearly a straight member, on his own (or at least not with any kind of aggro wanting group) and not a fighter.

However, they are two of the worst punches I've ever seen thrown.

Edit: I guess that's after the game, so a bit of a suicide mission maybe. But he just looks rat arsed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

More fun post game it seems:

View Tweet

---

I lolled at this earlier. How can groups of anyone be mugged? Then you see the footage and it's literally about thirty people piling on like something out of the third world (which I suppose it is).

All part of the experience.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I lolled at this earlier. How can groups of anyone be mugged? Then you see the footage and it's literally about thirty people piling on like something out of the third world (which I suppose it is).

---

Paris basically is at this stage from anything I’ve seen. Hardly a French person in it.

Most capital cities are similar. For some reason immigrants always want to live in Capital cities, despite them almost always being the most expensive and worst place in the country.

I didn't really see much trouble at the Stade de France when I went. Other than the North African lads pick pocketing people, it was pretty chilled.

(The girl realised quickly and they were arrested, not the smartest bunch)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc sean

Eh, the guy's clearly a straight member, on his own (or at least not with any kind of aggro wanting group) and not a fighter.

However, they are two of the worst punches I've ever seen thrown.

Edit: I guess that's after the game, so a bit of a suicide mission maybe. But he just looks rat arsed.

---

It's not okay, but it's a reality check for the bloke. I don't think he's even trying to wind them up, but he should have held back the celebrations or found some more of his own people.

He'll be fine anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

And yet the Madrid end was mysteriously fine. Have a day off you lot. The French police may overreact, but it's still a reaction to the shitty behaviour of the Liverpool fans.

---

Guillem Balague was going on about how the Madrid end had much easier logistical access (major roads versus heavily built up residential) . I've been to the Stade de France once and as far as I remember it was OK to get into, although going to a concert probably a lot less bother than a football match. Reckon I went the Madrid end way as it was all big roads and seemed reasonably well set up in terms of refreshment options.

Just looking at it on google maps, there's no shortage of turnstiles but I don't like how close-ish they are to the road. Probably doesn't take much for that to spill over if one of the gates is borked.

I'd love to see another angle of that penalty shout. Looked a stonewaller.

That is unbelievable. How on earth have they not awarded a penalty after seeing him clout his leg from various angles?

Huddersfield denied not one, but two clear-cut penalties. Flabbergasted.

Good.

Fuck off Huddersfield.

They should stop either side coming up because of the empty seats.

Jonathan Moss wants hanging.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Jonathan Moss wants hanging.

---

He’s a right fat cunt. Never up with play and always guessing.

Forest.

:cool:

Shame the reward is being taken out of a good, competitive league and being put into a largely broken one albeit for a short period in all likelihood. At least they'll always have the money, for a few years.

The age of the media is showing with all this sucking forest off. The only thing I remember them for in my life time is Pierre Van Hooijdonk going on strike for a transfer to I can’t remember who and Dave Beasant crying about it.

Better to have a new team in the league, than some stupid yoyo team like Norwich and them.

Burnely I liked it. I work with a lot of foreign scumbags and I give them burnely to support. The Peoples Team.

How many times has "The Ghost of Brian Clough" been credited?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Better to have a new team in the league, than some stupid yoyo team like Norwich and them.

Burnely I liked it. I work with a lot of foreign scumbags and I give them burnely to support. The Peoples Team.

---

That’s just mean.

It's weird how that late-seventies/early-eighties period of English clubs winning European Cups is seen as English football being great rather than just the entire sport briefly being all ends up shit and us somehow coming out on top. I think Forest beat one good team (Liverpool) over the two year period.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Moving back to Britain and working in a pub must be Brexitising you.

---

You’d think you’d have learned not to suck off infamously awful police forces.

If you don’t look at the three B’s, the league for next year looks properly tasty. A proper Barclays Premier League.

I've no idea who the third B even are but you can wash your mouth out casting aspersions on the gambling mafia teams.

Bolves?

I’ve Brighton and Bournemouth.

Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth.

Could be worse I suppose but you can’t be having two grounds averaging less than Hearts.

Yikes.

View Tweet

The cages need to come back.

Jesus.

Pray for Etienne Green or whatever he is called.

What was the big flee right at the end for? Running from something or rushing the other teams fans?

View Tweet

Y'know, after a 9 goal thriller, that's the least you can expect. :D

Looked like they were bombing the other team's dugout/players.

Almost as bad as Liverpool fans.

I don't know if it still happens in champ manager, but there is a sense that Liverpool's tactic has been somewhat cracked by the AI. You can pretty much predict how 99% of half-decent teams [and even the likes of Everton] will play against them. Sit deep, defend en masse, don't leave space in behind and punt it in the general direction of Alexander-Arnold and hope for the best. It can be effective. Liverpool's 'predictability' is reminiscent to me of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, you know how they are going to play and they aren't going to adjust for anyone. I always respected Wenger for that [from a champ manager perspective at least] but it was also his downfall, somewhat, when the player quality dropped. I know this is probably too simplistic and lots of little things probably do change from game to game, but from an untrained eye's perspective there is very little variability in Liverpool's play. On the one hand, it means you lose 4 games in a whole season, which is mad, but in another way it leaves them open to more pragmatic approaches which can be implemented by non-terrible teams at the sharp end of competitions. It's not really a new problem either. Klopp's preferred XI has been pretty much set in stone since the start of the team getting good, which has other attendant issues. No goals across three finals, and the fact that they have generally played poorly [or lost, or both] most of the finals they have been in is interesting.

I'm curious as to whether he'll change at all, or just stick with it [my guess is he won't change]. The sadist in me makes me think I preferred them when they were less 'controlled' but being more attacking is never actually the answer if you want to 'win'.

They definitely have that 'one more touch' about them which stifled Arsenal at times. I don't see Klopp changing it but he could do with a Plan B for when matches go the way they did last night. They started the game well really getting the ball forward and stretching the game. In the last few minutes, they really had no inclination to throw a hail Mary or anything.

And yet, they could've sneaked something past Courtois on another day.

How you could be arsed going to a cup parade a day after losing a CL final I do not know. They won one of the cups 3 months ago as well :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

They definitely have that 'one more touch' about them which stifled Arsenal at times. I don't see Klopp changing it but he could do with a Plan B for when matches go the way they did last night. They started the game well really getting the ball forward and stretching the game. In the last few minutes, they really had no inclination to throw a hail Mary or anything.

And yet, they could've sneaked something past Courtois on another day.

---

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/04...8260760853.jpg

Unironically, yes.

I think it's a slight overreaction as you'll always get here, but they still won 2 trophies, came 15 minutes from another and then were denied the biggest of the lot by a top goalkeeping performance.

The last time we lost to Madrid, the very next day we lined up Fabinho and then Alisson. We went from fuck we blew the big chance, to massively revitalising the team. I think the same needs to happen here.
What was evident last night was perhaps the need for another creative type from midfield. It has tended to be either Trent or Thiago dictating games this season, but the former was off it and the latter clearly not 100% fit last night. Though once Thiago went off, very little came from the middle of the park. Keita can be great at times but is extremely inconsistent.

What Liverpool need to find this summer is a back up right back. A creative midfielder and a clinical centre forward. Obviously the last of those is tough to find now, but if Mane is to leave then it needs someone to replace him. I do not buy the Diaz as replacement thing at all.

It’ll need to start soon. Van Dijk, Mane, Salah, Henderson, Allison, Matip, Thiago, Fabinho and Firmino all turn at least 30 at some point this year.

The drugs won’t work as well over the next few years. Konate looks a beast so you’re well covered there but you’ll need to recruit well fairly soon in midfield as well as up front. Jota and Diaz leading the line will have you in the conference league in a few years.

Mate, they did a bow to the crowd on the back of a 1-1 at home with West Brom.

Hopefully this Carvalho kid comes in and plays some part. As well as Elliott not breaking his leg next year. I believe they'll be long term replacements for Thiago and Frimino. You're right about the other outfield players though. They are ageing, but I will guess he'll only want to replace 1 or 2 a year.

If Mane does go it'll be quite sad. He was the first big signing Klopp made and he typifies everything he wants from the team.

View Tweet

Keep the crisis talk to yourselves please, we're fucking class.

I find it a bit premature to talk about Liverpool's demise sadly. Obviously the replacements for the 30 year olds will be key but not much has suggested recently that they will get it wrong. Losing by the odd goal/point is a pretty healthy starting point to be in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

View Tweet

Keep the crisis talk to yourselves please, we're fucking class.

---

I’ve no idea how they calculate XG or anything but on a simple level, would not scoring from any of your (presumably) load of chances not be a bad thing?

Talk of turning 30 as if it's 1987. Most of those players have got years left in them yet. Waiting for players to become no good based on age is a mugs game. The only real danger is the 'last big contract' effect where you sign someone up to a massive one at 30 and they promptly turn to shite [Salah could do this].

I don't know if he's got it in him but I'd love to see Firmino drop back [back back?] into midfield. I feel the move away from playing him in the big games hasn't really worked even if he's the sort of player that, as a fan, you always think is on the cusp of becoming a really great player by adding goals to his game, but it never really happens [can see Havertz being similar].

Henderson probably needs to be shifted to a utility/totemic Milner style role over time.

I think it's just teams getting wise to what Liverpool are going to do. The same seems to happen to every "system" eventually. Then it comes down to if the manager has the ability to change the system. They usually don't ala Pochettino, Wenger, Mourinho etc, and just move to another club.

That and half the players being exhausted after months of Kloppball.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

I think it's just teams getting wise to what Liverpool are going to do. The same seems to happen to every "system" eventually. Then it comes down to if the manager has the ability to change the system. They usually don't ala Pochettino, Wenger, Mourinho etc, and just move to another club.

That and half the players being exhausted after months of Kloppball.

---

They aren't that wise to it if we still reached 3 finals and amassed 92pts in the league. I think there's a bit of an overreaction to the Madrid game... we can't, and won't, win every game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

They aren't that wise to it if we still reached 3 finals and amassed 92pts in the league. I think there's a bit of an overreaction to the Madrid game... we can't, and won't, win every game.

---

That's because of your early season form though. The wins have been pretty hard fought this side of Christmas. Especially since the United game. Wolves had your number for most of the game. 2 goalless finals. There is definitely a theme of them struggling to score developing.

Personally for the big games I’d start Firminio. He’s the one who knits things together if these rumours were true of Kane then I wouldn’t be against it him dropping into the holes that Firminio does whilst being a lot more clinical could work.

Even this bandwagon jumping of not winning the league because we didn’t beat any of the other top four is a bit off. We lost the league because of losing to Leicester and West Ham or drawing away at Brentford or at home with Brighton when we probably should have won games or at least got a point in each.

The form in the second half of the season has been more than fine I mean we won 16 games out of 18 it’s the sloppy points dropped in the first half of the season that cost.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

That's because of your early season form though. The wins have been pretty hard fought this side of Christmas. Especially since the United game. Wolves had your number for most of the game. 2 goalless finals. There is definitely a theme of them struggling to score developing.

---

They have but that’s how it was the year we won the league Klopp noticeably tightened things up in the second half of the season to just make sure we won games.

Plus we have played every 3 days since the middle of February I think in the end that has started to catch up with the players.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

That's because of your early season form though. The wins have been pretty hard fought this side of Christmas. Especially since the United game. Wolves had your number for most of the game. 2 goalless finals. There is definitely a theme of them struggling to score developing.

---

Liverpool's form in the second half of the season was much better than the first (16 wins, 3 draws in the league since losing to Leicester at the halfway point, final of every cup). Salah was keeping the show on the road for much of the first bit of the season.

The French are claiming that 70% of the people in the stadium had fake tickets. I love when Cops make shit up to cover their ass.

How does that even work? Was there 70% more fans there or did they just bar thousands of legit ticket holders from entry?

Probably the latter. They probably stopped letting people in once they saw the stands looked at capacity.

The Ticketless Ticketed Reds getting donned by The Moody Ticketed Reds. :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Probably the latter. They probably stopped letting people in once they saw the stands looked at capacity.

---

Yeah, something was up when you had those scenes outside + the very sizeable Liverpool support inside the ground.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61653086

England will play their Nations League group match against Hungary in Budapest on Saturday with at least 30,000 fans in attendance - even though the fixture is being held behind closed doors.

Hungary have been ordered to play games without crowds after racist behaviour by their fans.

But their football association is using a Uefa regulation that allows children to attend, accompanied by an adult.

That's saying NO to racism alright. Fuck I hate this World sometimes.

:D

Presumably we'll be doing the same for our one.

The only sanctions that hurt are sporting ones. Why they can't bring themselves to deduct 3 or even 1 point from qualifying groups for nations that have badly behaved fans I have no idea.

They're handing out a phonetic script of the Ukranian national anthem to the Scots tonight :D

Fuck off :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

:D

Presumably we'll be doing the same for our one.

---

Yeah but only around 2k are expected.

The charity shield is being held at Leicester this year for some reason.

Women's Euros.

The schedule this year is absolutely daft. Also five subs which I'm very upset about. Football edges ever closer to the players just being interchangeable running machines.

30 July: Diversity Shield
6 August - 13 Nov: Apertura
14 Nov - 25 Dec: World Cup break
26 Dec - 28 May: Clausura

All so that Sepp Blatter and Jack Warner can drink from the teats of Arabian milk and honey well into their 80s.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The only sanctions that hurt are sporting ones. Why they can't bring themselves to deduct 3 or even 1 point from qualifying groups for nations that have badly behaved fans I have no idea.

---

Because, like most organisations, they don't actually give a shit. Which is a brilliant stance to take while constantly telling us all that there's a massive problem and that we should.

Hickey and Billy G start :drool:

Fkn into these greeting faced rats. More Zinchenko tears pls

I see Pardew's left CSKA Sofia because the black players got racially abused. That was quick.

I listened to a podcast with Brian Howard who played out there and he said the racism was on another level. They had a few Africans who just got pelters, especially when they lost.

Spoke with some random football marketing company today about the premier league's plan to release NFTs. Dearie me.

Hasn't that ship already sailed? Came and went faster than the ice bucket challenge.

Even the Englishman in our squad are belting it out.

Fucking mon

Goosebumps at that

Scotland should really lean into their one opportunity they'll ever have to be the baddies here. Waste time, niggly fouls, shout "'mon the Putin" at their opponents, that sort of thing.

Instead they appear to be desperately trying to let them score.

I can’t believe in this day and age we’re still starting Grant Hanley

Lobs. :drool:

We have been absolutely dreadful :D

Mon the injury time winner.

View Tweet

:lol:

Just give them the trophy now.

This hasn’t even been close. Absolutely outclassed everywhere.

Second booking for going to the crowd pls ref

Strange to see the likes of Next Makelele Billy Gilmour be outclassed by nobodies like Ruslan Malinovskyi (who is the spitting image of Kiko btw). God bless the gammon hype.

Glad they let them win.

We should have sent them Mark Noble as Footballing Aid

Eight lefties in the eleven must be a record.

Billy Gilmour seems to be actually rather rubbish most of the time.

Bad few weeks for Andy Robertson.

Norwich ruined him. Cunts.

Hasn't he had about 2 decent games in his career?

Probably not on Norwich, but going there on loan probably indicative of something.

He’s class every time for us. Dominated Liverpool in the FA Cup as well.

This goalkeeper has tried his best to help us

Liverpool reserves in the cup and England in the euros is my count of his good games, in what? 2 years?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Liverpool reserves in the cup and England in the euros is my count of his good games, in what? 2 years?

---

I’m not sure anyone can dominate in a 0-0 ‘victory’.

Robertson is absolutely useless for us when Tierney isn’t alongside him

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Liverpool reserves in the cup and England in the euros is my count of his good games, in what? 2 years?

---

He’s the biggest reason scotland started winning games. Your fetish over him is odd.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

He’s the biggest reason scotland started winning games. Your fetish over him is odd.

---

Fetish.

:D

I just don't understand why he gets so much smoke blown up his arse after his annual decent game. Not even close to being Scotland's best midfielder.

lol these cunts don't even have a ground.

Mon Dylan Levitt’s Wales army

The absolute scenes when we play Russia a week before the WC as our only viable friendly opponent and then wipe the floor with these soft cunts.

A winter off will do Robertson a world of good.

Aye, Liverpool could actually be quite well set with players not going to the World Cup or getting a game for teams that do. Should really just keep the season rolling.

George Baldock is on the bench for Greece tonight. That's news to me.

An even bigger surprise for me was when I looked him up to see he was called up for Greece by Gus Poyet.

George Henry Ivor Baldock (Greek: Τζορτζ Μπάλντοκ

I don't know the alphabet but I'm definitely not buying that. Giorgos Baaldokk?

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

A decade or two more of this and it'll be a pretty textbook journeyman managerial career. Doesn't reflect particularly well on the stature of the Greece job.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

George Henry Ivor Baldock (Greek: Τζορτζ Μπάλντοκ

I don't know the alphabet but I'm definitely not buying that. Giorgos Baaldokk?

---

It's just how you'd say George Baldock in a Greek accent. Greeks can't do J sounds and don't have letters for B or D.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

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

A decade or two more of this and it'll be a pretty textbook journeyman managerial career. Doesn't reflect particularly well on the stature of the Greece job.

---

Knows the country.

Max one season at his last five club jobs, though I guess that's probably standard worldwide nowadays.

What the fuck is a finalissima and why do I keep seeing the word everywhere?

It's a type of pasta

Match between the European and South American champions in which hapless Italy got bummed by Argentina.

Someone tell twitter and livescore quick then.

Edit - @Johns regen above obvs, not jimmy.

I was just watching the local beacon, and these kids were playing football. They were just doing some Goals, Skills and Assists, but every now and again one of them would smash another one over and shout 'BREXIT'. Is this a thing?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I was just watching the local beacon, and these kids were playing football. They were just doing some Goals, Skills and Assists, but every now and again one of them would smash another one over and shout 'BREXIT'. Is this a thing?

---

I've seen this again today. Hopefully it makes it to the professional stage.

Ragnick off to a flyer. What's German for honeymoon? Apparently it's Flitterwochen. Adorable. :D

Bazunu injured :moop:

We’re fucking dire today. Everything is so loose.

Armenia vs ROI is the sort of international fixture that screams turgid 0-0. In fact, of the 32 sides in League B and C, only Serbia and Scotland can be relied upon for entertainment. Games between these sides are usually 0-0 with a probability of about 10% but it feels more like 90%, proper grim football.

Asian U23 is where it's at :cool:

Ogbene has been so bad that the Slavs have stopped bothering to boo him for being black :D

That’s a well deserved defeat. Got too desperate in the second half and completely fell apart in shape.

I hope all of these Hungarian kids are racists.

Unless they piped those boos in for the kneeling...

Starting with 8 defensive players against Hungary :sick:

I count nine with Jarrod Bowen, arguably ten depending on what Mason Mount is doing.

Should've sent an all black team.

England players just can't stop looking at themselves on the big screen. It's so weird.

England have looked alright going forwards so far I think. What would be the point in going 2-3-5 when the world cup is five odd games away?

Get Trent in the bin though.

Does anyone in the Prem still play 532? Chelsea perhaps?

We struggled to get over these lads last year, didn't we? I can't see how the same gameplan will turn out a different result.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Does anyone in the Prem still play 532? Chelsea perhaps?

---

Chelsea do and they were pretty good for it, when you consider their main strikers either were dreaming of Milan or recovering from The Operation. That and they lost Chilwell and were forced to play Alonso there.

They're about to lose their entire back line bar James from what I can tell though.

They'll sign Kounde + another and be fine.

Engloland though

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

Does anyone in the Prem still play 532? Chelsea perhaps?

---

Half the league play it every now and then. Chelsea, Wolves, Spurs and West Ham all play 3atb most games. Probably forgetting others

Yeah, the back 5 converting to a 3 when in possession is very much in vogue. The front 2 is less so, but wing backs being tasked with playing every wide position at once is all the rage.

Southgate could be firmly on the ropes come Qatar.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Armenia vs ROI is the sort of international fixture that screams turgid 0-0. In fact, of the 32 sides in League B and C, only Serbia and Scotland can be relied upon for entertainment. Games between these sides are usually 0-0 with a probability of about 10% but it feels more like 90%, proper grim football.

Asian U23 is where it's at :cool:

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gno9DXeecUM

:cool:

'3' [read 5 or maybe 8] at the back is a truly terrible way to play football [says the total football Brighton fan who has witnessed it ad infinitum]. Never any of your own players forward when you want them, but very much plays into the 'sharp end zeitgeist' of just being really defensive and hoping the other team make a mistake. Yawn. Has worked well for waistcoat though so no hope of England ever fielding a decent XI. Alexander Arnold needs to be kept away from such systems for obvious reasons, also doesn't function very well against compact defences or teams who have no capable forwards to kick the ball at, so, you know, England and the back 5 is very much a no no. Not sure he's ever going to make the Bale leap either so could be an interesting career for him.

The Waistcoat Method is purely design to grind out qualifying and then be competitive in tournament football. Problem, as we've seen, is if you come up against a team doing the same thing then you struggle to create anything with the 7 defensive players you've chosen to do the job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IqCul6gtX0

Youtube just popped this into my recommendations.

1) It was never "Yari" Litmanen, was it?
2) I'd entirely forgotten that Ravanelli had a stint at Derby.
3) My favourite thing in the whole video is the reaction from the Blackburn player who Collymore backheels the ball away from. Absolutely seething and zero interest in tracking back. :D

I think it was spelled with a J but I never remember anything other than the Y pronunciation.

I saw yesterday that the Charity Shield is on July 30th. :cab:

And there's another Afcon next year, albeit this time in the summer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

I think it was spelled with a J but I never remember anything other than the Y pronunciation.

---

Yeah it's only ever been Yari that I've heard it but it's definitely a J. I think Sky's video monkey must be about 20 and had never heard of him before the clip and just winged it.

It’s Jari you heathen. The finest footballer to grace the planet.

There’s a bloke playing for Sao Paolo called Thierry Henry.

Zinchenko nailing it on and off the pitch.

The taffs have got this. Their various class players a far cry from the shambolic piss-stained tramps and children fielded by the picts in the week.

You forgot the phwoar on the end of that.

I love this ref. Someone puts in a shit late tackle, gives them a yellow, Dan James screams 'fuck off' in his face, instant yellow for him too. All inside two minutes. Should have been a red really but what can you do.

None of the bullshit 'ooh it's too early' rubbish that prevails in refereeing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The taffs have got this. Their various class players a far cry from the shambolic piss-stained tramps and children fielded by the picts in the week.

---

:lol:

I think I want Wales to win this. I know.

I want Ukraine to win and go on the piss for a couple of days.

I do, and I also wanted Scotland to win the other day. We Home Nations should always stick together.

Ukraine vastly the better side though it would appear.

This big number 9 for Low Belarus has a magic first touch.

Seriously jammy goal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I do, and I also wanted Scotland to win the other day. We Home Nations should always stick together.

Ukraine vastly the better side though it would appear.

---

Let's not go mad.

That's a penalty.

Never in a million years. It'll get given though.

I thought it was too, maybe slow motion exaggerated the contact.

Dan James is 2020s football summed up. His job is to run: run, and run, and run, and run, all day. He has no other attributes whatsoever. Just running. But that's enough.

It's not enough. The players you generally proclaim to just run all day are also actually really good at football. He isn't. He's like the quick kid at school who gets stuck on the wing for pace alone but is absolutely useless.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

It's not enough. The players you generally proclaim to just run all day are also actually really good at football. He isn't.

---

He plays for Leeds Utd and Wales, it clearly is enough.

These conditions are superb.

Keiffer Moore plays for Wales and is soon to be a Premier League player.

Why is this being played in the crap stadium? I know they took it on because their crowds dip when they're shit, but a play-off like this would surely [almost] sell the big stadium out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

It's not enough. The players you generally proclaim to just run all day are also actually really good at football. He isn't. He's like the quick kid at school who gets stuck on the wing for pace alone but is absolutely useless.

---

Half the footballers these days are just athletes. It really is sickening.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Half the footballers these days are just athletes. It really is sickening.

---

Compared to thirty years ago when half of them weren't even that.

Maybe it's just a personal preference, the same reason I find men's tennis utterly unwatchable since about 2005. You've been to the gym and done a bit of cardio, well done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Half the footballers these days are just athletes. It really is sickening.

---

Isn't this just all part of the Wenger continuum?

Also aren't they all athletes as per the dictionary definition?

What a save that is.

This is going to be a long 15 minutes.

Bring creative midfielders back.

5 day weekend in Wales then.

England QUALIFIED. Wales QUALIFIED. Northern Ireland FAIR ENOUGH. Scotland LMAO.

Bale shouldn't sign for a club. He should just train with Swansea or something until November.

I'd have rather seen Ukraine in the tournament.

Fuck Ukraine and two pound petrol.

England, Wales, USA and Iran is a proper plebby group, mind. Like a group from the world 9-ball pool cup or something.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Bale shouldn't sign for a club. He should just train with Swansea or something until November.

---

:cool:

Canadian mens team is on STRIKE.

View Tweet

View Tweet

:o

Ugh. I take back my praise. Stay in your lane, mate.

Should have gave them the penalty if he was really sad.

Smallbone has been an absolute beast in this U21 window. Good enough you’d be worried he’ll fuck off now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Compared to thirty years ago when half of them weren't even that.

---

Much better that way.

Agreed. Fuck these identikit players.

It's entertainment after all. If people stop watching it's done.

It's the variety that keeps it interesting. A lot of football's popularity is in its accessibility, i.e. it isn't basketball where you have to be tall, rugby where you have to be massive, or horse racing where you have to be tiny. There's a place on a football field for big lumps, tiny shrimps, fat bastards, lanky fucks, technicians, physical players, speedsters, and plenty of average joes too.

I've lolled at Lukaku as much as the next man this season, but he's struggling for selection at Chelsea even against Timo Werner because the latter, a gibbering mess with the ball at his feet, is better at running hard without the ball. It's a bit of a shame, really.

Isn't Lukaku just as much of a jibbering mess with the ball at his feet?

Pretty sure everything in that post above was the clarion call of rugby union [room for all sorts!] until it was realised that being a 12 foot wide Pacific Islander [as well as being really good at rugby] is an advantage.

The reason the back end of tournaments is the best is because that's when for all but the most organised / mentally strong teams shit starts to get out of their control a bit more and when interesting things happen.

The rest of it is increasingly the good trams running / boring inferior opposition to death with synchronised cardio.

UAE-Australia in a one game playoff in Qatar tonight at 7pm for right to lose to Peru in the inter-continental WC qualifier next week. 2 proper shite sides.

I thought VAR was meant to be more efficiently administered on the continent?

Maguire needs taking out back.

The loyalty to Maguire must be wearing out now surely.

Cupboard's pretty bare though.

Horrid half and you just know Waistcoat is thinking this is absolutely fine.

Declan Rice is a monster.

The commentators wittering on about how this is England's best XI Foden aside is genuinely terrifying.

And he's not really a massive step up. Just no goals at all in almost the entire team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

The commentators wittering on about how this is England's best XI Foden aside is genuinely terrifying.

And he's not really a massive step up. Just no goals at all in almost the entire team.

---

Yet we made the semi finals and the final of the last two major tournaments.

What was that freekick nonsense from England there. Just fucking hit it from where it is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave.

Yet we made the semi finals and the final of the last two major tournaments.

---

I know.

It defies logic. South Americans to clean up in Qatar?

I thought Germany's goal looked like it took a deflection, but it didn't look like it on that replay. Lol if it didn't.

Haha, quality.

Wasn't Kane offside?

That’s such a shit penalty. They need a year off to seriously revise the rules. The games fundamentally broken.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Haha, quality.

Wasn't Kane offside?

---

I don't know but it was never a penalty. Same with the one Hungary got against us.

I can’t believe they gave that having just seen it. He’s about 2 yards off side :D

It did look like it didn't it? Like, in every phase of the attack he was beyond the last man. Must have come off some consenting German boots in the mix.

Yeah, it hit a German so must have been a deliberate play. As you were.

Not that Kane was even touched

Pickford's distribution is absolutely horrendous.

That was dogshit from England, godbless that nonsense pen for ensuring no late Southgate departure pre-WC. Flick doing bits with the Germans though given how far off their main XI that was. Musiala looks the biz, the lanky twat.

Anyway, load of fans arrested for making nazi salutes and other hooliganism. Here comes the fucking boring waistcoat wanker lecture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH0gl6OXXt4

How it's done.

Some scumbag defender for Binh Thuan decided to have a dig at the referee after he got a yellow card.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKd5W1nTkTQ&ab_channel=B%C3%B3ng%C4%90%C3% A1TV

He should never play football again. Stuff like that really winds me up. Ref handled it really well.

Yeah, it's completely braindead. He'll never play again. I was slightly disappointed with his teammates too - none of them held him back and looked to protect the ref.

Starting clubless players :uhoh:

Worked for Wales in 2016.

It wasn’t Cyrus Christie though.


Even worse is Knight coming in but it not being for Hendrick.

Whatever about the quality of them, and it’s not high, we need to start playing with a striker no matter what else needs to be reshuffled.

Kelleher :face:

Funny how all of the CCTV footage of those rampaging football hooligans at the Champions League Final has been deleted.

You don't mean to tell me it wasn't those dastardly "ticketless reds" all along?!

I expect a full justice campaign and a tribute in about 50 weeks time.

The T-shirts are already printed.

Greece absolutely donning Nations League League C Division 2. :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

UAE-Australia in a one game playoff in Qatar tonight at 7pm for right to lose to Peru in the inter-continental WC qualifier next week. 2 proper shite sides.

---

It seems that Australia is the lesser shite of the two sides then, following their 2-1 win over UAE. I have to say that the current Socceroos team engenders the least confidence that I've had in our national team for several years now.

Spav!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boydy

Spav!

---

:hat:

How've you been?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boydy

How've you been?

---

Everything is going good, thanks for asking, considering I'm now 61 years of age. Keeping myself fit and active, but I've taken early retirement from work and now devote myself fully to looking after my long-suffering wife and my 16yo son in our household. :D

I found my login and password for here whilst doing a cleanout and I couldn't resist logging back in again.

Good to hear. More time to post now then too. :nodd:

Early retirement. :drool:

Looks like you're not the old git anymore @Yevrah

The thought that Spav keeps his TTH login details written down on a piece of paper somewhere is very pleasing.

Fucking Spav returning. We're going to have to reclaim the early payout for the first death sweepstake.

So .... is that Derby dead in the water or what?

Sounds like they're fucked. Real shame, outside Shelbournes promotion they brought me the most value in enjoyment in soccer in the past year.

Rangnick juggernaut continues.

That’s either Browne at right wing back in a 5 or McClean left back in a 4. Either way, Scotland are going to coast this.

View Tweet

Ireland's second goal is a thing of beauty.

The third is even better. Obafemi having a stormer.

This is proper end of days stuff. He should be sacked

Never expected Scotland to be that bad.

Always expect the worst. That Ireland team is genuinely not even Championship Level.

Weren’t your lot meant to be world beaters at this stage? Even losing to Ukraine the other night was hardly expected given the levels of hype.

We’d won 7 in a row in qualification to finish 2nd and looked genuinely decent but we are negative as fuck and don’t have a goalscorer. Been brutal since then though starting with throwing 2 friendlies against a reserve Poland team to draw and a 2 goal lead to Austria to draw. Then the last 2 games topped it off.

Ireland scored more today than they have in their last 10 Nation League games apparently. Jesus

That Italian side is pure legs.

A former regular poster being 61 is a bit mind-blowing. A bit like the Sunderland fans in their early twenties who are too young to remember Quinn and Phillips.

Didn't realise Italy had missed 2 world cups on the trot. Jesus

Especially to win the Euros in between.

Yeah, feast or famine. Win the world cup, then group exit twice and fail to qualify twice. Sandwich a Euros win at the low point.

Or, to put it another way, they've been toilet for the best part of 20 years but somehow still managed to sneak beating England in the final of the Euros at Wembley into the mix. :moop:

Also beat England in one of those world cup group exits.

'Tammy' too honest there. Should have just taken the contact and not tried to shoot. Stonewall pen. What the fuck is Donnurumma playing at? Has he gone to shit mentally since joining PSG?

Mount really needs to add goals to his game.

https://www.skysports.com/football/n...united-forward

Definitely (legally)not a rapist.

Where are all the racist children like Hungary had?

Those chances seem to fall to Sterling all the time and he fucks it up more often than not.

It doesn't really matter who they fall to, there isn't an England player other than Kane who you would trust to not meff a chance.

This England team are dreadfully boring. Like Mikel Arteta is seeing this team as an absolute masterclass.

That was so fucking dull.

Even Man United play better stuff than that.

Miserable. Channel 4 must be gutted.

Remember that time a visionary said we should get rid of Southgate whether he wins the finals of the euros or not?

You really are insufferable sometimes Yev.

Aye, all we did was draw with Germany and Italy. Clearly end of days stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

You really are insufferable sometimes Yev.

---

Not a massive fan of you either, but hey ho.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

Aye, all we did was draw with Germany and Italy. Clearly end of days stuff.

---

It's boring football, something which has characterised his tenure. When the easy draws drop off, what is there left?

Don't forget his disastrous performance at the Euro's, where we only reached the final.

I've always said he should be judged by the nations league.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

It's boring football, something which has characterised his tenure. When the easy draws drop off, what is there left?

---

Penalties.

Surely to the teams up in the section England are in, these are nothing more than glorified friendlies anyway.

Even in B none of the teams seem to treat them that seriously and they’re the teams actually need the national league to qualify for things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Don't forget his disastrous performance at the Euro's, where we only reached the final.

---

Now you mention it, it should never be forgotten that wasted the best chance we'll ever get to win an international tournament.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

Surely to the teams up in the section England are in, these are nothing more than glorified friendlies anyway.

---

They are, but in which case there's even less excuse for playing like that over three games.

This is Lunacy Yev.

£50 says if England win a tournament, Yev's first post will be:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

We should've done this years ago.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

This is Lunacy Yev.

---

People aren't ready yet, it's fine. You can call the football shit and the draws easy, but I get it, a WC semi-final and the final of the Euros makes him untouchable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

£50 says if England win a tournament, Yev's first post will be:

---

Once I've finished celebrating it'll be well done Sir Gareth. It's cute that people think we will though.

I said 'if'. Winning a tournament's really fucking hard.

The best England team and manager we've had in a lifetime and we can't enjoy it because we didn't win a few games in the nation league. That told you so will be mega satisfying though.

These nations league games have been terrible across the board, for almost everyone it seems. No doubt that is to do with where they fall in the calendar and everyone being knackered/checked out.

That said, Southgate's obsession with defensive football, with a team with very few decent defenders and a bombscare goalkeeper is irritating. It's not like he's pissing a golden generation up the wall [perhaps some golden draws] but if he was a better coach you feels he might have been able to get more out of this group than the grinding shite that's been served up for much of the time. He's a front office guy, in the parlance of American Sports, doesn't seem to have much actual coaching nous/ability. I accept this is the intended practice and can be successful in International football [see results to date] but it doesn't mean you have to like it, and the ends justifies the means only works if you get to where you want to be in the end.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

I said 'if'. Winning a tournament's really fucking hard.

---

Well that's the expectation now though, right? If it isn't, what's the point and why is he still in the job? He gets to keep it for life because of capitalising on the easiest run you'll ever get to a WC semi-final and then the final of the Euros? Despite bottling both games thereafter.

Niko gets it, the rest of you are blinded by the 4th and 2nd place finishes.

I think we more than likely run into France in the quarter-final, assuming we both win our groups, so that might be the end of him.

Sacking a manager after a quarter final doesn't sound like something we'd do.

If he were to get to the quarter-finals, only to lose to France, I reckon he'd keep his job. Even crashing out in the first round, which even I'd be very surprised by, probably wouldn't be enough to oust him.

I'm Team Yev.

6yrs in and Southgate is still playing a right back at left back, playing 8 defenders against Hungary and picking a defender who has been genuinely terrible for about 18 months.

I'm pretty sure a different manager would have achieved the similar results in the prior euros and WC with the squad available. Perhaps.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

If he were to get to the quarter-finals, only to lose to France, I reckon he'd keep his job. Even crashing out in the first round, which even I'd be very surprised by, probably wouldn't be enough to oust him.

---

That is a point. In fact, even an early exit could probably be spun as a blip caused by weird scheduling.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I think we more than likely run into France in the quarter-final, assuming we both win our groups, so that might be the end of him.

---

France are going out in the groups.

:D

I think fans would ask for Southgate to go if they failed to get out of the groups. I think the general feeling that England are too negative will come out if we play badly and get knocked out. Sir Gareth has the leeway when we're getting to the back end of tournaments but he's going to get a hiding if we go out because we didn't start Jack Grealish.

Well, probably not, but man can dream. How do Southgate outters feel about Deschamps still being in charge?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Well that's the expectation now though, right? If it isn't, what's the point and why is he still in the job? He gets to keep it for life because of capitalising on the easiest run you'll ever get to a WC semi-final and then the final of the Euros? Despite bottling both games thereafter.

---

No. The expectation is that we compete for the trophy. It's not as if we are miles ahead of the rest of the pack.

International football is a very different animal. Southgate understands this more than most.

Plus the social justice victories.

Southgate is fucking wank. That team got to the finishes they did in tournaments in spite of him, not because of him. There's bags of talent in the England squad at the moment and a proper manager would have us winning playing great football, not grinding out 1-0 losses to fucking Hungary with 8 defenders playing the most turgid football you've ever clapped eyes on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Well, probably not, but man can dream. How do Southgate outters feel about Deschamps still being in charge?

---

I've always hated Deschamps through all aspects of his career. Absolute fraud. Cantona was right about him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Southgate is fucking wank. That team got to the finishes they did in tournaments in spite of him, not because of him. There's bags of talent in the England squad at the moment and a proper manager would have us winning playing great football, not grinding out 1-0 losses to fucking Hungary with 8 defenders playing the most turgid football you've ever clapped eyes on.

---

The way I see it is that there's likely an appointable manager out there who could play a more attractive style than Southgate and get equivalent results, but what are the chances of absolutely nailing that appointment? I reckon they're extremely slim.

He's got the players on board and it clearly works at tournaments. Why would he go five up front or whatever in a meaningless game when there are only a handful left until the only ones that matter? These are basically pre-season friendlies.

And, as ropey as the defence is, we didn't concede until the semi finals last year. In 2018, we had one clean sheet all tournament. That's progress.

He makes Mourinho looks like Bielsa but then that’s what happens at International football. It’s mostly always turgid affairs.

If only there was a young English managerial prospect with a widely respected reputation for playing succesful attacking football.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

If only there was a young English managerial prospect with a widely respected reputation for playing succesful attacking football.

---

If you sack Southgate and Potter says no then you're left with what, Lampard or Gerrard?

I don't think Gary Neville is the answer.

All joking aside I'm not even sure Potter's heroics would translate without daily coaching that comes with club football but fuck me I'd be gagging to try it (or indeed anything else) than having to deal with the shit being served up by Waistcoat. The final run obviously gets him the time but it's purely vibe driven and hopefully the return to classic failure England will come in November.

Potter's probably next in line. I also reckon, once Southgate is done, he never takes another job.

He will. He has West Brom written all over him.

He'll be in at United when the Dutch experiment is floundering on its arse in January, thus setting them back another decade. :yn:

Michael Carrick current favourite for the Swindon manager's job. This means little, not just bookie's odds are largely pointless, but there have been several different odds on favourites in the two weeks this has rumbled on. Is he rated as a coach by Utd fans?

Southgate should be kicked out the country for his actions. Total bottler in the 90s, so he worked his arse off with the FA in hope to make amends, then when the moment came he blagged the job. I bet deep down he still knew he was a bottling twat, but desperately hoped it wasn't true. Absolute geek.

View Tweet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

The way I see it is that there's likely an appointable manager out there who could play a more attractive style than Southgate and get equivalent results, but what are the chances of absolutely nailing that appointment? I reckon they're extremely slim.

He's got the players on board and it clearly works at tournaments. Why would he go five up front or whatever in a meaningless game when there are only a handful left until the only ones that matter? These are basically pre-season friendlies.

---

There's a big spectrum between 5 up front and 8 in defence.

Any England manager could do what Southgate has done which is why it's been done over and over again since 1966.

He's King Gammon.

Has Socceraid always been mixed or is this a new development?

So fucking painful to watch some Croatian bum destroying our national team. If we don't fire him before November I'm gonna lose my shit (and retire on the winnings of England -5 on opening day of WC).

Aussies v the Paddington's on the BBC website.

Hosted in Qatar in front of a half empty stadium.

Have you seen any of the slaves from Myanmar and Napal that built it?

Aaron Mooy. I'd forgotten about him. Going to guess he plays in Bundesliga 2.

Shanghai Port. What a life that must be. Wish he would sort out the shipping container backlogs.

They're probably putting up and living in the Fan Tents.

73 minutes gone, no shots on target. If only there was a way they could both lose?

Aus-Peru qualifier on BBC and heading into drama. Just turning it on myself.

What’s the NZ - Costa Rica game for then? Are they semi finals?

Wasn't it meant to be impossible to play football in Qatar in June?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Giggles

What’s the NZ - Costa Rica game for then? Are they semi finals?

---

Nah, play-offs so the winners go to Qatar.

Aussies pulling the Krul gambit.

Australia have subbed in a keeper. :uhoh:

Weren't Peru quality at the last World Cup?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_W...ficial_mascots

I want someone without any prior knowledge to draw them based on those descriptions.

The Peru 'keeper not speaking/understanding whatever the ref is saying bodes well.

Redmayne's line dancing. :D They're going home.

Aye, that worked perfectly. Shame they won't get to try that again in the winter.

Nice one, Shitdig.

That keeper. :D

The one where he twirled on the line was my favourite.

Asia > *

Another World Cup where the Aussies qualify via a penalty shootout, it wasn't pretty for 120 minutes, but I'll take that result any day. :jayjay:

I was thinking during the game that the life of an Aussie football fan must be a highly stressful one, permanently (for the last 40+ years) on a do-or-die intercontinental playoff footing. Never better than that, never worse.

Honestly, it should never have got as far as a playoff. The Aussies should have qualified from their Asian group as they had done in their three previous World Cup campaigns, but they suddenly lost the plot halfway through the final group stage and fell into the double playoff saga that we've just gone through.

We'll be lucky if we pick up a point in Qatar, but at least we're going there and it keeps me personally invested in the group stages at least.

Costa Rica's struck early but the Kiwis have come roaring back. Good match.

England in danger of getting RELEGATED.

I like Bowen as a player but I'm not convinced he's an international quality forward.

This has been piss poor so far.

Oh Jesus, is this wank home and away? Fuck me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

I like Bowen as a player but I'm not convinced he's an international quality forward.

This has been piss poor so far.

---

I'm guessing the problem now comes that as Sir Gareth has made us an established TOP international side, teams, particularly those who aren't established TOP international sides, are going to be even more inclined to sit back against us, thus rendering the back 8 even more of a waste of time.

Oof. New Zealand look done here. The ref's got the calls right but they'll still feel persecuted after this.

New Zealand heads have gone.

Meanwhile Nathan Collins Beckenbauring one in for us against Ukraine. 😎

Oh dear.

:drool:

:lol:

Hope he stays.

Ramsdale at fault again, should be saving that. Hopefully, this nonsensical talk of dropping Pickford will now stop.

Whoop. Best group of players in a generation, lads.

Enough is enough. Mancini out.

@Yevrah

It's been an honour serving on team Southgateisshit since day 1 with you brother.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave.

Ramsdale at fault again, should be saving that. Hopefully, this nonsensical talk of dropping Pickford will now stop.

---

He is fucking dreadful. What was he even attempting to do :D

That dive from Kane :lol:

This is glorious.

England don’t look coached.

England have started with their second choice keeper, some dude I've never heard off at centre back and a combination of Bowen, Gallagher and Phillips in midfield. It's not entirely surprising it's pretty bad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CJay

England don’t look coached.

---

Understatement of the century.

Really good off the field though. We don't says wags, it partners and families ok?

This has been gloriously shit, but all it will serve to do is reinforce in Waistcoat's mind the need for his '1st XI' and all out defence.

This has all the look of a burst bubble. Mainly because, in the early part of Southgate's reign, the new faces seemed to relish the call up.

That Stones red card. 😂😂

That second yellow card decision is almost as bad as the England performance.

Players are tired, this isn't the best team, thank god the Qataris bribed their way to hosting and this isn't happening in an actual tournament etc.

Also, someone decent needs to sign Bellingham and coach him properly. Every now and then you can see he has tremendous ability/potential, but I doubt the Dortmund conveyor belt is really going to improve him in any way other than pitting him against inferior/suicidal opposition for stat padding/fee boosting.

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

England have started with their second choice keeper, some dude I've never heard off at centre back and a combination of Bowen, Gallagher and Phillips in midfield. It's not entirely surprising it's pretty bad.

---

You liking Southgate is very odd.

Given the cost of loving crisis and all we should probably be made to play more games behind closed doors to protect people from wasting their money coming to watch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

You liking Southgate is very odd.

---

I don't like him that much but I think the criticism is overblown. He's the first manager who's made me enjoy watching England and think it's a bit much to go to bin him after a few nation league games (which we don't care about).

What’s gone on there? Was that at Wembley?

Molineux or however you spell Wolves ground.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

@Yevrah

It's been an honour serving on team Southgateisshit since day 1 with you brother.

---

Welcome brother, proud to have you.

I mean, I don't think he's shit, he's just nowhere near as good as people seem to think or a semi-final and a final (on face value) would have you believe. He's benefitted from being our manager at a time when international football has rarely been weaker and the two easiest draws I've seen us get in my lifetime (by some margin) and lost in exactly the same way in the second one as he did in the first.

I've seen nothing to suggest he's able to kick on and either make us good enough defensively to hang onto a lead against a genuinely good side or potent enough up front to not have to need to. As I'm sure you all know I gave up on us ever winning anything in my lifetime after the debacle in 2010, but as we're here now and the field is a pretty weak one we really should be doing better at seizing the opportunity. Put simply, I expect more/or to at least be entertained - if Sir Gareth can deliver that all power to him, but if he can't we need to have another go at finding someone who can. We shouldn't be accepting the semi and the final on face value and believing everything is great as a result. Scratch the surface, or watch the turgid shite that's been served up four games running over the last week and it clearly isn't.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I don't like him that much but I think the criticism is overblown. He's the first manager who's made me enjoy watching England and think it's a bit much to go to bin him after a few nation league games (which we don't care about).

---

It’s the enjoyable aspect I don’t get. He’s more negative than Mourinho ever was at Man Utd.

Going to 5 atb to try get back into the game was genius

You don't understand how much England have disappointed at every tournament I've watched. The results he's achieved is a million miles away from what was before.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

It’s the enjoyable aspect I don’t get. He’s more negative than Mourinho ever was at Man Utd.

Going to 5 atb to try get back into the game was genius

---

For me he's sort of moulded the best bits of Sven (realising our limitations and setting our stall out to cover said limitations) and then combined it with the worst crab like passing aspects of a Guardiola side. It's a take and with a fair bit of luck we'd have probably reached a World Cup final and won a European Championships. Problem is, relying on luck to make that extra push is not a sound strategy, one needs to grab these chances by the scruff of the neck, they don't come along very often and to get two in a row is remarkable.

He’s like OGB in that he has a very obvious ceiling in what he does and no amount of hoping is going to make him better than that.

What he has done well is to get England to perform slightly better than par and string together 2 decent looking performances in tournaments which hasn’t been done in my lifetime.

The other side is he consistently shits the bed whenever he comes up against anyone semi-decent and it’s so dull to watch. Even that Scotland game last year was awful and let’s face facts they are crap. I have no real interest in England and his style of football definitely isn’t drawing me in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

For me he's sort of moulded the best bits of Sven (realising our limitations and setting our stall out to cover said limitations) and then combined it with the worst crab like passing aspects of a Guardiola side. It's a take and with a fair bit of luck we'd have probably reached a World Cup final and won a European Championships. Problem is, relying on luck to make that extra push is not a sound strategy, one needs to grab these chances by the scruff of the neck, they don't come along very often and to get two in a row is remarkable.

---

The other side of that is France won a World Cup by playing exactly like that.

See I'd say Sven did string two decent performances together in 2002 and 2004, the results weren't quite as good but then we ran into Brazil in the first and Rooney got injured when we were on top against Portugal in the second.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luke Emia

The other side of that is France won a World Cup by playing exactly like that.

---

What, the last one? Incomparable as they have far better individuals able to turn a game. If we had their players and conveyor belt I'd probably sign Sir Gareth up for life.

Kalvin Phillips should never play for England again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Kalvin Phillips should never play for England again.

---

No problem with a shit kicker in the line up but to play as many as Sir Gareth does is taking the fucking piss.

And that must be one of our worst results ever, whether it came in a glorified friendly or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Kalvin Phillips should never play for England again.

---

Football is really fucked when you’re getting to finals with a double pivot of Rice/Phillips in front of a back 5.

Woah it was 4-0? I wasn't paying enough attention to England to say I said he was shit on Day One, but I definitely said it during the World Cup, so I'm claiming original status as well.

Anybody that backed both Bruce and Southgate should really retire from football discussion.

I will not be silenced. :D

Although, with Southgate, I've just been flummoxed by it all. We've had good managers (of which, I don't really think Southgate is one) and good players before, but I've never seen it come together like the last four years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

What, the last one? Incomparable as they have far better individuals able to turn a game. If we had their players and conveyor belt I'd probably sign Sir Gareth up for life.

---

Their front four in the final was Matuidi, Griezmann, Mbappe and Giroud. I don't really see how you can reconcile France good and England bad at the same time.

There definitely aren't many international sides with as many game winning players as England have at the moment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Their front four in the final was Matuidi, Griezmann, Mbappe and Giroud. I don't really see how you can reconcile France good and England bad at the same time.

There definitely aren't many international sides with as many game winning players as England have at the moment.

---

We're not really going to compare the merits of any of that England side to Mbappe in that tournament, are we?

But either way, I broadly agree with your second sentence, which is further fuel on the Southgate bonfire.

Anyway, point was that safety first, second and third football might be good enough to win something if you have Mbappe and maybe one or two of the others, but we don't, so it won't be and we'll be even further away if we get a draw reminiscent of an actual international tournament again.

Half the team picks itself, he picks the other half wrong, and then he stands there and does nothing. The fact that we have Quality in depth for the first time ever is the point.

I get the enjoyment aspect of Southgate, with Eriksson we had a nice run of quarter finals and what could have been which was an embarrassment of riches compared to the turgid 10 years that followed. Seeing us now reach a World Cup semi and an actual major final has been great fun particularly with a knockout win over Germany and winning a WC shootout, even if we've not been playing the best football or had the luck of the draw or anything that may be in spite of or because of him.

There's been some shit along the way like losing 0-0 to Scotland and both the Croatia and Italy defeats following the same pattern of us scoring early and then absolutely shitting it that I'm sure another manager would have been better equipped to deal with, but I've seen so much rubbish with England I'm happy for him to continue until his resignation the day after our second round exit in November.

Southgate is a good strategist but a dire tactician. The opposite of, say, Mourinho.

I can't see him ever leaving, though. The FA is one of the most conservative sporting bodies in the world and he fits them perfectly. Also got the M&S housewives' favourite brand going which they will adore.

I think far too much is being read into this. It's a bullshit friendly tournament that alot of players have been very vocal about not wanting. They want to fuck off on holiday and who can blame them really?

That's how I would have took it but it seems that people actually hate Gaz.

It's the same old thing, if you play cautious football you absolutely have to win. People will give you a few bad results if you're going for broke.

Playing with 8 defenders given the squad available to him is laughable. I honestly think that team got to those tournament finishes on the back of their own quality and in spite of his awful tactics rather than because of them. Under a manager who could just pick the right team we'd have won those Euros.

Facht.

Yep, like all the other times.

Where's James with the stats?

The last 16 win over Germany was a decent win. His other knockout games have all been either scraped through, against weak opposition, or both.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Yep, like all the other times.

---

We currently have the best squad (or to probably be more accurate, the best suited squad to actually forming a functioning team) that we've had in my lifetime by some way.

Before there's always been a gaping issue somewhere e.g. the left wing + non-functioning central midfield problems which plagued the GOLDEN GENERATION.

The closest we have to that currently is Spackford.

Who would actually be your starting attacking players?

I feel like the HYPE which automatically surrounds any decent English player might not help in this case. I’m not sure the squad is quite as strong as is sometimes claimed.

You could argue England are weak in centre mid as well with the wide players being good but inconsistent/out of form (thinking Grealish, Sancho, Saka and Rashford). In my ongoing phase of being Gareth Southgate's number one fan, you could argue it's *him* that has made the team become a functioning one.

Yeah. Even Foden is brilliant at being a cog in the Man City machine, but does it translate to a totally different team and set up?

Kane as well, he’s no longer exactly a classic center forward is he? He needs that Son figure and England don’t really seem to have anyone who would come close to fitting that bill at the moment.

If you need stepovers from the left wing, though…

Foden is class, there's no "cog in the machine" about it.

GK: Pickford/Ramsdale
RB: James/TAA
CB: Stones/White
CB: Tomori/Maguire
LB: Chilwell/Shaw
CM: Rice/Phillips
CM: Bellingham/Ward-Prowse/Henderson
RW: Saka/Bowen
AM: Foden/Maddison/Mount
LW: Grealish/Sterling/Rashford/Sancho
CF: Kane/DCL/Abraham

That is a quality first 11 + depth, and it's not some FUT bollocks with no balance. Right wing and GK are probably the biggest weaknesses but you'll always have the odd position that's not absolute top class in international football.

You don't need to play "5 up front", but playing 8 defensive players when you've got the likes of Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Kana, Sancho, Saka, Rashford (if he remembers how to play football) as your forward options is a war crime.

You've got the pace in those five to make it work on the counter, though. Against a side that sits back, you're knackered.

Being high off the fumes of EPL hype distorts things. CM and CB are tragic for Brexitball so 3 at the back makes great sense and the only player with any reliable attacking output is Kane. Being near losers is as good as it'll get for you boys so Kiko is right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Foden is class, there's no "cog in the machine" about it.

GK: Pickford/Ramsdale
RB: James/TAA
CB: Stones/White
CB: Tomori/Maguire
LB: Chilwell/Shaw
CM: Rice/Phillips
CM: Bellingham/Ward-Prowse/Henderson
RW: Saka/Bowen
AM: Foden/Maddison/Mount
LW: Grealish/Sterling/Rashford/Sancho
CF: Kane/DCL/Abraham

That is a quality first 11 + depth, and it's not some FUT bollocks with no balance. Right wing and GK are probably the biggest weaknesses but you'll always have the odd position that's not absolute top class in international football.

You don't need to play "5 up front", but playing 8 defensive players when you've got the likes of Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Kana, Sancho, Saka, Rashford (if he remembers how to play football) as your forward options is a war crime.

---

When did England even field 8 defensive players at the Euros? It was pretty much always a "front four" with Luke Shaw doing a load of BOMBING ON iirc.

I didn't watch any of it but hasn't it just been a Liverpool 4-3-3 in the games this month?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

When did England even field 8 defensive players at the Euros? It was pretty much always a "front four" with Luke Shaw doing a load of BOMBING ON iirc.

I didn't watch any of it but hasn't it just been a Liverpool 4-3-3 in the games this month?

---

Against Italy and Germany (the only top teams we actually played in the tournament) it was 5 at the back with two holding midfielders (+ the keeper). Even against the weaker teams where we went four at the back, it was a fully defensive pivot of Rice and Phillips sitting in front of the defence which is incredibly pedestrian.

I have also not watched the Nations League but it looks like we were phoning it in with the selections. My opinion of Southgate is not based of the Nations League.

Mason Mount as one of the 'attacking three players' is definitely a defensive option.

I'm a bit with Spoons though, there is no mythical Rivaldo-Ronaldo-Ronaldinho forward line to be had here, but what would be nice is 4 defenders, 1 defensive midfielder [Rice] and then 5 more progressive players [even if one of them is a Henderson-type as an '8'] rather than 5 at the back with Rice and Phillips shielding them and Mason Mount as an 'attacker'. That's 8 defenders. Our centre-halves are just so bad though. Is there any prospect of just playing James as one in a four? Left-back is also a bit of a concern.

I try to avoid watching City like the plague so don't know much about Foden but I've always been a bit underwhelmed by him in terms of actual end product.

It doesn't help that Sancho, who was once a bit of a shining light, is seemingly well out of the frame now.

Sancho is class and will be an England mainstay if/when United sort their shit out.

I'd go:

GK: Pickford
RB: James
CB: Stones
CB: Maguire
LB: Chilwell
CM: Rice
CM: Henderson
RW: Alexander-Arnold
AM: Grealish
LW: Sterling
CF: Kane

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Being high off the fumes of EPL hype distorts things. CM and CB are tragic for Brexitball so 3 at the back makes great sense and the only player with any reliable attacking output is Kane. Being near losers is as good as it'll get for you boys so Kiko is right.

---

What the fuck has just happened.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

When did England even field 8 defensive players at the Euros? It was pretty much always a "front four" with Luke Shaw doing a load of BOMBING ON iirc.

I didn't watch any of it but hasn't it just been a Liverpool 4-3-3 in the games this month?

---

I’m pretty sure the only game it was a front 4 was against Ukraine. Mount in a front 3 with Rice/Phillips behind him is definitely very defensively orientated.

On our defensive woes I'd completely forgotten about the existence of Ben White. Is he injured or something at the moment?

I'm sure I've said it before, but in lieu of Potter replacing Gareth Southgate Badger they could at least go with some Brighton, or ex-Brighton defenders. Dunk and Webster are just flat out better than modern day Harry Maguire.

Is this the June football thread? Fixtures are out:

https://resources.premierleague.com/...930&height=620

https://www.premierleague.com/news/2646764

16 fixtures before the World Cup. Amazing what you can do when you bin off the international breaks. Pray for the legitimacy of the League Cup, though. And any Championship/League One/Two sides that have key players at the tournament.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

16 fixtures before the World Cup. Amazing what you can do when you bin off the international breaks. Pray for the legitimacy of the League Cup, though. And any Championship/League One/Two sides that have key players at the tournament.

---

The Championships having a break isn’t it?

Apparently so. Their fixtures arrive next week.

Nottm Forest should not have an apostrophe. If they keep that up it's going to annoy me big time. Using 'Spurs' instead of 'Tottenham' is bad enough.

It's a shame they didn't use Notts Forest and really cause a shitstorm.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Nottm Forest should not have an apostrophe. If they keep that up it's going to annoy me big time. Using 'Spurs' instead of 'Tottenham' is bad enough.

---

Tot’n’m.

Forest probably have my favourite club nickname. Tricky Trees makes them sound so mischievous.

Southampton 7/2 for relegation. Pile on.

The Spanish league are really taking this Mbappe thing hard.

Whilst it's quite fun lolling at Tebas and co, they probably do have a point, particularly in the case of PSG, who appear to operate outwith any sort of financial constraint. At least City go to a lot of effort to make it look like they're on the level.

They may have a point but it's entirely undercut by a) the fact that they're being enormous crybabies about it and b) they only care because they're not the ones with the money.

The sense I've got on all my trips to Spain over the years is that Real Madrid and Barcelona are, culturally, far bigger than any English club or possibly any other club in Europe in relation to their wider city/country. Real Madrid and Spain itself - partly thanks to the Generalisimo but also just in general - are far more intertwined on every level than, say, Manchester United and Britain. When you go to Barcelona it almost feels like the city is a theme park, themed around the football club. As such (and with the money and power that results) they have both always been able to sign more or less any player they liked, when they liked, and I think this new era of not being able to do so is really deeply distressing for them in a way that it wouldn't be for an English club. They have to sign the most famous players or they don't understand why they exist anymore.

I never had a clue why Eden Hazard left Chelsea for Real Madrid - he was playing well, seemed happy, and could have got the same or better money - but I think I know now. They're like a whirlpool that sucks everything in. You can't resist them - until, with an aircraft carrier full of money, you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQh6-zdaNf4

Fair play to him. He honed it down to an art over many years.

England's U19 Euro Championship kicking off on the iplayer.

Chukwuemeka looks a player. Born in Austria to Nigerian parents. Top poaching.

I saw the tweet ‘Breaking: Ryan Giggs resigns as Wales manager’ and got very confused.

Might as well go out on a high.

He's done so well recently with the team.

Is he the biggest ex-footballer to have really messed up his post-playing career? He'll likely never work in football again.

Le Tissier has gone full retard

Aye, but he'd already had his post-football career [and done surprisingly well out of it] and whilst he's a bit of a moron he hasn't actually managed to do anything crimous.

There must be others who have got into some bad shit though. Main one that springs to mind is [ex-England cricketer] Chris Lewis and his drug dealing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Le Tissier has gone full retard

---

What's he done now?

I seen he was on a podcast the other day explaining how he was match fixing back in the day.

I remember him years ago saying they used to have bets on time of the first throw in, is it that again or something else?

Yeah, there always used to be some comedy kick offs back when that was a thing. Oops, overhit that one a bit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boydy

What's he done now?

---

https://twitter.com/FootballCliches/...OYNu_MqDEq0lVA

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I remember him years ago saying they used to have bets on time of the first throw in, is it that again or something else?

---

He retold the story on a podcast not long back. IIRC he said he tried it (the famous one), fucked it and never did it again. Though I am not sure I believe him entirely.

Neil Shipperly ruined it for him, he said, but managed to kick it out just in time to break even.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Chukwuemeka looks a player. Born in Austria to Nigerian parents. Top poaching.

---

This fella is going to be special.

Wayne Rooney IN. :cool:

Has there ever been a more obvious alcoholic than Wayne Rooney? (Apart from Fergie).

Paul Gascoigne?

Jack Grealish.

Shane Magowan.

My boy Nedum Onuoha's done an episode on Football Weekly about his new book. He is such a fucking don, highly recommended.

Some impressive 'professionalism' at both ends of the field by Italy in that U19 game.

Real shame they couldn't defend corners.

Alex Scott. :cool:

Sign him up Jurgen.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Chukwuemeka looks a player. Born in Austria to Nigerian parents. Top poaching.

---

Supposedly off to Dortmund.

There's some serious talent coming through at Villa. Chukwuemeka, Iroegbunam, Archer, Ramsey.

I've just caught up with the U19s action. France. :harold:

VAR offside calls are levelling up at the World Cup. Looks pretty mega.

View Tweet

There's absolutely zero chance that'll be a clusterfuck.

Yep. There will be zero controversy at any point.

Binning VAR altogether is still the best option.

The problems with VAR tend to be when subjectivity comes in and/or it involves guessing where someone's toe was. I don't think anyone's in favour of binning goal line tech are they?

I think we take football a bit too seriously.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I think we take football a bit too seriously.

---

We take everything too seriously.

Apart from the stuff we should take seriously. We ignore that.

#CorbynIN #JezzaCorb-IN #StandUpToFacism #SarahEverard #SAYHERNAME #ShutUpCuntSheWasntBeyonce

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

We take everything too seriously.

---

Nah. I watched a bit of This Morning yesterday and we’re essentially that. News aggregators who then pass comment on the best/worst parts.

Can't believe they chose a video where the attacker is onside to demonstrate it.

Nice of them to wheel out Howard Webb for the demo.

Tons of cameras, sensors, monitors, tens of people all working together to determine whether an offside has occurred. Complete madness.

Probably for something like a 5% improvement on what a single bloke with a flag would manage.

As with 90% of management stuff - it's just bored people keeping busy for the sake of being busy.

It looks great, shut up you fucking bunch of gammon.

We're in the under 19 final at 7, against Israel on the beeb website.

You don't really hear much about Israel being a hotbed of talent.

Based on the first 18 minutes they're little more than a bunch of violent hackers.

Was just about to say they must think we’re Palestine.

St. George was from Palestine, wasn't he? :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Based on the first 18 minutes they're little more than a bunch of violent hackers.

---

On the contrary, they actually have a few ballers.

England have been horrendous. I think Foster has got both his selection and tactics wrong.

Don’t mind Jimmy, he’s just aghast that they didn’t roll over as they should.

Who’s Foster? I thought Lee Carsley managed them.

Ian "Fozzy" Foster. Carsley is coach of the U21s.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

On the contrary, they actually have a few ballers.

England have been horrendous. I think Foster has got both his selection and tactics wrong.

---

Yeah, Israel's been hard on the press and it's working well. England finally got some joy when they started hoofing it. Keeping it on the ground just gets them swamped.

What would the actual England U19 look like if it was picked Spanish style? Would you have the likes of Bellingham, Elliot etc in there?

Comedy goal.

Not sure that Israeli striker could have hit that much worse after doing everything else right.

View Tweet

Bring this in instead of var.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

Yeah, Israel's been hard on the press and it's working well. England finally got some joy when they started hoofing it. Keeping it on the ground just gets them swamped.

---

That's certainly one way to describe the bomb on that media tower in Gaza.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by igor_balis

That's certainly one way to describe the bomb on that media tower in Gaza.

---

For fuck's sake. :D

Congratulations to our young lions.

It’s July @Ian

Another premier league “star” done for rape. Late 20s and supposedly meant to be going the World Cup. Late 20s, North London, Expected to go to Qatar. Partey, Son, Xhaka, Davies, Hojbjerg, Kane, Torreira :sherlock:

Twitter sez Partey.

Ghana aren't in the world cup.

I've just checked and Ghana are, in fact, in the world cup.

He's still bought a ticket.

Probably was already going by Qatari rape laws.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

I've just checked and Ghana are, in fact, in the world cup.

---

Please don’t doubt my investigative skills.