January Football: it's just the way we play, mate

We move into the second quarter of the 21st century with Greater Manchester at its lowest ebb since Bez shot himself in the Arndale Centre. The big two have both had a miserable December: it's been defeat after defeat for Pep's City, while Louie Barry's loan at Stockport has been terminated, leaving them short of firepower before their cup clash with Palace.

Fortunately there's good news elsewhere in the city. Sir Jim Ratcliffe moves into the transfer window armed with £10,000 raided from the United staff Christmas bonus fund. How will he spend the money? It's not just in Manchester where there's north-west unrest. Evertonians want Dyche out, and Liverpool's already paper-thin title chances could suffer a terminal blow if they only beat United by as few as five goals on Sunday. Can the reds avert disaster?

Exciting news, unusually, comes from the League Cup, where the semi-finals will feature referees announcing VAR decisions to the stadium. The transfer window will happen, with some players putting new shirts on for matches and others continuing with their previous outerwear. European leagues will presumably resume at some point after their pathetic declaration of 'winter' finally comes to an end. Some of them will be forced back to work by January European soccer, with Champions League rounds at the back end of the month concluding the Swiss system. Sadly there is no international break this month but I will choose to pretend that there is.

The highlight of the month will be the FA Cup third round, whether you like it or not. There are Thursday cup ties, to really amp up the excitement, with Fulham and Watford taking centre stage. Man City v Salford City seems unlikely to pass without some much-needed Gallagher-Neville banter. The Friday night game sees almost unlimited excitement with Aston Villa taking on West Ham. Ange Postecoglou's thrilling brand of football makes its way to Tamworth, while city slickers Arsenal face a tough test against Amorim's swaggering United. The final tie of the round, fittingly, is Millwall vs Dagenham, with the winner receiving not only a fourth round place but also a filming licence for the next terrible Guy Ritchie film.

Finally, those with more niche interests will be following the world's greatest football competition, the Coupe de France, where Paris St-Germain once again take on a team that doesn't have a wikipedia page.

Enjoy the January football with me (probably without me).

Referee announcements in the stadium opens us up to this potential trolling job:

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Imagine the smirk on Michael Oliver after delivering that.

It's amazing how a 24 second clip can sum up perfectly why VAR is so shit.

Yeah let’s make the likes of Simon Hooper into a social media character.

Game’s gone.

Mike Dean would be hanging on like Ric Flair.

I think that's just brilliant. :D

That's how they do in the NFL, don't they?

Every call in the NFL is done like that, not just the video reviews.

Have I turned into an idiot or are soccerstreams no longer actually providing streams?

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Originally Posted by phonics

Have I turned into an idiot or are soccerstreams no longer actually providing streams?

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Hasn't soccerstreams been footybite for about 2 years?

Lol why no IPTV?

Directly paying for pirated material just seems morally wrong.

Grow up.

You wouldn't illegally stream a car.

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Originally Posted by phonics

Directly paying for pirated material just seems morally wrong.

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But watching a dodgy stream of pirated material for free isn't?

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

It's amazing how a 24 second clip can sum up perfectly why VAR is so shit.

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VAR has objectively improved the amount of correct decisions since its introduction. It's certainly not perfect, but not shit either.

Yes it is.

It's a real shame we're playing again. Can't the season just end?

The great truth that everyone misses in VAR discussion is that while getting 90% of decisions correct (like a trad good referee) is important, getting an extra 3-5% of decisions correct is NOT important for the game.

The reason VAR's come in is because so much money has come into the sport and therefore that 3-5% is worth so much more money than it used to be. But for the game itself, it's just not important to get those decisions right.

People's minds cannot comprehend this alas.

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

VAR has objectively improved the amount of correct decisions since its introduction.

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You’re judging it by the wrong metric. It would have been almost impossible for it to not have decreased the number of incorrect decisions but in doing so it’s chucked some laughably wrong ones into the mix and more importantly, killed the spontaneity of the game.

Nguyen Xuan Son, formerly Rafaelson, scores his 7th in 4 games for Vietnam as we go 2-0 up against Thailand in the first leg :drool:

I'm off to the Dundee derby :drool:

Very much enjoyed the BBC puff piece on Trent.

Crisps says he'll be worshipped at Real.

Please, they're the worst fans on the planet and will turn on him in a heartbeat if he's expected to hold their backline together a la Carvajal.

Am I wrong to think if he wants to fuck off for nothing then get him out the door this month? Fuck having some sort of golden send off. If he wants to do the club a favour then sign a contract with a release clause and they can pay it if they are that desperate to sign him.

It'll be a shame to see him leave, but at least I guess we'll be the ones with the clear plan if we meet Real in the European Cup again.

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Originally Posted by Kikó

I'm off to the Dundee derby :drool:

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Sam Dalby to score first with his head 12/1. Printing money

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Very much enjoyed the BBC puff piece on Trent.

Crisps says he'll be worshipped at Real.

Please, they're the worst fans on the planet and will turn on him in a heartbeat if he's expected to hold their backline together a la Carvajal.

Am I wrong to think if he wants to fuck off for nothing then get him out the door this month? Fuck having some sort of golden send off. If he wants to do the club a favour then sign a contract with a release clause and they can pay it if they are that desperate to sign him.

It'll be a shame to see him leave, but at least I guess we'll be the ones with the clear plan if we meet Real in the European Cup again.

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The state of this

Rangers and Celtic still not allowing away fans is proper tin pot

They never will though as presumably that would require one side to make the first conciliatory move.

Other tinpot crowd stuff which should get a lot more attention is putting away fans in the shittest places. Brighton are moving the away end next year so they'll be stuck in a corner. Newcastle have been taking the piss for years.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Very much enjoyed the BBC puff piece on Trent.

Crisps says he'll be worshipped at Real.

Please, they're the worst fans on the planet and will turn on him in a heartbeat if he's expected to hold their backline together a la Carvajal.

Am I wrong to think if he wants to fuck off for nothing then get him out the door this month? Fuck having some sort of golden send off. If he wants to do the club a favour then sign a contract with a release clause and they can pay it if they are that desperate to sign him.

It'll be a shame to see him leave, but at least I guess we'll be the ones with the clear plan if we meet Real in the European Cup again.

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It's Real Madrid. They're the biggest club on the planet and don't tend to come knocking more than once. Can't blame him for going. The guy who was hired in like March who has done fuck all, beyond sign a guy who can't get onto the bench is where ire should be directed.

And no, you keep him because whatever fee you get now will be fuck all in comparison to his worth. Instead you can do the long goodbye which works for everyone.

I expect him to go, but I think there'll be one last hail mary offer by Liverpool before it gets announced.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

They never will though as presumably that would require one side to make the first conciliatory move.

Other tinpot crowd stuff which should get a lot more attention is putting away fans in the shittest places. Brighton are moving the away end next year so they'll be stuck in a corner. Newcastle have been taking the piss for years.

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I’ve never understood why teams put away fans behind the goal to begin with. Unneeded advantage

Away fans deserve the worst seats. Home advantage should be used to its maximum. Brighton are indeed one of the worst at it right now, giving up a whole end to a raucous away following can't ever yield anything positive. They love their data so to be honest I can't believe it's took them this long to realise they're in negative xFans at home.

They should get rid of away fans altogether. Stop fan violence, save the environment from all those car and coach fumes, save the taxpayer millions in policing costs.

[/controversialopinionidontactuallyhold]

Never knew Davy Propper had a brother.

And as to the treatment of the away fans, those views are symptomatic of the modern misconception that football is something other than an entertainment spectacle, and that that is enhanced by the away fans, who are critically important to the whole thing. With the home fans having been largely sold to viagogo they're one of the few things remaining that is good about a match day experience. Treating them like shit or trying to get rid of them entirely is classic wrongthink.

Although I guess the Celtic fans can be thankful they aren't in attendance today.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Sam Dalby to score first with his head 12/1. Printing money

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You meant score last :drool:

Come to snug

I have a child and pregnant wife. See you at hearts.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

You’re judging it by the wrong metric. It would have been almost impossible for it to not have decreased the number of incorrect decisions but in doing so it’s chucked some laughably wrong ones into the mix and more importantly, killed the spontaneity of the game.

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I don't know, I think it's become part of the entertainment now. Albeit I say this as an armchair fan. I gather it must be infuriating and confusing if you're at the match.

I also think a system that can reduce the number of incorrect decisions is for the benefit of the game. And if the automated off side thing comes into effect, then this will also improve matters.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

It's far too early to know if new guy is the answer or not as the manager, but you have to let him build his team. Though you could just as easily see him having to be starting Harry Maguire after being given a new contract at the start of 2026.

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Good to see Harry getting his extension so soon. :D

It's a 1 year extension that's been triggered, which was always going to happen. Sorry to ruin the memes.

What is it with Chelsea and hamstring injuries? Fofana now out for the season with one, he's a bit of a lost cause isn't he?

He was playing well and seemed fine and then stood on the ball and went over awkwardly. It looked like a knee injury so I’m surprised it’s his hamstring.

James is back for 3 games so all is well

The modern footballer seems to love a deadly hamstring. Hickey at Brentford is on 15 months and counting with one. My Brentford insider told me all his thigh muscles basically came off the bone and they're trying to build him a new tendon. Harrowing stuff.

Isn’t the point with Slabhead that although it’s fine to have him you’d rather have renegotiated a lower wage than just triggering paying him 180k a week or whatever he is on?

Two different teams bidding around £15m for Doak and being laughed off. Silly season is here.

Ipswich and Palace apparently. He's worth double at least.

I've not seen any of his play in the championship, but apparently we've asked for £30m to even consider it.

I await the stupidity of the sell him and put it into the 3 new contracts comment to arise.

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Isn’t the point with Slabhead that although it’s fine to have him you’d rather have renegotiated a lower wage than just triggering paying him 180k a week or whatever he is on?

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He's only going to agree to a lower wage if we offer a multi year deal.

Docking the Christmas bonus of the cleaners should cover it?

Salah confirming this is his last year at Liverpool, according to a sky sports interview.

Sad times but life goes on. Is Doak actually any good?

Not being smart but who cares? Going to win the league at a canter this year, enjoy it and worry about next year next year.

Unless he kicks on a lot, I’d say he’s not that level. End product needs a lot of work.

Maybe it's my little Englander narrow-mindedness or a pathological aversion to big dominant teams in sports, but I genuinely don't see the appeal of moving to Real Madrid over Liverpool. Just feels like they're so massive that they'd win everything without you anyway, so it makes you a small fish in a big pond, versus being a talisman and legend for a club like Liverpool.

It's pathetic of me, I know, but I saw some sky sports thing where they asked TAA what he'd rather out of three things, two were related to winning trophies that I can't exactly remember and the other one was winning the balloon door and he went with the latter and I thought what a retard.

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Originally Posted by igor_balis

Just feels like they're so massive that they'd win everything without you anyway, so it makes you a small fish in a big pond, versus being a talisman and legend for a club like Liverpool.

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I remember Klopp telling Phil Coutinho this exact thing when he suddenly got back problems amid Barcelona interest. They all still leave anyway.

I still don't think that he's made his mind up either way yet either. I'd prefer him to stay obviously, but Liverpool have lost many big players in my lifetime and we're still fine.

I still don't get the logic of the Director of Football or whatever his title is, in this. Surely you at some point should have been hashing out a deal with the agent(s) rather than this apparent offer, then radio silence for a while approach.

To agree with Giggles for once, I wish everyone would just shut the fuck up about it until May. We’re having an amazing season, why let the joy-killing contractual side of the game put any kind of damper on it.

There's a definite black-white divide when it comes to attitudes to the Ballon d'Or. There, I've said it and if that makes me Joseph Goebbels then poison all seven of my children.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

There's a definite black-white divide when it comes to attitudes to the Ballon d'Or. There, I've said it and if that makes me Joseph Goebbels then poison all seven of my children.

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It's a fairly tenous connection, but it does sort of remind me of a conversation I was having with my mate the other night (the kind of excellent safe space conversations you can have with really long standing friends where usual rules of politeness don't really apply) where I said my favourite white privilege type thing is the way that straight white English men's place in the hierarchy allows people like my mate and me to be secure enough to be really self-deprecating and roll our eyes at usual markers of status and acceptance. At the time I was using it to make a waffly, barely coherent rant about how fucking annoying Indian cricket fans are with their massive insecure idolatry of your Kohlis and Tendulkars, while, for example, one of the greatest English footballers of all time Wayne Rooney constantly gets lolled at by us for being a stupid granny shagging Scouser.

I feel like meaningless trinkets like the balloon d'Or (and e.g. the wealth and opulence of rap music) that represent status are more laughable when your socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background means you don't really need to care about that stuff? I dunno probably just talking bollocks

It comes from a similar psychological space that makes YouTube videos where young black men react positively to stuff like Rush music videos and old Monty Python clips incredibly popular with loser boomer crackers.

It's probably a more simple combination of more money (especially indirectly when his Instagram followers double) and getting out of the Liverpool fishbowl. I know Madrid have their own newspapers and that, but the right-back won't be getting bummed in the street. I bet he can't even leave the house wherever he lives now.

Whatever happens, it will be a shame to lose the weekly episode of Jamie Carragher explaining the Liverpool fan's perspective to a fellow pundit who thinks he is making an objective point about the merits of Real Madrid and disagreeing with him.

Imagine thinking anyone would stay at Liverpool if given the chance to sign for Real Madrid lmao

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Originally Posted by igor_balis

It's a fairly tenous connection, but it does sort of remind me of a conversation I was having with my mate the other night (the kind of excellent safe space conversations you can have with really long standing friends where usual rules of politeness don't really apply) where I said my favourite white privilege type thing is the way that straight white English men's place in the hierarchy allows people like my mate and me to be secure enough to be really self-deprecating and roll our eyes at usual markers of status and acceptance. At the time I was using it to make a waffly, barely coherent rant about how fucking annoying Indian cricket fans are with their massive insecure idolatry of your Kohlis and Tendulkars, while, for example, one of the greatest English footballers of all time Wayne Rooney constantly gets lolled at by us for being a stupid granny shagging Scouser.

I feel like meaningless trinkets like the balloon d'Or (and e.g. the wealth and opulence of rap music) that represent status are more laughable when your socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background means you don't really need to care about that stuff? I dunno probably just talking bollocks

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With Indians I think it's just because their culture is a completely irony-free zone, whereas ours is basically 100% irony. Rap is a good demonstrator because it boils down to a man speaking his individual truth onto tape in opposition to other men (let's call them 'the doubters'). That I think comes from the same specific place as Vinicius bawling his eyes out over being beaten to the balloon by a holding midfielder, and is, like you say, a place that whites don't or cannot access. Whether it's privilege or just culture, I don't know.

I'll tell you what needs sorting out. After kick off, defenders intentionally blocking attackers from closing down. Zero attempt to play any ball. Instant yellow.

Spurs have 3 or 4 genuinely crap players. Spence, Werner, Dragusin are pants. This Bergvall fella looks like he'll give the ball away another 20 times.

I really like Solanke. He should be in England's setup regularly.

I think most players think a move to Madrid or Barcelona is just gilding the CV for extra money, some easy trophies playing against vastly inferior players, and relaxing in the sun every day with their pipe in someone's mouth.

As opposed to getting called a binman because some mid table cloggers with more money than a lot of top european clubs just turned you over in the freezing rain.

The more I read about this whole Barcelona business the more mind bogglingly lol it seems. Olmo is apparently now owed the full value of his contract and is also able to walk away if he wants, even if he's not going to do that, how do you write a contract like that? How, in a system so completely set up for the top two clubs to dominate at everyone else's expense, do you fuck things up as badly as they seem to have?

Maresca taking 80 mins to make a change again and shock Chelsea concede a goal. He’s absolutely fucking at it this past month

Bald fraud alert.

Chelsea seem to have gone full Spurs style reverse ferret since being annointed genuine title challengers whenever that was.

Not as bad as actual Spurs though.

Also good to see this new guy has made Southampton worse.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Bald fraud alert.

Chelsea seem to have gone full Spurs style reverse ferret since being annointed genuine title challengers whenever that was.

Not as bad as actual Spurs though.

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It all started when Chelsea beat Brentford at home but players were running on fumes at 2-0. He refuses to change anyone other than a striker and Brentford score and Chelsea hang on. Ever since then the same pattern has followed throughout (other than Ipswich but that was a freak result in the sense they get a ridiculous penalty, Chelsea get goal chopped off and hit the woodwork a few times)

A much needed break from the PL. Were never title challengers but would be pretty pathetic if he cannot get top 4.

2 points in the festive run in and you couldn’t really handpick easier teams to face. Bald cunt

Beating Norwich 1-0 as four minutes are added on, managed to lose. Everything's turned to complete shit since that Wolves cup game.

The black kit is nice but Arsenal not playing in red here is ridiculous.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

A much needed break from the PL. Were never title challengers but would be pretty pathetic if he cannot get top 4.

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They've done well to drag themselves back into the 4th place shit off but it's still probably going to take some effort to miss out on the top 4.

Isn't it a bit worrying the premier league team is running on fumes seeing as the B team has fulfilled pretty much every other footballing obligation?

They need to sort the goalkeeper and defence really. And try to shake Jackson out of banter mode.

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Originally Posted by Ben

The black kit is nice but Arsenal not playing in red here is ridiculous.

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It's a sign of my age probably that this is making me irrationally annoyed.

Who is this YUTE that just scored for Arsenal? Looks talented.

He's been quality for England age groups for ages.

We were fine until he started needing the first choice team twice a week. That doesn't really bode well for taking the cup and/or conference league seriously in the second half of the season.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

They've done well to drag themselves back into the 4th place shit off but it's still probably going to take some effort to miss out on the top 4.

Isn't it a bit worrying the premier league team is running on fumes seeing as the B team has fulfilled pretty much every other footballing obligation?

They need to sort the goalkeeper and defence really. And try to shake Jackson out of banter mode.

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There’s no midfielders. Lavia is a crock and only other person is Dewsbury Hall who is out (and shite). Needs to recall Andrey Santos from France asap

An absolutely absurd penalty. Always great to see one that will never ever be given again.

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Originally Posted by phonics

An absolutely absurd penalty. Always great to see one that will never ever be given again.

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It’s ok to headbutt people in the area now is it as long as you are going for the ball?

A headbutt is a red card and the player wasn’t even booked.

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Originally Posted by phonics

A headbutt is a red card and the player wasn’t even booked.

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He didn’t mean it but he still caught him with his head doesn’t mean it’s not a foul. It’s a strange one to see. Same as if you go to tackle someone and miss the ball though but catch them. It’s a penalty, if anything he’s stupid going for it when Pedro was going away from goal.

Martinelli is the biggest fanny in football.

It's just not a penalty is it. Not all contact in the box has to be.

Minteh also should be shot for not squaring that for a tap in.

All I said is you'll never see it given again. I didn't say there wasn't contact.

Just seen the clip of Gordon not getting a penalty for exactly the same thing just today alone. Top stuff. We weren't good but it's so frsutrating to see shit week in week out where you know they're just making it up on the fly.

The Gordon one was a clear penalty too. Newcastle the true victims here.

Arsenal rolling in with another sub 1 xG performance, only have themselves and their dreadful manager to blame.

Also good to read they were up to their stupid time wasting at every set piece tricks again, I don't think any side has riled me as much as Arsenal in the flesh with their stupid huddles at the corner flag after every goal (this was in the 4-3/4-2 game a few years ago) and their continual time wasting shithousery.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

There's a definite black-white divide when it comes to attitudes to the Ballon d'Or. There, I've said it and if that makes me Joseph Goebbels then poison all seven of my children.

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Pretty sure his wife did the poisoning.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Arsenal rolling in with another sub 1 xG performance, only have themselves and their dreadful manager to blame.

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Yes not the entire right side first choice being out with bust hamstrings, and top goalscorer out with the lurgy. Probably the game it made most sense to rotate for on paper but a mistake on grass. As always the depth beyond the core group is teenagers and hasbeens.

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Originally Posted by John Arne

I'll tell you what needs sorting out. After kick off, defenders intentionally blocking attackers from closing down. Zero attempt to play any ball. Instant yellow.

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Agreed. Could we also ban Emi Aluko or whatever its name is, from ever appearing on tv again.

Is she the one that said Mings was vital to Villa last year, despite him missing pretty much the entire season injured?

It doesn’t help that Arsenal have players out injured and that neither of their best two attackers started tonight. But, the complete lack of intent to attack in anyway after they went one up is what cost them the game. Brighton were there for the taking in the first half and Arsenal seemed to be content to waste time from the second they scored.

That’s what is going to cost them this season, how many points have they thrown away from winning positions? probably as many as they are behind Liverpool and it’s always the same routine go a goal up and then start wasting time rather than trying to score a second to kill the game.

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Originally Posted by Bam

Agreed. Could we also ban Emi Aluko or whatever its name is, from ever appearing on tv again.

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Hang on it’s Joey Barton…

I do agree she’s shite though even as a woke lefty liberal.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Is she the one that said Mings was vital to Villa last year, despite him missing pretty much the entire season injured?

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:nodd:

Arsenal waste time when they aren't winning aswell for the record, there must be some stat about it leading to more chances than taking set pieces in normal time as it's been happening for ages. But they don't necessarily go one up and waste time to see out a 1-0, trust me they still fuck about taking throw ins if they're losing.

That Brighton penalty is one of the most obvious pens I've seen in a while. Surprised to see some contention around it.

Another Liverpool game postponed.

Sad times if true. Was looking forward to the old half pitch snow clearance.

Is the UK getting soft or is their a genuine safety issue for fans?

There's a genuine safety issue for United.

Seems any decision won't be taken until lunchtime. Won't most fans be travelling by that point? Seems odd to call it off for their safety at that point.

It's going ahead and we're winning.

Game on according to Paul Joyce.

View Tweet

Seems one side was a bit more keen to get the game going than the other. It will end up a shit 0-0 now.

Some proper footy for ya. AFF final second leg.

https://www.youtube.com/live/RzMf2iW...bOPztLUnn7X5L0

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Originally Posted by John Arne

Some proper footy for ya. AFF final second leg.

https://www.youtube.com/live/RzMf2iW...bOPztLUnn7X5L0

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2-2, 4-3 aggregate, 1 red card, 15 minute stoppage time and a goal scored by a team not passing the ball back after it was kicked out. ... 10 minutes left. Getting tasty.

Edit: 20th minute added time halfway line goal for Vietnam :drool:

Could be a day for keeper mistakes today. Very soggy and cold. I'd fancy a few shots that bounce just before the keeper.

Looking forward to Salah scoring his goals when Liverpool are already ahead again today

Outstanding defensive header from Amad.

These United v Liverpool games tend to follow a trend in recent history. They usually get a big chance early on and fluff it, then we kick into gear and score a few. I'm hoping we get the latter now.

If this is Trent’s last game against United he is turning in one of his all time ‘greats’ defensively.

Bradley for Trent at halftime please.

This has the same feel as that game a couple of seasons ago, where United were expected to be turned over by 5+ but Liverpool just stood there and expected them to roll over.

Jones and Trent have killed every attack they've touched.

Harvey Price on the United coaching staff. Fair play.

Fucking hell, Trent needs hooking immediately.

I think that 30 seconds before the goal just sums up how he’s played.

Trent LITERALLY walking when Fernandes cuts inside.

Celebrating like it’s a 95th min winner. :face:

Bruno’s pass though :drool:

The Butcher :cool:

We're back.

Trent is horrendous obviously but for me Liverpool’s issue going forward is the lack of Dirty Dom. Jones in that position is killing them.

Trent needs a lashing.

Elliot for Jones, Jota for Gakpo and Bradley for Trent if he has the legs.

Anfield takeover now please.

HeÂ’s bailed us out so many times this season.

Trent is still somehow on. I can only assume Bradley hasnt had much training.

Surely a pen.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Looking forward to Salah scoring his goals when Liverpool are already ahead again today

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I swear you only do this to tempt fate.

Never a free kick. From this distance, it really should just be thundercunted by van Dijk.

Amad :cool:

Leaving him on is continuing to cost us.

Carvajal will be signing a five year extension in the morning.

Even with his busted knee

Ship that cunt off to Madrid now.

Bradley looks like an actual full back.

This has all gone a bit Klopp.

Gameplan worked very well for United. Had we put Bradley on after we went up 2-1, maybe it stays as is, but that was comfortably the worst performance of the season.

We played very well today and could have won it at the death. We might avoid relegation at this rate.

I can’t help but think when we play United at home we play the name and not the actual current team. There’s always so much pressure on the game because of who it’s against and like today rather than play the team that’s 14th and hasn’t scored for 3 games everyone gets too emotional when we are 2 goals up after 15 minutes.

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Originally Posted by Kikó

We played very well today and could have won it at the death. We might avoid relegation at this rate.

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I said to my mate who supports United if you had someone like Isak upfront you would have pissed it today. Hoijlund is fucking useless.

Not sure why Nunez isn't seeing red either for throwing his shoulder into de Ligt. Oliver Is useless

Nunez getting sent off would probably have done us a favour.

Yanited unlucky today not to win that. Felt Liverpool playing poorly was equal to how decent United's effort and organisation was.

Be interesting to see if United can reproduce that for a string of fixtures.

Rub En Amorim :drool:

Forest officially safe from the relgation zone with their win tonight. Hit the 40 point marker.

They're only six points off top. Imagine if Chris Wood was the man to stuff a Liverpool title. :D

Forest are brilliant.

Best team in the league to watch. I hate to sound like a Redknapp but it's "proper" football.

Title decider next Tuesday.

Arteta going all out for the League Cup. :facepalm:

What's wrong with that?

They have two massive games coming up. Play the kids and save some legs.

They haven't won anything in 5 years. It's a cup semi final.

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Originally Posted by Manc

They have two massive games coming up. Play the kids and save some legs.

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Person who thinks video games are actually how real life works.

Ya man not rotating is the reason why Saka's leg has blown to bits. Here's hoping it happens again.

After 5 years of non rotation he got the same injury as Salah had last season. Why play anyone ever tbh. Fuck it, why play the games. Let's just simulate them on a spreadsheet so we can work out who really won.

Oh, golly. Oh, gosh.

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Originally Posted by SvN

They haven't won anything in 5 years. It's a cup semi final.

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Make that six.

:drool:

In an ideal world the second leg could be forfeited but if it forces the board into signing some players might not be a total disaster.

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Please no.

FSG not looking so bad now.

Jesus, we're going to have to pretend that football didn't already sell its soul to the devil 30 years ago again, aren't we?

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Them bastard Carling cup balls

After Chelsea's fawning fanbase got firmly what they deserved on the Abramovich being sanctioned side of things, I would absolutely love to witness the volte-faces which would undoubtedly take place if Musk were to take over Liverpool. 'I've never been one for solidarity, really, and Michael Shields did it', said one fan, 37, as he celebrated XFC Liverpool's 7-0 win over Greenland in the Trump Cup quarter-final.

The whole gang of them just seem to be serial shit chatters.

Wasn't he a United 'fan' as a youth / when he joked about buying them? Now he has some sort of Trumpian grand mother who was from Liverpool. Other than being a high profile lunatic he's probably no different to Henry and co, although perhaps he could dabble in some Vincent Tan style behaviour. Can't believe that guy is still going at Cardiff. The Venkys at Blackburn too. Long haul.

Musk is just a troll, he has since posted he supported United as a kid and would prefer to own them. He won't bother with either, the same as he is fucking about antagonising UK politicians for his own entertainment. I think at this point he has realised he will never be seen as cool or funny organically so he just says things to see how many people who previously slagged him will suck his dick when there's money on the table.

Not quite state ownership. But, I think I would rather gouge my own eyes out than have anything to do with the club if that absolute whopper was in charge. I'm not a huge FSG fan but I do think in the grand scheme of things they are definitely the 'least worst' option on the table in terms of club ownership. They don't let the club run up massive debts, they aren't heads of state of somewhere with dubious human rights records and they just seem to let the people who know what they are doing run the football side of the club.

I'd like to see the club be far less commercialised and tickets be cheaper. Unfortunately these are the times we live in though and that part of it is only going to get worse I fear especially if they see old Brexit Jim jacking the prices up at United in the next few years I think they will probably follow suit.

Sounds like Julen's about to get El Bootio and G Potter may be back in the Premier League mixer after his post Chelsea breakdown.

Looks like the footballer in his 30s has had a file sent to the CPS, that could you would imagine have an implication on the end of the season if charges are made.

Cheerio Salah.

That'd be some heel turn.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Sounds like Julen's about to get El Bootio and G Potter may be back in the Premier League mixer after his post Chelsea breakdown.

---

West Ham appear to be in for Ferguson. Before he was shit, was it Potter was the manager there or did he come in after Potters time?

It was De Zerbi I think.

Potter gave him his Brighton debut.

This whole thing has been handled so badly by our board, its been a completely open secret since Monday.

Although, I don't know why I would expect dildo Dave to act in any sort of professional manner.

Maybe Ferguson will go the way of Gyokeres but I can't help but feel that anyone signing him permanently from Brighton right now is going to get a bit of a fisting. He probably needs a loan stint in the Championship to get game time/build confidence.

Hasn't dildo Dave just appointed a new board member who previously starred in such classics as 'Naughty Lesbo Nurses 5'?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lofty

Hasn't dildo Dave just appointed a new board member who previously starred in such classics as 'Naughty Lesbo Nurses 5'?

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Wouldn't surprise me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Maybe Ferguson will go the way of Gyokeres but I can't help but feel that anyone signing him permanently from Brighton right now is going to get a bit of a fisting. He probably needs a loan stint in the Championship to get game time/build confidence.

---

It's all going to depend on whether the truth in it is just standing injury or alco. Either way he definitely needs a move just to get an actual chance again, Brighton seemed to wash their hands of him a long time ago.

He just doesn't really suit the way they play, but yeah, some of the Irish lads at Brighton have had a colourful history, shall we say.

Thought this was going to be on ITV as well, but it seems not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Thought this was going to be on ITV as well, but it seems not.

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Yeah, why is that?

Such a big break in play on a freezing cold night feels like muscular injuries ahoy.

Bradley not really having a peak it'll be fine when Trent goes game so far.

Quansah is also a bit of a bombscare.

Did Bentancur have a seizure whilst going for that header? I’ve only seen one camera angle but it looks so odd

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Did Bentancur have a seizure whilst going for that header? I’ve only seen one camera angle but it looks so odd

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He looked a bit dodge before the ball even came in.

Good grief what was that :lol:

Bergvall. :lol:

lmfao he should be off

Slot machine wasn't working tonight.

Sorry Liverpool fans, as you’ve said over and over again, Referees are really good and anyone complaining that they’re massively incompetent is destroying the game and grassroots football.

A referee disasterclass away to Spurs is becoming an annual tradition for us.

Arsenal and Liverpool fans coming together over their perceived persecution by referees. Lovely to see. :happycry:

As bad as the ref might've been, Liverpool could've lost that match 3-0.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of complaining [on here]. Apparently it might not have even been an error given this nuanced interpretation of advantage and when refs should go back and book players, which makes sense I guess although is something I was never aware of, and whilst it is always somewhat situational I'm not sure having a 'promising attack' is ever more advantageous than having a man advantage for the rest of the game. Shit game all round so escaping with a narrow defeat not the worst outcome. Also good to get a 'bad decision' in a less meaningful game/where there is a chance to turn it around. If they can't beat Spurs at home then they don't deserve to go through. Need to sort the form out though as they have a few tough-ish games in the league next week.

I missed it due to work but everyone I've spoken to has said potential ref blunder aside, it wasn't a good performance.

A bit baffling going from seemingly walking everything to should have lost to both United and Spurs in the same week.

Was Tsimikas on the pitch when Spurs scored?

Nope, he was waiting to come back on.

I'm not sure the space-time continuum can deal with a Newcastle v Tottenham cup final.

7/1 for an Arsenal v Liverpool final. Choo choo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

I missed it due to work but everyone I've spoken to has said potential ref blunder aside, it wasn't a good performance.

A bit baffling going from seemingly walking everything to should have lost to both United and Spurs in the same week.

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Mo Salah is a different player when Hogmanay hits

Yeah, we were rubbish last night.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I'm not sure the space-time continuum can deal with a Newcastle v Tottenham cup final.

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Be exciting to see how somehow neither team win.

The desperation derby

Dyche gone. Mourinho odds on to replace him. :drool:

Excellent stuff. :drool:

It's now Moyes the odds on favourite.

Also, I've just spotted that they play in like 3 hours lol.

Everton confirmed under-18s head coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman will take charge of the team for that game.

:lol:

Petition to have 4 teams go down this season. What cunts.

A city should only be allowed one team in the league if its population is under, say, 7.5 million people.

Coleman :cool:

Give him a contract straight away.

They're going to fall into the trap of a man with a fancier foreign name.

Mourinho apparently not in consideration because he burned his bridges with these owners at Roma.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I'm not sure the space-time continuum can deal with a Newcastle v Tottenham cup final.

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The mere thought of us being favourites in that would send me loopy.

Spurs are such a curious side. You could tell me that any score line had happened in any game they were involved in and it would be believable.

Moyes in at the People's Club by the looks of it. Suppose at least that means their chances of winning either of this seasons derbies are greatly reduced.

What's the deal with this Villa kit? Have they had to play in jumpers or something?

Don't tell me it's some sort of NFL-style 'throwback' wank.

150th anniversary something or other. We were wank even in victory.

Some 16 year old getting a game ahead of Chiesa. What a signing that lad was. Would have been better setting fire to the money.

He’s the next Jamal Musiala

Isak's getting rested for tomorrow's game which hopefully means a rare start for William Osula tomorrow. Meanwhile Bromley have Marcus Dinanga (28 goals in 61 appearances for Gateshead) on their books. That's one thing that bothers me about following non-league sides. Holding onto talent is impossible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

He’s the next Jamal Musiala

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Did they pinch him off Chelsea?

Yeah he refused to sign his professional contract there. Smart guy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Some 16 year old getting a game ahead of Chiesa. What a signing that lad was. Would have been better setting fire to the money.

---

Four-year deal on £150k a week. :happycry:

Makes the Nat Phillips deal seem sensible.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...s/cn8583k2x4eo

Moyes OFFICIAL.

Football without VAR is so much better than football with VAR.

Yeah, but decisions are 4-8% less accurate!

Fowler basically calling Nunez shite there. You love to see it.

God cup football is so boring. Get it to fuck.

Damn, City are really racking up these confidence boosting victories.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magic

God cup football is so boring. Get it to fuck.

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You'd just need to look at this place all day. As little as anyone gives a shit about soccer now, the FA cup is completely dead until at least the last 4.

No magic of the cup with Jose Arcadio Guardiola.

Although 3rd round day is still one of the best football days, even if they have gutted the 3pms somewhat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

You'd just need to look at this place all day. As little as anyone gives a shit about soccer now, the FA cup is completely dead until at least the last 4.

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I think this is the way with any non-Champions league tournament now.

Fans want the trophies, but the owners want that PL position prize money.

The big game Is tomorrow which is what we're all eagerly waiting for.

The class of ninety poo's mob have rather just the way we play mated this.

My question is not why fans aren't interested in the cup, it's why they ARE interested in the league. For the majority who aren't winning it or going down, anyway.

Tragic 3rd round thus far.

I think it’s been partly screwed over by all the big teams being at home against the smaller teams. Just means there is a minuscule chance of a shock.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Some 16 year old getting a game ahead of Chiesa. What a signing that lad was. Would have been better setting fire to the money.

---

What did you think of Chiesa when he came on?

Clearly looks like he lacking match fitness imo. Which is pretty obvious considering his season so far.

Apparently he had the same flu as Szoboszlai at the start of the week. Slot says he would have started otherwise.

I'd like to see more of Danns up against stronger opposition.

I think it felt very stark for Nunez that he would never have scored that finish. He just doesn’t have the composure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

What did you think of Chiesa when he came on?

Clearly looks like he lacking match fitness imo. Which is pretty obvious considering his season so far.

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I think we can safely say there's no need to give Mo that new contract after that showing today.

Nunez just needs to be less obsessed with scoring.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

I think it felt very stark for Nunez that he would never have scored that finish. He just doesn’t have the composure.

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I think the Christmas period has seen this ship sail.

I made a joke a while back about people in February being the next to see him score a goal and we're getting there now.

With situations like that, I'm surprised more teams don't try the Joelinton approach. All those one-on-ones preying on your mind? You can pass and ... attempt tackles further back.

Sounds like that Kvaradona guy is going to be off to PSG. Shame as it would have been good to see him in the Premier League rather than have him disappear forever into the Bois de Boulogne.

City have also casually spunked €40m on some defender from Lens.

40 million euros will go a long way in Lens. Ideally on a second peripherique so I never have to go anywhere near it again.

Is Lens the one where the stadium has a bigger capacity than the population of the town? Or is that 1998 knowledge?

It is indeed, and still true according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. It's an old industrial town, think Burnley/Blackburn.

I lived with a Frenchman from Lens in my first year at Uni. He was the most racist person I've ever met. Think Harold on steroids. One of my other flatmates brought her Asian friend round to do some coursework and he immediately walked out of the communal room with his dinner talking loudly in French.

His dinner consisted of tinned Heinz Ravioli and hotdogs every single night. His blood must have been about 79% salt.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Sounds like that Kvaradona guy is going to be off to PSG. Shame as it would have been good to see him in the Premier League rather than have him disappear forever into the Bois de Boulogne.

City have also casually spunked €40m on some defender from Lens.

---

Lens bought him for just £83k a year and a half ago.

Lens was a really interesting place to see in euro 2016.

Like Victoria park in Dingwall hosting if Scotland were.

Tamworth - Spurs should be good fun. Spurs are playing a strong team, but as always with them you never know if they're going to win 6-0 or lose 2-0 in these games.

Spurs going to Tamworth today and facing Tom Tonks. Watched him turning out for our local side here and while he doesn't move all too well about the pitch he was the set piece specialist, with a knock off Delap throw in.

They're going to get just the way we played though.

Tommy Tonks is a very magic of the cup name.

I'm smelling 0-6.

They've done well to get it on, pitch must be like concrete, or is it artifical?

It's artificial, 3G.

The ground is peak FA Cup.

:lol:

An IT software manager and a Zara shop assistant fixing the net.

MAGIC OF THE CUP.

Nice to see that Werner is shit even at non-league level, as he loses the ball 3 times in 10 minutes.

Now that would have been the magic of the cup. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Now that would have been the magic of the cup. :D

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If it had gone straight in with no touch it would have been a goal kick sadly.

Would have been funny though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

If it had gone straight in with no touch it would have been a goal kick sadly.

Would have been funny though.

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Really? What a weird rule.

You can't score directly from a throw-in was always one of the first weird football rules you'd learn as a kid.

I have a very strong childhood memory of Teddy Sheringham scoring direct from a throw in at a pre-season friendly against Southend. My brain has presumably made this up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Harold on steroids. .

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Lewis?

I think I remember Delap chucking a couple directly in for Stoke. None counted sadly.

The famous one is Enkelman's own goal.

This kid is running Porro pretty ragged.

Southend beat these mugs 2-0 3 months ago. :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

I have a very strong childhood memory of Teddy Sheringham scoring direct from a throw in at a pre-season friendly against Southend. My brain has presumably made this up.

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Sheringham taking a throw in is the most unlikely part for me.

Just checked with my uncle, who thinks I'm mental for remembering this for all these years, but it did happen. The goalkeeper fumbled it, so it counted. It probably went down as an own goal.

In that case, yeah, own goal.

"Do you remember when Sheringham scored a throw in against us? I need to shut up some dickheads on the internet"

I asked for my own sanity.

Got to love the size/shape of non-league players. That Creaney is a right unit.

Someone spare us extra time please

Tottenham trying their best to lose.

To highlight how bad this Tamworth team is, Chris Wreh, who they have just brought on, was playing in the same league as Taz 2 years ago.

Pedro Porro fighting for his life.

Didn't know these finished on the day now, that's a bit of a jip. When did they bin replays?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

To highlight how bad this Tamworth team is, Chris Wreh, who they have just brought on, was playing in the same league as Taz 2 years ago.

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Tbf he was also playing for Arsenal 20 years ago.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Didn't know these finished on the day now, that's a bit of a jip. When did they bin replays?

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This season. Obviously at the behest of the PL teams.

That's such bullshit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Tbf he was also playing for Arsenal 20 years ago.

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I was thinking the name was familiar.

They tried to placate the lower league teams by coming up with a new competition where they'd play the U21 teams of the bigger clubs.

This managed to only piss them off further and most of them have refused to take part.

The magic of the cup.

Is that the actual Chris Wreh or is it his son?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Giggles

I was thinking the name was familiar.

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You've probably heard it while driving home for Christmas

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Is that the actual Chris Wreh or is it his son?

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Son. And nephew of George Weah

Ah yeah Ali Dia's cousin

United and Arsenal should both be thrown out of the cup for their kit choices. Well, maybe just Arsenal, even if this is one of those knife crime things.

I can understand us wearing the blue because red and white kits are probably too close to their home kit. As nice as it is not sure why they are in all white.

There's a certain irony in this anti-knife crime message kit results in us getting murdered every time we play in it. Lost every time we've worn it.

We love the low ball into the middle. However, I have never seen us actually make the run across to get on the end of it.

I still don't understand that 'played at the ball therefore no offside' rule. 99 times out of 100, to borrow from Arne Slot's phrasebook, the alleged playing at the ball only derives from the presence of the offside player in the first place, so it should be offside.

Both these teams are desperate for a number 9.

Nigh on 5 minute break there for ostensibly no reason.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Lewis?

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Harold Bashup.

lol at Fernandes getting booked for being obviously taken out.

Lol at Jesus injuring himself in the process. Hope it's serious.

This is an appalling game, we have no attacking threat and neither do they. It's just passing backwards.

Git fucked.

This Arsenal side are the most unbearably unlikeable side I can remember.

That's a cracking finish.

+1 attacking threat

+1 for finding this whole Arsenal set up top tier unlikeable.

I would love it if all of this new system bollocks makes Harry Maguire the main man.

Fucking hell Havertz. Following up Sterling hitting a volley backwards. Forward line is on fire.

The lack of VAR is so refreshing.

That's a mental thing to do on a yellow.

The absolute state of Arteta sprinting off the bench.

Not sure 'winning the ball' necessarily saves Dalot there. Not winning it certainly didn't help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SvN

The absolute state of Arteta sprinting off the bench.

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Horrible little rat isn’t he.

Our best striker is a fucking centre back.

Why are United playing their retarded second choice goalie again?

This is peak Barclays.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Why are United playing their retarded second choice goalie again?

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I'm not sure the mental capacity of the first choice goalkeeper is the difference maker there tbf.

That's not really a penalty.

That’s shocking. :D

That's never a penalty. Refs once again prove how poor they are.

Hopefully the penalty is missed and Maguire goes full Keown.

That's so fucking soft it's insane.

:rasta:

Is that his first ever save for United?

Lmfao.

We'll still lose from here but lmfao.

Of course he saves it :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Hopefully the penalty is missed and Maguire goes full Keown.

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Shame. Thought he’d have it in him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Is that his first ever save for United?

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:D

It was a superb one if so.

The whole extra time business makes this largely mission impossible for United though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

The whole extra time business makes this largely mission impossible for United though.

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Pathetic from the FA to cave on that.

How much money has it cost Tamworth? Must be upwards of a million.

Amad to win it and Arteta to seethe himself out of existence.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Amad to win it and Arteta to seethe himself out of existence.

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After a blatant foul on Rice in the build up that this shite referee misses. :drool:

An obvious offside missed leading to a goal would be the perfect icing on the cake here.

If anyone would like an update on how Sterling’s Arsenal career has gone. This is the best 45 minutes he’s played so far.

Roll back onto the pitch!

How has he missed that?

Christ.

Is there not a rule that numbers have to be visible?

For fucks sake Zirkzee release the ball!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

An obvious offside missed leading to a goal would be the perfect icing on the cake here.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Amad to win it and Arteta to seethe himself out of existence.

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Zirkee times that a little better and it was on

edit: Niko beat me to it

I must have missed Raheem Sterling's electric final 20 minutes there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

I must have missed Raheem Sterling's electric final 20 minutes there.

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If that’s a comment towards me my point was just accentuating how poor he’s been generally so just managing to beat a man twice is incredible.

Another Arsenal game where there’s 8 billion xG and we draw 1-1.

Havertz, couldn’t happen to a nicer lad.

Havertz :D

Useless, cheating cunt.

I’m sure we’re about to hear about this Mitre ball not being up to snuff.

Satisfaction.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

If that’s a comment towards me my point was just accentuating how poor he’s been generally so just managing to beat a man twice is incredible.

---

Nah, the BBC studio crew were purring over it.

Quality penalties and nice for Zirkzee to hit the winner. Amad and Yoro are quality.

Bollocks, was hoping for a nice low profile home game at Brighton to take the kids to. First bit right, second bit wrong.

Liverpool and Everton also drawn consecutively but not in the same tie. Sack the drawers.

Fantastic for Miley and Osula to get off the mark today.

In a flashback to Prime Barclays if his name was Michael Archer he’d be managing Bolton.

United can beat the big teams again. As long as we avoid playing at old Trafford again this year, we are back.

The stabbing kit :cool:

Didn't expect much, somehow losing 2-3 players a game through injury. Not the end of the world going out of the FA Cup but if the daft cunts don't sign some decent players sharpish they'll be out of a lot more sharpish.

Spurs are going to have a field day.

A field day of missed chances, aye. :D

EDIT: Ah, Solanke might put one away. I'll be fair to him.

As always with Spurs, that game could end 5-0 either way and I'd believe it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kikó

United can beat the big teams again. As long as we avoid playing at old Trafford again this year, we are back.

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Isn't this back to the Ten Hag keep it tight and play on the break/game raising wanker business?

Arsenal will ruin Spurs 1-0 off a set piece in the week. They laboured past Tamworth ffs.

We’ve scored about 4 goals off 25 xG and conceded 10 off 1xg. It’s mental.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Isn't this back to the Ten Hag keep it tight and play on the break/game raising wanker business?

Arsenal will ruin Spurs 1-0 off a set piece in the week. They laboured past Tamworth ffs.

---

No. Ten Hag only did this in two fixtures against anyone decent and that was in the FA cup last year.

Barcelona are an odd one this year. Absolutely smashing Real Madrid again but 6 points behind Atletico in the league

Raphina has been incredible for them this year

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Apparently he had the same flu as Szoboszlai at the start of the week. Slot says he would have started otherwise.

I'd like to see more of Danns up against stronger opposition.

---

Agreed on Danns, looked a handful(against a low level team) . I'd give him a go instead of Nunez. :uhoh:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Lol at Jesus injuring himself in the process. Hope it's serious.

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A doctor everybody.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dquincy

A doctor everybody.

---

This is about the 4th time you've made the same post.

Reports suggest he may have done his ACL. Hope you're happy, Randrew.

Probably saves Arsenal's season.

Oh, cool. That'll make Isak's phone busy. :moop:

Arsenal are heavily reliant on the Odegaard - Saka combination which destroys most teams. When one of them is injured, they revert to Paella Pulis tactics.

Liverpool have players who just step in and feel the process in the same manner when someone is out of the team.

Forest lost their key midfielder Danilo in the first game of the season with a broken ankle. Others just stepped in. Same team spirit feeling.

Newcastle lost Tonali early season but he's come back and is looking a million dollars. Bet365.

I'll be surprised if Arsenal can keep this up. They're crumbling. Another trophyless season for Arteta?

In today's twitter rumour that will make Bazs head explode, Michael Edwards has apparently been personally working on shipping Nunez out to Saudi. An opening offer of £70m has been turned down as he wants £85m for him.

Sounds extremely likely.

I know the Saudis don’t really care about value for money, but surely they’re not about to hand over £85m for Nunez?

Yeah, that's never happening.

Best bet to get any sort of value for him would be as some sort of financial shenanigan makeweight into a less competitive Southern European league, probably Italy.

Although I hear Arsenal may be in the market for a number 9. Maybe they'll come in 1p over the Saudi offer.

If we've turned down £70 million for that shower of shite someone at the club needs to get off the crack pipe.

Arsenal agreed to sign Zumbimendi in the summer apparently :moop:

Early contender for football headline of the year.

Quote:

---

The 56-year-old was suspended by the club in 2021 for performing a fascist salute at the end of a match against Inter Milan.

Bernabe was filmed making the salute and chanting "duce, duce", which translates as "leader, leader" and is commonly associated with former fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini.

"I did it and I don't regret it because I admire Mussolini, he did great things for Italy as Franco did for Spain," Bernabe said in 2021.

---

Most normal Lazio fan.

They're not called SS Lazio for nothing.

I've never understood the admiration for Mussolini. He got cucked in Africa and had to be carried by Hitler for most of WWII. Geezer was a waster.

Bro invented fascism.

Then ended it by being a little bitch.

View Tweet

Excellent.

Has he done any acting? Seems pretty good as a presence.

As long as he doesn't try management again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Has he done any acting? Seems pretty good as a presence.

---

He was in one of those Guy Ritchie ones.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...s/cn4m2n1zl8jo

Villa have signed Donyell Malen for some reason.

Josh Acheampong becoming a first team player :cool:

Chelsea have produced Ola Aina, Reece James, Tino Livramento, Josh Acheampong, Alfie Gilchrist (wasn’t gonna include him but he starts every week for best defence in championship) and Tariq Lamptey all in the past 10 years all in one position. Cobham is ridiculous

Gets even better when you start including centre halves and left backs

And managed to keep the only one who is never fit.

Lamptey is also rarely fit and Livramento blew his knee up.

Throw Broja into the mix and they've got a never ending stream of extremely fragile talent.

Nunez not in the squad.

Settle down, he's suspended.

That Chelsea goal is utter filth from Jackson and palmer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Settle down, he's suspended.

---

Fuck it.

Jackson has been utterly brilliant tonight in all the build up and pressing but has went badly to missing sitters. Two so far tonight and at least one in every game since the bad run of Chelsea form

One of the more one sided halves in the first. Que Chelsea giving away a penalty out of nowhere 2 mins into the half. The story of last season is slowly creeping back. Dominant, missing chances to end the game and gift goals away

And now the referee has been called to VAR for a red card incident after a clothesline and gives a yellow. Didn’t even think they could do that. Assumed it was either red card or nothing

Liverpool getting bullied.

Slot needs to realise very quickly that against this teams that sit back you can’t play Diaz as the forward. He needs someone up there against the defenders not someone dropping off.

Could not have handpicked an easier run of fixtures after getting themselves into second place and a point behind Liverpool and are in absolute free fall. The curse of the second half strikes again. They need to invest in Liverpool’s peds and not kids from all over the world

I noticed that they seem to be looking as if they are going to churn through yet more ‘player trading’ this month. They really could do with a transfer ban and just let the manager work with what he has got for a year. Then once he’s got a more settled team build on the obvious weaknesses.

That bald fraud doesn’t help himself. Taken 80 mins to bring an attacker on when 2-1 down at home to Bournemouth

Proper superkeepering here.

I accidentally found myself at the Gtech tonight. What a miserable watch City are. Should have lost about 6-1 but for Brentford being incredibly naive on the ball and a couple of miraculous goal line clearances.

Whoever that is in goal for City should be shipped off back to wherever he came from. Genuinely have no idea who it is except that it's not Ederson and he can't keep goal to save his life.

Whereas the Forest goalkeeper was like superman in the second half.

Also, Murillo is a joy to watch. World class and at times mental. He's like someone went in a lab and put the DNA of Roberto Carlos and Fabio Cannavaro together.

I've heard Real Madrid are looking to put in a bid. Can see that figure being around £100m.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

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Whoever that is in goal for City should be shipped off back to wherever he came from. Genuinely have no idea who it is except that it's not Ederson and he can't keep goal to save his life.

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On that subject.

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:D

There was a moment when he came rushing 30 yards out of goal and Mbeumo (who I loved watching, great player) beat him to the ball by about ten of those yards. Proper risible display.

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

On that subject.

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:D

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Everyone has probably lost count of how many times they have said it but fucking hell he is a weirdo.

I'm sure Ortega was the 'second best goalkeeper in the league' behind Ederson, natch, or somesuch at some point? Maybe it was best second choice? Anyway, I can only assume he's gone off the cliff due to adopting the Spanish naming protocol on the back of his shirt.

Speaking of Ederson, why isn't he playing him? Is there something wrong with him, or is this Guardiola trying to prove a point?

As for our game, I've seen the highlights and it seems to paint the picture of us again being shite in the first half but dominating the 2nd. Sels putting on something of an FM'ing by the end. I would have taken a point before the game so I'm not too unhappy with the result.

If it's true that we've turned down 70m for Darwin "Darwin" Nunez then everybody at the club needs beating over the head with a spade.

Also - and this is probably a bland point for those who go to games a lot - but I haven't been to much PL since say the pandemic, and my god it's a different game to watch live now that the goal kicks all go backwards. It all looks so much more pre-programmed. Each team has maybe one or two players who have licence to think for themselves, the rest are just pressing and cut inside drones. I'm not saying there isn't a beauty in trying to break the press, but that's literally all they do. Brentford did so in a much more direct and therefore varied way and were therefore much the better team to watch.

Back in the day when I used to go a lot (pre-2012, let's say) sure there would be a tactic or a system, but the players would all be making it up as they went along to some degree. Absolutely not the case anymore.

100% agree, watching Brighton, if they can't pass the ball sideways from the goalkeeper then they have literally no idea what to do and the game almost grinds to a halt. It's bizarre to watch when teams, it was Brentford last time, don't press them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Also - and this is probably a bland point for those who go to games a lot - but I haven't been to much PL since say the pandemic, and my god it's a different game to watch live now that the goal kicks all go backwards. It all looks so much more pre-programmed. Each team has maybe one or two players who have licence to think for themselves, the rest are just pressing and cut inside drones. I'm not saying there isn't a beauty in trying to break the press, but that's literally all they do. Brentford did so in a much more direct and therefore varied way and were therefore much the better team to watch.

Back in the day when I used to go a lot (pre-2012, let's say) sure there would be a tactic or a system, but the players would all be making it up as they went along to some degree. Absolutely not the case anymore.

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This combined with VAR has really killed my interest in the sport.

I think people have underestimated VAR to this extent, too. Watching a game without VAR now is so, so refreshing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c4g9l45ppzqt

This has got to be one of the best footballer names ever:

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The newly promoted side took the lead through a brilliant finish from Shuto Machino into the top corner after 27 minutes.

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If he's not an FM legend then that game is ruined beyond repair.

https://youtu.be/pMV6QefSGGM?si=oztGy_H8Kgyy1wOr&t=56

Instantly made me think of this. That link is supposed to start at 55 seconds.

Arsenal scoring from a corner? Woah!

And of course it’s baldy with the whistle missing the obvious double deflection for the corner

Terrible defending for that second. Two of them just jogging along with even thinking about closing him down.

Say the line, Bart!

Seen poppadoms with higher resistance than the keepers wrists

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

This is about the 4th time you've made the same post.

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You're mistaken. Or a liar.

If you get a backpass and clearly bat it down with your own hand isn't that a penalty?

edit: Oh it would be an indirect free kick no?

Nah, it would be an indirect freekick for a handled/picked up back pass. Unless it's not the goalkeeper doing it.

But there are also other weird rules about back passes that are never enforced - ie something like if you head it back to the goalkeeper, but the pass you headed it from was played by one of your own players then it still counts as a back pass, I think.

I don't have much reason to look at the bottom half of the table. Southampton have 6 points? Fucking hell.

Derby's record is under threat.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Nah, it would be an indirect freekick for a handled/picked up back pass. Unless it's not the goalkeeper doing it.

But there are also other weird rules about back passes that are never enforced - ie something like if you head it back to the goalkeeper, but the pass you headed it from was played by one of your own players then it still counts as a back pass, I think.

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I wish that was a rule but I’m not so sure unless FIFA (or whatever it’s called now) don’t enforce it on their games. Nothing worse than someone time wasting by chipping it from their defender and then heading it back to the keeper

I interpret that to be the case from this rule:

Quote:

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An indirect free kick is awarded if a player:

initiates a deliberate trick for the ball to be passed (including from a free kick or goal kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands; the goalkeeper is penalised if responsible for initiating the deliberate trick

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Now, on the face of it you could say this is just to stop players flicking it up to themselves and then heading it, but the inclusion of the free kick and goal kick bits surely allow for another player to be 'initiating the trick' otherwise those would both just be offences of kicking a free kick twice or whatever. I have no idea though and I doubt it has ever been enforced in the way I describe. Or does it mean you can't get down Vialli style and header a free kick to the goalkeeper? Which seems an even more bizarre interpretation as there would be literally no reason to do that or legislate for someone doing that. Also, deliberate trick is obviously a high enough bar that it would never actually be provably intentional.

And people say football has lost what it’s alll about when we can have discussions like this after a north London derby.

Surely only an actual sadist would have watched that game.

I've had a sudden epiphany about attendances recently. 29,766 watched Leicester lose 2-0 at home to Palace tonight. 28,242 saw them beat QPR 6-2 on Saturday and progress in the cup at the same venue. Why? The missing 1,524 need banning orders.

There’ll be massive discounts on the cup ticket prices so in reality you’re looking for a lot more than 1,500 people.

Someone I work with took his lad to that cup game. Said it was no bother getting a ticket. Maybe all the fog at the weekend didn't help?

I think the cup attendance is perfectly explicable, I just don't get why there are more people for a dismal midweek league game as they slide towards doom.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I think the cup attendance is perfectly explicable, I just don't get why there are more people for a dismal midweek league game as they slide towards doom.

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Season tickets are included even if they don't turn up and cup games aren't included in the season ticket.

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That is spectacular :D

:lol:

These two games just sound like the death of football.

Just checking how close they are to the bottom 3...

United are BACK.

It's all absolutely rotten isn't it. If it wasn't for the vestigial respect teams still hold for them they'd be going down.

Yeny Loro may not recover from this.

Antony with an elite pass back to Ramsdale under pressure.

That smallbone looks like Russian spy that was poisoned back in the day

Amad keeping them up by himself.

Diallo is a King.

Bro is him.

Some implosion from Southampton this.

:harold:

Come at us now haters.

Haaland has signed a 9.5 year contract at City, which has removed all the exit clauses he got into the last one.

Well if anyone thought there was still any possibility the Premier League would relegate them, there's your confirmation.

Got my first watch of him live the other day, he really is one of a kind. He didn't do anything particularly great in this game but the physicality and general menace of him is so far above other forwards.

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"That's mint, I'll post that".

This Haaland contract, going off the length alone, sounds like the first step towards American sports style contracts.

£525k per week. Fair play.

Has anyone calculated the price per touch yet?

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Originally Posted by -james-

Most normal Lazio fan.

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This is the chap, and one of the photos he shared.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01...7033819612.jpg

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

"That's mint, I'll post that".

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You're telling me you don't think it's laughably retarded? Fair enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

This is the chap, and one of the photos he shared.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01...7033819612.jpg

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This story ends with the eagle flying away cock in mouth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SvN

You're telling me you don't think it's laughably retarded? Fair enough.

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It's a meme intended to express exactly that sentiment, old boy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

This Haaland contract, going off the length alone, sounds like the first step towards American sports style contracts.

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Pards was the trailblazer for this with his Newcastle contract.

https://youtu.be/It4h3fpffZc?si=ZLbZ8DOM4S-fXj_L

Welcome home, boss.

[Only] €70m for Kvara to PSG, Osimhen out on loan at Galatasaray, is Di Laurentis losing his touch?

I think it's more he missed the sellers market chance to get £100m+ for each. Instead, each player he had basically zero leverage on by the time it came to getting them out of the door.

Wait, why is Osimhen going to Turkey? Admittedly I haven't been paying attention, but last I heard was Taz wanking over him being the best striker in the world.

They tried to sell him in the Summer to Saudi, everything was agreed and then Napoli pushed the price up and the Oil barons said no and bought Ivan Toney.

Chelsea then tried to sign him but that fell through.

They had at that point unregistered him from the team for the league and given his shirt number to new signing Lukaku.

As he couldn't play for them in the league they loaned him to Gala in the Summer.

Tony Mowbray is younger than I thought.

This Kerkez is a proper tidy player.

I suppose that's the end of Newcastle's title challenge. Two-horse race between Liverpool and Bournemouth now.

Jota injured again :moop:

Dont forget those tricky trees

:D

I did lol a bit when the lady football pundit on the BBC livetext said Newcastle were in the title race when it was 1-1.

Trent ahead of Bradley again :/

Well, those wheels came right off.

So many wasted opportunities. Van Den Berg winner off his arse.

A competent central forward here and we're about 4-0 up.

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Jota injured again :moop:

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He even has the app open on his phone :D

For the love of god someone slap Diaz and Gakpo. This should be out of sight.

It’s hard to get excited about Liverpool not putting chances away as you just know Mo Salah will be on hand to score the most disgusting tap in your life has ever seen

Fuck me, we are shit at corners. 20 so far... all bollocks.

If more than 30,000 are at the King Power today I'm going to be seething.

I have a horrible feeling Arsenal win this league. Liverpool already starting their usual slight drop off in form when in a title challenge. A month or so earlier than usual.

Salah doing nothing in another big away game in the second half of a season? Not so much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

If more than 30,000 are at the King Power today I'm going to be seething.

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31,500 sell out apparently.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

If more than 30,000 are at the King Power today I'm going to be seething.

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Obviously there will be. League games are always more attended through all leagues. Only exceptions are tiny clubs at home to a top league side

I know. I'm calling for change in the face of these completely guileless relegation seasons that promoted clubs seem to enjoy having.

Nuuuuuuuuuuunez!!

Phew!

Home cup games for the most part are some of the most boring matches you can attend.

Always said he was great.

May not be true.

I've gone mad.

Sticks another 10 million on for when the Saudi’s come calling.

'They should get ex-pros to be refs'

I just saw 5 Villa players appeal for offside from a throw-in.

@Baz

100 goals in 400 appearances seems low for a man I remember as a god.

Watkins has done well, people don't normally get away from Partey that easily.

The rapist massively out of position again. I can't wait till he's gone.

Nice to see that Ozempic Rick Wakeman has a job in football.

Havertz :lol:

Good Ebening. Arsenal really are Mentality Midgets.

Wonderful day of Barclays.

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Good Ebening. Arsenal really are Mentality Midgets.

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This stuffs so dumb. If the ball had hit Havertz stomach instead of his arm (still not sure why this rule exists btw) then would they be mentality monsters?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Good Ebening. Arsenal really are Mentality Midgets.

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Or is it more the bench was so rancid Partey couldn't be hooked and the man charged with changing the game was Raheem Sterling.

At least when Liverpool rang the changes they brought on a striker they'd just turned down £75m for.

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Originally Posted by phonics

This stuffs so dumb. If the ball had hit Havertz stomach instead of his arm (still not sure why this rule exists btw) then would they be mentality monsters?

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What not being allowed to score with your hand. I mean more the letting the two goal lead slip than anything else.

That’s my point. Shit happens. It’s not something about ‘mentality’. Partey is just not very good.

Yes but if you're not the best at everything then you must be absolutely awful, remember.

Reminds me of Roy Keane's absolutely appalling analysis - literally any bad performance is due to a lack of DETERMINATION, BOTTLE, MENTALITY. He was saying that Walker has been shit recently because he can't handle the pressure of the media criticism - e.g. MENTALITY - rather than him just getting old.

I don't think it's unreasonable to say Arsenal lack a certain mental resilience when you consider them bottling the title race last season and also finishing as the bridesmaid for the last three seasons.

I also don't think it helps that, that was very much Arteta as a player too. You need that first one to get the monkey off your back so to speak.

I look at Klopp here and in terms of trophy count, he really didn't start to do anything until that Champions League win. Yet if you only look at the trophies, you don't take into account the seasons where he got us to a high 90s point finish and came second. Just because we didn't win those times, didn't mean we were suddenly bad. Yet, when he got that first one, cup finals became very common and the trophies flowed nicely.

This Arsenal team is 1, maybe 2 players away from being what he wants and what will get him there. The bad luck comes in here that this would/still could be a great chance as City need to spend again and Liverpool have already had a couple of wobbles so far. But the players keep breaking down and he has to play Havertz up front.

Don't think I've enjoyed a Villa quite so much given I had to consume it in dribs and drabs on the tube, in a Sainsbury's and on a bus. Might have caused a small scene on the bus when Arsenal got VAR'd at the end :D.

If anything I'd say they have more mental resilience than average. Showed a lot of it in the City game, for example, and in various forgotten wins. They just aren't as good at football as Liverpool are.

It's just trying to build narratives in the WWEification of footy ennit

I just feel like they don’t have that extra bit to get across the line, they have basically sacked the cup competitions off in the past 2 years when the Europa League in 22/23 would have been a good chance for them to win a trophy for example as they were comfortably the best team in it. I feel there’s something in that, you might only have a top team for 2/3 years you have to win things in that timescale but once you get across the line once it makes the next one easier.

Also in the league their actual points totals have only been close because City have dropped off a bit from their mental totals as well. If you look at them this season they look like they will struggle to break 80 points based on the points they currently have and they don’t strike me as if they are going to win 15 of the last 16 for example.

Liverpool have thrown away more point leads in the league in the recent years than Arsenal :lol:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

I just feel like they don’t have that extra bit to get across the line, they have basically sacked the cup competitions off in the past 2 years when the Europa League in 22/23 would have been a good chance for them to win a trophy for example as they were comfortably the best team in it. I feel there’s something in that, you might only have a top team for 2/3 years you have to win things in that timescale but once you get across the line once it makes the next one easier.

Also in the league their actual points totals have only been close because City have dropped off a bit from their mental totals as well. If you look at them this season they look like they will struggle to break 80 points based on the points they currently have and they don’t strike me as if they are going to win 15 of the last 16 for example.

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You’re literally talking about Liverpool. Youre just making things up because it’s not the team you like. The Europa League that we sacked off would be the one where we rushed back Saliba who then got a big injury resulting in us playing Rob Holding in a title decider vs City. Just say ‘I don’t like Arsenal’ next time instead of inventing reasons why you’re actually able to understand what ‘winning mentality’ is when you’re just a bloke who sells mortgages in Norwich. MarkFromPeepShowWankSign.gif.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

You’re literally talking about Liverpool. Youre just making things up because it’s not the team you like. The Europa League that we sacked off would be the one where we rushed back Saliba who then got a big injury resulting in us playing Rob Holding in a title decider vs City. Just say ‘I don’t like Arsenal’ next time instead of inventing reasons why you’re actually able to understand what ‘winning mentality’ is when you’re just a bloke who sells mortgages in Norwich. MarkFromPeepShowWankSign.gif.

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I don’t live in Norwich. Spot on with the rest though…

I feel there are definitely more teams that can take points off each other this season than there has been for a while, which probably doesn't help with Arsenal's style of solidly doing enough - before they could grind more teams to death, now some of those teams are fighting back and stealing points. They've had too many draws. Not really sure how that squares with Liverpool pissing everything though, as they are nowhere near the level of those 90 point season teams. Maybe their approach, which appears to be more accepting of risk, but also having a good blend of quality, strength in depth and experience, works better in those fine margin games.

A relentless City could still chase them down if they were in Arsenal's position, but I'm not sure this Arsenal have it in them. I wonder how many dry seasons until Saka and Saliba look for pastures new?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

I feel there are definitely more teams that can take points off each other this season than there has been for a while, which probably doesn't help with Arsenal's style of solidly doing enough - before they could grind more teams to death, now some of those teams are fighting back and stealing points. They've had too many draws. Not really sure how that squares with Liverpool pissing everything though, as they are nowhere near the level of those 90 point season teams. Maybe their approach, which appears to be more accepting of risk, but also having a good blend of quality, strength in depth and experience, works better in those fine margin games.

A relentless City could still chase them down if they were in Arsenal's position, but I'm not sure this Arsenal have it in them. I wonder how many dry seasons until Saka and Saliba look for pastures new?

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I think Salah scoring 18 goals and assisting 13 more in 21 games might have a larger influence than '%age risk approach per 90'. The margins are thin, Arsenal have had 1 of their 2 best attacking players out for 5 months by the time Sakas back and Salahs gone on a career high run and Liverpool are still only 4 points ahead. It's got fuck all to do with mentality or tactics. Good players play well and bad players play bad and decisions need to go your way in the Premier League sponsored by Howard Webb.

:drool:

The seethe is real.

Whilst I approve of the sentiment, isn't everything in modern football about percentage risk or benefit of X, shape, structure, tactics, discipline?

Mentality is a bit like the victor's justice that comes after a war.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

:drool:

The seethe is real.

Whilst I approve of the sentiment, isn't everything in modern football about percentage risk or benefit of X, shape, structure, tactics, discipline?

Mentality is a bit like the victor's justice that comes after a war.

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One Hundred Percent. My reaction might be slightly affected by my Christmas visit to my cousins and her Liverpool supporting husband who's really into AI and when I mentioned the red cards earlier on in the season asked if I 'wanted to see a graph' and I wanted to keep access to the wine cellar so I pretended to agree with him.

Bournemouth were bloody impressive.

Both teams were unbeaten in 8 odd games and Bournemouth, without their main striker, and injuries to other key players just took Newcastle to the cleaners.

Shows you if you have the structure and team spirit, others just step in and do the role.

If it wasn’t for Forest, Bournemouth would be the surprise package everyone is talking about. In fact, I think they should start talking about them now.

Mad season where the elite is getting tested not just one but by a few.

That Havertz goal being disallowed is such a stupid consequence of VAR.

In other VAR moaning I'm not sure how I feel about Bournemouth having that goal disallowed for it having gone out. It's not like it went out in the phase of play directly before the goal, as in it was a cross that was clearly out, it was a clearance, if Newcastle had gone up the other end and scored would it have been ruled out? If Bournemouth had had the ball, but not scored, and then Newcastle went up the pitch and scored would it have been ruled out? What is the time proximity? The fact the ball went out had no bearing on the goal and provided no advantage to Bournemouth and yet here we are.

At least it had no bearing on the result. Bournemouth looked ridiculously good, particularly considering they have as much right as anyone to complain about injuries. Good job they didn't sack Andoni after losing his first 4 games or whatever it was.

Did the ball going out of play have any impact on the goal? What am I reading?

Despite spending the first 10 minutes defending as if I was playing, we beat Bristol City 1-0 yesterday to make it three home clean sheets in a row. Another Frank Lampard defensive masterclass

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Originally Posted by Kikó

Did the ball going out of play have any impact on the goal? What am I reading?

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Not really, but yeah, it's hard to explain.

Bournemouth were on the attack and the consequence was the ball ended up heading out for what was going to be a corner. Tonali volleyed it clear to prevent the corner and it ended up around the middle of the defensive half with a Bournemouth player, who then may or may not have played it to another player, the ball ended up going out wide, getting crossed and then Bournemouth scored. And then VAR wound it back however many seconds and gave Bournemouth the corner. Just felt there was a lack of any immediate link between the goal and the thing that was used to rule out the goal.

I think the contrast was that level of intervention, when goals scored from incorrectly awarded set pieces [ref Arsenal v Spurs] where there is a much stronger causal link between the error and the outcome are 'out of scope' - the quest for consistency is a myth, as is the case in all video review systems. 'Unfair' outcomes are inevitable.

We were well beaten, by a much better team and it was the difference between a 3-1 loss and a 3-0 loss, but Southend had this disallowed yesterday.

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Get VAR in.

At lower levels they should clearly just err on the side of letting things go. A lot of referees are really anti that though.

Far better to allow a goal that was marginally offside/whatever than to disallow one which was marginally legal. But a lot of them (I read a lot of reffing discussions to help with my umpiring) are massively pro whistle.

Another absolutely useless goalkeeper in the Spurs net. No doubt they signed him as their number 2/3 due to being 'good with his feet'.

Refereeing so far in the United game has been absolutely appalling.

How does Fernandes get away with all the petulant shit he pulls off?

Yeah like the Arsenal game where he got booked for Jesus kicking his boot off.

This Spurs-Everton game is outrageously low quality. Neither team can defend for shit. Dragusin and Branthwaite are both trash.

Branthwaite is nothing more than a clumsy oaf. I've never understood why the clever people think him to be so special.

And there's Dragusin who should still be playing for FC Brasov or whoever. Are there really not better players than him in the Championship and League One that they could sign?

Spurs need to realise that Bergvall is not a holding midfielder. Players running off him for fun.

Cracking goal from Ndiaye. Big Ange gone tonight, I reckon.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

And there's Dragusin who should still be playing for FC Brasov or whoever. Are there really not better players than him in the Championship and League One that they could sign?

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Indeed. Didn't see much of him last season, but there was a lot of hype. Whenever I've seen him this season, he's been a bit of a carthorse.

Zirkzee is starting to look like a footballer.

How is Ange "Ange" Postecoglu still in the job? It was a fun little experiment, but it's been clear for some time that this doesn't work in a proper league. Maybe it would work for City, but clearly not for Spurs.

They probably should have beaten West Ham to Potter.

Dragusin now appears to be getting stitched up on the field. 5 minute stoppage for a little cut on his eyebrow. #WhenIWasALad

Edit: taking his shirt off in a way as to not mess up his hair :D Would would Roy Keane say....

Ange to be the first EPL manager sacked at half time?

I think they give Ange the semi-final. If Liverpool turn it around on him, he's done.

That said, didn't this lot sack Mourinho a day before the league cup final before?

Didn't they sack Jol during a game?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

How is Ange "Ange" Postecoglu still in the job? It was a fun little experiment, but it's been clear for some time that this doesn't work in a proper league. Maybe it would work for City, but clearly not for Spurs.

They probably should have beaten West Ham to Potter.

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I dunno, how many of this line-up are in their first choice eleven? Porro, Son, Maddison, Kulusevski? Dragusin is miles out of his depth and Gray was only getting the odd minute at his preferred position before being shoved in at centre back.

I reckon they'll keep him and be good again next season.

You'd think they'd give him the semi, but then, if this lot turn up and just the play we way mate it they'll likely get spannered and not be in a cup final, whereas a new manager boost defensive shithouse might just get them there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

I dunno, how many of this line-up are in their first choice eleven? Porro, Son, Maddison, Kulusevski? Dragusin is miles out of his depth and Gray was only getting the odd minute at his preferred position before being shoved in at centre back.

I reckon they'll keep him and be good again next season.

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They have a lot of injuries, but that has been the case for most of his tenure and, remember, this is Everton. Nobody serious loses to Everton.

I know what I'm doing with the monthly thread titles.

I hope that Hudson Odoi injury isn’t bad. Blowing his leg up 5/6 years ago nearly cost him but he’s been brilliant for a year again now. The original star boy

City are BACK.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I know what I'm doing with the monthly thread titles.

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The Evertonian I was watching the game with thanks you for your service.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

City are BACK.

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I was thinking this, and checked, their maximum points is 86 in the league. Think they're too far back, thankfully.

I’m kidding, they literally threw a 2 goal lead away a few days ago. Easy win next week though and imagine they’ll finish 2nd or at least 3rd with absolute ease. They’ll probably bring someone else in as well just because why not

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Yeah like the Arsenal game where he got booked for Jesus kicking his boot off.

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Was that the one where Fernandes threw the boot in frustration. Seems like he's lacking mental resilience.

Amorin saying this Man Utd team is the worst in their history (according to the headline). Seems a bit harsh.

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

I’m kidding, they literally threw a 2 goal lead away a few days ago. Easy win next week though and imagine they’ll finish 2nd or at least 3rd with absolute ease. They’ll probably bring someone else in as well just because why not

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Also had the same thought but didn't want to rag on brave on the ball Ipswich too much seeing as Liverpool play them next. They're about to spaff hundreds of millions on transfers so I reckon they're more likely to be back than not. That said, hopefully Salah Mk2 goes the way of most expensive striker acquisitions from Eintracht Frankfurt.

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

Amorin saying this Man Utd team is the worst in their history (according to the headline). Seems a bit harsh.

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In a somewhat similar vein, why have Southampton replaced Russel Martin with an even worse foreigner who seems intent on the same idiotic approach?

Be very surprised if Ange Impostercoglu is not gone by tomorrow.

Would be a shame though, his post-match interviews after a loss are always a good laugh in how snarky he is.

Can never look the interviewer in the eyes. At least Pep does that. Basic manners, MATE.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

In a somewhat similar vein, why have Southampton replaced Russel Martin with an even worse foreigner who seems intent on the same idiotic approach?

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Because the data.

Optimised sport, there's no other way, except that there is, but there isn't.

Someone at work just pointed out to me that Haaland's new contract is 115 months. Top tier trolling. :D

Chelsea recalling the wrong player on loan at Strasbourg sums up the horrendous regime. You have literally the best young midfielder in the league (if not best midfielder based on form this season) and you recall some American left back :sick:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Chelsea recalling the wrong player on loan

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What? :D

I was confused at first and thought you were referring to the premier league, which got me to wondering by what measure Lesley Ugochukwu could be considered the best midfielder in the league, but assume you mean Ligue Un and Andrey couldn't get a game for Nottingham Forest Santos. I suppose that's not much of a criticism anymore, mind.

He’s class. He was just the victim last year of being signed and then Forest signing 3 more midfielders on deadline day. They’re never gonna give preference to a loan player from another club.

Even Ugochukwu would do, you can’t go half a season with 3 midfielders and 1 of them being perma crocked Lavia. They have to recall somebody because they’re starting the money laundering early and signing someone from Strasbourg for 20m and loaning back but can only do that if they recall someone. The summer window will go down as an all time stinker. Failed at selling so many players (and even recalled one now) and a couple of your signings are already being touted for being sold (KDH, Viega, Tosin and Felix). They were in a decent position in the summer only needing to bring a striker in and midfielder. That went well.

If Spurs keep shitting the bed like this there's no way we'll be able to sign Solomon...even though the chances were low anyway if we get promoted.

My man in the know told me that Nduku will leave. I've called him Nduku because I can't remember his fucking name. Winger lad with a hairband who likes to cut back onto his left.

Madueke. I can remember things from 1996 in exhaustive detail, but not this.

:D

He has Newcastle all over him and will be excellent, as is the norm.

Chelsea keep getting linked with Garnacho. This obsession with wingers is something.

Although Garnacho has the look of a disgusting fanny and I think United fans have gone off him, I always fear him when we play them, so get it done.

Villa rejecting £57m for Duran is wild.

Not as wild as West Ham thinking he'd join them.

West Ham would have got him for less than that in the summer if they had something about them. Seems to me like one of those "well we tried didn't we" moves to appease the fanbase.

Duran looks like he has the potential to be a very good striker. But, he seems to make most of his impact from the bench. Doesn't seem to be quite as good when he starts - like a modern day Tore-Andre Flo, just from what I have seen of him but I could be wrong.

Sir Marcus may not be able to find himself a new club by the looks of it. Could get a bit messy for him.

Durans an absolute nutter and just so happens to have scored 12 goals from 5xG. It'll be a terrible idea.

Surely Chelsea have better than Sanchez?

The Doc, the useless prick :cool:

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Sir Marcus may not be able to find himself a new club by the looks of it. Could get a bit messy for him.

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With the story Ducker is running it sounds like he's realised nobody good actually wants him and he's trying to come crawling back.

I don't think he's quite the demon he's been painted as, but it'll be better for all parties for him to move on from United at this point.

Antony off on loan to Betis. United after Dorgu from Lecce. Be interesting to see if we can keep a left back going for more than a few months before some part of their lower anatomy explodes.

Rashford is not a terrible player. But he prances round the pitch like he’s putting up Messi/Ronaldo numbers. Plus he’s paid Salah money and putting up Sancho level goals and assists. No one in their right minds would take him off United’s hands with the contract he has.

It feels like he thought massive clubs would be lining up to sign him as well. His brother is his agent as well isn’t he? Have this dopey cunts learnt nothing from Harry Kane?

Garnacho to Chelsea is the ultimate Boehly era transfer. Young forward underappreciated by rivals signed for inflated price.

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Originally Posted by Manc

Garnacho to Chelsea is the ultimate Boehly era transfer. Young forward underappreciated by rivals signed for inflated price.

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Hey, we bought Mason Mount off them, fair's fair

£60m for him? lol.

If Man Utd get anything upwards of £50m for Rashford, they'd surely be pleased with that. But I'm not sure what club (that can afford him) would want him when you look at his recent stats and lack of effort off the ball.

£50m lol.

If he goes it'll be on some crappy loan with option where we cover part of his wages.

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Originally Posted by Ben

Surely Chelsea have better than Sanchez?

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We do, but 'distribution', so the useless wanker plays every week and then the club social media gives it WHAT A KEEPER for a week when he routinely tips one over the bar.

Apparently £50m is the "market value" for rashford, but considering you are basically obligated to pay 300k/week as well, shirley in practical terms he's worth a lot less? I doubt anyone sensible would want him for five mil let alone fifty.

Add Rashford to my footballing e-victories list.

Rashford's wages are like Aubameyang's at Arsenal and he'll need to leave on virtually a free to shift him. His attitude reminds me of Walcott when he tried to negotiate a better contract claiming Liverpool were in for him then they swiftly said 'err nah lad' :D

Rashford is very good at carrying the ball (not dribbling or beating players) and shooting, and average to crap at everything else. He would be very good for whoever plays counter-attacking shite these days, probably doing twenty-ish goals a season for them, but that isn't anybody prestigious or willing to pay three hundred grand a week. If David Moyes gets Everton going again that would be a solid move.

Duran is another Balotelli. Great talent but he's got a personality that seems hard to manage. Needs a manager like Potter, who won't give him a hard time and will make him the main man.

I see where West Ham are coming from with that. Especially after Antonio's absence. They need a presence up front.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Rashford is very good at carrying the ball (not dribbling or beating players) and shooting, and average to crap at everything else. He would be very good for whoever plays counter-attacking shite these days, probably doing twenty-ish goals a season for them, but that isn't anybody prestigious or willing to pay three hundred grand a week. If David Moyes gets Everton going again that would be a solid move.

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His style would be great for Forest, but whether they'd pay those wages is another question. He needs to think about his school dinner MBE stuff and come back down to earth a little bit.

If any club tips £70m for Duran, I’d bite their hand off pronto. I do genuinely think he has massive - even generational - talent, he is so complete for someone of his age. He doesn’t strictly excel at anything, but he’s got attributes across the board. However, it’ll take a hell of a maverick manager to do so and then control the monster of their creation too. Emery just isn’t that guy, he is far too obsessed with order, process and graft. I do think he’s less mental than Balotelli, but I can see the comparison.

It’s stupid at how good Reece James is. Out for months at a time and without fail every single time he’s a class above everyone on the pitch when he plays with no match fitness. If my gran had balls blah blah blah but if he didn’t have dodgy hamstrings he’d finish his career on a level with Ashley Cole. There’s no one like him. Built like a truck and turns like a fairy

There was a break from Wolves off a Chelsea set piece and as James was tracking back alongside the Wolves player, you could tell he didn't dare sprint at full tilt. Such a shame he probably won't ever be 100% fit again.

Given that the fifth CL spot looks fairly good to go this year (Italy and, bizarrely, Portugal are the others in the top three) and that you'd expect Arsenal and City to finish two and three, I'd say the main interest for the rest of the season is which of Chelsea, Forest, Newcastle, Villa and anyone else who fancies getting involved will get those 4th and 5th places.

You'd imagine on this Duran thing his 'people' have given West Ham the go to bid for him and told them he would go if it was accepted. You also wonder if it's an attempt by them/him to flush out a bigger club and get them to offer.

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

You also wonder if it's an attempt by them/him to flush out a bigger club and get them to offer.

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This has to be it. Getting decent game time at a Champions League club (with a very good shot of qualifying again) is light years ahead of being the main man at a perennial underachiever.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Given that the fifth CL spot looks fairly good to go this year (Italy and, bizarrely, Portugal are the others in the top three) and that you'd expect Arsenal and City to finish two and three, I'd say the main interest for the rest of the season is which of Chelsea, Forest, Newcastle, Villa and anyone else who fancies getting involved will get those 4th and 5th places.

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Sleeping on Bournemouth.

Quite funny that there's a legit chance of three french teams in the champions league top 8 and PSG miss out all together.

For those interested the Liverpool game is on Prime. Has that been going through the group phase or is the first game they've had? Lille seem pretty decent, if a bit fraught/mad in their approach.

I think they have had 2 games a week/1 a night. The Milan game was on Prime.

For my previous praise of Lille they aren't half a bunch of fall over and moan diving cunts, have they relocated from the harsh realities of industrial Northern France to sunnier southern climes?

Atleti are some watch. Minimal interest in playing football, maximum histrionics.

Salah's lapsing into being a bit of a selfish so and so again.

Anyone know if we get the trophy tonight? Or do we have to wait till next week?

They're going to do that NFL unbeaten season thing where they go 8-0 and then lose in the first knock out round they're in, probably against Real Madrid.

Raphina. Can't believe he played for us. :drool:

Does it make any difference between finishing first or second or can Liverpool send the youth team to Eindhoven?

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Originally Posted by Magic

Raphina. Can't believe he played for us. :drool:

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He’s genuinely been the best player in the world this season

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Does it make any difference between finishing first or second or can Liverpool send the youth team to Eindhoven?

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Going to guess that 1 will play the winner of 9 v 16 nfl style so it depends on where things land.

Liverpool are a winning machine this season.

There’s clearly a way to beat them and it’s not by trying to match their footballing style and superior skills.

Atletico Madrid would have their number I reckon. Defensively strong. Counter attacking. Shit housing.

Teams need to figure this out. Do not go toe to toe with them. Get in their head like Forest have done.

Watching the highlights of the Benfica-Barcelona game, it was just horrendous defending/goalkeeping outdone by even worse refereeing.

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Originally Posted by phonics

Going to guess that 1 will play the winner of 9 v 16 nfl style so it depends on where things land.

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It would appear that being 1 or 2 doesn't make any particular difference as either of those will play whichever of 15-18 come through their play-off, but the exact draw will be random. They then end up on opposing sides of the draw so can't meet until the final. Does that mean the draw is then fully bracketed - ie no more draws, you can plot your Southgatian route to the final from the last 16 onwards?

If it's like the Conference League then it's bracketed once it's bracketed, if that makes sense, which it doesn't.

Has anyone yet called this silly intermediate knockout round the 'Penultimate 16' ? If not then I will.

The mild card round.

Chelsea signing Tyler Dibling for £50m would be peak Chelsea considering they got him for a developmental fee 2 years ago and then let him go back to Southampton for free after a month because he was home sick

I saw earlier and I don’t know how true it is that Chelsea want £70 million for Nkunku to allow him to leave. What planet are they on?

Also why are they still seemingly trying to sign players. But, not a goalkeeper, centre half or another striker which are the actual positions they do need to improve. They seem to just be about signing wingers.

Same planet that Liverpool want £85m for Darwin.

Who Chelsea also want, apparently. :cab:

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

I saw earlier and I don’t know how true it is that Chelsea want £70 million for Nkunku to allow him to leave. What planet are they on?

Also why are they still seemingly trying to sign players. But, not a goalkeeper, centre half or another striker which are the actual positions they do need to improve. They seem to just be about signing wingers.

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It’s properly odd. The work last season was actually pretty good on the face of it, a lot of the signings have been hits. This past summer was an utter joke and has set them back another few years and doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon. The winger obsession is odd as is refusing to sign a centre mid (or recall someone) and run caicedo into an early retirement

It feels like they either should just get a sticker book and do ‘swaps’ or that they just have to keep churning through player trading to keep the books balanced. Which is mad because you could see the beginnings of something at the end of last season and it didn’t need 4/5/6 new players it needed a top quality defender with a bit of experience to replace Silva, another midfielder to add some depth, a top quality keeper and another striker to play when Jackson has his slumps.

Instead of that they seem to have signed about 15 players none of whom seem to fill any of the roles above. It seems almost like an act of self sabotage.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Same planet that Liverpool want £85m for Darwin.

Who Chelsea also want, apparently. :cab:

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Do they? I suppose you could say that he’s done a lot more in the league than Nkunku.

They're not trying to build a team, they're just moving people through a spreadsheet. Quite hard as a fan to become attached to any of them, but I suppose non league fans seem happy to watch a new side every six weeks.

The plum draw for winning the league game against 15th to 18th currently has Bayern, Real and Juve in three of those four spots.

How the fuck are Feyenoord two up against Harry Kane's Bavarian Bombers?

Man City - Mentality Midgets.

Celtic have been steadily going down the toilet after what felt like a strong start to the group phase. Surely they can beat a bunch of young boys?

Celtic are just unfathomably shit in Europe. Proper embarrassing.

Timing. Get in.

That Feyenoord goalkeeper had the game of his life. Does he always play like that?

City have signed Marmoush.

Have they always referred to themselves as the Cityzens or is that a new thing? :sick:

Always have. Shit nickname.

I meant more with the use of the 'y' rather than the normal spelling.

It was Citizens before. Second i massively dilutes the brand of course.

That first touch for Feyenoord's first goal by Gimenez is quite something.

Kyle Walker is going out on loan to AC Milan.

Sebastian Haller - £45m
Luka Jovic - £50m
Randal Kolo Muani - £81m! :eek:
Omar Marmoush - £59m

Some serious sales there [for some serious shit] for Frankfurt.

Attacking output in the Bundesliga should be completely ignored at this point.

Omobamidele to France. Hopefully he gets on a well as Jake O'Brien did over there.

he’ll certainly be made to defend under Liam Rosenior

Almiron back to Atlanta for £10m. Small change, really.

Atlanta have (had?) £20m on the table for our centre forward. I don’t know whether the Almiron deal is a sign they’ve pulled out or they’re going balls to the wall. £20m would be an MLS record.

The goal we've just had disallowed :D

Fucking refs man, it's insane.

Ally McCoist :cool:

United blaming PSR for having to put up ticket prices is a bit of a dark days for football thing.

Imagine if they itemised a levy on ticket prices/tv subscriptions to pay for all the VAR paraphernalia.

PSR/FFP needs to fuck off. It clearly doesn't stop basket cases (eg. Derby), all the while you've got Newcastle with the richest owners in the world having to sell Almiron to do any incoming business.

Favella Is going to Betis. Taz e victory in the bag.

Gravenberch is so, so good. Player of the season form right now.

With this likely to be 3+ goals to the good at HT, I'd like to see Danns put on.

In other news Arsenal are down to 10 men and there appears to be much confusion as to why.

Sounds like a comedy penalty int he Brighton game.

And a seethe bomb may have just detonated in North London.

Red card for tripping someone 70 yards out is ... controversial.

I'm glad he got red. Those type of professional fouls should always be red (professional foul + it was a bit nasty). Absolutely ZERO intention to get the ball.

Making up the rules again. Ah just seen it's Michael Oliver again. Of course it is.

Strayed into violent conduct for me, Clive.

Serious foul play. Not seen it, are we talking McGinn level booting here or a simple trip? There is an argument that deliberately kicking the player with obviously no intent other than to do so should be a red card.

This would explain it somewhat.

https://i.gyazo.com/6246f134b24156f4...8dc47b8c4f.jpg

Just seen it.

:lol:

That's a ridiculous decision.

https://streamff.com/v/490557e7

It's a yellow and Oliver has form for ridiculous sendings off in this fixture, yet when he reffed City Arsenal and Kovacic was 2 footing people he let it ride :moop:

Red will be overturned monday 100%

Football would be a much better sport if these were all reds. Oliver doing god's work.

Think the raised foot must have looked worse from ref's angle.

Good process lads. I cannot wait for Howard Webb to get booted out. Probably sits there seething at Mikel Arteras perfect hair and starts sending out emails on how to find a new way to screw Arsenal over.

If we do ever get the sin bin or orange card or what have you, that kind of cynical challenge is exactly what should get you in there.

Just realised that he’ll be suspended for 3 games for that. Just a perfect, perfect process.

I was just about to post that Trent's crossing has been pretty crap today, then he does that. Looks onside to me.

Chelsea should beat that City team but they won’t as they’ll hand City a couple of goals (probably from a Sanchez error)

Sancho against Nunes shouldn’t even be a contest

Chance to turn from Mentality Midgets to Mentality Monsters here.

Enciso a tad lucky not to see red there.

Bournemouth :cool:

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Originally Posted by Ben

Bournemouth :cool:

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Swear they win every week, not sure how they’re only level with 6th. And unlike Forest they haven’t been massively over performing their underlining numbers. Swear they’ve won every big game as well (other than Chelsea x2 :henn0rz:)

Chance to stake their title credentials next weekend.

Howard Webb in shambles.

I can't imagine the level of self-absorption required to think that refereeing as an institution has an agenda against your favourite side.

Yet nearly all fanbases seem to genuinely believe it.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Chance to stake their title credentials next weekend.

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They’re 13 behind having played a game more. Calm it, lad

Also, Frank Lampard :cool:

Only 6 off the play offs and hasn’t even had any Cobham help yet

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I can't imagine the level of self-absorption required to think that refereeing as an institution has an agenda against your favourite side.

Yet nearly all fanbases seem to genuinely believe it.

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There’s a huge amount of Liverpool fans who think this. During the time of Fergie always blaming it on the referees instead of looking at the fact we had teams that included Kvarme, Xavier, Biscan, Diao, Diouf, Spearing, Adam, Borini and Carroll to name a few.

Referee’s are dogshit for everyone no matter what people think.

Michael Oliver is just a terrible terrible referee who's probably bent as well (not calling him gay). He consistently makes terrible decisions.

Why have City got a random Uzbek at the back? Have I missed a meeting?

Just get back to the steppe, lad.

Now a booking. Hell of a debut 3 minutes this.

Marmoush is going to flop so hard.

Also, lol at the Uzbek.

Jackson should absolutely dominate him physically.

Horrendous if Chelsea don’t romp this on the break now. Game is completely set up for them

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Originally Posted by Ben

Now a booking. Hell of a debut 3 minutes this.

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Own goal and a second yellow to surpass Woodgate’s Real debut I reckon.

I feel for the lad. Horrendous from Guardiola to launch him straight into a game like this. Poor, poor management.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Why have City got a random Uzbek at the back? Have I missed a meeting?

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Paid like £40m for him too lol.

Lens only paid about £250k for him 18 months ago.

Edit: It was £84k.

Why does Joelinton get to assault people regularly every week and not even get a yellow.

Pep's going to take the lad off after 20 minutes and then bully him on the bench.

Amazing. Chelsea go 1-0’up and now we await the missed chances before conceding in the 2nd half. Been happening for a month straight now

Bald Fraud off today.

Madueke just refuses to even bother tracking back

Colwill getting booked for timewasting when in fact it's just that football is broken and footballers have no idea what to do when they're not being pressed.

Maresca repeatedly sticking up for this clown in goal will get him the sack. Embarrassing that he starts every week in the premier league

Could really do with Chelsea playing less narrow.

'Any pre match superstitions, Robert?'

'Yes, I always smear my goalie gloves in butter. Makes me feel secure out there.'

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Bald Fraud off today.

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Be well funny if he walks away after salting the earth with this latest batch of signings.

Both sets of central defenders might as well not be there.

This set up is an absolute disgrace. This is making Ange’s high line look like prime Sean Dyche. Maresca is god awful

Sanchez is pathetic.

Gary Neville calls for teams to adapt mid-game. More chance of Donald Trump piloting a winged sow and landing it in the centre circle.

I can’t get over this set up. Playing a ridiculously high line with both full backs incredibly narrow and allowing Man City’s full backs to run off all game. Playing a high line whilst deliberately giving up all the possession just makes no sense whatsoever.

City are utter tripe and they’ll win 4-1

Colwill is having just as much of a stinker as the Uzbek bairn.

Never to be seen again.

Sanchez is pathetic.

Hahahahaha

Sanchez and maresca summed up. 1v1 high line set up from the coach and that retard in goal. Throw them off a bridge for fuck sake

lol at Chelsea.

Haaland is utterly dog shit if he has no space. Enzo Maresca decides to leave him 1 v1 on the half way line at every available opportunity. Enzo Maresca is an idiot. Don’t be like Enzo Maresca.

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Bald Fraud off today.

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Did you mean the other one?

Both.

Maresca is just like any modern coach, plan A is quite good a lot of the time, no other plan is in the locker whatsoever.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I can't imagine the level of self-absorption required to think that refereeing as an institution has an agenda against your favourite side.

Yet nearly all fanbases seem to genuinely believe it.

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Do you remember the film Network? The film about a news anchor facing the sack due to declining ratings keeps his job after going on an unhinged rant. Consequently to keep the ratings going the supposed 'News' show gets ever increasingly absurd?

Could it be possible that Howard Webb tuned into BT Sport one day and saw Peter Walton sitting in a cupboard on his own while Rio Ferdinand berated him and simply said, 'Never Again.'


If so, I applaud Mr. Webb for a bang up job. Mike Deans got a seat on Soccer Saturday, Dermot Gallagher gets to turn up on Sky for the Monday shift of agreeing with every decision made on the weekend. The letters PGMOL have worn off various tabloid writers keyboards. They're the talk of the town. It's all going according to plan, all he had to do was come up with increasingly absurd ways to send off Arsenal players.


In Network, they cut a deal with a terrorist group for a new docudrama series called The Mao Tse-Tung Hour who eventually assinate the news anchor. My only hope is that Michael Owen can do the same.

Obsessed. Clear red card.

If it's so clear why is literally every pundit including Mike Dean who comments on it saying it's not a red.

Just FYI,

this was deemed a yellow in literally the same game:
https://i.imgur.com/Rgv9bHN.png


I know it won't come across this way but I don't think it's a concious Arsenal thing. I think the refs absolutely stink, are bad at their job and have a massive ego issue. That's problem 1 and 2. Problem 3 is that seemingly anyone that's not from the North West cannot get a job in the Premier League. Maybe they truly are the best this country has to offer but I somehow doubt that Lancashire has the refereeing equivalent of 'the cages' in South London that produces all these referees. Indicating that it's clearly an old boys club and the only way to the top is sucking each other off. I don't think it's malicious. I think it's a mixture of being bad and protected from punishment and inate biases.

Jaysus I just looked at the results. Arsenal won, I could have swore they were 6-0 down when I looked at this earlier.

Then you clearly struggle to read seeing as nothing was mentioned about the game outside of the red card.

Probably says more than anything.

Giggles is result orientated, which I can applaud.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Do you remember the film Network? The film about a news anchor facing the sack due to declining ratings keeps his job after going on an unhinged rant. Consequently to keep the ratings going the supposed 'News' show gets ever increasingly absurd?

Could it be possible that Howard Webb tuned into BT Sport one day and saw Peter Walton sitting in a cupboard on his own while Rio Ferdinand berated him and simply said, 'Never Again.'


If so, I applaud Mr. Webb for a bang up job. Mike Deans got a seat on Soccer Saturday, Dermot Gallagher gets to turn up on Sky for the Monday shift of agreeing with every decision made on the weekend. The letters PGMOL have worn off various tabloid writers keyboards. They're the talk of the town. It's all going according to plan, all he had to do was come up with increasingly absurd ways to send off Arsenal players.


In Network, they cut a deal with a terrorist group for a new docudrama series called The Mao Tse-Tung Hour who eventually assinate the news anchor. My only hope is that Michael Owen can do the same.

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:nuts:

Heaven forbid someone try make a joke. For one, the only murder Michael Owen is capable of would be on the concept of entertaining and/or insightful televesion.

Yeah that post is unhinged :D

Excellent stuff.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

Just FYI,

this was deemed a yellow in literally the same game

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I think the ref gives him a straight red if he wasn’t on a yellow. As stupid as that sounds. He gets to say “well obviously it was a yellow” and no one is arguing that.

No issue with the Arsenal red. Zero intent to play for the ball, studs up. Get him walking.

Sorry have I fundamentally misunderstood the meaning of studs up or are we just making things up now?

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

The thing is that for you Arsenal is the centre of the (footballing) world and therefore whatever happens to it is emotionally multiplied by a thousand. Arsenal twitter is disproportionately populated by metropolitan numpties with too much time on their hands so the stills come out in force.

For Michael Oliver it's just another set of pricks wearing another coloured shirt, he doesn't give a shit, during the game he'll just be thinking gold v red and won't care who they are.

I still think it's a defensible red. Henry Winter did a teary tweet saying otherwise though so I will have to change my mind.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danny

I think the ref gives him a straight red if he wasn’t on a yellow. As stupid as that sounds. He gets to say “well obviously it was a yellow” and no one is arguing that.

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So the guy two footing a player vertically gets suspended for two less games because he'd already committed an offense. Makes sense.

edit: Rewatching that Gomes one, it is definitely a yellow and not a red. Guys just reaching the ball and misses by half a second.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

For Michael Oliver it's just another set of pricks wearing another coloured shirt, he doesn't give a shit, during the game he'll just be thinking gold v red and won't care who they are.

---

This just isn't true of literally any human being that has ever existed on earth.

It wasn’t even the worst decision of the day. Ndiaye got booked for doing a Seagull celebration against Brighton earlier

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

So the guy two footing a player vertically gets suspended for two less games because he'd already committed an offense. Makes sense.

---

Absolutely doesn’t make sense but its the spineless nonsense you would get from a Prem ref (in general not just this decision)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

.For Michael Oliver it's just another set of pricks wearing another coloured shirt, he doesn't give a shit, during the game he'll just be thinking gold v red and won't care who they are.
mind.

---

This is completely moronic even by your football opinion standards.

I really disagree with the freeze frame studs up analysis of that red card, it just wasn't and that belies the whole problem with making a judgment off a single image from a moving picture.

That said, I agree with Jimmy that, in the moment, it was a defensible red card - ie maybe Oliver thought he had raked down his Achilles. In those circumstances there appears to be a bit of pundit divergence on how VAR should be applied in different scenarios. The high bar for intervention that you see with penalties and goals suggests that, given there was 'some contact' and from certain angles you can make it look worse than it was, then the ruling on the field should stand. There is absolutely no chance it gets upgraded if he gives a yellow. Can the referee make a mental totting up and compile enough yellows in one incident to issue a red?

The old orange card.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

This is completely moronic even by your football opinion standards.

---

He literally won't have been able to get to the top of refereeing if he thinks in any other way.

The only exception is for players/teams who are a particular discipline issue and need to be handled in a certain way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

I really disagree with the freeze frame studs up analysis of that red card, it just wasn't and that belies the whole problem with making a judgment off a single image from a moving picture.

---

Yep. Studs are up but it's ground level. I still think it's a yellow due to the position on the field. Yeah, it's a cynical foul but we see those every week.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

He literally won't have been able to get to the top of refereeing if he thinks in any other way.

The only exception is for players/teams who are a particular discipline issue and need to be handled in a certain way.

---

:lol:

Complete devoid of any basis in the reality of human behaviour. Everyone has biases, whether consciously or unconsciously. Top judges have biases, nonetheless fucking football referees who are guaranteed to be football fans and support a particular team.

Not to mention we had "top referee" David Coote out there calling Jürgen Klopp a cunt on video.

David Coote thinking Jurgen Klopp is a cunt has nothing to do with how he referees games. It just means that fans (morons) feel upset.

I'm afraid the moron here is unequivocally you.

I feel like bias is more likely to exist on a player level rather than a team level. Man Utd/Arsenal/Farsley Celtic are all the same to most people but I can imagine being more inclined to punish someone like Bruno Fernandes for rodent like behaviour.

Just had a quick look and Michael Oliver gives red cards at a rate of 0.14 per Premier League game, but he gives Arsenal red cards at a rate of 0.15 per game. Someone call the cops.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

It wasn’t even the worst decision of the day. Ndiaye got booked for doing a Seagull celebration against Brighton earlier

---

Celebrating goals is far too regulated.

I see the old Ravnelli/Rivaldo is explicitly a bookable offence now. Is there any actual reason that removing the shirt is so frowned upon?

Slowing the game down or something. Or woke.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Is there any actual reason that removing the shirt is so frowned upon?

---

I recall back in the nineties in the Mexican league, Pepsi started paying players to wear a branded undershirt and show it every time they scored a goal. That shit got regulated into oblivion within the week. Not sure if that is still (or ever was outside Mexico) the reason for it being a bookable offense, but sounds plausible.

I always figured it was for commercial reasons (i.e. kit supplies getting miffed) but then there's always the potential for messages to be written underneath.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

I'm afraid the moron here is unequivocally you.

---

You really need to chill a bit.

Was it not the forlan man United goal incident that caused it where he couldn’t get his shirt back on and was running about shirtless carrying it for a bit?

Just seen that the top scorer in Scotland is "Sam Dalby", on loan from Wrexham. :harold:

He's been great. Good old school target man.

I didn't think it was a red card yesterday. It was cynical but you see far worse all the time, as for Arsenal in general have they had genuinely terrible decisions go against them this season? They've perhaps had 50/50's go against them but nothing horrendous more just a case of falling against them than for them. Don't worry though they even out over the season.

Without wanting to invoke Phonics rage again though could this be a case of how they play as well? Constantly slowing the game down and I think you could say playing around the margins of some of the rules at times, perhaps those things are in the referee's mind when these 50/50 decisions do come up?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Just seen that the top scorer in Scotland is "Sam Dalby", on loan from Wrexham. :harold:

---

I don’t really understand why they’re not recalling him because Steven Fletcher gets enough game time for them and he was shite for Dundee United in the Championship.

And also about 40

Ange. :harold:

I’ve got it on because other than Wissa I find Brentford terrible to watch, and it’s a right laugh watching Spurs have absolutely no idea what to do against one of history’s most porous defences.

Pedro Porous.

Another top performance from the great entertainers.

They're actually going to go down if they don't get rid and bring someone with a clue in. Injury list or not, he refuses to accept that suicide ball doesn't work.

Looking forward to a supercut of his hang-dog press conferences.

The Butcher :cool:

Man United skanking Fulham in one of the worst games of the season feels like a bit of a ritual.

Adama absolutely rattled. Fucking weightlifter

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

The Butcher :cool:

---

WHY did he do that completely insane two footed jump on the ball tackle again though. It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Absolutely ripe for getting sent off even if he's obviously trying to do it to the ball rather than the player. Incredibly dangerous in that he could easily slip over the ball and break the opposing players leg. Also dangerous to himself. I've never seen any other player do it. Once was a moment of madness, twice needs someone to sit him down and tell him he's never going on the pitch again if he does it any more.

Amorim saying he'd play the goalkeeping coach before a player who doesn't put the effort in when asked about Rashford :D

Christ this is the most boring game of football I've ever seen. Fuck Scott Parker.

Neymar has left Al Hilal. Absolutely robbed them. Breaks down like this apparently

Quote:

---

£75m fee + £83m yearly wage for 2 years, that's £241m to play 219 minutes of football.. every minute on the pitch cost them £1.1m....

---

Oh and Coote has come out (officially)

I can't be the only one who found the whole interview a bit off. Basically blamed getting drunk and having a pop at Uncle Jurgen on the fact that he was gay. Just own it, mate.

Villa after Disasi and Felix? Yeah, nothing to see here. Ah to be a deckchair.

At this point I basically support some merchandise, a couple of upmarket bakeries and the colour blue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danny

Neymar has left Al Hilal. Absolutely robbed them. Breaks down like this apparently

---

5 games
2 trophies

Modern day robin hood this kids. Stuck up PSG, robbed the saudis and now back to the favela.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Villa after Disasi and Felix? Yeah, nothing to see here. Ah to be a deckchair.

---

It sounds like they’re getting disasi on a ‘dry loan’ which would be absurd. Helping a team below you by 1 point because why not. He’d fit in well there as they would use him how he’s supposed to

Also managed to inadvertently ruin Barcelona as a viable going concern.

That 2014 world cup quarter final was a real sliding doors moment. Funny at the time to see his dreams ruined, but, in the cool reflection of hindsight a really bad outcome and a bit of a tragedy for everyone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Also managed to inadvertently ruin Barcelona as a viable going concern.

That 2014 world cup quarter final was a real sliding doors moment. Funny at the time to see his dreams ruined, but, in the cool reflection of hindsight a really bad outcome and a bit of a tragedy for everyone.

---

Was that the knee to the spine?

Yeah, the Colombia game. Was that quarter final or last 16? Either way, the temporary elation of seeing his ego and the hope of a nation collapse in on itself was retrospectively quite a bad day for football.

I'm sure Man Utd dropping £30m on an inexperienced left-back from relegation-threatened Lecce will not backfire on them at all.

Dorgu? He’s meant to be insanely good if you believe the hype from people who cover Italy.

Would be another FM dub as well

Signing a left back to play at left back. Seems sensible enough.

At least the fee is not extortionate. If United had saved their comedy Ten Hag fees and paid the same to be rinsed buying proven premier league players they'd likely be a lot better off.

I have no view on the player as I have never seen him play, but I do somewhat take issue with the idea that £30m for a 20 year old with 50-odd senior appearances to his name isn't a bit extortionate.

Zirkzee had exactly the same number of Serie A appearances when signed it would seem.

£30m is hardly loose change when times are tight.

Could always go either way though. Maybe he's a 'generational talent'. How much did Spurs pay for Udogie? How much do Bournemouth want for Kerkez?

It's not 2006 anymore, granddad.

£30m is also the total amount spent by Manchester city council on homelessness each year.

The transfer isn't actually agreed yet.

That said, I think people still just haven't got used to the fact that "that's just wot players cost, mate".

Any young player showing remotely decent potential will be £30m+.

City have just paid over £30m for a player who was signed from a team in the second tier of the mighty Belarussian league by Lens 18 months ago. They've also paid around £30m for a 19 year old directly from Brazil.

Yes, City are in a much better position financially to throw money around, but players don't become cheaper just because you're short on cash.

Still counting peoples money.

How much would someone like Kerkez or Robinson cost?

Yeah, but at the same time they do come cheap, as demonstrated by the fact that I could have probably bought the City guy and this Dorgu chap for the fees they commanded 18 months ago, instead of buying a derelict house. I know it's not how things work but I just find it a bit mad that that's the way things seem to operate now, although that has been the case for a long while.

I'm also struck, due to my relative indifference to it all now, when I see the pissant clubs spend as much as they do on players - Wolves shelling out £45m for Cunha for example was a bit of an eye-opener for me and even the €18m Bournemouth apparently spent on Kerkez. To answer the how much for Kerkez I quickly googled it and apparently £86m :roflol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ben

How much would someone like Kerkez or Robinson cost?

---

How much does any player cost in January from a Premier League club who doesn't want to sell? (A lot)

Is a left back from Lecce £30m of actual money (not pretend transfer money) better than a left back from the academy? He is not, which is why people question it. The transfer market inflated lunacy does not necessarily have to be respected in discussing these things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Is a left back from Lecce £30m of actual money (not pretend transfer money) better than a left back from the academy? He is not, which is why people question it. The transfer market inflated lunacy does not necessarily have to be respected in discussing these things.

---

Is he not? How do you know? The hit rate for academy players actually being good enough is very low. Even many of the most highly-rated ones end up in the lower leagues, nevermind making it at one of the "big clubs" (lololol United aren't a big club).

Yeah you cannot just say he's in Lecce he must be shit.

If United is buying him though, he probably is shit lololol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Is a left back from Lecce £30m of actual money (not pretend transfer money) better than a left back from the academy? He is not, which is why people question it.

---

Oh right, thanks for clearing that up. In that case I'm sure we'll pull out.

Not really sure why we aren't still playing Brandon Williams as our left back week-in-week-out now I think about it. Lads from the academy are just as good as anyone else after all.

Still remember when they wanted £15m for him or whatever it was.

:D

Isn't the point more that there are actually loads of professional footballers, and many of them are probably capable of providing United with adequate leftback services, and so going and trying to sign the next Roberto Carlos is probably more likely to end in failure than not, and, given that, you may as well take a punt on a youngster for 6 months and/or do some actual scouting rather than basically taking a punt on a youngster but pay £30m for the privilege? Probably makes more sense from a Chelsea perspective as they have had untold riches come through and largely be ignored from their academy.

Like I said, I make no judgment as to this player, maybe he's amazing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Not really sure why we aren't still playing Brandon Williams as our left back week-in-week-out now I think about it. Lads from the academy are just as good as anyone else after all.

---

People just find the idea of spending £30 million on a punt stupid, which is because it objectively is when you have an understanding of the value of money, as opposed to an understanding of the current transfer market bubble. Spending £80 million on a superstar is arguably much more explicable because that person will probably deliver that back in revenue.

How much better is this guy than Gillingham's left back? A fair bit better. Five massive houses in central London better? I dunno. This isn't really a criticism of United, who are just following the current market, it's a criticism of football in general.

Rebuilding the training ground is only costing them £50 million.

Lecce or no Lecce, he has represented Denmark. Definitely not a punt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

People just find the idea of spending £30 million on a punt stupid, which is because it objectively is when you have an understanding of the value of money, as opposed to an understanding of the current transfer market bubble. Spending £80 million on a superstar is arguably much more explicable because that person will probably deliver that back in revenue.

How much better is this guy than Gillingham's left back? A fair bit better. Five massive houses in central London better? I dunno. This isn't really a criticism of United, who are just following the current market, it's a criticism of football in general.

---

If you could go out and guarantee you were buying a superstar for £80m, then yeah. But the players who are genuinely "superstars" will either already be at clubs who have no need or want to ever sell them, or have completely prohibitive prices put on them. What genuine "superstar" in world football do you think you could go out and buy with £80m?

This kid could go to Brighton for £30m and be absolutely brilliant. What would Brighton then be asking for him next summer? The first signs of a young player looking really good in the Premier League and they get a £100m price tag stuck on them. And they're not even anywhere near "superstar" at that point. Teams were getting quoted £100m for Evan Ferguson a year or so ago. Everton wanted £80m+ for Branthwaite in the summer. Relatively unproven players.

Even the richest clubs can no longer afford to just buy the "sure thing" players. They are being forced to try to cut out the middleman clubs.

Liverpool after Jamie Gittens for £86m. :|

£86 million is what the UK spends each year in overseas aid to Ethiopia.

According to The Athletic, Man Red owe £319m on players they have already signed. £154m of which is due in the next twelve months.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

£86 million is what the UK spends each year in overseas aid to Ethiopia.

---

:D

I was going to put this in the book thread, but here seems just as apposite. I've been reading L'Etranger and have been getting strong Jimmy vibes off the main dude.

What's the deal with £86m anyway? Is that €100m [or dollars]? Seems to be the number doing the rounds on a lot of fronts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Is a left back from Lecce £30m of actual money (not pretend transfer money) better than a left back from the academy? He is not, which is why people question it. The transfer market inflated lunacy does not necessarily have to be respected in discussing these things.

---

https://media.tenor.com/CQAGV-5egn0A...mm-suspect.gif

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

What's the deal with £86m anyway?

---

It is the sum that the AI deemed optimal.

United are poaching another youth of The Arsenal.

I've never been closer
I tried to understand

Oh god, he's 18, bit ruined.

Teenager Heaven sounds like a website you have to declare you're over 18 to view.

Or on a register.

Lewis Skelly red turned over.PGMOL shit down their leg for 3 days to try pretend they hadn’t fucked up. What was the point. Just say you got something wrong and get better.

Meanwhile there's police protection outside Michael Oliver's house. Probably time for a couple of rounds to be played under TV blackout and behind closed doors, force everyone to cool down a bit.

So odd that none of this stuff was released when it actually happened but after an active fuck up where they’re trying to cover their arses.

Dorgu agreed for £25 (+4)m.

Look forward to him being called a "£45m star" for the next 4 years.

Does this mean the official end of Luke Shaw? Or is he into the back three?

I mean Shaw is just perma-broken regardless of who we do or don't sign in his position.

When fit he's genuinely excellent as both a left back and a left centre back. Not sure if he's good enough going forward to be the wing back.

His career is such a massive shame to be honest. Prior to the leg break he looked like he was going to be absolutely class, and even after that he's great whenever he manages to get a run in the team (aside from when Mourinho was bullying him).

Mourinho was right to bully him. For every goal he had a hand in going forward he cost at the other end ball-watching.

Lewis has it right he’s painfully average and wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes under Ferguson.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Mourinho was right to bully him. For every goal he had a hand in going forward he cost at the other end ball-watching.

---

He wasn't right, because a big part of a manager's job is to get the most out of players and all he achieved with Shaw was alienating him and making him worse. Ferguson - since he's been brought up - was an absolute master of recognising that different players need different approaches. Shaw was never going to respond well to Mourinho quite literally publicly calling him a retard. Manager's like Mourinho can cry all they want about players being soft but Ferguson would never have treated Shaw like that.

Shaw is not "painfully average". When fit he's a better player than Mourinho is manager nowadays.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Lewis has it right he’s painfully average and wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes under Ferguson.

---

We’ve had two of the more mental takes in the same day on this thread

Whatever his wider flaws and unsuitability Mourinho had all of the United melts bang to rights.

A starting point for a good player is always availability and he’s never fucking fit. The most Premier League games he’s played in a season is 32 and he’s played less than 20 games in a season in 7 seasons since he joined.

You can be Maldini, Roberto Carlos and Marcelo all rolled into one as a left-back but if you can’t play in most the of the games you may as well stick Brandon Williams there.

He suffers from that thing of not playing that much so he seems fucking brilliant then, you see him play for a few weeks and turns out he’s not quite as good as everyone thinks.

As for Ferguson he wouldn’t have called him a cunt in public. But you can guarantee he’d have called him a cunt to his face for turning up every pre-season looking like a beached whale.

The best thing about Shaw is that when signed he was sorting the position for ten years, which, I guess, in the long run has sort of been right. What United fans didn't realise at the time was that they would be absolute wank for those ten years.

Whether he is bang average or whatever, I'm not sure he's much better than a Danny Rose was, so whatever he was, that's Shaw as well.

Duran apparently off to Saudi. That's pretty sad.

His agent needs a bullet in the groin.

It's nothing to do with his agent. Second Captains covered it a bit even before he popped off. He is a Balotelli/Cantona level weirdo. He has no respect for his teammates or the game. He fundamentally cannot work as part of a team. He is talented but there's a reason he's coming off the bench and then launching one in from 30 yards. He's the football equivalent of a DiAngelo Russel in the NBA. He has no real offers outside of moving to West Ham for a destined failure of a move. Cash in.

Said it right at the start of the window, we should absolutely cash in. If anyone tips (an already absurd) £70m for him, we should lol them to the bank personally.

Is it happening? I read that Boniface is going instead.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ben

Is it happening? I read that Boniface is going instead.

---

Apparently they've agreed deals for both and will decide today which to go through with.

Also Luke Shaw returning from the dead the moment we agree a deal for a new left back, as is tradition.

Astonhotspurs could be about to sell both there 'world class' forwards. :chortle:

Duran is good but he's started seven league matches for them, or about 12 90s if you include sub mins. Taking the stuff phonics mentioned into account and selling him for a tidy sum seems a bit of a no brainer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bam

Astonhotspurs could be about to sell both there 'world class' forwards. :chortle:

---

https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedi...a/33955162.gif

Elsewhere, Norway kicking off the anti-VAR revolution.

:drool:

Tottenham of the midlands could be about to sell Duran and Watkins.

Danns starts for Liverpool :cool2:

Interesting dynamic on the Norway VAR thing, with clubs wanting rid but the federation desperate to keep it. Why would that be?

In the pockets of big camera.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike

Danns starts for Liverpool :cool2:

---

Nunez in the travelling party but completely absent from the squad?

:sherlock:

Well, that's Arsenal's new striker sorted then.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

Well, that's Arsenal's new striker sorted then.

---

100,000,001 quid.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Nunez in the travelling party but completely absent from the squad?

:sherlock:

---

Needed a piss when they stopped at Heerenveen services, never saw him again.

Looks like someone, rightly, wasn't a fan of the 50/50 merch on sale at the murderbowl.

Celtic getting fisted again :drool:

Brest v Real Madrid is a magnificent occasion.

Neto :lol:

Man City gahahahahahahahahahaha.

United u21s beating Oldham 5-0. Not sure the first team would do better than that.

What's the leftback like?

Fucking VAR.

After all the doesn’t matter how we do in this game. We could probably do with a goal here to knock PSV down a few spots and stick PSG up a couple and make the next round a bit easier looking at the teams 15th to 18th in the as it stands table.

Ollie Watkins :lol:

View Tweet

:drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Ollie Watkins :lol:

---

Horrendous. Liked McGinn pre-trolling as well.

Lollie Flopkins

Chiesa's face is too big for his head.

18yr old Amara Nallo with a red card 3 minutes into his debut :)

I have to say, as a long term doubter of it (and still am to some extent), this format is the perfect riposte to any conceivable super league setup. Allows the large clubs to ease their way through (or make a tits of it) but also huge amounts of room for genuine merit regardless of status, possibly more than before. In fact, definitely more than before.

It's almost gone too far in the sense that I think the giants will be unnerved and want to rein it back in a bit.

A super league would be like this but with zero jeopardy and zero variety.

City getting Bayern or Real is glorious.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I have to say, as a long term doubter of it (and still am to some extent), this format is the perfect riposte to any conceivable super league setup. Allows the large clubs to ease their way through (or make a tits of it) but also huge amounts of room for genuine merit regardless of status, possibly more than before. In fact, definitely more than before.

It's almost gone too far in the sense that I think the giants will be unnerved and want to rein it back in a bit.

A super league would be like this but with zero jeopardy and zero variety.

---

I think it's good. From an Arsenal perspective I was invested into game 7 up until we scored a goal within 45 seconds and considering there only used to be 6 games before they must be doing something right?

Yep, I've happily been proved wrong on this one. I hated it when they announced it, wanted to hate it when it started, but it's been the most entertaining CL in many years so far.

Boniface the cunt is staying. There's Ferguson's escape route closed.

The new format is better imo. It gives some not so expected teams the chance to play knockout football in the champions league. PSV, Brest, Feyenoord, Celtic and Brugge all get that sweet extra cash now.

Arsenal, Lille and Villa all dining well at Europes highest table was also not on the cards.

Though this year there is some similarity to F1 trialling sprint races. When they introduced those, they got some luck in drivers being down the field when they normally would not be. This lead to an exciting sprint or two and the idea was sold. Cut to now and it's a lot less so now those teams have sorted their shit out.
Same here to an extent. You'd expect Madrid and City will not be languishing near the cut off before the final day many times again.

Al Nassr have gone with Duran over Boniface then.

I see all this stuff that Duran is a lunatic who doesn't give a shit about anyone. Not doubting that, but are there any stories out there or is it all just hearsay?

Duran to wherever for however many millions is full on Oscar/Ramirez to China level madness.

He's an absolute nobody who has done absolutely nothing in the game. 12 goals in 55 appearances for Villa. 17 in 74 for his previous employers. 2 in 15 for Colombia. How has he conned the world he's some sort of maverick genius?

Watching the highlights last night, I'm not sure I've ever seen a series of more fortunate/unfortunate goals than in that Lille game. Multiple extremely unfortunate own goals, other massive deflections either taking the ball into the net or to the feet of an attacker with an open goal. 6 goals scored by Lille off an xG of 1.15. Yikes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ben

Al Nassr have gone with Duran over Boniface then.

I see all this stuff that Duran is a lunatic who doesn't give a shit about anyone. Not doubting that, but are there any stories out there or is it all just hearsay?

---

John McGinn on Jhon Duran: “Big Jhon...he’s a bit nuts. He’s a nightmare sometimes to have in your team. But he has moments of quality, we need to try and keep his feet on the ground the next couple of days."Jhon doesn't have a scooby who they [Duran Duran] are. He does not have a clue. I mean Jhon I don't even think he knows he's actually in the city of Birmingham never mind who Duran Duran are. But, he's such a raw player, some days you think what a good boy, some days you think come on big man have a bit more respect. But he has everything to be one of the top strikers in the world and hopefully he can do that here."

Chelsea apparently still planning to come back in for Garnacho.

We would be absolute retards to sell him now, unless we've got a deal on a replacement fully lined up and ready to pull the trigger on.

Tel being talked about on loan but you'd really like to hope that's separate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Watching the highlights last night, I'm not sure I've ever seen a series of more fortunate/unfortunate goals than in that Lille game. Multiple extremely unfortunate own goals, other massive deflections either taking the ball into the net or to the feet of an attacker with an open goal. 6 goals scored by Lille off an xG of 1.15. Yikes.

---

I don't think Liverpool's was much higher than that the last time they put 7 past us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

I don't think Liverpool's was much higher than that the last time they put 7 past us.

---

It wasn't 7 but wasn't it something like 3, which is still 'quite high' in xG terms? I do recall thinking at the time that there were some low percentage goals in there though.

Three own goals [!], although the BBC seem to be crediting Gomes with his, and almost all the goals as part of some goal mouth meleé.

Leipzig signing Xavi Simons for €50 (+30)m on a TWO year contract I'd absolutely deranged.

Are they seriously expecting someone to come in and pay more than that for him in the summer or what is the game plan?

They seem extremely likely to end up losing him for free.

Saudi after Mitoma now. €70m or so offer rejected by Brighton, but I don't imagine it would take too much more for that to get done. I think they missed their big "cash cow" window for him already.

Spurs completely ignoring their problems and getting Tel for £60m+ would also be lol.

Yeah, much the same as City why are these clubs shelling out big money on players who don’t seem to fix any of their seemingly obvious flaws.

Both City and Spurs could do with a decent centre midfielder but no moves to sort that.

Mitoma's decent but Brighton would be insane to turn down that sort of money for him. They've probably got 3 or 4 next cabs off the rank lined up already.

That that sort of money isn't considered big cash cow money equally mental.

Why are the Saudis offering Brighton in euros?

And also, Mitoma's decent attacking play or six brand new primary schools? You decide (I'm going to keep doing this).

Garnacho bid incoming from Chelsea. :lol:

Europa League's effort at repeating the carnage of last night is vastly underdelivering here. Disappointing.

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Chelsea apparently still planning to come back in for Garnacho.

We would be absolute retards to sell him now, unless we've got a deal on a replacement fully lined up and ready to pull the trigger on.

Tel being talked about on loan but you'd really like to hope that's separate.

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Maybe FFP/balancing the books is forcing their hand with this.

Brest vs PSG (will play Liverpool or Barca)
Monaco vs Benfica (will play Liverpool or Barca)
PSV vs Juventus (v Arsenal or Inter)
AC Milan vs Feyenoord (v Arsenal or Inter)
Manchester City vs Real Madrid (v Athletico or Loserkusen)
Celtic vs Bayern Munich (v Athletico or Loserkusen)
Club Brugge vs Atalanta (v Lille or Villa)
Sporting vs Borussia Dortmund (v Lille or Villa)

Whichever of City or Madrid get knocked out in that one are going to be all in on changing the format so such an outrage can't happen again.

Thought they'd rather unexpectedly done the draw for the last 16 proper but I see the BBC are just mocking up either/ors.

Depending on how the top 8 get allocated the bottom half of the draw could be quite soft.

I feel like Sporting v Dortmund has happened about 400 times in my life. Could be making it up.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Thought they'd rather unexpectedly done the draw for the last 16 proper but I see the BBC are just mocking up either/ors.

Depending on how the top 8 get allocated the bottom half of the draw could be quite soft.

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They kinda have. Have updated to include last 16 opponents. No idea why it's still an option of 2.

Edit: from what I can tell, UEFA are really just going to hold ANOTHER draw for fun (warm ball).

This is clearer.

https://gyazo.com/328ce04427f8fe3a60684ec53a65ee5d.jpeg

Ban ket in the semi-finals but then chung it in the final. Somewhat mixed messaging.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Ban ket in the semi-finals but then chung it in the final. Somewhat mixed messaging.

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Chung kết > báng kết

If you are Liverpool or Barcelona there is definitely a preferred side of the draw to be on and it's not the one with already guaranteed PSG, Man City/Real Madrid plus one of Inter or Arsenal potentially as well. That City/R.Madrid section of the draw could end up as absolute fucking carnage.

Brighton rejecting £75m for Mitoma. :cab:

:cab: indeed.

United lining up Quenda for the summer :drool:

Henderson throwing a strop at Ajax as they wont let him chase his dreams of moving to another tax haven

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Originally Posted by Manc

Brighton rejecting £75m for Mitoma. :cab:

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It sounds like it was as much Mitoma having no real interest in going there as it was Brighton having no interest in selling him.

I think we briefly touched on it but Spurs buying Tel for £50m is insanity. Solanke is already one of their better players. Are they just going to vibe the rest of the season without a midfield?

Tel fucking Spurs off to Levy's face is amazing :D

:cool:

Duran out, Rashford in. :cab:

Loan enquiry. So long as it's not costing us the earth to take him, I'd be happy to take the risk for the rest of the season.

Signing of the window :drool:

View Tweet

Does he mean top or bottom?

Power bottom.

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Originally Posted by Giggles

Signing of the window :drool:

View Tweet

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Not if he’s going to Spurs. Poor lad is fucked before he even starts.

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Originally Posted by Luke Emia

Not if he’s going to Spurs. Poor lad is fucked before he even starts.

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Very likely true alright. Plus, he'll have some 39 year old slogger trying to snap him in half each week for the whole of next season too.