Football MARCHes on ('cause it's March)

Now that you've all recovered from the genius of that thread title it occurs to me that I don't think we did predictions or the mid-season report cards or anything (presumably because it's been the best year of our lives and we haven't had time) so let's do a condensed version of that.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league?
Rest of the top four will be...
The relegated clubs will be....
Champions League winner:
Wafer Cup winner:
Will crowds be back this season?
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football?
Any other thoughts / predictions?

YOUR TEAM
My team is:
Expectations at start of season:
Expectations now:

Manager rating out of 5:
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why:

Team rating out of 5:
Best result of the season:
Best performance of the season:
Worst result of the season:
Worst performance of the season:

Overall player of the season so far:
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season:
The worst player of the season:
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season:
Any other comments:

My team is: Chelsea
Expectations at start of season: That they would compete in 38 league games as well as in various cup competitions; winning some of them, losing others, and drawing others still
Expectations now: Absolutely unchanged

Manager rating out of 5: 3 for Lampard, 4 for Tuchel
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: Yes, because I'd enjoy the power rush

Team rating out of 5: 3
Best result of the season: 0-0 v Man Utd, which I think has happened about 7 times. It's important never to lose ground to them in the race for top three soccer.
Best performance of the season: 1-0 win last week over the Liza Minnelli muff diving XI, ft. a seething Diego Godin
Worst result of the season: The 7-1 defeat to Arsenal was a crushing blow, particularly as four of their goals were so morally excellent that the mainstream media couldn't even capture them on camera, so it's down as 3-1 in official records
Worst performance of the season: Probably me writing this post

Overall player of the season so far: Mason Mount
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Mason Mount, owing to his crashing winner in the West London Derby, football's most fiery grudge clash. I've had 'bragging rights' over all my Fulham fan friends ever since, and indeed for the full 32 years of my life
The worst player of the season: It's a close race between Kepa, for being so bad that we decided to panic-buy Edouard Mendy, and Edouard Mendy, for being so bad that we are probably thinking quite seriously about bringing Kepa back into the lineup.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Tammy Abraham because he can't run or kick properly. He can do a lot of football things pretty well - flick-ons, shouting, that sort of thing - but he can't run or kick. Also Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, who I can only assume took advantage of a 2-for-1 special offer on the Operation. Werner's fantastically Aryan limbs no longer work in harmony, while Havertz still appears to be under the effect of the anaesthetic.
Any other comments: Football has lost its meaning to me. I hope it comes back with the fans. We're more solid since Lampard left, for sure, but I don't care, because the prospective journey is so anodyne. I'd almost rather have seen him drag us down the table over the next three years ending in a comedic relegation battle with Ipswich, or something, it would be more entertaining than the constant search for tactical shape which is modern football. Attendance: 0

My answers to get the ball rolling:

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? Nah
Rest of the top four will be... Liverpool, United..... Chelsea? I think United will hang on to top four and the other spot could really be either Chelsea or Leicester but I reckon Chelsea might sneak ahead of them.
The relegated clubs will be.... Sheffield United, West Brom, Brighton
Champions League winner: I have an unpleasant feeling Pep might not fuck it up this time.
Wafer Cup winner: AC Milan once 98-year old Zlatan has bummed Maguire and Lindelof in the next round.
Will crowds be back this season? Nah.
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? Not really. Even aside from watching United largely being like rubbing onions on your eyes (being in second place while invariably being no fun to watch is some going.) And I find it hard to get into any other games when I have them on because football without crowds is just a waste of everybody's time.
Any other thoughts / predictions? Nothing outlandish, though I think there are probably more VAR changes coming because the bizarre decisions just aren't going away.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Manchester United
Expectations at start of season: Low. I suppose I'd have set the bar as European qualification.
Expectations now: It'd be stupid if we chucked top four at this point, but then I thought it'd be stupid if we shitted our way out of the Champions League after those first two group games.

Manager rating out of 5: Like...3?
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: Not out of hand but if there was an obvious replacement I'd make the switch. He's not the biggest problem at the club but by the same token it feels like every bad performance and bad result are down to the exact same things and he just never learns. I struggle to see us sustaining a challenge for any trophies anyone cares about with him in charge, but then the same might just be said for Woodward.

Team rating out of 5: 3
Best result of the season: Probably that win against PSG, really set us up for the group before we fucked it and looked like Solskjaer still had a solid method for beating big teams before all the draws set in from then on. Honourable mention to the 9-0 just because of the score.
Best performance of the season: The 5-0 against Julian Nagelsmann's jacket was good.
Worst result of the season: Losing to Team Rafael and that fucking goal Demba Ba scored when a win against a not very good team would have put is in good stead to see out the group was grim.
Worst performance of the season: Getting bent over by Tottenham.

Overall player of the season so far: Fernandes, obviously.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Also Fernandes.
The worst player of the season: A few to choose from but it really has to come down to one of Maguire or Lindelof for me. They both just get constantly bullied and do stupid shit and I think Maguire's heading might be what Ant claimed Vidic's was.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: As you might guess given what I named this bit, Anthony Martial. He's sort of become a parody of his early flaws. Looks entirely disinterested most of the time and isn't even doing the bare minimum. You see Cavani's movement and it's night and day. Martial mooches about, doesn't look for space, if he does get the ball just wants to try the same cut inside every time and barely even has the flashes of brilliance now. If United can con somebody into giving them a load of money for him then they should. Rashford hasn't had many good performances either I don't think but he is at least still scoring goals whereas Martial barely contributes.
Any other comments: There is some obvious shit in the team but I do wonder if a manager who had more of a plan than "pick the same 11 players every time and hope Fernandes chips in with a GOAL CONTRIBUTION" might get more out of a number of them.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS

Will crowds be back this season? Yes.
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? Fuck no.
Any other thoughts / predictions? A few more clubs lower down the pyramid will go bust.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Swindon Town
Expectations at start of season: Mid table.
Expectations now:We might, just might, avoid relegation. Currently top of the 7-team mini league at the bottom, although Burton have just hit some cracking form.

Manager rating out of 5: John Sheridan - 0.5. Actively made the team worse and isolated key senior players. Old-school bully.
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: No - only on a contract to the end of the season, 7 points from the previous 9 suggests some sort of form which might be enough to keep us up. Looking for a hungry young manager for next season though.

Team rating out of 5: 2. They're not a bad squad of players, they've just been horribly mismanaged.
Best result of the season: 3-2 against Ipswich on the telly, although it did bring a sense of foreboding as we've been here before. Beating Oxford in the last minute was pretty sweet though.
Worst result of the season: 4-1 home loss to MK Dons was pretty horrific.

Overall player of the season so far: Dion Conroy.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Scott Twine. Has a habit of pulling out a belter in games where we need it.
The worst player of the season: Taylor Curran. Allegedly only here as his Dad is paying his wages. Not League One standard.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Any of the perenially-injured troupe - Zeki Fryers, Jordan Lyden, Mathieu Baudry, Anthony Grant...
Any other comments:[/QUOTE] Richie Wellens can do one.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? N
Rest of the top four will be... United, Chelsea, Leicester
The relegated clubs will be.... Sheffield United, West Brom, Newcastle
Champions League winner: City
Wafer Cup winner: An English team
Will crowds be back this season? Sure
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? I'm pretty numb to it at this stage. I feel like for the last six months my life has been scrolling my phone while BPL football plays in the background
Any other thoughts / predictions?

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Brighton
Expectations at start of season: 10th ish?
Expectations now: 16th ish?

Manager rating out of 5: 4
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: I'm not really sure what more he can do.

Team rating out of 5: 2.5
Best result of the season: Any of the ones that resulted in three points being gained
Best performance of the season: The Leeds one last month? Basically any game against the top 4
Worst result of the season: Pick from any of the games that involved losing/drawing in mind boggling circumstances.
Worst performance of the season: Probably the recent draw against Burnley

Overall player of the season so far: Yves Bissouma is a colossus. March and Webster have also been brilliant and severely missed lately.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Lol. Lamptey for merking every renowned left back in the league perhaps.
The worst player of the season: I'm not sure who decided to remove Dan Burn from League One but it's not really working out.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Anyone who has stepped foot in the opposing penalty area.
Any other comments: It'll turn, it always turns. It'll turn, it'll turn, it'll turn.

James, Burn has had some great games. MotM v Liverpool. Against Wolves he was a calamity but a good season overall, imo.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? No
Rest of the top four will be... Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool
The relegated clubs will be.... Sheffield United, West Brom, Fulham
Champions League winner: PSG
Wafer Cup winner: United are probably the best team in it, but they have Milan who are maybe the second best? So I'll say Arsenal.
Will crowds be back this season? Yessir
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? Much less, of course, but there have been some good games. Many games I look forward to and then feel completely unaffected by. No crowds has almost killed it. The Champions League's quality means it's less ruined by the lack of atmosphere, and I've found it does still often feel like a big occasion.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Brighton and Hove Albion
Expectations at start of season: 11th. Always naively optimistic in pre-season, that's what it's for.
Expectations now: 16th

Manager rating out of 5: 3
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: No, he's quite good and Pep Guardiola isn't available. Potter took an age to realise that maybe a somewhat settled team would pay dividends (think it was January when he finally named an unchanged XI); on the other hand he gets us playing entertainingly and, despite the often hopeless finishing, a possession-based team is more fun if results are equal.

Team rating out of 5: 3
Best result of the season: 1-0 v Liverpool
Best performance of the season: 1-0 v Liverpool; shoutout to 2-3 v Man United
Worst result of the season: 1-2 v Palace, 0-1 v West Brom
Worst performance of the season: 0-0 v Fulham (which has apparently happened twice, I mean the second time.)

Overall player of the season so far: Dunk; perhaps would have been Lamptey if not for his injury
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Well we haven't been good against Palace, Fulham, Burnley or West Brom and I suppose they are the big games for us. I'll give it to Dunk for getting the equaliser v Wolves, which saved a bad run from being very bad.
The worst player of the season: Ryan.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Connolly for missing open goals.
Any other comments: It'd be interesting to know if 30 minutes extra shooting practice a week would help us, and if that would be an increase of 1000%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hyGFsUcplI

I love this guys channel.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? No
Rest of the top four will be... United, Chelsea and Liverpool
The relegated clubs will be.... Newcastle, West Brom and Sheffield United
Champions League winner: City
Wafer Cup winner: Erm...United
Will crowds be back this season? No. Think it lines up for the last game. They'll just leave it until next year.
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? Villa are half decent for the first time in 10 years, so yes.
Any other thoughts / predictions? Nah. Too much thinking.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: THE Villa
Expectations at start of season: 10th-15th
Expectations now: Top 8

Manager rating out of 5: 4
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: No way

Team rating out of 5: 4
Best result of the season: 7-2 Vs Liverpool, before they were shit and ravaged by injuries.
Best performance of the season: Has to be that as well.
Worst result of the season: 0-3 at home to Leeds, 1-2 at home to Brighton and 1-3 at home to West Ham
Worst performance of the season: Probably 0-0 away to Brighton. Really should've lost.

Overall player of the season so far: More difficult than some would have you believe. It's Grealish, but tempted to give it to Ollie Watkins.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Ezri Konsa
The worst player of the season: Erm, tough. Barkley maybe. He's not been bad, but under performed and not as good as expected.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Trezeguet. Grafter, but not good enough.
Any other comments: There's barely a player I can say a bad word against, which is such a long way away from all the pisstakers and has beens we've had on the books over the past decade. Really refreshing and I love it. Hope we can push on next season.

This should be a diff thread then the general football thread imo. But seeing as we're here.

Barca president has been arrested. That's two in a row now. Mes que un club.

F365 pulling out a MEGA STAT in their winners and losers:

"One of the more ridiculous Premier League runs in over. Stretching back to February 2016, Aston Villa had started 16 top-flight matches without Jack Grealish in the team. Their record without him was truly appalling: Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 15. The curse is broken."

Four games since we came up. Leeds, which we won. Leicester last week and Liverpool and (I think) City last season. Most of it taken from 2015/16 when we won 3 games all season and he was 12. Fuck. Off.

F365 are such absolute wank now. They started the media revolution but think they’re still the spearhead of it. They openly acknowledge their social media is made to annoy people into clicking.

That match was fucking terrible.

Pirelli are cutting their sponsor to inter. A 26 year partnership. Which for me, this is one of my earliest football memories. It was R9 in a Inter shirt with Pirelli on the front.

Toggle Spoiler

A thing of beauty :drool:

https://i0.wp.com/thesefootballtimes...80%2C869&ssl=1

You can almost hear his knee snapping.

Saint-Maximin and Almiron out until April. Make that Newcastle to join Sheff Utd and West Brom.

They'll probably beat us 3-0 in a few weeks with Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle up front.

Yep, combined with their fixture schedule, they're down. 2.75 on Bet365 too. Fulham's development as the go-to BLM outfit will be a welcome addition to the prem next season unless someone signs their ginger lad in midfield or the other white guy in defence and it all falls apart.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? nope
Rest of the top four will be... Man Utd, Chelsea, Leicester City
The relegated clubs will be.... Sheff Utd, West Brom, Newcastle
Champions League winner: PSG
Wafer Cup winner: Man Utd
Will crowds be back this season? partly
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? Yes although more as a distraction than an active thing. Us being good helps also.
Any other thoughts / predictions?

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Leicester City
Expectations at start of season: Top 7 and decent run in all 3 cups.
Expectations now: cling on to top 4 with our fingernails.

Manager rating out of 5: 4
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: no

Team rating out of 5: 4
Best result of the season: 5-2 away to Man City.
Best performance of the season: probably above but 2-0 at home to Chelsea a more impressive all round dominant display rather than an old school counter attack.
Worst result of the season: 0-2 home to Slavia Praha
Worst performance of the season: 0-3 at anfield. We were flying and they weren’t and we didn’t turn up at all.

Overall player of the season so far: Youri Tielemans
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Wilfred Ndidi
The worst player of the season: Ayoze Perez
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Maddison aside from the two months before his recent injury was so inconsistent but really found a nice run of form. Schmeichel is good but he still retains an inabiltly to dominate from set pieces which is a big weakness for us.
Any other comments:[/QUOTE]
If we blow it this time I don’t think it’ll be a bottle job. We are just running out of steam and bodies. Need at least one of Maddison or Barnes back soon and Vardy to find his scoring touch otherwise it will be another promising if ultimately disappointing campaign. Another decent chance to win a maiden FA cup but almost don’t want to if I can’t walk up Wembley way. I’m sure I won’t have that dilemma as well lose meekly to United.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? lol no
Rest of the top four will be... United, Leicester and Liverpool
The relegated clubs will be....Newcastle, West Brom, THE MIGHTY BLADES
Champions League winner: City. It's been looming for a while, hopefully PSG or Bayern stop them.
Wafer Cup winner: United should walk it.
Will crowds be back this season? Yes, for 1 or 2 games.
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football?Not at all. Results aside it just feels like you're watching one of those behind closed doors friendlies teams set up to trial a player/prepare for a big final
Any other thoughts / predictions? A referee to be assaulted or something similar after one terrible decision too many.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Liverpool
Expectations at start of season: Win it again.
Expectations now:Top 4 should still be made.

Manager rating out of 5:4.
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: lol no. He's been dealt a shitty hand this year, both on and off the field. Losing the best player in the league for the season along with all of his backups thereafter. Then your big marquee signing being out for 4 months straight away didn't help either. It still wasn't even going that badly until we hit the new year.
Loses a mark as he never really tried anything new.

Team rating out of 5: 2
Best result of the season: Either 7-0 at Palace or 5-0 at Atalanta.
Best performance of the season: 5-0 Atalanta. Palace game felt like it wasn't quite a 7-0.
Worst result of the season: 7-2 to Villa or 1-4 City. The former was everyone bar Alisson fit, but the latter pretty much condemned the season.
Worst performance of the season: Probably Everton last week. Never even looked like winning it at any point.

Overall player of the season so far: Salah. Still playing at a high level despite his forward partners taking the season off. Fabinho has stepped in very well to the CB role too.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: As above.
The worst player of the season: There's a list full of potential here. But Firmino seems to have dropped down a level to the point where I reckon he hits the bench when Jota returns.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Origi. Sending him on now is live waving the white flag. He hasn't done a thing after coming on in quite some time.
Any other comments: Curtis Jones emerging has been good to see.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? Nope.
Rest of the top four will be... United, Liverpool, Chelsea
The relegated clubs will be.... Sheff United, Fulham, West Brom
Champions League winner: Man City
Wafer Cup winner: Seville (even if they're not in it)
Will crowds be back this season? Yes.
Have you enjoyed this season / lockdown football? It's shite. Half of the fun of football is actually going and having a day of it. This has just been mindless drudgery.
Any other thoughts / predictions? Liverpool will have a premier league celebration parade despite relenting the title to City once the fans are back.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Man U
Expectations at start of season: Top 4
Expectations now: Top 4

Manager rating out of 5: 4
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: No. It can't be understated how much we were in the doldrums post Fergie. I think there was some stat about the lack of hattricks and games since we win by 4 or 5 goals. It was long. He's done a great job turning us from a pretty hateful bunch to one that looks at least able to compete on a regular basis. The overhaul has been impressive.

Team rating out of 5: 3
Best result of the season: The PSG result was great or Southampton.
Best performance of the season: PSG - Tuanzebe. Wow.
Worst result of the season: Either of the 0-0s v Chelsea.
Worst performance of the season: Arsenal - both.

Overall player of the season so far: Bruno or Luke (what!)
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: I think this needs to be renamed into the Bruno award tbfh.
The worst player of the season: Martial.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: Oh. Martial again please.
Any other comments: Martial is a terrible player.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reg

Saint-Maximin and Almiron out until April. Make that Newcastle to join Sheff Utd and West Brom.

They'll probably beat us 3-0 in a few weeks with Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle up front.

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Aye, we're done for. The injury list (covid included) has made the season feel positively cursed for us.

GENERAL PREDICTIONS / THOUGHTS
Will anybody stop City winning the league? No.
Rest of the top four will be... United, Leicester, and Liverpool.
The relegated clubs will be.... Hopefully Brighton.
Champions League winner: Bayern Munich.
Wafer Cup winner: United.
Will crowds be back this season? I don't know when the season ends, so possibly.
Have you enjoyed this season/lockdown football? No.
Any other thoughts/predictions? England will be shit at the Euros.

YOUR TEAM
My team is: Manchester United.
Expectations at start of season: I seem to remember saying the target was at least eighty points.
Expectations now: They should get second quite comfortably and they really need to win a cup.

Manager rating out of 5: 3.5
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No) and why: I would not sack him at the moment because I think he has the right ideas and his signings have been decent; but he is not the man to win them the league, so at some point they will need to replace him, and they might as well do it before the wheels completely fall off and set them back a year. Who you replace him with I don't know.

Team rating out of 5: 3.5
Best result of the season: I don't know, but the late winner at Southampton was the best pop thus far.
Best performance of the season: Everton away was a genuinely good performance.
Worst result of the season: One of the European embarrassments.
Worst performance of the season: As above.

Overall player of the season so far: Nuno Nernandes, followed by Scott McTominay and Fred.
The Didier Drogba Award for big game player of the season: Scott McTominay.
The worst player of the season: Anthony Martial is the only player who has been genuinely shit.
The Tony M Award for most infuriating player of the season: As above.
Any other comments:[/QUOTE] Dave Gayer is done. He has 'lost a yard of pace' but on his reflexes, like when Iker Casillas started to slide at about the same age, and there is no coming back from it.

Some facebook comment pleb rated Luke Shaw above Kieran Tierney, that's bollocks surely.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Best performance of the season: 1-0 win last week over the Liza Minnelli muff diving XI, ft. a seething Diego Godin

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Just researched on this and it seems that Diego Godin hasn't played there for two years. I'm 100% certain he was on the pitch against us (I watched it with the sound off which probably didn't help).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lofty

Some facebook comment pleb rated Luke Shaw above Kieran Tierney, that's bollocks surely.

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Luke Shaw has been outstanding this season. I'd written him off as a fat waste of space, but he's been one of our best players.

He has been good though, far be it from me to question OGB's incredible grasp of tactics, I don't think he's "plan B if Fernandes is shit" good.

EDIT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56243781

"Goal involvements."

Why is mainstream football analysis still so insistent on failing to isolate the contribution of the chance creator from whether or not that chance was ultimately finished? 'Assist', 'Goal contribution', 'Goal involvement' all make the same bollocks error.

It's maddening and there seems to be no end in sight.

Portugal's front-line pipeline is filth. Jota, Neto and Felix with Silva in backup. Hopefully Ronaldo loses his spot before he can break Daei's record.

Luke Shaw's improvement/performances have been over-stated. He's finally running forward with a bit of purpose, his crossing is much better, and Marcus Rashford is better with him providing a left-footed outlet; but he's still a ball-watcher who can be lazy getting back and doesn't even attempt to defend crosses (like Harry Maguire, his best games are where he only has to cover ten yards and can't get rinsed out of position). He's probably just about good enough for where they want to be, which might be an achievement in itself, but people have got carried away with it.

I think it's because he was written off by most as a fat lazy shit. He's become much better going forward, even if he's still suspect defensively every now and then.

I think everything you said is absolutely fair Lewis, he's improved massively but still not world beating. He's still not getting past the winger enough and that's due to his fitness or footballing desire. He's still a million times better than AWB.

Is Wan-Bissaka no good or is he just no good going forward?

The only thing I ever hear about him is various folk on here bleating on about his slide tackling.

The beauty in the likes of AWB and Maguire is their age. They're lumbered with having to involve them for years to come which guarantees they'll never do shit as a club in said period :drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Is Wan-Bissaka no good or is he just no good going forward?

The only thing I ever hear about him is various folk on here bleating on about his slide tackling.

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He's brilliant at tackling in a 1 on 1 situation, but that's about it, and it masks a lot of his deficiencies.

He's gone to the same school as Fred and Chris Smalling for how to kick a football. He's alright but he is never going to be a world standard full back.

I think he would look a lot better with a proper right-sided attacker in front of him. Whoever plays there tends to come deep/inside too much and completely exposes his attacking shitness by leaving him a load of time and space to flail around in. If he could just run overlaps and float the odd cross in, like Shaw now gets to when Rashford plays, he would be a serviceable attacking outlet. He's fine defensively. He sometimes loses his bearings a bit further up, but that might change if he wasn't minding that space and/or covering Victor Lindelof.

Norwich-Brentford top of the table clash at 5.30pm today promises much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

Aye, we're done for. The injury list (covid included) has made the season feel positively cursed for us.

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Potential for heartbreak too of course, but the final day v Fulham could be joyous if it came down to that and you won. At least that's away from home - Jebus, that'd be too much for a first game back for the fans.

(Meanwhile we have the stress-free final two games of Man City and Arsenal. :uhoh: Wrapped up by then please.)

Commentators have been absolutely GAGGING for Barkley in this game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Norwich-Brentford top of the table clash at 5.30pm today promises much.

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Absolute poison. Norwich are coming up as champions though.

Oli Burke is incredible.

You could see him shitting himself when he was trying to take on Mings there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

F365 pulling out a MEGA STAT in their winners and losers:

"One of the more ridiculous Premier League runs in over. Stretching back to February 2016, Aston Villa had started 16 top-flight matches without Jack Grealish in the team. Their record without him was truly appalling: Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 15. The curse is broken."

Four games since we came up. Leeds, which we won. Leicester last week and Liverpool and (I think) City last season. Most of it taken from 2015/16 when we won 3 games all season and he was 12. Fuck. Off.

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Shouldn't have dismissed a curse, mate.

View Tweet

That is glorious. A grand at best?

United need to secure a saffron sponsor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

That is glorious. A grand at best?

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It's an FFP scam. The company is owned by Robson Kanu.

Nemanja Matic is a waste of a shirt in these sort of games. There is nothing to sweep up, so he's just twenty yards behind the play doing nothing.

Grealish must be up there with VVD, Zaha and Jimenez in terms of influence and impact on their respective teams. Kane, Phillips and Lamptey in the next tier.

One of the worst games I've seen (3 in 3).

Mellin brought this type of result on himself by getting a bit too big for his britches. That post saying he couldn't see Spurs or Arsenal catching up was death.

Basically every game at the moment is terrible. They all need six months off.

This is a pretty perfect example of why Ole Gunnar Binman won't win them the league. How do you watch an hour of this and swap a defensive midfielder?

He has no plan B at all and he's too scared to take a risk.

Very fucking obvious you can put Fernandes into midfield early and try and change it. Rashford has been absolutely dogshit tonight and has played the full game.

Rashford has been shit for months, and he seems to be forcing it more each week and getting worse.

He (Rashford) never looks like he's enjoying himself. All he ever does on the pitch is scowl, gob off or sit down for a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Grealish must be up there with VVD, Zaha and Jimenez in terms of influence and impact on their respective teams. Kane, Phillips and Lamptey in the next tier.

---

Add Pogba to the latter group.

Where's your fucking goal collusions now, you cunts :happycry:

Quote:

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Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic to Sky Sports: “Palace played solid compact football. They waited for their chances. They had a opportunity to win the game at the end. We have to do much better, we have to risk more in attack to create more chances.

“We are Manchester United, we have to win this kind of game. On Sunday we have a big game against Manchester City. We have to refocus for that.

---

This kind of arrogant bullshit is why they don't win enough games. Think it's basically all Solskjaer brings to the table. You've got a badge on, mate, other than that it's 11 v 11 and no one 'has to' win.

They've spat out that bullshit for years. We need to do better etc etc. Fucking do it then! You just had ninety minutes to do exactly that.

The Leicester bottle job is well underway. Nailed on for 5th.

If we win tomorrow we're fucking coasting
to 2nd. The bus parade in June :drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Rashford has been shit for months, and he seems to be forcing it more each week and getting worse.

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Dinner lady ay he

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

This kind of arrogant bullshit is why they don't win enough games. Think it's basically all Solskjaer brings to the table. You've got a badge on, mate, other than that it's 11 v 11 and no one 'has to' win.

---

Also like the quote about United needing to find their "spark."

I assume he thought playing six defensive players against a team who were also going to defend a lot was the way to do that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manc

The Leicester bottle job is well underway. Nailed on for 5th.

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It’s all about West Ham now. I’d love them to qualify for the Champions League.

West Ham at Upton Park in the CL would have been brilliant. West Ham at the Olympic stadium, meh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

Also like the quote about United needing to find their "spark."

I assume he thought playing six defensive players against a team who were also going to defend a lot was the way to do that.

---

And we should/could have conceded despite that.

The race for 2nd-4th is so depressing we may as well cancel the league again like we did last year.

Yeah, we almost always still look like a bombscare despite being set up to be 'solid.'

Haaland has listed Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus as the only clubs he'd consider leaving Dortmund for, so I look forward to him signing for Bayern.

The mad bastard has gone Kane, Son, Alli and Bale (BASK). Should be a cracker of a game this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

Haaland has listed Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus as the only clubs he'd consider leaving Dortmund for, so I look forward to him signing for Bayern.

---

Add Werner and Havertz once they have one year left on their Chelsea deals

I don’t think Havertz has even played a minute under Tuchel. Poor bloke

Shame we can't emergency loan him in and turn him into a regular Gabriel Obertan.

I'll be fucked if I'm keeping on top of the handball rules but commentator has just said the same act that meant handball and a fine goal disallowed for Fulham would not have been deemed a handball if the Fulham player was defending rather than attacking. Well done to all involved in arriving at this shambles we find ourselves in.

Games gone with that hand ball decision.

Baffling.

VAR hates Werner :D

Must be the 4th or 5th tight call decided by an arm this season

These offside calls for a strand of hair over the line are pathetic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

These offside calls for a strand of hair over the line are pathetic.

---

I was thinking about it, should it be if you don’t score with the body part that is offside it’s not offside. Because the only reason Werner was offside was because of where his arm was but if would have scored with it then it would have been disallowed anyway.

It used to be so that level meant that the attacker gets the call for the sake of more goals > fewer goals. If you have to draw these lines on the screen for a minute then surely there is no advantage gained?

VAR is just the worst.

Sadly I doubt there's any shutting the box now that it's out.

England's future captain.

I was going to say the technology's not the problem but it's clearly influencing decision-making in a freakish way. It's overcomplicating things.

‘Trent’ must get caught like that three times a game

That's a cracking finish but what the fuck are Thiago and Kabak doing there?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

That's a cracking finish but what the fuck are Thiago and Kabak doing there?

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Fabinho cleverly showed him onto his right foot. Is that not basic defending to show him down the line? Mount was never going to do anything other than cut in.

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He looks about 2 yards onside

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CJay

Fabinho cleverly showed him onto his right foot. Is that not basic defending to show him down the line? Mount was never going to do anything other than cut in.

---

That was poor too, but at least he went after the ball. There should have been at least some help inside.

This is end of days levels of shite from us now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

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He looks about 2 yards onside

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This isn't the right argument, these are just deceptive angles, their line across the pitch should be standardised and right on VAR, it's the line from the players that seems to be completely subjective and open to corruption. How are they deciding where to draw the line from on Werner? There's not a chance that comes out as offside if they draw the line properly, I reckon.

Mount :happycry:

Get Jota on. Mane and Bobby have been a disgrace too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

That was poor too, but at least he went after the ball. There should have been at least some help inside.

This is end of days levels of shite from us now.

---

Yep.

We're playing a high line but Chelsea are walking out of our 'press' so easily every time. We're making Mount & Werner (what business would these two be in as a partnership?) look genuinely dangerous. We could very easily be 3-0 down.

Mané needs a few weeks off. Literally anyone could perform his role at the minute. He's totally lost his touch and confidence.

Chelsea should win this about 5-0 at the least.

What in the flying fuck is he doing now?

Mane and Bobby Binman trying to turn a game around :drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

VAR is just the worst.

Sadly I doubt there's any shutting the box now that it's out.

---

At least there are no fans there to suffer from the bollocks.

A serious goal THREAT coming on.

We’re proper awful.

It's alright lads. Exact same team and exact same 4-3-3 again on Sunday, yeah? It'll definitely work this time.

Worse title defence since David Moyes.

My guy pulled Salah off on 60th minute and brought Oxlade on ahead of Naby. I mean if you want compassionate leave just put a request in you fucking nazi cunt.

Salah must have either had a knock or done something tiny that'll have pissed him off.

Didn't watch it but Mase :cool:

Looks a far better player under Tuchel

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

My guy pulled Salah off on 60th minute and brought Oxlade on ahead of Naby. I mean if you want compassionate leave just put a request in you fucking nazi cunt.

---

:D

Klopp still breaking records. :cool: First time ever Liverpool have lost 5 on the trott at home.

It is weird that Klopp continues to stick with his 433.

Just feels like he doesn't have a plan B.

https://twitter.com/BeWarmers/status...153686019?s=19

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Looks a far better player under Tuchel

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He was just as good before.

I wonder how FSG are viewing this season. Must be tempting to consider it a write off given the injury list, but you simply cannot escape a lot of the players have gone backwards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

It is weird that Klopp continues to stick with his 433.

Just feels like he doesn't have a plan B.

---

You've got the more successful version of OGS by the sounds of it? So many games it's crying out for a change of shape and not just personnel but he won't do it.

Frankie Lamps was the same in his second season. I think a lot of them are just so wedded to shape at the moment that in-match creativity is too much for them. In a sense you can't blame them, as everyone is completely knackered, so you have to have something to fall back on.

My mans seriously comparing Klopp to OGS and Lampard :D

Your mans are (or is, I'm not sure of the grammar there) surveying the broken carcass of top flight football currently and seeing not a lot of difference across any of the clubs except for City who have the two XIs they can rotate.

We'd be up there if we weren't hit with an injury crisis for the ages. Everyone else is as they were last season although that fucking German autist now has Chelsea as serious CL contenders within a month of sporadic training sessions :drool:

Injury crisis :D You've had a few sicknotes getting their annual injuries and one member of the first XI being decked by Jordan Pickford.

How do we escape this relentless cycle though? Euros in the summer. World Cup next winter. Afcon and the Copa are bound to be on 4 or 5 times in a year as well somehow. There is going to be no let up for years, or ever.

Liverpool just need to play Fabinho in midfield and let the actual defenders sort themselves out (or not) at the back.

I'm sure it's nothing really to do with him, but Thiago must have had one of the most spectacularly bad impacts on a team ever, if one was looking for such correlations. When did he make his comeback? The West Brom game? Top of the league and coasting. 3 wins in 10 since (it's probably worse than that)?

Hopefully the Leipzig game is in Hungary again. Maybe we should move all our games out there.

It will all come to a head at some point soon when there is a massive three-way war between FIFA, UEFA and the Big Clubs. Christ knows what the outcome will be.

Is 2024 still the end of time on the Mayan, I mean, International Football Calendar?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SvN

Injury crisis :D You've had a few sicknotes getting their annual injuries and one member of the first XI being decked by Jordan Pickford.

---

We have had various worst states during the season but we seem to now have really recovered to being in the fantastic position of being able to field our 4th and 6th/7th choice CBs as a solid partnership.

At most recent count I saw a week or two back, our absences had a combined cost of 204 games this season, twice the amount of the next worst off, Leicester.

23 CB partnerships across games in all competitions this season.

Only 10 players have been available for more than half of the teams games this season.

Only 4 players now haven't been injured or unavailable for at least 3 weeks of the season.

These pundits and locked down soulless cretins who have been deprived of the clubs for 16 months are thirsty af for narratives and seem to think Klopp and the same players who have proven themselves over a sustained period of time have somehow lost it. It's cute but it's bollocks. How we're still in CL and likely to still make top four is testament to their quality.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

It will all come to a head at some point soon when there is a massive three-way war between FIFA, UEFA and the Big Clubs. Christ knows what the outcome will be.

---

Hopefully the end of the sport.

Newcastle United have failed to get the chairman booted off the arbitration case. The Club (tm) spotted numerous instances of the chairman withholding information regarding BeIN sports but the Court of Arbitration was all, "Heh. Nah."

The injuries have been quite convenient for Liverpool. They were pants after THE RESTART and up until Pickford chopped Van Dijk.

Either way that front line isn't winning another league title.

Not forgetting they sold Lovren and didn't replace him. It's not bad luck, it's poor planning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

Not forgetting they sold Lovren and didn't replace him. It's not bad luck, it's poor planning.

---

It is, I know it's been a year where financial prudence was needed but making the exact same mistake City did with Fernandinho last year was negligent to be honest. Fabinho filling in every now & then would have been ok if VVD hadn't gotten injured but to go into the season with only three centre-backs and two of them having very poor injury records was asking for trouble. As soon as you take Fabinho & then Henderson out of the midfield it just throws everything else out of kilter and anyone could see that coming from a mile off.

The Jota injury was unlucky up until he was out the front three were being rotated and it was working but it happens. The defensive situation has then meant a total lack of rotation in midfield for the past months as Chamberlain & Keita also can't be trusted to be fit and now it's catching up because Wijnaldum especially has pretty much played every minute of every game.

Villa did the same the year we came up. We were 13th in March for a reason. Think it was Chester, Elphick and Tuanzebe for the first half of the season. Tuanzebe and Elphick got injured and Bruce ruined Chester's career pumping him full of meds until Jan. Fortunately we loaned Mings and Hause in January, as we were trying everyone at centre half. Hutton, Jedinak, Elmo. Couldn't defend for shit. Mings transformed us and then Tuanzebe came back and we were away. Fortunate though.

Maybe should have chucked £20m at some random defender (rather Thiago) but then, what do you get for that? Schalke wanted (still want?) more for this Kabak chancer and I think Klopp was (is) very conscious of not wanting to impede the development of the likes of Gomez. That said I was all aboard the Koulibaly boat last summer.

You can say they made the same mistake as City, but then, what was City's mistake? Not replacing Kompany? They had £150m worth of central defenders still knocking around the club. Being overly reliant on Laporte? He barely gets a game now. Short of having unlimited resources I'm not sure how you cope with losing all of your senior centre halves (City lost one) to season ending injuries before the season is even half done (and much much less in terms of the main pairing). Klopp should stop being a tit and just play the ones he has though, rather than cobbling midfielders in there all the time.

In other news, I see they've had to change the handball rule again. A Fulham fan might be able to help me with this but it seems to me that every time they get fucked over by one the rule then changes going forward (the Salah penalty), until the new rule, or another aspect of the existing rule screws them and then it gets revised again (this latest one). And they never see the benefit.

Get Mbappe and Haaland in a red shirt and ignore the fact that we’ve no centrehalves with legs.

Kabak is now injured and out of the Fulham game at least. Normal service resumed.

Are Exeter banned from playing at 3pm on a Saturday? They seem to play at 1pm every week

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Fox

Kabak is now injured and out of the Fulham game at least. Normal service resumed.

---

Good. Useless.

Yep, that's positive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Are Exeter banned from playing at 3pm on a Saturday? They seem to play at 1pm every week

---

Presumably the away clubs want that as it's a mission to get back from.

Jesus Christ... Lacazette screaming (twice) like he's been fucking shot.

Goal of the season contender there from Chris Wood.

I only John was alive for this Rangers title.

Haaland on for a hat trick away to Bayern. Were 2-0 after 8 mins but 2-1 now. They’ll probably lose 5-3 or something

2-2 at half time. Lewandowski already at 30 league goals for this season.

Villa-Wolves a fascinating match so far. Second half is tempting but I've been reading up on auto-erotic asphyxiation and it really does look worth a try.

Oh dear Dortmund.

9 goals needed in 10 matches from Lewandowski to hit 40.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

I only John was alive for this Rangers title.

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The scenes at Ibrox are just :D

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magic

The scenes at Ibrox are just :D

---

Sturgeon will keep pubs shut until September now

They fine 2 guys coming up to buy a car from England but not a single rangers fan.

The scenes outside Parkhead will be special next weekend if Rangers win the league later today

Klopp fully asking for the sack now. The two Williams' up against prime cut BLM talent :D

That's fucking grim.

So is this Liverpool just sacking off the league in favour of the champions league or are they just being fair to Fulham (having chucked home games against Burnley and Brighton already)?

Heavily suggest the former. I'd have expected only a couple of changes if it were the latter.

Hahahaha Sellick.

:cool:

I don't think I've disliked a Liverpool player more than I dislike Salah.

I'll take a point given how knackered the side is but man, Fulham could snatch those points easily. Maja's eagerness is a big difference.

It’s a shame Lookman doesn’t really have an end product the majority of the time as he’s great to watch

Great camera work whilst Maja was changing his shorts.

Salah :harold:

Deserved from Fulham.

That’s a lovely strike to be fair. Hopefully Brighton finally go down now

If only anyone could have seen this coming.

6.6 still available on Brighton to go down. That Newcastle, above them in the table with a much easier run in, are about 2.5 says a lot.

Where on this earth is Ben Davies?

There's nowt easy about that run-in. Our cutting edge is on the treatment table.

Missed the first half but extremely surprised to find us being dicked on. Fulham 5/1 :drool:

Just what was the Nazi thinking? We have a piss east run-in and about 4 or 5 points to make up for 4th and he throws games for absolutely no reason? Where you at Stevie?

It just feels toxic now. I'm even somehow worried they'll throw it away against Leipzig.

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:harold:

Having watched the first 15 mins of second half, we don't look too bad. Naby and Jota could well see us win CL. Panic over.

Quote:

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f anything, this dreadful run shows how much we Kopites are part of the team and not having us affects everything.

---

I love the BBC ticker. If crowds were in, all they'd do is boo them to depression.

United are either getting tonked or earning Ole Gunnar Binman a new fifteen year contract. Fortunately I'll miss it. :cool:

Lollerpool.

Liverpool back to being a banter club is good news for everyone

The only team right now that Liverpool would be able to get home points from is Ole's United. Easy 0-0.

Andersen is the definitive VVD replacement, ridiculous how Fulham have managed to get him and Areola.

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The hell is this!? :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Great camera work whilst Maja was changing his shorts.

---

Should be a bookable offence.

What a performance that was. :drool:

Taz is right about Andersen, I don't know what Lyon were doing letting him go on loan to us but he's top drawer. Special word for Harrison Reed as well, absolutely everywhere in midfield and has been fantastic these past couple of months.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

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The hell is this!? :D

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'And the KNEW World Heavyweight...'

The stream I'm watching sounds like there's a microphone taped to the ball. Every touch is BOOM.

This will be the greatest heist in a while if we come out of this with a win. We're getting molested.

Jesus, football is so dull without fans.

Does BBW keeps Telles out the team?

Fatty. :cool:

Shaw :cool:

The fat one :drool:

Dave Gayer can stay in Spain the fanny.

Great pick out by Henderson there.

I see why

City on the ROPES

City are getting away with so many fouls.

5d chess City throwing this

How the fuck is Martial a centre forward?

Jesus looks like he's always on the verge of tears.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Luca

How the fuck is Martial a centre forward?

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:eyemouth:

:face:

Sky giving Martial MOTM :D

Luke Shaw ROBBED

Brandon Williams has definitely cut his own hair during lockdown.

Binman MASTERCLASS. Dan James has had them running scared.

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Man City GUBBED.

If only we didn't drop points in MAJOR games.

OGB taking out THE TRASH there

Hard to see how we aren't winning the battle for second here.

I would be happy to just spend all of the summer money on attacking Quality going off that performance. I think the defending would be a lot more comfortable if they could take chances at the other end (and Dean Henderson seems to spread a bit of confidence coming for things), so tamper with Martial's brakes and go for the Dortmund package deal.

Haaland is going to end up at City I imagine :moop:

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https://i.imgur.com/f9jiY6Z.png

666 patients in Scottish hospital beds. 36 admissions today. It risks fuck all.

Surely Haaland wouldn't join United out of principal?

Should demand 300k a week and an apology from Roy.

He's probably a functioning retard so give Paulp Ogba a fat new contract and it all falls into place.

He'll join us to fill the spot Saint Maximin leaves when he goes to Liverpool. 40 goals in the Championship, second only to Joelinton scoring smashing Andy Cole's record in a single game with 50 against Bristol Rovers.

Who says I can't dream big?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

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https://i.imgur.com/f9jiY6Z.png

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Their players are off their tits :D

Kemar Roofe has a video on his Instagram with his jaw left back in England

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

Surely Haaland wouldn't join United out of principal?

Should demand 300k a week and an apology from Roy.

---

He'd have to be a proper mong to factor that into his decision.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randomlegend

Haaland is going to end up at City I imagine :moop:

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They'd be foolish not to. Aguero is struggling to stay fit now and Jesus just doesn't look like THE guy.

That's goal of the season right there.

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Errrr, did you not see Fernandes' penalty earlier?

The City loss means Liverpool are still in the title hunt.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

I would be happy to just spend all of the summer money on attacking Quality going off that performance. I think the defending would be a lot more comfortable if they could take chances at the other end (and Dean Henderson seems to spread a bit of confidence coming for things), so tamper with Martial's brakes and go for the Dortmund package deal.

---

Totally agree. Need a younger version of Cavani and/or winger who isn't a forward (is this the English lad at Dortmund?) We are also desperate for a dynamic midfielder (don't know if this would be vdb) so it's not matic coming on and really not Fred starting. But really can't see big money being spent with the growing debt and gap in match day related revenue.

In theory this is the summer to be spending big money because everything is going to be written off financial fair play until crowds are back at full capacity across the continent. You could spend two-hundred [plus] million on Haaland and Sancho (and sell it as bringing them over together) and balance it out along the line.

Was Donny van de Beek opportunistically bought on the assumption that Paulp Ogba would be going this coming summer? I got the feeling Bruno Fernandes was only bought because they thought he was going in 2020, which he probably would have done without everything; but now if he wants to stay it throws things out a bit. Then again you could probably play all three of them if your front three was shit hot and actually balanced across the width of the pitch instead of crowding the centre.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

Their players are off their tits :D

Kemar Roofe has a video on his Instagram with his jaw left back in England

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i just looked, crikey :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Their players are off their tits :D

Kemar Roofe has a video on his Instagram with his jaw left back in England

---

Looks like snus to me.

Please don’t tell me both commentators are going to be women too. What the fuck is this

What are we talking about? I can sense I need to be outraged and disgusted but it would help to know where to channel it to. Fucking women.

Celebrating international women’s day by having all the pundits, presenter and co-commentator as a female

:vomit:

Look at these cunts being made to press as a cohesive unit by a nazi cunt to incredible effect. Time and tide wait for no man.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...premier-league

I don't think there's anything in here that I don't hate.

Agnelli's monobrow might be top of the list.

All of it's hideously terrible, but he really does save the best until last.

Quote:

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Agnelli also stressed that football must think of ways to attract younger viewers in an increasingly crowded marketplace. “We could imagine a subscription for the last 15 minutes of a specific game,” he said. “The attention span of today’s kids and tomorrow’s spenders is completely different to the one I had when I was their age.

“If you take golf, if it’s interesting at all, it’s only the last six holes on the final day. You are not going to watch the whole thing on the TV unless you are a hardcore fan.”

---

And how long do the last six holes take, I hear you ask? Is that 'about ninety minutes', you hear me answer?

Trying to attract younger viewers by making a golf analogy. :D

Also, 90 minutes of golf feels like about 100 hours of real world time.

This is the order of best spectator sports.

1. Golf
2. Long form snooker
3. Downhill skiing

Only the true elite can handle these truths.

I will allow you skiing.

Let the young viewers do what they do. They watch football through FIFA Ultimate team. They dont watch real world games anymore.

Joachim Loew is having one last Scratch and Sniff at the Euro's this year.

It's unclear how The Germans will source their next deviant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Joachim Loew is having one last Scratch and Sniff at the Euro's this year.

It's unclear how The Germans will source their next deviant.

---

When Herr Klopp gets LLLLLLiverpool relegated and it's up to Stevie G to slip them back into the Premier League

https://tickets.rangers.co.uk/PagesP...ctSubType=STAR

£7.10 for a 110g Dairy Milk with a Rangers wrapper, anyone?

I don't think Biathlon on Eurosport when I was 12 will ever be topped when it comes to spectator sport.

We're up to our knees in Milkybar
Surrender or you'll die

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

I don't think Biathlon on Eurosport when I was 12 will ever be topped when it comes to spectator sport.

---

I was thinking of that but the aesthetics aren't quite there. Top 10 though.

Triple jump the best of the track and field events.

The best Eurosport sport, which is to say the most unintelligible yet still followable, was sumo.

I once went to a talk by Jeff Stelling (bear with me here) and he said that when he worked for Eurosport back in the good old days, you were basically sent to a broom cupboard in Paris for a week at a time, given a tiny screen, and had to just commentate live for the English edition over whatever pictures they chucked on the French version, and you wouldn't know what was coming. So if fencing came on, he'd just go 'Fantastic! Look at that! En garde!' or whatever for twenty minutes, praying for them to pull it and chuck the ski jumping back on.

I'd watch the French shit if I wanted to hear "En Garde", Stelling, you cunt.

Sounds mint, to be fair. I think they had a specialist in for the stuff like Sumo but it could've just been Jack Burnicle doing a funny voice.

The refs have got a serious job on now in the Juve game.

Haaland absolutely fisting Seville here. Like a 6th former playing with the U12s

That's a cracking finish.

Taz is gonna be seething.

Taremi :harold:

So Haaland scored but VAR ruled it out for a foul.

VAR also deemed that Dortmund should have a penalty for an incident in the box a minute before.

Haaland then missed the penalty but VAR let him re-take as the keeper was off his line.

Haaland scores the penalty...

Jimmy called it after the first leg. Absolute disgrace. They wouldn't be doing that to fucking BLM but a softly spoken Muzzie up against the Ronaldo brand? It's a freebie.

1 more joke club added to the mix for next leg, hopefully we get them if we go through.

Get fucked Juve.

Start the waterworks, Ronny.

Ronaldo jumped and turned with that free kick too :harold:

This match has been mental.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Get fucked Juve.

Start the waterworks, Ronny.

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How can a Man Utd fan not like Ronaldo lol

Man City must be 1/3 to get Porto

That was such an intense last 5 mins. Such a shame no crowd. My boy missing first leg :(

Juventus wasting two years of Ronaldo's career with bums in charge. He should sue them.

Italy would be a much better country if the whole Agnelli family just died.

Gianni Agnelli being one of the all-time top geezers appears to have completely nobbled the lineage, like Prussia getting a century of wallies after Frederick the Great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Juventus wasting two years of Ronaldo's career with bums in charge. He should sue them.

---

Ronaldo turned his back in the wall for the fourth. It went through his legs. Pussy

https://youtu.be/r-1vXezf7iY

Robinho sentenced to 9 years in Italian prison for a sexual assualt that happened in a Milan nightclub in 2013.

Poulsen is going to destroy Kabak and Phillips.

Fabinho is back in midfield in case you hadn't seen. That means they won't be making it into our half and we'll run up a cricket score.

Where they are playing? :cab:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

Where they are playing? :cab:

---

Budapest.

Barcelona cunt, take the shot.

Why are they playing both legs in Budapest? I thought it was a problem with Liverpool traveling to Germany.

If Dembele had a brain he'd be decent

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

Barcelona cunt, take the shot.

Why are they playing both legs in Budapest? I thought it was a problem with Liverpool traveling to Germany.

---

Playing both legs in the same stadium and away goals count...

I assume they didn't want Liverpool complaining that Leipzig could play at home but they couldn't so neutral for both.

Just seen that Neymar is still injured, hope he has fun with his sister on her birthday tomorrow.

How the fuck did Liverpool fail to score there?

Thunder cunt of a strike from Messi there

That's a quality strike from Messi.

Upamecano is fucking dreadful

Messi :harold:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Playing both legs in the same stadium and away goals count...

I assume they didn't want Liverpool complaining that Leipzig could play at home but they couldn't so neutral for both.

---

Yeah it's silly. Probably good for Liverpool to get away from Anfield given the weird curse at the moment.

Having a functional midfield :drool: and look at the wonders it does for the plebs in defense. Just need a finish and we're good.

Great half in the PSG Barca game. The pace of play is SO much better than most games in the past year. Champions League is the best lockdown football.

Hwang Hee Chan on :drool:

Liverpool are in trouble now.

Just get him running at them.

We’re set to finish 11th and win the CL :lol:

What a difference Fabinho playing in midfield makes. Klopp just needs to bin off Trent and they could have a fighting chance.

Leipzig are so so bad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manc

What a difference Fabinho playing in midfield makes. Klopp just needs to bin off Trent and they could have a fighting chance.

---

I suppose in the past few weeks even there have been issues with central defenders and him being injured but you'd think looking at last night you just chuck any old shit at centre-half & hope for the best as long as he can sit in front of them. You won't beat City, Bayern or PSG I would imagine but I think we'd beat the majority of the rest of the shite.

Leipzig definitely helped though. How the fuck did United manage to get knocked out by them?

Because we're a bit shit. This is in the same season we could've lost about 5-0 to Brighton, let Demba Ba and his zimmer frame score after a 320 yard run down the field and whatever other crimes against football United have committed.

Or were you looking for a deeper answer than that?

UEFA :face:

If this happens, I genuinely hope (but don't expect) fans to boycott this shit.

https://gyazo.com/87a472b332a55e0d6ff2220164ad9f4b.jpeg

You're excited about Agnelli's "last 15 minutes" subscriptions though, right???

Making a tournament format as nonsensical and downright shit as that, with the sole aim of reducing the % of the season taken up by domestic football (i.e. to reduce the Premier League's reach and power), is pretty villainous stuff and shows where their priorities are.

Our clubs should break away and play the Vaccinated Superleague against MLS clubs in midweek.

To be fair, I turned on Juve v Porto with 15 left and it was the most exciting football I've seen all season. Perhaps he has a point.

I really don't like the idea of a 36 team league where each team plays 10 games. You're in the same table as someone, but you might have nothing to do with them? Maybe it's just as fair(?), but it doesn't seem "right".

The main thing I liked about European football as a kid was the fact that you're playing teams you don't play that often and might go years without. This whole set up just makes what should be the most exciting games a matter of routine.

The only sport where I have seen the Swiss system used is chess, where you might have a big tournament of say 100+ people but want the tournament done in a day. However, in chess they actually use it intelligently, i.e. the results of the early matches then determine the subsequent matchups, so you end up with the best playing the best at the end as they all have winning records, while those who have lost all their games also play each other, so the final rankings are a reasonable reflection of the quality of play as it unfolded over the course of the tournament.

In this instance however it sounds like the fixture list would be set from the start, which just makes it a nonsensical crap shoot. Between this, the 24 team Euros and the 48 team World Cup, they will have destroyed the competitive integrity of elite football in the desperate pursuit of quite small amounts of greed (I mean, the CL has been lucrative for the last 20 years, hasn't it?)

I'll give 'em this though, I didn't really think they would implement an even more boring version of the group stage but they're doing it.

I don't even really understand how this will harm the Premier League. They won't reduce from 20 to 18 so it'll just be the league cup that goes in the bin which will leave, what, 1 extra fixture on the calendar for the teams competing in Europe?

Why would you not just have 6 groups of 6 in a 36 team format, or is it necessary for Barcelona to play as many different teams as possible in the group phase?

Probably because Agnelli (or whoever is driving the boat here) knows that the TV deals aren't going to expand any further and may well contract, so the European section of the Big Clubs desperately need to muscle in for a greater proportion of whatever there is.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ult-in-nigeria

I like this.

:cool:

No Lindelof. :drool:

All the hallmarks of a Great European Night so far, this.

That looks a bit dodgy. Oh well.

That yellow card for whichever of their players was lol as well.

Milan are comprehensively out-tacticking Ole Gunnar Binman here, so this hinges on all of their players actually being crap.

Amad about to don Milan :drool:

Martial coming off donning City to turn that shit in really does sum him up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Amad about to don Milan :drool:

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:cool:

:drool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Martial coming off donning City to turn that shit in really does sum him up.

---

Am I the only person who didn't think his performance was anything special other than by his own very low standards?

Diallo

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

:drool:



Am I the only person who didn't think his performance was anything special other than by his own very low standards?

---

His movement was good, but him flubbing two easy finishes makes it an overall shit performance for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

Am I the only person who didn't think his performance was anything special other than by his own very low standards?

---

He missed a couple of sitters like a dickhead but everything else was exactly what they needed.

Amad and James prolonging their first team minutes :happycry:

Awful from Henderson.

Beautiful.

That limp wrist is why he isn't good enough.

Should've been a hand ball before the goal, mind

Kessie has come along real nice. Like a Pogba regen. He's clearly the single reason why they're a respectable outfit again.

Bringing on 2 and a half defenders to not concede late, and still conceding late, is starting to become a theme.

United struggling to get past any half decent side in Europe. It's like the mid-nineties all over again.

Pound shop De Gea in nets for Olympiakos lives up to his lookalike's gaffe potential from an Odegaard rocket, meanwhile Luiz tries to perform an almost carbon copy of the Xhaka mistake against Burnley.

Chris Wilder sacked.

Absolutely clueless decision from the Saudi cunts.

How's it gone down with the fans?

If he was the problem, surely you'd sack him months ago when there was a chance of avoiding relegation. Now you've lost the fans and booted out someone who knows how to get them promoted.

:lol:

Muppets. Burnley rode out a relegation with Sean Dyche and look what happened there. Norwich with Farke too. He's the perfect fit.

Sounds like those typical woke Saudis let the lefties and do-gooders who were out to get Wilder win.

RIP Chris. :(

RIP? Have they got the bonesaw out again?

No, I was just exaggerating to amuse myself.

That said we should probably keep an eye out and see if his next public appearances seem suspicious in any way.

So is he actually going because I saw a revised story earlier saying he might not? Utterly mental but, at the same, time, utterly predictable.

What it shows you is there is no value in loyalty in football. He should have left them high and dry last season when his stock was high and he could have walked into a better job.

Poor decision. League One football en route again.

Only reports I've seen is that's he's 'set to leave', at which point loads of players and pundits have banged on about 'good luck top manager' etc. There was then meant to be a news conference at 5pm to explain everything.

Then, about 4pm, it was announced that the news conference is cancelled due to 'unforeseen circumstances'.

Has he gone? Is he staying? Fuck knows. If he was gone you'd think you'd just have anyone in front of the cameras making a quick statement about it. I'm wondering if he's sticking around and, as a result, they've pretty much got fuck all to announce.

God knows though. Basket case of a club.

THE MIGHTY BLADES.

He'll be at St. James' Park within 3 months.

The Saudis read Sir Henry Winter's scathing tweet and thought ah, bollocks, better reinstate him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

He'll be at St. James' Park within 3 months.

---

* Sports Direct Arena

I mean, if there's ever a time to try that again, the lost revenues from the pandemic would be a nice excuse.

Obviously Sheff Utd trying for the sacking fakeout in order to win the league next season.

Respect the point.

Here's the Facebook post from the Prince's old right hand man (below).

I reckon he's literally posting the Prince's thoughts and is being used as a litmus test to see what fans think of his decision making. He's not technically been a part of the club in many years but he's obviously in the Prince's pocket. He's gotten a lot of shit for this post on Facebook, so I wouldn't honestly put it past this shithouse of a club to go back on its decision to bin him if fan reaction to this post is overwhelmingly negative (which it has been). Personally I think he comes across well enough, but whatevs.

Quote:

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The first message I received when I woke this morning was from a Blade, telling me it was a sad day for the Blades.
Since this morning, I've been asked a lot, if I know what's happening. I don't. We'll have to wait for the presser to find out.
I had hoped that the owner and Chris Wilder would reach some sort of understanding that would enable their partnership to continue on, but as Chris Wilder's statements at recent pressers made clear, that was not an outcome that could be taken as a given.

If Chris Wilder is leaving the Club, my sense is that he'll be out for these four reasons:

1. The abysmal results after the restart last Summer and all season long this season;
2. The resignation saga that played out over a period of months and through the holidays, despite the owner's extraordinary public & private expressions of support even, if necessary, beyond relegation;
3. Chris Wilder's demand for control of recruitment and player dispositions, despite #1 and despite his recruitment shortcomings: e.g., a. spending big on players he didn't use much; & b. choosing his own way & turning down offered players, who performed well when acquired by other PL clubs); &
4. Chris Wilder's obliquely badmouthing the owner in public: a. implying that the owner was set on breaking from a "plan," the assumptions of which likely did not assume the results would be anywhere near as dire as they have been -- amongst the worst in PL history; & b. issuing publicly what seemed to be an ultimatum spelling out the conditions on which he would stay at the Club.
I am not sure how Chris Wilder expected he'd recover from his public anti-owner outbursts? Or from his own publicly issuing of ultimata to the owner? Some have surmised that maybe Chris Wilder didn't. Maybe he knew he wouldn't get his way. Maybe he was just setting himself up to leave the Club as a kind of permanent living martyr.

I don't know about that; indeed, I find it a bit harsh; but I am sad Chris Wilder did not find a way to embrace the owner's publicly expressed willingness to keeping him on even if we are relegated.
Sure, doing so would have involved some changes in the way we do things, but the playing and recruiting results absolutely demanded changes. The definition of madness, they say, is to continue doing the same thing, while expecting different results. Change is part of the continuing improvement process .

I reckon with a little flexibility or openness to change, Chris Wilder would be looking at a continuing in his role (with some tweaks) at SUFC, despite #1 & #2. Instead, Chris Wilder chose #3 & #4 and, by so doing, chose to bring to a close one of the most happy, prosperous eras in the Club's long history.

This not to say there will be no bright days ahead for us Blades. There will be. It is just to acknowledge that if Chris Wilder is parting ways with the Club that he will have played a big part in making that decision.
Whatever his reasons, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and profound admiration for this giant of a Blade -- as a boy, as a pro, as a manager -- he has always been a Blade. May Chris Wilder always be remembered as one of the greatest managers to ever grace our touchline and as a true Blades legend.

---

Mad to think installing Mustafi at the heart of your defence and Kolasinac as a holding midfielder hasn't stopped the rot at Schalke.

Brighton are basically a slightly more fashionable Stoke. Guess it's just between us and Fulham. :moop:

We're capable of Stoking it up (if you mean sitting back with a load of tall defenders/midfielders?) but our default is pretty far away from Pulis Stoke.

I wouldn't class us as safe yet - only 3 points ahead of Fulham, and sadly games in hand don't truly guarantee 3 points. :(

THE MIGHTY BLADES :cool:

Playing last year's EFL trophy yesterday really confused me. :D

I know it makes me a filthy casual but watching this match with no crowd noise...

Lacazette has missed 3 sitters and Spurs have scored with their only shot that was a rabona into the far corner. Great summary of Arsenals season.

Another decision that pushes my idea of giving indirect free kicks for fouls in the box that aren’t preventing a goal scoring opportunity.

Lolmela

Please stop using Daniel fucking James.

Another glorious exhibition of football.

Everyone and everything looks knackered, so I'm writing off any cup success now.

I’ve heard Jenas has had a breakdown on MOTD. Can’t wait to watch that in the morning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shindig

Brighton are basically a slightly more fashionable Stoke.

---

Jesus wept. Stick to motocross.

Robert Sanchez in the Spain squad. :cool:

Robert Sanchez sounds like the sort of name you'd make up if you were English and pretending you were Spanish.

Sounds like a default Master League player on Pro Evo.

Nah, the defaults have kind of knackered names these days. He'd be Robent Sanchou.

View Tweet

Why even bother?

To keep venues happy?

20 games to eliminate 2 teams :D

I'd have done 5 knockout games to determine a group that would then decide the winners.

That is outstanding. :D

I had a dream once in which all football had been ended except for a single annual match between Paraguay and Uruguay, the winners of which were declared football champions for that year.

The dream will never die.

Looks like it could be another fractured skull for Wolves. Patricio went down to save a shot and got kneed in the head by a full speed Connor Coady. Went down and hasn't moved for 10 minutes yet.

The best part being it was one of those 'offside but play on for the bants' scenarios.

I had no idea that concussion subs had been brought into the EPL.

Che Adams deciding to play for Scotland means they have their first decent strikers in years. If only they managed to convince a decent centre half to switch countries and they’d be decent

Gareth Southgate decided he plays for Scotland.

That's a big boy coup.

I got him to play for Antigua on an old FM. Concacaf qualifying round 1 didn't know what had hit it.

Take a bow, son...

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Chelsea going out here, I reckon. Ziyech :happycry:

Yeah, I dunno how he’s managing to keep getting back into starting eleven. Atletico look much more balanced compared to last time as well.

Also helps that they can't be so passive this time.

:harold:

He’s been awful, even the finish wasn’t exactly great. Lovely goal though, Havertz and Kante have bossed it

Kante is the best player out there by a mile. He strikes me as the type we can keep going for years at this level in the big games if we give him enough rests in the shitty games.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Chelsea going out here, I reckon. Ziyech :happycry:

---

Seriously mate, you have been on fire these past god knows how many months.

It's almost a great way to bet. Whatever he says, bet against.

Marcos Llorente looks like a right public school fluffer. Marcus Lawrence-Tay. Eeeeeoh, jolly good, you off on your hols? Sunny Spain, is it? Yahss, yahss, the parents have a yacht, you know, eighty feet, she is, round the islands. Couple of locals to keep the old dear running. You should come, Toby, bring your girlfriend, yah, yah. We can have a foursome with Cecelia, port side, yah.

The Atletico tears when a Chelsea player goes down injured. :drool: This is beautiful stuff.

Werner is the most dangerous player on the pitch but unfortunately has literally no control of his legs. Hard to see how he’ll ever score goals regularly again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CJay

Werner is the most dangerous player on the pitch but unfortunately has literally no control of his legs.

---

Toggle Spoiler

https://dm0qx8t0i9gc9.cloudfront.net...gues_SB_PM.jpg

The seethe on Simeone is glorious. Hopefully the prick bottles La Liga too and gets the boot.

Inject that entire incident and the subsequent seethe into my veins please. Rudiger :drool:

Kante was an absolute monster

So dominant. Tuchel is a genius.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Seriously mate, you have been on fire these past god knows how many months.

---

Not really, I'm just the only one posting and I don't have Kiko wanking over my top top shouts.

That was the first football I've watched for about three weeks. But for us lolling Simeone out it would have been shite as well. Sport is gone.

I’d been told Tuchel was this tactical mastermind in the Dortmund mould. Seems he’s set up to create the most boring and effective team of all time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56440087

Lingard, Shaw and Stones back in the England squad. Watkins and Sam Johnstone have been called up for the first time too.

Is Alexander-Arnold injured or has he been dropped?

San Marino, Albania & Poland. Cancel the sport.

Dropped. Thank fuck for that.

J-Lingz lolling his way into tournament contention again. Just need 'Dele' to find some form and we'll be bang on to squander our best chance at winning something in a generation.

I doubt Alexander-Arnold goes to the Euros. Southgate (rightly) has a hardon for Reece James who will start anyway.

Having a hard-on for Reece James and selecting Trippier over him are two very different things. Also won't reject a 2-time CL winner come Euros. Thank fuck, regardless, not a single Liv player :drool:

Bet he was gagging for any kind of reason to call up his second son Jesse. And playing it cool with his comments :D

Shame the injuries have made this an easy one.

That squad is quarter-finals personified until you get to the attackers, and you can only play four of those, so wrap it all up with a shit coach and we're sunk anyway.

And those attackers will be playing for England and therefore do nothing special anyway.

Harry Kane can take some special corners, mate.

It's alright. Central defence would look a lot better with an actual defender in there instead of Eric Dier, whose inclusion completely fucking baffles me every time. Keeper's a bit weak, but no worse without Pickford. Centre midfield isn't good enough though. Some good regular 6/7 out of 10s, but we're short of a Kante or equivalent. Hopefully Bellingham can push on, the bluenose twat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mellberg

It's alright. Central defence would look a lot better with an actual defender in there instead of Eric Dier

---

And if Maguire wasn't a guaranteed starter.

I'm prepared to give Stones a chance to annoy me all over again as I don't watch City much but I'm prepared to believe his apparent resurgence in form might have something to do with the absolute state of the league this year and the quality ahead of him meaning he doesn't actually need to do much.

I've not seen Bellingham play (ever) but hoping he can 'push on' whilst picking him in an international squad at 17 is classic England.

Also, lol at what's going on in the UEFA Cup.

Mourinho on the brink.

View Tweet

This Dinamo stadium is such an eyesore

lol at Spurs.

Somebody check on Giggles.

Dinamo are a proper side but they won't get the credit because they don't have 16 BLMs in their starting XI.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

I've not seen Bellingham play (ever) but hoping he can 'push on' whilst picking him in an international squad at 17 is classic England.

Also, lol at what's going on in the UEFA Cup.

---

I remember him breaking through at blues and there was a lot of noise from their side about this kid, and I just thought 'alright Nathan Redmond'. Then watched him in the Championship at 16 and he was an absolute class above anyone on the pitch. Doing well at Dortmund too. The kid's got real talent and will go far, hence the repeated call ups.

Lol Spurs also. Nice of Eric Dier to ram those earlier words down my throat.

Pogba :cool:

I'm sure he's a talented kid, but I often look at how many other nations throw in their promising youngsters at such an age and wonder if it is all that good a strategy. I'm pretty sure Mata was still playing in age group tournaments whilst looking about the age he does now for Spain, for example. Bellingham, and probably Foden, should go to the U21s this summer really, but they won't.

Bellingham should go with the U21s but Foden is a fully established player for Man City, he should be with the senior squad.

The two are key players for CL quarter finalists and one is built like a horse. I'm not sure telling them to go molest teenagers so that you can give minutes to Harry Winks is the answer.

Great win for Manchester United.

Champs League draw at 11am and Europa from 12pm (UK time).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Guardian

The runners and riders for the Champions League draw, which is coming up in half an hour. There are no seedings, it’s an open draw, so we could see some spicy Premier League on Premier League action, with three English teams in the hat:

Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Chelsea
Liverpool
Manchester City
Paris Saint-Germain
Porto
Real Madrid

---

Wouldn't mind another Liverpool v Man City tie.

City will get Porto
We'll get Roma

I want Real Madrid. We somehow haven't played them this century, despite both regularly being deep into the CL. It's about time.

5 games away from glory :drool:

Real Madrid, Dortmund and Porto are dogshit so one of them please. Chelsea-PSG for Tuchel narrative and Bayern-City for Pep tears hopefully.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwzH7aFX...pg&name=medium

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So good :D

Any non English team please. So Chelsea guaranteed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwzH7aFX...pg&name=medium

View Tweet

So good :D

---

Brilliant. :D Twats.

3 English teams in the semi finals again it is.

City to win it.

A Taremi inspired 2nd leg could do Chelsea but yeah. Raping Real and 3 games away from glory :drool:

Tuchel can't believe his luck.

Chelsea’s FA Cup draws have been a piss take too. Sheff Utd is the biggest team they’ll be facing which is the quarters. They’ll no doubt draw Southampton or Bournemouth in the semis to top off the easiest run in history.

Great ties, as there should be at this stage. Haaland and Sancho should be a good test for Man City's defence and new and improved John Stones. Real Madrid v Liverpool could be an entertaining mess - neither look great and presumably both desperate to go through.

I see Man Utd have been give a bye into the next round.

About time we had a decent cup draw.

You could have drawn any of the other seven there and it would have been an easy draw.

Surely Granada, or indeed any team, can't be so bad that United can be considered to have drawn a gimme?

United are a long way ahead of any of them in terms of talent and resources. They aren't gimmes for Arsenal.

The Liverpool/Chelsea side of the draw is pretty lol.

Zidane to end up doing the League/European Cup double.

Hopefully PSG can get past Bayern and then they and City can agree to play their respective home legs in their oil state of choice.

The legend of Binedine Binman must continue.

City bottling this would be superb.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manc

City bottling this would be superb.

---

It's the only hope for what has been a dogshit season.

It's not really going to be bottling it if they lose to Bayern in the semis, is it?

There's no way City are beating Bayern. Lewandowski will abuse their defence.

Haaland will abuse them too first but I think City should have enough to get past them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

It's not really going to be bottling it if they lose to Bayern in the semis, is it?

---

I meant bottling everything. The League and the League Cup included.

There is certainly potential for a slip up by City (in the context of the quadruple). They're going to be playing a shite load of games over the next period.


March 20: Everton (away)

April 3: Leicester (away)

April 6 or 7: Dortmund (home)

April 10: Leeds (home)

April 13 or 14: Dortmund (away)

April 17: Aston Villa (away)

April 17: FA Cup semi-final (if they progress) Clashes with the above fixture

April 25: Tottenham (Carabao Cup final)

April 27 or 28: CL semi-final (if they progress)

Saturday May 1: Crystal Palace (away)

May 4 or 5: CL semi-final (if they progress)

Saturday May 8: Chelsea (home)

May 15: FA Cup Final (if they progress)

Mad to think we'll basically be getting an open top bus tour to celebrate the league and CL even though we won't have done the double. What scenes.

Arsenal can do one for the Charity Shield.

We (Ho Chi Minh City) just beat our rivals Saigon with a 98th minute penalty from Lee Nguyen :drool:

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dquincy

Arsenal can do one for the Charity Shield.

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Fuck off you cunt.

What a way to make your first post in two years.

Dave is back!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeigel...h=4614a1b51007

Absolutely loving this fluff piece in Forbes of all things.

Quote:

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Tackling intolerance is an issue that Abramovich also feels personally responsible to do something about.

---

OK, but answer me this: where is Mr A's comfort zone?

Quote:

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Abramovich's comfort zone is in infusing values and inspiring standards throughout Chelsea, rather than generating personal celebrity.

---

I know we complain about our media being cunts, but the alternative is this kind of fawning shite you get across the pond.

Dave :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Davgooner

Fuck off you cunt.

---

Hi Dave. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Davgooner

Fuck off you cunt.

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:drool:

Haaland is an absolute monster. Dortmund are a proper comedy outfit. Can't defend, and won't defend for shit.

Lewandowski is now up to 35 league goals this season.

5 behind Gerd Muller's record with 8 games to go.

Gerd Muller probably never broke a sweat setting that record so I don't see how it can be beaten.

Man City’s kit is beautiful

Christ, this is woeful. We're done. Even if we stay up, I can't see Bruce staying on. The run-in says we're going to need three points from both Sheff Utd and Fulham. And hope the latter haven't grabbed points before then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Lewandowski is now up to 35 league goals this season.

5 behind Gerd Muller's record with 8 games to go.

---

Embarassing that Fifa cancelled the Ballon d'Or last year. He should have won it. Is he in pole position to win it again?

He is indeed in Pole position. :henn0rz:

Very strange seeing us score five goals in two games. Newcastle look absolutely doomed.

Our only saving grace is we have two weeks off for the big players to recover. We do have a game in hand but it's against City. And, as fighty as Fulham have been, they're not winning games.

Fulham v Newcastle final day will be in play I reckon.

Their run in looks a lot more doable. Villa, Wolves, Arsenal, Chelsea, Burnley, Southampton, United, Newcastle. Realistically, we might get something from Burnley before the double-header at the end.

I reckon Fulham will be fine. They're in good form and have fixed a lot of the problems they had at the start of the season. Newcastle and potentially Southampton are my shouts.

Brighton @ 28/1 has to be worth a nibble. They have a horrendous run in.

Half the teams will probably give up on the league at a certain point, not least Man City.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

I reckon Fulham will be fine. They're in good form and have fixed a lot of the problems they had at the start of the season. Newcastle and potentially Southampton are my shouts.

---

They’ve lost 3 of their last 4.

I do hope they stay up though. Preferably in place of Burnley or Brighton but that’s not happening

Brighton's fine. Six points clear with a game in hand and a decent goal difference. Kind of sad that 32 points sees you safe but this has been an absolute shambles of a season.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

They’ve lost 3 of their last 4.

I do hope they stay up though. Preferably in place of Burnley or Brighton but that’s not happening

---

"Good form" is probably the wrong phrase. But they've clicked, and they're better than their league position makes out.

False position returns.

They are capable of scoring and getting points. That's as far as I'll go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SvN

I reckon Fulham will be fine. They're in good form and have fixed a lot of the problems they had at the start of the season. Newcastle and potentially Southampton are my shouts.

---

We have Burnley, West Brom and Palace in a row after the international break. We should get enough points from them to be safe and focus on the cup semi.

If we do get sacked into it after those three games we play Fulham towards the end of the season which will be massive.

The desperate excitement of the BBC commentator that Sheff Utd have survived 10 minutes with 'real purpose' is cute.

Fucking hell Arsenal :D

Lingard :cool:

I'm surprised Arsenal players, staff and fans are bothering celebrating goals, the other mid-table sides care for top half finishes and points tallies but what is the point of the remaining games for Arsenal?

You're not cheering Liverpool goals any more then?

We're 5 points outside top 4 and could do with the momentum to secure number 7.

Fucking lol at Frederick.

Tremendous assist.

Same with Maguire passing it to him with two pressing.

I would swap Ole Gunnar Binman for Brendan Rodgers any day of the week.

Big Mace is back.

At what point is there going to be a critical mass of stats to show that fucking around at the back is actually a bad idea? Like wot you was told as a kid and all.

United are going to end up with seventy-odd points and probably no trophy which is crap.

Utd have been shite.

They should win the Europa pretty comfortably.

Fred putting in a proper 2019 performance.

If any of the remaining teams have fitness and a plan they can turn United over. Milan were the better side for eighty per cent of the tie.

At the other end, Suyuncu's been pretty solid.

We were dross today, seriously bad performances from Maguire, AWB, Fred, Matic and Martial. Then you've got the nearly fit people in Pogba, vdb and Telles mixed in. Leicester deserved it.

I’m old enough to remember Mellin saying Aston Villa were going to be part of the new top clubs and leave Spurs and Arsenal in their dust. How’s that going?

Nice of you to wait for months until Arsenal were above Villa in the league to post that.

I’ve been very consistent in my ‘Arsenal are a joke made to make me sad’ point of view this whole time and yet here we are. Table doesn’t lie baby.

Nothing that happens this season is legitimate. Wipe the whole thing out and start counting again when crowds are back.

I don't know how anyone is maintaining any level of interest in it. I've only watched a few games over the last year. It just feels so empty and meaningless.

Which is probably because it is empty and meaningless, but the passion of the crowd normally covers it up.

Plus one to that. Games just happen then you move on. There's very little emotional investment.

I think the difference is that in normal times the noise and engagement of the crowd makes it feel like football is happening for a reason, for the benefit of all those thousands of people (whether or not that is actually the case). Now it feels like football is happening for its own benefit. The sense is only heightened by Agnelli and Infantino prowling the media on a desperate money grab, impervious to anything.

Personally I find it every bit as exhilarating, even moving, to see TV contract obligations being so dutifully fulfilled.

I'm usually around people for the chatter as well. No more, "Did you see the game last night!?" conversations because everyone's at home.

2 weeks without meaningful football. I'm bloody grateful but also worried I may come out the other side of it like you disgraceful melts.

The club break has gone on way too long, it's good to have some proper international action back.

England v San Marino's futile low block with the fake noise of the band playing 'England till I die' pumped into the broadcast, I am HERE for it.

Frank Lebouef on tv saying Holland were a better team than Brazil in 1998 :saywhat:

I'm off to the footy now... massive game v Hanoi FC... referee's always fuck us over against Hanoi - but tonight may be different. 10,000 expected in the stands :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Frank Lebouef on tv saying Holland were a better team than Brazil in 1998 :saywhat:

---

There is a strong argument for it. Brazil were pretty lax through most of the tournament (lost to Norway, nearly ballsed up the QF against Denmark, completely tanked in the final) and the Dutch were a good side. Semi was decided on penalties.

Holland were even better in 2000 though, and really should have won that.

https://planetlippstonedotcom.files....pson.jpg?w=584

"Hello, fellow communists. How about that local sports team?"

On what bit of Sky programming was Leboeuf offering this searingly hot take about a 23 year old World Cup semi final?

He went into acting, didn't he? Probably True Detective.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

On what bit of Sky programming was Leboeuf offering this searingly hot take about a 23 year old World Cup semi final?

---

Some live Zoom thingy with one of the Sky Sports News presenters.

He was asked if the France team knew about Ronaldo before kickoff and he elaborated from there. (They did.)

I'm sat here trying to work out which Dutch team - 1996, 1998, or 2000 - had the reputation for letting their egos ruin the side (Jesus imagine the race angle on that now), which probably means it was all of them.

Wasn't the Dutch team falling out at tournaments just what they did for all of the 90s?

Doesn't really help when you've got Van Gaal or Hiddink as a manager.

They were class in '98. Couple of decent pens away from the final.

Kit was incredible too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arne

I'm off to the footy now... massive game v Hanoi FC... referee's always fuck us over against Hanoi - but tonight may be different. 10,000 expected in the stands :drool:

---

Well, that was shit. Our midfielder broke the leg of one of Vietnam's best players... they scored direct from the free kick, we then played shit and got beat 3-0. Since the injured player is a northerner and a bit of a darling of Vietnam footy, our midfielder has since been fined 40,000,000 dong, banned until 31st December and has to pay this bloke's hospital fees :D Proper tin pot league.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynGj7JoKci8&ab_channel=Kh%C3%A1n%C4%90%C3% A0iOnline

An eight month ban? Fucking hell.

If it had been on another player, who wasn't very good - nobody would care. Proper mob mentality towards (Northern) national team players.

That said I've just actually looked at the picture on the Youtube video, has he just jumped on his ankle two-footed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian

That said I've just actually looked at the picture on the Youtube video, has he just jumped on his ankle two-footed?

---

Oh, its a terrible tackle....buuuut, they happen all the time and nobody generally cares.

Ooooh that's a doozy.

8 month ban seems fair judging by the still. Fucking awful tackle.

Banned for the rest of the year and needing to cough up forty million dongs and hospital fees seems rather harsh for probably a semi professional footballer.

It’s a horrible tackle, but the punishment is a bit off.

I’m also childish enough to laugh at dongs as a currency every time.

I was about to post that your choice of phrase "coughing up forty million dongs" amused me more than it should have.

30 million dongs seems more reasonable.

Would explain why he needs 8 months of free time too.

https://i.ibb.co/b3hbrBb/FB-IMG-1616613582476.jpg

Big if true.

Argue small and becoming smaller.

:D

dots.

If true? :harold:

0 dong.

I know but even the players haven’t been told. Definitely true.

But what of the lucrative Columbian shirts market?

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...hunt-world-cup

Antonio-Gray frontline with Gray in behind and the rest a Championship select side :drool: they should molest that US side which has paid off every top club in Europe to home one of their MLB prospects.

Curtis Jones who should be starting for England benched for England U21 :happycry: Eze has some competition at least but that's more idiocy too.

I would have thought the white half of him would have filled the quota. The black part of Curtis needs to punch up the under 21s manager.

Losing 1-0 to Switzerland. Nice to know England's next generation is ready. :drool:

Mad to think you could rely on CHO to be your sole attacking plan and proceed to lose to this complete set of nobodies.

I can see why Boothroyd was kept on following the glorious one point accrued in the 2019 group stages.

Do they think the U21 manager who sees the players less than their local brasshouse is meant to coach and develop their technical ability or something? This should be the single most result orientated gig going as they look to build a winning mentality into them and yet he's still rotting there with his no-neck paedo looks, inviting Nketiah to come stay round his cottage and sleep in his bed.

what the fuck is this shit

Lovely to see Don on the big stage.

Blue does not suit these lads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manc

Lovely to see Don on the big stage.

---

doing a nationwide advert

"It's coming home..."

Bring back Clive. Sam Matterface sounds like a greasy cunt.

He's got his goal but I wish he wouldn't always go direct and to the byline. Learn to cross, lad.

Lads, you gotta add some colour to Don-related references here, even I draw a line at watching this shit.

DCL, Sterling & Lingard is a front three I never want to see again. Ever.

They look desperate.

Scotland's equaliser was very tidy. Bicycle kick.

I discovered earlier that Ian Wright was once in a film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOPxvK8gGfU

What was he playing at being in that?

Quote:

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According to the DVD blurb, the independent British film is a ‘fun fantasy adventure that centres on a ruthless megalomaniac’s ambition’.

---

Maybe he wanted to re-live the Bruce Rioch era at Arsenal.

He’s been pretty open that the agent he had after retiring was a shyster trying to make him do any old shit.

"A man told me to" really isn't justification enough for agreeing to appear in such an obvious turd.

He was still playing when he started his singing career.

Bottom Ireland on the verge of losing to Luxembourg :harold:

View Tweet

Incredible effort from the defender, even though it does look over. Fantastic to see Ronaldo losing his mind though.

Was it in?

Yeah, not quite Roy Carroll but clearly in.

I know Ireland are complete and utter tripe, but where's the lolling?

Conclusive evidence that none of us give a shit about Ireland and Giggles is nowhere to be found.

And Giggles has never sounded thrilled about the national team.

Someone summarised it pretty well yesterday, a goalkeeper playing for Rochdale beaten by a goal from a Dinamo Kiev forward. Ireland have completely dropped off.

England :happycry:

Magical timing yet again.

No idea what an O'Donnell is but that otherwise looks a strong Scotland side capable of fighting for Palestine's freedom.

Have people completely abandoned interntational football?

I don't want to live in a world where Armenia comfortably beat Iceland.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

No idea what an O'Donnell is but that otherwise looks a strong Scotland side capable of fighting for Palestine's freedom.

---

We just don’t have a decent right back. 2 unreal left backs and another teenager playing in Serie A, very annoying. The 5 at the back needs to go as does never consistently starting Stuart Armstrong

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Have people completely abandoned interntational football?

---

Pointless qualifiers carry very little weight in the best of times.

I never noticed how tiny Ryan Fraser is. But his head is massive.

We had two very good games with a squad hampered by some key injuries. Good to see we didn’t fall to pieces when missing a few players and both the performances and results were promising for the redt of the campaign.

Wouldn’t have thought it was possible to look forward to international breaks like this.

Aguero leaving City at end of the season. A bit injury prone but he’d do a job for most teams. Will probably sign for Barcelona and forever be injured

Steve Bruce should be round there with a bucket of KFC and a fishing rod. And a Sports Direct mug.

This Aguero statue is a bit odd.

Apart from Bernard Manning who else can they put up?

https://gyazo.com/61406906607937a8b7d64a3f984a9559.jpeg

Cut the pretence and just put a 100ft statue of Sheikh Monsoor up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/hf...possible-Dream

Here's a dumb thing. James Coppinger's name is blanked out at points during this, as if they're trying to set up a grand reveal at the end. Even though it's full of pictures of James playing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manc

This Aguero statue is a bit odd.

---

He's one of their greatest players, if not the greatest. It's not that strange.

I think it's the fact that he's still an active player that makes it odd.

Better statue candidates are available I think.

Aguero / Quinn

Height: short / tall
Goals: loads / some
Supplying creator: Kevin De Bruyne / Ian Brightwell
Famous relative: Maradona / none
Gypo status: confirmed / debatable
Ability to flick the long, straight ball on for a diminutive strike partner: minimal / TOTAL PROWESS
World Cup goals vs Holland: 0 / 1

Open and shut. Get the statue up.

Isn't there already an excellent statue of Niall Quinn on Madeira that can never be improved upon?

Yeah, building one of Quinn is probably their best chance of getting one that looks a bit like Aguero.

@Lewis your man Claude passed away. He looked like he was a walking heart attack for the last few years.

Suicide by sounds of it. Christ.

Quote:

---

Only two days ago, Callegari tweeted in response to a critic of his media work: 'No one is forcing you to watch it.

'Don't worry I will disappear soon to see my mother then you can all be happy.'

---

:|

https://youtu.be/8Z3zMkGqcNE

He always looked terribly ill. Top, top ethics from Robbie to exploit him for ages and then chuck him under the bus for saying 'DVD'.

Close one, this.

https://gyazo.com/cc3e24986459372e8ce309e4eb302cbb.jpeg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

He always looked terribly ill. Top, top ethics from Robbie to exploit him for ages and then chuck him under the bus for saying 'DVD'.

---

Also making it a cautionary mental health tale when the thing depends on negativity. Poor old Claude. He should get a minute silence this weekend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-56565683

Stick a city kit on her and call it done.

Aguero's probably not that much taller than her to be fair, it could work.

Don't the people who do these sort of things have any cringe reflex at all? It's like when Hull gave a degree to Pierluigi Collina and the shameless freak came and accepted it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56583091

That's the spirit, Aidy.

He's right though. We make no effort to pick the strongest possible team. Presumably Alexander-Arnold would still be eligible for that, and he's not even in the senior squad. Maybe it's the right way, it's certainly the way to turn your young players into Billy Big Bollockses before they are even 20. Other countries, like Spain and France, seem to pick players until the absolute limit of the eligibility, and often the strongest possible squads, and what does it get them at full international level?

It's impossible if you're expecting to be close to winning every time, sure. But then outside Spain and Germany nobody does that, nobody's even really getting to the semis that consistently, it's pretty fluid as you might expect.

I don't think it's impossible to not be abject and aim for more than one point out of the five group games he's overseen so far. From the game and a bit I've seen of this so far the nearest comparison I can think of to a team having so little idea what to do with the ball beyond "hoping a talented player comes up with something) is watching United this season.

EDIT:
Also:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56586894

All well and good from a fella who doesn't actually have to watch us because he's in the team.

If he's on the pitch, he should be watching.

Aidy looks like he may have fallen on a proper team selection through enforced changes and they may just do it.

Armenia are not fucking about in this campaign. Three wins from three, with Romania and Iceland both slain. Erdogan running scared.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Aidy looks like he may have fallen on a proper team selection through enforced changes and they may just do it.

---

Laughable that Jones isn't with the first team. Mammoth player.

Lol wot

Igor Biscan donning the English. You love to see it.

Sterling is never quite going to do it is he?

Stones. :drool:

Thank Christ we have two central defensive midfielders in front of a back four. Loads of cover so any old dickhead doesn't have massive gaps to just stumble into.

Clear to see why we're favourites this summer. :cab:

People saying John Stones is good is a form of emotional abuse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6mMP5Gm_To

There is no worse noise in the world than that.

Look at them all patronising him. The first decent side we come across will annihilate these betas.

Is there a decent side to come across?

Anyone of any historical standing and Portugal, will see to us.

What has historical standing got to do with a football match?

The xBOTTLE JOB factor.

It's Belgium or bust.

It's coming home. Drink it in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

What has historical standing got to do with a football match?

---

I'm not going over this again, it's monumentally tedious.

That Timo Werner miss is special. The Chelsea surgeon has it down to an art form now.

Are Germany a side of historical standing? They look in great nick.

Mahow must be absolutely reeling.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

Are Germany a side of historical standing? They look in great nick.

---

'We' say this every single time, yet there is absolutely no chance we would knock Germany out of an international tournament.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Mahow must be absolutely reeling.

---

I didn't watch it so I feel great.

Yev being donned out of existence. Go drown in the tub.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

'We' say this every single time, yet there is absolutely no chance we would knock Germany out of an international tournament.

---

What do South Korea 2018 have that England 2021 do not?

There is no higher power involved in these things, it's just a game of football.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

What do South Korea 2018 have that England 2021 do not?

There is no higher power involved in these things, it's just a game of football.

---

False.

People who think the NARRATIVE isn't beholden to the NARRATIVE know nothing about the NARRATIVE.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

What do South Korea 2018 have that England 2021 do not?

There is no higher power involved in these things, it's just a game of football.

---

Why do we never beat anyone good then? Why did we spunk the best chance anyone could ever wish to have to get to a World Cup Final? Why do you think we're good enough to win something? Where is the evidence?

You can say Korea beat Germany, Leicester won the league and Peter Sutcliffe died of COVID, but how is any of that relevant to England rising above being an average to good side for the first time in over 50 years? Which is the only time let me remind you. Maybe it's less to do with historical performance having an impact and more to do with us continually overrating our players and set up, but whatever it is, we're doing it again.

France aside, since they could put two teams out better than us, we have as good a team as anyone on paper, but we've got a shit coach and a loser mentality so any half-decent side with a plan and some nerve will rattle us.

No celebrating when it eventually happens please, Yev.

I was looking at Haalands stats and noticed something so I thought I'd google it.

https://i.imgur.com/38omvNv.png

Me and the lads :cool:

I'd totally forgotten that Germany finished bottom of their group last time. :drool:

If you had a decent centre half and a better midfield I’d be more confident about England winning. Alas, they don’t and their manager is useless

I'd love us to win something, it's the only thing I've really got left to see in football, but the optimism I once had finally died in 2010 and it's going to take more than rattling through a few qualifying groups full of goat herders to get that back. Much more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Why do we never beat anyone good then? Why did we spunk the best chance anyone could ever wish to have to get to a World Cup Final? Why do you think we're good enough to win something? Where is the evidence?

You can say Korea beat Germany, Leicester won the league and Peter Sutcliffe died of COVID, but how is any of that relevant to England rising above being an average to good side for the first time in over 50 years? Which is the only time let me remind you. Maybe it's less to do with historical performance having an impact and more to do with us continually overrating our players and set up, but whatever it is, we're doing it again.

---

There is no reason to take any England results from before 2018 into account when evaluating their chances of doing well this summer. It's like saying United won't beat City because they've only won 3 of the last 18 games stretching back to 2010 or whatever.

What England have is attacking talent to rival any squad in Europe and a back line that concedes very few goals. Maybe we overrate them but they play at a reasonably high level for their clubs so that's all you can really use.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

I'd totally forgotten that Germany finished bottom of their group last time. :drool:

---

The last five minutes of that game are about as good as football gets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKjV2SQfKrw

That 'back line that concedes very few goals' sounds like the statistical equivalent of when we used to ride high in the rankings by only ever really losing the games that actually mattered.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

What England have is attacking talent to rival any squad in Europe and a back line that concedes very few goals. Maybe we overrate them but they play at a reasonably high level for their clubs so that's all you can really use.

---

Individually we may do, but what good does that do? Assuming players will play as well for their national team as they do for their clubs is dumb in the extreme. That's one thing you can definitely look at from history and conclude it's wrong to do so. And we might concede very few goals, but we play a lot of shit and always seem to be a complete bomb scare waiting to happen at the back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

There is no reason to take any England results from before 2018 into account when evaluating their chances of doing well this summer. It's like saying United won't beat City because they've only won 3 of the last 18 games stretching back to 2010 or whatever.

What England have is attacking talent to rival any squad in Europe and a back line that concedes very few goals. Maybe we overrate them but they play at a reasonably high level for their clubs so that's all you can really use.

---

Do you trust Southgate to play the best team though? He’ll go with Sterling-Kane-Rashford and other than Kane, they other two aren’t rivalling shit

I reckon all our major team sports generally underperform their capability under tournament pressure. Think as a nation we are too rooted in orthodoxy (in all sports) and it costs us the ability to think on our feet or pull something together on the fly.

The rugby and cricket winning teams both looked like they were going to win for years beforehand, because they got THE PROCESS right, both got the right set of good players together, and then both just barely scraped over the line vs plucky antipodeans when it came to it. We'll never shock anyone in a tournament, the way we think about sport in this country. When we eventually win a football tournament - and we will - we'll know it's coming. And it ain't coming in 2021.

How many games that matter have England played under Southgate? Three? It's just such a tiny sample. And apart from the second half against Croatia it's not a bad record.

Southgate putting out the reserves in the final group game against Belgium is probably the finest piece of international management this decade as well.

It might happen, it might not. They're alright.

Don't forget they're missing Grealish, Rashford, Saka, Barnes, Maddison, Pickford (lol), Henderson, Gomez and Ings. That's likely 3, maybe four/five starters in Pickford, Gomez, Henderson and maybe Grealish/Rashford.

I get they're still English lololol, but that squad this week was light on quality and there's room for improvement.

John McGinn btw :cool:

This lot are promising in some respects but they've not got 'it'. They're a big defensive leader and a Kane-like champion in midfield away. Grealish is the man but he's too much of an individual for us to deal with. Mason Mount... I dunno. Love him, but he needs an edge. Foden is the one, I think, but they seem to have deemed it too early for him.

Kane himself also has to stay fit. Not just available, but fit. If everything happens perfectly we could be contenders in 2022. More likely Euro 2024.

I think people forget that there are no good international teams out there. Not really any good managers either. It's just a crapshoot. England talent pool is pretty diverse in terms of what they can field and have as good a chance as anyone. They are unlikely to win it, but I think 5/1 is about right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

How many games that matter have England played under Southgate? Three? It's just such a tiny sample. And apart from the second half against Croatia it's not a bad record.

Southgate putting out the reserves in the final group game against Belgium is probably the finest piece of international management this decade as well.

---

You don't play many games under anyone that matter, that's the nature of international football. And you can't say we've played three that did and then discard 75 minutes of the most important one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The rugby and cricket winning teams both looked like they were going to win for years beforehand, because they got THE PROCESS right, both got the right set of good players together, and then both just barely scraped over the line vs plucky antipodeans when it came to it. We'll never shock anyone in a tournament, the way we think about sport in this country. When we eventually win a football tournament - and we will - we'll know it's coming. And it ain't coming in 2021.

---

This is the key for me. I just don't see it coming relatively out of the blue. We'll need the best players or close enough to, a very good manager and approach and it'll be clear from games we're playing that we're on the right trajectory.

Pope
Alexander-Arnold/James/Walker/Tripper/about10others
Gomez
Maguire
Chilwell
Henderson
Mount/Rice
Sterling/Rashford
Grealish
Foden
Kane

That can win a tournament imo. Has enough. Not as good as France or Belgium though and obviously have to deal with being WEAK ENGLISH BASTARDS.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

You don't play many games under anyone that matter, that's the nature of international football. And you can't say we've played three that did and then discard 75 minutes of the most important one.

---

My point is that you can't discern anything from three games between teams of approximately equal strength. There's nothing special about England or international football. You're just seeing patterns where there aren't any.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

I think people forget that there are no good international teams out there. Not really any good managers either. It's just a crapshoot. England talent pool is pretty diverse in terms of what they can field and have as good a chance as anyone. They are unlikely to win it, but I think 5/1 is about right.

---

If there are no good international teams out there, not really any good managers, we have a diverse talent pool and as good a chance as anyone, what happened in 2018? We beat Sweden and Colombia. Which was good in the case of the former and about bloody time in the case of the nature of the latter, but that was it.

Grealish is the only one that can deliver glory. It looks like the maggot will go Sterling, Mount and Rashford though which is absolute lols.

If we're talking x factor, I highly doubt any side has a set piece setup as good as England's (Grealish to earn them, JWP to deliver, Maguire at the back post), and in a tournament that is going to be 95% terrible football I reckon that's worth a couple of goals.

Do agree on manager and approach and it not being an all conquering generation of superstars though. But then no one has that other than Belgium, who have missed their best chances. France have a good squad too, but fuck the French.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

My point is that you can't discern anything from three games between teams of approximately equal strength.

---

Are we discerning it from one of the worst qualifying groups in all of human history instead?

How can you not 'discern anything from three games between teams of approximately equal strength' when we feebly lost all three?

I was referring to Sweden, Colombia and Croatia. Nations League, eh, arsed.

Which team at Euro 2020 hasn't lost an important game in a feeble manner?

I thought you meant the three defeats at the World Cup. Carry on.

The first Belgium loss was the correct result, and the other was a third place play off.

Absolutely seething that this actual football discussion has distracted from me and Marcelo Bielsa having the same birthday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

If we're talking x factor, I highly doubt any side has a set piece setup as good as England's (Grealish to earn them, JWP to deliver, Maguire at the back post), and in a tournament that is going to be 95% terrible football I reckon that's worth a couple of goals.

---

Steps 1 and 2 sound great, but it’d fall down on 3 with Maguire. He’s fantastic at winning headers and absolutely dire at directing them.

Him scoring tonight was quite a shock. I guess he should be allowed to use his feet but not his head in the opponent’s box.

I only saw the second half but thought we looked alright. Foden is class but not sure he gets the best from Kane when playing off the wing. Kane thrives with speed all around him so could understand Southgate going with Sterling and Rashford in the XI, even if they aren’t in the best form closer to the tournament.

Means missing out on Grealish, but Southgate doesn’t seem to like him anyway so not holding much hope in him getting more than a token kick.

Who would have thought that a defender who consistently makes mistakes when under pressure, would make a mistake under pressure. Playing centreback for City should not be a gauge for how good a defender is - they generally have fuck all defending to do.