December football: bald men hold sway

[Jimmy Floyd]

Let's maintain some fucking discipline around here.

A great start to his Leicester reign for Ruud Nistelrooy of Hesselink, but Julen Lopetegui looks to be heading for a statement released through the LMA. Who will West Ham get in? Does it matter? Should the London Stadium be demolished and replaced by affordable housing?

As the month begins, Liverpool FC look set to continue steamrollering all comers, while it's been a good month for Chelsea, signs of recovery at Man U, but an ongoing mega-tank at Man Blue. Will Guardiola make it to the Feast of Stephen? Will Everton get sucked back into the relegation zone, or will all our dreams be crushed again? In the world of refereeing, it's been a disappointing month for David Coote, but can he bounce back in time for the festive fixtures?

Further afield, European leagues will all go on winter breaks because they are a bunch of pathetic continentals with no bottle.

This month's trivia teaser: if Luke Littler ate Luke Shaw, would either of their sporting performances be affected in any way? Answers next month.

[Magic]

Fullkrug ended up at the Shambles, how has that happened lol.

[Gray Fox]

West 'am are such a curious club. Seem to have ideas way beyond their station. In my lifetime at least I've seen them do the grand sum of fuck all for almost all of it. They got very close to a something once, but a Gerrard right foot put a stop to that.

Sat comfortably in mid-table for a while in the early 2010's. Started to wobble a little under Bilic and Moyesy came in to steady the ship. Then a man with a much fancier name became available so out with Moyes and in with him, only to realise that Moyes was better. He wins them their only achievement in my lifetime and they're still desperate to sack him and eventually a man with a much fancier name becomes available and we're back where we were before.

They seem to think they should be far above 9th, despite the teams above them and below them being about right in the final table. Maybe an argument for Brighton being better.

[John Arne]

Mitsubishi Cup starts this month, which is the ASEAN national tournament, formerly Tiger Cup, Suzuki Cup, AFF Cup.

It used to be THE tournament for southeast Asia nations, but now it's just a bit crap. Thailand have picked a slightly second team, Vietnam are just shit now and the mighty Indonesia are focused on actual World Cup Qualifying so haven't called up their 20 recently naturalised players.

Cambodia have decided to go all Qatar and have given 6 players a dodgy Cambodian passport, so we'll see Hikaru Mizuno, Takaki Ose, Yudai Ogawa, Nick Taylor, Mohammed Faeez Khan, Abdel Kader Coulibaly and Andres Nieto lining up alongside Soeuy Visal et al.

Closer to home, Vietnam not wanting to miss out on the dodgy foreigners quota have thrown a passport at Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes, now known as Nguyễn Xuân Son, who has spent 4 years in the country and will make his debut in the opening game against Laos.

The only English league based player is Marselino Ferdinan of Oxford and Indonesia.

My prediction, which is an absolute guess as all the teams are shite right now:
Semis
Thailand v Myanmar
Malaysia v Indonesia
Final
Thailand v Indonesia

[Kikó]

Surely they can't go back to Moyes again if it goes tits up? Have some conviction and stick with the preferred way of playing.

United v Arsenal and then City away this month plus an away game at Spurs in the league cup and starting next month with Liverpool and Arsenal again. Tough fixtures for sexy Reuben.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Great news, the Club World Cup seedings are out. Get your wallcharts out.

[SvN]

Genuinely excited by tonight. Not expecting a win, just want us to be competitive. Can't remember the last time I didn't dread a game against one of the big 6. Probably Spring 2023.

[niko_cee]

Supberd OP.

Ian in the mud, RIP etc.

it's been a disappointing month for David Coote

[Davgooner]

That mook Rashford it definitely doing us in tonight. Shame.

[niko_cee]

And you won't even get to see these rainbow jackets that seem to be the centre of attention.

[Gray Fox]

Surely by outing the lad in the media, you've done the exact thing they didn't want in the first place?

[niko_cee]

So, if Guehi's essentially allowed his religious messaging, entirely contrary to the apparent rules, where else can we go with this? Jesus was a Jew? Can we go back to the simmering foundations of the post-merger board and get a lol Jesus armband? Free Palestine?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Wonder if a white Christian would have been spared.

[Gray Fox]

Another of the 'we play like shit here recently' games tonight. Hopefully no stupid VVD red card this time.

[Waffdon]

A front 4 of Madueke, Palmer, Nkunku and Felix may be the laziest front line you’ll ever see. Baldy has no respect for Southampton.

[niko_cee]

I see Eddie howe was being rather canny in his pre-match comments about Isak.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hopefully this Jorgensen move is a proper one rather than just a midweek shuffle, though I doubt it.

[Kikó]

That mook Rashford it definitely doing us in tonight. Shame.

Doesn't look like he's starting.

[Waffdon]

Hopefully this Jorgensen move is a proper one rather than just a midweek shuffle, though I doubt it.

Definitely rotation as Sanchez had his best game for the club on Sunday. The guy is clearly talented but has that retard gene that comes out far too often to be considered a #1

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

View Tweet

Amad and Zirkzee on the bench...

[niko_cee]

Prioritising winnable games.

[Waffdon]

Both Southampton and Chelsea ridiculously open. Could be 5/6 goals in this game easily

[Waffdon]

Southampton are all over Chelsea. Ridiculous line up from baldy

Never mind, Southampton are there to hand them a goal

[Gray Fox]

They think they're 2010 Barcelona.

[Waffdon]

3rd choice journeyman playing out like prime Valdes

[Jimmy Floyd]

The second Chelsea goal just makes me angry. This sort of guff is not professional sport. Put the laptops away.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Isak

What a hit.

[Gray Fox]

Newcastle doing quite well so far. They seem to be man marking across the midfield but sitting off the CBs. Very similar to what Notts Forest did. Gravenberch especially is not being allowed a second on the ball.

As I say this Isak smashes one into the top corner.

[Waffdon]

3 goals, bar and post hit and a few decent chances missed. Southampton are amazing

[Waffdon]

Southampton player doing a Romero but getting sent off for pulling Cucurella’s hair at a corner

Nowhere near as bad though

[niko_cee]

Is hair pulling actually a red card offence? Surprised some forward thinker hasn't gone full reverse-Passarella and mandated all players to have stupid hair if it is.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I know it's offside but Onana, awful.

[Manc]

Liverpool are miles off it.

[niko_cee]

That's the obligatory bad half out of the way, now for the good half . . .

[Gray Fox]

Awful Liverpool first half. Lucky to only be 1-0 down. From here I'd happily take a draw and get out of there.

Quansah at RB has not worked at all. I suspect Trent will appear before long. I thought we had possessioned out of the tough patch of the game, like we've done a lot lately, but Isak just too good on that strike. Really hope to see at least 1 change at the break.

[niko_cee]

Solid start from Man Dark Blue.

I don't mean this as a criticism, but Hojlund runs about the pitch with the look of a person with a turd turtling out of their arse.

[Magic]

Will Baaland ever score again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Madueke

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gordon scoring against Liverpool is great.

[Gray Fox]

We've not been smacked in the mouth like this yet. Get the changes on and see what we've got.

[Waffdon]

No idea how Chelsea have only scored 3 goals. Madueke should have had 4 alone

[niko_cee]

Not watching it, but Craig Dawson must either want Gary O'Neil sacked or Christmas off.

[Manc]

Give him what he wants.

[Mike]

Forgot how stressful following a good team is!

[Gray Fox]

Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him. Pay him.

[Shindig]

I fucking hate Liverpool

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kelleher

[Shindig]

Love it!

[Magic]

[Jimmy Floyd]

If we'd won 15-1 tonight it wouldn't have flattered us. Russell Martin should not be working in football.