December Football: Oh Christ

[Ian]

That title was very clever you see, because it's Jesus' sort-of birthday AND it's a reaction to the realisation that no matter how much I try and pretend otherwise there's no changing the fact that I've got nine (NINE!) Manchester United games to endure between now and January the 3rd.

Will it never end?

Have a picture of Gazza sharing a Santa outfit with a small dog:

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Feel free to speculate on the important questions of the month:
- Who will be top at Christmas?
- Who will be ROOTED TO THE BOTTOM at Christmas?
- What the fuck kind of kickoff is 8.15pm on a Thursday for United vs. Arsenal this early in the month?
- What is Baz going to post about from the shitter at 6am this year?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Amazon are loving life with their 7.30 - 8.15 kickoff staggers, i.e. the second one kicks off at half time in the first one. Unbroken action in a broken world.

[Ian]

Oh are they all on Amazon? That explains it.

[Giggles]

What a fucking fanny of a society we now live in.

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[-james-]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-59493509

Big fan of Mikel Arteta responding to an attempted armed robbery in standard post match interview speak.

Gabby showed a lot of character, you see the reaction that he had straight away. Credit to the boy. After that he was fine.

[Don]

lll

[Spikey M]

That's great

[Lofty]

I thought that when I read it

[-james-]

Sarmiento starting for Brighton. What a ridiculous production line they are.

[Manc]

I'm plucking for West Ham v Brighton. Saints v Leicester is v tempting.

[Giggles]

Not often I’d want to see a West Ham result but I’d love to see a plummet back down from Brighton.

[Waffdon]

I swear there’s a fan collapsing every single week at the football at the minute

[Shindig]

Gazza looks really well in that picture, if I'm honest.

[Mellberg]

What a fucking fanny of a society we now live in.

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It's some jeb posting on an official club Twitter feed. If he comes on tonight you won't have 42,000 fawning punters remembering the good times.

[Waffdon]

Rondon still starting games

[-james-]

Not often I’d want to see a West Ham result but I’d love to see a plummet back down from Brighton.

They are pretty painful to watch at the moment but not going anywhere. They're a harbinger if anything.

[Manc]

Brighton have gone peak 20/21.

[Mellberg]

That's not far off our strongest 11 for the first time this season. You could argue one of Sanson or Ramsey in for Nakamaba, although Marv is likely the right choice against Citeh. Maybe Traore for one of Buendia and Bailey, but those three are all of pretty similar levels of quality imo, so not much in it.

For obvious reasons I would REALLY, REALLY like to win tonight, but braced for a Pepping.

[-james-]

Brighton have gone peak 20/21.

They've looked worse this season for the most part. A lot less assured at the back and not creating anything when Lamptey isn't on the pitch. As ever there's lots to like and a load of ballers trust the process etc etc

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Salah with a huge miss.

McCoist is laying into him for being a fanny for not trying to head it.

[mo]

Plumped for Saints v Leicester as I had a feeling there would be goals. Great set pieces by Southampton so far.

[Waffdon]

Mane looked miles offside there. Did they even check it?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mane looked miles offside there. Did they even check it?

Nope.

[Luke Emia]

The Goodison seethe is in full swing tonight.

[Manc]

Leaving after twenty minutes.

Henderson having a stormer.

[Luke Emia]

Singing Rafa’s name as well.

[Lewis]

The BBC ticker refers to 'Mohamed Salah'. Has he formally done an Andrew Cole, or are they just that pro-Islamisation?

[Giggles]

He was always Mohamed until the media did the ‘Pep’ shit on him. Nearly as bad as everyone thinking F1 drivers are theirs best mates.

[Giggles]

They are pretty painful to watch at the moment but not going anywhere. They're a harbinger if anything.

I don’t care if they’re the second coming of Ajax, it just works best in the championship for our players to get some game time.

[Baz]

More games should be on Prime. HDR is stunning.

[Manc]

Everton are on for a few reds here.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It pains me to say this, because we haven't really had one of these in a long time: Saúl Niguez is simply not good enough at football to play in the Premier League.

Simeone must have conjured some kind of exceptionalism at that club.

[Giggles]

When did he go there? He used to be the main wankfest in Europe for years.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

When did he go there? He used to be the main wankfest in Europe for years.

Deadline day in the Summer on loan.

He's made two starts in the league and been hooked at half time in both.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Maupay

What a goal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lallana is so brittle.

Potter is a mong though for making all three subs and assuming Lallana can do a full 90 minutes.

[Giggles]

Deadline day in the Summer on loan.

He's made two starts in the league and been hooked at half time in both.

That’s mad. How has he ended up so shite, or even ended up shite enough to be loaned out, so quick? Is he 36 or something?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Option to buy, it's probably a FFP thing or not enough time to get the deal done.

Seamus Coleman is a useless twat btw.

[Giggles]

Everyone is a useless twat when they play Liverpool.

[Jimmy Floyd]

20 years ago today we played Man U at Old Trafford, we won 3-0 including one that Hasselbaink absolutely rattled into the corner. That was for Ranieri. I was in year nine. 20 years later I'm in the flat that I partly own, watching us edge daintily past Ranieri's Watford side. Silly game, silly life.

[Mike]

Great this. Good old Rafa

[Giggles]

Jota actually doing something useful should really mean the bullet. Absolute imposter in that team.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Joe Cole and Dion Dublin on the goals show are shocked that Grealish is getting booed.

[Guybrush]

Jota actually doing something useful should really mean the bullet. Absolute imposter in that team.

Wow. Some take, that.

[Giggles]

Joe Cole and Dion Dublin on the goals show are shocked that Grealish is getting booed.

That’s Villas fault for their limp wristed social media.

[Baz]

Jota actually doing something useful should really mean the bullet. Absolute imposter in that team.

[Waffdon]

The better Jota plays for Celtic to be fair

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comm...e_biram_diouf/

Scenes in the Turkish Cup as Mame Biram Diouf goes in goal after keeper gets red carded. Backup GK goes in with overtime sub, also gets sent off, putting Diouf back in goal for the penalty shootout. He takes the first penalty, scores, and is in goal as his team Hatayspor win 6-5.

Original goalkeeper Abdullah Yigiter gets sent off on minute 90+4, as Hatayspor are out of subs Diouf dons the keeper goals.

Teams get an additional sub at overtime, so the backup keeper naturally goes in. That keeper plays most of overtime until he also gets sent off for an egregious tackle outside the box at minute 120+1. Diouf goes back in goal for the shootouts.

Diouf takes first penalty and scores. The opponent, Eyupspor hit the post twice while for all other shots Diouf picks the corner correctly but doesn’t make a save.

https://twitter.com/442sport/status/...533723652?s=21
The final penalty kick and Diouf’s celebration can be seen here.

Only in the Turkish Cup folks. The stupidest and most entertaining tournament on Earth.

Full shootout:

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[Gray Fox]

Liverpool have now won more Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park than Everton have.

[John Arne]

The Everton fans giving it the sarcastic cheers every time a Liverpool shot went just wide was a bit weird. At 0-1, ok kinda fair enough, but when you're getting battered 1-4 and being played off the park - perhaps give the sarky cheers a rest.