May football: Southend United relegated (nearly)

[Jimmy Floyd]

Brazil's run in 2002 was: China, Costa Rica, Turkey, (a shit) Belgium, Trevor Sinclair, Turkey again, and finally a very pedestrian German side who had had a piss easy run themselves. Of all World Cup wins this was possibly the biggest second-gear crowning.

Argentina should have been favourites for that on paper but chose our favourite maverick coach to send them to a group stage exit; Italy should have been up there too, but made a complete mess of the group and then suffered from a severe dose of entitlement vs South Korea (and a bit of shit reffing, but in their case that is very overplayed because of said entitlement, the real shit reffing was in Korea v Spain).

Holland definitely had the players too, but forgot to qualify.

[niko_cee]

Commentators said it was because it wasn’t immediately before the goal (it was). If Kane scored it would have been disallowed but because there was technically another phase before he passes it, the goal stood

I assumed it was related to that Firmino one (against Spurs) which sort of changed the rules (and the ludicrous Matt Cash one soon thereafter) where if the ball is considered to have deflected into the hand/arm from you playing the ball it isn't handball - but it just seemed even accounting for that that Kane did sort of use his hand to control it. lol if it was for lack of proximity to the goal/some phase of play wank.

[Gray Fox]

It seems the Konate deal is done. Liverpool making the Champions League places more than made up the cost of the transfer too. A deal for Kabak is now likely off too. We've Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez, Konate and Phillips ahead of him with Fabinho able to step in.

A lot of talk about Bissouma being the Wijnaldum replacement but I expect to see a decent spending spree.

[Offshore Toon]

No, it's Bruce getting most of it. Fuck our fanbase.



Yeah, how high could we have hit if two Covid outbreaks hadn't hit the club? One of which kept Saint Maximin out of action for 2 months? We had maybe six of our first team out at one point. We're not a big squad so that absolutely knackered us. Joyless old cunts.

Bruce got shit for putting together some utterly hopeless displays and without ASM bossing it or Willock gannin radge it's a very different story.

Sometimes a team performs well despite the tactics, and I think this is a good example. Why are you so big on him?

[Kikó]

Sounds like good players win games from that summary Offy.

[Shindig]

I've seen too many mag managers blow hot and cold before him. Pardew had the same bother. He'd get us to Europe and then spend 13 games without a win. It's not a problem exclusive to Bruce. Benitez went 10 games without a win at the start of 2018-9. In that run we had some big hitters but we also stunk up the joint against Brighton, Cardiff and Southampton (no shots on target). When we finally did get a win, we rode our luck against Watford. At the time, Joselu was our top scorer with 2.

Until we get actual squad depth, in talent as well as raw numbers, this will not change.

[Waffdon]

This should be named the Unai Emery trophy if Villarreal win this tonight.

[Lewis]

Daniel James masterclass off the bench.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why has he dropped Fred and moved Pogba back to CDM/CM when Pogba has looked his best on the left?

[Shindig]

Owen Hargreaves is completely German now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

God I hate watching Rashford play football. He looks like he's despising every minute. Stick to feeding kids, mate.

[Waffdon]

Why has he dropped Fred and moved Pogba back to CDM/CM when Pogba has looked his best on the left?

Probably because Fred is horrendous

[Ian]

At least he does look like he's enjoyed it if he scores a goal, usually, which puts him several levels of cheeriness above Martial.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lindelof is not a footballer.

[Ian]

United? Conceding from a set piece? No, that scarcely seems possible.

[Don]

Man Utd's options off the bench are so tragic

This Yeremy Pino kid is hot shit.

Edit: Gahahaha

[Shindig]

Whoop. Just step up and play them offside, silly.

[Waffdon]

10/3 for Man Utd is generous considering their record away from home when losing

[Pleb]

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-b1854543.html

[Lewis]

Let's never hear any Harry Maguire criticism ever again.

[Gray Fox]

The old United losing in the first half routine. I look forward to stories of their 3-1 win.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I love the look of this Villarreal side. Especially the centre half pairing. Phwoar.

I swear Unai Emery and/or Carlos Bacca have been winning the Europa League for about a decade straight.

[Waffdon]

I love the look of this Villarreal side. Especially the centre half pairing. Phwoar.

I swear Unai Emery and/or Carlos Bacca have been winning the Europa League for about a decade straight.

Emery won 3 in a row for Sevilla and then lost to Eden Hazard in 2018. It’s some record.

[Don]

I wouldn't write off the Man Utd season if they lose here as ultimately, they are without their first choice CB and captain for 1 game.

:********)

[Shindig]

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-b1854543.html

Insurance scam.

[Kikó]

Too slow and too cautious so far.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Did VAR even look at that STONEWALL penalty?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Don Cavani trying to save Ole's job.

[Waffdon]

Fernandes nailed on to score a penalty to seal the game when at 2-1.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

ffs Rashford.

[Waffdon]

Fernandes looked about 5 foot offside

[Gray Fox]

Villarreal refusing to play corners into the box is confusing considering Uniteds weakness to them and they got their first goal from doing that.

[Manc]

United have got to be one of the most physical sides in Europe.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck VAR.

[Waffdon]

Both these teams don’t deserve to be in the CL next year and should stay here. Absolutely dreadful sides.

[Manc]

Who have Villarreal beaten to get here? Such a nothing outfit.

[Ian]

Get Sheringham on.

[Lewis]

Daniel James masterclass off the bench.

Staring him in the face the silly cunt.

[Pleb]

Doing this with no subs.

My body is ready.

[Gray Fox]

Who have Villarreal beaten to get here? Such a nothing outfit.

RB Salzburg, Dynamo Kiev, Dinamo Zagreb and Arsenal. So no one really.

[Kikó]

Both these teams don’t deserve to be in the CL next year and should stay here. Absolutely dreadful sides.

Happy with that. Best tournament going.

[Yevrah]

This has been so bad.

[Spoonsky]

Alberto Moreno

He already won one Europa League for Unai Emery single-handedly, why not another?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The good thing about the Europa League is you get different teams in it each time, which was the even greater glory of the Cup Winners' Cup.

[Don]

Loving Villarreal's troll possession tactics. Making the cunts run as much as possible and that Norwegian cunt is sat there playing with his mushroom still.

[Lewis]

Taking Greenwood off instead of Rashford is such shit non-management.

[Manc]

God I hate watching Rashford play football. He looks like he's despising every minute. Stick to feeding kids, mate.

Petulance personified.

[Waffdon]

when Southgate plays Rashford-Kane-Sterling.

Rashford goes down injured every game

[Don]

Trashford protecting the brand.

Imagine if a penalty miss by the Portuguese tramp was to lose it for them

[Waffdon]

Trashford protecting the brand.

Imagine if a penalty miss by the Portuguese tramp was to lose it for them

That’s him scoring the winning penalty nailed on then