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Looks like Citeh are in the mood for giving Watford a monstering here
Stunned by how bang average Cities finishing is. Could have had 6 in the first 20 mins if they could hit a cows arse with a banjo. Sterling seems back to form. Lots of shimmies and shakes and then taps the ball directly into the defenders foot.
When Dennis? went down in cities box, he definitely took a boot in the shin. If it was Sterling, who would have gone down more acrobatically, would that have been a pen? Inquiring minds want to know.
Right! What’s the hell is going on?! A clean sheet and Fred scoring a screamer
😳
Could be your year binners. Crazy to think that’s Utd’s first clean sheet at Old Trafford all season. I’d probably be giving the new coach a 5 year contract on the back of that.
Crazy to think that’s Utd’s first clean sheet at Old Trafford all season.
It’s not crazy if you’ve watched our defence* in action. I think Fergie was still in charge last time we got a clean sheet. We like to concede at least one in the first 25 minutes
* the word is used figuratively in this instance and does not imply any actual defending taking place
Fred scoring a screamer
Into... the opposition goal? 🤯
I know! Seriously! MOTM too! We’re in unchartered waters here 😳
Oli's mates in punditry always claimed it was the players throwing the manager under the bus, are the following months going to show it was the other way around.
Will be interesting to see how it changes in the coming weeks, doesn't look like the formation is any different, or the starting 11, but i can't see the new guy not fixing the issues ManU have without the ball, player wise, ManU have a great squad and starting 11, but teams have ripped them this year due to knowing and pressing their weaknesses.
January will be an interesting time as well to see who they may go for to be a little more solid, saw they were maybe interested in McGinn at Villa, if they got him the midfield would then be McMcFred
Gerard has started well at Aston Villa, I never thought he was clever enough to be a manager, but he seams to have done the most sensible thing of building a good coaching staff and empowering them to do their jobs. Rather than just bringing in some old playing mates and drinking buddies.
Leicester are struggling though, and they seemed to have made some sensible signings in the summer, some defensive injuries though.
Yeah, it's a shame to see Leicester struggle, but it's reality, they had a good run, but the other teams in the league are catching up with them, you now have 5 or 6 going for the top 4 and Leicester just aren't in that group anymore, they're in the next group of 6 who are chasing a high finish.
Villa are one of those now, they've spent big money to build this team, and had a decent core to start with
Oli’s mates in punditry always claimed it was the players throwing the manager under the bus, are the following months going to show it was the other way around.
Bit of both? It's been pretty clear that the players had lost confidence in 'the system'. Partly because Oli couldn't find a shape and strategy that worked, partly because the players couldn't figure out their own issues. When they got in that rut neither side believed the other could get them out of it. Even under Carrick the relief of the players that thing s might change was obvious.
It's like a good divorce, it happens, it's not really anyone's fault, it just wasn't ever going to work.
I expect there’s going to be a clearout in January.
It’ll be interesting to see who stays and who goes. That’s going to show if it’s actually the manager making the decisions or whether it’s still Ed
Martial, Lingard, Mata, Matic should all probably go in Jan. Pogba possibly. Keep Phil Jones as a very well paid mascot.
Gerrard as a manager - he’s cleverer than you think I reckon. Very pragmatic, I wouldn’t say the fare his team served up as Ibrox was that special but he got the job done, very good defensively last few seasons. Good point re the backroom staff.
Great second half at Goodison tonight - place was bouncing. Everton arrested an appalling run by showing some spine after getting two goals chalked off to marginal VAR calls. Richarlison and Gray were outstanding. Arsenal have their own problems by the looks of it.
The walkout protest has divided the fanbase as these things tend to do - I went to the game to support it, but it was prob a few 100 all in who left their seat. Majority prob not arsed and just want to watch the game which you have to respect.
It still precipitated the DoF hitting the road, and getting some media focus on the absolute clown circus running the club, so good momentum all in all. Have to see where it takes us.
They looked the business. Rafa brought Gray in, didn't he? Astute.
Gomez being back will !make a huge difference, he is a real presence and has an eye for a pass.
If they can get the first choice players fit and healthy and keep them that way, I think they will be on their way.
I switched the Everton game on last night with a few minutes to go. Thought I was watching it on mute until Gray scored. Nowt like a vocal support and from what you could hear on Sky, that was nothing like a vocal support 😀
They looked the business. Rafa brought Gray in, didn’t he? Astute.
Gomez being back will !make a huge difference, he is a real presence and has an eye for a pass.
If they can get the first choice players fit and healthy and keep them that way, I think they will be on their way.
Ye we put a technical player in the middle of the park and get DCL back then we start looking like a football team.
It's wildly optimistic to expect Gomes to be that player, unfortunately - suffered a terrible injury and was a 1 in 3 man even before that tbh. But things looking up no doubt.
Bit odd that Klopp plays a second string side but Salah and Mane still play.
They just said on commentary you get $3.3 million for winning a group game, so they were probs hoping they could nick a couple of goals early then take them off (which is basically what's happened).
Mane playing I can understand, but less so Salah after Jota getting injured for 3 months in a dead rubber last season. Seems to have worked out though - what’s the odds on them both getting a bit of a hamstring niggle pre African Cup of Nations though?
Cor blimey, the Etihad looks sparsely populated. They can't all be out on their bikes.
Penalodoooooooooo!
Interesting to see Chris Armas on Utds bench. Makes sense, he is a true believer in the high press. So much so that he took one of the best MLS teams and made them the worst in one preseason by trying to make them play a style they couldn't do. Oh, and make the star striker so angry he ended up trying with the reserves.
Ooooooooooooh. Rangnick is a 'cking genius. Armas is the one guy in the world who could get Ronnie to either press or walk out on his contract.
Good to see Manchester's City + United, Chelsea and Liverpool getting the peno decisions for once and winning by the very same goals.
I'm not saying it wasn't a penalty but if it was, then every single corner and free kick that goes in the box is either a pen or a free kick to the defence. Either alternate or flip a coin.
Well one things the same…
De Gea kept us in it again
To be fair, Norwich had Krul to thank for keeping them in it as long as he did.
Meanwhile at the the less glamorous end Reading are now hovering just above the relegation zone.
Benfica v Real Madrid
Villarreal v Man City
Atletico v Bayern Munich
Salzburg v Liverpool
Inter v Ajax
Sporting v Juventus
Chelsea v Lille
PSG v Man United
... for now
UEFA are on it and sorting it all out with their usual level of professionalism
EDIT: The draw has been declared void. They're doing it again this afternoon
You had one job....
UEFA are on it and sorting it all out with their usual level of professionalism
More or less competent than the FIA? Or is that one of those paradoxical question type thingemies?
Sporting governing bodies are covering themselves in glory at the moment, aren't they?
How can you **** up a draw involving 16 teams? Thats a special kind of special
Looks like they wanted to give PSG a diddy team.
I can't see the need to redo it, Utd weren't allowed to play Villarreal so they picked someone else, just wait for the other teams to complain when their easy draw becomes more difficult
As a Chelsea fan I knew that draw was too good to be true. Here comes Bayern.
no 2
Salzburg v Bayern Munich
Sporting v Man City
Benfica v Ajax
Chelsea v Lille
Atlético v Man United
Villarreal v Juventus
Inter v Liverpool
PSG v Real Madrid
Not sure it changes the nature of the draw very much. Chelsea got lucky again. Utd may have done slightly better out of it but not by much. Liverpool (slightly?) worse. City pretty much the same.
I hadn't read before that they'd cocked up other parts of the draw as well, total mess. I would have preferred Salzburg but Inter should still be more than beatable given the current state of Italian football.
Good job for Leeds last night City don’t have a striker 🤔
Sad to see Aguero having to retire the way he has - what a player 👏
The lack of depth in the Leeds squad was exposed last night.
Right about Sergio, sometimes the body just gives up. Kinda gave glimpse of Gert Muller.
Respect where it's due. An absolute legend bowed out today. One of the true greats
I drew this up for my best mate Mikey's dad. Mikey died of cancer when we were 27 after being a season ticket holder at Maine Road from being a kid, having just watched repeated relegations and utter dross on the pitch and endured years of relentless piss-taking from me. He never got to see him play or enjoy the glory years.
His sister even made me transcribe every word of the Martin Tyler commentary of THAT goal onto the final print. Mikey would have been laughing his tits off
Balotelli....
City still alive here...
Aguerooooo...
I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again. So watch it, drink it in..
Surely one of the most iconic moments the Premier League has ever delivered
Vamos
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Oh... and I still blame Joey ****ing Barton! 😂
Oh… and I still blame Joey ****ing Barton!
To be fair, that could be a reply to hearing statements about a multitude of shithousery.
That goal from Ageuro to win the league was amazing, it is a fantastic moment of history (even though some teams fans accuse us of having none) I was so down thinking we hadn't been able to clear the last hurdle, then elation.
I felt a bit sorry for leeds last night, a clearly weakened team facing city just showing incredible movement, it looked like we had an extra 10 players on the pitch at times in the first half the way everyone was swarming around creating options.
Yep, bad night at the office for us but when 3 of your 4 cb's, your best striker, best player and only decent dm, back up rb and record signing striker are all out it's never going to be pretty.
Add to that our lb has been sub optimal, rb (playing cb) just back after injury and was poor before, Tyler Roberts is a starter, Jack Harrison is in woeful form, Dallas is struggling after personal tragedy, Klich has been terrible for 18 months and we are relying on a Forshaw who has been injured for 2 years, it could be a long season.
Why is it that the players who get injured are the ones you can least do without?
Real shame about Aguero, a superb player.
Bielsa is suffering the second season woes, as teams know his tactics and are adjusting, and their tactics against the big teams are ineffective, it’ll be a tough year for them, especially if Newcastle strengthens significantly
Couldn't believe that it was the same Leeds team who had taken Chelsea to extra time only 3 days before. Having said that City were unbelievable especially with De Bruyne back and Grealish seeming to find his form since his transfer. We also had limited experience on the bench with the exception of Klich who has been off form for some time.
It's going to be a long season for us unless we can get our first team players back from injury asap, and also get a 2 or 3 reinforcements in during the January transfer window.
Anyway it wouldn't be Leeds if everything went smoothly!
#MOT #ALAW
Weird atmosphere in the Emirates tonight, I heard the crowd.
The weirdest thing for me is that Arsenal are in the top 4 now, and don't really have a recognised in-form striker, Aubameyang is in bad form and now sulking about it, and Lacazette hasn't been in any form for about 2 years, but he does try.
It's weird as they have a bit of a suspect defence, midfield and attack, but have clawed their way back up the table, imagine if they had a solid midfielder and a reliable striker, they could actually do something this season, maybe add an actual captain and they'd be well on their way!
It’s weird as they have a bit of a suspect defence, midfield and attack
Welcome to every team below the obvious top three.
I can’t believe Arsenal are where they are when they’re so obviously awful
At playing it out from the back, yet they insist on doing it and with a club captain who would clearly rather be anywhere else
The weirdest thing for me is that Arsenal are in the top 4 now
Look at the gulf in goal difference from the top 3 to the rest.
Agent Rafa strikes again
Up the reds! 😂
Yep, top bus parking that!
a bit of a suspect defence
Strange but I read that as Suspect Device
Great night for Liverpool that, cheers Rafa.
"Ignore those who pretend to know. Ignore lies and misinformation. Listen to people who know best. If you do that, you end up wanting the vaccine and the booster."
Klopp on vaccines. Lad.
One of the best tunes ever recorded. Hats off for shoe-horning that one in 😂
Never saw them live. Did have tickets one night (ironically in Liverpool) but managed to highside my GPZ on the way there and ended up in hospital instead
Terrible refereeing for the second goal. No way that play should have continued. 2 players down in the area clutching their heads and you let play continue? Really?
2 players down in the area clutching their heads and you let play continue?
And we all know footballers would never feign a head injury in order to try and gain an advantage.
You reckon both of them were feigning that, do you?
Well the usual rules apply. If two of your defenders were on the floor in the box having clashed heads and the opposition, instead of putting the ball out, as they should have done, took advantage and scored, what would your opinion be then?
I’m sure you’d be fine with that, yes?
Rafa came up trumps for you again tonight. Great signing, that 😂
I wouldn't be especially happy but I wouldn't see it as any kind of travesty either. Turns out he was fine didn't it? And there was no foul involved.
I have a question for you: would he have stayed down clutching his head if Newcastle had got possession of the ball and were steaming down the pitch on the counter attack? And would Newcastle fans and ABLs still think the ball should have been put out?
Anyway never mind all that what about TAA's goal. I reckon that falls under the classification of a thunderbastard. Lovely.
To be fair, that was an absolute screamer
Obramovich's firing gland must be getting twitchy now, even the recent chelsea wins haven't been convincing.
and WTF is going on with the teams and covid, I have to be vaccinated or tested to attend work, why can't the PL implement such a simple rule.
I did think Chelsea would drop off over City and Liverpool a bit, but didn't expect it to be last night. They seem solid, but they don't seem to have quite the killer instinct of the other 2.
I think it’s well established the vaccination take up is low among premier league players - age and intelligence probably a factor. Klopp seemed pretty confident the other week his squad were vaccinated, of course you can still test positive after being vaccinated, and have mild symptoms.
I think we need to see a bit more playing on when players are "injured", it's pretty easy to tell when a player is actually injured and requiring medical treatment. Turns out the ref was correct to play on as Hayden finished the game, the ref is in charge so wait for a whistle.
I think we need to see a bit more playing on when players are “injured”, it’s pretty easy to tell when a player is actually injured and requiring medical treatment. Turns out the ref was correct to play on as Hayden finished the game, the ref is in charge so wait for a whistle.
Dunno about that, i thought it was harsh on Newcastle. I still think Liverpool would have won, but not convinced that was right.
I think the vaccination rate in the PL is getting better but still not great. Much worse in the lower leagues apparently.
I'd not be happy sharing a changing room with an unvaxxed player. And again if they are unvaxxed is fairly likely they are also less responsible about wearing masks, social distancing, bothering with hand sanitizer, not going to parties/crowded events, etc etc.
Yes it's their choice but it's also a choice with consequences. When it comes to contract renewals or picking the team in less trying times I think the players who won't do the right thing will find out some more about that.
Obramovich’s Firing Gland
(Disturbing) band name right there. ^^^
The postponements are ruining my FPL team/season! Only 5 games this weekend now
Went to Anfield last night. A decent game and it's pleasing to see Newcastle have a go at least. Mike Reilly (Wirral) really is odius though. The best chant was 'Mike Reilly, its all about you' coupled with the traditional reference to onanism.
You're setting a very dangerous precedent if you play on when a player is down clutching his head. Hayden was visibility shaken for 5 minutes but I think they did the concussion protocol apparently. It felt very different from the De Gea 'injury' and lazarus like recovery. I think it was Hayden who actually played Jota onside in the end as he was laid on the ground. That can't be right.
Liverpool would still probably have won but that incedent and a decent penalty shout when TTA might have fouled Fraser could have made it interesting.
@slowpuncheur - how did you feel being at the match given the present covid situation? I was meant to be going to Old Trafford on Saturday. Its academic now as its off anyway, but I have to say I wasn't feeling great about being packed in with 70 odd thousand people, even if it is (sort of) outdoors
It felt very different from the De Gea ‘injury’ and lazarus like recovery.
That was very different. De Gea was on the deck due to the standard comedy routine involving Fred raking his studs down his own goalkeepers ankle, so the play should have continued and despite the goal being very bizarre there was no legit reason for it not to stand. I personally think the play should have stopped last night given that it was a clash of heads, and it seems particularly bonkers that a player down injured is playing somebody on
@binners. Not great re Covid. Filled in an online declaration on the day which required a ticket reference BUT absolutely no checks on the gate of the Proof of Vaccination App. I was in the Dalglish Stand rather than the away end so there was certainly less chance of people near me disbursing particles as it was like a library compared to the away end:) Mask wearing on the concourse was probably around 60/70%.
South American countries to join the cup of nations, that's a bold power move by eufa having all the nations that would be expected to be at the pointy end a world cup in a biannual competition. I think this is going to get messy.
Hayden was visibility shaken for 5 minutes but I think they did the concussion protocol apparently.
Eddie Howe was complaining saying Hayden was still getting headaches after the game. Why the F did he play out the rest of the game then?
VARs being shown up again today, how Kane's foul wasn't even referred by VAR, but Robertson's was is a bit of a head scratcher.
I thought Jota should have won a penalty too, heavy and clumsy challenge in the box where he got none of the ball when Jota was about to shoot. But VAR is still better than last season so I shouldn't complain too much.
I didn't think the Jota one was a penalty, no where near enough contact. The Kane tackle though.....
I think the coms between var and ref should be available to the broadcasters so the decisions can be understood, just keeping it all undercover does feel like they are brushing mistakes under the carpet.
It's meant to assist referees, not cover things up, it could have been used a few times today but wasn't, both penalty appeals, red card appeals and other bits, honestly it's not as if VAR is overturning it, it's there to let the referee see something they may have missed, last year VAR was seen as overruling the referee, now they're just not raising it if it almost looks right to them, instead of actually doing the job it's there for.
It’s still subjective though, apart from offsides - you’ve still got a bloke judging whether the on field ref should have a look. I think they’re wary of stopping the game too much but penalty decisions and bad tackles should be looked at for sure. Agree with MSP - hearing the rationale may help.
now they’re just not raising it if it almost looks right to them,
The intention was always that they would review everything but only intervene if, in their opinion, there was a clear and obvious error. Seems like the threshold for clear and obvious is much, much higher this year. Which is fine for the most part. It has been inconsistent though. Relatively less contact has resulted in pens this year than today's.
What was going on yesterday with it, I'm not sure. I swear the VAR had drawn the line level with the defenders hand on Arsenals goal yesterday. I don't think that's how it's supposed to work.
And that's the issue, the ref has left the pitch today and is the talking point, he's taking the flak for his decisions, where VAR was brought in to eliminate this and allow the referee a chance to review, if the reasons he gave to Klopp and the panel are true, i.e. that it wasn't a penalty as Jota had 'stopped' to get the contact that's laughable, same with Kane's reasoning about speed/velocity/etc, about 5 folk in the studio haven't heard of that one, and a few thousand at home!