Lets Talk Football

It's the best/worst/scariest day of the year - Liverpool v United. We all know if they're going to put up a performance, it'll be today and I think the thumping at the hands of Real will make them even more determined, if that's possible.

Felt the 'the day' for Arsenal yesterday. 2-0 down and winning with the last kick of the game? Just has that feeling, doesn't it?

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

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I told you it'd be that day if anything, but obviously no one expects 7. That's ridiculous. A terrible performance which everyone, including ETH to an extent, has to take responsibility for. I understand Rashford up the middle as has been played lately, but when you have TAA against your top, on form player, that's what I'm doing all day. At least force Liverpool to adjust to cover for him or leave him exposed. Of course ETH has forgotten more than I'll ever know, but no one's above questioning and I just don't understand that.

As usual, I'd have been happy with a draw before kick off, but if someone had said it'd be 7-0 I'd have just assumed it'd be United, because that Liverpool performance hasn't been anywhere this season. Had someone hypnotised the teams and told them it's 2021 again? Because that's what both teams looked like. The 2021-22 versions. The forwards were clinical and the midfield worked, hassled and harried continuously.

United haven't played well the last few games and a loss has been coming since last month, but not that 2nd half performance. That was embarassing and, worse, unprofessional. That wasn't 'just one of those days'. At 3-0, 4-0, it's one of those days, shut up shop and leave with your tail between your legs. 7-0 between, almost, any two professional teams in any league is mentally worrying/unprofessional and the match stats (only stats but still) don't scream 7-0. Pool had 8 shots on target and scored 7 of them! So it's between the ears which is was the problem. Gave up? Lost heart? Didn't care? I don't know, but I'm sure ETH will be going through that match (and the players) extensively and I think there's going to be a few players in particular who'll be told to change or leave.

Congrats @WrinkledMind and enjoy it. I would be.

Lovely stuff. I don't particularly like either team but it's nice to see Man Utd get a complete and utter humilification!

Good win for us midweek. Excellent second half especially.

Not strictly football, but pleased to see professionals standing with Lineker over this ridiculous affair.

From the most surprising result to the least surprising result, all in the space of a week.
Liverpool FC 2022-23.

Yep, couldn't help but chuckle when I saw the result. Not because they lost, but because it was quite predictable. Massive, historic win the week before against their fiercest rivals, scoring 7 from 8 shots on target, to losing 1-0 to the bottom club, having Salah miss a penalty (and how), two thirds of the possesion, 15 shots with 6 on target and.... Nothing. Very 'on brand' for Liverpool this season.

Casemiro has been sent off. Let's see if we can pull this around without him. History isn't on our side, but hopefully Southampton won't find the ingredient they've been missing in the next 45 minutes.

What mad game between United & Fulham yesterday. Or rather just few minutes of madness from Mitrovic & his manager.

I'm not sure if we got lucky or not? We didn't play well (again) but they just blew it completely and for no reason, IMO. We were already on the charge at the time of the penalty, but suddenly being 2 players up it would've been an embarrasment to lose.

We need to pick things up because we'll win nothing else this season playing as we have most of this year. Even top 4 could get a bit hairy. We're really going to miss Casemiro (again) and, like last time, it's even worse without Eriksen.

You are a having dip, which is a norm in a season. Happens to every club. Reckon you will finish strong.
Top 4 shouldn't be an issue, with the mess we are in, & Spurs will be after that outburst from Conte.


I fancy you lot to add one more cup. Brighton won't be easy though.


On a side note, the new noise around. Bellingham isn't surprising. We allowed it to grow. Should have gone all in for him last season.
Now we need at least two midfielders, & splurging big cash on one would be stupid. He won't come to us anyways, even if we miraculously make top four. The option of Madrid & City are better for him.


In other news Woy is back. Such a bizarre move by Palace.

I think this is more than a dip, we're not played well for three months bar a half or so here and there, but we're good enough and strong enough now to be able to get by and continue to win. But it's not been convincing. Thankfully Rashford is playing at the top of his game throughout this time. Garnacho's emergence has helped too, though that's another injury which will hurt these last few months. Maybe it'll give Pellistri a chance to shine? The other shining part, for me at least, for the last few games has been the re-emergence of AWB. I really rate him and I liked defenders who defend, it seems he's learned to play a bit better offensively and if that continues he might be able to stave off getting sold this summer.

I'm a big fan of Brighton and the way they play. They've been good for about 3 seasons now, but this year they've found a way to score, which was the only thing they were missing before. Chelsea fans may look on and feel they know why?

Frankly I've never seen Bellingham going to Liverpool. Maybe it's my dislike of them colouriing my view, but given he can go anywhere he wants, I don't know I'd have them in the top 4 places he'd like to go. Now, I douby Barca could afford him (though it's Barca so you never know how many more 'levers' they have to pull) but Rea and City must certainly be the most likely options, I'd say Bayern more likely than Liverpool.

Woy's funny but makes sense. When in times of fear and uncertainty, you go with what you know.

Without Rashford,, are United just Chelsea? If he's out for any length of time, then it's time for what, currently, might be the worst £160m+ ever spent to turn up and start producing, in Sanchez and Antony. I don't doubt the talent of either of them, especially Sanchez, but it's at times like this that you hope to get what you paid for.

Or, maybe, it's the last chance for the never was man to make his mark. He returned with a goal on Saturday against, possibly, the only team he continually scores against, but maybe the end of this season can be a friutful end to Martial's time at United? It'll certainly make selling him easier if he's scoring goals which help us secure top 4 and a *Europa League trophy.

* - Don't worry, I know were going out in the next round because we're playing Sevilla and they've decided it's their trophy.

So even with a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes of the first leg to go, we managed to throw it all away. As I said, it's Sevilla's trophy and they decide when then win it.

Truly terrible second leg, no excuses at all, which I say because I would just like to point out that, when the football gods aren't on your side, they really aren't. We should've been 3-0 up at the end of the first half at home, but weren't (because we don't have a finisher)) but both their goals were weird own goals. Then de Gea is at fault (or plays a big part) in all 3 at their place. Plus he scored an own goal at our place, so 4 of the 5 in reality. It's a really concerning mentality and our away form follows this. I'm still not convinced we'll finish top 4, but it does feel as if Spurs may well be Spurs and allow up to do it by default. I think Brighton and Villa have probably left it too late to catch us, but I'm still not confident even of that.

I wasn't expecting top 4 this season, I wasn't overly confident of top 6 at the start of the season, but having been so comfortable much of the season, it'd be a disappointment to lose it now.

Congrats to Brighton on their win tomorrow in the cup. I'm sure you'll deserve it unless professional pride kicks in.

I was wrong and happy to be so (although now I frea Iget to watch City destroy us in the final ) and it was a good second half/extra time performance, but Brighton should've taken us out in that first half and de Gea did his best de Gea impression to get us there. A finisher is desperately needed at United. I think it'll probably be Kane, but they should go all out to get Osimhen and spend the extra if they can get him.

That said, depending on how much they have to spend, a (much) cheaper Kane would allow them to address other areas. I say "much" because if the choice is £90m-£100m for Kane and £120m+ for Osimhen then the choice should be clear. It is starting to feel as if Chelsea will be the only English team challenging for his signature, although the current 'crisis' at Bayern might have them opening their wallet a lot wider than they usually do and whoever doesn't get Bellingham might take a look at Osimhen as the back up signing?

Spurs getting thumped is a double edged sword. It should be enough for us to secure 4th almost by default. 6 point gap with two games in hand? But their next game is at home against us on Thursday night. A lot of questions will be asked this week and in front of their home fans they'll be desperate to make a point. It feels like Thursday will be the decisive day. A loss opens it up again, anything else and we should be able to keep them at bay, even with us not playing well. If we do lose to Spurs, 3 of the last 4 games being at home might be pivitol. Although they're Spurs, so if they do beat us, a loss in the next game for them wouldn't be a shock to anyone. Least of all Spurs fans.

I could see City beating Arsenal 4-1 but I didn't see Arsenal throwing away the lead they had just a couple of weeks ago. Looks like it'll be another City title? Or will Arsenal manage to get back on track now the pressure is off them? They'll still have to hope City lose though and that doesn't look like it'll happen now.

Important weekend this weekend, I think, for the Manchester teams (United more than City I admit.) A win this weekend and I think both take a big step to they want, top 4 for United and the title for City but less than that, especially for United, might give hope to those chasing.

A loss this weekend all but assures Southamption's relegation. I know they're as good as down already, but we have to play the games just in case.

A shameful night in Valencia as the home crowd chant racist abuse at Vinicius Jnr. Not isolated incidents but thousands upon thousands of people both when Real Madrid arrived at the stadium and inside the stadium. Vinicius tries to bring it to the referees attention but the referee ignores it.

Then to make it worse, Vinicius Jnr is attacked, put in a chokehold, but reacts and it is him that gets sent off.

I'm ashamed to be European today.

That's quite the reversal they've made, wouldn't you say @ScarletLion? Amazing what can be done (after they've repeatedly said they're doing all they can) when someone who's one of the few stars the league has under 30, not only refuses to shut up, but continues to call them out and the reaction and talk from some quarters is 'will black players stop signing for Spanish clubs' (and by Spanish I, and they, really mean Real and Barca because that's where the money and interest is) suddenly, within a couple of days, they can do all sorts of things without a single change to any rule or law.

Well done, Vinicius Jr. Here's hoping you've started something which can lead to real change in the country and further afield.

Of course, it will be appealed and so it might not happen as currently stated, although I've heard from people better informed about this kind of stuff than I am, it's more likely that it just won't be imposed until next season.

I wonder how long Tebas will have left in his job given how badly he's dealt with this whole thing?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65691729

I guess the measures they take are something but as you say Tebas is the head honcho, and his distasteful comments show just how many light years Spain is behind other regions when it comes to dealing with racism.