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England, my England. Wow. To say I wasn't expecting that would be an understatement. I missed the first half and so was happy to see 1-0 as it sounded like we nearly lost a goal a few times in the first 20 minutes. But that second half? Once the second went in, it felt like every attack would result in a goal. I don't know if everyone will be able to see this or not, but check out the goals, especially the last two. Russo's goal is the kind of thing which can/could transform the way people look at women's football. Just astounding tenacity and imagination. For all that, I still think the woman of the match was the keeper. She's the reason we weren't 1 or 2 down in 20 minutes and also pulled off other great saves which could've given the Swede's a foothold in the game.



Half time in Germany/France and another couple of absolute crackers when it comes to goals. Looking forward to the second half.
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England, my England. Wow. To say I wasn't expecting that would be an understatement. I missed the first half and so was happy to see 1-0 as it sounded like we nearly lost a goal a few times in the first 20 minutes. But that second half? Once the second went in, it felt like every attack would result in a goal. I don't know if everyone will be able to see this or not, but check out the goals, especially the last two. Russo's goal is the kind of thing which can/could transform the way people look at women's football. Just astounding tenacity and imagination. For all that, I still think the woman of the match was the keeper. She's the reason we weren't 1 or 2 down in 20 minutes and also pulled off other great saves which could've given the Swede's a foothold in the game.



Half time in Germany/France and another couple of absolute crackers when it comes to goals. Looking forward to the second half.
One hell of a back-heel goal. (Your link doesn’t work in America, but I saw the video in The NY Times.) I think the commentators are the same ones who do the men’s games & I think the level of enthusiasm is great. Women have come a long way in soccer.

Found all the goals on YT. Such a good game.
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Idiots will crack jokes on Haaland, after that miss, but the lad will score loads. However, I feel Alvarez looks more suited to Guardiola's side.
And it would be mad if they sell Bernardo.

I think Nunez will need time to adjust to our side, but he looks like an unpolished version of Cavani. Has the lungs to run all day and the strength, but needs to massively improve on his touch and link-up play. Might score a lot of headers - something we didn't have.

I am still more excited about Fabio Carvalho.



What a game. My cousin was at the game, very jealous!

Dang, I forgot to watch! Cannot believe I completely forgot.

Watched the highlights. Good game.



Toone's goal was a pretty special one for a final. Congrats to England.



Here at home I was at the friendly between NYRB and Barcelona on Saturday. It was entertaining even if Lewandowski isn't sharp yet. The Barca fans really seemed to have it in for Gerard Pique, not sure what that was about. Something to do with Shakira?



Here at home I was at the friendly between NYRB and Barcelona on Saturday. It was entertaining even if Lewandowski isn't sharp yet. The Barca fans really seemed to have it in for Gerard Pique, not sure what that was about. Something to do with Shakira?

More to do with his massive wages (he has taken a pay cut currently but with deferred wages, which means that the club still owes him around 50 mil). Then there's his dip in form and he still continues to feature while giving lectures of how people not good enough should leave. There were also some rumours last year that he was behind Messi's departure, and he is part of the boardroom politics (considering he sees himself as the future President of the club).


I personally don't get the hate around contract and massive wages. Not his, or Frenkie De Jong's or Busquets', etc fault that these players received big contracts. And they are entitled to their money. But a lot of Barca fans believe that these players should make personal sacrifices for the club. And when they don't, well, they turn on them. Even last year the likes of Umtiti received terrible abuse.



More to do with his massive wages (he has taken a pay cut currently but with deferred wages, which means that the club still owes him around 50 mil). Then there's his dip in form and he still continues to feature while giving lectures of how people not good enough should leave. There were also some rumours last year that he was behind Messi's departure, and he is part of the boardroom politics (considering he sees himself as the future President of the club).


I personally don't get the hate around contract and massive wages. Not his, or Frenkie De Jong's or Busquets', etc fault that these players received big contracts. And they are entitled to their money. But a lot of Barca fans believe that these players should make personal sacrifices for the club. And when they don't, well, they turn on them. Even last year the likes of Umtiti received terrible abuse.
Ah, that makes sense. I'm always pro-player in these instances. I have no resentment toward Modric or Bale or Eriksen or any other player who has left Spurs over the years. And if Kane had managed to get his move I would have felt the same. I mean, I hate the idea of seeing Eriksen at Manchester United (or Kane at City) but people are always going to do what they feel is best for them. Which I think is fine. But I seem to be an outlier in this regard.



Finally it's the start of the season. Tough start for United. Not traditionally, of course, a home game with Brighton should be an assumed 3 points regadless of how good Brighton currently are. But, with all the change, current turmoil and, let's face it, how poor we were last season, while I still think it'll be a win, I can definitely see other outcomes. Will Ronaldo even start? It sounds like a stupid question even if he doesn't fit properly with ETH's way of playing (or most top modern football teams but that's a whole different problem) but with things as they are, will he risk embarassing him right at the start and hope Ronny finds a club by the end of the month? Or ask him to do a job he can't? Or be smart and ask him to play a more deliberate thinking pressing game? He can't press as you'd expect, but if the plan is to force them to play down the left (for example) then he'd be able to position himself and push the defender that way, which should have the same effect as relentlessly chasing the player down in terms of where you want to make them play.



Tonight is our best chance for ages to go top of the table so no doubts they'll screw it up and either draw or lose to the mighty Palace Looks a two-horse race for the league again, best we can probably hope for is Top 4 though it wouldn't surprise if we are scrapping for Europa League football at the business end of the season.



Here's wishing a happy start of the football season to everyone.


And I bring happy news with it.




Really hope the entitled Muppets don't get out of this mess easily.


As for the season. Here's wishing we go one step further this year in the league.



I really hope that La Liga doesn't give them any leaway. If it makes the cut, then so be it, but (in my best Kevin Keegan voice) I would love it if they fail. Love it! They're really taking a gamble with the funding model they've chosen. It looks different, but it could be worse than before as they're signing away future revenue. I don't know if all the deals are permanent though? At least one of them is for 25 years, I think, so it might be that they're all structured that way. Either way, they're giving up hundreds of millions of Euros even with their own figures.

Considering how much I used to like Barca, it's really sad to see how un-Barca they have become over the last 20 years or so. Or, maybe, I've just been exposed to them more and just don't like what I've seen?



Brighton winning wasn't a surprise, Ronny not starting wasn't a surprise. Using a false 9 was and using Erikssen as that false 9 was even more of a surprise. I don't blame ETH. He had to do something. Martial is injured, Rashford has been awful for months (and isn't a central forward) and I don't think putting him upfront on day one would've helped his confidence, we don't have Greenwood available for obvious reasons and Ronaldo has had 45 minutes pre-season and everything which is going on behind the scenes. What would I have done? I really don't know. Maybe I'd have bitten the bullet and put Rashford up front and done my best to prepare/shield him for the performance and probable backlash? But I don't see him Erikssen works as a false 9. Surely it's better to have his creativity behind, finding passes for someone else? But that's why he's a professional manager at an elite level and I'm some bloke who plays FM22? Had it worked out, I'd have been saying what a genius! I'd have never thought of playing him there in that role.

I have to say that losing to Brighton isn't the end of the world though. This is going to be a long process and there'll be many more losses before we start to turn this around. It was nice to see Danny Wellbeck play well and for Graham Potter to get another feather in his cap. As some of you might know, I like Potter a lot and would've actually liked him at United. We'd have never given him the chance (we gave OGS 3 years, but an Englishman who's never managed a higher profile club than Brighton?) but I'd have been interested to see if he could do it.



Worst club on the planet. I really hope they go out of the UCL group stages, to increase the financial pressure on them. They deserve a bigger financial meltdown, and a decade or so of bottom table mediocrity.





I agree it's horrible. I don't think (and haven't for a long time now) that he'll come to United and, tbh, I don't want a player that doesn't want to be there. Even one as good as FdJ.

The Spurs drum is being beaten more and more loudly for 3rd place. Opening weekend syndrome or genuinely thinking they'll beat both Chelsea and, to a lesser extent IMO, Arsenal?

Also, there appears to be trouble at Villa already. United are looking for a forward/attackers with pace? Ollie has fallen out with Gerrard. It'd probably cost too much because of the Premier League bonus but, unless we're going to start using players like Elanga, Shoretire, Garnacho, Diallo or Pellistri to see if they can do a job, I think he'd fit nicely into what ETH might want and we need to replace Greenwood because it feels like even if he's innocent, it'll be very difficult for him to come back.



Let's hope the FA sees common sense and requires that the Chelsea-Spurs reverse fixture is just Conte and Tuchel in a cage match at midfield. It's what the people want.