Weekend Football

[South Coast Royal]

Poor old Bournemouth.
It just shows that it is not just the big clubs (e.g. Liverpool) that get the dodgy decisions.

As for last night's game at West Ham it proves, if proof were really needed, that the Premier League is not the great entertainment that Sky and BT would have us believe.
A terrible game where Bournemouth only tried in the last 10 minutes and showed why we may well be playing them again next season.

[Winston Biscuit]

Dixie Dean holds the all-time top-flight record in England with 60 goals during the 1927-28 campaign. For Haaland to eclipse this he would have to up his current ratio of 1.15 goals per-game to 1.62 – an increase of around 0.5 for every 90 minutes (plus added time) remaining.

I wrote about that on another thread recently. Change to the offside law in the 1920's and there was around 6 seasons of high scoring mayhem before it calmed down.

Didn't know this - surprised therefore that Dean's figure doesn't come with an asterisk

offside rule used to be 3 oppo players (gk + the only 2 defenders a team had) had to be between you and the goal, but in 1925 they changed it to 2 (gk + 1 of the only 2 defenders a team had) and that dramatically changed the game, shifted tactics and where much of the play took place as until the change a lot of play was in the middle of the pitch and was only slowly moving away from individual skill and to teamwork. The change in offside meant teams started passing much more and and pushed forward as a team much closer to the opponents goal. It saw goalscoring numbers go crazy.

The season after it happened Ted Harper broke the all time goalscoring record. 2 years later Dixie Dead broke that one. I think in the 6 season following the rule change, 5 of them would have been record breaking goalscoring seasons in pre 25/26 seasons

The response to all of this meant a bigger focus on defence and after around 6-7 seasons most teams then had 3 defenders with halfbacks (defensive midfielders) also playing and it all settled down a bit

[Winston Biscuit]

Insane game going on between Charlton & Ipswich! 4 goals in injury time

[Franchise FC]

And Mitrovic gets away with a clear red
Alan Smith”s comments …
“He only just missed the ball”

[Loafer]

LMFAO

LOLiverpool

How do you feel Br0bot?!

[URZZZZ]

Klopp does not have a clue how to turn this team around, certainly their league form anyway but some of their players are so far off it.

Gomez had the makings of a very good defender before his injury but he just doesn’t seem to have the concentration levels required to make it at the highest level anymore. blows too hot and cold, from bossing Haaland one game to two calamitous performances in a row

Very little in midfield at the moment, Fabinho ambling round offering very little, Henderson not far behind. I said a while back that I don’t see what Curtis Jones offers and I still stand by that, not quite sure what he’s supposed to add

Salah and Nunez - too greedy - not enough awareness for each other’s game. To an extent, you want your strikers to be greedy at the right opportunities but they’re both guilty of firing from any old angle

Firmino aside (and he’s tailing off) and perhaps Elliott (although he was very poor tonight), the squad have all badly underperformed this season and unless it changed quickly, Klopp won’t be here next season

[genome]

#Bouncewatch for that Leeds winner

[Royal Rother]

When Leeds get in the faces of the top teams with their high energy press they are very hard to deal with.

No chance they are going down.

[Loafer]

Klopp does not have a clue how to turn this team around, certainly their league form anyway but some of their players are so far off it.

Gomez had the makings of a very good defender before his injury but he just doesn’t seem to have the concentration levels required to make it at the highest level anymore. blows too hot and cold, from bossing Haaland one game to two calamitous performances in a row

Very little in midfield at the moment, Fabinho ambling round offering very little, Henderson not far behind. I said a while back that I don’t see what Curtis Jones offers and I still stand by that, not quite sure what he’s supposed to add

Salah and Nunez - too greedy - not enough awareness for each other’s game. To an extent, you want your strikers to be greedy at the right opportunities but they’re both guilty of firing from any old angle

Firmino aside (and he’s tailing off) and perhaps Elliott (although he was very poor tonight), the squad have all badly underperformed this season and unless it changed quickly, Klopp won’t be here next season

Klopp out?

[Royal Rother]

Good analysis from Souness.

In a nutshell the midfield are too old and too young.

[Conservative_dad]

LMFAO

LOLiverpool

How do you feel Br0bot?!

I will watch anyone beat LOLfc

[Conservative_dad]

big clubs (e.g. Liverpool)

you sure?

[South Coast Royal]

Good analysis from Souness.

In a nutshell the midfield are too old and too young.

A couple of weeks is a long time in football-Liverpool beat the best team in the world in a previous home game and deservedly so.

Souness, as ever, gave a good analysis even though it might have been a very different result (and possibly paper over some cracks) if Meslier hadn't had a game to remember.

[South Coast Royal]

big clubs (e.g. Liverpool)
you sure?

Unlike some others I don't feel any urge to welcome you back.

Enjoying the Vauxhall Conference Europa 3rd division or whatever it is on Thursday nights?

[Conservative_dad]

big clubs (e.g. Liverpool)
you sure?

Unlike some others I don't feel any urge to welcome you back.

Enjoying the Vauxhall Conference Europa 3rd division or whatever it is on Thursday nights?

You'll be in it next season

[Franchise FC]

Unlike some others I don't feel any urge to welcome you back.

Enjoying the Vauxhall Conference Europa 3rd division or whatever it is on Thursday nights?

You'll be in it next season

How far down do the qualification places go ?

[Royal Rother]

At least Arsenal are keeping things relatively interesting at the top for the 1st half of the season.

I recall the guy on Trans Europe Express on TS saying before last season that if Arsenal signed Partey they would be getting a top top player - didn’t see that last season at all, but this time around he’s been a revelation. Always available, incisive passing rarely giving the ball away, and has delivered some fantastic goals.

[URZZZZ]

At least Arsenal are keeping things relatively interesting at the top for the 1st half of the season.

I recall the guy on Trans Europe Express on TS saying before last season that if Arsenal signed Partey they would be getting a top top player - didn’t see that last season at all, but this time around he’s been a revelation. Always available, incisive passing rarely giving the ball away, and has delivered some fantastic goals.

Arsenal’s problems will be if they get injuries as I’m not sure their backups are good enough. Lokonga, Nketiah and Nelson (although fair play with the performance today) aren’t adequate for a title winning side. Smith Rowe looked a real talent at one point but hasn’t been the same for a while and is currently injured. Elneny is OK but you can see the gulf in quality losing Xhaka and Partey

If they can keep their first XI fit, they have a chance. But it’s a huge if

[URZZZZ]

Thought Maguire’s performance today proved his unfair hounding by the media and fans. Admittedly he isn’t a long term fit for United’s progressive style of play, looked uncomfortable at times playing from the back, but made a few vital blocks and defended his box well, which ultimately should be the primary aim for a defender

His days at the top level are probably over given his struggles playing a high line but he could do a reasonable job for plenty of teams in the Prem still IMO

[Conservative_dad]

Thought Maguire’s performance today proved his unfair hounding by the media and fans. Admittedly he isn’t a long term fit for United’s progressive style of play, looked uncomfortable at times playing from the back, but made a few vital blocks and defended his box well, which ultimately should be the primary aim for a defender

His days at the top level are probably over given his struggles playing a high line but he could do a reasonable job for plenty of teams in the Prem still IMO

'greed!