Weekend Football

[BRO_BOT]

Surely has to be Arsenal's year this time? Before Christmas I thought City were on one of those ominous runs which have reeled in Liverpool and Arsenal before, but this is not one of their vintage teams.

Arsenal don't need to be a great team to win it this year. They just need to be good enough, which I think they are.

City have been poor for the last two weeks. You can see why they bought Geuhi in. They need someone of quality to fill in for the injured players. Utd had three goals disallowed and hit the woodwork twice. Wouldn't surprise me if City had 75% possession, but they did fook all with it.

[BRO_BOT]

Also, whilst I'm here...Doku!

I love watching him play, but zero end product. Seven (7) goals in 76 games as a wide forward for City is shite.

Compare him to Mane, who scored 90 in 196 games. I chose him as he plays the same position in side that could also dominate teams.

[Sutekh]

Slot has to be hanging by a thread after another joke Liverpool performance v Burnley.

[windermereROYAL]

Yet again Arsenal can`t take advantage when city slip up, did it against Liverpool and again today. it`s been a problem of theirs for some seasons now.
Didn`t take too much of a lip reader to see what Declan Rice said at the final whistle "Fucking shit, every fucking time!!!
And of course he`s correct.
City looked has bad as I`ve seen them in the early kick off, Villa will probably close to within 4 points tomorrow.
Arteta will surely be on borrowed time if they don`t get over the line this season.

[Franchise FC]

Yet again Arsenal can`t take advantage when city slip up, did it against Liverpool and again today. it`s been a problem of theirs for some seasons now.
Didn`t take too much of a lip reader to see what Declan Rice said at the final whistle "Fucking shit, every fucking time!!!
And of course he`s correct.
City looked has bad as I`ve seen them in the early kick off, Villa will probably close to within 4 points tomorrow.
Arteta will surely be on borrowed time if they don`t get over the line this season.

I remain convinced that Arteta is the problem
He is always at level 10 and that gives him no scope to escalate if he needs it … example last night
That must translate badly to the players

[Royal Rother]

Arsenal are too predictable.

It struck me last night that every move they make in every game they play is the same as they did the week before, and the week before, and the week before.

They are very good at those moves of course but there is nothing new to surprise their opponents. Last season Nwaneri looked like he had real flare, he brought something a bit different and was exciting to watch, taking players on every time he had the ball. Now he barely gets on the pitch and when he does it’s clear he’s had those maverick tendencies trained out of him.

Lewis Skelley is similar.

They are very hard to stop of course because they are all very good players but they all play the same game every week. And when they do something un-Arsenal like, like shooting from outside the box, you can see an almost shamefaced apologetic look across at Arteta, saying “sorry boss, I don’t know what came over me”.

Maybe I’m being too critical but, good as they are, there’s something missing.

[South Coast Royal]

Arsenal are too predictable.

It struck me last night that every move they make in every game they play is the same as they did the week before, and the week before, and the week before.

They are very good at those moves of course but there is nothing new to surprise their opponents. Last season Nwaneri looked like he had real flare, he brought something a bit different and was exciting to watch, taking players on every time he had the ball. Now he barely gets on the pitch and when he does it’s clear he’s had those maverick tendencies trained out of him.

Lewis Skelley is similar.

They are very hard to stop of course because they are all very good players but they all play the same game every week. And when they do something un-Arsenal like, like shooting from outside the box, you can see an almost shamefaced apologetic look across at Arteta, saying “sorry boss, I don’t know what came over me”.

Maybe I’m being too critical but, good as they are, there’s something missing.

The same in a way goes for Liverpool.
Yesterday v Burnley:-
11 shots on target to Burnley's 1
9 corners to Burnley's 1
1 penalty missed.
They have forgotten how to shoot and Arsenal have lately gone back to their old way of always trying to score the perfect goal.

Fortunately for Arsenal they have the points in the bag and after yesterday's dire display by City I can't see them catching Arsenal.

Villa are doing well to keep up with the other two but they surely don't have the depth to make a serious challenge.

[Royal Rother]

Yes to all that.

I keep saying I don’t think Arteta has what it takes to win the PL, and their display yesterday did nothing to dispel that thought but if City are going to be that bad then maybe Arsenal will, almost by default.

Guehi could make the difference I suppose.

Or maybe Havertz can make the difference for Arsenal. At least he will never be predictable (except in his ability to miss sitters).

[Sutekh]

Arsenal are too predictable.

It struck me last night that every move they make in every game they play is the same as they did the week before, and the week before, and the week before.

They are very good at those moves of course but there is nothing new to surprise their opponents. Last season Nwaneri looked like he had real flare, he brought something a bit different and was exciting to watch, taking players on every time he had the ball. Now he barely gets on the pitch and when he does it’s clear he’s had those maverick tendencies trained out of him.

Lewis Skelley is similar.

They are very hard to stop of course because they are all very good players but they all play the same game every week. And when they do something un-Arsenal like, like shooting from outside the box, you can see an almost shamefaced apologetic look across at Arteta, saying “sorry boss, I don’t know what came over me”.

Maybe I’m being too critical but, good as they are, there’s something missing.

The same in a way goes for Liverpool.
Yesterday v Burnley:-
11 shots on target to Burnley's 1
9 corners to Burnley's 1
1 penalty missed.
They have forgotten how to shoot and Arsenal have lately gone back to their old way of always trying to score the perfect goal.

Fortunately for Arsenal they have the points in the bag and after yesterday's dire display by City I can't see them catching Arsenal.

Villa are doing well to keep up with the other two but they surely don't have the depth to make a serious challenge.

One of Liverpool’s big issues for the last few seasons has been their on target shot ratio. 11 shots on target yesterday but that was out of 32 shots overall, as usual their opponents were much better, in this case 1 shot on target from 7 but 1 goal, which is the other issue, their central defence. Apparently since 2019 Liverpool have bought or loaned in just 5 centre backs: Kabak (played 9 while on loan), Davies (played 0 games and was quickly sold again after being shipped out on loan), van den Berg (played 0 games before being sold, Leone (played 1 league cup game and now out for the season with injury) and Konate (who is ooc in the summer and from various media reports doesn’t want to renew). This last summer they finally sold Berg then went and dumped Quansah but failed to bring in any replacements of note despite already being down in that department after Matip retired. They waited until the last hour of the window before trying to sign Guehi and were then mucked about by Palace at the last minute and now their insane January transfer window policy kicks in again so they didn’t go back in and finish the Guehi job apparently saying “it’s not a market opportunity”

[South Coast Royal]

Newcastle-2 shots on target away at Wolves and they came in the same move in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Once again I query Eddie Howe's credentials for the England manager's job when so many seem to think he is the right fit.

[Winston Biscuit]

Working up from the bottom you have to get to Newcastle in 8th to find the next team to have picked up more points in the last 4 games than Wolves

In fact, only 4 teams have

[Brogue]

anyone seen this from over the weekend? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 3kxzzny4do fcuk me what a oxf*rd, deserves everything he gets.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

anyone seen this from over the weekend? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 3kxzzny4do fcuk me what a oxf*rd, deserves everything he gets.

[Stranded]

anyone seen this from over the weekend? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 3kxzzny4do fcuk me what a oxf*rd, deserves everything he gets.

No idea why anyone would think that is OK and if you were trying to do something like that on the sly, probably waiting until a penalty when someone is likely to be filming on their phone is even more stupid.

Having been released, I will be amazed if another club picks him up, so he has probably ended his playing career and will also likely end up with a criminal record.

Be interesting to find out if there is any history between the two players either on or off the pitch.

[Sanguine]

Third and final strike for Milutin Osmajic? He was banned for 8 matches when at Blackburn for biting an opponent, got a 9 match ban for racial abuse after moving to Preston, and tonight he's headbutted Hull's John Lundstrum.

https://x.com/nepdailypod/status/2013729892462907718

[Clyde1998]

Third and final strike for Milutin Osmajic? He was banned for 8 matches when at Blackburn for biting an opponent, got a 9 match ban for racial abuse after moving to Preston, and tonight he's headbutted Hull's John Lundstrum.

https://x.com/nepdailypod/status/2013729892462907718

Pathetic. I'd hope Preston have some sort of clause in the contract that allows termination for bringing the club into disrepute.

[Sutekh]

Looks like the Sunderland bubble is bursting 3-0 down at HT… v West Ham.

[Orion1871]

Looks like the Sunderland bubble is bursting 3-0 down at HT… v West Ham.

Sunderland without Xhaka

[Pepe the Horseman]

Palace in absolutely freefall at the moment. Said last week they've probably got too many points to go down, but now I'm not so sure.

[Sutekh]

What did Matheus Cunha do in front of the TV cameras yesterday? Seems he’s now facing a possible suspension and Sky apologised to the snowflakes that may have been melting.