The Football Thread.

Lestratcaster · April 2022

Lifelong Arsenal fan here. Great wins vs Chelsea and Utd, but why couldn't we beat Southampton, Brighton and Crystal Palace? Pleased to see Saka score those penalties, the miss in Euro final must have been going through his head prior. He's really shown massive strength in character to bounce back as a lot of players wouldn't have put their hand up to take a penalty in the final of a massive tournament. Esp the deciding kick.

The young guns have really carried us through the season, and we have a bright future, the likes of Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, White, Tomiyasu and Ramsdale are all gonna be the mainstay of the team for years I hope. Odegaard has been a great signing, he's really come on in the past few games. Wish Tierney and Partey didn't get injured so often, they make a huge difference when they play. Xhaka I'm not a fan of but to be fair to him he's bounced back from the subbed off reaction thing vs Palace under Emery and has been solid in midfield. Keeping things ticking over and he plays good with Partey. He still has a red card or mistake in him though.

I reckon Lacazette will be off in the summer, so we will need 2 new strikers. Don't know about Nketiah but he seems to be first choice at the moment. Brings youthfulness, movement and poaching ability in the box. Miss Aubameyang's goals but he never really showed the form for us to offer him that new £350k per week contract. He's 32 soon and we had to start rebuilding. Just a shame it all ended but Arteta clearly don't wanna put up with people who ain't gonna stick to rules.

Also I'm not totally overwhelmed in the recruitment of new players, who's actually in charge? It feels to me like Edu (Technical Director) and the Kroenke's have some sort of say, maybe with Arteta having the final word? Who knows.

But coming from the start of the season when we lost our first 3 games to be up in 4th place with 5 games to go I'll take. Most didn't expect the manager to still be here by this time. But we need a few top quality signings to be able to compete with Man City and Liverpool again cos they are streets ahead.

stufisher · April 2022

Some great points made by @UnclePsychosis ; ... I have no problem with watching Annan Athletic or Threave Rovers or Cowdenbeath ... it looks and feels like the football I played in my youth. SPFL is very poor and the pyramid system is complicated and costly ... a contributing factor to why junior league football stays so healthy.

There are some great documentaries around on football in a time before the commercially 'contaminated' era we endure currently. I'll locate them and post links separately.

TeleMaster · April 2022

stufisher said:

Some great points made by @UnclePsychosis ;;; ... I have no problem with watching Annan Athletic or Threave Rovers or Cowdenbeath ... it looks and feels like the football I played in my youth. SPFL is very poor and the pyramid system is complicated and costly ... a contributing factor to why junior league football stays so healthy.

There are some great documentaries around on football in a time before the commercially 'contaminated' era we endure currently. I'll locate them and post links separately.

Oh me neither. I used to go to the local non league club quite often when I was younger and poorer. My mate was quite involved in a non league club doing loads of free advertising and marketing work for them.

Have any of you guys seen Club For A Fiver, about Leyton Orient? The manager goes absolutely nuts at them. It's in YouTube and we'll worth a watch.

West Ham lost to Chelsea. Was a good game. We saved a pen, Dawson sent off which means we have no senior central defenders for or available.

Only silver lining is Wolves lost too so we're still firmly 7th.

BigBearKris · April 2022

I support my local club - AFC Bournemouth.

Looks like we may be coming back to PL. I went to game vs Fulham yesterday - great day overall but not a great game of football. We'll need some serious transfers if we want to stay in PL for few seasons again.

Up the Cherries!

Rocker · April 2022

Living as I do in ROI, I support two football teams: Everton and Liverpool. Everton are now in the drop zone and it is hard to see how they can get out and remain in the Premier League. Liverpool are '1' point behind Manchester City and unlikely to prevent City from winning the PL this season.

It could have been so different but for one amazing decision by a referee. Everton were one down -v- Manchester City and were denied what was called a 'stonewall' penalty late in the game. City won one nil. If the penalty had been awarded to Everton and it was scored, Everton would be a point better off and crucially Liverpool could overtake Man City in the run in for the PL title as City would have left Goodison with one point rather than the three they got there. Makes you wonder why have all that technology available yet some referees refuse to use it.

bertie · April 2022

not sure Im going to say this..........but.................. after watching MOTD this morning, I think Utd were hard done by, some dreadful reffing decisions - two clear penalties for, and some dire off-side (or not) decisions

The Arse were lucky

mikeyrob73 · April 2022

Everton should have had a penalty this aft, not sure there is much point in VAR if the ref doesn’t use it

UnclePsychosis · April 2022

Rocker said:

I support two football teams: Everton and Liverpool.

TeleMaster · April 2022

UnclePsychosis said:

Rocker said:

I support two football teams: Everton and Liverpool.

It's like if I said I supported Millwall too.

DB1 · April 2022

Although I'm from Birmingham and was really saddled with the lifelong dead weight around my neck that is Birmingham City, my local club is Stafford Rangers. Though I've lived here since 1974, they're not my 'hometown' club and I can't quite get the enthusiasm together to there very often, especially when there's the opportunity to see Birmingham lose play lose.

One game at Stafford springs to mind though - I think they were playing Bilston at home one Boxing Day (one for the purists!) - I did go along to see that one, but arrived about five minutes late.

I suppose, because of the problems that some face at Christmas, The Samaritans were sponsoring the game. As I went through the turnstiles, the operator shoved a Samaritans leaflet in my hand and said 'here mate, you'll need this. They're one-nil down already.'

stufisher · April 2022

I'm sure that many will have seen this documentary already ... for those that haven't I'd encourage you to watch both parts ... very informative of course but Mcilvanney was a great sports journo and researcher. I think this highlights how important football was to a working man in a post-war industrial nation.

stufisher · April 2022

... and another that provides solid edification

RobDavies · April 2022

BigBearKris said:

I support my local club - AFC Bournemouth.

Looks like we may be coming back to PL. I went to game vs Fulham yesterday - great day overall but not a great game of football. We'll need some serious transfers if we want to stay in PL for few seasons again.

Up the Cherries!

Was hoping Bournemouth get promoted again because as a Brentford fan living near Southampton, it’s a reasonably local one for me.
I was kinda hoping you’d pip Fulham to the title, too… but that’s probably wishful thinking.

It would be great if Luton could win the playoffs as well - Forest fans seem to think think that they’ve a divine right to success because of something that happened over forty years ago. They’re a funny lot.

RobDavies · April 2022

Living as I do in England, I’ve always supported two political organisations, Sinn Fein and the D.U.P.

TeleMaster · April 2022

RobDavies said:

Living as I do in England, I’ve always supported two political organisations, Sinn Fein and the D.U.P.

I bought Country House AND Roll With It.

Rocker · April 2022

What the hell is wrong with football? It has happened again, Everton denied another stonewall penalty and the referee did not use the technology to determine what if anything happened!

To do it once is bad, for this to happen twice in a few week smells of carelessness.....

CloudNine · April 2022

Rocker said:

What the hell is wrong with football? It has happened again, Everton denied another stonewall penalty and the referee did not use the technology to determine what if anything happened!

To do it once is bad, for this to happen twice in a few week smells of carelessness.....

Maybe the ref took a look at the ridiculous play acting from half the Everton team throughout the game. Maybe he had in mind specifically the fact that the very same player had been booked for diving (or cheating as I prefer to call it) in the first half. Maybe the ref just looked at Everton and was disgusted by their whole approach to the game, and felt they deserved absolutely nothing.

Anyway, horrible spectacle all round, and all a bit of a sad way to sign off on what could possibly be Everton’s last game at Anfield for a very long time.

EricTheWeary · April 2022

Rocker said:

Living as I do in ROI, I support two football teams: Everton and Liverpool.

I had a friend who was a Tranmere Rovers fan and I went along a few times. They used to have Friday evening matches, the theory was that in Liverpool they were everyone’s second team so on a Friday night the Liverpool and Everton fans were united in supporting Tranmere and went back to hating each other on Saturday. So perhaps you’ve missed your calling as a natural Rovers fan.

Philly_Q · April 2022

This is not aimed specifically at Rocker, but the expression "stonewall penalty" is utterly ridiculous, it makes absolutely zero sense.

AustrianJohn · April 2022

UnclePsychosis said:

The £100m was spent on Trippier, Guimaraes, and Wood.

...and Dan Burn, who has steadied the defence.

TTony · April 2022

TeleMaster said:
It's like if I said I supported Millwall too.

First "proper" game I ever went to watch was Millwall.

The Old Den.

Early 70s.

vs Fulham.

Fulham won (3-1).

The experience was everything you'd expect it to be ...

guitars4you · April 2022

Might need a google visit to get the answer - But as Port Vale are the only team to have beaten all other 91 clubs, in a competitive match, at one stage or another, then I wonder who is next closest to achieving like wise

Based on the fact that most current PL teams would not have played the more recent teams to get into L2 or L1, like Forest Green, unless it was a cup match - Then maybe the likes of Bradford and Oldham might be a good guess/bet

mikeyrob73 · April 2022

CloudNine said:

Rocker said:

What the hell is wrong with football? It has happened again, Everton denied another stonewall penalty and the referee did not use the technology to determine what if anything happened!

To do it once is bad, for this to happen twice in a few week smells of carelessness.....

Maybe the ref took a look at the ridiculous play acting from half the Everton team throughout the game. Maybe he had in mind specifically the fact that the very same player had been booked for diving (or cheating as I prefer to call it) in the first half. Maybe the ref just looked at Everton and was disgusted by their whole approach to the game, and felt they deserved absolutely nothing.

Anyway, horrible spectacle all round, and all a bit of a sad way to sign off on what could possibly be Everton’s last game at Anfield for a very long time.

come on, Refs should be looking at the incident not what has gone before

it was a stone wall pen and not the first one Everton have been denied this season ( Rodri Man City Hand ball )
Everton are in the shit and done what they had to do to out a far superior team off their stride and it worked for a while.

Regardless of Gordon diving previously that was a penalty all day long , he got across the defender and Matip had to shove him to stop him. Shockingly bad decision to not even look at it on VAR

guitars4you · April 2022

mikeyrob73 said:

CloudNine said:

Rocker said:

What the hell is wrong with football? It has happened again, Everton denied another stonewall penalty and the referee did not use the technology to determine what if anything happened!

To do it once is bad, for this to happen twice in a few week smells of carelessness.....

Maybe the ref took a look at the ridiculous play acting from half the Everton team throughout the game. Maybe he had in mind specifically the fact that the very same player had been booked for diving (or cheating as I prefer to call it) in the first half. Maybe the ref just looked at Everton and was disgusted by their whole approach to the game, and felt they deserved absolutely nothing.

Anyway, horrible spectacle all round, and all a bit of a sad way to sign off on what could possibly be Everton’s last game at Anfield for a very long time.

come on, Refs should be looking at the incident not what has gone before

it was a stone wall pen and not the first one Everton have been denied this season ( Rodri Man City Hand ball )
Everton are in the shit and done what they had to do to out a far superior team off their stride and it worked for a while.

Regardless of Gordon diving previously that was a penalty all day long , he got across the defender and Matip had to shove him to stop him. Shockingly bad decision to not even look at it on VAR

I think that as an overview that the whole VAR culture is better this year than last year - Those silly marginal offside rules have effectively gone were it is only your big toe that is offside - But there are still errors

I was at a Leeds v Soton match a few weeks ago and our striker was making a run in to the penalty area and was 'bundled' over - With hope, you immediately look at the ref - I was in line with the incident, in the crowd, but could not say for sure that at the time it was or wasn't a penalty - But at 1-1, you kind of hope it would be given - But it was not reviewed by either the ref or VAR - So thought it would be interesting to see it on the box later, via SKY or MOTD - Gary Lineker had it as a penalty and was surprised it did not go to VAR

Nitefly · April 2022

Philly_Q said:

This is not aimed specifically at Rocker, but the expression "stonewall penalty" is utterly ridiculous, it makes absolutely zero sense.

You're right, @Philly_Q - I suspect people mean "stone cold" as in stone cold sober, meaning completely, absolutely, undeniably.

Philly_Q · April 2022

Nitefly said:

Philly_Q said:

This is not aimed specifically at Rocker, but the expression "stonewall penalty" is utterly ridiculous, it makes absolutely zero sense.

You're right, @Philly_Q - I suspect people mean "stone cold" as in stone cold sober, meaning completely, absolutely, undeniably.

Yeah, I think that must be it. Even then it's a bit silly but it makes more sense than "stonewall".

Another one that gets my goat is "he's spurned a clear chance at goal there". Oh right, so he deliberately and disdainfully chose not to score, did he....?

scrumhalf · April 2022

Stonewall is bollocks.

They may well mean stone ginger, slang fir a dead certainty.

MagicPigDetective · April 2022

I think it comes from General 'Stonewall' Jackson in the American Civil War, for holding off the Union army like an, errr, stone wall?

Philly_Q · April 2022

MagicPigDetective said:

I think it comes from General 'Stonewall' Jackson in the American Civil War, for holding off the Union army like an, errr, stone wall?

Got nothing to do with "there was contact, so he was justified in going down", though, has it? If anything, you'd be a stone wall if you managed to stay on your feet.

I think football's probably got more in common with the Stonewall riots than it has with Stonewall Jackson.

MagicPigDetective · April 2022

Philly_Q said:

MagicPigDetective said:

I think it comes from General 'Stonewall' Jackson in the American Civil War, for holding off the Union army like an, errr, stone wall?

Got nothing to do with "there was contact, so he was justified in going down", though, has it? If anything, you'd be a stone wall if you managed to stay on your feet.

I think football's probably got more in common with the Stonewall riots than it has with Stonewall Jackson.

I was explaining one possible source for the term, but in the sense of it meaning being obstructive. I'm in agreement with you. I don't understand it's application in the football penalty sense either. I suppose it's by now a football-ism that has caught on.

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