...::[The Footy Desk]::... (Part 2)

[Jason]

We live in a world where UEFA can admit to their f*ck ups and do the right thing and the FIA can't.

 

What a time to be alive :^)

 

[Girish]

lol silly UEFA. Chelsea are going to get Bayern now, aren't they? 

[Girish]

Scratch the above. It's Lille again lol.

[TheSantader25]

I like the second version better. Florentino about to start a war lmao.

[Jason]

Yea Perez aint getting no sympathy.

 

We were the ones that got shafted by it and we still got a very tough game and we got no complaints. Looking forward to the matchup if anything, first time we've played each other in yonks.

 

In other news, the covid outbreak at United may result in tomorrow's game being postponed. Not good.

[Cordohen]

LMAO, 2 draws, 2 times we get Chelsea, wtf. We're the smallest qualified team and we get pitted against former C1 winner. How unlucky.

[smokeless6]

What a bunch of clowns at UEFA. How many times have they done a draw? So sorry, we messed it up.

 

Salzburg to Inter for Liverpool is quite the step up.  So be it, I guess.

[TheSantader25]

What's up with all the COVID outbreaks in England? The schedule is already f*cked and this can only make it worse.

Edited December 15, 2021 by TheSantader25

[smokeless6]

UEFA put out this statement to cover for their ineptitude

 

Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

 

Which made me wonder, what sort of officiating are the 'officials' doing when they don't know their own rules? There were 16 teams! That's it! So complicated we need an external service provider to tell us how to run our own organisation. The people in charge of football are the worst. On a related note, and it went by without mention here I think, is that both Platini and Blatter were indicted for their own shenanigans last month. Lock 'em up!

 

And also, sad to see such an end for Kun Aguero. What a player and it's a shame it ended this way for him. Prototypical fox in the box.

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by smokeless6

[Jason]

4 hours ago, TheSantader25 said:

What's up with all the COVID outbreaks in England? The schedule is already f*cked and this can only make it worse.

 

Omnicon + Christmas period so lots of mixing + no one giving a rats arse about about what the government are saying because they've broken their own rules a bajillion times and suffered zero consequences for it.

 

On the plus side it looks like the vast majority are getting their booster jabs ASAP.

[Lonely-Martin]

Yay! No footie tonight either. *sigh*

 

Getting quite messy now TBH.

 

To add, 5 more games off this weekend currently, and Liverpool playing now against Newcastle with potential cases ruling out a few players tonight. But those players would have trained with the first team until a positive test, so wouldn't surprise me if more Liverpool, and now Newcastle players go down with positive tests in the coming days.

 

Hard to see the league not take a break really which would be a real shame given how much we love our boxing day footie.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Lonely-Martin

[Girish]

What a sh*t show against Everton. Looks like we're going to be fighting it out for top 4 instead of the title.

 

I won't mind a Covid break right about now.

[Lonely-Martin]

I did fear an absolute drubbing there through our lack of real training etc, but on another day we could have scored 4 comfortably. I'll take the draw, but more so the way we played and showed some real moxy. Oh, and Kane scored. Yay!

 

What an entertaining game, and to put a small dent in Liverpool's Hope's is always tasty.

 

And seeing Chelsea dropping more points is always gravy.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Lonely-Martin
Wording.

[Lonely-Martin]

Can't complain too much about Conte's start overall, he's getting some handy results out of a broken old team there and if January proves good, done us no harm to still be well in the race for top 4 if/when trying to make signings. Not getting carried away though, we'll just see how it goes.

 

But it was points dropped against Southampton today for sure, though Kane looked level on the brief showing of his offside goal, need to see that clearer before really judging it, but that was no way a foul on their keeper for another disallowed goal. Ahh well, wasn't our day but a promising start for Conte regardless, never thought we'd go unbeaten for half a dozen games with how we've played this season.

 

Not bothered about being booted out of the Conference League one bit, it's definitely helping Arsenal by having a more easy schedule and with us needing to fit a couple of postponed games in, probablybetter we haven't got that to play in. But hopefully we just don't get hammered in the Chelsea double header in the League Cup to keep morale better going beyond that into the run in.

 

Fun game between City and Leicester the other day in that 6-3 game, and to see Leicester dent Liverpool's hopes further tonight is all good too.

 

Surprised United struggled and sulked so much against Newcastle last night though. They need to just get to work instead of walking around thinking they're better than other teams just because they're Man Utd. Gotta do the job on the pitch first before thinking you're that good, lol. Still, gonna be an interesting 2nd half of the season between United, Spurs, Arsenal and West Ham. Cool!

[Jason]

Ole failed for multiple reasons but one of those reasons was that he wasn't ruthless. He played favourites, keeping people in the team every week despite being awful, not giving others chances and especially not giving people starts when they earned it during a rare cameo.

 

Varane and Maguire were poor that game but Varane just got back from injury, Maguire has no excuse and needs to be dropped. Dalot/Telles are doing okay but Shaw and AWB need a chance, Shaw's only appearence under Rangnick was a good one as well.

 

But the main issue for me is the fact we're still relying on McFred. It's all well and good them being okay defensively but we're a top 6 team and should be dominating possession especially against sides beneath us in the league, and we often do that, but those two are useless on the ball resulting in the 10's dropping deep to get the ball and the centrehalves trying hollywood balls because they are all genuinely better on the ball than either McT or Fred.. VDB, Matic, a new signing, idc, he needs to be ruthless and start dropping them and trying new combinations of players.

[TheSantader25]

Damn Arsenal are all over City. Never thought I'd see the day. Let's see if they can keep up till the end.

 

Edit: Nope. They Arsenal-ed the damn game. Childish mistakes. f*cking Xhaka.

Edited January 1, 2022 by TheSantader25

[Lonely-Martin]

A Spurs win in injury time while Arsenal piss away it away and drop a good point in their closing moments. Nice start to 2022, lol.

[Jason]

No one can compete with City this year in the league man, even though they're missing a striker. Their depth every where on the pitch (except striker) is just too good and their ability to control games consistently is unmatched.

 

With Chelsea and Liverpool seemingly not good enough to challenge for the title but too good to be dragged into a top 4 fight this PL season has went from a potentially exciting title fight to a very boring title fight, 2nd and 3rd on autopilot and all out war for 4th.

[Eutyphro]

City indeed just looks too solid for it to be likely that are going to lose the ten point lead they have. I would not be surprised if they went unbeaten for the rest of the season, though they were close to being beaten had Arsenal done what it should have done.

I think Gabriel Jesus is a good player this season, and he has improved from previous seasons I think. It would be good for City to have another striker, but they could go with just Gabriel Jesus. Gabriel Jesus seems to play as right winger for City when he plays though, as Guardiola just loves playing with no striker. But G. Jesus does bring the type of qualities a striker has whenever he is on the field.

I think if Guardiola buys a striker it will be a player with the type of qualities of Benzema, Firmino, or a player like Luis Suarez. Someone with the technical brilliance of a high level midfielder, or someone very smart who makes a lot of runs and assists. I think he will not be interested in Haaland, but he might be interested in Mbappe. Another interesting player that fits the mould is Lautaro Martinez from Inter, who has the qualities of a 'Guardiola striker'.

What Guardiola ideally wants is another Messi, but there is only one Messi. He's unique. I do feel like Guardiola is trying to turn Foden into Messi a bit though.

[TheSantader25]

Maybe good ol' Ernesto was a better choice.

[Eutyphro]

United just isn't able to control games, because the midfielders don't have enough quality. The players also are still getting used to the new 4222 system. I don't know whether United can get things on the rails with Mctominay, Fred and Matic running the midfield. There seems to be a lack of quality there that is insurmountable.

[Jason]

We can't pass and we can't cross. New RB and an entirely new midfield is needed. Pogba back in the side might change our fortunes a lot as well. We've had an inability to control games since Mourinho and it's entirely down to our garbage midfield options.

 

Would be interested to see Rangnick try other formations as well as I think 4222 is a bit too much of a drastic change in shape to get results quickly with.

 

Edit: wrote all above without seeing the post above, which sums it up lol.

[Lonely-Martin]

Was nice of United to give us a little cushion as we've the Arsenal/Chelsea double header coming up.

[Eutyphro]

I think Rangnick is doing what United has to do if they want to move up, which is play hyper aggressive football. That it is not working yet is all down to the quality of certain players. I've also seen lazy stubborn players unwilling to perform the pressing. If the players suck too much, there is only so much a coach can do. But the type of football Rangnick wants to implement is very much the way forward, even if it results in some bad results.

 

Man United should at all times be playing to dominate, and not for 6th in the Premier League. I assure you they will get 6th in the Prem under Rangnick, but Rangnick is still aiming for top 4, and for the longer term to get United where it should be tactically, as he should. I'm wondering if Rangnick can find a way to implement Donny van de Beek to make his system more effective, and to work around the lack of quality United have in CDM.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Eutyphro

[Lonely-Martin]

Considering how poor we were and how good Chelsea were tonight, particularly in the first half, 2-0 ain't too awful, lol. Could have been far worse, but we were crap from kick off.

 

I'm hopeful it's a result where Levy finally see's what everybody else see's and that our defence is just shocking. I hope he didn't look at Conte picking up some points since arriving and thinks 'yeah, we're getting good - See, the players are there' because it's a very bad defence in general but worse under pressure. Hopefully it's something Conte gets plenty of cash to improve. Wing backs are wank too, Royal especially. He gets the ball so often but is too scared to run at anyone and make yards, or on the times he does, his crossing is awful (not basing that on tonight's game mind you, just it's easy to see he's not clicking).

 

Sure, we never replaced what Erikson could do with the likes of Ndombele or Lo Celso proving a utter waste of the best part of £100m. But if the defence remains this poor, we could have all the creative players we want, it won't work.

 

Seriously, keep Kane, Son, Maura, Hojbjerg, Skipp, and youngsters like Tanganga (in case he improves in time with better managing), maybe Lloris if he signs a new deal (but look out for another keeper too), and sell the rest. I hope that's Conte's plan, and if so, going unbeaten for 8 with all those other useless/hasbeen players is quite a effort TBH.

[Lonely-Martin]

Can't lie, was reading lots of comments just after the Spurs game from Arsenal fans trying their best to be knobs, but when they lost, it went awful quiet, lol.

 

Downside being they're free to concentrate on the league pretty much, but it's always funny to have rivals trying to dig you out and then get egg on their face.

 

And looks like Ndombele is finally done. Cant get rid quick enough of that type of player, just one in a long line of prats that make up the typical Spurs culture though. Such a lazy sh*t and waste of money, hopefully someone gives us a tenner for him and Conte does get to do what I had hoped Jose was gonna. Fingers crossed. 

[Lonely-Martin]

On paper, not an awful result considering the obvious differences in the teams and how outplayed we were for large parts of the tie. Always hopeful but I wasn't expecting any better in a champions league winner vs broken team that half the squad must know they're on the way out type of match. Bit better 2nd half and no complaints over the VAR decisions. Poor refereeing if anything, nothing new there though.

 

Just gotta hope Levy and co are seeing what the fans see and does his part, but we need far more than this January window, lol. Fingers crossed plans are in motion.

[Girish]

I'm just here to point out that the the commentator of the City-Chelsea game actually called the Etihad as Empty-had and then had to correct himself. Laughed my ass off at that. Skip to 34.24 minute of the game if you want to hear it.

[Lonely-Martin]

I know it's easy as a Spurs fan to say as I am unashamedly biased of course, but Arsenal should be told to play tomorrow, without doubt.

 

They let 2 go on loan and Xhaka goes and gets a 3 match ban as usual, lol, and anyone knows signing AFCON players always comes with the chance of call ups as players rightfully want to represent their countries, it's all self inflicted except the 1 covid case we know of.

 

Though regarding AFCON, maybe they should move it to the summer, but I don't know how the African leagues work etc. So it's easy to say I guess, but makes sense with more and more African players playing in England/Europe.

 

I mean, we had to play West Ham with half a squad puking up all the night before a key game and basically gave Arsenal UCL footie once upon a time.

 

Plus the kids need these openings to get into their first teams, and Arsenal preferring to want the game off instead is only telling the academy that they're not worthy of even a chance, lol. Calling a game off because of a covid outbreak that causes multiple cases and/or closing training for a period, sure. Fair enough. But this is just Arsenal squirming over poor management if they get the game called off. Pussies!

 

Besides, I don't pay Sky to keep taking away my Sunday afternoon main events.

 

Yep, game's off. Pussies.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Lonely-Martin

[Eutyphro]

Man United defence is way better without Maguire, and the midfield is better without Mctominay who sadly enough is just too technically inept. I also think Rangnick choosing the more attacking minded wingbacks are a good choice. I think all United would need for good results is a good DM, a fit and in form front trio of Rashford, Ronaldo and Sancho, and Maguire on the bench.

Edit: And then they give their lead away within 5 minutes, lol. After kind of getting dominated all game to be fair.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Eutyphro