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I have been wrong before and could regret saying this, but I can't see arsenal winning. they've won part 1. Part 2, the longer and far far tougher part is going to break teams, a lot of teams.... An awful lot of broken teams are going to break a bit more. I think arsenal will break.
Oh and Newcastle, they will break too.... Maybe 😂
Bitterness,rage and wor flags will fuel the Toon till the very end.
I've no clue who'll win it this year, Man City look like the best EPL team ever one week, and then go and lose the following week, Arsenal are getting results, whereas previously they'd fall apart, with players like Partey, Xhaka, Saliba, etc suddenly playing like their price tags.
The thing that's big this season though is that most teams can give the big boys a game, Fulham looked good today against ManU, Brentford showed their ability at City, Wolves who are bottom of the table looked way better than that against Arsenal, it's just so many banana skins for those at the top, look at Leicester, looked like a dead team a month ago, now mid-table and doing well.
I have been wrong before and could regret saying this, but I can’t see arsenal winning. they’ve won part 1. Part 2, the longer and far far tougher part is going to break teams
As Fergie always said: the season doesn’t start until January.
And that’s in a normal season, without some bonkers World Cup chucked in the middle.
Anyway: god only knows how we got 3 points out of that today. We were shite! Again! The new kid got us out of jail. He looks good! I think the comparisons with a young Ronnie when he started for United are a bit premature. Why do the press insist on piling on the pressure on young players?
Had a look at Arsenal’s fixtures and their next two they ‘should’ win and then they’ve got a tough run in January. Also got to fit the postponed City game in somewhere, so yep, you’re right Binners, let’s see how things are by the end of January.
If they can stay ahead Pep could get angsty and start fannying about like he does in the Champions League.
We've spoken about the redemption of Granit Xhaka but Shirley the comeback of Christian Eriksen from a heart attack is pretty special.
I still can't see anyone touching City this year. We're top now, but it's only a matter of time before we start to slip. I think we will be battling for the top 4 spot by March.
Good. That’s what football should be all about. Create teams not buy them.
We’ve spoken about the redemption of Granit Xhaka but Shirley the comeback of Christian Eriksen from a heart attack is pretty special
It’s truly gob-smacking considering he very nearly died. He’s also been our best signing for a long time. He was one of the few players who looked like he could actually be bothered yesterday in another worryingly flat and clueless performance.
Ronaldo showing once again what a narcissistic arsehole he is.
Ronaldo showing once again what a narcissistic arsehole he is.
Right up there with bears defecating in woodland.
yesterday in another worryingly flat and clueless performance.
I know nothing about football, being an Ipswixh fan, but I caught the highlights of tbe ManU game last night and they didn't look as bad as I'd expected from binners previous comment. Maybe the edit flattered them.
But Ericksen's recovery is literally miraculous and comes across as a decent bloke too.
ManU had a tough game, and snatched a win, so good 3 points, but Fulham were going through them a few times, and if Mitrovic had been fit it could have been a real test for the ManU defence.
But, they now have time to get back on track, get injured players back, get Ronaldo out and maybe look at January signings if needed.
Think Arsenal are always just looking for the top 4, they really will be playing it game by game, they will also have some players back and healthy when they start again, it's really going to be interesting to see what the World Cup does for some players and teams, we're going to be getting into the last few weeks of the season and those who have a lot of players at the WC will probably suffer, Arsenal and Newcastle don't need to worry about Europe as much either, Newcastle not in it and Arsenal just picking and choosing who they play.
I'm going to put this here rather than in the 'Netflix' thread, but just in case you had missed it -
[url= https://www.channel4.com/programmes/italia-90-when-football-changed-forever/on-demand/74364-001 ]Italia 90: When Football Changed Forever[/url] -
- 3 parts, you'll love it.
I'm really struggling to care about Qatar 2022
I'm not even sure if I'll watch any of the group stage games. Anyone else disinterested?
For the genuine fans - if you win will it be a real World Cup? Will it feel like a real win or more like one of those pre-season tournaments in Bangkok or Tokyo?
I'll certainly be watching but I won't be glueing Panini stickers or be a slave to a wallchart. But then it's winter so sod all else to do.
I tell myself I'm disinterested but will probably end up watching it.
As for the moral issues, as uncomfortable as I am with it we have to remember that the last one was in Russia, a few years after they invaded Eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea, we've had a world cup in Argentina under a military dictatorship and we've just had an Olympics in China.
Ultimately, we as a nation don't have much say where it's held. We do however have control of our own borders (stop laughing at the back) and no one is forcing us to have the kind of owners we have a Citeh, Newacstle and formerly Chelsea.
So in that sense, we're all in this together, and not in a good way I haven't boycotted the Premier League so to do so with the Quatar world cup would be sanctimonious in the extreme.
That leaves the only valid reason for boycotting it is that it mucks up the Premier League season. Which admittedly, is a valid reason.
of the 3 examples above Citeh's owners aren't remotely as bad as Saudi Royalty and Putin's stooge
That leaves the only valid reason for boycotting it is that it mucks up the Premier League season. Which admittedly, is a valid reason.
The BBC news is presently showing interviews with the impoverished families of migrant workers who have been killed while building the stadiums
I know that East Manchester is a bit dodgy, but I can’t recall anyone actually being killed from falling off scaffolding or crushed to death by building debris while the Emptyad was going up
So there’s that too
You boycotting it binners?
I’ve said many times on these footy threads that if there were never another game of international football played ever again, I’d do a little happy dance.
I couldn’t give a toss about Engerland, and international matches are, in the main, utterly tedious shite. I disliked the whole thing immensely, even before this utterly farcical orgy of corruption
So I won’t boycotting it as such, just treating it with the usual sneering disdain I have for international football.
The sooner this whole sorry circus is over, so we can get on with the ‘proper’ footy, the better.
The only interest I have in it will be keeping an eye on any half-decent United players* picking up injuries
* so not Harry Maguire, obvs
re: injuries etc.
this is an interesting read
France will win anyway. Or Argentina. But most likely Brazil or Spain.
Does anyone actually care?
The Mash pretty much nailed it back in June
How’s it a football tournament if you’re not pissed in the garden?”
"The Phenomenon: Ronaldo" documentary on BBC4 tonight is worth a watch on iPlayer
Does anyone actually care?
You're right but if I look at my mates as the definitive example, those that support "big clubs", Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham etc see internationals as a nuisance but if you follow a smaller clubs then they also tend to follow the international team.
For me there's been some memorable world cup moments:
Maradonna's 2 goals
Ronaldinho lobbing Seaman
West Germany penalties Italy 90
Ireland v Italy, New York
Etc.
I still can’t see anyone touching City this year. We’re top now, but it’s only a matter of time before we start to slip. I think we will be battling for the top 4 spot by March.
This is the perfect season for Arsenal to try to avoid their normal post-Christmas malaise. The WC is a massive reset button, so hopefully instead of fading in the second half of the season they can effectively have two first halves, as long as their biggest names stay injury free at the WC.
City are monstrous on their day, but they don't seem totally balanced and the loss of Jesus/Sterling is significant.
Even as a long-term City supporter, I'm enjoying Arsenal being exciting and in the mix this season, what with Liverpool and Utd being mediocre. Even better if Newcastle can keep up their current form.
To be honest I don't know why football doesn't take a leaf out of rugby's book and carry on the season minus those on international duty.
.... because the Premier League attracts money grabbers from across the globe. Citeh have 16 players missing, Utd 14 etc The are over 120 players at WC2022 from the league.
Although it would be funny watching Top5 second string team play a virtually full strength lower ranked team
To be honest I don’t know why football doesn’t take a leaf out of rugby’s book and carry on the season minus those on international duty
That’s actually a pretty good idea. Then at Christmas the top 4 would be Bournemouth, Wolves, Brentford and Fulham and all the ‘big’ clubs would have to play catch up 😂
Most EPL matches are tedious shite.
City would still have Haaland up front!
and a back 4 of Derek (IT manager), Jeanette (accounts payable), Tariq (legal) and Daryl (youth team)
I got Ecuador in the work sweepstake. So that's the final nail in the coffin.
Most EPL matches are tedious shite
Even better if Newcastle can keep up their current form.
The toon are going to win the league. There, I said it. 😳
I can understand an Engurland fan complaining about internationals being tedious. You sit through a load of dull one sided qualification matches and then when things get spicy you get knocked out. But for a fan of an EPL club to complain about corruption....
Been adamant that I wasn't interested but succumbed to the work sweepstake today, and will be working from home when England play their opener 🤷♂️
I can understand an Engurland fan complaining about internationals being tedious. You sit through a load of dull one sided qualification matches and then when things get spicy you get knocked out
Life is way too short to watch Engerland qualifying matches. I’d rather remove my own kidneys with a teaspoon
But for a fan of an EPL club to complain about corruption….
Personally, I despise the owners of the club I support with a passion I normally reserve only for Tory MP’s. They’re money-grubbing parasites who are destroying the club and I despise them with every fibre of my being.
But they haven’t killed anyone that I know of, and if you’re talking about corruption; if there were a Champions League for it then nobody could even begin to compete with the unholy alliance of FIFA and Qatar (and Putins Russia)
Watch the Netflix documentary FIFA Uncovered and marvel at the sheer audacity of their unapologetic bentness. It’s staggering! And they still don’t give a flying ****!
I think it’s time to concentrate on the football now folks. If you’re not sure how to do that, you can ask NUFC fans.
With or without unfeasibly huge striped shirt?
Has anyone else noticed that Newcastle's 3rd kit is basically the Saudi national kit?
Proper piss-take
Like Natalie Imbruglia, i'm torn.
Being a fan of the Mighty 'Boro - *disambiguation* Stafford Rangers - i've no skin in the Big Boy's Game.
'Boycotting' it seems uniquely pointless, but sort of worthwhile. Watching it as an England fan would be almost exactly the same, except of the two, maybe a bit less worthwhile.
I love the World Cup, and have done since staying up late to watch my first one in '86 - was actually in Italy in '90 for Scotland's final group game against Brazil - not Scottish or Brazilian, just knew it was going to be an epic party and it didn't disappoint.
I think/know i'll be sucked into it, and that probably makes me a sucker.
But when played beautifully, it's a beautiful game isn't it?
Guess this'll be the reason Wilson got picked for the squad over Toney...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63653384
More likely it’s just because he plays for Brentford.
Whereas Harry Maguire occasionally makes the odd substitute appearance for United, when all the first choices are injured, and he’s presently in Qatar, wearing the captains armband and will probably start every game