You know how this works. That’ll all be somebody else’s fault. As always
Are we getting to the point where we can start muttering about human rights abuses when talking about US-owned clubs? Gotta be even-handed when dealing with these authoritarian, repressive regimes.
I don’t know. I suppose we’ll have to see who FIFA award their next peace prize to. It might well be the Glazers
To my understanding, and google confirms it, JWH is not declared for either side but principally leans democrat.
Plenty of reasons to ignore the tiresome goading, they barely comment on the football itself and just seem to have City and Newcastle living rent free in their head. No need to invent spurious stuff - leave them to it, they'll go quiet again for a few weeks as soon as Liverpool's form dips.
When Liverpool’s form dips? They’ve won five league games out of the last twenty - if it dips anymore they’ll be duelling with Spurs for 16th.
Romero’s charm offensive continues. He’s covered himself in glory in the last week already and I’m sure getting himself sent off after 20 minutes and a 4 match suspension will further endeer him to everyone. And he’s the club captain.
The guy is a psycho and a liability. I was shocked when they said he'd been sent off 6 times in his Spurs career - I honestly thought it'd be double that. Lovely to see them getting sucked down though to make the fight at the bottom a bit more interesting.
When Liverpool’s form dips? They’ve won five league games out of the last twenty - if it dips anymore they’ll be duelling with Spurs for 16th.
Thats staggering. What was it, £300m spent in the summer to go backwards at quite an alarming/hilarious rate. That said, Wirtz is starting to look like an actual footballer in the last 5 or 6 games.
Still trying to get my head around the end of that game yesterday. So the Cherki goal was disallowed for a foul on Haaland which meant he couldn't get to it and tap it in, even though it went in anyway and Szobosali or however you spell it was sent off for the foul which resulted in a goal anyway and then the goal was disallowed? Just let the goal stand and don't send anyone off.
Have said it many, many times so far this season, City are winning the league and they will have it wrapped up before the last game.
They just know how to win. We don't.
Still trying to get my head around the end of that game yesterday. So the Cherki goal was disallowed for a foul on Haaland which meant he couldn't get to it and tap it in,
No, it was disallowed because Haaland fouled Szoboszlai and prevented him from clearing it. That is a simple fact that can't be avoided.
However....
Szoboszlai was only in a position to clear it because he'd pulled Haaland back earlier, for which the referee played advantage.
Under new interpretations (3-4 years old, but new-ish) he then at least had chance to say that the advantage he'd allowed didn't actually materialise, and thus go back for that offence. Old rules, advantage is instant and he couldn't even have done that, would have been a freekick to Liverpool.
You can't ignore the Haaland foul, even though that's against natural justice. Imagine both players had fairly tangled for the ball, both fallen to the ground, and then Haaland just punched the ball over the line. Can you turn a blind eye to that? What if in response to Szoboszlai pulling Haaland back, he'd stopped and wrestled Szoboszlai down on the edge of the box to prevent him chasing back at all?
I think that is a situation that you just can't write rules that would allow "natural justice". I have never seen a situation quite like that, but if you have a rule something like a "penalty try" in rugby where both the foul and the goal is given, then there are going to be 10 times as many borderline cases as there are clear cut cases, and it would just make the officiating an even bigger mess
Szoboszlai prevented a virtually certain goal, he wasn't winning the foot race and Haaland's first touch of the ball would have helped it into the net.
I'm not sure there was an advantage to play, the foul put Szoboszlai then in pole position to clear. The split-second nature of the decision (without the benefit of an overhead view) put the ref in a no-win situation. Even if he had instantly blown for a free kick and sent Szoboszlai off, Haaland would have been fuming because he probably would have believed he could have scored in that moment.
Just one of those things, ref did as well as he could.
I'm not sure there was an advantage to play
Under old rules, I'd agree. Under new rules there was because although it put Szoboszlai into pole position, it was not a certainty and there was still a possibility that he wasn't going to be able to clear it, so see how it pans out and then if indeed he does clear it, call play back for no advantage and take action.
No point keep going over that, but there are a few if, buts and maybes that are worth considering.
I myself am not sure of this one - but DOGSO is a straight red card. Pulling an opponent back is supposed to be a yellow card but increasingly we are seeing minor infringements not being carded (or even the foul ignored, not helped by players going down as if shot). I can't remember if red card offences are advised to not have advantage played on - certainly when i reffed the advice was to always stop play for a red card offence even if an advantage is happening because most often it causes a flashpoint and if you don't deal with the offence until later (and like a yellow you can go back for it) you might find a bigger issue than the anger caused by loss of advantage. That said, a red card for DOGSO, particularly for a technical foul like holding or handball is less likely to cause a melee than someone getting a red card for violent conduct so maybe an advantage on red card there may be more permissible, but if the goal is then scored can you really argue they denied the GSO, because - well you might have reduced the chance of a GSO but clearly didn't deny it!
Secondly - having played advantage, Haaland then pulled his opponent back which is a yellow card offence. I think Haaland had been booked already, if you'd allowed natural justice and given the goal do you give them both a yellow for their holding fouls - that would have got all bemused. But he definitely committed a foul that should be sanctioned with a caution.... except by pulling play back to the original offence the ball wasn't in play so the offence isn't an offence. But you can commit some offences when the ball is out of play including violent conduct....
All told ref and VAR made best of a whole load of potential traps there
I’m no fan of Pawson but given the set of offences and penalties which almost read like a ref’s exam question I think he got the to the right answers.
Hair cut boy is on a knife edge!
Interesting set of results tonight. Leeds coming back from 2-0 down to draw, despite giving Chelsea the most ridiculous penalty. Great result from Newcastle beating Spurs 2-1 who are now below Leeds in the lower reaches of the table. And from a Leeds point of view a big thanks to ManU and Sesko's fantastic late goal to deny West Ham a win.
I'd have been delighted with a point before the game but it's hard to take having got so close. Still, a much improved performance and the Hammers at least have a chance of survival. I reckon it might need a record points total this season.
New manager bounce for Spuds incoming.
They’ve got Arsenal next game so maybe not.
What they need is a former club legend player to come back in and lead a glorious renaissance
Glenn Hoddle?
In at the deep end then, though it’s a week and a half until the next game, plenty of time to appoint someone else? I don’t sense there’s a plan though, aside from Thomas Frank not being the one. Maybe copy United and get an ex player in as a caretaker with the Spurs DNA, whatever that is.
Has De Zerbi's availability given them a reason to act now?
I think pretty much everyone thought Frank was a good appointment when he was announced, probably goes to show how well run Brentford are.
It’s laudable they gave him the opportunity with the job he’d done at Brentford, but his more direct style meant the fans would be quick to criticise him for not playing the Spurs way as soon as results went south, which was quickly.
Good shout Binners, I was thinking Klinnsman!
probably goes to show how well run Brentford are.
There's a 2nd tier of PL manager - I'd have David Moyes as the archetype, also people like maybe Thomas Frank, and i suspect Graham Potter will end up recognised as such - great at implementing a system. Very good at taking a decent group of players and getting them playing above their level. Maybe also Emery?
But walking into a megaclub and whipping into shape a dozen egomanic 21 year olds who are richer than god and convinced they're also smarter than Him is just a totally different skill set. As the above 3 found out.
Be intrigued to see how Araola shapes up in a few years time. He could be either, at the moment.
Very good at taking a decent group of players and getting them playing above their level.
Maybe the kind of manager England need.
I like Frank as a person, he seemed to do a great job at Brentford, but maybe not ruthless enough for a wannabe big club
I wouldn’t fancy managing a squad of players with Romero as captain and containing such little rays of sunshine as Richarleson. Discipline is hardly their strong point.
Heh. I did hesitate at that point!
Depending on who they get in, the scrap for that 17th spot could get really brutal
Lets be honest, seeing that incredible stadium hosting championship games next season would be the funniest thing ever!
#bigsix
And we have another interesting night tonight – Brighton and Crystal Palace could end the night right in the mix towards the bottom and current form for both isn't great, so they might start getting very nervous. And Forest – a bad result for them will leave them in deep water, given West Ham's current form.
Talking of problematic club ownership, the Monaco-based billionaire whose team is mainly economic migrants...weighs in on immigration.
https://bsky.app/profile/news.sky.com/post/3melxcvs6oe2q
Such an endearing chap. And he says Nigel is a lovely, well-intentioned fella.
It's getting really interesting north of the border. Rangers lucky to get a point tonight and Celtic only just beat bottom of the table Livvy. Can Hearts hang on?
I see that Ratcliffe has covered himself in glory again:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckglv1n4dzeo
Worse than the Glazers!
Quite the achievement.
I can't wait for the summer and the launch of their new Go Home kit.
I particularly loved his statement…“You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits”
And how many hundreds of people have you made redundant since you arrived at Old Trafford then Jim?
All while losing hundreds of millions with your catastrophic transfer policies and your own stupidity.
Beryl in the canteen, who’s been there for 30 years, is going to have to go because you decided to spend 70 million quid on a donkey like Antony, who your own club scouts told you was worth 20, tops!
What a ****!
I wonder if the indigenous Monaco folk feel the same about Jimmy the migrant.
Wayne Rooney’s not up to much at the moment.
Maybe he could move back to Manchester from his Monaco tax haven and pay some bloody taxes on his various massive incomes and assets addingf to the resources of the state - and a trip to a few clothes shops and a barber might make the scruffy git look a little smarter and would help boost the high street economy and maybe create a few jobs for those on benefits. .
Man Utd must have one of the most largest, ethnically diverse fan bases - I wonder how they feel after his hateful outburst.
What a moronic hypocrite!
Sean Dyche has just been sacked by Forest after a 0-0 home draw with bottom club Wolves. A few owners are starting to panic - I wonder who will be stupid enough to take the role and work for the tyrant Marinakis who will be looking for his 4th coach this season after Postecoglou and Nuno Espirito Santo.
Dyche to Spurs?!
It's for Hearts to lose it now Rangers look the better of the chasing duo, but they're further behind. Celtic chased down Hearts in 1985 with a massive run of wins. The current Celtic team don't look like they've got that in them 3rd place is more likely than first on the evidence of current displays
35 shots & not a single goal & then sacking the manager. Never let it be said Forest are a not a soap opera.
As for Jim - pay your ***** ** ** taxes you * & actually help the country - you are part of the problem. Disappointing that the sky journalist didn't really challenge him on anything either with his wild numbers plucked from the air.
It'll be interesting to see how Hearts do away to Rangers at the weekend. I hope they win it.
Looking forward to Brentford getting something against us tonight. And then Spurs doing us over. It's in the Arsenal DNA.
I think Rangers might win the SPL - which seems ludicrous given the state of them under Russell Martin. Hearts and Celtic seem quite reliant on late, late winners, Rangers May just grind it out.
Better bet than Celtic anyway.... unfortunately
I can see the "Arsenal go Spursey” headlines. Personally I don’t see the “pressure being cranked up” aspect any more than before, it’s all clickbait for what is a 38 game season being run at a pretty stiff pace.
I see Ratcliffe has issued a statement - blaming people for being offended rather than apologising.
It'd be nice to see some banners at Old Trafford this weekend letting him know how people feel about billionaires.
"I think Rangers might win the SPL - which seems ludicrous given the state of them under Russell Martin. Hearts and Celtic seem quite reliant on late, late winners, Rangers May just grind it out. "
Better to be scoring late winners than conceding late equalisers against 10 men.
It'd be nice to see some banners at Old Trafford this weekend letting him know how people feel about billionaires
I did like this one that was above the players tunnel as they come out
I see Ratcliffe has issued a statement - blaming people for being offended rather than apologising.
Sorry not sorry. What a graceless arsehole.
Odds of Poch back to Spurs?
Not this side of the World Cup...
Why would he?
It'd be like getting back with an ex who'd dumped you by text a few years ago.
Hmmm I did not think that through - I guess Poch is busy.
I guess if Man Utd get someone else in then Carrick will potentially be of interest to Spurs or Newcastle even if Eddie has a poor run to the end of the season
But walking into a megaclub...
What about Spurs though?
It would seem Ange agrees with this.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/feb/12/ange-postecoglou-tottenham-are-not-a-big-club
Well well.
After 84 mins of last Sunday's game, with Man City losing, Arsenal were 9 clear. Now it's 4. Squeaky bum time once again, and a recent history of not getting over the line.
You'd assume next Weds they'll win against Wolves but if they fail to do that it'll be be really squeaky.
Then the weekend - City of course face Newcastle, who travel about as well as an open container of milk, but will be buoyed by a much needed result and a bit of a reset for Eddie with team and fans at massive club/relegation fodder Spurs (delete as applicable, or leave both?)
And Arsenal have a trip to...... oh, away NLD to a new manager bouncing Spurs. That could be REALLY squeaky.
So it’s four points. About average for a title race at this stage of the season then and it’s unlikely to be decided until the last game or two. Believe me, there has been absolutely no assumption on winning it on the terraces at The Emirates; we’ve been here before. Mind you, if we don’t get something out of the season with this squad it will leave scar tissue.
All my predictions coming true. We weren't great last night, although Brentford are no mugs.
I'm more worried about the NLD than Wolves. If we drop points there or lose, we will fold like a pack of soggy cards.
Ivor Tudor to spuds . . .
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvg87wlv7lmo
at least for the rest of the season - or until either side get bored I assume.
It’s an odd one. Manager with no experience of English football coming in to stave off a potential relegation scrap. I vaguely recognised his name and recalled him doing well for me as a player in championship manager, back in like 2002!
Someone has booked the billboard outside the front of Old Trafford to tell Sir Jim what we think of him
That’s brilliant, if accurate and not just social media AI nonsense.
Some shocking decisions in the Villa game!
Yep, and one of the maddest by the Villa goalie!
Still, now we know what Deadlydarcy does on a Saturday, he's a PGMOL assistant referee.
Great quote from Shearer from the BBC Sport article:
"If you ever needed any evidence of the damage that VAR has done to referees, I think today is a great example of that. These guys look petrified to make a decision today because they didn't have a comfort blanket."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70ke0zglk5o
I love Shearer, calling things as he sees them but I think he's wrong. How would he explain the Liverpool or Man City disallowed goal, no fear of making a decision there?
They were just bad decisions.
Now, in fairness in both the Villa and Liverpool decisions they aren't quite as clearcut as made out. In both cases with people making runs it's hard to have an eye on both the moment the ball is played and the run, in both there was another (Villa or Liverpool) player between the lino and the player that the decision was needed for. With foreshortening / perspective they are hard decisions, even when afterwards on slomo they are clear.
Nice to see Salah have a good game. His assist for Szobo’s goal was sweet. Curtis Jones had a bit of a Gerrardesque slip 😂 but Allisson saved his arse.
Seen elsewhere, but Nottingham Forest have appointed Vitor Pereira until 2027
Which I assume means half past eight in old money.
Celtic leaving it even later than usual to squeeze home a winner.
Bloody dirty Leeds.
That last minute equaliser bust my 5-fold accumulator, and they didn't then even have the good grace to slip on the banana skin in the end 😉
Cost me nearly £100 for my £3 stake
Good to see the FA showing Jim who's boss...
In the coming days, Sir Jim Ratcliffe should discover if the Football Association's legal team has decided the Manchester United co-owner brought the game into disrepute with his comments on immigration last week, which sparked condemnation from the government and beyond.
The governing body could decide his remarks reached the threshold required for him to be charged with a breach of its rules, it could write to the billionaire to remind him of his responsibilities, or it could choose to take no action at all.
Imagine his horror if he got a letter from them.
Will it be strongly worded?
As a United supporter I didn’t think it was possible to get any worse than the Glazers.
He’s smashed that hopelessly naive notion right out of the park
Well, Citeh are really going to go for the jugular on Saturday Vs Newcastle, after Arsenal's latest title attempt collapse
It’s in City’s hands now, as they say. But also in Arsenal’s, given they play each other. Gotta be beating Wolves though.
Even at 2-0, and with wolves being rubbish, arsenal never looked secure or dominant, as if they don't believe in themselves.
2-2 and conceding goals with keystone kops defending, arguing among themselves - city are now favourites i think. But ask me again after the NLD, which could be just what Arsenal need, or just what they dont need right now. Never can tell with Spurs, but they should be right up for a proper scrap.
Newcastle arguing among themselves too...about who gets to score their fifth goal this half
It's so very predictable, and just as I knew it would be. I'm still going with us finishing 3rd, which was my initial prediction at the start of the season. We just don't have what it takes. Doesn't matter if you have the biggest squad if you aren't good enough. It's pretty tiring hearing everyone say we're great and have such great squad depth. Apart from Zubi, all of the signings have been awful. Saka is made of chocolate and over rated, and Odegaard is a one season wonder.
Eze - being found out
Victor - He's a championship striker at best
Norgaard - Average
Madueke - Started well, now just average
Spurs to beat us at the weekend, Citeh to beat us in both games that they face us in, and get dumped out of the CL in the semi's.
I'd still rather be in Arsenal's position - there are plenty of twists left in the title race.
Man Utd are the form team in the prem at the moment. Man City don't have that out of control juggernaught running down a road momentum they have had at this stage in previous seasons.