If there’s one thing I won’t miss from the summer transfer saga it’s the reposted invective from the Northeast that seemed unavoidable at times. Unfortunately, it’s still unavoidable here.
I said at the time him moving to Liverpool would screw his career and that looks to be the way it’s going.
Does being a Liverpool player make you more likely to suffer a broken leg?
Does being a Liverpool player make you more likely to suffer a broken leg?
Depends if you’re a believer in karma or not.
Does being a Liverpool player make you more likely to suffer a broken leg?
Depends if you’re a believer in karma or not.
It could be cosmic-Georgie retribution. Or bad luck. Place your bets, folks!
Didn't want him particularly to succeed at Liverpool, especially not to pick up major trophies after his mercenary tactics in the summer, but equally don't want it to be this manner.
That's the way I look at it, I'd rather see him play regularly and be a massive flop.
Ironically, the native tongue of his NUFC replacement provides the best description for this whole situation.
Schadenfreude
Amorim says he knows how long Bruno is going to be out for, but isn't saying. That probably means its pretty bad. Looked like he'd done his hamstring the way he pulled up
We're well and truly screwed without him! Particularly with key players away at AFCON and Mainoo and Casimero out injured too. He had to play Martinez in midfield, who was actually pretty good, but obviously not his natural position. Looks like the kids from the academy are going to be getting a run out, which isn't a bad thing.
Nah, you'll never win anything with kids.
On this occasion, I’m sure you’re right
We went for a walk this afternoon and then met up with some mates in the pub for a couple of beers. My mate Dobbs is a Mackem, was resplendent in his Christmas present - the all black Sunderland away top - which he was very proud of. It’s a lovely kit
We got talking about the glorious pettiness of football rivalries and the fact that when Newcastle played the other week they wouldn’t even put their name on the scoreboard. They just had ‘visitors’
I walked in to the bogs in the pub to be greeted by this. Obviously in reference to the champions league final and that glorious moment where I nearly fulfilled the Derek and Clive quote… laugh? I nearly shat.
Heres to the joy of gloriously petty football rivalries
A stonking away win for Reading 4-1 at Plymouth. A few other results today also.
One of those days when I’m delighted at the misery of one of the sets of fans. Given that they’re both lesser teams these days, I’m delighted with the result in Manchester.
Newcastle don’t half miss that Isak chap.
Unai Emery is a genius right? Rope a dope first half, then smash and grab second half.
Watkins was brilliant when he came on
I think it might be time to have a punt on Villa actually going all the way. They’re on quite a roll, particularly when one of the contenders has something of a reputation for bottling it after Christmas
Some of us may have already taken punt.
What odds did you get? They’re still 19/1 which seems mad, so i’’ve had a punt. I’d think those odds will shorten dramatically if they beat Arsenal next game
It was 28/1.
It’s a dilemma tonight. Do I watch us grind out a terrible 1 nil against Wolves at home (at best, I can see us drawing or losing) or do I watch Arsenal Villa which I imagine is going to be a pretty decent match and obviously has a massive shout in the title race
I reckon I’ll be flicking between the two. It’s coming to something when we’re so bad to watch, I’d rather watch Villa
I’ve just heard Mount is now out injured, so we’ve now got 7 or 8 of our first choice squad out.
Villa are one of those clubs I always had a hatred for. I hated them for the Paul Lambert years where they hung around the relegation zone like a fart in a lift, but always somehow miraculously avoided the drop by the skin of their teeth, season after season.
They played the worst football the premier league has ever witnessed. Park the bus and grind out endless nil nil draws and the odd flukey win. It was absolutely ****ing awful! Always last game on MOTD I absolutely despised them!
This present squad has zero in common with them. They’re the polar opposite and a joy to watch
Watch the Arsenal Villa game like the rest of us. A draw will have one Manchester side s****ing away like Mutley.
Didn't realise s****ing was a swear word!
Arsenal have just scored from open play!!
Apologies stevenmenmuir for my betting being the usual kiss of death
The only thing I’m glad of is that I didn’t watch the United game. I’ll await news of the last minute Wolves winner 🙄
I've had some good wins recently, including Motherwell v Celtic tonight. It's good to see anyone laying a glove on the "bigger" teams.
Tough ask, but maybe Wolves could just turn this round. Next game is a biggee, West Ham 🤞
Villa struggled with a few missing players. No Kamara or Cash and then when Onana went off the midfield defence was shot. Oh well 12 in a row would have been nice!
They really missed Onana after he went off. Maybe should have done a bit better first half as Arsenal looked nervous and pretty open but the old set piece goal opened the floodgates. Merino really fortunate to stay on the pitch when it was 2-0, that might have changed things.
I couldn’t fathom how Merino stayed on. He definitely should have got a second yellow and been off. You could tell by the look on his face that he knew it too. Not that it’d have made much difference by that point, I suppose. The damage was already done
It’s frustrating but getting VAR involved for things like this would be wrong I think, the delays last night for some of the offside goal checks were ridiculous. The semi automated system has made no positive change in terms of time. Sure I saw a poll the other week where 90% of fans wanted rid of VAR aside from goaline technology.
Fans forget how many more bad decisions there were before VAR, because one thing it has done is to create a conversation about every involvement. I think more people should sack off listening to punditry than they criticise var, it is the hysterics of ex-players who are now pundits and give frequently biased opinions based on not having a ****ing clue about the laws of the game or their implementation.
The one thing I would change about VAR would be to bring in a time limit, if they can't find evidence that the on field decision is wrong within 60 seconds then the decision stands.
Keep it simple? Yep, leave the commentator to commentate, not have a constant dialogue with one or sometimes TWO pundits.
And yes, I do remember poor decisions pre VAR, but adding two more occasionally useless ****s to the four occasionally useless ****s already officiating was never going to make any sense to me.
Sure I saw a poll the other week where 90% of fans wanted rid of VAR aside from goaline technology.
i’f love to know who the 10% are that wouldn’t get rid of it in a heartbeat. I’ve certainly never heard anyone voice any opinion in favour of VAR
i’f love to know who the 10% are that wouldn’t get rid of it in a heartbeat
Binners, they all work for Professional Game Match Officials Limited. The tail that very much wags the dog!
Tough ask, but maybe Wolves could just turn this round. Next game is a biggee, West Ham
You couldn't wish for more obliging opponents.
I'd keep it but use it similar to the way they use it in cricket; if you're convinced the ref has made a mistake you can appeal it. Dual effect of overturning genuine errors, also reduces ridiculous appealing for stuff if you then burn your appeals on decisions you know aren't wrong.
Maybe one or two appeals per half per team, and if you use them on pointless throw ins because some player can't stop his mouth running away, they'll soon learn.
Like most people, I just can’t fathom out why, for a simple offside call, you can still be faffing around after 3 or 4 minutes, still not having reached a decision. They inevitably go with the on-field decision anyway due to the referees union
Anyone have this on their New Years Day bingo card?
Maresca leaves Chelsea after turbulent end to 2025 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8exj6w3y41o
That has been coming for a few weeks, it was only a matter of time.
His agent trying to exert pressure on the chelsea hierarchy (to go into the market and buy even more players?) by linking him to replacing Pep at city was a bit bizarre, as was the "worst 48 hours of my life" statement.
Didn't see that coming myself. I'd say he'll not be short of offers.
This is the new normal now, isn’t it? Manager is brought in by owners who demand instant (and totally unrealistic) results, spends a fortune on players, falls out with the owners about the failure to be instantly top of the league and is sacked.
Rinse and repeat….
Who’ll be next? Amorim or Frank? Both are on borrowed time
The only thing saving Amorim right now is Ratcliff's ego, sacking him just puts the nail in the coffin of his competence and proves he is as useless as the glazers.
I expected Frank to do better, but I guess it shows it isn't as much about the manager as the way the whole club is run.
However it looks like Glasner isn't signing a new contract so will probably replace one of them at the end of the season, unless chelsea throw down enough money to tempt palace now (which could start a clamor for him).
Not impressed by Frank myself. It's not clear at all that he has a plan, a style, a way he wants the team to play.
I won't miss him.
And so the managerial merry go round starts.
I wonder if there's a few at risk - I don't think the leadership has lost faith with Howe yet, but they didn't put their money in to sit in mid-table and not push on, and time isn't limitless. Howe himself has already intimated there will be a time after Eddie, once that's accepted it's when not if.
Frank has to be at risk, hasn't really got a plan AFAICT at Spurs. Amorim seems to have sorted it only to then fall back again...a right box of allsorts and the loss of Fernandes isn't going to help, with City and Arsenal looming they need something before then. Not sure what it's like IRL but online at least even Liverpool fans are turning against Slot - no passion, intensity, desire, just a side to side possession based game that isn't getting them behind the team in the way Klopp's side used to hound the opposition down and make Anfield a proper test.
The bottom positions are reaching the point where plans to stay up might need changes, are they so far adrift already that plans at Wolves and Burnley and maybe West Ham too start to turn to a Championship promotion campaign next season. Forest need some results, I think Dyche has improved them but the chairman is unpredictable so I wouldn't ink his name in for a long time either.
Pep, Arteta and Emery aside, I think it's only Le Bris that can really sleep that soundly once the madness begins!
This Sunderland City game is a proper old style premier League game. Loud, committed and end to end.
