Everton have 4 points back.

Sure they’ll be very grateful 🙄

It’s bad enough with VAR ruining games but now we’ll have to wait a few months just to find out if the points a team wins will still stand once the accountants and lawyers have done their work. And that’s not even mentioning the blatant unfairness built into the PSR rules which enable the top clubs to protect their monopoly.

neilnevill

Everton have 4 points back.

4 points back, but confirmed as guilty of breaching FFP, and given they’ve been charged again for the following season, that likely means they are guilty again, and will be docked more points in April.

Brentford got dominated. IMO liverpool should go for Bowen when Salah leaves. Natural replacement.

Bowen signed a massive extension with West Ham, up to 2030. unless there’s a release clause, Liverpool wouldn’t pay what West Ham would ask for

Klopp is on record as an admirer of Bowen. But he’s off – not sure why the papers are linking them with players when they’re not sure who the next manager will be?

not sure why the papers are linking them with players when they’re not sure who the next manager will be?

It never stopped Chelsea and thats worked out really well

Oh….

I can’t get too fussed on Everton and the points farce while we are still waiting on city etc.

while we are still waiting on city etc.

Well that just highlights the farcical nature of the the PSR/FFP nonsense. If they do find city guilty what are they going to do? Relegate them presumably, but what about the previous titles? Are they going to be wiped from the record a la Lance Armstrong or still stand? And what are the implications for the existing season? If city are relegated then they’ll put out the kids in league games and concentrate on the UCL and FA Cup which means the EPL will no longer be a level playing field.

PSR is going to throw the whole league into chaos. Seems like the EPL are exercising a test case in how to destroy their own brand.

FFP is a farce, it lets the big clubs stay big and limits those who want to be big from getting up there too quickly. Look at clubs coming up from the Championship now, the gap is massive, they get into the EPL and have to run the risk of spending, whilst staying within FFP, without knowing if they’ll go down again.

Reality is that FFP was meant to be around stopping clubs going to the wall, it’s never about fairness, not when you’ve had so many teams getting a leg up over the last 20-30 years through outspending everyone, and building their empire, it just stops new teams entering the chat.

Reality is that FFP was meant to be around stopping clubs going to the wall

The way to do that is not to prevent clubs investing in their own business, but to do what the rest of the world does and insure against failure. The EPL is in a position where they could mandate insurance payments from clubs (and take more from the richer ones) so that any club which gets itself into financial trouble can carry on operating until the end of the season at least. If banks can be bailed out so can football clubs.

I agree it’s a big mess, and hence why I’m only interested in the toffees as an indicator of what city face. Yet as dazh points out, EPL will damage the brand they are supposedly trying to protect, what ever they do.

I absolutely stand behind rules meant to protect against poor management that bankrupts clubs but agree the current system is deeply flawed. I’m not at all convinced insurance would work though.

Harrry Kane spreads Spurs-itus to Bayern despite banging in the goals.

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/harry-kane-bayern-munich-thomas-tuchel-bundesliga/blt71069aa69290f616#cs5bcbbefafaff602d

He’s going to end up with another golden boot without any team trophy this season.

ITV are apologising for the language again as they’re showing the Luton game.

Excellent chance to expand your vulgar vocabulary.

Think Haaland might be back now 🤣

Blackburn v Newcastle has been a good value as a neutral.
RM.

Extra time is ace, end to end, both having a go instead of playing for penalties.

As a Newcastle fan, we were lucky. We’ve been nowhere near our best for the last few months, injuries aside.

Unlucky Blackburn, hope your season turns around.

Think Haaland might be back now 🤣

But can he do it on a wet Tuesday night in Luton?

Yes, yes he can. Looks like the software upgrade has been completed & the bugs ironed out.

Haaland – the worlds greatest tap-in merchant. Just has 10 other players (and Tim Krul) trying to put a ball on a plate for him.

His movement is immense, in this day and age you don’t get many tap in merchants, he just leaves defenders for dead and makes it look easy.

It was a hell of a game though, when it went 3-2 you thought game on, then Haaland and De Bruyne do two quick hits, Luton had some clear cut chances as well, they keep impressing me this season, a few months back they were dead and buried, but they keep pushing and keep trying.

Just has 10 other players (and Tim Krul) trying to put a ball on a plate for him.

If only the ten of them weren’t so bloody good at it!

I’m dreading Sunday. Luckily Mrs Binners has booked us tickets to go and see Johnathon Pie and it starts half an hour before kick off. I think she did this as she feared for my mental health. My phone will be off and I’ll catch up afterwards with how many they put past us

Haaland – the worlds greatest tap-in merchant.

Seems a weird stick to try and beat a centre forward with.

I thought Haaland’s 2nd goal last night was really good. Holds off the defender to lay the ball off to KDB then turns and gets on the end of KDB’s through ball while out muscling the defender to finish. His 3rd wasn’t bad either.

There’s something wrong at Newcastle.

Even Blackburn seemed to just run through the midfield.

Players just not performing or clicking like they did.

I’m dreading Sunday. Luckily Mrs Binners has booked us tickets to go and see Johnathon Pie and it starts half an hour before kick off. I think she did this as she feared for my mental health. My phone will be off and I’ll catch up afterwards with how many they put past us

Everything looks set up for a scrappy 1-0 win for Utd

One of the most significant things about City’s win over Luton is that they did it without Rodri. When he was banned for three games earlier in the season they struggled. Their recent midfield purchases have been underwhelming but Kovacic looked good last night and Nunes showed some improvement. Still missing Gundogan though.

I loved watching the Luton City game on telly. ITV slapping big microphones in a tiny ground and then apologising for the “fruity” language picked up when crowd declared their dissatisfaction with the performance of the referee by chanting “Taylor! Taylor! Youre a ****! Taylor! You’re a ****!”

Rhymes with “hunt”

Kinda hope Luton stay up, they’ve given it a real go. Burnley and Sheff United are terrible though, Burnley especially – no willingness to adapt and tone down the pretty football despite getting hammered each week. Suspect they were overly reliant on their loanees last season.

Most teams would miss gundogan or rodri!

All the talk of keane, viera and hard men the other day….. this is a very good read
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52416192

Distinct lack of half and half scarves at this Chelsea Leeds game.

Happy memories of the 1970 cup final. That was the day I became a Chelsea supporter. Thank God Leeds didn’t win it.

^ Yeah, Chelsea did so well – home game against a second-tier team who didn’t even bother to field a full strength side against a team costing millions and millions yet they still outplayed you for the most part. You’re mid-table and you know it. MOT.

. Thank God Leeds didn’t win it.

I meant the match 54 years ago. I would have ended up as a Leeds supporter.😬

Another turgid, stodgy United performance, but they’re through. Klopp’s kids up next.

^ Yeah, Chelsea did so well – home game against a second-tier team who didn’t even bother to field a full strength side against a team costing millions and millions yet they still outplayed you for the most part. You’re mid-table and you know it. MOT.

Glad we’re out. Really didn’t want to go through especially with Leicester waiting – there’d be warnings ahead of that game from the potential of their salty tears causing flash flooding for the 3rd time this season.

But… half strength side out, arguably the better team for large parts, put 2 goals past them and conceded in the 89th minute. A good run out. The FA Cup isn’t a priority this year whereas Chelsea are desperately trying to salvage something/anything from yet another disaster of a season with their billion pound team and their idiot manager saying they need a bigger squad… They’re a great example of everything thats wrong with modern football in my opinion.

Another turgid, stodgy United performance, but they’re through.

Play like that against City on Sunday or Liverpool next round and we’re going to get absolutely slaughtered

Its now geting weirdly compelling just to watch how genuinelly, catastrophically awful Antony is. You’ve got to question the mental facalties of the person who decided he was worth 85 million quid? He’s the easiest player in the league to completely nullify as he only ever does one thing… cuts inside to try and shift the ball onto his left foot and try an bend a shot in to the top corner. That is literally all he’s got. All a defence has to do to stop him is just stand in front of him to block the shot he signposted ten minutes ago in his usual achingly predictable manner.

He can’t cross, he’s got no pace and his right boot doesn’t work. He’s without doubt the worst buy in Premier League history. They’re on about selling him on in the summer, as well as other expensive donkeys like Martial, but who the hell would buy him?

Tell you what though… Southampton are brilliant to watch.

I’m not sure how they actually lost last night, it should’ve been 4-0 to them at half time. Some of the football they play and the pace they play it with, is exceptional.

Oh joy. After scraping through against Blackburn, Newcastle get another cracking draw (City away). Forth away draw in the FA Cup in a row. Our cup draws this season have been PSG, Dortmund, Milan (Champs League group of death), City (h), Man U (a), Chelsea (a) in League Cup and S****rland, Fulham, Blackburn and City (all away) in the FA Cup. They say you need to beat the best teams to win a cup but surely not ALL of them :)? Apparently, Brazil ’70 await us in the semis.

City are starting to come together,  it’s March nearly,  it’s not surprising.   The weekend game could be interesting

Juiced to the gills and still crap

City are starting to come together

dropped the poundland hazard init ;)

Paul Pogba: Juventus midfielder banned for four years after World Cup winner tested positive for doping

The end of a thoroughly underwhelming career. He was brilliant when he could be arsed, which unfortunately was very rarely. At least someone like Gazza never lived up to his promise because he was out getting leathered and having a right old laugh. Pogba just spent his time posting selfies of his latest outfit/jewellery/haircut on Instagram.

Over his time at United he cost the club £350 million in transfer fees and wages.