GET INVOLVED - will Liverpool win the Premiership 2013/14?

http://imageshack.us/a/img713/7042/je68.jpg

needs more HE'S READY x2 then HE'S _______

get with the program

anyway, this should be a more interesting season than last. the main narrative for me is the phalanx of recently-promoted clubs who've just made lots and lots of surprisingly big signings. should be quite a few good teams around, given semi-competent management

I'm looking forward to seeing the debut of the highly mooted Gooner Warchest

"liverpool fans can't pick a title 2012/3" imo

My English Premier league season started with

Just switched on BT Sport for the first time and they've got Primal Scream performing Come Together live in the studio wtf

Ach they're spoiling it with a football montage.

Onimo Letting them off coz the montage featured a Tony Yeboah belter.

govt named myself there ffs

Owen Hargeaves: pundit

HE'S READY
http://visionsport.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/OwenHargreaves-Training-300x187.jpg

If we'd only relocated to ILF I could zap that for you

I like being reminded Owen Hargreaves exists.

I'm pretty sure he owns an English theme pub in Calgary with my cousin. My mother got a phone call from my uncle at midnight a few years ago asking if she had a recipe for mushy peas she could pass on to them.

Eh?! That's the most implausible thing posted here since darragh's last game of fives.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZnYoAxSMPg/T9mv8kP63xI/AAAAAAAAGm8/slOGyOLW0is/s320/levy.jpg

HE'S READY

http://nbcprosoccertalk.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/big-spender-wenger.png?w=320

HE'S READY

http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1984498.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Joe-Kinnear-Football-Manager-of-Wimbledon-with-his-Manager-of-the-year-award-1984498.jpg

HE'S FXCKING READY AND ALL U CVNT

http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/ay114303684di_canio-_tattoo.jpg

HE AND SOME OF HIS BEST FRIENDS LIKE TREVOR SINCLAIR AND CHRIS POWELL ARE READY

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/08/article-2358272-1AB77C31000005DC-589_634x398.jpg

HE'S 'READY'

http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2172440.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Tom-Huddlestone-2172440.jpg

HE'S OM NOM NOM

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2013/5/30/1369930789714/Mark-Hughes-Stoke-City-008.jpg

HE'S SENSING PEOPLE WANT HIM TO DO WELL

http://www.footballkitnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Jose-Enrique-Liverpool-Away-Kit-2013-2014.jpg

HE'S... yeah fair enough tbh

still can't get over how supremely grim these opening fixtures are

[sighs, fires up lfc stoke stream]

1221: Liverpool v Stoke (1245 BST)
Ah, sweet music. Jimmy Nail's 'Ain't no doubt' is blasting out over the tannoy at Anfield as the players warm-up. The Premier League is definitely back, isn't it?

wicked tune tbf

and of course none more appropriate to anfield events

SHE'S LYIN

is there a streaming site

http://firstrowproxy.com/

^HE'S READY

those pictures of the managers beside the team sheets are quite offputting

ooh dear mignolet

lol wtf was that mark halsey bit

oh christ, we're going to hear from Mark Halsey after every decision?

Steven Gerrard's out-swinging crosses from the right are immaculate

Do I mean out-swinging? idk

lol studge

ffs if we draw or lose this

oh christ, we're going to hear from Mark Halsey after every decision?

― Number None, Saturday, 17 August 2013 12:57 (2 minutes ago) Bookmark

i hope he says "yep good decision our referee's assistants are the best in the world" every time

lil mickey revelling in new role of lil gobshite

informative pop-up there of hughes watching the game and pointing

and there he is

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BR3Zy0bCQAAh3eq.jpg

come on u dark shales

Halsey really bringing some top quality content.

Got to score that, I'm fearing the worst now

Oh it was Henderson, nm

Top of the league!

nice hit tbf

Oh my christ bt are killing football

btw that pic of rodgers beside the lineup was incredible, incredible

he's put a marker down early with that one. Interested to see if if the rest of the field can live up to it

For a moment I thought he was going for the replica shirt/jeans combo.

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BR3i9OpCYAAhe4q.jpg

nice look

what was hughes' like

liverpool were excellent there. really think the rodgers project is coming together

shhhh

Owen Hargreaves is gonna be terrific

i will have my say klata

i will get involved

The movement between the lines is terrific, but it is against Stoke.

David James providing expert analysis of Mignolet's early blunders, spot on BT

Mark Halsey shaking as he admitted he was nervous pre-match was a key moment here, I'm worried about the lad, he's a fish out of water Brian

begovic is definitely on dis ting

lol hawkeyeing that

Trying to kid themselves that hawkeye will be of any use more than twice all season.

Stoke are worse

another big save from begovic

Trying to kid themselves that hawkeye will be of any use more than twice all season.

THANK YOU

*video of blatant foul*
"as a referee you turn a blind eye to those sorts of things"

Trying to kid themselves that hawkeye will be of any use more than twice all season.

THANK YOU

― in France they piss on Main Street (Noodle Vague), Saturday, August 17, 2013 2:22 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark

this is such a bullshit argument

I think the point is that while it's worth having it's nonsense trying to make a big thing out of it.

oh liverpool

ARGH

trololol

YES

now see it out lads

Keeper! Brilliant.

ffs

mignolet delivering when it matters tbf

THE OFFICIAL START OF THE SEASON

walters and i were worried minnie was going to break the goal tbh

Great noise from the crowd for that save, actually feel quite pleased for Mignolet

*video of blatant foul*
"as a referee you turn a blind eye to those sorts of things"

― Rummmpatitum, Rummmpatitum Traboo, Traboo, Traboo (onimo), Saturday, 17 August 2013 14:25 (7 minutes ago) Bookmark

"you don't look for trouble" was my fave

Gah! The BT Sport server seems to have fried about twenty minutes ago and i missed all this.

"fabulous game" o__0

it was a good game, surprisingly

I guess you could say that the lads in shale didn't have enough gas in the tank. You could say that.

Is Halsey's only role going to be to excuse poor refereeing every week, with an obligatory "Let's not forget about the man in the middle" at the end of each game? What a great idea

I imagine the lads in suits are checking his contract break clause as we speak

Of BT's nine matchday analysts, he'll be the one sacked before christmas.

NAMING RIGHTS thread killing it on the 'most read' list right now

Di Canio says NO to ketchup

For 25 days I accepted this, because my first priority was to work on the field. However, I’ve said that from now if someone comes inside with a mobile phone, even in their bag, I’ll throw it in the North Sea. They’re banned.”

Ah fucking hell, so it begins. Ox released down the left with no one near him, cross for Giroud to slot in

Bummer, but nice play from Arsenal.

The comments of people GETTING INVOLVED at the Beeb live coverage are depressingly predictable

Liverpool score: WHO NEEDS SUAREZ
Arsenal score: WHO NEEDS NEW SIGNINGS

We should set up an ILF twitter account and aim to get quoted on that page ffs

joe cole, remember the name

Second half of that first game has made me long for the winter break.

Centre halves marking space, sack em. Sack em all.

That's a red. Fuckers.

drizzle and gale and malky mackay with his coat on. the epl sleeper has awakened

Shit pens a theme today it seems

Cunt ref

Good job he got the rebound, that penalty was cack

cack is too kind.

Jesus, this is a fucking bloodbath atm, everyone's getting hurt

Garth Crooks going nutso over the lack of red card "Wenger wants goal line technology! He wants justice! Where's the justice there?!"

Keown going "aye awright, fuck sake Garth" under his breath.

Yeah Crooks is being quoted on the BBC website now:

This is the magic of football, we bring in goal-line technology which Arsene Wenger says will bring 'justice', but then we have the goalkeeper pulling a player down and he does not go. Anything other than at least a point for Villa and Paul Lambert deserves to feel aggrieved."

Last sentence is proof of how over-excited he's getting, has he seen our defence?

jenk on. switching from sunderland - fulham to ars - vill

fuckin hell villa harlequins

i too have switched to this from whu/cardiff

keeping the radio on to keep abreast of kevin lisbie goals though

i'm already starting to get sick of this season, charltonwise. ten games they say, ten games

haaaaaaaa chesney

did well with the first tackle on benteke tbf

That looked like Arsenal trying to outlol the Villa defense. My god.

westwood floating it in was stupid. just cunt the bloody thing

when did villa turn into these lumpen thugs

tbf it's only incompetence masquerading as thuggery, no real malice there i don't think

i too would prefer us to be playing properly, as ever though arsenal midfield / manager / supporters showing that they don't like it up em

v much enjoyed flying delph there

Ref is an idiot cheat cunt, booking luna there is incredible.

when did villa turn into these lumpen thugs

― "fear of putting out" in one's early thirties (darraghmac), Saturday, 17 August 2013 15:40 (14 minutes ago) Bookmark

~ 2004?

Ref is an idiot cheat cunt, booking luna there is incredible.

― "fear of putting out" in one's early thirties (darraghmac), Saturday, 17 August 2013 14:51 (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

booked for simulation iirc

Robbed by the post. Damn it.

fucking hell if arsenal finish above liverpool on this evidence - if they spirit top 4 again - it'll be satanic, unconscionable nikemancy

He's having a pretty super game, his change of pace coming out of midfield is excellent

fulham have scored. now to discover it was berbatov

kasami? oh, nm

i coin 'nikemancy' and two minutes later ariseth 'kasami'. fitba

hawkeye to the rescue again

it'll be a laughing stock right up until it pulls one outta the bag

oh ffs ref :D

Let's hope he does better this time eh

Never a penalty, jeez!

Justice

Course thats a fuckin pen ffs he cleaned him out

He's given the penalty, how's that not a red? HOW IS THAT NOT A RED?

ah there's always next season.

this is a classic arsenal win tbf

rubbing my hands at the prospect of Wenger's panic spree tbh

I'm feeling pretty grateful that the Orient are my local team.

hipster

gonna assume both of those everton goals came at the zenith of two exquisite team moves

arselol

really wish I'd gone to this

Lolsenal

VAN WOLFSWINKEL

The Wolfswinkel has bitten!

no way do Villa finish with eleven men

what a save

Benteke has had a fuckin stinker tbh

Yeah he's really not done an awful lot for a two-goal performance has he?

His back to goal holdup play hasn't been bad, but he's had nothing facing goal worth talking about.

This looks like one hell of a game, wish I could see it at more than 0.5 frames per second

And done. Luna redeems all his horrible defense.

LOL tremendous!

Wow

Arsenal are shite

cognitive dissonance at that amount of space tbh

http://www.city-data.com/forum/members/jill61-603505-albums-emoticons-pic59494-rubbing-hands-smiley.gif

Good old Arsenal

Jesus

oof, vicious Ganso Bomb on Sagna.

in case I forgot to mention this before I actually hate football

two more injuries and a suspension from the first game of the season, well done arsenal good job

obv conspiracy to encourage signings tbh

they have what, one recognised cb now? I dont even know who there is to come in

hey guys maybe you don't need a striker but an actual squad of players

also you need another striker

The UN wouldnt recognise ur centre halves tbr

villa at the top of the table!

'they', 'you' - come on Suedey

:'(

Injuries meant he couldn't bring on Sanogo from the bench to save the game

future of the left ‏@shit_rock 4m

You could see that result coming the second Arsenal were reduced to ten flaming anger owls of limitless injustice.

the fuck is Sanogo even doing on the bench, the fuck is frimpong even doing there at all

http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2013/06/16/donwah.o.jpg/a_560x0.jpg

Who was the ZZ Top beardy guy on your bench btw?

Poldi in disguise

Arsène reads this thread and sheds a single tear remembering the days when Arsenal were occasionally part of the Klata 'we'.

Send em all off ffs

end football

heh xxp, I may be making my debut as a travelling gooner shortly, they're fast approaching my haplessness threshold

Rvp otm

Wellbeck otm

If Utd stroll to the title with another year of efficient 2-0 wins I'll fucking despair

remember when rvp wasn't a proper striker? good one bbc pundits

someone chop cleverley's arms off please

am now watching the twenty20 final

United success = thread death

you should all join me, azhar mahmood's on to bowl, the ol' stager. the giggs of pakistani cricket

david willey, the jack wilshere of english cricket

Daddy cool

ach, sweet

Ah but that was delicious tbf

Piers Morgan still a treat on twitter tbh

Yikes what if Utd just go on like this?

Piers Morgan still a treat on twitter tbh

― In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre), Saturday, 17 August 2013 18:21 (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

don't even bring attention to him. not joking. please just don't.

anyway, utd won't go on like this imo. most open title-race in a few years. spurs could get within 10 points if everything clicks

man city strongest though imo

It's almost like selling this van persie guy was a mistake somehow

I'd welcome him as a regular to the Wengerball thread, but he'd probably rake in the FP's

xxxp

i would post the word 'cunt' after his each post, emboldened and capitalised

more sportspeople should follow suit when he cosies his mouth up to their glans

slash labia, although he tends to pick on blokes

a cunt's cunt, piers

I'd applaud you for that. I just like seeing him suffer and feel miserable every time Arsenal loses (or RVP scores)

xxxp

ten million arsenal fans and you have to find the most attention-hungry

you could at least roam through arseblog. tbh suedey and hoy if/when he posts are meat and wine enough for me

unless of course the away boyz finally record 'sorry arsene, whoa-oh, you gotta go. YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH'

True that

What's the general standard of discussion like across team-specific messageboards for the EPL? I only ask because I've just briefly dropped in on Villa Talk to check out their reaction to today's victory / what was being said during the game itself, and the stuff being spouted, heavy criticism of Delph, of Weimann, talk of how strong the defence was looking, about how we "utterly outplayed" Arsenal... I mean I can't even.. Are they all like this? I rarely venture

largely. the liverpool one is fairly erudite as these things go

and actually the man u one is not insane, predictably enough (little success breeds distortion and madness, success every year just about breeds perspective)

they're all horrendously sexist obv

Before I get interested this year, are Cardiff going to get relegated?

It's not an auspicious start for them today, totally outplayed by accounts. So I'd say its fairly likely, as West Ham are the type of side they'd've hoped to be able to compete with.

xps I'd been trying not to make rawk a habit, but Chris turned me onto it recently and there are some really good things on there. I never look at any others, life's too short

https://mobile.twitter.com/bizriley/status/368806123685425153/photo/1

So how the fuck am I going to see the United goals from today?

MotD?

Or here, alternatively: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x139g0l_swansea-city-1-4-manchester-united_sport?search_algo=2

LBI you're a prince! Thanks very much.

No problem!

The second RVP goal deserves more praise imho

a hoy hoy goin ham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSFEaI4HdA#at=21

If we don't end up with one big proper signing this summer im gonna be sad. There hae been so many Higuain or Jovetic stories that... its gonna be like Darren Bent or someone innit... *sad face*

― tell me more (a hoy hoy), Sunday, May 19, 2013 10:47 PM (2 months ago)

Poor fella. Bent's gone on loan to Fulham today, even that was too optimistic.

I miss Lawro...

That Barkley strike's a bit of a bastard.

He's quite good.

really is unnervingly rooneyesque

That gong sound under the ~analyses~ logo in MotD is unnerving

http://imageshack.us/a/img42/706/vpja.jpg

This is a terrible soundbite, but a sweet sweet photo.

vincent tan working the supervillain look v well

oh no idk if i can watch adel with this lot

... huh, not one sight of him

no advantage gained? he got a free shot on an open goal when agbonlahor was otherwise moving away from the goal

dunno bout that

2nd pelanty illegit too

the knee chat is specious

come now rtc, fulham is custom-built for players like taarabt, and you wouldn't have had the coming of hitchcock if he was still at loftus road

I like the West Ham shirt this year, there's a pleasing 80s retrocity to its proportions.

Penalty calls both good imo

AOC lucky not to see at least yellow for his slide into luna, for the latter to be booked was o_O

xp yeah adidas and west ham seems to carry a charge

the sponsor is kinda too yuppie though

At least there's Leighton Baines. Good old Leighton Baines, still doing the right things, quietly going about his business,

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/17/leighton-baines-transfer-window

fuck off taylor, you hovis ad dick.

thought this was good too:

I can't really fault Jon Walters for the penalty, even if he has missed a few.

There's an element of educated guesswork here, on the basis that Baines has kept his feelings to himself, but

or that he is capable of feeling

There's an element of educated guesswork here, on the basis that Baines has kept his feelings to himself, but

Gareth Bale, like Baines, has not said anything this summer. That, however, is where the similarities end. Bale, we are told, is "distraught" and "horrified" he is still waiting for Tottenham to accept Real Madrid's gold.

the similarities end cos bale doesn't like miles kane.

different club, still speeding

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/17/fernandinho-wayne-rooney-manchester-city

nngghhhhhhh die wilson u patronising fuck

list of informative and concise paul wilson columns

― Nilmar Honorato da Silva, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 11:29 (4 days ago)

So Wayne Rooney is the last of the street footballers, is he?

wtf. don't ever remember anyone talking about wazza in this manner.

Al Jazeera sport w/ gullit, keegan, keys & grey. The Dave channel of the Muslim world. Oh ffs, Drury has just shown up.

Purse shopping ffs what news

Palace actually look alright?

penalty to Spurs

Soldado does the business

GET INVOLVED - will Liverpool win the Premiership 2013/14? [Started by Ismael Klata in August 2013, last updated 37 seconds ago by Number None on I Love Everything] 235 new answers
Quit defending the Eagles! They’re simply terrible [Started by scott seward in August 2013, last updated 38 seconds ago by Josh in Chicago on I Love Music] 514 new answers

ha, was just thinking

you have to admit palace have got moxey

Tks.

70% off in french connection btw

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01852/bellamy__a_1852713c.jpg

when was the 'natural/unnatural position' aspect of the handball rule introduced?

Two ladies hold up another banner welcoming Jose Mourinho back to Stamford Bridge but then frankly let themselves down with poor grammar, proclaiming that they are "the happy one's". Poor, poor form.

Not necessarily poor grammar. You all know those Stamford Bridge afterparties

Well that was fun.

Goalie goes for KO on torres. Then Lampard misses the pen.

walk across, punch torres in the head, save his penalty = allan mcgregor shows you how to live

doesn't have the nickname shagger for nothing

It was a decent punch. Torres has a strong chin though.

is that div in the crowd really going to watch the entire match through the cardboard eyes of his cut out jose mask with his dirty hot chelsea breath coming back at him

Just remembered 'Bobby Tambling won't be on dis ting' was going to be my entry for this year's thread title, alas too late

Hull don't look too bad. They don't really have a final ball* but pretty slick in possession with decent movement. They could probably afford to be more patient.

*I prescribe 1x Thudd. I would also really like to see Boyd

great double save then

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway: "I've got to learn what a foul is because I thought Nacer Chadli deliberately bodychecked Stephen Dobbie, smashed him down, and ran off with the ball.

"If the referee didn't see that, the assistant should have. You have to ask if he's good enough if he didn't see that. I don't see how he can miss that.

"A minute and a half later, we're arguing over whether it was deliberate handball.

"I don't understand how it was a penalty, or how Dean Moxey could have got out of the way of it. I had three players right behind him.

"It's going to be a long hard season for me with these people (referees). I had this with Blackpool. Certain clubs get fouls and others don't. Tottenham will feel that if they play Man United.

"Do I think I would have got that at Tottenham? No I don't. I just want a bit of fairness. I want a foul like anyone else would have got one.

"I've got a horrible taste in my mouth after that."

if I start the thread 'fuck off Ian Holloway', who's in?

Holloway otm

it would perhaps be instructive to observe how many penalties CPFC were awarded last season

it's about time a manager broke this code of silence bullshit about smaller clubs in the Prem getting fuck all from the officials

Havent seen it but wouldnt surprise me, the refs individually arent competent nor brave enough to be corrupt but the FA are far too happy to allow them to make the least-fuss decisions and deny subsequent action.

Mark Halsey said as much yesterday, it should've been incredible

he may have a point in the general case but I happened to be watching the minute or so of play he describes, and both were correct officiating calls imo

there was also a strong case for a spurs penalty in between that was not given

chelsea just had the most stonewall penalty of *all time, bro* denied against hull, admittedly when 2-0 up

ah yomp, missed ya

95% of yomps are blocked, of course, owing to thudd's sloth, but my word I hope they bruise

Is this the right thread for us spending FIF-TEEEN MILLLLION POU-UNDS on Pablo Osvaldo? Cos I'm feeling a bit bemused.

a perfect end to the best week of rickie lambert's life and the last week of his career as an epl first choice #9

wtf he was ours i thought

Awes

Starting to get concerned about you lot tbh

When did mourinho get so like jack dee

watching that Villa breakaway goal again, for much of the move the referee's further back than any Arsenal defender

http://imageshack.us/a/img15/6743/lik5.jpg

It's the missus' birthday today and I've long been coveting this pin badge I saw in Clinton's, so I improvised this card from the boy. Amazingly it seems to be passing without comment.

well imo you are the bestest mummy and you deserve the badge

there it is

have any other liverpool fans got their suarez apology yet? i was out when he called yesterday but he left a lovely note.

Ha all i got was a text from bale said "soz m8 wont make next week foot's still a lil tender lol ~{(<3)}~"

the Arsenal panic bids begin...

not that a Utd supporter can really take the high ground

They're meant to have offered £10m for Cabaye - roughly £15m less than PSG were apparently quoted for him earlier this summer.

why do they even bother?

They started the summer boasting about their £90m or whatever, ergo nobody's going to accept any first offer they make, regardless of what it is - so might as well make it derisory. Might be the thinking.

Though there does seem to be an assumption on their and Utd's part that their hand strengthens as the window starts to close, which doesn't compute imo what with bumper tv money and all.

£11m bid now being reported. It'll be £11,000,001 by the end of the day.

Next week: Arsene handcuffs himself to a radiator in Everton's lobby and refuses to leave until they give him Seamus Coleman.

what a carcrash of a window, what the hell are they thinking

following anonanon's back-in-the-dating-game analogy, right now it's 4am, the nightclub is emptying out, and they're drunkenly slurring in the general direction of every girl who's left.

eh tbh if the analogy is to match the football transfer window it must surely involve a brothel

^^^ jilted John

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BSCsh6KCcAEygOR.jpg

"It's fantastic to work with Mauricio," striker Osvaldo told BBC Sport.

"He's a great motivator and for me it's very important to work with people who appreciate and respect how I work."

He added: "For some years I've been working with people who don't appreciate how I work as a player, so it's great for me to to be working with people who do appreciate it."

Poch Casual

following anonanon's back-in-the-dating-game analogy, right now it's 4am, the nightclub is emptying out, and they're drunkenly slurring in the general direction of every girl who's left.

― SKYLER FFS SKYLER SKYLER SKYLER (Merdeyeux), Monday, 19 August 2013 17:00

u got some esteemed company

gareth ‏@arsenal_rebel 2h

@The_Clock_End we are like the fat bird on a Saturday night just because we have tits doesn't mean someone will take us home

Rob Blake ‏@RBlake8 3h

Arsenal's transfer window equivalent - Go out looking to pull a 10/10, but end up settling for fittest 4am bird #scraps

god.

oh no someone said something on the internet come quick guys come QUICK LOOK WHAT SOMEONE SAID ON THE INTERNET oh it speaks so much of our times

― darraghmac, 13 August 2013 18:18 (6 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

im begging u nakh not the footy threads

deems m8 pls

that wasnt posted fors its inherent content value but as an oblique condemnation of merdes' phallocentric ananlogy http://i.imgur.com/Upb6TlN.gif

oh no someone said something on the internet come quick guys come QUICK LOOK WHAT SOMEONE SAID ON THE INTERNET oh it speaks so much of our times

said on the internet about something someone said on the internet.

Its a c&p tbh

surely u can tell the difference between c&p simply for 'oh look how terrible these random internet comments are smdh' reasons and c&p for rhetorical effect

it's all going a bit Metasacker

i do feel rightly chastened it's true.

fitba threads need as much meta as possible, else they degenerate into barely ironized got involvements or ronayish winsome dogshit

It was a c&p of something i posted a week ago how does that work

they're ready
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTlOKpSrK3Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTlOKpSrK3Y

city looking really good, particularly dzeko. excellent goal from kun.

huh forgot about this match

taylor an idiot as ever but harsh for a straight red it seemed to me

Yeah, there was a wee bit of swing in the arm but it didn't seem especially malicious.

Citeh looking ominously good I agree, the front 6 (7 if you include Zabaleta) have been linking up beautifully. Loads of movement, lots of one-twos and eye-of-the-needle passes, Fernandinho and Navas both looking right at home. Good match so far

lol carra is all i have to say

from what little i could make out i think he said he was surprised city didnt play "4-4-3-3"

yeah idk, letter of the law and all that but the ref has really leapt on the opportunity to kill the game there. vanity decision imo

pretty sure Taylor was exacting revenge for Kun smashing the ball into his arm and claiming a penalty moments before

xpost - "Kill the game" perhaps not entirely accurate or fair on the ref. Ben Arfa aside, Newcastle have brought very little to the contest and there were no signs that City were going to slow down before that red card, they were heading for a 4 or 5 nil regardless, the way the game was heading. Will now happily watch them rack up a cricket score if Pellegrini doesn't pull a Mourinho

Debuchy looks good for a sending off too

This sounds worth watching?

wouldn't be surprised if Pardew quits before the final whistle

Definitely worth watching Klats, City are really good fun, Dzeko jut forced a brilliant short-range stop from Krul with a header. Freekick on edge of area for City now

quality

the exhibition is continuing in the second half

Can't work out the balance between City being good and the Toon being cack here

Missed this bcz kill me now ilx fight. City cruising?

i've seen this danse macabre before and trust me newcastle are only pretending to play here. yknow, sort of get into positon, sort of do a run, sort of put in an aimless cross. pards is a dead man walking

Joe Kinnear in charge of a talented yet inconsistent, poorly organised crew of Gallic shrug-merchants, what a story

Got to agree xp on the basis of these ninety seconds I've been watching

five Man City players simultaneously breaking the Newcastle offside trap was pretty nice.

a particularly FIFA-esque moment

yeah the dink in for that from yaya was superb

be interesting to see if nasri responds to new management, you kind of totally forget just how good he once was

Gotta be annoyed getting injured in this

dearie me

Debuchy has been really awful tonight

iirc he's been pretty bad from the moment he arrived

yeah, I don't think the Newcastle fans have taken to him at all

damn aguero's goal was a beaut

goal of the weekend imo tbh, get that challop right up ye

Wanna say Barkley or Welbeck for how unexpected they were, but on balance I think I agree. Kompany striding out / the big man's flick / dat finish = a special goal

i wasnt really bothered about the build-up tbh, just that his options running through were 99% thwack and hope it rifles into the top corner and 1% slide it to the inch where krul won't reach, and he executed the latter

Pardew added: 'We've prepared with the lad for three days and then for him to have his head turned by this bid from Arsenal on the eve of a game is just disrespectful in my view. Why it couldn't have waited until tomorrow morning I do not know and I don't think the result would have been the same if he had played.'

lol idiot

In a direct conversation with Dick Law, Arsenal’s contract negotiator, it is understood that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley responded to the offer for Cabaye with the words: “Which part of him do you want to buy?”

It's still Welbeck btw

i really liked van wolfswinkle's header, beautiful arc to it. cavani's goal has them all beat, though.

Wenger’s detailed knowledge of every player’s contract even created an issue when Oxlade-Chamberlain was making substitute appearances for Arsenal last season. Written into the England winger’s deal is a clause stating that Arsenal must pay Saints £10,000 every time Oxlade-Chamberlain appears for more than 20 minutes. Incredibly a trend emerged, with Wenger bringing him off the bench after 72 minutes (v Stoke), 73 minutes (Liverpool), 72 minutes (Coventry), 65 minutes (Norwich), 76 minutes (Fulham), 86 minutes (Tottenham), 67 minutes (Swansea), 73 minutes (West Ham), 71 minutes (Swansea), and 75 minutes (Reading). Arsenal’s accounts department were stunned to receive an email from Southampton demanding payment for the appearances, with the south coast club justifying their argument based on stoppage time. Eventually Arsenal agreed to pay for the appearances and the story worked its way around the offices at the Emirates with bafflement among staff.

oh god somebody sort this out

where's that from?

The Mail. Quite possibly bullshit but funny if true

Surely it's fairly normal to bring on a relatively inexperienced but exciting player who likes to run with the ball sometime after 70 minutes? If this is evidence of Wenger taking an unusual interest in contract details I would think it's more likely that he suggested this clause be inserted knowing that he would likely play for ~15mins quite often rather than Wenger delaying bringing him on in order to save the club a few £.

He pretty much always makes subs around the 70 minute mark (which itself is a problem reflecting his inflexibility), so it's hardly "incredible" that he'd do the same with Chamberlain. The club is a complete mess atm (and arguably has been for some time) and there's a bunch of stuff that could be criticised but the Ox sub stuff sounds exaggeration (if not made up).

I like the idea of someone who works for Southampton starting a stopwatch as soon as he comes on

Agger: "Barcelona are obviously a big club, but I have never thought about leaving Liverpool, unless they want to sell. Everyone at the club are an integral part of my life. I. I have a YNWA tattoo. Frankly I don't mind if we don't finish in the top four, I love the club as if it were my own family."

First part of the last sentence needs a bit of work but otherwise otm.

I like Fulham this season, kinda like an old school mid-table Spurs. They'll win the FA Cup.

^absolutely in no way will they do this in this era. maybe transposed 18 years into the past they'd have a shout.

yeah, the final is all about big clubs like Wigan, Stoke and Portsmouth nowadays

In the sense that most of their players peaked in 1995, perhaps so

Well, I picture a nonchalant Berbatov strolling around Wembley, cup aloft. Though I guess it could be a mug from Primark.

Wayne Veysey ‏@wayneveysey 10m
Lots going on at Spurs. Willian has chosen #THFC over LFC & is undergoing medical today. Roma chief Sabattini meeting Baldini about Lamela.

Wayne Veysey ‏@wayneveysey 7m
Told #THFC have offered Roma £29.9m for Lamela & a 5-year, £65,000-a-week contract is on the table.

cya bale

uneasy about willian tbph.... at what cost

i thought it was either/or with those two

we're overlapping on both threads

there was talk at the weekend that liverpool would buy damiao if they couldn't get willian. be interesting to see damiao and soldado pairing up.

Is there a word for the uneasy feeling during the interregnum where the two threads are running in parallel? There should be, it's a very modern malaise.

if the authorities would do the decent thing and have the end of the transfer window coincide with the start of the season we wouldn't have this problem

yeah, the final is all about big clubs like Wigan, Stoke and Portsmouth nowadays

― beans on toast and ghosts (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 10:53 (1 hour ago)

all of which were capable of sustained dedication to a *system* - fulham are far too fancypants lightweight for a serious cup-run

Benteke <3

Lovely.

http://i.minus.com/iZZuDJm6kPmZZ.gif

why is this game happening today? and why is demba ba playing? thought he was going to roma.

Super Cup this weekend?

Villa are gorgeous to watch on the break, in a rustic kind of way

Lukaku at least a head taller than Okore and Vlaar, feck

my old man was looking for this on TV, Super Cup be damned

gah, shouldn't be on the pitch etc

How was that not a penalty? Swings and roundabouts following the weekend I spose, but still. Galling.

"When I was the world's most expensive player, I loved it." Alan Shearer, aged 39, who won a competition to be a BBC Sports pundit for the day.

http://www.gifti.me/i/WXUfOieY.gif

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is so angry about Chelsea's pursuit of Willian he is ready to cancel the £94m transfer of Wales forward Gareth Bale, 24, to Real Madrid.

That'll show them.

Trolololol. "The deal's off. You're not fucking going. *click*", imagining Bale's lower lip starting to wobble after that phone call.

before beating him to death with a huge black dildo

It'd take a pretty special kind of man to toss away nearly £100 million out of sheer annoyance

sheer annoyance with someone else to boot. I think we've reached the 'corgi helps pick royal baby name' phase of this saga

/Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is so angry about Chelsea's pursuit of Willian he is ready to cancel the £94m transfer of Wales forward Gareth Bale, 24, to Real Madrid./

That'll show them.
--Wantaway striker (LocalGarda)

Isn't it more to show Madrid its not guaranteed yet and not to try lowering the bid

Levy doesn't care, RM still owe money for Modric don't they?

It reminds me of the one time a year I happen upon televised poker. No idea what's a good hand, no idea what anyone's trying to achieve, no idea why they're trying to achieve it. All I know is I should be watching something else.

Given that Chelsea have a host of superior players the Willian thing just looks like an attempt to fuck Spurs over.

How much playing time are Schurrle, De Bruyne and van Ginkel going to get this season?

Mourinho's back in the game, kids

Maybe Chelsea will buy Willian and loan him to West Brom.

they're a man down tbf

if i'd to choose btwn starting last season with our squad then and this season with our squad now - bale + £85m i think we're in better shape now- particularly if the chiriches deal goes through and strengthens cover at cb

getting in a first team lw quickly with some of that cash would make that inarguable imo

What's happening with Lamela now? He could probably fill that role you'd have thought

i do think! i think that he'd be 30m wiser spent, certainly, than on willian.

Where are these opinions coming from? I too prefer Lamela, but that's based on having him on my mental 'to watch' list when he was a nipper and seeing him be alright once or twice for Roma. Plus a vague feeling that if you must have a misspelt name, 'Erik' is a more respectable choice than 'Willian'.

Football manager and written reports, as per. Guy has 20 for flair, hoooey

I feel like a Wenger in a Baldini world

Lamela (4 March 1992) 102 25
Willian (9 August 1988) 274 40

Apple (forward)
Orange (winger)

Shame we never will see Willian, Defoe, lining up for Spurs. Would have been Hollywood stuff.

At River he drew comparisons with compatriot Javier Pastore, a languid left-footed playmaker who would glide past players and pick a telling pass.

However, since moving to Italy his position has changed somewhat and Lamela's game has altered.

From being lumbered with the creative burden on the entire team at River Plate, he was shifted into a wide right role at the Olimpico, with license to drift out of position, cut inside, or drive into the penalty area.

This brought him a significantly increased goal haul, particularly under the ultra-attacking coaching of Zdenek Zeman at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Now comfortable on either flank, Lamela's game is no longer comparable to that of a central playmaker like Pastore, and instead his direct running game from the wing is more akin to Cristiano Ronaldo than the Paris Saint-German midfielder.

Blessed with more brains and creative qualities than CR7, Lamela is a slighter, leaner figure but still one capable of destroying defences - as he showed with 15 league goals from the flank last season.

Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-transfer-news-erik-lamela-2207790#ixzz2cn8mQzmf
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

"Blessed with more brains than CR7"

Praise indeed

willian isn't so much an extra layer of gold paint for the bentley as a set of flaming skull decals on either side

bentley's flaming skull, spurs fans

Would pay to see him kick Bentley's flaming skull into a faraway skip

You just don't see that kind of thing in today's game.

suspect the original quote attributed to zidane was fabricated by an english hack

bobby moore kicked flaming skulls into skips all day, never tweeted or had his agent go blaring to the press about it, never earned millions like the stars of today. that game is dead, and we are a poorer sport for it.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3353/mh1n.jpg

Yikes.

Plus a vague feeling that if you must have a misspelt name, 'Erik' is a more respectable choice than 'Willian'.

― Ismael Klata, Friday, August 23, 2013 6:56 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

where would "Adem" rank?

xp

thank fuck Saunders has gone

adem is a turkish name

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9488/stg6.jpg

the suggestion is it's a strange name for a serb but apparently he is actually bosniak

congrats for thinking erik is a misspelling tho

Cannot believe different languages have different spellings. John Mata's another one who annoys me.

*John Kill

*Esme Clatter

So Mourinho's literally given the nod to Willian in a press conference. A team in need of a new striker, holding midfielder and centre back but already with enough attacking midfield/forward types to rotate the whole lot every week, spaffing £30 million on a winger.

Tbh I think Spurs and/or United and/or Arsenal should be trying to sign Mata, he must be fuming

I suppose he might be offered to United in part-ex for Rooney.

don't really see how united could not win the league if they have mata and van persie. i can't believe that deal would ever happen.

at this stage united probably wouldnt sell to weaken themselves and strengthen a rival whatever the fee (well, south of £50m i guess). mata would be the solution?

Mata @ united wld b choice

sorry but we have a one in one out policy for united fans here, back of the line

at this stage united probably wouldnt sell to weaken themselves and strengthen a rival whatever the fee (well, south of £50m i guess). mata would be the solution?

fail to see what this has to do with a supposed rooney transfer tbph

we really need more chelsea fans (i.e. where's Pete W?)

I find this all a bit odd from Jose really, Casillas at Real caused huge problems although probably for different reasons, but it's not like Jose started fucking with Cron or Ozil. Wtf is he thinking, alienating the obvious star player in the squad? Anyone watching Chelsea last year could see that Mata was their top player. No one except maybe towards the end of the season Hazard even came close.

Totally not buying that Mata doesn't fit the system either, he should be ahead of Oscar in the pecking order for the central 10 role. A lot was made of Jose wanting to play him wide right as the only decent left-footed contender, but that doesn't seem to be materialising either

i think oscar is coming pretty close to mata, but it still makes no sense to buy someone else and/or sell mata to a rival.

sorry but we have a one in one out policy for united fans here, back of the line

o_0

What's the fuss about living in Chelsea Harbour, anyway?

we bought anyone yet?

One in, twenty nine out (seven on loan) so far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%9314_Arsenal_F.C._season#Transfers_2

it sanogo area

mine eyes

ik i have never yet iirc fp'd u but the 'mine' usage is a sore trial

you're complaining about my post?

that's a Godfather Part III to the Godfather Part II of 'thothial conthruct'.

the obv question is what was part I

and yknow maybe you have to allow for the gfiii (which some ppl rep for btw) to get the occasional i and ii just sayin

part I: Your favourite jokes about Euro 2008

eh u know that the godfathers all had the same director right

just sayin

Godfather III was nominated for seven Academy Awards, that's like winning an Oscar

Presumably not quite as good as winning a Mata

Whatsa Mata YOU?

Cech yourselves lads, genuine hazard of this getting out of hand.

these are just nonsequitur playername puns, mine were all woven indelibly into the wider tapestry ffs

Michael White GOTTA NO RESPECT

Rooney's enemies with friends like you guys?

=/

unpack that pls i need twenty mins filled

Khartoum played by Eduardo in this movie

Wenger, whose side face Fulham in the Premier League in today’s lunchtime kick-off, insisted he would not brood were he to lose out again to a rival suitor before the window closes on Sept 2. “You’ve certainly tried to go out with a girl and find she has chosen someone else,” he said. “You don’t commit suicide.”

Arsene himself picking up and running with anonanon & Merdeyeux's 'back in the game' theme. Albeit in a characteristically wholesome, platonic, somewhat doormatty way.

I am human and I need to buy players

I bet they phone him up to bitch about their new clubs

this spell of arsenal pressure entirely caused by jenkinson skinning his man down the right a bit earlier

Bad weather football looks so good on HD

fulham are probably going to be this season's most fun team, weirdly

fuck i just realised

arsenal should have signed taarabt

they do lack a bit of steel

they lack someone who'll shoot on sight

cazorla I guess but there's no harm in two

nice shot on sight from poldi

if he hadn't shot there I suspect he would have been summarily disembowelled by a posse of bloggers

parker is waste :(

oh poldi you were doing so well

My son thought I was watching a comedy show earlier when that bit with Tony Adams marshalling a bunch of kids around a fake pitch was on.
"Is that guy meant to be a parody of a manager?"
Mouths of babes.

he was bigging up his ability appetite for taking over at Arsenal earlier in the week

The whole range and extent of Michael Owen's analysis consists of advising fulham to get their strikers in the six yard box. That's like the fourth time now.

Another nice goal from poldi

i have arrived

arsenal have nice socks

oh look benty

Fuckin bent

halsey still bricking it on the mic i see

The whole range and extent of Michael Owen's analysis consists of advising fulham to get their strikers in the six yard box.

advantage Owen

le riether shittackle

(...)

I am human and I need to buy players

― Wantaway striker (LocalGarda), Saturday, August 24, 2013 8:48 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i did lol

Xpost- Yeah yeah, berbatov magic so it doesn't really count

Theo corners are invariably awful.

decisions decisions

hull-norwich to start

saints sunderland i was thinking if anything but meh

on days like this, thudd will almost invariably be the decisive factor

plus i kinda want to see moneybags norwich at their 'buccaneering best'

Newcastle v West Ham has the bite today imo

where can I stream Hull vs Norwich?

http://firstrownow.eu

only Hull team i care about got gubbed :(

<3 Agbonlahor. A sprinter masquerading as a footballer

Less so than walcott, far less so

Agbonlahor's probably been their best player so far this season

Didn't I just say I loved him? Doesn't change the sort of player that he is though

So good

The switch of feet for the finishing prod *kisses fingers*

indeed, loving sturridge this season. pool dominating but hardly any chances really. villa cant be as terrible in the second half, thought theyd be much better than this

They're just knackered after 3 big games in a week. Massive ask for the likes of Weimann, Delph, Westwood etc. to keep pressing and snapping after such a long week. We're growing into it a bit though

Villa's passing has been so bad today.

Yeah, one thing to hit on the break but we could really do with a creative type in the attacking midfield zone. Which is especially galling as Ireland and N'Zogbia rot in the reserves for 50k a week each

there's that sprinter's technique

lucas has been shite

Irritating things people do watching football - slightly late switching on after halftime, my dad insisted on watching this as-live with a six-minute delay. Because I can't possibly not check live updates, it's been completely tension-free.

Delighted and amazed to be on two wins, but that was boring viewing.

what is this studio audience ffs

Genuinely lolled when Rodgers appeared on the big screen and all these silhouettes shifted round in their seats

Hull my 2nd team this year

Ref in soton game is a cheating cunt

This will be James Ward-Prowse's year, then.

Osman should go for that imo

Plenty of good gk performances the day

Some of the Palace players have sponsors' logos, some don't. Any idea what the reason is?

The sponsors don't want to be associated with some of those shitehawks?

^^^be honest, how many times have you been to the Amex

Never. I work with an obnoxious Palace fan though so I reserve the right to be a hater.

Vorm is Spiderman

...oh wait, he isn't

Refs a cunt at croker

a cunt at the Lane too

Debts pls

Shelvey (on a yellow) fouled in the box and the ref awarded a free kick

now Shelvey gives away a penalty. Hint of a dive from Townsend. Soldado scores

what's going on in cardiff

Joe Hart apparently

3-1!

Utd DNA

holy moses

6 mins of stoppage time

!

what a fucking swiz

yessss

YES!!

Utd DNA

― Number None, Sunday, 25 August 2013 17:47 (10 minutes ago) Bookmark

easier when he's wearing a utd costume tbf

title decider tomorrow night already

lol

Dis pls

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/69482000/jpg/_69482046_177640361.jpg

Much as Cardiff are kind of hard to love, I think this is the first photo this season that's made me go "Awwww".

I waa just looking up Peter Beardsley's wikipedia entry:

He was transferred to Canadian club Vancouver Whitecaps on 9 September 1982, but his stay in North America was brief. Only weeks after arriving in Canada, he was on his way back to England when Ron Atkinson paid £250,000 to take him to Manchester United. He made just one first team appearance for United in a Football League Cup tie against AFC Bournemouth before returning to Vancouver on a free transfer on 1 March 1983

I don't think I knew this. What's the story behind it?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1965/26mv.jpg

yeah okay this is more like it

De Gea; Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Cleverley, Carrick, Welbeck; Rooney, Van Persie

Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, De Bruyne, Oscar, Hazard, Schurrle.

what about Beardsley though

I got nothing

there's hope for Bebe yet

Lukaku must be delighted he came back to Chelsea

Hmph. Moved house, no Internet or TV at home, set off to pub at 7.45. Discover at just after 8 that pub (which I haven't been in for years) has gone upmarket and no longer shows football. At ten past 8 ditto at pub number two. Finally found success - what have I missed?

Not paying much attention, but afaict the gist is that rooney is fat and shit.

Just switched on but afaict it's been shite. Tell me about Beardsley instead.

yeah xp

chelsea are just chillin playing on the counter, schurrle hasnt had much of the ball but vida already knows the bread's in the toaster for him

atkinson lenient bordering on negligent

mata and kagawa left on the bench = fuck these people

everything about that was dreadful

I thought it was bound to improve, then it cut to Keysy, Graysy and Halsey. All standing up as well.

IK - can't tell you anything about Beardsley beyond what you've already said, just remember him always being mentioned as one of the ones that slipped away. Think David Platt might have been another.

Ta anyway. Googling's no help either. Seems odd though, £250k was still decent wedge in 1982.

How's the new house?

shearer up front for chelsea according to carra

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1164/if7v.jpg

carra otm x infinity compared to this

xp - pretty good, will be even better when everything works and it's not full of boxes

Fuck but im sorry i found this stream and this pair of cunt teams

young for valencia... fuck off moyes

the hate for young, who was a genuine 8/10 wing fwd prospect before ferguson got him, is v misplaced

no

actually fancy him to do something in this game though

Hate for Young needn't have anything to do with ability though, the man's a knob

yes good stuff jose, bring mikel on

oh no a knob footballer, cant think of any of those that utd fans cheer gleefully on

Young's knobbishness, such as it is, consists of traits that many football fans just find unpalatable, mebbe? He does have a disagreeable air of the craven and cowardly about him that eventhe likes of Ashley Cole and JT manage to avoid

Shameful. Rafa in.

christ when u think mick mccarthy got fined by that den of stinking whores at the fa before, that match should earn cunts life bans

a match to drive you to drink, or cricket

Seriously, what a buzzkill. And knowing that one of these will likely be champions and all.

"Wayne Rooney made tackles, definitely staying at Utd", "Jose Mourinho briefly loses pen"

mourinho's sly feckless any-cost trolling isnt any fun when it's directed at the entire football viewing public huh

so chelsea is more entertaining when they're not actually playing eh

you wanted the epl, world

xpost Marginally so. Even then, not so much these days really

Been on holiday, seen virtually nothing so far this season. Not been so stoked for a mediocre MOTD2 in ages.

Lovely gallop from Kimbo to set up the first, fantastic afters on Silva by Campbell on the second.

And a fairly comprehensive drubbing of Zabaleta for the third. I'd honestly forgotten about Fraizer Campbell before this weekend.

I'd forgotten him and he played for us for a bit.

Kenny Rogers Roasters is a brand which covers a chain of chicken-based restaurants. It was founded in 1991 by country musician Kenny Rogers and John Y. Brown, Jr., who was former governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky.

Is Shearer sporting the beginnings of a goatee there?

lol if motd2 didn't lead with Utd-Chelsea

have we or did i miss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgZZTkPPcLc

Trying to decide whether Mourinho wearing a jumper counts as trolling. I'm a couple of miles down the road and it is not knitwear weather.

hey guess who had their contract unceremoniously end (fuck cancer research. yup, fuck the charity.) and will now be back to spouting shit on ilf. woooooo.

arsenal bought anyone yet?

they're waiting for someone special iirc

also welcome back! and sorry about the job

would you really rather they'd had a ceremony

ahh channelling Suarez there, and pre-empting Rooney

*burns shirt anyway*

a hi hi

Cancer Research's loss is ILF's gain tbh

wtf is Joe Hart doing at these corners?

So excited for the top, top players with super quality and special talent Arsenal are clearly going to be getting in the next 5 days

why didn't they sign Mata before

Oh right Arsenal yeah, why sign what you need today when you can basically rob Malaga a season later and sign Santi for much less

<3 Santi so much though, he's just one of the best players to watch

is he just a tesco mata or is he substantially different in style? less running, more shooting, maybe.

At least there's Leighton Baines. Good old Leighton Baines, still doing the right things, quietly going about his business,

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/17/leighton-baines-transfer-window

fuck off taylor, you hovis ad dick.

Say it ain't so

The Independent's chief football correspondent Sam Wallace: Leighton Baines has asked Everton to agree deal with Manchester United.

Can live with that. He's a good player, but Utd with Baines will be much the same as Utd without Baines. It's not like they've signed £125m man Gareth Bale. Yet.

but Utd with Baines will be much the same as Utd without Baines

champions?

xp to darragh

I dunno, I haven't watched Mata playing as much or paid as close attention but Carzola really is just one of the best players to watch though just because he's so technically good - always finding a way out of tight corners, playing one twos with himself and taking free kicks with his right or left foot. I haven't seen too many players as naturally gifted and so happy just to be playing

He shoots a whole bunch too

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/armand-traore-qpr-ex-arsenal-caught-offering-to-pay-2k-to-a-porn-star-on-instagram/

come on now armand she'd break every glass bone in your body

Apparently her going rate is twenty grand

QPR FC ‏@OfficialQPR 12m
FAKE ACCOUNT: Be aware that 'armand_traore' is a fake Instagram account #QPR

did seem a bit ambitious and proactive for our chap, was getting worried

avb moans about townsend's call up on the basis that other players that have been called up from spurs in the past didn't get a game for spurs after.

idgi tbh

that's a p contorted interpretation of what he said

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tdr6gGwf1I

hey remember that 90s cartoon where gretzky, jordan and jackson would go around brutally preventing people from enjoying sports? that was good.

that's a p contorted interpretation of what he said

what he said, and tbf i've only read concise highlights, was a p confused and strange garble i think. but it did seem to boil down to his blaming hodgson or w/e for his own not picking of certain players. not up to hodgson to worry about whether a player is good enough for spurs, who are a better team than england.

xp

IT'S ALL ABOUT "HELPING" KIDS

I don't know what's more surprising - that Gordon Taylor had £4m to gamble with or that Moritz Volz is on the PFA committee he has to explain himself to.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10272625/Gordon-Taylor-future-as-PFA-chief-executive-in-the-balance-following-gambling-allegations.html

he won £1,000 from a £4,000 stake on the game between Norwich and Sunderland in September 2011

at least it's not a full-on addiction eh

can a mod change my comment about my kinda still employers from the other day please? that was stupid and i was p angry. cheers.

we signed anyone yet?

Yes!

there's no chance, i suppose, chelsea would sell or loan us lukaku

They're not loaning him out to anyone below Everton and probably not loaning him out at all. They're more likely to sell Demba Ba to West Brom or someone for virtually nothing.

from their POV sure, from his POV he should be desperate to get out of there if he's behind torres and they're bringing in a 32 yr old

He must be raging; he was quoted early in the summer as wanting to stay at WBA, and only came back to Chelsea on the basis he'd get game time.

so cmere

isnt there limits on squad sizes and stuff, how is that gonna work for chelsea and spurs et al

squad of 25 plus as many u21s as you want iirc

Spurs get a full team vacancy when they sell Bale.

Spurs are alright thanks to the u21 rule but looking at the Chelsea squad it seems borderline. May as well exclude Mata.

Mourinho said a couple of days ago he wants a core 22 senior players and he'd be loaning people out to trim the squad

idk do we have that many u21s and i only see 7 homegrowns

you can't have more than 17 non-homegrown players. spurs would have 17 if they sign Lamela, Chiriches, and Eriksen. Only u-21s that might get time in the PL are Carroll and Kane.

Siggurdson is homegrown

Lamela and Eriksen both count as u21 iirc

yeah i didnt know how u21 intersected with homegrown or what the cutoff date for u-21 was etc etc

•At the close of each transfer window teams must announce a squad list of 25 players.

•Eight of these 25 must be “home grown,” meaning they have been associated with the FA or Welsh FA for three seasons (or 36 months) prior to their 21st birthday. Home-grown does not refer to nationality, simply how many years spent in England as a youngster.

•In addition to their 25, teams can include an unlimited number of players under the age of 21. Players under the age of 21 in this context were born on or after January 1, 1992.

so anonanon is right, Lamela and Eriksen wouldn't count towards the 25

tks

all well so

matthieu flolmini

haven't you got an apology to make

to our brave medical scientists and the marketing executives who will have ensured their funding

Shocking City defending but Aluko scuffed wide when one on one.

City defence is so shook.

Brady though

For a team that is likely to have a majority of possession in most games and face teams opting to play them on the counter City may wanna do something about their atrocious transition defence.

Also has Jovetic arrived yet?

on the bench

City gonna have to bring a striker off here surely? Going nowhere atm.

getting booed off to boot

Navas and Fernandinho competing for worst buy of the summer. City's season already over

Navas obviously been told to come inside all the time. Stupid. If you're gonna play like that may as well have Nasri on.

Navas barely recognisable in this City side. Keen to see Jovetic.

lol what was that

50p head

Agüero's existence consists entirely of pivoting, nicking the ball past someone, then being fouled

Nastasic stops a Hull break with a cynical foul :- Mark Halsey "He stopped a promising attack, I don't know why players do that". Hmm.

Lovely cross, crisis over

My BT stream must be running behind. Amateurs. That or Klata has the 3rd eye.