The Swamp

You're right, but I think most Brits would put FA Cup closer to the PL or CL.

Yeah, I'd say the League Cup is a distant fourth.

I'm choosing to focus on Fulham coming back up!

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:02 pm I'm choosing to focus on Fulham coming back up!

Baloney wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:58 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:02 pm I'm choosing to focus on Fulham coming back up!

Too soon!

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:59 pm

Baloney wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:58 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:02 pm I'm choosing to focus on Fulham coming back up!

Too soon!

Must be weird being a fan of the "yo-yo" teams like Fulham, Watford, West Brom and Norwich.

pruitt2 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:18 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:59 pm

Baloney wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:58 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:02 pm I'm choosing to focus on Fulham coming back up!

Too soon!

Must be weird being a fan of the "yo-yo" teams like Fulham, Watford, West Brom and Norwich.

The string on the Baggies yo-yo is about to break under the anchor weight that is Steve Bruce.

The Bridge certainly has changed

This young Arsenal squad is sloppy with the ball, but they are fast and dangerous.

Chelsea isn't playing well and could easily lose this wacky game (2-2 at the half).

How did Arsenal keep that penalty??

I don't know why VAR exists if that's not at least looked at personally by the referee

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 3:38 pm I don't know why VAR exists if that's not at least looked at personally by the referee

As bad a penalty call as you'll ever see.

Fuck both those teams to the very depths of hell.

OK, Chelsea probably deserved to lose, but how the fuck do they miss that call?

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 2:40 pm This young Arsenal squad is sloppy with the ball, but they are fast and dangerous.

Chelsea isn't playing well and could easily lose this wacky game (2-2 at the half).

That first half was the sloppiest I've ever seen Arsenal play in my 20+ years of watching. Tavares is horrendous defensively and is constantly out of position. He can be exciting going forwards, though he likes to unleash prayer shots from 30 yards out with forwards open. Ben White was out of position and Holding was extremely rusty in the first half, but got better as the game progressed. Elneny has barely played all year, but I felt he put in a decent performance. The pace of the game, especially the first half, was unreal, making both teams look sloppy. While the points are crucial and Arsenal desperately needed to ended the three-game skid, that performance didn't give me much confidence.

I'm happy to see Nketiah get two goals, but I have zero faith in him. He is heavily rumored to move on this Summer, and it's long overdue. I absolutely love his hustle and persistence in forechecking, but he just doesn't score (other than last night). Saka was phenomenal as always. He is sooo damned good. My biggest reason for wanting Arsenal to qualify for CL is the rumors of Saka wanting to leave if they don't qualify. That, and added difficulty in acquiring top talent.

On the flip side, I was bummed I didn't see Pulisic on the field. I'm a little concerned over his lack of playing time. I thought he was turning around his slump and lack of confidence.

Oh, and the PK was a shockingly poor call. There is just no way any player commits a foul like that. I could be wrong, but I think the refs only look at the video if VAR judges they made a clear error. Here, VAR decided the ref was either correct or not clearly wrong. But more importantly, I'm so thrilled Saka didn't let the missed PK at Euros affect him. He mentally recovered immediately, despite the racist abuse he took. He looked so damned confident taking the PK yesterday.

Yeah, while refs shouldn't generally be influenced by player reputation, did the ref really think Cesar Azpilicueta of all people was going to blindly tackle a player in the box with his back to the ball? And then explode in outrage after the call was made? It couldn't have hurt to at least take a look at it?

BTW, in 10 years at Chelsea, playing nearly every game, that was the first time an Azpilicueta "mistake" has directly led to a goal.

Everton's run in: Liverpool (A), Chelsea (H), Leicester (A), Watford (A), Brentford (H), Crystal Palace (H), Arsenal (A)

Their only saviour here is that some of these teams have nothing to play for.

Burnley's schedule: Wolves (H), Watford (A), Villa (H), Spurs (A), Villa (A), Newcastle (H)

I have a toonie that says the Toffees are going down.

Up the Cherries! My daughter used to love saying that when they were promoted the last time in ... 2015.

Does LOLves work if we’re laughing at what they wrought and not at them?

I always think that's about the worst thing to chant at players. Just brutal.

rass wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 11:02 am Does LOLves work if we’re laughing at what they wrought and not at them?

Yeah, that hurt. Ref probably should have ended the game 30 seconds earlier, but Chelsea also should have kept defending.

#LIVTOT last 20 minutes could be the most dramatic 20 min of the PL campaign to date. (Unless MC is down 0-1 tomorrow at the same point.)

I walked away because I feel like I know what’s going to happen and I don’t want to watch it.

cerranoredux wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:13 pm #LIVTOT last 20 minutes could be the most dramatic 20 min of the PL campaign to date. (Unless MC is down 0-1 tomorrow at the same point.)

That game was intense even before kickoff - Anfield fans in fine voice.

Spurs simply could not have had a better game plan or played any better. Romero is on the fast track to legend-hood at Tottenham.

Maybe a bit controversial, but City ducking out of champions league to focus on the domestic title should pay off.

mister d wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 7:45 pm Maybe a bit controversial, but City ducking out of champions league to focus on the domestic title should pay off.

Pep clearly hasn’t given a fuck about the UCL since he got there…

It looks like City officially announced they signed Haaland. I don't understand how that happens outside the transfer window, but every time I think I understand European soccer, something else happens that make me question everything. Similar vein, Arsenal apparently never officially announced their Matt Turner signing in January. Every outlet reported it as being official, but now I'm seeing all these articles about how Arsenal "let slip" they signed Turner by sending him flowers to congratulate him at his wedding. How the fuck are they calling it a slip-up in revealing the signing when all the terms were declared official in every media outlet 4 months ago?

Maybe the buyout makes it like a free transfer where the player can negotiate with 6 months left in the deal or something?

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 2:55 pm Maybe the buyout makes it like a free transfer where the player can negotiate with 6 months left in the deal or something?

Exactly. As I understand it, a player can officially sign with a new team (any team) within last 6 months of a contract without any transfer fee. Some leagues and teams have buyout clauses, but not all. (Every La Liga player HAS to have one, and that's why you see such big buyout clauses there, it's essentially a fuck off to other teams) Also, they all learned when PSG was like $200m for Neymar? Sure! That's why you're seeing $1B buyout clauses for stud La Liga players. Also, when a team knows a player wants to go, they can negotiate with the buying club. Dortmund are built to sell. It's what they do. Haaland won't be officially registered with City until next season, and will finish in Dortmund.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 3:15 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 2:55 pm Maybe the buyout makes it like a free transfer where the player can negotiate with 6 months left in the deal or something?

Exactly. As I understand it, a player can officially sign with a new team (any team) within last 6 months of a contract without any transfer fee. Some leagues and teams have buyout clauses, but not all. (Every La Liga player HAS to have one, and that's why you see such big buyout clauses there, it's essentially a fuck off to other teams) Also, they all learned when PSG was like $200m for Neymar? Sure! That's why you're seeing $1B buyout clauses for stud La Liga players. Also, when a team knows a player wants to go, they can negotiate with the buying club. Dortmund are built to sell. It's what they do. Haaland won't be officially registered with City until next season, and will finish in Dortmund.

Erling had a very low (for him) transfer fee.

Unless Haaland was committed to staying, it seems weird they'd pass on $50MM+ in excess transfer fees to hold him one last year. I'm assuming they're good enough to qualify for Champions League either way?

MLS seems to think Tati Castellanos is in the running for his replacement.

That seems exceptionally weird, both from a style standpoint and an elite young striker -> MLS guy standpoint.

Thanks for the buyout clause explanation. Does Haaland finish out the season in Dortmund? Looks like they only have one game.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 7:38 pm Thanks for the buyout clause explanation. Does Haaland finish out the season in Dortmund? Looks like they only have one game.

Yes. He finishes there. He may not play in that game, but he's still at Dortmund until the season is over.

I'm sorry, but an attacking group of Jesus, Haaland, Mahrez, Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Gudongan and De Bruyne should be illegal. It's obscene.

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 11:01 am I'm sorry, but an attacking group of Jesus, Haaland, Mahrez, Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Gudongan and De Bruyne should be illegal. It's obscene.

They should give Jesus to Arsenal.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 11:53 am

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 11:01 am I'm sorry, but an attacking group of Jesus, Haaland, Mahrez, Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Gudongan and De Bruyne should be illegal. It's obscene.

They should give Jesus to Arsenal.

No one gives Jesus. You have to accept him.

A_B wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 12:27 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 11:53 am

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 11:01 am I'm sorry, but an attacking group of Jesus, Haaland, Mahrez, Foden, Grealish, Sterling, Gudongan and De Bruyne should be illegal. It's obscene.

They should give Jesus to Arsenal.

No one gives Jesus. You have to accept him.

I will gladly accept Jesus as Arsenal's savior.

I really don't want to lose him, even relative to half that list. I was convinced he'd be perfect with Kane and remain convinced he would with Haaland.