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    A bit different to last week in that our lads couldn’t ruin the weekend because they didn’t play until Monday night, so at least I got to fully enjoy the latest United shitshow. I’ll start with that because it was clearly the biggest story of the weekend. Not because they lost, but because they got utterly humiliated. 
     
    I fully expected Brentford to beat them because they way United are currently I struggle to see them winning away to win anybody. I’m choosing my words carefully there and deliberately emphasised the word ‘away’ because we go to Old Trafford next week and I’m not having any of you fuckers blame me if something goes wrong. There’ll be no jinxing from me.
     
    So yeah, let’s disregard their home form for now and focus on how they are on their travels. They’ve lost seven away games on the spin now, which is as a piece of evidence proving why the Covid season shouldn’t count is as compelling as anything you’ll find. They went through that entire season unbeaten away, but now look at them since real footy returned. It’s like the reverse of our home record. Unbeatable with fans, lost to all kinds of fucking deadbeats when the stadium was empty. 
     
    United have been wretched since the crowds came back, even though most of the players are the same as that jarg season when they finished second. It’s fascinating seeing how everything is unraveling with them now. Every week it’s a new crisis, and the great thing about this weekend’s bumming by Brentford is that I’m absolutely convinced that wasn’t rock bottom. They’ll have worse days than that, which is almost unthinkable really in the context of just how fucking bad Saturday was for them.
     
    They were wearing a fucking horrible lime green away kit. I don’t ever remember seeing them wearing a kit like that before, which is quite apt as I don’t ever remember them being this embarrassingly shit before either.
     
    Da Silva struck the first blow with a low shot that De Gea fumbled into his own net. Stuff like that is inexplicable. He was one of the best in the world a few years ago but he fell off a cliff, Joe Hart style. There’s no physical reason for it to happen so you just wonder what causes it. Initially I put it down to him just not being arsed any more, but De Gea actually seems like he might be one of the few United players who does give a fuck. He’s just shite now, the werewolf looking twat. Always got a…. howler… in him. See what I did there? Gold that is.
     
    It’s hard to actually do justice to how shit United were in that first half. They keep trying to play out from the back with players (and a keeper) not good enough to do it. Eriksen was used in a deeper role so they could use him as the fulcrum for their playing out and it was an unmitigated disaster. Maguire could have been sent off for a foul on the edge of the box after him and Eriksen got into a pickle, and then De Gea decided to play a ball into the feet of Eriksen even though he was as tightly marked as can be. Jensen robbed the ball and gleefully made it 2-0.
     
    What a nightmare for Eriksen, who was given some fairly good natured stick by the home fans (his overall reception was mixed). Serves him right for joining that clown show though. I mean fucking hell, you get a second chance at life and this is what you do with it??? Serious alcoholic getting a new liver and then immediately going down the pub afterwards vibes about this.
     
    I saw a tweet afterwards saying something like “this is the worst day of Eriksen’s life even though he once died”.
     
    Ben Mee bundled in a header to make it 3-0. Look at that tiny little centre back of United’s on that one though, he’s running around the six yard box like a toddler. Mee is almost on the floor when he heads it in as the little fella is completely stranded watching it go over his head. Hilarious scenes. 
     
    The fourth came soon after on the break. Beautifully crafted goal that. Lovely ball by Toney and a fine finish by Mbuemo. If those two stay fit all season I think Brentford will stay up. If anything happens to either, they’re in trouble. Two good players them lads, and they work well together which makes them even greater than the sum of their parts.
     
    4-0 down at Brentford with only a little over half an hour gone on the clock. As bad as it gets? Don’t be so sure. These do not look like a side who have bottomed out yet. They seem to be getting worse in pretty much every single aspect of running a football club. The training ground and stadium need loads of work but the playing staff needs even more.
     
    There’s already talk that the players “aren’t convinced” about the new coach, which is just fucking hilarious really because as I said when the same stories were being leaked after Rangnick came in last year, these shit lazy cunts do not have a right to an opinion about any coach. Imagine fat head Maguire and Shaw sat eating burgers in the canteen saying to each other “not sure this new gaffer is good enough for Manchester United”. The sense of entitlement from these pricks is astonishing.
     
    Ten Hag had them in the next day and made them run. Not just that, he made them run the same distance that Brentford had outran them the day before. While I can completely relate to what he’s done there and in his shoes I’d probably have done the same or even worse, this is counter productive. That group of players have shown under several different coaches now exactly what they’re about.
     
    They won’t react positively to that, their sense of entitlement means they’ll feel insulted, belittled, slighted by it. The fact we read about it straight away is probably a result of one or more of them cryarsing off the record to the press.
     
    Ronaldo is fucking seething. You can see he’s just in a permanent state of anger these days. I read that he’s eating on his own in the club canteen now and wants no part of the bums he’s saddled himself with. On one hand he’s got a point. He’s been a winner his entire life but now he’s in a team full of fucking losers with no professional pride. On the other hand, he chose to sign for them when it was obvious they were shite. You know what his problem was? He thought the Covid season was actually real.
     
    He’s apparently said “the truth” will come out in a couple of weeks, when the window shuts. Why not now? Because he so clearly just wants out and will probably go anywhere for CL footy. He can’t say it in case nothing materialises, but he’s got “deadline day move to Turkey” written all over him at this point.
     
    Wherever he goes he’ll be in a better position than he is right now. Except maybe Everton, but I’ll get to them later. 
     
    The sound of Arsenal smelling themselves is getting deafening now. It was happening all through pre-season but now they’ve started with two wins it’s gone into overdrive. Jesus has started well to be fair, which I expected. Aubamayeng started well too. And Lacazette. And Ozil. Eventually they smell themselves so much that the Arsenal stink gets into their system and that’s the end of that.
     
    In fairness, they absolutely murdered Leicester and even I will concede that they looked really good as they raced into a 2-0 lead. It should have been five or six as they were slicing through Leicester at will. 
     
    Then they had a wobble. Vardy thought he’d bought himself a penalty with a clear dive. The ref was fooled initially but after a look at the video he overturned it. Should have booked Vardy but I don’t think he did. Soon after Saliba put through his own net to give Leicester a lifeline. He’s been getting rave reviews since his opening day display at Palace and probably smelled himself a little too hard, as there was Arsenal stink all over that.
     
    The game was in the balance at that point and had Leicester levelled then Arsenal may have fallen apart, but Danny Ward dropped a simple cross at the feet of Xhaka. That’s why he’s been a career back up I guess. Leicester not signing anybody while losing one of the league's best keepers doesn't exactly inspire confidence that they'll do well does it? Brendan could be managing UNited in a couiple of months the way things are going.
     
    Maddison got Leicester back within one Wirth a low shot through the legs of Aaron Pickf.. sorry, Ramsdale but Martinelli quickly restored the two goal lead with a low shot from 20 yards. Again, I’m looking at Danny Ward on that I think.
     
    So maximum points so far for Arsenal and the hype machine is rolling. The big thing at the moment with Arsenal fans is posting clips from a year ago when the likes of Neville and other United fans were ripping them and comparing them unfavourably to United. I can’t begrudge them that because when you listen to some of the bollocks being spouted then and then you compare the state of the two clubs right now, no wonder Arsenal fans are giving it some. 
     
    Just as long as they stay in their lane we’ll be fine. Feel free to mock United and lord it over them as that is justified and has been earned. Mark my words though, we’re one or two more Arsenal wins away from "Gooner twitter" coming after us and then City. They can’t help themselves, they do it any time they string a few wins together.
     
    Don’t be fooled though. They’re still Arsenal, albeit a clearly more talented version than we’ve seen in recent years. What they’re doing now is something we see every season though. The main difference is this is happening at the start rather than at some random point in October or February etc. 
     
    I've seen this movie before. Arsenal gorge themselves on shite, get so fat they can barely move and then they’ll vomit all down themselves. The pukefest is coming. They’ve got so many easy fixtures coming up that it’s nailed on they’ll be chucking up carrots in one of them. They have: Bournemouth away, Fulham and Villa at home, United away, Everton at home, Brentford away. 
     
    My money is on either Bournemouth or Brentford to bring them crashing back to reality. I genuinely hope Arsenal absolutely fucking annihilate United though, just to further ram all that crap from a year ago back down United throats. I hope they twat Everton too, not that it will make up for them enabling the cunts to stay up last year though. Them, Chelsea, United…. All fucking Everton enabling shithouses.
     
    Elsewhere, predictably City beat Bournemouth without breaking sweat. Not watching any of that shit. All I know is Haaland didn’t score so at least there’s that. I read somewhere that he only had eight touches and completed only two passes. They still won 4-0 even with him doing fuck all. Grim.
     
    Gerrard v Lampard ended as any non-eating related Gerrard v Lampard contest should do, with Gerrard coming out on top. Awful game though. Fucking hell. 
     
    Ings broke the deadlock with a superb finish. He’s looking like an old man these days. Not in the way he plays, he’s still boss and a real livewire, but he looks old as fuck. He’s ageing like Lampard, and that’s not something anyone wants.
     
    Coutinho did nothing again and I’ve seen some Villa fans on twitter starting to get fed up with him now. He was replaced by Buendia who just looks far busier and more engaged in the game. He made it 2-0 after combining well with Watkins following an error by Onana. Can’t believe Shearer stole my Rihanna joke by the way. I should sue for that. I might fire off an email to Patrick Reed’s lawyer. One for the golf fans there.
     
    The new signing made amends by bursting through and firing in a low cross that Digne put through his own net. Too little too late for the Blues though. 
     
    Onana is highly rated but I can’t be having it that he’s any good, because if he was why the fuck would he end up at Everton in their current state? He must be shite, and if he’s not then he’ll only be there a year anyway. I hope for his sake he’s a relegation release clause.
     
    Southampton v Leeds was decent. Southampton’s kit was much more than that though. Beautiful. They always have boss kits though. Maybe we should have used that Rickie Lambert money on signing their kit designer instead.
     
    My boy Bamford went off injured after half an hour, which does not bode well for Leeds this season as he’s the key to their survival. They did alright without him though to be fair. Rodrigo put them in front with a delicate near post finish from a Harrison cross, and then made it 2-0 with a close range header from a corner. Southampton’s defending on that set-piece was comical though. He’s in about six yards of space a couple of yards from goal. 
     
    The Saints were in big trouble as this is the kind of game you really can’t lose if you’re them. I know it’s only August, but if you know you’re in a relegation fight then you can’t lose at home to a team likely to be in and around you. I doubt there’ll be much of a gap between these two sides so a Leeds win would have been massive for them. 
     
    They couldn’t hang on though. New signing Aribo pulled one back with a shit finish that he almost blew, and then Walker-Peters levelled with a nicely taken goal from a brilliant no look pass by Mara, who looks an interesting talent. He’s only 19 I think I heard, but he looked really good.
     
    Southampton deserved their point for the strong way they finished the game and to be honest they probably deserved all three just because of the kit.
     
    Tell you who I’m not having. The new Southampton keeper. He might be good, but he’s too flashy and loves a camera save. Shades of that Darlow cunt at Newcastle about him. He’s not for me, but I reserve the right to change that view as it’s early days and this is a small sample size. I’ve got my eye on him though.
     
    Newcastle got a spawny 0-0 at Brighton despite getting fucking pummelled for 90 minutes. Brighton were excellent and had all of the chances but they couldn’t score. Lallana has started the season very brightly, which means his groin will go next week. Obviously I hope not, but we know it’s coming.
     
    I can’t even look at Eddie Howe these days you know. His face sends me into a rage. I always had a lot of time for him but now I just see a fucking gutless little worm, shilling for the Saudis. They sent a mother of two to jail for 34 years this week because she followed and retweeted twitter accounts they didn’t like. She’s a student in Leeds so unlike the women over there she has the luxury of saying what she thinks. Unfortunately she went back home for a holiday and was thrown in jail for her ‘crimes’, which included retweeting a female activist who was tortured for supporting *checks notes* the rights of women to *double checks notes* drive cars. Damn.
     
    Howe should be asked about this every fucking press conference he does until he gives a proper answer rather than just “I’m a football manager”. Same with every golf cunt who takes their money too. Fuck Eddie Howe, fuck any Newcastle fans supporting these owners and fuck the Saudi royal family. Fuck Greg Norman too.
     
    Anyway, moving on before I end up further down the Saudi human right rabbit hole. When Fulham played so well against us last week I deliberately made sure I didn’t fall for it. Every time they’re in the Premier League I get suckered in by them looking decent whenever I’d watch them. “They’ll stay up them you know, there’s defo three teams worse than them.” I'd say. Then before you know it, they’re 12 points adrift in March and heading back down. 
     
    Wolves created loads of chances against them but Wolves can’t score. It’s been killing them for a couple of years now. They’ve got nice technical players up front but they just don’t find the net enough. Fulham did virtually nothing but would have won had Mitrovic not fluffed his lines with a penalty. Couldn’t have done that last week could he, the big gormless twat.
     
    It all kicked off at the end when Mitrovic hacked down Gibbs-White, who leapt to his feet confront him. They went at it like a couple of rutting stags, there was real force behind both of them as they went head to head. This was much worse and more aggressive than Nunez on Anderson, but the difference here is that these two were wanting to show how tough they are, not just get a red card for the opponent. To be clear, not a defence of Nunez nor a criticism of Anderson. Merely a statement of fact. Men being men, playing a man’s game and going at it like a couple of men, just like you want to see, ain’t that right, Souey? 
     
    Mitrovic should have been sent off though as the foul was well worth a yellow, as was the head to head confrontation. Somehow he escaped it though. As for Gibbs-White, he’s joining Forest for *checks notes, twice, then checks again to be sure* £44m. Not gonna lie, this is fishy as fuck. There’s no way that can be a legit deal. There has to be some shady Mendes action going on somewhere. Maybe they’re paying over the odds on this in return for him doing them a favour down the line. There’s just no way anyone is legit paying £44m for a lad who has been on the Wolves bench for three years. 
     
    When Wolves first came up I thought he was going to be a star as his cameos looked great, but they’ve hardly picked him since. He had a loan spell at Swansea and did fuck all too from what I remember. I think he did quite well at Sheff United last season but not well enough to command that kind of fee. This transfer fee is so ludicrously mental that the most surprising aspect of it is that Everton aren’t the ones paying it. 
     
    Onto Sunday now and Forest recorded their first top flight win in 20 odd years as they overcame West Ham at the City Ground. The only goal of the game was scored by the lesser spotted Taiwo Adoniyi who was a Liverpool player for about five years without ever kicking a ball for us. Good start for him. The goal was ugly as fuck though, but then Jesse Lingard was involved so *shrugs*
     
    West Ham probably deserved something as they had chances, missed a penalty, hit the bar twice and also had a goal ruled out due to Antonio doing a passable impression of an NFL offensive lineman blocking a linebacker on a half back draw play. Just completely bowled him over. Forest had one ruled out too though.
     
    Finally, Chelsea v Spurs was every bit as dramatic and incident packed as we’ve come to expect. It’s boss this fixture, there’s always mad shit happening. Chelsea were the better side and should have won. They went ahead with a volley from Koulibaly, who somehow found himself completely unmarked from a corner. The first half was all Chelsea but they didn’t make it count and gradually Spurs began to claw their way back. 
     
    And then it all went off. Firstly, I can’t believe Chelsea didn’t get a free kick for that Bentancur challenge on Havertz. It was too far back for VAR to check though. Secondly, Richarlison is a yard offside and has to jump out of the way of the shot, so you can make a good case that it factors into what the goalkeeper does. Thirdly, even though the offside is one that you give either way, because the ref has fucked up by missing the foul then you just side with Chelsea to ensure you get the right outcome. I’m not saying you make shit up to compensate for a poor decision, but if you’ve got something that can go either way and you fuck over the team that’s already been stiffed, that’s not good.
     
    Tuchel had been kicking off with the fourth official over the foul that was missed, so he was already on the touchline when the goal went in. Conte gave it the usual provocative, animated celebration and Tuchel went for him. They had to be separated, not for the last time either.
     
    Chelsea continued to dominate and waste chances until Reece James finally put one away. Tuchel celebrated by running up the line and charging past Conte in the process. Conte didn’t see him as he was looking at the floor, but he later posted on Instagram that he should have tripped him up as it would have been deserved. Damn.
     
    Then more drama. Spurs equalised right at the death with a Kane header from a corner, but seconds before that Romero pulled Cucurella to the floor by his hair, right in front of Anthony Taylor, who ignored it. The game was stopped as Mike dean on VAR checked it, but astonishingly no foul was given again. I have a theory on this. It’s hair envy. Two little bald fucks like Taylor and Dean saw Cucurella being dragged to the floor by his thick, luscious, flowing locks, and basically they just said “fuck him, that’s what he gets for having hair”.
     
    Because honestly there’s no other explanation for that, other than they had money on the draw or just didn’t want Chelsea to win. I had no skin in this game and the draw was actually the best result for us, yet I’m pretty pissed about how this went down as it’s just not right. Next time that could be us on the receiving end of this shit. The foul on Havertz that was missed and the Riccharlison offside are decisions you can argue either way, but the hair pull on Cucurella, if that’s not a foul then just what the fuck are we doing here? You can’t have that, it’s outrageous.
     
    Mark Chapman on MOTD 2 gave an explanation along the lines of VAR can only check to see if it’s violent conduct and a red card, and if they think its not a red card they can’t just give a foul, because, get this, there’s nothing in the rules to say that hair pulling is a foul. That makes no sense whatsoever, it’s no different to dragging someone down by an arm or a shirt, except its more dangerous because of the potential for neck injuries. It’s a foul, regardless of if there’s a specific reference to hair pulling in the laws or not. You can’t pull someone back by the hair as its a foul. If it wasn’t, then players would be doing it all the time. 
     
    Chelsea got fucking done over massively here. It reminds me a little of what happened to us against Spurs last season. Scandalous really. 
     
    Conte and Tuchel clashed again at the whistle and were both red carded, and of course Azpilacueta made sure he got involved too. Conte is his former boss so initially you think maybe he’s there to try and calm things down. Then you remember he’s one of the biggest aggro loving snide little fucks in the league and you think, ‘nah, he’s just making it worse’. You can set your watch by him. As soon as there’s something going off, Azpilacueta is on the scene immediately. 
     
    I have lots of thoughts on this. I don’t mind Conte, but he is one bad knobhead on the touchline. As I say, I don’t mind that because it’s funny, but there’s a double standard here whereby he gets a free pass for the shit he pulls because he’s Italian so everyone laughs and talks about the ‘Latin temperament’ and how ‘passionate’ the Italians are. When you’re German and look like an absolute fucking dork, you don’t get that kind of leeway and people just say you’re a knob.
     
    I’ve had my problems with Tuchel in the past, mainly when he was at PSG and he gave off really bad paedo vibes on the touchline. But since he’s been at Chelsea I think he’s been alright and I’ve warmed to him a bit. He’s a bit weird, but he seems like a decent enough guy to me. And I fucking loved what he did at full time. Loved it.
     
    Conte gave a cursory handshake and was about to go bouncing off to celebrate but Tuchel wouldn’t release his hand and you could see him basically saying along the lines of “look me in the eye when you shake my hand you hyperactive little fucking tit”. Conte went mad but Tuchel stood his ground and wasn’t intimidated. Big fan of that.
     
    I also liked how he calmly just laughed the whole thing off in his interview afterwards and said there are no hard feelings and its just football. Conte played it down too and they seemed baffled as to why they were given red cards. Lots of reasons really, the main one being Anthony Taylor is a fucking clown.
     
    Of course then you go on twitter and it’s full of shit like “Conte would fucking murder him”. No, what’s more likely to happen is that Conte would beat him up and then Tuchel would go home and get some chloroform, bubble wrap, gaffer tape and his sharpest scalpels and then just slice him up piece by piece before dumping him in the Thames. I’d much rather be on Conte’s hit list than Tuchel’s. 
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  • Steve Nicol admits he is concerned about Liverpool’s title chances just two games into the new League season and that the current midfield needs a facelift.
     
    Anyone associated with the Reds would have expected to claim six points from their opening two games against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
     
    They were well under par in the fixture at Craven Cottage earning an uncharacteristic public rebuke from Jurgen Klopp who made it perfectly clear that standards needed to be raised.
     
    That did happen with a much-improved showing on Monday night against Palace, but their cause was not helped by a number of injuries in the lead-up leading to uncertainty about who would take to the pitch.
     
    Then there was the complete brain-fade by new signing Darwin Nunez who was given a straight red card for violent conduct against Joachim Andersen who had clearly got under the skin of the Uruguayan.
     
    A brilliant piece of individual play by Luis Diaz dragged the home team level after Wilf Zaha had opened the scoring, but try as Liverpool might the winner could not be found.
     
    It seems ridiculous to cast any reservations about this team’s ability to recover and mount a considerable challenge to Man City after just a couple of games, especially when you take into account what they have achieved in recent years.
     
    But as we have seen over recent years, dropped points really have to be kept to a minimum when going head to head against the reigning champions, and especially not slipping up against teams deemed to be much inferior.
     
    Nicol is a regular panelist of ESPN FC and while holding the club extremely close to his heart, is not afraid to point out what he perceives to be flaws or any reservations he may have.
     
    The club legend did so once again responding a comment from fellow panelist Don Hutchison that the Reds can recover from their slow start (per the Echo).
     
    “It’s just when you said Liverpool are going to win the title, I can’t honestly, my brain didn’t go yes, I’m a little worried already."
     
    But Nicol’s main critique was to do a part of the pitch which always sparks great debate whenever it is raised, that being the midfield. He believes the workmanlike nature of it is clearly not working, and a new element is required to push them to another level.
     
    “It’s very difficult to complain about what Liverpool do, the fact is that recently it hasn’t been working to the level of what it was.
     
    "In order to get back to that, I think not only do you need new faces but you 100 per cent need a little injection of personality. 
     
    “If you look at Liverpool’s midfield, it’s blank, it’s blank. It’s just a bunch of guys running around, I don’t see any real diversity in it, it’s just a bunch of guys that chase and try to give it to the front three."
     

     
    Nicol admitted that Thiago is a difference maker when he plays, but the fragile nature of his body makes it problematic to get any continuity from him.
     
    Thiago… has he played two games in a row since he came? I tell you what, I’ll give him a maximum of three games (in a row) after that we’re looking at chasers who win the ball. 
     
    “Eventually, you just don’t get away with that. Particularly when your front three are struggling to score goals, you need somebody to chip in whether it’s your backline but it’s not in the middle of the park."
     
    Nicol believes Klopp had the right plan in bringing in Naby Keita but says the Guinea has underperformed in that role.
     

     
    “That’s why Keita was bought, 100 per cent, that’s why Naby Keita was bought by Jurgen Klopp, not just to get around the field and get the ball back but get the ball and score some goals. He hasn’t delivered. As Klopp said it’s hard to find those guys."
     
     
     
     
     
  • Really not what we needed after last week. We’ve dropped four points now to teams that will probably finish in the bottom half. Palace might actually be better than that, but probably not. The point is, you have to be beating these teams and by not doing so we’re giving ourselves a mountain to climb already.
     
    This could have been different had we made our early dominance count, but once again the lack of a clinical edge cost us and then, yet again, we found ourselves behind. Six league games in a row now we’ve conceded first. Klopp saw his arse when asked about this ‘trend’ in his pre-match presser but it’s a valid question. It’s a big enough sample size now to be able to say this has become an issue.
     
    That being said, we did start this game quite brightly and had we taken one of the early chances then we’re not talking about conceding first and we’re almost certainly celebrating our first win of the season. Palace can’t chase games, they just aren’t equipped for it. They’re great at doing this though. Sitting in, making blocks, defending for their lives and then using the quality and speed on the break,
     
    You do not want to go behind against them. The first goal is crucial and we should have had it. Despite the number of players missing and the late changes made to the team (this eleven would not have been training together much this week), we began the game on the front foot and put some nice moves together, especially down the right side where the lively Elliott was combing well with Mo.
     
    Milner blasted a good chance over, then Elliott went close with an effort that was blocked more or less on the line by Anderson. Harvey’s balance and footwork on that were class, but when you look at that it typifies just how awkward Palace are to break down. Elliott had three Palace players flagging themselves in front of him to make a block, and he beat all of them. Anderson had dropped back to cover the goal and he made the key block. They were throwing themselves in front of everything though.
     
    Nunez had a clear opening at the back post but completely missed his volley and spooned it up into the air. It wasn’t the easiest of chances but that was a terrible effort. His night would only get worse.
     
    We’d been playing well to this point and Palace hadn’t offered anything other than a clearly offside chance that Alisson saved. It was clear their plan was get Zaha in behind Big Nat and they’d tried it to no avail a few times. Even though Nat had dealt with it, you could see he was kind of at full stretch in doing so and it was a concern.
     
    Then out of nothing they did a number on us. We were on the attack and the ball ended up at their keeper’s feet. He cleared out to the left to Eze, who was closed down by Fabinho but not quickly enough. Trent was on the scene too but didn’t really commit to anything. Eze skinned Fabinho and as soon as that happened I was bracing myself because you could see what was about to happen.
     
    Nat’s in big trouble as soon as Eze gets away. Zaha is running in behind so he has a choice. Run with him (not going to end well for him) or hold the line and try to intercept the pass or play him offside. He tried to hold the line and it was tight, but Zaha was onside and the pass from Eze was perfect, so Phillips was out of the play now completely. Zaha ran clear with Virgil sprinting back to cover. Virg turns on the gas and looks like he’s almost back in position to make a challenge, and then he doesn’t. He slows up, doesn’t go towards Zaha and just lets him shoot. Which he does, and scores.
     
    Quick point on the inclusion of Phillips. It was a big shock seeing his name on the team sheet, especially as Gomez was on the bench. It was obvious that it was fitness related because this wasn’t really a Nat Phillips game. Being left to deal with Zaha one v one isn’t a good match up for him, but it’s ideal for Gomez who has the speed to deal with it.
     
    I was happy for Nat that he finally got his start in a packed Anfield but this wasn’t necessarily the opponent I’d have wanted him to be facing. He’s partly responsible for the goal but there is a fair bit of blame to go around, and in terms of the overall result there are much bigger reasons for that than the inclusion of Phillips.
     
    Going behind fazed us. We did hit the post through a scuffed Nunez effort following a lovely Elliott pass, but overall we looked disjointed for the rest of the half and I thought we were in trouble at half time. I might have taken a point if you’d offered it to me then. I’d definitely have taken it when we went down to ten men.
     
    I didn’t see the incident at the time as I was looking elsewhere, but TLW stalwart John G was sat next to me and he saw it. His view of it was that Nunez aggressively stuck his chest into Anderson and that the defender hit the deck like a sack of shite. He had one view of it, from fifty yards away. He wasn’t far off though, as that’s pretty much what happened. There was some contact with the head too though, which was more because of Anderson cleverly getting right up in there and drawing contact (like an NBA player taking a charge) as it was Nunez throwing the head in.
     
    The furious reaction of Nunez and refusal to leave the field had me thinking there must have been a serious injustice carried out here and the red card was unwarranted. The fact it was Paul Tierney making the decision gave further credence to that. The crowd were furious, with the ref but mostly with the playacting defender.
     
    Having seen the replay of it, Tierney has no choice but to make that decision and Nunez was completely out of line, both with his reaction and the way he needed to be dragged from the field by Milner.
     
    That little feud had been simmering all night though. Anderson stuck to him like a limpet, he was constantly leaving a little something on Nunez after the ball had gone and generally seemed to be on a mission to rile him up and get a reaction. Don’t take that as a criticism, because it’s not. It’s just clever. It was a wily defensive player completely playing a raw attacker like a fucking fiddle. 
     
    Chip, chip, chip away at him and if you see any sign of a reaction then do it all the more. In the first half Nunez had a wild swing at him after being grabbed. If he’d connected with that he’d have seen red even earlier. Anderson will have known it was working and he was getting under his skin, so he just carried on. Nothing particularly bad, we’re not talking Sergio Ramos v Diego Costa here. It was standard stuff and I can’t believe Nunez let it get to him that much.
     
    The incident that led to the red card comes about after a tussle between them and then Nunez flicks his head backwards trying to nut him. He missed, but Anderson was angry and shoved him in the back. Nunez spins around, not realising just how close Anderson is to him and the next thing you know Anderson is rolling around on the floor and Nunez is being sent off in shame.
     
    No complaints. The ref is right, Anderson was just clever and took advantage of a weakness he saw in his opponent. The blame here lies entirely with Nunez and he better fucking learn from this. He’s Uruguayan, he should be better than that. They invented the dark arts and rule number one is never get caught. Suarez only ever got done because TV footage was around to grass him up. Prior to every game having a thousand cameras scattered all over the gaff he’d have never got caught doing anything because he was a master craftsman. Nunez was naive as fuck and paid the price.
     
    So now we were really in trouble. We weren’t playing that well, we were barely threatening their goal and now we were a man down and a goal down. So yeah, trouble. We had nothing on the bench to really change it up top either. Klopp actually used his subs well and the changes helped. Hendo for Milner was a no brainer. So was Gomez for Phillips. But for injuries picked up in midweek both would have started the game.
     
    Kostas for Robbo was something else I thought was fairly obvious. Robbo wasn’t good and he seemed bothered by a hand injury. Either a wrist or maybe his fingers. Defo an issue there as he was getting treatment during the game and he went off with one of the physios at full time.
     
    Hendo and Gomez made a big difference but Kostas was even worse than Robbo had been. He didn’t have his radar at all and some of his crosses were like watching Stig Inge Bjornebye back in the day. 
     
    Klopp had been preparing his changes when we equalised out of nowhere. Diaz had done nothing all night. Palace had done a great job of keeping him away from their goal and making him play a lot with his back to goal. He just couldn’t get turned and ran at them which made him hugely ineffective.
     
    Then the sending off happened and something in Diaz snapped. Not like it snapped with Nunez. With Diaz it was more a case of “fuck this, there’s no way I’m letting us lose this game”. He took the team on his back and he was sensational. He covered so much ground and caused so many problems that it never looked like we were a man down.
     
    The goal was just stunning. Brilliant run, great determination and then a rocket shot. That woke the stadium up, because it went completely silent in the minute or two following the red card. Now the place was rocking and there was every chance we’d go on and get a winner, as we had the momentum with us now.
     
    I said to John that Palace would get one more really clear chance on the break and they did. Thankfully they missed it. Other than that, it was all us. Mo volleyed just wide and then the fourth sub, Carvalho, looked as though he’d won it with a fantastic volley on his left foot. The technique on that was off the charts. Deserved a goal.
     
    But the goal didn’t come and we had to settle for a point. It’s disappointing, frustrating, deflating even. Not good at all. The only positive is that we came back and made sure we didn’t lose. That doesn’t seem like much now, but who knows, it might prove to be an important point. And even if it doesn’t, it’s still important because it preserves the unbeaten home record that stretched back to when Palace beat us all those years ago. I know we lost six on the bounce in the Covid season but as I keep saying, that doesn’t count.
     
    We haven’t lost a league game at Anfield in front of fans since, I don’t even know. I think it’s 2017 but it might even be a year longer than that. So I’m glad we salvaged something from this even if I agree with the view that draws are the thing that really fuck up a title challenge. They’ve fucked up a few of ours over the years so starting this campaign with two of them is pretty ominous. 
     
    We’d have been better off losing at Fulham and winning this one. Draws are so deceptive as it’s so easy to look at how few defeats a team has and think they’re doing great. You’re better off having half a dozen defeats and no draws really. I know you don’t have a choice in that and the results just play out as they do. I’m just saying, draws are not as demoralising as a defeat but they’re really damaging.
     
    We’ve got problems right now. Mostly fitness related but it’s something we need to battle through. The suspension of Nunez comes at a terrible time because Bobby and Jota are sidelined. For all the criticism Bobby has had we really need him next week. He was class against United last season as they’re so badly coached he just had the freedom of Old Trafford. I don’t expect much different next week so hopefully he makes it.
     
    Elliott was a bright spot. He didn’t do that much but he looked bright and tidy. He was the pick of the midfield which is not saying much as Milner wasn’t really in it and Fabinho just looks leggy at the moment. He might play in a different role next week if Bobby doesn’t make it. Harvey in the hole with Diaz and Mo ahead of him? It could work. Maybe Carvalho in that role, or out wide with Diaz through the middle. 
     
    I don’t know how we’ll line up, not least because we’ll probably lose a couple more in training between now and then. 
     
    Whatever side we put out should be good enough to beat United as they don’t even look like a professional football team right now. They’re a mess. Not one area of their team is functioning at a reasonable level. Even if they improve and give their best effort next week there’s no excuse for not beating them.
     
    Next week is an opportunity for us to finally get this season started. Go out and twat United and then we’re off and running. 
     
    Star man is Diaz even though he did fuck all until Nunez went off. The only other one I would even consider is Elliott, with a little shout out to Joey Gomez too. There’s a chance for him to re-establish himself now and I really hope he stays fit long enough to do it. 
     
    Final word on the crowd. The atmosphere was shite until Diaz scored. It started off ok but just fizzled out. The shouting of ‘shoot’ whenever someone has it forty yards from goal is irritating as fuck and seems to have only crept in post-covid. Virgil actually did it at one point, prompting Klopp to turn to the Kop and shush them. He was probably joking, but it’s a fair point. Shut the fuck up with that shit.
     
    I also wasn’t impressed when the Palace fans asked “where’s your famous atmosphere” and the Kop’s response was “fuck the tories”. I mean, I’m all for singing that, but there’s a time and place for it and that just wasn’t it. Palace aren’t Chelsea and we had a game to win. 
     
    On that note it’s worth mentioning that once again I’m fairly sure the Palace fans didn’t resort to the “sign on” “always the victim” shit we get from virtually everyone else. I might be wrong as I don’t sit down that end (and if I am I take all this back!) but it’s something I pick up on each year. Best opposition fans, home and away, every season.
     
     
    Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips (Gomez), Van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas); Fabinho, Elliott (Carvalho), Milner (Henderson); Salah, Nunez, Diaz:
     
     
  • Darwin Nunez saw red on his Anfield debut and we needed a worldy from Luis Diaz to salvage a point against Palace as the stuttering start to the season continued.
     
    Paul Natton and TLW Editor Dave Usher hotfooted it back from the game to join Chris Smith for a post-match inquisition, focusing mostly on the madness of Darwin and the subsequent Superman performance of Diaz who following the red card put the team on his back and simply refused to accept defeat.
     
    The lads also preview next week's trip to Old Trafford and discuss what should happen if their fans act up and get the game called off again.
     
     
  • Monday Aug 8:
     
    Everton are signing Conor Coady and I couldn’t be happier because now every Red will see him for what I’ve been saying he is for years. He’s the cockiest, most up his own arse player in the league and those who bought his “I’m dead sound me y’know lad” schtick will realise that soon enough now. He’ll be a proper cunt at Everton. He was bad enough when he played against us for Wolves but you can magnify that by a thousand now he’s trying to impress that lot.
     
    His fall from grace at Wolves seems to have come really quickly though. He was the captain and a fan favourite and then just like that, out of the team and about to be loaned to Everton. If the Blues don’t switch to a back three then this is going to be great fun watching him get torn apart every week. People think he’s good because he shouts a lot, makes last ditch blocks and can spray 40 yard passes as well as anyone. He’s too slow and too shit to play in a back four, which is why Wolves have fucked him off. This is going to be great fun.
     
    Elsewhere, Barcelona tried some dodgy dealings and it backfired to the point that La Liga not only refused to accept it, but the government then taxed them €37.5m on what they tried to do. It’s genuinely incredible how badly run they are. They are now threatening De Jong with legal action on the basis that THEY broke the rules with the contract they gave him and that he should therefore waive the £17m they owe him in wages. Is there a worse run club in football at the moment than Barc….
     
    Hold that thought. United have bid for Marco Arnautovic and have also offered £18m for Rabiot, who by all accounts Juve have been thinking of releasing on a free just to get rid of his massive wages. They’re a complete fucking basket case club and it’s great.
     
    Tuesday Aug 9:
     
    United have shit themselves on Arnautovic now after the price went up and the fans went mad. They’ve ran away from it, the shitbags. Who’s next? Kenwynne Jones? Maybe an offer to tempt Jon Walters out of retirement? Can't believe just how fucked up they've become in the last couple of years. Were we ever as bad as they are right now? Maybe in that six months under Hodgson when we had the threat of bankrupcy hanging over us, but otherwise we've never been as much of a joke as they are right now.
     
    Gini has signed for Roma and got a massive ovation when he was introduced to their crowd. I’m happy for him, hopefully he’ll find the love there that he didn’t have at PSG and he can start playing like Gini Wijnaldum again. 
     
    Sepp Van den Berg is joining Burnley on loan and we signed a lad who had been released by Southampton to take his spot in the u21s. We’ve also been linked with Luca Sucic. Never heard of him, but he plays for Salazburg and apparently he was good against us in pre-season. That automatically makes this a possibility because as I said a couple of weeks ago, there’ every chance that some of those kids who played against us will end up wearing red one day. The Red Bull clubs are the new Southampton.
     
    Saw some quotes from Rio Ferdinand today that I found quite interesting.
     
    “I hated Balotelli, hated him. He did a couple of things I didn’t like with the fans and I thought he was rude. But I chat with him now, lovely geezer. It’s mad because I’d see him after and it would only be respectful. In the games, in the end I respected it, he was an animal on the pitch.
     
    “Didn’t like Suarez, didn’t like Torres. He stamped on my foot one time when the ball was up the other end, stitches in my foot. I was playing, the ball was in the other end, we had some tussles. He was game trust me. The ball went out at the other end and he just stamped on my foot and there was no ball about anywhere."
     
    “Went in at half-time, took off my boot and it was the worst thing I could’ve done. My foot went ‘woof’ I need stitches. I had an injection, for ages it was killing me, got a scar on my foot.”
     
    I’d expect that from Suarez but it’s mad hearing Torres pulling shit like that. He used to take a lot of punishment from defenders so no doubt he was just giving back some, but Ferdinand hasn’t owned up to that. The idea that Torres would do that unprovoked seems far fetched. Suarez absolutely would, but not Torres. Ferdinand no doubt got exactly what was coming to him. I dislike Torres considerably less after reading that.
     
    Wednesday Aug 10:
     
    Barcelona want to sign Trent according to multiple (bogus) reports. Great stuff, any excuse for me to dust off this classic….
     
     
     
    So six weeks for Thiago then. Knowing him, it will be longer. It’s a massive blow but if I’d have asked any one of you a few weeks ago if you thought that at some this season Thiago will pick up an injury that will keep him out a couple of months, I bet there isn’t a single one of you who would have said no. This is entirely expected, it’s just worse because it happened on week one.
     
    Meanwhile, Bajcetic signs a new deal as Jake Cain has a bit of a moan about being overlooked in pre-season. I mention the two together because there’s a three year age gap between them but the younger lad went on the pre-season tour and is already closer to the team. 
     
    Cain reckons he did well on loan last year and that in the last few months of the season he was one of the best midfielders in the league. He said he did everything LFC asked him to and he feels a bit let down that he didn’t make the tour. I feel for him actually because he’s a really good little player. Leighton Clarkson is too though and he’s another who won’t make it here. 
     
    The club know that, but they don’t yet know whether Bajcetic will make it so that’s why they’ll always take the younger kid on tour to have a closer look at them. Cain and Clarkson were given that same treatment when they were younger, no doubt at the expense of lads a couple of years older who thought they should be going. Cain and Clarkson were great to watch in the youth and u23 sides and hopefully they both go on to have good careers. It’s really fucking hard making it here though as you have to be pretty special.
     
    Meanwhile, it looks like these Bernardo Silva rumours have some legs you know. I can’t see it happening, not least because Barca have a waiting list of half a dozen signings in line to be registered before they could even think about another one, but also because he’s City’s second best player. Why the fuck would they even think about letting him go unless they have something huge lined up. Like Neymar or some wild shit like that. Bellingham maybe. Oh fuck, that’s it isn’t it? Scupper our plans while bolstering their own midfield for the next decade or more.
     
    Thursday Aug 11:
     
    Lots of rumours about us being in for Nunes from Sporting. James Pearce says it’s bollocks and I’ll ride with him over random clickbait twitter accounts or some Portuguese fella with a track record of making bold transfer declarations that turn out to be complete bollocks. I did see a clip of Nunes yesterday though. It was about 5 seconds worth of footage but that was enough to grab my attention and form the opinion that he’s completely different to anything we currently have. 
     
    Why do I think that? Because in that clip he carried the ball from inside his own half, beat a few players and then sprayed a cross field pass that created a goal. None of our midfielders can do that. Well, Ox on his absolute best day probably could, but chances are that day was four years ago.
     
    Another day another new contract. Harvey this time. He’s not that long signed one but this is what we do. Players are rewarded for their progress rather than held to ransom on deals they signed when they were younger. Harvey says he hopes he spends his entire career with us. He says that now, but if he ends up being as special as people think I could see him wanting to go to Spain. No idea why, as he is a massive Red and I have no doubt he means what he’s saying. Things can change though. It wouldn’t shock me if one day Trent decided to test himself overseas too.
     
    Bernardo Silva claims City “don’t get the credit they deserve”. He gave it the old “I’m not complaining, but…” thing too, which tells everyone that he is indeed complaining. Right up there with “|’m not racist but…” which is ironic as that applies to him too.
     
    He also thinks Lance Armstrong is unfairly demonised and that Ben Johnson should never have been stripped of his gold medal. Silly little cunt, really hope he fucks off soon so I don’t ever have to look at his thinning hairline and little rat face ever again.
     
    Friday Aug 12:
     
    Klopp was a bit arsey today in his presser and had very little patience for some of the questions he was asked. I get it, a lot of the questions in these things even have me rolling my eyes and I’m not the one having to answer them, but he was definitely tetchier than usual and the girl (Julia I think) from the BBC was given particularly short shrift. I actually thought her question was one of the better ones, but Klopp took issue with her pointing that the slow start we saw last week was also something that had crept in at the end of last season too. His argument was that they’d played 50 odd games last year so they were fatigued. 
     
    Not sure I buy that because we finished games really strongly. Surely if if it was fatigue we’d run out of gas. I think this is a thing and Klopp is aware of it, but he doesn’t want it becoming bigger than it is. He’ll be desperate for us to start well against Palace to put this to bed before it gains even more traction. She definitely touched a nerve.
     
    He was also asked about signing a midfielder and he basically said “I don’t just want a midfielder, I want this midfielder” and he was no doubt talking about Bellingham. Maybe some others we were linked with too. The Italian lad or Nunes from Sporting. The point is, there were players he wanted but so far they weren’t doable this summer so he won’t settle for a lesser option just to get someone in. 
     
    Someone has bid for Nunes though. According to Moyes anyway, who said West Ham were in for him but one of the big clubs has made an offer and so he’s not interested in the Hammers. Lot of talk that it’s City, who may need to replace Silva. It could be Everton though. After all, they reckon they beat West Ham to the signing of Onana so why not Nunes too?
     
    Speaking of Onana, last week when I was watching the Fulham game with my Dad and my cousin Al (you may know him as Ezekiel on the forum), I got Al with a belter. “Everton have signed that Onana” he says. “What’s his name?” I replied. “Onana” he says. “What’s his name?” I say again. “Ona…. Oh fuck off”.
     
    Some of you won’t get that. Don’t worry, it’s just because you’re not as hip as I am.
     
     
    ….and that was the week that was
  • Football is without a doubt one of the most popular sports in the world. Although there’s a series of factors that come into play when assessing a sport’s popularity – such as number of fans, how many people watch it, or how many people play it at global level – it appears that soccer is the undisputable leader, achieving cult status with over 4 billion fans and a staggering 265 million people playing it worldwide, according to FIFA’s estimations. 
     
    But as beloved as football may be, one can’t deny it also comes with a fair share of risks and hazards. It’s true that football is not as dangerous as other sports such as boxing, hockey or rugby, but it’s still a demanding team sport played at relentless pace, with plenty of falls, collisions and accidents that can lead to all sorts of injuries, from minor bruises and cuts to severe fractures and concussions. 
     
    Football injuries cause both physical and financial damage, as players often have to go through a lengthy recovery process and the clubs lose large amounts of money for each player who’s unable to perform and has to spend time off the pitch. 
    Football injuries cost clubs a lot of money 
    Let’s take a look at what happens when football players get injured from the club’s perspective. Recent research conducted by insurance broker Howden revealed that injuries across Europe’s top five leagues – Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A – have seen a significant increase in the first half of the season. The injuries recorded up to 18 January account for nearly 60% of last season's total.
     
    The financial damage suffered by clubs as a result of players’ absence due to injuries has been estimated at about £280m, which is quite a hefty sum to lose, even if top football clubs report a revenue of millions of pounds every year. Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, and Paris Saint-Germain are among the richest football clubs at the moment, but even they have to deal with major financial losses as a result of the high number of injuries suffered by players on the field. 
    Common football injuries 
    Football injuries are an inevitable part of the game. As with any sport that involves a certain degree of aggressivity and sustained physical activity, the risk of getting hurt during the game is ever-present. Injuries are also a major reason for retirement for professional football players, so learning about the risks and how to prevent potential injuries from happening can keep players in top physical shape for longer and extend their careers. 
    Head injuries 
    Football collisions often lead to bumps and bruises in the face, but that’s the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario, one that is fairly common unfortunately, happens when players suffer concussions as a result of direct contact with another player. Concussions refer to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that result from a severe impact to the head such as a violent bump, blow, or jolt, leading to temporary disruption of normal brain function. 
     
    Common symptoms of concussions include:
     
    headache
    sensitivity to light 
    dizziness
    problems with short- or long-term memory 
    nausea and vomiting
    double or blurred vision
     
    Although most concussions are not life threatening, the effects can be quite serious, so immediate medical attention is required. Unfortunately, because signs can be subtle, concussions are often overlooked even by doctors, and as legal experts at Medical Negligence Claims Care explain, that can be classed as medical negligence. 
     
    Although there’s not much players can do to avoid collisions that lead to concussions during the game, preventative measures include limiting heading the ball, and being mindful of opponents while on the field. Wearing special football headgear can also help reduce the impact of the blow and thus lessen the severity of head injuries considerably. 
    Knee and calf injuries
    Given that in the football practice the legs are the most intensely used part of the body with all the running, dribbling, passing, shooting that players do during a match, it’s no surprise knees and calves are also the most prone to injuries. These types of injuries include:  
     
    ACL injuries – the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that runs from the femur to the tibia plays an essential role in stabilising knee joints. ACL ruptures are fairly common in football, as they often happen when players change direction quickly, make a sudden twist, or land awkwardly after a jump. 
    Meniscus tear – the meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage between the shinbone and the thighbone that acts as a shock absorber. Meniscus tears in the knee are just as frequent in football, as a result of forcefully twisting or rotating the knee. This usually happens when players pivot or make sudden stops and turns. 
    Shin injuries – shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome are as common as they are painful. This occurs when muscles, tendons, and bone tissue in the lower part of the leg get inflamed as a result of repeated stress to the shin bone. Since football players are constantly running, jumping, changing direction, and sometimes receive direct hits in the shins, these injuries are usual occurrence. 
    The best thing football players can do to keep knee and calf injuries at bay is to work on strengthening their lower limbs through consistent exercise, warming up before training and matches, wearing shin guards, and stretching after the game. 
    Ankle injuries
    Sprained ankles are also a common sight on the football pitch, as a result of turning, twisting, or rolling the ankle the wrong way and stretching the ligaments that hold the ankle bones together. 
     
    Ankle injuries happen when players plant their foot awkwardly, or when they change direction suddenly, but playing on uneven surfaces and steeping into a hole also increases the likelihood of this type of injury. 
     
    As you can see, there are many things that can go wrong during a football match, and players are constantly exposed to all sorts of risks, which makes the game both exciting and dangerous. That’s why focusing on reducing and preventing incidents that can lead to injuries is extremely important in football practice, as it can benefit both payers and the clubs’ bottom line. 
  • Maybe your passion for the game stopped you from weighing the risks of this sport, but now more than ever, they need to be emphasised for the actual and future players to stay safe while doing what they know best – get the ball rolling.
     
    Football is without a doubt an enticing sport, just like racing or hiking, but it is also dangerous, and before embarking on the journey of becoming a football player, you need to be aware of what this activity involves. Whether we talk about professional or amateur football, injury risks are real, and some include traumatic brain injuries, concussions, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, ankle, knee, and wrist injuries, and even chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of dementia many players in the NHL and NFL have experienced throughout time.
     
    Football players are prone to such conditions due to the impacts suffered, whether with the ball or other players on the field. Specialists are concerned about the concussions these athletes often experience, as they can result in depression, dizziness, memory loss, sleep deprivation, and CTE in the long term. In other words, the injury might seem minor at the moment of the impact, but it can transform into a problematic condition that is hard to deal with.
    So, exactly how risky is football?
    A disturbing mixture of uncertainty and hazard
    You may have heard that football is dangerous, but exactly how dangerous? Researchers from Buffalo’s SUNY explain more. Specialists studied 21 men, professional football and hockey players alike, and examined numerous aspects of their health during the process. These individuals ranged in age from mid-thirties to the early seventies for the researchers to be able to compare their conditions with reference to their age.
     
    Conclusions? It was discovered that football and hockey players suffered more from clinical anxiety than their fellows practising running, cycling, or swimming. They were more prone to a type of dementia called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), caused mainly by their repeated head injuries throughout their career. The results are sad, all the more so since injuries can have debilitating consequences. Some brain injuries could even leave a player in a coma, permanently impaired, or worse. For example, the famous athlete Mike Webster, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a victim of a heart attack, and it is believed that the lesions in his brain played a significant role in his death.
     
    It is as clear as day that football is just as risky as motorsport. It is a high-impact sport that requires much reflection before taking this route and, if you are already in the game, ensure you take all the necessary steps to keep you safe from hazards. Some cannot be prevented, as it is not like you anticipate when someone hits you straight in the head with the ball, but others can be avoided or at least diminished.
     
    Nevertheless, if you get injured due to intentional or negligent behaviour, you are within your rights to make a compensation claim. Unsafe pitch surfaces or improper equipment are some reasons you might be eligible for compensation, so ensure you hire a professional injury lawyer to help you with the legal procedures. Accident at Work Claim Care specialists, for example, can provide free legal advice and further protect your rights in court if it is proven that you got hurt because of someone else’s inattention.
    Football and brain injuries
    Some of the most frequent brain injuries football players are prone to are concussions. But these concussions can lead to severe complications if left untreated, like CTE. Let us learn about these two medical issues that can seriously threaten football athletes’ health.
    What is a concussion?
    Concussions are traumas to the head resulting from a great force or impact on the head. This makes the brain hit the inside of the skull, meaning that the person injured is likely to experience symptoms like loss of consciousness, memory loss, fogginess, headaches, and disorientation. Concussions often require medical intervention, but time and rest contribute to recovery in many cases. However, a second concussion (not excluded in football playing) can lead to severe medical conditions, including anxiety, depression, personality changes, Alzheimer’s, and CTE.
    How to prevent a concussion?
    Wearing adequately fitted protective equipment like mouth guards and helmets is the most obvious prevention method, but there are much more actions you can take to keep yourself safe from forceful impacts. You can hire an expert trainer to teach you the proper techniques to avoid blows to the head. Or, you can limit the amount of physical contact, as it is also one of the reasons these impacts occur. You may also want to keep a close eye on the other athletes to learn their movements and then take steps to protect yourself from impacts likely to be violent.
    What is CTE?
    Chronic traumatic encephalopathy or shortly CTE is what concussions turn into if left untreated or if you continue to get exposed to such blows to the head. In football, it is pretty hard to avoid the impact since it is your duty to take the ball and reach the goal. Multiple and repeated brain injuries can result in CTE, which may have severe consequences like impaired judgement, depression, and even aggression. The worst thing it can ever happen is suicide, but unfortunately, this has affected athletes with CTE (see the case of Aaron Hernandez).
    Injuries in football more common than CTE
    CTE is one of the worst conditions a football player can experience, but let us not go that far. There are common injuries footballers often deal with, and we do not say that these are less serious and just that their treatment is less complicated.
    Thus, some of the most frequent damages on the football field include:
     
    ACL injuries
    Knee injuries
    Ankle sprains
    Hamstrings
    Groin injuries
    Hip pointers
     
    Takeaway. Football is a risky sport that requires much passion and courage. If you are already in the game or training to get there, you surely know what we are talking about.
  • The sports industry frequently uses data analytics to create valuable content for supporters and viewers. Although it is essential, this practice has become controversial due to wrongly used information for purposes that contravene the GDPR. Luckily, professionals have started to notice, and they’re making a change in the player data collection and processing landscape. Here’s how!
     
    Project Red Card
    One of the biggest petitions in the sports industry called “Project Red Card'' aims to safeguard players from big companies collecting their data without their consent. This movement started in 2020 with Russel Slade, the Global Sports Data and Technology Group (GSDT) owner. Now, in 2022, the initiative looks to take legal action, as the claim stated that third-party firms are using players’ personal, tracking and performance data without consent or compensation. 
     
    It’s supposed that all this information has been used in the past six years, which is the maximum income recovering limit under UK law. Under the UK and Eu data protection laws, these practices are illegal and invade players' privacy because player data can provide the clubs with information that may influence a player’s performance. The case is to be tried in court as a class action lawsuit. 
     
    The case of GDPR misuse 
    Last year, 850 professional football players claimed compensation from companies trading their performance data. They asked for an annual fee for any future use, besides asking for consent first, because, due to GDPR, these companies are violating the regulations on data use. 17 major betting, entertainment and data collection firms have been identified as breaching information, according to BBC.
     
    The information they’re referring to are detailed figures about the player’s height, for example. But this violates the fourth article of the European General Data Protection Regulations because personal data can mean anything on identifiable information like physical attributes, location or physiology. 
     
    Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen only in football, but apparently, other professional sports have the same issue regarding data collection and are considering taking similar legal action over data trading. 
     
    What is GDPR?
    GDPR has imposed new rules from 25th May 2018 for organisations that can collect and use data about European residents. For the sports industry, this includes the information that community-owned clubs collect for their members, for example. There are six privacy principles that are to be followed:
     
    Personal data has to be processed lawfully;
    Personal data is to be collected for “specified, explicit and legitimate purposes”;
    Data must be limited to what is mandatory regarding the reasons for which they are needed;
    Personal data must be authentic and kept up to date;
    When it’s no longer required, personal data should be deleted from any system;
    Processors need to ensure that all personal data they hold is secure;
     
    But what is personal data? 
    This concept is defined as any information that can be used to identify an individual, including their name, phone number, email address, date of birth, location and others. There is also sensitive data, which organisations are banned from processing under the GDPR unless the individual consents:
     
    Racial or ethnic origin
    Political opinions
    Religious beliefs
    Trade union membership 
    Genetic or biometric details
    Health reports
     
    On the other hand, information can be processed if at least one of these conditions is met:
     
    The data subject has given their consent;
    The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract
    For compliance with a legal obligation
    The processing is required to protect the interests of the individual
    There are public interest purposes
     
    However, if the organisation won’t comply with these regulations and breach its duty of care, you can file a GDPR data breach claim if you suffered from material (finances) or non-material damage (mental health-related). For example, for less severe general psychiatric damage, you can get up to £5,860. Still, a GDPR data breach that affects the person until developing severe PTSD can get someone compensation for £100,670. 
     
    If you’re wondering if the process will succeed, you can opt for a No Win No Fee claim, where you’ll pay for your advisor’s advice only if they’re able to win your case; otherwise, you won’t have any further payments to make. 
    Why is player information so important?
    You may be wondering why there's so much fuss around this subject if most football players already have great incentives. Well, besides this matter, the breaching issue falls under some major legal problems, like:
     
    Lack of transparency. Players aren’t informed on how their information is being used;
    Lack of player consent. Some of these companies have included the consent stipulations in contracts as just another clause instead of making a separate contract for this matter, and, therefore, the player’s consent is not taken lawfully;
    Sensitive data processing. Distance covered, speed or energy expenditure are easily available to anyone, even if biological functions are given extra protection under the GDPR;
    Profiling issues. Betting companies and video game developers are using data to create complete player profiles, and it may be promoting the toxic and judgemental nature of fans.
     
    Such organisations heavily base their services and products and an array of player data. Even if all of them state that they’ve been collecting data illegally, players weren’t provided with explanations on what their data is used for, which is why they need to be paid compensation for. 
     
    There’s been a change even in games regulations, as FIFA has changed their data collecting approach after facing the new GDPR, especially for the use of image rights, because all the characters in the game look similar to the real-life players. Along with that, real-life information has been used for in-game ranking and rating players. 
    Final thoughts 
    Using players’ sensitive and personal information to make a profit is changing, as organisations have to stick to a set of regulations in order to be able to use data legally. Even if it’s quite difficult to prove the GDPR data breach, the sports industry is taking significant steps towards transparent and fair use of players’ data. 
  • The return of Premier League football recently will have been music to the ears of all Liverpool fans. While pre-season friendlies and FA Community Shield games are diverting enough, nothing matches the EPL for sheer drama. It is also a league which delivers plenty of goalmouth action, controversial refereeing decisions and tough tackling!
     
    The Premier League is also a great competition to bet on and this can help add even more excitement to Liverpool games. If you do plan to bet on the Premier League online, just make sure to get a season overview first. This will help you work out what kinds of bets you can make and also what teams stand a chance of doing well. 
     
    Of course, Liverpool will feature highly in any decent Premier League season preview, and fans will be confident of another fine campaign in 2022/23. Liverpool played their opening game against Fulham away at Craven Cottage – but it did not go according to plan exactly!
     
    Fulham 2 – Liverpool 2 
     
    As the title of this article suggests, Liverpool have new boy Darwin Nunez and key man Mo Salah to thank for rescuing a point against Fulham. In fact, many fans point to the arrival of Nunez on the pitch as the major turning point of the game. Coming on for Roberto Firmino just six minutes into the second half, his impact was almost immediate. Not only did he score his team’s first goal and set up Salah’s equaliser, but he also seemed to reinvigorate a Liverpool side that had looked out of sorts before. 
     
    Although the £85m price tag he came with seemed steep at first glance, it is clear just what a top-level talent Nunez is. Not only does he have the sheer physicality to do well in the Premier League, but he has a great touch, superb movement and a knack for scoring goals. Surely now manager Jurgen Klopp has to play him from the start moving forward.
     
    Salah rides to the rescue 
     
    While much of Liverpool's draw with Fulham can be put down to the improvement Nunez’s arrival ushered in, you also need to mention Salah’s impact. Although he had looked as listless as his teammates in the first half, he showed his importance again with the equalising goal to give his team a point. 
     
    Although not one of his world-beating best, Salah’s quick reaction to stab the ball home after Nunez knocked it on was impressive. The fact that he was still making runs into the box and looking to score also speaks volumes about his desire. As in previous seasons, Liverpool will need Salah firing on all cylinders again to reach the top. With claims that a new contract at Anfield has freed Salah's mind, it seems he is ready to focus fully on the Reds once more. 
     
    What did the Fulham game tell us about the coming season for Liverpool? 
     
    All Liverpool fans will be naturally disappointed about the Fulham result, but it is key to not overreact. This was the very first match of the season after all and players might simply have been a bit rusty from summer still. In addition, this time of year always throws up shock results you do not expect! 
     
    As things settle down, it is clear that Liverpool’s players will use their quality to get into a winning groove. We also have to factor in that this game was away from Anfield, which can always prove tricky when the side has to travel a long way down to London. If you also add in how well Fulham played on the day and how much of a handful Mitrovic was, the draw becomes a little easier to bear.
     
    Of course, it does have to said that there were worrying signs for Jurgen Klopp’s side at Craven Cottage. Both Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold looked a little out of sorts for example. They are part of a defence that has been the bedrock of Liverpool’s success recently. 
     
    It is therefore key for Klopp to iron out any issues around their form to get them back to their best. The injury to Thiago Alcantara was another blow on the day and Klopp must find someone to bring into the side for now who can keep the team ticking over in possession. 
     
    2022/23 season should be exciting for Liverpool 
     
    While a draw away at Fulham might not be too inspiring, it is not all doom and gloom at Merseyside. The performance of both Nunez and Salah for example is something to excite fans moving forward. With Manchester City looking to be Liverpool’s main rivals for the Premier League again, both players will prove crucial.
  • This is usually the round up I most enjoy writing every season. The first week of a new campaign is great because absence makes the heart grow fonder and you’ve got the added bonus of newly promoted teams and loads of new signings throughout the league. So it’s an interesting, fun weekend. Unless you fail to beat one of those newly promoted teams and then the entire weekend is turned to shit.
     
    After our game I virtually checked out for the weekend. Didn’t watch the other live games and I’m only getting around to watching Match of the Day now, on Thursday. And only because I have to for the purpose of this. That draw with Fulham killed my new season buzz stone dead. Playing catch up to City already? Fucks sake.
     
    I even broke my own rule and immediately regretted it. I almost never watch City unless I know that they’ve dropped points or I’m very confident they are about to. For some inexplicable reason I switched on for five minutes of their game at West Ham on Sunday. It was 0-0 at the time, so I flicked it on partly because the Hammers gave them such a good game a few months ago and partly because of a morbid curiosity as to whether Haaland’s arrival would have a negative impact on how they play.
     
    In that five minutes I don’t remember West Ham even touching the ball and the camera was rarely off Haaland’s horrendous grid. He won and scored a penalty and that was me done. TV off, cursing myself for breaking my own rule and lamenting further the two points dropped at Fulham. Fucks sake.
     
    Such was the extent of my sulk at the weekend I didn’t even feel like laughing at United. That’s not the case now, I’m watching these highlights a few days later and just marvelling at the depths they continue to plumb. I’m not surprised, I expected them to lose to Brighton because Brighton are a better team. I’m not saying that to take the piss either, it’s just the truth. United finished higher in the table, largely off the back of Ronaldo’s goals, but Brighton are a much better unit. Better coached, better organised, better to watch. They look like a football team, United look like a fucking shambles, utterly reliant on moments of individual skill from the good, but not great, attacking players they have.
     
    Brighton battered them at the back end of last season and this was more of the same. They didn’t have the goals to show for it this time, but they dominated the first half. United beat us 4-0 a few weeks ago and while I highly doubt the hard core support were in any way fooled by that, United twitter on the other hand went the full Arsenal and were smelling themselves big time. How are you smelling now, knobheads?
     
    We shouldn’t be surprised that they looked confused in that first half though. After all, their captain had them lining up on the wrong side of the tunnel before they came out. Incredible. That’s his home fucking stadium! How is he not getting that right? I’d love to sit with Roy Keane and play that clip for him to see his reaction. He can’t even say the word “Magwoooyyer” without rolling his eyes and looking skyward.
     
    Ronaldo was on the bench. No idea why. Not sure what’s going on with him as there have been so many mad stories about his future this summer I don’t know what to believe. The maddest report was the one that said he wanted to leave for a Champions League club and United were so desperate to keep him they said “go on loan for a year and then come back to us if we get in the Champions League”. Can that possibly be true? How degrading would that be. I know you’re shit at the moment but you’re still Manchester United. Have some pride. Fucking hell.
     
    Anyway, Ronaldo was on the bench and Eriksen was playing as a false nine. What a cunt he is by the way. Brentford took a chance on him when nobody else would after he died on the pitch. And he repays them by fucking off to that clownshow. Says a lot about him I think. Maybe he enjoyed purgatory so much in that little spell he had on the other side that he’s got a taste for it. Or maybe it was hell? No, if it was that he'd have signed for Everton.
     
    That United team looks genuinely terrible though. Maguire is still in it but he’s got a tiny new defensive partner now who looks more like a jocky than a centre back. McFred still makes up the midfield, they’ve got that Dalot starting at right back and van de Beek is still there despite not even being able to get a game with the Blues last season. They’ll do well to even get sixth. If they somehow finish higher than that then Ten Hag is manager of the season regardless of what anyone else does. Because that team and squad is SHITE. My prediction for them (as their squad currently stands) is somewhere between 8-12th.
     
    I mean come on, Brighton sold two of their best players, haven’t bought anyone and they still have Danny Welcrap up front. Yet they were miles better than United. 
     
    Pascal Gross scored twice in the first half and he’s scored so many goals against them now he’s probably got more right to claim ownership of them than the fucking Glazers have. Speaking of United ownership, Michael Knighton has reignited his efforts to get hold of them. You honestly couldn’t make this shit up. Every day it’s something more mental. It’s getting Everton-like. Hope he juggles a ball on the pitch again.
     
    Brighton were denied a stonewall pen too when the teeny weeny Martinez ran into the back of Welbeck and flattened him, but Manchester’s own Paul Tierney said no. VAR didn’t get involved either, apparently because of the ‘high bar’ being used this season on VAR interventions. Sorry, but if you’re not getting involved in that then there’s no point even having it. 
     
    I mean just look at this, how is it not a penalty?
     

     
    Ronaldo came on and United rallied. Rashford had a few chances he couldn’t take and then they scored the scruffiest of scruffy goals that eventually rolled in off Mac Allister. Brighton’s first ever win at Old Trafford. There’ll be a lot of teams getting their best Old Trafford results this season I think. It won’t be United though.
     
    Both the City and United game were on Sunday so I may as well wrap up Sunday’s action before getting to Saturday. The other game was at Leicester where Brendan’s boys took on Brentford. 
     
    It’s really weird seeing Leicester without Schmeichel in goal. I can’t even remember who their keeper was before him, he was there forever and he even played all the cup games too. It’s just as weird seeing Danny Ward getting starts. He must be in his thirties now and he’s played *checks notes* only four more Premier League games than I have. In other words, he’s played four Premier League games.
     
    I was being flippant about his age but while checking my notes (by that I mean wiki, as if I'm organised enough to take notes) I see that he is in fact, 29, so I wasn’t far off.
     
    Castagne headed Leicester into the lead when he rose highest to meet Maddison’s corner before Dewsbury-Hall lashed in a 30 yarder to double their advantage. Toney pulled one back and then missed a sitter that would have made it 2-2. They were flying at that point though and Da Silva did make it 2-2 with a fine solo effort. Deserved point for them as they finished really strong after being outplayed for seventy minutes.
     
    I usually don’t make predictions until after the third round up of the season but we did predictions on the pod so I had to make my three relegation picks for that and I went Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham. I’d completely forgotten about Brentford to be honest and if I could have done those picks over I’d probably have included them over Fulham or Bournemouth. I might have thrown Leeds in there too. On this evidence though I might be underselling Brentford. I’ll see after three games if I need to re-assess, but for now I’m good with the three I picked.
     
    That is despite Bournemouth doing what they did this weekend. Scott ‘Scotty’ Parker once got the better of Steven Gerrard when Stuart Pearce thought he was a better choice for England captain. He got the better of him again on opening day at the Vitality Stadium. What the fuck was with the three white stripes on the sleeve of his suit though? Are adidas making suits now? Terrible business that.
     
    Lerma rifled in the opener after Villa didn’t deal with a corner and Keifer Moore made is 2-0 late on. They weren’t particularly good but Villa were awful.
     
    Something isn’t right at Villa. Stevie stripped Mings of the captaincy and dropped him. Of course Mings is shite, but he’s always been shite. You don’t take the captaincy off him for that, so there must be more to it.
     
    There’s a chance that Stevie just isn’t very good you know. He gets away with it because he was a great player and is such a well respected figure in the game. Not just that, he really looks the part. He’s dapper, well groomed, dresses in smart suits, talks a great game and is a walking football cliché encyclopaedia. He’s every inch the generic looking boss that you see on the front cover of Football Manager games.
     
    I had to check the line ups just then to see if Coutinho played, because I didn’t see the little fucker at all in the highlights. O Magico and his away from home disappearing act still going strong.
     
    I could have done without Spurs getting off to a flyer. I think they’ll do well this season so a slow start would have been good. It looked promising too when Ward-Prowse volleyed in from 16 yards to give Southampton an early lead.
     
    I t didn’t last long. Sessegnon headed in from Kulusevski’s brilliant ball in and it wasn’t long before Dier stopped to head one in and make it 2-1. It was one way traffic after that and Spurs created chance after chance before eventually Salisu put one in his own net in comical fashion.
     
    The outstanding Kulusevski made it 3-1 and I have to say that as of right now, Spurs have the best front three in the league. I’ve always thought we had that, but Sadio is gone and Diaz and Nunez have to do it over a longer period of time to establish themselves as the best. Kane and Son are proved and Kulusevski has been excellent since his arrival. 
     
    Hopefully in a few months we’ll have re-established our dominance, but currently their front three leads the way for me. And I hate saying that because two of them are absolute cunts and they have an even bigger cunt as their fourth forward.
     
    Tell you what else I can really do without. Newcastle doing well. Fucking cunts. If you thought I had beef with them last season, then you ain’t see nothing yet. The oil twats are well on their way to ruining footy and Newcastle will eventually be every bit as loathsome as City and PSG, but the Saudi cunts are ruining golf too. 
     
    This isn’t going to happen and I’m under no illusions here, but if you give me a choice now to relegate anyone outside of the big six, I’m going Newcastle all day. Even more so than Everton. Fuck those bonesaw condoning shill cunts.
     
    They beat Forest easily but then this was the best moment to face Forest as they’ve got about thirty new players to bed in. They’ve done what Fulham did a few years ago. I suspect they’ll fare better than Fulham did because Steve Cooper is a good coach, but it can be difficult bedding in so many new players and the danger is they lose the spirit, togetherness and chemistry that got them promoted in the first place. We’ll see.  They were proper shit on Saturday though.
     
    Schar made the breakthrough with a speculative long range shot that beat Henderson at the near post. He’s a fraud that keeper. Made his name off one brilliant game against us (in which he actually fucked up for the only goal of the game) when he was on loan. He’s one of those Pickford, Ramsdale types.
     
    You know the moment I knew he was a total fraud? When Mo ran through against him at Old Trafford and he ran backwards and made himself as small as possible. Massive, massive red flag that. He’s clearly shite. He got lobbed from inside the six yard box for the second goal too. Nice finish by Wilson but if my keeper lets that in I’m not happy.
     
    There’s always a lot of talk about Steve Cooper’s face and the poor guy takes a lot of stick for it. He’s not that bad, I think he gets a raw deal but the one thing that always springs to mind when I look at him is his resemblance to Craig Bellamy. He’s the Hugo to Bellamy’s Bart.
     

     
    Leeds might be in trouble again this season. They did well to save themselves last season but they’ve lost Phillips and Raphinha now. One of the new players they brought in was quite lively against Wolves and for them to have any chance of surviving they need him to be good. 
     
    They fell behind early when Podence volleyed in but Rodrigo levelled with a shot that Sa really ought to have saved. The Wolves keeper was all over the place and almost dribbled it into his own net at one point. He’s usually quite solid him too. He was being pressured by my boy Bamford though and that’s no Bed of Roses.
     
    The new boy Aaronson thought he’d scored the winner but it goes down as an own goal by Ait-Nouri. Fair play to him for not only wheeling away like it was his goal but also lying in his post match interview by saying it hit him on the leg. Great assist by my boy there though, and he almost got a goal himself but was denied by a brilliant save by Sa.
     
    Wolves were the better side but lost, and they didn’t end last season very well either. I think they’ll be ok but if I had to pick an outside bet for relegation it might be them. At least they’ve fucked Coady off though, so the coach isn’t an idiot.
     
    Which is more than can be said for his counterpart at Everton. They’ve signed Coady and all I’ll say here is that he’ll fit right in because he’s a cunt. I’ve said that for years, now you’ll all see!
     
    Bad start for the Blues who lost to Chelsea and also lost both centre backs to injury. Godfrey’s is a bad one but fuck him. He’s always throwing himself into bad tackles and this time he came off worse. They lost Mina too, but they’re used to that as that cunt is never out of the treatment room.
     
    Chelsea were comfortably the better side but didn’t really have much of a cutting edge and had to settle for just the one goal, from the penalty spot courtesy of Jorginho after Chilwell was fouled by Doucoure.
     
    There’s a lot of upheaval at Chelsea but their starting line up still looks pretty good to me. I can’t see them missing out on the top four, especially if they bring in a striker before the window closes.
     
    Mind you, with their track record on centre forwards they might be better off not bothering. That Broja lad did well at Southampton, they could do worse than stick with him. And by do worse, I mean they could sign another Werner or Lukaku. Personally I hope the Ronaldo talk has some legs as it would be funny as fuck seeing United fans trying to deal with that.
     
    Only thing to add to this is that I really, REALLY fucking hate Frank Lampard.
     
    Arsenal had a good win away at Palace on Friday night. I didn’t watch it and have no interest in catching up on what happened. Needless to say I’m not buying what Arsenal are selling, and that loud sniffing noise you hear is the sound of a few hundred thousand ‘Gooners’ smelling themselves. 
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