The shitness of modern football

[VladimirIlyich]

Mind you, I have trouble recalling any FA Cup Final in the last 20 years, other than 2001 and 2006.

 

And I've tried to forget 1996.

The eyes cannot erase 1996.

[TalkSilly]

While Liverpool got away with it last night, this business of playing B teams in cup games gets on my tits, especially in the absence of European football. It seems to be just something managers do because it's what managers do rather than being based on any objectivity and to see Klopp buying into it is exasperating.

 

I'd have agreed with this 5 years ago but I think this league is now so competitive managers feel they have to try and spread minutes around the squad as much as possible. When Benitez was in charge we'd have expected to go to a mid-table side like Palace and at the very least draw even after a difficult Champions League game mid-week, these days we don't really know what to expect from game to game and neither does anyone else. Apart from Leicester all the teams involved in European football last week dropped points in the league last weekend.

 

For me Tuesday's team was a pretty clear indication that, despite all the talk to the contrary, Klopp is seriously prioritising the league this season way above everything else. It will be interesting to see how we do if most of our first eleven have only played 30 odd games going into April as, of our last 9 league fixtures, Everton on the 1st are the sole team currently in the top 6. None of the other 8 teams are in the bottom 3 at the moment either so they might not have that much to play for. With a fit and relatively fresh first eleven who knows how many points we can put on the board this season?

[navbasi]

I'd have agreed with this 5 years ago but I think this league is now so competitive managers feel they have to try and spread minutes around the squad as much as possible. When Benitez was in charge we'd have expected to go to a mid-table side like Palace and at the very least draw even after a difficult Champions League game mid-week, these days we don't really know what to expect from game to game and neither does anyone else. Apart from Leicester all the teams involved in European football last week dropped points in the league last weekend.

 

For me Tuesday's team was a pretty clear indication that, despite all the talk to the contrary, Klopp is seriously prioritising the league this season way above everything else. It will be interesting to see how we do if most of our first eleven have only played 30 odd games going into April as, of our last 9 league fixtures, Everton on the 1st are the sole team currently in the top 6. None of the other 8 teams are in the bottom 3 at the moment either so they might not have that much to play for. With a fit and relatively fresh first eleven who knows how many points we can put on the board this season?

 

We should be able to cope with these fixtures and play a strong first 11 vs Leeds, without it effecting our league form.

 

29th Oct – Palace (a)

6^th Nov – Watford (h)

19^th Nov – Southampton (a)

26^th Nov – Sunderland (h)

29/30^th Nov – EFL – Leeds (h)

4^th Dec – Bournemouth (a)

[Jenson]

Personally, I thought United pulling out of the entire FA Cup 15-odd years ago fucked it, forever.

 

Unforgivable.

 

Tbf to the cunts (and this is the first and last time it'll ever happen), pulling out of the FA Cup was done with the complete approval and backing of the FA themselves, probably to increase brand awareness of the Premier League. Complete cunts to a man.

[RedKnight]

Tbf to the cunts (and this is the first and last time it'll ever happen), pulling out of the FA Cup was done with the complete approval and backing of the FA themselves, probably to increase brand awareness of the Premier League. Complete cunts to a man.

 

It was to curry favour with FIFA for a World Cup bid.

[setreal]

I think this was a similar RiS up to the ANichebe one:

 

 

https://twitter.com/AnthonyMartial/status/789213353231183873

[Vincent Vega]

Might not be popular this but fuck it........this whole Remembrance Day/poppy bollocks needs to be dropped. Our genuine war heroes are a diminishing force. Is anyone proud of Falklands and Iraq war veterans forced into a war that benefited only the politicians? Fuck that. It's wrong to rub the faces of our German and Argentinian friends in it in my opinion.

[an tha]

Ditto. It was my first memory of properly supporting Liverpool in the 1980 League cup final. For me I have more of a soft spot for the League Cup than the FA Cup and always want us to win it.

Andy Gray's winner must have sent you into raptures, Nav...

[Lee909]

Might not be popular this but fuck it........this whole Remembrance Day/poppy bollocks needs to be dropped. Our genuine war heroes are a diminishing force. Is anyone proud of Falklands and Iraq war veterans forced into a war that benefited only the politicians? Fuck that. It's wrong to rub the faces of our German and Argentinian friends in it in my opinion.

A bit conflicted on this one

 

Yes those that fought in the world wars are a small number these days. But the rise of xenophobia and pure rasict attitudes seems to be becoming more prevalent these days. So it should be a reminder against that. Well it would be if it wasn't jumped on by the right wing 'our boys/help for heroes' brigade.

 

 

Nothing like seeing some deluded cunt shouting about immigrant Poles wearing a poppy/hfh badge seeing as we entered the war to help them and would likely have lost without the support of the Polish pilots in the battle of britain. And we'd definitely have lost in Asia without the Indian Army

 

First troops into the Abbey at Monte Casino ?

 

Poles

[ZonkoVille77]

The poppy thing is embarrassing now. It's initial idea was good, especially for the world wars. But lumping them in with those cunts who are killing and historically killed innocent people in Yemen, Iraq and also in India and Northern Ireland etc. Is wrong.

 

Sport should always be kept away from politics where possible.

[navbasi]

Andy Gray's winner must have sent you into raptures, Nav...

Haha! I meant the 1980/81 season!

[SammyAftershave]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, grown men who play for ANY side that roll their socks up above their knees Pippy Longstocking-style deserve aggressively booting in their fanny's. Repeatedly. The cunts!

[Furmedge]

Gareth Bale has just signed a new contract at Madrid. £18m per season AFTER tax.

[Elite]

Gareth Bale has just signed a new contract at Madrid. £18m per season AFTER tax.

It's getting ridiculous.

[VladimirIlyich]

It's getting ridiculous.

It got ridiculous a long time ago.

[Trumo]

Ronaldo's looking for a new contract that will earn him more than that. He's already in his 30s so there can't be much financial upside for Real Madrid but since they are the most preening narcissistic club on the planet, they'll always want to show everyone that they're the big dogs but throwing their money around.

[Jairzinho]

Ronaldo is going to be finished within 12-18 months.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Ronaldo is going to be finished within 12-18 months.

 

Define "finished"? Finished as one of the best inthe world? Finished as a star/key player for Real Madrid? Finished as a player for any top league?

[G Richards]

Just want to offer my tuppence on the poppy thing. Part of the problem is we have had too much unjust war happening for dodgy economic and geopolitical reasons. Most of us would have no hesitation saying, "Not in my name", but wearing the poppy seems to have dubious conflict lumped in with it as well, so it's becoming a difficult issue.

 

When I was a kid I seem to remember it being about the World Wars. I remember learning about the poppy fields in WW1 as well. Both World Wars required a massive sacrifice on the part of so many people, and it seemed right to respect and remember. I can also remember the poppy serving as a warning about the horrors of war, almost like people were saying, "We don't want to go back to that. Enough."

 

As I consider the situation today, I think we are in need of a massive campaign to educate everyone and make it crystal clear exactly what the poppy is for. After that, the individual should be free to partake or not, as they see fit.

 

I can't help escape the thought that wearing a poppy has almost become an obligation that you have to be seen to do, and since most people don't want to be seen to do the wrong thing, they go along with it. I wonder if this contributes to a rather large irony? In other words, even though we are seeing more poppies everywhere, is the whole point being diluted, or even lost, along the way?

 

As for the football, whenever I see the poppy on Premier League shirts it feels like a cheap PR exercise. I don't think wearing a poppy was ever meant to be that.

[Bjornebye]

The shit James McClean got for not wearing one was out of order. 

[Jairzinho]

Define "finished"? Finished as one of the best inthe world? Finished as a star/key player for Real Madrid? Finished as a player for any top league?

 

Definitely the first two. Commentators for La Liga games this season are already admitting he's losing his explosive pace and, as he's essentially a Fifa player, that will mean he's no longer a world class footballer.

 

Where is he going to go next? PSG or United look the two most likely destinations if he's going to stay in Europe.

 

He'll be 33 in 18 months time.

 

Real Madrid will improve when they get rid of him, and I think if he didn't sell a squillion pounds worth of shirts every year they'd have binned him ages ago.

[TheHowieLama]

Sheesh - tough crowd. 35 goals and 11 assists in 36 games in that league last year.

 

 

What have you done lately?

[Jairzinho]

Sheesh - tough crowd. 35 goals and 11 assists in 36 games in that league last year.

 

 

What have you done lately?

 

Yeah, about a goal a game, similar to Benzema. A player that doesn't take every free kick (not that Ronaldo has scored one for about five years) and penalty, and the team isn't built around.

 

Troy Deeney would get 30 goals a season in La Liga playing alongside Bale, Benzema, Modric, Kroos, Isco, Rodriguez, etc.

 

Don't get me wrong, I hope Ronaldo stays there for another five years. Because I despise that cunt of a club.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I hope you're right. I'll believe it when I see it though. Think he'll be in the top bracket for another 3 years+ myself.

[lifetime fan]

On the official team sheet for Saturday the colour of our kit was 'toxic'.