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The 2015-2016 Football Thread

oscillatewildly said:
The match was the sort players should relish. Once it is clear the referee is letting the physical side slide, you get stuck in; not Villarreal - no fight, no balls, no final.

Some penalty decisions along the way and drug assistance :), looks like Liverpool's; maybe Sevilla will be tougher because of the thought of the hat-trick.

Cheers,
OW
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lol you sound upset upset liverpool won lol at you, oh and lets not mention lalana clean through on goal in spain then gets fouled only for it to be called wrongly offside.
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Lord Blackadder said:
It's a huge embarrassment for the club, and I'm sure Sakho is going to get a long ban. perhaps Leicester's title challenge has allowed the affair to fly under the radar so far, but look for big headlines when the ban is announced though.

There have been various incidents before (Rio Ferdinand, Jaap Stam, Edgar Davids - and in a slightly different vein Adrian Mutu and his cocaine habit), but what worries me most is the suspicion that doping is a much bigger problem in football than it seems, and that the sport is not equipped to handle it.
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wasnt it a fat burning pill or something? lol the yanks would laugh at that most of their NFL guys are roided too ****
 
Just another dreadful performance from a lifeless Newcastle team. It was seriously disappointing that this lot couldn't manage a goal against a terrible defense.

Barring a miracle, we will go down, and Sunderland will scrap by, once again, to live another day.
 
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Leicester City have been crowned champions of the Premiership, and have been awarded the trophy and their champions' medals. What a wonderful narrative for Leicester City - and Claudio Ranieri.

Meanwhile, Everton (whom they defeated 3-1, - the scoreline flattered Everton, if anything) greeted the arrival of the Leicester players on the pitch with a guard of honour, a genuinely decent, gracious, sporting gesture. Well done both teams.

And nice, too, to see Leicester still hungry enough to want to win this match, even though they had the title wrapped up before it started. And yes, hilariously, Jamie Vardy actually missed a penalty, despite having put one away, effortlessly, mere minutes earlier. And to be serenaded by Andrea Bocelli who had earlier asked (Claudio Ranieri) whether he could be present at Leicester so that he could sing for them, live, as they met their date with destiny. A touch of class.
 
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I don't like Big Sam, and I don't like Sunderland. They are doing things the "wrong" way but will escape once again. They are a short-termist club who lurch from one bad decision to another and are surviving - once again -though sheer luck and the acquisition of a couple key mercenary elements (Allardyce, Defoe). Meanwhile, Norwich just aren't good enough - as evidenced by their loss to a Man Utd team who - judging by today's performance - can consider themselves lucky to be facing Norwich today and not, well, just about any other team in the league apart from Newcastle...

Speaking of Newcastle, results have improved since Benitez arrived but they are still losing games they should not lose. the players clearly could't be bothered to try before Rafa showed up; now they are discovering that it's hard to turn it back on when required. If they go down they will only have themselves (and of course Mike Ashley) to blame.

West Ham are faltering badly at the end, even if they win their final two matches it will probably not be enough for fourth; if Man Utd squeak into fourth it will be less their own doing than the extraordinary incompetence of Man City and West Ham's failure to take advantage of a very juicy opportunity.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
I
West Ham are faltering badly at the end, even if they win their final two matches it will probably not be enough for fourth; if Man Utd squeak into fourth it will be less their own doing than the extraordinary incompetence of Man City and West Ham's failure to take advantage of a very juicy opportunity.
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Agreed.

Norwich threw away an opportunity - or, rather, were unable to capitalise on United's manifold and manifest weaknesses in order to even secure a draw today. Indeed, had Norwich been even a bit better than they were, they could have blown away United.

Candidly, Manchester United don't deserve to be fourth - it is colossal ineptitude of others, such as with West Ham today (and indeed, Norwich, whose poor finishing has bedevilled them all season and is punishing them now) that has granted them this extremely fortunate position.
 
Good grief, an utter crap sandwich from the Crew this weekend...up 2-1 at the half against Montreal, then up 4-1 ten minutes into the second half....final score? 4-4.

Just...no defending. None.
 
Two so-called big teams and they played like wounded animals. Labouring to a point. City came out firing but each time got sucker punched. City should've won but Arsenal did just enough. Introduction of Wilshere and Walcott stabilised midfield and injected life into attack.

As it stands, City only have Aguero, Fernandinho and DeBruyne. Everyone else has been diabolical. Worse, they might not be in Europe which never helps when you're trying to rebuild.

Also everyone at City should be ashamed of themselves with the way they've treated Pellegrini. Top brass took away his power with a premature announcement, players he believed in failed him time and time again, and fans can't even stay behind to send him off. I mean he only won you a title, a few cups and got you to the CL semis. Shocking behaviour from spoilt brats.

Its up to United now, although West Ham away is by no means a foregone conclusion...especially after what happened yesterday.
 
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Alphazoid said:
Two so-called big teams and they played like wounded animals. Labouring to a point. City came out firing but each time got sucker punched. City should've won but Arsenal did just enough. Introduction of Wilshere and Walcott stabilised midfield and injected life into attack.

As it stands, City only have Aguero, Fernandinho and DeBruyne. Everyone else has been diabolical. Worse, they might not be in Europe which never helps when you're trying to rebuild.

Also everyone at City should be ashamed of themselves with the way they've treated Pellegrini. Top brass took away his power with a premature announcement, players he believed in failed him time and time again, and fans can't even stay behind to send him off. I mean he only won you a title, a few cups and got you to the CL semis. Shocking behaviour from spoilt brats.

Its up to United now, although West Ham away is by no means a foregone conclusion...especially after what happened yesterday.
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Ironduke said:
if united get championsleague it will be a joke they have been ****:eek:
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Spurs stumble to Southampton, and Arsenal fail to challenge City, who strike me as far less motivated than they mitt be.

'Spoilt brats' is not an inaccurate description, @Alphazoid. Given that there will be an inevitable clear out over the summer when Pep Guardiola arrives, I am surprised that basic pride, a small particle of ambition, and maybe some ember of self-preservation are not serving to motivate these over-paid individuals.

Agree on their treatment of Manuel Pellegrini, a decent and honourable individual who certainly deserves better.

And agree with @Ironduke that Manchester United do not deserve to be fourth; if Norwich had been half decent (they're not, we know this, this is why they are facing relegation), they could actually have won that game…..
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
And agree with @Ironduke that Manchester United do not deserve to be fourth; if Norwich had been half decent (they're not, we know this, this is why they are facing relegation), they could actually have won that game…..
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They deserve to be fourth in the sense that every team below them will have accumulated fewer points. But at the same time their "success" comes from Man City massively underperforming above all else. Man City have the chance to put one over on their neighbors in a big way, and their overpaid prima donna players and moribund manager can't be bothered to seize the opportunity. I hope Pep swings the axe with gusto when he shows up. Lots of deadwood in that squad.

Tens of millions of pounds of Champions League money, Pep Guardiola's future, and Louis van Gaal's employment status have all hinged on a few kilos of dodgy muscle tissue in the legs of an aging Belgian defender. That, and the spoiled-brat antics of Yaya Toure. What a whiner.
 
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Ironduke said:
lol you sound upset upset liverpool won lol at you, oh and lets not mention lalana clean through on goal in spain then gets fouled only for it to be called wrongly offside.
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wasnt it a fat burning pill or something? lol the yanks would laugh at that most of their NFL guys are roided too ****
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Hi Ironduke, always good to chat.

It's a bugbear of mine, players not prepared to fight back; all levels - school, Sunday team, and up. Even when Manchester United used to bully Arsenal, the behaviour of the Arsenal players would irritate me.

Seems such pills are used as masking agents.

twietee and Lord Blackadder,

Sakho was tongue-in-cheek, hence the :). Probably at least 1 or 2 at every club. Seen figures around 6% for recreational drug use by the general population and 30% and up re performance enhancing drugs for some sports.

Pain killing injections? Boost the performance available at the time and the pain is there for a reason - problems with mobility down the line?

Cheers,
OW
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
They deserve to be fourth in the sense that every team below them will have accumulated fewer points.
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Unfortunately, I agree, and the argument of total number of points accrued is difficult to refute.

I suppose that what I was really trying to convey was an observation that - subjectively - (as opposed to the objective measurement of performance which is reflected in their points total) the quality of their performances does not appear to reflect their elevated place in the table.

They have played pretty poorly all season, with none of the conviction or confidence of champions - but most of their opponents have performed worse.

Lord Blackadder said:
But at the same time their "success" comes from Man City massively underperforming above all else. Man City have the chance to put one over on their neighbors in a big way, and their overpaid prima donna players and moribund manager can't be bothered to seize the opportunity. I hope Pep swings the axe with gusto when he shows up. Lots of deadwood in that squad.

Tens of millions of pounds of Champions League money, Pep Guardiola's future, and Louis van Gaal's employment status have all hinged on a few kilos of dodgy muscle tissue in the legs of an aging Belgian defender. That, and the spoiled-brat antics of Yaya Toure. What a whiner.
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I think it must be hard enough for a manager to inject motivation when he himself does not feel it, as his term will shortly be drawing to an end. Yet, professionalism would suggest that one would remain motivated and interested in outcomes until the end.

However, I agree completely re the players; they have been consistently exceptionally poor and uninterested and lacking in motivation. While I don't doubt that there will be a massive clear out, I remain surprised that some of these players have shown little interest in impressing an incoming manager with the strength of their performances.
 
Nobody has mentioned it yet, so I can express my satisfaction that Brave John Terry has been sent off in what should now be his final match for Chelsea.

Couldn't have happened to a nastier bloke.

oscillatewildly said:
Sakho was tongue-in-cheek, hence the :). Probably at least 1 or 2 at every club. Seen figures around 6% for recreational drug use by the general population and 30% and up re performance enhancing drugs for some sports.

Pain killing injections? Boost the performance available at the time and the pain is there for a reason - problems with mobility down the line?

Cheers,
OW
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I wouldn't be shocked if the problem is as widespread as you suggest; I think the FA are deluding themselves if they think that their current drug testing regime is adequate.

There is so much money sloshing around right now that the potential rewards for doping are massive.
 
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oscillatewildly said:
twietee and Lord Blackadder,

Sakho was tongue-in-cheek, hence the :). Probably at least 1 or 2 at every club. Seen figures around 6% for recreational drug use by the general population and 30% and up re performance enhancing drugs for some sports.

Pain killing injections? Boost the performance available at the time and the pain is there for a reason - problems with mobility down the line?

Cheers,
OW
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Oh, absolutely. It'd be a miracle if it weren't widespread. And at least in parts systematically. And that goes for all the big leagues (and I'd say for the smaller ones just as well).

It's crazy that the top guys still get away with the ridiculous: "What reason would there be to dope as a footballplayer? It's a team-sport, silly!"

And exHertha player BenHatira (not the sharpest but I somehow like him) had instagram'd his med-table not three weeks ago. Unfortunately there was a forbidden substance shown as well. Of course he didn't take THAT one. If it weren't as sad as it is I couldn't laugh harder.


edit: sorry, was snapchat :D

image-988530-galleryV9-iymy-988530.jpg

[doublepost=1462896575][/doublepost]They're all gonna be cortison-addicts in their mid-30s. :rolleyes:
 
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Tonight we say goodbye to what has been our home for the last 118 years, Upton Park aka the Bolyen ground.

Hope we can give the place a proper send off with a good win against Man Utd. It might be too late for Champions leauge, but we still want to get a Europa spot.
Come on you Irons!
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Tonight we say goodbye to what has been our home for the last 118 years, Upton Park aka the Bolyen ground.

Hope we can give the place a proper send off with a good win against Man Utd. It might be too late for Champions leauge, but we still want to get a Europa spot.
Come on you Irons!
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Enjoy the match, and enjoy the bitter sweet moment of saying farewell to Upton Park.

Not sure - after last week-end's debacle - whether West Ham can still challenge for Europe, but it would be nice to see Manchester United stretched and made to work for their place.
 
...and United bottle it. Crazy game. But West Hame deserve the 3 pts.

Martial looks the real deal going forward.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Wonderful result for West Ham and a fitting way to say farewell to Upton Park.

Enjoy the rest of your evening, @Apple fanboy; this must have put a smile on your face.
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It certinly did! Bragging rights with my Man Utd manager tomorrow firmly mine. Strangely he's ignoring my texts this evening! :D

To be far with our 20 shots to their 3, anything other than a win would have been terrible.

A fitting way to say goodbye to a great stadium. However embarrassed by what went on before the game. Animals.
Such a shame we fell apart against Swansea. This result would have meant so much more.
 
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Great game, but throwing away a 2-1 lead just sums up our season really. Europa League football for next season and we absolutely deserve it.

Hopefully LVG leaves after the FA Cup final and whoever comes in (preferably Mourinho) would be able to bring the club back to where it was.
 
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