Unfortunately, yes, this will please him enormously, and will be a fruitful source of teasing.
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The 2025-2026 Football Thread
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Especially if you lose the title by a point! But I really don’t see that happening.
As for Sunderland they are doing a tremendous job. I suspect they won’t maintain their current form throughout the season, but they will stay up. Something not many would have predicted at the start of the season.
Agreed, Sunderland are doing an excellent job, - and I don't doubt that they will stay up, which I would be delighted to see happen); moreover, I recall my brother's joy when the current owner (and later, the current manager) took charge of the club
Furthermore, I was very sorry when Granit Xhaka left Arsenal (and read that Mikel Arteta also regretted his departure), he had been a terrific servant of the club, and he is doing an incredible job in Sunderland.
City 2-0 up against Liverpool at the half time mark. I don’t fancy Liverpool’s chances of a good result today…
Yeah, with Columbus being knocked out by a late goal in the third leg of the playoffs last night despite an aggregate of 5-2 that doesn't count (0-1, 4-0, 1-2, stupid bush league MLS format 'tweaks'), and Liverpool being swept aside by Man City today, my interest has dimmed considerably.
Some dodgy decisions re-disallowed goal. But LFC have been dismantled here. That result yesterday has really got City believing.
Liverpool meanwhile haven't been great...again. Salah underwhelming, Bradley overwhelmed, Konate poor, Wirtz missing etc
But the next run of fixtures seem kinder so maybe they can go on a run
Liverpool meanwhile haven't been great...again. Salah underwhelming, Bradley overwhelmed, Konate poor, Wirtz missing etc
But the next run of fixtures seem kinder so maybe they can go on a run
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The reality is beating Arsenal and Man city is probably not critical to winning the league. It’s beating everyone else more reliably that matters more. Man City’s title challenge faltered last season due to a series of losses against bottom half teams.
Don’t worry. Liverpool face us next. I’m sure you’ll get back to winning ways!
I totally agree on this. Being offside due to the smallest of margins, a toe, a knee does not constitute an advantage in my opinion. It's purpose is to deny a team a goal or at least a goal scoring opportunity. Even football pundits have for ages agreed with VAR, going to great lengths to show on their analysis screen a player was offside because of their toe or a knee and thus accepting it was the right call. No it wasn't. Football pundits should be calling this out for the abomination it is, offside due to a toe or a knee.
The tool VAR is an excellent introduction into the game in my view, the problem is it does not get used properly. There was a recent WSL Arsenal game where Arsenal was denied a goal because the linesman raised their flag and the ref blew for handball by the goal scorer. Replays showed the ball never hit her arms, it clearly hit her chest. VAR was used and it upheld the call!!!!. How the hell is it that TV replay camera's can show it hit the players chest and not the arms and VAR camera's cannot? Or did the VAR camera show it hit the players chest but the person on VAR decided to deny the goal. Those who view VAR on game day have been caught out not giving the right call because they wanted the other team to be at a disadvantage. If memory serves me right two people who work on viewing VR got caught out doing this. How many more are doing it but have not been caught out?
Arsenal's draw with Sunderland brought back the heartache of 2005/06 season where Man United was steam rolling into Chelsea's points advantage, having won 9 games in a row to get within a few points of Chelsea. United play relegation elect Sunderland, a team United was expected to win but yet they come away with a shock draw. That ruins United's momentum, allowing Chelsea to get back in it and thus take the league title.
Granted Sunderland are not as bad as they were in 2005/06 but still, Arsenal was expected to beat them, just like United was expected to beat them in 2005/06.
Granted Sunderland are not as bad as they were in 2005/06 but still, Arsenal was expected to beat them, just like United was expected to beat them in 2005/06.
No, Arsenal was "not expected" to beat them, not least, as they are a very well run - and energised - team who were playing at home, and - do note - are in such form that they are currently lying in fourth place in the league table after eleven games.
Everyone expected that this would be a very hard fought match.
Naturally, I would have liked to have seen Arsenal emerge victorious, but Sunderland deserved their point.
We are currently carrying quite a few injuries - six players are out at present, - these are Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, hopefully, their recovery will continue during the international break.
However, an astonishing number of the team will be away on international duty; I can only devoutly express a passionate hope that none succumb to further (serious) injury while representing their respective countries.
Our goalie, Raya, will be on international duty, as will defenders Saliba, White, Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Timber, Hincapie, and Calafiori.
Midfielders who have been selected for international duty include Zubimendi, Norgaard, Merino, and Rice.
This lengthy list is completed by a few forwards who have been chosen to represent their respective countries: Eze, Nwaneri, and Saka.
I am gnawing my nails while devoutly hoping both that they play well, yet return to the Emirates safely (and, most importantly, manifestly free of injury).
However, an astonishing number of the team will be away on international duty; I can only devoutly express a passionate hope that none succumb to further (serious) injury while representing their respective countries.
Our goalie, Raya, will be on international duty, as will defenders Saliba, White, Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Timber, Hincapie, and Calafiori.
Midfielders who have been selected for international duty include Zubimendi, Norgaard, Merino, and Rice.
This lengthy list is completed by a few forwards who have been chosen to represent their respective countries: Eze, Nwaneri, and Saka.
I am gnawing my nails while devoutly hoping both that they play well, yet return to the Emirates safely (and, most importantly, manifestly free of injury).
Catch 22 of Arsenal impressive run generating fan fare.
I think even Tuchel was seen in the stands for several Arsenal game.
I think even Tuchel was seen in the stands for several Arsenal game.
A massive shakeup is coming to MLS. The team owners are alleged to be about to vote on huge changes to the league format including:
But some of those winter games are going to be flippin' COLD.
In separate but related news, Apple is doing away with its widely-hated MLS season pass paywall and rolling MLS into its normal Apple TV streaming packages. It's anyone's guess whether this will actually result in savings to the consumer if all you want to watch on Apple TV is MLS (probably not unless you go month-to-month and manage it carefully), but if you already have Apple TV you'll now have MLS too. I still think the Apple broadcasts are underwhelming and will never forgive them for firing all the local broadcast teams (even if they re-hired some to their single national team).
- A move to a Fall-Spring calendar that roughly aligns with European calendars (and transfer windows). Something like July-May, with a winter break during December and January.
- A single league table, subdivided into divisions, with a 34-game season. Playoffs and a final would be retained, but with format changes.
But some of those winter games are going to be flippin' COLD.
In separate but related news, Apple is doing away with its widely-hated MLS season pass paywall and rolling MLS into its normal Apple TV streaming packages. It's anyone's guess whether this will actually result in savings to the consumer if all you want to watch on Apple TV is MLS (probably not unless you go month-to-month and manage it carefully), but if you already have Apple TV you'll now have MLS too. I still think the Apple broadcasts are underwhelming and will never forgive them for firing all the local broadcast teams (even if they re-hired some to their single national team).
I wonder if it is also to do with European clubs temporarily taking MLS players from clubs in their off season to play for European teams? but if their playing seasons align with one another this can no longer happen. It would also mean that the MLS clubs would be able to participate in the lucrative European transfer market at the same time as other clubs around the world because instead of having to do transfer deals at different times of the year, it would now all be done at the same time of the year. This means when transfer deals are being done and thus talked about in the media, MLS clubs will now be mentioned more than they were before. It gets the clubs names in the minds of people which means it gets people thinking more about the MLS than they would normally have done. Well that's what the MLS will be hoping for sure.
Can we all just rejoice for a moment and bask in Ronaldo’s red against Ireland?
It should be ruled violent conduct with a three match ban but FIFA will never let that happen.
The only thing more satisfying than a sarcastically clapping Ronaldo is a crying Ronaldo.
It should be ruled violent conduct with a three match ban but FIFA will never let that happen.
The only thing more satisfying than a sarcastically clapping Ronaldo is a crying Ronaldo.
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Hm.
Reports I have (since) read seem to suggest that he (merely) wished to change his boots.
It wasn’t clear when I wrote it, but yes he was fine after the boot swap.
Watching a NWSL game, a rules question occurred to me. A corner kick was cleared long and a really fast player gathered it ahead of everyone, breaking for the far end. She had only the goalie to face and got the ball past from the middle right of the box. A teammate had made it to the line and put it in.
The kick was either a wide shot or a cross. The teammate may have been offside (very close call), but with just the goalie ahead, so was the kicker. If a pass (in this case, I guess, an assist) is made from an offside position, does that negate an offside on the receiving end?
The kick was either a wide shot or a cross. The teammate may have been offside (very close call), but with just the goalie ahead, so was the kicker. If a pass (in this case, I guess, an assist) is made from an offside position, does that negate an offside on the receiving end?
You can’t be ruled offside if you are behind the ball, as I understand the rules.
If you are on the ball or behind it you are not offside. If you are beyond the ball after it has been passed you are not offside.
However you can be judged to be offside but not interfering with play. In other words not assisting in the attack.
That last one is an addition to when I used to play. Personally I think it was better without. If you are a striker in the opposition box you are influencing the decisions of the GK and defenders.
However you can be judged to be offside but not interfering with play. In other words not assisting in the attack.
That last one is an addition to when I used to play. Personally I think it was better without. If you are a striker in the opposition box you are influencing the decisions of the GK and defenders.
