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The 2025-2026 Football Thread

Well, if Chelsea can demolish PSG over a single match (like they did in the so called world cup final last Summer) then Arsenal definitively can, too...

Still think PSG is the favorite, though...
 
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Gyokeres was immense! He busted a lung the entire game, an absolute workhorse, all while being bullied.
And I believe the Ref only gave him one freekick, near the end of the game...
 
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I just watched the Bayern v PSG highlights and I have to say, great job PSG for scoring early and then defending the lead. They leaked a goal late on to Kane but it was excellent tactics, making Bayern look unimaginative.

I’ve been impressed by Kvaratskhelia, creating the goal and great hold-up play.
 
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I went to a crazy high school game last night.

The home team*, the heavy favorite, went up quickly 2 - 0.

The visiting team, a huge underdog, got one back shortly after they went down by 2.

2 - 1 home team at the break.

Second half: Around the 20th minute the home team (the fave) goes up 3 - 1.

A few minutes later the home team gets a one on one break away, a beautiful clearance from the center back found him (the lone striker) all by himself at midfield, at the last moment an under dog defender**- off a blisteringly fast sprint by the by- catches him from behind and pulls him down just outside the 18. Straight red for the defender. The free kick, a pretty damn solid one too, from about 20 yards out is saved by the keeper! He dispenses it to his left up the side line. The left mid plays it over the top also down the line to his left striker who is ... about 4 steps offside... no flags, no whistle... he takes it into the box jukes the keeper... 3 - 2!!
This struck me as funny. I was sitting with the away fans because my son and daughter in law work with some of the away players in their church youth group in Cookeville, TN. Not a single fan, home or away, said anything about him being offside. The AR was way behind the play though and the home team was pretty avidly pointing this out to no avail.

At this point there is under 5 minutes left and the away team is absolutely fighting tooth and nail. But the Home team is still pretty much in control. They just have to possess and run the clock out... which they fail to do. They take a goal kick which gets stolen and sent back into the box on a through ball right to their striker's foot... and he promptly gets leveled by a clumsy centerback. It's his second card so he's out and we're even again at 10v10 and the away team is shooting from the spot. GOAL! 3 - 3 with just over 3 minutes left.

Only moments later there is a scuffle in the box, a loose ball, a ricochet and it's 3 - 4 !! The UNDERDOGS WIN!

*There are three schools on campus - Stewarts Creek Elementary(where I work, my son went to all 3 schools and played for both the middle and HS) Stewarts Creek Middle, and Stewarts Creek HS.

**This kid, the away player, the one who got the first red card, is The Man Of The Match. If he doesn't take that striker down it's 4 -1 home team and pretty much over.
 
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I wish I could be relaxed as we head into the final weeks of the season. I wish I could have a beer, watch Arsenal, and just casually and negligently enjoy the whole thing.

But, as Nick Hornby so aptly and accurately noted, supporting a football team can all too frequently take a form of self-inflicted suffering at times.

Thus, I face into the final weeks of the season with an awfully familiar sense of gnawing anxiety (which, I suppose, is a bit better than gnawing my nails...)
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
I wish I could be relaxed as we head into the final weeks of the season. I wish I could have a beer, watch Arsenal, and just casually and negligently enjoy the whole thing.

But, as Nick Hornby so aptly and accurately noted, supporting a football team can all too frequently take a form of self-inflicted suffering at times.

Thus, I face into the final weeks of the season with an awfully familiar sense of gnawing anxiety (which, I suppose, is a bit better than gnawing my nails...)
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I bet I’m more anxious! Beat you tomorrow (as unlikely as that is) and we should be in a much better position.
Even a draw would be acceptable.

If we lose and Spurs get anything against Leeds, we are pretty much done.

If we both lose, well the suffering carry’s on for another week.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
I wish I could be relaxed as we head into the final weeks of the season. I wish I could have a beer, watch Arsenal, and just casually and negligently enjoy the whole thing.

But, as Nick Hornby so aptly and accurately noted, supporting a football team can all too frequently take a form of self-inflicted suffering at times.

Thus, I face into the final weeks of the season with an awfully familiar sense of gnawing anxiety (which, I suppose, is a bit better than gnawing my nails...)
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At this point the refs are influencing things with their hands off approach. Doku shouldn't get the opportunity to score at 90+7 against Everton

Bernado Silva should arguably be off, and Schade has a shout for a pen today in the Brentford match.

But nothing City does should matter to Arsenal. They just need to win their games, even if by 1-0 for the rest of the season.
 
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daneoni said:
At this point the refs are influencing things with their hands off approach. Doku shouldn't get the opportunity to score at 90+7 against Everton
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Completely agree.
daneoni said:
Bernado Silva should arguably be off, and Schade has a shout for a pen today in the Brentford match.
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Absolutely.
daneoni said:
But nothing City does should matter to Arsenal. They just need to win their games, even if by 1-0 for the rest of the season.
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Complete, utter and fervent agreement.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Agreed.

I will admit to some small degree of curiosity as to when a finding will be made on the 115 outstanding charges against the club.
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If and when a finding comes, it will be a massive disappointment that calls into question the fundamental integrity of the game. Unless you are a Man City fan, in which case you'll be off the hook, be able to claim you've been innocent all along / the charges were a sham, and all those trophies will be safe.
 
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Monumental call that could be definitive.

WHU still have a chance, i think Spurs have the tougher fixtures

But that was a huge blow, especially the manner.

As for Arsenal thats probably one hand on the title although given that performance...they weren't particularly convincing
 
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Sal09 said:
Correct decision though.

Trossard and VAR saved Arteta’s colossal **** up.

Rice at RB was a massive mistake.

Arsenal got One Hand and One Leg on that PL trophy now.
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Spoken like a true arsenal fan! If it was that clear the VAR would have been seconds not minutes.

Not really bothered who wins the title. My thoughts are elsewhere.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Spoken like a true arsenal fan! If it was that clear the VAR would have been seconds not minutes.
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On the upside, if you do go down there is no VAR to worry about...except in the playoff final.

Grimsby Town went down 2-1 against Salford in their playoff first leg, with the winner being scored while the keeper was potentially being unsighted by an offside player. Scenes.
 
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