Todays Games

[wanderer1984]

8 minutes ago, deeane Koontz said:

Arteta has that Pep arrogance with the I know best shit.

Just without the trophies 

To be fair ... Their DM Merino hasn't done bad playing up top and scored a few in Jesus and Havertz absence.

Partey missing through suspension cost them tonight ... changed their set up.

Agree that they need a proper CF ... not many about these days. Rumors they may be after Osimhen

[bolty58]

5 hours ago, gonzo said:

 

Why in God's name don't they have a striker at the club 🤦‍♂️

 

Madness. Gyokeres or Osimhen at that club and they are lifting silverware somewhere this season.

 

5 hours ago, L/H White said:

Game had a decent 5 mins at the end of the first half 

neither team looked like scoring the 2nd half really 

 

Specsavers for you son. PSG had a crossbar hit and a post skimmer within a few minutes of each other.

You must have been in the kitchen putting the finishing touches to your alfoil trophy?

Edited April 30 by bolty58

[bolty58]

5 hours ago, wanderer1984 said:

To be fair ... Their DM Merino hasn't done bad playing up top and scored a few in Jesus and Havertz absence.

Partey missing through suspension cost them tonight ... changed their set up.

Agree that they need a proper CF ... not many about these days. Rumors they may be after Osimhen

A year later than it should have been!

[Stig]

Whole game and atmosphere seemed pretty subdued for a champions league semi final

[desperado]

10 minutes ago, Stig said:

Whole game and atmosphere seemed pretty subdued for a champions league semi final

Exactly my thoughts.

If that’s a North West club in the champions league semi at home, they are bringing the roof off.

TBF plenty of other clubs around the country are doing the same.

Surprisingly very flat 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Maybe Arsenal hit the zenith in the previous round. Both in terms of the team's performance and also fan expectations. 

 

[gonzo]

Sucker punch early doors and Arsenal's lack of intensity probably to blame.

Always found their newfound atmosphere a little bit forced anyway tbf. Grounds full of middle class toffs.

Reminded me of Evattball that last night. Even at the death still looking for intricate passes down the right and little cutbacks from the byline and over/underlaps. 

Stick Rice and Saka up top and lump the cunt in ffs.

[ianofcleveleys]

5 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Sucker punch early doors and Arsenal's lack of intensity probably to blame.

Always found their newfound atmosphere a little bit forced anyway tbf. Grounds full of middle class toffs.

Reminded me of Evattball that last night. Even at the death still looking for intricate passes down the right and little cutbacks from the byline and over/underlaps. 

Stick Rice and Saka up top and lump the cunt in ffs.

They hadn't really evolved from latter day Wenger in that last 20 mins last night, remember them needing a goal in a UCL game or they were out and just kept passing it sideways and backwards till ref blew whistle. It was a bit like us, you're right, nobody to aim it at in the air so scared to put it in unless they could thread it through on the deck. 

Massive shortfall that they'd nobody to change the game on the bench and haven't had a focal point no9 for a couple of seasons.

PSG should have killed it off near the end

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Just been looking at the championship table, and didn't know that Sheffield Utd had been docked 2 points.

Shows how little focus I've been giving to non-league one football!

[Not in Crawley]

17 hours ago, tomski said:

Every team spends. It’s Fannies like United and Liverpool that think their organic money is somewhat better than others.

While the Wrexham rise is a good example of this that people explain that it’s not quite the same as they’ve had money. I’m yet to see an asterisk next to their promotion where it says has money next to it. 

Yeah but it's one thing to have a rich owner, another to be a state owned club of a totalitarian regime (whatever PR fluff the QSI punt out) that's doing it so people think things along the lines of what you've posted.

It's not about cash - that's far too simple a reading - it's where it's come from and more importantly why. 

It stinks and Fifa and UEFA are complicit in what has been happening from Newcastle to PSG to the City Group. Even Al-Khelaifi is under investigation for alleged vote buying and abuse of power. It's dodgy from top to bottom - and you don't even need to look that hard. They just don't care because in the main fans turn a blind eye.

The more people just go 'oh well, it's just rich owners' rather than looking into the funds, the further the game moves away from the fans who built it in the first place.

 

[gonzo]

Just imagine if our government dealt with Saudi...

[Not in Crawley]

26 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Just imagine if our government dealt with Saudi...

Bit of a non sequitur.

 

[green genie]

Emirates good, Etihad bad?

Go figure?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 hour ago, Not in Crawley said:

Bit of a non sequitur.

 

In a literal sense, perhaps. 

There is, nevertheless, relevance in that Saudi money comes in from more than one angle.

Not just Saudi cash too.

World is a complicated place: enemies' enemies and and all that.

[Not in Crawley]

3 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

In a literal sense, perhaps. 

There is, nevertheless, relevance in that Saudi money comes in from more than one angle.

Not just Saudi cash too.

World is a complicated place: enemies' enemies and and all that.

Not just in a literal sense. One is a sport, one is global politics. When a power uses sport as a trojan horse to further its influence on a global stage when certain politices are then overlooked, then there is a fundamental issue and one which that said sports governing bodies should be protecting against - not rolling out the red carpet for them which they currently do.

The different is huge and I'm surprised that so many are happy to just shrug their shoulders when it impacts hugely on the game they love. There's a lot of 'what can I do?' Or 'it's just the way it is.' But without the fans complicity or indifference it wouldn't be so readily accepted as just the state of the modern game.

They know we're willing mugs, which is why they do this and are allowed to.

[deeane Koontz]

3 hours ago, gonzo said:

Sucker punch early doors and Arsenal's lack of intensity probably to blame.

Always found their newfound atmosphere a little bit forced anyway tbf. Grounds full of middle class toffs.

Reminded me of Evattball that last night. Even at the death still looking for intricate passes down the right and little cutbacks from the byline and over/underlaps. 

Stick Rice and Saka up top and lump the cunt in ffs.

Aye, drilled to death. Rinse and repeat.

Most exciting part was when Lewis-Skelly and Rice went on runs. Still think Rice could be a beast in midfield if he was allowed to take the handbrake off and throw caution to the wind more.

[Zico]

3 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah but it's one thing to have a rich owner, another to be a state owned club of a totalitarian regime (whatever PR fluff the QSI punt out) that's doing it so people think things along the lines of what you've posted.

It's not about cash - that's far too simple a reading - it's where it's come from and more importantly why. 

It stinks and Fifa and UEFA are complicit in what has been happening from Newcastle to PSG to the City Group. Even Al-Khelaifi is under investigation for alleged vote buying and abuse of power. It's dodgy from top to bottom - and you don't even need to look that hard. They just don't care because in the main fans turn a blind eye.

The more people just go 'oh well, it's just rich owners' rather than looking into the funds, the further the game moves away from the fans who built it in the first place.

 

you say all that

and I agree it stinks

but end of the day

all you can do is dislike them or choose not to watch them when on tv

if there is something we can do, let me know

[Not in Crawley]

41 minutes ago, Zico said:

you say all that

and I agree it stinks

but end of the day

all you can do is dislike them or choose not to watch them when on tv

if there is something we can do, let me know

Not watching would be a start - those poor buggers in the Newcastle group have the right idea though if it's your own club.

Bayern Munich fans opposed sponsorship deals being done in Qatar and ended these deals successfully.

But you are right, fans are being put into an invidious position by those in charge of the game, I just don't think we should be ambivalent about it. 

[bolty58]

Now then, tonights game. Three weeks ago I would have said a PSG v Barcelona final (which we all know would be the rightful one between the two best teams in Europe) but was concerned that a stubborn Inter might upset the apple cart.

Since then Inter have had a major wobble (please let it continue) and, knowing the Italian psyche, a wobble can soon become a fully blown toys out the pram meltdown.

I would not be surprised to see Barcelona win by more than two goals tonight. Equally, I still find myself believing that the catenaccio mob could sneak a 1-0 away win. A hammering from Barca would likely be good news for Napoli - or would it? Would it be better if Inter were distracted from the league by Europe?

[Zico]

15 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Not watching would be a start - those poor buggers in the Newcastle group have the right idea though if it's your own club.

Bayern Munich fans opposed sponsorship deals being done in Qatar and ended these deals successfully.

But you are right, fans are being put into an invidious position by those in charge of the game, I just don't think we should be ambivalent about it. 

what did Newcastle fans do then? whatever it was I'm sure they enjoyed winning their first trophy in years and being CL contenders once again

as for Bayern, German clubs are a different beast to anything we have, and are actuallty muchn more what it should be like

they have something called the "50+1" which ensures they are owned by supporters/members and not investers

they have 400k members, so have far  more influence on things like sponsorship deals with Qatar

that won't every happen here though unless the game implodes or something and gets a big old reset

 

[Johnnyrotten]

5 hours ago, gonzo said:

Sucker punch early doors and Arsenal's lack of intensity probably to blame.

Always found their newfound atmosphere a little bit forced anyway tbf. Grounds full of middle class toffs.

Reminded me of Evattball that last night. Even at the death still looking for intricate passes down the right and little cutbacks from the byline and over/underlaps. 

Stick Rice and Saka up top and lump the cunt in ffs.

Not just me then.  Its like Bournemouth but with 5 times the number of fans.  It feels awkward when they sing because it sounds like they are out of their comfort zone, desperately trying to sound natural.

[Johnnyrotten]

6 hours ago, desperado said:

Exactly my thoughts.

If that’s a North West club in the champions league semi at home, they are bringing the roof off.

TBF plenty of other clubs around the country are doing the same.

Surprisingly very flat 

Not sure I agree.  Liverpool and City are as quiet as they come unless the game's going their way (or if they're winning a title).

And 1st leg ties flatten the occasion.  Going to a "big" game, paying top dollar, getting all invested, then you come away and unless there's a 3 or 4 goal margin, you haven't won, drawn or lost!  It always feels odd and takes intensity away from the closing stages of the game.

[Not in Crawley]

1 hour ago, Zico said:

what did Newcastle fans do then? whatever it was I'm sure they enjoyed winning their first trophy in years and being CL contenders once again

as for Bayern, German clubs are a different beast to anything we have, and are actuallty muchn more what it should be like

they have something called the "50+1" which ensures they are owned by supporters/members and not investers

they have 400k members, so have far  more influence on things like sponsorship deals with Qatar

that won't every happen here though unless the game implodes or something and gets a big old reset

 

There's a group called Newcastle supporters against sport washing 

https://www.nufcfansagainstsportswashing.org.uk/

Fair play to them, in face face of most fans just shrugging shoulders.

Yes I know the Germany model but if any fans decided to boycott buying a replica shirt due to sponsorship, the clubs would change pretty sharpish.

I just think it's this apathy that allows the governing bodies to behave as they are and do exactly what they want when it comes to corrupt practices and using local clubs as vehicle for reputation enhancement for some of the most totalitarian regimes in the world.

At least let's get it up the agenda rather than just ignoring the issues.

[gonzo]

Nobody gave a fuck when Phil Gartside was greasing agents palms across the land receiving kick backs and bungs all over the show filtering away Uncle Eddie's cash a few years ago

 

[ianofcleveleys]

28 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Not just me then.  Its like Bournemouth but with 5 times the number of fans.  It feels awkward when they sing because it sounds like they are out of their comfort zone, desperately trying to sound natural.

And me, can't stand it, that North London Forever, absolutely toe curling. Trying their bollocks off to be like Liverpool, TV and radio commentators referring to it at their games as though they're at Anfield.