The Football Thread.

UnclePsychosis

rze99 said:

LionAquaLooper said:

BBC article actually included Jota's death as a contributing factor to their recent poor string of losses. Clutching at straws, much? 

Possibly. Liverpool dominated Real Madrid just a few games ago and played really well in that game. So if they can do it then why not PSV. 

But it is the core Liverpool players that knew him best and they’ll have been hit the hardest and they are the backbone of the team. At that level you only need to be off it a bit or in periods and the fine margins show. 

I'm no fan of Liverpool---god knows I've upset people on here before at the notion that they're anything other than "just" another football club---but I don't think its that far fetched that Jota's death has had a fairly significant impact on the team. Emotions and grieving of sudden losses are weird at the best of time, nevermind when you're in the pressure cooker of a high profile professional team-based sporting environment. Anyone who saw Andy Robertson's interview in the aftermath of Scotland beating Denmark the other week got a bit of an insight - its clearly in their minds on a regular basis. 

Now, I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination claim its their only problem---spending hundreds of millions and getting worse is really quite the achievement---but I also think its unfair to claim it as "clutching at straws". 

Philly_Q

thecolourbox said:

@Philly_Q Swansea looked a really good side in the first half though, your number 9 in particular put in a brilliant shift and high pressing. Play like that a few more times and you'll pick up points i reckon

Zan Vipotnik.  Yeah, he seems to have something about him... I hope we can hold on to him.  The new manager's only been there a week, maybe he'll start to turn things around.  And on an optimistic note, in the Championship it only takes a couple of wins to jump about six places.

Chuffola

UnclePsychosis said:

I'm no fan of Liverpool---god knows I've upset people on here before at the notion that they're anything other than "just" another football club---but I don't think its that far fetched that Jota's death has had a fairly significant impact on the team. Emotions and grieving of sudden losses are weird at the best of time, nevermind when you're in the pressure cooker of a high profile professional team-based sporting environment. Anyone who saw Andy Robertson's interview in the aftermath of Scotland beating Denmark the other week got a bit of an insight - its clearly in their minds on a regular basis. 

Now, I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination claim its their only problem---spending hundreds of millions and getting worse is really quite the achievement---but I also think its unfair to claim it as "clutching at straws". 

I am a Liverpool fan and I found it frustrating that Jota's death / impact on the squad can be used as an excuse - until I saw that Andy Robertson interview which was, to me, very revealing. 

I think it's also fair to say that while we spent a ridiculous amount of money in the summer (having spent hardly anythng the previous year) it must be difficult for new players coming into that dressing room which is clearly grieving. They would have thought they'd be joining a dressing room still bouncing from winning a league title. 

Must be weird, I think. 

I veer from screaming at the TV when we've been awful (a lot recently!) to feeling a bit guilty when I remember that the players (Salah was apparently very close to Jota) have more important things on their mind. 

So, not an excuse perhaps but understandable that setbacks on the pitch have a bigger than usual impact, that concentration wanes when 60k scousers start singing the Jota song on 20 mins.

I need to remind my self that it really is just a game and there are far more important things in life - even during the 90 mins of a game. 

thecolourbox

Philly_Q said:

thecolourbox said:

@Philly_Q Swansea looked a really good side in the first half though, your number 9 in particular put in a brilliant shift and high pressing. Play like that a few more times and you'll pick up points i reckon

Zan Vipotnik.  Yeah, he seems to have something about him... I hope we can hold on to him.  The new manager's only been there a week, maybe he'll start to turn things around.  And on an optimistic note, in the Championship it only takes a couple of wins to jump about six places.

Yes that's the bloke - i thought he was the bad guy from Sonic when I saw the team sheet. Didn't know you'd got a new manager, but if that first half is a sign of what he's going to do for you guys, then you'll be ok I think. 

The championship is very evenly matched this year, so it's just momentum. No idea how we are only 4 points off play offs, We've been abysmal

DesVegas

UnclePsychosis said:

rze99 said:

LionAquaLooper said:

BBC article actually included Jota's death as a contributing factor to their recent poor string of losses. Clutching at straws, much? 

Possibly. Liverpool dominated Real Madrid just a few games ago and played really well in that game. So if they can do it then why not PSV. 

But it is the core Liverpool players that knew him best and they’ll have been hit the hardest and they are the backbone of the team. At that level you only need to be off it a bit or in periods and the fine margins show. 

I'm no fan of Liverpool---god knows I've upset people on here before at the notion that they're anything other than "just" another football club---but I don't think its that far fetched that Jota's death has had a fairly significant impact on the team. Emotions and grieving of sudden losses are weird at the best of time, nevermind when you're in the pressure cooker of a high profile professional team-based sporting environment. Anyone who saw Andy Robertson's interview in the aftermath of Scotland beating Denmark the other week got a bit of an insight - its clearly in their minds on a regular basis. 

Now, I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination claim its their only problem---spending hundreds of millions and getting worse is really quite the achievement---but I also think its unfair to claim it as "clutching at straws". 

Bang on

guitars4you

Oh what a night at ER and glad I could make it - Chelsea did not like it when you take them on face to face - Delap is a fat flat track bully boy - There is no way he is an international quality player - Cucurella , Neto and Estevao had their constant moaning head on with endless gesticulation moments - Not sure why they rested so many of their established players

At times we rode our luck , as you do against a quality team - But take them on and they didn't like it - And yes we needed those 3 points - Atmosphere was electric all night and to be fair the Chelsea fans were part of this and went for it all night as well 

Great win and we deserved it - Credit to a great team effort, especially after losing at the end to City only a few days before hand - No shortage of a fighting spirit 

I said at the start of the season, that on their day, Chelsea will be a handful for anyone - But can they become a team that pulls together over a longer period to put in a strong challenge for the PL - I said no in August and still endorse that - They were lucky again last night not to pick up another red card 

axisus

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

NorthernStomps

axisus said:

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

100%.

And you can bet your last dollar that Wolves will no longer be winless by next Monday night... 

thecolourbox

NorthernStomps said:

axisus said:

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

100%.

And you can bet your last dollar that Wolves will no longer be winless by next Monday night... 

Now now that's just crazy talk

(sorry Wolves fans)

guitars4you

axisus said:

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

5th was their potential, based on a better goal difference for Chelsea 

 Credit to West Ham - Strong character and tenacity - Strong counter attack all night long - But Man U were like a tiger, on the attack, but no teeth or claws - Think one of the pundits was trying to decide if they are good, poor or mediocre - Certainly indifferent  

To be fair, they played with 10 men - Can't recall Zirkzee having any meaningful input 

Best quote I saw is that their best effort, over the last few years, only just matches Liverpool worse effort over the last few years

joneve

NorthernStomps said:

axisus said:

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

100%.

And you can bet your last dollar that Wolves will no longer be winless by next Monday night... 

I'm just glad it wasn't Forest (aka, Charity FC) who handed Wolves their first win. 

It WAS, however, probably the worst game of football I've ever watched. 

Fair play to Leeds and West Ham - annoying from a Forest perspective as a bit more of a buffer would have been nice, but it is what it is. Always nice to see marquee teams get dicked around. 

Hootsmon

Are the Wales and Irelands still to play play offs and are two of 'em in same play off group...wots going on?

Philly_Q

Hootsmon said:

Are the Wales and Irelands still to play play offs and are two of 'em in same play off group...wots going on?

Too complicated to explain.  Here are the full details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_UEFA_second_round

Hootsmon

Too many words

Hootsmon

https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20251205-2026-world-cup-draw-seeds-groups-playoffs-how-it-works

Philly_Q

^^ Oh yeah, that's far fewer words.

NorthernStomps

I quite like a World Cup draw and all the shenanigans but the prospect of that arse-licking melt Infantino giving a special FIFA award for peace to his mate Donny could be the most excruciating watch of all time.

scrumhalf

The showbiz-ification of these events drives me mad.

I'd say more but I have to wait until some talentless cretin comes along and mines to their latest hit.

TTony

I thought the last World Cup would be the lowest point for the sport/competition, in terms of sacrificing what little integrity the "game" had left, in pursuit of grabbing ever greater riches for the greedy.

But I reckoned without the ability of the greedy to find ever more ways of screwing the fans to satisfy their greed.

menamestom

axisus said:

Why are Man U so sh*te!!!!! I just knew they wouldn't win. Could have been up to 4th I think, but no, another abject fail. I think that Amorim is never going to cut it, he just doesn't get anything out of the players. 

Feels like a missed opportunity every week.  Teams like Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle are poor this season, which really opens up the top four, but the rigid and negative tactics are not working at all.   Not having European football should be a major advantage, but it isn't proving so.   

I don't think we are necessarily better than our league position ,but it's the way he is going about it.  We're risk averse and negative, yet havn't had a clean sheet for 7 games.  Would love to see some pragmatism or in game management, rather than swapping CB's in and out.