leffe186

What were the better podcasts during World Cup 2022?

If you get a chance, look at the Man City Spurs 1981 final. I actually can’t remember if it was in the first game or the replay, but the first thing Gerry Gow does is kick Ardiles miles up in the air. If it was today Gow would be back in the showers before Ardiles came back to Earth.

There’s uproar from me for obvious reasons, but also I genuinely love good football and hate cynical cheats and gamesmanship that goes routinely unpunished. It’s not that complicated. Also a fair few people on here have pointed out the irony of Arteta and Arsenal employing the same tactics he’s moaned about in the past. Then you factor in the way they have been demonstrably favoured by PGMOL - consistently, and to a greater degree than PGMOL admit. We all understand why Arteta plays the way he does. He thinks it gives them the best chance to win…or more accurately, the least likelihood to lose. Surely you can also understand why we all don’t like it?

It was Fast Show all the way here. I think if you don’t live in London you might not realize what a huge impact the Arsenal Women’s team have had. It’s advertised everywhere, and a million middle-class families with 2.4 kids go to the games because it’s relatively cheap, very easy to get to and you can get a ticket. They’ve played a blinder - it’s such a good way to build a fanbase, particularly at a time when kids, teenagers etc simply cannot afford to go to the men’s matches.

Sure. It’ll be a good Haitiwatch.

He was broken, man. I think Bobby D called it. Something going on on top of being an Arsenal fan.

That thought absolutely crossed my mind. Or just a straight up comedown.

Speaking of which, a few here I hadn’t seen. The winner is still “Over the bar” at 0:31:

It’s kind of difficult to describe to somebody who didn’t grow up with it - football has changed so much and the English game was somewhat different on top of that. If you look back at 70s gridiron and see some of the things that players routinely got away with then you’re getting some of the flavour. I’m pretty sure there’s some documentary out there somewhere about the “Crazy Gang” and the 1988 FA Cup win that you might find enlightening. Wimbledon were a tiny club that came up from Non-League (outside the four divisions of the Football League) and some players were with them all the way. Vinnie Jones kind of epitomises them. They could play football but mainly were successful through organized thuggery and clever intimidation - particularly of refs. The most angry I have ever been at a football match was Spurs-Wimbledon back in 1986. We had a great team that year and they had just come up, but the referee simply could not cope with them. They were kicking and elbowing Spurs players with complete impunity - I have never seen anything like it before or since. The ref completely abdicated responsibility. Finally Graham Roberts decided enough was enough and completely went through Lawrie Sanchez. Roberts got the red card as he was being stretchered off - he’d hurt himself in the process. I would have torn the referee limb from limb if I had got hold of him, and I was 13 years old. Vinnie Jones played well for Leeds and other teams in CM and also played international football. As anybody who’s played football to a decent level will tell you, you have to be incredibly talented and driven just to play anywhere in the Football League. To play at the top level for a few years? Absolutely he was a good footballer. Just…he maximised his talents. He knew what he could and couldn’t do. And also, a lot of the things he did well that made him a success have been legislated out of football now. That Wimbledon team in 1986 would have been down to 7 men before 30 minutes had gone.

Slightly weird thing this morning. Was walking the dogs about an hour ago and there was a guy in his (I would guess) late 50s leaning against a garden wall looking sort of quietly distraught. Like he’d just been chucked out of his house or something (it was 5:30 am on a Sunday after all), head in hands, rubbing his temples etc. As we approached him I was going to ask if he was OK then realized he had an Arsenal shirt on - it was one of the weird third strips, that sort of powder blue colour. I was still going to say something but he was so wrapped up in his own world he didn’t register us at all so I just kept walking. Felt like he would have either lunged for me or started crying on my shoulder.

Yeah, we bought Kota Takai as a developmental CB and loaned him out for that reason. Having him on the list st all is silly, but at #9? Is this AI-generated?

He’s still not getting the credit he deserves. Bayern fans know. They think they got an absolute bargain. The numbers are historic. He just got into the all time top 10 (https://www.planetfootball.com/stats-tables/most-goals-scored-single-season-player-history-messi-ronaldo-pele) for top level goals scored in a single season. Apparently his goals per game this season is 1.18. Messi in that unbelievable 2011/12 season was at 1.19. if that was all it’s about then he’d have an argument to be the best in the world this season but we should all know by now there’s so much more to his game. He just scored more goals in a season than any Englishman since Dixie Dean, yet he still often gets pelters from England fans for not being in the box enough at the end of moves. Bayern fans comment on how effective he is as a defender, and not just on corners, and his vision and passing is incredible. Kane doesn’t have the speed or quick feet of Kvara, Olise, or Yamal that makes them so exciting to watch. But I think there are many footballing attributes he possesses that they either don’t have at all or have less of. And yes, there are the numbers.

I’m just keeping that in my pocket for when any Arsenal fan complains about the penalty they weren’t given.

I just hope somebody gives PGMOL a shake and they sort this shit out next year.

Havertz exists as well man Just walking the dogs round the corner (local park). It’s a Spurs area really but some Arsenal overspill. Big family picnicking under the tree, loads of Arsenal clobber, big red and white checked flag, little ‘uns with an air horn etc etc. Looking absolutely miserable. Warms the cockles of my heart.

It’s all about Arteta. He’s decided this is the best way to maximise their odds of winning stuff, and been working towards this for years. Stifle, stifle, stifle. Niggle, niggle, niggle. Cheat, cheat, cheat. You can see it in somebody like Bentancur. Under Frank he was negative and indecisive and we thought he might be done. When De Zerbi came in he was a revelation. Managers and schemes have a massive impact.

Can actually look forward to the World Cup. Unless they got a red card or two I don’t think I could have hoped for anything more than a total shithouse performance from the 6th minute, including all the usual Arteta antics and then Gabriel blazing the decisive pen into the crowd. Eze miss just a bonus. I believe that English clubs have won 18 European trophies since Arsenal last won one. Liverpool, Man U, Man C, Chelsea, Spurs, Villa, West Ham, Palace. Four teams from London alone. Their trophy parade is tomorrow and it will feel just a bit empty. What a pity we all had to endure that God-forsaken football to get this little bit of joy.

No yellow cards for Arsenal in the first half. Guess the timewasting was being done by some elves?

I mean, you saw this season, maybe we just shouldn’t have it count full stop.

Anyone watching the Scottish match? Curaçao looked OK and scored a cracking goal on the break, then got an incredibly stupid thuggish red card.

Urgh. Was fun while it lasted I suppose.

Those are the rocks I am clinging to. Some poor old sod in a Spurs cap down here by the gate. Doesn’t seem like he’s on the wind-up or mentally ill, just oblivious It’s proper Parklife out here today (28C I think) just ruined by all the Arsenal nonsense.

No red cards, no penalties, absolutely transparent double standards over things like the Gabriel headbutt, the Gabriel dives, MMA at corners etc. It’s not even a conversation. Even that recent PGMOL list of VAR errors which was very obviously “massaged” (for example, recording no errors against us when their panel disagrees and IIRC they actually apologized for at least one) said “yeah, we favour them, so what?”

Oh man. Arsenal managing to blag a season without red cards then getting three today would be funny.