leffe186

The absolute classic technique of refs in Europe. Drives me insane.

The one England should have got.

Yeah, it’s precisely the reason I don’t do the NBA or the MLB. At least the NFL FF is only 16 games or so. Can't make up my mind. Sacked this off early this year and was pretty happy I did, but then it’s been a mental year.

I’m genuinely confused.

“Pony and trap” - “Makes you want to fap”

Depends if Carvalho’s immunity to yellow cards is transferable.

And, lest we forget, the last few games of the previous season.

Everyone does it, and it’s usually exactly the same words used. The only question is if it’s actually a 180, or just different people saying different things at different times. Some people are circumspect, some people go in all guns blazing. Generally the rule of thumb should be that almost nobody actually knows anything and anyone reacting to media speculation - however convincing it sounds - is simply pissing in the wind. And most of what’s written - by us or by “journalists” - is primarily self-serving.

Coming back to the UK has really driven home how fucking tiresome the off-season is. So many people opining on stuff they know fuck all about based on other stuff that’s either made-up out of thin air or deliberately put out from one side or another. I get that it can be fun to talk about but Christ it doesn’t take more than a half-step back to see how much of it is drivel. I’m obviously getting old. Doesn’t help that 8’m sorting through my Dad’s old football yearbooks and programmes, and old copies of WSC. Bah humbug. See you all at Brisbane Rd.

Yeah, the idea that this is specifically PIF looking to help Chelsea out doesn’t feel right. That doesn’t preclude dodgy dealings between Boehly and the Saudis behind the scenes though. And that’s kinda the point. When nation-states like Qatar are essentially buying clubs, it’s messy as fuck with the potential for shady deals. Who am I kidding - “potential”. There are going to be shady deals. It all sucks. Urgh. Didn’t want to be thinking about this this morning. Going to buy a puppy this weekend, so there’s that.

Yes, nobody has ever mentioned the financial advantages Manchester United have over other teams.

Wouldn’t that be pretty solid grounds for a PL investigation then?

What kind of striker turns his back on the biggest club in the world to sign a contract with his local club?

The way that Reddit recommends subreddits for other clubs by saying “similar to r/coys”.

It used to be, way back when they started those requirements clubs would find ways round it, if only temporarily.

We still doing that then?

Well speaking as someone born in Australia who grew up in Palmers Green North London (aka Palmers Greek) I’m chuffed . I’m trying not to care, but now I’m back in the community I haven’t really got a choice. Plus my Villa wife has suddenly got excited about football again for some strange reason. I’m always optimistic at heart. It’s definitely interesting. Like people say, could be a stroke of luck, could be a wasted year or two. I’m mainly happy we’ve actually got a manager again. And that we missed out on Europe tbh. Either way, now we’re back we’re planning on getting Orient season tickets and building an Akron Leyton Orientears fan club.

Yup. And we haven’t won a trophy in that time (you need a bit of luck too). There’s bits of truth in all of what people are saying, but also the usual problems. Things are cyclical in football, just that the influx of mental money at a handful of clubs has moderated this a bit to maintain something of a status quo for a long time. Levy has been the one constant for us, which has been both positive and negative. @Stal is right to cast shade at the twats who said stupid stuff about Ashley as there are some echoes of that in here as in so many fans’ comments about every rival. Mourinho was a stupid appointment by Levy. Pochettino was a great appointment by Levy. Timing and luck is important. Eddie Howe was the right man at the right time. @brummie talking about us being arrivistes is a funny wind-up but silly, because it all depends upon timing. When I started working at the Fort Retail Park I was genuinely surprised by the self-image of the Villa fans around me because they were also-rans at the time (despite me growing up with the Ron Saunders teams). Since then, I’ve been married to a Villa fan for 15 years and I believe this is the first time they finished above Spurs in that time. They are massively on the up, but they’ve been poor for years. The cycle continues. “It’s the unrealistic expectations of fans and owner who have had probably their longest prolonged spell in the higher echelons in their history and been unsatisfied for most of it.” Give your head a shake. It was fucking great. I’m really fucking disappointed we haven’t won a trophy in that time, but you’re just being stupid or pretending if you think that wasn’t a realistic expectation. The expectation is that we’re competent enough - and lucky enough - to maintain our position. The biggest issue is in the transitions - it always is. Villa fucked it up for years. Newcastle fucked it up for years. Man U fucked it up. Liverpool fucked it up for a bit. Arsenal got it right from Graham to Wenger, then fucked it up for a bit. Chelsea are fucking it up right now. We have been fucking it up. Just sooner or later, if you throw enough money at it and make good decisions and/or get lucky it will turn round. At least, for the big, glamorous, successful clubs.

Yeah, seeing it laid out like that is nuts. Should be cracking.

Off the top of my head I think we’re paying the ground off over a million years or something like that - I haven’t looked at or thought about that stuff for years. It’s like a super-long-term deal with relatively low interest that’s pretty manageable. Don’t think there’s an urgent need to sell the rights, and that’s borne out by the fact that Levy is clearly angling for a shit-ton of money.

Last I’d heard was that we were negotiating with Google. Went on Spurscommunity to see if there were any updates. Two posts in the thread this calendar year, both about Bolton’s stadium . Looks like Levy.

People have always said the weirdest things about Kane. I usually only step in when people just make shit up, but it’s really peculiar to say his career is “limping to an end”. He might well have missed a chance of a move to a title-winning club in the UK at this point (Manchester City) but he’s 29 and has scored 28 goals in the Premier League this season. How many people have done that in the last 10 years? Four. Suarez once, Salah once, Haaland once (and probably every year from now). And Kane three times. It just feels like I’ve been calling people out for saying stupid/mendacious/weird stuff about Kane for a decade . His ankle might be breaking down, but he played in every single league game this season. His career is drawing to an end, but he’s not even 30 yet and just scored 28 goals in the Premier League. He only scores so much because we’re really good, yet we’ve been shit this year and without a manager for half a season. He’s really bloody good and will score a ton more goals…somewhere.

How do Everton do this every fucking time? They should have been flushed decades ago.

I mean, you were pretty comfortable until the ref just gave them a penalty. I was just waiting for your inevitable third to kill them off.

Did you see the penalty decision?