ponsaelius

I still would if we could get the same money back, easily.

Geeeetttt in you big lummox

We're so frustrating the moment we go ahead

Think it's more incredulous when you realise there's two officials who could reasonably have seen it

Not joking when I say that is actually the worst decision I've ever seen

Murphy is so bad

Even if you did try to make an argument that the keeper isn't denying a goalscoring opportunity it's still a red given he's drop kicked him at chest height with no attempt whatsoever to play the ball

My thing with Spurs is I genuinely couldn't tell you who their best players are. They're a bit of a mystery to me. They actually have a very deep (bloated?) squad and none of it I would consider dross at face value, but I genuinely wouldn't know their first choice XI from their backup XI in terms of quality. Outside of maybe VdV and Romero being I think clearly their best CBs. They definitely suffer from a lack of identity I think. They'd probably be better with a tighter squad and a few more homegrown players. The oversized NBA style squad has probably been why they're doing well in Europe however, where competitively their rotation is better than the sides they're up against.

You're right about the goal line tech but you wouldn't believe the amount of people who have said and genuinely think the same about offsides. 'Offside is offside'. The rule was brought in to stop goal hanging, it has always been fundamentally about preventing strikers gaining an advantage, not something which is scientifically or quantifiably measurable. Like almost every decision in football it is a subjective judgement call, probably less so than say a tackle in the box, but still so. The fundamental problem with VAR is that the sport is extremely fast moving, fluid and full of micro-moments all open to subjective judgement (of which offsides are one of many during a game). The idea that they can actually successfully be broken down into black/white all the time is fundamentally flawed, and even after all the replays and delays, there is still numerous cases where many will disagree on the outcome. The introduction of VAR possibly has marginally reduced the volume of more clearly 'wrong' decisions (IE those where the vast majority, despite any partisan leanings, are in agreement). However for me personally the sacrifice in achieving this has simply been to far too great a detriment in the game. I barely even bother celebrating goals now because there is always some reason they could be ruled out, and that is really tragic in what it has done to the game. Going to other football where there is no VAR (lower and non league, earlier rounds of the cup) is a breath of fresh air knowing the outcome is simply the outcome and can be enjoyed in the moment.

I think there's an argument that West Ham wouldn't have established themselves as a comfortable PL team the way they have recently without the new stadium while Spurs might have been even more at risk of a drop off (not forgetting where they were as a club pre-Levy) if they weren't insulated by the bulletproof financial security their stadium now gives them. Equally there is however something clearly lost with these moves. Playing away at both grounds is nowhere near as intimidating as it was at the old places. There is something intangible that is lost when you strip away the old school atmosphere and hostility and it does leave both clubs feeling from the outside as corporate, meek and meandering. Particularly when stuck in a bad rut on the pitch like they are now. Arsenal was a different case because I think building the stadium did genuinely put them on a significantly weaker financial footing right at the point where two other PL clubs got a huge injection of cash they didn't have to pay back. How different the PL (and European football) would have been if not for Abramovich and Abu Dhabi you couldn't possibly say. Emitates has now given Arsenal a very solid financial base they wouldn't have had still at Highbury, it's just taken a long time to get there.

We probably do need a new stadium to compete in a world of FFP and our slight geographical disadvantage. And it could undoubtedly be a great catalyst for the local economy/urban regeneration depending on the nature of the proposals. But I'm also pretty much convinced barring some miracle it'll be a less hostile and more sanitised matchday atmosphere (basically accelerating or multiplying all the current issues with that at SJP).

We are a joke like

Sensing the shift in momentum and inevitable now

It's not a great endorsement of our strikers that we look better with Gordon through the middle

Winger who can't take on a man is not good enough like.

He's pony man

Never have any control in games. Never have done really from a possession point of view and have always relied on the aggressive press and overrunning teams. Which can and has be great when we're flying. But having no forward who can press and playing twice a week we just look dreadful.

True enough, football is on its arse ATM

Set penis our only fret atm

He is like, fundamentally

Murphy might be the worst player in the league

He's exactly the same as he was for Milan, always has at least a couple of massive ricks in him per game. We've been shocking defensively all season so I can't really get in board with him being this transformative/great signing.

Thiaw is proper emperor's new clothes, doesn't convince me at all

Sub him off

More the does daft things on a football pitch while pontificating like a psuedointellectual off it