Re: Season 2017/2018
 

It's great news about Sir Alex, now sitting up in bed!

It was good of Wayne Rooney to visit him in hospital yesterday.

"His speech is improving, and he can almost string a sentence together" said Sir Alex.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

:(

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

:D

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Another typical end of season bore fest at OT this afternoon. One thing is for certain only a couple of players who started today will be on the pitch at Wembley.

In fact Michael Carrick was not the only one given his last game for United, quite a few other candidates on show.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Who would you offload and who would you keep Jim?

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Well Daly Blind left the pitch as if he knew it was his last game. Darmian doesn’t quite do it for me. Would really love to see Luke Shaw get back to his best. Young and Valencia are not really kosher full backs and are both getting a bit long in the tooth as is Mata. Martial didn’t even make the bench today and both him and Rashford need to step it up if they stay. Sanchez looks lost ATM but I’m making allowances for him given his short time at the club.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Martial was injured in training on Friday.

Hopefully we actually do a clear out this summer, so much dead wood in the squad.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Nice of Newcastle to take full advantage of Chelsea's shocking performance.

Aubameyang joined Arsenal in February and finished 1 goal behind Morata and ahead of Hazard in assists...:erm:

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Let’s hope Chelsea retain that form for next Saturday.:)
Forgot to mention but it was great to see eight members of the European Cup winning side from 50 years ago come onto the pitch before kick off. Seems like only yesterday.

I couldn’t get a ticket for that game but a couple of mates went to Wembley.
I did join the massive crowds in Albert Square the day after.:cool:

---------- Post added at 20:48 ---------- Previous post was at 20:38 ----------

Barca’s attempt to do an ‘Invincibles’ under serious threat of failure.:shocked:
This is a bit like Brighton tonking City 4-1, sorry make that 5-1.

---------- Post added at 21:12 ---------- Previous post was at 20:48 ----------

Well, well, game on, as mad as Spurs v Foxes.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

And they have lost with just two games to go. :erm:

tbf When Arsenal did it the hardest games were the last four. After committing all season to win the title, winning it, then trying to motivate yourself for the last few games is difficult.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

I know it's cliche now to say things like this but had they done it, the fact still still remains that Arsenal did it in a far superior league at the time. Still at the top of the pile ahead of Juventus, Milan, Preston and Celtic.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Arsenal's new manager it seems...

http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...rsenal-manager

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

They can't be serious. You just absolutely know this is going to go horribly wrong and Arsenal will finish with their lowest ever Premier League finish followed by ''Appointment was a mistake'' followed by we should've seen this coming after the tragic job Moyes did at United. :erm:

Is there just no ambition at Arsenal football club anymore?

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Looks like Sporting in Portugal is in deep crap. About 50 "fans" invaded the training ground and attacked players and staff https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebo...-academia.html

It doesn't say it in the article but other places are saying at least one physio was stabbed too. Edit - article mentioning the stabbing http://ptjornal.com/fisioterapeutas-...queados-276432

I imagine there will be lots of transfer requests handed in there this summer or even termination of contracts.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Its all over Sam..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44136661

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

You better add Man United's former great saviour to that as well as he has just received his marching orders too.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...eaves-west-ham

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

2 ex SAFC managers leave clubs on same day big Sam and David Moyes

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Sad news just breaking sadly.:(

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44140722

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Actually saw him play for the Latics at the end of his career, class fullback.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

West Ham's new manager perhaps?.

http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...r-west-ham-job

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Down in Woking at my brothers ahead of tomorrow’s final, watching Notts County v Coventry play offs. A shocking decision by the linesman ( refs assistant) has just denied County a perfectly legitimate equaliser. :mad:

And just to compound the felony Coventry score a goal that should have been flagged offside.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

I've no idea about the premiership as I don't watch those games, but the standard of refereeing down in Leagues 1 & 2 is awful.

It seems very rare that a game result isn't influenced by an absolutely shocking decision - often one that most of the crowd see but the officials don't.

Has the standard really dropped over the years, or are we more aware of the gameplay and have a clearer view from block G row 37? :shrug:

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Just landed back at my brothers in Woking. As I long suspected it would be, the FA Cup final was dire. United were really poor and Chelsea were even worse, Looking at the match stats you would think that United overran Chelsea but even with 18 attempts to 6 they were mainly half chances. Apart from the awful misskick by Rashford late in the first half and that dreadful header from Pogba near the end that is.
Jose should have hooked Sanchez at half time and left Lingard on. Sanchez was truly awful.

Still the weather forecast is good so I am going to enjoy a couple of days down here before returning north.:cool:

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Its actually rotten from the top down. The Premier League has gradually gotten worse over the years. This year was shocking for refereeing decisions. The FA literally do nothing. In some scenarios they might as well be encouraging it by refusing to comment or take action on it.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...efereeing-has/

5 years ago we were being told to lay off referees and avoid over-criticising. That's happened. However it's now reached the point where we're just ignoring how bad its getting. At least then it was debated weekly/monthly. Now it's slipping towards becoming acceptable.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Well they introduced VAR and everyone hated it.

I am not sure what we can expect from referees when they have a singular moment's chance to get a decision right and their angle can be less than ideal no matter how hard they work on their positioning. Consistency getting penalty calls right when the box is stuff full of players, the incident happens on the wrong side of the player and happens in a second is asking too much.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

VAR needs to be given more of a chance instead of the predictable kneejerk reactions thus we have had so far from some..

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Everyone didn't hate it, the vast majority hated the way it was implemented, they screwed it up at the start and now people have lost faith in it, wait for the backlash if it ruins the world cup.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

They didn't do it as well as they could have but there was bound to be a learning curve as we, and the refs, adjusted. Instead perfect become the enemy of good and it was stopped. If they had learned and improved then maybe it would have got better but now it's likely dead for a few seasons at least.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

When I was at Wembley for the Spurs v Rochdale game VAR was a complete shambles. Yesterday I didn’t even realise it had been used to check the Sanchez offside decision. That was done fairly quickly and viewing the TV replays later it was perfectly correct.
Nothing wrong with VAR, nothing wrong with a CAR as long as either is operated efficiently.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Spot on Jim.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

I'd say it's a pretty strong statement when someone like Arsene Wenger is claiming there's been a refereeing standard decline.

Then I remembered he's the guy that only seems to see the decisions that go against him. His famous words ''I did not see the incident''

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

A new broom sweeps into the Hammers..

https://www.theguardian.com/football...am-new-manager

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

And Arsenal announce Emery as manager...

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Quite surprised by that but there is no doubt he is a talented manager that is for sure doing well at Seville and dealing with the massive ego's at PSG.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

It makes sense, I thought Arteta was a silly choice. This way they've found someone with experience but not with Pep or Mourinho level achievements that put them under pressure to instantly deliver. Far better appointment than I expected last week.

Benitez commits to at least the end of the 2018/2019 season. Apparently a transfer budget was agreed upon. We'll see how that goes though because he's willing to sign a new contract if all is delivered.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Emery: I finished every season in La Liga only behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid

Arsenal board: you mean you finished 4th every season?

Emery: YES!

Arsenal board: You’re hired!!!

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Gutted for Liverpool. On top for 20 minutes, didn't make that pay off. Still in the game until two shocking bits of play from keeper Karrius. Absolutely stinking. It's harsh to say one person cost a team but he really has here.

Absolutely typical that Salah had to go off combined with Karrius having a shocker. They didn't deserve this, at most they'd be at 1-1.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

TBH , Bales first goal deserves to win any game. Salah loss killed Liverpool, lost their way after that.
Keeper had a shocker .

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

At least it was a fair game in the end. No controversial outcome. They showed they were still in it without Salah. Keeper cost them big. There's no way of hiding from it. He knew it too come the final whistle.

I'm not just throwing my toys out of the pram either but Madrid have literally ran through this tournament with absolute luck or by the skin of their teeth. So overall I'd say they clung onto the trophy rather than dominate it. On different days Juventus, Bayern etc some key decisions in those games. Madrid got it done in the end one way or another so congrats to them but Liverpool have done England proud.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Sounds like Bale is up for a transfer. Wrexham maybe?! ;)

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Bale to Man United. Chelsea is too meh, couldn't see him donning an Arsenal shirt. City don't actually need him. Sanchez and Pogba are awful. Well Pogba is, Sanchez is just out of sorts. Bale would do well there. The reason I drag Pogba in is I'm sure Bale could outperform both players from one position. You can create something at United, you can't do that anymore at Chelsea, nobody will think of Hazard in the same way as Lampard, Drogba and so forth. You get that United, People will forget Van Der Saar actually made his name at Fulham, Ashley Young at Villa etc but those names instantly make you think United. Bale would have that same chance.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Nah, it's definitely Wrexham, I have it on good authority

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Ronaldo away too

John Murray‏Verified account @bbcjohnmurray 2h2 hours ago
Spanish radio tell me Ronaldo said on the pitch post match: it was a pleasure for me to play for Real Madrid...I will speak in a few days...I will speak to the supporters because they really love me.
#bbcfootball

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

He's another I can only see at United. Chelsea are somehow favourites but I can't see him at any Premier League club other than United. He's still got at least two seasons in him at a top level to be fair, its hard to say nowadays, this is a generation that could retire far later. In comparison to the likes of Shearer who was done at about 31ish and kept on playing as a shadow of his former self. Sporting Lisbon would be the other choice but they're in crisis at the moment and they're not really elite enough so that's off the table. PSG, although unsure how they'd manage it given their current FFP situation.

I just can't see a bloke that's still scoring 40+ a season dropping to somewhere like China or the MLS. The lad is worth 400 million, there's no sense in going to China for money. I'd be disappointed if he does.

Bale, Ronaldo and Lukaku completing Man United's front three?

Wonder if they can shift Pogba whilst he's still worth actual money and not magic beans.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Deeply Gutted last night as sadly losing Salah the fulcrum of our attack was bad enough and then on top of that to give away two goals to the opposition through the calamitous Loris Karius to a team that certainly has been extremely lucky all this tournament was just too much to bear and then on top of that the missing Gareth Bale scores the greatest goal of his career.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

I feel sorry for Karius. Imagine living with those mistakes, he must feel so awful.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Indeed as sadly he will be crucified by all and sundry but like us all he is only human at the end of the day and like most humans we make mistakes in our life in whatever arena that is in.

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

getting some real vile abuse on twitter very sad to see :(

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

I shouldn't worry, hes probably laughing all the way to the bookmaker (rumours have it he's not even a Scouser !)

Re: Season 2017/2018
 

Dammit Mr K, I was just thinking how long it would be before someone suggested that. . . . and then almost did it myself :D

oh, and Bale won't touch Utd if he has any sense ;)