Football 2022/23

[Roger]

An update on that Alfie, its 'Gary Johnson's Yellow Army' again now    after FIVE wins in a row. 3 games left and less than 2 wins will mean TUFC relegated to the nether worlds.

What a crazy season in the EPL - as seen from our scores this season.

The collapse of form at Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham and Leicester has surprised with Brighton, Brentford and Fulham exceeding expectations  The strong running of Arsenal and Newcastle also stands out.

For me Arsenal have Arteta's moody aspect about them now and it's hard not to wonder if their spirit has cracked. My 3 Sons are all Leeds fans - the middle Son at Leeds with mates last night for a weekend treat     He returns to Cornwall tomorrow with 2 stops needed with his EV   

I suppose it's inevitable that Players exploit their positions to the max but some clubs have found themselves in expensive potholes - as an example, I see at Chelsea, Raheem Sterling £350,000-per-week and Romelu Lukaku back in the fold shortly at £325,000-per-week - what a disaster that is. Notts Forest have Jesse Lingard £120,000-per-week, Chris Wood £100,000-per-week and Jonjo Shelvey £75,000-per-week, none of whom look value for money !

Most Clubs top Players seem on around £100-120K but Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs have the crazy earners. Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton topping out at £50-70K   

It's sheer madness and guess who pays in the end - that's much maligned and foolish owners and the Fans !

I noticed this in the DM  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11946347/The-three-earners-Premier-League-club.html

Good luck to your team   

[Teessider]

About to watch Preston v Sunderland. A win would give us a gooc chance of making the play offs. They are a young team and far from PL standards but Mowbray has done a good job. I won't be too disappointed if they don't make it.

[Roger]

Good luck Teess. I remember Swindon Town in their heyday playing Sunderland who brought thousands and thousands of Fans down. Sunderland are one of those Clubs that should be up there ! Next season perhaps.

Might have been in the days of Summerbee, Hunt etc. or those of the unbelievable, Don Rogers.

[Teessider]

Wow. Sunderland played brilliantly. They have no centre forward and no centre backs due to injuries. They lost their right back at half time so played without one and had a winger at left back. Their ball players Amad, Roberts, Clarke and Pritchard were superb with 3 of them scoring. Luton in the play offs with a possible Wembley final against Middlesbrough!

[Roger]

Teess I see your Boys are away at Luton today - good luck ! IMO it'll be Sunderland or Middlesborough to go through at the end. Seems crazy that Coventry are in the running - for me they're outsiders.

What a season it's been in the EPL ! Chelsea's slump a shock to most but they have laboured all season - so far Man City have 16 MORE wins than CFC and Arsenal 14 MORE - that's stunning and for CFC the indignity of finishing below my dear old Fulham . . . . . when did that last happen ?

Man City's game in hand could give them a 7 point lead - that's quite some turnaround and you have to feel a bit sorry for Arsenal.

Liverpool can leapfrog both Man Utd and Newcastle if they slip up in their last 3 games - Liverpool have only 2 to play. Brighton, Brentford and Fulham have been so consistent - realy good seasons for them.

And a great rally from Villa with Emery at the helm. I'd like to see Leeds escape relegation as my 3 Sons support them - but it looks dicey to say the least.

It's been a great season and a bit more to come   

[Roger]

Teess I was sorry to see Sunderland lose out - I saw most of the game and thought that Luton did play some good football at times. Now they face Coventry in the final. I'll be surprised if Luton or Coventry survive in the EPL but we'll see. Next season for your team then 

What a fabulous performance by Man City last night    I hope they win the European Cup at last - what a team !

[Teessider]

The injuries to our centre backs cost us against a big team like Luton. Not too disappointed really  as we are not ready yet for the PL. We need a couple of big defenders, a midfield enforcer and an injury free Ross Stewart (the Loch Ness Drogba). Amad will go back to Old Trafford.

[Teessider]

Ivan Toney banned for 8 months for betting on football matches. With half the teams shirts sponsored by gambling companies, grounds covered in gambling adverts, the EFL sponsored by gambling is there a whiff of hypocrisy here?

[Roger]

2nd half starts anytime now on TH Channel 32 - first half very good and TH played well.

Great first goal for our Boys but China fast on the break. Worth watching. 

[Roger]

IMHO Nigel is 100% correct on this - goal celebrations have become ridiculous - screaming, shouting and showing off and the number of goals scored at the other end, within a few minutes of the goal scoring orgy, shows it's unwise. Yes, save energy and preserve concentration 

"Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has told his players to stop celebrating wildly when they score a goal, and to save their energy for the rest of the match. The 57-year-old, who won the League Cup with Nottingham Forest as a player, says the time to savour the moment and salute supporters is after his team have earned success.

Clough’s team are third in League Two and their celebrations have been reserved when they have found the net this season, with their manager wanting them to keep concentration and not expend energy. His team have instead acknowledged their fans after the final whistle of matches."

Some more rules would be good - a yellow card for running to the crowd or leaving the field of play and a yellow card to any substitute or anyone else entering the field of play. Grow up Lads !

*************

After watching a heroic 1st half, finishing 1-1 Thailand succumbed to China losing 1-2 in the end, (I would have loved a Th win !) Thailand's goalscorer was 31 year old Sarach Yooyen, who played on loan for the Swatcats in 2013 - I remember him well. Captain of Thailand for many years he's been an outstanding Player throughout. His goal last night was brilliant   

[Roger]

I wouldn't expect the FA or other football authorities to get anything right at all on any subject - but they have excelled themselves here    

"Fiona McAnena, director of sport for Fair Play for Women, emphasised the scale of the debate unleashed by the Needham controversy. “People say, ‘It’s only a few trans players, what difference does it make? Well, here’s one male player in one team, affecting every team in that league – that’s over 150 women. They don’t want to play if it’s so unfair, they’re worried about injury, and some are even talking about giving up football, if this is how it’s going to be.

“There are 50 male players approved by the FA to play women’s football in England – and those are the ones they know about. So this is affecting thousands of women and girls in football. This is happening all over the country. We have raised this with the Equality and Human Rights Commission as a matter of urgency. They need to point out that female-only sport is lawful.

“Many sports governing bodies receive funding from the national sports councils to promote female participation. Surely it is time for the sports councils to insist that sport governing bodies provide fair and safe sport for women and girls – or lose funding.” "

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/11/20/football-teams-refuse-transgender-player-injury-
sheffield/

Gotta agree with this - "Surely it is time for the sports councils to insist that sport governing bodies provide fair and safe sport for women and girls "

[Alfie]

Does anyone think Everton will survive the 10 points deduction?

Will they be relegated this season or manage to survive another season in the PL?

[caller]

Does anyone think Everton will survive the 10 points deduction?

Will they be relegated this season or manage to survive another season in the PL?

I think they will survive okay. Only Luton are making a scrap of it at the bottom. Burnley and Sheffield are useless, but for the latter, that was self inflicted. I think Bournemouth, despite their little run of form and Forest will be dragged down there as well. But I think Luton will go down  with Burnley and Sheffiled.

[Roger]

Terry Venables has died https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/26/terry-venables-former-england-spurs-and-barcelona-manager-dies-aged-80

https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2023/nov/26/terry-venables-a-life-in-pictures

[Thaiwolf]

Picking up points, no need to panic. We're fine!!

[Roger]

Alfie I think Everton will stay in the EPL. Dyche seems to have got them playing now but we'll learn more tonight    My mate Derek Lyon in Totnes - his Dad, Jack Lyon,  played for Everton at the end of the 2WW with Tommy Lawton    

I visited once and saw Arsenal win 0-2 at Goodison. But the Family, 50% Everton and 50% Liverpool, were great. After the match they chatted amiably in the 'Club' for hours. exchanging detailed memories 

[Roger]

Well my Everton guess went wrong, spectacularly, and Dyche will have to pick them up again    Man Utd seem to get the 'run of the ball' in that game.

As last Season, Man Utd had a bad start but came through by Christmas. Talk of sacking Ten Hag in recent weeks was a bit odd. Utd have the same no. of wins as Liverpool    They're OK !

When Pep Guardiola arrived at Man City, he soon dumped Joe Hart the English goalkeeper, on the grounds he wanted a Goalie to be a sort of 'playmaker' too. Last season I thought this feature had gone too far. IMO an over reliance on fiddling around at the back is resulting in a lot of scares and goals.

In Saturdays MotD, I saw at least 3 culpable incidents so wake up coaches - this fad/trend has gone too far !

Joe btw is still first choice at Champions Celtic - so he's OK for some. Good luck to him.