Football

[Jamesrob637]

Or did Villa throw it away?

Didn't watch it although I do have MUTV, but I believe Villa took a bit of a nap in the second half. United were far from their best though.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

After 2 X 2-0 defeats over Xmas Darlington manager Josh Gowling has left the club. It had to happen.

He was the wrong man for the job. The club are second bottom of the league and 8 points adrift of safety

Elsewhere in National League North, South Shields, who are still in contention for the play offs, but who lost 1-3 at home to North East rivals Blyth Spartans on Boxing Day afternoon, have this morning binned off their manager Julio Arca and his assistant.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Elsewhere in National League North, South Shields, who are still in contention for the play offs, but who lost 1-3 at home to North East rivals Blyth Spartans on Boxing Day afternoon, have this morning binned off their manager Julio Arca and his assistant.

Sky sports News gave it the big “breaking news” thing, and the bloke said something like “it’s been a bad month for managers in the north east, and it’s just got worse…..”

My Sunderland season ticket holding partner suddenly got very excited thinking the mags has sacked nice guy Eddie

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Sky sports News gave it the big “breaking news” thing...

Slow news day for them, perhaps?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Huddersfield Town 3 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

For the third year in a row, Huddersfield beat Lancastrian opposition on Boxing Day. This was the first I managed to get to thanks to no longer relying on public transport, and the battering I was prepared for surprisingly didn't happen. Hopefully Darren Moore has now learned that if the team at least tries to take control of the game, the crowd will get behind the lads and the atmosphere will be altogether more positive... one swallow doesn't make a summer, and Blackburn were frankly woeful, but this was a step in the right direction. We fans don't expect 3-0 wins every game, but we at least expect a bit of effort from the team and coaching staff.

 

[DarloRich]

Sky sports News gave it the big “breaking news” thing, and the bloke said something like “it’s been a bad month for managers in the north east, and it’s just got worse…..”

My Sunderland season ticket holding partner suddenly got very excited thinking the mags has sacked nice guy Eddie

An odd one but with rumours of the 2nd highest wage budget in nln and a bit of a stall in results and performances perhaps 8th isn't good enough.

It is a poor league this year.

I don't want him at darlo btw

 

[SuspectUsual]

An odd one but with rumours of the 2nd highest wage budget in nln and a bit of a stall in results and performances perhaps 8th isn't good enough.

It is a poor league this year.

I don't want him at darlo btw

I’m not convinced it’s ever been a particularly high standard, other than the sugar daddy clubs that occasionally pass through. The difference between NLN/NLS and the national league seems bigger than between them and their various feeder leagues

 

[DarloRich]

I’m not convinced it’s ever been a particularly high standard, other than the sugar daddy clubs that occasionally pass through. The difference between NLN/NLS and the national league seems bigger than between them and their various feeder leagues

It is the coin to support full time players that make sthe difference at nln level

in the glue league it is being able to get a good mix of older ex pros and good ex league youngsters and a few old nl lags that get you succes.

money helps of course but is not essential as many players have better paying jobs than football. The home in time for tea draw of a club is all important

 

[JD2168]

Huddersfield Town 3 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

For the third year in a row, Huddersfield beat Lancastrian opposition on Boxing Day. This was the first I managed to get to thanks to no longer relying on public transport, and the battering I was prepared for surprisingly didn't happen. Hopefully Darren Moore has now learned that if the team at least tries to take control of the game, the crowd will get behind the lads and the atmosphere will be altogether more positive... one swallow doesn't make a summer, and Blackburn were frankly woeful, but this was a step in the right direction. We fans don't expect 3-0 wins every game, but we at least expect a bit of effort from the team and coaching staff.

One odd statistic is that Darren Moore has a 100% winning record on Boxing Day.

In manager news Salford City have sacked manager Neil Wood.

 

[75A]

Man City have just reminded us why they are such a quality team. 1-0 down @ half time, they came out for the second half highly charged and won 3-1, a score which flattered Everton.
Jordan Pickford the Toffee's goalie gifted City their third and was cautioned for his antics as City prepared to take a penalty,very childish imo.

 

[507021]

I wouldn't get too excited, they won because they benefitted from yet more inconsistent refereeing and an awful goalkeeping error. Speaking of childish antics, I see no mention of City players crowding the referee again as they did in the Spurs game. If that was a penalty, then so was the handball not given in Liverpool's favour against Arsenal. The incompetent and inconsistent standard of refereeing is ruining football, pure and simple.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I wouldn't get too excited, they won because they benefitted from yet more inconsistent refereeing and an awful goalkeeping error. Speaking of childish antics, I see no mention of City players crowding the referee again as they did in the Spurs game. If that was a penalty, then so was the handball not given in Liverpool's favour against Arsenal. The incompetent and inconsistent standard of refereeing is ruining football, pure and simple.

I’m not sure what is beneficial from the application of the rules.

 

[507021]

I’m not sure what is beneficial from the application of the rules.

The same handball rule which was not applied to award Liverpool a penalty when an Arsenal player clearly handled the ball in the penalty area, but was applied to award one to Manchester City in the same circumstances after their players crowded the referee (again)? I'd say City very much has benefitted when Liverpool, their closest challengers for the league title, were denied a penalty for the exact same thing. A penalty which if scored, would have given Liverpool an extra two points in the league table. If that isn't City benefiting from an inconsistent application of the rules of the game, then I don't know what is.

 

[Ted633]

The same handball rule which was not applied to award Liverpool a penalty when an Arsenal player clearly handled the ball in the penalty area, but was applied to award one to Manchester City in the same circumstances after their players crowded the referee (again)? I'd say City very much has benefitted when Liverpool, their closest challengers for the league title, were denied a penalty for the exact same thing. A penalty which if scored, would have given Liverpool an extra two points in the league table. If that isn't City benefiting from an inconsistent application of the rules of the game, then I don't know what is.

The penalty wasn't awarded after the referee was crowded though. The ref didn't even give the penalty, the linesman did.
Very different circumstances as well for the handballs so you can't really say they are the exact same thing.

For the Liverpool one, Odegaard slipped, placed his hand down to steady his fall and the ball hit it. An unfortunate accident, although I agree, you see them given either way. I'd probably be annoyed if a penalty like that was given against my team and just as annoyed if it was given for my team!

The City one however, was 100% a penalty. Yes, it was accidental, however he took a risk and threw himself in front of the ball. It hit his arm first (this is important) and his actions made his body bigger than it should of been, just like a goalkeeper does.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The City one however, was 100% a penalty. Yes, it was accidental, however he took a risk and threw himself in front of the ball. It hit his arm first (this is important) and his actions made his body bigger than it should of been, just like a goalkeeper does.

This is a rule change of recent years that I'm definitely not on board with. The offence was "deliberate handball" for over 100 years with no trouble, why it was changed I have no idea. I don't recall ever hearing anyone suggesting it beforehand.

 

[Harvester]

Brighton 4 Spurs 2. Two late goals for Spurs who were 4-0 down with ten minutes remaining. West Ham are two up at Arsenal.

 

[75A]

Brighton 4 Spurs 2. Two late goals for Spurs who were 4-0 down with ten minutes remaining. West Ham are two up at Arsenal.

The Spurs game was a cracker, even the Officials & VAR seemed to get everything right including both Brighton penalties.
Spurs only came to life after 75 minutes when they were 4 - 0 down, if Son had spent more time on his feet and less flat out on his face. who knows
Now swapped channels and watching West Ham & Arsenal, hope that's going to be as exciting.

 

[JD2168]

In leaked government documents released today it has emerged that Tony Blair was in favour of moving Wimbledon FC to Belfast & renaming them Belfast United & remaining in the Premier League as a way of helping the peace process.

 

[75A]

In leaked government documents released today it has emerged that Tony Blair was in favour of moving Wimbledon FC to Belfast & renaming them Belfast United & remaining in the Premier League as a way of helping the peace process.

Yeah, like that would have worked.
Would they have been Catholic or Protestant?

 

[1D54]

Belfast United to unite the warring factions of that great city!! Tells you all you need to know if you ever needed telling about Blair.

Totally ruining the NI league for the sake of people that would never buy into such a mad scheme in a million years.

 

[507021]

The penalty wasn't awarded after the referee was crowded though. The ref didn't even give the penalty, the linesman did.
Very different circumstances as well for the handballs so you can't really say they are the exact same thing.

For the Liverpool one, Odegaard slipped, placed his hand down to steady his fall and the ball hit it. An unfortunate accident, although I agree, you see them given either way. I'd probably be annoyed if a penalty like that was given against my team and just as annoyed if it was given for my team!

The City one however, was 100% a penalty. Yes, it was accidental, however he took a risk and threw himself in front of the ball. It hit his arm first (this is important) and his actions made his body bigger than it should of been, just like a goalkeeper does.

I agree both were accidental, but it simply cannot be the case where certain accidental handballs result in the award of a penalty and others don't. The ball hitting a player who's slipped is no more unfortunate or accidental than when it hits a player who's attempting a block without the intention of handling the ball. Amadou Onana did not attempt to handle the ball. It should either be all accidental handballs are a penalty, or the more sensible option with I prefer, none of them are. The lack of consistency around this rule needs to be dealt with, because it cannot continue.

 

[JamesT]

This is a rule change of recent years that I'm definitely not on board with. The offence was "deliberate handball" for over 100 years with no trouble, why it was changed I have no idea. I don't recall ever hearing anyone suggesting it beforehand.

Was it really with no trouble? I’m sure I remember watching MOTD in days gone past where handball incidents were argued over. “Ball to hand” vs. “Hand to ball”? The problem with “deliberate” handball is without being a mind reader, how does the referee know a player’s intent?

 

[150249]

The Spurs game was a cracker, even the Officials & VAR seemed to get everything right including both Brighton penalties.
Spurs only came to life after 75 minutes when they were 4 - 0 down, if Son had spent more time on his feet and less flat out on his face. who knows
Now swapped channels and watching West Ham & Arsenal, hope that's going to be as exciting.

Terrible performance from us at the Amex. I went to the Everton match and I wasn't too happy with what I saw but at least we won.

Arsenal result made me feel a bit better but still.

 

[dangie]

The incompetent and inconsistent standard of refereeing is ruining football, pure and simple.

Taking into consideration the continual moaning of managers, the continual cheating by players, the continual after match analysis of everything and anything by Shearer & Co, I would say the inconsistent standard of refereeing for ruining football is way down the pecking order.

 

[THC]

Celtic 2-1 The Rangers. Three high-quality goals were perhaps out of character with the match as a whole. Celtic were in control for all but the last ten minutes of each half without really breaking sweat, and so restore the eight-point lead over the tribute act held for much of the season so far. And the Bhoys tend to improve in the second half of every campaign. Ominous stuff for the pretenders.

THC

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Huddersfield Town 1 - 2 Middlesbrough

Another much improved performance last night, a game we were unlucky to get nothing from... though there was a quite spectacular miss from one Middlesbrough player in the first half that has to be seen to be believed. There are a few clips of it doing the rounds on X.

 

[1D54]

Celtic 2-1 The Rangers. Three high-quality goals were perhaps out of character with the match as a whole. Celtic were in control for all but the last ten minutes of each half without really breaking sweat, and so restore the eight-point lead over the tribute act held for much of the season so far. And the Bhoys tend to improve in the second half of every campaign. Ominous stuff for the pretenders.

THC

What is it now? 5000 minutes at the Girodome without a sniff of a Gers penalty? Suppose you have to get into the box to achieve that aim in the first place.

Don't entirely agree with your Bhoys improving in the second half of the campaign bit as they rarely lose in the first.

 

[THC]

What is it now? 5000 minutes at the Girodome without a sniff of a Gers penalty? Suppose you have to get into the box to achieve that aim in the first place.

This would be the same "Gers" who haven't conceded a penalty in over 70 matches, no? Oh the irony.

Don't entirely agree with your Bhoys improving in the second half of the campaign bit as they rarely lose in the first.

The football's usually a bit stuffy, not helped this season by the change from Angeball to Rodgers' more patient style. And the less said about Celtic's European efforts the better...

THC

 

[Harvester]

Fulham have beaten Arsenal 2-1, so a second league defeat in 3 days for the Gunners.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I’m not convinced it’s ever been a particularly high standard, other than the sugar daddy clubs that occasionally pass through. The difference between NLN/NLS and the national league seems bigger than between them and their various feeder leagues

I agree. AFC Fylde, Kidderminster and Ebbsfleet, promoted last summer, are propping up the National League while Bradford and Kettering are in danger of a second relegation from step 3. But Telford and Leamington are doing OK in SLPC.