Football

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Bournemouth certainly finished the season with a long-unbeaton run.

 

[43096]

A costly mistake for Southampton, but deserved and fair punishment in my opinion.

It is not a "mistake". It is a blatant, deliberate, act of cheating.

 

[AlterEgo]

This is not to detract from Arsenal's achievement but it does not bode well for the game that the last two champions of the league have been pretty bang average. I'm a Liverpool fan and the drop off for us this season began during last season; not by any means a great side for the last 2-3 years.

Arsenal are awful to watch and only had one serious contender in City, who are in a very weird almost transitional phase. Arsenal will hopefully be eviscerated by PSG, a vastly superior side.

 

[JamesT]

Bournemouth certainly finished the season with a long-unbeaton run.

It’s not quite over, there’s one more round of fixtures on Sunday.
There are still some European places up for grabs, Bournemouth could potentially be playing in the Champions League next season.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Arsenal are awful to watch and only had one serious contender in City, who are in a very weird almost transitional phase. Arsenal will hopefully be eviscerated by PSG, a vastly superior side.

22 years of pressure choked us since Christmas. To be expected really. We got it done but the last couple of months have not been pretty.

Arsenal are a very good side. They’re unbeaten in the Champions League, including having beaten Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid twice. Whether we beat PSG who knows, but Arsenal are good.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It’s not quite over, there’s one more round of fixtures on Sunday.
There are still some European places up for grabs, Bournemouth could potentially be playing in the Champions League next season.

Sorry, I intended to say "finishing the season"....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 May 2026 ==

22 years of pressure choked us since Christmas. To be expected really. We got it done but the last couple of months have not been pretty.

Arsenal are a very good side. They’re unbeaten in the Champions League, including having beaten Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid twice. Whether we beat PSG who knows, but Arsenal are good.

PSG showed how good they are in their semi-final win.

 

[D1511]

I have no dog in the fight, but as a neutral observer, I haven't enjoyed watching a single Arsenal game this season. They're awful to watch and the orchestrated NFL style blocking at set pieces is tiresome. Hopefully PSG will tear them a new one, and attacking football will win the day over stodgy sh*thousery.
I also dislike Arteta intensely for some reason. Perhaps it is him having lived here for 35 years, yet sounding like he just arrived from Spain yesterday.

 

[Haywain]

Bournemouth could potentially be playing in the Champions League next season.

That would require an astonishing result at Anfield on Sunday as well as a win for Bournemouth at Forest.

 

[Minilad]

That would require an astonishing result at Anfield on Sunday as well as a win for Bournemouth at Forest.

Or Villa to win tomorrow night then end up 5th as that would mean 6th would qualify for the Champions League

 

[EYFanatic]

Great decision from the league/independant panel to kick Southampton out of the playoff and I can only hope my beloved Hull City were training in the event it went either way - and lets hope that Boro have got time to get a team trained up and ready to go.

Lots of Southampton fans have taken to social media to complain about not being able to refund train/coach/hotel costs even though the EFL told both them and Southampton to hold off on on selling tickets or booking travel and accom

Now, this lad that was photographed at the boro training pitch... I hope that club looks after him because he is about to be the target of a lot of cheesed off players and fans I suspect

 

[Haywain]

I hope that club looks after him because he is about to be the target of a lot of cheesed off players

I can't see why any players should be blaming him, he was acting on instruction from, presumably, the head coach. That's who should be blamed. But I expect players to be talking to their agents and lawyers about any financial bonuses they'll be missing out on.

 

[Purple Train]

Glad Arsenal have won the league, solely for the fact that they aren't Manchester City.

 

[DarloRich]

Middlesbrough should be awarded the Southampton spy video on Hull to help in their preparation

 

[43096]

This is not to detract from Arsenal's achievement but it does not bode well for the game that the last two champions of the league have been pretty bang average. I'm a Liverpool fan and the drop off for us this season began during last season; not by any means a great side for the last 2-3 years.

It's been very amusing watching Liverpool implode this year. I'd hope Slot has the balls to exclude Salah from the squad and bar him from the ground for his latest outburst, but I wouldn't bet on it. And VVD has far too much to say, particularly when his own performances have been gash.

 

[JamesT]

That would require an astonishing result at Anfield on Sunday as well as a win for Bournemouth at Forest.

Brentford beat them in the reverse fixture, would a loss be that surprising? Admittedly the seven goal swing across the two matches is rather less likely.
As @Minilad says, there is another route that may be more likely. Villa winning Europa, but losing their final league match to City, Liverpool winning and Bournemouth matching Brighton’s result would do it.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

At the bottom end of the league, will Burnley beat Wolves at home in their final fixture, having won the away fixture 3-2 earlier in the season?

 

[Iskra]

It is not a "mistake". It is a blatant, deliberate, act of cheating.

True!

This is not to detract from Arsenal's achievement but it does not bode well for the game that the last two champions of the league have been pretty bang average. I'm a Liverpool fan and the drop off for us this season began during last season; not by any means a great side for the last 2-3 years.

Arsenal are awful to watch and only had one serious contender in City, who are in a very weird almost transitional phase. Arsenal will hopefully be eviscerated by PSG, a vastly superior side.

I agree, they aren’t pretty. But, as a Leeds fan, Arsenal are the only team to thrash us this season…

 

[Ted633]

I agree, they aren’t pretty. But, as a Leeds fan, Arsenal are the only team to thrash us this season…

This season so far!

(Not that I'm expecting West Ham to put up a massive fight this weekend, we seem to be running out of steam)

 

[Iskra]

This season so far!

(Not that I'm expecting West Ham to put up a massive fight this weekend, we seem to be running out of steam)

This is doing the rounds on LUFC Socials…

My team for West Ham:

Meslier

Me | Lucas the Kop Cat | Karen Brady | Mel B

Graham Smyth | Neville Longbottom | Elland Road McDonalds Manager | Ronnie the Rhino

Ray from the Undatables | Bin Laden crowdie from Covid

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

True!

I agree, they aren’t pretty. But, as a Leeds fan, Arsenal are the only team to thrash us this season…

The 3-0 defeat result away at Burnley earlier in the season was also not a good one for Leeds United.

 

[Iskra]

The 3-0 defeat result away at Burnley earlier in the season was also not a good one for Leeds United.

My memory is selective!

…compared to our previous PL season, it has been idyllic.

 

[Falcon1200]

Now, this lad that was photographed at the boro training pitch...

I can't see why any players should be blaming him, he was acting on instruction from, presumably, the head coach.

Indeed, can't help wondering who at Southampton FC knew about the spying, and/or organised and condoned it. And what repercussions they will face.

But at least their spying on Oxford United did them no good! Clearly our cunning plan to do completely different things in matches from training worked, on that one occasion at least.

 

[The exile]

Lots of Southampton fans have taken to social media to complain about not being able to refund train/coach/hotel costs even though the EFL told both them and Southampton to hold off on on selling tickets or booking travel and accom

Morally up to Southampton FC to compensate them or to tell them it’s their own fault for not listening to the EFL’s warnings. Doubt they will do either.

 

[Iskra]

Morally up to Southampton FC to compensate them or to tell them it’s their own fault for not listening to the EFL’s warnings. Doubt they will do either.

They can of course, just have a day out in London doing something different, so it’s not a total loss. They’ll have their ticket money refund as spending money too…

 

[DarloRich]

can't help wondering who at Southampton FC knew about the spying, and/or organised and condoned it.

that is the key question. There needs to be a full FA investigation with the instigators having the whole book case thrown at them. I hope the kid caught hiding behind the tree kept the receipts...............

 

[BAFRA77]

Jason Cundy was on top form last night on Talk Sport

"Has anyone seen Spurs?
Jude Law, Chick King, Beavertown Brewery, Ron Weasley, The Big Cockrell, Roberto De Spurzy, Jamie O'Hara, Encouraging Signs, Adele, Lord Sugar - can you hear me? Your boys took a helluva beating..."

Sets it up nicely for the weekend with the drama at the bottom

 

[SuspectUsual]

A nice little earner for whoever scoops up all the booking fees for the 40,000 tickets that will be sold twice - according to a Saints fan from work these won't be refunded

 

[DarloRich]

Jason Cundy was on top form last night on Talk Sport

Sets it up nicely for the weekend with the drama at the bottom

Talksport is simply brain rotting nonsense for the hard of thinking.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Lots of Southampton fans have taken to social media to complain about not being able to refund train/coach/hotel costs even though the EFL told both them and Southampton to hold off on on selling tickets or booking travel and accom

Southampton should have to refund then all. I’m sure the club will just shrug their shoulders.

Now, this lad that was photographed at the boro training pitch... I hope that club looks after him because he is about to be the target of a lot of cheesed off players and fans I suspect

Absolutely. Sending the young intern to do something like that, then throwing him under the bus, is just the cherry on the cake.

I haven't enjoyed watching a single Arsenal game this season. They're awful to watch and the orchestrated NFL style blocking at set pieces is tiresome.

Everyone loved watching Arsenal back in the 2010s when they played lovely football. It was also losing football, I think is why people liked it.

I much prefer winning football.

 

[BAFRA77]

Talksport is simply brain rotting nonsense for the hard of thinking.

Bit harsh that - as you don't know me at all.

Some of their live commentary is pretty good - and Cundy is a decent pundit compared to some on other platforms.