This Weekend's Fixtures & Wolves v Forest (04/05/06 Jan).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saturday, 4th January 2025
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United, 12:30 https://i.imgur.com/tM2pRxb.png
Aston Villa v Leicester City, 15:00
Bournemouth v Everton, 15:00
Crystal Palace v Chelsea, 15:00
Manchester City v West Ham United, 15:00
Southampton v Brentford, 15:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal, 17:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

Sunday, 5th January 2025
Fulham v Ipswich Town, 14:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg
Liverpool v Manchester United, 16:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

Monday, 6th January 2025
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest, 20:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Spuds: Austin; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Werner.
Subs: Whiteman, Hardy, Dorrington, Reguilon, Bissouma, Olusesi, Maddison, Son, Lankshear.

Newcastle: Dubravka; Hall, Burn, Botman, Livramento; Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes; Gordon, Isak, Murphy.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Osula, Almirón, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Solanke. What a cross and a header.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Gordon.

Poor from Bergvall.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Oh it has been allowed. WTF. :haha:

I thought any handball leading to a goal would be disallowed?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Austin saves off Gordon.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a miss from Isak.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Dragusin OG. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Actually it'll be Isak's goal. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a miss from Gordon.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Johnson and Reguilon. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

10 added minutes.

[Mac76]

As much as I'd like to see Spuds lose again, a draw might at least put them off sacking Ange, which woud be a good thing, as watching him mismanage Spuds is funny :)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Spuds 1-2 Newcastle, FT. :haha:

Ten defeats in the league, by the first week in January.

That is woeful.

[Marc Overmars]

10 defeats out of 20 is so bad. They’ve got to be waiting for the cup semi outcome to ditch Ange.

[Letters]

:haha:

Spurs :pal:

Why so much added time?

[Mac76]

Spuds lose again :haha:

[HCZ_Reborn]

As much as I'd like to see Spuds lose again, a draw might at least put them off sacking Ange, which woud be a good thing, as watching him mismanage Spuds is funny :)

On the plus side, Newcastle could take a champions league place from Chelsea

[Mac76]

Fair play to Eddie Howe, he's really turned that team around from a poor start to the season

[Marc Overmars]

Fair play to Eddie Howe, he's really turned that team around from a poor start to the season

Reckon we’re in for a very difficult 2 legs in the semi.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:haha:

Spurs :pal:

Why so much added time?

Refs paying tribute with one minute for every Spuds defeat so far.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Manchester City: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Foden, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Savinho, Haaland.
Subs: Carson, Walker, Doku, Grealish, Gundogan, McAtee, Nunes, O’Reilly, Simpson-Pusey.

West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Lucas Paqueta, Soucek, Alvarez, Kudus, Summerville, Fullkrug.
Subs: Foderingham, Cresswell, Soler, Mavropanos, Ings, Rodriguez, Irving, Luis Guilherme, Scarles.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bournemouth: Travers, Kerkez, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Hill, Cook, Christie, Semenyo, Ouattara, Kluivert, Evanilson.
Subs: Kepa, Brooks, Adams, Unal, Billing, Aarons, Winterburn, Kinsey, Rees-Dottin.

Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Young, Doucoure, Gueye, Mangala, Ndiaye, Broja, Lindstrom.
Subs: Virgínia, Begovic, Patterson, Keane, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison, Beto, O'Brien, Armstrong.

[Mac76]

West Ham are a total joke right now, if Citeh can't win this they really should start calling for Pep to go

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton: Ramsdale, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood, Bree, Sulemana, Aribo, Walker-Peters, Dibling, Ugochukwu, Onuachu.
Subs: McCarthy, Manning, Adam Armstrong, Lallana, Sugawara, Brereton Diaz, Archer, Taylor, Bella-Kotchap.

Brentford: Flekken, Roerslev, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Schade, Norgaard, Jensen, Damsgaard, Mbuemo, Wissa.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Yarmoliuk, Meghoma, Konak, Janelt, Maghoma, Kim Ji-Soo, Yogane, Arthur.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Tielemans, Kamara, Barkley, McGinn, Bailey, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Nedeljkovic, Bogarde, Maatsen, Swinkels, Onana, Buendia, Jimoh-Aloba, Ramsey.

Leicester: Stolarcyzk, Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Thomas, Winks, Soumare, El Khannouss, Mavidi, Ayew, Vardy.
Subs: Iversen, Faes, Okoli, Choudhury, Skipp, De Cordova-Reid, Alves, Buonanotte, Daka.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Mitchell, Lacroix, Guehi, Sarr, Lerma, Eze, Munoz, Mateta, Richards, Doucoure.
Subs: Turner, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Riad, Devenny, Kporha, Agbinone.

Chelsea: Sanchez, Cucurella, Acheampong, Colwill, Gusto, Fernandez, Caicedo, Sancho, Palmer, Neto, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Adarabioyo, Madueke, Felix, Nkunku, James, Guiu, Veiga.

[HCZ_Reborn]

West Ham are a total joke right now, if Citeh can't win this they really should start calling for Pep to go

That and I think West Ham haven’t beaten City in almost ten years

Only three draws from 18 games since

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They're due then. :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Refs paying tribute with one minute for every Spuds defeat so far.

Spurs now not won in six home games, two draws, four defeats

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton 0-1 Brentford, Schade.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City 1-0 West Ham, Coufal OG.

[Letters]

Refs paying tribute with one minute for every Spuds defeat so far.

:haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace 0-1 Chelsea, Palmer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City 2-0 West Ham, Haaland.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton 0-2 Brentford, Van Den Berg.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City 3-0 West Ham, Haaland with his second.

Brentford's second has been disallowed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City 4-0 West Ham, Foden.

Lopetegui. :doh:

[HCZ_Reborn]

4-0 now to City, Foden

Oh good they are playing with confidence again :thumbsdown:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aston Villa 1-0 Leicester, Barkley.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villa 1-1 Leicester, Mavididi.

Emery. :lol:

Southampton 0-2 Brentford, Mbuemo.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City 4-1 West Ham, Fullkrug.

Southampton 0-3 Brentford, Mbuemo pelanty.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villa 2-1 Leicester, Bailey.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bournemouth 1-0 Everton, Brooks!

Dyche. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace 1-1 Chelsea, Mateta!

:haha:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Palace 1-1 Chelsea, Mateta!

:haha:

The goal that I’ve been waiting for

Although it’s done little to douse the near on psychopathic fury I feel about our lineup

[Marc Overmars]

That Mateta goal has bagged me £120 on my acca. Beautiful.

[Mac76]

Palace 1-1 Chelsea, Mateta!

:haha:

:gp:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton 0-5 Brentford in the end, Lewis-Potter and Wissa with those two other goals.

Southampton. :bow:

Keeping hopes of breaking Derby's record alive.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

The weather up here is due to be bad (snow) from now until late afternoon tomorrow.

Wonder if the Liverpool game will be postponed again. :ninja:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

The weather up here is due to be bad (snow) from now until late afternoon tomorrow.

Wonder if the Liverpool game will be postponed again. :ninja:It is indeed very snowy, but thankfully it is meant to be pissing down from midday so that should get rid of it all.

Two games in hand with an already congested fixture list is bad enough, but against Everton and United? :sick:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

It is indeed very snowy, but thankfully it is meant to be pissing down from midday so that should get rid of it all.

Two games in hand with an already congested fixture list is bad enough, but against Everton and United? :sick:It does go ahead.

All set up to be a boring 1-1.

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk

[HCZ_Reborn]

It does go ahead.

All set up to be a boring 1-1.

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk

Ugh don’t. A 1-1 draw would put our shameful failure yesterday even more in the spotlight

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Ugh don’t. A 1-1 draw would put our shameful failure yesterday even more in the spotlight

It's inevitable we'll drop points more often in the second half of the season than we did in the first, but then you're going to drop points as well. Given the points gap even if we have a drop off in the same way we did last season, that still may be enough, as it's obviously hard to see you only dropping points in 2 games like you did last year. It's interesting you've already drawn 7 games this season, 2 more than the whole of last.

[HCZ_Reborn]

We’ve dropped 10 points from winning positions (compared to 9 at the same point last season).

The main difference is that 8 of those points have come away from home (compared to 5 last season) if you go back to August 2022…if we got the lead away from home we’d most likely go on and win. I guess in a way it’s swings and roundabouts as we’ve picked up five points this season when conceding the first goal away from home which was largely game over for us.

We’ve been plagued by injury and rum refereeing. I don’t believe the decisions are part of a conspiracy, i think it’s weak match officials who referee us according to perceived reputation. But for me the fact that we’ve drawn 7 times is attributable to a coach who is too adverse to risk. Now we do have to risk more when going forward because we don’t have a balanced side that can transition from defence to attack well, nor do we have someone in God mode like Salah who when he isn’t scoring goals is making them.

[Mac76]

It's inevitable we'll drop points more often in the second half of the season than we did in the first, but then you're going to drop points as well. Given the points gap even if we have a drop off in the same way we did last season, that still may be enough, as it's obviously hard to see you only dropping points in 2 games like you did last year. It's interesting you've already drawn 7 games this season, 2 more than the whole of last.

For 'interesting' see ridiculous red cards and Arteta's over-cautious approach and failure to strengthen our attack in the summer

[Mac76]

Really hope Ipswich win this game, would put Neverton and even Man Ure under more pressure

[Marc Overmars]

I think injuries have contributed most to our fumble of this title. Last season we were incredibly lucky that every key player played near enough every game, now our starting 11 changes every week and most critically our back 4 have all had issues.

If Saka wasn’t going to be missing for the next few months I’d say there may still be a chance but there just isn’t enough up front to keep it going without him.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think Arteta has contributed to it the most

Playing Partey at right back, playing Rice at 8…playing two holding midfielders no matter who we are playing.

Saka and Odegaard injuries are both on poor management as well. Call it a freak injury all we like, we’ve been playing Russian roulette with his fitness for far too long

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man Utd will be panicking. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Jimenez pel, now another one for Ipswich

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Delap!

[HCZ_Reborn]

See this is what I mean by weak referees, because the guy missed a stonewall one and had to be brought to the VAR monitor…he suddenly becomes hyper over corrective and gives a soft one the next moment. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like Ipswich to win the game (because I want them to stay up) but please a little bit of fucking consistency

[Mac76]

See this is what I mean by weak referees, because the guy missed a stonewall one and had to be brought to the VAR monitor…he suddenly becomes hyper over corrective and gives a soft one the next moment. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like Ipswich to win the game (because I want them to stay up) but please a little bit of fucking consistency

They're consistently terrible tbf

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pel for Fulham!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Something something London Buses

Although I think this was another stonewall one

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-2 Jimenez again!

[Mac76]

2-2 shame for Ipswich

[HCZ_Reborn]

They are a bit of the Luton of this season. Out of the three promoted sides they’ve shown by far the most fight despite scant resources…I’d have personally liked to have seen Reiss Nelson go there instead of Fulham as would have got more game time.

And ultimately like Luton I fear that it won’t be enough for them

[Mac76]

Diaz :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gakpo shoves it wide.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Onana saves from Mac Allister.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What did Diallo do.

[Mac76]

Great defending by Diallo :lol:

[Mac76]

How was that a foul by TAA?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stupid yellow from Dalot.

[Mac76]

Great defending by Hojland :haha:

[Mac76]

Close from Gravenberch

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alisson saves from Hojlund.

[Mac76]

Hojland is hopeless

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 HT.

[Mac76]

0-0 HT, not great quality but end-to-end, Man Ure have actually had the better chances but messed them up, also defending quite well, Liverpool looking slightly off their game

They'll probably step it up second half though

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Oof bit risky from Onana.

[Mac76]

Watching Andy Robertson reminds me of what Tierney could give us if Arteta actually liked left backs

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 Martinez! Whoa!

[Mac76]

0-1 Martinez :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Oh dear.

Us. :lol:

[Mac76]

Oh dear.

Us. :lol:

Well if it stays like this we'll have gained a point on them FWIW

[Mac76]

Looks like Nunez and Jota coming on

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Gakpo.

[Mac76]

1-1 Gakpo

[Marc Overmars]

Inevitable.

[Mac76]

Funny, Gakpo keeps scoring and yet HCZ says he's crap - I don't understand :shrug:

[Mac76]

Could be handball

[Mac76]

Yup, thought so...

[Mac76]

Really dumb from de Ligt

[HCZ_Reborn]

Funny, Gakpo keeps scoring and yet HCZ says he's crap - I don't understand :shrug:

No I’ve said he’s average which he is. How many years was Aaron Ramsey with us and yet you can’t understand that even average players go on scoring runs.

Plus he’s scored one more in the league than Martinelli and we are largely all in agreement that Martinelli is having a poor season

[Marc Overmars]

2-1 Salah

:rolleyes:

[Mac76]

2-1 Salah pel, Onana nearly saved it

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-1 Salah pel.

Crazy from De Ligt.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I’m not watching this game, is SkySports doing its usual noisy slobbery blowjob on Liverpool now that they are in the lead ?

[HCZ_Reborn]

2-1 Salah pel, Onana nearly saved it

Nearly saved it as in went the right way, didn’t look close to actually getting to the ball

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That's a red surely?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-2 Diallo!!

[Mac76]

2-2 :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

This kid is quite good.

[Mac76]

Just look at the difference Garnacho makes, quality player

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zirkzee redemption. :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think Diallo and Garnacho are players that have great quality in them, but you don’t see it consistently enough. Now both are quite young and United is such a mess, it may be that it’s hard for them to get any kind of consistency but still

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Oof Onana.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Maguire, what a miss!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-2 FT. Mad game.

[Mac76]

Macguire :ilt:

[Marc Overmars]

As we were then.

[Mac76]

Great second half, these games are always entertaining

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Forest away for Liverpool next in the league. :popcorn:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think I speak for everyone when I say Maguire you useless cunt

[Letters]

No I’ve said he’s average which he is
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Letters]

I think I speak for everyone when I say Maguire you useless cunt

That’s pretty much always true

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think I speak for everyone when I say Maguire you useless cunt

Agreed but perhaps if Man Utd fans hadn't cheered Zirkzee off he'd have had the confidence to take it on himself.

[HCZ_Reborn]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Princess Bride on channel 5 again?

Love that film

And actually Inigo is wrong. Wallace Shawn does use the word inconceivable too much but actually always in the correct context :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

That’s pretty much always true

Yeah but usually it’s said with mirth

[Letters]

Princess Bride on channel 5 again?

Love that film

And actually Inigo is wrong. Wallace Shawn does use the word inconceivable too much but actually always in the correct context :lol:
That line always slightly annoys me because yes, he does always use the word correctly. :lol:
But anyway, I know people bandy the word “average” around but average compared to what or who?

[HCZ_Reborn]

That line always slightly annoys me because yes, he does always use the word correctly. :lol:
But anyway, I know people bandy the word “average” around but average compared to what or who?

Average compared to a player that I would consider very good or great. I think Diaz for example is a far better player than Gakpo even if you factor in the headless chicken moments, the ball control and electric pace puts the shit up defenders


Now Ramsey, I think his reasonably good goal scoring record is what made him average. Without it he’d be poor, ball first touch, poor passing even when under no pressure….poor at reading the game, poor at tracking back

[Letters]

Anyway. Good result today and keeps the glimmer of hope alive.
But honestly the number of opportunities we have missed to capitalise on Liverpool dropping points is getting a bit silly.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Anyway. Good result today and keeps the glimmer of hope alive.
But honestly the number of opportunities we have missed to capitalise on Liverpool dropping points is getting a bit silly.

In some ways, it annoyed me more. But that said, if we won yesterday. Liverpool would have probably ended up slapping United about. I think Liverpool were complacent today, now that’s mainly because they anticipated a walkover against United but you also have to think they saw our result and the pressure was off

[HCZ_Reborn]

From the snapshot highlights, a draw seems like the fairest outcome…both sides missed good chances

United looked the better team defensively, Liverpool looked well pretty open at the back but United lacked confidence to take good chances.

Gakpo’s goal was probably the best goal of the game in that it wasn’t a clear glaring opportunity but it was well struck and well taken. The penalty was a penalty all day long, I don’t really see how Michael Oliver couldn’t have seen that on the field (incompetent?)

[Mac76]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

:gp:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wolves 0-2 Forest, Gibbs-White and Wood.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-3 Forest, Awoniyi.

[Marc Overmars]

Dyche has been sacked.

That 0-0 is going to annoy me no matter what happens this season.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Dyche has been sacked.

That 0-0 is going to annoy me no matter what happens this season.

Darn it....I really wanted him to do the same to Liverpool... now the fans will get their dream coach playing attacking Brazilian football and get beat 8-1 with Salah scoring five of those goals!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Throat cancer boy gone?

Evidently the Everton board do think you can polish a turd

Again it exemplifies my point that people seem to think Managers have wizard like powers. I can’t stand the guy but he’s done an amazing job to keep that club away from relegation given the championship level absolute rancid shit in their squad.

There’s gratitude for you

[Marc Overmars]

Moyes in contention to return. :lol:

[IBK]

Throat cancer boy gone?

Evidently the Everton board do think you can polish a turd

Again it exemplifies my point that people seem to think Managers have wizard like powers. I can’t stand the guy but he’s done an amazing job to keep that club away from relegation given the championship level absolute rancid shit in their squad.

There’s gratitude for you

So, managers don't make substantive difference to teams' preformances, but Dyche has done an amazing job?

[HCZ_Reborn]

So, managers don't make substantive difference to teams' preformances, but Dyche has done an amazing job?

When a team wins a major trophy it’s in the main because of the quality of the players. Real Madrid win countless UCL titles because of the ability of their players. Coaches like Ancelotti are distinctly hands off and don’t try to interfere too much


The same down the bottom, the clubs that are relegated have the weakest teams. And more likely a coach will have a negative impact than a positive. For example I cited Kompany yesterday, he naively thought he could get Burnley to play the same way in the premier league as the championship….and they were absolutely done over by teams as a result

Does this make Dyche a top coach that could do a great job with a top club…obviously not. But given what was available to him he did do a great job to stop them being relegated.

As I say you’re one of the few people on here who actually has some brains, and will argue honestly….although I thought your retort about British/English people not being smug/triumphalist a little weak (we all have our off days). You know full well what I’m saying about coaches…especially in this money driven day and age. I’d hope you aren’t being intellectually dishonest in order to point score.

[Mac76]

Moyes in contention to return. :lol:

well he'll no doubt save them from relegation and continue their pointless existence bumping along near the bottom of the PL

[HCZ_Reborn]

well he'll no doubt save them from relegation and continue their pointless existence bumping along near the bottom of the PL

I dunno you know, whilst I think Leicester and Southampton are gone. I think Ipswich and Wolves have shown that they aren’t ready to surrender yet. I think getting rid of Dyche was a bit of a panic move by a club that knows full well it can’t spend its way out of trouble. Moyes of course knows the club inside out but he’s not managed there for over a decade. This isn’t the team that he saved from relegation and built into a reasonably good team over the years.

But equally he doesn’t have a bad record of getting clubs in the shit into a measure of safety so who knows.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Moyes is indeed rejoining.