This Weekend's Fixtures (13/14 Sept).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saturday, 13th September 2025
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest, 12:30 https://i.imgur.com/tM2pRxb.png
Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion, 15:00
Crystal Palace v Sunderland, 15:00
Everton v Aston Villa, 15:00
Fulham v Leeds United, 15:00
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 15:00
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur, 17:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg
Brentford v Chelsea, 20:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

Sunday, 14th Septenber 2025
Burnley v Liverpool, 14:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg
Manchester City v Manchester United, 16:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

[HCZ_Reborn]

I forgot to say

Hopefully wins for Brentford, West Ham and Burnley

[HCZ_Reborn]

Bournemouth 1-0 Brighton Scott

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Iraola. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I forgot to say

Hopefully wins for Brentford, West Ham and Burnley

Whatever happens on Sunday in the Manc derby is happy days.

Obviously agree with the above though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Newcastle 1-0 Wolves, Woltemade!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Whatever happens on Sunday in the Manc derby is happy days.

Obviously agree with the above though.

In some ways I’d rather City win, don’t want them coming to us as a wounded animal

[HCZ_Reborn]

Bournemouth 1-1 Brighton Mitoma

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton, Semenyo pelanty!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Pel for Bournemouth which Semenyo dispatches

2-1 Bournemouth

[HCZ_Reborn]

We are on course for three 0-0 draws from first six league fixtures from matchday 4

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They've seen 1 goal in the Soccer Saturday studio from the 3pm. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fulham 1-0 Leeds!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gudmundsson OG with it. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fulham 1-0 Leeds, FT.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Everton 0-0 Villa, FT.

Save the win for Anfield, good plan Everton.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace 0-0 Sunderland, FT.

Decent point for Sunderland.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Newcastle 1-0 Wolves, FT
Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton, FT.

Iraola. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

West Ham: Hermansen, Diouf, Kilman, Mavropanos, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Fernandes, Paqueta, Bowen, Summerville.
Subs: Areola, Julio, Wilson, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Magassa, Wan-Bissaka, Potts, Irving.

Spuds: Vicario, Spence, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro, Sarr, Palhinha, Bergvall, Simons, Tel, Kudus.
Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Richarlison, Udogie, Johnson, Odobert, Bentancur, Davies, Kolo Muani.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Disallowed goal for Romero. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

West Ham 0-1 Spuds, Sarr.

Not ruling that one out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Soucek sent off. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-2 Bergvall.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brilliant header tbh.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-3 VDV.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

They score one more and they're joint top with us :censored:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Soucek misses our game I think.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wow that double save.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

West Ham 0-3 Spuds, FT.

Potter. :wave:

[Mac76]

Potter. :wave:

For sure, thought he'd do well at the 'ammers but it's been a disaster :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Brentford!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Palmer. :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Chelsea.

[Letters]

:doh:

Oh Brentford, you dicks

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-2! :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

VAR looking for a way to rule it out but could not.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brentford 2-2 Chelsea, FT! :bow:

[Letters]

As I was saying, Brentford :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Not been sleeping well, so conked out at 1-0 to Brentford, woke up again at 2-1 Chelsea and then was pleasantly surprised by last minute equaliser.

Obviously this result was satisfying enough that I got near enough 8 hours for the first time in weeks :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Hartman, Esteve, Ugochukwu, Foster, Anthony, Tchaouna, Ekdal, Cullen, Laurent.
Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Edwards, Humphreys, Florentino, Flemming, Pires, Broja, Hannibal.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike, Gravenberch.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Bradley, Chiesa, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Ngumoha.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

As a great man once said, hope we win tbh.

[HCZ_Reborn]

As a great man once said, hope we win tbh.

Interesting no Isak even on the bench, injured or did his long sulk to push through a move mean he’s just not match fit

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-fc-slot-explains-isak-decision-b1247648.html

Appears to be the latter

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Interesting no Isak even on the bench, injured or did his long sulk to push through a move mean he’s just not match fit

Yeah, he's basically nowhere near match fit. I believe he may be introduced midweek in the CL or for the derby next weekend.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Kerkez subbed because he’s skating on thin ice

Robertson on

[HCZ_Reborn]

Burnley doing to Liverpool what a lot of sides do to us (mainly at the Emirates) defending deep and looking for the counter

The removal of Kerkez suggests so far this has been reasonably successful

What (in theory at least) puts the top sides apart from the middling sides or Arsenal last season, is that Liverpool may come away with this game with not especially high XG, but the expectation is that one of their players might put away a half chance.

If I was a betting man I’d either go with Ekitike as first goal scorer or because he’s been reasonably involved in this game Wirtz

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Burnley only have a chance if they get a set piece.

Can do absolutely nothing on the counter if they're trying to go on Konate and Van Dijk 2 on 2.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ekitike hauled off, Chiesa on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chiesa: "Vafanculo" :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Burnley only have a chance if they get a set piece.

Can do absolutely nothing on the counter if they're trying to go on Konate and Van Dijk 2 on 2.

I don’t think they are that vulnerable from set pieces, more direct pace that will harm them and doesn’t seem like Burnley are capable of exploiting space.

Same mistake we made, Liverpool dealt with our set piece threat quite well

Still though, I think spawny Liverpool goal incoming

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nasty one from Bradley

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

It certainly feels like it'll be a drab 0-0. We're obviously dominating but are being shepherded and herded very narrow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ugochukwu sent off. :rose:

[Letters]

It certainly feels like it'll be a drab 0-0. We're obviously dominating but are being shepherded and herded very narrow.

I bet you fuckers get a goal.
You always seem to

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Penalty to Liverpool.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 Salah.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Penalty to Liverpool.

We all knew it was coming

[Letters]

I bet you fuckers get a goal.
You always seem to

See?
Cunts

[HCZ_Reborn]

Love all this “this is what premier league champions do” as if somehow they engineered a Burnley defender shitting the bed

I mean yeah if they have the luck they’ve had in the last three games they will be premier league champions.

Looked like a nailed on pel to be honest, but it’s just madness from the defender

[Letters]

Love all this “this is what premier league champions do” as if somehow they engineered a Burnley defender shitting the bed

I’ve never been on the HCZ “Liverpool are jammy bastards” bandwagon, but holy shit they ride their luck.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

See?
Cunts

:haha:

:horribledeliberateclichetime: you make your own luck

[Marc Overmars]

4 out of 4 with such marginal victories. Annoying.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Love all this “this is what premier league champions do” as if somehow they engineered a Burnley defender shitting the bed

I mean yeah if they have the luck they’ve had in the last three games they will be premier league champions.

Looked like a nailed on pel to be honest, but it’s just madness from the defender

Didn't watch the game but I guess this is what relentless pressure does to inferior players :shrug:

We should try applying it once in a while.

[Letters]

Didn't watch the game but I guess this is what relentless pressure does to inferior players :shrug:

We should try applying it once in while.

Yeah, if only we’d won any games this season

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

4 out of 4 with such marginal victories. Annoying.

The CL is starting so they'll lose a bit of their focus.

I'm in a good place and still happy that we've had our hard fixtures so early.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland.
Sub: Trafford, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni.

Man Utd: Bayindir, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mbeumo, Sesko, Amad.
Subs: Heaton, Lammens, Maguire, Heaven, Casemiro, Fredricson, Mainoo, Zirkzee, Leon.

[HCZ_Reborn]

The CL is starting so they'll lose a bit of their focus.

I'm in a good place and still happy that we've had our hard fixtures so early.

Despite the dustbin performance id have been a lot happier if we’d come away from Anfield with something

I think unquestionably Liverpool are more adept at turning 1 point into 3 than us…but they are equally also more vulnerable to having 3 points turned into 1.

It’s really got to be a case of us being there to pounce when they do fuck up. That’s what we failed to do last season

[HCZ_Reborn]

Man City: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland.
Sub: Trafford, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni.

Man Utd: Bayindir, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mbeumo, Sesko, Amad.
Subs: Heaton, Lammens, Maguire, Heaven, Casemiro, Fredricson, Mainoo, Zirkzee, Leon.

Not looking forward to coming up against Donnarumma next week. Then again we beat PSG when he was in goal (as well as losing semi final tie to them) so isn’t like he can’t be breached.

Bayindir though, is making Taibi (who actually was a decent keeper in Italy) look composed

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Not looking forward to coming up against Donnarumma next week. Then again we beat PSG when he was in goal (as well as losing semi final tie to them) so isn’t like he can’t be breached.

Bayindir though, is making Taibi (who actually was a decent keeper in Italy) look composed

I've got to agree, I was still hoping we'd face the apprentice in goal.

I still feel Donnarumma was a big reason PSG got past us last season... some of his saves were pretty good and TBH could depress anyone during the heat of a game.

Lets see how Man U's mod squad does against him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

So close from Haaland.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bayindir just injecting some excitement in to proceedings.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Bayindir just injecting some excitement in to proceedings.

Feels a bit cruel sticking him in goal frankly, must be shaking like a shitting dog in the dressing rooms before games

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Foden!

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I almost half want United to win given they're not challenging anything and any dropped for points for City is a celebration, yet I just can't quite do it. Laugh at the loser I think

[Mac76]

Mbeumo :lol: - offside anyway

[Mac76]

good defensive header by Dorgu - in the Man City pelanty area :doh:

[Mac76]

Sesko :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

City fans chanting Ricky Hatton’s name

Big City fan was the Hitman

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-0 Haaland. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How is it not 3-0?

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

:lol: can't believe Halaand didn't score that.

[Mac76]

good save Donnarumma

[Mac76]

Big 'Ed coming on for Man Ure apparently - maybe they'll stick him up front

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

That save was unbelievable.....I really wish PSG didn't let him go.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-0 Haaland again.

Man Utd. :haha:

[Mac76]

oh well even if it's Citeh it's always good to see Man Ure get hammered :good:

[Mac76]

That save was unbelievable.....I really wish PSG didn't let him go.

You might change your mind if we get them in the CL again, whiich we surely will if we get to the late stages - his saves against us last year were insane

[Mac76]

Reijnders :doh:

[Mac76]

Mbeumo again :lol: they've turned him into trash already

[Mac76]

Casemiro misses a tap-in

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Man U have been pretty wasteful, just like they were against us.

They're not terrible, they just need patient supporters.... unfortunately they're to use to caviar :lol:

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

You might change your mind if we get them in the CL again, whiich we surely will if we get to the late stages - his saves against us last year were insane

Yup, guess there is a plus side to everything :good:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-0 FT.

Amorim. :wave:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I'm starting to think United may be a bit shit

[Letters]

I'm starting to think United may be a bit shit

:lol:

You might be on to something there, you know

[HCZ_Reborn]

Man U have been pretty wasteful, just like they were against us.

They're not terrible, they just need patient supporters.... unfortunately they're to use to caviar :lol:

Are they? There are kids who were born when Ferguson retired who would be in Year 8 in school now

The odd nothing cup aside it’s been 12 years of absolutely drudgery

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

:lol:

You might be on to something there, you know

I'm still pre-conditioned to think they'll come good, despite what the evidence of my eyes and ears are telling me

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZWp1Y2dnczk1NnNkMWpqZjh4ZGlwZTR 5enpuY29qaDdrNjN1bWRxcSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/BYul6RujgoRCryuCdL/giphy.gif

[Letters]

I'm still pre-conditioned to think they'll come good, despite what the evidence of my eyes and ears are telling me
I keep expecting them to not be terrible.
And they just keep being terrible.
Long may it last :d

[Letters]

:haha:

:horribledeliberateclichetime: you make your own luck

There is something in that but...no, you lot can fuck off with that.
When you win all but one games with a late goal that isn't making your own luck, it's just luck.
It won't last and I don't think you're going to have it all your own way this season.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

There is something in that but...no, you lot can fuck off with that.
When you win all but one games with a late goal that isn't making your own luck, it's just luck.
It won't last and I don't think you're going to have it all your own way this season.

:lol:

It would be nice to actually win the game before the 80th minute, but hopefully that will start to come, rather than the opposite and we keep making things difficult, without the get out of jail cards.

I actually think this season is a better opportunity for you than last, or at least as good as. You've, on paper at least, plugged the major gaps you had last season, we aren't yet quite firing on all cylinders compared to last season where we started very well (and whether we will I have no idea, my gut feelings about football generally go completely the other way), even with Rodri City, I think, will be vulnerable with them evolving their play style; they're not that juggernaut that will casually go 30 games unbeaten (...given my previous comment about gut feelings they'll probably romp it by 20 points) and there is no one else close enough to challenge imo.

Either way, I don't think it will be a case where a team has essentially won it months in advance, and then I think it will be interesting when the latter stages of the CL/cups come into play.

[Letters]

I actually think this season is a better opportunity for you than last, or at least as good as.
Interesting.
I think there was a general feeling that we were the heir apparent last season with City finally dropping off. It was frustrating that it was your lot that nipped in. But we didn't have a striker worthy of the name and the injuries killed any chance we might have had. Your lot being unexpectedly good and Salah having probably his best ever season didn't help us. This year we should have enough up front and we've finally got cover in pretty much every area. It should be a more interesting race this year, last year was a bit of a procession.

[Mac76]

There is something in that but...no, you lot can fuck off with that.
When you win all but one games with a late goal that isn't making your own luck, it's just luck.
It won't last and I don't think you're going to have it all your own way this season.

I'm with SiB on that, I do think sometimes teams are jammy but other times is it through bloody minded persistence - we weren't that good at Man Ure but a far as I'm concerned we found a way to win and we did it

But at Anfield we didn't force any luck because of the overly defensive lineup starved of creativity, whereas, while they weren't at their best, Liverpool had the right players on the pitch and one of them scored a great FK

I don't buy all that BS about a 'moment of magic', you have to predict things like that will happen against a quality team

I don't begrudge anything Liverpool get as long as it's not a really dodgy pel or when VVD gets away with assaulting someone on the pitch

[IBK]

It was a moment of magic though. I've said before that the risks Liverpool took with the passes/play that resulted in the free kick, and the free kick itself set the scene for their goal agaisnt us, but Szoboszlai's goal at 0.03 xGOT was undoubtedly a wondergoal.

I think both things can be true. A team can be lucky and can make their own luck. Where we fell down was in putting ourselves in a situation where we were so susceptible to a moment of magic.

[Mac76]

It was a moment of magic though. I've said before that the risks Liverpool took with the passes/play that resulted in the free kick, and the free kick itself set the scene for their goal agaisnt us, but Szoboszlai's goal at 0.03 xGOT was undoubtedly a wondergoal.

I think both things can be true. A team can be lucky and can make their own luck. Where we fell down was in putting ourselves in a situation where we were so susceptible to a moment of magic.

yes it was a mommet of magic, what i mean is that it's BS to use that as an excuse, as Arteta did, to shrug your sholders and say 'we can't legislate for that' - you can legislate for it by being more proactive in the game to get a goal yourself, e.g. be starting Nwaneri ahead of Merino and bringing Eze on at HT

[HCZ_Reborn]

Another dull work day. But anyway, I don’t think IBK is stating it as an excuse.

But equally as turgid as our performance was, would we really have been as disgruntled had that moment of magic not occurred, ultimately results matter more than performance and whilst I would have loved a win at Anfield and thought had we been brave we could have got it, equally I’m not sure any of us would have been heartbroken with a draw (I think no doubt there would have been post match discussion about how completely flat and over cautious we were)

However there’s no doubt that we played for a draw and therefore have no one to blame for losing but ourselves. Same business with PSG, the goals we conceded were all attacking moments from low XG which means that up front they had players that feel confident to take on chances that have a low probability of ending in a goal.

I don’t think Arteta actively discourages our players from doing that, or Zubimendi wouldn’t have scored the belter he did, but equally I do think there’s more of an emphasis on tactical script and playing the percentages rather than individual brilliance.
Fair in a way as you can’t rely on individual brilliance, it either comes or it doesn’t. 98 times out of 100, Rice’s double free kick screamers against Real hits the wall, goes flying over the bar or is a comfortable save for the keeper.

But on the flip side if you don’t buy a ticket you’ll never win the lottery. And the margins between winning and losing can be slim

And to win the league we will need to be prepared to take risks that Arteta doesn’t always seem prepared to take. But will see

[IBK]

Another dull work day. But anyway, I don’t think IBK is stating it as an excuse.

But equally as turgid as our performance was, would we really have been as disgruntled had that moment of magic not occurred, ultimately results matter more than performance and whilst I would have loved a win at Anfield and thought had we been brave we could have got it, equally I’m not sure any of us would have been heartbroken with a draw (I think no doubt there would have been post match discussion about how completely flat and over cautious we were)

However there’s no doubt that we played for a draw and therefore have no one to blame for losing but ourselves. Same business with PSG, the goals we conceded were all attacking moments from low XG which means that up front they had players that feel confident to take on chances that have a low probability of ending in a goal.

I don’t think Arteta actively discourages our players from doing that, or Zubimendi wouldn’t have scored the belter he did, but equally I do think there’s more of an emphasis on tactical script and playing the percentages rather than individual brilliance.
Fair in a way as you can’t rely on individual brilliance, it either comes or it doesn’t. 98 times out of 100, Rice’s double free kick screamers against Real hits the wall, goes flying over the bar or is a comfortable save for the keeper.

But on the flip side if you don’t buy a ticket you’ll never win the lottery. And the margins between winning and losing can be slim

And to win the league we will need to be prepared to take risks that Arteta doesn’t always seem prepared to take. But will see

:lol: and :gp: I think you sum things up perfectly. There is a danger of buying into the narrative here and overstating the position. Re the external narrative, IIRC this negativity trope started with our game against City last season where we were down to 10 men and put everyone behind the ball. Yet the story was that Arsenal were negative rather than the focus being on City's failure to attack insisively. The same goes for the game at Anfield. In the main, Liverpool were as cautious as we were, and the onus might have been expected to be on them as they were playing at home. Yet the narrative focussed on Arsenal not 'wanting it' enough.

It is overstated because in the main we do not play in a negative way. We play high up the pitch and are not defensive. The issue of our slow build up play and obsession with control is a different one - it is not negative. Risk averse and conservative, maybe. But not negative.

I think where we are all agreed is that we need to take more risks in certain games to open up opportunities and as you say depart from the tactical script when appropriate. I agree that we can't just rely on individual moments of brilliance - there needs to be a systemic preparedness to do the unexpected in attack when the opportunities present themselves. I hope that our squad improvements encourage Arteta to do so.