Football 2025-26

[andyrhodes24]

Did anyone watch Leeds vs Sunderland last night have a neutral view of the refereeing display? Atwell got pelters from both sets of fans in the ground, missed an awful lot.

[kaosmark2]

4 hours ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Did anyone watch Leeds vs Sunderland last night have a neutral view of the refereeing display? Atwell got pelters from both sets of fans in the ground, missed an awful lot.

I watched the last 20 minutes. Unpopular decisions that I saw but nothing that stood out as bad. There might've been stuff before that though.

[andyrhodes24]

36 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I watched the last 20 minutes. Unpopular decisions that I saw but nothing that stood out as bad. There might've been stuff before that though.

I’m not making excuses (the game could still be going on now and we wouldn’t have scored) but the ref missed a lot, main ones being the Struijk pen which VAR denied and Diarra not getting a second yellow for jumping into the away end after putting away the penalty.

 

Keeper also went down after 20 mins so the team could receive instructions and O’Nien booted a second ball into the middle of a Leeds attack which Atwell actually spotted. Appreciate there’s nothing the refs can do about the keeper situation mind.

Edited March 4 by andyrhodes24

[charlierc]

Suddenly getting a 0-0 at Wolves in January feels like an alright result.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

I’m not making excuses (the game could still be going on now and we wouldn’t have scored) but the ref missed a lot, main ones being the Struijk pen which VAR denied and Diarra not getting a second yellow for jumping into the away end after putting away the penalty.

 

Keeper also went down after 20 mins so the team could receive instructions and O’Nien booted a second ball into the middle of a Leeds attack which Atwell actually spotted. Appreciate there’s nothing the refs can do about the keeper situation mind.

I didn't see the game but why were there 15 or so minutes of second half stoppage time? Last night, I'd been to a TV show recording so didn't watch the game.

[andyrhodes24]

18 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I didn't see the game but why were there 15 or so minutes of second half stoppage time? Last night, I'd been to a TV show recording so didn't watch the game.

VAR disallowing our goal immediately followed by the VAR for their pen. Plus time wasting, a lot of subs and a few niggly fouls. Ball was in play for 50:49 out for a total of 106:09! 

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

VAR disallowing our goal immediately followed by the VAR for their pen. Plus time wasting, a lot of subs and a few niggly fouls. Ball was in play for 50:49 out for a total of 106:09! 

Maybe that's just the way of some games tbf. I feel like we rarely get "ball in play" stats over 70 mins tbf.

[charlierc]

On 02/03/2026 at 11:48, thetime said:

 

Certainly a massive game for Villa and Chelsea Wednesday. If Villa win that would be a 9 point gap, with chelsea playing city and utd coming up few weeks after. Although if chelsea win its down to 3, with utd the game after for Villa.

 

I wouldn't rule Liverpool dropping out, they are in the middle of some kind fixtures. If its still tight mid April Liverpool have Everton, utd and Villa away and Chelsea and Brentford at home. 

Well I'd talked up Villa but them getting a home spanking by Chelsea doesn't help their chances at all, and Liverpool's faceplant at Wolverhampton doesn't help theirs either. Indeed, for all I was down on Chelsea, them being the only one of that 4 team cohort behind Arsenal & City to win this midweek is a huge confidence booster.

 

I'll be fair, given our awful recent form and the red card to Ramsey while it was 0-0, I really didn't see that coming. But maybe its just desserts for us given we were so close to pulling off a similar shock with 10 against Liverpool in August and its just nice to finally have proof of concept that we can PL games without Bruno Guimaraes, given he's still a few weeks off. And with Man City drawing at home to Forest, maybe I can now have hope we might spring a surprise on that other Manchester mob on Saturday.

Edited March 4 by charlierc

[thetime]

Just now, charlierc said:

 

I'll be fair, given our awful recent form and the red card to Ramsey while it was 0-0, I really didn't see that coming. 

 

You guys deserved that, much better side. 

[Punksnotdead]

On 01/03/2026 at 22:27, Punksnotdead said:

Yeah, it feels like the wheels are about to come off the Carrick wagon! If it happens in the next 2 games (Newcastle & Villa), then I think we'll be looking at 6th instead of 3rd. Then again, I am a pessimistic United fan!

Told ya! Amorim level garbage from United tonight! The only way we get top 5 is if Villa & Liverpool keep losing. Apart from the good performances against city & Arsenal, we've still been bang average!

[kaosmark2]

24 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Well I'd talked up Villa but them getting a home spanking by Chelsea doesn't help their chances at all, and Liverpool's faceplant at Wolverhampton doesn't help theirs either. Indeed, for all I was down on Chelsea, them being the only one of that 4 team cohort behind Arsenal & City to win this midweek is a huge confidence booster.

 

I'll be fair, given our awful recent form and the red card to Ramsey while it was 0-0, I really didn't see that coming. But maybe its just desserts for us given we were so close to pulling off a similar shock with 10 against Liverpool in August and its just nice to finally have proof of concept that we can PL games without Bruno Guimaraes, given he's still a few weeks off. And with Man City drawing at home to Forest, maybe I can now have hope we might spring a surprise on that other Manchester mob on Saturday.

Villa are missing 3/4 of their first choice midfield this season, which is a big reason for their downturn in form.

 

Absolute nonsense 2nd yellow that though, it's not like Ramsey was appealing for a pen!

 

Very weird performance from Man U, it felt like they didn't have any idea how to pressure the 10 men until gone 70 minutes. The pressure did come towards the end of the game, but Ramsdale had his best game for us, and Trippier/Burn/Joelinton all excellent.

 

Every time I start to write off Osula he does something that makes me wonder again. That goal was absolute nonsense.

[andyrhodes24]

56 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Maybe that's just the way of some games tbf. I feel like we rarely get "ball in play" stats over 70 mins tbf.

Sunderland came hoping for a smash and grab and they got it, their game plan worked well and we couldn’t find a way through. Seen multiple people say it was a League 1/2 level game and they weren’t wrong.

 

Just not a fan of the dark arts evolving beyond time wasting.

[thetime]

8 hours ago, Punksnotdead said:

Told ya! Amorim level garbage from United tonight! The only way we get top 5 is if Villa & Liverpool keep losing. Apart from the good performances against city & Arsenal, we've still been bang average!

 

As we commented earlier in the week, it wasn't a surprise we lost. A defeat was coming, especially as we have a poor record at Newcastle. 

 

Slightly a better position than we were on on Monday, so thats a positive. 

 

Unfortunately when you are bringing on Malacia, Ugarte and Dalot then theres obvious problems. Squad depth for a European campaign? 

Edited March 5 by thetime

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, Punksnotdead said:

Told ya! Amorim level garbage from United tonight! The only way we get top 5 is if Villa & Liverpool keep losing. Apart from the good performances against city & Arsenal, we've still been bang average!

I mean, a United won the match. 

 

Though tbf Ramsdale did make two brilliant saves at 1-1. 

 

I'll also say that I expect all of that cluster of teams behind Arsenal and Man City to drop points between now and the end of the season given all of them seem to have a bad game in them. 

[thetime]

19 minutes ago, charlierc said:

 

I'll also say that I expect all of that cluster of teams behind Arsenal and Man City to drop points between now and the end of the season given all of them seem to have a bad game in them. 

 

Spot on, its a miracle utd are in the position they are to be honest. Fans would of been ecstatic with a record of 7 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat couple of months ago.

 

In simple terms if we match or better Villa and Chelsea results, we will get top 4. Start of the week it was all negative about Chelsea, yesterday was Liverpool and today it will be utd. 

[kaosmark2]

The quality in the middle of the league is so down on last year I think. We're worse, Villa are worse (partially cos Kamara and Tielmans' injury), Bournemouth, Brighton, Palace. Forest an obvious shitshow. Man U did actually improve and are taking advantage of that.

 

The way Liverpool are this season, I don't think they'd have been top 5 contenders last year. And whatever the f**k is up with that Spurs squad to somehow look likely for relegation considering all of this.

[Skip997]

5 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

 

The quality in the middle of the league is so down on last year I think.

 

The quality is down overall, not just in the middle 

[Skip997]

2 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Spot on, its a miracle utd are in the position they are to be honest

If I were a betting man I would have considered putting everything on Man Utd to have finished below Liverpool and possibly to have missed out on European qualification.

 

Mind you the current position is mostly down to Liverpool or actually Slot and his “safety first” football. You don’t go to Wolves and spend a half sussing them out, that’s done in pre match preparation. A team like Liverpool should be at them for the start.

[kaosmark2]

8 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

The quality is down overall, not just in the middle 

Well I don't subject myself to watching Arsenal. City have improved, and I think the promoted teams are clearly better than last year's, and West Ham look better than last year (after the first 2 months)

[gary1979666]

New method for promotion to the Prem for next season - top 2 go up automatically and then 3-8 battle it out:

 

5 v 8 = A over 1 leg

6 v 7 = B

 

3 v B over 2 legs

4 v A 

 

Then the winner of those play at Wembley.

 

Feels overkill and does the team in 8th really deserve a shot at it?!

Edited March 5 by gary1979666

[balti-pie]

17 minutes ago, gary1979666 said:

New method for promotion to the Prem for next season - top 2 go up automatically and then 3-8 battle it out:

 

5 v 8 = A over 1 leg

6 v 7 = B

 

3 v B over 2 legs

4 v A 

 

Then the winner of those play at Wembley.

 

Feels overkill and does the team in 8th really deserve a shot at it?!

Dont really see why theyre two legged - they could just play one offs at the home of the side thats finished higher. Then you 'earn' the home game. Its how playoffs/finals/the postseason is managed in other sports, and it just feels fairer. 

 

But two legs, a home game for each, twice as much $$$ alas! 

[charlierc]

41 minutes ago, gary1979666 said:

New method for promotion to the Prem for next season - top 2 go up automatically and then 3-8 battle it out:

 

5 v 8 = A over 1 leg

6 v 7 = B

 

3 v B over 2 legs

4 v A 

 

Then the winner of those play at Wembley.

 

Feels overkill and does the team in 8th really deserve a shot at it?!

Yeah they've been doing something like this in the National League but I don't think it works there either. It's just trying too hard to be like the NFL playoffs. 

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

The quality in the middle of the league is so down on last year I think. We're worse, Villa are worse (partially cos Kamara and Tielmans' injury), Bournemouth, Brighton, Palace. Forest an obvious shitshow. Man U did actually improve and are taking advantage of that.

 

The way Liverpool are this season, I don't think they'd have been top 5 contenders last year. And whatever the f**k is up with that Spurs squad to somehow look likely for relegation considering all of this.

I think Spurs are well documented as being in their mess thanks to seemingly making the wrong decision at every juncture since the Champions League final they lost in 2019. But yeah they're having a proper disaster. 

 

It's an odd season in some respect. Moaning football isn't as fun as it used to be has gone on forever to the point where it's almost not new but I do agree a lot of teams would've lost to their equivalent sides last season. 

[andyrhodes24]

53 minutes ago, gary1979666 said:

New method for promotion to the Prem for next season - top 2 go up automatically and then 3-8 battle it out:

 

5 v 8 = A over 1 leg

6 v 7 = B

 

3 v B over 2 legs

4 v A 

 

Then the winner of those play at Wembley.

 

Feels overkill and does the team in 8th really deserve a shot at it?!

The old system wasn’t broken so why try to fix it? EFL milking it for the revenue. Three up from the National League is the more pressing issue to solve.

[pink_triangle]

I don’t really get all the criticism for Arsenal. It’s like people have been brainwashed to think pep football is the only way. I personally would rather them win the league than another Man City win.