''Soccer'' 2017-2018

[WillieMorgan]

Well, Arsenal managed to win last night. At least their fans will have something to cheer now.

They were quite comfortable winners really. Of course, there's still the next leg to go.

It's worth bearing in mind that this Milan team is one of the worst in a couple of generations.

[John Ossie]

I thought they'd had worse teams more recently and that was main reason why they spent so much in the summer?

Either way, Arsenal fans won't care if they go on to win the Europa League, seeing as it's the only trophy available to them now.

[WillieMorgan]

I thought they'd had worse teams more recently and that was main reason why they spent so much in the summer?

Either way, Arsenal fans won't care if they go on to win the Europa League, seeing as it's the only trophy available to them now.

They did spend big last summer but it's not paid off for them yet. They finished 6th last season in Serie A, they are currently 7th this term. Milan have been well off the pace for a few seasons now. Both new owners and investment haven't made a difference yet. Of course, sometimes this takes time as we know. Milan are another club that I admire from a distance. Seeing them comparatively languish is odd.

I certainly enjoyed seeing United winning the Europa League last year, especially so soon after the tragic events at the MEN Arena. I also enjoyed watching Sevilla win it the year before for some reason

(See, I've possibly set myself up for some piss-taking there if Sevilla do the same to United next week).

[John Ossie]

(See, I've possibly set myself up for some piss-taking there if Sevilla do the same to United next week).

I'll enjoy it even more given what happened yesterday, we SO should've had a penalty yesterday (because I'm neutral as you well know )

Fluffy must be reasonably pleased given Swansea spent almost 80 minutes plus stoppage time with ten men to get a 0-0 draw. C.Palace and Southampton both lost as well so it was a decent day for Swansea, more so if City can beat Stoke tomorrow which I'd be amazed if they didn't to be honest.

The lower leagues seem to be getting interesting from a neutral standpoint looking at the promotion spots at least. And my mate Len will be pleased given that Tranmere won comfortably as well yesterday by 4-0.

As far as Milan is concerned, I've never really admired them for whatever reason though I've always enjoyed Barcelona.

[WillieMorgan]

I'll enjoy it even more given what happened yesterday, we SO should've had a penalty yesterday (because I'm neutral as you well know )

Fluffy must be reasonably pleased given Swansea spent almost 80 minutes plus stoppage time with ten men to get a 0-0 draw. C.Palace and Southampton both lost as well so it was a decent day for Swansea, more so if City can beat Stoke tomorrow which I'd be amazed if they didn't to be honest.

The lower leagues seem to be getting interesting from a neutral standpoint looking at the promotion spots at least. And my mate Len will be pleased given that Tranmere won comfortably as well yesterday by 4-0.

As far as Milan is concerned, I've never really admired them for whatever reason though I've always enjoyed Barcelona.

Yes, the 'thrashing' that you predicted didn't materialise John . I didn't think any of the 'stonewall' penalties that Liverpool tried to claim yesterday were clear cut. They were increasingly desperate claims if anything. If any of them had actually been given I'd have been very angry. I didn't enjoy the game though. I thought United's retreat into their own half during the second half of the game was a bit cowardly really. Liverpool didn't help their own cause in the second half by giving away daft fouls during play that benefited United more than it did them (something that was commented on by Carragher after the match). Still, that agonising fixture is past us again for a while.

The most interesting developments for me yesterday were the ones at the London Stadium. That venue is totally unsuitable for football matches and there's no going back for West Ham now. They've moved and that's that. Football and athletics are totally incompatible and I can't fathom how anyone could consider moving to an athletics stadium a good idea. Thank God United don't have problems like that.

[John Ossie]

Apparently there weren't that many stewards at the West Ham game either, someone even said there was as few as TWO stewards there? I don't know if that was an exaggeration but West Ham will be in quite a bit of trouble I'd have thought. Ironically enough, that stadium was originally given to Leyton Orient but then for whatever reason (though I think we can guess what it is) it ended up being given to West Ham instead.

Good job they didn't have Millwall fans there yesterday, given Millwall's reputation.

[TheInvisibleMan]

it was not a fun game to watch yesterday - and how much you wanna bet we draw or lose to Watford next week?

[John Ossie]

it was not a fun game to watch yesterday - and how much you wanna bet we draw or lose to Watford next week?

I'm sure we'll take it out on Watford next week

[WillieMorgan]

It actually costs the taxpayer money every time that West Ham play games at that stadium. The match day costs are covered by the company that administers the stadium, not West Ham themselves. They are just tenants there. That may well explain the absence of stewards there.

I missed the Old Firm derby earlier on today. I totally forgot about it despite Sky's 'Rivalry Weekend' hype. I'm really annoyed about that. The Nottingham Forest-Derby County fixture was garbage, and there's a Las Palmas-Villarreal game currently showing that is displaying some of the most fuck-witted football that I've seen in a while. How much are these guys on a week?

[WillieMorgan]

Good job they didn't have Millwall fans there yesterday, given Millwall's reputation.

That fixture would SURELY have to be played behind closed doors.

[TheInvisibleMan]

MLS action today

last seasons darlings Atlanta opening at home against DC

[FluffySheep]

I'm well chuffed with Swansea's draw at Huddersfield. Can't complain too much about Ayew's red card but there is a question over whether the Huddersfield player should've been sent off too. Plus there was another stamp from them later on as well. With the other results going our way, and Watford and Bournemouth losing today, it's been a good weekend for Swansea. Spurs may also be without Kane for the FA cup quarter final next weekend after getting injured today. Happy days

In local news, Stafford Rangers blew a 2-0 lead by conceding in the 91st and 94th minutes yesterday against Lancaster City. Gutted about that.

[TheInvisibleMan]

72,000+ for Atlantas home opener today

[geoffpayne1992]

The most interesting developments for me yesterday were the ones at the London Stadium. That venue is totally unsuitable for football matches and there's no going back for West Ham now. They've moved and that's that. Football and athletics are totally incompatible and I can't fathom how anyone could consider moving to an athletics stadium a good idea. Thank God United don't have problems like that.

I was there, I was in the group in front of the directors box. Before I go any further 3 out of the 4 pitch invaders were stupid and have caused more problems for our already toxic club, I don't condone them or the idiots who threw objects towards the directors. They have no right to continue entering that stadium. However,
the protester with the flag in the centre circle is different. That was a reminder of the last time West Ham had to struggle against the board in any way possible. This was a near mirror image of the protest done in the early 90's against a bond scheme. That one was symbolic more than anything.

There are so many issues with this club right night. It is broken from top to bottom and this is entirely the fault of the board. A quick glance at the most recent accounts show there was no real impact in selling our home on the profits made last year. Over 100 years of history, sold for the cost of a mid table championship striker. They conned many with their lies to move us to the soulless bowl. Seats near the pitch, "world class team for a world class stadium", take us to the next level, "we haven't taken a penny out of the club", the debt will be gone by the time we leave Upton Park.

Not a single one of those was the truth. It has built up and up at away matches over the past 2 years, it crept into home matches this season too. Saturday was the straw that broke the camels back.

There was an organised march planned for before the match, this was scuppered at all costs by the board promising the earth and the organisers accepting yet more lies. Had that gone ahead, I honestly don't think we would've seen the issues in the stadium.

[geoffpayne1992]

Apparently there weren't that many stewards at the West Ham game either, someone even said there was as few as TWO stewards there? I don't know if that was an exaggeration but West Ham will be in quite a bit of trouble I'd have thought. Ironically enough, that stadium was originally given to Leyton Orient but then for whatever reason (though I think we can guess what it is) it ended up being given to West Ham instead.

Good job they didn't have Millwall fans there yesterday, given Millwall's reputation.

There were lots of stewards in the ground, one even recorded asleep as one of the pitch invaders walked past him. There was at the beginning around 8 stewards in front of the directors attempting to hold back several hundred people. They were never going to win that.

The stewards we do have at the stadium aren't football stewards. They are concert and festival stewards who for the most part never have stewarded football matches before. This is however, a step up from matches last season where they used bouncers and door staff to try and rule with an iron fist. That didn't work and caused more problems than it solved.

The owners point blank refusal to pay for anything in the ground shows the contempt they have for the supporters, the owners of the ground and the taxpayers (who Karren Brady as a member of the House of Lords should be representing). The buck stops with the owners.

Millwall at home is looking like a real possibility next season. I cannot wait to see how they attempt to police that in the rat runs around the ground. It will be bedlam and dangerous.