The Rolling Football Thread (season 2022/23)

[DuncinToffee]

A brand new season is here, join in to share the joy, the heartache and VAR frustration

As in previous years, footy fans please sign in with

Which team you support.

How you are getting your kids to follow
the 'correct' team.

A thought on this season (Premiership/Championship/All other UK Leagues/Champions’ League/FA Cup/Any leagues world wide)

Poor Toti!

Yes, another frustrating match.

And what's with these 20.00 kick-offs? TV schedules I assume.

You deserved the win, we weren’t good enough, it really highlighted the gap between our first team and the second string.

Thanks. I was pretty amazed. Could only follow on my results app and twitter, but as soon as your 3 1st team players got subbed on, they scored pretty much straight away.

TBH I'd have not minded going out and concentrating on finishing in the top 2 and going back up. (they'll bottle a play-off again so i want to avoid that).

And what's with these 20.00 kick-offs? TV schedules I assume.

Has the PL gone the same way now as the Spanish league with all matches on at a different time? It is appalling the way the schedule is dictated by TV. I remember a few years ago Boro were scheduled against Plymouth on Easter Sunday and all my Boro supporting mates had booked trains and hotels for a weekend away, and of course booked well in advance so non-refundable cheap tickets. And then it turned out that it was a bit of a nailbiter, league-wise so it was changed to the Monday.

Here in Bundesliga land, the schedule is released in july/August, but German footy likes just to say it's "matchday 6" of the season. The matches can be on Friday, Saturday, Sunday (now they've done away with the Monday matches - fan pressure). So you know for which matchday the fixture is planned, but they only fix the actual date/time for about 4 weeks at a time, so they can adjust the days for Champions/Europa league teams, and the cup. So if you play in Europe on Thursday, your league match will be on Sunday.

Matches are Friday at 8pm (one match, it's only on DAZN), Saturday at 3:30pm (all on Sky), Saturday at 6:30 pm (one match, on Sky), Sunday at 3:30 (one, DAZN) and Sunday at 5:30 (also one, also DAZN), So watching on TV is a pain, but going to matches is fine. the 2nd division is different timings similarly scattered over the weekend. None at the same time as the 1st division. they have an 8pm match on Saturday to replace their Monday match.

The schedule is set by the German FA and the only influence over it is the police (none on May Day, and so on). And the fans, as we saw with the monday matches). Long may it last.

Sorry. Essay.

I hate to sound paranoid but the big team bias certainly feels real right now.

Has been feeling real for years, an FA apology doesn’t help either.

I have been ill and not watched many matches but did enjoy the Coventry v Wrexham match. Had to give up on the Welsh commentary though and switch to English

I do dislike watching Leicester at present - I spent yesterday's game just waiting for it to go wrong while we farted around the back and concede a ludicrous goal. We squeezed home without looking at all convincing. Gillingham should be able to claw themselves out of trouble if they continue to play like that, though.

@Brefugee Really interesting to hear how scheduling works in the Bundesliga. In the PL, it’s almost entirely driven by tv scheduling. He who pays the piper and all that. Very occasionally there may be an external issue that can also impact on timing (eg if the host town has another major event scheduled for the same time and day which impacts on availability of police and other resources).

Sadly, it seems that scheduling is almost never based on what’s best for the fans attending in person (rather than those watching on tv). A good example of this was the FA Cup semi between Liverpool and Man City in April ‘22. The FA were expressly warned as early as Sept ‘21 that there would be train strikes on the weekend of the semis, and it turned out there would be no direct trains to London on the west coast line at all over the extended Easter weekend (so not just the day of the game itself). Cue a logistical nightmare and huge additional expenses for the fans from both teams, as the FA was not prepared to change either the date or the venue.

Made heavy weather of the first 60 minutes against Oxford, but good to get some goals at the end. Any a trip to City next...

Much as I loved Vieira's sumptuous assists, he doesn't dictate the game in the way Ødegaard can, with interceptions, keeping possession, moving the ball on etc.. I think he needs to work on the weights over the summer as he looks too lightweight for the Premiership as well.

Urrgh. That was flippin' awful.

You couldn't make it up! Someone finally gets booked for fouling Bukayo Saka - and the FA call for an investigation!

Speechless...

Not from my perspective I have to say 🤭

Every member of the team, including subs were magnificent. So so chuffed that Big Dan Burn got his first goal for us.

Sadly, it seems that scheduling is almost never based on what’s best for the fans attending in person (rather than those watching on tv). A good example of this was the FA Cup semi between Liverpool and Man City in April ‘22.

i saw that - it is ridiculous. I don't know why they don't have the semis more in the middle of the country to avoid fans having to travel so far and make so many arrangements to stay places.

Watching Southampton v MC, 30 minutes, 2-0. Loving it!

What a great start for Southampton!

Well done @EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy - very well deserved. Yeah can appreciate that Dan Burn story, and dancing! It was a tough watch for us though. Shocking midfield, poor Vardy not in form cos he hasn't had a decent run of games. Barnes well off it. And proper keystone cops defending again. Dreading Forest on Saturday...

Southampton in the semis with a home second leg. I’ll take that 💪🏻

I might not be home for tea…

I'm sorry, but this Chelsea game is hilarious...

That's got to rate amongst the worst debuts of all time...

I bet Diego Simeone enjoyed that 😆

Jack Grealish looks like every popular boy in the fifth form in the mid eighties.

Think I may be back to 'Brendan out' again. So dispiriting.

Dispiriting, yes indeed.

Yes sorry for you too @DuncinToffee - hard going isn't it.

More disappointment for me, feels like Pompey are only making an effort if the cameras are there. Shocking lack of effort today

Well at least we can share our misery