The Rolling Football Thread (season 2022/23) - part 2

[DuncinToffee]

New thread to continue with all things football ⚽

Obviously it’s more difficult to tell from inside the ground but it felt like Arsenal were hitting the ground at the drop of a hat and getting undeserved free kicks. I always felt like you might get something going forward whereas I think we could have played all day and not got the rub of the green in front of goal. I get it’s very difficult to look at it with unbiased eyes though, I’m just pleased that Man U have slipped up as well. I think we’ll get too 4 but fuck me I just want it beyond doubt!

@EddieHoweisMYmanager

The thing is that the tv coverage kept replaying all your shoves etc which you would not have been able to see in the stands.

I am sure that we did play act too.

We move! Bring on next week. Although early kick off away at Leeds feels like it has banana skin written all over it.

As a Man Utd fan I’m not so happy this afternoon.

Looks like Reading women will be relegated too.

I think we were lucky to get the win this afternoon, but in much the same way that Newcastle were lucky to get the draw at the Emirates.

I really didn't like the thuggery from Newcastle though. Joelinton, Bruno, Burn, Schar, Trippier, and even others, all repeatedly go through the back of players - particularly when they're in the air, which is even illegal in rugby - and were lucky to get away with a lot of the physicality. Next year when they're properly challenging I don't think they'll be able to get away with that.

I'm happy we got back to winning way though. I don't think we've got a chance of the league any more, but if we do lose, I'd love it to be by one point so we can have a look at the Brentford game and say to the PGMOL - ?

Also glad, but surprised, the penalty wasn't given. Very clear from the slo-mo replays that it hit his thigh, and he was getting his arm out for the way, but in real time, very difficult to spot.

And the mighty U's sent the 'franchise' down! Best day ever !

@StStephensTower Enjoy another season in L1.

So Gillingham ended L2 with an away win at Salford, finished 17th on 55 points. Considering they started the year on 14 points and only 6 goals scored I'll happily take that, they've done bloody well just to stay up. Hopefully, with a healthy transfer budget next season courtesy of our new owner, they can really kick on and get back into L1. Our "temporary" away end will also be knocked down and rebuilt its only taken 21 years 😬

What a game so far. Let's hope Everton can hold on. They have been amazing.

The teams I follow have all done badly so far this weekend.

Pickford is on fire.

Difficult emotions as every strong relegation result further nails our coffin, but wow, what a performance. 0-4

Massive result for Everton and a brilliant performance 🙂

Wow! I did not see that coming

I could not relax and just enjoy the match, my nerves were shattered at the final whistle.

Our away fans deserved that result.

They did indeed Dunc it was a joy to watch.

Watching the Saints game..

How glad am i that i have a stinking cold and didn't go ! Very well deserved.

Iwobi's pass for the first goal was brilliant. He was involved in some of the other goals too.

All three matches yesterday were utterly bonkers - 21 goals across them is just extraordinary! I don’t ever back any particular club to stay up or go down (I feel for all of them), but I’m really sorry to see it’s pretty much inevitable that Southampton are for the drop after managing to stay up for over a decade. Best of luck to all the fans on here of clubs who are fighting for promotion/against relegation in all tiers.

Thanks burblish it's never been an easy ride as a saints fan. The biggest worry is I'm not sure I can see them getting out of the Championship.

Phew. Wolves are now definitely safe thank goodness.

Lopetegui has done a brilliant job since Christmas. When he took over we were bottom on 10 points. He’s been the difference. Despite managing Spain and Real Madrid and taking Seville to winning the Europa Cup, he says this has been his biggest achievement. I am very relieved.

Good luck everyone else. It’s a very tense and horrible time when you’re struggling.

am happy for everyone whose teams are doing well/got promotion.
AM DEVASTATED AND ANGRY at Sheffield Useless Bloody WEDNESDAY.
God. So so angry.
And of course have been saying since January that if they don't get automatic promotion they will bottle it. They surpassed my expectations there.
God i am so angry at the players right now. The players,the owner and to a lesser extent the trainer. ARGHH

(I have Thoughts on playoffs which I'm happy to talk about here or elsewhere)

Sorry ^Brefugee*, just saw the result.

I don't really get the rationale of playoffs and I think it is even worse in the national league

Sorry post cut off but I personally think it should be automatic promotion and relegation for the top and bottom 3 across all leagues.

The Scottish playoffs are even more complicated than the English ones.

Tbh I don't even fully understand some of it myself. Brechin City aren't too far from us and they won the Highland League this year but I don't think they're going up because they were beaten in playoffs. DH has explained it to me a lot but it just seems so unnecessarily complex, the English playoffs seem much easier in comparison but I would rather have a set number of teams for straight up and straight down too.

And don't get me started on the Premiership and their stupid split table thing where you could finish only 7th in the table but have more points than some teams above you.

The playoffs are purely a money making scheme for the leagues and TV. Nothing else.

in the German league (there is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd division) the bottom two go down, the top two go up to and from the 1st and 2nd division. Then the 3rd from bottom in the first, plays the 3rd from top in the 2nd, and the winner over two legs either stays where they are or go up/down. (so if the team from the 1st lose, they go down to 2nd and the team from 2nd who won, go up to 1st). I don't like it much, but it's acceptable. I would prefer 3 up 3 down, or 2 up 2 down and that's it. It's the same going up and down from 2nd to 3rd. But below 3rd there are 5 regional leagues. Should have been North, South, East and West but Bayern are special and wanted their own. So it used to be that the top of those leagues had to have play offs, and only 3 went up (I think, I'm not sure any more). so you could, in theory play a perfect season then have an off day and blow the play off final and not get promoted. Which is naturally shit. So now the winning team in each one goes up.

Wednesday only have themselves to blame. 23 game unbeaten run, and lost their heads and slipped to 3rd. But I've just been looking at their season ticket prices. For the equivalent ticket (home end, seated) i pay EUR 440 for my Bundesliga ticket. it is 510 quid at Hillsbrough. For the 3rd division. (their cheapest, one is over 700). I guess they won't be selling too many of those.