The Rolling Football Thread: season 2024/25

[DuncinToffee]

Football fans join in to share the joy, the heartache and VAR frustration ⚽

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.”

It’s ridiculous. There’s no reason why they can’t play each other. If they’re in the competition anyway they have to play. This isn’t saving them a fixture. This is guaranteeing they get further on than they otherwise might have done.

All feels a bit rotten in the state of Denmark at Newcastle at the minute. The ridiculous way this Guehi deal has been played out in public only for us not to get our man at the 11th hour - surely there just have been some encouragement for us to keep going back. Makes us look very foolish. Word is that we have no other targets and we’re again going to finish the window weaker than when we started with the sales of Minteh and Anderson to solve our PSR problem earlier in the summer. I’m probably what most on Twitter would scathingly refer to as a happy clapper as I’m quite positive and generally have faith that there is a plan and it’ll all come good. But even I’m struggling to see the positives and the plan in this clusterfuck. Not a single first team signing in the entire window and 20m spunked on a keeper we clearly don’t want (hasn’t even been on the bench the first three games) to sweeten the forest deal to take a good home grown player off our hands to balance some imaginary fucking chequebook.

I really really really hope tomorrow night I’m on here eating my words but I’m not so sure. I hoped this kind of lack of ambition had gone when Cashley was given his marching orders but I can’t see how Howe (or any manager) is expected to work with an ever depleting squad. Some say he’s part of the problem with his fixation on overpriced English talent but it is difficult to know where the issue is - but it’s bloody somewhere!!

I know what you mean and I think the majority of clubs feel the same

OK, pretty happy with the draw. We always used to get the likes of Shakhtar and Dinamo away in December.

We have managed to offload Maupay to Marseille

Good. He's a nasty piece of work.

He'll fit in with his new club......

@DuncinToffee I don't blame you for being glad to be rid of Maupay!

Anyone else have a player at your club who you'd be glad to see the back of? I can imagine a fair few Brentford fans won't be overly sorry to lose Toney and his bad attitude towards the club (remember that video a few years ago, where he was caught saying, "Fuck Brentford"? There was another one where someone who didn't know who he is asked who he played for and he replied something like, "Nowhere exciting." So disrespectful!).

He's injured! Fractured shoulder. Probably out for several weeks.

Gabriel crashed in to him I think.

Can't say I blame you there. Never thought much of him when we had him. He and De Zerbi could be a fiery mix! They are welcome to each other.

Yes, I'm pleased he has left the premier league.

He injured Leno badly. Fortunately, it didn't really affect us as we had Martinez but it could have.

Yep, Ryan Fraser has fucked off to Southampton. Little weasel with an attitude problem who managed to fall out with the nicest guy in football Eddie Howe TWICE.

Sadly I am not here crowing about Newcastle’s spectacular last gasp signing. Oh well. Very underwhelming.

Still waiting to hear if Billy Gilmour is off- would be disappointed if he was. Particularly given Crawley managed to leave o'rielly needing an operation 6 mins into his debut! 🤦‍♀️

Literally confirmed he has gone on Facebook as I was posting that!

So Eddie to Palace, (he'll be in my dream team next week), and apparently Sterling to Arsenal on loan. Decent back up for Saka I guess. I hope we're not paying all his wages though.

I don't think we are.

When I heard that he had fallen out with Chelsea, I wondered if he would come to us.

Quite happy as long as we are not paying too much of his salary.

We have done ok with the constraints. Full back cover is still a big worry as is pace but we kept Branthwaithe!

Goodison is paying tribute to Kevin Campbell today

Just seen Sterling in an Arsenal shirt. Does look very strange.

What the actual fuck? Rice sent off for being kicked?

Back at Gayfield, under new management. 😁 Hammy is a player who just came back from a bad hamstring injury only to do in his ACL and Goldie is another player but he's been benching himself since they took over. First home game since we sacked Jim the useless McIntyre.

Home from the early Gills Chesterfield game. 1-0 winners, lost the lovely Max Ehmer to a 2nd yellow at 60 minutes but resolute defending and the crossbar saw them hold on and take the points. Chesterfield very good going forward and unlucky to come away empty handed tbf.

Looks like you had decent weather for your game @Tarkan It was on the chilly side in Kent today.

The ref is either corrupt, totally incompetent or has a bias against Arsenal

Any of those things make it totally unacceptable for him to referee another Arsenal game-ideally never seen in the PL again.

As Saka said all we ask for is consistency.

The kick away in the first half by a Brighton player was half way down the pitch and despite it being called to his attention he ignored it.

It's no wonder we feel like they are against us-this particular ref has a history with shocking Arsenal calls.

Declan Rice is an England International, played hundreds of games for West Ham and has never been sent off in his career. Hmmm...

I am just stunned, no idea what just happened. How to ruin a pleasant Saturday afternoon in 10 minutes.

I thought of you straight away when I saw that result. Gutted for you.