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The Rolling Football Thread: Season 2025/26 - thread 3

1000 replies

DuncinToffee · 25/01/2026 12:16

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/5429011-the-rolling-football-thread-season-202526-thread-2?page=40&reply=150096583

OP posts:
Thread gallery
27
Piknik · 13/02/2026 21:51

The interim appointment does suggest we are looking at Poch and De Zerbi - otherwise why not bring in a new manager now.

I am not sure if that means some of the other candidates are off the table - Iraola, Glasner etc? But everything will change again if we go down.

The heart says Poch, the head wonders if that's nostalgia talking....

JasonTindallsTan · 13/02/2026 22:59

ugggghh our talismanic midfielder Bruno is potentially out for up to 10 weeks. This is spectacularly bad news. We don’t win without him.

Fandango52 · 14/02/2026 00:46

I really want Poch back too! No idea if it will happen or, if it is an option, if it would work out. And now worried about how it’s going to go with Tudor…

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 14:14

Already in town to head for a drink before the match only to have them postpone it just an hour before kick off. It’s annoying enough for us but the Ayr fans will have had a 3-4 hour trip up here just to have that happen. 😡

MrsMitford3 · 14/02/2026 14:16

oh no @Tarkan why did they cancel it?

Such short notice is awful for travelling fans!!

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 14:27

The referee decided the pitch was unplayable due to a frozen area. From the way the club have worded the announcement we get the feeling they’re raging about it too.

DH and I are now sitting on a bench in the shopping centre with a Greggs since we won’t be getting our match pies and just trying to work out what we want to do now.

Kirbert2 · 14/02/2026 14:33

A first defeat for us in the league since Manning came in. Not even a shot on target today for us. Worst we have played since he came in.

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 14:53

We’re now sitting in a pub with people who were in the board room when it was called off. They weren’t expecting it either it seems.

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 14:58

A win for West Ham. Don’t believe it went to extra time though. 🙈

DuncinToffee · 14/02/2026 16:23

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 14:53

We’re now sitting in a pub with people who were in the board room when it was called off. They weren’t expecting it either it seems.

Why was it cancelled? Frost or rain?

Shame about the pie

OP posts:
Tarkan · 14/02/2026 16:34

So from what we’ve heard the groundskeeper said this morning it was fine. The ref then showed up at 1.30pm and decided one corner was too frozen and called the game off. The announcement was put on social media just before 2pm. Typically this is the sunniest day we’ve had for a good few weeks as well but we think the corner in question is one that gets shaded by the stand roof so it didn’t melt like the rest.

People on social media are understandably raging about it and people have been posting screenshots of the SFA rules over postponements. 🙈

We’ve ended up in another pub ready to watch the rugby and a local amateur team had their game called off too so they’re all in the pub with us. We got offered pies in the pub from the manager. Just mini ones with a choice of mince or steak but it’s better than nothing. DH and I did consider going to the fish shop that make the smokie pies but I think having them at home later just isn’t quite the same.

DH is a bit annoyed as he took today off work to go to the match (and also to avoid having to drive a bus to Edinburgh when the rugby is on LOL) and he doesn’t have another Saturday off for ages now. 😢

Scoobydoobydoo19 · 14/02/2026 17:49

I like football. 😁 😁 😁

Tarkan · 14/02/2026 18:38

I like rugby right now too. 😇

JasonTindallsTan · 14/02/2026 19:49

A brilliant away win for Newcastle after the most shambolic refereeing display I have seen in a long long time. Villa’s goal was a mile offside, Lucas Digne should have been sent off, at least one solid penalty denied - and that was just in the first half. Second half a second clear penalty denied for a blatant handball miles inside the box, thankfully we scored from the resulting incorrectly awarded free kick and kicked on from there. Into the hat for the next round.

We’ll probs get another away day at the Etihad 🙄🙄

DuncinToffee · 14/02/2026 20:13

I am glad you won, asyou say the refereeing was shambolic.

OP posts:
Brefugee · 14/02/2026 20:33

I am not very happy with football today. Pah.

JasonTindallsTan · 14/02/2026 21:45

DuncinToffee · 14/02/2026 20:13

I am glad you won, asyou say the refereeing was shambolic.

Even Villa fans all over social media calling out the woeful officiating. I don’t think any of it is corrupt. Just being genuinely bad at their jobs. The Lino had absolutely nothing to do but look for offside for their goal. It was a dead ball situation, he wasn’t having to keep up with play or do any of the other things he might have had keeping him busy, literally one job and couldn’t even do that.

burblish · 14/02/2026 22:26

I enjoyed the lack of VAR disruption in Liverpool's tie v Brighton (although VAR would have found Ngumoha wasn't offside, so his goal would have stood). The Villa v Newcastle match sounds like a refereeing debacle, though.

If VAR was used efficiently and effectively (8 mins to determine an offside?!), people wouldn't complain anywhere near as much about it. It's not VAR per se that is the problem - it's the way it is (mis)utilised that is so frustrating.

Tiswa · 14/02/2026 23:30

Perhaps Villa Newcastle has been a(n interesting) wake up call for what happens without VAR and maybe we are institutionalised into expecting really obvious decisions to be overturned as the Villa match definitley showcased and Liverpool slightly showed

Brightbluesomething · 15/02/2026 11:24

Agree with @JasonTindallsTan and all I can add is that I’m glad we won. That would have been an awful way to exit a cup and any apology the next day would have been worthless. Still maintain the champions league refereeing is miles better than the prem.
Onto the draw tomorrow and as we’ve had two prem teams already it’s just our luck we’d get City again. We are ball number 13! If the gods of the draw could give us a slightly easier one I’m sure our fans would be happy to travel to the back of beyond. 🤞 I’m half hoping that we get Macclesfield as I’ve a mate who can smuggle me in there and I’ve no chance of an away ticket 😂

LlynTegid · 15/02/2026 12:24

Tiswa · 14/02/2026 23:30

Perhaps Villa Newcastle has been a(n interesting) wake up call for what happens without VAR and maybe we are institutionalised into expecting really obvious decisions to be overturned as the Villa match definitley showcased and Liverpool slightly showed

I agree.

I think VAR should only be used for matters of fact not opinion, so where the handball took place is fact and it would I think be appropriate for VAR.

The sending off of the goalkeeper is opinion as to the nature of the foul, and I agreed with the referee's decision on that.

Brefugee · 15/02/2026 13:04

my understanding of VAR was (and excuse the awful English, just everything i know about VAR, comes from speaking/listening to Germans) was that it should only kick in when a very clear and obvious decision was made that could affect the outcome of the game? (and yes, there is one word for that in German "Spielentscheidend")

TheNewGaard · 16/02/2026 18:56

I'll take Mansfield away. We could do with a, shall we say, less stressful game given the number we're going through at the moment...

TheNewGaard · 16/02/2026 19:02

Wow!

Orbinho‬ ‪@orbinho.bsky.social‬
Arsenal have only played Mansfield once before and that was in the FA Cup in 1929. The Gunners won 2-0.

JasonTindallsTan · 16/02/2026 19:03

City. Of course. Only the fifth time of playing them this season 🙄

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