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Coffee 8:40 Sat Oct 23
Saturday football

CHELSEA vs NORWICH CITY (1230 ko)
The early kick-off means it’s on TV in Asia, a region known for its substantial contributions to Premier League coffers. A region, too, known for its hunger for goals and this one has goals writ large. Not, you’d think, for the unfortunate Canaries, but there can’t be many Norwich fans in Singapore, Malaysia and India. Has there ever been a game less likely to end 0-0? Home win.

CRYSTAL PALACE vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (1500)
Palace were exceptionally unlucky not to take all three points from Arsenal last week. They’ve started to show grit under Viera’s tutelage and will be boosted by the return of Wilfred Zaha. The Barcodes, sans Cabbage Head, make a sorry opposition with or without Arab headdress. Home win.

EVERTON vs WATFORD (!500)
Claudio Ranieri has a fine pedigree in taking on potentially lost causes. Rafa Benitez, in contrast, has got his Everton career off to a decent start. He was unable to overcome an infinitely superior opposition last weekend and will now want to make amends against a poor Watford side. Home win.

LEEDS UNITED vs WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (1500)
With just one win so far this season, Leeds fans may have started to feel the flapping of butterflies within. It’s a challenging time for the Leeds boss, but he’s made of stern stuff and should turn his side’s fortunes around before long. Bielsa finds himself up against an in-form Wolves side that’s won four of its last five games. The spotlight will be on Raphinha and Jiminez in what looks as if it could be a very entertaining fixture. Draw.

SOUTHAMPTON vs BURNLEY (1500)
The Saints will be without their influential captain, James Ward-Prowse, who is suspended. Burnley, still winless this campaign and with just five goals scored all season, would seem to offer the ideal opposition for a side itching to climb up the table. Home win.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs MANCHESTER CITY (1730)
What a start to the season it’s been for the Seagulls. They haven’t scored many, but only Chelsea and today’s opposition have conceded fewer. City may find it hard to break them down, but have the ammunition and pedigree to do so with ease and thereby leapfrog Liverpool into second. An early goal will go a long way to making this more watchable. Away win.


**SUNDAY**

BRENTFORD vs LEICESTER CITY (1400)
Surely Brentford’s bubble will burst before long? Their goal for the season is survival, something many neutrals would have considered unlikely back in August. But they’ve accumulated 12 points so far through hard work and dogged commitment: just 23 more for a fighting chance at a second top-flight season. Despite a good European result in midweek, Leicester have underwhelmed in the league and will be keen to turn that around. Thomas Frank may have other ideas. Draw.

WEST HAM UNITED vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (1400)
Both sides played in Europe in midweek, although Spurs made 11 changes for their game. On paper, there’s little to choose between the teams, but there’s something about West Ham this season that raises both expectations and individual and team performances. Consecutive wins against Everton and Genk will do much for morale, belief and momentum, while Tottenham are yet to fully convince. Antonio has an excellent scoring record against Spurs and should be fired up and ready to add to that today. Home win.

MANCHESTER UNITED vs LIVERPOOL (1630)
A classic Premier League fixture that sees OGS once more under pressure. He could do without today’s high-flying opponents. Liverpool are the only team yet to lose this season and have the division’s best goal tally – by a considerable margin. The Man U boss will have to unleash his finest man-management skills this afternoon, but even that may not be enough. Away win.


**PICK OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP**

Bournemouth have taken a firm grip of the top of the Championship. The CHERRIES take on sixth-placed Huddersfield this afternoon, while Fulham in second spot visit Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Hull (who visit Luton), Barnsley (home to Sheffield Utd tomorrow, ee by gum) and Derby (away at Coventry) occupy the bottom three places. All three will be concerned to see a gap starting to open above the dotted line.

New Jersey 1:57 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

I'm not sure you have to be patient, Abramovich isn't and they have won loads under him! If he was patient with Lampard they wouldn't be the current CL winners and top of the league!

Sir Alf 12:34 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

Agree Side, Fergie could be said to have leveraged "happenstance" ( see other thread) very well with that exceptional youth team that had been together even before signed to United. :-)

The one thing that will continue to hold them back is the sense of entitlement and impatience. It will take a culture change too as the entitlement from domination in the 90s and 2000s extends to every part of the club. They need someone to oversee a route and branch set of changes and probably removing any existing Fergie era employees etc. as well as doing a Moyes and telling the owners to "get the hell out of the way" but support the manager and management team to overhaul the football side. Fortunately the shadow of Fergie's success will continue to hold them back though and that will not happen. They will continue to go with the model of buying prima donnas / the best of the best and ignoring the need for a "team or squad " thinking that Guardiola, Klopp, Tuchel and even our own Moyesiah understand is also essential to success.

Side of Ham 11:29 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

The downfall of Manchester United is that it will take at least another 5 years of plodding for them (fans & media) to realise it was a total rebuild and this time they haven’t got a conveyer belt of youth talent to keep them where they once were.

They need to wake up to the fact Ferguson didn’t just leave because he was getting on…

….who takes over?…..who gives a fuck they’ve had a great time of it….time for kids to go back to picking Liverpool and maybe City instead…..

Manuel 11:20 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

I'm not sure they would go for Conte, a hot head and would he be there any longer than 2 years? Poch at least would give them some longevity if he did well or they gave him plenty of time. Thing is they don't want to go down this same failed road again, ie Mourinho, LVG , which is why they still haven't sacked Ole and are very reluctant to do so.

Zidane would be a no go imo, would be a huge gamble and can't see them employing a manager who can't speak English.

goose 11:09 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

Conte is the man for the job. Hopefully they don't realise this as I enjoy watching them piss money up the wall every summer.

stewie griffin 11:02 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

Pochettino is a loser

Failed to win the French league. Laughable

Sven Roeder 9:28 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

Said when Tottenham sacked Pochettino that Man U should have sacked OGS the next day and appointed him.
Dithered and have paid the price

Imagine Pochettino will get the sack if he doesnt win the Champions League with Messi, Neymar & MBappe so may well be available for next season.

OGS has had a knack of pulling out a result when the rumblings start and they go to Spurs on Saturday.
Quite happy for them to win there and keep him in the job for a bit longer yet.

british is best 7:04 Wed Oct 27
Re: Saturday football

I think pochettino will take over at the mancs . He's made it known that he wants it apparently .

Leeshere 5:24 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Wouldn’t be surprised if Zidane became Man Utd manager, managed Ronaldo for a number of years.

SUM A DING WONG 12:19 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Romfordboy,

Bit of wishful thinking there, mate. They recently beat their record for not being beaten away from home. That's hardly mediocrity. Yes, they're behind Chelsea, Man City & Liverpool -but they're absolute machines. They're underachieving - but their underachievement is still better than most teams 'best'.

Of course, I'd love you to be right with regards to a top manager not wanting to go there - I just find it hard to believe that at least one top manger wouldn't want to manage them.

Sir Alf 11:49 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Graham Potter would be a good shout or Thomas from Brentford perhaps but like Moyes, neither would be given the time needed as its a culture change that is required. The value of a well organised, drilled team cannot be underestimated and you wonder what Ole and his back room staff are doing? Maybe as Moyes says its about getting players with the correct attitude and not a bunch self entitled prima donnas who don't think they need to be coached?

Romfordboy 10:49 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

I would argue they have been mediocre since fergie left and their transfer policy is about buying for pr purposes instead of building a team

Trouble is no top manager will go there until they can control transfers which is unlikely to happen

SUM A DING WONG 10:21 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

I'm not sure if Man U being smashed at home by Liverpool is a good thing for us.

Their squad is excellent, but OGS is managing to have them fuck up, and underacheive - giving us a fighting chance of catching them. I know, I'm clutching at straws, but, fuck it, it's something to aim for with all the pressure being on Man U.

OGS days are probably numbered, so I imagine the next bloke to come in would be a top, top manager. If this happens, I don't think I'll have a straw, let alone any straws to clutch at!

Mike Oxsaw 9:34 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

The BBC seem distraught that their darlings got tonked - all that expense of moving to Manchester from London and it ends up like this? Can they come back home now?

How can the team that evolved from the Busby Babes, generating so much air time for them, be treated so callously? What has happened to respect within the game? What has happened to "knowing your place"?

So, where do Man U turn? All the best managers are taken (3 by their main rivals) and Newcastle will be waving a cheque book at the best of the rest.

They actually had the perfect man to restore their glory at their helm but both fans and the board gave him no time: they wanted instant success. Moyes doesn't work like that.

We had best hope that he - once again - isn't tempted to go back and finish what he started before being released.

Man United's history is a shade more glorious than ours (although they haven't won the world cup), to which it must be very tempting to add your name; it's also possible that a bright new chapter of our own history is about to unfurl before our very eyes and he sees that as his path forward.

I suspect that breaths are being bated in several locations.

But, other than Moyes, who else is available? BFS???

Leeshere 3:41 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Man Utd’s next three games are Tottenham away, Atalanta away and Man City at home. Talk about pressure for Solskjaer.

, 1:52 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

What results and performances, when was the last time two teams in the top eight got hit for five goals at home the same weekend?

Capitol Man 1:43 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Carrick would seem to be better set for this that Solskeajr.

gph 1:38 Mon Oct 25
Re: Saturday football

Waking nightmare - Michael Carrick takes over at ManU, proves to be a great manager for them.

The final installment of the Carrick deal.

boleyn8420 9:18 Sun Oct 24
Re: Saturday football

Entitled fans no 1. O
Entitled fans no 2. 5

What a bunch of cunts, followed shortly by Entitled fans no 3. Murdering Saudi's

Alfs 9:09 Sun Oct 24
Re: Saturday football

I listened to the Liverpool game whilst taking the dog for a long walk in the rain. Cheered me up no end.

Ole Gonna in the morning.

The Stoat 9:06 Sun Oct 24
Re: Saturday football

Mike Oxsaw 8:53 Sun Oct 24

:-)

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