Football Thread | June 20 | You'll Never Walk Alone... except when lifting the title.

By batong_doicare Go To PostAll I got from that vid is that West Haram is fucked*




*hopefully.

By NinjaFridge Go To PostBut what's one meal going to do m8? And how will this teach their parents make better choices like not being poor in a recession?

Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal
Even before a lockdown during which he received a stern talking to from Arsenal for standing too close to his valet and then appearing to inhale nitrous oxide from a balloon, this has been a challenging campaign for Lacazette. After entering it as Arsenal’s player of the season, an early ankle injury stripped his confidence bare. His struggles in front of goal led to a nine-game drought until February, made worse by the fact that his presence shifted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the flank. This seems like an important opportunity for him to return with a clean slate and provide Mikel Arteta with some enthusiasm for his future at the club. Otherwise there will be many questions.

Jack Grealish, Aston Villa
After making an ill-advised trip to a friend’s house, crashing into two parked cars and, worst of all, walking around in mismatched slippers, Grealish was surely relieved to watch the focus shift in early April as Kyle Walker’s sex party and defiant response became the lockdown-breaching story du jour. Walker’s transgressions were messier, but perhaps Grealish’s were more revealing. The playmaker’s unprofessionalism during his youth is well documented and he was already approaching a pivotal stage in his career. This has been a tremendous season for him, and he will now look to lead Aston Villa away from relegation with the possibility of a big transfer and a potential England spot on the horizon. Now is the time for him to show that lockdown was just a lapse and even better things are to come.

Paul Pogba, Manchester United
Pogba has barely said a word or kicked a ball this season, yet somehow drama still follows him. After months of his agent, Mino Raiola, throwing verbal punches while Pogba received incessant criticism from Graeme Souness and others, the midfielder spoke with clarity in April about his problems. His explanation to the United podcast of his foot fracture, surgery and subsequent bone growth was not nearly as dramatic as the preceding events and elicited sympathy. After months without competing, Pogba has the opportunity to string some games together and put his career back on the right path. There will be much speculation about big clubs circling and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s plans. The onus is on him to produce the form worthy of all the talk.

Tanguy Ndombele, Tottenham
Before sports came to a halt, José Mourinho finally made his thoughts on Tanguy Ndombele clear as he heaped blame on Tottenham’s £55m record signing after their 1-1 draw with Burnley. “I have to say he has had enough time to come to a different level,” said Mourinho. This has been an uncomfortable adjustment for Ndombele, who has completed a full Premier League game only once since the second match of the campaign. Mourinho’s comments about the 23-year-old seemed to be an attempt to force better performances and the Portuguese even broke lockdown rules for their personal fitness session. However, Mourinho’s patience is notoriously short. Now would be a good time for Ndombele to start showing what he can do.

Joelinton, Newcastle
Joelinton was a low-profile player in the Austrian Bundesliga until a couple of years ago. Now he is the £40m record signing for one of the Premier League’s bigger clubs. Throughout his first season at Newcastle the burden of such a sharp rise has been clear. Steve Bruce has switched him from No 9 to the left flank and back again with only one league goal and some dire performances to show for it. Newcastle fans are frustrated. Perhaps this break will have given him an opportunity to reset, to link up better with his teammates and to find some peace in the upcoming fan-free games.

Jordan Pickford, Everton
The two years since Pickford’s grand performances for England at the World Cup in Russia have not been ideal. Slapstick errors have become far too familiar a sight, especially against the biggest teams. No player in the Premier League has made more errors leading to goals since August 2018. The suspension of the European Championship finals provides Pickford with more time to re-establish himself as the clear first-choice goalkeeper for Gareth Southgate – but he is going to have to start now.

By n8 dogg Go To PostThe classism on show is genuinely gobsmacking. Would be one thing if parents were getting chastised and reminded of the availability of birth control when there wasn't hundreds of thousands out of jobs or on less pay because of Covid, but now…

By Laboured Go To PostUnsurprisingly Tory response from an England Rugby Union player.

https://twitter.com/Courtney_Lawes/status/1272898268310245382?s=20

By Cleff Go To PostTweet won't load for me but I fucken knew it would be Courtney Lawes.

Edit: Ahh, he's deleted it fairly sharpish. Dickhead.

Dijon confirm they are not activating the €5m purchase option on Juventus striker Stephy Mavididi because ‘we need players who want to fight for our club.’

By inky Go To PostFlamps is a Tory too right? I wonder what he's thinking.

By Meier Go To Post
You love to see it.

By NinjaFridge Go To PostDe Gea injured in warm-up

By NinjaFridge Go To PostThese kids are going to grow up thinking that helping starving people is a good thing

By Kidjr Go To PostIf loose by less than four goals based on what I've seen I'll be a happy man.

By n8 dogg Go To Post

By Kidjr Go To PostIf loose by less than four goals based on what I've seen I'll be a happy man.