Premier League — Matchweek 2

And, on a lighter note, Brentford…….,

Good odds on both Giggs and Utd to go down

Honestly think DeGea is on the take. Directly responsible for all 3 Brentford goals.

Smells fishy. He's just letting goals in. Why?

Just wow.

Everton are assured 19th! Man Utd will finish dead last if they keep this shite up!

We think we are bad – Man Utd 4 goals down – and it is not even half-time yet!!

United fans not afraid to hoist protest banners even when the game's on a knife edge!

Puts our problems into perspective, doesn't it?

They've spent hundreds of millions on defenders and can't defend. They've also spent a fortune on sulky attackers who don't understand the concept of a team, and then there is McFred.

Steve Walsh isn't working there by any chance is he?

Brentford play like they have 15 on the pitch, whereas for us it's more like 6...

Man Utd four-nil down at half-time to Brentford.

I wonder if their supporters have got them bang on for a relegation fight?

Just a thought.

Love that 4th Brentford goal, wow!

Not exactly Route One but a demonstration of how to get the ball up the field... no messing.

Just a whiff of Whataboutism there, don't you think, Brian?

Man Utd losing 4-0 to Brentford is entertaining but it has no bearing on Everton fans and how they may react to losing their first two eminently winnable games of the season.

Brian #9

Probably not but perhaps if United had also escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season... they might?

Brentford (and Brighton) showing how proper teams are built. You don't have to throw billions at it, you need square pegs in square holes, a plan and commitment. Moneyball.

Maybe we could prise Ten Hag away from Man Utd?

Ten Hag is now trending as Ten Nil and Ten weeks. Whichever comes first.

Brentford will shank us also in 2 weeks time.

Nick, spot on. But the difference being Frank and Potter have been at their respective clubs a few seasons now. And when I say 'Frank', I mean the Brentford gaffer.

Our Frank has been here 5 minutes, and has got to be given time. He'll get it right, of that I'm sure.

To be fair I mentioned the Brentford gaffer a few times last season when a certain Spanish chap was struggling.

That said, Nick, you're right – there's players out there. You've got to be savvy and streetwise.

Watching Man United on MotD. Suddenly I'm not so depressed.

Shouldn't laugh!

West Ham looking just a little rattled as Forest pile on the pressure in the first 15 minutes. This high-tempo attacking football seems rather rash, not something I'm all that familiar with (thank you, Frank) and indeed the Hammers come closest.

Interesting one for the students of the VAR. West Ham score but Antonio took out a Forest defender who was moving to block or challenge the crucial pass through to Benrahma. No goal. I think that was actually the right decision.

And Forest then bundle one in at the other end!

Well I think that goal for West Ham was wrongly chalked off. It was just a collision between Antonio and the Forest defender, who couldn't have had any say on defending the goal whatsoever. Meanwhile Forest take the lead.

Michael, I don't think Antonio “took him out”. The pair of them just collided, with the defender going down. Harsh decision.

I think if he doesn't raise his arms I'd agree with you Rob. But he blocked the run to potentially tackle.

The Forest goal. Talk about it not mattering how they go in. All about being in the right place. Striker instinct.

Danny, that was such a flukey goal, I couldn't see something like that going in for us in a thousand years.

Yesterday, Rondon and Onana had much more decent attempts in the last 5 minutes, but then it didn't go our way.

Memories of the City Ground. The uncovered corner next to the floodlight. And the shed like home end that was very noisy.

Last time I was there I think Ferguson scored and I was in the home stand. The one that's been there for years before the other redevelopment was done.

2-0. Will be ruled out for offside though.

Rightfully offside, Rob.

Agree, Ajay. Flukes, but he's in the right place to get his luck.

I think if West Ham hadn't scored it may have been given as a foul on Antonio.

Could be justified either way but like some I would just mark it as a collision and not a foul.

Could be a penalty for West Ham and red card for McKenna.

Penalty given but why only a yellow?

Missed by Declan Rice. Dean Henderson is having a blinder.

Isn't it the double jeopardy rule, Rob? I don't profess to be an expert but didn't they stop giving reds ifa penalty was awarded as it was deemed punishment enough????

Is that the rule, Rob? Seems harsh. Double jeopardy and whatnot.

Danny,

I believe it wasn't red because Henderson would have saved it; if not, it was a definite red.

I don't know, Danny. Surely he denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity?

Maybe because the goalkeeper was right behind McKenna and probably would have saved it, but McKenna was not to know that?

Richarlison starts on the bench for Spurs.

Rob, trains and planes aside, maybe catch you for a swift one when we play Forest home?!

And they say footie is a simple game. Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that referees appear to be so inconsistent when crucial decisions like these can go either way, even with the benefit of the VAR and his telly?

I think the automatic red for obvious goal-scoring opportunity only applies outside the box now. In the box, pen and booking. Dangerous play/bad foul could still lead to red in box, as anywhere on pitch.

Will be in the usual watering hole Danny!!

Looks like we're staying out of the bottom three at least...

Good win for Forest.

My heart bleeds for the poor old West Ham manager.

Michael, was just cutting onions so hard to tell how I feel.

You have to laugh Sky now awarding player of the match instead of Man of the Match, just what are we becoming.

I was there when Cloughie's has-beens and journeymen came up from the second division and tore us a new one. This lot are nowhere near that team but they could stay up.

Bottom 3:

Everton
WHU
Man U

Ha, Will. Good one.

I missed that Kevin. The future is here.

C'mon, Colin, surely the bookies have Palace to lose their next fixture?

Might be torn cheering them on tomorrow.

Kevin - No!

- but I'm only surprised it's taken this long. Now as Idiocracy gets slithered into everywhere, all will get to see.

Wait til the pronouns arrive.

It's early days Michael but I'll still be cheering on Palace tomorrow.

Bottom 4:

Liverpool
Everton
WHU
Man U

They were discussing about one of the West Ham players catching one in the short and curlies and saying all men know what that feels like and I thought, I bet behind the scenes someone is saying its not only men that have bollocks!!

Kevin :-)

They're not men, they're non-birthing people.

Exactly, how dare they call us men (in a Greta type frown).

Non birthing player of the match, has a ring to it.

I wonder how Richi will feel not being a regular starter?
Can't see him being happy with that tbh.
He'll be back in January on a cut price deal. 😉

Apparently, the Notts Forrest owner is a bit dodgy. I can't say anymore but needless to say, he went to the Putin school for handling enemies.

Yes if Spurs keep playing well and have no inuries he'll be restricted to League and FA Cup games and dead rubbers in the Champions League.

First twenty minutes shows how well we did on the opening day against Chelsea all things considered because they're playing Spurs off the park. Or were they just shite against us?

We should've broken the bank for that old codger, with no sell-on- value, Koulibaly.

Koulibaly. My 2 year scratched record.

I always knew it was the transfer window when we were linked with him. On the upside we've saved enough money for a another couple of defensive midfielders!!

Not surprised by the Forest win, give Moyes some money and he's like a kid in a candy store.

WH won't be as good this season imo. Odd additions to the squad, aka Moyes with money - doesn't know what to do with it. Won't be near the bottom but will finish lower than last term.

We were linked to both Koulibaly and Silva when Carlo was the boss. I'm sure if the money had been made available he could've convinced both of them to come to Goodison.

All conjecture now as Carlo left as did the money.

Colin, earlier than that, it got to the point where we reputedly offered £40 mil. for Koulibaly but apparently Napoli said 44 or 48, I forget which.

Kevin, Greta to award a season's end prize for lowest-carbon earth non-destroying, minimum meat-eating, most travelled by cycle, climate crisis hero non-birthing person footballer (he/him).

Will, not the most outrageous thing I've heard this week!!

Quality here, Chelsea - Spurs is obviously at a high level: but what has happened to balls into the box and set pieces? Barely seeing decent deliveries any more from most teams.

Kevin, I don't have the ability to imagine or invent anything as outrageous as the current reality.

Here's the Lad...

So neither of these Top 6 teams really altering their subs strategies with the new rule.

Richarlison on just before the hour mark. I expected to see a lot more half-time tactical subs but it seems to have been used so far mainly for stupid time wasting.

Colin @55

Apparently the Forest owner is a Greek and something of a philanthropist. No mention of Putin on his Wiki account.

Kulusevski, Son, Kane & Richy. I'd be happy with one of them.

Ray, there was a piece in one of the papers about a court case he was involved in. Apparently, 10 witnesses all suffered fatal accidents.

No sniper shots at him so far... Conte been on his case?

This new policy of letting some obvious fouls go is gonna backfire by the look of this.

If this had been Everton, the goal would not stand because of Richarlison being offside.

Michael, both paragraphs true.

Tuchel was not happy with Conte's celebration. 😁😁😁

Or was it the fact that Tuchel thought there was a foul on Havertz in the lead up to the spurs goal?

Oh dear... Hospital pass from Richarlison caused the turnover that led directly to the Chelsea goal.

Colin@72, can't find any Putin links but he's been investigated for match-fixing but:

"In January 2021 and after 10 witnesses of the case have already died, and after reviewing the case, the judge came to the conclusion that there was no evidence implicating Marinakis."

Also unproven drug trafficking allegations but certainly a philanthropist. Makes Usmanov look like Doris Day.

Chelsea bringing on the player Everton interested in, Broja.

I wonder if this is a sign he is not for sale?

Red cards for Conte and Tuchel. 😀😀😀

Ha ha ha... Tasty at the end, Conte and Tuchel both at it, both see red as the mist descends.

My my... this derby game is getting rather feisty. I seen a red card from the referee at the end, not sure one or both managers got them.

Philanthropy is a barely applicable word for the way many of these types "Give" their money. Always in areas in which control and progression of agenda is sought, and always with tax and other benefits.

Bill, I thought he came on because there might have been a danger of Havertz getting sent off. He was having a running battle with Romero, and had already been booked.

Ray, the Putin reference was just about how witnesses seem to conveniently kick the bucket. 10!

How bad is Anthony Taylor as a ref? That pull on Cucurella's hair was almost as bad as Carra trying to strangle Lescott.

OK Colin, I get what you mean now.
That should have been at least a card re the hair pulling incident but I suppose because the ball wasn't in play the corner was allowed to be taken. Chelsea the better side though.

Ray, the pull on Curceralla's hair should have led to a Chelsea free kick, ergo no Spurs goal, I don't think the ball has to be live for Taylor to give that, and it was VAR spotted.

If Richarlison was playing for Everton, then I personally think he might have been interfering with play whilst in an offside position, and the first Spurs goal would not have been given.

Jeff, I wasn't sure if the ball wasn't 'live' then a free kick couldn't be given. However, if Cucurella had been given a smack a red card would have been permitted so you're probably right. Refereeing error.

Chelsea absolutely robbed.

Havertz clearly fouled in the build-up to Spurs' first equalizer, Richarlison clearly blocking the goalie's view in an offside position. And as for the hair pull on Cucurella well that's a red and a free-kick all day and Tuchel agrees with me. Lol

I think the only thing more depressing than Everton's start to the season is that the same faces are still creating the narrative on Sky.

Jay, agree that Richarlison was offside in the line of sight sufficiently for that to be offside.

It's fair enough that they can talk to Tuchel, but when are these referees going to be interviewed on a regular basis?

Havertz was not fouled! Player won the ball first.

Funny how Havertz and Richarlison always want a foul when they lose possession.

Tuchel is a first class idiot and makes Mourinho look like a saint.

Brent, I remember us “scoring a goal”, but then ruled out because we had a player sitting on the deck in an “Offside position”, even though the ball was deflected by a defender that took the ball away from the goalkeeper.

I suppose it all depends on who you are, and who you score these type of goals against!

Tony, I haven't bought the red Echo for years but, when I did, it usually ended up on that silver stand next to the toilet!

Too right, Rob. I'm sure we'd be allowed that goal as well but poor old rs would be victimised. Well, maybe not.

Saw you at the game yesterday, Rob. Top tier, Block P9. You looked as hot as I felt. I was too knackered to wave!

Tom, I suggest you look at it again from a different angle. The Spurs player never got near the ball and clearly brought Havertz down. It was the way Havertz kicked the ball that made it look as if the Spurs player got a touch.

Rob, that was against Man Utd and Sigurdsson was flat out on the ground and couldn't possibly have interfered with the goalie's line of vision.

Corruption rules, I'm afraid.

Tuchel has definitely said enough today to be brought before the FA, over his comments regarding the referee, but I'm not sure if Man City have been charged for their supporters running on the pitch at the end of last season. We will see

I remember Conte well as a player, and I think Tuchel's out of his mind trying to get physical with him. Conte would snap him in half like a tongue depressor.

Watching back the highlights this morning and the media reaction, I couldn't help thinking that the BBC and Sky actually enjoyed it.

Remember those staged Big Daddy versus Giant Haystacks wrestling matches back in the day and the follow on WWF? It was almost that. Staged for the cameras.

Grow up, gentlemen, and go and have your egos massaged.

I don't know why I watch it but I do.

30 years self congratulatory high fives from Sky to themselves even though the English league has existed since 1888.

They being subject to that song and the customary self appreciation as they clap themselves at the conclusion.

Zaha 1-0.

How sad, Rob. Well taken goal.

Brent, have you seen the news on Fleetwood tickets, or are you not bothering going?

Rob, I've entered the ballot. Fingers crossed. And you?

Same. We've done a group of four, the usual lads who go, so either we all get one, or none of us gets one.

FFS, bad first touch by Zaha, otherwise he was in for number two.

Does it work that way, Rob? All or nothing?

Don't take this the wrong way, Rob, but if none of you get one, more chance for me!

Brent, I find it hard to believe there are over 1100 with 25 credits from last season.

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing to enter as a group? Say only one gets drawn in the ballot, and the other three don't, at least as a group we can all be happy or miserable.

More the point, will those successful in the ballot have it count towards this season's credits, or will it simply be a one-off?

A winger playing at centre-forward puts Palace 1 up at Anfield.

Rob, my guess is that getting a ticket would count as a credit to add to the rest of the season's credits. Similar to getting credit when you get one of the small number of Brentford or Bournemouth tickets.

As you say, you can all be miserable or all be happy. Credit where credit is due, eh.

Shite down to 10 men. Darwin Nunez shown straight red for a head butt.

isn't this great! Liverpool down 1 goal; star man straight red – misses next 3 games.

Bingo will be getting colic!

1-1. Have to say, great goal by Diaz

Shit Palace let a Liverpool player go past about 7 men and score.

How stupid to head butt like that.

Rob, he should have been stopped they had enough men between him and the goal when he got the ball out on the left side, they most probably will be given a penalty soon.

Silly reaction and red all day.

Great goal for the equaliser to be fair.

Free kick given for exactly what Mings done to Anthony Gordon on Saturday. Consistency? Villa got a goal kick.

Bill, yeah he probably should have been stopped, but it was still a good finish. You're right though, there will be a RS penalty soon, and probably an evening up of numbers.

Wonder when Klopp will be putting his submarine captain's hat on screaming "Dive! Dive! Dive!"

Think I'm right in saying Nunez will miss the derby match?

Our kid has just texted me.

He's put 㿀 on them getting a penalty in the last 10 minutes.

Rob, we've got Forest, Brentford, Leeds first?

Course, Brent. I forgot about the midweek games.

Left foot and that's a goal.

FFS, Zaha misses an open goal.

What are we saying… 7 minutes added-on time.

Well, Man City will be happy!

So, if results go the right way this weekend, Liverpool will be in the bottom three. Big relegation clash next weekend between the red teams.

Bottom 3 contains David Moyes's current club and 2 of his former ones.

I wonder if that's the first time that happened?

Liverpool didn't do much when they had 11 men then they scored a terrific goal and went close with two good efforts with 10 men, although Palace could have won it with that great chance missed by Zaha.

Paul, someone, somewhere on the planet, probably won a tenner on that...

I like the banter, but it still dismays me that the pundits make a big deal out of the league table before Christmas.

Arsenal this time last season.

Everton in 84-85 after 2 games.

Managers sacked by October.

See you all next Saturday!!

Joachim Andersen, the Crystal Palace defender involved in the RS player Nunez sending off last night, has been receiving abusive and even death threats on Instagram, from, I assume, RS fans.

They are the most vile scumbag shithouses on the face of this earth.

Rob, nothing surprises me anymore from that lot. Not all of them, not most of them. But boy they have their share.

Paul 131

I remember Pardew bouncing between Charlton and WHU in bottom three and Billy McNeil managing City and Villa in the same season with both relegated. But I'd bet someone among Hughes, Fat Sam, Pulis, etc was around when three of their clubs were in the bottom three.

Bit off track but has anyone read various media defending Nunez and also Anderson receiving over 300 death threats.

Best one goes to the Mirror, I still feel he didn't actually mean to head but Anderson, wheeled around and did not realise defender was right behind him, went to put head in yes but no head butt.

Ok it has nothing to do with Everton, but the press went to town on Ferguson, who got sent to prison, they were always on Richarlison case calling him a diver, yet no mention of Salah diving.

You can be sure before long, it will actually be Anderson's fault.

So let's just see if Nunez gets a lengthy ban he deserves.

I will not hold my breath.

Brian W, reading the back pages today I thought they were going to reconvene the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal. It's so OTT when it comes to that shower.

Did anyone see Josh Bowler's goal for Blackpool tonight? It was a cracker. What a pity that he never got a chance with our first team.

Ed, Bowler was only ever going to get good by leaving. He was miles off being good enough for our first team when he left. Fair play to him for knuckling down and making a career at Blackpool though.

Robert,

Bowler wasn't miles off being ready for the first team when he left, but he missed most of his final season with injury just when it looked like he was starting to make real progress.

I don't know whether the club offered him another contract extension or not - or whether he moved to Blackpool because it was his best option, but he's got a great left foot and is one of the best ball-carriers I've seen come through our junior sides in recent years.

With a bit more luck, he'd still be here and could have broken into our first team by now. I expect to see him in the Premier League at some point soon.

Robert,

Josh Bowler played well enough at QPR for us to buy him when he was 18. He under-performed in our U23s and now he is playing well for Blackpool.

Could it be anything to do with coaching?

Elon musk apparently sniffing around Man Utd. Why doesn't he take their bi-polar lookalike at L4? As long as he brings his own CEO etc.

After reading some of the earlier comments about Josh Bowler, I went on YouTube.

Wow! What a sensational player. Goals and assists galore. A left footed player with a great right foot also. Unlike many modern players, he stays on his feet when hit, which enables him to go on those mazy runs.

So two questions. How on earth did we let him go? Secondly, can we bring him back?

Link

Barry, I thought he was the best forward on the pitch when he played in an U21s cup final. He looked pretty good causing us trouble, from what I saw of the friendly against Blackpool. Good second question, mate!

Barry,

I've seen the goals on the link and i'm stunned. He strikes the ball from distance and better than Calvert-Lewinshoots and Everton (in their wisdom) let his contract run out (as far as I know). It makes no sense who stays and who goes. For example Tom Davies has been dining out on 1 goal v City over 5 years ago.

I'm getting more disillusioned by the decisions this wretched club make week by week. How can a Premier Leage club be run so unprofessionally and with no clear direction or strategy.

"How can a premier league club be run so unprofessionally and with no clear direction or strategy."

Dunno, Joe... deliberately?

Wouldn't it be good if Sir Jim of Ineos decided to buy us...

Nunez could face a longer ban if the FA increase his charge; if not his first game back will be against Everton.

With Jota and Firminho injured, anyone want to bet against him only getting a three-match ban.

Brian,

Poor Klopp is really in a tough spot. Every time they have a game the opponents only care about themselves.

You've got goalies trying to stop their shots, players even trying to score in the Liverpool goal. Now refs are going send people off for head butts, it's really unfair.