Season › 2024-25 › General Forum Premier League — Matchweek 3 By Michael Kenrick 30/08/2025 152 Comments [Jump to last] Only 6 of this weekend's 10 Premier League games are slated for broadcast live in the UK, with 4 games in the 3 pm blackout slot: Saturday 30 August 202512:30 Chelsea v Fulham — TNT Sports 1 15:00 Manchester Utd v Burnley 15:00 Sunderland v Brentford15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth 15:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton17:30 Leeds Utd v Newcastle Utd — Sky Sports Sunday 31 August 202514:00 Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester City — Sky Sports14:00 Nottingham Forest v West Ham Utd — Sky Sports16:30 Liverpool v Arsenal — Sky Sports19:00 Aston Villa v Crystal Palace — Sky Sports Reader Comments (152) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Michael Kenrick 1 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:37:43 Delap looking pretty lively for the Chavs in that No 9 shirt... Peter Moore 2 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:41:59 Quality player Delap. Perhaps if we were further along in our 'Project', we may have snared him. A sign of confidence that he chose the now World Champions Chelsea over us, though they were not World Champions at the time of his signing of course. Chelsea are above us in the food chain of course. We would have to reverse time 40 years to be able to reverse the pulling power of us and Chelsea sadly. Onwards and upwards now though for us! COYB. Jake FitzGerald 3 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:44:02 His hamstring's gone. Bill Gall 4 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:45:57 Looks like Delap's day is over, possible hamstring? Michael Kenrick 5 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:46:35 Oh dear, that's tough.Who the heck is George? Jack Convery 6 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:47:34 Moyesiah breathes a sigh of relief. He could have been here and done that.Fulham have bought 1 player - a goalie for £400,000 - No wonder Silva is doing his nut. Jack Convery 7 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:51:29 A cracker that. Dale Self 8 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:53:40 Good work in the midfield to release that attack. My Chelsea and Arse friends are getting on my nerves. Marco doing it again at Chelsea. What crap, Chalobah couldn't get to the ball and stood too close. Michael Kenrick 9 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:54:50 Really good goal by the 18-year-old Josh King.A travesty if this gets ruled off. VAR acting for the Big Clubs again.Accidental, surely. Michael Kenrick 10 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:56:13 What an absolute disgrace. Ajay Gopal 11 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:57:21 How was that a ‘clear and obvious error' for VAR to get involved. It is a shame that goal is disallowed. Terrible decision! Jack Convery 12 Posted 30/08/2025 at 12:58:06 Corrupt - an excuse to give a SLY SIX team a leg up Really wondering why we bother. VAR needs to go. Bill Gall 13 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:03:09 What is it, a contact or no-contact sport? It seems that the game is just getting decided by someone in a studio. Disgraceful call, about time referees stood by their decisions. Jack Convery 14 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:05:13 What the fuck is a careless tackle?That's why the ref ruled it out. Jack Convery 15 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:14:40 How close was the ref, when it happened. Chalobah cocked up and knew it. Colin Glassar 16 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:34:03 Its becoming next to impossible to score against the sly six. Every goal is examined in minute detail, and in SLO-MO to boot, so theyll always find an excuse to rule out a goal.I love the game but hate everything else about it, from commentary, pundits, corruption, shite refs, var etc… theyve killed the game. Jack Convery 17 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:39:39 Colin you forgot to mention the RS, when it comes to things you hate! Colin Glassar 18 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:40:42 Thats a given, Jack. Liam Mogan 19 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:49:36 I hate VAR Michael Kenrick 20 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:50:38 And this one will be given as a penalty.What a fucking Sly Six homer — and after Jaoa Pedro controls the ball with his hand! Utterly contemptible. Jack Convery 21 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:53:56 Now a pen for CFC. Though Iwobi may have been fouled beforehand.Pundirs saying we don't know what's going on. They do but no one's got the gonads to call it out - CORRUPTION. The SLY SIX must qualify for Europe or they'll be off. Liam Mogan 22 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:54:29 I remember when I played football.Coaches were always saying 'make your silhouette bigger' 🙄Absolute nonsense. You raise your leg, your arm will naturally raise, unless you act like a penguin. It's getting boring now. Fathoming intent from slow mo and stills Eric Myles 23 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:54:50 Was obviously a penalty if ours against Leeds was Liam Mogan 24 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:56:33 That wasn't a penalty either Eric Colin Glassar 25 Posted 30/08/2025 at 13:57:04 They may as well give the sly 6 a two goal advantage before the games even start. PSR and VAR were created to protect the cartel from intruders.I still remember the John Terry goal against us after about three minutes beyond the time added on. The ref literally played on until Chelsea scored. Sickening Jack Convery 26 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:01:29 Interestingly, this is the third time in three matches VAR have ruled out a goal in Chelsea's favour but it is the first one which has done so in such controversial fashion. From BBC. James Marshall 27 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:01:58 This Chelsea game is a joke. The Fulham goal should have been given, there's no way that was a foul in the build up. 9 minutes extra time and then the penalty was ridiculous. Joao Pedro fucking handballed it first!!I hate to say it but it does feel rigged. Even Joe Cole is saying how awful the decisions have been.Football is completely ruined by VAR Ian Bennett 28 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:03:50 Ive said it before. But var is just a way to raise the bar to make it harder to beat the sly 6.You're playing against 15 men with the officials never going against the favoured teams. Jack Convery 29 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:06:00 We can get rid of VAR tomorrow. Everybody send their SKY contract back and stop watching until VAR goes. Bobby Mallon 30 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:15:12 Colin @ 25 I remember that also. I still remember the John Terry goal against us after about three minutes beyond the time added on. The ref literally played on until Chelsea scored. Sickening Jack Convery 31 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:20:02 3 pens awarded against Fulham in 3 games. That stat will never be repeated by a SLY SIX club. Andy Meighan 32 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:24:44 VAR was brought in to protect the brand, nothing else.As someone earlier pointed out, could you imagine the 6 twats getting 3 pens awarded against them in 3 successive games? Wouldn't happen. Cue us conceding our 3rd in a row today.As Colin said, love the game but hate the shite that surrounds it.Corrupt. Raymond Fox 33 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:24:57 Jack, can you imagine the moaning about wrong offside decisions and balls out of play if they did away with VAR.There would be riots every week. James Marshall 34 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:31:11 Raymond, we played for about 100 years with no VAR. I don't remember any riots, just discussion. In fact, I remember less discussion before VAR.All we have now is surgical dissection of every minute detail. It's bullshit. Rob Hooton 35 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:32:02 Jack, there's always a chance that we'll have 3 against us in 3 games today too!VAR is as bent as a nine Bob note. When Chelsea scored their second against West Ham, there was a blatant foul on a WHU defender in the buildup, but no VAR to help the non-Sly 6 clubs. Liam Mogan 36 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:32:31 VAR was brought in, in theory, to stop poor decisions and reduce subjectivity.If anything, it's made things worse, like James says. There are also other unplanned consequences – like not being able to fully celebrate when you score as you are unsure for around 50% goals if they will stand.It's absolute rubbish. Dale Self 37 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:35:28 Marco is pissed off! James Marshall 38 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:36:55 FIFA have ruined the game with VAR. It's all about sponsors and money, nothing else matters.It's about making money from the product, and we're all pawns in the game handing over our hard-earned tokens for the system.Fuck FIFA. Fuck the Premier League. Colin Glassar 39 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:38:55 Time for a manager to pull his team off the pitch to protest these biased officials? Its so blatant them protecting their “top 6” teams. Take the hit but someone has to lead the rebellion. James Marshall 40 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:46:16 Nobody will though, Colin. It's more than their jobs are worth.FIFA's big hand has always been the devotion of supporters cursed with following a football club and the people who work in the game have their hands tied.It would be the footballing equivalent of political suicide. Remember, even the clubs voted for VAR. Bobby Mallon 41 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:49:30 Raymond 33 really riots. We had no riots before var and won't if it goes. I really don't get why teams voted for it. Kevin Naylor 42 Posted 30/08/2025 at 14:56:44 Just watched my now local team Tadley on the BBC playing in an FA Cup qualifier. 4-2, no VAR no feigning injury, a proper football game. Sadly that now gone from the top flight games. Colin Glassar 43 Posted 30/08/2025 at 18:33:11 I know, James, but something has to change. Raymond Fox 44 Posted 30/08/2025 at 19:38:31 James and Bobby, riots was a bit over the top on my part but the media go over every incident minutely instantly now.Back in the day they didn't have the technology, if you went to a game most of the time you hadn't a clue if the player was on side or not and you probably never knew.Its the VAR officials who are the problem. Colin Glassar 45 Posted 30/08/2025 at 19:42:12 DCL looks great in the Real Madrid kit. It suits him. He won more headers in 20 mins than Beto and Barry have combined all season. Tony Abrahams 46 Posted 30/08/2025 at 22:31:55 People talking about VAR, doesnt surprise me one bit. Ive got the United v Burnley game on the telly for some unknown reason, and watching the referee giving a penalty to the home side, is another of those very subjective (depending on the team) decisions imo.Definitely a shirt pull, definitely stupid, but because there was no real danger and the shirt pull started outside the area, the decision to award a penalty didnt make sense, and would have seen a free kick awarded to most teams, but not every team.I just hope Everton improve, (otherwise I might just stop watching top level football altogether) because we have conceded two penalties in consecutive league games before today, for very similar subjective decisions, that would have surely resulted in us getting a penalty today, if wed had a different referee?ITS BLACK AND WHITE - DONT TRY TO HIDE IT🤷♂️🤦♂️ Mick O'Malley 47 Posted 31/08/2025 at 10:26:37 Give me mistakes made by humans any day of the week, there's more controversy now about decisions than before VAR was introduced, goals today being disallowed because someone's elbow or kneecap was offside, it's absolutely ridiculous the lengths they go to to disallow goals, everything looks worse in slow motion, that Fulham goal was the lads first in the PL and for it to be chalked off for that is disgraceful, it makes games endless with all the forensic analysis, please bin VAR Mark Murphy 48 Posted 31/08/2025 at 10:43:08 Totally agree MickAs someone whoIs still traumatised by that Welsh twats decision in 77 Id prefer even that to this corrupt, joy sucking, VAR shite! Andrew Merrick 49 Posted 31/08/2025 at 11:09:25 The bottom line for me is that VAR has not improved anything, all it does is interrupt the game and kills the joy of the moments we love.VAR is ruinous, its leaves us all rueing it, get rid! James Marshall 50 Posted 31/08/2025 at 11:15:28 Sadly the genie is out of the bottle - there's money in VAR now so the likelihood of it ever being removed is pretty much zero.Did you know that in part, clubs pay for VAR? And some of the gate receipts are even used to cover the costs, so not only do the vast majority of fans appear to hate it, we fucking pay for it! Kevin Molloy 51 Posted 31/08/2025 at 11:24:42 VAR is a reminder that we the people are irrelevant. It doesn't matter that we're right, that VAR is an abomination, that's part of the lesson we re being taught. It's a humiliation ritual. Let's take the game you adore, and then stop you celebrating goals. How about that. And if you don't like it, there's the door. Christine Foster 52 Posted 31/08/2025 at 11:30:34 VAR was brought in not to referee games but to provide clarity on decisions made and let the referee review if need be.That's not how its used though. Its clear that VAR cannot use other referees to adjudicate decisions or add their opinion, because that's what it is, another referees opinion. That's the problem, another layer of interpretation based on opinion, not fact.VAR as it is, cannot work, will not work, as long as its based on another persons interpretation. It will always lead to accusations of corruption, bias or incompetence. All of which are subjective by players, managers and fans.It cannot be allowed to continue in its present guise, it should be significantly reworked or ditched entirely. Such is the random expertise of a subjective official against another, it will never be successful. There is no case for continuance of VAR in its present guise. It has to be left to officials on the field of play, at least there is one subjective interpretation, not two or three..We tried it, adapted it, changed it.. it doesn't work. End it. Frank Crewe 53 Posted 31/08/2025 at 12:24:53 So lets put decisions solely back into the hands of the wannbe Clive Thomas's, Mark Clattenburg's and Pierluigi Collina's using the Mark 1 eyeball. Or the slow ref assistants who can't keep up with the play. No thanks. How many times have we ended up on the shitty end of some lousy pre VAR decision by those refs and others. The pundits used to say before VAR that bad refereeing decisions would even themselves out over the course of a season. We all know that's a load of rubbish. Refs can be swayed by the protestations of the players, the noisy crowd and the risk of upsetting high profile managers like Ferguson. They even named "Fergie time" after him. How many of the those strikers who played on the edge of offside got away with offside goals?As far as I'm concerned modern day refs need all the tech help they can get. Goal line technology, VAR cause me no problem at all. VAR gets the vast majority of decisions correct. But we don't hear about that. The only problem VAR has is that it has a human element in it. Humans make mistakes. But you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater just to solve that. It's pros outweigh its cons and it gives the lesser clubs a better chance of getting fair decisions against the "rich" clubs since we can see the evidence with our own eyes. Mick O'Malley 54 Posted 31/08/2025 at 13:04:15 Var also kills the spontaneous joy you get when you've scored, refs called to a screen viewing every angle in slow motion, taking several minutes to come to a decision, meanwhile were waiting to see if we can celebrate the goal we've just scored, by the time it's awarded your more relieved than ecstatic it takes the joy out of scoring and it just becomes relief, no thanks not for me Colin Glassar 55 Posted 31/08/2025 at 13:12:00 It used to be, video killed the radio star. Now it's, VAR killed the football star.Yes, massive blunders were committed in the past but they were human errors. Now every goal is studied from every possible angle, and in Slo-Mo to boot. Everything looks worse in slow motion.If this is the future, let's get rid of match day officials and let AI, or a 15-year-old whizz kid in his bedroom, do the officiating. Subconscious bias is also involved in a lot of these decisions. They have to protect the product, don't they? John Keating 56 Posted 31/08/2025 at 13:30:02 I have been totally opposed against VAR since the first day it was introduced. It has ruined th,e game regardless of whether marginal decisions go for or against teams.Football is about the “moment”: half the enjoyment is arguing about decisions after the match over a few pints. Some of the decisions in the few weeks this season have been horrendous.The Fulham decision yesterday was a disgrace.We have to scrap this shite and get back to the footy we know. Matt Traynor 57 Posted 31/08/2025 at 13:30:14 Colin #55 it's not just every goal, it's a lot of challenges as well. They said they would streamline VAR to avoid re-refereeing games, but that is exactly what it's doing.I'm still convinced if a Sky 6 team score the goal that Fulham had chalked off, it stands. As it was against one of them, it's ruled out. Even Chelsea fans said it was a goal – but easy to say when you've won.16 added minutes that game, with no significant injuries. Colin Glassar 58 Posted 31/08/2025 at 13:51:06 You're right, Matt. Soon they'll be judging free kick, goal kicks, corners, throw-ins etc… not if they are valid but how they could affect a Sly 6 side. The game is quickly dying. Michael Kenrick 59 Posted 31/08/2025 at 14:26:14 Brighton looking lively against Man City but not doing the right ball in the end.Haaland with two uncharacteristically weak shots. Lots of boring disciplined Giuardola backpassing shite going on, boring the pants off me. Play it forward!!! Michael Kenrick 60 Posted 31/08/2025 at 14:36:12 But when the time comes, he makes it look so easy, just wait for the ball to come loose then nutmeg Dunk and poke it in. 88 goals in 100 Premier League appearances. Colin Glassar 61 Posted 31/08/2025 at 14:37:50 It's like watching paint dry, this City team. Dull, boring and uninspiring. Is the other game any better? Jake FitzGerald 62 Posted 31/08/2025 at 14:39:04 Watching Soucek ambling about while Forest players run rings around him. Looks like a Sunday league player who won a competition to play in the Premier League. Hope we get through tomorrow without his name popping up. Colin Glassar 63 Posted 31/08/2025 at 14:51:46 Maybe he's trying to force a move, Jake? Aina summed up the modern, robotic footballer today. With seconds to go he's on the edge of the WHU area, rather then putting the ball into the box he keeps hold of it looking for a square pass until the ref blows time. Absolutely pathetic. Matt Traynor 64 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:02:08 "VAR official Michael Salisbury has been dropped from the Liverpool and Arsenal game after the PGMOL said it was a mistake for the video assistant referee to disallow Fulham's opening goal at Chelsea on Saturday."Posted on MotD socials. Genuine question: do these guys now have the power to over-rule the on-field referee? I know they are referees also, but this looks wrong? Kevin Molloy 65 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:05:57 At least Liverpool won't suffer from further errors due to this VAR chap, so some good has come from this. Andrew Grey 66 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:28:27 Not a penalty for Brighton IMO. The ball was going to hit smack in the side of the face! Les Callan 67 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:29:26 Another stupid pen. How many more? Michael Kenrick 68 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:29:53 Something gone wrong there. VAR couldn't figure out how to cancel the ref's foolish award of a penalty to lowly Brighton. Good kick from some old bloke called Milner... er, Game On?Or "Watch and Wait for the deliberate ref/VAR decision that will give the game to Shitty City". Michael Kenrick 69 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:32:55 That would have been wonderful from Minteh if it had gone in. Not many players I like but he is good. Colin Glassar 70 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:47:13 Nuno is a dead man walking now. Michael Kenrick 71 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:50:58 Let's see if PGMOL take that away from Brighton!!! Colin Glassar 72 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:52:09 Who goes first, Pep or Nuno?😂🤣😂😂 Martin Farrington 73 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:54:22 Great goal for Illy's lads 🥳Harvey Spector ( in his prison uniform on day release I guess ) to get one over Pep the Petulant 🤞🏼 Billy Bradshaw 74 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:54:51 Pep is a dead man walking now. Jim Bennings 75 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:55:18 I've already ruled City out of the title, Pep and his playing style is finished. Ian Bennett 76 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:56:09 Good potential results for Blues. Martin Farrington 77 Posted 31/08/2025 at 15:57:01 Good lord. What's gone wrong at Wham? 🕺🏼🕺🏼Nuno, beware of Greeks bringing gifts Martin Farrington 78 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:01:34 Yay.Now for a clear 2 goal victory for Micki's Arse at the RNS 👍🏻 Raymond Fox 79 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:05:46 I had a bet today on Brighton at 9/4 after their perfomance against us, they are a very decent side. Colin Glassar 80 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:06:35 The title is between the two teams who play next. 3rd and 4th is up for grabs. Kieran Kinsella 81 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:14:36 Pep is a terrible man-manager. It seems like any time a player does really well, he suddenly gets frozen out to stop him getting too big for his boots. Cancelo, Grealish, Foden, latter day De Bruyne. He'd rather try and polish turds like O'Reilly. Amorim has the same issue. Whatever Rashford's, Garnacho's and Sancho's limitations, freezing them out, publicly questioning their attitude – thus making them unsellable – is insane. Ian Bennett 82 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:15:18 Pep out Kevin Molloy 83 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:21:25 Forest off to a flier. I was really hoping that after spending hundreds of millions, they'd be really good, but sadly, they're shit. Ron Sear 84 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:28:23 Given the very dubious way penalties are being handed out at the moment most managers will be encouraging their players to just fire their shots at any defender's upper body in the box.50% of them will result in a VAR penalty. Colin Glassar 85 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:30:42 Cmon Arsenal. Shut his lot up Martin Farrington 86 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:31:18 Ron, you missed out the one exception to that: except Everton! Rob Halligan 87 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:36:24 Instead of demoting these useless officials from either refereeing a game, or on VAR duties for one game only, demote them altogether. It's no consolation to Fulham that the PGMOL recognise the error in ruling that goal out. Rob Hooton 88 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:36:51 I've found City very dull to watch for years, passing for passings sake and bore the opposition to death before your superstar players make something happen. Glad that Pep seems to have been found out (but still wouldn't rule them out), bit more excitement please. Martin Farrington 89 Posted 31/08/2025 at 16:51:03 Rob 88 True. City are as Dull as dishwater. Pep has become what the highly successful tend to become, believing he is a demi god where he can do no wrong and it's all about him. He used to inspire, now he intimidates negatively.Rob 87Take VAR out of the refereeing gambit entirely. Anyone can learn the few uses it's needed for and the PGMOL have fucked it up beyond believability. When led by the World Cup Final Howler and all time shit referee Webb, the quality beneath is bound to reflect and suffer.Yesterday's game should be voided and replayed. Colin Glassar 90 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:02:22 Looks like the rs have imported Dear Leader's clapping band next to the corner flag. Rob Halligan 91 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:05:23 Was Slop insinuating that the Arsenal player dived? Bit rich coming from him! Colin Glassar 92 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:08:44 This should be called Super Shite Sunday. All these games are overhyped. Rob Halligan 93 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:10:06 That should be an Arsenal penalty. The ball clearly hit the RS defender on the arm. Not even a VAR check. Edward Rogers 94 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:18:17 How dull was that? Lee Courtliff 95 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:24:53 This 'passing backwards' has to stop! Just before half time, Mandueke broke forward and it looked a potentially dangerous situation. But, instead of driving into the box and shooting or crossing, he stopped about 30 yards out and passed sideways. In seconds the ball was with the centre-back and Liverpool were back in shape.And the only time Liverpool looked like scoring was when Arsenal were fannying around at the back. Ridiculous. Rob Hooton 96 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:26:03 Very dull and played at a snails pace, Edward. I predicted 0-0 in my Super 6 – going against the ‘big game hype'. Colin Glassar 97 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:42:29 The worst possible advertisement for the “best league in the world”. What a pile of crap this is. I'm glad I don't pay to watch this shite. Rob Halligan 98 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:51:53 Another penalty Arsenal should have had. The ball hits Konate on the arm, but not given. Julian Exshaw 99 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:54:47 Was very similar to Tarkowski's at Leeds, Rob. Of course no pen!! Jack Convery 100 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:56:54 25 hours to go. Will we get a right-back? A defensive midfielder? A centre-forward? That's enough excitement as there is feck all at Mordor. Kerkez – Ndiaye's Pidgeon? Kunal Desai 101 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:58:43 Badge check. No pen. Charles Brewer 102 Posted 31/08/2025 at 17:59:24 This Arse Shite match is very tedious. Imagine if either side had a player of the quality of Grealish. Scott Hamilton 103 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:05:17 I'll tell you what...How shite does Anfield look now we've all been to orseen The Hill Dickinson Stadium on matchday?! This City Is Ours.UTFT!!! Gerry Quinn 104 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:06:19 11 comments (now 12) in 60 minutes - what a game, eh! Julian Exshaw 105 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:07:03 Klopp used to have them playing at a high tempo. They've slowed down a lot. Andy Meighan 106 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:09:34 I wonder what minute they get the penalty? I'm going for 90+6'. Colin Glassar 107 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:12:23 And that's why Arteta will never win the Premier League. Like his mentor, Pep, he wants to bore everyone to death with his passing obsession. Pete Hughes 108 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:12:24 Jammy bastards Kevin Naylor 109 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:12:41 Can't believe the bookies thought Arsenal where a better side than the RS. Looking ominous again FFS. Jack Convery 110 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:13:34 There you go. Man Utd played better against Arsenal and lost. The RS have been crap today and are now winning. Satan alive and well at Mordor. Andrew Grey 111 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:14:51 Another flukey shite goal. Scott Hamilton 112 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:18:34 Ive said it before and Ill say it again:Sponsored by Tampax.Jammy c***s. Andy Meighan 113 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:21:26 Arsenal are petrified of them jammy bastards. Martin Farrington 114 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:23:08 Kunal 101 🤣Rucking fedshite. Their pact with the devil strong as ever. Christy Ring 115 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:23:25 Crap game, but to be honest, it was some free kick, and all the money Arteta spent, they still haven't got it. Van Dick is still the biggest whinger, and gets away with it, from every referee. Kunal Desai 116 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:26:16 How again is that not a pen. Andrew Ellams 117 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:26:20 I'm amazed how many of you are watching them. Scott Hamilton 118 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:26:56 Andrew (117) - Know thine enemy Rob Halligan 119 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:27:13 Yet again another ball striking the arm of a RS player. Not given. Scott Hamilton 120 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:29:50 Im not sure what VAR stands for but I suspect that the ‘R stands for redshite. Andrew Ellams 121 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:30:11 Scott, I'd rather remove my own kidneys with a rusty penknife. I've already had 2 notifications from Sky Sports on my phone about the goal. Christy Ring 122 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:30:41 Can Carragher just shut the fuck up, youll never get a penalty at Analfield. Colin Glassar 123 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:30:43 Arteta, Pep, Nuno? Who gets the boot first? Ray Roche 124 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:32:05 Andrew@117I was watching Arsenal I dont know what you were doing. 😁 Scott Hamilton 125 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:32:49 Andrew - Fait enough, I understand. Heres the weird thing though: watching us play so well has got me hungry to watch more football. Even that bunch of c****s. UTFT!!! Rob Halligan 126 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:33:30 VAR checking club badge……..three times the ball strikes the arm of a RS player, and three times no penalty awarded. Youd think at least one would have been awarded? Scott Hamilton 127 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:35:08 Apparently handballs are a known side-effect of performance-improving asthma medicines so ignored by VAR. Ian Bennett 128 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:35:42 Arteta spent £1bn, and he still doesn't have a go. Robert Tressell 129 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:45:35 Talking of buying players - whats the latest on our final summer window business? Window closes tomorrow I think? Strongest rumour seems to be Soucek. Can Harrison Armstrong do a Lewis-Skelly and switch to fullback? Hes got a lot of the right attributes? Jim Bennings 130 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:47:50 The league at the top nowadays is bang average.Liverpool aren't great but they'll win it again probably quite comfortably because the challengers are pretenders and City are declining year by year.Give me the days of Manchester United, Arsenal of the Wenger era and Chelsea all going at it hammer and tong or the Blackburn/Newcastle v Man United title races of the mid 90's, at least that was a tussle.VAR will ensure Liverpool win most games but regardless, they just have better squads than the other two. Chris Leyland 131 Posted 31/08/2025 at 18:59:33 Jim, Im not sore you know, the team in 5th look quite good this year and may put in a challenge for the title😉 Colin Glassar 132 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:28:28 Chris, Id be made up if we were back in Europe next season, even if its in the Minnie Mouse Cup. Jeff Armstrong 133 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:41:03 Villa struggling,think there bubble may have burst, fans getting restless too. Kieran Kinsella 134 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:44:49 Why was the Brighton manager dressed like Kim Jung Un? Brown pants like a uniform, brown shirt with no collar buttoned to the top with no tie. Is the communist look back in vogue? Scott Hamilton 135 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:47:27 Colin (132) - Well said. Id happily play in the ‘Bourbon Biscuit Challenge Cup if it was a recognised European competition and it meant us getting better players and exciting mid-week nights in places Ive never heard of. Kieran Kinsella 136 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:48:12 JeffVilla blew all their cash on wages for Rashford and Ascencio trying for CL. Came up short, had to sell youngsters to balance the book now theyve just an ageing team. Jeff Armstrong 137 Posted 31/08/2025 at 19:55:50 Kieran the very good team they had the last couple of seasons seems to be breaking up, Martinez going, Duran gone, Bailey gone, Ramsay gone,Luiz gone and Mings back in the team! Its all going tits up. Kieran Kinsella 138 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:13:03 JeffIts a cautionary tale about how hard it is even for a big club to compete post PSR. City and Chelsea spent unfettered for years, now Villa, Newcastle reach a certain level then its a glass ceiling. They cant even rely on a good youth system as City and Chelsea already invested fortunes on that to Hoover up every half decent kid in the country. Obviously Im not lamenting Villas decline as it improves our chances. But its also an indicator of what lays ahead for us in the absence of some kind of HK style miracle transformation of us into the best in Europe overnight. just getting 4/5 doesnt enable you to close the gap. Jeff Armstrong 139 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:22:39 Agreed Kieran, PSR, VAR, and refereeing bias have made it almost impossible to break into the top 6 and actually stay there, Villa and Forest have had a nibble but its impossible to sustain atm, I suppose its enjoy it while it lasts and try to win a cup.UTFT. Jeff Armstrong 140 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:47:31 I see Kasper Dolberg could be going to Celtic tomorrow, his star has fallen but hes still only 26/27, 34goals in 76 games for Anderlecht last 2 seasons, 5 in 8 this season,£10 million and he offers an alternative type of player to the Beto/Barry front line.Worth a punt? Colin Glassar 141 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:48:09 Ollie Watkins might be available tomorrow, but I think our transfer dealings are done for this window.I wouldnt be surprised if McNeil joins Chermiti in leaving the club. A few more quid for the January window Tony Abrahams 142 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:51:28 Its quite reassuring to see that this hasnt gone unnoticed Kieran, because they are exactly my thoughts, mate.I suppose reassuring is the wrong word, because theres nothing reassuring about these current PSR RULES, for any club, who want to try and start competing with and possibly trying to overtake the best teams, because these current rules, only seem to be there, to protect the status-quo.PSG, knocked three English clubs out of Europe last season, and the team who gave them their hardest games was definitely Aston Villa. I expected Villa, to kick on, just as I expected the Newcastle team, that absolutely bullied Liverpool at Wembley, in the carabao cup final, to push on, and this is why I think its clear to see, that these current PSR rules, are making it virtually impossible. Jack Convery 143 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:53:51 Emery might regret not taking the Moyesiah's money for McGinn. By the way what has happened to Onana ? Not on the bench. Digne not playing, should we try for a loan. Him and Jack together, what a combination that would be. Jack Convery 144 Posted 31/08/2025 at 20:57:40 Amorin should have taken the Manu squad to Villa Park and tell them - that's how you play 3 -5 - 2. Jeff Armstrong 145 Posted 31/08/2025 at 21:02:33 Onana injured, not particularly rated even on fantasy football, should see some of the midfielders more valuable than him, Roberts at Sunderland? Ward -Prowse and many more, even Dobbin is the same price! Jack Convery 146 Posted 31/08/2025 at 21:05:10 Jeff, I was talking about Digne on loan. Getting £50m from Villa, for Onana, was a crime of the century ! Jeff Armstrong 147 Posted 31/08/2025 at 21:12:35 Sorry Jack, I thought you asked what happened to Onana (tonight). Agreed, good business to get rid at £50 million I just dont see him becoming the dominant midfielder some suggested he will become, top cheerleader though. Phil (Kelsall) Roberts 148 Posted 31/08/2025 at 21:14:50 3 games in and Villa haven't scored.Next up a trip to Merseyside. We all know that if it was GP that is 3 points in the bag for Villa. Has our fortunes changed now it is BMD/HDS? Robert Tressell 149 Posted 31/08/2025 at 21:33:36 Kieran # 138, the moral of the story in a PSR world is that money rules football. Every penny has to be spent with care - fees and wages. Every penny has to be spent sustainably. Otherwise you are just robbing your future self and even risking the solvency / Premier League status of the club. Villa - to be fair - had a rare opportunity and took it. They ran an outstanding PSG side immensely close but like everyone else fell short. They will pay for it for a few seasons now as they have to sell and rebuild. I don't call that stupidity (in the same way as us - and probably Man Utd and West Ham) - I call it brave / ambitious. What's the glory in finishing 7th or even 4th for a few seasons when you have a sniff of winning the Champions League. Okay, they might drop down to about 12th this season but they should be okay. Their fans won't like it - and will blame PSR and probably Emery too before too long. But their fans would also have been disgusted if they just threw in the towel in the Champions League last season. Bobby Mallon 150 Posted 31/08/2025 at 22:31:07 I think you will find palace play 4141 formation Colin Glassar 151 Posted 01/09/2025 at 07:29:41 £125m for izak. Obscene Tony Abrahams 152 Posted 01/09/2025 at 09:09:59 Whats a 4-1-4-1 system? Is that the same as playing 4-5-1, with one of the midfield trio sitting deeper, Bobby?I think this is a formation that would probably suit our own squad the most right now, which is why Im hoping that alongside a good attacking fullback, we also sign a disciplined, defensive midfielder. 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