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Coffee 9:50 Sat Apr 10
Saturday football
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Life can be cruel. Fulham had a chance last night of moving out of the bottom three, but an injury-time Wolves winner sees them deeper in that mire.
MANCHESTER CITY vs LEEDS UNITED (1230 ko)
This meeting of two of the Premier League’s more enigmatic bosses sees both teams safe, one luxuriating in the comfort of mid-table, the other 32 points above them and doing likewise as champions-elect. Citeh visit Dortmund next week and Pep may be tempted rest some of his key players. Or he may ask his side to come racing out of the trap, go into half-time with a match-winning lead and then withdraw the big guns. There’s little, you feel, that Leeds can do about things either way. Home win.
LIVERPOOL vs ASTON VILLA (1500)
It’s just over six months ago that Villa memorably put seven past their hosts. There’s zero chance of a repeat this afternoon, particularly with the influential Grealish out injured. The also influential Jordan Henderson remains sidelined for the hosts whose inconsistency has seen them slip to seventh. But they should still have enough to put their visitors to the sword. Home win.
CRYSTAL PALACE vs CHELSEA (1730)
Palace have become something of a team of boring spoilers and it would do our cause a lot of good if they continued that this evening. Chelsea are smarting from their unexpected demolition at the hands of soon to be relegated West Brom and will look to strike back at Selhurst. Away win.
*SUNDAY*
BURNLEY vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (1200)
The Barcodes will have been greatly cheered by Fulham’s defeat last night. They remain three points above the dotted line, with two games in hand. This is one of those games they have to win if they’re to keep out of the drop zone. Burnley are mathematically still in the relegation mix, but look to be more or less safe. Excitement may be in short supply in this one. Draw.
WEST HAM UNITED vs LEICESTER CITY (1405)
A really important fixture in the run-in and one that will miss the bonus of home advantage. A win will see us move to within a point of the third-placed Foxes, while anything else will give an opportunity for Chelsea, Spurs and/or Liverpool to leapfrog us. The absence of Rice and Antonio could be critical, but Lingard and Bowen will ensure that we still have teeth in the attack. We’re not quite at the bare bones stage yet, but this will be a test of the quality of the bones that take their places. Expect a high-octane, attacking game. Draw.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs MANCHESTER UNITED (1630)
Runners-up is the best Man U can do and they won’t want to forfeit the four-point advantage they now hold over third-placed Leicester. Spurs look light in defence and intermittently fragile both their and in attack. Jose will want to get one over, again, on his former employers, but may struggle to overcome them today. Draw.
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs ARSENAL (1900)
For the Blades, it’s now all about pride. As it should also be, and have been for long, for Arsenal. The visitors do not inspire confidence whoever they play and this is a massive potential banana skin in a season where routine win has too often become abject failure. And until kick-off, that will cheer the Sheffield changing room no end. Draw.
*MONDAY*
WEST BROMWICH ALBION vs SOUTHAMPTON (1800)
The Saints come into this with a 10-point cushion over Fulham in 18th place, which you’d expect to be enough to see them safe. Another win would change that to certainty. The Baggies, despite a remarkable win at Stamford Bridge last time out, remain eight points from safety, a near insurmountable gap. Draw.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs EVERTON (2015)
It’s hard to know what to expect from an Everton team that, during the course of the season, topped the table and slipped down the rankings like a homesick lead weight. Brighton, too, have shown themselves capable of putting the mockers on sides way above them. Inconsistency is what these sides have in common perhaps more than anything else. Both have legitimate incentives to win this game. Draw.
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Replies - In Chronological Order ( Show Newest Messages First)
Mike Oxsaw
10:05 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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The gods will have their work cut out if they were even remotely thinking of smiling down on us this weekend.
Ideally, wins for us, Villa, Palace and MANCHESTER United to take us skipping merrily into next week.
Sadly I can see none of the above in that four.
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jfk
10:06 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Man City win
Liverpool win
Chelsea win
Newcastle win
West Ham fuck knows but fingers crossed
Man Utd draw
Arsenal win
West Brom draw
Everton win
Nice one Coffee.
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happygilmore
1:52 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Cheers Coffee.
Sound like I should be backing multiples of trebles & upwards on draws. Or maybe you were just sitting on the fence, ala Lawro.
I don't think it was cruel on Fulham, given the goal VARred out in their favour.
A bit worried about tomorrow's game with the double absence. Antonio makes a lot of space for Lingard. We could do with finding a clean sheet.
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Mex Martillo
1:53 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Liverpool lose
Chelsea lose
West Ham win
ManU draw
Arsenal lose
Happy Hammers looking stronger for top 4
Thanks Coffee
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Coffee
3:16 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Blimey.
Leeds one up but down to 10 after 45.
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fraser
3:20 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Did that cunt Peter Walton sat yellow then change his mind when red was given or did I mis hear?
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Nick QQQ
3:21 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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The Leeds player won the ball but the follow through was deemed high. No one would have been to fussed if it stayed a yellow but it’s Man City ain’t it.
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Bishopsfinger
3:24 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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That was just a yellow never a red.
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El Scorchio
3:26 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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For me that’s VAR working just as it should. Ref makes the call on the pitch, gets called over to take another look and changes his decision to the correct one based on clear video evidence.
For me especially with the benefit of replay it’s a red all day long. No malicious intent but it’s a very dangerous challenge. You can’t go in knee high like that and it could have caused a very serious injury whether he meant it or not.
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Sven Roeder
3:27 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Reckless, dangerous tackle of the blokes kneecap
Its a red all day long
You cant tackle like that any more
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nich the d
3:28 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Agreed
That's a potential broken leg / career ending tackle. No intent but he's not in control - it's reckless.
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master
3:30 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Not a red.
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El Scorchio
3:30 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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fraser 3:20
Not quite. He said yellow in real time but then said it was above ankle hight and Cooper was entitled to feel unlucky but by the letter of the law it’s a red card.
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fraser
3:35 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Scorch - but he'd already seen the replays and still said yellow, until the ref said red and agreed.
Cunt gets paid for agreeing with every on field decision...
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Sven Roeder
3:37 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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Now THAT is a yellow
Stones running to the edge of the box and then just flopping on the ground
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El Scorchio
3:38 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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I don’t think he quite did. He said verbatim ’by the letter of the law it’s a sending off’ and at least to me that’s a phrase that implies he doesn’t personally agree but understands the decision.
But you’re right in that there is usually quite a lot of ‘towing the line’ in what he says.
Worth noting the commentators both pretty much changed their mind upon seeing that last replay as well, which was the one that made it look really bad.
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Sven Roeder
3:42 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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The performance of these ex refs in the commentary team is very instructive as to how poor English referees are.
Dithering know nothings who make it up as they go along.
Have said before the international and Champions league refs are far superior.
Which is why that terrible decision depriving Bellingham of a goal midweek stood out.
That sort of incompetence is run of the mill in the Premier league
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Leeshere
3:45 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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The game is turning into Basketball, not a red card for me. Cooper won the ball cleanly to start with.
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fraser
3:50 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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He did win the ball, but it was a red.
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El Scorchio
3:51 Sat Apr 10
Re: Saturday football
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If anything, this demonstrates how difficult it can be for the refs sometimes. Some of us think it’s a nailed on red, and some of us think it’s a yellow, and some of us think it’s not even that.
Mariner is one of the better refs IMO and at least handled the situation correctly even if some don’t agree with the final decision.
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