Saturday football

[Coffee]

"CHELSEA vs BRENTFORD (1230) Two-nil up against Arsenal and seemingly coasting to victory Arsenal, the Blues ended up sharing the points. How unfortunate. The Bees will present another tough assignment although their season hasn’t yet shifted into top gear. There’s little to choose between these two – on paper anyway. Home win. ARSENAL vs SHEFFIELD UNITED (1500) Second from top but for goal difference versus deservedly bottom. Not even Lord Griffith can extricate the Blades from their sad predicament, which is set to become sadder still this afternoon. There should be some goals in this that could take Arsenal above City for a week. Arteta will be well aware of that. Home win. BOURNEMOUTH vs BURNLEY (1500) Two of the current favourites for the drop. Nineteenth and eighteenth respectively, which makes this a genuine six-pointer. It’s hard to pick a likely winner, so home advantage gets the nod. Home win. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (1730) For all their lofty aspirations, the Barcodes’ lead today’s hosts by just five points. A portion of midweek humble pie may cause them to vomit it belatedly all over their hosts, but could equally result in seconds. Still, you’d expect them to be too good for a resurgent Wolves. Away win. *SUNDAY* WEST HAM UNITED vs EVERTON (1300) Northwest football is in mourning, but in Everton’s case that mourning is perhaps not insurmountably deep. The tenants of the London Stadium may not be mourning, but will certainly be pissed off at the far from encouraging performance and result in Athens on Thursday. The Toffees are in familiar territory near the foot of the table and whatever their off-field woes they should be there for the taking. We have to recover from the journey and exertion, which hasn’t always been readily achievable. Still, victory could catapult us back into the European places. Home win. ASTON VILLA vs LUTON TOWN (1400) Villa’s star is shining brighter than it has for many a year. Luton’s star sits one place above the dotted line – the lower one – and they’ll be more than delighted if it finishes there when the whistle finally blows on this season. By the final whistle today, however, it will probably be back below it. A dead cert of a result if ever there was one. Home win. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs FULHAM (1400) The Seagulls continued their astonishing flight with their first ever win in Europe on Thursday. Will that affect them against thirteenth-placed Fulham? No. Home win. LIVERPOOL vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST (1400) Another dead cert in the offing at Anfield, although Forest won’t make it easy for their hosts. Home win. MANCHESTER UNITED vs MANCHESTER CITY (1530) This should be a really good game. Man U still look unconvincing, while City have slipped up recently. Bobby Charlton’s death will certainly raise the self-belief of the home fans, but to what extent will that transfer to the players? It won’t be a walkover for City. Draw. *CHAMPIONSHIP* Under Pep Guardiola’s former assistant, Enzo Maresca, Leicester have become a Championship phenomenon. They’ve dropped just three points all season, at home to Hull in early September. Like Man City, the Foxes’ hallmarks are patient possession and build-up. Although still early in the season, it will take a turnaround of catastrophic proportions for them not to get promoted at the first attempt and, probably, win the title with time – a lot of time – to spare. Not so far behind them, Ipswich have been accumulating points becoming of runners-up. Then there’s a gap of nine points to Leeds in third, which is where the table gets truly constipated, with just another four points from there to Bristol City in 13th spot. A very late equaliser at former leaders Preston (now fourth) saw Southampton return to the play-off zone, with West Brom completing that group of four on goal difference. The big game of the day, also the early kick-off, sees Leeds host Huddersfield – ee by gum – while Middlesboro who, as predicted and as anyone who actually reads this will recall, have shot up the table from bottom to within goal difference from the play-off places. They take on Stoke today. Coventry, another prediction for achievement this season, are faring less well, having lost to lowly Rotherham in midweek and now occupying 20th place. There is, as ever, much to play for in this excellent division."

[fraser]

"VAR again wtf goal ruled offside.. Goes to VAR both are level... They spent nearly 5 minutes looking at it, asked to try again from another angle.. Ruled it out"

[swindon hammer]

Cracking goal by Billings and equally by Harry Kane for Bayern earlier. A David Beckham vs Wimbledon type goal.

[stepney hammer]

"fraser 6:29 Sat Oct 28 As I said they're better than us at it. 31% possession, both goals on the counter against the run of play and being camped deep in their own half for most of the game sounds like a Moyes wet dream to me."

[Coffee]

Are Barnet looking for a new manager?

[happygilmore]

Coffee 4:39 Sat Oct 28 Re: Saturday football Blimey. Chelsea 0 - 2 Brentford final score. What's happened to El Poch? ------------------------------------------------------------ I believe Frank Lampard has been checking that his phone is fully charged.

[fraser]

Mad goal from Billings miles out.

[fraser]

It not really a Moyes esque performance as Moyes doesn't do winning away at Chelsea..

[stepney hammer]

"Very Moyes esque performance from Brentford. The ironic thing is they are actually better at it than us. I know Thomas Frank has a few fans on here, but he wouldn't be for me if goal is to get away from this type of football when appointing a new manager."

[Manuel]

"To be fair to Rooney he did say when he arrived at Birmingham that the target was to get the club out of the championship, so he is on course to do that."

[Coffee]

Rooney's increasingly porky.

[Fauxstralian]

Think Birmingham were 6th after 2 wins in a row under John Eustace Sacked to bring in Wayne Rooney on reputedly 3 times the salary. Now 13th (& could sink lower tonight) after 3 losses under the beardy genius

[RBshorty]

Anyone thinking we will get anything out of Brentford are in for a disappointing day. As for Chelsea. They are reverting too pre Crazy Ivan days. Mid Table and the odd cup run. Real shame.

[lowlife]

Chelsea have been well and truly fucked by their insane buying strategy (not even sure they had one). They look pretty hopeless and set for another mid table season.

[Fauxstralian]

Only saw the last 10 mins but watching Chelsea if someone told you that they've spent a billion quid on their squad you'd never believe them. Still look an absolute mess with big holes all over. Certainly have no leaders. These 8 year contracts on big money will come back and BITE them when they try & start again.

[Mike Oxsaw]

Guess that counts as a home win under the new Chelsea management regime.

[Manuel]

"Chelsea are almost unrecognizable now from what you've been use to over the last 20 years, just a complete basket case of a club. Many predicted Poch would fail there and he will, just look at how the Aussie is getting on up the road in the same length of time and having spent a lot less. Sacking Poch isn't the answer either, it's a long way back for them now IMO. Complete shambles and it's great to see."

[pdbis]

Brentford warming up for their usual three points against us next week.

[pdbis]

Brentford warming up for their usual three points against us next week.

[Fauxstralian]

3 wins a row by Brentford at Stamford Bridge. Impressive club Pinnock in my Fantasy Team which is obviously the HEADLINE Clean sheet & a goal

[Coffee]

Blimey. Chelsea 0 - 2 Brentford final score. What's happened to El Poch?

[,]

Spurs are the only team in the top nine without European commitments and this has a strong bearing on their position as leaders. Could they do a Leicester City repeat this season?

[Come On You Irons]

"Arter Tottenham winning again last night I hope Man City smash Man Utd as I don't want to see them falling too far behind Tottenham. Could be a four horse raise for the title this season. Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. I can't see Man Utd, Chelsea, Newcastle or Villa challenging. Think that will be the top 8 though so we are battling for 9th at best I think."

[goose]

I fancy Wolves to beat Newcastle. Manchester derby to be a draw. Everton to record the only PL away win over the weekend.

[Manuel]

"Agree with Coffee that Manu do have a chance, obviously City strong favorite's though. Bournemouth's owners may pull the trigger on the Spanish bloke if they lose today, has to be a must win. El Cl?°sico is at 3.30 UK time, maybe some added interest with Bellingham playing and two uninspiring looking 3pm games."

[Coffee]

"happygilmore 10:38 Sat Oct 28 Agree with all that. But are Burnley good enough to win away at the Cherries? Doubt it. Draw maybe? Have we overcome that Everton hoodoo? I think so, even if some of those irritating memories remain strongly. The Bobby Charlton effect in a local derby... who knows?"