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Yeah not just men. The Tinder Swindler on Netflix case in point and the woman in France scammed out of 800000 euro because she thought she was with Brad Pitt. These GAA players matched with a girl on Tinder and spoke on Insta. Hardly scammed or anything apart from a match ticket.

Should that have been a free out for charging?

Exactly and very obvious. Ref had perfect view. It's bad when you feel a Tryone team hard done by.

[9 and a half]

Kyogo's game is on the shoulder of the defender which doesn't really suit Rodgers style as the players are passing along building play slowly. Hard for a striker in that set up. Probably suits a 9 and a half more who can pull out into space.

Utd will sell Zirkzee for face value

Free???

Arsenal might end up bridesmaids again this year, some people might get irate, others might realise thems the breaks. While Arteta has his virtues there can be little sympathy, running Saka into the ground and playing Partay at right back is pure Dodo 🦤

Who would you have played at right back?

I'm supporting Arsenal 35 years and I've seen decisions go against Arsenal that have never happened against anyone before or since.

Have you ever seen a penalty like today before?

Ever see a red card like Rice earlier this season? Incidentally his only red card ever.

Van Persie versus Barcelona.

Xhaka versus Swansea?

Xhaka getting a yellow for his first foul and referee telling him it's his third.

Martinelli two yellows in one move.

Luiz for running.

Arsenal getting two points deducted as opposed to Uniteds one.

Graham only manager ever called out for under the table payments.

I didn't think he'd win it but hands up not as overhyped as I thought.
Pele another 17 year old star... had great career after. I suppose some Olympian gymnasts as well..

Dart player bit different. Can legally drink in couple weeks so see how that affects him.

Some of the opportunities Bunting is missing are criminal.

Overawed by presence of Littler... same as Humphries. Was good up to tonight

I don't think it's that.

I think in the history of darts there's only been 2 dart players capable of averaging 100+ whilst playing below their high standards: Taylor and MvG. Littler looks like he will be the third in this group.

For anyone else to throw a 100+ average over 25-30 legs it requires them to surge to almost perfect levels by their standards. And that's just to give MVG or Littler a game. Some of them can do it occasionally , but none can do it regularly. They all know this too. Unless their eye is perfectly in, they can't win these games.

What we are seeing tonight is just numbers in action.

EDIT: Anderson of course has been throwing ton averages since forever and should be mentioned in this company, even if he has been mostly a bridesmaid to the aforementioned.

Anderson was a natural. Doesn't put in all the practice because family time important to him.

The thing I'm most in shock about is Stephen Bunting is only 39. Not sure if that should be in the WFT thread.



The other thing I don't get is why he appears to have such a big following in the Ally Pally. His game against Wright last night was one of the worst QF's by a long long way. He'd have been beaten by any of the others. The MvG v Rydz was a classic. Rydz came the breadth of the wire from taking it to the final set. If Aspinall had kept his head instead of joking with the crowd and fist-bumping Littler he'd have pushed him a lot closer.

A MvG v Littler final is what we all need now.

With you on that with Aspinall. Was like he didn't expect to win, was too friendly with stablemate Littler and not focused or ruthless.
Bunting can play much better. He's there on merit and is a top player.

Found Aspinall very annoying. They were both on 9's at one stage, he hit 2 x 60 and started pricking about with last dart playing to the crowd, then missed. Killed the whole flow and expectation of the situation and Littler missed the next dart too. A serious darts player wouldn't have been at this messing. It was a critical point in the match and he should have been upping the tension and pressure on the young man. Not saying, work away mate, I'm only here to watch you.

Did Aspinall not get involved with sole clown chugging a pitcher a few days ago?

Not sure about that Tony. But he annoyed me last night for some reason. I suppose darts is as much psychological as it is about throwing things at the board. That's why it's so compelling and great spectator sport. Wright the other night against Humphries shows how if you threat a superior opponent with complete and utter contempt, what the result can be.
 Aspinall completely avoided the real game last night. It was like two mates in a practice session, with the result already determined.

He did. His last game was even worse. The German lad he was playing was having a stinker and it basically turned into a practice session too. I think you need to be a bit of a nasty bastard to be truly elite in sporty. Aspinall seems to lack that.

Has Aspinall not been struggling with injury and dartitis coming into tournament so was in bonus territory. When he was on a 9 darter he went to throw and couldn't and only after that reacted to crowd. To me to be able to play under them circumstances shows great mentality.

Interesting to see what Pep will do now. Outside Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea the 4th CL spot is still there for a good few teams albeit plenty of question marks over all them. You'd imagine some of those teams in the mix will drop off a bit but it still shouldn't be forgotten what a good start City made to the season and how that is masking, at least table wise, just how terrible they've been of late. They have 5 points from their last 9 games - 1 win, 2 draws and 6 losses - relegation form in any language.

But they still have quality players where something could still yet click for them. Plus there's the transfer window which will be very interesting to see what they do. Couple of good signings could breathe life back into them but either way huge changes coming in the summer. Either a massive player overhaul or a massive wrap on the knuckles from FFP and a drop down the leagues.

Actually be 5 places by looks of things.

Pep or Sir Alex seemed a relevant discussion, not any more, SAF is the goat

Yeah if Fergie had retired in about 1999.

Yeah first bad period in his whole managerial career and now Sir Alex is better. Good job Sir Alex never had a bad period.

Hard to know with Martinelli. Had one exceptional season but was that the exception. Need a threat on left. Saka carrying team on his own.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2024/12/04/sean-moran-gaa-football-review-committees-perfect-storm-creates-template-for-future-reforms/
At least as important a factor, though, was the consensus sentiment that football needed help. For all that we had a great championship with unexpected winners, there is a crisis for the GAA in the collapse of attendance, especially in Leinster and an improved game may not be a comprehensive response.But it will be a start.

I'm not sure that any change in the rules will help the Leinster championship.

More Dublin retirements will help.

Just back from today's game. Very comfortable. And good to see players like Merino and Timber play well.

Interesting if he's having a rethink on Havertz, even though the German hasn't done much wrong.

Need to keep winning now.

Arsenal appear to be a tall team. Maybe I'm small.

Havertz has to be carrying something? No way he was dropped.

It was much more intricate today without him.

He's been played in mf in recent games and has affected team. Think Trossard has been poor and lucky to start today.

Just back from today's game. Very comfortable. And good to see players like Merino and Timber play well.

Interesting if he's having a rethink on Havertz, even though the German hasn't done much wrong.

Need to keep winning now.

Arsenal appear to be a tall team. Maybe I'm small.

Havertz has to be carrying something? No way he was dropped.

I must be mad, because I was encouraged by so much of what I saw up to the penalty. Ireland had one stonewall penalty turned down and one debatable. But they were well organised up to that point and England barely had a shot.

Another sob story for Cavan.

Alot to admire about that crosserlough performance though.

Discipline questionable maybe but did they deserve 3 blacks and a red card?

Tyrone men have given them an edge pity they couldn't get it done.

No they didn't deserve that. What was second black for? The abuse the referee allowed against McVeety was shocking.

Yeah even the first black was harsh but I could imagine a case. 2nd was an absolute joke and not black. 3rd also seemed harsh and how Kilcoo escaped a black for similar incidents is a mystery.

The red was 2 yellows but I wonder did he even receive the first yellow as he seemed fairly bewildered?

Honestly it's hard to say Kilcoo deserved that, Crosserlough were unlucky but Kilcoo a bigger name and got the rub of green big time. They also dive a lot. Overall I'd say Kilcoo will need to improve to win Ulster but they're very difficult to play against.

I have my doubts if he got a yellow previously i don't recall him getting one.

There's a report out on the game in one of the papers and it confirms that it was an error and he received a second yellow and red despite never having a first yellow.

Sums up the refereeing.

Replay??

Game was over at that stage, just summed up how he reffed the two teams different.