Messages

Struggling with the ill feeling towards Trent (who)

The man played all his games, dedicated his youth and senior career to the club and because he wanted to try a job elsewhere he's getting abuse!

Do all players that leave the club after playing (with no drama) given the same treatment?

Nope, but then other players didn't keep up this pretence of being in contract renewal negotiations (if reports are true) all season whilst learning Spanish...

That people can take this stance, whilst simultaneously believing that it's fair game to unsettle a rival's key player (Isak) to the point of him going on strike. It's more than contradictory (if such a thing is possible).

40/1 to be relegated now. While it's still highly unlikely, It could be a fun in-running market this season.

Derryleckagh is "no man's land" in Down. Anyone born near that playing field could be connected to Ballyholland, Burren, Saval or Mayobridge, by family lines or primary school. The Mitchels moving there was a non-starter.

What's the deal with Mainoo? Gone from Utd and England starter to well not starting.

The other buck is no major loss

He has quite a similar profile to Harry Winks. Grew up playing in the "Xavi" type no.6 position. This tidiness and confidence got him into the first team and straight into the England squad. In a solid, functional team he looked very promising. But over time his weaknesses as a midfielder - defensive positioning, tackling, athleticism, power, workrate - began to overshadow his strengths. And truth is, a deep lying playmaker is a luxury few teams can afford, unless he's one of the blessed few who can genuinely control a game from that position.

My outstanding memory of Harry Winks is him, on repeat, coming short to take the ball off the keeper, doing an unmarked pirouette, then playing the ball to the unmarked left back. Once his confidence left him, that was his entire game. It's an empty shirt.

Nearly feel sorry for Amorim, definitely a decent lad and he's saying all the right things, getting rid of the ego's/deadwood like Sancho etc. it can't be a coincidence though that no top team really plays with that back 3 formation, but the club knew (or should have known) that's his style when they hired him.

Keeper
Dalot-Yoro-De Ligt- Dorgu
Bruo-Casemiro Mainoo
Mbumeo-Sesko-Cunha

Surely a 433 would suit the squad? Obviously a new keeper needed and a Casemiro replacement, but that's needed no matter the formation. Anyway, I barring relegation form past Christmas (which is still possible) he'll get the season to turn it around.

You're asking a 92 year old DCM to cover 5 attacking players there. I don't think that's a solution.

Newry Mitchels. The kingpins of Down in the 1960s, when Down were the kingpins of Ireland.

I'm not sure that they're entirely folded, but sadly I'm also sure they're not coming back.

I'm not going to relay the full story as I don't know it. But they found themselves homeless, and then ended up in no man's land at the end of an industrial estate. An awful shame.

Honestly I never thought a Leeds-style descent was possible. Starting form higher, and with such a firm base.

But it's on.

Saw that at the time and if that happened in a juvenile hurling game you'd be telling the kid to jump up and run on, "never show the hoors that they hurt you!"

Not sure what Floppy Gordon thought he was doing though.

Pretending you are not hurt encourages more dirty play.
It's one thing getting up after a hard shoulder and pretending it meant nothing. It's another getting a dirty kick.

It's soccer. They all wear shinguards for a reason. Bangs and scrapes around the lower leg are inevitable.

Anyway one last time. The ref was in eyeline and earshot of the tackle. He was close enough judge whether Gordon left it in or tried not to. These were always yellow card tackles since football clamped down on tackles from behind. But 50 frames per second replays, which focus on the final contact rather than the actions immediately beforehand by the tackler to protect (or hurt) the opponent, they always hang the tackler.

The contact from Gravenberch's earlier tackle wouldn't, I expect, look much dissimilar if shown at 50 fps.

Neither is a red card for me. But then again I despise VAR. Same way the internet was meant to make us more informed, but has only made us more polarised, VAR hasn't made the game more fairly or accurately arbitrated, it's just placed another layer of subjectivity on the game.

I'd agree it was an absolutely pointless and daft tackle by Gordon.

But the outcome was that Virgil got his toe stood on, and that was only the case because Gordon wasn't actually out to do him. If he wanted to hurt him, it would have happened.

Season ending challenge my arse.

Take it you didn't see the pic of Van Dijk's calf

It's not possible to have a progressive discussion about tackling and intent, once tribal loyalties get involved.

Same people describing this as a horror tackle will have told us a few times over the years when VDV handed it out, that it's a man's game.

It's not a Liverpool thing by the way. There's plenty of Keane acolytes would tell you that Haaland deserved that challenge.

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I prefer football when tackling is a part of the game. Fifty frames per second makes everything look like assault, when it's not.

I'd agree it was an absolutely pointless and daft tackle by Gordon.

But the outcome was that Virgil got his toe stood on, and that was only the case because Gordon wasn't actually out to do him. If he wanted to hurt him, it would have happened.

Season ending challenge my arse.

He raked his studs down the standing leg of VVD, your suggestion that it should only be a red card if he actually injures VVD is ridiculous.

My suggestion is that before VAR and fifty frames per second of making every tackle look like an assault, then it would have been a yellow card, because the referee would have judged intent on the spot.

Football actually was a better game when people could tackle.

I'd agree it was an absolutely pointless and daft tackle by Gordon.

But the outcome was that Virgil got his toe stood on, and that was only the case because Gordon wasn't actually out to do him. If he wanted to hurt him, it would have happened.

Season ending challenge my arse.

"a skills test for a small number of two-point specialists"

Brolly  has a point (for once).

That's essentially what  the game has become.

It's like  American football,  get to a position where  the likes of that Jude McAtamney fella  puts down his Game Boy, comes on   and kicks  a free.  Do that a few times  each game , and your  team  likely wins. You could have great throwers or runners. But nah, let's just  bring Jude on.

When the new rules were being rolled out, the one I was most dubious about was the 2 pointer, for the simple reason that I didn't like idea that someone who has a naturally longer leg could enjoy such an advantage over those that do not.

But it's gone an awful lot better than expected. While it is easier to open up a lead,  I really like the fact that an 8 point advantage with 10 mins to go requires more thought than "protect the goal at all costs".

And you know what? People who could run more quickly, jump higher always had an advantage over those that couldn't. People with better balance and dexterity have always had an advantage over others. People on the psychotic edge of bravery have always had an advantage over others. So why would I get worried about a lad who kicks it further, enjoying an advantage?

All the talk about systems and in the end it's throw on Harry Maguire and lash it into the box.

And then you are told he has a system that he is wedded to.

To be fair, Mourinho is as tactical a manager as they come, and his peak years plan B was to put Robert Huth on and lump balls up to his head.

It always made me wonder why these monied coaches (and indeed World Cup national managers) don't keep a Peter Crouch or Andy Carroll type player around for this exact purpose.

Things anyone can do to help them re-embrace the GAA.

1. Don't read the Indo.
2. Don't read the Sunday Indo.
3. Accept that Pat Spillane is a pantomime character and means no harm.
4. Get involved with your local club, especially from July to December.
5. Don't read lists about the GAA.

Popular winner. Seems like a nice fella and hasn't changed after taking more than a few on the chin over the years.