Consigliere

Or how about Mbappe delivering a CL to PSG on his way out.

Atleti, Dortmund, Barca and PSG will all be very happy with their draws and route to the final. All the tournament heavyweights are on the other side of the draw.

We can't afford Kudus anyway.

'Boro did reach the uefa cup final but I don't think they were relegated that season.

Can I just say that I'm not a fan of the bonus CL spot going to the 5th placed side in the league. Since this extra spot is determined by an associations collective performance in European competitions over the course of each season, only the teams actually contributing to the coefficient for that season should be under consideration for the bonus spot imo. Basically, the club that accumulated the most coefficient points but didn't qualify automatically for the CL via league position should get the spot. In the case of the PL, that team would currently be West Ham who have accumulated as many coefficient points as Liverpool so far this season.

Inter's atrocious finishing in the CL this season was their downfall. They completely dominated the first leg (Atleti didn't even have a shot on target) and should have won that game by a bigger margin than just 1-0. Barella and Thuram fluffing huge chances with the score at 1-1 last night really was costly. Inter players were rubbish in the shootout as well. He does track back from time to time (when the team is really under the cosh) otherwise tracking back is not something he's being tasked to do. Rashford plays as either a left forward or CF so when we transition into defence, Rashford is usually tasked to stay up top to provide an outlet along with one other player (Hojlund usually when he's fit). Many of those clips seem to be made with an agenda - Rashford is the online United fans favourite scapegoat and those short clips are clearly designed to be rage bait and don't take tactical instructions into consideration.

City would've been given the penalty for that. Not for the first time in a tight title race, City reap huge benefits from terrible refereeing. Employing PL referees to ref games in the UAE is really paying off for them.

Great weekend for Arsenal. City were better in the first half and Liverpool better in the 2nd. Think Liverpool should've edged this one based on the chances they had in the 2nd half. Probably 2 points dropped for Liverpool rather than 1 point gained.

Ederson also made a genuine attempt to play the ball so a yellow card+penalty was appropriate. Not attempting to play the ball (like, say, a shirt pull or cynical trip) in that type of situation would be a red card+penalty.

Looking forward to this. Re: GoT and Benioff and Weiss. I think they did a more than decent enough job in seasons 1-4. There was a significant drop-off between seasons 4 and 5 and things just continued downhill from there. As a result, GoT has zero rewatch value for me seeing as how nearly half the run is mediocre at best. However, it seems to me that a lot of the most vitriolic criticism directed at them for GoT are from people who appear to have taken it as a personal affront and are just rooting for them to fail now. At the end of the day, my own enjoyment of a show is the most important to me and I don't have a beef with Benioff and Weiss so I'm hoping that they can do a good job with this series.

Guaranteed 4th place but not good enough for a title challenge and ending the season trophyless would be my guess.

Don't moan about the Europa League. Klopp had the option of playing a reserve team if he chose to but his line-up clearly suggests that he's taking the competition seriously. The EL is the only trophy that Klopp has failed to win at Liverpool after all (losing the final to Sevilla in his first season).

I think the biggest question mark around Arsenal is whether they can hold their nerve in a nail-biting title race. City have proven repeatedly that they can. Arsenal as a defensive unit (not just the backline but their entire team) has been immense this season though and that could be the difference maker this time.

I'm in agreement with @ljkeane regarding Maguire. Don't think the alternatives are clearly better than him but Southgate needs to replace him with someone who's quicker and more agile - it's also why I think Dunk should not start either. I'd go with Stones (no brainer as he's England's only top class CB right now) and Colwill (I like a left footer at LCB. Just opens up some nice passing angles) and in the case of a back three, Walker at RCB.

Think I'll revise my opinion and put Arsenal above Liverpool as the side most likely to take the title off City. Liverpool has injury problems and also Arsenal are the best defensive unit in the league (opponents really struggle to create even half chances against them) and that solidity always gives you a chance to win games even if the team has an off day. The goals have started to flow for them as well.

He was convicted in the Netherlands for aggravated assault in 2023 (stabbed his cousin in the leg) and sentenced to 18 months. Was also convicted of cocaine trafficking last month and sentenced to 6 years. I'm seeing some other reports saying that he was detained at Dubai airport because of his conviction in the Netherlands for drug trafficking - no mention of the alleged hit-and-run incident from other reports.

There's reports that Quincy Promes went on a training camp to Dubai with Spartak Moscow, got involved in a hit and run car accident and was arrested. The Netherlands have put in an official extradition request to the UAE.

His legal team fucked up by refusing to negotiate a plea bargain. Probably could have gotten away with a 2-year ban rather than 4.

And because it doesn't really make any substantial difference to Israel which party controls congress or who sits in the White House. Israel enjoys overwhelming support from both parties and gets their 3+ billion dollars every year regardless. So I doubt Netanyahu cares one iota whether it's President Biden or President Trump. Duh. Everyone knows the world is changing. Still doesn't change my opinion i.e. the vast majority of those who voted uncommitted will pick Biden over Trump when the time comes. A small minority might choose not to vote/vote for Trump/vote for a 3rd party but I don't think it'll be enough to flip the state. Just my opinion, of course.

Wasn't there also a 10-11% uncommitted vote in Michigan's primary back in 2012 with Obama on the ballot? I don't think the 13% uncommitted in Michigan in 2024 is going to seriously hurt Biden in the general - I expect that the vast majority of those who voted uncommitted will vote for Biden over Trump in the general.

I'm not American so I'm not participating in US elections. Doesn't change my point though. If what you claimed is in fact accurate then "the party that will end all elections" will be in power sooner rather than later given the broken electoral system which gives the GOP a structural advantage.

If the bolded is actually true then the US is doomed anyway regardless of who wins this year's election - Biden winning just delays the inevitable for a measly 4 years if the bolded is true. Since the Republican party has a structural advantage with the electoral college as well as congressional maps then it's only a matter of time before there's a Republican trifecta.

Tbf, he did win the league with PSG in his first full season. Won the Coupe de France the season before but had only joined in January.

The PL has promised to fast track these cases and have it sorted out before the season ends.