Chatter from the sidelines
- José Mourinho began dressing-room discontent with ‘Mickey Mouse’ jibe pretours are nothing but trouble, LOL. But seriously, it just means that what might undo Mourinho is the fact that millennials don't respond to his schtick
- MLS playoffs bracket I know a few of you follow the MLS, so I'm throwing in news while I can. It seems the playing season is over? How do the players manage during the long lay off? I know for instance, Manchester City does allow its players from NYCFC to train in Manchester if they want to
- The Brazilian Legend Who Wants to Kick Corruption Out of Soccer
Say it like you mean it! - Top of the table again: New York Red Bulls win MLS Supporters' Shield Is this like the American version of a domestic cup? Because there's still the MLS title to play for, right?
- Bayern Munich Hammer Cologne: Is Pep Guardiola Becoming Bored in the Bundesliga? How can one be bored with winning?
- Arsenal news and transfer rumours: Pep Guardiola eyeing Prem move - but 'only wants a London club' LOL, a true established Spanish player's attitude, that
Miscellaneous
Feyenoord fans’ 14th minute standing ovation for Johan Cruyff
Premier League
Sunderland 3- 0 Newcastle
Allerdyce stormed to a win. Sunderland and Newcastle rivalries are pretty ferocious, and Steve McClaren (Newcastle's manager) for him to dismiss the game outright was his downfall, tbh
Bournemouth 1- 5 Tottenham Hotspur
After Pochettino scolded his charges about being focused on Thursday, two mins into the match on Sunday, Bournemouth got in. WTF. He was fuming!
Eighteen minutes after that, Spurs got a penalty. Eriksen supposedly made way for Kane to score a penalty, to get his confidence and um... yeah
So. Harry Kane. I didn't realise how heavily strapped up he was in the match (I guess because of the socks, shinpads and tape. With five of Spurs players wounded, Kane had to play today
Bournemouth's keeper was bad, bless him.
That being said, Pochettino seems to have a big issue with his young ex academy charges. They're too nice, and need to have the ruthlessness to close matches down. Before Anderlecht, you get the feeling that they would have gone up to three, and then play pass the ball until the whistle blew. He's demanded that they go in, focus, and close down
WTF was Lloris doing?!
Kane got the match ball (hat trick), and Lloris and Kane hugged it out at the end. It's strange to think that mentally, last season, Spurs was where Liverpool is now. Anyway, onward!
Man United 0-0 Man City
It was billed as the £600 million match up. The Manchester football clubs are considered 'The Dubai' of the North, in that weather wise and city wise, it's all a bit meh, but the money is too good for players to pass up, so they show up
But I hear the match was dull (I have no dog in this fight)
Rooney's form is still faltering
No matter how heated the match though, goalkeepers have nothing but love for each other. LOL
Liverpool fc 1- 1 Southampton
The gif that sums up the game. LOL
What the-? I want to talk about this match at length, and how Rodgers has pretty much broken the players and has left Klopp a rebuilding job to do on and off field, because even the supporters are unsure of what the players are. Klopp spoke about (rightly) about there being no leader on the team (still fuming over Milner as captain, but I'm leaving it) but this post is long enough
Moreno played like a bawse. He did an epic, picture perfect tackle. Like Xabi Alonso, yes, I tend to poo poo tackles, but the tackle on Mane was pitch perfect! Done wrong, it could have been a red card and a penalty, but Moreno did nothing wrong!
Highlight of the match for me. I guess I'm more English than I thought, because I LOVE a good tackle
Can's quality fluctuated wildly, tbh. But that's what you get with young players, I guess
Coutinho was bad. Played badly. Impending fatherhood might be doing a number on him.
La Liga
Barcelona 3- 1 Eibar
Suarez pulled out a hattrick! When Messi is injured, you find that Neymar and Suarez will grow in his absence
This can't be good. LOL
MSN
Atletico Madrid 2- 1 Valencia
Yannick Carrasco- new signing- and how! Where does Atletico Madrid come up with their fantastic players? Another Belgian terrorising everyone!
Diego Simone's player management is quality. Jackson is off to a good start
Just... this can't be good for anyone!
With the victory, Atletico storms to third place in the league
Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund 5- 1 FC Ausburg
It was a weekend of hat trick magicians, and Auba was one of them. I mean, for real?
With high scoring matches like this, it's less match pictures and more celebratory pictures, you feel me?
See what I mean? Match, what match?
OP: done! Sorry, time and my own complacency ran away with me. Can someone else do the tags that I've overlooked, please? I have to go.