JRC

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Call The Bizzies

I'm chilled, because he has made the decision on his own terms, the team and legacy are in a good place and there is time for us to celebrate with him before he goes, as at Dortmund. Was going to happen soon anyway, would not be surprised if he hasn't factored in his replacement and assessed that it's good timing for them as well, both in terms of where we are and how ready/available they may be. Wonder if his mate as interim DoF in the summer helped with his thinking? If it is Alonso, especially - although true for whoever - then a strong, supportive DoF is crucial. Not sure who fits the bill.

That he will never lead us out for a CL game again got to me, even though I've been pretty chilled otherwise about it.

Usually like Wilson, but that's ridiculously (and unexpectedly, from him) shallow in terms of analysis of us and City, especially compared to the stuff about Arsenal; and the dig about us, refs, conspiracy and the 2nd penalty is just Twitter level snide and unworthy.

Weird Clattenberg said the push wasn't worth a penalty. If you did that to a player about to head the ball or take a shot, it would be a foul - that there was no ball doesn't make it less of a foul, and it actively gave an advantage to the side committing the offence. Should have done it to Gabriel on Saturday - shoved him beyond the last defender. Or shoving a player out of a wall - why not if it's not a foul?

Yeah, I understand that, and the broadcasters complicity shouldn't come as a surprise, but still frustrated that those with such a vested, commercial interest in the quality of the game aren't kicking up more of a stink. The PL and FA haven't shown the slightest interest in questioning PGMOL fitness either, but they're hardly paragons of rectitude. Who are PGMOL contracted to, how much for, how long for and what performance levels, obligations and penalties are in place? Are they audited or subject to compliance standards? Who are the genuine alternative providers that might replace them next time round? Or is it just a cosy arrangement to shift money into favoured pockets? f***s me off big time that no-one is asking, no journos even.

Wolves and Brighton might have a shout, but PGMOL seem to have moved on from that strategy; not seen anything about the Arsenal handball other than the original statement which was doubled down nonsense, made up b******s that didn't even correspond to the evidence everyone could see for themselves. They are basically just taking us for mugs and laughing in our faces. What I don't get is why the broadcasters who have just agreed a small fortune for rights don't complain more that these clown-car charlatans are damaging the 'product' and should be replaced ASAP.

Matterface was talking about it yesterday, he was commentating remotely, said the info from VAR was terrible for them, they had no idea what was happening.

Blackburn fans despise him almost as much as us

We got beaten - battered even - by relegation fodder Watford in the title season, pre-covid and with the title still technically up for grabs. It happens, City's few losses in recent years have included Norwich, Palace and, er, Wolves.

It behoves the arlarses on here who saw his whole LFC playing career to ensure this is never forgotten or even questioned.

Should never forget that Carragher injured both groins in Istanbul

Agree, and never thought I could say that. It's a combination of the rest being so piss-poor and Taylor having acquired a level of authority he never had before. He used to look like a frightened rabbit and s***house teams knew they could bully him, but that seems less true now; unfortunately there's no evidence his decision making has got any better. You could have said the same about Webb in his 'heyday'.

There was an element of it in the Ref Nerd justification for Konate not getting the second yellow, but that was all to do with whether it was a 'Promising' situation and so worthy of a yellow (it wasn't because the Blue lad wasn't going to get to the ball ahead of VvD) NOT whether it was a foul or not. A penalty shout has no such context to consider, other than the foul being in the area.

Excellent today.

Suarez's first season had loads of near misses and woodwork alongside the mad genius. Villa away was almost unbelievable, but it all worked out in the end.

Takes yards out of some of the Everton lads who look like they're going backwards. Same in the first half when he led the counterattack for the blocked Diaz shot. Just ate the ground up.

Reports from Spain that Arsenal are in for Andre now

Those streets were like lobster pots. Kids would show you in to park your car and it to be 'minded', but you had to pay again to be guided out because they were just rammed in. Got chased there twice - once by Utd after the FA cup semi-final (79?) and once after the League Cup replay vs Everton, when City rolled up outside and just lobbed bottles and bricks into the terrace along the side (Kippax?). Tough ground to be safe at.

Rather impressed with the way Dom motored up the pitch behind Nunez for the second. Outstrips the Everton midfielders and defenders with ease. (Following a brilliant pass from Mac, of course). Starting to love this midfield; quite like the simple use of little 1-2 triangles to release Trent into the midfield space beyond the press - we'll make better use of it on other days; has echoes for me of how Neal used to move up the pitch alongside Kenny and Lee/Johnson/Case etc.. BTW, one report (F365?) had Doucoure and Onana as the best players on the pitch apparently. Seriously? Do these people go to football matches at all?

OK; Young clearly got away with a yellow for kicking the ball away. s***e rule, but, you know. This argument is bugging me. Klopp didn't take Konate off because he knew it was a second yellow, but because he knew the next one would be. Good management, not an admission of guilt. Dyche not only gave Young a tough ask against Diaz from the start, he didn't rectify it when he had the opportunity. And if Klopp had got a yellow, there would have been a massive condemnation of him, with Dyche (who I quite like tbh, and didn't overdo the claim that the result would or should have been different) I haven't seen any criticism of his attitude to Refs. MOTD zooming in to show that Konate caught Beto - no-one said it wasn't a foul, just not a yellow. Would like to see the ref arguments, but I don't think it was a decision that would have merited any debate if Young hadn't already (legitimately) gone. I was more surprised that Pawson didn't take the option to even things up when he could have done