The on topic thread

[moomba]

I can't agree with not punishing Holgare just because he has lodged an allegation of racial abuse. That just gives the green light to those who wish to use allegations of racial abuse as a means of escaping punishment.

The only reason the tweets came to light was because the allegation was made, and Liverpool supporters went digging for dirt.

The two are strongly linked, and far from being used as a means of escaping punishment, they're pretty much a consequence of making a racism allegation.

Pretty sure if he was going to get punished for the push it would have had to have been done by now in accordance with FA disciplinary rules.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I can't agree with not punishing Holgare just because he has lodged an allegation of racial abuse. That just gives the green light to those who wish to use allegations of racial abuse as a means of escaping punishment.

I would hope the FA looks at the offensive tweets in a totally independent matter and the possibility of a ban for violent conduct as totally independent to what is happening with the racial abuse investigation. The decision to whether Holgare is banned should also be totally irrelevant in regards to the Firmino situation.

I personally don't think he should face sanction for posting some dumb shit he said as a 16 year old.

I do think there us grounds for a 3 match ban for deliberately trying to injure an opponent after the ball is out of play.

If the FA decided to investigate inappropriate tweets when he was dumb teen then their priorities are all wrong. How about investigating the dwindling standards of referees and linesmen.

It’s just mud been flung because he accused another player of racism. Those tweets had been there for years yet we’re conveniently discovered the day after these claims are made.

 

[Zidane98]

The only reason the tweets came to light was because the allegation was made, and Liverpool supporters went digging for dirt.

The two are strongly linked, and far from being used as a means of escaping punishment, they're pretty much a consequence of making a racism allegation.

Pretty sure if he was going to get punished for the push it would have had to have been done by now in accordance with FA disciplinary rules.

Who's to say he would'nt have been punished for the tweets down the track? Yeah it's not nice that they were dug up but that shouldn't be a defence against it and taken into consideration regarding any penalty for it. The FA would be condoning homophobic behaviour if it walked away from punishing Holgare just on the basis of how it was brought up.

 

[moomba]

Given his age at the time, and the circumstances behind it, I'd expect a warning.

Personally think the FA shouldn't be getting involved in years old tweets anyway.

 

[Zidane98]

Given his age at the time, and the circumstances behind it, I'd expect a warning.

Personally think the FA shouldn't be getting involved in years old tweets anyway.

Agree on both counts.

 

[Zidane98]

Given his age at the time, and the circumstances behind it, I'd expect a warning.

Personally think the FA shouldn't be getting involved in years old tweets anyway.

What's the time frame on charging a player over racism allegations? Imagine the FA have all the evidence from both players, the referee and video footage from all angles by now.

 

[Latro]

What's the time frame on charging a player over racism allegations? Imagine the FA have all the evidence from both players, the referee and video footage from all angles by now.

From the Aluko case about 12 months.

 

[Zidane98]

From the Aluko case about 12 months.

Imagine it's a different time frame for off the field incidents like that.

 

[moomba]

What's the time frame on charging a player over racism allegations? Imagine the FA have all the evidence from both players, the referee and video footage from all angles by now.

Not sure there is a time frame tbh.

In everyone's interest to have it resolved ASAP though.

Imagine they'll have to interview both players, ref, any other players in the vicinity, TV footage etc. Bit of a logistical nightmare.

 

[jod23]

Yeah I'd say there is a pretty clear top 5 in terms of 21 and under. Asensio, Mbappe, Dele, Ousmane Dembele and then there is another one who I am forgetting. We had this discussion on here before the season started. It might have been Donnarumma. Although I would say that Sane's performances this season put him in that group as well.

TAA.

 

[Latro]

Maitland Niles.

 

[Gosha]

Kompany are you surprised Hazard made the team ahead of superstars Isco, Bale and Asensio?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[ADL9798]

Pretty sure if he was going to get punished for the push it would have had to have been done by now in accordance with FA disciplinary rules.

Looks that way.

There was a realistic chance of Firmino splitting his head open or breaking his arm, or a member of the crowd copping a stray boot in the face. For Holgate to not even receive a yellow card for that was appalling refereeing. Blatantly obvious that the referee lost the plot once he had players yelling in his face.

Suppose Holgate had two footed Firmino and snapped his ankle, then turned to the ref and started yelling that he had been racially abused, does the ref not send Holgate off in that scenario? If it can be proven either at the time or later on that the accusation is accurate, then that should be dealt with too, but refs are paid and trained to have the wherewithal to assess incidents in isolation in real time, if they can't do that then they're in the wrong profession.

 

[moomba]

Looks that way.

There was a realistic chance of Firmino splitting his head open or breaking his arm, or a member of the crowd copping a stray boot in the face. For Holgate to not even receive a yellow card for that was appalling refereeing. Blatantly obvious that the referee lost the plot once he had players yelling in his face.

Suppose Holgate had two footed Firmino and snapped his ankle, then turned to the ref and started yelling that he had been racially abused, does the ref not send Holgate off in that scenario? If it can be proven either at the time or later on that the accusation is accurate, then that should be dealt with too, but refs are paid and trained to have the wherewithal to assess incidents in isolation in real time, if they can't do that then they're in the wrong profession.

He should have been booked at the time, if it was a two footer he should have been sent off at the time.

And I don't think anyone could have any complaints about either decision.

But that has nothing to do with the PR issues the FA is facing now.

 

[moomba]

 

[ADL9798]

I completely forgot Victor Moses was in that team.

Amazing amount of turnover in such a short space of time. Fortunately we've largely bought quite well under Klopp.

Comparing the 2 (starting XI in bold):

13/14 GK: Mignolet, Jones
17/18 GK: Mignolet, Karius

13/14 CB: Agger, Skrtel, Sakho, Toure, Coates, Ilori, Wisdom
17/18 CB: Van Dijk, Matip, Lovren, Gomez, Klavan

13/14 FB: Johnson, Flanagan, Enrique, Cissokho, Kelly
17/18 FB: Clyne, Robertson, Milner, Moreno, Arnold

13/14 CM: Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Lucas
17/18 CM: Keita(?), Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum

13/14 AM: Coutinho, Sterling, Moses, Ibe, Alberto
17/18 AM: Lallana, Mané, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Woodburn

13/14 ST: Suarez, Sturridge, Aspas
17/18 ST: Firmino, Sturridge, Solanke, Ings

 

[Dawn to Dark]

UEFA Fans TOTY: Buffon, Alves, Ramos, Chiellini, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, De Bruyne, Hazard, Ronaldo, Messi

Hazard shouldn't be in there period, Neymar been consistently better throughout the year. Modric too been off form in the second half of 2017. It's called team of 2017, he may have won a champions league but his output in 17/18 has been lacklustre. Thiago all day over him, Kante very stiff to miss he was injured for 5 weeks take that into account and there's only room for three with kroos winning la liga and the ucl, Busquets been immense second half of the year but MIA in the First

Buffon seriously. De Gea keeping a rubbish man united defender from self destructing with his saves. Past Reputation shouldn't be taken into account, DDG did win an EFL and Europa League cup.

Chiellini has been selected on reputation. Koulibaly been a rock for Napoli the whole of 2017 and has been the best seria a defender. Umtiti can't be considered due to injury.

And finally this may be harsh but Dani Alves hasn't been that good for PSG. Remember that Monaco won Ligue 1. Azpilicueta played RCB for Chelsea and was consistently good throughout 2017. RCB meh he slots in at RB

My Team of 2017:

De Gea, Azpilicueta, Koulibaly, Ramos, Marcelo, Thiago, De Bruyne, Kroos, Neymar, Ronaldo, Messi

 

[Jatz]

I completely forgot Victor Moses was in that team.

Amazing amount of turnover in such a short space of time. Fortunately we've largely bought quite well under Klopp.

Comparing the 2 (starting XI in bold):

13/14 GK: Mignolet, Jones
17/18 GK: Mignolet, Karius

13/14 CB: Agger, Skrtel, Sakho, Toure, Coates, Ilori, Wisdom
17/18 CB: Van Dijk, Matip, Lovren, Gomez, Klavan

13/14 FB: Johnson, Flanagan, Enrique, Cissokho, Kelly
17/18 FB: Clyne, Robertson, Milner, Moreno, Arnold

13/14 CM: Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Lucas
17/18 CM: Keita(?), Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum

13/14 AM: Coutinho, Sterling, Moses, Ibe, Alberto
17/18 AM: Lallana, Mané, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Woodburn

13/14 ST: Suarez, Sturridge, Aspas
17/18 ST: Firmino, Sturridge, Solanke, Ings

Who are the players you've signed under Klopp? I didn't think you had bought quite well. Obviously Mane/Salah are quality, Van Dijk is too early to tell (will have to play very well to justify the price tag).

 

[ADL9798]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/42648061?__twitter_impression=true

I foresee an unfortunate series of events befalling that family.

 

[Zidane98]

Not sure there is a time frame tbh.

In everyone's interest to have it resolved ASAP though.

Imagine they'll have to interview both players, ref, any other players in the vicinity, TV footage etc. Bit of a logistical nightmare.

There would have to be a set time frame for the FA to charge a player surely? Understand the investigation may take some time but there surely has to be a time limit to whether the FA will charge a player or not. Unfair to have a possible unfounded accusation hanging over the head of a player for a significant period of time.

 

[ADL9798]

Who are the players you've signed under Klopp? I didn't think you had bought quite well. Obviously Mane/Salah are quality, Van Dijk is too early to tell (will have to play very well to justify the price tag).

Haha well I haven't seen a 'Kop Flop' headline in about 3 years, so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

Mané, Salah, Keita, Van Dijk, Matip, Wijnaldum, Chamberlain, Robertson, Karius, Solanke.

With the exception of Karius who as a 24 year old keeper still has a bit of developing to do, all have gone on to perform to expectations or exceeded them. The last time we signed a player I thought was an unequivocal waste of money and truly 'flopped' was Benteke in 2015, the summer before Klopp arrived. I've no doubt Keita will be a hit, Van Dijk the same.

I think the key thing that separates Klopp from the Rodgers/Dalglish/Hodgson days is that he's consistently buying to a plan. Every midfielder/attacker he's bought is in that same mould - athletic, aggressive, balanced, skillful. He knows the style of play he wants to achieve and is buying players perfectly suited to it - I think that's probably why Chamberlain for example has settled in and started performing so quickly.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

So Chelsea have found their own Archway Steel problem. A lady and her cottage.

Wonder if they’ve even consulted with the rail network yet. If not then the completion time may be optimistic.

 

[chef]

Nice of the BBC to release their names. Idiots.

Sounds like just after speed bump and the councils on our side, they could just purchase the land but we aren't at that stage yet. Pretty sure decking over the tracks was sorted out ages ago.

It is a slow process but it was always going to be, theres no rush.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/42648061?__twitter_impression=true

I foresee an unfortunate series of events befalling that family.

I like creativity, but that is an ugly stadium. Because they are filling up as much space as possible maybe they wanted a design that made it look 'lighter' by having lines through it? No different to all the blocky architecture you get in Melbourne, with a 'creative' finish on the outside to make it seem 'artistic'.

The close-ups evoke a 1960s thick-bars-and-windows look.