WEEKEND FOOTBALL - 1/2 FEBRUARY 2020

[UlversToon]

Well, with all the excitement of the transfer window, the fakeover talk and, last but not least, the reality of Brexit it's time for things to return to normality or whatever passes for normal in the world of Newcastle United Football Club.

Sat 01.02.2020:

Leicester City 2-2 Chelsea (12.30pm) BT
Bournemouth 2-1 Aston Villa (3pm)
Crystal Palace 0-1 Sheffield United (3pm)
Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (3pm)
Newcastle 0-0 Norwich City (3pm)
Watford 2-3 Everton (3pm)
West Ham 3-3 Brighton (3pm)
Manchester United 0-0 Wolves (5.30pm) Sky

Sun 02.02.2020:

Burnley 0-0 Arsenal (2pm) Sky
Spurs 2-0 Manchester City (4.30pm) Sky

[Don Sholeone]

[ALF]

No idea why he kicked off, clearly wasn't a dive

[Valentino's fast feet]

No idea why he kicked off, clearly wasn't a dive

Because he's a grade A prick

[Remember Colo]

No idea why he kicked off, clearly wasn't a dive

I'd be curious to know how the refs communicated the decision. I agree it wasn't a dive, and the fact the Sterling had already touched it out of play before being taken out made me feel fine about it not being a PK either. But I get why some would assume that if you're not calling it a PK then you are saying it's a dive - even though I think there are more than 2 outcomes.

[TJR]

Richard Keys latest breakdown is absolute comedy gold

‘Is it not even vaguely puzzling that Karen Brady is held up as a paragon of business virtue yet she runs a car crash of a football club?’ Not my words, but a tweet posted last week by the brilliant Ollie Holt.

Well? He’s correct isn’t he? Ollie has often written about Ms Brady. He’s not a fan. Check his work out online. Another article headlined ‘The Comical Ali World of Karen Brady’ will leap out at you. It’s another masterful piece. Unlike the majority of today’s sports writers Ollie isn’t a West Ham fan, so you’ll get a whole lot more sense and honesty out of him.

I hereby have to declare a mild conflict of interest. I don’t like Ms Brady either. We used to get on quite well but (under instruction) she had too much to say about my departure from Sky. Most of her views were inaccurate but she went onto abuse me with the most vile and inaccurate slurs. Her behaviour was scandalous. I’ve never responded and I’m not going to now. I’m saving it.

Ms Brady once claimed that her toughest battle in football was fighting sexism. Nonsense. Who cares about the sexuality of a Chief Executive, Chair, club owner or Board member? If she/he is good at what she/he does - fine. But - if they’re not they should expect criticism whether they are male or female. Or whatever other gender they maybe.

I called Ms Brady out on the shambles surrounding Avram Grant’s sacking. She f****d it up. Do you remember? One minute he was waving goodbye knowing full well he’d lost his job - the next he was back at work with West Ham denying they were sacking him. But they were. They were replacing him with Martin O’Neill. I’ve talked about this before - Graeme Souness and Big Sam had also been spoken to. How do I know? Because they both asked me my advice about taking it. What none of us knew then was that O’Neill had been offered it - Souness and Allardyce were insurance policies, who subsequently both said ‘no’ - but Ms Brady’s problem was that O’Neill changed his mind and decided not to take it. So - what else could she do but tell Grant to carry on? It was a shambles and had her Dad, Terry Brady, made such a pigs ear of the situation I’d have called him out too.

I’ve made myself very unpopular with West Ham fans down the years - but only by telling the truth. The trio that run your club have let you all down. It’s a mess. How David Gold has got the brass neck to ‘like’ a tweet referring to West Ham fans as ‘morons’ I don’t know. Hang your head in shame David and remember that you too are a West Ham fan.

Here’s my take. West Ham is a wonderful football club with glorious traditions trashed in the modern era. My first footballing hero was Bobby Moore. He must be turning in his grave. Having said that, I also believe that a lot of Hammers fans have an unrealistic view of what their club can achieve - perhaps fuelled by the current owners.

West Ham are NOT going to play Champions League football any time soon. Certainly not by buying fading 28-year-old Frenchmen for £8m on three-year contracts that are never renewed. And not by spunking £100m in panic on feint-hearts who don’t give a damn about the club. Who buys these players Mr Sullivan? And Manuel Pellegrini? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

No. West Ham should hope to finish in the top half and enjoy the occasional Cup run - just like it always was. Big Sam knew that. Big Sam delivered half of that equation. Given time he would’ve had a go at a Cup as well.

I genuinely hope West Ham don’t go down again - largely for David Moyes sake. David, of course, master-minded the last great escape before being fired. Oh well.....

A couple of other things. Newcastle fans should hope that the group wanting to buy their club can pull things together by mid-February. They’re still at the table. And it’s not the Saudi’s. I was pleased when Steve Bruce cooled that nonsense. Well - it’s not the Saudi’s right now although it is fair to say they they’ve been ‘sniffing’ around.

Remember the ‘experts’ talking about an era of Manchester City domination a couple of years ago? It was Andy Gray that poured scorn on that. How right he was. I read today that some now believe City need a reboot and are seven players short. Will Guardiola be around to under-take that task next season? I’m not convinced.

I’m not getting into the VR mess at Spurs. I think you’ve all sussed the PGMOL out now. I’m told change is coming. It’s coming largely because the PL have been told they’ll lose their licence to operate VAR if it doesn’t. They have GOT to adopt IFAB protocol. It’s that simple. In making these up coming changes can I once again suggest that Mike Riley, the head of the PGMOL, be one of them? He has got to go if football in England is ever to recover from the arrogant mess that Riley inflicted on us. Only then will the healing process really start. I can’t wait to read my Twitter responses. Enjoy......

[Don Sholeone]

Richard Keys is a grade A wanker who loves to make out like hes highly respected in the football world and that hes privy to info nobody else is, it's all **** and a facade, why the f*** would someone like Allardyce seek him out for advice also the thought of souness skulking off for career advice from him is ridiculous , he must think people are idiots. Hes pretty much seen as an embarrassment to anyone outside of Bien sports now.

[Remember Colo]

Tip to Richard Keys: no players (who don't come from the local community) care about the clubs they move to, so don't pretend this is something unique to West Ham, as if they need to seek out the magical unicorns who dream of playing there. Even 20 years ago their academy players left when they could, and I'm sure he reflects fondly upon that era of the club.

[bodacious benny]

Cba with a new thread with so few games this weekend, but Palace lost to Everton so good result for us.

[Colback's Orange Tufts]

Pickford England's number 1......

[UlversToon]

Pickford England's number 1......

Cba with a new thread with so few games this weekend, but Palace lost to Everton so good result for us.

Everton would have been 5th had Pickford not conceded those two late goals against us!

[UlversToon]

Mitrovic, Toney & Sameobi all on target to day.

[UlversToon]

City v West Ham called off so only one game on - Sheff Utd v Bournemouth.

[originallad]

City v West Ham called off so only one game on - Sheff Utd v Bournemouth.

Anyone know why City's game has been called off but not Sheff Utd's? Weather looks just as shocking.

[bodacious benny]

City v West Ham called off so only one game on - Sheff Utd v Bournemouth.

Anyone know why City's game has been called off but not Sheff Utd's? Weather looks just as shocking.

People from Sheffield are harder than people from Manchester?

[TJR]

The mancs are almost as soft as southerners.

[krully]

Tbh anyone east of Dublin can be described as soft shites

[Remember Colo]

Pickford England's number 1......

A lot of depth at keeper in England for ages now, but they keep selecting the ones full of gaffes. I refuse to believe Pickford is actually the best English keeper.

[bodacious benny]

Pickford England's number 1......

A lot of depth at keeper in England for ages now, but they keep selecting the ones full of gaffes. I refuse to believe Pickford is actually the best English keeper.

He’s not, but he’s one of Southgate’s favourites.

He’s made a lot of mistakes for Everton, wonder how many he’s made for England? I don’t watch international football outside major tournaments so I’ve no idea.

[UlversToon]

Mitrovic has scored after 3 minutes and Toney bagged another couple last night whilst Adam Armstrong, remember him, was also on target.