Baba Yaga

Was a pretty good day out for a city fan, good atmosphere (from away fans) and was cool watching all the celebrations at the end even though it didn't mean much to me personally. Football was ok, think FGR edged the chances but both keepers had to make important saves, thought FGR might have been on edge because of the occasion but they were on top for most of the 1st half and on another day would have scored a couple of goals. Hope they have a good season next year.

They have the 2nd and 3rd top scorers in league 2 but one got an acl injury a few weeks ago and the other one scored his first goal since January on Monday, might explain their dip in form over the last couple of months. From watching highlights of their recent games most goals are either from set pieces or crossing into the box to someone's head so even though they are top I don't think the football on show is as good as some of the other sides below them. Right now I think Rovers have the beating of them and if they don't get promoted Saturday they play Swindon away in the week.

Tempted to watch from the away end on saturday, FGR could confirm promotion and I think if Rovers slip up it should pretty much kill off any hope of automatic. Probably should be a crime against football just turning up to the game where a team get promoted but could be an interesting day out.

Man Utd

Liverpool

Arsenal

Chelsea

Man City

Tottenham

Leeds

Everton

Aston Villa

Newcastle

West Ham

Sunderland

Leicester

Southampton

Wolves

Sheff Wed

N Forest

West Brom

Derby

Blackburn (very hard to pick final club, could easily be Middlesbrough, Sheff Utd instead but Blackburn have been in the top flight for more seasons overall and have won title in old and modern eras)

Interesting listening on radio it didn't sound too bad yet opinions on here quite a bit different. Remember the reverse fixture was pretty frustrating so at least it was a bit more of a contest today. Good to see Conway get an assist.

32 minutes ago, Super said:

Think Scots will beat Ukraine if it gets played but difficult to pick a winner out of them and Wales. Think Scotland have a better team but Wales have Bale and Ramsey.

Agreed I think Scotland have a good number of prem starters these days compared to recent times and without checking probably more than Wales. Also when playing away have done ok in recent times, England draw in the euros, Serbia in the last play offs and I think they beat Austria in qualifying which means beating Wales is definitely possible.

Personally speaking and probably an unpopular opinion but I would be most excited by England vs Wales in the group, have the welsh as slight favourites but the only thing that would really surprise me is Ukraine winning back to back.

Really interesting group I think, don't know much about Iran but they won their qualifying group and gave Portugal and Spain tough games in the last world cup, also its very close to Qatar on a map so for the first game it's going to be a challenge. USA we should beat but traditionally have done very poorly against them in world cups so hoping that record can be changed. Then the last game personally I am really up for a Scotland or Wales game to hopefully win the group and knock them out the tournament (don't think Ukraine will beat both of them away), will be tough playing a home nation but exciting and pressure in a good way I hope. A good chance the games will be tight and cagey affairs but all 4 teams will feel they can get through that group and a winnable last 16 tie.

18 hours ago, 2015 said:

It's a really horrendous format like they are doing with the Champions League from 2024. The World Cup won't be the same in my opinion by adding these 16 extra teams. The qualification will near enough be a process of if you're at least remotely average in Africa or Asia, you'll qualify which will dilute the quality of the actual tournament.

I know people go on about times change and we have to continuously evolve (Corporate speak) but this isn't the way. It's very much like rewarding every child a medal but in this rewarding every average side a place at the World Cup basically. I hope to see some more push back from UEFA and the major European nations, but it won't be to any avail because AFC, CAF and OFC will be the ones who will benefit (where all the tinpot football nations are from) and will be lining the pockets of the FIFA big wigs.

The sooner England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy say enough is enough and we're taking our ball and leaving FIFA the less likely silly plans like this will be in place, but they're too scared to because they'll also lose money.

The loser at the end of this is football, less will be interested in the Sport because of the amount of pointless World Cup games there will be and the quality will go downhill. It's not supposed to be easy to just qualify for a World Cup

The group stage for the next world cup sounds really poor, 16 groups of 3 teams and 2 sides go through (so not only will the quality be completely diluted but lesser teams will be encouraged to play defensive football because of the format). 

As for todays draw I hope England get exciting games and avoid the likes of Germany and Netherlands. Mexico, Senegal and the winners of Wales/Scotland/Ukraine would be an ideal group I think.

The non european play off games will be played in Qatar in the middle of June, I wonder if you might get some unexpected outcomes. UAE are clear underdogs but should be best suited to the climate.

They got 14pts in their first 7 games but since then it's only 8pts from 18. Personally I think they will stay up but it's by no means certain. Next 2 games both at home to Wolves and Newcastle, very interested to see how they turn out. Still have to go to Burnley and Watford which look like huge games for them if they don't turn things around soon.

Financially I wonder if Usmanov was more involved with the club that he is on paper where it's Moshiri's name above the door, now Usmanov has been sanctioned I suspect they are in the shit and going down this season would be a complete disaster.

I have been watching the highlights for the local teams in League 2 for the past few weeks, quite interesting to me at the moment with FGR top but currently on a bad run and the gas (54 pts), Swindon (55), Newport (56) all in the play off battle, guess you might count Exeter (57) too. I think Rovers are very much outsiders for promotion this season but they are on a good run and seems like things are quite upbeat where as for City it's a little different mood but life in the championship is bound to be more of a struggle due to the much harder teams.

Not much pressure on the team this season due to the other clubs point deductions, I think without them the gap to relegation zone would be 5pts rather than what we have. Playing a young squad in that situation I think people would feel very differently and it may not have worked out. Getting more game time now when things are relatively comfortable will hopefully build them up for the challenges ahead next year.

In terms of goals scored it has been a very good effort from the team so hoping that continues, strange that the team can't buy an away win now after going so long without winning at Ashton Gate.

1 hour ago, Sheltons Army said:

%100 YES

Russia needs to be made a complete pariah state , in every single way, frozen out from the civilised world

It will be Europe that will be frozen if they stop buying Russian gas so there has to be a measured response to this.

Staying on football I thought Russia were pretty awful in the euros and doubt they would have even qualified anyway. For me they should still play (there are other bad countries out there who still play) but it's going to look awful for FIFA if they insist that Poland play them or get kicked out. Maybe just get the winners of Sweden vs Czech Republic to qualify.

Tough job to go into at the moment, probably known for trying to play good football at Chelsea and Derby but I don't think his track record as a manager is anything special, giving it to Duncan Ferguson until the end of the season and seeing whose available then might not have been such a bad move.

Shame that poor defending has cost the match, for Senegal it seems they have got to the semis without getting beyond third gear. Looking forward to the final next week, Fam only 2 games away from winning his countries first ever AFCON.

Agree if it was the prem that would not have been overturned, good equaliser and that Nsue chance could have been 2-1. EG already beaten Algeria and given Ivory Coast a very good game too. Set up for a good last 30 mins here.

Just put them a goal up, good pass from Mane. Hadn't really got going but still haven't conceded yet this tournament either.

A lot of the games this season have the same pattern, City start really well but only one goal up or still level and the other team comes back into the game and scores. Quite a few times this has happened. Shame the weak defending at set pieces cost the team because it was a good away performance for most of the evening.

Don't want to pre judge the new owner because there is a fair chance he will splash the cash and improve their league position but for me it's a worrying sign when they come in and fire the manager straight away regardless of form. I know the Hull fans hated their previous owner because he wanted to change the club name but it seems this guy is bringing in new people just because they are well liked in Turkey. Whatever success/failure happens there I think I would prefer an owner like Lansdown myself, but I will be watching on with interest as it seems like anything can happen. I'm guessing a Sunderland style documentary series available in Turkish could possibly be on the cards.

43 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Reports coming through that there has been a military coup in Burkina Faso.

I wonder how that will affect their team's morale.

Looking at their history seems like they have had a few of these over the years so I would expect them to be relatively calm at this stage (might be completely wrong). From a selfish point of view it would be good to see Bertrand Traore really fired up for their next game, looked quality when Villa beat us in the league cup last season.

1 hour ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

Ghana out. That`s a huge shock (and JoJo comes back to Swindon @Shaun Taylor a lot earlier than expected). Well don Comoros!

Have ended up watching 2 of Ghana's games and Woolacott has looked very shakey in goal at times. Didn't look like he had a supportive dressing room from those games, some senior players clearly not happy with the way things are going in the tournament and getting moody, it's a very hard place to show character when you don't have many caps and play in the lower leagues. Still a great experience for him but a terrible moment for that country's football, it's not like they have great competition in gk position so he may even get another chance.

Enjoyed seeing Comoros get surely their best ever win and probably the most memorable afcon game I have seen. Apparently the tournament isn't actually being televised in Comoros but I'm sure people will take notice of a win against a much bigger nation.

Ghana v Comoros is turning out to be a good game, 10 man Ghana 25 mins away from crashing out but they got a goal back a few mins ago so it's game on.

Just now, grifty said:

What are you watching it on? I can't find it anywhere.

EDIT: found it!

You can watch them all here I think.

I watched the Ivory Coast game last night, would have been a great game if Equatorial Guinea's finishing was better. Was 1-0 but could have easily been 3-2 or something. From watching highlights I think a few other teams have the same problem.

All teams have played a game each and Cameroon are out on their own with 2 goals scored. They should really score a few against Ethiopia later to bring the excitement levels up a little bit. 

14 minutes ago, Stockwood gate said:

My best friend is Gambian and I have been there a few times and been to the national stadium it’s there first AfCON so come on the scorpions 

Was looking into them earlier, the lowest ranked club in the tournament, have never been to an AFCON before. They needed penalties to a beat a team ranked around 195th in the world to get through the first round of qualifying (to compare to Europe that's lower than Leichtenstein). Then in the next round they won their qualifying group.

For the tournament in general I have to back Senegal to win it (but I thought the same last time and they lost the final). Algeria and Ivory Coast also look strong but not sure they are as well balanced as Senegal. Heard that Cameroon have never lost a competitive game at home (don't quote me on that but if true that's some record) but they don't have the best of teams this time around it seems to me.