2021-22 football season

[WARSZAWA16]

Fixtures were published today. These are the opening day fixtures (before the tv companies move them though). Season due to start on the weekend of Friday 13 - Monday 16 August:

Brentford v Arsenal
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Everton v Southampton
Leicester City v Wolverhampton
Manchester United v Leeds United
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Norwich City v Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Watford v Aston Villa. 

[Blackpool Rock]

Fixtures were published today. These are the opening day fixtures (before the tv companies move them though). Season due to start on the weekend of Friday 13 - Monday 16 August:

Brentford v Arsenal
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Everton v Southampton
Leicester City v Wolverhampton
Manchester United v Leeds United
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Norwich City v Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Watford v Aston Villa.

Not sure how many games will be shown live but i'd predict the following ones to be shown -
Brentford v Arsenal - Brentford's 1st game in the Prem and a potential banana skin for a big club, I also believe they have to show all clubs live a certain amount of times so perhaps this is a good game to televise Brentford as most people wouldn't be interested watching them against say Palace etc
Manchester United v Leeds United - Long standing rivalry
Norwich City v Liverpool - Ditto the Brentford game
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - The weekends "Big" fixture

[mikecee]

Sky sports news reporting that Rafa Benitez has been offered the Everton job.

[Goldfinch]

Sky sports news reporting that Rafa Benitez has been offered the Everton job.

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[mikecee]

Thanks once again GF.

[Goldfinch]

Thanks once again GF.

[WARSZAWA16]

Between 9-18 July Sky, BT, and Amazon Prime will tell supporters on which day and at what time they want the games played in August and September. Apparently they are pushing to show more games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

[Thephoenix]

Sky sports news reporting that Rafa Benitez has been offered the Everton job.

Makes sense as his family have remained in Merseyside since he managed Liverpool.
Evertonians may need some convincing after his comments about Everton being a 'small club' when he was at Liverpool.
If he gets results they'll soon forgive him.

[mikecee]

Most Everton fans will be very sceptical about this.  How will he win the fans over?  Wins will help but can you honestly imagine the street end singing his name?
 How did Spurs fans feel when George Graham took over at the Lane?

[Thephoenix]

We'll have to wait and see as he was such an iconic manager and personality at Liverpool.

However I can think of a number of players that played for both teams successfully and were eventually accepted by the fans....
Peter Beardsley
David Johnson
Nick Barnby
Gary Ablett
Dave Hickson.

And not forgetting that the following Liverpool players were originally Everton fans....
Ian Rush
Jamie Carragher
Michael Owen
Robbie Fowler.

[mikecee]

The only manager l can think of that went from one club to their hated rivals was Brian Clough (Derby County to Nottingham forest, via Leeds, l think)   And he never disrespected forest by calling them a "small club".  It's a bad fit and imo it won't work.

[martini2429]

Games (so far) that have been announced to be on Sky Sports

Friday August 13 - Brentford vs Arsenal, kick-off 8pm

Saturday August 14 - Norwich vs Liverpool, kick-off 5.30pm

Sunday August 15 - Newcastle vs West Ham, kick-off 2pm

Sunday August 15 - Tottenham vs Man City, kick-off 4.30pm

Saturday August 21 - Brighton vs Watford, kick-off 5.30pm


Sunday August 22 - Southampton vs Man Utd, kick-off 2pm

Sunday August 22 - Arsenal vs Chelsea, kick-off 4.30pm

Monday August 23 - West Ham vs Leicester, kick-off 8pm

Saturday August 28 - Liverpool vs Chelsea, kick-off 5.30pm

Sunday August 29 - Burnley vs Leeds, kick-off 2pm

Sunday August 29 - Wolves vs Man Utd, kick-off 4.30pm

 

[WARSZAWA16]

Newly promoted Brentford will host the first game of the new Premier League season when they welcome Arsenal on Friday, 13 August.
The 2021-22 campaign will kick-off at 20:00 at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Leeds' visit to Manchester United has been moved to 12:30 on the Saturday, while Norwich versus Liverpool is the day's late kick-off, at 17:30.
Tottenham host champions Manchester City on Sunday in the 16:30 kick-off.
Earlier that day, at 14:00, Newcastle welcome West Ham to St James' Park.

[Gordon Bennett]

So opening weekend has 5 games shunted by Sky plus another presumably shunted by BT. So out of 10 fixtures, 4 will happen at 3pm on Saturday. Its absolutely fucking ridiculous.

[mr.bluesky]

So opening weekend has 5 games shunted by Sky plus another presumably shunted by BT. So out of 10 fixtures, 4 will happen at 3pm on Saturday. Its absolutely fucking ridiculous.

Unfortunately that is the way now. Sky and BT plough all their money into football so they call the shots. Long gone are the days that all football matches kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday 

[paper7]

So opening weekend has 5 games shunted by Sky plus another presumably shunted by BT. So out of 10 fixtures, 4 will happen at 3pm on Saturday. Its absolutely fucking ridiculous.

Ridiculous or not GB - money talks, or in this case TV money

[martini2429]

So opening weekend has 5 games shunted by Sky plus another presumably shunted by BT. So out of 10 fixtures, 4 will happen at 3pm on Saturday. Its absolutely fucking ridiculous.

Looks like BT Sport have Man Utd v Leeds Utd at 12.30pm on 14 Aug

 

[Blackpool Rock]

Not sure how many games will be shown live but i'd predict the following ones to be shown -
Brentford v Arsenal - Brentford's 1st game in the Prem and a potential banana skin for a big club, I also believe they have to show all clubs live a certain amount of times so perhaps this is a good game to televise Brentford as most people wouldn't be interested watching them against say Palace etc
Manchester United v Leeds United - Long standing rivalry
Norwich City v Liverpool - Ditto the Brentford game
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - The weekends "Big" fixture

There you go the 4 I predicted to get shown live are all being shown live plus 1 other 

[Blackpool Rock]

Spurs not having much luck finding a Manager so far

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Another rebuff now

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[Blackpool Rock]

No more away goals rule in Uefa competitions from next season

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[Gordon Bennett]

No more away goals rule in Uefa competitions from next season

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Presume they have data/analysis to show the big sexy teams weren't gaining any advantage and were coming unstuck more than benefitting from away goals..... can't have a situation where upstart serfs get a leg up to the big table can we?

[Gordon Bennett]

There you go the 4 I predicted to get shown live are all being shown live plus 1 other 

It's not hard to predict. I don't know why Sky don't offer Burnley and Palace £25 million if they accept none of their games being broadcast.

[WARSZAWA16]

Everton appoint Rafael Benitez as Manager:
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[Goldfinch]

Jadon Sancho: Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund agree deal for England international

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[Goldfinch]

Tottenham appoint Nuno Espirito Santo as new manager

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[martini2429]

it's all, happening today

[lostandfound]

Benitez to Everton, Nuno to Spurs? EPL is becoming like a soap opera - the same characters coming around again!

[martini2429]

Benitez to Everton, Nuno to Spurs? EPL is becoming like a soap opera - the same characters coming around again!

Yea but who is buried under the patio 

 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

A two year contract for Nuno? Either Levy doesn’t really fancy Nuno at all or Spurs are skint. I wonder what it feels like to be fourth or fifth choice?

[Blackpool Rock]

Benitez to Everton, Nuno to Spurs? EPL is becoming like a soap opera - the same characters coming around again!

I'm waiting for Joey Barton to pop up like Nick Cotton, "Ello Ma got any Fags" but who would he be Managing  Burnley I recon would be best fit 

[Blackpool Rock]

A two year contract for Nuno? Either Levy doesn’t really fancy Nuno at all or Spurs are skint. I wonder what it feels like to be fourth or fifth choice?

Yeah doesn't look good that, realistically he's there for 1 season isn't he unless he suddenly does well but Levy would probably still get shot of him

[The0neAnd0nly]

A two year contract for Nuno? Either Levy doesn’t really fancy Nuno at all or Spurs are skint. I wonder what it feels like to be fourth or fifth choice?

Cant wait for the Spurs fans to start piping up saying Nuno will be bringing Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo, Cancelo and Ruben Dias in 

[Blackpool Rock]

Cant wait for the Spurs fans to start piping up saying Nuno will be bringing Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo, Cancelo and Ruben Dias in 

1st job they should be worrying about is whether they can keep any half decent players they already have, if Kane; Son and Bale piss off then they will be in relegation territory

[paper7]

1st job they should be worrying about is whether they can keep any half decent players they already have, if Kane; Son and Bale piss off then they will be in relegation territory

My thinking is that Kane will be going to man City for 'one last hurrah,' Bale will retire and Son will move on, not necessarily in the U.K.

[mr.bluesky]

Cant wait for the Spurs fans to start piping up saying Nuno will be bringing Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo, Cancelo and Ruben Dias in 

Couldn't help noticing that Wolves away shirt last season was almost an exact copy of Portugals home shirt so the first thing Spurs will do is change the away shirt the same 

[WARSZAWA16]

Patrick Vieira appointed as Crystal Palace manager:
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[king tarzan]

Patrick Vieira appointed as Crystal Palace manager:
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Brilliant player in hey day

[Gordon Bennett]

Online racists will be banned from going to footy.

BBC News - Online racists to be banned from football matches, vows Boris Johnson
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Seems to presume online racists actually go, or want to go to matches, and are based in England. Looks like meaningless posturing and playing to the crowd to me. I suppose they have to be seen as doing something though.

I'm wondering if I'll be allowed to boo and bait opposition players next season. When you follow a crap team half the fun is deriding the players, staff and fans of the club you're playing. Without that it'd be a bit dull.

[Stevelondon]

The bad news being Newcastle United are still in the hands of barrow boy Mike Ashley.

Fat git.

[mr.bluesky]

The bad news being Newcastle United are still in the hands of barrow boy Mike Ashley.

Fat git.

Another season fighting relegation then

[Gordon Bennett]

The bad news being Newcastle United are still in the hands of barrow boy Mike Ashley.

Fat git.

As an impartial outsider I'm struggling to see what the problem is with Ashley. Obviously he's an unpleasant sweaty cunt but his tenure as owner seems within the realms of reasonableness to me. Just because he's not a foreign despot criminal sportswashing gazillionaire doesn't make him a bad owner.

[Matrix]

Great result for the gunners, last night! 

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[Matrix]

Online racists will be banned from going to footy.

BBC News - Online racists to be banned from football matches, vows Boris Johnson
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Seems to presume online racists actually go, or want to go to matches, and are based in England. Looks like meaningless posturing and playing to the crowd to me. I suppose they have to be seen as doing something though.

I'm wondering if I'll be allowed to boo and bait opposition players next season. When you follow a crap team half the fun is deriding the players, staff and fans of the club you're playing. Without that it'd be a bit dull.

It also presumes that all the abuse came from somewhere in England.  Apparently people from outside England can post things online, these days.

[Blackpool Rock]

It also presumes that all the abuse came from somewhere in England.  Apparently people from outside England can post things online, these days.

Well there was a few comments made including from Southgate that the social media people had identified a number of accounts and many of them came from abroad.
Not sure of the countries and exactly why someone feels the need to racially abuse someone in another country but then again exactly why does someone do it to anyone 

[Matrix]

Well there was a few comments made including from Southgate that the social media people had identified a number of accounts and many of them came from abroad.
Not sure of the countries and exactly why someone feels the need to racially abuse someone in another country but then again exactly why does someone do it to anyone 

Perhaps because the media are so desperate to portray England as an intolerant shithole, in spite of it being far more tolerant than most places, as most of these posts come from nothing accounts.  No excuse for any of them but, % wise we're talking about an incredibly small number of posts. 

They should treat them the same as those idiot streakers (fit birds aside, obviously). Ignore the fuckers and the attention they crave.

[Blackpool Rock]

Perhaps because the media are so desperate to portray England as an intolerant shithole, in spite of it being far more tolerant than most places, as most of these posts come from nothing accounts.  No excuse for any of them but, % wise we're talking about an incredibly small number of posts. 

They should treat them the same as those idiot streakers (fit birds aside, obviously). Ignore the fuckers and the attention they crave.

Yes I do tend to agree that we are fairly tolerant in this country and racism etc isn't anywhere near as bad as it used to be back in the 70's and 80's etc or at least not publicly since people realised they could get arrested etc however what people still think in private is a different matter.

You raise a good point about ignoring them as every time it's on the news it basically tells the racist trolls they have won their little game and it does seem to be the headline feature of an awful lot of programs lately to the point many people will just think "What again".
The problem is that turning a blind eye and not mentioning it or having a focus doesn't make it go away either.

Perhaps it's time for a social media platform to request identification details to sign up to it almost like a safe version of facebook or twitter, that would stop a lot of the shit being posted as people know they can be identified and dealt with / arrested etc.
Run the safe site alongside the standard site but users of the safe site can post on there with some assurance they won't get trolled etc

[CoolTiger]

Premier League footballer held over child sex allegations

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EDIT
he has not been named for legal reasons.

[The0neAnd0nly]

Premier League footballer held over child sex allegations

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EDIT
he has not been named for legal reasons.

News broke this morning about who it is and was quickly redacted. Apparently its (speculative post removed) although I've not heard much else about it since then.

[daviemac]

News broke this morning about who it is and was quickly redacted. Apparently its (speculative post removed) although I've not heard much else about it since then.

Please do not speculate who it MAY be.

To remove any doubt.

He has not been named for legal reasons.

[garfield]

Everton suspended one of their players

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