Rooney

Turns out they’re not playing again in 2026. Heard a few weeks ago there were major bookings at some different venues (Celtic Park, Wembley, Etihad) getting announced early May. The media is running with the story now with Miles Kane lined up to support. Think it is very likely true unless they decide to pull out.

Very glad we avoided Mansfield and Wrexham. You’d always take those games at home, but Wrexham get their big glamour tie and Arsenal are away at a team they should beat but I always feel with these games you have way much more to lose than gain.

I think teams might need 35-36 points to stay up this season. Forest have Europe to contend with too, like Palace. Personally think it might be a team like Brighton or Palace who think they are safe that might end up really struggling.

I think it is an easy win for the fans and he is a good coach. But this squad is nowhere near the level that it was in 2016-2019 and they don't have Harry Kane anymore either. Just seems like they are stuck as a club. I suppose Arsenal were very similar in 2019 and then obviously had a 5 year plan they put together. They ended up heavily investing and it is paying dividends now. Guess the issue they will face in a few years time is refreshing the squad.

Spurs going back in for Poch seems like a disaster waiting to happen. It seems they will try their hardest over the summer to get him, but don't see that ending well.

Yeah it was a huge win. We’ve actually quietly been fairly good for a few games now. Lots to work on but we’re starting to dominate games for large chunks. We’re certainly not perfect and will still drop points but we’ve given ourselves a chance. First team to win at Sunderland this season and we were mostly dominate. Still think we let momentum slide too quickly in games towards the end. Our finishing is quite patchy. But it gives us a chance of that Top 5. I am slightly worried about our squad though. Pretty much bare bones now.

Felt like this game was coming. Usually happens with new managers. Definitely look your best at set pieces and on transitions. That lad is never getting his hair cut for a while yet.

Loads of games still, Arsenal have to go to the Eithad still as well. I do think Arsenal will have to drop points, but can definitely see a few really nervy games. Just feels like for a title win you have moments, while I think Arsenal have had a few like the Wolves result, that City result is absolutely massive winning away at Anfield.

Tuesday 10th February Chelsea 2-2 Leeds United (19:30) Everton 1-2 AFC Bournemouth (19:30) Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Newcastle United (19:30) West Ham United 2-2 Manchester United (20:15) Wednesday 11th February Aston Villa 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (19:30) Crystal Palace 2-0 Burnley (19:30) Manchester City 3-0 Fulham (19:30) Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (19:30) Sunderland 1-1 Liverpool (20:15) Thursday 12th February Brentford 1-1 Arsenal (20:00) Wednesday 18th February Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Arsenal (20:00)

That's the sort of luck and game you need to win the title. That's a real momentum swinger for them and a sickner for Arsenal. Long way to go still, but that's the type of result that can define a season.

Leeds 2-1 Nottingham Forest Man Utd 3-3 Tottenham Bournemouth 2-1 Aston Villa Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland Burnley 1-3 West Ham Fulham 2-0 Everton Wolves 2-1 Chelsea Newcastle 2-2 Brentford Brighton 0-0 Crystal Palace Liverpool 2-1 Man City

Yes, it’s a horrible series of events for the Government and for Starmer. Whole is seems McSweeney pushed through everything, I don’t think the public or opposition will be happy with that head on a stick. Must say. Isn’t it bonkers that all this is coming out about the Government and Royal Family whereas everyone connected in the US is seemingly just riding everything out.

Armstrong is definitely a signing ready for the Championship next year. Wonder if Gomes is hoping to get a move back to a Premier League club. Was the deal permanent or a loan?

Always amazes me how well coordinated and organised the WASPI group is, considering the majority of them did seemingly no forward planning or read the news for years!

Saturday 31st January Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Everton Leeds United 1-2 Arsenal Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 AFC Bournemouth Chelsea 3-1 West Ham United (17:30) Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United (20:00) Sunday 1st February Aston Villa 1-1 Brentford (14:00) Manchester United 1-1 Fulham (14:00) Nottingham Forest 0-0 Crystal Palace (14:00) Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Manchester City (16:30) Monday 2nd February Sunderland 1-0 Burnley (20:00)

In more positive news, it does look like a change in strategy from the Trump administration. Does seem like Miller is the one really driving ICE, I think he’s fairly untouchable but looks like due to the public mood and even Republicans calling out the outright lies spoken in the aftermath of the weekend, the mood is switching.

Or it could be the top teams have got worse and the middle teams have got better due to the Premier League spending powers. The likes of Bournemouth, Fulhamm, Sunderland etc. can take players off Champions League clubs due to the salaries paid. Then the top teams have to navigate two games a week at a very high intensity. Only 2 teams in the Champions League this week won, one of them played an out of sorts Palace and the other had to rest their star player. It's very hard in the Premier League these days, if you have an off day you can be punished whereas even 4-5 years ago you could quite often play badly and win. Don't think that happens too much these days to be honest.

The counter argument is Burnham might not win the by-election and Manchester has a nice £5m election at the cost of a tax payer all because of a vanity project. Burham had his chance to be a MP in 2024, he should own it and run again in 2029. Instead he ran off to a safe job and is now having to pay the price. Also, hilarious how a Blarite is now the hope of the a wing of the Party. He is a better communictor than Starmer, but don't think he's a better politican.

I reckon 78 points probably wins the league at the moment - bonkers!

I think Arsenal have been rocky for a good few weeks, was only a matter of time before they were beaten. Does kind of make you wonder if teams are over coached. Does go to show that just letting players off the leash and giving them an arm around the back can help. Although, as always, I do think this effect is always very short term. Was very funny at the end of the Sky Sports coverage; "swagger is back", "looking like the Man Utd of old etc. etc. - I've seen this story many times before!

Sorry to hear thar Addy and without wanting to be a negative nancy, you do really feel things are going to get worse. I'm not sure whether the MAGA ploy here is to get Democratic states to hold over their election data (and this make it easier to rig elections) or whether it is scare tactics to suppress voters. In any case, the Republicans have descended in to full fascism now and those sane voices who could have stopped MAGA have the same blood on their hands too. Trump's approval ratings are tanking so you'd expect they will try even more of this stuff pre mid-terms. Dread to think of the chaos of the World Cup in the summer. Unfortunately FIFA and one man in particular are so up Trump's backside that they won't do anything, but there will be lots of the best of the best journalists there working to expose what is happening unless they suddenly end up in an ICE detetntion centre. I guess the message here is Reform want to do exactly this too.

TV is different though now? I expect with consolidated ratings it will be way higher. Does seem like the next celeb series and series 5 will be the peak. I thought this series might be the peak but some good growth still. Uncloaked was really interesting. Faraaz had all the right thinking but he was pretty useless at the strategy element and gaining the numbers, which Rachel and Stephen did. They just lost their heads a little bit and voted on emotion rather than thinking it was a numbers game, and of course, Faraaz just got played by Rachel! I still think series 2 is the best overall. The cast was overall more likeable this year than last series, but last year had some really good moments. I guess like everyone, the winners were completely rubbish and it felt like the Seer twist completely shot both of them in the foot. I still don't think the Seer is a bad idea, but I'm glad they tried something new this series.

The right people won in the end. Both played good games at times and both needed each other to cover for their mistakes or heat. I think if they'd turned on each other before the final, the Faithful would have won. I like people to win who play the best games and in the end I warmed to Rachel. When the heat was on at the end, she played it brilliantly. Obviously she got a lot of luck with the draw of lots at the end, but I feel it's the right way to end the series. Loved the show, I always think the middle half is the strongest in all the series and it was the same in this series too.

Liverpool could be the only club who have an injury crisis with defenders and decide to sell one. This is really annoying as we have a habit of making ourselves weaker and looking too strategically. Obviously you'd expect we would bring Tsimikas back, but he is not as strong as Robertson so we're already weaker here. He's been a fantastic player and an amazing servant. But he's clearly not the peak Roberson from 2018-2020 anymore. Seen far too many games over the last 18 months where he's made the wrong decision and his pace can't bail him out anymore.

The production is really interesting. I get what people say about the vocals - they are very distorted during the verses and hard to hear clearly. I suspect that is all purposely though to fit the mood of the song. Reminds me a lot of the vibe & structure from Random Access Memories by Daft Punk, certainly with some of the compose elements e.g. piano mixed with synths. Agree with others that this doesn't necessarily feel like a song that radio/streaming will eat up like As It Was did.