With the collapse of the European Super League before a ball was kicked in an already doomed tournament the usual weekend review will be a little different. I don’t think I could do the weekends action justice without passing comment on the failure of the “big clubs” in Europe trying to break away.
So lets start there, less than 48 hours after the announcement of the ESL, fan power and common sense had prevailed. And the 6 English sides that had signed up had a race to see who could leave first. Everybody involved in the set up, the sneaky behind the backs meetings, the powers that be in the 12 clubs involved should hang their heads in shame, but that would mean that they would each have to know what shame is, which I highly doubt any of them do.
But while the little guys won for a change against the against the big rich pricks, there was a victory for said pricks. The new Champions League format is a Super League in all but name, the bigger prize money going to the biggest clubs. And the two wild card picks based on their UEFA coefficient effectively meaning that the same big clubs from the ESL can qualify for next seasons competition based on the fact they have been in it before, so gone are the days of the big clubs missing out on Champions League football and the riches that come with it, regardless of their domestic results. Sounds awfully lot like the rich getting richer and a Super League to me.
There has to be punishment for the “big 6” Premier League sides, and a serious one at that, one that makes them think twice before doing this again. Because it won’t be the last. The big clubs want their business to be able to guarantee a profit, every single business owner, small, big or medium would love to be able to do that. It simply does not work like that, and its disgraceful that these clubs tried to leverage their position for financial gain.
But I have zero faith in Richard Masters and his band of merry men at the Premier League to do anything about it, I am willing to bet that there is little or no punishment because they are all chicken shit and too scared to stand up to them.
Florentino Perez is a piece of shit, make no bones about it, nothing will stop him in his pursuit of more money, being a multi millionaire and running a part state funded club isn’t enough for this cunt, he wants more, a bigger share, a guarantee of a certain amount of money and a closed shop that can stop anybody competing with Real Madrid. I could not be happier that this folded quicker than a cheap suit, but I do not think for one second that this is the end of it, or something similar, and when it does come up again, because it will, we have to be as united as we were in those few days to stop it.
Because as we know, football is for the fans, the average man, its for you and all your friends, not for the profit of a few billionaires, fans first, owners second. So when you are allowed back into the ground you love, do not, for one second let the greedy bastards in charge of those clubs forget what they tried to do, what they wanted, they wanted you to be known as “legacy fans” because you have deep roots connected to that club, have supported them for years, have funded their club through shirt sales and tickets and buying a beer at the ground, but you are now a “legacy fan” because your pockets weren’t quite deep enough.
You working your arse off all week to be able to buy a ticket, a train ticket to get to games, a few beers before hand, a shirt for your kids, wasn’t good enough for them anymore, they want the wankers who enjoy going to football and sit in a box, the prawn sandwich brigade, not sitting in the freezing cold away end or midweek cup game, so fuck them, fuck them all.
Eventually after what felt like a lifetime in the footballing world the weekend fixtures rolled around former ESL side Arsenal lost 1-0 to Everton, mere minnows compared to the might of Arsenal in a real David versus Goliath game, Goliath in this case have not qualified for the Champions League in a long time, allowed Everton to come down to their massive ground, and get a taste of the good life, and take all 3 points home with them, all this before Arsenal’s impending heartbreaking but not unforeseen exit to Villarreal in the Europa League.
On Saturday we saw another former ESL side Liverpool hosting inferior opposition and tiny side who have no history in the game of football Newcastle. In fairness to Liverpool, how they didn’t bury Newcastle and have the game finished in the first half is beyond me. They were very good and did everything but score a killer second goal. Callum Wilson and Joe Willock scored injury time goals to give Newcastle a massive win in their relegation fight. Oh wait. Wilson’s equaliser was ruled out for handball after he bundled the ball in from close range, despite Trent Alexander-Arnold pushing him over onrushing Allison, goal disallowed but no penalty awarded. Newcastle huffed and puffed and eventually piggy Steve Bruce’s side blew Liverpool’s house down and got a well deserved point, despite Mo Salah scoring a fabulous opener after 3 minutes.
The early evening kick off saw another former ESL side Chelsea travel to West Ham (that’s the last time I use the former ESL reference I promise) Unconfirmed claims that Chelsea have signed Timo Werner’s twin brother who is useless at football, scored the only goal of the game, despite missing the worlds easiest chance. The game was overshadowed by the nemesis of all football fans VAR. Much as Wilson’s goal being chalked off was horrendous the red card for Fabian Balbuena took the biscuit, after clearing the ball he caught Ben Chilwell’s calf and when VAR asked the referee, who will remain nameless and never have to answer his critics was asked to go and check the pitch side monitor we knew the writing was on the wall. Yellow card at the absolute worst was what I thought was coming, but a fucking red card for clearing the ball? The games gone, the Wilson goal and Balbuena red card proving what we already know, Var like greedy owners is killing football, the sooner its scrapped the better but I fear it will be here to stay.
Rio Ferdinand stated on Twitter that VAR needs to be put in the bin and its ruining the game, I agree, but if you don’t like it Rio pal you and your mates could just club your money together and buy the Premier League? Seems to be his go to suggestion on things, the fucking monumental bellend.
The evening kick off saw Sheffield United and Brighton battle it out for the winner of the who gives a fuck about this game on Saturday title, Sheffield United won 1-0 with a David McGoldrick goal, that to be honest I am yet to see, because like you I could not have cared less about that game if I tried.
BBC had coverage of the early game on Sunday, which if you only watched free to air football, must have thought you’d been subject to the widest an lonest running inside joke of all time, where everything you’d been told about or read on Burnley had been a lie. Wolves made them look like Pep’s Barcelona and ran riot in a 4-0 win that included a hattrick from Chris Wood, not Chris Woods as most of you seem to call him, not much gets my back up like the unnecessary added S to a name.
Ole had promised everybody a goal fest in the Leeds and Manchester United game ” it’s not going to be 0-0, I can guarantee its not going to be 0-0″ Leeds nil Manchester United nil, fucking brilliant.
Sandwiched between the Leeds game and the late game was the League Cup final, with 8000 fans at Wembley which was amazing to see, I spent the majority of the game looking at the crowd rather than the action, it was lovely to see a crowd and authentic noise and reactions, hopefully soon there ill be a bigger percentage of the ground filled, but it’s a start and made the game instantly more enjoyable than any other I have seen behind closed doors.
But Spurs will be Spurs and they failed to turn up again in a big game. Barely offered any threat to the Manchester City goal. Harry Kane must be fucking fuming and surely on his way out of Spurs, because he will win a grand total of nothing if he stays. City hardly had to get out of second gear to win the game, a solitary goal around ten minutes before the end of normal time from Laporte being the difference, giving City their 4th League Cup trophy in 4 years.
Finally another game nobody gave a fuck about, Villa and West Brom, whoever schedules the games in the evenings on a Saturday and Sunday night is a genius, they are always games nobody cares about, and are always forgotten before they have even started, long may that continue too, Sunday evenings are for Songs Of Praise and Antiques Roadshow, not for a heart racing game of football full of ups and downs, as you’re supposed to be winding down before the grind starts again on Monday morning, I have just checked and next weekends late night offerings are, Spurs V Sheffield United on Sunday and Everton V Villa on Saturday, Sky Sports schedule pickers strike again. West Brom were denied a win in the last minute to give them a little more false hope of getting out of the relegation fight, Big Sam’s grip on his gravy boat will be extra tight tonight.
Cheers, The Fat Man.
Fat Lad Sports 