Football Season 2022/23.

[Chippy_Tea]

This is not Trolling before anyone accuses me.

Ronaldo has not handled this well and has done himself no favours, he will look back at this in years to come and regret leaving the club in the manner he has.

​

Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United with immediate effect​

'Both parties will be delighted' - Rio Ferdinand on Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United with immediate effect.

The decision follows a controversial interview in which the 37-year-old criticised the club and said he had "no respect" for manager Erik ten Hag.
Both parties stated that Ronaldo's exit was "mutually agreed".

"The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford," said a Manchester United statement.

They wished "him and his family well for the future" and added "everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team's progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch".

United are fifth in the Premier League in Ten Hag's first season as manager, with the season taking a break for the World Cup in Qatar.

Ronaldo is with Portugal at the tournament and is set to captain them in their opening Group H game against Ghana on Thursday.

He talked to the media in Qatar on Monday, saying that he will "speak when he wants" and his row with United will not "shake" the Portugal squad.

Ronaldo, who scored 145 goals in 346 appearances for United, left Juventus to rejoin the Old Trafford club in August 2021 - 11 years after he left to join Real Madrid.

He had has just over seven months remaining on his £500,000-a-week contract with United and his departure leaves him free to sign for another club when the transfer window opens in January.

"Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early," said a statement from Ronaldo.

"I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge.

"I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future."

Both parties are happy and we can move on - Ferdinand​

Ronaldo had not played for United because of an unspecified illness since he captained them in their 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on 6 November.

He was dropped for the Premier League game at Chelsea last month by Ten Hag after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham three days earlier.

In his TalkTV interview last week, Ronaldo said he did not regret refusing to come on as a substitute for the final few minutes in a win against Spurs as he felt Ten Hag had "provoked" him.

He also spoke about how, in general, he felt "betrayed by the club" and, along with his view of Ten Hag, added that he thought he was being forced out of the club.

He also said he had seen "no evolution" at the club since former manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Ronaldo mentioned that he was close to joining Manchester City prior to his return to United, while he had turned down a £305m deal to join a Saudi Arabian club in the summer.

He talked about the loss of his baby son in April and how touched he was by a tribute paid to him by Liverpool fans at a game against United at Anfield in the days afterwards.

United responded last Friday with a statement to say they had "initiated appropriate steps" in response.

"Cristiano obviously did that interview with the mindset that he wasn't happy and wanted to get out of the club. He made that very clear," former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told BBC Sport.

"I think Erik ten Hag got what he wanted in this situation as well. Both parties are happy and we can move on.

"The next chapter for Cristiano? It depends what his motivation is. Play in the Champions League? Money? To continue playing somewhere with a nice climate?

"We'll find out in due course I'm sure."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63720774

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2025.

Guardiola, 51, has won 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles, during six years at Etihad Stadium.

"From day one I felt something special being here. I cannot be in a better place," said Spaniard Guardiola.

"I am so pleased to be staying at Manchester City for another two years."

He added: "I can't say thank you enough to everyone at the club for trusting me. I am happy and comfortable, and I have everything I need to do my job as best as possible.

"I know the next chapter of this club will be amazing for the next decade. It happened over the last 10 years, and it will happen in the next 10 years because this club is so stable.

"I still have the feeling there is more we can achieve together and that is why I want to stay and continue fighting for trophies."

City, the current Premier League champions, are second in the table this season - five points behind Arsenal - and face RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16 in February.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said he was "delighted" to extend Guardiola's contract.

"He has already contributed so much to the success and fabric of this organisation, and it's exciting to think what might be possible given the energy, hunger and ambition that he clearly still has," said Al Mubarak.

"Under his very special leadership our first team has accomplished so much, whilst continuously playing, and constantly evolving, a City style of football that is admired the world over.

"Like every City fan, I am looking forward to what lies ahead."

Guardiola had successful spells as manager at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before he joined City in 2016.

He is Barca's most successful manager with 14 trophies in four years, including three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues. He then won three Bundesliga titles in a row at Bayern.

Guardiola added: "Khaldoon never pushed me.

"He never told me 'Pep you have to do it'. He respects me a lot and it is an example of how we have been since day one.

"He gives his opinion, I give my opinion and after everyone works in the way he believes he should for the benefit of the club and the whole organisation, from the top until the bottom.

"Lately we decide 'OK we will do it' and after the decision with the family was right, so I said let's do it."

BBC Sport

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I guess no one saw that coming.

Tweet of the day -

Liverpool FC


https://twitter.com/AnfieldRd96
@AnfieldRd96
Man said “Liverpool need a spark” and the camera turned to Curtis Jones. May as well turn to a ******* steak and ale pie.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Liverpool FC write to fans urging them to identify who injured teenage girl at Manchester City match​

Liverpool Football Club has sent a letter to all supporters who attended their Carabao Cup game at Manchester City in December to try to find the fan who seriously injured a teenage girl.

The letter is calling for anyone who has evidence to help Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) investigation.

The Reds lost 3-2 at the game at the Etihad, but the tie was marred by a number of reported incidents off the pitch - including a projectile thrown from the away end which cut open the head of a 15-year-old City fan below.

The girl's father posted on social media, detailing how a 'weighted pint pot' landed on his daughter's head, forcing her to need glue to stop the bleeding.

Shortly after Christmas Day, he added, Liverpool Chief Executive Billy Hogan rang the family to personally apologise.

In his post on social media the dad said: "The pot ‘smashed’ on impact, she suffered a head injury and was ‘glued’ at the ground before being released later that evening.

"The incident occurred about 20 mins in, just after Liverpool’s first equaliser."

He continued: "We have had a call from LFC directly, Billy Hogan, who apologised unreservedly on behalf of the club and I would like to stress they are as committed as we are to rooting this individual out of football and for them to face the consequences of their actions.

"I would like to thank the dozens of Liverpool Football Club fans who have contacted us so far with kind messages of support in finding the perpetrator and also all friends and contacts who have been in touch."


Both clubs have pledged to look into the various disturbances while GMP is also investigating following a number of additional incidents.

In a letter to their fans, Liverpool said: "Ahead of our fixture at Manchester City on 22nd December, both club chief executives wrote a joint letter to all match going fans to ask for full support in tackling behaviours and actions that have no place in our game.

"In this letter we also explained our commitment to dealing with any unacceptable behaviours and our intention to take action by issuing sanctions to those found to be responsible for any issues and incidents.

"This resulted in a 15 year old girl sustaining a serious head injury, an incident which is now being investigated by Greater Manchester Police.

"It has also severely knocked her confidence to attend football matches in the future.

"If you have any evidence that could support the police investigation, we strongly urge you to report this."


GMP said: "It is believed the cup was thrown inside the Etihad Stadium at around 8.25 pm from the upper tier down to the lower tier in the stadium, which subsequently hit and injured a 15-year-old girl causing a 1-inch laceration to her head.

"The girl was taken to hospital where she received medical attention. GMP are appealing to the public for further information to help us locate the person/people responsible for this malicious attack."

The vast majority of Liverpool fans have been supportive of the girl and her family in the wake of the shocking incident, with several providing messages of support on social media.

Recent meetings with City have been tainted with fan disorder from both sides, with the two clubs coming together ahead of the Carabao Cup clash to call for a calming of rising tensions.

After the game, both City and Liverpool released another statement, thanking 'the vast majority of fans for their behaviour' before adding that a full investigation was underway regarding the 'hugely disappointing incidents'.

They added: "Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC are fully committed to working together to eradicate these issues from our fixtures. They have no place in football.”

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/20...ify-who-injured-15-year-old-rival-fan-at-game

 

[Leon103]

Just in case you missed it, Manchester is red again.

Oh and Brighton smashed Liverpool. Someone should tell Chelsea it wasn't Pottet that they needed but the entire squad.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't think either team played particularly well today and the offside decision was a joke obviously you won't think so but many of the pundits have already said he got it wrong.
Bad day at the office for Liverpool as well, a long way to go to the end of the season.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Just in case you missed it, Manchester is red again.

With a generous dose of help from the officials.

I'm not a fan of either Manchester club (Tottenham for my sins...) but I can't see how Rashford wasn't offside for the first goal. Even if he doesn't touch the ball, his run/presence force the defenders and goalkeeper to position themselves differently so he is surely 'interfering' with play?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm not a fan of either Manchester club (Tottenham for my sins...) but I can't see how Rashford wasn't offside for the first goal. Even if he doesn't touch the ball, his run/presence force the defenders and goalkeeper to position themselves differently so he is surely 'interfering' with play?

Spot on.

This is what the pundits were saying are we now going to see players running at the keeper to put them off because they now know as long as they don't touch the ball they are not guilty of interfering?

 

[Stu's Brews]

Spot on.

This is what the pundits were saying are we now going to see players running at the keeper to put them off because they now know as long as they don't touch the ball they are not guilty of interfering?

If that is what is technically allowed by the rules then there needs to be a rethink. The whole point of the offside rule when it was introduced was to stop 'goal-hanging', it seems that is now legal again provided you don't touch the ball.

 

[Leon103]

There are some good still images that show that the defenders weren't in a position to tackle Fernandes, even if Rashford wasn't there. You can only play by the rules. The officials thought that was OK and that is what the stats shows. Best team on the day won.

 

[Stu's Brews]

There are some good still images that show that the defenders weren't in a position to tackle Fernandes, even if Rashford wasn't there. You can only play by the rules. The officials thought that was OK and that is what the stats shows. Best team on the day won.

I'm not 100% sure it was correct by the rules.

For me it's the initial position of the defenders that is the problem. They've stepped up knowing that Rashford would then be in an offside position, which then compromises their ability to close down Fernandes.

I'd also argue it had more of a bearing on Ederson at the end of the sequence as he was unsure who was about to take the shot and therefore which direction it was likely to head in.

If either of those aren't 'interfering with play' then I really don't understand the current rules.

I didn't watch the game so can't comment on whether it was ultimately the right result, I just think it sets a worryingly vague precedent for future offside decisions.

 

[Leon103]

I'm not 100% sure it was correct by the rules.

For me it's the initial position of the defenders that is the problem. They've stepped up knowing that Rashford would then be in an offside position, which then compromises their ability to close down Fernandes.

I'd also argue it had more of a bearing on Ederson at the end of the sequence as he was unsure who was about to take the shot and therefore which direction it was likely to head in.

If either of those aren't 'interfering with play' then I really don't understand the current rules.

I didn't watch the game so can't comment on whether it was ultimately the right result, I just think it sets a worryingly vague precedent for future offside decisions.

Surely Ederson will have seen Rashford was offside so he has to go with Fernandes.
To try and play Rashford offside they forgot about the number 8. If Rashford was stood by the corner flag Fernandes would have still be free to score, it was the pass that opened up the defence not Rashfords run offside

 

[Stu's Brews]

Surely Ederson will have seen Rashford was offside so he has to go with Fernandes.
To try and play Rashford offside they forgot about the number 8. If Rashford was stood by the corner flag Fernandes would have still be free to score, it was the pass that opened up the defence not Rashfords run offside

Surely the pass was intended for Rashford though?

If it was technically legal then it looks to me like one of those unintended consequences of the rule change to allow players 'not interfering with play' to be in an offside position. The rule makes sense if the player is miles away from the ball or is down injured but this interpretation just makes it more confusing for fans, players and referees.

One thing I can say for certain is that if it happened against Spurs in a North London derby I'd be absolutely livid!

 

[Rodcx500z]

When the pass was played the intended target Rashford was offside that is when the flag should go up, as it is now there is potential to cost teams 3 or 2 points which is basically manipulation by the fa, lot of people called for var, sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for

 

[phildo79]

Don't worry lads, the offside rule will be changed again next season...and still nobody will understand it. Probably change the handball rule as well, just for a laugh.

 

[Leon103]

When the pass was played the intended target Rashford was offside that is when the flag should go up, as it is now there is potential to cost teams 3 or 2 points which is basically manipulation by the fa, lot of people called for var, sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for

But Manchester is still red

 

[Rodcx500z]

But Manchester is still red

Just one little bit,

 

[Stu's Brews]

I'm not 100% sure it was correct by the rules.

For me it's the initial position of the defenders that is the problem. They've stepped up knowing that Rashford would then be in an offside position, which then compromises their ability to close down Fernandes.

I'd also argue it had more of a bearing on Ederson at the end of the sequence as he was unsure who was about to take the shot and therefore which direction it was likely to head in.

If either of those aren't 'interfering with play' then I really don't understand the current rules.

I didn't watch the game so can't comment on whether it was ultimately the right result, I just think it sets a worryingly vague precedent for future offside decisions.

Seems like the Match of the Day pundits agree with this interpretation: 'A shocking decision' - Richards on Fernandes goal