General Premier League Thread 2023-24 Mod Note in op 27/6/23 And 21/05/24

In reality, it's most likely that he did gamble while at Newcastle... like, he's said that he has a serious gambling addiction, and habitually gambled for years while playing at Milan, where the repercussions are more serious than England with potential criminal prosecution. So under those circumstances, it seems most likely that he continued his habits after moving clubs. Tbh I'd kinda assumed that was baked into his case and punishment - didn't realise his case was only limited to his time in Italy. Should be an easy thing to check anyway, if they have the same access to his gambling records that the Italians did.

If it's found he did, would it be an additional penalty, or a concurrent penalty I wonder? I'd kinda expect the latter... say, a 6 month ban running alongside the 10 month ban rather than extending it.

He was spotted having a fag outside a pub in Newcastle the other day.

Rashford not in the squad because of 'late fitness test', but coincidentally the same week that ETH publicly scathed Rashford for going to a nightclub and forced him to apologise. The same Rashford that is good friends with Sancho.

Is it tactical reasons that Evans is starting ahead of Varane again this week?

ETH not making it easy on himself, as bad as the players and other factors have been.

Yeah not playing an injured player. What a statement.

Maybe. But you believe Ten Hag? Same man who told the press that playing Evans over Varane was tactical?

Antony wearing dangly earrings during the warm up. They don’t give one sh*t!

To me, it feels like ETH is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

Plenty United fans have been calling for Rashford to be dropped and now he's injured, so perfect time to 'drop' him. If he is dropped and ETH is saying diffferently publically, he's protecting Rashford from the media backlash of being 'dropped' and allowing him to get his act together.

It's a good move imo. The bar is so low at the moment that for me, I've zero expectations with this game I'd rather see the likes of Garnacho start in his place.

Similar to Varane, been awful form this year and getting dropped in favour of Jonny Evans who was deemed not good enough years ago. The mystery around his injury takes the spotlight off him somewhat.

Seems a strange thing to lie about and again would just highlight EtH lacks leadership. If Rashford is dropped for poor form or bad behaviour he has to say it or, at the very least refuse to comment on the reason. Pretending that he's injured doesn't do anything for EtH credibility.

EtH days are numbered, i don't se how he can turn this around given the players dont seem to have much respect for him.

Ah... its poppy fascism time of the year again.

But you better not dare bring a palestinian flag into the stadium or you will get turfed out.

Yeah I'd agree. He needed to be dropped and this is a way of saving face for it.

I hate these marginal offside checks. Just award the bloody goal, there's negligible benefit in these ones. The rule was introduced to stop hatching in the box, not to deprive us of goals in a melee in the box.

That should be allowed ffs

And VAR steps him back down

Ridiculous

I wish they'd get rid of VAR

Have to say that looks harsh for United, but I remember them getting huge number of VAR decisions in their favour a while back, back in Ole's day. It seems like it's completely swung the other way now. I was waiting for this to happen.

Dat's football.

That's a ridiculous decision against United

It has its benefits if implemented properly but that call was dreadful. That goal should have stood. Between that and the softest penalty ever awarded by VAR last week, Utd should feel very aggrieved.

I don't support Utd but I don't like perfectly reasonable goals being ruled out over trivialities. The attacking players didn't gain any advantage in that goal and there was no interference. A stupid call made worse by taking so long to determine the outcome. If it is not immediately obvious, then move on.

No consistency, that's far less of an offside than when Akanji had to jump out of the way of the ball here, and this goal was given.

A goal for City would never be ruled out these days though unfortunately.

Iwobi with a good break from his own half, but a wild shot miles off target from the edge of the box. That's Fulham's problem, they can't score goals. Losing Mitrovic so late was a real blow. Fulham haven't scored a first half goal at home this season. Their only wins have come against Everton, Luton and Sheffield United.

Clear and obvious isn't for offside decisions though I thought?