Premier League — Matchweek 35

Leeds now only 4 points behind us...

How shameful will it be if Moyes doesn't buck his ideas up and they go past us?

They won't go past us.

How many league goals has Dominic, scored this season now?

Eleven or twelve? Not bad for a free transfer.

He didn't want to sign a contract with us, Tony.

Nothing we could do to keep him.

There is a decent chance MK that Moyes in his first full season will finish lower than last season. Now that's what I call improvement.

No way that Howe will be in his job in August.

Paul #4, maybe give him the extra £10,000 a week he reportedly wanted?

Eric @6.

He was apparently after £150k a week. Even Newcastle turned that down.

I thought it was £110k, Paul, and we offered him £100k, which is what he's on at Leeds Utd.

I'd have given him the £150k instead of spending £30M on Barry.

Don't know why some are going on about Calvert-Lewin. He chose to leave and I think he was very average. In his best season, he had James and Richarlison laying on a lot of goals for him.

Maybe when Michael Keane did his interview claiming some players were using injuries as an excuse not to play in the end-of-season relegation games, maybe Dom was one who he was referring to.

In all fairness, Brian, for an average striker, he'd still be our best striker if he was still here.

There's no way he was faking injury when he was here.

Refuse Calvert-Lewin an extra £2.5M per season. Pay £50M for two poor strikers, plus their wages.

Economics of the mad house.

Looking at comments on the BBC, Guardian etc, it seems fans all over the country are united in wanting Spurs to go down!

I suppose it would be a big story, given their new stadium, money spent, recent Champions League participation and so forth.

Dom is a past player, a closed door that one. Beto and Barry are current players, neither a prolific goal getter. Barry is too far off the finished product, and lacks the heart and commitment to make it.

Beto has plenty of heart and effort, and although he lacks silky skills, he has won many fans over as a true team player, with some useful goal contributions.

But this is a Premier League weekend thread, Leeds have already played and we sit it out til Monday night. Beto's back, so fingers crossed for a bit of blue fortune!

Beto is scoring at a higher rate than Calvert-Lewin and on a third of the wages.

So yes, let's not have Dom on £150k a week. We could sell Beto tomorrow and get our money back.

I'm glad he didn't want to re-sign for us, Paul, even though I think he's a much better player than both Barry and Beto.

He was a victim of the circumstances that began to plague a lot of players at Everton and the time was definitely right for him to leave last summer.

That's a cheap shot, Brian, glad he didn't "feign injury" when he scored against Palace.

I wish the lad nothing but the best.

West Ham losing.

And Sunderland winning.

We ould even end up finishing 14th or 15th in this season of progress.

But progress is progress by definition of Dave.

All our players should grow their hair long and wear ponytails so that opposition defenders get red-carded.

We won't make it into Europe in my view. But we've definitely progressed this season so shouldn't be too disheartened. It's been a very close-fought and competitive Premier League this season, especially in the middle.

We were probably always likely to come up a bit short, given that we've got 2 awful strikers and we lost Grealish.

Either way, it's better than fighting relegation.

What is the "progress" we have definitely achieved in your opinion, James?

I already said, John - not fighting relegation. We've been close to the trap door for years so, in my opinion, that's progress.

Walk before you can run.

I get the feeling you're about to disagree with me.

You were correct in your expectations, James. 😁

Get in.
Back in 11th

11th is the new 1st for a club like us.

Be thankful and accept your lot.

I'm not thankful, I want us to get into Europe. I'm also realistic about where we've been as a club of late and how progress is likely to be slow.

I'm not sure what John thinks would be progress.

Europe, James.

Progress might be seen as dropping KITAN1, playing two mobile centre-backs, playing a higher back line, and moving the ball quicker in transition

And perhaps bring on more of our higher energy younger players, and buying in better than past windows.

Progress is attracting players who want European football.

As we have done so well this season, they are clamouring to come to us as, our manager said, most logically, yesterday.

How the Hell did we get beat by West Ham??

How many teams are wanting Moyes to manage them next season?

One... and that is us!

Yes, it takes a special effort to lose to West Ham.

Awful team.

Sure, that's all progress and very much what I want as well. I just think you have to be realistic, given our recent plight and the teams we're competing against (who are also improving).

We have improved from being relegation threatened, so I'm not sure why people don't see that as progress. Give it time.

James.

We haven't been relegation threatened since 2023, mate.

We were struggling up until Dyche was sacked in January 2025.

15th and 13th last two seasons finishes.

Finishes yes. But look at the preceding events, we've been struggling at the bottom threatened by relegation.

I'm not sure why I'm having this conversation. I feel like I'm being gaslit.

Ian 34 -- that's exactly what I thought watching Brentford bully them today.

We all get gaslight by Moyes every Friday in those pressers, James.

John #36, we were one point from the relegation zone last season under Dyche.

That counts as relegation threatened in anyone's books.

We slumped to 39 points at the end of the 2021-22 season having beaten Palace 3 days earlier to ensure safety.

For most of the next two seasons, we were not improving year on year -- not helped by a 10-point deduction -- and so finished with 36 and 40 points.

Were we going to be relegated? It was touch and go. By the time Dyche was sacked, we were back to 40 points level, admittedly 27 was enough to keep you up.

So, in my view, we were relgation threatened. This season is probably going to see a team relegated with the highest number of points for 10 years. We needed to turn it around.

Do we let Moyes have one more season to keep that stability going? Personally, I would, but there are also other serious questions to ask.

Is this recruitment going to spunk another £100M+ for some of the players to sit on the bench or alternatively is Moyes going to get his way and bring players in knowing it may be his last season?

You would hope the club are aligned with regards to recruitment this summer.\ Either way, the club should be identifying the next manager this summer with a view to coming in after Moyes leaves.

Who was complaining about Coleman attacking too much and leaving space at the back?

And yet many want Anzou who is more a Coleman than a Mykolenko.

Can't get a consensus, can we?

Phil,

The Dyche season you said we had 40 points was incorrect: we had 8 points deducted.

Dyche got 48 points that season in truth. Plus Dyche had to sell Gordon.

Moyes has had backing since he took over and we still only have 47 points... so not really a big improvement.

Whether it's Moyes next season or not, and it almost certainly will be, recruitment -- the right recruitment -- has been our issue.

Given our funds, every penny spent is critical. We can't have £70+M sat on the bench.

Bournemouth recruit two 19-year-olds, they're playing, scoring, looking at home in the Premier League. Right character.

We've had our full recruitment team in place for a good while now. They have to have an excellent Summer, business early, not last minute, identified realistic but quality recruits, no dithering.

This Committee have to perform. I hope they've already done much of their homework.

Ian,

Two 19-year-olds ripping it up in the Premier League?

Wierd, that... David Moyes reckons you're not ready for the Premier League until you turn 21.

No.idea what VAR is there for. That is never a penalty against Palace.

Game is rotten. As last week's handball against us proved.

Another crazy penalty call. Hardly any real contact by Henderson on Senesi who kicked him and then went down like a sack of spuds.

Not even reviewed on the monitor by the referee. Is it any wonder VAR is just a complete joke that has ruined the game as a spectacle.

Well, that and Pep's front-to-back-sideways walking football.

Dont tell the Moyes police that other teams recruit well or play anything other than dull-ball, Ian.

No one can do better than Stability Dave, the non-winner of silverware, its not possible. #Stay in our Lane

Agree Liam. There is no way that's a penalty.

Standard of officiating has hit an all-time low, backed up by idiots who have the benefit of replays, slow motion, multiple angles... and are still bloody useless.

Watching the Bournemouth v Palace game and starting to believe that games are starting to be decided by whoever the officials are in the replay booths.

Seems that games are going to be decided by people watching a TV monitor and not a live game.

Crystal Palace are the very definition of being "On the beach", so poor.

Dreadful penalty decision to be fair, but no excuse to not turn up.

Crystal Palace have been awful, to be honest and fully deserve to be 2 goals behind, if not more.

All this after I have been advocating all week for Oliver Glasner to take over from Moyes at the end of the season 😀.

Dean Henderson has been especially shaky. Hopefully Crystal Palace can turn up in the 2nd half.

How a club of Bournemouth's size can produce a team this good is amazing.

Puts us and other bigger clubs to shame

The flash in the pan, flavour of the month young manager has moved them into a possible Champions League position.

Two more young flash in the pan managers tucked in behind them.

It can't be done at Everton, Paul 57.

Only Davey Dull-Ball is possible.

I think Palace have got the 2nd leg of their semi-final later this week(?) on their minds...

Might suit us if they stay like this next Saturday!

I hope Manure absolutely batter these twats

Good start, Liam

Not sure what I'm watching at Old Trafford.

Rivals of the RS playing with intensity, not giving them a second, attacking them with pace down the wings where they are weak, putting loads of crosses in, getting the crowd going.

Shouldn't even be trying to have a proper go at last year's champions like this. Embarrassing from Carrick.

Anyone else remember when this shit goalie came on against us and our Scottish oracle decided to sit back and play for a draw?

Never in a million years would VAR have given us that second goal.

Redshite are awful at the back.

We should have given them a right sausaging in the derby... opportunity missed

Fucking Bournmouth pushing for Champions League after losing thier best player.

We should be fucking ashamed the way our season is falling off.

These last three games have been a disaster. It's pretty clear West Ham and Liverpool from their other performances are very ordinary. And we contrived to lose to both.

It shows what a fall off in performance there has been since the break.

Tony 66 - He shits the bed everytime against them. Kinfe to a gunfight. A frightened manager regulaly bullied by a fat Spanish waiter.

1-0 up in a SF at ht in 2011 against a dogshit RS and he tells them to play safe and sit back.

A perennial loser, won one mickey mouse trophy in 28 years as a manager with his dull-ball dogshit approach. I hate going the match with him there.

Man Utd aren't even doing anything complicated.

Letting the RS have the ball in certain areas but attacking with intensity and pace when they get it.

The Moyesiah:-

"We start with a point, lads, so let's keep it and, if we can spawn a winner, lovely, jubbly."

Players:- "But boss, the RS are really shite and the Unhappy Hammers are dreadful."

Moyesiah:- "Sorry, lads, I've studied the tea leaves in my morning cuppa and that's what we'll do. 2 points will be really good. Trust in me."

Tony@67. Totally agree.

In my early seventies and still getting angry. It does'nt get any easier. I feel so much for the younger Blues.

If Bournemouth can do what they're doing on 10k home crowds and one defeat this year is it? Then surely we could have done much better.

Bar the top 2 it's an ordinary Premier League this season and we could quite well end up 12th-ish.

This season feels like a missed opportunity to really make a statement but the shocking home form and reluctance to set the team free and have ago is really coming home to roost with the final few games.

Moyes drains the joy from everything he touches. He could take the joy out of a JOI.

I take it all back.

Moyes knows best.

Man Utd just handed the Red Shite a gift of a silver tray.

Another pet hate of mine the way dickhead defenders piss up goals by trying to be clever.

I hate the RS but that was quite funny.

What a stupid goal to concede.

Ridiculous play from United's goalie

For fuck's ske, no team ever gives us goals like the 2 the Red Shite got, but to be fair, Moyes would have everybody back on the half-way line.

On the subject of youngsters being bullied and Moyes's reluctance to play them, the Red Shite just bought on a 17-year-old striker.

Why can't we try the young reserve striker? Always excuses...

Mainoo is a cracking footballer.

How on earth wasn't he getting a game?

Crazy game

Too exciting that game.

Give me stability and tedium any day.

PSG V Bayern
Utd v them.

I have to get my enjoyment of the game from the telly nowadays.

Enjoying football is for fools and dreamers, John

Villa, ffs!!!!

Smashing finish from Conor Gallagher.

I'm in a minority but I want both Spurs to stay up and Arsenal to win the Premier League.

Hoping Arsenal win the league too, Liam.

A good friend of mine just passed away, the Big C, mad gooner, we we're hoping he'd make it see them win it bit shit happens.

The fuckers on Radio 5 bemoaning the fact that Liverpool have lost 11 Premier League games this season, and it's been a bad season for them.

Hmmm, I wonder... how many games have David Moyes's brilliant Everton side lost this season?

I see the PGMOL have already come out and apologised to Liverpool because one of Man Utd's goals should have been disallowed today -- the ball hit the fingers of a Man Utd player before they scored.

It was missed by both the ref and VAR but only last week the ref and VAR assistant both ruled out a penalty to Everton because they both thought the handball was accidental.

The game is simply not straight because of the totally inconsistent way that so many subjective decisions are given.

Mark #46.

And by the time Dyche was relieved of his duties, he had dropped 9 points from the performances the previous season and was heading for a total in the mid 30s.

Ross Barkley is so lazy and one-paced, jumping out of tackles!!

How has he deteriorated to this level of "can't be arsed"?

Arse like the 82c out of Speke

This Villa performance, at home, with the annoyance of their own fans, asks some questions about the spirit of the game and fairness.

There is no desire.

You'd be fuming at Villa if you were a West Ham fan.

Villa have a European semi-final on Thursday.

Today isn't important.

Exactly, Paul. Whatever we say, there is definitely a right time and a wrong time to play against certain teams and I think that has been the case for Spurs today.

Are we being had off? It's clear Villa threw this game and didn't even try one bit… passing it backward while being 1 and 2 goals down with zero urgency.

It's been the most blatant throwing of a game I've ever witnessed.

I didn't understand what you meant, Sean.

Then I looked at the fixtures and realised that this result might have put more pressure on Nottingham Forest to play a stronger team tomorrow at Chelsea, three days before they have to go to Villa Park for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final.

You have let yourself down with that post, Ian!

Come on forest

Get in

Clear pen for forest

The Chelsea implosion has been remakable, and enjoyable.

2-0.

If we draw 6 nil tonight we will go above Chelsea!

1.5 billion spent, to be this shite. That takes some doing.

Hope this Derry lad is ok. Nasty clash of heads.

Hope the kid is ok, bad injury that, fingers crossed.

Palmer missed the pen probably not surprisingly after that.

Forest two up and coasting pretty much, how do we make such an issue of winning at Chelsea, beggars me belief.

Forest 8 changes 2 up in no time.

We go there and absolutely soil ourselves, Everton that.

Lovely goal

Forest scoring goals for fun these days, sigh!

Cracking pass from the right back slot.

A manager allowing his players to express themselves.
Works wonders

A few weeks ago Forest were one of the favorites to be relegated now they are about 5 points behind us, it would be completely Everton to finish below them.

Works both ways John. Do you think the Chelsea manager has told them not to express themselves?

Or are they just not performing?

No Ian,
I see a Chelsea side that have lost their last 5 league games,6 Inc this one and a manager who has give Forest the tactics to play front foot footbal

As good as forest are, and I really like some of the players, Chelsea are absolutely shocking.

Lazy, no one does the hard work of the game, and the centre backs are a disgrace.

£1.5bn. Theyre are miles off being a top side. Not one player can say I performed to my level. Delap can stay there.

See Utd are in for the kid we are letting go,Boakye

Your level Ian.
Take your boots and get there early tonight

Bunch of mercenaries them Chelsea players.

I think Forest, who have made a few changes are showing us all that our victory over Chelsea, might have given a few of us false hope.

Tony 125.
It worked on me unfortunately

Just watching Hearts v Rangers.

They're still celebrating goals up there, bless them. They need to get VAR.

Scottish Premiership does have VAR.

Does it?

Ah, well.... it's not reared its ugly head.