december fixtures begin! (EPL heavy, sorry)

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

OP note: in the PL calendar, December fixtures are seen as the make or break time for the title. Unlike Germany (where you get December off) or Spain (Christmas week off) the PL matches go through December, and that's when even the most sure title challengers start to look shaky and the calendar congested. This is where the real competition begins. Right, on with the post.

Mario Balotelli: Liverpool striker sorry for Instagram post

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has apologised for a post on social media which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.
Balotelli, 24, quickly deleted the post from his Instagram page of Nintendo computer game character Super Mario.
The Italian had tweeted to deny the text of the post was offensive before his apology.
The Football Association is to investigate the post, while Liverpool say they will speak to Balotelli.
The picture posted by the Italian striker had an image of 'Super Mario' with the heading 'Dont be a racist!'.
The text read: 'Be like Mario, he's an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican'.
It finished with the lines: 'He jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew'.
Responding to criticism on Twitter, Balotelli then tweeted: "My [adopted]Mom is Jewish so all of you shut up please." read more here
I just... Balo, why?

Podolski wants to end his career at Köln

A cry for help?
1. FC Köln: World Champion Lukas Podolski is planning to end his career again a return to FC. "I can imagine in the next few years a change to 1. FC Köln quite well. I hang still at the club and will again hear the FC anthem and feel the feeling when I go up the stairs with the number 10 "the 29-year-old told the sports news channel Sky Sport News HD at the edge of Benfiztermins in the cathedral city. ".. I did not say come hell that I want to leave Arsenal I feel in the city and the club very well, but of course I want to play," Podolski said again and added once more: "If anything comes and you talk to the club and the coach, then we'll see. " The 29-year-old offensive player was active for the Billy Goats From 2003 until 2006 and from 2009 to 2012 and has witnessed three descents (2004, 2006 and 2012).article
in German. Ja

Xmas fixtures upset Van Gaal

LvG face is upsetting at this time of day, so putting in alleged match fixer participant Herrera instead
The Dutchman is sad that he will not get to see his loved ones much during the festive season because of the English game's traditional heavy schedule, but also feels the programme - which could include four games in nine days - places an unfair burden on players.

But the veteran former Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Netherlands coach is willing to adapt to pursue his ambitions with United.

The 63-year-old said: "I am not happy - but I cannot change it - because I don't think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a (previous) match - two matches in two days.

"In December it shall be like that. We also have family. I have a wife and kids, and grandchildren, and I cannot see them this Christmas.

"But I want to work in the Premier League, so I have to adapt, and I shall adapt. But I don't think it is good. It is not good for the players, nor for the family." more
I don't get this. LvG's been hankering after a job in the PL for close to a decade, and he didn't realise that we played through until Christmas?


chatter from the side lines

• Bayer Munich wants to extend Pep Guardiola's contract it's golden handcuffs time


• Liverpool wants Gerrard to stay - offering him a new contract with coaching responsibilitiesmore here


• Come on Lampard let me know - will you stay or will you go? here


• Thierry Henry has left the MLS say goodbye


• "Not so fast, Jose!" Pelligrini tells Mourinho not to start planning for new silverware as yet it's on now


• FIFA's shortlist for coaches this year: Simeone, Löw and Ancelotti I hope Simeone gets it, tbh but it might be Löw


• Manchester United news: Louis van Gaal weighing up January move for Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin Atlético Madrid getting plundered again


• Malky Mackay and Iain Moody hit by new race claims after former Cardiff employee Alisher Apsalyamov submits complaint to FA over alleged 'Chemical Ali' nickname the FA has its work cut out today


• Stan Collymore criticised for 'diving fairies' jibe after Sergio Aguero's yellow card against Southampton I missed this one

Social Media

Balotelli's apology. Too late, the FA is getting involved. For those asking why the FA's 'making a mountain of a molehill', the incident has been reported to the FA by an aggrieved party, so they have to investigate (as per their protocols)

Balotelli's tweet

The tweet in question

FIFA's finalists for the Balon D'Or. I hope Neuer wins it just to shut the Messi vs Ronaldo fan boys up- and this is coming from someone who dislikes both BM and die Mannschaft

Pepe Reina back in training for Bayern Munich


pic spam

Thanks for the memories Arsene, now it's time to say goodbye, the banner says. Dang, harsh


Hey, doesn't Dave de Gea look like the actor who plays Charlie from 'Brothers and Sisters'?


de Gea got Manchester United's player of the month. Again.


2014 has been James' year


Angel is out injured, Falcao might start today


West Brom has been on a tear lately


I can never find good pics of Leicester City players, so have a fox instead


D. Agger, we miss you. I need a moment.


Audi sponsors Real Madrid AND Barcelona? That's one way of doing it


Real Madrid players at some Audi event.


Sergio Aguero named Player of the Year by The Football Supporters' Federation

Comments

[the4thjuliek.livejournal.com]

You know who de Gea has reminded me of lately? W.B. Yeats.

I mean, do you see it?



And old W.B. Yeats looks like Tom Wilkinson, wut?

I miss Dagger so much :(

Falcao has recovered fully?

idek about Falcao

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

His fitness has been a concern. I think he came back in the game to soon, tbh. But LvG has to make a decision re: Falcao come April - they'll have to either buy him or cut him loose. Falcao wants to stay at the club but his fitness might not make that happen.

De Gea's face is narrower than that guy's face in the photo, tbh.

[lady-teazle.livejournal.com]

De Gea = Yeats... nope, not for me. But Dave is the high-performing glue that's keeping United going thru our various rough patches. I stick my fingers in my ears - la la la! - when I hear those Madrid rumours. And he's getting better looking with every passing year. Mmmmm.

[the4thjuliek.livejournal.com]

He does! I find Yeats hot in a nerdy way, tbh XD He was supposedly quite the playboy as well. But yes, as an Arsenal fan, I don't want de Gea to leave United because I would rather see him play against us (and do brilliantly) than warm the bench at Real.

[eva]

Ah, looks like I'll take more of an interest in English football the next while. Nice that something is still being played.

And I think the next weeks are going to be hilarious for other reasons:

Magisches Jahr: @Manuel_Neuer in Bildern. #BallondOr #SUPERMANU http://t.co/TiJTMXhKtj pic.twitter.com/gz2aYfZv3T

— BUNDESLIGA (@bundesliga_de) 2. Dezember 2014

FTR, I'm really not invested in this much. I think Neuer would deserve a win, I'd be surprised if he did win, and I suspect he can just look at his World Cup medal instead (not sure why I can feel sorry for Messi but not Ronaldo about that one). In any case, I'm looking forward to all the drama and videos and photos we are going to see until they award the thing. I don't frequent ONTD, but I gather it's a lot more dramatic there than here?

[mrscrapbag.livejournal.com]

going to be a devil's advocate here and point out Crispy did manage to let 2 goals in on Neuer. it happened in that one semi-final match. i imagine it must have been an iconic moment especially with how Manu reacted on the first goal. ;D

i guess ONTD is more dramatic since people have a different sense of humor there. oh and they love wank so of course this is gonna a wank fest once the winner is announced. lol

[eva]

Oh, I knew Ronaldo had scored against him. It's just all part of the drama - and the official Bundesliga media can of course afford to be totally partisan, as there's only one player playing here who is nominated.

[mrscrapbag.livejournal.com]

lol, yeah i get that. it's all part of the bantz!!!111

re: football?

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

It depends with ONTD tbh. They just use the posts to put up pictures of footballers that they fancy. But yeah for all my disdain for Bayern Munich, the German NT and Real Madrid, I wish they'd give the Balon d'Or to Neuer just to shut the Spanish media up. Yeah, the English play through until May, but the European managers do want a break like they have in the European leagues. I think matches have been played on Christmas or boxing day!

RE: re: football?

[eva]

That's cruel, and I say that as someone who has to work on Christmas. Those players have families (and so of course do all the other many people who have to work around the matches and get a lot less money for it), and I don't think so many fans want to watch the matches either.

Re: RE: re: football?

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

The players are getting what, wages of 100k a week, as well as three months off between the seasons.

The EPL is watched world wide - I know I've watched matches over Christmas week. Besides, it's only Christmas. I don't think the UK has the magic around the holiday like the Europeans do (with the Christmas markets and advent calendars, etc). We just use the week to bed in.

RE: Re: RE: re: football?

[eva]

Heh, yes, the money is why I'm not as sympathetic to the players as the rest of the people working there.

Ah, that might be possible - I don't know that much about English Christmas, but it does seem to be less.

RE: Re: RE: re: football?

[meliadoul.livejournal.com]

For a lot of English people Christmas means... Christmas football and Boxing Day sales.

RE: re: football?

[minervasolo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it must suck if you're working for minimum wage in one of the betting booths. At least if you're, say, a waitress or a taxi driver you get good tips on Christmas.

[ananasonastick.livejournal.com]

Some of us already scheduled a trip to ONTD to annoy all the people there. Feel free to join us ;)

And yes, the wank was hilarious.

[connorblond.livejournal.com]

Okay, not being around all those sites much ... ONTD being? What exactly?

[ananasonastick.livejournal.com]

A gossip site on LJ

http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/92677644.html#comments
http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/92676191.html#comments

[lady-teazle.livejournal.com]

That award is going to either Neuer or CR7. The former, I hope. He deserves it - Weltmeister and all that - and we could all use a break from the ongoing Messi/Ronaldo saga, which will probably never end as fanboys thru the ages will add them to the Pele/Maradona argument.

[marsyke.livejournal.com]

I think that the christmas period is too fixture heavy. Not ideal for the players.  It definitely benefits the bigger teams with largers squads.

Oh balotelli, you simply do not help yourself. He should have known that people would be offended. Even if he apparentely found it okay.

it is what it is

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

It has its benefits, tbh. Around this time of year this is when you start gelling in the younger players through the period (like Southampton did under Mauricio Pochettino) while giving the older ones a rest. If done well, you can manage this period and you might find a new competitor for a starting XI (for instance, they might call up their second goalie to manage at this time). Besides, an average PL football team has about 23 players on the squad, not counting those from the academy, this is the time where you decide who stays or who gets traded.

Ahh Balotelli. Just when the clamour around him was dying down... *SIGH*

[mrscrapbag.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mario. smh

'So all of u shut up please'

[jesscp.livejournal.com]

Oh Balo you never fail to make me laugh.. Next person to piss me off today is gonna get the 'shut up please' treatment. Just when we thought the Balo drama was dying down, he goes and fucks it all up again. I really like him but Jesus christ that boy needs a filter, especially with everyone being so precious and PC about everything right now.


LvG can fuck right off as well, I'm sure he has enough money to pay for his entire family to spend Xmas in Manchester! He really rubs me up the wrong way, ugh.

Ramos for the first time ever doesn't look like a fashion reject, is that Casillas on the other bike with yellow shoes, blue jeans and red jacket?!

Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

I woke up to the news this morning at 06:00, groaned and tugged the duvet over my head. Balotelli realllly doesn't make it easy for himself.

LvG - actually.., he lost millions in a ponzi scheme, which is one of the reasons why he said yes to Manchester United (he'd promised his wife that he'd retire two years go but oop- and you get the feeling LvG isn't that kind of guy- and he has been after a coaching job in the PL for years. He was linked to Spurs for a hot minute).

Yeahhh that's Casillas.

RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jesscp.livejournal.com]

I feel bad for Balo, I do think he means well but perhaps hasn't got all of the sense to filter everything he says?! I also do think he is an easy target too - again he doesn't help that but I don't ever find myself disliking him, no matter what shit he pulls.

I still can't feel sorry for LvG, like you said, he knew the PL format before he signed up!

Oh shit Iker who allowed you to leave the house like that?! You know shit is going down when Sergio is not the one who looks ridiculous.

How are you feeling about the Liverpool game tonight?! I think I will try and catch the second half tonight, likely to miss the first half.

Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

Ahhh Liverpool!

To be fair, Leicester is a struggling side at the moment (Foxes!), but the problem with Liverpool is that you don't know which team is going to show up! Also, our lack of conditioning is a concern. They press for the first fifteen minutes of the game, then they slacken off (either due to lack of conditioning or ideas (or both) for the next seventy minutes. Or when they get a goal, instead of going for others, they get into that old British habit of gritting out either defending their one goal or a draw. Not to mention Brendan Rodgers puzzling substitutions and the fact that he doesn't sub until the 80 minute.

Ahhh Rodgers, if only your management decisions were as assured and successful as how you dumped your first wife and got with your new woman. (._.)

I have a Spanish class today, I can't really duck out and watch the match early - I did that last week - only to come home and watch Man City versus Bayern Munich (but that was nice, as well as the results, so). I'll just have it on my phone.

LvG is a guy who, if he had the money still would have jumped to manage in the PL. I get the feeling that the PL was a league that he had had his eye on for a long while.

RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jesscp.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah Leicester are at the bottom of the table right I know that feeling so well WAAAH so I would imagine they will go into the game firing on all cylinders, so I guess you gotta hope Liverpool turn up having a good day?! Easier said than done!

I know no gossip about Rodgers, but I am guessing he was a massive twat to ex-wife?!

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

LOL, yeah. I think Leicester should have changed their coach when they got into the PL, tbh. No offence, but some coaches are just qualified for one level (no shade) and their goalie isn't that good (yes, I live in a glass house). But Liverpool have a way of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, so.

Rodgers seemed to be a better coach when his (now ex) wife was around- to the point where people are asking if she was the brains of the outfit - or the kind of person who'd talk Rodgers down from his stubborness (sticking with formations that tend not to work). But he got new teeth, lost weight, moved into Gerrard's old house, and traded in his missus for a newer one - and that seems to have taken his eyes off the job somewhat.

Idek, I keep banging on about Liverpool needing a coach for set pieces and some sort of defence. Rodgers (finally) seems to realise that he needs to play with the team that he has instead of the team that he wants (Suarez and Sturridge out for various reasons). Liverpool at this time will have to win all their matches just to get to a top four. Sod the league win, get to the top 4 just so we can still have European nights.

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jesscp.livejournal.com]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Leicester give Man Utd a big shock earlier in the season? So although they are bottom of the table, they could still produce a win against Liverpool... Sorry that's not what you want to hear! I have to say, I prefer games like this when there isn't a defined team who are more than likely to win, if you understand what I mean?! As in, if I watch a Real Madrid game, I fully expect them to win. When you aren't supporting those 2 teams, it makes the game a bit more exciting.

Rodgers sounds like the typical man with a middle life crisis throwing it all away on something younger and also trying to clutch onto being younger - moron!

Hey boo at least Liverpool still have a chance of top 4... All wins will be a tough ask, but my Dortmund babes could win all their next games and still not make top 4. Ugh. That's if I did my maths right, and I was awful at maths at school!

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Leicester give Man Utd a big shock earlier in the season? So although they are bottom of the table, they could still produce a win against Liverpool... Sorry that's not what you want to hear! I have to say, I prefer games like this when there isn't a defined team who are more than likely to win, if you understand what I mean?! As in, if I watch a Real Madrid game, I fully expect them to win. When you aren't supporting those 2 teams, it makes the game a bit more exciting.

Nope, you're not wrong.Yeah, for all my mourning over Liverpool, give me a strong league over one strong team in a league anyway. :P

At the end of the day, I want an entertaining game. I'd like to know which Liverpool is going to roll up and show up though. It's one thing if you're playing badly but with heart, and just bad luck, but it's another thing when you're just (like Liverpool at various stages through the season) playing listlessly, trying to waste time because you don't have any ideas because your coach is idea deficient- or at least, not coming up with ideas in a hurry.

Leicester might surprise, especially since they need a win (they're near to the bottom of the table right now). I won't put anything past them, like I said, they need a win, and it's home court advantage. Liverpool might collapse like a house of cards.

Rodgers sounds like the typical man with a middle life crisis throwing it all away on something younger and also trying to clutch onto being younger - moron!

Yeah, definitely, since his team form and nous last year is looking more like a fluke (especially with his shading Mourinho and Southampton earlier in the year). His pigeons have come home to roost in a big way. LOL, Rodgers is eating some crow.

Arrgh, Dortmund is my team too. I have always admired their pluck, even with my first go around with the Bundesliga some years ago. So yeah, strong love to them too. I hope Klopp can turn it around.

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jesscp.livejournal.com]

As much as Rodgers needs to sort out how he wants to play, the players need to take a little initiative too - when I think of Liverpool I think of Gerrard, but he's not getting as much playing time now, so who are the players becoming the driving force now for the team? This is a similar issue to what BVB are facing - Reus and Hummels are the 2 clear leaders in that team. With them out, there isn't a player or players showing any sense of leadership on the pitch. The coach can only do so much in my eyes.

Home advantage always helps, plus Leicester have no where else to go right now, so logic would state they will push hard tonight. But who knows, maybe Liverpool will come out and play well, off the back of their last win?!

Ugh I know - I've followed Dortmund for a couple of years now on and off, life often takes over, but this year I've really committed to following them properly. Clearly my commitment is a massive burden this season! I hope Klopp can sort shit out too, because I love him when the team is doing well, his enthusiasm is so rare yet genuine. Ugh, trying not to depress myself here! Especially with the Götzeus Xmas video in the previous thread, I am feeling sad for the good old successful days of Dortmund!!

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

so who are the players becoming the driving force now for the team? This is a similar issue to what BVB are facing - Reus and Hummels are the 2 clear leaders in that team. With them out, there isn't a player or players showing any sense of leadership on the pitch. The coach can only do so much in my eyes.

And again- the thing is with Liverpool, there hasn't been a constant starting XI since August? So the argument can be had that players haven't really been able to strike up a dynamic with each other because the line up keeps changing due to reasons of Rodgers, injury and et al. I do think Lallana has a killer instinct and good legs, but he's recovering from injury and getting up to match speed. I'm interested in Lambert- he's getting up and at 'em, but again, he too is recovering from injury and fitness. I agree that do need leadership in the midfield, and I like the look of Can and Coutinho but again, players keep getting swapped up and about, but again, it's up to the coach to push that responsibility on players? Or encourage it? Like Mourinho did with Fabregas.

Klopp will work it out. He might have cut back on his wolfpack training for the while though!

Re: 'So all of u shut up please'

[lady-teazle.livejournal.com]

I am not sure how I missed the news that LvG had lost a ton of money (apparently some/all of it) due to that Ponzi scheme concocted by Bernie Madoff, who bilked any number of wealthy people of incredible amounts of money.

I'm enjoying him as manager, though the injury problems have me wondering if his spartan regimen isn't doing more harm than good.

dy.

[connorblond.livejournal.com]

Which, really, makes him all kinds of stupid - or greedy - or both.

RE: dy.

[lady-teazle.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. A lot of supposedly knowledgeable people - and their financial advisors too, I think - got taken in. It was extraordinary that Madoff got away with it for something like 30 years before it all fell apart.

[ananasonastick.livejournal.com]

God, I'm on my phone and there are 3 posts here? Smh.

Anyway, I'm happy for David and I won't comment about Arsenal :)

always relevant when it comes to Balo ...

[mundodeamor.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

He needs to stop being so impulsive when it comes to talking/posting - when you're famous (and on top of that a popular media target), you need to think twice before saying or (re)posting something.

Re: always relevant when it comes to Balo ...

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

For real. Especially since he isn't lighting the pitch on fire (and Conte the Italian coach has now said that he's untrainable). At the rate Balotelli is going, he'll be a has been by 26, trying to ply his trade in Russia or something.

[lady-teazle.livejournal.com]

I miss Agger too, bless his rugged self and amazing tattoos. He really loves Liverpool, which I admire.

Glad to see Madrid is cheaping out this year and giving their players exercise bicycles instead of Audis or Benzes. :D

Thank you dear OP, for topping the page with Lukas' torso. Hubba hubba. Arsene, he was doing great last year, so why not, you know, actually let the man play? I don't want to see him back at Koeln or off in Russia just yet. :(

Agger had glass bones in the end

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

His body just got racked with injuries, the PL is a cruelly physical league, but Rodgers really did him badly towards the end, and the only redeeming quality was the fact that they cut Agger's transfer fee to the bone so that his old club would buy him (something silly like £1.2 million when they could have gotten at least five times as much). But yeah, he was a sentinel, a long serving soldier at the end of it. You won't have the likes of him any more.

[meliadoul.livejournal.com]

I knew it was going to be that picture Balo posted.

Why did the think posting that was a good idea?

[connorblond.livejournal.com]

Ah - Sky is showing the Liverpool match here!

[blackjedii.livejournal.com]

jfc that damn meme again I hate that Super Mario thing. it routinely makes the rounds on Tumblr and is just begging for someone to use it to destroy what little reputation they have.