Weekend Football

[URZZZZ]

Pep’s use of subs is incredibly odd. Not the first occasion this season his side has struggled and he’s not touched the subs bench. Mahrez may be inconsistent but he’s a game changer

Think City have been massively below standards recently. Lost on Saturday, cheated to 3 points last week (scarcely mentioned surprisingly), sketchy against Leicester and lost to Liverpool. The one way title race we all feared is happening the other way as Arsenal are looking very strong!

[Conservative_dad]

First time watching Fulham this season - thought they were terrific, much better than their feeble Prem attempts of recent years. Passed and moved through the areas of the pitch and were probably a Mitrovic off winning that. Silva has done a very good job there

Doesn’t matter too much in the grand scheme of things but was surprised to read only 18 of the 60 seconds in the first half and 55 of the 180 seconds in the second half were “in play action”. The whole argument to stop time wasting of “refs add it on” doesn’t add up. Injury, sub and celebration all in added time and weren’t accounted for. Poor from the ref

United were missing Verane, Dalot, Anthony and Sancho. Martial is only just back after being out all season

Elanga is a championship player (at best)

[Sanguine]

Good little stat on Arsenal - they are starting and finishing games strongly. Just 11 goals conceded in 14 league games this season - but none of those goals have come in the first 30 minutes or last 15 minutes of any game.

[Winston Biscuit]

For me Newcastle are still very much in the novelty phase of the top 4 push. I think them and Arsenal potentially taking a top 4 place makes it much more interesting this season.

Maybe the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea & Liverpool are having to rethink strategies and budgeting based on having less chance of getting into the top 4 from now on

[paultheroyal]

The Big 4 is very much a Big 7 now.

[Sanguine]

Newcastle look to be the real deal - and a very friendly looking fixture list after the World Cup, with games against Bournemouth, West Ham, Palace, Leicester and Fulham sandwiching a trip to Arsenal.

[South Coast Royal]

Newcastle look to be the real deal - and a very friendly looking fixture list after the World Cup, with games against Bournemouth, West Ham, Palace, Leicester and Fulham sandwiching a trip to Arsenal.

The one thing that might mess them up is the increase in expectation from fans, the media and the players themselves.
So far it has been a case of significant transfer funds well spent and a whole freshness about the place with last season's change of manager, change of owner and changes in playing staff.
It is often easier chasing as underdogs than staying there once you reach the dizzy heights.

It is good for the game that the top places aren't dominated by the same old teams and that other clubs might be able to match the spending capacity of City, Chelsea and Man Utd.

The two key signings by Newcastle IMHO have been Guimares (oh how Steve Bruce must lament not having funds to invest) and Pope who I feel is the best non-Brazilian keeper in the country and was an absolute snip.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Newcastle look to be the real deal - and a very friendly looking fixture list after the World Cup, with games against Bournemouth, West Ham, Palace, Leicester and Fulham sandwiching a trip to Arsenal.

The one thing that might mess them up is the increase in expectation from fans, the media and the players themselves.
So far it has been a case of significant transfer funds well spent and a whole freshness about the place with last season's change of manager, change of owner and changes in playing staff.
It is often easier chasing as underdogs than staying there once you reach the dizzy heights.

It is good for the game that the top places aren't dominated by the same old teams and that other clubs might be able to match the spending capacity of City, Chelsea and Man Utd.

The two key signings by Newcastle IMHO have been Guimares (oh how Steve Bruce must lament not having funds to invest) and Pope who I feel is the best non-Brazilian keeper in the country and was an absolute snip.

Trippier has been brilliant too.

[Winston Biscuit]

Gillingham - 6 goals in the last 18 games (not sure if league or all comps). only 1 of those goals were from open play

crikey

[Sutekh]

Gillingham - 6 goals in the last 18 games (not sure if league or all comps). only 1 of those goals were from open play

crikey

Think it’s a league run of 18 games scoring just 6 goals.

Since the start of the season they have not scored more than once in any league game and have therefore only scored in 6 and failed to score in the other 12. Currently they’re on a run of 0 goals and 4 defeats in the league.

Amazingly they’re still going in the league cup though having won 2-0 at Wimbledon (the only game in which they have scored more than 1 this season) and won on penalties v Exeter and Brentford.

[Winston Biscuit]

Orient are 16 points ahead of the play offs with a game in hand over the team top of the play off places

based on last seasons table they would only need to get another 29 points from their remaining 25 games to go up automatically

[Sanguine]

Orient are 16 points ahead of the play offs with a game in hand over the team top of the play off places

based on last seasons table they would only need to get another 29 points from their remaining 25 games to go up automatically

When do we start to nervously watch highlights of our 106 points?

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Orient are 16 points ahead of the play offs with a game in hand over the team top of the play off places

based on last seasons table they would only need to get another 29 points from their remaining 25 games to go up automatically

I still think it's unlikely but, they are genuinely the only side I can think of that might have a chance realistically of breaking our 106 record.

They are averaging around 2.43 points per game thus far. Maintaining that over their last 25 games, they will end up collecting a further 60.7 (will round up to 61) points, which would leave them on 112. Going to be a fair effort to do that, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

[Sanguine]

In general the football league seems to be more competitive in the middle. QPR are in 6th place in the Championship and their tally at halfway would put them on 68 points at the end of the season, a total that hasn't secured a play-off spot since 2012-13 (Leicester). In 2014-15, Derby came 8th with 77 points.

QPR's 34 points in 6th is only 10 points ahead of 23rd-placed Wigan.

Barrow are the Blackburn of League Two. Just one draw, they have lost nine out of 21 games but sit in 6th place. They have lost only one game fewer than bottom club Gillingham.

Can't find a source for fewest goals in a 46-game league season, but Gillingham will surely threaten the record.

[Dirk Gently]

Can't find a source for fewest goals in a 46-game league season, but Gillingham will surely threaten the record.

Haven't checked, but from memory I think it's Doncaster in 1998, when they were in disarray under Kerry Dixon and had their stand burnt down by their owner.

F: 30
A: 113
GD: -83

[Snowflake Royal]

Orient are 16 points ahead of the play offs with a game in hand over the team top of the play off places

based on last seasons table they would only need to get another 29 points from their remaining 25 games to go up automatically

When do we start to nervously watch highlights of our 106 points?

Beginning of March imo.

[Franchise FC]

Orient are 16 points ahead of the play offs with a game in hand over the team top of the play off places

based on last seasons table they would only need to get another 29 points from their remaining 25 games to go up automatically

When do we start to nervously watch highlights of our 106 points?

Beginning of March imo.

That’s about right, although if they can still get 120+ by then I’ll be a little concerned

[Snowflake Royal]

When do we start to nervously watch highlights of our 106 points?

Beginning of March imo.

That’s about right, although if they can still get 120+ by then I’ll be a little concerned

Yeah, at that point it'd be close to game over

[Winston Biscuit]

They are 1 point ahead of where we were after 21 games

[Loafer]

Does it count in league 2 though because they play more games?