Premier League 2022/23

[Adam]

I would hate to stand up there, even going up and down the stairs felt treacherous in that away end.

Sunderland's away end is not too dissimilar, but I've never felt less comfortable in a ground due to height than at St. James'.

[Gazz]

Here's an artist's rendering of the new away standing section.

[METALMAN]

Maybe I’m just a lazy bastard but the idea of standing at a football game doesn’t really appeal to me.

I get the impression a lot of this is false nostalgia from people that never experienced it. My dad used to stand at games when he was a youngster and he has no desire to go back to that. Mind you, he has got pretty dodgy knees now…

[stokeriño]

Standing at away games is great, ngl.

[Colly]

Yeah I think I've said it before, while I wouldn't move my home seat because I'm old I'd certainly try to get in standing sections for away games, especially given you end up having to stand anyway. I don't think it's false nostalgia, while terraces of the 80s obviously have a reputation (cascades of piss etc) I don't think this is remotely the same. Why should football fans have to sit while concert goers can stand and jump about?

[METALMAN]

I don’t like standing and jumping about at concerts either. I prefer being able to leave these things without being soaked in other people’s pints and sweat. : /

 

 

[DavidMarrio]

2 hours ago, Adam said:

I would hate to stand up there, even going up and down the stairs felt treacherous in that away end.

Sunderland's away end is not too dissimilar, but I've never felt less comfortable in a ground due to height than at St. James'.

I've stood in the away end at St James' and it was not fun whatsoever. Having to endure that and the what feels like a hundred flights of stairs to even get to the stand...then seeing Reina get sent off and us get beat. I just wanted to get home as fast as I could. 

I like standing at the game but it depends where, like I wouldn't stand up if I was sat in the main stand but if I'm in the Kop I'll be stood up. I just feel more part of the atmosphere that way. Wembley I stood up both times but again that was behind the goal.  

34 minutes ago, METALMAN said:

I don’t like standing and jumping about at concerts either. I prefer being able to leave these things without being soaked in other people’s pints and sweat. : /

 

 

Or what you thought were pints....

[Colly]

13 minutes ago, DavidMarrio said:

I've stood in the away end at St James' and it was not fun whatsoever. Having to endure that and the what feels like a hundred flights of stairs to even get to the stand...then seeing Reina get sent off and us get beat. I just wanted to get home as fast as I could. 

That game was tremendous and you should appreciate good things.

[Colly]

Random question (and for a Champions League thread probably but not worth starting it for this...), do the teams in Pot 1 of the Group stage always play their first fixture at home? Asking as I'm going to Barcelona the week of the first group stage, from Manchester, and I'm trying to work out if my flight and holiday will be ruined by Mancs if the draw goes badly. Thankfully all the other English teams are in the same pot.

[Baddar]

Bangkok Century Cup Champions 2022, let's fucking go.

[DavidMarrio]

It's your year!!!!

[stokeriño]

3 hours ago, Colly said:

Random question (and for a Champions League thread probably but not worth starting it for this...), do the teams in Pot 1 of the Group stage always play their first fixture at home? Asking as I'm going to Barcelona the week of the first group stage, from Manchester, and I'm trying to work out if my flight and holiday will be ruined by Mancs if the draw goes badly. Thankfully all the other English teams are in the same pot.

No. For example last season Bayern Munich's first group game was away.

[Colly]

I suppose the odds are in my favour, 1 in 8 chance they're in the same group and a 1 in 6 it's that particular fixture, but sods law and all. Fingers crossed a home game against someone naff so I can maybe get a ticket.

[Matt]

Looking likely that a 49ers takeover is imminent; been widely reported that they've got a deal where they can buy us before the end of next year for a fixed amount, rumours have been quietly picking up all year that they're ready to make a move and there's talk that club staff have all been asked to sign NDAs.

[Lineker]

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Baddar]

Pre season on social media is always a laugh. Plenty of contradictory comments around regarding how well teams/players are doing and then depending on what side you're on, either bigging it up or knocking it down because it's "all about fitness".

For example, Nunez was the next Andy Carroll a few days ago for some dodgy performances, scored 4 last night but it's "only pre season".

Jesus has started brilliantly for Arsenal, scoring goals too, "only pre season".

We've won our first 3 games, played well in all and Ten Hag's style is being implemented already, but it's "only pre season".

The issue is that people seem to choose when it fits their narrative. If we'd lost to Liverpool, Melbourne and Palace, there'd be questions on why we appointed ETH over Poch already. But getting us playing well quickly means nothing.

[Hobo]

Ultimately, it is only pre season no matter what.  🤷‍♂️

[Baddar]

Of course. We could beat Villa, Atletico and Rayo and then lose our first competitive game against Brighton.

Doesn't stop people reacting too early to good/bad performances though.

[Hobo]

Its very much that social media football thing where everything is just bantering and slagging off other teams and/or hyperbolic reactions to stuff. I look at these things sometimes and I just ... i couldn't be bothered with it. Especially in pre season.

I recall Iago Aspas looked like great signing in pre season. While IIRC Fernando Torres didn't have much of noteworthy first pre season. Suffice to say it wasn't really a good indication of anything in those cases.

The Nunez thing was a weird microcosm of that online fan culture. He had played 50 mins in two friendlies and was apparently a terrible signing. Its silly.

[Kyle]

38 minutes ago, Hobo said:

Ultimately, it is only pre season no matter what.  🤷‍♂️

I hope so, we lost 4-0 to a middling MLS side.