Facts about football that shouldn't be true - but are

Denis' cuff

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
7,769
Location
here
not seen that before or have forgotten it. Truly ridiculous that he just walked away from that, I’m not sure there are many fouls that are that blatant!
you missed Carragher hoofing Carrick in the guts, waist high, as he was about to score
you missed Carragher rugby tackle Owen as he was about to score
you missed the ref watching Song kicking seven shades out of Cole by the touch line and do nothing before Cole retaliated and the ref suddenly became a disciplinarian and sent Cole off

naturally, all at Anfailed
 

Denis' cuff

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
7,769
Location
here
park the bus was said by him to describe Spurs though. it wasn’t said to describe his team. Though he obviously and ironically became known for park the bus football
first time I remember it was early season United at Chelsea when he accused us of parking the bus. He’d only just arrived iirc
 

Redcy

Full Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,614
the number of chipped goals Schmeicel conceded was way out of proportion to his ability as a keeper
 

ROFLUTION

Full Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
7,547
Location
Denmark
From another thread, but Steve Bruce's 19 goals in all competitions in 1990-1991 seems ridiculous.

Most were on penalties.
 

Lee565

Full Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
4,979
Before the pandemic stopped the premier league arsenal were the only unbeaten side in the premier league in 2020
 

SAFMUTD

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
11,787
There are more countries afilliated to Fifa than to United Nations.
 

van der star

newprawn warrior
Scout
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
8,935
Location
San Siro
Milan won the league in 93/94, having scored 36 goals in 34 games. In the same season, Piacenza, Udinese, and Atalanta got relegated, despite scoring 32, 35, and 35 goals, respectively.
 

Chipper

Adulterer.
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
5,468
Milan won the league in 93/94, having scored 36 goals in 34 games. In the same season, Piacenza, Udinese, and Atalanta got relegated, despite scoring 32, 35, and 35 goals, respectively.
Yeah, thaat's mental. Seen it mentioned before somewhere and it's almost hard to compute.

You start looking into it and while that one was the biggest example of such a thing there's been other low scoring Serie A champions too. 84/85 Verona (42), 85/86 Juventus (43), 86/87 Napoli (41), 87/88 Milan (43). All these were 30 games as opposed to 34 but 4 consecutive champions scoring around 1.4 goals seems really odd by today's standards. These lot were all 2nd or 3rd highest scorers which shows just how defensive mid 80s Italian football was in general.Must have been bad to watch.
 

Vooon

Full Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
2,600
Location
Hal Institute for Criminally Insane Robots
James Milner won the PFA Young Player of the Year at Villa in the 09-10 season, but his PL debut came for Leeds almost 8 years earlier in november 2002 - and he played regular first team football all those years. He also has a record 46 caps for England U21.

He's still just 34 years old.
 

GuyfromAustria

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
563
James Milner won the PFA Young Player of the Year at Villa in the 09-10 season, but his PL debut came for Leeds almost 8 years earlier in november 2002 - and he played regular first team football all those years.
Shows how awful the criteria for this award are, he had more than 200 league games at this point, it's ridiculous.

A bit like Eden Hazard, who won Young Player of the Year twice in France, then the regular POTY twice, before moving to Chelsea and winning the PL's YPOTY. He must have been ecstatic about that.
 

Vooon

Full Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
2,600
Location
Hal Institute for Criminally Insane Robots
Shows how awful the criteria for this award are, he had more than 200 league games at this point, it's ridiculous.

A bit like Eden Hazard, who won Young Player of the Year twice in France, then the regular POTY twice, before moving to Chelsea and winning the PL's YPOTY. He must have been ecstatic about that.
Agreed. Also makes you kinda wonder what went on in the PL around that time, I think Ashley Young won the same award the year before or after.
 

1950

Full Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
527
That thing is a bit of a farce anyway, if you have the likes of Cristiano or Bale winning it while being the best player in the league and clear-cut regular POTY.

Should be tied to 'breakout season' or something.
 

Chipper

Adulterer.
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
5,468
That thing is a bit of a farce anyway, if you have the likes of Cristiano or Bale winning it while being the best player in the league and clear-cut regular POTY.

Should be tied to 'breakout season' or something.
Yes, would be easy to do.

2 criteria:

1. has to be under a certain age
2. can't have played more than a certain number of league games in one season in the past, say 20 or 25
 

P-Nut

fan of well-known French footballer Fabinho
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
21,605
Location
Oldham, Greater Manchester
Yes, would be easy to do.

2 criteria:

1. has to be under a certain age
2. can't have played more than a certain number of league games in one season in the past, say 20 or 25
I was Weirdly thinking about this the other day in relation to this season. There's been a fair few breakouts this season of either really young lads, or players finally making the step up to Premier league after loans.

Greenwood and Williams from ourselves.
Abraham, Mount and Timouri at Chelsea.
Saka and Nelson at Arsenal.

It would be nice for one of them to get some recognition, rather than someone that has played a full season before getting it.
 

Rasendori

Man Of Culture
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
1,785
In 1924–25, a new Swedish national league was created, Allsvenskan, but the Swedish Champions title wasn't awarded to the winners of that league until 1930–31. The Mästerskapet was a cup competition, which had always decided the formal Swedish champions since 1896. It wouldn’t be until 1931 when the league finally decided the formal champions of Sw. In 1998, AIK won the 1998 Allsvenskan title with 25 goals in 26 games.
 

Champ

Refuses to acknowledge existence of Ukraine
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
9,888
In 1924–25, a new Swedish national league was created, Allsvenskan, but the Swedish Champions title wasn't awarded to the winners of that league until 1930–31. The Mästerskapet was a cup competition, which had always decided the formal Swedish champions since 1896. It wouldn’t be until 1931 when the league finally decided the formal champions of Sw. In 1998, AIK won the 1998 Allsvenskan title with 25 goals in 26 games.
Was Jose the AIK manager that year??
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
26,629
Location
London
12 years after drawing away to Bayern Munich and knocking Atlético Madrid out of Europe Bolton Wanderers are relegated to the 4th tier of English Football.
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
26,629
Location
London
Milan won the league in 93/94, having scored 36 goals in 34 games. In the same season, Piacenza, Udinese, and Atalanta got relegated, despite scoring 32, 35, and 35 goals, respectively.
They had 8 0-0 draws or something mental, back in the days when Italian football still had only 2 points for a win.
 

Chipper

Adulterer.
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
5,468
This one is just me being a bit of weirdo and a matter of perception.

I knew that Rangers won 9 titles in a row at one point in Scotland, but I was never exactly sure when. More to the point I suppose it never really registered with me what that would mean for Celtic players.

Was just looking at the career stats of John Collins who was a good player in the PL in his later years, famously played for Monaco for a couple of seasons and as far as I know is held in high regard at Celtic and is a bit of an icon. He only won one trophy in 6 years there, the Scottish Cup. Just seems odd to me an in a way that someone good, and who is very possibly better than anyone they have now won so little. Suppose them winning everything these days might have warped my perception. I'd have guessed that he would have at least 2 each of league titles, Scottish FA cups and league cups.

Edit: And now to completely trash the things I assumed about Scottish football in that same sort of period, Celtic weren't even runners-up for a number of years. I always thought the Old Firm established total dominance, finishing 1-2 once Fergie came to United but nope. Celtic finishing 5th? Wtf?

Celtic:
88/89 - 3rd
89/90 - 5th
90/91 - 3rd
91/92 - 3rd
92/93 - 3rd
93/94 - 4th
94/95 - 4th

Aberdeen 5 times, Hearts and Motherwell once each were runners up those years.
 
Last edited:

paulscholes18

Full Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
20,112
Mike Dean was our ref in the league more times in 2019 (5), then he has ever been a ref in a Liverpool game in the premiership (4) and 2 of them have been this season vs Everton.

He’s been our ref 62 times in the premiership since 02. Wonder why we have had the misfortune of having him 62 times and Liverpool only 4 times
 

Speedy30

Liverpool Fan
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
1,493
Location
On the Kop
Supports
Liverpool
Alisson Becker has only lost one game at Anfield...
That was 27 months ago...
When he played for Roma.
 

Stookie

Nurse bell end
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
9,071
Location
West Yorkshire
Alvin Martin once scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers
The defender was playing for West Ham against Newcastle in 1986. His first goal came against Martin Thomas, who was an actual keeper, but was forced off with injury. Martin then scored against defender Chris Hedworth, who also injured himself meaning Peter Beardsley was next. The Hammers won 8-1.
 

acnumber9

Full Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,253
Mike Dean was our ref in the league more times in 2019 (5), then he has ever been a ref in a Liverpool game in the premiership (4) and 2 of them have been this season vs Everton.

He’s been our ref 62 times in the premiership since 02. Wonder why we have had the misfortune of having him 62 times and Liverpool only 4 times
That will be because he’s a ‘Tranmere’ fan.
 

Josh 76

Full Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
5,566
Alisson Becker has only lost one game at Anfield...
That was 27 months ago...
When he played for Roma.
I was going to ask if Mane hasn't lost at Anfield, but then I remebered Atletico Madrid won their.
 

paulscholes18

Full Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
20,112
That will be because he’s a ‘Tranmere’ fan.
Fair point didn’t think about where he was from.
Shouldn’t really be an issue as you have VAR, also if they think he’s showing clear bias that that would have to be a sackable offence
 

Josh 76

Full Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
5,566
This one is just me being a bit of weirdo and a matter of perception.

I knew that Rangers won 9 titles in a row at one point in Scotland, but I was never exactly sure when. More to the point I suppose it never really registered with me what that would mean for Celtic players.

Was just looking at the career stats of John Collins who was a good player in the PL in his later years, famously played for Monaco for a couple of seasons and as far as I know is held in high regard at Celtic and is a bit of an icon. He only won one trophy in 6 years there, the Scottish Cup. Just seems odd to me an in a way that someone good, and who is very possibly better than anyone they have now won so little. Suppose them winning everything these days might have warped my perception. I'd have guessed that he would have at least 2 each of league titles, Scottish FA cups and league cups.

Edit: And now to completely trash the things I assumed about Scottish football in that same sort of period, Celtic weren't even runners-up for a number of years. I always thought the Old Firm established total dominance, finishing 1-2 once Fergie came to United but nope. Celtic finishing 5th? Wtf?

Celtic:
88/89 - 3rd
89/90 - 5th
90/91 - 3rd
91/92 - 3rd
92/93 - 3rd
93/94 - 4th
94/95 - 4th

Aberdeen 5 times, Hearts and Motherwell once each were runners up those years.
It's hard to imagine now, but Scottish football was as good as the English league once upon a time. (Both technically and entertaining).
 

acnumber9

Full Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,253
Fair point didn’t think about where he was from.
Shouldn’t really be an issue as you have VAR, also if they think he’s showing clear bias that that would have to be a sackable offence
It’s a weird one because the same logic definitely doesn’t apply to Anthony Taylor reffing United games. It can’t be coincidence that there is such a big disparity between Liverpool/Everton and other teams.