January Transfer Deadline Day 2017!

It's the last day of January and you know what that means - it's transfer deadline day! Who is your favorite club hoping to shed? Who are they trying to get in? You can check the latest goings-on on the excellent Guardian blog here: https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2017/jan/31/transfer-deadline-day-chelsea-chase-celtics-30m-dembele-live-january-window

FA Cup Fifth Round 2017

Burnley v Lincoln

Fulham v Tottenham

Blackburn v Manchester United

Sutton v Arsenal

Middlesbrough v Oxford

Wolves v Chelsea

Huddersfield v Manchester City

Millwall v Derby/Leicester

 The draw for the Fifth Round of the FA Cup was made earlier today with Gareth Southgate drawing for the home team and a surprisingly dapper looking Robbie Savage drawing for the away team. It's the first time that two non league teams have made it to the Fifth Round in the same season , and both were rewarded with Premier League opposition. Burnley would do well not to underestimate Conference Leaders, Abe Lincoln, who have eliminated two Championship teams while Bob would do well to inform the Gooner that a trip to the plastic pitch at London SW, can be a surprisingly tricky proposition. It is interesting to note that none of the ties features teams from the same division.  Bob and Kate will probably not be gracious hosts to the visiting Spuds  while UWS and I should be pleased about our trip to nearby Ewood Park against Championship strugglers, Blackburn. Any opinions?

A Tale of Two Uniteds

It's not every day when our two favorite Uniteds are playing in the 4th Round of the FA Cup back to back, so I am relishing this morning. We start at 9am with a most romantic Cup tie between my beloved Leeds and Sutton United. Their tiny ground will be buzzing for sure. Then we've got United hosting Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford in the late game. Join me for what promises to be a special day of Cup footer.

Who's Up for the Cup?

Who's up for the Cup, lads? Certainly you can count me in. While the 3rd Round is my absolute favorite weekend of the season, the 4th Round comes close. There are still loads of tasty fixtures at this stage - and this weekend is no different. We start with Liverpool hosting Championship contenders Wolves. Then there are the 10am EST kickoffs including Spurs v. Wycombe. And we end up with the all-Premiership match-up of Soton v. Arsenal. Join me for the Cup action this morning, won't you?

The Quest Continues!

My beloved Leeds United continue their quest for promotion to the Premier League this season with a home match with Nottingham Forest this evening. Come on, you Whites! #MOT!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 22 Update

Afternoon, chaps - I'm here on a Tuesday afternoon to update the scores in our PPP game. It was quite a dramatic weekend, with a lot of the top clubs dropping points, while at the bottom, Swansea's win catapulted them out of the dropzone and plunged Palace into the bottom three. Diego Costa was back - and scored again, naturally. He's level with Alexis Sanchez on 15 goals now. In the Championship, Newcastle swapped places at the top with Brighton and my beloved Leeds slipped to fourth again after their Yorkshire Derby loss at Barnsley. All of that means that we've got a new leader - United We Stand!

Here are the current standings:

1. United We Stand - 33 points
2. Red Devil 1FCK - 31 pts
3. Blue Devil - 29 pts
4. The Red Dragon - 28 pts
-  Yellows - 28 pts
6. What's Up Wheaton Simon - 27 pts
7. Man Utd Rules - 26 pts
-  The Saint - 26 pts
9. Swansong - 24 pts
10. Gooner71 - 23 pts
11. Someone Said - 22 pts
-  West Ham Rising - 22 pts

Ross and Brucey in Villa Bust-up!

My favorite footie story one the weekend concerned a bust-up between Elland Road legend and current Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack and Villa boss Steve Bruce. Brucey was apparently livid  after Ross skipped training due to not being able to get his car out of his driveway due to a malfunctioning gate. The gaffer apparently visited Ross at his home and noted in uncompromising terms that he could have just hopped over the four-foot wall surrounding his house and taken a cab to training. This reminded me of a time when former Belgian international Emile Mpenza bunked off training because he'd taken Viagra the night before and couldn't get his shorts on. So - what's the silliest excuse you've ever used to skive off work? 

A Later Start to Sunday Morning

A 7am kickoff for Soton v. Leicester? You're having a laugh, Mr. Premiership Schedule Maker. No surprisingly, we all decided to have a lie in through the early match this morning. I'm up in time to see Leicester on the end of yet another pounding. Up next is Arsenal hosting Burnley. And then we get to see title favorite Chelski up against Hull at Stamford Bridge. Join me for a somewhat later start today, won't you?

Saturday's Here Again!

It's been a long, long first week of the semester for me, so I can't wait to put up my feet with a cuppa by my side and several hours of footer on the telly. It's a good line-up, too. Liverpool v. Swansea right off the bat. Can the Swans bounce back or will it be a Reds clinic? Then we've got the usual 10am EST kickoff array, including ManYoo at Stoke. At 12:30, we'll need a split screen to catch Man Citeh v. Spurs and my beloved Leeds at Barnsley. Get comfy - it's going to be a good 'un. Join me!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 21 Update

Hiya, fellas. I'm a bit late on this one this week, as we started up our Spring 2017 semester on Tuesday. It was all change at the top of the Prem, with Spurs shooting into 3rd and Citeh dropping to 5th. Hull and Swansea also swapped places at the bottom with the Welsh club mired in relegation now. Zlatan and Alexis have taken advantage of Diego Costa's temper tantrum to catch him on 14 goals. If anything that has tightened our game, with five players within striking distance of the top and only five points separating Red Devil at the top and Blue Devil and MUR in joint seventh.

Here are the current standings:

1. Red Devil 1FCK - 32 points
- The Red Dragon - 32 pts
3. United We Stand - 31 pts
4. Swansong - 29 pts
5. The Saint - 28 pts
- What's Up Wheaton Simon - 28 pts
7. Blue Devil - 27 pts
- Man Utd Rules - 27 pts
9. Gooner71 - 25 pts
10. Someone Said - 24 pts
- Yellows - 24 pts
11. West Ham Rising 22 pts

Battles of Two Cities

Morning Boys, I hope to join you guys for a big day of footer. The Blue sides of the cities open the double header followed by the Red sides...The Red battle is big match EVERY season but even more so this year.

I ams still feeling iffy and I will try and join in if I am up to it

COME ON UNITED!!

UWS

A Premier League Saturday

It's a bright Sunshiny start to the weekend for Sunshine as his Spuds take on the Baggies on a busy Premier League Saturday . I missed the first half as there are eight Premier League matches today

Happy Birthday Beloved Leader

Join me in wishing a Happy Birthday to the Dear Leader of the LOB.

The Big One!

The FA Cup 3rd Round comes to its climax this evening with the titanic clash between Cambridge United and my beloved Leeds at my old stomping grounds of the Abbey Stadium. Let's hope we can take the U's to school. I'll be around the office watching on Fox Soccer 2 Go. MOT!!

FA Cup Sunday

Morning, lads - if yesterday's action wasn't enough for you, we've got another day of Cup football on offer today. I'm going to have a lie-in through the first one, but I'll be around for the intriguing match-up of Liverpool v. Plymouth Argyle. That overlaps with Chelski v. Peterboro at 10am. And then we have the late one at 11am between Spurs and Villa. Join me for the Sunday action, won't you?

The Best Day of the Season!

The FA Cup may have been degraded over the years by any number of modern football trends, but the 3rd Round Saturday is still for my money the best day of the season. I'm here early doors to enjoy the return of Jaap Stam to Old Trafford as United host Reading at 7:30am. Then it's the flood of crazy fixtures from around the country at 10am. At 12:30, we've got Arsenal's tricky fixture at Preston North End. Can you smell the romance in the air? Join me with a cuppa, won't you?

The FA Cup 3rd Round Weekend Starts Here!

Love it or hate it, the 3rd Round of the FA Cup is no longer a 3pm Saturday affair - it now stretches over the weekend. We start with an all-Premiership marquee match-up this evening - West Ham v. Citeh from the London Stadium. I'm ensconced in the office this afternoon watching on Fox Soccer 2 Go. Join me if you're around.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 20 Update

Phew! It's been a whirlwind week of domestic football, each day throwing up a new drama. With Spurs' shocking win over Chelski in yesterday's London derby, we came to the end of Week 20 in the Premiership. We'll have a lull now as we enjoy the FA Cup 3rd Round fixtures. That result yesterday did mean a bit of a shift in the top five positions, with Spurs leaping to third and pushing City and Arsenal down one slot. Otherwise, we're where we were at Christmas in the Premiership, Championship and European leagues. That shift at the top has tightened our own race, with Red Devil hanging on to his slim lead at the top and the Nocito cabal (Red Dragon, Saint and UWS) in hot pursuit.

Here are the current standings:

1. Red Devil 1FCK - 32 points
2. The Red Dragon - 31 pts
3. The Saint - 30 pts
4. Blue Devil - 29 pts
5. United We Stand - 28 pts
- What's Up Wheaton Simon - 28 pts
7. Gooner71 - 26 pts
- Someone Said - 26 pts
9. Man Utd Rules - 25 pts
10. Yellows - 23 pts
11. West Ham Rising - 22 pts
-  Swansong - 22 pts

The Battle of the Lane!

Tottenham and Chelski renew their antagonistic relationship this afternoon at Shite Fart Lane. There have been some rather spicy encounters in recent years. Join me to check the body count this afternoon. It all starts at 3pm on NBC Sports Network.

Eric Dahlgren's Best TV shows of 2016

Confirming that Eric is a true Dahlgren, he's created a list of the the best TV he watched in 2016

"Save for the fact that it’s almost at an end, there’s not much about 2016 that warrants celebration. I realize part of that is coincidental superstition that somewhat distracts from more serious issues, but the point still stands. In terms of the arts though, 2016 was far from the worst year we’ve been offered. In pitched combat with my own end of the year issues, I very nearly missed the cutoff for my end of the year contribution of best new series, though I should clarify best within the context of my own standards, meaning that yes, I’ve seen Westworld, and while I like it, I feel it makes the mistake of crafting a story in service to a mystery as opposed to the other way around. Just getting that out of the way since in the unlikely event that this list ends up stirring conversation, it seems inevitable that it’d come up.

10) Luke Cage: The 3rd Netflix series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be the weakest in terms of overall story, but has the best sense of style through it’s atmosphere and soundtrack alone. Taking place roughly a year after being shot in the head by Jessica Jones, Luke Cage builds his way up to his destined “hero for hire” status by taking on organized crime in Harlem.

9) The Night Of: You all know the story: boy meets girl, boy gives girl a ride to her place, boy wakes up in a haze the following morning looking ridiculously guilty of murder. From that point in the draft, the writers would usually have to make a decision of whether to definitively prove or disprove the character’s innocence, or leave it to audience interpretation. The Night Of, however, does none of the above. Rather, it leaves it’s audience with little to go on in terms of facts, allowing the characters to speculate on and dictate the narrative within their interests, thus allowing for an interesting look at the legal system and how the mere perception of guilt can supersede any official verdict.

8) The Path: This entry will likely slip under of most critic’s radar this year, likely due to its relative lack of exposure and possible real-life connections to be made. Coinciding with their leader’s hospitalization, a member of a fictional religious group (that is absolutely NOT based on Scientology, hint, hint!) begins having visions that cause him to question his faith. Complicating matters is the group’s suspicious number of missing members, an FBI agent investigating said disappearances as possible murders, and the unstable acting leader attempting to increase their socio-political influence beyond humanitarian work.

7) Better Things: I read an article once that made the case for Louie, not Seinfeld, as the true show about nothing. And it’s true that both shows attempt to depict every day life in their own respective ways, the former through what can best be described as surreal “what-the-fuckery” and the latter through absurdist minutia. Better Things, on the other hand, is the one show I’ve seen this year where I never once doubted that everything I was seeing could, and probably was happening somewhere at the time of watching it. Though the real accomplishment of Pamela Adlon’s semi-autobiographical project is it’s handling of issues that might be considered gender exclusionary in lesser hands.

6) Outcast: Just what was it that ruined The Walking Dead? I can and probably have contributed enough material on that subject to fill a book. Fortunately, whatever those factors may be, they don’t apply to this under the radar series based on one of Robert Kirkman’s most recent books. Taking place in Rome, West Virginia, Outcast follows Kyle Barnes, a man whose ability to excise demons from human hosts has left a pattern of loved ones falling prey to demonic possession. Living in self-imposed exile, he’s recruited by his hometown’s priest when the same demons that have been plaguing him his whole life appear to have resurfaced for a specific, mysterious purpose.

5) Billions: What happens when a federal prosecutor and a hedge fund manager/ 911 profiteer engage in a complex battle of wits? Besides an almost compulsory amount of BDSM (for Showtime that is), the result is a fascinating character piece that demonstrates how one’s alignment in a conflict supposedly based on right and wrong doesn’t automatically reflect one’s character.

4) American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson: When it came time to decide which of the two legal dramas on this list would top the other, the #4 spot had to go to The People vs. O.J. Simpson if for no other reason than for it’s ability to ignite it’s audience’s interest in a famously predetermined series of events.

3) Stranger Things: In spite of my belief that the hype, rather than pride, cometh before the fall, Stranger Things has definitely earned it’s reputation. When a preteen member of a geeky quartet goes missing, the remaining friends and their families become entangled in a conspiracy involving psychic kids and pan-dimensional monsters. In terms of premise and execution, it can’t exactly make it’s case for being original. What it does achieve however is an intricate understanding of it’s influences (too many to count) and why they still resonate with audiences to this day.

2) Atlanta: In contrast with the previous entry, Atlanta is definitely the most original series I’ve seen this year, which stands as a testament to the fine line between theory and execution. In theory, the idea of a Princeton dropout managing his up and coming rapper cousin for financial stability should come off as a simple rags to riches story. In execution, it somehow manages to achieve a surreal, absurdist “slice of life” story without ever once betraying the tone set by its pilot.

1) Gomorrah: I’m technically cheating with my #1 pick since it premiered in 2014, but since it was released stateside this year, any questions comments or concerns can be addressed to no particular finger I’m currently holding. When the head of the Neapolitan mob is temporarily deposed, his spoiled, ill-prepared son is caught between the machinations of his mother, and the organization’s most promising soldier. While comparisons to both The Sopranos and The Wire are well earned, Gommorah’s most significant accomplishment is how every last second caught on film serves a purpose to the overall narrative.

Bank Holiday Monday Madness!

Another day, another full set of domestic footie fixtures. I'm not sure if anyone else will be around today but I'm posting this thread in order to squeeze every last drop out of the holiday period. We start with Boro v. Leicester. That's followed by the regular 10am fixtures, including my beloved Leeds hosting lowly Rotherham in a must-win for us. We end up at the end of the day with the Hammers v. United. Join me if you're still on break, eh?

Happy New Year, LOBers!

Happy New Year, chaps! Let's start the new year the right way - with a couple of great Premiership match-ups. We start in a few minutes with Watford v. Spurs. That's followed later by Arsenal hosting Fat Sam's Palace. Join me for a New Year natter about the footer, eh?