The Football Week In Tweets (01/04/2016)

1) The international break

55,799,430 - Number of football fans wondering what on earth they're going to do this weekend. DIY.

— OptaJoke (@OptaJoke) March 26, 2016

2) England beat Germany 3-2 #GERENG

Football is a simple game where 22 players kick a ball around for 90 minutes and at the end Germany give away a 2 goal lead.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 26, 2016

'Always look on the bright side of life...' #GERENG pic.twitter.com/EMXjOc1y7o

— Football Hashtags (@Ftball_Hashtags) March 26, 2016

Newcastle fans in rare agreement with Mike Ashley

+ Claudio Ranieri, the international break, and Jonas Gutierrez.

1) Toon fans agree with Mike Ashley for once

"We wish he'd never bought Newcastle."

It's not often I agree with Mike Ashley, but in his rare interview earlier this week, he made the comment...

"I wish I'd never bought Newcastle."

...and I'm sure thousands of Newcastle fans responded by vigorously nodding their heads in agreement.  However, the rest of Ashley's interview earlier this week, was back to his usual deluded rubbish.

He claimed Newcastle had had 'a proper go at it this season,' and added...

"I think everyone can agree with that."

No, Mike.  Nobody agrees with that.  If they're honest #whichtheyrenot, even the talentless 'Yes Men' you surround yourself wouldn't agree with that, although they wouldn't tell you that to your face.

How have Newcastle had a proper go at it exactly?  Compare Newcastle's squad with other Premiership squads.  You seriously think Newcastle are good enough to have a 'proper go', Mike? #deluded #helivesinafantasyworld  And looking beyond the squad, the bigger problem is the culture at the club which is the absolute blueprint on how not to run a football club.

The Football Week In Tweets (25/03/16)

1) Twitter predictions

We all get it wrong from time to time as demonstrated by this first tweet... #benefitofhindsight

Leicester City owner wants to spend £180m as he thinks that'll get them top 5 in the Prem within three years... #deluded

— Josh Hill (@joshill5) May 13, 2014

The biggest shock in football history...

...dodgy voting, traditional methods, and the battle for the top four.

1) The biggest shock in football history?



Notable historical football achievements were discussed this week.

The Guardian website recently asked the question, "Would Leicester winning the title be the least likely thing you've seen in football?"  Fans were quick to suggest other major footballing achievements against the odds, including:

i) Spurs winning the FA Cup in 1901 as a non-league side.
ii) Notts Forest winning promotion in 1977, winning the league the following season, then winning the European Cup the season after that.
iii) Denmark winning the Euros in 1992.  They originally didn't even qualify and only received a spot at the last minute when Yugoslavia were disqualified from competing.
iv) Greece winning the Euros in 2004.

However, the biggest shock of all was posted by one Newcastle fan with a sense of humour who remarked, "I once witnessed Newcastle score away from home." #jokebasedintruth

Selective eyesight...

...resting players, novelty bets, and lowly ambitions.

1) "I didn't see it."

Football fans model football strips suitable for Benteke and Bolasie.

After Liverpool were awarded a last minute penalty against Crystal Palace last week, Alan Pardew was very vocal in his criticism of Christian Benteke for going doing extremely easily under minimal contact.

"That touch doesn’t warrant the dive he makes," Pardew complained.  "It’s a worrying issue in the game.  If that touch warrants a collapse like that, then wow, we really need to say, ‘Come on!’”

So after his own player Yannick Bolasie won a penalty by going down very easily in the box against Reading after Jake Cooper's hand lightly brushed his chest, was Alan Pardew just as critical about this 'worrying issue in the game'?  Unsurprisingly, Pardew instead avoided the issue by joking, "I don’t really think you should ask me because, obviously I ain’t got a clue about penalties after last weekend." #hypocrite #selectiveeyesight #dodgedlikeapolitician

It's not just penalties you don't have a clue about, Alan.  You don't have a clue about integrity either. #doublestandards

Hypothetical league tables...

...FIFA, team work and agendas.

1) How the table would finish based on form so far this season

If Spurs, Arsenal, Man City, West Ham and Man United were to get the same average number of points per game as they have done so far this season, Leicester would only need 13 points from their last nine games to be champions. #hypothetical #justabitoffun

This how the top six would finish up...

1 Leicester - 79
2 Tottenham - 72
3 Arsenal - 68
4 Man City - 68
5 West Ham - 64
6 Man United - 62

* Points totals rounded to the nearest point.

So as Leicester are currently on 60 points they would only need 13 more points to be champions.

Obviously, you would expect at least one or two of the top six to put together a strong run in, so the above statistics don't actually mean anything, other than underlining what everyone already knows, namely that the chasing pack are going to have to up their game to have a realistic chance of taking the title.