Is Football REALLY Getting Worse?

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James Allcott content focuses on Premier League, Champions League, EFL Championship talking about Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Barcelona, England, Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp, Erik Ten Hag, Mikel Arteta, transfer news, tactical analysis and much more. James has made content with Mark Goldbridge from the United Stand, Rory Jennings, Ben Foster, Spencer FC, The Club, Thogden, JaackMaate, ESPN and many more.
0:00 JAFFN Makes It Onto Billboards!
6:25 Is Saliba Actually Good?
7:47 Was Gabriel's 'Handball' A Penalty?
14:48 Should Away Goals Be In The Champions League?
20:48 Why Football Feels More Boring To Watch.
34:48 Harry Kane vs Mbappe & Lewandowski
39:57 Was The Saka & Neuer Incident An Arsenal Penalty?
44:00 Is Kobbie Mainoo Being Overhyped?
48:04 Reacting To Fuming Arsenal Fan Losing £2000.
49:44 The Biggest Fashion Crimes At Football Games.
57:17 What Is The BIG Rivalry After Pep & Klopp?
59:21 Would You Rather: QPR Go Up or Spurs Win A Cup?
1:02:09 The Secret Hidden Behind THIS Classic Football Shirt!
#PremierLeague #JLA #football

[@dan74553]

This podcast always used to be 50% football chat MAXIMUM. I want this to be the start of an uprising in the comments that takes JAFFN back to its glory days. My fellow slugs, I need your support and backing.

[@joeallen781]

Eat Salt

[@CrazedFilmz]

I think the solution should be more JAFFN. It’s only logical isn’t it? I literally giggled when this came up “uploaded 20 seconds ago” on my morning commute.

[@Jimbobiscuit]

I have found myself over the last few weeks turning this off thinking I was watching a football podcast. Standards are on the floor right now.

[@GenericZac]

This is what I've been saying. After several reset pods and the death of knosh chat its been all uphill for footy chat. There's only so many times I can take Flav's freezing cold takes on Phil Foden. Enough is enough.

[@BigHogLog]

You have my sword

[@l...m9415]

Love the idea Flav is just a recurring guest on a podcast he's been on for 5 years

[@Freddogod]

He’s just the only one available every week Like a prime James Milner

[@VillaBoys123]

Yeah, kind of outstayed his welcome innit.

[@pashwayar]

On Cinema vibes

[@Birdiex94x]

The I.T Crowd reference of Arsenal walking it in is iconic 23:21

[@Luke-zq2wr]

He didn't know a IT crowd reference. I'll tell you one thing and I'm not ashamed to say it, my estimation of James Lawrence Allcott as a man just fucking plummeted.

[@Buddanutslol]

@@Luke-zq2wrI mean that reference was actually born from common conjecture of the Wenger era in general, IT crowd didn’t make that sound bite, but rather referenced a football talking point that at that time had pierced the mainstream consciousness.

[@Glovvox]

@@Buddanutslol the IT crowd certainly coined that phrase.

[@Buddanutslol]

@@Glovvox people were literally saying it before it was on the IT crowd, which is why the IT crowd used it as an example of what someone who knew nothing about football would say about Arsenal.

[@Glovvox]

@@Buddanutslol I understand what you’re saying - but the exact phrase “the thing about arsenal is they always try to walk it in”, which is what James was referring to, was from the IT crowd.

[@ellisg95]

I loved away goals. The only issue with it is that they shouldn't have counted after extra time because the away side would have had an extra half an hour to score an away goal.

[@SamC-bg6vn]

Good point. Never thought of that.

[@alexcoyg3281]

Absolutely agree.

[@lucasalaniz76]

Away goals mean nothing. One match home, one away; it's about making it "fair" in terms of the ground along the 180 minutes. Inside of that fairness is that the game develops, so why should there be an advantage for when you score away? It's as if you were punished for not making an advantage when playing home. Makes no sense

[@ellisg95]

@@lucasalaniz76 the whole point of away goals was to incentivise the away side to go for it more. Before away goals were introduced to football, each side was far more likely to play for a 0-0 in their away fixture. Having away goals was just a fun way of stopping teams trying to park the bus away from home and add an extra element of jeopardy to the game. Part of the reason Liverpool's comeback in the 2019 Champions League Semi-Final against Barcelona was so incredible after losing 3-0 at Camp Nou was because Liverpool not only had to score 4 goals to win the tie, but the game was on an extra knife edge the whole time because one goal at Anfield from Barcelona would have probably put the game beyond Liverpool's reach. The Spus Ajax tie also only worked because of away goals.

[@justagame101]

​@ellisg95 The away goals rule is redundant for its original purpose; to make people to try score away. That's not really an issue anymore because it's so much easier to score nowadays. Also, it irritates me that this oxymoron has begun to emerge in football circles that it has somehow made it boring not having away goals. So many ties were dead because the home team had lost, say 1-0 away and conceded early, so they'd almost always fall to pieces. Also, had Barça scored in that game, it'd be done and people would switch off. Not a great product. At least now they don't have to think of machinations whilst playing a match. It's like how the NBA back to the basket rule should be gotten rid of as it's no longer needed imo.

[@Andy-w33to]

Football never really used to be a game of patience - players trying to dribble past defenders, shooting from distance without a hope, pinging a long ball forwards in hope. Spain/Barcelona really changed the game in the late 2000s with tiki taka, teams realised they could retain possession score a goal and control the game. Before the aim was only really to score more goals than your opponent, nowadays it feels more like the aim is to control the game, and the goals will come.

[@shottskies]

Mate I really like this comment. There are some classic world cup matches from the 2000s available to view on the fifa KZbin channel. If you go back and watch them and they are like finals and semi finals I do agree that there is quite a bit of what you just said. And these are so supposed to be high high level games. There are actually a surprising amount of moments where you’re sat there going no way a player would attempt that now because it’s such low percentage, they’d rather pick a pass or something that would honestly be way smarter. Tactically the game has moved in leaps and bounds since the mid 2000s in my opinion. It’s very difficult to breach defneses these days. There were a lot of fantastic flair moments back in the day but the space you had back then was so much more as well. The debate as to whether the game was more entertaining then as compared to now is an interesting one. Both had pros and cons. Back in the day football was more fun. But it was also considerably more basic tbf. Also the space you had back then was so much more and that’s such a key difference to today. It’s possible to argue the aggregate quality of players is higher today in terms of skill and tactical awareness. However in some respects tactical systems and “philosophies” have made the game a little more boring at times.

[@LG26]

Pep Guardiola changed football, although you had the Ajax and Holland of the 70s (total football) for me it’s got too statistical

[@avikellerman4539]

@@shottskiesFalse. You didn't have much more space back in the 90s and 2000s. Those were some of the most defensive eras in the history of the sport. Italy winning the WC in 1982 changed the sport. Brazil who were unanimously playing the greatest and most attacking and pleasant football at the 82 WC were knocked out by Italy in the quarter finals who were more defensive and pragmatic. Teams and coaches realized that at the end of the day you can win ugly. By conceding less goals, being more physical and packing the defensive line. Look at some of the Serie A tables of the 1990s. One year AC Milan won the league title and only scored like 40 goals in the league. They were winning games 1-0. That era was more defensive and world class defenders were literally a dime a dozen. Just that AC Milan team alone had Baresi (widely considered the greatest CB), Maldini (also considered as one of the greatest CBs), Costacurta, Pannucci, Ancellotti. You had Nesta, Cannavaro, Thuram, Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Lizarazu, Lahm, Maicon, Hierro, Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Hierro, Ashley Cole, Zambrotta, Puyol, Vidic, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Walter Samuel, Lucio, Aldair, Pique, Bonucci, Chiellini, Koeman, Sammer, Jaap Stam, Materazzi, Carvalho, Kolo Toure...So on and so forth. The 90s and 2000s had amazing defenders. And defensive football teams often dominated. Italy and France both made the Euro 2000 final and were both built on elite defenses. You had teams like Mourinho's Chelsea and all the Serie A teams which were super defensive. Greece won Euro 2004 off the back of amazing defending and parking the bus. This idea that star players had acres of space to exploit is false. The danger areas were usually well defended as many teams sat back and parked the bus. This is before even mentioning how dirty and rough the defenders were allowed to be especially in the 90s. All of this made scoring harder which is why it was a low scoring era for the most part. The defenders back then were typically much better defenders than we see today, but many of them weren't great on the ball. The footballing philosophy has changed greatly. Defenders today aren't judged as much on their actual defending skills as how good they are playing out from the back. To the point that managers sacrifice solid defending for the ability to play out from the back. Which is stupid since a defenders main role by definition is to DEFEND goals...Not to be attacking outlets in the buildup. They've done the same thing with goal keepers as well. Keepers are judged by how they play out from the back instead of their actual shot stopping and commanding of the box. Before they didn't really care if you could or couldn't play out from the back and they didn't expect you to. They expected you to save shots, win crosses, command the box, organize the defense, etc. Playing out with your feet was a bonus. Most keepers just covered up or hoofed the ball out of danger and let the actual outfield players do the build up.

[@carlosbarton763]

What we've seen in football is the same as in countless other fields and disciplines (this isn't just concerning sports), maximised organisation and efficiency. It may well be boring and dull for some, but if you set today's sides against legendary teams of the past, full of iconic individuals, they'd undoubtedly tear them a new one

[@finnmccool6613]

Then begs the question, what's the point of sport? Is winning or joy more important? If you can have both, obviously, then that's ideal. But if you have to sacrifice one? The answer, right now, is winning at the expense of joy. Makes sense, to a rational, sensible adult. Winning is why you play - it's a job. To a kid, and speaking for myself as a kid, I played sport because of how it made me feel. Alive inside. I watched sport because I wanted to emulate the skills of my favourite players. I didn't care about numbers statistics or records. I cared about playing with my friends, about executing new skills, about having fun and expressing myself. The soul of football is the kid on the playground, and without it, winning means nothing.

[@jonaspattichis9054]

Hey bro 👌

[@didnaeknowyehaditinye2813]

Sorry but there’s no chance. If Uniteds 08/09 side who played fast transitional and fluid football against a predictable Man City side...the only reason pep looks so good is because every other manager tries to copy him with worse players and they don’t even fully understand why pep does certain things. It’s just been labelled as playing “the right way” so it’s almost looked down upon to play direct (how Brentford took points off city and how Liverpool took a title off city)

[@connorwatt507]

F1😞😂

[@didnaeknowyehaditinye2813]

@@connorwatt507 I think that’s opposite 😂 no one has any efficiency except red bull. A sport full of people who are sh#t at their jobs and then max

[@connorgallagher8892]

Best thing about a Friday is JAFFN

[@GenericZac]

This should be the most liked comment

[@forderonfootball]

13:18 So glad to hear Flav say this. Rule 18 mentions the spirit of the game and a ref can (within reason) overrule any other law due this rule.

[@adnanilyas6368]

The problem with away goals was that it encouraged the HOME team, the team that SHOULD be encouraged to be more attacking, to play more defensively. It is a toxic incentive.

[@judahwessel4155]

At the same time though, it does encourage away sides to try to score instead of always parking the bus. I think most away teams went more offensive, whereas home teams probably didn't go much more defensive, so I would see it as a net win for the fans. Also if the first leg is a draw, it's a bit of a waste of time without away goals. No matter the score of the draw, might as well have been 0-0, so teams that scored 2 or 3 away goals get no reward for it.

[@bengreenbank]

Yeah this is a shit take. Away goals were bad and encouraged defensive play. It’s been much more attacking since they were binned

[@ashleykhupe2982]

Love the content ❤️ keep up the good work

[@toshaanwilliams6576]

Haven't listened to you guys in years! Thought I'd just check in after the white teeth chronicles came up on my home page and I was sucked back in! Still a solid podcast boys 👊🏾 happy to be back 🎉

[@SamC-bg6vn]

On the Gabriel hand ball, I agree with James and Flav but for slightly different reasons. People are always calling for referees to use “common sense” rather than rigidly sticking to the letter of the law. The referee did exactly that and now some people (often the same that always whinge and complain about referees not using “common sense”) are complaining that the referee has actually used his common sense to not ruin the football match over a silly and unintentional mistake. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either we want referees to use their common sense, or we want them to stick to the letter of the law. You can’t have it both ways.

[@edburt9067]

Lovely epidode, great as always!!

[@alexcoyg3281]

Flav looking like a prime wet bandit on that billboard! Oh this is going to be a great hour !❤

[@Buddanutslol]

Always funny seeing comments from newer viewers when you’ve been a viewer since Ball Street. The evolution from OFTW to this is beautiful.

[@MatthiasWinkler]

Extra time was an issue for away goals. Also the fact that you could win a tie without winning a game (0:0 at home and 1:1 away)

[@jeffbeasley8283]

I'm mad at myself for forgetting that a new JAFFN is today but also beyond happy. You remember how you felt on Christmas Eve when you knew money was too tight and you told Mom you didn't mind waiting till next year for the 360. Then Christmas day comes and under the tree is a box that looks suspiciously like the new Xbox 360 and it was, you actually got it. THAT FEELING, that's how I felt seeing a new JAFFN when I had no idea it was coming. Bit long winded but love u guys, only forwards

[@TolzySound]

Love this! Videos like this is why I’m subscribed to the channel

[@nameanteater4772]

The thing with the Gabriel handball, on one occasion it’s “the referee has to follow the rule” for things like the Diaz goal, but on this occasion it’s “but it’ll ruin the tie and enjoyment of the game”.

[@benhodgkinson1011]

Flav is always so calm about QPR when he has no idea about the weight of their fixtures and what the other teams are doing around them haha. Jim is rightly nervous, huge games coming up for the bottom 8 teams #UTT

[@Dvoooooo]

Surely away goals was scrapped so that every tie has an outright winner, rather than a team going through while drawing after 180 mins

[@rohithraman6488]

people say it's hard to score away from home, but it's also hard to keep a clean sheet away from home

[@J_Tevo]

If you watch a 2-1 from 1995 and a game with the same score line from 2024, I can almost guarantee it’s a better watch today. Back then people loved the figures in football more, because they had more mystique; they were less available and less understood. Also, you don’t remember all the terrible games and misplaced passes, because they weren’t as heavily recorded and wildly spread as it is today. You remember the standout great moments. If Twitter was around in the 2002, you’d see people complaining about how wasteful Zidane was and that he didn’t contribute enough with goals and assists. Players are held to a higher standard in the modern game. (Also, you had less in your lives, because you were kids back in the 90s, so it was worth more to you)

[@pashwayar]

I challenge you to watch a full 90 of a match in 1995 and come back holding this same opinion.

[@thomasmartyn65]

Possible bit? Football superstitions. When Jim was saying about not putting Jimmy Jr. in the QPR shirt because they lost the last time he was in one, I also do the same thing. In the 2018 World Cup I wore Nige’s match shirt for the 2001 England Vs Greece game (Beckham free kick) every England match during the tournament. It seemed to work as we got to the semis for the first time in 20 odd years and won our first penalty shootout. Safe to say I’ve not worn it for an England game since after that semifinal. I did have it next to me during the Germany game in the following Euros, maybe it’s got some magic left in it? 🚨Bonus bit🚨 With Jim’s classic QPR shirt) what classic or special shirts do the Sluggies have and why are they special to you?

[@marcobullock4011]

My football superstition is I’ll always put a bet against my team if we’re drawing or only a goal up in the last 20, always accept defeat before we’ve even conceded and try at least to make some money of our demise

[@DanielMorales-eu7ok]

I like the change about the away goals thing, it encourages local teams to actually go for the games, everyone forgets were VERY conservative because they were terrified of conceding at home.

[@samking3175]

The other day i was bowling and couldnt help but think i look so camp when bowling and no matter how i wanted to change what i was doing just still looked camp which got me thinking of a new bit for you boys, what things can you not possibly look straight while doing

[@salexa171]

Not watched yet so will be interesting to see what is said but a thought I had not too long ago resonated with this title. Without being too nostalgic when you think of international teams up until around 2010 they were completely star studded. Brazil, Italy, Germany, Spain, England, France, Argentina come to mind. Even if the teams didn’t play well together the player quality was there. Now between those nations outside France I’d struggle to name more than 3 ‘world class’ players per team.

[@didnaeknowyehaditinye2813]

Ye they’ve just been coached from the youth team to just keep the ball so there’s no imagination when it’s drilled into them to think of the next pass, instead of like Ronaldinho who would think about going forward as soon as he got it, and doing something that entertains people

[@Football_Advanced]

Between those teams I can already think of plenty of world class players, I think people get clouded by nostalgia too much. When people talk about old teams and players, let’s use Ozil playing for Germany at the 2010 World Cup for example, you don’t they don’t rate him in terms of how good he was at the time, you rate him as Ozil he was throughout his entire career. For example Wirtz at the upcoming euros will be better than Ozil at that World Cup, but because he has so many years to go in his career it would be silly to say he’s better than Ozil. Football hasn’t declined we’ve just got older

[@alfredthegreat9543]

Yeah but even then any good club side would've beaten the World Cup winners. International football has never been as good quality wise (across a whole game) as a top tier League due to the limited amount of training time the team gets together.

[@salexa171]

@@Football_Advanced In likelyhood you’re right. I just look at the quality of the likes of Italy, Germany, Spain and Brazil and can’t help but to think where are the best players in the world in their position?

[@Football_Advanced]

@@salexa171 to be fair you are right, there aren’t as many standout players/names as before, that’s just how football has adapted, from an individuals game to a team game (cos of Pep). But anyway Italy have completely fallen off and don’t have many world class players at all, I think it’s coincided with serie a’s downfall from the 90s. Spain are obviously never gonna be as good as that 2008-12 team, but their team isn’t bad. We still hold Brazil to the heights of their old success, forgetting the last time they had a good World Cup run was 2002. Brazil haven’t been up to scratch for a long time. Germany have been awful since they won the World Cup but they’re improving now.

[@abdulkerimidris7689]

@Flav That nostalgia you're feeling can easily be satisfied... by watching United. Yup, let that sink in. Guess that explains why we don't have that type of football anymore, huh? Even with the talent that Utd have, we're still sixth in mid-April, and lucky to be so

[@Delusionaryvisionary_407]

With the Gabriel incident, Arsenal tend to do something like this. It's either Gabriel or Raya that takes the kick and they give the ball to the other if they think for whatever tactical reason. The PL refs don't tend to blow for the game to go that early but the UCL ref did and that caught Gabriel out. He wasn't trying to gain an advantage outside of the rules. About the away goals rule, the rule is bad because it makes a 2-2 away draw more valuable than a 1-1 away draw and it makes a 1-1 home draw more valuable than a 2-2 home draw. It makes some results that should be the same more valuable than others for no good reason.

[@YuutsuSekai_]

Love the Netflix hat Jim x

[@liamanderson6191]

I used to think that but this season there have been so many goals and really good ones from outside the box

[@Helgerkuusik]

If it went to extra time in the second leg, the home team on the day found themselves in a situation where if they concede 1, they have to score 2. Also from a personal perspective, I don’t think it’s great for a team to go through, even though both games tied, just because you scored more goals away. Shite way to go out of the tournament too having not been beaten if it’s 2-2 and 3-3 for example.

[@Macotak747]

This exactly, I recall this happened to arsenal in the uel a few years ago, playing someone like olympiacos and they conceded an away goal in extra time, then equalised, but then at the end of extra time they lose because of away goals

[@finkdifferently7763]

Some counter points to it not being a penalty: 1: Rules are always applied fastidiously. If the ball happens to be rolling when a deadball is taken for example, even a smidgen, that freekick is always retaken. The ramifications are usually less than giving away a penalty, but we've all seen quick freekicks taken that set a player through on goal, just to be called back. 2: Whilst there likely wasn't any direct advantage to Gabriel picking the ball up, not enforcing the handball here may lead to players taking advantage. If they notice they are in a bit of a sticky situation, if they feel like the opposition are about to press, oh shit, I accidentally picked it up, let's restart play. 3: Arsenal can f right off.

[@gazzadona]

As a hull city fan we have the glory of a maverick like Philogene this season as his highlight reals has been insane but until his last 2 games he went missing for 8 games

[@ollycarter9809]

Fashion crimes at football: that category of men who think it makes them the hardest possible geezer because they wear shorts in winter and when you ask about it they say stuff like "its short season mate" or "can't hack it can ya". Also stone island.

[@JLBerry_]

The shirt over the hoodie thing is a big thing with American sports. Got a lot of hockey fan friends and they all go to the games with a jersey over a hoodie

[@anguschalmers2766]

Aresnsal walking it in was a thing in Milton Keynes too

[@bentaylor8068]

Was wondering how long it would take Flav to bring up Arsenal, 6 minutes is a bit weak for him

[@Dwayndibb]

Yes but Wenger football was incredible entertaining to watch

[@TheSpike1302]

The Arsenal walk it in joke was on the TV Show IT Crowd 🤣

[@Dwayndibb]

Arsenal were better to watch in Wenger years only winning FA cups. Sad times

[@ryanrichardson8282]

Statistics Stan is golden 😂😂😂 Flav was on one at 27:43

[@joshcarrington9324]

Football question for next week - given your status as ‘nostalgia merchants’ what would be your perfect premier league. Which 20 clubs deserve more than any to make up the premier league. For example Bolton just feel like they need to get back in because it would feel right.

[@mcainox]

So glad you've put timestamps so I can skip the weekly Arsenal waffle chat and get to the good bits

[@JoshPhilp]

James, show us what cards ya got

[@nietzchepreacher9477]

Away goals means that the team at home in the second leg could get an extra 30 mins at home if it goes to extra time

[@alexcoyg3281]

25:36 😂😂😂😂Ray Parlour dig was great

[@Louback33]

in america, you see the jersey over hoodies alot at NFL games, but the NFL jerseys are alot larger than soccer jerseys, so it doesn't look too mental. Also, life lesson: don;t mess with the guy with his jersey over his hoodie.

[@FoxtrotBravoRomeo]

Happy friday! 0:24 lets goooooo ❤

[@canonogic]

It was a deliberate handball, we can't now start adding meaning and advantages etc to that

[@pearcebt334]

Leon Bailey my fun footballer. One of the few wingers left who always take on there man (and often beats them)

[@mickbanner]

True. The alure of Messi and Mbappe is made so much stronger as all we see (UK viewers) is highlights and send videos of their best moments. Of course theyre some of the best...but so is Salah and Kane

[@cbc899]

Have to disagree with the offside take. You may look at the first legs from those games as pointless as they were a draw, but it just means that they are both wide open With away goals, a high scoring 3-3 first leg near feels like a win for the away team because at 0-0, 1-1 or 2-2 in the 2nd leg, they still go through which is pointless. It also favours the bigger teams. Use the example of a team like Copenhagen in the quarter finals against a team like Real Madrid or Man City. Say they get beat 3-1 at home. But they manage to pull off a miracle 2-0 win at either the Bernabau or the Etihad, so it is 3-3 on aggregate. They would still go out even though they both won a game each and scored 3 goals each but the heavy favourites just managed to score 1 extra away goal. At least with no away goals, they play until there is a fair winner. Also, with away goals it effected how open the games were. The home team alot of the time played within themselves because they didn't want to concede the away goals. On the other hand, if the away team win 3-1 in the first leg then they just sit back in the 2nd because they know the other team have to score at least 3 goals and hope not to concede, because like I mentioned before, a 2-0 win wouldn't be enough. Since the away goal rule has been taken away I think it opens up the games and makes it more fair, open and attacking

[@RyanSprkl]

Maybe throw a hoodie under that QPR shirt James to fill it out a bit

[@malligrub]

The Mbappe vs Kane "magical dimension fallacy" making people think he's just obviously the best is the same reason people don't understand Salah's level as well. We watch all his mistakes as well every week and then just go "oh well, that's what he's supposed to do" when he gets 40+ goal contributions every season 7 years in a row and creates another 5 huge chances every match for his team to squander as well

[@joshmann607]

Boys, been a dry slug for many of years, what time do they do these live, if I go moisty will I be able to join along within my work hours, I'm normally working like 7-2 most days

[@BohemianRaichu]

lots of people complained about away goals. It made a lot of teams play too defensive. Instead we got 10 goals from 2 games.

[@jameswann3278]

I actually watch these for Flav as much as James, if not more. Love both, but I am not as engaged by the statistical videos as I am by just a funny conversation with two people I like.

[@stevecrowe1489]

I think the best maverick decently is St. Maximan. Totally one of those players that you have no idea what he's going to do and will never play the 5 yard pass.

[@NotApplicableF1]

The Arsenal walk it in thing is from the IT Crowd

[@Boyparashaw]

I am watching this merely minutes after fighting to use the bubble wand to its highest level when it’s been sitting in excessively mixed and ruined liquid. This pod hurt.

[@mattwilks1371]

Right in time for my train journey. Fucking winner

[@GamerFrisco]

Its to encourage attacking in both legs

[@Sleatz_]

Hi Jimbo, I'm a Charlton fan and I can't do this anymore. Currently on 19 draws, the most in England's top leagues. We have League 1s top goalscorer, meaning if we've scored, its been the same bloke doing it, and if he scores we know its going to get cancelled out, plus he'll inevitably leave at the end of the season. We're actually in a worse spot next season, after this one may as well have not happened. As a result and a potential new bit, I'm wandering what you, Flav, and the sluggies would think is the best best way to off yourself for the benefit of the football club. Purely research purposes...for now

[@stanleybrhm]

I hope QPR come up as well for James' sake. Have been following since the Ball street days. Good to see him doing well for himself, bloody good egg.

[@olihughes]

I thought the reason they got rid of away goals was because it was during COVID and there weren't any fans in the Stadia, and so being at home was less of an advantage. I remember when they got rid of away goals and assuming that they'd bring it back once fans were back... Apparently not :(

[@nickkeogh]

Could you assemble a top 4-6 squad from players in the bottom 4-6 teams in the premiership? Or have you done that one already..?

[@thomasmartyn65]

Regarding the discussion on if football is “worse” now or not. I see it more as a bit of a trade-off and what people prefer to watch. Yes in the past there was more room for maverick players with moments of magic and glory and that was amazing to watch, Ronaldinho, Gazza etc but it can be said that the overall level of football was worse (not entirely my opinion but still). Some people prefer to watch the old style of football and that’s great, however some now prefer to appreciate how “perfectly” teams such as “Pep teams” can play football which in itself can bring enjoyment to those people (getting nerdy about tactics and stats can be enjoyable) and moments of magic can and still do happen, there are just fewer of them.

[@thomasgrant8074]

What was Wenger thinking bringing Walcott on that early?

[@HenryChungFootball]

James was that an IT crowd reference

[@xDriger]

"Thing about Arsenal is". comes from the IT Crowd on channel 4

[@weswarman168]

You got the explanation for away goals wrong. Under the old rules, if the match is tied after 180 minutes the team playing away in the second leg had an extra 30 minutes to score a goal which counts as 1.5 goals. A recent example is Liverpool v Atletico, the last game before covid. Liverpool scored quickly into extra time so Atletico need a goal, they score now Liverpool needed another or they would lose. They chased it and conceded another late on as they were desperate.

[@maxthegunner747]

Kane looks like he’s wearing a puffer under his jersey every game!

[@mattwilks1371]

Love how a QPR era is defined by a Sinclair goal

[@craigwilson6393]

Checking in…

[@xg_zack]

Now we have VAR we can be more precise. When players slow down or move towards the contact it is clear to see and should not be awarded.

[@mellowfellow4956]

The main reason for getting rid of the away goals rule was to make games more open and attacking. I'd rather see games like the Madrid and City 3 - 3 first leg and them going at each other again in the second leg than Madrid sitting back to deny City an away goal.

[@cook1e2000robturnerxG]

Jim needs to get on the Guinness QPR football top

[@africancoast]

I complained about away goals. Worst rule in football. If rule number 1 of football is that you can't pick the football up, rule 2 is that 'whoever puts the ball in the back of the net the most times wins'. Away goals How many sides have been KO'd from a hugely important competition despite scoring the same amount of goals as their opponent - it's stupid

[@jackbarton4938]

Yeh well they should have scored more away goals than the opposition, then they wouldn't have been KO'd. It was the same rule for both teams mate. The away goals rule was only done away with because it ensures that the best teams go through every time, because over 2 neutral legs their supremacy is much more likely to triumph. This generates more revenue for the big soulless corporations. Away goals were good because a game was more dramatic and could turn on a knife edge, and teams had a real incentive to not park the bus away from home. It also ensured less games were dragged into extra time.

[@africancoast]

@@jackbarton4938 Real Madrid literally 3 peated the CL before away goals was scrapped. The same 4 or 5 teams made finals every year lol. It’s never been super competitive And no it wasn’t the same for both teams because one team potentially gets 30 more minutes to score an away goal. But it’s also just a nonsensical and arbitrary rule, there’s no reason a goal scored away from home is worth more than one scored at home

[@sebastianbrown9716]

One thought - if the Saka penalty incident didn't happen right at the end of the game, would it have been more likely to be given?

[@mattheendpod2659]

Explaining the decision, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: 'The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact, it now dissuades home teams - especially in first legs - from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage.

[@cook1e2000robturnerxG]

5 years ago Jim would of never said the word image rights, how times change

[@supersaq12]

Going back to old ways of flair players being encouraged might lead to the tanguy ndombole renaissance

[@monovan614]

Man City V Tottenham 2019 CL Spurs lose the game 2-1 on the night draw the whole tie 2-2 on aggregate and win the tie on away goals they won,lost and drew a match all at the same time. Away goals were amazing

[@MegaTimtheman]

Am i the only person that thought the away goals rule was unfair?

[@philsblogs8527]

Yes.

[@jamespickin8811]

Just look at Grelish at City, hell of a player don’t get me wrong but was so much more entertaining when he had the freedom at Villa

[@user-ud2lh2vw7o]

If it is or if it isn’t I’ll keep loving it till the day I die

[@DavidEbikeme]

it was the English clubs that complained by the away goal rule

[@ZHB69]

Flav was getting his Cheltenham tips off that Arsenal fan I reckon

[@SilvaRiz]

As Danny Blanchflower once said, the game is about xG

[@henryedwards2394]

Mbappe isn’t a striker

[@jack28aug]

TOTALLY agree with flav, footy used to be more fun, mbappe is pure pr. This is generation PR. Same things happened with weed, u can buy weed for a normal price, smell it touch it, look at it, or u can get a pr laden "pack" for triple the money that u cannot look at touch or smell b4 u buy. ITS CRAZY! Pr is useless. but yeah, kane is better, but i'd rather watch darwin nunez, WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER PLAYER!

[@johnlofeu1598]

Agreed very much with flav so that means something is wrong. It’s either him or myself haha

[@nonnayoubuzinnes1669]

It's VAR and officials who are ruining it. Some shocking decisions yet again this season. Thank God the blue card idea blew up, imagine Tierney and Coote trying to send every Liverpool player off at once 😂

[@punctualwizard]

I know we’re aren’t your most liked, but Bruno isn’t mentioned once during the maverick talk?

[@elliscarr5394]

Jim talking about QPR just putting a new sponsor over the old one being ‘a bit village’ in the 90’s whereas Wednesday have done that THIS SEASON. There’s levels to this game lads

[@QazwerDave]

Away goals should just have not counted in extra time.

[@timboslice8569]

The utter glee on Flavs boat as he's watching the Arsenal fan crying after the game is what football is about.

[@daaljones9584]

Everyone complained about away goals now both matches are entertaining and no one tries to park the bus second leg

[@optimusprimevil1646]

england look fresh this year, this could be the end of malaise they've been in for 30 years. I don't see these players letting the occasion get to them, and kane bursting to beat the germans after being blamed for bayern losing the league, marvellous.

[@kumquat3212]

Re: away goals, under the old rules couldn't Bayern just park the bus at the Allianz as well? Binning the away goal rules is fairer imo

[@HarryBratton-lc1ol]

Paqueta is a major maverick