Stuart Pierce
@fanofnoimportance.bsky.social
Father of 3, partner of 1, love football, hate the industry, blog regularly about the evil buffoons in charge, yearn for the pre-Sky/VAR age whilst realising not everything was great back then either. https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/7960785234034016307
No rule changes for Man City’s conduct just yet.
And a rule change for corners because a team is good at them?
And a rule change for corners because a team is good at them?
February 1, 2026 at 7:35 PM
No rule changes for Man City’s conduct just yet.
And a rule change for corners because a team is good at them?
And a rule change for corners because a team is good at them?
Absolutely! We don’t need their validation and we didn’t need it when we were being mocked for coming up short/lacking leaders/no plan B etc
February 1, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Absolutely! We don’t need their validation and we didn’t need it when we were being mocked for coming up short/lacking leaders/no plan B etc
We have to be better than an own goal and a scramble at a corner with the players we have. Nerves must be paralysing though.
January 25, 2026 at 6:50 PM
We have to be better than an own goal and a scramble at a corner with the players we have. Nerves must be paralysing though.
Reading your assessment, you’re totally right. We’re great midweek but fall flat on the weekend.
I wonder whether you’ll mention the crowd tomorrow though? Eze on the ball with 20 mins left and they’re on his back cos he hasn’t moved it on within a second. We’re all nervy but they need to grow up.
I wonder whether you’ll mention the crowd tomorrow though? Eze on the ball with 20 mins left and they’re on his back cos he hasn’t moved it on within a second. We’re all nervy but they need to grow up.
January 25, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Reading your assessment, you’re totally right. We’re great midweek but fall flat on the weekend.
I wonder whether you’ll mention the crowd tomorrow though? Eze on the ball with 20 mins left and they’re on his back cos he hasn’t moved it on within a second. We’re all nervy but they need to grow up.
I wonder whether you’ll mention the crowd tomorrow though? Eze on the ball with 20 mins left and they’re on his back cos he hasn’t moved it on within a second. We’re all nervy but they need to grow up.
I saw clips of that 86-87 defeat at OT recently, unbelievable what Whiteside got away with throughout the whole game! I know he was a ‘combative’ player but was that an early case of Ferguson pumping particular players up?
Also P Nicholas v Remi Moses 82-83!
Also P Nicholas v Remi Moses 82-83!
January 25, 2026 at 5:25 PM
I saw clips of that 86-87 defeat at OT recently, unbelievable what Whiteside got away with throughout the whole game! I know he was a ‘combative’ player but was that an early case of Ferguson pumping particular players up?
Also P Nicholas v Remi Moses 82-83!
Also P Nicholas v Remi Moses 82-83!
Steve Bruce called off his Sheffield United players at Arsenal when Kanu unwittingly (I think) ran through on goal when Arsenal gave the ball back following a United player having kicked it out after an Arsenal injury. Kanu set up Overmars (who knew exactly what he was doing!) but Wenger said replay
January 20, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Steve Bruce called off his Sheffield United players at Arsenal when Kanu unwittingly (I think) ran through on goal when Arsenal gave the ball back following a United player having kicked it out after an Arsenal injury. Kanu set up Overmars (who knew exactly what he was doing!) but Wenger said replay
I think it’s the sense that we deserve it - 23-24 particularly - and that our status was diminished all those years by a combination of paying for the stadium and the artificial riches of Chelsea and Man City. I’m no fan of Visit Rwanda and the Emirates sponsor or the ticket prices, but we are us
January 19, 2026 at 5:44 PM
I think it’s the sense that we deserve it - 23-24 particularly - and that our status was diminished all those years by a combination of paying for the stadium and the artificial riches of Chelsea and Man City. I’m no fan of Visit Rwanda and the Emirates sponsor or the ticket prices, but we are us
Trump yet to confirm whether he’ll use force to invade…
January 19, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Trump yet to confirm whether he’ll use force to invade…
Hard words but all spot on. Behaving like champions is a great line. For the last two league rounds, excitement over City dropping points has been the highlight, the feeling that they are handing it to us. And then we are left underwhelmed after our game. Perhaps we have to be braver, like you say.
January 18, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Hard words but all spot on. Behaving like champions is a great line. For the last two league rounds, excitement over City dropping points has been the highlight, the feeling that they are handing it to us. And then we are left underwhelmed after our game. Perhaps we have to be braver, like you say.
Absolutely! Not sure if Jesus’ teachings mirror City’s owners’😆
January 17, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Absolutely! Not sure if Jesus’ teachings mirror City’s owners’😆
Spot on. Guardiola claims money doesn’t matter, and that other teams have spent more than them in the last few years (if that’s true it’s certainly not in wages, and overspending is the only way City can be matched) but only they can spend huge in every window. That’s what we’re up against.
January 17, 2026 at 12:36 AM
Spot on. Guardiola claims money doesn’t matter, and that other teams have spent more than them in the last few years (if that’s true it’s certainly not in wages, and overspending is the only way City can be matched) but only they can spend huge in every window. That’s what we’re up against.
Just remembered Phil Neville on MOTD2 saying he would have “two-footed” Tomas Rosicky because of the way he played his no-look passes against Brighton in the Cup (2014-15, 3rd Rnd FA Cup) I appreciated G Neville speaking out about the flags recently but endorsing whacking GM serves the other side
January 10, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Just remembered Phil Neville on MOTD2 saying he would have “two-footed” Tomas Rosicky because of the way he played his no-look passes against Brighton in the Cup (2014-15, 3rd Rnd FA Cup) I appreciated G Neville speaking out about the flags recently but endorsing whacking GM serves the other side
Such a great point James made about ex player pundits expecting managers to be making the decisions for signings even when under the sporting director model.
Was David Pleat ‘Director of Football’?
Was David Pleat ‘Director of Football’?
January 10, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Such a great point James made about ex player pundits expecting managers to be making the decisions for signings even when under the sporting director model.
Was David Pleat ‘Director of Football’?
Was David Pleat ‘Director of Football’?
Feel like I might be being goaded into a comment here, but on the Neighbours thing, Arsenal’s Final home match of 91-92 v Southampton featured on an episode, with Rick Alessi of the Alessi brothers revelling in an Ian Wright hat trick. I am just older than Wilson, maybe just younger than Brewin.
January 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Feel like I might be being goaded into a comment here, but on the Neighbours thing, Arsenal’s Final home match of 91-92 v Southampton featured on an episode, with Rick Alessi of the Alessi brothers revelling in an Ian Wright hat trick. I am just older than Wilson, maybe just younger than Brewin.
That’s surely what they bought him for? They have the same problem as last season, just a bigger squad with more available goalscorers to compensate, I guess. Villa away was a chance for him to turn a draw into a win but they ended up losing.
Missing you on Libero!
Missing you on Libero!
January 8, 2026 at 8:57 PM
That’s surely what they bought him for? They have the same problem as last season, just a bigger squad with more available goalscorers to compensate, I guess. Villa away was a chance for him to turn a draw into a win but they ended up losing.
Missing you on Libero!
Missing you on Libero!
One of the longer term Chelsea managers that one
January 1, 2026 at 1:40 PM
One of the longer term Chelsea managers that one
It’s always been a bugbear of mine, that sort of managed atmosphere, and in terms of post-game, ‘here’s how we want you to celebrate’. It’s a hard argument when you see people singing along to Free from Desire etc, leaping about, but it’s a kind of subtle policing, I think.
But, we are still top!
But, we are still top!
December 31, 2025 at 11:30 AM
It’s always been a bugbear of mine, that sort of managed atmosphere, and in terms of post-game, ‘here’s how we want you to celebrate’. It’s a hard argument when you see people singing along to Free from Desire etc, leaping about, but it’s a kind of subtle policing, I think.
But, we are still top!
But, we are still top!
So good to see.
I wonder also, as Arsenal were much better in the 2nd half, there was no real need for the light show and fireworks pre-match? I appreciated something you said on Handbrake off a couple of weeks ago about the post-game music blocking the opportunity for fans to sing their own songs
I wonder also, as Arsenal were much better in the 2nd half, there was no real need for the light show and fireworks pre-match? I appreciated something you said on Handbrake off a couple of weeks ago about the post-game music blocking the opportunity for fans to sing their own songs
December 31, 2025 at 11:27 AM
So good to see.
I wonder also, as Arsenal were much better in the 2nd half, there was no real need for the light show and fireworks pre-match? I appreciated something you said on Handbrake off a couple of weeks ago about the post-game music blocking the opportunity for fans to sing their own songs
I wonder also, as Arsenal were much better in the 2nd half, there was no real need for the light show and fireworks pre-match? I appreciated something you said on Handbrake off a couple of weeks ago about the post-game music blocking the opportunity for fans to sing their own songs
Makes it all the sweeter. I do seem to have an acute dislike for him, and Martinez, which feels childish but there we are!
December 31, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Makes it all the sweeter. I do seem to have an acute dislike for him, and Martinez, which feels childish but there we are!
Feels so good for all that concern to turn to joy at giving them a good tonking!
Because we were better in the second half, does it mean that the light show and fireworks weren’t really necessary?!
Because we were better in the second half, does it mean that the light show and fireworks weren’t really necessary?!
December 31, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Feels so good for all that concern to turn to joy at giving them a good tonking!
Because we were better in the second half, does it mean that the light show and fireworks weren’t really necessary?!
Because we were better in the second half, does it mean that the light show and fireworks weren’t really necessary?!
Villa played against us at The Emirates as they did at Chelsea on Saturday, basically turning up for the last 20 minutes. It will count against them eventually, just as it did last season and before (the story of Emery in England) it’s just going their way right now.
Still confident though!
Still confident though!
December 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Villa played against us at The Emirates as they did at Chelsea on Saturday, basically turning up for the last 20 minutes. It will count against them eventually, just as it did last season and before (the story of Emery in England) it’s just going their way right now.
Still confident though!
Still confident though!
I was telling myself we could do without him if he was needed at right back, not that he would be out entirely. Villa are quite jammy in this (and many other regards), last season against them we had Partey at right back, and responsible for one of their goals.
December 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I was telling myself we could do without him if he was needed at right back, not that he would be out entirely. Villa are quite jammy in this (and many other regards), last season against them we had Partey at right back, and responsible for one of their goals.