Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Those Hemmings misses really didn't bother me. A bit like Madjo in the Super Cup, it's more encouraging that he's getting into and fashioning goal scoring chances. Composure in front of goal will come. His level is really encouraging 001
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Will go under the radar but Sunderland have some talent on their hands with Juan Riquelme Ángulo 😲 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Tell you what Jackson makes the ball stick a lot better than Ollie ever did #avfc #utv 011
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Genuinely think Martinez could be transformational for Chelsea. The one glaring area of weakness in their squad for years. Even if he's not spectacular, he will be such an improvement. 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Brighton signing Matias Orozco is a really smart piece of business. Don't think it'll necessarily be Moises Caicedo-esque, but think he'll do well 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Yeah, you'd think a side who has consistently finished in European spots last 4 years and has had a really interesting summer would register a bit more. Don't think anyone has clocked how much Emery has already been overachieving. Bit more hopeful than you are - 8-10th would represent a decent szn 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Find it mad how many prediction podcasts have us top 6 still. Will take it as a compliment that it's now our expected level but seriously unrealistic given the squad turnover + spending of others #avfc #utv 200
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Has anyone checked to see whether Madjo has given Pacho back his lunch money yet? #avfc #utv 080
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/08/2026I slightly worry about Alysson's decision making / final ball. But raw materials are there to work with. Whereas Hemmings looks so composed. Feels like we'll see a lot of him in particular 020
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/08/2026More positives from that than I expected. Madjo and Hemmings the obvious but Maatsen, Kamara, McGinn all looking good. Cash probably the only negative - let's hope last season wasn't a one off #avfc #utv 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/08/2026George Hemmings is first team ready too btw. Already looks a bigger threat than Bailey or Guess and #avfc #utv 020
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Brian Madjo - kid looks the real deal. Forget the misses, the way he has 1) consistently got into good positions 2) not let his head drop and 3) physically bullied Pacho are top top indicators of a proper striker #avfc #utv 040
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Proper rebuild at Villa this summer, both on and off the field. Europa League success perhaps the right time to mark the end of a cycle - but it's a fine balance. Don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And above all this rebuild will need patience. Emery deserves as much 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Yeah, profile-wise makes total sense. And I back Emery to get the best out of him. Wasn't too long ago that I genuinely thought he could be a long term Di Maria heir (obvs not as good) for the Arg national team. Just as a easily hateable aesthetic, a la CR7 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Not hugely hopeful for Garnacho to be good at Villa. BUT the level at which he's being painted as joke figure / waste of space might at least lower expectation so much than any kind of productivity will be seen as a relative success. Or he'll just get Harvey Elliott'ed. 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Very weird duality between Argentina in 2022 + 2026 2022: Struggled group stage, improved in KO, kept going ahead before almost throwing it away, exciting final, victorious, broadly popular 2026: Cruised through groups, struggled in KO, kept coming from behind, dull final, lose, widely castigated 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Yeah fair enough, completely entitled to that point. Appreciate you being open to a healthy debate. Definitely wouldn't have happened on twitter haha. Have a good day mate 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Just a personal preference but the colonial mindset of 'finders keepers' (see also British museum) doesn't sit comfortably with me. Again, each to their own, but that's where I come at it from 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Yeah I know, but I would say in that case it was probably to neighbouring countries no? Not to one 8000 miles away. Not saying you have to agree but you surely can empathize with the thought process of 'isnt it odd that country all the way has this bit of land in our doorstep'? 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Again you are smart enough not to think an authoritarian regime from a moment in a country's history is reflective of an entire population 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Not asking to change your opinion re self determination, just trying to get you to understand where it's coming from rather + not say the entire Argentinian population supports a dictatorship. 110
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/20268000 miles between islands and UK. Germany and Shetlands around about 1000 I'd estimate. So not sure that stands. Point is if the boot was on the other foot, and that frustration had been passed down through generations, you'd probably have a different opinion, regardless of political ideology 210
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Not suggesting I know what the answer is, just that so many people conflate the claim with the war, when it's a much more complex situation. 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026I agree that because of point 2 it's a near impossible situation to resolve. Turkeys aren't going to vote for Christmas after all. Less truck with point 1 though. Imagine if someone just took an uninhabited island off Germany - you'd probably think they were in the wrong + still do 200 years later 210
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Ridiculous take. Argentina's claim didn't start when the despicable junta started the war. It has been a live issue for near 200 years. You'll find plenty of people who suffered at the hands of the dictatorship (my in-laws for example) who think they should be Argentinian 110
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 12/07/2026As someone with links to both Argentina and England, nothing good can come from this game 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 07/07/2026I suppose technically why should have when it was round of 16. Face palm haha 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 06/07/2026This game doesn't feel like a World Cup quarter final at all. Almost like they are playing out a dead rubber group game. If this was football manager I'd be asking: "where's the passion, lads!" 030
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Nuno Mendes is bloody brilliant. Shame to see him go off injured 020
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Personally I enjoyed seeing France showing another side to their game. Got the minerals as well as the skill. Styles make fights after all 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Oh I'm not saying it should be praised. I just don't think such indignation is warranted. Paraguay came to spoil, didn't manage it, France got the deserved win. Ref deserves more judgement for not controlling the game 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026As a wider point, and not saying this about you, but I think it ties into the media portrayal of dirty / cheating South Americans is a trope the 'civilised' West falls into a little too easily 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Fair enough. They can't compete with France so had to find another way. Maybe it's also because i'm used to and expect Paraguayans to be hard bastards, so it didn't come as a shock. Credit to France for coming through that battle 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Maybe a bit spicy. My point about any moral outrage should be directed at the ref, not Paraguay per se 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Yeah that was my big takeaway - more a question of poor officiating letting the game get out of hand. Course Paraguay are going to push the limits and see what they can get away with. Stronger ref nips it in the bud 000
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026They've done when it comes to "expats" though. God forbid just calling them immigrants 030
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Haha fair enough. Did seem like the French rose to it and were flopping around a bit. But credit to them for coming through it, showed another side that they could win ugly. Hard to look past them as champions 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Only seen highlights but I don't quite get the moral outrage for Paraguay v France. Mad that ref didn't dish out more bookings but nothing too scandalous. Shithousery? Yes. Robust challenges? Plenty. Poor little French princes didn't like it up them for a change + lost their heads. God forbid. 200
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Which Argentinian club will take a punt on Tim Payne once it doesn't work out at Olimpia? 001
Reposted by Tom RobinsonTim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Killer stats from @theobserveruk.bsky.social’s Rory Smith 54921
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Messi will get the plaudits but Lisandro Martínez MOTM for me. Absolute beast, passing spot on, even good in the air. No Cuti, no problem 020
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Yer Da sings the Killers during a Powerade™ hydration break at the football 021
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 28/05/2026Not too many surprises in the Argentina squad. Sticking with tried and tested with a sprinkling of new faces (Barco, Paz, Simeone). Shame that Buendía couldn't play his way into contention 010
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 25/05/2026On a separate note, he's an absolutely lovely bloke too. Met him once when I lived in Norwich and he was genuinely up for a prolonged chat - didn't feel like he was just getting the token interaction over with 131
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 25/05/2026100% agree. He's got technique + bronca forged in the potreros (even if he did move to Spain young). Worried that his penchant for high risk defensive splitting pass might not fit the Emery control mode but think they've found a nice middle ground 100
Tom Robinson @tomrobbo89.bsky.social · 24/05/2026Also nice of Stones to give Watkins a guard of honour during that 2nd goal 020
