Rich

Missed the pre-match. Is Grosicki injured? Struggling to understand why Nawalka’s fielded an even slower side than last time otherwise. So pedestrian everywhere.

Poland are minging like. Two DMs and clogger CBs in a 3-4-1-2 is aids.

Zielinski or a set piece, if there’s any at all

Pards used to study Sea World as well tbf. Man’s a visionary.

Howay Colombia Poland, I suppose. Mike on my side. Can't lose.

Seen Maradona's requested a meeting with them pre-match? Could be tasty

Howay the Poles.

nah, the manager knew they were shite and set them up accordingly, if messi didn't have a decent tournament they'd have gone nowhere Just meant in terms of how things were run - the manager was effectively a puppet then too.

Higuita's hair is still wonderful. Like a fancy dress pirate wig you'd get from Magic Box.

Bad memory, but was it any different at the last World Cup? Felt like the players (Messi) were running the show then as well. EDIT: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12026/9356463/world-cup-argentina-coach-alejandro-sabella-accepts-lionel-messi-criticism It wasn't much different.

How the fuck did Panama qualify, btw?

Was thinking similar, more of a 3-4-1-2 with Lingard tucking in behind the front two? Would just keep Loftus-Cheek in and drop him deeper, though, or put Delph in.

How can they still owe £4.5m for Oviedo? How is he one of their highest earners?

Gonna get long-throwed to death lads.

This is class so far like, keep up the good work Stew.

Here he is. Could none of those hypothetical “different results” have gone in our favour?

Loved that Assume everyone else said "what's he trying the Watson for?"

Not sure the PL ruling has much merit in this instance, as surely our revenue has increased dramatically since "the last contract year" along with "player trading profit" being solid for the past 3 years, and either/both could be used as the rationale for a greater wage bill increase than £7m this summer? The ruling seems to be a way to prevent Man City-esque spending, rather than stopping any club from increasing their wage bill significantly via more "legitimate" profit/loss means. Either way, Sels, Sterry, Mbemba, Lazaar, Colback, Saivet, Aarons and Mitrovic should be on their way, while Gamez, Haidara and a bunch of the U23's have already departed. Would be delighted to see Manquillo added to this list, but unlike most of the rest he'd need replacing in the squad. Can't see it as a real issue, but it'd be another cracking excuse for Ashley not to spend.

My Dad’s convinced Russia are gassing the opponents’ changing room like

Honestly though, think I’m just realistic about where we’re at under the fat cunt. Major concern is that Rafa isn’t allowed to use the budget he has in his own way and that this’ll be enough for him to bail next summer. Even if he has to do similar to what he did last year we should have a decent season and could even progress with signings in the right areas. He’d be perfectly entitled to walk out then, though. Feels like it will all come to a head.

Wow. Suppose he’ll just warm the bench, but still.

Loved Pards as well.

We wouldn’t be “standing still”, either, if we get Kenedy/an equivalent and then strengthen the key areas. The difference a good striker would make is enormous, for instance.

I know this is all typically shite, but am I the only one still feeling like we'll be alright next season even if Rafa's only able to do business at a level comparable to last summer? Obviously, I'm daft enough to be hoping for better than that after 12 months of PL revenue and more money made from player sales this time around, but I'm not sure it's as doom and gloom as it feels in here every day. Dubravka's done, if we make a permanent/loan deal for Kenedy (or a similar standard player) we're pretty much at the same level as we finished 2017/18 at. Anything from there is going to strengthen us, and we ended the season superbly for the most part. The key is whether Rafa is being allowed to spend any funds as he wants, i.e. a lot on one player instead of piddly amounts on 3-4 players.

heh